Westinghouse Air Brake Company

David J Pcsolar

James A Wood

Paul J Kettle, Jr

John W Drake

Gregory S Balukin

Winslow Kevin Duff

Daniel J Wolf

Michael J Joyce, Jr

Charles L Crawford

A method of changing between two operator stations in a cab of a locomotive for controlling the brakes of the locomotive and of a train of railway cars connected to the locomotive. The stations each have at least one brake handle and an associated selector switch, with each of the switches being electrically connected to a brake control computer. The method includes stopping the train if the train is in motion and placing the brake valve handles of the stations in a position to apply the brakes at full service. One of the operator stations is selected as an active station for braking the train while the other station is selected to be inactive. Signals are directed from the selector switches at the operator stations to the computer, the signals indicating which of the two stations is active and inactive. The computer is provided with the software that accepts a valid transition to the station selected by the operator as the active station.

Dual station air brake control

An improved method is used to control the pressure in the brake pipe of a train. The train is equipped with an automatic brake handle, an equalizing reservoir, a brake pipe control device and a computer for controlling the control device according to position of the handle. The method involves the steps of: moving the handle to a point along its range of motion; and storing in the computer as a setpoint the value desired for the pressure in the brake pipe. At whichever point the handle occupies along its range of motion, there is a particular pressure setpoint corresponding thereto. The method next includes the steps of: directing the computer to command the control device to modify the actual pressure in the equalizing reservoir to the setpoint thereby also causing the actual brake pipe pressure to approach the setpoint. As the actual brake pipe pressure approaches the setpoint, the computer is directed to command the control device to adjust the actual equalizing reservoir pressure to a value slightly above (if desiring to increase brake pipe pressure) or below (if desiring to decrease brake pipe pressure) the setpoint until the actual brake pipe pressure reaches the setpoint. While monitoring the actual brake pipe pressure, the computer then commands the control device to adjust the actual equalizing reservoir pressure to maintain the actual brake pipe pressure at the setpoint corresponding to position of the brake handle.

Method of controlling brake pipe pressure

An improved method is used to control the pressure in the IAR pipe of a train. The train is typically equipped with an independent brake handle, a control reservoir, an IAR control portion and a computer for controlling the IAR control portion generally according to position of the brake handle. The method involves the steps of: moving the brake handle to a point along its range of motion; and storing in the computer as a setpoint the value desired for the pressure within the IAR pipe. At whichever point the brake handle occupies along its range of motion, there is a particular pressure setpoint corresponding thereto. The method next includes the steps of: directing the computer to modify the actual pressure in the control reservoir to the setpoint thereby also causing the actual IAR pipe pressure to approach the setpoint. As the actual IAR pipe pressure approaches the setpoint, the computer is directed to adjust the actual control reservoir pressure to a value slightly above (if desiring to increase IAR pipe pressure) or below (if desiring to decrease IAR pipe pressure) the setpoint until the actual IAR pipe pressure reaches the setpoint. While monitoring the actual IAR pipe pressure, the computer then adjusts the actual control reservoir pressure to maintain the actual IAR pipe pressure at the setpoint corresponding to the position of the independent brake handle.

Method of controlling 20 pipe pressure

An automatic and dynamic health monitoring system for detecting wheel lockup conditions caused by an unintentional unreleased handbrake or an unexpected traction motor seizure on multiple-axle railway vehicles by logically sensing and determining the status and operations of the input sensors and indicators to quickly and accurately diagnose the situation and to initiate an output fault code log signal.

Wheel lock detection arrangement for multiple-axle railway vehicles

A transducer health and offset calibration processing arrangement for a multiple axle railway vehicle including a brake cylinder transducer correction function circuit coupled to a stuck/dragging brake signal terminal, a brake command signal terminal, and a power/brake trainline signal terminal. A zero speed latch circuit and a transducer circuit interface health check circuit connected to a zero speed signal terminal. A first three-input AND gate connected to the zero speed signal terminal, a snowbrake trainline signal terminal, and a Servotrol output signal terminal. A second three-input AND gate coupled to the output of the first three-input AND gate and a highest axle speed signal terminal. A minimum axle rate discriminator circuit connected to each of plurality of axle rate signal terminals of the multiple axles of the railway vehicle. A brake cylinder pressure circuit check and a brake cylinder pressure signal generator coupled to a truck brake cylinder pressure signal terminal. The brake cylinder pressure signal generator, a transducer circuit interface health check circuit, and the transducer cylinder transducer correction function circuit coupled to a timer input signal terminal. A transducer offset initialization function circuit connected to a cold start input terminal. The minimum axle rate determination circuit having an output connected to the second three-input AND gate which has an output connected to a check and recalibrate enable function circuit.

Growing community of inventors

Irwin, PA, United States of America

David J Pcsolar