Westinghouse Air Brake Company

Wabtec Holding Corporation

Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation

Wabtec Corporation

Other

Michael Mcneil

Gary M. Sich

Gary M Sich

John B Carroll

Gregory L Johnston

James E Hart

Daniel G Scott

Robert D Dimsa

Vincent F Troiani

Michael J Veltri

Jeffrey B Skweres

Michael S Plechey

Wei Li

Edward W Gaughan

Michael McNeil

William John Potter

Thomas H Engle

Wajih Kanjo

David J Meyer

Ulf Stahmer

Mark S Krampitz

Lawrence James Andrews

Frank Huchrowski

John E Paul

Warren White

Lawrence J Andrews

A brake health monitoring system and method measure pressures in different components of a brake system of a vehicle system during movement of the vehicle system. Two or more of the pressures that are measured in the different components are compared with each other to select a health monitoring mode. One or more allowable pressures are selected based on the health monitoring mode that is selected. A state of health of the brake system is determined by comparing one or more of the pressures that is measured with the one or more allowable pressures that are selected.

Brake health monitoring system

An automatic single-car test device for a distributor valve of a railway vehicle includes an air supply source, an adapter having a working chamber fitting, a valve chamber fitting, a reservoir fitting, a brake cylinder fitting, and a brake pipe fitting, an operating portion in fluid communication with the air supply source and the adapter, where the operating portion is configured to measure pressure within the working chamber fitting, the valve chamber fitting, the reservoir fitting, the brake cylinder fitting, and the brake pipe fitting and generate an electrical signal representing the respective pressure with the fittings. The test device further including a processing portion having a microprocessor, an input/output device, and a power supply. The processing portion configured to manipulate pressure within the working chamber passage, the valve chamber passage, the reservoir passage, the brake cylinder passage, and the brake pipe passage of the distributor valve via the adapter.

Automatic brake control valve test unit for railway vehicle

The brake cylinder comprises a cylinder body comprising an annular flange and a non-pressure head. The annular flange of the cylinder body defines a plurality of openings. The non-pressure head has an annular flange and a head portion extending from the annular flange. The annular flange of the non-pressure head has a plurality of bosses and a plurality of openings corresponding to and aligned with the plurality of openings in the annular flange of the cylinder body. At least one vent is positioned in one of the plurality of bosses. The cylinder body and the non-pressure head are secured to each other at the respective flanges. The vent is positioned in the boss disposed opposite a mounting portion so that when the brake cylinder is mounted to a railway vehicle, the vent is oriented in a bottom position on the cylinder body with respect to a ground surface.

Universal venting arrangement for a railway vehicle brake cylinder

A main piston assembly for a service valve portion of a brake control valve for a railway vehicle braking system includes a service graduating valve and a service slide valve. The graduating valve includes a first side having a porting pattern defined therein. The service slide valve includes a graduating valve seat having a porting pattern in a first side and a service slide valve face having a porting pattern in an opposing second side. The porting patterns of the first side of the graduating valve, the graduating valve seat, and the service slide valve face are configured to perform an accelerated application valve function venting brake pipe pressure to atmosphere and to direct pressure from an accelerated release reservoir to the service graduating valve to discontinue the accelerated application valve function when a slight brake pipe over-reduction condition exists.

ABDX-C service graduating valve and slide valve and slide valve design incorporating accelerated application valve (AAV) functionality

A main piston bushing for a service valve portion of a brake control valve includes a cylindrical sidewall defining a central passageway extending longitudinally through the main piston bushing, the central passageway being surrounded by an internal surface of the cylindrical sidewall. The central passageway is configured to receive the main piston assembly of the service valve portion. The internal surface of the cylindrical sidewall includes a first ramp and a second ramp defined therein, the first ramp and the second ramp being configured to engage a portion of the main piston assembly of the service valve portion to restrain movement of the main piston assembly.

Service main piston bushing containing two spring ramps

A transition plate connects an electronic manifold to a pipe mounting bracket of a railway brake system and includes a body having a manifold portion that defines a face configured to engage the manifold and a pipe bracket portion that defines a face configured to engage the pipe mounting bracket; ports defined in the manifold face that are configured to align and communicate with ports in the face of the manifold; ports defined in the pipe bracket face that are configured to align and communicate with ports in the face of the pipe mounting bracket; and a plurality of air passages extending through the body for connecting the plurality of ports defined in the manifold face with the plurality of ports defined in the pipe bracket face. The transition plate establishes a pneumatic interface between the electronic manifold and the pipe mounting bracket.

ECP/triple valve transition plate

A service portion of a rail control valve includes a body defining a piston passageway, an inshot valve passageway, and a service accelerated release valve passageway. An inshot valve is received by the inshot valve passageway of the body and a service accelerated release valve is received by the service accelerated release valve passageway.

Railroad control valve

A fixedly mountable event recorder for a railcar for monitoring performance of a brake system thereof includes (a) at least one port for receiving air from one or more brake system components; (b) at least one sensor for determining a pressure of the air received from the one or more brake system components; (c) a processor operative for analyzing the determined pressure to determine an operational condition of the brake system; and (d) an indicator configured to visually convey the operational condition of the brake system. The indicator includes a plurality of activatable visual indicia corresponding to a plurality of predefined operational condition status qualifiers associated with a corresponding plurality of predefined ranges of operational conditions. The predefined ranges of operational conditions are defined as a function of expected pressures associated with the respective one or more brake system components during corresponding operational conditions thereof.

Freight car event recorder

A release graduating proportioning valve for a rail car brake system having a brake pipe, a brake cylinder, and a load sensor valve. The release graduating proportioning valve has a conventional proportioning piston with a control volume communicating on a first side thereof and a second volume communicating on an opposite side thereof. A graduated release valve member, which can be incorporated into the top of the proportioning valve, is interposed between the control volume and atmosphere for providing a graduated release of brake cylinder pressure via the control volume. The graduated release valve member is activated by movement of the proportioning piston.

Graduated release/proportioning valve

A latching mechanism for use with a raisable and lowerable folding ramp having a bridge section and a toe section, such ramp being carried on one end of a railway car. The latching mechanism comprises an arm-like member pivotally connected at one end thereof to a predetermined structure of such railway car and a latch means attached to and extending outwardly from one of the bridge section and toe section of such folding ramp. A latching head portion is disposed at a radially opposed end of such arm-like member, and the latching head portion including a means for securing the latch means. A rotatable latching member is disposed in the latching head portion to engage and lock such latch means when such folding ramp reaches a fully raised position.

Ramp latching mechanism

A valve insert comprises a bushing assembly, a piston assembly and a spring. Its design prevents non-longitudinal movement of the piston assembly as it is moved within the longitudinal bore of the bushing assembly. This virtually eliminates the bell clapper effect commonly suffered by many of the valve inserts currently used in the industry. The design of the valve insert also avoids the pressure imbalances inherent to the prior art valve inserts. The valve insert is designed to fit snugly and sealingly within a suitable borehole, such as the fill and cut-out boreholes of an ECP manifold assembly.

ECP manifold valve inserts

A vent valve insert comprises a bushing assembly, a piston assembly and a spring. It is designed to fit snugly and sealingly within a suitable borehole, such as the vent borehole of an ECP manifold assembly. The bushing assembly defines a longitudinal bore within which the piston assembly is situated. When pilot pressure is applied to its top surface, the piston assembly is forced to an open position wherein fluid is allowed to flow through the vent valve insert. Absent pilot pressure acting against the top surface, the spring acts to force the piston assembly upward within the longitudinal bore. Secured to the bottom portion of the piston assembly, an annular sealing member is carried upward so that its flat surface seats against a raised inner portion of an annular valve seat. The vent valve insert is thus normally biased to the closed position. The vent valve insert also features a mechanism for preventing non-longitudinal movement of the piston assembly as it is moved longitudinally within the longitudinal bore. The mechanism not only guides the movement of the piston assembly within the bushing assembly but also prevents the bell clapper effect inherent to the vent valve inserts currently used in the industry.

ECP manifold vent valve insert

A nozzle assembly allows a metered dose of lubricant to be dispensed. It comprises a housing and a piston assembly. The housing defines a piston bore, a stem bore and a spout, all of which axially aligned. It also defines a lubricant passage, an air inlet, and a channel linked to the inlet. Connectable to a source of lubricant, the passage communicates with the stem bore. Connectable to a source of air, the inlet communicates with the stem bore at a position between the passage and spout. The piston assembly has a piston with stem and a spring. The piston lies in the piston bore, its back communicating with the channel. The protrudent end of the stem protrudes into the stem bore and has a groove defined about its circumference. The spring biases the piston assembly into a charge position wherein the groove aligns with the passage. This enables the groove to fill with lubricant. When the source of air allows air to act upon the back of the piston, the piston assembly moves against the spring through a transfer position. In this position, the stem extends further into the stem bore so that the groove lies between the passage and inlet. When fully moved against the spring, the piston assembly reaches a discharge position. In this position, the groove communicates with both the inlet and spout. This enables the lubricant to be discharged from the groove and out the spout along with the air from the inlet.

Wheel flange lubrication nozzle

The present invention provides an adapter member for attaching a pressure transducer to a housing member which has a fluid pressure communication passageway. The pressure transducer has a threaded fitting having a fluid pressure communication passageway for connection to a fluid communication line, such as an air hose. The pressure transducer has a mounting arrangement for attachment to a surface, such as a panel. The adapter member has a first body portion having a threaded fitting for mating with the threaded fitting of the pressure transducer and the adapter member has a fluid pressure communication passageway. A portion of the adapter member has an axisymmetric external surface portion for sealing against an inner surface of the fluid pressure communication passageway in the housing member.

Pressure transducer adapter

The present invention is a valve system for exhausting air from a brakepipe in a remote portion of a train. It has a pressure containment structure having a cylindrical bore and a piston mounted in the bore. A first valve chamber is on one side of the piston and a second valve chamber on a second side. A diaphragm seals between piston and bore, the diaphragm having an annular fold for permitting movement of the piston within the bore. The system has a first brakepipe pressure passageway for conveying air from the brakepipe to the first valve chamber and a control pressure connection for conveying air from a control chamber to the second valve chamber. A biasing means is provided for urging the piston toward the first valve chamber. A brakepipe exhaust valve connected to the piston is closed when the piston is moved toward the first valve chamber and opened when the piston is moved toward the second valve chamber so that when the pressure in the control chamber is reduced the brakepipe exhaust valve is opened and air is vented from the brakepipe. An annular sleeve is attached to the pressure containment structure and protrudes into the fold of the diaphragm to prevent the diaphragm from inverting if the pressure in the brakepipe drops below the pressure in the control chamber when the piston is positioned toward the first valve chamber.

Growing community of inventors

Irwin, PA, United States of America

Gary M Sich