Westinghouse Air Brake Company

Wabtec Holding Corporation

Michael J Veltri

Daniel G Scott

Gregory L Johnston

Gary M Sich

Robert D Dimsa

John B Carroll

Vincent F Troiani

Wei Li

Edward W Gaughan

Jeffrey D Wurzer

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 which selectively connects the control volume to the brake cylinder. The release graduating proportioning valve has a proportioning piston movable between a first position at which a control volume is isolated from atmosphere to a second position at which the control volume is connected to atmosphere, to enable graduated release of brake cylinder pressure. A port to atmosphere is provided in the valve body, and the port is connected to, or isolated from, the control volume responsive to movement of the proportioning piston.

Graduated release/proportioning valve

A dual valve fitting enables pressure within a housing to be quickly measured. The fitting includes first and second valve bodies. The first body defines a passage between its threaded and protuberant ends. In the passage, a first valve atop a valve stem features a poppet head that is seatable against an outer valve seat. A first biasing mechanism compels the poppet head against the outer valve seat so that the first valve is normally closed. The second body defines a bore between its upper and lower threaded ends which communicates with the passage. The upper threaded end connects with the threaded end of the first body whereas the lower threaded end is designed to screw into a threaded bore of the housing. In the bore, a second valve features a retainer whose top defines a recess that retains a seal element that is seatable against an inner valve seat. A second biasing mechanism acts upon the retainer so that the seal element therein seats against the inner valve seat thereby rendering the second valve normally closed. A stem extension is disposed between a bottom of the valve stem and the top of the seal element. When a female coupler of a quick connect device is mated to the protuberant end, the female coupler causes translation of the valve stem, the stem extension and the retainer thereby opening both the first and second valves. This allows air to flow from the housing through the fitting and into the female coupler.

Dual valve fitting for enabling quick measurement of pressure

A dual valve fitting enables quick measurement of pressure contained within a housing. The fitting includes a valve body, a valve retainer, first and second sealing rings and a biasing mechanism. The valve body defines a flow passage within which is situated the valve retainer. The valve body is designed at its protuberant end to mate with a female coupler of a quick connect device and at its threaded end to screw into a threaded bore of the housing. The valve retainer defines around itself first and second annular recesses each of which spaced apart from the other to match the spacing of outer and inner annular valve seats formed in the flow passage. Forming a first valve, the first sealing ring retains in the first annular recess so as to be seatable against the outer valve seat. Forming a second valve, the second sealing ring retains in the second annular recess so as to be seatable against the inner valve seat. The valve retainer is biased within the flow passage so that the first and second sealing rings seat against the outer and inner valve seats, respectively, thereby rendering the first and second valves normally closed. Mating the female coupler to the protuberant end of the fitting causes the valve retainer to move inwardly against the biasing mechanism so as to open the first valve first then the second valve thereby allowing flow from the housing through the flow passage and into the female coupler.

A dual valve fitting enables pressure within a housing to be quickly measured. The fitting defines a passage between its threaded and protuberant ends. The threaded end screws into the housing. In an upper section of the passage, a first valve atop a valve stem features a poppet head that is seatable against an outer valve seat. A first biasing mechanism compels the head against the outer seat to keep the first valve normally closed. In a lower section of the passage, a second valve features a seat piece and a valve retainer. On its periphery, the seat piece carries an o-ring which sealingly secures the piece within the passage. The piece defines an inner bore between its ends and has an inner valve seat on its bottom. The top of the retainer is extendable through this inner bore to a point a dead space apart from a bottom of the stem. Around its bottom, the retainer carries an annular check valve. A second biasing mechanism acts upon the retainer so that the check valve seats against the inner seat thereby rendering the second valve normally closed. When a female coupler of a quick connect device is mated to the protuberant end, it causes the stem to move inwardly so that its head unseats from the outer seat and its bottom moves through the dead space and pushes the retainer to unseat the check valve. This enables air to flow the housing through the fitting into the female coupler.

A dual valve fitting enables pressure within a housing to be quickly measured. The fitting includes a single valve body that defines a passage between its threaded and protuberant ends. The threaded end is designed to screw into a threaded bore of the housing. In an upper section of the passage, a first valve features a poppet head atop a valve stem. The poppet head is seatable against an outer annular valve seat formed in the protuberant end of the passage. A first biasing mechanism compels the poppet head against the outer valve seat so that the first valve is normally closed. In a lower section of the passage, a second valve features a retainer whose top defines a recess that retains a check seal element used for seating against an inner annular valve seat formed in the passage. A second biasing mechanism acts upon the retainer so that the check seal element seats against the inner valve seat thereby rendering the second valve normally closed. The bottom of the valve stem is separated a dead space apart from the top of the check element. When a female coupler of a quick connect device is mated to the protuberant end, the female coupler causes the valve stem to move inwardly so that its poppet head unseats from the outer valve seat and its bottom end moves through the dead space to unseat the check element. This enables air to flow from the housing through the fitting into the female coupler.

A dual valve apparatus enables quick measurement of pressure contained within a housing. The housing has a main body, a check valve housed in the main body and a cover whose removal renders the check valve accessible. The check valve is normally compressed against a check valve seat to provide a first seal that prevents leakage of the pressure. The dual valve apparatus includes a modified cover, a valve body and a valve stem. The modified cover defines first and second bores axially offset from and in communication with one another. The first bore is at least partially threaded. When the modified cover is secured to the main body, the second bore is aligned with the check valve. The valve body accommodates a valve bore from its protuberant end to its threaded end. The protuberant end is shaped to mate with a female portion of a quick connect coupling. The threaded end screws into the first bore of the modified cover. Movable within the bores, the valve stem at its head end is normally compressed against a valve seat formed within the protuberant end of the valve bore to provide a second seal that further prevents leakage of the pressure. Mating the female portion to the protuberant end of the dual valve apparatus causes the valve stem to move away from its seat. The valve stem in turn unseats the check valve thereby providing access to and enabling measurement of the pressure.

Dual valve apparatus for enabling quick measurement of pressure

A dual seal coupling fitting enables quick measurement of pressure. The fitting includes primary and secondary valves and has one end shaped like a male portion of a quick coupler and another end screwable into a threaded bore defined in a pressure bearing housing. The fitting defines first and second cylindrical sections in communication with each other. The primary valve situates in the first section, the secondary valve in the second section. The primary valve includes a valve stem with a poppet head. A first mechanism compresses the poppet head against an outer valve seat to close the primary valve thereby preventing leakage of pressure. The secondary valve features a cylindrical seat piece and a retainer. The piece secures within the second section and defines through itself an inner bore. The piece at one end forms an inner valve seat and at an opposite end situates adjacent the first mechanism. The retainer has at one end a post approximate a terminal end of the valve stem within the inner bore. The retainer also has a check valve retained within an annular recess defined about a base of the post. A second mechanism compresses the check valve against the inner valve seat to close the secondary valve thereby further preventing leakage of pressure. Mating a female portion of a quick coupler to the male portion opens the primary and secondary valves and enables quick measurement of the pressure via a gage attached to the other end of the female portion.

Growing community of inventors

Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America

Michael J Veltri