Other

Precision Rail and Mfg., Inc.

Richard E Futter, Jr

James D Braatz

Davis D Freeman

A cartridge assembly for a railroad retarder control system. The cartridge assembly includes a body having a top and a valve base and defining a bore. The bore has first and second bore diameters, and the body defines pilot air passages, an upper air passage, and a lower air passage. A traveling member is positioned within the bore and has first and second traveling diameters corresponding to the first and second bore diameters of the body, respectively. The traveling member is axially moveable within the bore between open and closed positions via pressure differentials within the pilot air passages. The traveling member is closer to the top of the body in the open position than in the closed position. The traveling member has a base seal configured to engage with the valve base in the closed position to prevent air from flowing between the upper and lower air passages.

Systems and methods for making a modular railroad retarder control system

An automatic multi-air bag pneumatic inflation system for a trailer is also disclosed. The inflation system includes a system control unit coupleable to an air supply for controlling the flow of pressurized air in the pneumatic inflation system. The system control unit comprises an inlet for coupling to the air supply with an on/off valve for providing a flow of air, a primary regulator in communication with the flow of air and the on/off valve, an inflation pressure tank in communication with the flow of air and the primary regulator, a control valve in communication with the inflation pressure tank and/or primary regulator, and used to control the air flow, a function selection valve for selecting between inflation and deflation, and an outlet. A plurality of fill stations are fluidly coupled to the system control unit. One or more fill stations of said plurality of fill stations are fluidly coupled to an air bag for inflation and deflation thereof. The fill stations may include a manifold block, including a first inlet/outlet for fluidly coupling to the system control unit for transmission of the air supply, a safety relief valve joined to the manifold in fluid communication with the air supply, a shut-off valve for manually opening and closing the fluid connection between the manifold and the air bag, and a hose in fluid communication with the manifold and the air bag for transfer of the air supply to the air bag. The plurality of air bags which are spaced about the trailer, and a plurality of fill stations are spaced throughout the trailer, and one or more of the valves in the system control unit and the fill station operate to maintain a predetermined pressure in the air bag(s).

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Mequon, WI, United States of America

Richard E Futter, Jr