Westinghouse Air Brake Company

American Standard Inc.

Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation

Wabtec Holding Corporation

Robert D Dimsa

Vincent Ferri

Daniel G Scott

Gregory L Johnston

Gary M Sich

Michael J Veltri

John B Carroll

Vincent F Troiani

Wei Li

Robert J Jenets

Richard J Mazur

Paul J Kettle, Jr

Ralph Santoro, Jr

Michael E Romansky

Robert G Bostedo

Gary L Bailey

Edward W Gaughan

Robert C Kull

Daniel J Wolf

Richard F Balukin

Gregory S Balukin

Craig A Miller

Paul E Jamieson

John T Pekarcik

Charles L Crawford

Howard R Munday

Joseph C Gray

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

An integrated locomotive braking and ECP braking control on a lead locomotive for implementing braking effort on all locomotives in a manner relative to braking effort applied on ECP freight cars. On the lead locomotive, a data interface can be established between an head-end-unit and a brake controller. The head-end-unit can electrically signal each ECP freight car to carry out braking commands. The integrated brake control can include a CPU, as part of either the brake controller or the head-end-unit, which can be programmed to provide braking effort on the lead locomotive relative to the braking effort applied on the ECP freight cars. The braking on the lead locomotive is implemented by the brake controller by controlling the independent brake relative to the braking effort commanded on the ECP freight cars. The independent brake on non-ECP trailing locomotives is connected to the lead locomotive independent brake via a standard independent brake pneumatic connection. As a result, the same braking effort applied on the lead locomotive via the independent brake is automatically implemented on the non-ECP trailing locomotives via the independent brake pneumatic connection such that all locomotives are braked relative to braking on the ECP freight cars.

Railway locomotive brake controller

A limp-in control arrangement for an electro-pneumatic integrated control system for railway vehicles including a supply and exhaust magnet valve for electrically controlling the pneumatic brakes on the railway vehicle, an electromagnetic relay for sensing the operational condition of the electro-pneumatic integration control system, a switching device for enabling a limp-in control function when the electro-pneumatic integrated control system is experiencing a malfunction, an operating device for initiating a limp-in control function by releasing and reapplying the pneumatic brakes to allow the railway vehicle to be moved to a repair facility.

Limp-in control arrangement for an electro-pneumatic brake control system

A purge valve for expelling liquid contaminants from a fluid conduit which is normally unpressurized but is at times pressurized with a gas which contains liquid contaminants. It has a housing, a diaphragm mounted within the housing, a control chamber on a first side of the diaphragm, an exhaust passage on a second side of the diaphragm and a valve seat surrounding the exhaust passage. The valve seat is positioned so that the diaphragm can seal against it. A spring on the second side of the diaphragm presses it away from the seat. An annular chamber is on the second side of the diaphragm, surrounding the exhaust passage. The annular chamber is open to the exhaust passage when the diaphragm is unseated from the valve seat. The valve has a low impedance flow path between the control chamber and the fluid conduit. The valve also has a high impedance discharge flow path connected to the annular chamber. The high impedance discharge flow path may be connected to the control chamber, connected to the low impedance flow path, or it may be for connection to the fluid conduit. When the valve is connected to the fluid conduit, it is open due to the spring force whenever the fluid conduit is unpressurized so that the liquid contaminant may drain from the valve. When the fluid conduit is pressurized, the diaphragm is pressed against the valve seat so that the valve is closed.

Normally open purge valve

The invention is a valve for expelling a liquid contaminant from a gas in a conduit. It is used for a conduit with a pressure subject to variations in time. The valve has a housing containing a diaphragm with a control chamber on one side of the diaphragm and an exhaust passage on the other side. A valve seat surrounds the exhaust passage. A spring presses the diaphragm against the valve seat so that the valve is normally closed and an annular chamber surrounds the exhaust passage. A low impedance discharge passage is connected to the annular chamber and to the conduit. A high impedance control passage is connected to the control chamber and is either connected to the discharge passage or to the conduit. When the conduit pressure remains constant in time, the pressure in the control chamber equilibrates with it so that a net pressure force on the diaphragm plus the spring force presses the diaphragm against the valve seat so that the valve is closed. When the conduit pressure is zero, the spring keeps the valve closed. When the pressure in the conduit increases rapidly, the pressure in the annular chamber rises faster than the pressure in the control chamber so that the net pressure force on the diaphragm becomes directed away from the valve seat and overcomes the spring force so that the diaphragm unseats and gas containing the contaminant liquid is purged from the valve.

Purge 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 circuit for diagnosing component problems in the circuit and for immediately recognizing an emergency brake application command in a locomotive. The circuit includes a coil of an emergency magnet valve connected to a trainline providing positive DC voltage to the coil and circuit, and a diode connecting the coil to a switch of a brake handle and to a light emitting device. The brake handle switch and light emitting device are connected to the negative side of the trainline, with the light emitting device providing an immediate indication of an emergency brake application command effected by the closing of the brake handle switch.

Emergency brake readback hardware and fault diagnostics routine

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.

In a locomotive braking system, an independent brake control circuit uses second control signal(s) to adjust pressure in a first reservoir. A microprocessor derives the second control signal(s) based on at least a first control signal indicative of brake handle position and first feedback indicative of first reservoir pressure. One pneumatic relay adjusts pressure in a 20 pipe based on first reservoir pressure. An automatic brake control circuit uses third control signal(s) to adjust pressure in a second reservoir. The microprocessor derives the third control signal(s) based on at least second feedback indicative of second reservoir pressure and third feedback indicative of pressure in a 20 pipe. Another pneumatic relay controls pressure in a brake cylinder based on whichever of at least the 20 pipe and the second reservoir delivers a highest pressure. A new system for backup control of the 20 pipe includes the microprocessor and a timer. By monitoring the third feedback, the microprocessor determines when 20 pipe pressure falls outside a predetermined range. When the microprocessor begins to monitor the third feedback, the timer activates for a predetermined time. After the predetermined time expires, the microprocessor uses (A) the third feedback in derivation of the third control signal(s) if 20 pipe pressure falls within range and (B) the first control signal as a substitute for a difference between the first control signal and the third feedback in derivation of the third control signal(s) if 20 pipe pressure falls outside range or fails to be read.

Backup control system and method for 20 pipe braking system

Method and apparatus for providing a filtered signal which indicates of a flow of fluid to a fluid pressure communication conduit, the flow being dependent upon the pressure of fluid in a chamber. The pressure in the chamber is controlled by one or more pressure adjusting valves. The invention provides for receiving into a data processing module one or more valve signals indicating open states of the pressure adjusting valve or valves, and also a flowrate signal from a flowrate sensor, which represents the real instantaneous flowrate, and it is this signal which needs to be filtered to remove transients. The invention provides for choosing between a first processing mode and a second processing mode for the flowrate signal. The first processing mode is used when the second processing mode is not in effect, and when neither of the valve signals indicates an open valve. The second processing mode is activated a valve signal indicates an open valve. The second processing mode, when activated, proceeds according to a predetermined procedure and then returns to the first processing mode after no valve signal indicates an open valve. The signal is processed by either the first processing mode or the second processing mode, depending on whether valve signals have been received, and provides the filtered signal as an output to equipment external to the data processing module.

Flow signal filter

Method and apparatus for limiting brake cylinder pressure in emergency braking of a locomotive consist connected to a train of railway cars. The apparatus includes a manifold device connected to a reservoir of pressurized fluid for operating pneumatic brakes of the locomotive consist. A first magnet valve is connected to the manifold device for supplying fluid pressure from such device to a brake actuating pipe when an operating coil of the first magnet valve is energized. A second magnet valve having an operating coil is connected to the manifold device for supplying fluid pressure from the reservoir to an adjustable pressure regulator connecting an independent application and release pipe to the manifold device. A relay is connected to receive an emergency brake signal and conduct emergency power to the operating coils of the first and second valves whereby fluid pressure is supplied to the brake actuating pipe and to the adjustable pressure regulator from the manifold device. The adjustable pressure regulator provides the independent and release pipe with a fluid pressure preset to a predetermined value by the adjustable pressure regulator.

Method for limiting brake cylinder pressure on locomotives equipped with

In a microprocessor-controlled electro-pneumatic brake control system for a railway train, pressure in the brake cylinder is maintained despite the loss of pressure in the '20 pipe' brake line, or failure of a key relay valve that controls pressure to that brake line. Feedback signals derived from the '20 pipe' brake line when found to be inappropriate after a predetermined amount of time are substituted for by brake command signals generated by the brake controller.

Backup control technique for 20 pipe braking system

The invention provides a real time process control system for control of machinery. The system has a master control module and a slave control module which receives control signals from the master control module. Both control modules send control signals to a control effector and cause changes in at least one effect causing quality of the control effector. The slave control module establishes a target value for the effect causing quality of the control effector based on the signal it receives from the master microprocessor. A sensor connected to the control effector and to the slave control module provides signals in the slave control module which indicate an actual value for the effect causing quality of the control effector. A feedback loop controls the control signal from the slave microprocessor to the control effector to adjust the value of its effect causing quality in accordance with the target value. In the event that the signal from the master control module to the slave control module is interrupted a discrepancy between actual and target values of the effect causing quality indicates interruption of the signal. The invention provides an increased deadband for the feedback loop to permit a discrepancy large enough to be detectable and useable as an indication of interruption of the signal from the master control module to the slave control module.

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Elizabeth, PA, United States of America

Robert D Dimsa