Railway vehicle brake system

Abstract

A railway car system includes at least one reservoir containing a predetermined volume of a fluid type media. At least one cylinder is activated in a first direction by such fluid type media and is spring released in an axially opposed second direction. At least one fluid media type pump is connected for fluid communication between such at least one reservoir and such at least one cylinder. Such pump being connected to receive the fluid type media from such at least one reservoir via a first fluid supply line and to communicate such fluid type media to such at least one cylinder during a parking brake application via a second fluid supply line and to return such fluid type media from such at least one cylinder via such second fluid supply line to such at least one reservoir via such first fluid supply line when such parking brake is released. A pump activation device is connected to such at least one pump for initiating communication of such fluid type media. An adapter is secured to a first end of such at least one cylinder for enabling such parking brake system to be engaged with different brake beam configurations used in freight car braking systems. There is a jaw-like member connected to an axially opposed second end of such at least one cylinder for transmitting a force to a brake beam carrying a pair of brake shoes thereon which are frictionally engaged with a predetermined portion of the tread surface of a respective wheel.