The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 16, 1999
Filed:
Mar. 31, 1997
Angel P Bezos, Rockwood, MD (US);
James E Hart, Trafford, PA (US);
Westinghouse Air Brake Company, Wilmerding, PA (US);
Abstract
A valve device is used to reduce the air pressure in a brake pipe disposed on a railroad car in a train consist at a location in the train consist remote from the locomotive of the train consist. The valve device defines a primary supply passage, a branch supply passage and an exhaust passage. The primary and branch passages communicate with the brake pipe. All of the passages communicate with an elongated bore defined within the valve device. The valve device includes an adjustable first valve, a second valve, an electric motor drive and a pneumatic drive. The adjustable first valve and the second valve are both part of an elongated valve body member that can move reciprocatingly within the elongated bore. The adjustable first valve is used to vent air pressure from the brake pipe via the primary and exhaust passages at various rates of discharge. The rate of discharge is in proportion to the extent the adjustable first valve is commanded open. The electric motor drive responds to a drive signal for a service brake pipe air pressure reduction through which it opens the adjustable first valve, but not the second valve. The second valve is used to quickly vent air pressure from the brake pipe via the branch and exhaust passages. The pneumatic drive responds to an actuating signal for an emergency brake pipe air pressure reduction through which it fully opens the second valve thereby also fully opening the adjustable first valve.