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:
Sep. 13, 2005
Filed:
Dec. 05, 2001
David E. Petersen, Erie, PA (US);
Jan Alan Nagle, Erie, PA (US);
David E. Petersen, Erie, PA (US);
Jan Alan Nagle, Erie, PA (US);
General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);
Abstract
A hand brake system () for a rail vehicle providing a hand brake position alarm () before a train is moved with a hand brake not fully released. A switch () detects the position of a hand brake drive chain () to provide a brake engaged signal (). The weight of the drive chain is supported through a load path that bypasses the switch. A master controller reverser handle position detector () provides a reverser handle position signal () when the reverser handle is moved out of neutral in preparation for providing power to the locomotive drive motors (). A relay () is used to actuate the multiunit wheel slip indicator () and the general alarm bell () in every locomotive of the train consist when the brake engaged signal is coincident with the master controller reverser handle position signal. This combination of alarms, which normally indicates a locked axle when the train is above a predetermined speed, is interpreted as a hand brake position alarm when the train is at rest.