Truck mounted brake system for rod-under style bolsters

A slack adjustment mechanism for a railcar brake system, comprising:

• a brake cylinder, the brake cylinder comprising a cylinder body and a cylinder piston;
• a slack adjuster positioned remotely from the brake cylinder in the brake assembly, the slack adjuster having an adjustable length and comprising a trigger arm configured to be actuated to trigger the slack adjuster to undergo a length adjustment;
• and
• a remote trigger mechanism connected to the trigger arm, wherein the remote trigger mechanism is configured to actuate the trigger arm when the brake cylinder is actuated,
• wherein the remote trigger mechanism comprises a cable assembly operatively connecting the brake cylinder to the slack adjuster, the cable assembly comprising a cable member having a first end connected to the cylinder piston and a second end connected to the trigger arm of the slack adjuster,
• wherein the cable member is connected to the cylinder piston and the trigger arm of the slack adjuster such that the cable member pulls the trigger arm of the slack adjuster and triggers the slack adjuster when the brake cylinder is actuated such that the cylinder piston extends from the cylinder body by a travel distance,
• wherein the trigger arm is pivotally connected to a slack adjuster jaw of the slack adjuster,
• wherein the mechanism further comprises a spring over travel assembly connecting the second end of the cable member to the trigger arm of the slack adjuster, the spring over travel assembly comprising:
• a slack adjuster cable rod end defining the second end of the cable member, the slack adjuster cable rod end extending through an aperture defined in the trigger arm;
• and
• a spring disposed on the slack adjuster cable rod end, the spring being held between an end of the slack adjuster cable rod end and the trigger arm,
• wherein the spring over travel assembly is configured to prevent damage to the trigger arm caused by the trigger arm contacting the slack adjuster jaw.

A railcar brake system, comprising:

• a first brake beam and a second brake beam configured to be mounted on opposite sides of a bolster of a railcar truck;
• a brake cylinder connected to the first brake beam;
• at least one lever pivotally connected to the first brake beam, the at least one lever also being pivotally connected to an end of the brake cylinder to connect the brake cylinder to the first brake beam;
• a slack adjuster operatively connected to the brake cylinder, the slack adjuster being connected to the second brake beam remotely from the first brake beam and the brake cylinder;
• a pair of levers pivotally connected to the second brake beam at separate points on the second brake beam;
• a first push rod operatively connecting the at least one lever pivotally connected to the first brake beam to one of the pair of levers, the at least one lever pivotally connected to the first brake beam also being pivotally connected to an end of the first push rod, the opposing end of the first push rod being pivotally connected to one of the pair of levers;
• a second push rod operatively connecting the first brake beam to the other of the pair of levers, the second push rod having an end pivotally connected to the other of the pair of levers and an opposing end operatively connected to the first brake beam;
• and
• brake heads disposed on each end of the first brake beam and the second brake beam, each of the brake heads defining a brake face having a center,
• wherein the first push rod and the second push rod are configured to extend under the bolster of the railcar truck,
• wherein actuation of the brake cylinder causes movement of the brake beams via the at least one lever pivotally connected to the first brake beam, the pair of levers pivotally connected to the second brake beam, and the first and second push rods, and
• wherein the at least one lever pivotally connected to the first brake beam and the pair of levers pivotally connected to the second brake beam define a common mid-plane extending through all of the levers, and wherein the mid-plane of the levers is substantially coincident with the center of each of the brake faces of the brake heads.

A railcar brake system, comprising:

• a first brake beam and a second brake beam configured to be mounted on opposite sides of a bolster of a railcar truck, each of the first brake beam and the second brake beam being configured to have brake heads disposed on opposing ends thereof;
• a brake cylinder connected to the first brake beam;
• at least one lever pivotally connected to the first brake beam, the at least one lever also being connected to an end of the brake cylinder to connect the brake cylinder to the first brake beam;
• a slack adjuster connected to the second brake beam, the slack adjuster being oriented parallel to the second brake beam, the slack adjuster being connected to the second brake beam remotely from the first brake beam and the brake cylinder;
• a pair of levers pivotally connected to the second brake beam at separate points on the second brake beam, the pair of levers also being connected to opposing ends of the slack adjuster to connect the slack adjuster to the second brake beam;
• a first push rod pivotally connected to the first lever and to one of the pair of levers;
• and
• a second push rod connected to the first brake beam and pivotally connected to the other of the pair of levers,
• wherein the first push rod and the second push rod are configured to extend under the bolster of the railcar truck, and
• wherein actuation of the brake cylinder causes movement of the brake beams via the at least one lever pivotally connected to the first brake beam, the pair of levers pivotally connected to the second brake beam, and the first and second push rods.