Unattended railcar motion control system
AssigneeEnersul, Inc.
InventorsMark Charles Engelland, Trevor Michael Greer, David Alexander Shaw
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and mechanism for initiating an emergency stop for an unattended railcar is disclosed. The method may include using a trip arm placed alongside the railway tracks at a designated stop point that may contact a portable trip-cock lever arm that extends out beyond the perimeter of the railcar if the railcar reaches the stop point as it moves along the track. The trip-cock lever arm may be attached to a valve that is connected to the pneumatic brake system of the unattended railcar. As the trip-cock lever arm rotates, the valve may open to release the air pressure in the pneumatic brake system causing the brakes to engage the wheels causing the railcar to stop.
Claims14
A system for controlling motion of an unattended railcar comprising:
- a trip-cock assembly configured to connect to a pneumatic braking system of an unattended railcar, wherein the trip-cock assembly comprises:
- a trip-cock lever connected to a trip-cock valve assembly, wherein the trip-cock valve assembly includes a valve connected to a first end of a pipe and a fitting connected to a second end of the pipe, wherein the pipe has a first lug near the first end and a second lug near the second end, wherein the first lug and the second lug each have an opening extending through each lug and wherein each opening has a pair of converging surfaces, wherein the first lug and the second lug engage the unattended railcar to secure the trip-cock assembly to the unattended railcar, and wherein the trip-cock lever is adjustable from a folded position to an extended position, such that when the trip-cock lever is in the extended position, the trip-cock lever extends beyond an exterior perimeter of the unattended railcar, and
- a trip arm located adjacent a railway track at a predetermined stop point within a rail yard, wherein when the unattended railcar reaches the predetermined stop point the trip-cock lever contacts the trip arm, the trip-cock lever then opens the valve on the trip-cock valve assembly causing air in the pneumatic braking system of the unattended railcar to be released.
A method for controlling motion of an unattended railcar comprising:
- determining a no travel point along a railway track for an unattended railcar;
- determining a stop point to initiate braking for the unattended railcar prior to the no travel point;
- installing a trip arm at the stop point adjacent the railway track;
- and
- attaching a trip-cock assembly to the unattended railcar, wherein the trip-cock assembly is attached to a pneumatic braking system of the unattended railcar, wherein the trip-cock assembly includes a valve connected to a first end of a pipe and a fitting connected to a second end of the pipe opposite the first end, wherein the pipe has a first lug near the first end and a second lug near the second end, wherein the first lug and the second lug each have an opening extending through each lug and wherein each opening has a pair of converging surfaces, wherein the first lug and the second lug engage the unattended railcar to secure the trip-cock assembly to the unattended railcar, and wherein the trip-cock assembly further comprises a trip-cock lever having a first end connected to the valve and a second end that is unsupported opposite the first end, wherein the trip-cock lever extends beyond an exterior perimeter of the unattended railcar.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.