Method and system for monitoring of rail wagon hand brake

Method for monitoring a hand brake (1) of at least one rail wagon (10), comprising a chassis (11) by means of a monitoring system (30);

• said hand brake (1) comprising a hand-operated mechanical device (9), a brake linkage system (20) and at least one brake pad (3);
• said hand-operated mechanical device (9), said brake linkage system (20) and said at least one brake pad (3) mechanically connected;
• said monitoring system (30) comprising a detection module (31) and a monitoring module (32);
• said detection module (31) comprising at least one detector element (33, 34, 35);
• wherein said at least one detector element comprises a first detector element (33), a second detector element (34) and a third detector element (35);
• said monitoring module (32) comprising a processor, tangible non-volatile memory, instructions on said memory for instructing said processor;
• said method comprising the subsequent steps of:
• (a) evaluating a state of said hand brake (1) belonging to said at least one rail wagon (10) by means of said detection module (31);
• (b) communicating said state to said monitoring module (32);
• (c) storing said state and a timestamp on said memory of said monitoring module (32);
• wherein said evaluating of said state involves a dislocation of said brake linkage system (20) with respect to a calibration point (33, 35) that is fixed with respect to the chassis (11), wherein said state is characteristic of at least the hand brake (1) being disengaged or engaged;
• wherein said first detector element (33, 35) is fixed with respect to the chassis (11);
• wherein said first detector element (33, 35) determines said calibration point;
• wherein the second detector element (34) is fixed with respect to a portion of the brake linkage system (20);
• in that said evaluating of said state involves determining whether said first (33, 35) and second (34) detector element are within each other's range, thereby detecting that the hand brake (1) is disengaged, wherein said detection module (31) further comprises a third detector element (35) fixed with respect to the chassis (11);
• and wherein the evaluating of said state involves determining whether said second (34) and third (35) detector element are within each other's range, thereby detecting that the hand brake (1) is engaged;
• wherein said second (34) and third (35) detector element are within each other's range if a distance (E) between said second (34) and third (35) detector element is smaller than a second maximum radius value (R2), said second maximum radius value (R2) being smaller than 100 mm.