Chain locator
AssigneeAmsted Rail-Faiveley LLC
InventorsMark Michel, Thomas Stuart Head
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A brake mechanism having a chain locator comprises a chain coupled between a braking mechanism and a railway car brake system, a marker is releasably secured to the chain, and a sensor is coupled to the railway car proximate the chain for detecting the state of the railway car brake system. The chain is moveable between a first position in which the marker is not sensed by the sensor, and a second position in which the sensor detects the marker.
Claims20
A brake mechanism having a chain locator comprising:
- a. a chain coupled between a braking mechanism and a railway car brake system;
- b. a marker releasably secured to said chain;
- c. a sensor coupled to said railway car proximate said chain for detecting the state of said railway car brake system;
- wherein
- said chain is moveable between a first position in which said marker is not sensed by said sensor, and
- a second position in which said sensor detects said marker.
A brake mechanism having a chain locator comprising:
- a. a brake mechanism for applying brakes on a railway car;
- b. a connector operatively coupled between said brake mechanism and the railway car brakes;
- c. a sensor coupled to the railway car and configured to detect a portion of said connector;
- wherein when said connector portion is detected by said sensor, said brake mechanism is in one of a state of the railway car brakes being engaged and a state of the railway car brakes being disengaged.
A method for detecting the release of a railway car brake, said method comprising the steps of:
- a. providing a connector locator operatively coupled between a brake mechanism and a railway car braking system, said connector locator comprising
- i. a connector operatively coupled intermediate said brake mechanism and the railway car braking mechanism,
- ii. a marker operatively coupled to said connector;
- and
- iii. a sensor operatively coupled to the railway car and configured to detect a said connector marker;
- and
- b. sensing said marker when said brake mechanism is in a released state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.