# US 2017/0282886 A1 · Electronic configurable equalizing reservoir backup system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0282886 A1 - Document ID: US20170282886A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/090,753 - Filed: 2016-04-05 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-04-05 - Assignees: New York Air Brake Corporation - Applicants: New York Air Brake, LLC - Inventors: Konstantinos Vilaetis; Erich Leonard - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170282886A1 ## CPC - B60T 17/221: {Procedure or apparatus for checking or keeping in a correct functioning condition of brake systems (hydraulic pressure systems in general F15B19/00, F15B21/04; testing structures or apparatus G01M)} - B60T 11/26: Reservoirs (integral with master controls B60T11/22) - B60T 13/662: {characterised by specified functions of the control system components} - B60T 13/665: {the systems being specially adapted for transferring two or more command signals, e.g. railway systems (B60T13/662 takes precedence)} - B60T 2270/402: Back-up - B60T: VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL (electrodynamic brake systems for vehicle, in general B60L; brakes per se, i.e. devices where braking effect occurs, including ultimate brake actuators, F16D); ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES ## Abstract An equalizing reservoir backup system that offers air brake control to the operator when the air brake network has failed or when the computer control equipment of the air brake system has failed. The system includes an equalizing reservoir backup module that is programmed to receive the electrical signals from human machine interface and configuration messages from the computer controlled braking system via the network and to control the train brake pipe via equalizing reservoir control. The equalizing reservoir backup module follows network pressure commands when commanded to do so or transforms handle commands into equalizing pressure when commanded to do so or when communications with the network have been lost. As a result, the backup system can be used when the network has failed or when the computer equipment has failed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A locomotive air brake backup system, comprising an equalizing reservoir backup module configured to receive a signal representing movement of a brake handle from a human machine interface and to receive a configuration message from a brake system controller. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the equalizing reservoir backup module is programmed to transform the signal representing movement of the brake handle from the human machine interface into a predetermined equalizing reservoir pressure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the equalizing reservoir backup module is programmed to provide the predetermined equalizing reservoir pressure to a pneumatic relay that is coupled to a locomotive brake pipe. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the configuration message establishes how the equalizing reservoir backup module is to transform the signal representing movement of the brake handle into the predetermined equalizing reservoir pressure. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the equalizing reservoir backup module is programmed to require receipt of the configuration message prior to performing any transform of the signal representing movement of the brake handle into the predetermined equalizing reservoir pressure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the equalizing reservoir backup module is configured to transform the signal representing movement of the brake handle into the predetermined equalizing reservoir pressure in response to a command received from a communication network of a brake system. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the equalizing reservoir backup module is configured to transform the signal representing movement of the brake handle into the predetermined equalizing reservoir pressure if a communication network of the brake system is not operational. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the equalizing reservoir backup module is configured to regularly perform a diagnostic test that determines whether the equalizing reservoir backup module can transform the signal representing movement of the brake handle into the predetermined equalizing reservoir pressure. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the equalizing reservoir backup module is configured to receive a second signal representing movement of a brake handle from a second human machine interface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the equalizing reservoir backup module includes a multichannel sensor for receiving the signal from the human machine interface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the equalizing reservoir backup module includes an isolated power source. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the equalizing reservoir backup module is configured to provide overcharge and assimilation functions in response to the signal representing movement of the brake handle from the human machine interface. ### Claim 13 A method of operating a locomotive air brake backup system, comprising the steps of: providing an equalizing reservoir backup module configured to receive a signal representing movement of a brake handle from a human machine interface and to receive a configuration message from a brake system controller; receiving the configuration message, wherein the configuration message establishes how the equalizing reservoir backup module is to transform the signal representing movement of the brake handle into the predetermined equalizing reservoir pressure; receiving the signal representing movement of a brake handle from a human machine interface; and transforming the signal representing movement of the brake handle from the human machine interface into a predetermined equalizing reservoir pressure according to the configuration message establishing how the equalizing reservoir backup module is to transform the signal representing movement of the brake handle into the predetermined equalizing reservoir pressure. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of providing the predetermined equalizing reservoir pressure to a pneumatic relay that is coupled to a locomotive brake pipe. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the equalizing reservoir backup module is configured to transform the signal representing movement of the brake handle into the predetermined equalizing reservoir pressure in response to a command received from a communication network of a brake system or if a communication network of the brake system is not operational.