Automatic set and release retainer valve assembly of an air brake system
AssigneeWestinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation
InventorsEdward Gaughan, William Potter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A set and release retainer valve assembly of an air brake system engages and releases an air brake while retaining a designated pressure within a brake cylinder. The pressure is retained within the brake cylinder to generate a higher brake cylinder pressure on a subsequent brake application and/or prevent movement of the vehicle system after release of the air brake system. The air brake is subsequently re-engaged to re-set the retaining valve assembly and exhaust the designated air pressure out of the brake cylinder, where the air brake of the vehicle system is released to permit the movement of the vehicle system after re-setting the retaining valve assembly.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- engaging a brake onboard a vehicle system;
- subsequently releasing the brake while retaining a designated pressure within a brake cylinder of the brake using a retaining valve assembly, the designated pressure retained within the brake cylinder to one or more of generate a higher brake cylinder pressure on at least one subsequent brake application or prevent movement of the vehicle system after release of the brake system;
- and
- subsequently re-engaging the brake to re-set the retaining valve assembly and exhaust the designated pressure out of the brake cylinder, and the brake of the vehicle system is released to permit the movement of the vehicle system after re-setting the retaining valve assembly.
A retainer valve assembly comprising:
- a retainer check valve configured to be fluidly coupled with a brake cylinder of an air brake, the retainer check valve configured to retain air pressure at a designated air pressure within the brake cylinder, the retainer check valve also configured to vent at least part of the air pressure that is retained in the brake cylinder;
- and
- a lock-up piston assembly fluidly coupled with the retainer check valve and the brake cylinder between the retainer check valve and the brake cylinder, and
- in a release state of the air brake, the lock-up piston assembly is configured to direct the at least part of the air pressure that is vented from the brake cylinder to a system exhaust, and
- responsive to an engagement of the air brake and subsequent release of the air brake, the lock-up piston assembly is configured to receive the at least part of the air pressure that is vented from the brake cylinder and direct the at least part of the air pressure that is vented from the brake cylinder to the retainer check valve to retain additional air pressure within the brake cylinder, and
- responsive to a subsequent re-engagement of the air brake, the lock-up piston assembly is configured to vent the additional air pressure from the brake cylinder to the system exhaust.
A method comprising:
- switching from a designated pressure retaining state a within a brake cylinder to a release state of brake cylinder during which the designated pressure is vented from the brake cylinder;
- directing designated pressure that is vented from the brake cylinder to a system exhaust;
- and
- responding to switching from the release state back to the retaining state by receiving the designated pressure that is vented from the brake cylinder and directing the designated pressure that was vented from the brake cylinder to a retainer check valve to retain the designated air pressure within the brake cylinder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.