US 4,060,152 A · Rail car brake apparatus

Abstract

Rail car brake rigging of the type for use in a two-axle, four-wheel rail car truck is disclosed which embodies a double-acting brake cylinder and slack adjustor disposed transversely between the side frames of the car truck and connected to parallel brake beams disposed on opposite sides of the truck bolster, by a pair of spaced bell crank levers pivotably mounted on one of the beams, one arm of each bell crank lever being pivotably connected to the brake cylinder or its push rod, the other arm of each bell crank lever being pivotably connected to one of a pair of push rods joined to the other beam. The brake cylinder includes a parking brake actuating lever mounted to the housing thereof for manually, mechanically stroking the brake cylinder in the same manner as during fluid pressure actuated brake application, without inducing undesirable beam loadings and yet ensuring uniform application of the brakes at all wheels. The unique geometry of the invention permits the use of beams having small diameter tubular central sections to which cast brake heads may be easily attached by a circumferential weld. Spherical joints are disclosed for connecting each push rod at its opposite ends to a bell crank on one beam and to the remaining beam.

Claims29

Dependent claims

A brake rigging for a four-wheel type of vehicle truck having a transverse axis, a longitudinal axis perpendicular thereto, and a bolster so disposed that its axis coincides with the transverse axis of the truck, said brake rigging including two brake beams extending in spaced, substantially parallel relation to the transverse axis of the truck and guidably supported on the truck for bodily movement longitudinally of the truck, wherein the improvement comprises:

a first brake beam having a first tubular central section;
a first pair of brake shoe carrying heads, one of said first pair mounted on each end of said first tubular central portion, each of said first pair of brake shoe carrying heads including pivot means formed therewith;
a second brake beam having a second tubular central section;
a second pair of brake shoe carrying heads, one of said second pair mounted on each end of said second tubular central portion, each of said second pair of brake shoe carrying heads including means formed therewith for transmitting braking force to the wheels on its side of said truck;
a pair of bell-crank levers each having a fulcrum and a pair of arms, one of said levers being mounted for rotation in each of said pivot means;
and
a pair of push rods, each one of the pair connected respectively at one end to one arm of one of said bell-crank levers and at the other end to one of said means for transmitting braking force.

4 more elements

A brake rigging for a four-wheel type of vehicle truck, said rigging comprising:

a first brake beam extending transverse to the axis of said truck;
a second brake beam parallel to said first brake beam;
a pair of bell-crank levers each having a fulcrum and a pair of arms, said levers being pivotably mounted on said first brake beam at spaced locations thereon;
a pair of push rods, each one of the pair pivotably connected respectively at one end to one arm of said bell-crank levers and at the other end of said second brake beam;
and
a fluid pressure operable brake actuator mounted between the other arms of said bell-crank levers for applying brake actuating forces in opposite directions to said levers, said actuator including means attached to said actuator for manually expanding said actuator to apply brake actuating forces in opposite direction to said levers in the event of a loss in fluid pressure.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Rail car brake apparatus

Life of this patent

Rail car brake apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims29