US 4,344,138 AGranted

Digital air brake control system

OwnerCline W. Frasierinventor

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Abstract

A microcomputer-operated air brake control system for controlling the air brakes of a railroad car in a train is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of pressure sensors pneumatically connected to various points in the air brake system of the car and electrically connected to the input of the microcomputer. An ultrasonic height sensor for load compensation and detection of railroad derailments may also be connected to the input of the microcomputer. The output of the microcomputer is electrically connected to a plurality of electropneumatic valves for controlling the flow of compressed air to the brake cylinder of the car. The system also includes a radio transceiver electrically connected to the microcomputer for both receiving braking commands from a central control unit in the locomotive and transmitting feedback information from the air brake system back to the central control unit. The microcomputer is programmed to execute braking commands received either by the radio from the central control unit in the locomotive, or pneumatically through the train air line. While cars equipped with the system of the invention are preferably used exclusively with other railroad cars so equipped, they may also be used in any proportion in the same train with railroad cars utilizing conventional air brake equipment. The microcomputer on each car so equipped is individually powered by its own air driven power supply.

Claims7

Dependent claims

An air brake control system for controlling the air brakes of a railroad car of the type including a train air line connected to at least one air reservoir, wherein said air reservoir is in turn connected to the brake cylinder of the railroad car, comprising:

(a) a first check valve connected between said train air line and said air reservoir for impeding the flow of air from said air reservoir back to said train air line,
(b) a differential pressure sensor connected on both sides of said check valve for measuring the difference in air pressure between said train air line and said brake cylinder,
(c) a first electropneumatic valve pneumatically connected between said air reservoir and said brake cylinder for controlling the flow of pressurized air from said reservoir into said brake cylinder,
(d) a first pressure sensor connected between said first electropneumatic valve and said brake cylinder for measuring the air pressure in said brake cylinder,
(e) a second electropneumatic valve pneumatically connected to said brake cylinder for controllably venting said brake cylinder, and
(f) a microcomputer including a radio operated transceiver unit and electrically connected to said differential pressure sensor and said first pressure sensor and said first and second electropneumatic valves for receiving electropneumatic braking signals through said transceiver and pneumatic braking signals through said train air line and opening said first electropneumatic valve to both place said brake cylinder in fluid communication with said air reservoir and lower the pressure of the air reservoir to a point where said check valve admits additional air to said air reservoir from said train air line thereby applying said air brakes and pneumatically propagating said braking signal.

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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.