Railway vehicle braking systems
AssigneeWestinghouse Brake & Signal Co. Ltd.
InventorEric F. Williams
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A railway vehicle braking system is provided with snow-brake control means operable in freezing temperatures for overriding the normal full brake release condition in a vehicle coasting or traction situation to apply a small brake force for prolonged periods to engage blocks or shoes on the vehicle wheels to reduce icing. The snow brake control means itself includes an override arrangement for, from time-to-time, effecting complete but temporary release of such a snow brake application so as to enable whatever slack adjustment is necessary to thereby insure continued validity of the brakes for a service application despite brake wear resulting from prolonged snow brake application.
Claims8
In a railway vehicle braking system including an automatic slack adjuster for detecting excess slack in the brakes and for adjusting the brakes in accordance therewith and "snow brake" control means for, during operation of the "snow brake" control means, normally maintaining a light brake application when the vehicle is under traction or is coasting, the improvement wherein said "snow brake" control means includes brake interruption means operating automatically and intermittently to fully release the brakes and brake re-application means for operating automatically to re-apply the brakes after the brakes have been released by the brake interruption means at a time after the brakes have been released sufficient to permit the slack adjuster to make any adjustment necessary to accommodate any detected excess of slack.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.