Devices for applying freight train air brakes on derailment

A railroad train having at least one freight car therein within, said freight car having (a) a car body and car body supporting frame, (b) sets of pairs of wheels mounted on paired axles, (c) each axle carrying two wheels near the respective ends thereof, (d) truck side frames connecting pairs of said axles on opposite ends thereof, (e) opposed ones of said side frames mounting bolsters therebetween, (f) said bolsters carrying said car frame and body, and (g) an air brake line running the length of said freight car,

• (1) a first, normally empty hydraulic chamber in a first assembly connected at one upper end thereof to one of said car body and said car frame;
• (2) a separate, second, normally full hydraulic chamber in a second assembly also connected at one upper end thereof to one of said car frame and car body;
• (3) a normally full hydraulic fluid line extending between said first and second hydraulic chambers with a one way valve thereon so fluid pumped from said second chamber will go into said line and first chamber and not return into said second chamber without resetting of said valve;
• (4) a piston in said first hydraulic chamber with a piston rod connected at its free end to one end of one of said truck side frames, said piston normally located at the chamber empty position in said first hydraulic chamber;
• (5) means associated with said second hydraulic chamber and said air brake line operative to open said air brake line when hydraulic fluid is driven from said second hydraulic chamber into said line and first hydraulic chamber;
• (6) said latter means including a spring loaded piston normally located in said second hydraulic chamber at the chamber full position operative to drive hydraulic fluid from said second chamber when said one way valve is opened,
• (7) the piston and piston rod of the first hydraulic chamber operating to open said valve and permit hydraulic fluid to be driven from said second hydraulic chamber into said line and first hydraulic chamber when the wheel at the end of the truck side frame to which said rod is attached derails.

A railroad train having a locomotive and at least two freight cars therewithin, one first said car forward and one second said car rearward in the train, each freight car having (a) a car body and car body supporting frame, (b) sets of pairs of wheels mounted on paired axles, (c) each axle carrying two wheels near the respective ends thereof, (d) truck side frames connecting pairs of said axles on opposite ends thereof, (e) opposed ones of said side frames mounting bolsters therebetween, (f) said bolsters carrying said car frame and body and (g) an air brake running the length of each said car, said first, forward freight car having:

• (1) a first, normally full hydraulic chamber received in a first assembly connected at one upper end thereof to one of said car body and said car frame,
• (2) a separate, second, normally empty hydraulic chamber in a second assembly also connected at one upper end thereof to one of said car frame and car body,
• (3) a normally full hydraulic fluid line extending between said first and second hydraulic chambers with a one way valve thereon so that fluid forced from said first chamber will go into said line and second chamber and not return into said first chamber
• (4) a piston in said first hydraulic chamber having a piston rod connected at its free end to one end of one of said truck side frames, said piston normally located at a chamber full position in said first hydraulic chamber,
• (5) means associated with said second hydraulic chamber, including a radio frequency transmitter, operative to transmit a radio signal when hydraulic fluid is driven into said second, normally empty, hydraulic chamber,
• (6) said latter means including a spring loaded piston in said second chamber normally biased to the chamber empty position but operative to be driven to a chamber full position when hydraulic fluid is forced into said second chamber from said line, and
• (7) the piston and piston rod of the first hydraulic chamber operating to drive hydraulic fluid from said first hydraulic chamber into said line and second hydraulic chamber when the wheel at the end of the truck side frame to which said rod is attached derails.

A railroad train having a locomotive and at least two freight cars therewithin, one first car forward and one second car rearward in the train, each freight car having:

• (a) a car body and car body supporting frame, (b) sets of pairs of wheels mounted on paired axles, (c) each axle carrying two wheels near the respective ends thereof, (d) truck side frame connecting pairs of said axles on opposite ends thereof, (e) opposed ones of said side frames mounting bolsters therebetween, (f) said bolsters carrying said car frame and body and (g) an air brake line running the length of said freight car, said forward freight car also having:
• (1) a first, normally empty hydraulic chamber in a first assembly connected at one upper end thereof to one of said car body and said car frame;
• (2) a separate, second, normally full hydraulic chamber in a second assembly also connected at one upper end thereof to one of said car frame and car body;
• (3) a normally full hydraulic fluid line extending between said first and second hydraulic chambers with a one way valve thereon so fluid pumped from said second chamber will go into said line and first chamber and not return into said second chamber without resetting of said valve;
• (4) a piston in said first hydraulic chamber having a piston rod connected at its free end to one end of one of said truck side frames, said piston normally located at the chamber empty position in said first hydraulic chamber;
• (5) means associated with said second hydraulic chamber including a radio frequency transmitter operative to transmit a radio signal when hydraulic fluid is driven out of said second, normally full hydraulic chamber,
• (6) said latter means including a spring loaded piston normally located in said second hydraulic chamber at the chamber full position operative to drive hydraulic fluid from said second chamber when said one way valve is opened, and
• (7) the piston and piston rod of the first hydraulic chamber operating to open said valve and permit hydraulic fluid to be driven from said second hydraulic chamber into said line and first hydraulic chamber when the wheel at the end of the truck side frame to which said rod is attached derails.

A railroad train having at least a locomotive and two freight cars therewithin, a first one of said cars forwardly located in said train and a second one of said cars rearwardly located in said train, each freight car having:

• (a) a car body and car body supporting frame, (b) sets of pairs of wheels mounted on paired axles, (c) each axle carrying two wheels near the respective ends thereof, (d) truck side frames connecting pairs of said axles on opposite ends thereof, (e) opposed ones of said side frames mounting bolsters therebetween, (f) said bolsters carrying said car frame and body and (g) an air brake line running the length of said freight car:
• (1) means on said first forward freight car coupled with each wheel thereon operative, upon derailment of one or more wheels of said car, to transmit a radio frequency signal to said locomotive,
• (2) means on said locomotive operative to receive said radio frequency signal and actuate an alarm to inform the locomotive personnel as to the said occurring derailment,
• (3) means in said locomotive, operative, upon actuation by the locomotive personnel, to transmit a radio frequency signal to said second freight car,
• (4) means on said second, rearward freight car coupled with the air brake line of said second freight car operative, on receipt of said locomotive transmitter signal, to vent said air brake line to atmosphere.

Apparatus for detecting a derailment of one or more wheels of a railroad car in a train of such cars and for automatically initiating the braking of the derailed car and other cars in said train of cars, said train having an air brake system, such system including a longitudinally extending air brake pipe on each car for series connection to the airbrake pipes of other railway cars, each of said railroad cars having a body portion supported and carried by two railroad car multiple wheel carrying trucks, each of said trucks having a pair of opposed end side frames associated therewith, said frames coupling together two wheel axles, each axle having a wheel on each of the ends thereof, comprising

• (1) establishing an air conduit connection from the air brake pipe of a railroad car into the first pneumatic valve chamber of a first body comprising an air relief valve, said valve having said first pneumatic valve chamber therewithin, as well as a first hydraulic chamber with associated piston also therewithin,
• (2) said first body mounted on said railroad car body portion,
• (3) said first body first pneumatic valve chamber having an exhaust opening therefrom to atmosphere and control means for opening and closing said exhaust opening with respect to said pneumatic valve chamber,
• (4) establishing at least four separate sets of mechanical and hydraulic linkages, by way of four individual sensor cylinder and spring assemblies or second bodies, between four separate and longitudinally separated positions on the body of said railroad car body portion and each front and rear end of the opposed end side frames of a first one of the two railroad car wheel carrying trucks on said railroad car, each of said second bodies connected at an upper end thereof to said railroad car body portion and, at a lower end thereof, to one end of one of said first truck end side frames, each of said second bodies including a second hydraulic fluid chamber with associated piston therewithin,
• (5) establishing a first common hydraulic linkage of at least four hydraulic lines, each one of said lines connected to a second hydraulic fluid chamber in each of said four second bodies connected to the two side frames of said first truck,
• (6) connecting said first common hydraulic linkage, via a fifth hydraulic fluid line, to the first hydraulic fluid receiving piston chamber in said first body,
• (7) means coupled with the second hydraulic fluid chambers in each of said second bodies for drawing hydraulic fluid from the first hydraulic fluid receiving piston chamber through at least two of said five hydraulic lines to one of said second hydraulic fluid chambers in one of said second bodies when the railroad car wheel on said truck nearest each said second body connection thereto derails, and
• (8) means in said first body cooperating between said first pneumatic valve chamber control means and the piston of said first hydraulic fluid piston chamber operative to open the exhaust opening of said first body pneumatic valve chamber upon removal of hydraulic fluid from said first hydraulic fluid piston chamber to one of said second hydraulic fluid piston chambers and close said first valve on return of hydraulic fluid thereto.

Apparatus for detecting a derailment of one or more wheels of a railroad car in a train of such cars and for automatically initiating the braking of the derailed car and other cars in said train of cars, said train having an air brake system, such system including a longitudinally extending air brake pipe on each car for series connection to the air brake pipes of other railway cars, each of said railway cars having a body portion thereof supported and carried by two railroad car multiple wheel carrying trucks, said frames coupling together two wheel axles, each axle having a wheel on each of the ends thereof, comprising:

• (1) establishing an air conduit connection from the air brake pipe of a railroad car into the first pneumatic valve chamber of a first body comprising an air relief valve, said valve having said first pneumatic valve chamber therewithin, as well as a first hydraulic chamber with associated piston also therewithin,
• (2) said first body mounted on said railroad car body portion,
• (3) said first body first pneumatic valve chamber having an exhaust opening therefrom to atmosphere and control means for opening and closing said exhaust opening with respect to said pneumatic valve chamber,
• (4) establishing at least four separate sets of mechanical and hydraulic linkages, by way of four individual sensor cylinder and spring assemblies or second bodies, between four separate and longitudinally separated positions on the body of said railroad car body portion and each front and rear end of the opposed end side frames of a first one of the two railroad car wheel carrying trucks on said railroad car, each of said second bodies connected at an upper end thereof to said railroad car body portion and, at a lower end thereof, to one end of one of said first truck end side frames, each of said second bodies including a second hydraulic fluid chamber with associated piston therein,
• (5) establishing a first common hydraulic linkage of at least four hydraulic lines, each one of said lines connected to a second hydraulic fluid chamber in each of said four second bodies connected to the two side frames of said first truck,
• (6) connecting said first common hyraulic linkage, via a fifth hydraulic fluid line, to the first hydraulic fluid receiving piston chamber in said first body,
• (7) means coupled with the second hydraulic fluid chambers in each of said second bodies for forcing hydraulic fluid from the second hydraulic fluid chambers through at least two of said five hydraulic lines to and into said first hydraulic fluid receiving piston chamber in said first body when the railroad car wheel on said truck nearest each said second body connection thereto derails, and
• (8) mans in said first body cooperating between said first pneumatic valve chamber control means and the piston of said first hydraulic fluid piston chamber operative to open the exhaust opening of said first body pneumatic valve chamber upon receipt of hydraulic fluid into said first hydraulic fluid receiving piston chamber from one of said second hydraulic fluid piston chambers and close said valve on removal of hydraulic fluid therefrom.

Apparatus for detecting a derailment of one or more wheels of a railroad car in a train of such cars and for automatically initiating the braking of the derailed car and other cars in said train of cars, said train having an air brake system, such system including a longitudinally extending air brake pipe on each car for series connection to the air brake pipes of other railway cars, each of said railway cars having a body portion thereof supported and carried by two multiple wheel carrying trucks, said frames coupling together two wheel axles, each axle having a wheel on each of the ends thereof, comprising:

• (1) establishing an air conduit connection from the air brake pipe of a railway car into the first pneumatic valve chamber of a first body comprising an air relief valve, said valve having said first pneumatic valve chamber therewithin, as well as a first hydraulic chamber with associated piston also therewithin,
• (2) said first body mounted on said railroad car body portion,
• (3) said first body first pneumatic valve chamber having an exhaust opening therefrom to atmosphere and control means for opening and closing said exhaust opening with respect to said pneumatic valve chamber,
• (4) establishing at least four separate sets or second bodies, between our separate and longitudinally separated positions on the body of said railroad car body portion and each front and rear end of the opposed end side frames of a first one of the two railroad car wheel carrying trucks on said railroad car, each of said second bodies connected at an upper end thereof to said railroad car body portion and, at a lower end thereof, to one end of one of said first truck end side frames, each of said second bodies including a second hydraulic fluid chamber with associated piston therewithin and comprising a sensor cylinder and spring assembly,
• (5) establishing a first common hydraulic linkage of at least four hydraulic lines, each one of said lines connected to a second hydraulic fluid chamber in each of said four second bodies connected to the two side frames of said first truck,
• (6) connecting said first common hydraulic linkage, via a fifth hydraulic fluid line, to the first hydraulic fluid receiving piston chamber in said first body,
• (7) means coupled with said second hydraulic fluid piston chambers in each of said second bodies for transferring hydraulic fluid through at least two of said five hydraulic lines between the first hydraulic fluid receiving piston chamber and one of said second hydraulic fluid chambers in one of said second bodies when the railroad car wheel on said truck nearest one of said second body connection thereto derails, and
• (8) means in said first body cooperating between said first pneumatic valve chamber control means and the piston of said first hydraulic fluid piston chamber operative to first open the exhaust opening of said first body pneumatic valve chamber upon a first transfer of hydraulic fluid in a first direction between said first and second hydraulic fluid piston chambers and close said first valve on opposite direction transfer of hydraulic fluid between said two chambers.

A railroad train having at least two freight cars therewithin, a first one of said cars forwardly located in said train and a second one of said cars rearwardly located in said train, each freight car having:

• (a) a car body and car body supporting frame, (b) sets of pairs of wheels mounted on paired axles, (c) each axle carrying two wheels near their respective ends thereof, (d) truck side frames connecting pairs of said axles on opposite ends thereof, (e) opposed ones of said side frames mounting bolsters therebetween, (f) said bolsters carrying said car frame and body and (g) an air brake line running the length of said car:
• (1) first means on said first forward freight car coupled with each wheel thereon operative, upon derailment of one or more wheels of said car, to transmit a radio frequency signal from a radio transmitter on said first car to said second freight car and
• (2) second means on said second, rearward freight car coupled with the airbrake line of said second car operative, on receipt of said signal by radio receiver, to vent said airbrake line to atmosphere, and
• (3) said first means on said first forward freight car coupled with each wheel thereon including a permanent bar magnet positioned within a coil operable to move and oscillate a considerable distance within said coil upon derailment of one or more wheels of said car, thereby powering said radio frequency signal from said radio transmitter to said second freight car.

A railroad car having at least two freight cars therewithin, a first one of said cars forwardly located in said trains, each freight car having:

• (a) a car body and car body supporting frame, (b) sets of pairs of wheels mounted on paired axles, (c) each axle carrying two wheels near their respective ends thereof, (d) truck side frames connecting pairs of said axles on opposite ends thereof, (e) opposed ones of said side frames mounting bolsters therebetween, (f) said bolsters carrying said car frame and body and (g) an air brake line running the length of said car:
• (1) first means on said first forward freight car coupled with each wheel thereon operative, upon derailment of one or more wheels of said car, to transmit a radio frequency signal through a radio transmitter on said first car and
• (2) second means on said locomotive operative to receive the signal transmitted from the first forward freight car transmitter including a radio receiver and signal means in said locomotive coupled therewith to alert the locomotive personnel of the train to the derailment, and
• (3) said first means on said first forward freight car coupled with each wheel thereon including a permanent bar magnet moving and oscillating a considerable distance in a coil whereby to power the transmission of said radio frequency signal from said radio transmitter to said locomotive.

A railroad train having at least two freight cars therewithin, a first one of said cars forwardly located in said train and a second one of said cars rearwardly located in said trains, each freight car having:

• (a) a car body and car body supporting frame, (b) sets of pairs of wheels mounted on paired axles, (c) each axle carrying two wheels near their respective ends thereof, (d) truck side frames connecting pairs of said axles on opposite ends thereof, (e) opposed ones of said side frames mounting bolsters therebetween, (f) said bolsters carrying said car frame and body and (g) an air brake line running the length of said car:
• (1) first means on said first forward freight car coupled with each wheel thereon operative, upon derailment of one or more wheels in said car, to transmit a radio frequency signal to said locomotive from a radio transmitter on said first car,
• (2) means on said locomotive, including a radio receiver, operative to receive said radio frequency signal and actuate an alarm to inform the locomotive personnel as to the said occurring derailment,
• (3) means in said locomotive including a radio transmitter, operative, upon actuation by the locomotive personnel, to transmit a radio frequency signal to said second freight car,
• (4) means including a radio receiver on said second, rearward freight car coupled with the air brake line of said second freight car operative, on receipt of said locomotive transmitter radio frequency signal, to vent said air brake line to atmosphere,
• (5) said means on said first forward freight car coupled with each wheel thereon including a permanent bar magnet within a coil operative to move and oscillate a considerable distance within said coil upon derailment of one or more wheels of said car, thus generating an electrical power pulse thereby to cause the transmitter on said first forward freight car to transmit said radio frequency signal to said locomotive.