Penalty brake control system
AssigneeAmerican Standard Inc.
InventorsRichard F. Balukin, John R. Reiss
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A penalty brake control system for a railway locomotive in which a first pressure switch controls the venting of the control chamber of a penalty brake application valve. Reset of the penalty brake application valve, following actuation in response to an unsafe operating condition, is achieved by actuating this first pressure switch to effect closure of the control chamber vent path. A second pressure switch actuates this first pressure switch only when two pressure signals are present thereat, the first pressure signal arising when the penalty brake application value is actuated and the second pressure signal arising when the locomotive brake valve handle is moved out of release position, provided the unsafe operating condition has been corrected.
Claims13
A penalty brake control system for a railway vehicle comprising:
- (a) an operator's brake valve device having an operating handle movable to a service position in which a service brake application is initiated, the degree of said service brake application being determined by the duration said handle is in said service position and a release position in which the service brake application is released;
- (b) a penalty valve device having an application position in which a penalty brake application is initiated independently of said brake valve initiated service application and a release position in which said penalty brake application is released;
- (c) sensing means operative in response to an unsafe operating condition of said vehicle for effecting operation of said penalty valve device to said application position;
- (d) interlock means for preventing said penalty valve device from resetting to said release position following said actuation thereof to said application position comprising:
- (i) said penalty valve device having a control chamber and a piston valve operable in response to pressurization of said control chamber to establish said release position of said penalty valve device and operable in response to depressurization of said control chamber to establish said application position of said penalty valve device;
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- (ii) a flow path established by said piston valve in said application position of said penalty valve device via which said control chamber is connected to atmosphere to vent fluid pressure therefrom;
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- (e) means for disabling said interlock means in response to said penalty valve being actuated to said application position and to said operating handle of said brake valve device being in a position other than said release position to thereby permit said penalty valve device to reset to said release position thereof when said unsafe operating condition has been corrected.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.