Extended life brake cylinder holder

A push rod holder for use with a brake cylinder of a railroad vehicle, such brake cylinder including

• (i) a brake cylinder body having a bolting flange and defining a first bore extending therefrom to a piston head seat and an inlet port in communication with such first bore, such inlet port connectable to a source of pressurized air,
• (ii) a head casing having a bolting flange and defining a second bore extending therefrom to a seal seat circumscribing an open bore therein, such bolting flanges bolt together so as to form an enclosure encompassing such first and such second bores,
• (iii) a piston and rod assembly housed compressively within such enclosure, such piston and rod assembly including
• (A) a hollow piston rod having at a closed end a diaphragm piston head and defining at an open end at least one set screw hole and a first pair of aligned holder pin throughholes each of which being oriented perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of such hollow piston rod, such diaphragm piston head being slidable within such first bore, such hollow piston rod less such diaphragm piston head being slidable within and extendable from such open bore, such diaphragm piston head having on a back side thereof an annular surface formed to a first spring seat,
• (B) a second spring seat concentrically disposed about such hollow piston rod and within which such hollow piston rod is slidable,
• (C) a sealing member disposed between such second spring seat and such seal seat of such head casing and within which such hollow piston rod is slidable, and
• (D) a release spring concentrically disposed about such hollow piston rod and situated between such first spring seat and such second spring seat so that such release spring is compressed within such enclosure thereby forcing such diaphragm piston head against such piston head seat of such brake cylinder body and forcing such sealing member via such second spring seat against such seal seat of such head casing, and
• (iv) a push rod assembly having a socket end for insertion within such hollow piston rod via such open end and a coupler end for coupling to brake rigging, such coupler end defining a locking holder pin throughhole;
• said push rod holder comprising:
• (a) an annular outer metal member;
• and
• (b) a dampening means secured to said annular outer metal member;
• said push rod holder defining at least one set screw throughhole and a second pair of aligned holder pin throughholes each of which being oriented perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of said push rod holder, said push rod holder concentrically disposed about such hollow piston rod and such push rod assembly therein such that at least one set screw inserts through said at least one set screw throughhole of said push rod holder and fastens into such at least one set screw hole of such hollow piston rod thereby attaching said push rod holder to such hollow piston rod and such that a holder pin inserts through said holder pin throughholes of said push rod holder and such holder pin throughholes of such hollow piston rod and such push rod assembly therein thereby locking such hollow piston rod and such push rod assembly therein within said push rod holder, said dampening means of said push rod holder snugly fits concentrically about such hollow piston rod for dampening vibrations encountered thereat thereby reducing likelihood of damage to and prolonging operational life of such brake cylinder.

A push rod holder for use with a brake cylinder of a railroad vehicle, such brake cylinder includes a hollow piston rod and a push rod assembly inserted therein, said push rod holder comprising:

• (a) an annular outer metal member;
• and
• (b) a dampening means secured to said annular outer metal member for providing snug concentric fitting of said push rod holder onto such hollow piston rod;
• said push rod holder defining at least one set screw throughhole and a pair of aligned holder pin throughholes each of which being oriented perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of said push rod holder, said at least one screw throughhole is used to attach said push rod holder to such hollow piston rod and said pair of holder pin throughholes are used to attach said push rod holder to such hollow piston rod and such push rod assembly contained therein, said dampening means dampens vibrations encountered at a junction of said push rod holder, such hollow piston rod and such push rod assembly thereby reducing likelihood damage occurring to same and prolonging operational life of such brake cylinder.