Power source activated handbrake release mechanism

A manually actuated quick release handle assembly for a railway vehicle handbrake, such railway vehicle handbrake including a power actuated handbrake release mechanism for automatically releasing such handbrake, said quick release handle assembly comprising:

• (a) a release shaft mounted within such railway vehicle handbrake, said release shaft being associated with such power actuated handbrake release mechanism and mounted for rotational movement upon actuation of such power actuated handbrake release mechanism for automatically releasing such handbrake;
• (b) a quick release handle associated with said release shaft such that said quick release handle remains stationary during rotational movement of said release shaft upon actuation of such power actuated handbrake release mechanism;
• (c) a pie shaped opening positioned in one of said release shaft and a circular plate member engagable with and capable of rotating said release shaft, said pie shaped opening having a first and second sidewall;
• and
• (d) an engaging means engagable with said quick release handle, said engaging means extending into said pie shaped opening and being capable of engaging said first sidewall of said pie shaped opening upon manual movement of said quick release handle to an applied position to apply a rotational force to said release shaft to cause a manual release of such railway vehicle handbrake.

An automatic handbrake release mechanism for a railway vehicle handbrake, said handbrake release mechanism comprising:

• (a) a piston assembly engagable with such railway vehicle handbrake, said piston assembly including a piston rod for movement outward from said piston assembly upon activation of a piston in said piston assembly;
• (b) an elongated member having a first end and a second end, said first end being associated with said piton rod at a location remote from said piston assembly such that said elongated member is capable of movement with respect to movement of said piston rod;
• (c) a release shaft engageable with said second end of said elongated member such that activation of said piston of said piston rod assembly causes activation of said release shaft to automatically release such railway vehicle handbrake;
• (d) a quick release handle associated with said release shaft, said quick release handle capable of remaining stationary during activation of said release shaft by said automatic handbrake release mechanism;
• and
• (e) a pie shaped opening positioned in one of said release shaft and a circular plate member engageable with said release shaft, said pie shaped opening having a first and second sidewall and an engaging means engagable with said quick release handle, said engaging means capable of engaging said first sidewall of said pie shaped opening upon manual movement of said quick release handle to an applied position to apply a rotational force to said release shaft to cause a manual release of such railway vehicle handbrake.