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US 6,629,709 B1Granted
Wheel/rail adhesion enhancement
AssigneeAEA Technology plc
InventorsJohn David Tunley, Graham Edward Curtis
Life of this patent
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AssigneeAEA Technology plc
InventorsJohn David Tunley, Graham Edward Curtis
Estimating the term…
If the wheel/rail adhesion for a railway vehicle is insufficient then the wheels may slip when braking. If slipping is detected, a control system may reduce the brake pressure to permit a controlled level of slip and so to optimize the braking force for the available adhesion. By determining the pressure supplied to the brake cylinder, a signal may be obtained which indicates the value of the adhesion. Alternatively the adhesion may be monitored by detecting any discrepancy between the braking deceleration demanded by the driver and the observed deceleration. The adhesion signal may activate a warning. It may also be used to adjust the rate at which sand is supplied by a sander to the wheel/rail interface. The rate at which sand is supplied may also be adjusted in accordance with other parameters such as the train speed.
A method for enhancing wheel/rail adhesion for a railway vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
An apparatus for enhancing wheel/rail adhesion for a railway vehicle, the apparatus comprising means to determine a value of the adhesion by monitoring operation of the braking system when the brakes are applied, and means for applying adhesion-enhancing particles to the wheel/rail interface, at a rate which is adjusted in accordance with the value of the adhesion so determined in at least one of the following ways:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.