Pump system for parking brakes for a rail vehicle

#The present disclosure relates generally to parking brakes for vehicles, such as trucks, locomotives, railcars, or other vehicles traveling on either roads and/or rails. In particular, the disclosure relates to a pump system for parking brakes for a rail vehicle.

#Current technology relating to brake systems requires a high degree of manual input force in order to apply a parking brake by forcing a brake beam to apply a brake shoe to a rail vehicle wheel. Typically, the parking brake is applied by a network of levers, chains and brackets. The high manual force required to activate the brake may put workers at risk of injury.

#Usually, the hand-operated brake comprises a device for manually applying a brake shoe to a wheel of a rail vehicle by turning a wheel. The handle or wheel is generally connected to the beam and shoe by gears or linkages. These linkages are the same linkages used to apply or release brakes throughout the truck or train.

#FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the pump system for parking brakes, according to the principles of the present disclosure.

#FIG. 2 is an exploded view of an embodiment of a pump system of FIG. 1.

#FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of one method of attachment of the reservoir to the manifold of the embodiment of FIG. 2.

#The embodiment of FIG. 1 shows the parking brake or pump system 10 according to the principles of the present disclosure, which system 10 includes a pump 16 in fluid communication with a manifold 14, which is in fluid communication with a reservoir 12, which is the fluid source. The pump 16, manifold 14, and reservoir 12 may be coupled or formed as an integral unit (FIGS. 2 and 3), or a monolithic unit (not shown). Using fluid supplied from the reservoir 12, the bi-directional pump 16 can be placed in fluid communication with the manifold 14. For instance, when the pump 16 expels fluid in an apply direction, the fluid flows out of pump apply port 15 along pump apply path 25A to a T-fitting 25T where the fluid is directed along the brake apply path 27A to the cylinder apply port 36 of a brake cylinder or actuator 30. At the same time, fluid flows along manifold apply path 29A into the manifold at port 26. In contrast, when the bi-directional pump 16 expels fluid in a release direction, fluid is urged out pump release port 17 along pump release path 31R to a T-fitting 31T, where the fluid is directed along brake release path 33R to the cylinder release port 38 of the brake cylinder 30. At the same time, fluid flows along manifold release path 35R into the manifold 14 at port 28.

#The brake cylinder 30 may include a brake piston 34 and a piston rod 32 that is connected to a brake beam (not shown) having brake shoes (not shown) which are applied to the train's wheels (not shown). Depending upon the connection of the brake cylinder 30, the apply and release ports 36, 38 may be reversed.

#Pump 16 is a manually actuated bi-directional pump that may be activated or driven by a wheel 18 coupled to the pump 16, wherein the direction of rotation of the wheel 18 selectively controls the direction and magnitude of fluid flow from and to the pump 16. Pump 16 may also be driven by an electric motor (not shown).