Braking systems for railway cars
AssigneeAmsted Rail Company, Inc.
InventorJonathan Sunde
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Braking systems for railway cars are provided. A braking system defines a longitudinal axis, and includes a first brake assembly, a second brake assembly, and an actuator operable to generate a linear force, the actuator disposed proximate the second brake assembly. The braking system further includes a movable rod and a fixed rod extending between the first brake assembly and the second brake assembly. In some embodiments, the braking system further includes a dead lever and a slack adjuster disposed proximate the first brake assembly, the slack adjuster connected to the first brake assembly and the dead lever and operable to adjust a distance along the longitudinal axis between a reference point of the first brake assembly and a pivot point of the dead lever.
Claims20
A braking system for a railway car, the braking system defining a longitudinal axis and comprising:
- a first brake assembly, the first brake assembly comprising a bar assembly, a plurality of brake heads connected to the bar assembly, and a plurality of end extensions connected to the bar assembly, the bar assembly comprising a tension bar assembly and a compression bar;
- a second brake assembly, the second brake assembly comprising a bar assembly, a plurality of brake heads connected to the bar assembly, and a plurality of end extensions connected to the bar assembly, the bar assembly comprising a tension bar assembly and a compression bar;
- an actuator operable to generate a linear force, the actuator disposed between the tension bar assembly and the compression bar of the second brake assembly;
- a fixed rod extending between the first brake assembly and the second brake assembly;
- a movable rod extending between the first brake assembly and the second brake assembly, the movable rod connected to the actuator and translatable along the longitudinal axis based on operation of the actuator;
- and
- a live lever disposed proximate the second brake assembly, the live lever comprising a first end, a second end, and a pivot point between the first end and the second end, the first end connected to the actuator, the second end connected to the movable rod.
A braking system for a railway car, the braking system defining a longitudinal axis and comprising:
- a first brake assembly, the first brake assembly comprising a bar assembly, a plurality of brake heads connected to the bar assembly, and a plurality of end extensions connected to the bar assembly, the bar assembly comprising a tension bar assembly and a compression bar;
- a second brake assembly, the second brake assembly comprising a bar assembly, a plurality of brake heads connected to the bar assembly, and a plurality of end extensions connected to the bar assembly, the bar assembly comprising a tension bar assembly and a compression bar;
- an actuator operable to generate a linear force, the actuator disposed between the tension bar assembly and the compression bar of the second brake assembly;
- a fixed rod extending between the first brake assembly and the second brake assembly;
- a movable rod extending between the first brake assembly and the second brake assembly, the movable rod connected to the actuator and translatable along the longitudinal axis based on operation of the actuator;
- and
- a live lever disposed proximate the second brake assembly, the live lever comprising a first end, a second end, and a pivot point between the first end and the second end, the first end connected to the actuator, the second end connected to the movable rod,
- wherein each of the plurality of end extensions of the first brake assembly and the second brake assembly comprises a connector body and a support body extending from the connector body, wherein the support body of each of the plurality of end extensions of the first brake assembly and the second brake assembly is offset from a midpoint of the associated bar assembly along a vertical axis, and wherein each of the plurality of brake heads is offset from a midpoint of the associated bar assembly along the vertical axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.