Fluid-pressure and analogous brake systems – Motorman's valves – Conductor type
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-29
2001-05-29
Oberleitner, Robert J. (Department: 3613)
Fluid-pressure and analogous brake systems
Motorman's valves
Conductor type
C303S074000, C303S076000, C303S128000, C188S353000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06238012
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a direct acting release cap for air brake control valves which will allow for the manipulation of the valve characteristics from a direct brake release to a graduated brake release without removal of the cap from the body of the valve. This release cap is particularly applicable to 26 control valves.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A “26-L” air brake system is an equipment package which has been designed to meet present day train handling requirements. This system uses air, under pressure, for the braking of locomotives and trailing freight or passenger vehicles. This system has been designed and developed by the Westinghouse Airbrake Company (WABCO), the assignees of the present invention.
A “26-L” system includes air brake control valves on the cars/locomotives which are the primary controlling devices in this equipment arrangement. These valves provide the manual means for initiating air brake applications and releases.
FIG. 1
shows a 26 control valve currently in use. This control valve has a service portion
13
which includes components thereon that allow for proper development of brake cylinder pressure proportional to the reduction or increase in brake pipe pressure, thus permitting stable operation of the automatic brake together with proper development of brake cylinder pressure. A release cap
14
is mounted on the service valve portion
13
and is used to manipulate the valve characteristics so that the valve can perform a “graduated” or “direct” release operation. A graduated release position is to be used for passenger type locomotive service in trains and a direct release position is to be used for freight type locomotive service.
These presently used release caps
14
necessitate their total removal thereof from the body of the valve in order to change the valve from a direct to a graduated or a graduated to a direct position. This requires excessive time and necessitates tool requirements. This time is considered a major hindrance when converting a set-up train from a direct brake cylinder system to a graduated brake cylinder system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a direct acting release cap for air brake control valves which will allow for the manipulation of the valve characteristics from a direct brake release to a graduated brake release and vice versa without removal of the cap from the body of the valve. This manipulation will facilitate a changeover from a freight to a passenger or from a passenger to a freight type locomotive service.
Another object of the present invention is to achieve this manipulation without the use of the tools previously required for the removal of the cap from the body of the valve.
The present invention is particularly applicable to the 26 control valves as described above but may be used with other types of air brake control valves known in the art.
The release cap comprises a housing which is connected to the valve through two mounting holes located on each side of the body. This housing contains a bushing having an internal member which is movable in a longitudinal manner so that the valve can be placed in a direct acting or a graduated acting position by connecting internal passages in the valve. The internal member can comprise a spool along with means attached to the release cap to give a positive locking feature to the mechanism through holes located in the spool. A wire is provided to prevent loss of this locking means. An alternative internal member can comprise a button/spring assembly for moving a spool.
The present invention allows an operator to quickly change the working characteristics of the control valve from a direct brake release to a graduated brake release and vice versa in that removal of the release cap from the control valve is no longer required to achieve this change. A direct brake release is typically used in freight type locomotive service and a graduated brake release is to be used for passenger type locomotive service in trains. The present invention also eliminates the need for the specific tools required to remove the release cap of the prior art. Thus, significant economic advantages can be realized from the direct acting Direct-Graduated release cap of the present invention.
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Kushnir, Jr. Lawrence M.
Santoro, Jr. Ralph
James Ray & Associates
Oberleitner Robert J.
Westinghouse Air Brake Company
Williams Thomas J.
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