ECP manifold valve inserts

Details ECP manifold valve inserts ECP manifold valve inserts

2000-06-28

2002-07-23

Michalsky, Gerald A. (Department: 3753)

Valves and valve actuation

Fluid actuated or retarded

Piston type expansible chamber reciprocating valve actuator

C137S596180, C251S064000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06422531

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention generally relates to valve assemblies (also referred to as “valve inserts”) of the type deployed within a manifold to control the flow of fluid(s) within a system in which the manifold is incorporated. More particularly, the invention pertains to valve inserts designed to be deployed within a manifold of a freight railcar equipped with electrically controlled pneumatic (ECP) brake equipment.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The following background information is provided to assist the reader to understand just one of the many environments in which the invention could be used. The terms used herein are not intended to be limited to any particular narrow interpretation unless expressly stated otherwise in this document.
A freight train typically includes one or more locomotives, a plurality of railcars and several trainlines. For a freight train headed by a locomotive equipped with an ECP brake control system, the trainlines include both pneumatic and electrical lines some of which run from the lead locomotive all the way to the last rail vehicle in the train. A pneumatic trainline known as the brake pipe is one such trainline. It extends the length of the freight train, as does a two-wire electrical trainline known as the ECP trainline. Each locomotive also features a multi-wire electrical trainline known as the multiple unit (MU) line cable. The MU line cable consists of 27 different electrical lines. As is well known in the railroad industry, the MU line cable contains 74V dc power and return lines on which battery power from the locomotive is supplied to the various power consuming devices on the train.
The brake pipe consists of a series of pipe lengths, with one pipe length secured to the underside of each railcar. Each pipe length has, at each of its ends, a flexible hose with a coupler commonly referred to as a glad hand. As the locomotive(s) and other rail vehicles are coupled in sequence to form the freight train, the brake pipe is formed by connecting the glad hand at the end of each pipe length to the glad hand of another such pipe length on an adjacent railcar. Similar to the brake pipe, the conduit in which the ECP trainline is housed actually constitutes a series of individual conduits. One such conduit secured to the underside of each vehicle interconnects to another such conduit via a connector between each rail vehicle. Supplied from the 74V dc power line of the MU line cable in the locomotive, the ECP trainline typically operates at a nominal 230V dc to power the ECP brake equipment on each railcar of the freight train.
The ECP brake control system in the locomotive includes a cab station unit and a master controller from which the brakes on the train are ultimately controlled. The cab station unit features one or two handle(s) and/or push buttons that the train operator uses to direct control of the brakes. One such handle, known as the automatic brake handle, can be moved to and between the following positions: release, minimum service, full service, suppression, continuous service, and emergency. Between the minimum and full service positions lies the service zone wherein each incremental movement of the handle toward the full service position causes an even stronger service application of the brakes. The force with which the service brakes will apply depends on how far towards the full service position the automatic brake handle is moved.
Inputs from the handle(s) and/or push buttons are processed by the cab station unit and then passed to the master controller. Operating according to instructions contained within its programming code, and in response to the inputs from the handle(s) and other sources, the master controller formulates a brake command appropriate to current conditions and transmits it along the ECP trainline to each railcar in the freight train. As specified by the American Association of Railroads (AAR), the brake commands and other ECP messages are transmitted from the locomotive using a powerline communications system such as the Echelon LonWorks System. Along the ECP trainline, the brake command(s) are then conveyed to the ECP brake equipment on each railcar via branch wiring. Similarly, in a manner known in the railroad industry, the brake pipe connects to the ECP brake equipment on each railcar via a branch pipe.
The master controller can thus order, through the brake command, any action from a release of brakes to an emergency application of brakes or any degree of brake application in between those two extremes. The brake equipment may also be designed to provide graduated release of the brakes. The degree of brake application ordered by the master controller is typically conveyed in terms of a percentage of the pressure required for full service brake application. For example, zero percent (0%) is typically designated for a release of brakes, 15% for a minimum service brake application, 100% for a full service brake application and 120% for an emergency brake application.
The ECP brake equipment on each rail vehicle typically includes a car control unit (CCU), several pressure transducers, various pneumatic and/or electropneumatic valves, an auxiliary reservoir, an emergency reservoir, and at least one brake cylinder. Used to monitor the pressures in the brake pipe, the brake cylinder(s) and the two reservoirs, the transducers convey electrical signals indicative of those pressures to the CCU.
Each CCU includes a transceiver and a microprocessor. Controlled by the microprocessor, the transceiver is connected via the branch wiring to the ECP trainline from which it receives the brake commands issued by the master controller. The transceiver converts the electrical brake commands into a form usable by the microprocessor. Operating according to its programming code and to the dictates of the brake commands and other electrical signals it has received, the microprocessor controls the aforementioned electropneumatic valves in a manner well known in the brake control art. It is through these electropneumatic valves that air can be maintained within, exhausted from, or directed from the reservoir(s) to the brake cylinder(s). By moving the automatic brake handle into service zone, for example, the train operator in the locomotive will cause the ECP brake control system to issue a service brake command along the ECP trainline. In response to the service brake command, the microprocessor on each railcar will then route the appropriate amount of air from the auxiliary reservoir, or, alternatively, the emergency reservoir, through the appropriate electropneumatic valve(s) to the brake cylinder(s).
In addition, as a safety measure, emergency brake commands are conveyed to the railcars not only electrically along the ECP trainline but also pneumatically along the brake pipe. By moving the handle into the emergency position, the train operator in the locomotive causes the pressure in the brake pipe to drop at an emergency rate. This drop in pressure then quickly propagates along the brake pipe to each railcar in the train. Should the ECP equipment lose power or otherwise fail electrically, it will still respond pneumatically to the telltale reduction in pressure that occurs in the brake pipe during an emergency. The ECP brake equipment is designed to respond to the emergency pressure drop by supplying pressurized air from both the auxiliary and emergency reservoirs to the brake cylinder(s) and thereby cause an emergency application of the brakes. Absent a command to apply the brakes and under conditions known in the brake control art, the railcar brake equipment through one of its pneumatic valves charges these two reservoirs with pressurized air obtained from the brake pipe.
However pressurized, the brake cylinder(s) convert the pressurized air that they receive to mechanical force. This mechanical force is transmitted by mechanical linkage to the brake shoes. Forced against the wheels and/or disc brakes, the brake shoes are used to slow or stop the rotation of the wheels. The magnitude of the braking force appl

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