ECP Brake With Dual Mode Empty Load

• US 20090206651A1
• Filed: 02/18/2008
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: New York Air Brake Corporation (Knorr-Bremse GmbH)
• Original Assignee: New York Air Brake Corporation (Knorr-Bremse GmbH)
• Inventors: Wright, Eric C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,226,174 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 303/22.200
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/665 the systems being specially adapted for transferring two or more command signals, e.g. railway systems B60T13/662 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/228 for railway vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1893 especially adapted for railway vehicles

Abstract

A rail vehicle brake system includes an electric controlled pneumatic brake valve having a controller and includes an empty-load device connecting the brake valve to a brake device. An electro-pneumatic lock-out valve is controlled by the controller and has a first position which allows the proportioning of the inlet pressure to the outlet by the empty-load device and a lock-out position which pneumatically prevents the proportioning of the inlet pressure to the outlet by the empty-load device. Also, the system may include a sensor for sensing the vehicle load; and the controller controls the brake valve in response to the sensed load taking into account the operation of the change over valve of the empty-load device. Also, an empty-load device including a load sensor is disclosed.

Claims

1. A rail vehicle brake system comprising:

an electric controlled pneumatic brake valve connected to a brake pipe and including a controller connected to a network;

an empty-load device connecting the brake valve to a brake device;

the empty-load device including an inlet to receive a brake signal from the brake valve, an outlet for the brake device, a load sensing element, a change over valve for proportioning the pressure at the inlet and the outlet when empty is sensed by the load sensing element, and a differential pressure element connecting the load sensing element and the change over valve; and

an electro-pneumatic lock-out valve controlled by the controller and having a first position which allows the proportioning of the inlet pressure to the outlet and a lock-out position which pneumatically prevents the proportioning of the inlet pressure to the outlet.

2. The rail vehicle brake system of claim 1, wherein the controller controls the lock-out valve in responsive to an empty-load signal on the network.

3. The rail vehicle brake system of claim 1, including a sensor for sensing the vehicle load and wherein the controller is connected to the sensor and controls the lock-out valve in response to the sensed load.

4. The rail vehicle brake system of claim 3, wherein the sensor senses the position of the load sensing element of the empty-load device.

5. The rail vehicle brake system of claim 3, wherein the sensor is connected to the controller by the network.

6. The rail vehicle brake system of claim 3, wherein the lock-out valve and the sensor is mounted to the empty-load device.

7. The rail vehicle brake system of claim 1, wherein the lock-out valve is mounted to the empty/load device.

8. The rail vehicle brake system of claim 1, wherein the lock-out valve is connected in parallel to the change over valve with respect to the inlet and outlet.

9. The rail vehicle brake system of claim 1, wherein the lock-out valve is connected in parallel to both sides of the differential pressure element.

10. The rail vehicle brake system of claim 1, wherein the lock-out valve is spring biased to the first position.

11. The rail vehicle brake system of claim 10, wherein the controller controls the lock-out valve to the lock-out position only when a brake command for an empty car is present.

12. The rail vehicle brake system of claim 1, wherein the electric controlled pneumatic brake valve is one of an integral brake valve having the controller and pneumatic valves as a unit and an overlay brake valve having a stand alone pneumatic brake valve with the controller as an overlay.

13. A rail vehicle brake system comprising:

an electric controlled pneumatic brake valve connected to a brake pipe and including a controller connected to a network;

an empty-load device connecting the brake valve to a brake device;

the empty-load device including an inlet to receive a brake signal from the brake valve, an outlet for the brake device, a load sensing element, a change over valve for proportioning the pressure at the inlet and the outlet when empty is sensed by the load sensing element, and a differential pressure element connecting the load sensing element and the change over valve;

a sensor connected to the controller for sensing the vehicle load; and

the controller controls the brake valve in response to the sensed load taking into account the operation of the change over valve.

14. The rail vehicle brake system of claim 13, wherein the sensor senses the position of the load sensing element of the empty-load device.

15. The rail vehicle brake system of claim 13, wherein the load sensing element has a stepped profile and the controller determines an empty condition or a loaded condition as a function of the steps position relative to the sensor.

16. The rail vehicle brake system of claim 13, wherein the load sensing element has a plural stepped profile and the controller determines the degree of load as a function of the steps position relative to the sensor.

17. The rail vehicle brake system of claim 13, wherein the load sensing element has a tapered profile and the controller determines the degree of load as a function of the tapered profile position relative to the sensor.

18. The rail vehicle brake system of claim 13, wherein the sensor is connected to the controller by the network.

19. The rail vehicle brake system of claim 13, wherein the sensor is mounted to the empty/load device.

20. The rail vehicle brake system of claim 13, wherein the electric controlled pneumatic brake valve is one of an integral brake valve having the controller and pneumatic valves as a unit and an overlay brake valve having a stand alone pneumatic brake valve with the controller as an overlay.

21. An empty-load device comprising:

an inlet to receive a brake signal and an outlet for a brake device;

a load sensing element, a change over valve for proportioning the pressure at the inlet and the outlet when empty is sensed by the load sensing element, and a differential pressure element connecting the load sensing element and the change over valve; and

a sensor connected to the controller for sensing the position of the load sensing element of the empty-load device.

22. The empty-load device of claim 21, wherein the load sensing element has a stepped profile defining an empty condition or a loaded condition as a function of the steps position relative to the sensor.

23. The empty-load device of claim 21, wherein the load sensing element has a plural stepped profile defining the degree of load as a function of the steps position relative to the sensor.

24. The rail vehicle brake system of claim 21, wherein the load sensing element has a tapered profile defining the degree of load as a function of the steps position relative to the sensor.