TRANSPORT VEHICLE AXLE BEARING ALARM

• US 3,614,731 A
• Filed: 06/15/1970
• Issued: 10/19/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eugene G. Dowd, Sidney Herman, Stephen A. Hluchan
• Original Assignee: Eugene G. Dowd, Sidney Herman, Stephen A. Hluchan
• Inventors: Hluchan, Stephen A., Herman, Sidney, Dowd, Eugene G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Waring, Alvin H.
• Application Number:
  US05/046,358
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 340/57,227,228,231,269 246/169 73/342
• US Class Current: 340/449
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0232 for measuring vehicle parameters and indicating critical, abnormal or dangerous conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B61K 9/04 Detectors for indicating the overheating of axle bearings and the like, e.g. associated with the brake system for applying the brakes in case of a fault

Abstract

A system for producing an alert or alarm apprising the operator of a transport vehicle of the overheating of an axle bearing.

Claims

1. A transport vehicle axle bearing alarm system for alerting operating personnel to increase of temperature of an axle bearing to a value above a determined temperature value, said system comprising, in combination with a transport vehicle axle, first means, including support means constructed and arranged for attachment to the vehicle axle adjacent an axle bearing, said first means also including a temperature-sensitive electrical resistor means;

second means, including electric bridge means in which said resistor means is connected, and means for supplying electrical power to said bridge means to produce alternatively an output of either of opposite polarities depending upon the state of unbalance of the bridge means;

third means, including solid-state electronic switching means connected to said bridge mEans and arranged to normally produce no effective output signal in response to unbalance of said bridge to a selected state by said resistor means responding to a temperature within a temperature range below a selected value indicative of a safe bearing operating temperature, and arranged to produce an output signal in response to unbalance of said bridge to the opposite state by said resistor means responding to a temperature above said selected value and indicative of a bearing operating temperature above said safe temperature; and

fourth means, connected to said third means and responsive to production of an output signal thereby to produce a senseperceptible alarm to apprise the vehicle operator of rise of bearing operating temperature to a value above said safe operating temperature.

2. A system according to claim 1, in which said first means includes an arcuate band, means to tension said band to draw the same into snug engagement with said axle, and means secured to said band to enclose and protect said resistor means and maintain the latter in close proximity to said axle whereby to permit the resistor to efficiently sense the temperature of the axle at the area of engagement.

3. A system according to claim 1, in which said first means comprises in superimposed relation, an arcuate tension band, an insulation strip on an inner surface area of said band, a resistance wire and card unit in strip form, a second insulation strip, and a metal armor cover strip overlying the said strips and secured at its ends to said tension band.

4. A system according to claim 1, in which a plurality of said first means are arranged in functional relationship with respective ones of a plurality of vehicle axles, and said system including for each of said first means and in functional association therewith, a respective one of said second means and a respective one of said third means, all of said plurality of said third means being connected in parallel to said fourth means.

5. A system according to claim 4, including in said fourth means, shorting switch means for shorting each parallel connection thereto from one of said third means, whereby determination may be made of which of the plurality of first means is indicating an axle bearing above said safe operating temperature.