BRAKE AND PROPULSION CONTROLLER

• US 3,638,770 A
• Filed: 10/06/1969
• Issued: 02/01/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Michael T. Zoric, Richard K. Frill
• Original Assignee: Michael T. Zoric, Richard K. Frill
• Inventors: Frill, Richard K., Zoric, Michael T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gordon, Clarence R.
• Application Number:
  US04/863,951
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 192/1,2,3 104/26 137/597,81.5 303/19,13,15 250/219 197/98 340/380 350/96
• US Class Current: 477/28
• 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 15/048 Controlling pressure brakes of railway vehicles

Abstract

An improved railway vehicle operator'"'"''"'"'s brake and propulsion controller combining the use of fluidic devices and lightresponsive devices with fluid pressure responsive devices for controlling braking as well as propulsion functions of the vehicle, such arrangement thus providing a compact controller requiring less space than present controllers when installed. Operation of the several devices is effected by a manually rotatable shaft having rotary cams arranged thereon for operating certain ones of the devices and which also carries perforated disc members by which light-responsive elements are selectively exposed to or shielded from a light source, depending upon the angular position of the respective disc members to thereby control closing or opening of respective electrical control circuits.

Claims

1. A railway vehicle operator'"'"''"'"'s brake and propulsion controller comprising a casing, a shaft mounted in said casing and manually rotatable by the operator out of a neutral position in either direction to selectively control brake application and propulsion, brake control means disposed in said casing, propulsion control actuating means disposed in said casing, and cam means positionally secured on said shaft for operatively engaging said brake control means and being effective upon rotation of said shaft out of its neutral position in one direction to cause operation of said brake control means, wherein the improvement comprises:

a. light-conducting means;

b. light-responsive means disposed in oppositely facing relation to said light-conducting means, said light-conducting means and said light-responsive means being fixed in said casing relative to each other; and

c. a disc fixed on said shaft for rotation therewith between said light-conducting means and said light-responsive means, said disc having perforations therein selectively communicating light from said light-conducting means to said light-responsive means upon manual rotation of said shaft in an opposite direction relative to said one direction out of said neutral position for activating said propulsion control actuating means.

2. A railway vehicle operator'"'"''"'"'s brake and propulsion controller, as defined in claim 1, wherein said light-conducting means comprises a plurality of fiber optic conductors and said light-responsive means comprises a plurality of light-sensitive diodes, said perforations on said disc being arranged thereon so as to provide a predetermined order of light communication between the several fiber optic light conductors and the several light-sensitive diodes.

3. A railway vehicle operator'"'"''"'"'s brake and propulsion controller, as defined in claim 1, wherein the brake control means comprises:

a. a linearly movable element biased to a normal position;

b. a pair of light-conducting members carried in linearly spaced relation on said element;

c. a pair of linearly spaced stationary light-responsive members, one of which is subject to light from one of said light-conducting members only in the normal position of said element, the other of said light-responsive members being subject to light from the other of said light-conducting members upon linear displacement of said linearly movable element out of its said normal position, said light-responsive members being effective, when subjected to such light, for controlling the application and release of brakes on the vehicle; and

d. caged spring means compressible by said cam means upon rotation of said shaft in said one direction out of its said neutral position to exert a resilient linearly displacing force on said element.

4. A railway vehicle operator'"'"''"'"'s brake and propulsion controller, as defined in claim 1, wherein the brake control means comprises:

a. a linearly movable element biased to a normal position;

b. a lever member having a fixed end and a free end, said lever member being pivotally connected at a point between said fixed end and said free end to said linearly movable element, said free end of said lever member being pivotable about said fixed end upon linear movement of said linearly movable element;

c. a pair of light-conducting members carried in spaced relation on said free end of said lever member;

d. a pair of stationary, spaced-apart light-responsive members, one of which is subject to light from one of said light-conducting members only in the normal position of said element, the other of said lighT-responsive members being subject to light from the other of said light-conducting members upon linear displacement of said linearly movable element and consequent pivotal movement of said lever member, said light-responsive members being effective, when subjected to such light, for controlling the application and release of brakes on the vehicle; and

e. caged spring means compressible by said cam means upon rotation of said shaft in said one direction out of its said neutral position to exert a resilient linearly displacing force on said linearly movable element.

5. A railway vehicle operator'"'"''"'"'s brake and propulsion controller, as defined in claim 1, wherein is provided a manual actuator for effecting rotation of said shaft, said actuator comprising:

a. an operator'"'"''"'"'s handle movable in a linear path in opposite directions; and

b. means interconnecting said shaft and said handle for translating such linear movement of said handle to effect rotation of said shaft.

6. A railway vehicle operator'"'"''"'"'s brake and propulsion controller, as defined in claim 5, wherein said means interconnecting said handle and said shaft comprises:

a. an endless belt supported on two spaced gear pulleys for endless movement thereon and to which said operator'"'"''"'"'s handle is secured for effecting such movement of the belt; and

b. rotatable means engaged by said belt and rotatable by said movement of the belt to cause rotation of said shaft upon linear movement of said handle.

7. A railway vehicle operator'"'"''"'"'s brake and propulsion controller, as defined in claim 6, wherein said belt, said gear pulleys, and said rotatable means are provided with meshing gear teeth for effecting transmission of motion therebetween.