Apparatus and method for conserving fuel during dynamic braking of locomotives
First Claim
1. An apparatus for conserving fuel during dynamic braking of a train consist including a plurality of locomotives, each of which locomotives comprises dynamic braking means for dynamically braking the respective locomotive and through all of the which locomotives a common electrical trainline is connected so that a master brake control signal, defining a total required dynamic braking within a range between no dynamic braking and full dynamic braking, is provided over the trainline to each locomotive when the train consist is to be dynamically braked, said apparatus comprising:
- means, responsive to the master brake control signal, for determining which of the dynamic braking means of the locomotives are to be actuated in response to the master brake control signal;
means, responsive to said means for determining, for defining a portion of the total required dynamic braking to be provided by each of the dynamic braking means which are to be actuated; and
means, responsive to said means for defining, for providing to each dynamic braking means which is to be actuated a respective slave brake control signal defining to the respective dynamic braking means the respective portion of the total requried dynamic braking to be provided thereby.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A respective microcomputer-based dynamic braking proportioning unit is disposed on each locomotive of a group of locomotives of a train consist. Each unit is connected to the brake setup and brake control wires of a trainline communicating with all of the locomotives, and each unit is connected to the dynamic braking equipment of its respective locomotive. Each unit includes two data entry mechanisms, such as switches, by which the respective microcomputer is advised of the total number of locomotives and of a unique number identifying the respective locomotive within the group. From the two signals from the trainline and the total locomotive and unique locomotive identification data, the respective microcomputer determines and outputs appropriate dynamic brake equipment control signals for the respective locomotive. These control signals are generated so that not all of the locomotives necessarily need to be placed in a dynamic braking mode for all levels of total dynamic braking required, thereby allowing any unneeded locomotive to be operated at a lower fuel consuming power level.
100 Citations
9 Claims
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1. An apparatus for conserving fuel during dynamic braking of a train consist including a plurality of locomotives, each of which locomotives comprises dynamic braking means for dynamically braking the respective locomotive and through all of the which locomotives a common electrical trainline is connected so that a master brake control signal, defining a total required dynamic braking within a range between no dynamic braking and full dynamic braking, is provided over the trainline to each locomotive when the train consist is to be dynamically braked, said apparatus comprising:
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means, responsive to the master brake control signal, for determining which of the dynamic braking means of the locomotives are to be actuated in response to the master brake control signal; means, responsive to said means for determining, for defining a portion of the total required dynamic braking to be provided by each of the dynamic braking means which are to be actuated; and means, responsive to said means for defining, for providing to each dynamic braking means which is to be actuated a respective slave brake control signal defining to the respective dynamic braking means the respective portion of the total requried dynamic braking to be provided thereby.
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2. A system for conserving fuel during dynamic braking of a train consist including a plurality of locomotives, each of which locomotives comprises dynamic braking means for dynamically braking the respective locomotive and through all of which locomotives a brake setup signal and a brake control signal are communicated, which brake control signal defines a total required dynamic braking, said system comprising a plurality of dynamic braking proportioning units, each of said units disposed on a respective one of the locomotives and each of said units including:
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input means for receiving the brake setup signal and the brake control signal communicated to the respective locomotive; control means, connected to said input means, for computing in response to the brake setup signal and the brake control signal the portion, if any, of the total required dynamic braking to be provided by the respective locomotive and for generating an output control signal in response thereto; and output means, connected to said control means, for communicating to the dynamic braking means of the respective locomotive said output control signal so that the dynamic braking means of the respective locomotive provides the computed portion, if any, of the total required dynamic braking. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of conserving fuel during dynamic braking of a plurality of locomotives to which a brake setup signal, having a magnitude B, and a brake control signal, having a magnitude BC, of a 74-volt trainline are provided, each locomotive including respective dynamic braking means for dynamically braking the respective locomotive, said method comprising:
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assigning to each locomotive a respective unique number, X; specifying to each locomotive the total number, Y, of locomotives within the plurality of locomotives; and performing the following steps independently in each locomotive; converting the brake control signal into a respective output control signal, having a magnitude BC'"'"', for controlling the dynamic braking means of the respective locomotive, said converting including; determining whether B=74 and whether BC>
74(X-1)/Y for the respective locomotive; andgenerating said output control signal if B=74 and BC≦
74(X-1)/Y for the respective locomotive, wherein said output control signal has a magnitude;BC'"'"'=[BC-(74(X-1)/Y)]Y, if 0<
[BC-(74(X-1)/Y)]Y≦
74, orBC'"'"'=74, if [BC-(74(X-1)/Y)]Y>
74; andcommunicating BC'"'"' to the dynamic braking means of the respective locomotive. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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Specification