Wheel lock detection arrangement for multiple-axle railway vehicles

• US 5,290,095 A
• Filed: 02/12/1993
• Issued: 03/01/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Co (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Co (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Wood, James A., Pcsolar, David J., Drake, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Oberleitner, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BALLATO, JOSIE
• Application Number:
  US08/017,168
• Time in Patent Office: 382 Days
• Field of Search: 303/7, 303/20, 303/92, 303/102, 303/103, 364/426.02, 364/426.03, 364/426.05, 180/197
• US Class Current: 303/133
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/228 for railway vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1705 for rail vehicles

Abstract

An automatic and dynamic health monitoring system for detecting wheel lockup conditions caused by an unintentional unreleased handbrake or an unexpected traction motor seizure on multiple-axle railway vehicles by logically sensing and determining the status and operations of the input sensors and indicators to quickly and accurately diagnose the situation and to initiate an output fault code log signal.

Claims

1. A wheel lock detection arrangement for a multiple-axle railway vehicle comprising, first means connected to a highest speed terminal for determining that the speed of the vehicle is below a first given value, second means connected to the highest speed terminal for sensing that the speed of the vehicle is higher than a second given value, third means connected to a pair of speed sensor terminals for determining the operation of brake cylinder pressure sensors on the vehicle, fourth means connected to a plurality of speed sensor terminals for determining the operation of the speed sensors on the vehicle, fifth means connected to the plurality of speed sensor terminals for indicating when the speed sensors are improperly gapped, sixth means connected to a plurality of velocity fault log terminals for checking the integrity of axle speed and rate signals, seventh means connected to each of the above six means for sensing the operational integrity of each of the above six means, eighth means connected to the highest speed terminal and another speed terminal for comparing the highest axle speed with the speed of an axle being tested, ninth means connected to an axle rate terminal for determining if a decelerating axle is about to go into a wheel slide condition, tenth means connected to the eighth means, the ninth means, as in power/in brake terminal and the seventh means for determining if an accelerating axle is about to go into a wheel slide condition, eleventh means connected to the axle rate terminal and an axle wheel slide indication terminal for detecting an inability to correct a wheel slide condition within a set time limit, twelfth means connected to the seventh means, the eighth means, the in power/in brake terminal, the eleventh means, a truck wheel slide valve feedback terminal, and a truck brake cylinder pressure sensor terminal for indicating a wheel lockup has occurred in a brake operating mode, and thirteenth means connected to the tenth means, the twelfth means and a station stop test routine indication terminal for determining and logging the presence of a wheel lockup condition when a hand brake is left on or when a drive motor is seized by producing a wheel lock alert signal to inform operating personnel of a potential equipment damaging situation.

2. The wheel lock detection arrangement for a multiple-axle railway vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein a determination function of said first means is performed on a per-car basis.

3. The wheel lock detection arrangement for a multiple-axle railway vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein a sensing function of said second means is performed on a per-car basis.

4. The wheel lock detection arrangement for a multiple-axle railway vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein a determination function of said third means is performed on a per-car basis.

5. The wheel lock detection arrangement for a multiple-axle railway vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein a determination function of said fourth means is performed on a per-car basis.

6. The wheel lock detection arrangement for a multiple-axle railway vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein a indicating function of said fifth means is performed on a per-car basis.

7. The wheel lock detection arrangement for a multiple-axle railway vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein a checking function of said sixth means is performed on a per-car basis.

8. The wheel lock detection arrangement for a multiple-axle railway vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein a sensing function of said seventh means is performed on a per-car basis.

9. The wheel lock detection arrangement for a multiple-axle railway vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein a comparing function of said eighth means is performed on a per-axle basis.

10. The wheel lock detection arrangement for a multiple-axle railway vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein a determination function of said ninth means is performed on a per-axle basis.

11. The wheel lock detection arrangement for a multiple-axle railway vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein a determination function of said tenth means is performed on a per-axle basis.

12. The wheel lock detection arrangement for a multiple-axle railway vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein a detecting function of said eleventh means is performed on a per-axle basis.

13. The wheel lock detection arrangement for a multiple-axle railway vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein a indicating function of said twelfth means is performed on a per-axle basis.

14. The wheel lock detection arrangement for a multiple-axle railway vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein a determination and logging function of said thirteenth means is performed on a per-axle basis.

15. The wheel lock detection arrangement for a multiple-axle railway vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein said seventh means is a six-input AND gate.

16. A wheel lock detection arrangement for a multiple-axle railway vehicle comprising, a dead zero speed latching means for determining that the speed of the vehicle is below a first given value, a low speed range limiting means for sensing that the speed of the vehicle is higher than a second given value, a pressure sensor fault determination means for determining the operation of brake cylinder pressure sensors on the vehicle, a station stop fault determination means for determining the operation of speed sensors on the vehicle, a speed sensor gap fault determination means for indicating when the speed sensors are improperly gapped, a velocity module fault determination means for checking the integrity of axle speed and rate signals, a wheel lock test setup means for sensing the operational integrity of each of the previous means, a lockup speed difference means for comparing a highest axle speed with the speed of an axle being tested, a rate in range timer function means for determining if a decelerating axle is about to go into a wheel slide condition, a lockup in-power determination function means for determining if an accelerating axle is about to go into a wheel slide condition, an uncorrected slide detection means for detecting an inability to correct a wheel slide condition within a set time limit, a lockup in-brake detector means for indicating a wheel lockup has occurred in a brake operating mode, and a high level wheel lock fault determination counter means for determining and logging the presence of a wheel lockup condition.

17. An automatic and dynamic vehicle health monitoring system comprising, means connected for producing a first logical signal when a highest axle speed of a vehicle signifies a zero speed condition, means connected for producing a first logical signal when the highest axle speed of the vehicle signified is above a given value, means connected for producing a first logical signal when each of a plurality of wheel cylinder pressure sensors on the vehicle is operating properly, means connected for producing a first logical signal when each of a plurality of station stop speed sensors on the vehicle is operating properly, means connected for producing a first logical signal when a gap of each of the speed sensors on the vehicle is proper, means connected for producing a first logical signal when each of a plurality of velocity circuits of the axles of the vehicle is operating properly, means connected for producing a first logical signal when all of the above-mentioned means produce a first logical signal, means connected for producing a first logical signal when the highest axle speed minus the axle speed of the vehicle is equivalent to the highest axle speed divided by 2, means connected for producing a first logical signal when an axle rate of the vehicle is less than a first rate and is greater than a second rate, means connected for producing a first logical signal when all inputs are a first logical signal, means connected for producing a first logical signal when one of the axles is undergoing a slide control and the axle rate is less than a given value for a given period of time, means connected for producing a first logical signal when all inputs are a first logical signal and a wheel feedback signal indicates a release condition for a given period of time and wheel cylinder pressure on the vehicle is less than a given value, and means connected for producing a wheel lock alert signal if within a given number of station stops a minimum of first logical signals are received so as to inform operating personnel of a potential equipment damaging situation which may be caused by an unintentional left-applied hand brake or a traction motor lockup.