Truck hunting detection and abatement apparatus using selective brake application
First Claim
1. In a rail car having a truck for traveling on a rail and having brakes for braking the car, a rail car brake control apparatus comprising:
- a brake controller operable for selectively applying the brakes of the rail car; and
sensor means coupled with said brake controller for measuring acceleration of the rail car in a direction transverse to the rail,said brake controller including control means responsive to said sensor means for determining whether said acceleration exceeds a predetermined acceleration limit, and for selectively applying the brakes if said acceleration exceeds said limit.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A brake control apparatus (8) for a rail car including a truck (14) traveling along a rail (16, 18) includes a truck hunting detection and abatement apparatus (10) for use as part of a brake controller (12). The brake controller (12) is configured for braking the rail car. The apparatus (10) includes a sensor (26) for measuring acceleration of the rail car in a direction transverse to the rail (16, 18), and a control device (24) of the brake controller (12). The control device (24) includes a microprocessor (30) and is responsive to the sensor (26) for comparing the measured acceleration of the rail car with a predetermined acceleration limit. The control device (24) is configured to apply the brakes when the measured acceleration exceeds the predetermined acceleration limit. The control device (24) also determines the time interval between successive brake applications, and generates a message for transmission to a train locomotive moving the rail car when the measured time interval is less than a predetermined time interval limit, alerting the locomotive engineers of excessive truck hunting.
20 Citations
18 Claims
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1. In a rail car having a truck for traveling on a rail and having brakes for braking the car, a rail car brake control apparatus comprising:
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a brake controller operable for selectively applying the brakes of the rail car; and sensor means coupled with said brake controller for measuring acceleration of the rail car in a direction transverse to the rail, said brake controller including control means responsive to said sensor means for determining whether said acceleration exceeds a predetermined acceleration limit, and for selectively applying the brakes if said acceleration exceeds said limit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A car control apparatus for a rail car having a truck traveling on a rail, the rail car including brakes for braking the car, said car control apparatus comprising:
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a control means for controlling the brakes of the rail car; and a truck hunting detection sensor for sensing acceleration of the rail car in a direction transverse to the rail, said control means including means responsive to said sensor means for comparing said acceleration of the rail car with a predetermined acceleration limit, and for applying the rail car brakes when the measured acceleration is greater than the predetermined limit. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A truck hunting detection and abatement method for a rail car having a truck traveling on a rail, the rail car including brakes for braking the car, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) measuring acceleration of the truck in a direction transverse to the rail using a sensor; (b) in a brake controller responsive to said sensor and including control means for controlling the brakes of the rail car, comparing the acceleration measured by said sensor with a predetermined acceleration limit; and (c) applying the brakes of the rail car using said control means when the acceleration exceeds the predetermined acceleration limit. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification