Automatic braking system

• US 9,731,690 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2015
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Progress Rail Locomotive Inc. (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Electro-Motive Diesel Incorporated (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Seaton, James David
• Primary Examiner(s): IRVIN, THOMAS W
• Application Number:
  US14/700,476
• Publication Number:
  US 20160318491A1
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 303 7, 303128, 303134, 303135
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/365 for railway vehicles
• 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 15/021 Railway control or brake valves
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/228 for railway vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/124 Brakes for railway vehicles coming into operation in case of accident, derailment or damage of rolling stock or superstructure self-acting brakes in general F16D59/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1705 for rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B61H 13/00 Actuating rail vehicle brakes actuators directly acting on a brake head B61H1/003; self-applying brakes B61H11/02; wear-compensating mechanisms B61H15/00

Abstract

A braking system includes a brake pipe, a pressure sensor and a pressure valve, each operatively associated with the brake pipe. The pressure valve is directed to reduce a pressure in the brake pipe in response to data from the pressure sensor, and a secondary pressure sensor is operatively associated with the brake pipe, wherein a pressure in the brake pipe is reduced in to data from the secondary pressure sensor.

Claims

1. A locomotive braking system, comprising:

a plurality of interconnected cars;

a brake pipe extending through each of the plurality of interconnected cars and communicating a pressurized fluid;

a pressure valve operatively associated with the brake pipe;

a pressure sensor operatively associated with the brake pipe, the pressure valve being directed to reduce a pressure in the brake pipe in response to data from the pressure sensor;

a secondary pressure sensor operatively associated with the brake pipe, a pressure in the brake pipe being reduced in response to data from the secondary pressure sensor; and

a controller in communication with the pressure sensor, pressure valve and secondary pressure sensor, wherein;

the controller includes a memory and a processor,

the memory includes a primary algorithm and a secondary algorithm, such that the primary algorithm directs the pressure valve to begin a braking process upon receiving a signal from the pressure sensor indicating the pressure in the brake pipe is below a first threshold, and the secondary algorithm reduces a pressure in the brake pipe in response to data from the secondary pressure sensor indicating the pressure in the brake pipe is below a second threshold in the absence of a confirmation signal generated by the controller.

2. The locomotive braking system of claim 1, wherein the brake pipe pressure reduction is a penalty braking operation.

3. The locomotive braking system of claim 1, wherein the brake pipe pressure reduction is an emergency braking operation.

4. The locomotive braking system of claim 1, wherein the brake pipe is pressurized with a compressor.

5. The locomotive braking system of claim 1, wherein the braking system includes a secondary pressure valve, and wherein the secondary pressure valve is directed to reduce a pressure in the brake pipe in response to data from the secondary pressure sensor.

6. A locomotive braking system, comprising:

a plurality of interconnected cars;

a brake pipe extending through each of the plurality of interconnected cars and communicating a pressurized fluid;

a pressure valve operatively associated with the brake pipe;

a pressure sensor operatively associated with the brake pipe, the pressure valve being directed to reduce a pressure in the brake pipe in response to data from the pressure sensor;

a secondary pressure sensor operatively associated with the brake pipe, a pressure in the brake pipe being reduced in response to data from the secondary pressure sensor; and

a controller in communication with the pressure sensor, pressure valve and secondary pressure sensor, wherein;

the controller includes a memory and a processor, wherein the memory includes a primary algorithm and a secondary algorithm, wherein the primary algorithm directs the pressure valve to begin a braking process upon receiving a signal from the pressure sensor indicating the pressure in the brake pipe is below a first threshold, wherein the secondary algorithm reduces a pressure in the brake pipe in response to data from the secondary pressure sensor indicating the pressure in the brake pipe is below a second threshold after a time period has elapsed from the pressure sensor sensing the pressure in the brake pipe is below the first threshold.

7. The locomotive braking system of claim 6, wherein the brake pipe pressure reduction is an emergency braking application.

8. A brake pipe, comprising:

a primary pressure valve operatively associated with the brake pipe;

a primary pressure sensor operatively associated with the brake pipe, the primary pressure valve being directed to reduce a pressure in the brake pipe in response to data from the primary pressure sensor;

a secondary pressure sensor operatively associated with the brake pipe, a pressure in the brake pipe being reduced in response to data from the secondary pressure sensor; and

a controller in communication with the primary pressure sensor, primary pressure valve, secondary pressure sensor and secondary pressure valve, the controller including a memory and a processor, the memory including a primary algorithm and a secondary algorithm,

wherein the primary algorithm directs the primary pressure valve to begin a braking process upon receiving a signal from the primary pressure sensor indicating the pressure in the brake pipe is below a first threshold, and wherein the secondary algorithm reduces a pressure in the brake pipe in response to data from the secondary pressure sensor indicating the pressure in the brake pipe is below a second threshold in the occurrence of at least one of;

(i) an absence of a confirmation signal generated by the controller, and (ii) a predetermined time period has elapsed from when the pressure sensor senses the pressure in the brake pipe is below the first threshold.