Empty brake cylinder pressure adjustment arrangement for an empty/load valve

• US 9,764,721 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2016
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation
• Inventors: Bressler, Nicholas Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Thomas J
• Application Number:
  US14/987,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20170190326A1
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1893 especially adapted for railway vehicles

Abstract

An adjustment arrangement for an empty/load valve includes a body defining a channel, an adjustment beam slidably retained within the channel, and an adjustment handle connected to the adjustment beam. The adjustment handle may be configured to move between at least two positions. The adjustment handle may be configured to move the adjustment beam to at least two positions. The adjustment handle may be connected to the adjustment beam via a pin that extends through the adjustment handle and into the adjustment beam. The adjustment beam may include a protrusion that extends from the adjustment beam to act as a contact point.

Claims

1. An adjustment arrangement for an empty/load valve, comprising:

a body defining a channel;

an adjustment beam slidably retained within the channel; and

an adjustment handle connected to the adjustment beam,

wherein the adjustment handle is configured to move between at least two positions, and

wherein the adjustment handle is configured to move the adjustment beam to at least two positions, wherein the adjustment handle defines at least two holes that correspond to the at least two positions of the adjustment handle.

2. The adjustment arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustment handle is connected to the adjustment beam via a pin that extends through the adjustment handle and into the adjustment beam.

3. The adjustment arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustment beam includes a protrusion that extends from the adjustment beam to act as a contact point.

4. The adjustment arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustment handle is configured to move between at least three positions that each correspond to a weight of a railway vehicle.

5. The adjustment arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustment handle is secured to the body via a fastener at each position.

6. The adjustment arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustment handle further comprises at least one indicator provided next to each hole.

7. The adjustment arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustment handle defines at least one dimple that is used to rotate the adjustment handle between the at least two positions.

8. The adjustment arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body comprises two opposing protrusions and the adjustment beam defines two opposing channels, and

wherein the protrusions of the body are received within the channels of the adjustment beam to slidably retain the adjustment beam on the body.

9. An empty/load valve for a railway vehicle, comprising:

a housing and body member;

a first check valve assembly positioned within the body member;

a second check valve assembly positioned within the body member;

a lever configured to connect the first check valve assembly to the second check valve assembly; and

an adjustment arrangement provided within the housing, the adjustment arrangement comprising;

a body defining a channel;

an adjustment beam slidably retained within the channel; and

an adjustment handle connected to the adjustment beam,

wherein the adjustment handle is configured to move between at least two positions, and

wherein the adjustment handle is configured to move the adjustment beam to at least two positions on the lever.

10. The empty/load valve as claimed in claim 9, wherein the adjustment beam includes a protrusion that extends from the adjustment beam to act as a contact point against the lever.

11. The empty/load valve as claimed in claim 10, wherein the contact point moves between different heights on the lever upon movement of the adjustment beam.

12. The empty/load valve as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a sight plug inserted into the housing that allows an operator to view the adjustment arrangement within the housing.

13. The empty/load valve as claimed in claim 9, wherein the adjustment handle is connected to the adjustment beam via a pin that extends through the adjustment handle and into the adjustment beam.

14. The empty/load valve as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a sensor/damper arrangement provided in the housing, wherein the adjustment arrangement is connected to the sensor/damper arrangement.

15. The empty/load valve as claimed in claim 9, wherein, upon movement of the first check valve assembly in a first direction, the lever is rotated to move the second check valve assembly in an opposing second direction, and wherein the adjustment beam acts as the fulcrum point for the lever.

16. A railway vehicle, comprising:

a supply reservoir fluidly connected to a distributor valve;

an empty/load valve fluidly connected to the distributor valve; and

a brake cylinder fluidly connected to the empty/load valve,

wherein the empty/load valve comprises;

a housing and body member;

a first check valve assembly positioned within the body member;

a second check valve assembly positioned within the body member;

a lever configured to connect the first check valve assembly to the second check valve assembly; and

an adjustment arrangement provided within the housing, wherein the adjustment arrangement comprises;

a body defining a channel;

an adjustment beam slidably retained within the channel; and

an adjustment handle connected to the adjustment beam,

wherein the adjustment handle is configured to move between at least two positions, and

wherein the adjustment handle is configured to move the adjustment beam to at least two positions on the lever.

17. The railway vehicle as claimed in claim 16, wherein the empty/load valve regulates an amount of pressurized fluid that is supplied to the brake cylinder by adjusting the position of the adjustment beam on the lever of the empty/load valve.

18. The railway vehicle as claimed in claim 16, wherein a contact point extending from the adjustment beam moves between different heights on the lever upon movement of the adjustment beam to regulate an amount of pressurized fluid that is supplied from the empty/load valve.

19. The railway vehicle as claimed in claim 16, further comprising a sensor/damper arrangement provided in the housing, wherein the adjustment arrangement is connected to the sensor/damper arrangement.