Controlling pressure in brake actuation outputs

• US 20030155808A1
• Filed: 03/24/2003
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Westinghouse Braker LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Westinghouse Braker LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Bradley, Andrew Ross, Tate, Derek
• Granted Patent: US 6,883,875 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 303/20
• 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 17/228 for railway vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/36 including a pilot valve responding to an electromagnetic force
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/5012 Pressure reapplication using a plurality of valves in parallel

Abstract

A valve arrangement is disclosed for controlling the pressure in first and second brake actuation outputs (9, 10). First and second air inlet valves (1,3) supply air to respective ones of the actuation outputs; first and second exhaust valves (2,4) are each associated with a respective one of the inlet valves; and a link valve (11) is between the actuation outputs. The arrangement is such that the pressure in each of the actuation outputs is controllable selectively either in mode a) jointly, with the link valve enabling air flow between the actuation outputs or in mode b) independently, with the link valve blocking air flow between the brake actuation outputs.

Claims

1. A valve arrangement having first and second brake actuation outputs for first and second brake actuators, for controlling pressure in the first and second brake actuation outputs, comprising:

first and second air inlet valves for supplying air to respective ones of the actuation outputs;

first and second exhaust valves, each associated with a respective one of the inlet valves; and

a link valve between the actuation outputs, the arrangement being such that the pressure in each of the actuation outputs is controllable selectively either in mode a)jointly, with the link valve enabling air flow between the actuation outputs or in mode b) independently, with the link valve blocking air flow between the actuation outputs.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, including control means for selecting whether the pressure in each of the actuation outputs is controlled in mode a) or b).

3. An arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the control means is such that when the pressure in each of the actuation outputs is controlled in mode a), the maximum rate of change of brake actuator pressure is set by controlling operation of the inlet and exhaust valves and when the pressure in each of the actuation outputs is controlled in mode b), the rate of change of each brake actuator pressure is set by the condition of its respective inlet and exhaust valves.

4. A valve arrangement according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the control means can release the pressure in each of the brake actuators.