CA1067938A - Fluid brake control system - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF DISCLOSURE

A fluid brake control system is disclosed having an improved quick service and accelerated release control device having valves operable when rendered effective to locally reduce the brake pipe pressure to accelerate a brake application signal through a train and at other times to apply fluid to the brake pipe for accelerating the release of brakes of a train.
The control device comprises a housing containing a fluid pressure differential operated abutment subject to actuation from a normal position by differences in pressure between respective brake pipe and reference fluid pressure chambers on opposite sides of the abutment. Two quick service valves of the ball poppet type are provided on one side of the abutment that are spring biased in the direction of the abutment against their valve seats to normally closed positions and have operating push rods longitudinally disposed between the associated ball poppet valves and one side of the abutment. A ball poppet valve on the other side of the abutment is also normally closed and is opened by movement of the abutment in the other direction for delivering fluid from an emergency reservoir to the brake pipe for providing accelerated release.

Description

i'7~38 FLUID BR~K~ ~O~TR~ SYSTEM
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1. Background of Invention This invention relates to fluid brake control systems, and while the invention is subject to a wide range of appli-cations, a preferred embodiment of the invention will be particularly described as applied to a fluid brake control system having an improved quick service and accelerated release control device.
The present invention is an improvement over currently used quick service and accelerated release control devices such 10. as the quick service and accelerated release control devices of the well-known ABD control valve generally used for governing the brakes o~ freight cars. In the ~BD valve, a form of quick - service functio~ is provided by the service slida valve but to provide repeated quick service cycles as long as the brake pipe pressure continues to be reduced from an extraneous source, the ABD valve must be supplemented by a special quick service control device such as the well-known Bl quick service valve.
The accelerated release function as provided in the ABD valve requlres separate control devices for service and 20. emergency release functions respectively. The ABD device for accelarated service release~senses relative`~rake pipe and auxiliary reservolr pressures, while the accelerated release for an emergency~brake application is provided by the actuation o a spool valve associated with an emergency release slide valve.
These valves as provided in the ABD valve are costly - to~manufacture and are somewhat~slow to respond because of s1iding friction.~ Smooth and quick application and release o~
brakes~of a traln is dependent upon the speed at which a change 30. in control is sensed by each car and passed along from car to ,: : .: . . ., . .. .. . : ~, . . . .

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1L car, beginning at the front end of the train. It is therefore very important that there be as little delay as possible in the successive operation of the ~uick service and accelerated re-lease valves on the respectlve cars of a train. It is therefore highly desirable to increase the speed and integrity of pro-pagation of a brake control signal through a train over the rate of operation currently possible with ABD slide and spool valves.
An object of the present invention is to provide a 10. fluid brake control system having improved quick service and accalerated release valves which substantially obviate one or more of the limitations and disadvantages of the described prior system.
Another object of the present invention is to reduce the number of control devices required to provide the functions of quick service and accelerated release controls.
Another object of the present inventlon is to reduce manufacturing and`maintenance cost of brake application and release-control devices.
20. Other objects, purposes and characteristic features of the present invention will be in part obvious from the i-accompanying drawings, and in part pointed out as the descrLp-tion of the invention progresses.
Summary of Invention A fluid brake control system is provided for a train of cars including a car having a brake control pipe, a quick action chamber subject to charge periodically from the bra~e pipe and an improved quick service control device comprising a housing containing a fluid pressure differential operated 30. abutment subject to actuation from a normal position by diff-erences in pressure between respective brake pipe and reference fluid pressure chambers acting on opposite sides of the abutment.

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1. Two poppet type valves are provided on the brake pipe pressure chamber side of the abutment for selectively venting the pressure chambers, each of the valves being spring biased in a direction of the abutment to a normally closed position and the valves having respective operating push rods longitudinally disposed between the associcated val~es and the abutment. The' poppet valves are opened by movement of the abutment in one direction from its normal position and fluid circuits are provid-ed, including the poppet valves, for permitting flow from the 10. brake pipe pressure chamber and from the reference pressure chamber respectively for cyclically locally reducing pressure in the brake pipe repeatedly as long as the brake pipe continues to be reduced ln pressure independen~ of the action of the poppet valves.
The above described control device also provides -accelerated release control by providing a poppet type valve on ~the reference chamber side o~ the abutment that is spring biased in the direction of the abutment tQ a normally closed positi~n, this valve having an operating push rod longitudinally disposed 20~ between the poppe~ type valve and the a~utment for opening the valve ln accordance wi~th movement of the abutment in the direc- -tion of the reference pressure chamber to permit fluid to flow from the emeryençy reservoir to the brake pipeO Additional spri~g biasing maans including a piston having an axial bore for free passage of the valve operating push rod is provided ~for applying additional spring bias against movement of the abutment in the direction of the reference pxessure chamber to open the accelerated release valve only when fluid pressure is ' materially reduced in the reference ~hamber, such as after an 30. emergency~brake application. Thus this sprin~ is efEective for accelerated release control~after an emergency brake application but not after a service brake application.

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: 'i ' ~ ; . :~: : . ' 1. Al-though -the functions of quick service and accelerated release are combined in a single control device as compared to prior use of several devices for each of these functions, it is to be understood that the accelerated release control function and the quick service control function can be used separately, independent of the other function if such is the requirements of practice.
The poppet valves used are preferably of the ball type, spring biased to a closed position against a seat for 10. requiring a minimum travel of the abutment to actuate the valves with a minimum amount of friction involved. It has been found that satisfactory operation is obtained in an operating range of the abutment from its normal position of approximately fifty thousandths of an inch.
For a better under~tanding of the present invention, together with other and further objects thereof, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the ac~-ompanying drawing, while its scope will be pointed out in the appending claims.
20. The drawing is a sectional axial view of a quick ser~
vice and accelerated release control device together with a schematic diagram of a fluid brake control system in which it can be used as a preerred embodiment of the present in~ention.
With reference to FIG. 1, a fluid brake control system is illustrated for a typical car in a train includin~ a brake control pipe 10, a reference fluid reservoir in the form of quick action chamber 11 that is subject to charye from the braXe pipe 10 and an improved quick service control device 13.
The device 13 has a housing 14 containing a fluid pressure diff-30. erential operated abutment 15 subject to actuation from a normal position in which it is illustrated by differences in pressure ~ between respeckive brake pipe and reference fluid pressure : ..

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1. chambers 16 and 17 respectively acting on opposite sides of the abutment 15 within the housing 14.
Two poppet type valves 18 on the brake pipe pressure chamber side of the abutmen-t 15 are provided for selectively venting the chambers 16 and 17, each of these valves 18 being biased by a spring 19 in the direction of the abutment 15 to a normally closed position and the valves 18 having respective operating push rods 20 longitudinally disposed between the associated valve 18 and the abutment 150 The poppet valves 18 10. are opened by movement of the abutment 15 downwardly and fluid circuits are controlled by the valves 18 for permitting fluid flow from the brake pipe pressure chamber and from the reference pressure chamber respectively for cyclically locally reducing pressure in the brake pipe 10 as long as the brake pipe 10 continues to be reduced in press~re extraneous of the valves 18 as by brake pipe pressure reduction in an adjoining car or in the locomotive.
Improved accelerated release control is provided by anot~er poppet type valve 18 on the upper side o the abutment 20. 15 that is biased by a spring 19 in the direction of the abut-ment 15 to a normally closed position. This valve has an operating push rod 20 longitudinally disposed between the associated poppet type valve 18 and the abutment 15 for opening the accelerated release valve 18 in accordance with the movement upwardly of the abutment 15 from its normal position. When this , valve is opened, fluid is supplied from emergency reservoir 12 through the accelerated release valve 18 to the brake pipe 10.
Additional spring biasing means is used for accelerat-ed release after an emergency brake application, including a 30. piston 21 having an axial bore 33 for free passage of the push rod 20 associated with the accelerated release valve 18. The piston 21 is biased downwardly by a spring 22, and is biased . ~ .
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1. upwardly by fluid pressure in the reference chamber 17~ It is this upward bias by fluid pressure in chamber 17 that makes the spring 22 selectively effective against the abutment duriny accelerated release after an emergency application but not after a service brake application. The piston 21 is operable in a bore 23 to an extent limited by a stop 24 which is illustrated' as a snap ring in the bore 23. This ring.limits downward move-ment of the piston 21 so that it will have no influence on movement of the abutment 15 downwardly from its normal position 10. in which it is illustrated.
The laterally spaced push rods 20 associated with the valves 18 beneath the abutment 15 are connected at their upper ends by a bridge 2iS that is pivotally connected to the right-hand push rod 20 by a pin 26. At a mid-point in the bridge 25, the bridge 25 is recessed downwardly at 25a to receive a detent 27 in abutment 15.
The abutment 15 comprises an annular diaphragm 28 secured between upper and lower housing portions 14a and 14b respectlvely, and annular diaphragm follower plates 29 and 30 20. are secured axially on upper and lower sides respectively o~ -. the diaphragm 28. The plate 29 has a bearing surface 29a for the lower end of push rod 22 above the abutment 15. Similarly the lower plate 30 has a detent 27 integral therewith for engagement with bridge 25 as has been descxibed to operate the push rods 20 below the abutment 15 for actuation of the val~es :1~ below the abutment 15, and permit sequential operation of , these valves 18, dependent upon relative forces of their springs 19.
A light stabilizing spring 31 is pre~erably disposed 30. axially between plate 29 and the upper housing portion 14a as provided by the two springs 19 of the valves 18 on the lower side of the abutment 15. Thus the valves can be adjusted, if :

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~7938 1. desired, so that substantially the same difference in pressure in one direction i5 required to open the valves above the abut-ment 15 that is required in the opposite direction to open the valves below the abutment 15.
The valves 18 are similar in that they are ball poppet valves urged by springs 19 against ends of tubular resilient seats 32. The push rods 20 for operating their associated valves 19 are operable with minimum friction within bores 33, and O-rings 34 are used ~Q preven~ leakage from the pressure ;. ..
10. chambers 16 and 17. The push rods 20 are of reduced diameker at their ends adjoining the valves 18 to permit ~ree passage of fluid through the associated valves 18 when these valves are ~ -opened. The valve biasing springs 19 are contained in suitable bores 35 in the housing 14. The lower right-hand push rod 20 is larger in diameter than the other push rods 20 to include an internal passage 36 as an inlet port for the lower rieyht-hand valve 18. Also the push rod 20 for valve 18 on the upper side ~;
of the abutment 15 is longer than the other push rods to extend through a bore 33 in piston ?1 as has been described.
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20. An accelerated release check valve 37 is provided for connecting the accelerated rel ase valve 18 to the brake pipe 10.- The quick action chamker 11 is charged from the brake pipe ~ 10 through a choke 38, and quick action chamber 11 is connected - to emergency reservoir 12 through a spill-over check valve 39, In practice, the quick service and accelerated release - control device 13 that has been described can be used in place of several valves providing~corresponding functions in the ABD
valve, thus simpllfyins and improving the ABD valve control apparatus~ It should be considered that the simplified dis-:
30. closure of~a railway car braking system in the present emb,odi-ment is done to simplify the disclosure of the present invention rather than to limit the environment in which the invention can : , ., . .. . ., .. . . . , . , . , , . ,., ,. . , " ~ . ,.. , .. ,: . .... ....... .. .... . . . . .

~7~38 1. be applied. For example, additional controls can be provided as in the ABD valve for charcJin~ the emergency reservoir 12 and the quick action chamber 11 and in connection with venting the pressure cha~ber to atmosphere in accordance with the requirements of practice.
Upon initially charging the brake pipe 10, fluid enters chamber 16 via passage 40 and choke 41. The ~uick action chamber 11 also charges at this time through choke 38, and the emergency reservoir 12 can be charged from the brake pipe through a 10. suitable choke (not shown) as is done in the ABD valve. The reference chamber 17 is charged through port 42 from the quick action chamber 11~ Thus, under normal conditions, chambers 16 and 17 are charged to substantially the same pressures, and the abutment 15 assu~es its normal position as is illustrated permit-ting the closure of all valves 18 by thelr associatea biasing springs 19.
To illustrate the quick service operation oE the control device 13, it will be assumed that the brake pipe 10 has been fully charged, and that a service brake application 20~ is initiated by causlng a continuous reduction in the prassur~
in brake pipe 10 at a service rate. This reduces the pressure in chamber 16 o~ control device 13 relative to the reference pressure in chamber 17, causing the abutment 15 to b~ actuated : : :
downwardly to successively open the valves 18 below the abut-ment l5, the right-hand valve 18 being opened first because o~
having a weaker spring 19 than the left-hand valve so as to :
initially vent fluid from the brake pipe through passage 40, choke 41, chamber 16, passage 36, valve 18 and vent passage 44 to atmosphere. Thus a cycle of local quick service reduction 30. of brake pipe pressure is initiated, and as the right-hand valve 18 draws the pressure down further in chamber 16 relative to chamber l7, the abutment 15 becomes deflected downwardly -~1i67~3~
1. further so as to open the left-hand valve 18 for venting the quick action chamber 11 to atmosphere. The sequential opening of these valves is permitted by the rocking of the bridge 25 about its pivot point 25a on the detent 27 of abutment 15.
Opening of the lower left-hand valve 1~ causes quick action chamber air to be vented to vent paSsage 44 from the quick action chamber 11 through passage 45, inlet port 46, lower left-hand valve 18, outlet port 47, passage 48 and choke 49. Nhen the lower left-hand valve 18 becomes fully opened, it vents reference 10. chamber 17 at a faster rate than the venting of brake pipe ; chamber 16, and thus pressure difference between chambers 16 and 17 becomes reduced to a point of causing the abutment 15 to be restored substantially to its normal position, shutting off both lower valves 18 and completing a first cycle of operation for quick ser~ice reduction.
If the brake pipe 10 continues to be reduced in pressure from an extraneous source such as from the locomotive or from an adjoining car, brake pipe chamber 16 continues to reduce in pressure relative to the reference chamber 17, and 20. another cycle of operation like that which has just been des-cribed is operable to a~ain cyclically reduce the pressure in the brake pipe locally to provide more local quick service brake pipe reduction. These cycles of operation are e~feGtive contLnuously as~long as there is a continuous extraneous reduction in pressure in brake pipe 10.
Typical choke sizes that have been found to provide satisfactory cycling operation as described are .02, .I25, .05, and .081 inches for chokes 38, 41, 43 and 49 respectively. It should be understood, however, that the sizes of these chokes 30. can be~varLed in accordance with the requirements of practice.
Thes~e~sizes have been chosen to be used in connec-tion with a well-known quick act1on chamber volume of 145 cubic inches that ~ 793~

1. is built into a standard ~ipe brac];et -to ~hich the control device 13 wolld be sec~red.
The frequency of cycling of thc quick service valves is determined by the si~e of tlle clloke 41 and varies inversely with the size of this choke. It has been found that satisfactory operation is obtained with the size of choke 41 varying at least in a range ~rom .097 to .125 inches.
Also the frequency of cycling of the quick service valves is dependent upon the relative vol~nes of the quick 10. action chamber 11 and the brake pipe 10. The quic}~ action volume is the same on all lenyths of cars, while the brake pipe volume varies in accordance with the lengths of the cars.
It will be readily apparent fr~m the mode of opera- -tion as it has been described that where an entire train is equipped with this type of quick service control as a part of the control valve, the longer cars will have~more air vented from their brake pipes than the smaller cars, thus reducing the necessity to provide auxlliary quick service valves for long ~ c~rs as is the current practice. The present quick service 20. valve that can be included as a part of an A~D type control valve, for e~ample, therefore provides the dual function of increasing the rate of brake signal propagation for standard length cars and reducing the necessity of providing quick service valves separate from the ABD valve for longer cars.
~ For consideration of the mode of operation to provide accelerated release, it will be assumed that the charcJing of ~ ;
the~bra~e pipe 10 is initiated to cause release of a service application. Un~er these conditions, the pressure in brake pipe chamber 16 builds up more rapidly than in reference 30. chamber~17, causing abutment 15 to move upwardly and open the upper valve 18 to perrllit fluid from emeryency reservoir 12 to be applied to the brake pipe 10. Under these conditions, 93~
1. emergency reserv~ir 12 is conn~cted to brake pipe 10 through passage 50, input port 51 of accelerated release valve 18,. output port 52, passage 53, choke 54 in the input to check valve 37, outlet port 55 o~ choke 37 and passage 56. It will be noted that in this mo~e of operation, the push rod 20 slides within the piston 21, as the piston 21 is maintained in its normal position as shown by fluid pressure in the reference char~er 17.
Thus the spring 22 does not actuate piston 21 to a contacting position with the abutment 15 during accelerated release follow-lO.'ing a service brake application. ~s the pressure builds up in the train brake pipe 10, the quick action cha~ber 11 becomes '' charged through its choke 38, and thus pressure builds up in - cha~ber 17 of the control device 13 to terminate the local accelerated release by restoring the abutment 15 to its normal position.
To consider another condition of accelerated release, it will be assumed that brakes are to be released after an ~ -emergency application. During emergency braking conditions, the pressures in brake pipe chamber 16 and reference chamber 17 are 20. substantially depleted, and thus~,the piston 21 i~ actuated by its spring 22 to a position limited by the snap ring 24 in ~' contact with the abutment 15 in its normal position. The pur-pose of'this additional spring applied to the abutment 15 is ; to stabilize the abutment 15 to insure that it will not actuate the accelerated release valve to an open position in response to a small build-up of pressure in the train brake pipe 10 that ,'' is not intended as a signal for brake release.
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When a brake release sLgnal is applied to the train brake pipe 10 after an emergency application, pressure builds 30. up in brake pipe char~er'l6 faster than in reference chamber '-1~7,~and when the pressure difference is sufficient to overcome ', the additional biasing spring 22 as well as the pressure~of the ~67938 1. stabilizing spring 31 and of the valve spring 19, the piston 21 and push rod 20 above abutment 15 are both actuated upwardly to open the accelerated release valve 18 and per~it the application of flui~ from the emergency reservoir 12 to the brake pipe for accelerated release as has been described when considering the mode of operation for release of a service brake application.
As was considered for a service brake release, the pressures in the brake pipe chamber 16 and the reference chamber 17 sub-stantially equalize, thus restoring the abutment lS to its - ln. normal position as is illustrated in FIG 1 and restoring the accelerated release valve 18 and piston 21 to their normal posltlons .
I~aving thus described a flui.d brake control system for a vehicle having an improved quick service and accelerated release control device as a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that various modifications and alterations may be r,lade to the specific emhodiment shown without department from the spirit or scope of the invention.

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Claims (9)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:-

1. A fluid brake control system for a train of cars including a car having a brake control pipe, a reference fluid pressure chamber subject to charge periodically from the brake pipe, an emergency fluid reservoir, and an improved quick service and accelerated release control device comprising;
(a) a housing containing a fluid pressure differential operated abutment subject to actuation from a normal position by differences in fluid pressure between respective brake pipe and reference fluid pressure chambers acting on opposite sides of the abutment, (b) poppet valve means on each side of the abutment, the valve means being spring biased in the direction of the abutment to a closed position and having an operating push rod longitudinally disposed between the associated valve means and the abutment, (c) first poppet valve means on one side of the abut-ment being opened by movement of the abutment in one direction from its normal position and including means for permitting fluid to flow from the brake pipe to provide local quick service reduction in brake pipe pressure, and (d) the poppet valve means on the other side of the abutment being opened by movement of the abutment in the oppo-site direction from its normal position and including means to permit fluid to be released from the emergency reservoir to the brake pipe for providing accelerated release of brakes of other cars in the train.

2. A fluid brake control system according to claim 1 wherein the improved quick service and accelerated release control device comprises a second poppet valve means on said one side of the abutment spring biased in the direction of the abutment to a closed position and having an operating push rod longitudinally disposed between said second valve means and the abutment and operable to an open position by movement of the abutment in said one direction, the second poppet valve means being effective when opened to permit fluid to be vented from the reference chamber.

3. A fluid brake control system according to claim 2 wherein the first poppet valve means on said one side of the abutment is operable when opened to release fluid at a restrict-ed rate from the brake pipe through the brake pipe chamber.

4. A fluid brake control system according to claim 3 wherein sequencing means is provided for opening said first poppet valve means on said one side of the abutment prior to the opening of said second poppet valve means.

5. A fluid brake control system according to claim 4 wherein the sequencing means comprises a bridge disposed across ends of the push rods associated with said first valve means and said second valve means and having an intermediate point adapted to be actuated by the abutment for permitting the order of operation of the valve means to their open positions to be determined by the relative spring biasing pressures of these valve means.

6. A fluid brake control system according to claim 5 wherein the spring bias of said second valve means is greater than the spring bias of said first valve means for releasing fluid from the brake pipe prior to releasing fluid from the reference chamber upon actuation of the abutment in said one direction relative to its normal position.

7. A fluid brake control system according to claim 1 wherein the poppet valve means on said other side of the abutment comprises additional spring biasing means independent of the valve means for additionally spring biasing the abutment toward its normal position when there has been an emergency brake application and the fluid pressure in the chambers is materially reduced.

8. A fluid brake control system according to claim 7 wherein the additional biasing means comprises a piston that is spring biased toward the abutment and is normally displaced from the abutment by fluid pressure in the reference chamber.

9. Fluid brake control apparatus for a railway car having a brake control pipe, a reference fluid reservoir charged from the brake pipe, an emergency fluid reservoir, and an improved quick service and accelerated release control device comprising:
(a) a housing having a fluid pressure differential operated abutment subject to actuation by difference in pressure between respective brake pipe and reference fluid pressures acting on opposite sides of said abutment, (b) at least one valve means disposed on each side of the abutment, each said valve means being of the poppet type and having relatively movable seat and closure elements at least one of which is operatively connected to the abutment, (c) said poppet valve means on one side of said abutment being operated by movement of the abutment in response to a decrease in brake pipe pressure relative to reference fluid reservoir pressure to permit fluid to flow from the brake pipe to provide local quick service reduction in brake pipe pressure, (d) said poppet valve means on the other side of said abutment being operated by movement of the abutment in response to an increase in brake pipe pressure relative to reference fluid pressure to permit fluid to flow from the emergency reservoir to the brake pipe to provide accelerated release of brakes of other cars in the train.