Abstract: A compressed air brake system including a low pressure control circuit and a high pressure operating circuit. The control circuit is interfaced by a plurality of relay valves with the operating circuit for the direct actuation of the wheel brake cylinders with high pressure. The dual pressure arrangement results in a significant reduction in consumption of air while retaining the advantages which are common to a high pressure system.

Abstract: This invention teaches a method and apparatus for the determination of the weight of a moving vehicle driven by an internal combustion engine. The invention provides means for the determination of a value corresponding to the driving torque of the engine, and for the determination of an acceleration value corresponding to the acceleration of the vehicle. The measuring means are controlled in such a manner that the torque value can be determined at the same time as the acceleration value. Furthermore, a calculating device is provided in which one or two values of the driving torque value--determined at different times--as well as values of the acceleration variable--determined at said times--are utilized for the determination of a weight variable corresponding with the weight of the vehicle.

Abstract: A fluid pressure regulating valve includes a diaphragm piston reciprocally movable within a valve housing, whereby undesirable diaphragm piston flutter is effectively dampened by use of a dampening member. The diaphragm piston separates a control chamber from an outlet chamber which is in communication with a fluid pressure receiving device. A selectively controllable solenoid valve controls the fluid pressure level in the control chamber. Differences in fluid pressure levels across the diaphragm piston result in the reciprocal movement, thereby, such movement being preconditioned to occur as a function of the fluid pressure level in the control chamber. An inlet valve and an outlet valve each communicate with the outlet chamber and are operated according to the position of the diaphragm piston. Furthermore, the inlet and outlet valves are connected by a connecting rod such that their operation is mutually dependent.

Abstract: A braking apparatus and method are taught that allows the vehicle having the apparatus to resume operation when the magnitude of an electrical signal to an electro-fluidic portion of the apparatus is less than a minimum predetermined value. The system uses electro-fluidic braking equipment to supply pressurized fluid in response to an electrical signal and fluid pressure controlled braking equipment to supply pressurized fluid in response to pressure differentials. An automatic selector value (ASV) normally receives pressurized fluid from the electro-fluidic equipment. When a minimum predetermined value electrical signal is not present, however, the ASV receives pressurized fluid from the fluid pressure controlled braking equipment. The system incorporates a release device to isolate the electro-fluidic braking equipment from the ASV when the electrical signal is less than the minimum predetermined value. Thereafter, the equipment may resume operation.

Abstract: A pneumatic door control equipped with a door control valve for operating a door drive to an open or a closed position. The door control valve has an opening and a closing solenoid-operated pilot valve and an opening and closing spool valve, each operable to a passage or a vent position. A shuttle valve is part of the control valve and works in conjunction with an operator-controlled emergency valve to vent both spool valves simultaneously. A differential pressure switch is connected to the door drive to sense abnormal pressure expended in a door-opening or closing movement. Such an occurrence will output a signal to an electronic switching device which also monitors, via limit switches, whether a door is fully opened or fully closed. If excess pressure occurs during a door-closing movement, the switching device will trigger the control valve to reverse to the opening position.

Abstract: A reciprocating piston compressor which is driven by a rotating camshaft and cam. An auxiliary piston is located below the compression piston. The auxiliary piston is movable by a regulated control pressure against the compression piston so that the compression piston is stopped at its top dead center position. Thus, the reciprocating piston compressor is disabled since the compression piston is no longer driven by the rotating camshaft and cam.

Abstract: An accelerator pedal control mechanism provides a positionable stop to resist pedal depression beyond a point at which optimum fuel economy is realized during vehicle acceleration. The position of the stop relative to the accelerator pedal is controlled by an electronic circuit that is programmed to select the desired point of accelerator depression for a given condition of engine operating parameters. A caged limit spring is carried on the underside of the accelerator pedal for engagement with the stop, thus allowing the operator to sense the additional resistance of the spring through the accelerator pedal when the appropriate amount of accelerator depression is reached. The spring allows the operator to override the programmed control by pressing on the accelerator pedal with sufficient force to overcome the limit spring.

Abstract: A spring-applied, air-released parking/emergency brake is combined with an air-actuated service brake through a friction clutch between the parking/emergency brake piston and a first nut member that is threaded onto a screw rod of the service piston. The screw rod and service piston are connected through another friction clutch. The screw rod is provided with a second nut member that is integral with a thrust rod to which the brake rigging is connected. A friction lock slack adjuster arrangement limits retraction of the thrust rod during brake release in accordance with the desired brake shoe clearance to be maintained. When the thrust rod movement is inhibited by the slack adjuster, the service piston clutch becomes disengaged to permit rotation of the screw rod during the release stroke of the service piston corresponding to overtravel due to shoe wear. Brake shoe clearance is thus maintained constant.

Abstract: A brake actuator device having a pneumatic service brake piston and a spring parking or emergency brake piston operation of either one of which effects displacement of a brake actuator rod which includes a screw-threaded spindle that operates in a non-rotatable nut member in order to adjust the length of the actuator rod. The nut member is provided with an external projection to which the vehicle brakes are mounted. A cogwheel is rotatably fixed to the actuator rod and is normally locked against rotation by a locking pin that engages the cogwheel teeth. The actuator rod is formed in two portions that are connected together through a clutch arrangement, the actuator rod portion having the threaded spindle being free to rotate during brake release to increase the actuator rod length and thereby take up the brake slack.

Abstract: A vehicle brake unit having a fluid pressure operated piston arranged perpendicular to a brake push rod on which is provided a pair of diagonally opposed roller members. An actuator member is connected to the piston and is interposed between the piston and push rod to translate the force of the piston to the push rod. A thrust surface having a cam profile is engageable with the roller members of the push rod, while a reaction surface is engageable with the brake unit housing. The actuator reaction surface is convex and the complementary thrust surface of the housing is concave, thereby providing a pivot point about which the actuator is angularly rotated when the piston is operated to establish a brake stroke of the brake push rod.

Abstract: A searchlight signaling device including a housing in which is mounted an optical system for producing colored signal lights. The optical system includes an objective lens for projecting the colored signal lights through an aperture formed in the housing. A plurality of white light sources and elliptical reflectors for conveying light rays through associated colored filters for producing different color light rays. A plurality of dichroic mirrors angularly disposed in relation to the focal axis of the objective lens for intercepting the color light rays. The dichroic mirrors transmit certain color light rays and reflect other color light rays so that a given colored signal light is emitted through the aperture.

Abstract: A brake cylinder device combining a pneumatically-applied service brake and a spring-applied parking brake in a compact unit made possible by limiting the stroke of the parking brake piston to minimize the expansion of the spring and thus the amount of force relaxation, so that a relatively small spring may be used. The service brake piston carries a threaded shaft on which a nut is rotatably carried for locking engagement with the parking brake piston.

Abstract: An LC series resonant regulator is connected across the output of the inverter circuit of a static converter apparatus to vary the output voltage level as the inverter operating frequency varies from a preselected frequency at which the regulator circuit is tuned. The load is coupled across the capacitor element of the regulator and a level detector coupled across the load input. This detector registers variations of the input to the load from a predetermined desired level of load voltage and supplies a feedback signal, indicative of any detected variations, to the control circuit for the inverter circuit element. This control circuit is responsive to a feedback signal to vary the operating frequency of the static inverter so that the regulator varies the output voltage applied to the load to restore the desired voltage level.

Abstract: A sliding door for railroad cars which may be manually operable but is also provided with a pneumatic device and a pneumatic control circuit operably connected to the door for closing the door by power operation, which pneumatic device, after effecting power closing of the door, is automatically vented of all pneumatic pressure and operably disconnected from the door so as not to offer any resistance during manual operation, and, in particular, during an opening phase of the door by manual operation subsequently to a pneumatic closing phase of the same door.

Abstract: A speed measuring sensing device for producing a signal corresponding to the relative angular rotation between two structural members including a rotor arranged on the rotating member and a stator mounted on the stationary member. The stator is separated from the rotor by an air gap. The rotor includes a plurality of magnetizable sectors which vary the magnetic field while passing a pole shoe of the stator. The surface area of each of the magnetizable sectors of the rotor and the surface area of the pole shoe of the stator exhibit a maximum ratio of 1 to 1.

Abstract: A pair of on-board processing units, operating in parallel, are supplied with input signals representing actual train speed, advance traffic conditions, and selected train parameters. Each unit continuously calculates a maximum train speed from which emergency braking will stop the train within the indicated clear track distance ahead. Each unit also compares the calculated maximum speed with actual train speed and emits a preselected distinctive frequency signal or a d.c. signal as actual speed is less than, or equals, or exceeds maximum speed, respectively. A logic network with parallel filter-rectifier circuit paths passes the unit outputs, if of the preselected frequencies, to a two-input AND gate whose output holds emergency braking released. If a preselected frequency output is absent from either or both units, due to actual speed equaling or exceeding maximum speed or to a fault condition in the apparatus, the corresponding lack of an AND gate output actuates emergency braking.

Abstract: A pivotal piston machine or compressor including a disc-like pivotal piston oscillating on a bearing axis, such oscillatory movement being effected by engagement of a roller-type cam follower of a crank arm driven by a crankshaft, with cam surfaces formed on the pivotal piston, and angled member for limiting the oscillating movement at opposite ends of the pivotal stroke of the piston. The angled member serves as a separating wall between two compression chambers and a delivery chamber. A pair of pivotal pistons may be arranged adjacent each other to utilize a common air intake and provide a compound piston machine.

Abstract: A controllable filter circuit for removing noise from the useful picked up speed sensing signal in an anti-skid vehicular braking system. The controllable filter circuit includes a pickup device, a frequency dependent low-pass filter, a sine-wave to rectangular-wave converter and threshold circuit, a frequency to voltage converter and a switching circuit for actuating the low-pass filter for dampening and blocking troublesome noise signals from the speed signals prior to feeding them to logic, amplifying and output devices.

Abstract: A valve mount for a compressor pressure valve with a valve seat disposed in a bore formed in a cylinder head, wherein the valve mount is provided with a cooling chamber surrounding the external surfaces of a pressure chamber for transferring and dissipating heat from the valve parts including the valve seat.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for regulating the operator-controlled brake pressure of a vehicle wheel to prevent wheel lock-up by sensing a lock-up tendency and independently varying the operator-controlled brake pressure at the skidding wheel during successive cycles of wheel skid control. The sensed wheel behavior is monitored by an evaluation circuit which measures the duration of brake pressure reapplication with constant gradient during an initial cycle, provides a time period during a subsequent cycle that is a predetermined time duration less than the time duration of reapplication pressure in the initial cycle, and following expiration of the reduced time duration, establishes reapplication of pressure with a pressure gradient lower than the gradient during the initial cycle, whereby the reapplication pressure during control cycles subsequent to the initial control cycle is with a stepped gradient.