Abstract: A trainline support bracket and a fastener for mounting the bracket to a rail car coupler assembly which includes spaced, downwardly extending mounting extensions having aligned bores therein, with the bracket including a pair of upwardly extending arms, spaced apart a distance to be positioned directly outside of the mounting extension. The openings in each of the upwardly extending arms are aligned with bores in the extensions. A headed bolt extends through the aligned bores and openings to attach the bracket to the coupler assembly. A nut is threaded on the bolt. The specific improvement of the present invention is a retainer which is attached to the bolt and bracket and prevents removal of the bolt from the aligned openings and bores even if the nut is removed from the bolt.

Abstract: A trainline support bracket and a fastener for mounting the bracket to a rail car coupler assembly which includes spaced, downwardly extending mounting extensions having aligned bores therein, with the bracket including a pair of upwardly extending arms, spaced apart a distance to be positioned directly outside of the mounting extension. The openings in each of the upwardly extending arms are aligned with bores in the extensions. A headed bolt extends through the aligned bores and openings to attach the bracket to the coupler assembly. A nut is threaded on the bolt. The specific improvement of the present invention is a retainer which is attached to the bolt and bracket and prevents removal of the bolt from the aligned openings and bores even if the nut is removed from the bolt.

Abstract: A railroad air brake system for use on an articulated railroad car having a plurality of platforms and trucks supporting the platforms, has separate air brake subsystems for the trucks supporting the end platforms and an intermediate platform. The subsystem for the intermediate platform includes a control valve connected to the train air supply; an air actuating means for each truck supporting the intermediate platform; a sensor valve having a load sensing arm for each truck supporting the intermediate platform, which sensor valves are commonly connected in parallel to both air actuating means; a proportional valve having an input connected to the control valve and an output commonly connected to both air actuating means and both sensor valves; and a volume reservoir connected the sensor valves and the proportional valve.

Abstract: A railroad slack adjuster has a threaded rod, one end of which is adapted to be connected to one portion of a railroad car brake rigging and a tube telescopic with the rod and adapted to be connected to another portion of the brake rigging. A clutch member is rotatably mounted on the rod for engagement with opposing clutch surfaces on the tube. A housing is telescopicaly positioned about the rod, tube and clutch member. There are springs positioned about the tube and effective between the tube and housing to urge the tube inwardly of the housing. There are further springs positioned about the rod and urging the rod inwardly of the tube. A brake application tension applied at opposite ends of the slack adjuster to the rod and tube cause the clutch member to move between the tube opposing clutch surfaces as the slack adjuster lets out and takes up slack in the brake rigging during brake application.

Abstract: A railroad car hand brake has a housing with a chain opening in said housing. There is a shaft mounted in the housing which mounts a chain drum which is rotated by a drive gear. The drum is formed and adapted to engage a link chain whereby turning of the drum moves the chain inwardly through the housing opening, around the drum and then outwardly through the housing opening. A chain stripper is attached to the housing and has a portion thereof positioned between the incoming and outgoing chain, in alignment with and extending toward the drum to prevent the chain from wrapping around the drum.

Abstract: A combination in-line brake slack adjuster and air chamber for connection to a vehicle brake shaft lever arm includes an air chamber and a piston movable in the air chamber. The slack adjuster is of the compression type and is coaxially attached at one end to the piston and at the opposite end is adapted for connection to a vehicle brake shaft lever arm. The slack adjuster reacts to a coaxially applied brake application force by the piston to apply a force to the brake shaft lever arm and automatically takes up and lets out slack as determined by movement to a full brake application position to maintain a generally uniform travel of the piston during brake application.

Abstract: An empty and load valve for a railroad car brake system is mounted on the bolster of a truck and has a sensing arm engageable with a side frame of the truck. An empty and load device is mounted on each intermediate truck of an articulated car. The device has a valve body with a manifold and an equalizing reservoir attached thereto. A first air passage extends through the valve body and a second air passage extends in the valve body from the first air passage to the equalizing reservoir. A piston assembly is reciprocable in the first air passage to open and close the passage and thereby proportion the available air supply. A plunger is movable in the valve body in response to the sensing arm to disable the piston assembly when a loaded condition is sensed. The plunger also allows a valve in the second air passage to close when a loaded condition is sensed so that all of the available air supply is supplied to the brake actuator.

Abstract: A railroad slack adjuster has a threaded adjusting screw, one end of which is adapted to be connected to one portion of a railroad car brake rigging. The slack adjuster also has a clutch housing assembly, telescopic with the adjusting screw and adapted to be connected to another portion of the brake rigging. A clutch disk is rotatably mounted on the adjusting screw for engagement with opposing clutch surfaces within the clutch housing. A trigger housing is telescopically positioned about the adjusting screw, clutch housing and clutch disk. A spring is positioned about the adjusting screw and effective between the clutch housing and adjusting screw to urge the screw outwardly of the clutch housing. There is a further trigger spring positioned about the clutch housing and urging the clutch housing outwardly of the trigger housing.

Abstract: A combination gladhand and dirt protection plug includes a gladhand body with a chamber within the body. There are a pair of air ports in communication with the chamber, with one of the ports functioning as an air inlet. A seal is positioned in one of the air ports and there is a dirt protection plug movable in the chamber toward and away from the seal to open and close said one port. A spring is positioned within the body to bias the plug toward a port closing position. The plug has a surface in communication with the air inlet, with air pressure at the inlet, applied to the plug surface, causing the plug to automatically move against the spring and away from the seal to an open position.

Abstract: A combination gladhand and shutoff valve for use in tractor and/or trailer applications has a gladhand body with an air inlet and an air outlet. A seal member is positioned at the air outlet and there is a chamber within the body which connects the inlet and outlet. A valve plug is movable within the chamber toward and away from the seal member along a path coaxial with the outlet and the seal member. The valve plug has portions thereon which cooperate with the seal member to close the outlet. A handle is located outside of the gladhand body and is operatively associated with the valve plug for effecting movement thereof between open and closed positions.

Abstract: A railroad air brake system for truck mounted air brakes includes an ABDW valve and auxiliary and emergency reservoirs with pipe connections therebetween. There is a brake pipe and a connection between the brake pipe and the ABDW valve. Truck mounted brake cylinders are located at each truck and a brake cylinder pipe connects the brake cylinders with the ABDW valve. A brake cylinder pressure maintaining valve is connected to the brake pipe, brake cylinder pipe and volume reservoir, as well as to the emergency reservoir. The brake cylinder pressure maintaining valve operates to provide air from the volume reservoir to the brake cylinder pipe and thus the brake cylinders when pressure in the brake cylinder pipe drops below a predetermined level, thus insuring a minimum brake application pressure, regardless of the piston travel of the brake cylinders.

Abstract: A shutoff valve for use in a transportation environment has a body with an internal passage and means on the passage wall for attaching the body. There is a chamber in the body in communication with the passage and there is an opening in the body in alignment with the chamber. A seal member is positioned within the chamber and has openings therein in communication with the passage. The body opening is of a size and shape to permit positioning of the seal member within the chamber. There are cooperating means on the seal member and chamber walls fixing the seal within the chamber and preventing rotation of the seal relative to the body. The cooperating means on the seal include air vent openings. A ball member is positioned within and enclosed by the seal member with the ball member being rotatable to open and close the valve.

Abstract: A brake rigging arrangement for high capacity dropped bottom gondola cars of the curved bottom type in which each end of the car up to the dropped bottom is in the form of a planar shear plate that is coextensive with the car end and is highly stressed under load, and is integrated with a stub center sill and body bolster, in which arrangement the rigging is of the double ended car supported type, and at each end of the car, the rigging for that end of the car is applied entirely below the shear plate in question and is integrated with the car end stub center sill at the level of the stub center sill without requiring perforation of the shear plate in the load bearing area of the car end.

Abstract: A railroad slack adjuster has a threaded adjusting screw, one end of which is adapted to be connected to one portion of a railroad car brake rigging. The slack adjuster also has a clutch housing assembly, telescopic with the adjusting screw and adapted to be connected to another portion of the brake rigging. A clutch disk is rotatably mounted on the adjusting screw for engagement with opposing clutch surfaces within the clutch housing. A trigger housing is telescopically positioned about the adjusting screw, clutch housing and clutch disk. A spring is positioned about the adjusting screw and effective between the clutch housing and adjusting screw to urge the screw outwardly of the clutch housing. There is a further trigger spring positioned about the clutch housing and urging the clutch housing outwardly of the trigger housing.