Abstract: A valve device for reducing the brake pipe pressure in a railroad train brake pipe at a location remote from a train locomotive including a pair of valves, a first valve to controllably vent brake pipe pressure from the brake pipe for purposes of service brake applications and a second valve to quickly vent brake pipe pressure from the brake pipe at a relatively high rate for purposes of emergency brake applications, and a pneumatic drive means to open the first valve in response to a controlled supply pressure and open the second valve in response to an emergency supply pressure.

Abstract: A brake control system for a railroad freight car having an electro-pneumatic brake controller in which a self-lapping valve assembly is operated by a constant spring load acting through a first class operating lever. An electric stepping motor under control of a microprocessor is employed to change the fulcrum point of the operating lever and thereby vary the ratio of the operating lever in order to obtain different braking pressures from the self-lapping valve assembly according to an electric control signal transmitted to the microprocessor.

Abstract: A microprocessor controlled valve system is used with an EOT unit on a railcar remote from the locomotive of the train. The system includes a pressure transducer, a microprocessor unit, a valve device, a motor drive and a pneumatic drive. The microprocessor unit receives from the transducer an electrical signal indicative of actual brake pipe pressure and from the locomotive a brake command signal indicative of desired brake pipe pressure. The microprocessor unit issues a drive signal when the brake command signal requires a service brake application and an actuating signal when the brake command signal requires an emergency brake application. The valve device defines an elongated bore, a primary passage, a branch passage, an exhaust passage and an elongated valve body able to move reciprocatingly in the bore according to the operation of the drives. The primary and branch passages communicate with the brake pipe, and all of the passages communicate with the bore.

Abstract: A railway freight brake system for operating vehicles in a train wherein each vehicle responds in braking situations as if its effective net braking ratio was a desired train net braking ratio. Embodiments include vehicles receiving a brake signal and utilizing either a received train net braking ratio or utilizing a stored on-board train net braking ratio to control pneumatic equipment on-board the vehicle to produce brake forces on the vehicle generally corresponding to the net braking ratio of the train. Some embodiments use a common train line control to communicate both train net braking ratio and brake signals to the individual vehicle. Individual vehicles can receive periodic or initial train net brake ratio values.

Abstract: An EOT unit on a railcar is equipped with a microprocessor controlled regulating valve system to control pressure within the brake pipe. The system includes a microprocessor unit, a pressure transducer, a regulating valve device and an electropneumatic control mechanism. The microprocessor receives from the transducer an electrical signal indicative of actual brake pipe pressure and from the locomotive a brake command signal indicative of desired brake pipe pressure. The microprocessor issues electrical control signals to the mechanism when the brake command signal requires either a service brake application or an emergency brake application. The regulating valve device defines a primary passage, a branch passage, an exhaust passage, and an elongated valve bore in which a diaphragm operated piston is located above an elongated valve stem. The valve stem features two valves with the first located between the primary and exhaust passages and the second between the exhaust and branch passages.

Abstract: A valve device is used to reduce the air pressure in a brake pipe disposed on a railroad car in a train consist at a location in the train consist remote from the locomotive of the train consist. The valve device defines a primary supply passage, a branch supply passage and an exhaust passage. The primary and branch passages communicate with the brake pipe. All of the passages communicate with an elongated bore defined within the valve device. The valve device includes an adjustable first valve, a second valve, an electric motor drive and a pneumatic drive. The adjustable first valve and the second valve are both part of an elongated valve body member that can move reciprocatingly within the elongated bore. The adjustable first valve is used to vent air pressure from the brake pipe via the primary and exhaust passages at various rates of discharge. The rate of discharge is in proportion to the extent the adjustable first valve is commanded open.

Abstract: A reusable, adjustable athletic support garment designed for wear with an absorbent material, such as an incontinence pad. The invention includes an adjustable waistband (12), a front panel (14), a rear panel (16), adjustable front panel support straps (18) and adjustable rear panel support straps (20). An absorbent material, such as an incontinence pad, is worn within the front panel (14) or within the rear panel (16), or within both. Connected to the front panel (14) are the front panel support straps (18) which extend downward from the groin region, rearward between a wearer's legs, and upward to the waistband (12) to which they are adjustably fastened. Connected to the rear panel (16) are the rear panel support straps (20) which extend downward from the buttocks region, forward between the wearer's legs, and upward to the waistband (12) to which they are adjustably fastened.

Abstract: A railway freight brake system for operating vehicles in a train wherein each vehicle responds in braking situations as if its effective net braking ratio was a desired train net braking ratio. Embodiments include vehicles receiving a brake signal and utilizing either a received train net braking ratio or utilizing a stored on-board train net braking ratio to control pneumatic equipment on-board the vehicle to produce brake forces on the vehicle generally corresponding to the net braking ratio of the train. Some embodiments use a common train line control to communicate both train net braking ratio and brake signals to the individual vehicle. Individual vehicles can receive periodic or initial train net brake ratio values.

Abstract: A railway freight brake system for operating vehicles in a train wherein each vehicle responds in braking situations to provide a generally uniform net braking ratio on all cars in the train. Embodiments include vehicles receiving a brake signal and utilizing either a received train net braking ratio or utilizing a stored on-board train net braking ratio to control pneumatic equipment on-board the vehicle to produce brake forces on the vehicle generally corresponding to the net braking ratio of the train. Some embodiments use a common train line control to communicate both train net braking ratio and brake signals to the individual vehicle. Individual vehicles can receive periodic or initial train net brake ratio values.

Abstract: A regulating valve device is provided for utilization with an end-of-train unit in order to reduce a train brake pipe pressure from the rear end in accordance with a pressure reduction initiated at the locomotive on the front end. A stepping motor under control of a microprocessor controls the compression of a spring to establish a target pressure corresponding to a pressure command signal transmitted from the locomotive to the end-of-train unit. The service exhaust valve device regulates the brake pipe pressure to the target pressure corresponding to the spring compression set by the stepping motor and includes an arrangement for overriding the motor control in the event of a fault condition that prevents the motor from resetting the spring to its initial compression when it is desired to recharge the brake pipe to release a brake application.

Abstract: A railway freight brake method and apparatus for operating vehicles in a freight train having a locomotive and a number of railway freight vehicles wherein the individual railway freight vehicles can be controlled in a grade descending mode. When desired, such as when the locomotive transmits a grade mode signal to the individual vehicles, the individual vehicles can brake to produce a generally uniform net shoe force on the wheels of the vehicles. The generally uniform net shoe force can be limited on each vehicle to a value or ratio, such as a percentage of net braking ratio of the given vehicle. On-board calculations can be done in a microprocessor to calculate the vehicle brake cylinder pressure corresponding to the desired net shoe force. This calculation can be done using car parameters stored on-board the vehicle.

Abstract: A microprocessor based brake pipe pressure control system for one or more cars of a railroad train wherein the local exhaust of each car brake pipe pressure, under control of an electro-pneumatic valve, is individually regulated such that the gradient of the resultant train brake pipe pressure closely approximates the natural brake pipe pressure gradient for any given brake pipe pressure reduction.

Abstract: A pipe bracket for use in a freight brake control valve on a railway freight vehicle is provided. Four access ports are preferably provided on a first side of the pipe bracket. The freight car piping, including a brake pipe, brake cylinder line, emergency reservoir line and an auxiliary reservoir line are connected to a second side of the pipe bracket. The freight brake control valve further includes an service portion coupled with a third side of the pipe bracket and an emergency portion coupled with a fourth side of the pipe bracket. A plurality of passageways are included within the pipe bracket for providing fluid communication from the freight car piping to the service portion and the emergency portion. The access ports are preferably connected to each of the passageways within the pipe bracket to permit testing of the fluid pressures within the passageways.

Abstract: A brake pipe pressure control system for a railroad train including a regulating valve device under control of a microprocessor wherein the regulating valve device is housed in the existing end-of-train device and effects service and emergency reductions of brake pipe pressure from the rear end of the train in correspondence with service and emergency reductions initiated at the locomotive.

Abstract: A dog transportation device comprised of a rigid plastic container having a bottom wall with a periphery extending upwards from the bottom wall to define a hollow interior and with the periphery formed of a pair of end walls with a pair of long walls extended therebetween. One of the end walls has a pair of door holes disposed thereon for allowing access into the interior. The container also has a removable top wall extended between the walls at a location above the interior. A separating wall extends across the interior to thereby define a first holding compartment in communication with one of the door holes and a second holding department in communication with the other door hole. A pair of closeable doors are hingably secured within the door holes.

Abstract: A portable, microprocessor controlled single-car test unit for a railway freight brake control valve for automatically executing pressure manipulations to evaluate the operating conditions of the control valve. The pipe bracket portion is connected to a brake pipe, an auxiliary reservoir, an emergency reservoir, a brake cylinder retaining valve and a brake cylinder each being connected to a respective fluid passageway. The test unit accesses the fluid passageways at access ports, respectively connected to each passageway. Valves are utilized in the test unit to manipulate the pressure in the fluid passageways and pressure transducers measure fluid pressure in the passageways. The pressure transducers are controlled by a computer having a microprocessor connected to an input output device. The computer records and stores each pressure measurement, and calculates and stores the differences between selected pairs of the pressure measurements as well as elapsed time data for the measurements.

Abstract: A test connector for connecting an air brake test device to access ports provided on an air brake control valve device where such access ports are normally closed by check valves is disclosed. In one embodiment, a plurality of stem operators project into the access ports without opening the check valves therein when the test connector is installed in position on the control valve device. A handle is provided to effect rotation of an eccentric shaft on which the stem operators are connected to unseat the check valves and thereby access air at the respective access ports when it is desired to initiate testing following installation of the test connector. In an alternate embodiment, a plurality of test probes pivotally mounted on the test connector body enter the access ports and unseat the check valves in the course of installing the test connector in position on the control valve. In both embodiments, the stem operators/test probes are self-aligning to facilitate installation of the test connector.

Abstract: A system and method of calibrating pressure transducers in an electro-pneumatic brake system for a railroad train in which a locomotive microprocessor generates a respective best fit curve for the train brake pipe, supply reservoir and brake cylinder pressures that approximates the actual train pressure therefore. These best fit curves are generated from the pressure transducer readings of these pressures at each car by employing an equation based on a fourth order polynomial. Each car is then provided with a theoretical reference pressure signal from the best fit curve for each of the mentioned brake pipe, supply reservoir and brake cylinder pressures, according to the position of the car in the train. The theoretical reference signal is then compared at each car with the car pressure transducer reading for the respective brake pipe, supply reservoir and brake cylinder pressures to obtain a transducer error correction factor that remains constant through a full range of pressures.

Abstract: A pipe bracket for use in a freight brake control valve on a railway freight vehicle. A service portion and an emergency portion are mounted to a first pipe bracket side directed opposite to the first pipe bracket side. Piping to a brake pipe, a brake cylinder, an emergency reservoir and an auxiliary reservoir are connected to a second side of the pipe bracket. A plurality of passageways are provided through the pipe bracket portion for providing fluid communication from the brake pipe, the brake cylinder, the emergency reservoir, and the auxiliary reservoir to the service portion and the emergency portion. One or more and preferably four access ports connect to one or more and preferably each of the passageways. Preferably, the access ports are provided on the first side of the pipe bracket portion. A housing having one or more channels, each corresponding to an access port is engaged to the pipe bracket portion so that fluid pressure at the access ports can be transmitted to the housing.

Abstract: A fastener assembly for installing valve devices and the like on one side of a mounting plate by bolts where the bolt holes are without threads and the opposite side of the mounting face is inaccessible for holding a bolt head or nut from turning. The fastener assembly includes at least one fastener plate and a minimum of two threaded bolts affixed thereto, so that the threaded portion of the bolts projects through bolt holes in the mounting plate. A retaining washer is threaded onto the projecting bolt threads to retain the fastener plate in place while the valve device is being installed onto the projecting bolt threads on which lock nuts are subsequently screwed to secure the installation.