Patents by Inventor John W. Drake

John W. Drake has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5650933
    Abstract: Apparatus for implementing two to three state emulator process so two state dump valve can be used in wheel slip correction for braking systems comprising an AND gate which receives a plurality of inputs for generating an output based on value of inputs. An OR gate receives another plurality of inputs for generating another output based on value of inputs. One such input being the output generated by such AND gate. A valve response checking unit receives another plurality of inputs for generating a plurality of outputs. One input is the output generated by such OR gate. Another OR gate receives another plurality of inputs for generating an output based on value of inputs. A lap state determination unit receives another plurality of inputs for generating another plurality of outputs. One input being one of outputs generated by such valve response checking unit and another input being such output generated by such second OR gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1997
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Company
    Inventors: Richard J. Mazur, James A. Wood, John W. Drake
  • Patent number: 5453942
    Abstract: A vehicle-in-spin speed processing system for multiple wheel axle units of a self-powered railway vehicle in which a reasonably accurate vehicle speed reference signal is produced as the wheel axle units are experiencing wheel spin during acceleration of the self-powered railway vehicle so that a minimum amount of error occurs in the output data of speedometers, odometers, and event recorders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1995
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Company
    Inventors: James A. Wood, John W. Drake, Paul E. Jamieson
  • Patent number: 5290095
    Abstract: An automatic and dynamic health monitoring system for detecting wheel lockup conditions caused by an unintentional unreleased handbrake or an unexpected traction motor seizure on multiple-axle railway vehicles by logically sensing and determining the status and operations of the input sensors and indicators to quickly and accurately diagnose the situation and to initiate an output fault code log signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1994
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Company
    Inventors: James A. Wood, John W. Drake, David J. Pcsolar
  • Patent number: 5280718
    Abstract: A transducer health and offset calibration processing arrangement for a multiple axle railway vehicle including a brake cylinder transducer correction function circuit coupled to a stuck/dragging brake signal terminal, a brake command signal terminal, and a power/brake trainline signal terminal. A zero speed latch circuit and a transducer circuit interface health check circuit connected to a zero speed signal terminal. A first three-input AND gate connected to the zero speed signal terminal, a snowbrake trainline signal terminal, and a Servotrol output signal terminal. A second three-input AND gate coupled to the output of the first three-input AND gate and a highest axle speed signal terminal. A minimum axle rate discriminator circuit connected to each of plurality of axle rate signal terminals of the multiple axles of the railway vehicle. A brake cylinder pressure circuit check and a brake cylinder pressure signal generator coupled to a truck brake cylinder pressure signal terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 25, 1994
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Company
    Inventors: John W. Drake, David J. Pcsolar, James A. Wood
  • Patent number: 5244171
    Abstract: An interslip sequence slip control system for multiple wheel axle units for railway vehicles including an electronic logic network for determining whether all the axles of the vehicle are slipping at the same time. A first circuit for selecting the maximum axle speed on the vehicle and a second circuit for selecting the minimum axle rate on the vehicle. A converter circuit for increasing the bit size of the maximum axle speed signal. A plurality of calculating circuits for producing a speed reference signal. An interslip sequence circuit for supplying the maximum axle speed signal to a reconversion circuit when at least one axle is not undergoing slippage and for supplying the speed reference signal to the reconversion circuit when all the axles on the vehicle are slipping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1993
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Company
    Inventors: John W. Drake, James A. Wood
  • Patent number: 5209551
    Abstract: An analog service brake response enhancing circuit including an intelligent filter circuit for removing voltage transients appearing on input feedback signals, a friction brake request circuit for receiving input brake command request signals, a force motor calculating circuit for calculating the degree of service brake which is to be applied on a railway vehicle, and service brake control apparatus for controlling whether an application or a release mode of braking should be instituted on the vehicle and for accelerating the operation of an analog valve device to produce a full service brake condition for a predetermined time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1993
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Company
    Inventors: James A. Wood, Richard J. Mazur, John W. Drake
  • Patent number: 5124988
    Abstract: A dynamic diagnostic operational dump valve fault-detection system including a first logic network connected to a release reset circuit and to an applied reset circuit, the release reset circuit connected to a release timer circuit and a release flag circuit as well as to a release pressure check circuit, the applied reset circuit connected to an applied timer circuit and to an applied flag circuit as well as to an applied pressure check circuit, the release timer circuit and the release flag circuit connected to a second logic network and to a third logic network, the applied timer circuit and the applied flag circuit connected to the second logic network and to the third logic network, a magnet valve state comparison circuit connected to a fourth logic network, the third and the fourth logic network connected to an error output circuit for recording and displaying a dump valve failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1992
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Company
    Inventors: John W. Drake, James A. Wood
  • Patent number: 5098169
    Abstract: A magnet valve safety check and fault indication integrator including a first comparator for selecting the highest axle speed of a vehicle, a second comparator for determining whether the highest axle speed is less than a preset speed, an indicator for indicating if the vehicle is stopped, a timer for determining if the vehicle has been stopped for a predetermined time, a first sensor for sensing a transition from a braking mode to a power mode, an inhibit device for inhibiting all magnet valve feedback faults when the vehicle is stopped and in a brake mode for a period longer than the predetermined time, a timer circuit for ascertaining if a wheel slip is not in progress for a certain time period, a check circuit for monitoring the magnet valve feedback to determine if the magnet valve is not in an application state, a magnet valve cutout device for holding a cutout request until it is reset by a station stop signal, an event recorder for indicating that the vehicle speed is not less than the preset speed, a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1992
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Company
    Inventors: James A. Wood, John W. Drake
  • Patent number: 4999779
    Abstract: An axle health discriminatory safety timer arrangement for a railway vehicle braking system including a first logic network connected to a pair of safety timers. The pair of safety timers being connected to a second logic network. The second logic network being connected to a pair of speed difference threshold detection sensors. The pair of speed difference detection sensors being connected to a third logic network. The third logic network being connected to a pair of output circuits. The pair of safety timers are also connected to a fourth logic network. A fifth logic network being connected to the third logic network and also being connected to a sixth logic network. The sixth logic network is connected to a pair of truck cutout circuits for nullifying the slip control on a multiple-truck vehicle for preventing an extended period of time of release of the brake cylinder pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1991
    Assignee: American Standard Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Wood, John W. Drake
  • Patent number: 4979391
    Abstract: A dynamic diagnostic operational transducer fault detection system including a first logic network which is connected to a low level pressure offset circuit and to an operational transducer to transducer equivalence check circuit. The low level pressure offset circuit is connected to a second logic network. The operational transducer to transducer equivalance check circuit is connected to the first logic network and to an operational transducer to transducer comparison check circuit. The second logic network is connected to a pair of transducer offset test check circuits. The pair of transducer offset test check circuits are connected to a third logic network. The third logic network is connected to a pair of high level transducer fault detector circuits which differentiate between a transducer failure and a dragging and/or stuck brake condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1990
    Assignee: American Standard Inc.
    Inventors: John W. Drake, James A. Wood
  • Patent number: 4972145
    Abstract: A magnetic speed sensor air gap fault-detection arrangement having a two-input AND gate for each of the two-axle trucks of a railway vehicle for conditioning a gap process circuit common to each axle. Each of the gap process circuits of each axle is activated to provide a logical "1" output to an associated two-input AND gate. The associated two-input AND gates each outputs a logical "1" to a respective gap counter circuit when the axle rate reaches a predetermined value. The respective gap counter circuits count the logical "1's" and activate an associated gap fault check circuit to reset the respective gap counter circuit and to display an error code and to output a logical "1" signal to the dynamic diagnostic apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1990
    Assignee: American Standard Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Wood, John W. Drake