Abstract: Disclosed is a railway braking system including a braking device provided with a body, a single piston that can move with respect to the body to act on a brake linkage, and delimiting, together with the body, a pressure chamber supplied by a pressure medium source for placing the piston in a rest position where the linkage applies no force on a braking member of a railway vehicle, first and second seals housed between a first section of the piston and the body, and third and fourth seals housed between a second section of the piston and the body; the first and third seals being configured to form a primary sealing of the pressure chamber and the second and fourth seals being configured to form a secondary sealing of the pressure chamber.

Abstract: A debris eradicating brake head for use in a side frame mounted braking system in a railway vehicle. The brake head being mounted on an end of a brake beam and including a brake shoe carrier associated with the brake head, a brake shoe secured to a face portion of the brake shoe carrier, and a brake head extension extending from a side portion of the brake shoe carrier for associating the brake head within a unit guide in a side frame of the railway vehicle. The brake head extension including at least one of a first and a second tapered surface configured for breaking up and pushing debris out of the unit guide in the side frame. Eradication of debris within the side frame increases the braking efficiency of the railway vehicle as it reduces the amount of force necessary for applying the brake shoes to the wheels.

Abstract: A method to inspect and compensate for wear on a brake shoe of a railcar brake system includes removing the railcar brake shoe from a brake head of the railcar brake system, placing a brake inspection device between the brake head and a railcar wheel, applying brake load, measuring a gap formed between the brake head and the wheel, measuring the thickness of a stop block of the brake inspection device positioned between the brake head and the railcar wheel, determining an adjustment distance as the difference between the gap measurement and the thickness of the stop block, and adjusting an end extension of the railcar brake system in accordance to the determined adjustment distance.

Abstract: A disc brake assembly for a railway truck is provided. The truck includes at least two wheel axle sets and brake discs mounted to the wheel axle sets. Extending between the wheel axle sets is a longitudinally extending truck frame. Also extending between the wheel axle sets and supporting the truck frame via primary springs are equalizer beams that further extend beyond the wheel sets and through an opening in the truck frame. Disc brake calipers are mounted to the equalizer beams with the caliper engaging the brake discs of the wheel sets. The assembly results in the brake discs and calipers being unsprung. In other words, the brake discs and calipers do not move relative to each other.

Abstract: An anti-rotation extension for a railcar braking system. The extension is connected to a brake beam and rides in a frame located guide channel. The channel is preferably oriented offset from the center axis of rotation of the roller wheels. The extension preferably includes flattened portions to prevent rotation of the beam as the brakes are applied.

Abstract: The link joint between a brake cylinder (1) and a brake linkage has a bearing lug (4) attached to a brake cylinder part (2,3). For a pivoting connection between the two, an annular turning surface bearing (14,18) is provided for. The bearing lug (4) is pierced by screw bolts (23) with lateral play, which are screwed to the brake cylinder part (2,3) and the head portions (26) of which are supported by disc springs (28) against the contact point (27) on the bearing lug (4). The rotational center or axis of the turning surface bearing (14,18) is located on the brake cylinder axis (10) in the plane of the contact point (27). With a spherical turning surface bearing (14,18) it is possible to achieve, by an adjusting spring (29), rotatability of the bearing lugs (4) only about a straight line through the ball center (15) of the spherical turning surface bearing (14,18), perpendicular to the brake cylinder axis (10) and the longitudinal axis of the adjusting spring (29).

Abstract: A snap-on slide bearing for recessed type guide lugs of unit brake beams for mounting the unit brake beams in their railroad car truck side frame unit brake beam guide brackets, preferably in place of the conventional spring steel wear plate now generally in use, comprising a one piece body formed from an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene or other suitable plastic material of dry self lubricating characteristics that is rectilinear in outline and of channel shaped transverse cross-sectional configuration defining a web portion and spaced apart side walls shaped and proportioned for substantially complemental but slidable seating in the side frame guide bracket in which the guide lug is to be mounted, with the inner surfacing of one of the walls of the bearing body being formed to define integral lugs that snap fit into the brake beam guide lug top surface recess for securing the bearing to the guide lug, and when the brake beam is mounted in its operating position in the side frame guide brackets adapt

Abstract: A snap-on slide bearing for application to U-section formed sheet metal type guide lugs of unit brake beams for mounting the unit brake beams equipped with such guide lugs in the railroad car truck side frame unit brake beam guide brackets, preferably in place of the conventional spring steel wear plate now generally in use, comprising a one piece U-shaped clip member formed from spring steel and defining spaced apart superposed congruently related parallel arms integrally joined at like ends by abridging web, with the arms at their other ends being angled toward each other to define for each such arm a locating stop spaced from the clip member web approximately the length of the the guide lugs, and with the clip member arms each having affixed to the outer surfacing of same a strip that is preferably formed from a polymeric material, such as UHMW polyethylene, which strip is rectilinear and planar in outline, which strips are shaped and proportioned for substantially complemental but slidable seating in the

Abstract: A railroad freight car truck designed for the installation of steering arms for radial tracking in curves and high speed stability, and truck mounted air brake rigging of the standard type utilizing dual push-rods through the bolster to eliminate the truck biasing forces developed by conventional brake rigging with holes for accommodating the push-rods through the bolster and lugs for allowing the steering arms to engage and guide the brake beams in the lateral direction.

Abstract: A self-balancing structure for brake shoes in a caliper brake assembly to equalize essentially wear of brake linings. Brake assembly has frame journalling on opposite sides thereof opposed first and second arms, the arms journalling first and second brake shoes respectively. The arms cooperate with brake actuator, and member to be braked is positioned between the shoes. Self-balancing structure includes pair of balancing links, each link interconnecting a particular shoe on one side of frame with an arm on opposite side of frame so that each shoe reflects movement of opposite arm. Thus a movement towards the member by one side of the shoe is reflected by movement of essentially equal magnitude towards member by an opposite side of the other shoe. Resilient connector can be provided in balancing link to accommodate lateral movement of the member, thus permitting brake shoes to float to an extent determined by resilient connector.