US2994564A - Apparatus for inhibiting spin of railway locomotive wheels during propulsion - Google Patents

Apparatus for inhibiting spin of railway locomotive wheels during propulsion Download PDF

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US2994564A
US2994564A US824566A US82456659A US2994564A US 2994564 A US2994564 A US 2994564A US 824566 A US824566 A US 824566A US 82456659 A US82456659 A US 82456659A US 2994564 A US2994564 A US 2994564A
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valve
pressure
wheel
spin
valve device
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US824566A
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James F Ferguson
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Westinghouse Air Brake Co
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Westinghouse Air Brake Co
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60T—VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL; ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES
    • B60T8/00—Arrangements for adjusting wheel-braking force to meet varying vehicular or ground-surface conditions, e.g. limiting or varying distribution of braking force
    • B60T8/32—Arrangements for adjusting wheel-braking force to meet varying vehicular or ground-surface conditions, e.g. limiting or varying distribution of braking force responsive to a speed condition, e.g. acceleration or deceleration
    • B60T8/321—Arrangements for adjusting wheel-braking force to meet varying vehicular or ground-surface conditions, e.g. limiting or varying distribution of braking force responsive to a speed condition, e.g. acceleration or deceleration deceleration
    • B60T8/3235—Systems specially adapted for rail vehicles
    • B60T8/3245—Systems specially adapted for rail vehicles responsive to the speed difference between wheels and rail, or between two wheels or two axles

Definitions

  • This invention relates to apparatus for inhibiting spin of railway locomotive wheels during propulsion and, more particularly, has relation to control apparatus, including means responsive to spinning or slipping of a locomotive driver wheel caused by excessive propulsion power applied thereto, for terminating such spinning or slipping.
  • control apparatus including means responsive to spinning or slipping of a locomotive driver wheel caused by excessive propulsion power applied thereto, for terminating such spinning or slipping.
  • spinning or slipping will apply to that condition of a wheel whose angular rate of speed, at any given instant, exceeds the linear rate of speed of the vehicle on which the wheel is mounted.
  • spinning of a vehicle wheel occurs when the propulsion force applied to said wheel exceeds the resistant force of the tractive friction between said wheel and the surface on which it is running to thereby overcome said tractive friction and cause the wheel to spin.
  • spinning of the driver wheels occurs frequently during the starting movement of the train due perhaps to the weight of an especially heavy train or to unfavorable track conditions, or a combination thereof.
  • One of the methods employed heretofore for correcting wheel-spin necessitated cutting 011 the propulsion power to the wheels and sanding the rails to restore traction between the wheels and rails. By the time traction was restored, the wheels, and therefore the train, came to or nearly to a standstill.
  • the apparatus embodying the invention comprises electrically operated magnet valve means operable responsively to the recognition of a wheel-spin by a wheel-spin sensing circuit associated with the driving motors of the axles on which the driver wheels are mounted to cause a limited brake application to -be applied automatically to the spinning wheel of a predetermined magnitude less than a normal brake application but sufiicient for retarding the spinning wheel to the normal rate of rotation of the other wheels without cutting off the propulsive power, and for causing said application to be released automatically upon termination of the wheel-spinning condition.
  • the degree of brake application is determined by the use of a pre-charged, predetermined fluid pressure equalizing volume the pressure of which acts, upon energization of the magnet valve means in response to wheelspin, to pilot operation of a relay valve device to efiect supply of fluid pressure to the brake cylinder device at a degree in accordance with the pilot pressure.
  • the magnet valve means Upon cessation of the wheel-spin, the magnet valve means is deener- Patented Aug. 1, 1961 gized and release of the brake application is effected responsively thereto.
  • a double check valve device which is interposed in the conduit leading to the brake cylinder, operates, when said normal braking action is initiated, to cut oif any supply of fluid under pressure to the brake cylinder as effected by the wheel-spin responsive apparatus, and to cut in the supply from the normal source as effected by the initiation of the normal braking action.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic view, with several of the component devices sec'tionalized, of the apparatus embodying the invention
  • FIG. 2 is also a schematic view, with several of the component devices sectionalized, of a modified form of the invention, it being understood that identical parts in both views are identified with identical reference numerals.
  • the wheel-spin inhibiting apparatus embodying the invention may comprise a brake cylinder device 1 for use in the normal manner for operating brake shoes (not shown) associated with a vehicle driver wheel (not shown) through any suitable standard type of brake rigging as used on a railway locomotive, for example.
  • the apparatus further generally comprises a source of fluid under pressure in the form of a storage reservoir 2, a relay valve device 3 for controlling supply of fluid under pressure from the reservoir 2 to the brake cylinder 1 and release of such pressure from said brake cylinder device, a first magnet valve device 4, a second magnet valve device 5, an electrical energizing circuit, generally indicated by the reference numeral 6, for energizing the magnet valve devices 4 and 5, a wheel-spin sensing circuit generally indicated by the reference numeral 7 and associated with motors 8 and 9 for driving respective axles (not shown) on each of which, at opposite ends, a pair of driver wheels (not shown) is mounted for rotation therewith, and relay-operated switch means 10 operably controlled by said sensing circuit for opening and closing the energizing circuit 7.
  • a generator 11 driven in the usual manner as by a diesel engine (not shown), for example, provides the current for driving the motors 8 and 9.
  • each driving axle on the locomotive is driven by a respective motor, but in order to provide an operable wheel-spin sensing circuit (to be immediately described), the axles and their respective motors are associated in pairs, each pair being provided with a wheel-spin sensing circuit which operates responsively to a discrepancy in rate of rotation between the two axles of the pair.
  • the wheel-spin sensing circuit 7 may be of any suitable type, and the one shown in this instance, for example, is similar to the sensing circuit shown and described in greater detail in the locomotive engineers Operating Manual, No. 2300, of the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors Corporation, La Grange, 111., dated May 15, 1947, for diesel-electric locomotives. Since reference may be had to the above-mentioned manual, the sensing circuit 7 and its function will be described herein only to a degree deemed nesessary for an understanding of the invention.
  • the sensing circuit 7 also includes respective field coils 12 and 13 for said motors, a take-off lead wire 14 from the generator to the field coils, and a return wire 15 from the motors to the generator.
  • the motors 8 and 9, with their respective field coils 12 and 13, are connected in the circuit in parallel relation to each other by wires 16 and 17, respectively.
  • the relay-operated switch means 10 includes a coil 18 connected across the wires 16 and 17 by a wire 19, said coil, when energized and deenergized, acting to close and open, respectively, a switch arm 20 for closing and opening the energizing circuit 6, the latter circuit being provided with a source of power such as a battery 21, for example, for energizing the magnet valve devices 4 and 5, the latter being connected to the former in parallel relation through wires 22 and 23 connecting to circuit 6.
  • Chamber 26 is connected by a conduit or pipe 30 to an equalizing volume 31, said chamber being disposed in the casing 24 intermediate the chambers and 27.
  • a valve 32 is disposed in chamber 27 for controlling communication between chambers 26 and 27, and is normally biased by a spring 33 toward a seated position in which communication between said cham bers is cut off, said valve being operable to an unseated position in which communication between said chambers is established.
  • Valve 32 is provided with a fluted stem 34 extending into chamber 26 wherein it is engageable, in abutting relation, with an axially aligned stem 35 associated with a valve 36 disposed in chamber 25 for controlling communication between chambers 25 and 26.
  • Valve 36 is normally held in an unseated position by the valve stem 34 acting through the valve stem 35, in which position communication between chambers 25 and 26, and therefore between the reservoir 2 and the equalizing volume 31 (through pipes 29, 28 and is established, said valve being operable, upon energizetion of a magnet coil (not shown) in the magnet valve device 4, to a seated position in which communication between chambers 25 and 26 is cut off and valve 32, by the action of valve stem on stem 34, is operated to its unseated position above defined.
  • a magnet coil not shown
  • Magnet valve device 5 comprises a casing 37 in which are formed two chambers 38 and 39, the latter being vented to atmosphere via a port 40 formed in the casing wall, while chamber 38 is connected via a conduit or pipe 41 to chamber 27 of the magnet valve device 4.
  • a valve 42 for controlling communication between chambers 38 and 39 is normally biased by a spring 43 toward an unseated position in which chamber 38 is in communication with chamber 39, and therefore chamber 27 is opened to atmosphere via pipe 41, chamber 39 and vent port 40.
  • Energization of a magnet coil (not shown) in the magnet valve device 5 concurrently with energization of the coil in magnet valve device 4 causes valve 42 to be moved to a seated position in which communication between chambers 38 and 39 is cut oif.
  • both magnet valve devices 4 and 5 when the energizing circuit 6 is closed by switch arm 20, both magnet valve devices 4 and 5, by being connected to the same circuit, are energized as above inferred, concurrently to cause concurrent operation of valves 32, 36 and 42 to their respective positions above defined. It should be pointed out here that the two magnet valve devices 4 and 5 could be combined into one device by incorporating the valve 42 of magnet valve device 5 and its function in the magnet valve device 4. Since the magnet valve devices,
  • the relay valve device 3 comprises a casing 44 having therein a diaphragm piston 45 opposingly subjected on opposite sides thereof to fluid pressure in respectively adjacent chambers 46 and 47, the latter being connectable, by way of a choke 48 and a conduit or pipe 49, to
  • a cylindrical valve 52 which operates in a bore 52a is coaxially connected to piston 45 on the side adjacent chamber 47, while the opposite end of said cylindrical valve provides an exhaust valve 53 encircling an exhaust passageway 54 formed in said cylindrical valve and constantly open by way of radially formed ports 55 in said cylindrical valve to an atmospheric vent passageway 56 in the casing.
  • piston 45 shifts against resistance of a light bias spring 57 in chamber 47 for successively seating exhaust valve '53 against a supply valve 58 and then operatively unseating the latter against the force of a lighter bias spring 59.
  • Relay valve device 3' is illustrative of other forms of relay valve devices suitable for purposes of the invention claimed herein.
  • Fluid under pressure is supplied to chamber 46 from equalizing volume 31, via a branch conduit or pipe 60 connected to conduit 41, when valve 32 in magnet valve device 4 is caused to be unseated by energization of said magnet valve device.
  • piston 45 is biased by spring 57 to a release position in which it is shown in the drawing and in which exhaust valve 53 is unseated from the then seated supply valve 58, whereby fluid pressure is released from the brake cylinder device 1, via conduits 51 and 49 and passageways 54 and 56.
  • relay valve device 3 operates to provide fluid pressure in the brake cylinder device 1 substantially equal to that provided in chamber 46 from the equalizing volume 31 via pipe 60.
  • the double check valve device 50 in addition to being connected to pipe 49, is also connected to a conduit or pipe 61 through which fluid under pressure is supplied to the brake cylinder device 1 under normal braking action independently of the wheel-spin inhibiting apparatus.
  • the check valve device 50 as is well known, is provided with a valve (not shown) which occupies one position or another for selectively permitting flow of fluid under pressure to the brake cylinder device 1 from one or the other of conduits 49 and 61 in accordance with the predominant pressure in the one or the other of said conduits.
  • the degree of fluid pressure supplied to the brake cylinder device '1 by the wheel-spin inhibiting apparatus via pipe 49 is normally much less than the degree of fluid pressure supplied to said brake cylinder via pipe 61 for retarding or stopping the vehicle.
  • the resulting degree of fluid pressure in pipe 61 is always predominantly sufficient for operating the check valve device 50 to open said pipe 61 and cut oil pipe 49 to the brake cylinder device 1, notwithstanding that the wheel-spin inhibiting apparatus, in response to a concurrently occurring wheel-spin, may have charged pipe 49 with fluid under pressure also.
  • the pressure in pipe '49 resulting from operation of the wheel-spin inhibiting apparatus in response to an occurring wheel-spin is predominantly sufficient for operating the check valve device 50 to cut off pipe 61 and open pipe 49 to the brake cylinder device 1.
  • the wheel-spin inhibiting apparatus operates, as follows, to correct the situation. Due to the spinning of the one set of wheels, that is, the rotation of the one axle at a greater rate than that of the other axle of the designated pair, the output of the motor driving the axle of the spinning wheels exceeds the output of the motor driving the other axle.
  • said motor assuming that the spinning wheels are the ones on the axle driven by motor 8, said motor correspondingly gains in speed, as compared to the speed of motor 9 driving the axle on the non-spinning wheels, to set up a counter electromotive current, and, therefore, an unbalanced flow of current between the two motors. It is this unbalanced flow of current between the two motors 8 and 9 that causes the relay coil 18 to be energized, since said coil is connected across the two motor circuits. Energization of coil 18 causes the switch arm 20 to close the energizing circuit 6 to thereby eflect concurrent energization of the magnet valve devices 4 and 5.
  • valve 36 of magnet valve device 4 Upon energization of the magnet valves 4 and 5, valve 36 of magnet valve device 4 is moved to its seated position to cut off further communication between reservoir 2 and equalizing volume 31, which is now charged with fluid under pressure from said reservoir, and valve 42 of the magnet valve device is also moved to its seated position to cut off chamber 27 and chamber 38 from atmosphere.
  • valve 32 of magnet valve device 4 is moved to its unseated position to open equalizing volume 31 to chamber 27 of magnet valve device 4, to chamber 38 of magnet valve device 5, to chamber 46 of the relay valve device 3, and to the conduits 41 and 60 leading to chambers 38 and 46, respectively.
  • said relay valve device With fluid pressure in chamber 46 of the relay valve device 3, said relay valve device operates, in the manner above described, to effect supply of fluid to the brake cylinder 1 at a pressure substantially equal to that provided in said chamber.
  • the volume of equalizing volume 31 must be predetermined accordingly, since said volume is charged from the reservoir 2 which may also be the source of fluid under pressure from which said brake cylinder is supplied for normal braking operations.
  • the reservoir 2 may be charged with fluid at 120 p.s.i., the degree required for normal braking operations.
  • a pressure of 20 p.s.i., for example, may be adequate, and, therefore, the pressure supplied to chantber 46 of the relay valve device 3 should be 20 p.s.i. also.
  • the total volume of equalizing volume 31, pipe 30 and chamber 26, therefore, as compared with the total volume of chambers 26, 27, 38 and 46 and of pipes 30, 41 and 60, should be one-sixth of the latter, whereby, upon seating of valves 36 and 42 and unseating of valve 32, fluid in said equalizingn volume, pipe 30 and chamber 26 would be expanded six times in volume and reduced to one-sixth its initial pressure, or from p.s.i.
  • an adjustable-volume tuning reservoir for example, connected to pipe 41 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 or to pipe 73 in FIG.
  • the relay valve device 3 operates, as above described, to cause fluid from reservoir 2 to be supplied to brake cylinder device 1 at 20 p.s.i. to terminate wheelspin by retarding the affected Wheels until their rate of rotation is brought down to that of the other wheels driven by motor 9. v
  • bias spring 57 is effective for shifting piston 45 upwardly, as viewed in the drawing, to cause successive unseating of exhaust valve 53 from supply valve 58, which is then reseated by bias spring 59 to cut oil supply of fluid under pressure from pipe 29 to pipe 49.
  • exhaust valve 53 unseated, fluid pressure in the brake cylinder device 1 is vented to atmosphere by way of conduit 51, through check valve device 50, conduit 49, and passageways 54 and 56 to terminate retarding action on the wheel.
  • any normal braking action initiated during operation of the wheel-spin inhibiting apparatus supersedes the latter operation by operation of the double check valve device 50. Notwithstanding that the eflect of the wheel-spin inhibiting apparatus is thus cut out, the normal braking action on the spinning wheel is also effective for terminating the spinningcondition of the wheel. It can readily be seen, therefore, that wheel-spin can be protected against at all times to maintain maximum tractive friction between the wheels and the running surface of the rails.
  • FIG. 2 differs from that in FIG. 1 by replacing the magnet valve device 5 with a pilot valve device 62, which, with magnet valve device 4, pilots operation of relay valve device 3, and comprises acasing 63 having thereina diaphragm piston 64 and two chambers 65 and 66 adiacent the opposite sides of said piston, respectively.
  • Chamber 65 is connected by a conduit or pipe 67 to chamber 26 of the magnet valve device 4.
  • a cylindrical valve 68 which is coaxially and removably secured to the side of piston 64 adjacent chamber 66, is provided with two axially spaced-apart annular grooves 69 and 70.
  • a bias spring 71 disposed in chamber 66 acts to bias piston 64 and cylindrical valve 68 toward respective normal positions, in which groove 69 registers with an atmospheric port 72 formed in casing 63 and with a conduit or pipe 73 leading to chamber 46 in relay valve device 3, whereby the latter chamber is open to atmosphere, and in which positions groove 70 registers with a branch conduit or pipe 74 connecting with conduit 29 and with a conduit or pipe 75 connecting to the equalizing volume 31, whereby said volume is charged with fluid under pressure from reservoir 2.
  • Chamber 66 of pilot valve device 62 is constantly open to atmosphere via a plurality of radial ports 76 and a passageway 77 both formed in cylindrical valve 68, said passageway opening into the lower portion of casing 63, as viewed in the drawing, wherein a vent port 78 to atmosphere is provided.
  • Chamber 25 of magnet valve device 4 is open to atmosphere via a vent port 79, and, therefore, conduit 67 and chamber 65 of pilot valve device 62 are also open to atmosphere as long as valve 36 is unseated.
  • Chamber 27 is connected by a branch conduit or pipe 80 to conduit 29 and fliereby to reservoir 2.
  • the sensing circuit 7 operates, as above described, to close the energizing circuit 6, whereupon the magnet coil of magnet valve device 4 is energized to cause seating of valve 36 and unseating of valve 32.
  • Chamber 65 of pilot valve device 62 is thus closed to atmosphere and opened to pressure of fluid in reservoir 2 by way of conduits 29, 80 and 67.
  • Fluid pressure in chamber 65 causes piston 64 and valve 68 to move downwardly, as viewed in the drawing, out of their respective normal positions to respective operative positions, in which groove 70 moves out of registry with pipe 75 to cut 011 volume 31 from conduit 74 leading from conduit 29 and reservoir 2, and groove 69 moves out of registry with vent port 72 and into registry with conduit 75 to connect conduit 75 and volume 31 to conduit 73 and chamber 46 of relay valve device 3.
  • the relay valve device 3 and the check valve device 50 then operate in a manner similar to that described above in connection with the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. l to correct the wheel-spin condition.
  • magnet valve device 4 is deenergized, as above described, and valve 32 is reseated as valve 36 is unseated. Unseating of valve 36 efiects venting of chamber 65 of the pilot valve device 62 to atmosphere by way of conduit 67, chambers 26 and 25, and vent port 79, whereby piston 64 and valve 68 are restored to their respective normal positions by spring 71 to cause venting of chamber 46 of the relay valve device 3 for effecting release of fluid pressure from the brake cylinder 1, as above described.
  • equalizing volume 31 is again charged from reservoir 2 by way of conduits 29, 74 and 75 in readiness for any subsequent occurrence of wheel-spin.
  • the check valve device 50 is also operative in the second embodiment to permit normal braking action during such time that the wheel-spin inhibiting apparatus might be in operation.
  • the volume relationship of equalizing volume 31 with the volumes of conduits 75 and 73 and of chamber 46 of relay valve device 3 is established in a manner similar to that set forth in connection with the embodiment shown in FIG, 1 in order to supply a reduced fluid pressure to the brake cylinder device l for correcting wheel-spin as compared to fluid pressure supplied thereto for normal braking operations.
  • Apparatus for controlling the spinning of the wheels of a vehicle during propulsion thereof comprising fluid pressure actuated means for effecting a brake application on the wheels of the vehicle, wheel-spin sensing means, a reservoir normally charged to a predetermined uniform high pressure, a fluid pressure operated relay valve device having a chamber of predetermined volume and operative upon supply of fluid under pressure to said chamber to effect supply of fluid at a corresponding pressure to said fluid pressure actuated means, and valve means controlled by said wheel-spin sensing means for connecting said reservoir to said fluid pressure operated relay valve device upon the occurrence of a spinning condition of the wheels to establish a relatively low uniform operating pressure therefor which is the result of equalization of the predetermined uniform high pressure from said reservoir into said chamber.
  • valve means is also effective under the control of said wheel-spin sensing means, while no wheelspin condition exists, to establish a charging communication via which said reservoir is charged to said predetermined uniform high pressure and, when a wheel-spin condition occurs, to cut off said charging communication.
  • Apparatus for controlling the spinning of the wheels of a vehicle comprising, in combination, fluid pressure actuated means operable responsively to a variable degree of fluid pressure for effecting a degree of brake application on the wheels of the vehicle corresponding to the degree of fluid pressure supplied thereto, a source of fluid under pressure, first valve means operable responsively to a predetermined uniform actuating pressure for causing fluid to be supplied from said source to said fluid pressure actuated means at a degree of pressure corresponding to that of said actuating pressure, wheelspin sensing means, second valve means operable responsively to operation of said wheel-spin sensing means incident to wheel spinning for effecting supply of said actuating pressure to said first valve means and operable responsively to operation of said wheel-spin sensing means incident to termination of said wheel spinning for relieving said first valve means of said actuating pressure, conduit means through which fluid under pressure may be supplied to said fluid pressure actuated means from a source other than said first named source, and double check valve means for selectively establishing communication through which fluid under pressure
  • Wheel-spin inhibiting apparatus for use on railway locomotive having a plurality of wheel units associated in pairs and normally driven at a uniform rate of speed, each wheel unit consisting of a driving axle with a drive wheel mounted at each end for rotation therewith, said apparatus comprising, in combination, wheel brake-ap' plying means operable responsively to variable fluid pressure for effecting a degree of brake application on said wheels corresponding to the degree of fluid pressure supplied thereto, a source of fluid under pressure, relay valve means operable responsively to fluid pressure for causing fluid to be supplied from said source to said brake-applying means at a pressure corresponding to the operating pressure of the relay valve means and operable responsively to relief of said operating pressure for relieving said brake applying means of fluid pressure, electromagnet valve means operable, when electrically energized, for effecting supply of fluid under pressure from 9 l said source to said relay valve means at a preselected uniform pressure and, when electrically deenergized, for relieving said relay valve means of fluid pressure, an electrical circuit including a source of electrical energy and effective
  • a wheel-spin inhibiting apparatus for use on railway locomotives of the type having a plurality of wheel units each consisting of a drive wheel mounted at each end of a driving axle for rotation therewith, said axle being driven independently of each other and normally at a uniform rate of speed and being associated in pairs for comparing the rotational rate of speed between any two axles comprising a designated pair, said apparatus comprising, in combination, wheel brake-applying means responsive to fluid pressure for effecting a brake application according to the degree of fluid pressure supplied thereto, a source of fluid under pressure, conduit means providing for flow of fluid under pressure from said source to said brake-applying means, a relay valve device interposed in said conduit means for cont-rolling flow of fluid pressure through the conduit means and having provided therein a pressure chamber, self-lapping valve means operable in said relay valve device in one position for permitting flow of fluid pressure through said conduit means and in a diflerent position for cutting off such flow of fluid pressure, a piston member in said relay valve device actuable responsively to a controlled degree
  • a second electro-magnet device having associated therewith valve means having a normal position, in which said pressure chamber is vented to atmosphere and being operable, upon energization of said second electromagnet device, to a seated position in which said pressure chamber is closed to atmosphere, an energizing electrical circuit including a source of electrical energy for concurrently energizing said first and second electro-magnet devices, when the circuit is closed, to cause concurrent operation of the respective associated valve means to their said diflerent and said seated positions, respectively, and for concurrently deenergizing said first and second electro-magnet devices, when the circuit is open, to cause concurrent restoration of the respective associated valve means to their respective normal positions, relay-operated switch means for closing and opening said energizing circuit upon energization and deenergization, respectively, of a coil associated with said relay operated switch means, a propulsion motor for each axle in each designated pair of axles, and a wheel-spin sensing
  • the combination defined in claim 5 further characterized by a double check valve device interposed in said conduit means between the relay valve device and the brake-applying means, and second conduit means connected to said check valve device and through which fluid under pressure may be supplied to said brake-applying means from a source other than said first named source and normally at a degree of pressure greater than said first named source, said double check valve device comprising a valve member operable therein for selectively connecting said brake-applying means to receive fluid under pressure alternatively from said first named source or from said second conduit means;
  • a wheel-spin inhibiting apparatus for use on railway locomotives of the type having a plurality of wheel units each consisting of a drive wheel mounted at each end of a driving axle for rotation therewith, said axles being driven independently of each other and normally at a uniform rate of speed and being associated in pairs for comparing the rotational rate of speed between any two axles comprising a designated pair, said apparatus comprising, in combination, wheel brake-applying means responsive to fluid pressure for eflecting a brake application according to the degree of fluid pressure supplied thereto, a source of fluid under pressure, conduit means providing for flow of fluid under pressure from said source to said brake-applying means, a relay valve device interposed in said conduit means for controlling flow of fluid pressure through the conduit means and having provided therein a pressure chamber, self-lapping valve means operable in said relay valve device in one position for permitting flow of fluid pressure through said conduit means and in a different position for cutting off such flow of fluid pressure, a piston member in said relay valve device actuable responsively to a controlled degree of fluid pressure in
  • the combination defined in claim 7 further characterized by a double check valve device interposed in said conduit means 'between the relay valve device and the brake-applying means, and second conduit means connected to said check valve device and through which fluid under pressure may be supplied to said brake-applying means from a source other than said first-named source and normally at a degree of pressure greater than said first-named source, said double check valve device comprising a valve member operable therein for selectively connecting said brake-applying means to receive fluid under pressure alternatively from said first-named source or from said second conduit means.
  • Apparatus for controlling the spinning of the Wheels of a vehicle during propulsion thereof comprising, in combination, fluid pressure actuated means for effecting a brake application on the wheels of a vehicle, a relay valve device comprising a piston actuable responsively to a certain uniform low pressure to successively cause movement of an exhaust valve to a seated position, in which said fluid pressure actuated means is cut off from atmosphere, and movement of a supply valve to an unseated position in which fluid under pressure is delivered to said fluid pressure actuated means, said piston being subjected to pressurized fluid supplied to said fluid pressure actuated means in opposing relation to said certain uniform low pressure for maintaining said exhaust valve and said supply valve in a lapped position, whereby the degree of pressure of fluid supplied to said fluid.
  • pressure actuated means corresponds to the degree ofthe certain uniform low pressure actuating said piston, wheelspin sensing means, and valve means responsive to operation of said wheel-spin sensing means incident to spinning of the wheels for supplying actuating fluid to said piston at said certain uniform low pressure.
  • Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 further characterized in that the said valve means is responsive to opera- 12 tion of the said wheel-spin sensing means incident to termination of wheel spinning to vent actuating fluid under pressure from said piston of said relay valve de-' vice.
  • valve means comprises a first valve device including a valve member therein operable responsively to said operation of said wheel-spin sensing means incident to said spinning of the wheels to one position in which actuating fluid is supplied to said piston of said relay valve device and operable responsively to operation of said wheel-spin sensing means incident to termination of said wheel spinning to a diiferent position in which supply of said actuating fluid to said piston of said relay valve device is cut ofl, and a second valve device including a valve member therein operable concurrently with said first named valve member and responsively to operation of said wheel-spin sensing means incident to wheel spinning to one position, in which an atmospheric communication from said piston of said relay valve device is disestablished, and responsively to operation of said whereby said actuating fluid may be supplied thereto and vented therefrom, respectively.
  • valve means comprises a fluid pressure operable pilot valve device having therein a piston operable responsively to fluid pressure for causing movement of a valve member to one position in which actuating fluid is supplied to said piston of said relay valve device, said piston of said pilot valve device being operative, upon relief of fluid pressure acting thereon, to a normal position for causing movement of said valve member to a normal position in which supply of said actuating fluid to said relay valve device piston is cut off and fluid prmsure acting thereon is vented to atmosphere, and a second valve device having therein a valve member operable responsively to operation of said wheel-spin sensing means incident to wheel spinning to one position in which fluid pressure is supplied to said pilot valve device piston, and operable responsively to operation of the wheel-spin sensing means incident to termination of wheel spinning to a diflerent position in which supply of fluid pressure to said pilot valve device piston is cut ofl? and the fluid pressure acting thereon is vented to atmosphere.

Description

Aug. 1, 1961 J. F. FERGUSON APPARATUS FOR INHIBITING SPIN OF RAILWAY LOCOMOTIVE WHEELS DURING PROPULSION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 2, 1959 m w m Aug. 1, 1961 J. F. FERGUSON 2,994,564
APPARATUS FOR INHIBITING SPIN OF RAILWAY LOCOMOTIVE WHEELS DURING PROPULSION Filed July 2, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 O3 INVENTOR.
Q I; {B Jzmes E frgzzson BY imam a (Zilarney United States Patent 2,994,564 APPARATUS FOR INHIBITING SPIN 0F RAILWAY LOCOMOTIVE WHEELS DURING PROPULSION James F. Ferguson, Irwin, Pa., assignor to Westinghouse Air Brake Company, Wilmerding, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed July 2, 1959, Ser. No. 824,566 12 Claims. (Cl. 303-2) This invention relates to apparatus for inhibiting spin of railway locomotive wheels during propulsion and, more particularly, has relation to control apparatus, including means responsive to spinning or slipping of a locomotive driver wheel caused by excessive propulsion power applied thereto, for terminating such spinning or slipping. As used hereinafter the terms spinning or slipping will apply to that condition of a wheel whose angular rate of speed, at any given instant, exceeds the linear rate of speed of the vehicle on which the wheel is mounted.
As is well known, spinning of a vehicle wheel occurs when the propulsion force applied to said wheel exceeds the resistant force of the tractive friction between said wheel and the surface on which it is running to thereby overcome said tractive friction and cause the wheel to spin. On railway locomotives particularly, spinning of the driver wheels occurs frequently during the starting movement of the train due perhaps to the weight of an especially heavy train or to unfavorable track conditions, or a combination thereof. One of the methods employed heretofore for correcting wheel-spin necessitated cutting 011 the propulsion power to the wheels and sanding the rails to restore traction between the wheels and rails. By the time traction was restored, the wheels, and therefore the train, came to or nearly to a standstill. During the interval of time consumed in correcting the wheel spin the propulsion power remained cut off, and thus any inertia of movement which the train may have acquired was, to a large degree, if not completely dissipated during the time necessary to correct Wheel-spin. It would 'be desirable, therefore, to keep the propulsion power applied to the driver wheels during the time that occurring wheel-spin is being corrected in order to maintain a maximum inertia of movement under the circumstances.
Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide an apparatus capable of inhibiting or correcting wheel-spin of a locomotive driver wheel during propulsion thereof and causing said wheel to maintain or regain full traction without cutting off the propulsive effort being applied thereto during the period of wheel-spin correction and without appreciable loss of inertia of movement already acquired by the vehicle. More specifically, the apparatus embodying the invention comprises electrically operated magnet valve means operable responsively to the recognition of a wheel-spin by a wheel-spin sensing circuit associated with the driving motors of the axles on which the driver wheels are mounted to cause a limited brake application to -be applied automatically to the spinning wheel of a predetermined magnitude less than a normal brake application but sufiicient for retarding the spinning wheel to the normal rate of rotation of the other wheels without cutting off the propulsive power, and for causing said application to be released automatically upon termination of the wheel-spinning condition. The degree of brake application is determined by the use of a pre-charged, predetermined fluid pressure equalizing volume the pressure of which acts, upon energization of the magnet valve means in response to wheelspin, to pilot operation of a relay valve device to efiect supply of fluid pressure to the brake cylinder device at a degree in accordance with the pilot pressure. Upon cessation of the wheel-spin, the magnet valve means is deener- Patented Aug. 1, 1961 gized and release of the brake application is effected responsively thereto. In order not to impede normal braking operation at any time, and particularly when initiated -by the engineer during the time that the wheel-spin responsive apparatus is operating to correct the occurring wheel-spin, a double check valve device, which is interposed in the conduit leading to the brake cylinder, operates, when said normal braking action is initiated, to cut oif any supply of fluid under pressure to the brake cylinder as effected by the wheel-spin responsive apparatus, and to cut in the supply from the normal source as effected by the initiation of the normal braking action.
In the accompanying drawings FIG. 1 is a schematic view, with several of the component devices sec'tionalized, of the apparatus embodying the invention, and FIG. 2 is also a schematic view, with several of the component devices sectionalized, of a modified form of the invention, it being understood that identical parts in both views are identified with identical reference numerals.
Description and operation-FIG. 1
As shown in FIG. 1, the wheel-spin inhibiting apparatus embodying the invention may comprise a brake cylinder device 1 for use in the normal manner for operating brake shoes (not shown) associated with a vehicle driver wheel (not shown) through any suitable standard type of brake rigging as used on a railway locomotive, for example. The apparatus further generally comprises a source of fluid under pressure in the form of a storage reservoir 2, a relay valve device 3 for controlling supply of fluid under pressure from the reservoir 2 to the brake cylinder 1 and release of such pressure from said brake cylinder device, a first magnet valve device 4, a second magnet valve device 5, an electrical energizing circuit, generally indicated by the reference numeral 6, for energizing the magnet valve devices 4 and 5, a wheel-spin sensing circuit generally indicated by the reference numeral 7 and associated with motors 8 and 9 for driving respective axles (not shown) on each of which, at opposite ends, a pair of driver wheels (not shown) is mounted for rotation therewith, and relay-operated switch means 10 operably controlled by said sensing circuit for opening and closing the energizing circuit 7. A generator 11, driven in the usual manner as by a diesel engine (not shown), for example, provides the current for driving the motors 8 and 9. It should be understood that each driving axle on the locomotive is driven by a respective motor, but in order to provide an operable wheel-spin sensing circuit (to be immediately described), the axles and their respective motors are associated in pairs, each pair being provided with a wheel-spin sensing circuit which operates responsively to a discrepancy in rate of rotation between the two axles of the pair.
The wheel-spin sensing circuit 7 may be of any suitable type, and the one shown in this instance, for example, is similar to the sensing circuit shown and described in greater detail in the locomotive engineers Operating Manual, No. 2300, of the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors Corporation, La Grange, 111., dated May 15, 1947, for diesel-electric locomotives. Since reference may be had to the above-mentioned manual, the sensing circuit 7 and its function will be described herein only to a degree deemed nesessary for an understanding of the invention. In addition to the generator 11 and the motors 8 and 9, the sensing circuit 7 also includes respective field coils 12 and 13 for said motors, a take-off lead wire 14 from the generator to the field coils, and a return wire 15 from the motors to the generator. The motors 8 and 9, with their respective field coils 12 and 13, are connected in the circuit in parallel relation to each other by wires 16 and 17, respectively. The relay-operated switch means 10 includes a coil 18 connected across the wires 16 and 17 by a wire 19, said coil, when energized and deenergized, acting to close and open, respectively, a switch arm 20 for closing and opening the energizing circuit 6, the latter circuit being provided with a source of power such as a battery 21, for example, for energizing the magnet valve devices 4 and 5, the latter being connected to the former in parallel relation through wires 22 and 23 connecting to circuit 6.
The magnet valve device 4, which, with magnet valve device 5, pilots operation of the relay valve device 3, cornprises a casing 24 having formed therein chambers 25, 26, and 27, said chamber 25, in the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1, being connected by a conduit or pipe 28 to a conduit or pipe 29 leading from the reservoir 2. Chamber 26 is connected by a conduit or pipe 30 to an equalizing volume 31, said chamber being disposed in the casing 24 intermediate the chambers and 27. A valve 32 is disposed in chamber 27 for controlling communication between chambers 26 and 27, and is normally biased by a spring 33 toward a seated position in which communication between said cham bers is cut off, said valve being operable to an unseated position in which communication between said chambers is established. Valve 32 is provided with a fluted stem 34 extending into chamber 26 wherein it is engageable, in abutting relation, with an axially aligned stem 35 associated with a valve 36 disposed in chamber 25 for controlling communication between chambers 25 and 26. Valve 36 is normally held in an unseated position by the valve stem 34 acting through the valve stem 35, in which position communication between chambers 25 and 26, and therefore between the reservoir 2 and the equalizing volume 31 (through pipes 29, 28 and is established, said valve being operable, upon energizetion of a magnet coil (not shown) in the magnet valve device 4, to a seated position in which communication between chambers 25 and 26 is cut off and valve 32, by the action of valve stem on stem 34, is operated to its unseated position above defined.
Magnet valve device 5 comprises a casing 37 in which are formed two chambers 38 and 39, the latter being vented to atmosphere via a port 40 formed in the casing wall, while chamber 38 is connected via a conduit or pipe 41 to chamber 27 of the magnet valve device 4. A valve 42 for controlling communication between chambers 38 and 39 is normally biased by a spring 43 toward an unseated position in which chamber 38 is in communication with chamber 39, and therefore chamber 27 is opened to atmosphere via pipe 41, chamber 39 and vent port 40. Energization of a magnet coil (not shown) in the magnet valve device 5 concurrently with energization of the coil in magnet valve device 4 causes valve 42 to be moved to a seated position in which communication between chambers 38 and 39 is cut oif. It should be noted that when the energizing circuit 6 is closed by switch arm 20, both magnet valve devices 4 and 5, by being connected to the same circuit, are energized as above inferred, concurrently to cause concurrent operation of valves 32, 36 and 42 to their respective positions above defined. It should be pointed out here that the two magnet valve devices 4 and 5 could be combined into one device by incorporating the valve 42 of magnet valve device 5 and its function in the magnet valve device 4. Since the magnet valve devices,
substantially as shown, are standard items of manufacture, the devices have been shown separately rather than a single device embodying the functions of both.
The relay valve device 3 comprises a casing 44 having therein a diaphragm piston 45 opposingly subjected on opposite sides thereof to fluid pressure in respectively adjacent chambers 46 and 47, the latter being connectable, by way of a choke 48 and a conduit or pipe 49, to
the brake cylinder device 1 through a double check valve device 50 interposed between said pipe 49 and a conduit or pipe 51 leading to the brake cylinder. One
end of a cylindrical valve 52 which operates in a bore 52a is coaxially connected to piston 45 on the side adjacent chamber 47, while the opposite end of said cylindrical valve provides an exhaust valve 53 encircling an exhaust passageway 54 formed in said cylindrical valve and constantly open by way of radially formed ports 55 in said cylindrical valve to an atmospheric vent passageway 56 in the casing.
When fluid pressure in chamber 46 exceeds that in chamber 47, piston 45 shifts against resistance of a light bias spring 57 in chamber 47 for successively seating exhaust valve '53 against a supply valve 58 and then operatively unseating the latter against the force of a lighter bias spring 59. With supply valve 58 unseated fiuid under pressure is supplied from conduit 29 via the supply valve chamber, the annular valve seat for supply valve :58 and slide valve bore 52a to pipe 49 until pressure in chamber 47 has increased to substantially the pressure provided in chamber 46, whereupon piston 45 is shifted upwardly, as viewed in the drawing, by spring 57 to a lap position, in which supply valve 58 is reseated by spring 59 and exhaust valve 53 is maintained seated against valve 58, for thereby trapping fluid in the brake cylinder device 1 at a pressure substantially equal to that provided in chamber 46.
A piston 59a hingedly connected to a central boss on the supply valve 58 and operating in a bore 59b of the same diameter as the bore 52a of the cylindrical slide valve 52, is preferably provided between spring 59 and the supply valve 58 so that the supply pressure acting thereon counterbalances the supply pressure from reservoir 2 acting to seat valve 58. With the exhaust valve 53 seated on the supply valve 58 and the supply valve seated in lapped position on its valve seat, the brake cylinder pressure acting on the annular outer seated area of the supply valve 58 within the bore 52a is counterbalanced by brake cylinder pressure acting on an equivalent area at the lower side of piston 59a adjacent spring 59 and communicated thereto through a passageway 59c connecting the bore 52a to the spring chamber at the said lower side of piston 59a. Relay valve device 3', although specifically shown and described herein, is illustrative of other forms of relay valve devices suitable for purposes of the invention claimed herein.
Fluid under pressure is supplied to chamber 46 from equalizing volume 31, via a branch conduit or pipe 60 connected to conduit 41, when valve 32 in magnet valve device 4 is caused to be unseated by energization of said magnet valve device. When pressure in chamber 46 is reduced, piston 45 is biased by spring 57 to a release position in which it is shown in the drawing and in which exhaust valve 53 is unseated from the then seated supply valve 58, whereby fluid pressure is released from the brake cylinder device 1, via conduits 51 and 49 and passageways 54 and 56. Thus relay valve device 3 operates to provide fluid pressure in the brake cylinder device 1 substantially equal to that provided in chamber 46 from the equalizing volume 31 via pipe 60.
The double check valve device 50, in addition to being connected to pipe 49, is also connected to a conduit or pipe 61 through which fluid under pressure is supplied to the brake cylinder device 1 under normal braking action independently of the wheel-spin inhibiting apparatus. The check valve device 50, as is well known, is provided with a valve (not shown) which occupies one position or another for selectively permitting flow of fluid under pressure to the brake cylinder device 1 from one or the other of conduits 49 and 61 in accordance with the predominant pressure in the one or the other of said conduits.
Since only a light degree of braking force on the driver wheel is necessary to terminate wheel-spin, as compared to the degree of braking force necessary for retarding or stopping the vehicle during normal braking action, the degree of fluid pressure supplied to the brake cylinder device '1 by the wheel-spin inhibiting apparatus via pipe 49 is normally much less than the degree of fluid pressure supplied to said brake cylinder via pipe 61 for retarding or stopping the vehicle. Accordingly, when a brake application is initiated by the engineer, the resulting degree of fluid pressure in pipe 61 is always predominantly sufficient for operating the check valve device 50 to open said pipe 61 and cut oil pipe 49 to the brake cylinder device 1, notwithstanding that the wheel-spin inhibiting apparatus, in response to a concurrently occurring wheel-spin, may have charged pipe 49 with fluid under pressure also. Of course, in the absence of fluid pressure in pipe 61, the pressure in pipe '49 resulting from operation of the wheel-spin inhibiting apparatus in response to an occurring wheel-spin, is predominantly sufficient for operating the check valve device 50 to cut off pipe 61 and open pipe 49 to the brake cylinder device 1.
In operation, assuming that, upon application of propulsion power to the driving axles (not shown) of the locomotive, one pair or set of wheels mounted on one of the pair of axles driven by the motors 8 and 9 begins to spin due to some cause such as a wet rail, for example, the wheel-spin inhibiting apparatus operates, as follows, to correct the situation. Due to the spinning of the one set of wheels, that is, the rotation of the one axle at a greater rate than that of the other axle of the designated pair, the output of the motor driving the axle of the spinning wheels exceeds the output of the motor driving the other axle. In other words, assuming that the spinning wheels are the ones on the axle driven by motor 8, said motor correspondingly gains in speed, as compared to the speed of motor 9 driving the axle on the non-spinning wheels, to set up a counter electromotive current, and, therefore, an unbalanced flow of current between the two motors. It is this unbalanced flow of current between the two motors 8 and 9 that causes the relay coil 18 to be energized, since said coil is connected across the two motor circuits. Energization of coil 18 causes the switch arm 20 to close the energizing circuit 6 to thereby eflect concurrent energization of the magnet valve devices 4 and 5.
Upon energization of the magnet valves 4 and 5, valve 36 of magnet valve device 4 is moved to its seated position to cut off further communication between reservoir 2 and equalizing volume 31, which is now charged with fluid under pressure from said reservoir, and valve 42 of the magnet valve device is also moved to its seated position to cut off chamber 27 and chamber 38 from atmosphere. At the same time valve 32 of magnet valve device 4 is moved to its unseated position to open equalizing volume 31 to chamber 27 of magnet valve device 4, to chamber 38 of magnet valve device 5, to chamber 46 of the relay valve device 3, and to the conduits 41 and 60 leading to chambers 38 and 46, respectively. With fluid pressure in chamber 46 of the relay valve device 3, said relay valve device operates, in the manner above described, to effect supply of fluid to the brake cylinder 1 at a pressure substantially equal to that provided in said chamber.
Since, as above noted,,the degree of fluid pressure supplied to the brake cylinder device 1 for correcting wheelspin is substantially less than the degree of pressure that must be supplied to said brake cylinder for eflecting a retardation or stopping of the vehicle during normal braking action, the volume of equalizing volume 31 must be predetermined accordingly, since said volume is charged from the reservoir 2 which may also be the source of fluid under pressure from which said brake cylinder is supplied for normal braking operations. For example, the reservoir 2 may be charged with fluid at 120 p.s.i., the degree required for normal braking operations. Volume 31, therefore, is also charged with fluid at 120 p.s.i. at the instant valve 36 of magnet valve device 4 moves to its seated position. For purposes of correcting wheel-spin, a pressure of 20 p.s.i., for example, may be adequate, and, therefore, the pressure supplied to chantber 46 of the relay valve device 3 should be 20 p.s.i. also. With the assumed pressures, the total volume of equalizing volume 31, pipe 30 and chamber 26, therefore, as compared with the total volume of chambers 26, 27, 38 and 46 and of pipes 30, 41 and 60, should be one-sixth of the latter, whereby, upon seating of valves 36 and 42 and unseating of valve 32, fluid in said equalizingn volume, pipe 30 and chamber 26 would be expanded six times in volume and reduced to one-sixth its initial pressure, or from p.s.i. to 20 p.s.i., to act on piston 45 in chamber 46 of the relay valve device 3. Since pertinent dimensions and specifications, which aifect the installation of the wheel-spin inhibiting ap paratus, may differ among the several types of locomotives on which said apparatus may be used, it is possible that the total length and, therefore, total volume of pipes 30, 41 and 60 may vary accordingly, in which case it would be desirable to provide some means to compensate for any change in said volume in order to maintain a desired Volume ratio as just described. Though not shown in the drawings, an adjustable-volume tuning reservoir, for example, connected to pipe 41 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 or to pipe 73 in FIG. 2, could be employed, whereby an appropriate adjustment of the volume of said timing reservoir would compensate for any variance in the total volume of pipes 30, 41 and 60. The relay valve device 3 operates, as above described, to cause fluid from reservoir 2 to be supplied to brake cylinder device 1 at 20 p.s.i. to terminate wheelspin by retarding the affected Wheels until their rate of rotation is brought down to that of the other wheels driven by motor 9. v
When the two axles and, therefore, the two sets of wheels driven respectively by the motors 8 and 9 are again rotating at synchronous rates, the discrepancy in current flow between said two motors is terminated, and energization of the relay coil 13 is also terminated. Deenergization of coil 18 effects release of switch arm 20 to open the energizing circuit 6 and thereby deenergize the magnet valves 4 and 5. When magnet valves 4 and 5 are deenergized, valves 36, 32 and 42 all resume their normal positions, as shown in the drawing. Thus volume 31 is again connected to reservoir 2 and charged with fluid under pressure therefrom, while chambers 27, 38 and 46 are all vented to atmosphere by way of pipes 60 and 41 and past unseated valve 42 through vent port 40.
With chamber 46 of the relay valve device 3 vented to atmosphere, bias spring 57 is effective for shifting piston 45 upwardly, as viewed in the drawing, to cause successive unseating of exhaust valve 53 from supply valve 58, which is then reseated by bias spring 59 to cut oil supply of fluid under pressure from pipe 29 to pipe 49. With exhaust valve 53 unseated, fluid pressure in the brake cylinder device 1 is vented to atmosphere by way of conduit 51, through check valve device 50, conduit 49, and passageways 54 and 56 to terminate retarding action on the wheel.
As was previously explained, any normal braking action initiated during operation of the wheel-spin inhibiting apparatus, supersedes the latter operation by operation of the double check valve device 50. Notwithstanding that the eflect of the wheel-spin inhibiting apparatus is thus cut out, the normal braking action on the spinning wheel is also effective for terminating the spinningcondition of the wheel. It can readily be seen, therefore, that wheel-spin can be protected against at all times to maintain maximum tractive friction between the wheels and the running surface of the rails.
Description and 0perati0nFlG. 2
The embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 2 differs from that in FIG. 1 by replacing the magnet valve device 5 with a pilot valve device 62, which, with magnet valve device 4, pilots operation of relay valve device 3, and comprises acasing 63 having thereina diaphragm piston 64 and two chambers 65 and 66 adiacent the opposite sides of said piston, respectively. Chamber 65 is connected by a conduit or pipe 67 to chamber 26 of the magnet valve device 4. A cylindrical valve 68, which is coaxially and removably secured to the side of piston 64 adjacent chamber 66, is provided with two axially spaced-apart annular grooves 69 and 70. A bias spring 71 disposed in chamber 66 acts to bias piston 64 and cylindrical valve 68 toward respective normal positions, in which groove 69 registers with an atmospheric port 72 formed in casing 63 and with a conduit or pipe 73 leading to chamber 46 in relay valve device 3, whereby the latter chamber is open to atmosphere, and in which positions groove 70 registers with a branch conduit or pipe 74 connecting with conduit 29 and with a conduit or pipe 75 connecting to the equalizing volume 31, whereby said volume is charged with fluid under pressure from reservoir 2. Chamber 66 of pilot valve device 62 is constantly open to atmosphere via a plurality of radial ports 76 and a passageway 77 both formed in cylindrical valve 68, said passageway opening into the lower portion of casing 63, as viewed in the drawing, wherein a vent port 78 to atmosphere is provided.
Chamber 25 of magnet valve device 4 is open to atmosphere via a vent port 79, and, therefore, conduit 67 and chamber 65 of pilot valve device 62 are also open to atmosphere as long as valve 36 is unseated. Chamber 27 is connected by a branch conduit or pipe 80 to conduit 29 and fliereby to reservoir 2.
In operation, assuming again that a wheel-spin condition occurs, the sensing circuit 7 operates, as above described, to close the energizing circuit 6, whereupon the magnet coil of magnet valve device 4 is energized to cause seating of valve 36 and unseating of valve 32. Chamber 65 of pilot valve device 62 is thus closed to atmosphere and opened to pressure of fluid in reservoir 2 by way of conduits 29, 80 and 67. Fluid pressure in chamber 65 causes piston 64 and valve 68 to move downwardly, as viewed in the drawing, out of their respective normal positions to respective operative positions, in which groove 70 moves out of registry with pipe 75 to cut 011 volume 31 from conduit 74 leading from conduit 29 and reservoir 2, and groove 69 moves out of registry with vent port 72 and into registry with conduit 75 to connect conduit 75 and volume 31 to conduit 73 and chamber 46 of relay valve device 3.
The relay valve device 3 and the check valve device 50 then operate in a manner similar to that described above in connection with the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. l to correct the wheel-spin condition. Upon cessation of wheel-spin and restoration of synchronous rotation of the two sets of wheels, magnet valve device 4 is deenergized, as above described, and valve 32 is reseated as valve 36 is unseated. Unseating of valve 36 efiects venting of chamber 65 of the pilot valve device 62 to atmosphere by way of conduit 67, chambers 26 and 25, and vent port 79, whereby piston 64 and valve 68 are restored to their respective normal positions by spring 71 to cause venting of chamber 46 of the relay valve device 3 for effecting release of fluid pressure from the brake cylinder 1, as above described.
With valve 68 of the pilot valve device 62 in its normal position, equalizing volume 31 is again charged from reservoir 2 by way of conduits 29, 74 and 75 in readiness for any subsequent occurrence of wheel-spin.
As in the case of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 and in a manner similar to that described in connection therewith, the check valve device 50 is also operative in the second embodiment to permit normal braking action during such time that the wheel-spin inhibiting apparatus might be in operation. The volume relationship of equalizing volume 31 with the volumes of conduits 75 and 73 and of chamber 46 of relay valve device 3 is established in a manner similar to that set forth in connection with the embodiment shown in FIG, 1 in order to supply a reduced fluid pressure to the brake cylinder device l for correcting wheel-spin as compared to fluid pressure supplied thereto for normal braking operations.
Having now described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:
1. Apparatus for controlling the spinning of the wheels of a vehicle during propulsion thereof, said apparatus comprising fluid pressure actuated means for effecting a brake application on the wheels of the vehicle, wheel-spin sensing means, a reservoir normally charged to a predetermined uniform high pressure, a fluid pressure operated relay valve device having a chamber of predetermined volume and operative upon supply of fluid under pressure to said chamber to effect supply of fluid at a corresponding pressure to said fluid pressure actuated means, and valve means controlled by said wheel-spin sensing means for connecting said reservoir to said fluid pressure operated relay valve device upon the occurrence of a spinning condition of the wheels to establish a relatively low uniform operating pressure therefor which is the result of equalization of the predetermined uniform high pressure from said reservoir into said chamber.
2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further characterized in that said valve means is also effective under the control of said wheel-spin sensing means, while no wheelspin condition exists, to establish a charging communication via which said reservoir is charged to said predetermined uniform high pressure and, when a wheel-spin condition occurs, to cut off said charging communication.
3. Apparatus for controlling the spinning of the wheels of a vehicle, said apparatus comprising, in combination, fluid pressure actuated means operable responsively to a variable degree of fluid pressure for effecting a degree of brake application on the wheels of the vehicle corresponding to the degree of fluid pressure supplied thereto, a source of fluid under pressure, first valve means operable responsively to a predetermined uniform actuating pressure for causing fluid to be supplied from said source to said fluid pressure actuated means at a degree of pressure corresponding to that of said actuating pressure, wheelspin sensing means, second valve means operable responsively to operation of said wheel-spin sensing means incident to wheel spinning for effecting supply of said actuating pressure to said first valve means and operable responsively to operation of said wheel-spin sensing means incident to termination of said wheel spinning for relieving said first valve means of said actuating pressure, conduit means through which fluid under pressure may be supplied to said fluid pressure actuated means from a source other than said first named source, and double check valve means for selectively establishing communication through which fluid under pressure is supplied alternatively from said first named source or from said other source.
4. Wheel-spin inhibiting apparatus for use on railway locomotive having a plurality of wheel units associated in pairs and normally driven at a uniform rate of speed, each wheel unit consisting of a driving axle with a drive wheel mounted at each end for rotation therewith, said apparatus comprising, in combination, wheel brake-ap' plying means operable responsively to variable fluid pressure for effecting a degree of brake application on said wheels corresponding to the degree of fluid pressure supplied thereto, a source of fluid under pressure, relay valve means operable responsively to fluid pressure for causing fluid to be supplied from said source to said brake-applying means at a pressure corresponding to the operating pressure of the relay valve means and operable responsively to relief of said operating pressure for relieving said brake applying means of fluid pressure, electromagnet valve means operable, when electrically energized, for effecting supply of fluid under pressure from 9 l said source to said relay valve means at a preselected uniform pressure and, when electrically deenergized, for relieving said relay valve means of fluid pressure, an electrical circuit including a source of electrical energy and effective, when closed, for energizing said electromagnet valve means and, when open, for deenergizing the electromagnet valve means, and wheel-spin sensing means operable responsively to a discrepancy in rate of speed between two wheel units of a designated pair for causing said electrical circuit to be closed and to termination of said discrepancy in rate of speed, for causing said electrical circuit to be opened.
5. A wheel-spin inhibiting apparatus for use on railway locomotives of the type having a plurality of wheel units each consisting of a drive wheel mounted at each end of a driving axle for rotation therewith, said axle being driven independently of each other and normally at a uniform rate of speed and being associated in pairs for comparing the rotational rate of speed between any two axles comprising a designated pair, said apparatus comprising, in combination, wheel brake-applying means responsive to fluid pressure for effecting a brake application according to the degree of fluid pressure supplied thereto, a source of fluid under pressure, conduit means providing for flow of fluid under pressure from said source to said brake-applying means, a relay valve device interposed in said conduit means for cont-rolling flow of fluid pressure through the conduit means and having provided therein a pressure chamber, self-lapping valve means operable in said relay valve device in one position for permitting flow of fluid pressure through said conduit means and in a diflerent position for cutting off such flow of fluid pressure, a piston member in said relay valve device actuable responsively to a controlled degree of fluid pressure in said pressure chamber to cause operation of said selflapping valve means to its said one position for permitting supply of fluid to said brake-applying means from said source at a degree corresponding to said piston member actuating fluid pressure, said piston member being operative for restoring said self-lapping valve means to its said different position upon relief of said actuating pressure, a fluid pressure volume charged from said source of fluid under pressure and of predetermined capacity for providing actuating fluid for said piston member at said controlled degree of pressure resulting from expansion of said fluid upon release thereof from said volume to said relay valve device pressure chamber, a first electromagnet device having associated therewith valve means having a normal position in which said pressure volume is in communication with said source of fluid under pressure and is cut ofl from said relay valve device pressure chamber, said first electro-magnet valve means being operable, upon energization of said first electro-magnet valve device, to a different position in which said communication between said source of fluid under pressure and said pressure volume is cut oh? and a communication between said pressure volume and said pressure chamber is established, a second electro-magnet device having associated therewith valve means having a normal position, in which said pressure chamber is vented to atmosphere and being operable, upon energization of said second electromagnet device, to a seated position in which said pressure chamber is closed to atmosphere, an energizing electrical circuit including a source of electrical energy for concurrently energizing said first and second electro-magnet devices, when the circuit is closed, to cause concurrent operation of the respective associated valve means to their said diflerent and said seated positions, respectively, and for concurrently deenergizing said first and second electro-magnet devices, when the circuit is open, to cause concurrent restoration of the respective associated valve means to their respective normal positions, relay-operated switch means for closing and opening said energizing circuit upon energization and deenergization, respectively, of a coil associated with said relay operated switch means, a propulsion motor for each axle in each designated pair of axles, and a wheel-spin sensing circuit including said propulsion motors with said coil connected therein in parallel relation to said motors, said coil thereby being energizable responsively to an unbalanced current flow between said propulsion motors, due to discrepancy in rate of power output therebetween, and deenergizable upon termination of said discrepancy in rate of power output between said motors.
6. The combination defined in claim 5 further characterized by a double check valve device interposed in said conduit means between the relay valve device and the brake-applying means, and second conduit means connected to said check valve device and through which fluid under pressure may be supplied to said brake-applying means from a source other than said first named source and normally at a degree of pressure greater than said first named source, said double check valve device comprising a valve member operable therein for selectively connecting said brake-applying means to receive fluid under pressure alternatively from said first named source or from said second conduit means;
7. A wheel-spin inhibiting apparatus for use on railway locomotives of the type having a plurality of wheel units each consisting of a drive wheel mounted at each end of a driving axle for rotation therewith, said axles being driven independently of each other and normally at a uniform rate of speed and being associated in pairs for comparing the rotational rate of speed between any two axles comprising a designated pair, said apparatus comprising, in combination, wheel brake-applying means responsive to fluid pressure for eflecting a brake application according to the degree of fluid pressure supplied thereto, a source of fluid under pressure, conduit means providing for flow of fluid under pressure from said source to said brake-applying means, a relay valve device interposed in said conduit means for controlling flow of fluid pressure through the conduit means and having provided therein a pressure chamber, self-lapping valve means operable in said relay valve device in one position for permitting flow of fluid pressure through said conduit means and in a different position for cutting off such flow of fluid pressure, a piston member in said relay valve device actuable responsively to a controlled degree of fluid pressure in said pressure chamber to cause operation of said self-lapping valve means to its said one position for permitting supply of fluid to said brake-applying means from said source at a degree corresponding to said piston member actuating fluid pressure, said piston member being operative for restoring said self-lapping valve means to its said different position upon relief of said actuating pressure, a fluid pressure volume charged from said source of fluid under pressure and of predetermined capacity for providing actuating fluid for said piston member at said controlled degree of pressure resulting from expansion of said fluid upon release thereof from said volume to said relay valve device pressure chamber, a pilot valve device having associated therewith a valve member having a normal position in which said pressure volume is in communication with said source of fluid under pressure and is cut off from said relay valve device pressure chamber and said pressure chamber is open to atmosphere, a piston in said pilot valve device operable responsively to fluid pressure from said source in a piston chamber formed in the pilot valve device for moving said pilot valve device valve member to an operative position in which said communication between said source of fluid under pressure and said pressure volume is cut off, said pressure chamber is closed to atmosphere, and a communication between said pressure volume and said pressure chamber is established, an electro-magnet device having associated therewith valve means having a normal position in which said piston chamber is vented to atmosphere and being operable, upon energization of the electro-magnet device, to a difierent position in which said piston chamber is closed to atmosphere and opened to said source of fluid under pressure, an energizing electrical circuit including a source of electrical energy and effective, when closed, for energizing said electro-magnet device and, when open, for deenergizing said electromagnet device, relay operated switch means for closing and opening said energizing circuit upon energization and deenergization, respectively, of a coil associated with said relay-operated switch means, a propulsion motor for each axle inVeach designated pair of axles, and a wheel-spin sensing circuit including said propulsion motors with said coil connected therein in parallel relation to said motors, said coil thereby being energizable responsively to an unbalanced current flow between said propulsion motors, due to a discrepancy in rate of power output therebetween, and deenergizable upon termination of said discrepancy in rate of power output between said motors.
8. The combination defined in claim 7 further characterized by a double check valve device interposed in said conduit means 'between the relay valve device and the brake-applying means, and second conduit means connected to said check valve device and through which fluid under pressure may be supplied to said brake-applying means from a source other than said first-named source and normally at a degree of pressure greater than said first-named source, said double check valve device comprising a valve member operable therein for selectively connecting said brake-applying means to receive fluid under pressure alternatively from said first-named source or from said second conduit means.
9. Apparatus for controlling the spinning of the Wheels of a vehicle during propulsion thereof, said apparatus comprising, in combination, fluid pressure actuated means for effecting a brake application on the wheels of a vehicle, a relay valve device comprising a piston actuable responsively to a certain uniform low pressure to successively cause movement of an exhaust valve to a seated position, in which said fluid pressure actuated means is cut off from atmosphere, and movement of a supply valve to an unseated position in which fluid under pressure is delivered to said fluid pressure actuated means, said piston being subjected to pressurized fluid supplied to said fluid pressure actuated means in opposing relation to said certain uniform low pressure for maintaining said exhaust valve and said supply valve in a lapped position, whereby the degree of pressure of fluid supplied to said fluid. pressure actuated means corresponds to the degree ofthe certain uniform low pressure actuating said piston, wheelspin sensing means, and valve means responsive to operation of said wheel-spin sensing means incident to spinning of the wheels for supplying actuating fluid to said piston at said certain uniform low pressure. 7
10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 further characterized in that the said valve means is responsive to opera- 12 tion of the said wheel-spin sensing means incident to termination of wheel spinning to vent actuating fluid under pressure from said piston of said relay valve de-' vice.
11. The combination as defined in claim 9 wherein the said valve means comprises a first valve device including a valve member therein operable responsively to said operation of said wheel-spin sensing means incident to said spinning of the wheels to one position in which actuating fluid is supplied to said piston of said relay valve device and operable responsively to operation of said wheel-spin sensing means incident to termination of said wheel spinning to a diiferent position in which supply of said actuating fluid to said piston of said relay valve device is cut ofl, and a second valve device including a valve member therein operable concurrently with said first named valve member and responsively to operation of said wheel-spin sensing means incident to wheel spinning to one position, in which an atmospheric communication from said piston of said relay valve device is disestablished, and responsively to operation of said whereby said actuating fluid may be supplied thereto and vented therefrom, respectively.
12. The combination as defined in claim 9 wherein the said valve means comprises a fluid pressure operable pilot valve device having therein a piston operable responsively to fluid pressure for causing movement of a valve member to one position in which actuating fluid is supplied to said piston of said relay valve device, said piston of said pilot valve device being operative, upon relief of fluid pressure acting thereon, to a normal position for causing movement of said valve member to a normal position in which supply of said actuating fluid to said relay valve device piston is cut off and fluid prmsure acting thereon is vented to atmosphere, and a second valve device having therein a valve member operable responsively to operation of said wheel-spin sensing means incident to wheel spinning to one position in which fluid pressure is supplied to said pilot valve device piston, and operable responsively to operation of the wheel-spin sensing means incident to termination of wheel spinning to a diflerent position in which supply of fluid pressure to said pilot valve device piston is cut ofl? and the fluid pressure acting thereon is vented to atmosphere.
'' References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 874,639 France a May 18, 1942
US824566A 1959-07-02 1959-07-02 Apparatus for inhibiting spin of railway locomotive wheels during propulsion Expired - Lifetime US2994564A (en)

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3398994A (en) * 1966-09-14 1968-08-27 Westinghouse Air Brake Co Anti-skid wheel control system for railway cars

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR874639A (en) * 1941-04-15 1942-08-13 Freins Hydrauliques Sa Automatic synchronization device

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR874639A (en) * 1941-04-15 1942-08-13 Freins Hydrauliques Sa Automatic synchronization device

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3398994A (en) * 1966-09-14 1968-08-27 Westinghouse Air Brake Co Anti-skid wheel control system for railway cars

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