US3178944A - Air pressure gage for railroad train lines - Google Patents

Description

April 20, 1965 J. c. TEMPLETON AIR PRESSURE GAGE FOR RAILROAD TRAIN LINES Filed June 1, 1962 2 ets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

646/ a PAsrcm/ a-don A wzsm 7 M:

ATTOPA/IYQ' April 20, 1965 J. c. TEMPLETON 3,178,944

AIR PRESSURE GAGE FOR RAILROAD TRAIN LINES Filed June 1, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV EN TOR.

J/qcx at 727141 1570 Ma% 3 Slam},

United States Fatent 3,178,944 AIR PRESSURE GAGE FOR RAILRGAD TRAIN LINES Jack C. Templeton, 2050 Miller Road, Huntington 1, W. Va. Filed June 1, 1962, Ser. No. 199,367 3 Claims. (Cl. 73-420) This invention relates to a gage and particularly a gage for measuring air pressure in a railroad train line.

When prepared for operation, a train of railroad cars together with a locomotive includes as part of the trains air brake system an air line extending the full length of the train and commonly known as a train line. Normally, the train line is charged with air in excess of a predetermined pressure, thereby releasing the brakes. A reduction in pressure below a predetermined value in the train line causes the brakes to be applied and the train to be slowed down and/or halted. Thus, in the safe operation of a railroad train, it is necessary to be able to quickly and accurately determine the air pressure in the train line at various points throughout its length and especially when part of the length of the line loses pressure as a result, for example, of a plugged or leaking air hose or malfunctions of other brake components in the air brake system.

Presently, when trouble is encountered in maintaining the necessary predetermined minimum pressure in the train line due to a pressure loss at some point there along, it is necessary to remove a sufiicient number of cars of the train to allow the train to proceed without an undue loss in time. The number of cars to be removed is accomplished by walking the train and, at intervals of every ten to twenty cars, shutting off the brake valves on two adjacent cars, uncoupling the air hose interconnecting the two cars and applying an air gage to the uncoupled air hose and opening the brake valve on that car nearest the locomotive. After reading the pressure, the continuity of the train line must be restored by closing the open brake valve on the ad jacent car, removing the air gage, recoupling the air hose, and finally opening the brake valves in the Iline on the cars either side of the point of measurement. This process is continued until the maximum number of cars is found with a predetermined minimum pressure in the train line on the rear end or end remote from the locomotive. Each uncoupling and recoupling of the air hose at various points throughout the length of the train line results in the loss of air pressure in the trail line gen erally making it necessary to charge the train line again with pressure before the train may proceed.

The primary object of my invention, therefore, is to provide apparatus for accurately measuring and indicating the pressure in the train line of a railroad air brake system without the loss of air from the train line. Another object is to provide such apparatus that will measure air pressure in a train line at the hose couplings be tween cars in the train line without requiring the coupling to be disconnected. It is still a further object of my invention to provide such apparatus that is small, lightweight and portable and convenient to use in obtaining air pressure readings. Another object is to provide air pr-esusre measuring apparatus for a railroad train line that permits the pressure in the line to be checked at various points therealong in substantially less time than required by previously known methods.

The means for and the manner of accomplishment of the foregoing objects as well as other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment and a modified form thereof taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front quarter elevation in perspective of air pressure measuring apparatus constituting a preferred embodiment of my invention in use and measuring the air pressure at a coupling connecting two air hoses of adjacent railroad cars;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation view of the air pressure measuring gage in use as shown in FIGURE 1 and showing the device of my invention and an air hose coupling associated with the train line in partial section as indicated in FlGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a partially longitudinally sectioned front elevation view of the apparatus in FIGURE 1 and one of the two abutting seals of the train line air hose coupling in its operational relationship with the apparatus;

FIGURE 4 is an isometric View of the back side of the upper or gage portion of the apparatus showing construction details thereof;

FIGURE 5 is an isometric view of the positioning and sampling end of the apparatus or" FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is an isometric view of a modified form of apparatus embodying my invention;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged side elevation view of the positioning and sampling end of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 6 and sectioned as indicated in FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 8 is a top plan view of that part of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 7.

The major structural elements of the preferred form of pressure measuring apparatus of my invention comprise a sleeve-like handle or housing assembly 10 having a positioning fork 11 at one end thereof and a pressure sampling and indicating assembly, indicated generally at 12, within and extending from the other end thereof. Sleeve assembly to is of generally hollow cylindrical form adapted to receive with a press fit shank 13 of positioning fork 11. The tines 14 and adjacent portion 15 of po sitioning for-k 11 are flattened and relatively much thinner than shank 13. The space betwen the two tines 14 is generally semi-circular when viewed in the plane of either of the faces 16 of tines 14 and as clearly shown in FIGURES 3 of the drawings. A relatively fine axial bore 17 is provided in fork 11 extending centrally through shank 13 and adjacent portion 15 to an opening 18 substantially in the middle of the semi-circular space between tines 14.

As shown especially in FIGURES 2 and 3, fork 11 is adapted to be received between the opposite and annular and radially directed faces 19 of the identical mating parts 29 of a conventional railroad air hose coupling indicated generally in the drawings by the reference numeral 21. Conventional air hose coupling 21 is sealed by the engagement of the annular and radially directed abutting surfaces 22 of resilient annular seals 23 surrounding the openings in the annular faces 19 of identical mating parts 20. The generally semi-circular opening between tines 14 of fork 11 is of substantially the same diameter as the outside diameter of that portion of seals 23 exposed between the opposite and spaced apart annular faces 19 of identical mating parts 20 so that tines 14 may be inserted between the spaced apart identical mating parts 20 of the coupling with fiat parallel faces 16 of tines 14 slidingly engaging annular faces 19 of identical mating parts 29 and tines 14 straddling the engaged annular seals 23 exposed therebetween. Thus, the fork 11 may be brought to a position with the generally semi-circular space between tines 14 in engagement about approximately half the circumference of seals 23 at their line of sealing engagement and with the fine bore or passage 17 positioned so as to lie in the plane of surface engagement of sealing surfaces 22 of seals 23.

The end of sleeve assembly 10 opposite that which receives shank 13 of positioning fork 11 is provided with a guide rail 24 projecting axially outwardly from the end of sleeve assembly and to one side of a central lore extending axially therethrough. Guide rail 24 is formed with parallel and fiat front and rear faces 26 and 27 has a rectangular central opening 28 therethrough.

Pressure sampling indicating assembly 12 comprises a conventional air gage 3%) provided with a conventional intake fitting 31. By means of an adapter 32, a hollow air pressure sampling needle 33 is connected to intake tting 31. Needle 33 has a relatively sharp, closed end provided with an intake hole or holes 34 through its side walls at a point adjacent its ends.

Pressure sampling indicating assembly 12 is axially received and aligned within bore 25 of sleeve assembly 10 with needle 33 slidingly received in bore 17 of fork 11 as shown. Assembly 12 is mounted with the back side of gage in sliding engagement with front face 26 of guide rail 24. A T-shaped guide piece extends through rectangular central opening 28 of guide rail 24 and engages the rear side of and is fastened to air gage 30 by means of bolts 36. Arms 37 of guide piece 35 project outwardly of rectangular central opening 28 and lie along and slidingly engage rear face 27 of guide rail 24. It will be apparent that pressure sampling and indicating assembly 12 as mounted has limited axial movement within bore 25 of sleeve assembly 10 and bore 17 of fork 11 which permits the free end of needle 33 to be extended from opening 18 and into the generally semi-circular space between tines 14. Pressure sampling and indicating assembly 12 is urged toward the outer end of guide rail 24 by spring 39 acting between gage 30 and radially directed shoulder 41 provided on shank 13 of positioning fork 11.

In operation, the preferred embodiment of my invention as seen in FIGURE 1 through 5 is grasped about sleeve assembly 16 and the tines 14 of fork 11 inserted between the spaced apart annular faces 19 of coupling parts 20 of a conventional railroad air hose conpling. Positioning fork 11 is pushed between coupling parts 20 until the semi-circular opening between tines 14 bottoms against and around the exposed portion of sealingly engaged annular seals 23 and overlies the line of engagement between surfaces 22 of said seals.

Thereupon, pressure sampling and indicating assembly 12 is moved axially relative to sleeve assembly 10 as by applying thumb pressure on the top of gage 30 so that needle 33 is extended outwardly of fork 11 through relatively fine central bore 17 therein. When needle 33 is so extended, it passes between the engaged and sealing faces of annular seals 23 of coupling 21 so that its end, and, in particular, intake hole 34, is exposed within the sealed pressure line and passage through coupling 21. The resilient nature of seals 23 coupled with the fineness of needle 33 permits the entrance of needle 33 between the sealing surfaces 22 of seals 23 without any loss in air from the train line.

In the extended position with intake hole 34 of needle 33 within the train line passage through coupling 21, the pressure in the train line is reflected and indicated by gage 30. When the pressure in the train line has been noted, the pressure sampling and indicating assembly 12 is released and assembly 12, including needle 33, is retracted by spring 39 within sleeve assembly 1%) and fork 11. When needle 33 is retracted from between sealing faces 22 of seals 23, the resilient nature of the seals again prevents any loss of air from the train line. Once the pressure sensing and indicating assembly 12 is retracted and needle 33 safely enclosed within its passage 17 in positioning fork 11, the entire apparatus may be removed from between the identical mating parts 20 of coupling 21.

If the pressure measured is above a predetermined minimum level, the operator of the apparatus continues to walk toward the rear of the train and again samples the pressure in the train line at an appropriate interval from the last sampling. When a reading on the gage obtained in the manner described above falls below a predetermined minimum level, the operator of the apparatus knows that all of the railroad cars in the train to the rear of that point have insufficient air pressure in their train line. The cause of the reduced pressure in the train line at that point and rearward must be determined and/or the remaining railroad cars uncoupled from the train if it is to proceed.

Because the spaced apart radial faces 19 of the identical mating parts 20 of the air hose coupling 21 generally lie in a plane at 45 to the line of travel of the train or the axis of the railroad cars, I prefer to orient the tines 14 of positioning fork 11 in a plane angularly related by approximately 45 to the plane of the dial face of gage 30 so that when the gage is (positioned for operation at an air hose coupling in the train line, gage 30 faces squarely toward the side of the train where the operator of the gage may read it most readily.

A modified form of the pressure measuring apparatus embodying my invention is illustrated in FIGURES 6 through 8. The main structural components of this form of my invention are a gage 50, a relatively long and hollow handle and air pipe portion 51 and a positioning fork 52. The gage end of handle 51 is externally threaded and attached to intake fitting 54 of gage by means of a sleeve nut 55 placing the inlet of the gage in communication with the hollow interior of handle 51. Positioning fork 52 is similar to positioning fork 11 of the other form of my invention described above in that it has a pair of fiat and thin tines 56 having a semi-circular opening therebetween. At a point centrally between tines 56 in the semi-circular opening therebetween, I provide a projecting feathered and rounded sampling lip 57 which extends into and within the semi-circular opening be tween tines 56. A fine bore 58 is provided from the forward most projecting portion of lip 57 back through and internally of positioning fork 52 to a point where one end of handle 51 is suitably fastened as by welding to positioning fork 52. Face 59 of positioning fork 52 to which the end of handle 51 is joined is provided with a counterbore 60 which places fine bore 58 extending from the forward edge of lip 57 in communication with the hollow interior of handle 51 and thus the inlet of gage 50.

In operation, the form of my invention shown in FIGURE 6 through 8 and described immediately above is grasped by handle 51 and positioning fork 52 is inserted between the identical mating parts of a conventional air hose coupling in the same manner as is fork 11 of the other embodiment of my invention. Times 56 reach about and engage the outside diameter of the exposed portion of the seals in the coupling while lip 57 With its feathered forward edge slips between a small area of the sealing faces or the sealing line face of engagement between the seals and extends radially into communication with the passage through the coupling. In this manner, air pressure in the train line is sampled without theescape of air from the system. Upon noting the reading of the pressure in the train line on gage 50, positioning fork is merely removed by manipulation of handle 51 and projecting lip 57 is withdrawn from between the surfaces of sealing engagement between the seals in the air hose coupling without loss of air from the train line.

This form of my invention is not so compact or handy as the preferred embodiment thereof but enjoys the advantage of permitting the operator of the apparatus to stand out from between the two adjacent cars of a train when sampling the pressure in the train line. This not only saves the operator time but permits him to maintain himself always in a relatively safer position than that required when operating the preferred form of my invention. Additionally, the modified form of my invention will stand perhaps more rugged treatment than the preferred embodiment thereof because it does not involve the fine and relatively delicate retractable needle. The retraction feature of the preferred form of my invention does adequately protect the fine pressure sampling needle 33 which contributes to the success of my invention because the needle is always shielded except during the sampling operation. Each of the forms has its respective advantages in operation and both forms employ the concept of a positioning fork receivable between the spaced apart and opposite annular faces of the identical mating parts of a conventional air hose coupling in a railroad train line. The fork positions the fine bore air sampling element accurately and positively at the line of engagement of the radial faces of the annular seals in the air hose coupling and at that point where the pressure sampling element is able to slide between the sealingly engaged faces of the seals and place the intake of a pressure gage in communication with the pressure in the railroad train line without any loss of air from the train line and without requiring the air hose coupling to be disconnected.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various other changes and modifications can be made in the preferred form of apparatus described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for measuring the pressure in a railroad train line at a connected air hose coupling thereon having a pair of identical mating parts each carrying an annular seal member having a radially directed annular surface in sealing and airtight engagement with the other, said apparatus comprising means for measuring and indicating air pressure,

a relatively thin and fiat fork-like means having laterally spaced apart tines and a thin sampling portion projecting forwardly from and into the space between said tines, said tines having corresponding pairs of flat, oppositely facing positioning faces, the positioning faces facing one direction on said tines lying in substantially one plane and the positioning faces facing the other direction on said tines lying in substantially another plane spaced apart from and generally parallel to said one plane,

said sampling portion having a longitudinal forwardly projecting axis lying between, parallel to and generally equidistant from said one and said other planes and the positioning faces of said tines lying therein and having a longitudinal passage therein in fluid communication with said pressure measuring means and terminating at an opening adjacent the forward end thereof,

said tines being receivably slidable between the pair of identical mating parts of the connected hose coupling on opposite sides of the sealingly engaged annular seal member sand with said corresponding pairs of said oppositely facing positioning faces on said tines in guiding and positioning engagement with the corresponding ones of the pair of identical mating parts thereby positioning the longitudinal axis of said sampling portion between and generally in the plane of the surfaces of sealing engagement of the sealingly engaged annular seal members and in sealing engagement with said seal members with said opening in fluid communication with the train line.

2. Apparatus for measuring the pressure in a railroad train line at a connected air hose coupling thereon having a pair of identical mating parts each carrying an annular seal member having a radially directed annular surface in sealing and airtight engagement with the other, said ap paratus comprising a hollow sleeve-like housing,

a fork-like means having a shank portion receivable within one end of said housing, a bifurcated portion having a pair of laterally spaced apart tines and a longitudinal passage extending therethrough and beginning at an opening substantially midway between said tines and extending axially of said shank portion, said tines having corresponding pairs of fiat, oppositely facing positioning faces, the positioning faces facing one direction on said tine lying in substantially one plane and the positioning faces facing the other direction on said tines lying in substantially another plane spaced apart from and generally parallel to said one plane, said longitudinal passage having a longitudinal axis lying between, parallel to and generally equidistant from said one and said other planes and the positioning faces of said tines lying therein,

a pressure gage having an inlet opening,

a longitudinally extending thin hollow needle having one end attached to said gage with the hollow interior of said needle and said inlet in communication and the other end of said hollow needle having an opening adjacent thereto,

mounting means associated with said housing for slidably suporting said gage and said needle with said needle in axial alignment with said passage in said fork-like means and providing for reciprocating movement of said gage and needle relative to said housing and said fork-like means between an extended position of said needle out of said passage and into the space between said tines and a protected and retracted position of said needle from the space etween said tines, said tines being adapted to slidably fit between the pair of identical mating parts of the connected air hose coupling and to straddle the annular seal members sealing engaged between the mating parts and with said corresponding pairs of said oppositely facing positioning faces on said tines in guiding and positioning engagement with the corresponding ones of the pair of identical mating parts for positioning said passage in alignment with the plane of sealing engagement of the sealing surfaces of the seals and with said passage opening adjacent said seals,

whereby said opening in said needle is placed into and out of communication with the train line by the seal ingly engaged passage of said needle between the annular sealing surfaces of the sealing members at its extended and retracted positions.

3. Apparatus for measuring the pressure in a railroad train line at a connected air hose coupling thereon having a pair of identical mating parts each carrying an annular seal member having a radially directed annular surface in sealing and airtight engagement with the other, said apparatus comprising a gage means having an intake fitting for providing an inlet to said gage,

a longitudinally extending hollow handle portion connected at one end to said intake fitting with the hollow interior of said handle in communication with said inlet,

a fork-like positioning means fastened to the other end of said hollow handle and having a pair of laterally spaced apart tines, said tines having corresponding pairs of fiat, oppositely facing positioning faces, the positioning faces facing one direction on said tines lying in substantially one plane and the positioning faces facing the other direction on said tines lying in substantially another plane spaced apart from and generally parallel to said one plane, and

a relatively sharp-edged lip portion projecting forwardly into a space between said tines and a fine bore air passage extending from an opening on the forward side of said lip through said fork-like means to and in communication with the hollow interior of said handle, said fine bore air passage having a longitudinal axis lying between and parallel to said one and said other planes and the positioning faces of said tines lying therein,

7 8 said fork-like positioning means adapted to receivably 7 References Cited by the Examiner slide between the identical mating parts of the cou- UNITED STATES PATENTS pling with said corresponding pairs of said oppositely facing positioning faces on said tines in guiding 2/11 Werner 73-52 X and positioning engagement with the corresponding 5 6/25 Cochran: 73 52 ones of the pairs of identical mating parts and into 2736969 3/56 Boyle 33 189 straddling engagement with the engaged seal mern- FOREIGN PATENTS hers for positioning said lip portion in a sealingly en- 680,704 1/30 France. gaged relationship with and between the sealing sur- 32 1/39 Germany faces of said seals with its forward side extending 10 437 375 3 Great Britain into the train line and said opening in communication with the train line. RICHARD C. QUEISSER, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. APPARATUS FOR MEASURING THE PRESSURE IN A RAILROAD TRAIN LINE AT A CONNECTED AIR HOSE COUPLING THEREON HAVING A PAIR OF IDENTICAL MATING PARTS EACH CARRYING AN ANNULAR SEAL MEMBER HAVING A RADIALLY DIRECTED ANNUALR SURFACE IN SEALING AND AIRTIGHT ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OTHER, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING MEANS FOR MEASURING AND INDICATING AIR PRESSURE, A RELATIVELY THIN AND FLAT FORK-LIKE MEANS HAVING LATERALLY SPACED APART TIMES AND A THIN SAMPLING PORTION PROJECTING FORWARDLY FROM AND INTO THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID TINES, SAID TINES HAVING CORRESPONDING PAIRS OF FLAT, OPPOSITELY FACING POSITIONING FACES, THE POSITIONING FACES FACING ONE DIRECTION ON SAID TINES LYING IN SUBSTANTIALLY ONE PLANE AND THE POSITIONING FACES FACING THE OTHER DIRECTION ON SAID TINES LYING IN SUBSTANTIALLY ANOTHER PLANE SPACED APART FROM AND GENERALLY PARALLEL TO SAID ONE PLANE, SAID SAMPLING PORTION HAVING A LONGITUDINAL FORWARDLY PROJECTING AXIS LYING BETWEEN, PARALLEL TO AND GENERALLY EQUIDISTANT FROM SAID ONE AND SAID OTHER PLANES AND THE POSITIONING FACES OF SAID TINES LYING THEREIN AND HAVING A LONGITUDINAL PASSAGE THEREIN IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH SAID PRESSURE MEASURING MEANS AND TERMINATING AT AN OPENING ADJACENT THE FORWARD END THEREOF, SAID TINES BEING RECEIVABLY SLIDABLE BETWEEN THE PAIR OF IDENTICAL MATING PARTS OF THE CONNECTED HOSE COUPLING ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE SEALINGLY ENGAGED ANNULAR SEAL MEMBER SAND WITH SAID CORRESPONDING PAIRS OF SAID OPPOSITELY FACING POSITIONING FACES ON SAID TINES IN GUIDING AND POSITIONING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CORRESPONDING ONES OF THE PAIR OF IDENTICAL MATING PARTS THEREBY POSITIONING THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID SAMPLING PORTION BETWEEN AND GENERALLY IN THE PLANE OF THE SURFACES OF SEALING ENGAGEMENT OF THE SEALINGLY ENGAGED ANNULAR SEAL MEMBERS AND IN SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SEAL MEMBERS WITH SAID OPENING IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH THE TRAIN LINE.

Images