Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01M—TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • G01M3/00—Investigating fluid-tightness of structures
  • G01M3/02—Investigating fluid-tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum
  • G01M3/26—Investigating fluid-tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors
• • 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
  • B60T17/00—Component parts, details, or accessories of power brake systems not covered by groups B60T8/00, B60T13/00 or B60T15/00, or presenting other characteristic features
  • B60T17/18—Safety devices; Monitoring
  • B60T17/22—Devices for monitoring or checking brake systems; Signal devices
  • B60T17/228—Devices for monitoring or checking brake systems; Signal devices for railway vehicles

Definitions

• the present invention relates to pneumatic brake-testing technology, especially with respect to leakage testing as well as application and release of the brakes in several vehicle units coupled together pneumatically.
• the sys- tern includes control valves whose function should be tested.
• the brake system of the train is tested for leakage and function when coupling toget ⁇ her the individual cars and connecting them to a traction vehicle, i.e. a locomotive, before departure.
• the present invention sets out from a known method of testing the pneumatic proofness in a train. According to this method, a train of cars, comprising a traction vehicle, i.e. a locomotive, has been tested by personnel in the locomotive who have employed its pneumatic system to pressurise the other cars of the train.
• the testing personnel then makes an assess ⁇ ment of the proofness of the train against leakage and of its bra ⁇ king capacity entirely by means of the pneumatic system of the loco- motive and its indicator instruments as a basis for the assessment, whereupon a go-ahead is given to the engine-driver telling him that the train meets the demands set on braking function.
• This method has been further developed in those parts which concern the testing of the pneumatic proofness against leakage to encompass a device which is connected to one end of the train, whereupon pres- surisation is effected from a coupling point in the railway yard.
• a stationary measuring and checking station is provided at the embankment or in a testing building where the testing person- nel performs their task, resulting in a pass or a fail as regards the pneumatic proofness against leakage. See US 3,872,711.
• One problem linked with this testing method is that the device requires expensive stationary equipment for testing one train at a time. As a result, the testing of several trains requires conside ⁇ rably more time than if these trains could be tested simultaneously.
• testing personnel when performing a test, also to supervise what takes place in the railway yard.
• the prior-art devices and methods do not integrate a combination of lea ⁇ kage tests and mechanical brake function tests.
• testing the brakes of a train is quite costly, since much more personnel is required for each test than when using the brake-testing system ac ⁇ cording to the present invention.
• the known testing methods have also involved much narrower margins, thus increasing the risk of injuries to the testing personnel as well as the risk of inadequate brake tests.
• the safety level has thus been raised by the present brake-testing system, in that less brake-testing personnel is required for each test and in that the test results from each test can be stored and studied in the form of a print-out at a later point of time.
• the present invention has raised the traffic safety level by providing a more reliable and uniform assessment of the brake function and the leak proofness of a train.
• the object of the invention is to provide a method for charging and testing the proofness against leakage and the brake function of a pneumatic brake system, as well as a device in the form of a brake- testing system for carrying out the method, whereby to solve the problems stated in the introductory part and to make testing cost- effective by reduced labour intensiveness and out-of-service time of traction vehicles, i.e. locomotives.
• the invention sets out from a number of pneumatic units which are located at a distance from the trains of vehicle units pneumatically coupled together. Via one of these units, a person performing a brake test can pressurise a train of vehicle units as well as monitor, record and analyse pressures and/or flows during certain time intervals. Moreover, it is possible to check the mechanical function of the brakes going ON or OFF.
• the brake tester then uses a remote control unit in the form of a radio as transmitter/receiver, by means of which he initiates the brake testing of a train.
• the brake tester After completed testing, the brake tester receives an acknowledgement in the form of a print-out, a sound signal, a light signal or in the form of a synthetic voice from the loudspeaker of the remote control unit, confirming that the train has passed the brake test. If the test has revealed a mal ⁇ function in any respect, testing is interrupted precisely at the function concerned and is not proceeded with. Then, measures must be taken to remedy the deficiency or deficiencies detected, whereupon testing proceeds until the entire train has met the standards set. The test result is recorded e.g. on a printer or a telefax.
• Fig. 1 is a general view of the brake-testing system according to the invention.
• Fig. 2 shows the layout of a pneumatic unit according to Fig. 1.
• Fig. 3 schematically shows the manual operating unit of
• Fig. 1 Fig. 4 schematically shows the remote control unit of
• Fig. 1 is a flow chart of the testing of a train by means of the brake-testing system in Fig. 1.
• the layout of the entire brake-testing system is schematically shown in Fig 1.
• the system is based on a control unit 1 comprising a main computer 2 and a control computer 3.
• the main computer communicates directly with the control computer and is operated via a keyboard 4 or a central remote control unit 5.
• the central remote control unit 5 is in wireless communication with a number of remote control units FME, each having a unique identification in the form of an ID num ⁇ ber.
• the central remote control unit 5 can also receive information from the main computer 2 and then forward this information to one or more remote control units FME.
• Additional output units of the main computer 2 are a display device 6, a printer 7 and a telefax 8.
• a manual operating unit 9 which is directly connected to the con- trol computer 3 for two-way communication, can be used for brake testing in case the main computer 2 or any of the units connected thereto does not function properly.
• train as used in this context means two or more pneumatically interconnected vehicle units, none of which is a traction vehicle. In the case of a railway train, each of the trains is coupled together separately for testing, optionally on separate tracks, where each train is connected to a pneumatic unit located outside the train and to a pneumatic line.
• Each pneumatic line 12, 13, M is then compensated for the pressure and flow differences caused by its respective length between the pneumatic unit and the coupling to the vehicle unit.
• Each pneumatic unit 10, 11, L is supplied through an inlet line 16, see Fig. 2, pressurised by a compressor (not shown) to a pneumatic pressure of about 700 kPa. Further, an inlet filter 17 is arranged for cleaning the air supplied to the pneumatic unit 10, 11, L. A pressure monitor 18 assists in maintaining a sufficiently high pres ⁇ sure in the pneumatic unit.
• the pneumatic unit further includes a proportional valve 19 for current/pressure, which controls an asso ⁇ ciated booster 20, i.e. an intensifier for controlling the pneumatic flow.
• the proportional valve 19 and thus the booster 20 are in turn controlled via a PID regulator function in the control computer 3, so that a 4-20 mA current corresponds to a pressure of 0-600 kPa in the pneumatic unit.
• the pressure set passes through an electrically-controlled charge valve 21 to the main line 12, 13, M via a pressure transducer 22 and an outlet filter 23.
• the charge valve 21 opens and closes on a direct command from a remote control unit FME or from the manual operating unit 9 via the control computer 3.
• the pressure transducer 22 supplies the control computer 3 with current propor ⁇ tional to the pneumatic pressure.
• the outlet filter 23 serves to prevent soil from the pneumatic circuit of the train upon a pressure drop, i.e. when braking, from penetrating into the pneumatic unit.
• the pneumatic unit comprises a control system where the desi ⁇ red value is determined via the proportional valve 19 and the actual value is measured by the pressure transducer 22, a comparison bet ⁇ ween the actual and the desired value taking place in the control unit 1 for ensuing adjustment of the desired value.
• an electrically-controlled discharge valve 24 is provided at the output side of the pneumatic unit for discharging the pneumatic system at any point of time independently of how far the testing procedure has proceeded.
• the manual operating unit 9 see Fig. 3, which is provided with two first rotary means Sl:l, SI:2 for setting the track number where one of the first rotary means SI:1 determines the tens digit of the track number and the other of the first rotary means SI:2 determines the units digit of the track number.
• the manual operating unit 9 has a green indicator lamp LI indicating a "Leakage test pass” and a red lamp L2 indicating a "Leakage test fail".
• a second rotary means S2 is adapted in one position to charge the brake sys- tem and in another position to discharge the brake system.
• a press button means S3 is adapted to start the leakage test of the brake system.
• a fourth rotary means S4 is adapted in one position to apply the brakes (ON) and in another position to release the brakes (OFF).
• a third indicator lamp SL5 is adapted to indicate "Brake test completed”.
• FIG. 4 Another possibility of controlling the brake testing system is using a wireless communication with the aid of the remote control units FME, see Fig. 4, which comprise a keyset 25, a display 26 and a com ⁇ bined loud-speaker/ microphone 27. This is the regular control equipment of the system.
• the manual operating unit 9 is used only if the radio communciation does not work.
• the central remote control unit 5 simply consists of a radio station for wireless transmission of signals between the sta ⁇ tion and a number of remote control units FME.
• These remote control units FME are all identical and otherwise designed as a common com ⁇ munication radio, see Fig.
• Channel 4 having at least three channels and a multi-frequency tone signalling option for transmission and recep ⁇ tion.
• the channels are used as follows: Channel 1 is a railway-yard channel used for messages between units in the yard according to apparatus previously used; channel 2 is a brake-testing channel for communication with the engine-driver in the case of manual testing according to previous use; and channel 3 is a brake-testing channel for automatic testing. On channel 3, conversation and calls between portable apparatus can take place in two modes, open traffic or se- lective traffic mode.
• the function of the manual operating unit 9 is such that the brake tester first sets the track number on which testing is to be perfor ⁇ med, with the aid of the two first rotary means Sl:l, Sl:2. He then determines which pneu-matic unit he intends to use. With the aid of the second rotary means S2, he charges the system to about 480 kPa or to any other predetermined pneumatic pressure. With the press button S3, he then initiates the leakage test, whereupon he receives an indication on one of the indi-cator lamps LI, L2 whether the lea- kage test was awarded a pass or a fail.
• the tester can apply the brakes as well as release them with the aid of the fourth rotary means S4, whereupon he receives a final acknowledgement of when the brake test is completed by the third indicator lamp SL5.
• the final acknowledgement that the brake test is completed is not given until four conditions have been satisfied: 1) Main line pres ⁇ sure of 470 kPa or any other predetermined pressure; 2) Leakage test passed; 3) Brake ON recorded at least once; 4) Brake OFF recorded at least once. If any of these conditions is not satisfied, no go-ahead signal is received from the third indicator lamp SL5. At any time during testing, the system can be discharged with the aid of the second rotary means S2.
• the use of the remote control units FME is similar to that of the manual operating unit, but there is a choice of more commands.
• the remote control units it is possible, for example, to also inquire the system about the function at issue and receive a message in the loudspeaker or on the display. If the remote control unit FME is used, information is provided via its loudspeaker or its display about the function at issue, for example the function that does not pass the test, thus making it possible to take the required measures.
• Fig. 5 is a flow chart of the steps in a leakage test and a brake test.
• the computer program handling the brake test automatically starts when the compu ⁇ ter is switched on, which should always be in operation when the installation is in use.
• the program awaits an "Initiation of train No.:", whereupon the "Charging" command is awaited, after which the pressure is raised to 520 kPa in order to release any bra ⁇ kes applied, and then lowered to about 480 kPa, at which pressure the leakage test is performed.
• the program awaits a "Pressure stabi- lisation", whereupon a "Measurement” and an "Analysis” of possible leakage take place.
• a "Leakage test fail” the pro ⁇ gram turns to leakage test with initial "Pressure stabilisation”.
• the program awaits the "Brake ON” command, the pressure being lowered to 420 kPa with ensuing "Brake OFF", the pressure being raised to 480 kPa before a judgement of a "Brake test pass” or a "Brake test fail”.
• the program returns to await the "Brake ON” com ⁇ mand.
• the testing can be interrupted at any point of time by giving a "Discharge” command via the remote control unit FME or the manual operating unit, so that the system is vented as ear ⁇ lier described via the discharge valve.
• the program then returns to waiting position before "Initiation of train No.:"
• Program steps, pressure values, pressure intensities upon brake ap ⁇ plication/brake release, limit values for proofness etc. can be adapted to the specific requirements of the user.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Valves And Accessory Devices For Braking Systems (AREA)

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Cited By (9)

Families Citing this family (1)

Citations (4)

• 1992
  • 1992-10-02 SE SE9202874A patent/SE501958C2/sv not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1993
  • 1993-10-04 WO PCT/SE1993/000800 patent/WO1994007729A1/en active Application Filing
  • 1993-10-04 AU AU51239/93A patent/AU5123993A/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (4)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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