Patent ID: 9732876
Date: 2017-08-15
CPC Classifications: F16K,Y10T

Claim:
1. A retarder control valve assembly for slowing movement of rail cars, comprising: a manifold containing a plurality of pilot controlled cartridge valves retained in individual valve receiving cavities within the manifold, respectively, at least one of the valve receiving cavities being connected by at least one air supply passage to an air supply port for receiving pressurized air therethrough, and connected separately to a main air passage through the manifold connecting to at least one retarder port, the air supply port being connectable to a pressurized air supply, and the at least one retarder port being connectable to at least one retarder, the pilot controlled cartridge valve or the pilot controlled cartridge valves retained in the at least one of the valve receiving cavities, respectively, being configured to be controlled by a pilot signal to supply the pressurized air to the at least one retarder, and at least one other of the valve receiving cavities being connected to the main air passage and at least one exhaust port, the pilot controlled cartridge valve or pilot controlled cartridge valves retained in the at least one other of the valve receiving cavities, respectively, being configured to be controlled by a second pilot signal to exhaust the pressurized air from the at least one retarder; and at least one retainer connected to the manifold in covering relation to the valve receiving cavities and removable or openable to allow individually removing and replacing the pilot controlled cartridge valves with connections connecting the air supply port to the pressurized air supply and the at least one retarder port to the retarder remaining connected, a protective control box at a track side location and that is openable, the manifold being connected to but located substantially externally of the control box, and the at least one retainer being located within the control box so as to be removable or openable therein to allow individually removing and replacing the pilot controlled cartridge valves from within the control box.