Patent ID: 6971488
Filing Date: 2005-12-06
Classification: B61H

Abstract:
1. A brake rigging for a railway vehicle, said brake rigging comprising: (a) a first brake beam disposed in a substantially horizontal plane between a first vertically disposed side of a truck bolster having each end thereof disposed intermediate each end of a respective one of a pair of side frames of a railway vehicle truck and a first wheel and axle set disposed closely adjacent one end of such pair of side frames forming a portion of such railway vehicle truck at least partially supporting one end of such railway vehicle; (b) a brake shoe assembly disposed closely adjacent each respective end of said first brake beam; (c) means engageable with each said brake shoe assembly disposed closely adjacent a respective end of said first brake beam for securing a brake shoe thereon to be brought into frictional engagement with a respective confronting wheel of such first wheel and axle set during a brake application; (d) a second brake beam disposed in a substantially horizontal plane between a radially opposed and vertically disposed second side of such truck bolster and a second wheel and axle set disposed closely adjacent a radially opposed second end of such pair of side frames forming a remaining portion of such railway vehicle truck supporting such one end of such railway vehicle; (e) a brake shoe assembly disposed closely adjacent each respective end of said second brake beam; (f) means engageable with each said brake shoe assembly disposed closely adjacent said respective end of said second brake beam for securing a brake shoe thereon to be brought into frictional engagement with a respective confronting wheel of said second wheel and axle set during such brake application; (g) a first force transfer means pivotally connected at a predetermined point disposed intermediate a first end and a radially opposed second end of said first force transfer means to one of said first brake beam and said second brake beam for transferring a force applied thereto in order to assist in moving a brake shoe carried by a respective said brake shoe assembly disposed closely adjacent said each end of said one of said first brake beam and said second brake beam into frictional engagement with such respective confronting wheel of an associated one of such first wheel and axle set and such second wheel and axle set during a brake application; (h) a second force transfer means pivotally connected at a predetermined point intermediate a first end and a second end of said second force transfer means to an opposite one of said first brake beam and said second brake beam for transferring a force applied thereto in order to assist in moving such brake shoes carried closely adjacent each end of said opposite one of said one of said first brake beam and said second brake beam into frictional engagement with such respective confronting wheel of an associated one of such first wheel and axle set and such second wheel and axle set during a brake application; (i) a first force transmitting means engageable with one of said first brake beam, said second brake beam and a vertical predetermined side wall portion of such bolster member, said first force transmitting means including a first rod like member having a first end thereof connected to one predetermined end of one of said first force transfer means and said second force transfer means, said first force transmitting means further including a second rod like member having a first end thereof connected to one predetermined end of an opposite one of said one of said first force transfer means and said second force transfer means, at least one of said first rod like member and said second rod like member being extendable and passing through a first opening formed through such vertical predetermined side wall portion of such bolster member and a radially opposed first opening formed through a radially opposed vertical side wall of such bolster and having a second end thereof connected to a first side of a piston like member, said first force transmitting means further including a means for exerting fluid pressure on a radially opposed second side of said piston like member thereby extending said at least one of said first rod like member and said second rod like member and effecting rotation of said one of said first force transfer means and said second force transfer means; (j) an adjustable length second force transmitting means disposed through a second opening formed through such vertical predetermined side wall portion of such bolster member and a radially opposed second opening formed through such radially opposed vertical side wall of such bolster, one end of said adjustable length second force transmitting means connected to a second end of said one of said first force transfer means and said second force transfer means and another end of said adjustable length second force transmitting means connected to a second end of an opposite one of said first force transfer means and said second force transfer means; and (k) a means engageable with said adjustable length second force transmitting means and a predetermined portion of said brake rigging for effecting a change in a length of said adjustable length second force transmitting means as necessary due to at least one of wear of brake shoes attached to said brake shoe assembly disposed closely adjacent each end of each of said first brake beam and said second brake beam and loss of a brake shoe from at least one brake shoe assembly.