Abstract:
A brake system includes a brake cylinder having a piston rod and a brake lever connecting the piston rod to a brake beam and a slack adjuster. An actuating lever is connected to the brake beam and the brake cylinder. A trigger of the slack adjuster is connected to the actuating lever. The actuating lever is pivotally and rotationally connected to the brake beam and swivelably connected to the brake cylinder. Also, a piston stoke indictor including an indicia positioned on a support structure of a brake cylinder to be adjacent the end of a portion of a brake piston at its extended position.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates generally to bolster mounted brakes and, more specifically, to a slack adjuster trigger for bolster mounted brakes and piston stroke indicator. 
         [0002]    Brake systems for a rail car, for example, freight cars, include one or more brake beams to which the brake shoes are mounted and which is moved by an air operated brake cylinder. The brake cylinder is connected to the brake beams via various rods and levers. A slack adjuster is provided in the rods and levers systems to adjust for wear of the brake shoes. The slack adjuster has an actuator which is operated when necessary to allow slack adjustment. 
         [0003]    Some braking systems mount the brake cylinder to the bolster or truck of a car. A typical example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,876 and a portion of which is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The reference numbers in  FIG. 1  correspond to the numbers in the aforementioned patent and reference is made thereto for further details of the complete system. 
         [0004]    The present brake system includes a brake cylinder having a piston rod and a brake lever connecting the piston rod to a brake beam and a slack adjuster. An actuating lever is connected to the brake beam and the brake cylinder. A trigger of the slack adjuster is connected to the actuating lever. The actuating lever is pivotally and rotationally connected to the brake beam and swivelably connected to the brake cylinder. 
         [0005]    A spherical bearing swivelably connects the actuating lever and the brake cylinder. The pivotally connection of the actuating lever and the brake beam includes two orthogonal axes. A support rod for supporting the brake level is removably mounted to the brake cylinder and a brake cylinder mounting structure. 
         [0006]    A piston stroke indictor includes an indicia positioned on the support structure of the brake cylinder to be adjacent the end of a portion of the piston at its extended position to indicate the piston stroke range. The width of the indicia represents the piston stroke range. 
         [0007]    These and other aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of the disclosure, when considered in conjunction with accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a portion of a bolster mounted brake system of the prior art. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a portion of a first embodiment of a bolster mounted brake system of the present disclosure. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a portion of a second embodiment of a bolster mounted brake system of the present disclosure. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the brake cylinder of  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0012]      FIG. 1  illustrates a portion of a bolster mounted brake system of the prior which is shown and described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,876. The reference numbers in that patent are used for ease of reference and a complete understanding of the operation of the brake system. Any new reference number will be in the 100&#39;s. 
         [0013]    A brake system includes a bolster  1  connected by side frames to an axel  6  which includes a wheel  9 . A brake beam  12 , carrying brake shoes (not shown), moves relative to the wheels to apply the brakes. A brake cylinder  64  is mounted by plate  63  to a support structure  62  which is connected to mounting plate  61 . Plate  61  is mounted to the bolster  1 . A pin  68  connects the piston rod yoke  67  to the brake lever  18 . The other end of brake lever  18  is mounted to brake strut  28  of the brake beam  12  by pin  29 . A support rod  106  for supporting the brake lever  18  is welded to the brake cylinder  64  and the mounting plate  61 . 
         [0014]    A slack adjuster  19 , which is connected to the other brake beam (not shown), is connected to the brake lever  18  by a pin  32  through yoke  31  of the slack adjuster  19 . The slack adjuster  19  includes a trigger bolt  100  adjustably positioned with respect to the slack adjuster trigger  102  by nuts  104 . The other end of the trigger bolt  100  is connected to the actuating lever  53  by a bolt  54  through clevis  52 . 
         [0015]    The pin  29 , which mounts on the brake lever  18  to the strut  28 , also mounts one end of the actuating lever  53  of the trigger to the strut  28 . Actuating lever  53  pivots about to the pin  29  as the brake beam  12  is moved relative to the brake cylinder  64 . The other end of the actuating lever  53  is limited by guide  55  which acts as a stop. This end also is connected to the plate  63  of the cylinder  64  by a chain  57 . 
         [0016]    The operation of the brake system and the slack adjuster are well known and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,876. Thus, detailed explanation will not be provided herein. 
         [0017]    The bolster mounted brake system of the present disclosure is designed to reduce the number of parts, cost and installation time and increase longevity by reducing the wear and tear of the parts. 
         [0018]      FIG. 2  describes a variation on the actuating lever  53  for the slack adjuster trigger  102  of  FIG. 1 . This structure reduces the number of parts, wear and tear and is easier to assemble and install. The J shaped actuating lever  53  of  FIG. 1  is replaced by an actuating lever  110  shown as a rod. The trigger bolt  100  is received directly into an aperture in the rod  110 . A clevis  52  and pin  54  are not needed. If desired, the clevis  52  may also be used, as shown in  FIG. 3 , and would not affect the operation to be described. 
         [0019]    The first end of the actuator lever  110  is pivotally received on a U shaped bent rod  118  and held thereto by cotter pin  120 . The U shaped rod  118  is welded onto the pin  29  which secures the brake lever  18  to the strut  28 . A combination of the bent rod  118  and the pin  29  offers two axes of rotation for the rod  110 . Rotation of pin  29  allows rotation about a vertical axis while the bent rod  118  offers an orthogonal horizontal axis of rotation for that end of the trigger actuator rod  110 . 
         [0020]    The other end of the trigger actuating lever  110  is received in a spherical bearing  112  in bracket  114  which is part of or welded on to the support structure  62  for the brake cylinder  64 . This spherical bearing provides a swivel or omni-degree of pivotal movement with respect to the brake cylinder  64 . 
         [0021]    These particular connections of the trigger actuator  100  reduces the amount of strain and stress upon the system in that both ends have multiple directions of movement or adjustment during the application and release of the brakes. 
         [0022]      FIG. 3  shows a variation on the actuator lever  110 . The trigger bolt  100  is connected to the rod  110  by clevis  52  and pin  54 . Also, the U shaped rod  118  welded onto the bolt  29  is replaced by a clevis  122 , pin  124  and cotter pin  126 . The clevis is welded to or part of the pin  29 . 
         [0023]    The assembly of the mechanism for the slack adjuster trigger begins after the connection of the link  18  to the piston rod yoke  67  by pin  68 , to the slack adjuster  19  by pin  32  and to the brake beam strut  28  by pin  29 . In the prior art of  FIG. 1 , the pin  29  is part of the connection of the actuating lever  53 . Next the actuating rod  110  is inserted into spherical bearing  112 . The other end of actuating rod  110  is connected to the rod  118  or clevis  122 . The trigger bolt  100  is connected to the actuating rod  110  and the trigger  102  and adjusted by nuts  104 . 
         [0024]    Also shown in detail in  FIG. 3  is the support rod  106  for the brake lever  18 . The support rod  106  extends from the back of and through a hole in the mounting plate  61  into a hole in the head of the brake cylinder  61 . The support rod  106  is held in place and removably mounted to the brake cylinder  64  and the mounting plate  61  by cotter pins  108 . This allows the support rod  106  to be easily replaced by first disconnecting the mounting plate  61  from the bolster  1  and then removal of the of the cotter pins  108  if the support rod  106  shows excessive wear. 
         [0025]    Details of the piston stroke indicator are shown in  FIG. 4 . A piston stroke indicator includes an indicia  130  is on the piston support structure  62 . It may be part of the casting of the support structure  62  or separate and then secured thereto. The width of the indicia  130  indicates the acceptable range of the piston stroke. The nuts  104  of the slack adjuster trigger are adjusted until the end of a portion of the piston in the brake applied piston is adjacent the center  132  of the indicia  130 . In  FIG. 4 , the piston guide  134  is aligned with the center  132  of the indicia  130 . Other movable part of the piston, for example the piston rod not shown in  FIG. 4 , may be used for alignment. As an example, for a stroke of 2¾ inches, the range of width of the indicia would be 1 inch representing a variance of ½ inch. 
         [0026]    Although the present disclosure had been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that this is done by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation. The scope of the present disclosure is to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims.