Patent ID: 7878309

Claim:
A brake mechanism for connecting to a brake rigging of a railway car, said brake mechanism comprising: a. a housing; b. a first handle; c. a first shaft mounted in said housing and coupled to said first handle, said first shaft having at least one gear rotatably received thereon; d. a second gear rotatably mounted in said housing in operative engagement with said first shaft; e. a locking mechanism mounted in said housing and in operative engagement with said at least one gear, said locking mechanism comprising (i) a second shaft mounted in said housing, (ii) a second handle rotationally fixed to said second shaft such that rotation of said second handle causes said second shaft to rotate, (iii) a first pawl rotatably received on said second shaft and in operative engagement with said at least one gear, and (iv) a second pawl having a first portion and a second portion, said first portion being in operative engagement with said first pawl, and f. a clutch operatively disposed between said first handle and said second gear, said clutch being in operative engagement with said second pawl second portion, wherein said clutch is moveable between a first position in which said first shaft is rotationally coupled to said at least one gear and said second gear, and a second position in which said second gear rotates with respect to said first shaft.