Patent ID: 7559411

Claim:
A brake mechanism for actuating a brake rigging of a railway car, said brake mechanism comprising: a. a housing; b. a handle mechanism coupled to said housing having, (i) a first handle, (ii) a first shaft rotatably received in said first handle and said housing, (iii) a first ratchet wheel rotationally fixed to said first shaft, and (iv) a first pawl coupled to said first handle and in operative engagement with said first ratchet wheel, where said first pawl is biased into engagement with said first ratchet wheel to rotationally fix said first ratchet wheel to said first handle in a first direction while allowing said first handle to rotate with respect to said first shaft in an opposite second direction, c. a quick release mechanism mounted in said housing and in operative engagement with said first shaft, said quick release mechanism having, (i) a second handle rotatably coupled to said housing, (ii) a second ratchet wheel rotationally fixed to said first shaft, and (iii) a second pawl rotatably coupled to said housing and in operative engagement with said first and said second handles, said second pawl moveable between a first engaged position with said second ratchet wheel and a second disengaged position, and d. a chain drum mechanism having, (i) a second shaft, (ii) a first gear connected to the railway car brake rigging, (iii) a second gear rotatably mounted on said second shaft and in operative engagement with said first shaft, and (iv) a clutch mounted on said second shaft intermediate said first gear and said second gear, wherein said clutch is moveable between a first position in which said first gear is rotationally coupled to said second gear, and a second position in which said first gear rotates with respect to said second gear.