Patent ID: 7156471

Claim:
An apparatus engageable with a hand brake assembly for automatically applying at least one brake means secured to a railway vehicle with such hand brake assembly, said apparatus comprising: (a) a two-stage operating means having at least a portion thereof engageable with at least one gear of a gear assembly disposed in a housing member of such hand brake assembly for operating upon supply of a predetermined pressure such gear assembly in a direction witch will cause an application of such at least one brake means, wherein said operating means is operable in a first stage to generate a low force causing an initial brake application which requires said low force to partially wind up a chain of such hand brake assembly and in a second stage to generate a high force causing a final brake application which requires said high force to apply such at least one brake means; (b) a source of fluid pressure connected to said operating means for periodically supplying said predetermined pressure to said operating means at least sufficient to cause such application of such at least one brake means; and (c) a means connected to said source of fluid pressure for initiating said supply of said predetermined pressure to said operating means thereby causing an automatic application of such at least one brake means by such hand brake assembly.