Patent ID: 8172045

Claim:
A brake mechanism for connecting to the 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 first shaft at least one gear, said locking mechanism comprising (i) a second shaft mounted in said housing, (ii) a first pawl rotatably received on said second shaft and in operative engagement with said first shaft at least one gear, (iii) 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 first and said second gears, and a second position in which said second gear rotates with respect to said first shaft; g. a remotely operated quick release mechanism operatively coupled to said housing, said remotely operated quick release mechanism having a first end operatively coupled to a power source and an opposite second end operatively coupled to said clutch so as to move said clutch from said clutch first position into said clutch second position, said opposite second end including a lever having a first end and a second end, said lever being connected to said housing at a pivot point disposed between said lever first and second ends; and h. a bell crank mounted in said housing intermediate said clutch and said remotely operated quick release mechanism, wherein said lever second end is in sliding engagement with said bell crank such that said lever second end slides along a portion of said bell crank as said clutch is moved from said first position into said second position.