Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
181 words
For use in a railway train, a brake control system for providing load-adaptive braking on each car of the train in accordance with the respective load condition of each car and an electric brake command signal effective at a single one of the cars comprising: (a) a fluid pressure operable brake cylinder device on each said car; (b) means associated with said single one of the cars for converting the electric brake command signal thereat to a corresponding fluid pressure brake command signal; (c) a source of fluid pressure; (d) a fluid pressure regulator device having an input connected to said source of fluid pressure and an output connected to said converting means for supplying thereto a predetermined level of fluid pressure, whereby said fluid pressure brake command signal is limited to a maximum value corresponding to said predetermined level of supply fluid pressure; and (e) means associated with each car for pressurizing said brake cylinder device thereof in accordance with said fluid pressure brake command signal and the respective car load condition to provide said load-adaptive braking on each car.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
181 words
For use in a railway train, a brake control system for providing load-adaptive braking on each car of the train in accordance with the respective load condition of each car and an electric brake command signal effective at a single one of the cars comprising: (a) a fluid pressure operable brake cylinder device on each said car; (b) means associated with said single one of the cars for converting the electric brake command signal thereat to a corresponding fluid pressure brake command signal; (c) a source of fluid pressure; (d) a fluid pressure regulator device having an input connected to said source of fluid pressure and an output connected to said converting means for supplying thereto a predetermined level of fluid pressure, whereby said fluid pressure brake command signal is limited to a maximum value corresponding to said predetermined level of supply fluid pressure; and (e) means associated with each car for pressurizing said brake cylinder device thereof in accordance with said fluid pressure brake command signal and the respective car load condition to provide said load-adaptive braking on each car.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
147 words
A brake control system as recited in claim 1, wherein: (a) said electric brake command is in the form of a digital binary code signal; and (b) said means for converting said electric brake command signal to a fluid pressure brake command signal comprises: (i) a plurality of electro-pneumatic valves subject to said digital binary code signal, each said electro-pneumatic valve having an output and producing a signal at said output by the presence or absence of fluid pressure thereat in accordance with the digital condition of said binary signal at the respective electro-pneumatic valve; and (ii) a first relay valve device having a multi-diaphragm piston assembly subject to said signals at the outputs of said electro-pneumatic valves, an input connected to said source of fluid pressure and an output providing said fluid pressure brake command in accordance with the force exerted by said multi-diaphragm piston assembly.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
73 words
A brake control system as recited in claim 2, wherein said brake cylinder pressurizing means comprises a second relay valve device having a first input connected to said pressure source, a second input connected to the output of said first relay valve device, a third input subject to a pressure representative of the respective car load condition, and an output connected to said brake cylinder device thereof to provide said load-adaptive brake pressure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
A brake control system as recited in claim 3, wherein said second relay valve comprises means operative responsive to said load condition pressure at said third input thereof for amplifying said brake command signal as the car load condition increases.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
A brake control system as recited in claim 1 or 4, wherein said maximum value of said fluid pressure brake command signal represents a predetermined maximum brake level for an empty car.