Railway Car Brake Chain Locator with Marker Sensor

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing railcar brake systems face challenges in detecting if the handbrake is fully released, leading to wheel damage due to unreleased brakes, and existing solutions lack an automated brake release mechanism.

Innovation Solution

A chain locator system that includes a marker and sensor to detect the state of the railway car brake system, using a chain coupled between the braking mechanism and the railway car, with a sensor bracket and stop block to ensure the brake is fully released, allowing for automated detection and release.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual brake release systems are used, then the brake system can be operated, but it is difficult to detect if the brake system is actually fully released

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebrake release detection accuracyVSAvoiddetection system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A marker is introduced as an intermediary element attached to the chain, which mediates between the chain's movement and the sensor's detection capability. The marker provides a clear, detectable signal that indicates chain position without requiring complex sensing mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The manual visual inspection method is replaced with an automated sensor-based detection system. The sensor electronically detects the marker's position, substituting human judgment with automated electronic detection for more precise and reliable brake release verification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Extent of automation

If existing sensing systems are added to detect brake release, then detection capability is improved, but they fail to provide an automated brake release solution

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebrake release automationVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor provides continuous feedback about the chain's position by detecting the marker's location. This feedback mechanism enables the system to automatically determine when the brake is fully released, triggering the release action without human intervention while maintaining manageable system complexity through simple binary detection states.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If the handbrake is left in the applied position and the railway car is pulled, then the wheel will not rotate, but this causes flat spots to form on the wheel

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebrake release reliabilityVSAvoidwheel damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor detects the marker's position in advance to verify brake release status before the railway car is pulled. This preliminary detection prevents the harmful situation of pulling with brakes applied by providing advance verification that the brake is properly released, eliminating wheel damage before it occurs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS8857573B2Chain locator

Publication Date: 2014.10.14 AMSTED RAIL CO INC

AI summary

A brake mechanism having a chain locator comprises a chain coupled between a braking mechanism and a railway car brake system, a marker is releasably secured to the chain, and a sensor is coupled to the railway car proximate the chain for detecting the state of the railway car brake system. The chain is moveable between a first position in which the marker is not sensed by the sensor, and a second position in which the sensor detects the marker.