Park brake system adjustment tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10001159-B2
Application number	US-201615217502-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 22, 2016
Priority date	Jul 22, 2016
Publication date	Jun 19, 2018
Grant date	Jun 19, 2018

Abstract

Systems and methods for brake cable adjustment are disclosed herein. In this regard, a gage block tool for adjusting a brake cable may comprise a body comprising, a first member extending in a first direction, the first member having a first length and a first thickness, and a second member extending in a second direction, the second member having a second length and a second thickness. At least one of the first member or the second member may be sized and configured to be placed between a stop and a lever of a brake valve, the brake cable connected between the lever and a brake handle being properly adjusted when the gage block sandwiched between the lever and the stop contacts both the lever and the stop while the brake handle is in a park lock position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gage block tool for adjusting a brake cable comprising:
a body comprising:
a first member extending in a first direction, the first member having a first length and a first thickness; and
a second member extending in a second direction, the second member having a second length and a second thickness,
wherein at least one of the first member or the second member are sized and configured to be placed between a stop and a lever of a brake valve, the brake cable connected between the lever and a brake handle being properly adjusted when the gage block sandwiched between the lever and the stop contacts both the lever and the stop while the brake handle is in a park lock position.

2. The gage block tool of claim 1 , wherein the first member comprises a first inner surface and the second member comprises a second inner surface, the first inner surface being substantially perpendicular with respect to the second inner surface.

3. The gage block tool of claim 2 , wherein the first member comprises a first outer surface, the first outer surface being oriented at a first angle with respect to the first inner surface.

4. The gage block tool of claim 3 , wherein the second member comprises a second outer surface, the second outer surface being oriented at a second angle with respect to the second inner surface.

5. The gage block tool of claim 4 , wherein the first angle and the second angle are substantially equal.

6. The gage block tool of claim 3 , wherein the first angle comprises a value of between zero and five degrees.

7. The gage block tool of claim 3 , wherein the first angle comprises a value of between zero and three degrees.

8. The gage block tool of claim 3 , wherein the first angle comprises a value of between 1.8 and 2.0 degrees.

9. The gage block tool of claim 1 , wherein the first length is substantially equal to the second length.

10. The gage block tool of claim 1 , wherein the first thickness is substantially equal to the second thickness.

11. A system for brake adjustment comprising:
a brake valve having a lever and a stop;
a brake cable operatively coupled to the lever;
a brake handle; and
a gage block tool for adjusting the brake cable, comprising:
a first member extending in a first direction, the first member having a first length and a first thickness; and
a second member extending in a second direction, the second member having a second length and a second thickness,

wherein at least one of the first member or the second member are sized and configured to be placed between the stop and the lever of the brake valve, the brake cable connected between the lever, and the brake handle being properly adjusted in response to the gage block tool, sandwiched between the lever and the stop, contacting both the lever and the stop while the brake handle is in a park lock position.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the second direction.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first member or the second member are configured to be located between the lever and a positive stop of the brake valve during adjustment of the brake cable.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first surface is configured to contact the lever of the brake valve in response to the brake handle being moved to the park lock position.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first surface is configured to be parallel to a surface of the lever in response to the lever contacting the first surface.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first member comprises the first surface and an inner surface, the first surface being oriented at an angle with respect to the inner surface, the angle comprising a value of between zero and five degrees.

17. A method for adjusting a brake cable comprising:
placing a gage block between a stop and a lever of a brake valve;
moving a brake handle connected to the lever by a brake cable to a park lock position; and
adjusting the effective length of the brake cable such that the stop and the lever both contact the gage block,
wherein the adjusting the effective length of the brake cable is in response to at least one of:
the lever contacting the gage block before the brake handle has reached the park lock position, or
the brake valve lever not being in contact with the gage block in response to the brake handle being moved to the park lock position.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising removing the gage block from between the stop and the lever in response to the stop and the lever both contacting the gage block.

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• Swank John

Classifications

• B60T7/108 Primary

  with mechanisms to take up slack in the linkage to the brakes · CPC title

• F16C1/223 Primary

  by adjusting the effective length of the flexible member · CPC title

• G01B3/32

  Holders therefor · CPC title

• B60T17/221

  Procedure or apparatus for checking or keeping in a correct functioning condition of brake systems (hydraulic pressure systems in general F15B19/00, F15B21/04; testing structures or apparatus G01M) · CPC title