Universal venting arrangement for a railway vehicle brake cylinder

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9676380-B2
Application number	US-55969409-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 15, 2009
Priority date	Sep 18, 2008
Publication date	Jun 13, 2017
Grant date	Jun 13, 2017

Abstract

The brake cylinder comprises a cylinder body comprising an annular flange and a non-pressure head. The annular flange of the cylinder body defines a plurality of openings. The non-pressure head has an annular flange and a head portion extending from the annular flange. The annular flange of the non-pressure head has a plurality of bosses and a plurality of openings corresponding to and aligned with the plurality of openings in the annular flange of the cylinder body. At least one vent is positioned in one of the plurality of bosses. The cylinder body and the non-pressure head are secured to each other at the respective flanges. The vent is positioned in the boss disposed opposite a mounting portion so that when the brake cylinder is mounted to a railway vehicle, the vent is oriented in a bottom position on the cylinder body with respect to a ground surface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A brake cylinder, comprising:
a cylinder body comprising an annular flange, the cylinder body including a mounting portion positioned on an outer surface of the cylinder body for securing the brake cylinder to a railway vehicle, the mounting portion having at least first and second mounting orientations, the first orientation of the mounting portion being rotated relative to the second orientation of the mounting portion;
a non-pressure head comprising an annular flange and a head portion extending from the annular flange, the annular flange of the non-pressure head comprising a plurality of bosses, the plurality of bosses are equally spaced relative to each other and define a plurality of openings; and
at least one vent positioned in one of the plurality of openings of the plurality of bosses,
wherein the cylinder body and the non-pressure head are secured to each other at the respective annular flanges, and
wherein the plurality of openings comprises at least first and second openings, the first opening oriented in a generally bottom position on the cylinder body with respect to a ground surface when the mounting portion has the first mounting orientation, the second opening oriented in a generally bottom position on the cylinder body with respect to a ground surface when the mounting portion has the second mounting orientation.

2. A brake cylinder as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one vent is secured in one of the plurality of bosses through an interference fit.

3. A brake cylinder as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the mounting portion comprises a pair of generally parallel mounting feet.

4. A brake cylinder as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the annular flange of the non-pressure head has four equally spaced bosses.

5. A brake cylinder as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the plurality of bosses is cold-forming in the annular flange of the non-pressure head.

6. A brake cylinder as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the at least one vent is secured in one of the plurality of bosses through an interference fit.

7. A brake cylinder as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the at least one vent includes a strainer.

8. A method of installing a brake cylinder on a railway vehicle, comprising the steps of:
providing a brake cylinder comprising:
a cylinder body comprising an annular flange, the cylinder body including a mounting portion positioned on an outer surface of the cylinder body for securing the brake cylinder to a railway vehicle; and
a non-pressure head comprising an annular flange and a head portion extending from the annular flange, the annular flange of the non-pressure head comprising a plurality of bosses, the plurality of bosses are equally spaced relative to each other and define a plurality of openings;

securing the cylinder body and the non-pressure head together at the respective annular flanges using mechanical fasteners;
positioning at least one vent in one of the plurality of openings of the plurality of bosses;
securing the mounting portion to a railway vehicle such that at least one of the plurality of bosses is oriented in a bottom position of the cylinder body with respect to a ground surface, wherein the mounting portion has at least first and second mounting orientations, the first orientation of the mounting portion being rotated relative to the second orientation of the mounting portion.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the at least one vent is secured in one of the plurality of bosses through an interference fit.

10. A method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the mounting portion comprises a pair of mounting feet.

11. A brake cylinder, comprising:
a cylinder body comprising an annular flange, the cylinder body including a mounting portion positioned on an outer surface of the cylinder body for securing the brake cylinder to a railway vehicle;
a non-pressure head comprising an annular flange and a head portion extending from the annular flange, the cylinder body and the non-pressure head are secured to each other at the respective annular flanges, the annular flange of the non-pressure head defining a plurality of openings, each of the plurality of openings are configured to receive a vent and a strainer,
wherein the mounting portion of the cylinder body has at least first and second mounting orientations, the first orientation of the mounting portion being rotated relative to the second orientation of the mounting portion, wherein the plurality of openings comprises at least first and second openings, the first opening oriented in a generally bottom position on the cylinder body with respect to a ground surface when the mounting portion has the first mounting orientation, the second opening oriented in a generally bottom position on the cylinder body with respect to a ground surface when the mounting portion has the second mounting orientation, and wherein at least one of the plurality of openings is configured to expel fluid from a bottom of the cylinder body for each of the plurality of mounting orientations.

12. A brake cylinder as claimed in claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of bosses surrounding each of the plurality of openings.

13. A brake cylinder as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the plurality of openings are equally spaced relative to each other.

14. A brake cylinder as claimed in claim 11 , further comprising at least one vent positioned in one of the plurality of openings.

15. A brake cylinder as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the mounting portion comprises a pair of generally parallel mounting feet.

16. A brake cylinder as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the annular flange of the non-pressure head has four equally spaced openings.

Assignees

• Andrews Lawrence James
• Krampitz Mark S
• Sich Gary M
• Wabtec Holding Corp

Inventors

• Andrews Lawrence James
• Krampitz Mark S
• Sich Gary M

Classifications

• F16D65/28

  arranged apart from the brake · CPC title

• F16D2121/02

  Fluid pressure · CPC title

• B60T17/004

  Draining and drying devices · CPC title

• B60T17/221 Primary

  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

• B60T17/08

  Brake cylinders other than ultimate actuators (with built-in wear-compensating mechanisms, ultimate actuators F16D) · CPC title