Computer controlled brake retainer valve control system

Abstract

A computer controlled locomotive brake (CCB) configured for setting and releasing the retainer valves of the railcars of a train. The CCB may initially recharge the brake pipe to a pressure slightly less than the retainer valve release pressure. The CCB may then continue charging to this level until the brake pipe flow, measured at the CCB on the controlling locomotive and the brake pipe pressure on the last car, as measured by an end of train device, indicate that the pressure in the braking system reservoirs are substantively equal to the brake pipe pressure. Once the reservoirs are substantively charged, the CCB may complete the brake release and recharge by recharging the brake pipe pressure to its final charge so that all retainer valves are released and the train has sufficient braking system recharge to safely control movement of the train.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An automatic parking brake control system, comprising:
 a computer controlled brake for controlling an amount of pressure in a brake pipe that is interconnected to a pilot of an automatic parking brake that will latch a brake cylinder of a railcar when the pressure at the pilot is below a latch pressure and unlatch the brake cylinder when the pressure at the pilot is above an unlatch pressure;   wherein the computer controlled brake is programmed to cause the pressure in the brake pipe to charge to a first predetermined pressure that is below the unlatch pressure of the automatic parking brake, to wait for a command indicating a full charge of the brake pipe, and to cause the pressure in the brake pipe to charge to a second predetermined pressure in response to receipt of the command.   
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer controlled brake is programmed to determine whether the brake pipe has charged to the first predetermined pressure. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2 , wherein the computer controlled brake is programmed to provide a notification to a driver of the train after determining that the brake pipe has charged to the first predetermined pressure. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 3 , wherein the computer controlled brake is programmed to slow the rate at which the pressure in the brake pipe charges to the first predetermined pressure. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 4 , wherein the computer controlled brake is programmed to inhibit causing the pressure in the brake pipe to charge to the first predetermined pressure before charging to the second predetermined pressure if the difference between the pressure in the brake pipe at a first end of the train and the pressure in the brake pipe at an opposing end of the train is above a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer controlled brake is programmed to reduce the brake pipe pressure to a level that is below the latch pressure of the automatic parking brake but that is above zero. 
     
     
       7. A system for controlling the automatic parking brake of railcar of a train, comprising:
 at least one automatic parking brake that will latch a brake cylinder of the railcar when the pressure at the pilot is below a latch pressure and unlatch the brake cylinder when the pressure at the pilot is above a unlatch pressure;   a source of brake pipe pressure coupled to the pilot of the automatic parking brake; and   a computer controlled brake controlling the brake pipe pressure, wherein the computer controlled brake is programmed to cause the pressure in the brake pipe to charge to a first predetermined pressure that is below the unlatch pressure of the automatic parking brake, to wait for a command indicating a full charge of the brake pipe is desired, and to cause the pressure in the brake pipe to charge to a second predetermined pressure that is above the unlatch pressure of the automatic parking brake in response to receipt of the command.   
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , further comprising an end of train device interconnected to the computer controlled brake for providing the brake pipe pressure at a remote end of the train. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the computer controlled brake is programmed to determine whether the brake pipe has charged to the first predetermined pressure based at least in part on the brake pressure at the end of train. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a driver display interconnected to the computer controlled brake, wherein the computer controlled brake is programmed to provide a notification to a driver of the train using the driver display when the brake pipe has changed to the first predetermined pressure or to notify the driver if the automatic parking brake is insufficient to hold the train. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the computer controlled brake is programmed to slow the rate at which the pressure in the brake pipe charges to the first predetermined pressure. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the computer controlled brake is programmed to determined whether the difference between the brake pipe pressure at the front of the train and the brake pipe pressure at the remote end of the train is above a predetermined threshold and, if so, inhibit causing the pressure in the brake pipe to charge to the first predetermined pressure before charging to the second predetermined pressure. 
     
     
       13. A method of controlling an automatic parking brake, comprising the steps of:
 providing a parking brake control module as part of a computer controlled brake that controls the brake pipe pressure of a train having at least one automatic parking brake that will latch a brake cylinder of the railcar when the pressure at the pilot is below a latch pressure and unlatch the brake cylinder when the pressure at the pilot is above a unlatch pressure;   causing the pressure in the brake pipe to charge to a first predetermined pressure that is below the unlatch pressure of the automatic parking brake;   waiting for a command indicating a full charge of the brake pipe is desired after charging to the first predetermined pressure; and   causing the pressure in the brake pipe to charge to a second predetermined pressure that is above the unlatch pressure of the automatic parking brake in response to receipt of the command.   
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of checking whether the pressure in the brake pipe has charged to the first predetermined pressure and continuing to charge if the brake pipe has not charged to the first predetermined pressure. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of inhibiting the step of waiting for a command indicating a full charge of the brake pipe is desired after charging to the first predetermined pressure if the difference between the brake pipe pressure at the front of the train and the brake pipe pressure at the near of the train exceeds a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
       16. An automatic release valve control system, comprising:
 a computer controlled brake for controlling an amount of pressure in a brake pipe that is interconnected to a pilot of a release valve that will bottle brake cylinder pressure in a brake cylinder of a railcar when the brake pipe pressure at the pilot is below a bottle pressure and release brake cylinder pressure from the brake cylinder when the brake pipe pressure at the pilot is above a release pressure;   wherein the computer controlled brake is programmed to cause the brake pipe pressure in the brake pipe to charge to a first predetermined pressure that is below the release pressure of the retainer valve, to wait for a command indicating a full charge of the brake pipe, and to cause the brake pipe pressure in the brake pipe to charge to a second predetermined pressure in response to receipt of the command.    
     
     
       17. The system of claim 16, wherein the computer controlled brake is programmed to determine whether the brake pipe has charged to the first predetermined pressure.  
     
     
       18. The system of claim 17, wherein the computer controlled brake is programmed to provide a notification to a driver of the train after determining that the brake pipe has charged to the first predetermined pressure.  
     
     
       19. The system of claim 18, wherein the computer controlled brake is programmed to slow the rate at which the brake pipe pressure in the brake pipe charges to the first predetermined pressure.  
     
     
       20. The system of claim 19, wherein the computer controlled brake is programmed to inhibit causing the brake pipe pressure in the brake pipe to charge to the first predetermined pressure before charging to the second predetermined pressure if the difference between the brake pipe pressure in the brake pipe at a first end of the train and the brake pipe pressure in the brake pipe at an opposing end of the train is above a predetermined threshold.  
     
     
       21. The system of claim 16, wherein the computer controlled brake is programmed to reduce the brake pipe pressure to a level that is below the bottle pressure of the retainer valve but that is above zero.  
     
     
       22. A system for controlling the retainer valve of railcar of a train, comprising:
 at least one release valve that will bottle brake cylinder pressure in a brake cylinder of the railcar when the pressure at a pilot is below a bottle pressure and release the brake cylinder pressure from the brake cylinder when the pressure at the pilot is above a release pressure;   a source of brake pipe pressure coupled to the pilot of the retainer valve; and   a computer controlled brake controlling the brake pipe pressure, wherein the computer controlled brake is programmed to cause the pressure in the brake pipe to charge to a first predetermined pressure that is below the release pressure of the retainer valve, to wait for a command indicating a full charge of the brake pipe is desired, and to cause the pressure in the brake pipe to charge to a second predetermined pressure that is above the release pressure of the release valve in response to receipt of the command.    
     
     
       23. The system of claim 22, further comprising an end of train device interconnected to the computer controlled brake for providing the brake pipe pressure at a remote end of the train.  
     
     
       24. The system of claim 23, wherein the computer controlled brake is programmed to determine whether the brake pipe has charged to the first predetermined pressure based at least in part on the brake pipe pressure at the end of train.  
     
     
       25. The system of claim 24, further comprising a driver display interconnected to the computer controlled brake, wherein the computer controlled brake is programmed to provide a notification to a driver of the train using the driver display when the brake pipe has charged to the first predetermined pressure or to notify the driver if the brake cylinder that is bottled by the retainer valve is insufficient to hold the train.  
     
     
       26. The system of claim 25, wherein the computer controlled brake is programmed to slow the rate at which the pressure in the brake pipe charges to the first predetermined pressure.  
     
     
       27. The system of claim 26, wherein the computer controlled brake is programmed to determine whether the difference between the brake pipe pressure at the front of the train and the brake pipe pressure at the remote end of the train is above a predetermined threshold and, if so, inhibit causing the pressure in the brake pipe to charge to the first predetermined pressure before charging to the second predetermined pressure.  
     
     
       28. A method of controlling a release valve, comprising the steps of:
 providing a retainer valve control module as part of a computer controlled brake that controls the brake pipe pressure of a train having at least one retainer valve that will bottle brake cylinder pressure in a brake cylinder of the railcar when pressure at a pilot of the retainer valve is below a bottle pressure and release brake cylinder pressure from the brake cylinder when pressure at the pilot is above a release pressure;   causing the pressure in the brake pipe to charge to a first predetermined pressure that is below the release pressure of the retainer valve;   waiting for a command indicating a full charge of the brake pipe is desired after charging to the first predetermined pressure; and   causing the pressure in the brake pipe to charge to a second predetermined pressure that is above the release pressure of the retainer valve in response to receipt of the command.    
     
     
       29. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of checking whether the pressure in the brake pipe has charged to the first predetermined pressure and continuing to charge if the brake pipe has not charged to the first predetermined pressure.  
     
     
       30. The method of claim 29, further comprising the step of inhibiting the step of waiting for a command indicating a full charge of the brake pipe is desired after charging to the first predetermined pressure if the difference between the brake pipe pressure at the front of the train and the brake pipe pressure at the rear of the train exceeds a predetermined threshold.