EMPTY AND LOAD VALVE FOR A RAILROAD CAR BRAKE SYSTEM

摘要

An empty and load valve for a railroad car brake system is mounted on the bolster of a truck and has a sensing arm engageable with a side frame of the truck. An empty and load device is mounted on each intermediate truck of an articulated car. The device has a valve body with a manifold and an equalizing reservoir attached thereto. A first air passage extends through the valve body and a second air passage extends in the valve body from the first air passage to the equalizing reservoir. A piston assembly is reciprocable in the first air passage to open and close the passage and thereby proportion the available air supply. A plunger is movable in the valve body in response to the sensing arm to disable the piston assembly when a loaded condition is sensed. The plunger also allows a valve in the second air passage to close when a loaded condition is sensed so that all of the available air supply is supplied to the brake actuator.