The present invention includes a braking system for a railway car generally including a brake cylinder having a cylinder rod. The cylinder rod is in mechanical communication with a lever transfer assembly and is configured to articulate said lever transfer assembly. The lever transfer assembly may be rotatably connected to a first brake assembly and connected to a rear brake assembly through respective connection rods. Actuating the lever transfer assembly with the cylinder rod generates a divergent braking force between the first and second brake assemblies for slowing and/or stopping the railway car.

Various systems and methods for braking a vehicle are provided. In one embodiment, a brake assembly is provided that includes a lever attachment interface pivotally coupled with two degrees of freedom to a joint between a first lever and a second lever and a brake cylinder coupled to the first lever and designed to engage and disengage a brake lining in a brake component. The brake cylinder includes a slack adjuster configured to adjust a throw of the second lever.

Various systems and methods for braking a vehicle are provided. In one embodiment, a brake assembly is provided that includes a lever attachment interface pivotally coupled with two degrees of freedom to a joint between a first lever and a second lever and a brake cylinder coupled to the first lever and designed to engage and disengage a brake lining in a brake component. The brake cylinder includes a slack adjuster configured to adjust a throw of the second lever.

A slip-and-skid determining device includes an axle speed decider, a reference axle speed decider, and a determiner. The axle speed decider decides, for each of a plurality of axles, an axle speed changeable based on a rotational speed of a wheel. The reference axle speed decider decides, based on the axle speed and a physical quantity changeable during travel of a railway vehicle, a reference axle speed in the vehicle. The determiner determines, based on comparison between the axle speed and the reference axle speed, whether any slip or skid of the wheel occurs.

A slip-and-skid determining device includes an axle speed decider, a reference axle speed decider, and a determiner. The axle speed decider decides, for each of a plurality of axles, an axle speed changeable based on a rotational speed of a wheel. The reference axle speed decider decides, based on the axle speed and a physical quantity changeable during travel of a railway vehicle, a reference axle speed in the vehicle. The determiner determines, based on comparison between the axle speed and the reference axle speed, whether any slip or skid of the wheel occurs.

The invention relates to electronic braking indication systems for at least one vehicle, which systems comprise at least one electromechanical actuator (202) arranged to apply a braking force (F). In one aspect the invention relates to an electronic braking indication system comprising at least one force sensor means (204) arranged to measure the applied braking force (F), at least one electronic visual signaling device (206), comprising at least one first and one second electronic light source (208, 210), and at least one control means (212) arranged to receive the measured value of the braking force (F) and: a) switch on the first electronic light source (208) when the value of the braking force (F) is lower than a first threshold (THRESHOLD 1); b) switch on the second electronic light source (210) when the value of the braking force (F) is greater than the first threshold (THRESHOLD 1). In another aspect the invention relates to an electronic braking indication system comprising at least one force sensor means (204) arranged to measure the applied braking force (F), at least one electronic visual signaling device (206), comprising at least one first and one second electronic light source (208, 210), and at least one control means (212) arranged to receive the measured value of the braking force (F) and: a) switch on said first electronic light source (208) when said measured value of the braking force (F) is lower than or equal to a first threshold (THRESHOLD 1); b) switch on said second electronic light source (210) when said measured value of the braking force (F) is greater than or equal to a second threshold (THRESHOLD 2) different from said first threshold (THRESHOLD 1).

A brake assembly for a vehicle is provided and may include a brake element. The braking element may include an arcuate body and a lobe extending from the arcuate body. The lobe may include an elongate lobe surface configured to engage a first lateral side of a tread of a wheel and not engage a second lateral side of the tread of the wheel. The brake element may further include a body surface adjacent the lobe and extending longitudinally along the arcuate body. The body surface may be configured to define a gap between the second lateral side of the tread of the wheel and the body surface to prevent engagement of the body surface with the tread of the wheel.

A brake assembly for a vehicle is provided and may include a brake element. The braking element may include an arcuate body and a lobe extending from the arcuate body. The lobe may include an elongate lobe surface configured to engage a first lateral side of a tread of a wheel and not engage a second lateral side of the tread of the wheel. The brake element may further include a body surface adjacent the lobe and extending longitudinally along the arcuate body. The body surface may be configured to define a gap between the second lateral side of the tread of the wheel and the body surface to prevent engagement of the body surface with the tread of the wheel.

A braking assembly for a vehicle is provided and can include a braking element having an arcuate body. The braking element can include a first lobe extending from the arcuate body and having a first braking surface configured to engage a tread of a wheel, and a first non-braking surface portion adjacent the first lobe configured to not engage the tread of the wheel. The braking element can also include a second lobe extending from the arcuate body that may be spaced and offset from the first lobe, the second lobe having a second braking surface configured to engage the tread of the wheel, and a second non-braking surface portion adjacent the second lobe and diagonal to the first non-braking surface portion, the second non-braking surface portion configured to not engage the tread of the wheel.

A braking assembly for a vehicle is provided and can include a braking element having an arcuate body. The braking element can include a first lobe extending from the arcuate body and having a first braking surface configured to engage a tread of a wheel, and a first non-braking surface portion adjacent the first lobe configured to not engage the tread of the wheel. The braking element can also include a second lobe extending from the arcuate body that may be spaced and offset from the first lobe, the second lobe having a second braking surface configured to engage the tread of the wheel, and a second non-braking surface portion adjacent the second lobe and diagonal to the first non-braking surface portion, the second non-braking surface portion configured to not engage the tread of the wheel.