A railway vehicle parking brake that can provide the appropriate tension to the braking system using a motor, a brake chain drum interconnected to the motor to take up or release a brake chain, a load arm deflects in response to tension in the brake chain, and a switch that is closed by the load arm when it deflects. A movable sheave interconnects the brake chain and the load arm and is positioned between the brake chain drum and a fixed sheave over which the brake chain is looped. A control method considers the position of the first switch to determine whether to the motor off when applying the brakes and the amount of current being drawn by the motor to determine whether to the motor off because of a system failure.

A railway vehicle parking brake that can provide the appropriate tension to the braking system using a motor, a brake chain drum interconnected to the motor to take up or release a brake chain, a load arm deflects in response to tension in the brake chain, and a switch that is closed by the load arm when it deflects. A movable sheave interconnects the brake chain and the load arm and is positioned between the brake chain drum and a fixed sheave over which the brake chain is looped. A control method considers the position of the first switch to determine whether to the motor off when applying the brakes and the amount of current being drawn by the motor to determine whether to the motor off because of a system failure.

A device for connection to an input device actuated by a user comprises: a driving member for connection to the input device; a follower member; wherein motion of the driving member is only transmitted to the follower member after the driving member has been moved by a certain amount; and wherein means are provided to transmit a force back to the user as the driving member is moved in one direction.

An automatic parking brake for a truck mounted brake cylinder. The automatic parking brake includes rod that is interconnected to a piston of the brake cylinder and can prevent the piston from returning to the brakes releases position. The rod is controlled by locking nut that will rotate if the rod moves axially through the locking nut and a locking sleeve that is moveable between a locked position, where the locking sleeve engages the locking nut and prevents from the nut from rotating, and a released position, where the locking sleeve is disengages from the locking nut and the locking nut is free to rotate. A spring provides a force biasing the locking nut into the locked position, and brake pipe pressure biases the locking sleeve into the released position.

An automatic parking brake for a truck mounted brake cylinder. The automatic parking brake includes rod that is interconnected to a piston of the brake cylinder and can prevent the piston from returning to the brakes releases position. The rod is controlled by locking nut that will rotate if the rod moves axially through the locking nut and a locking sleeve that is moveable between a locked position, where the locking sleeve engages the locking nut and prevents from the nut from rotating, and a released position, where the locking sleeve is disengages from the locking nut and the locking nut is free to rotate. A spring provides a force biasing the locking nut into the locked position, and brake pipe pressure biases the locking sleeve into the released position.

A wedge driver and method therefor is presented. A wedge driver can be operably coupled to different ends of a link joiner to drive a wedge therebetween to form a single link. The wedge driver can also drive the wedge out of the link joiner. The present disclosure provides the benefit of allowing the safe and effective removal of the link joiner by preventing violent or forceful decoupling of a link joiner. The wedge driver can include a trunk, a first prong, a second prong, a bolt, and a driver. The driver can be spring enabled, such that the driver can recede into the trunk as the bolt egresses the trunk. A bolt of the wedge driver can push a driver out of the trunk to axially drive the wedge into (or out of) a link joiner without rotating the wedge.

A braking system for slideway guided amusement vehicles providing both manual and automatic braking for the slideway guided amusement vehicles is provided. The braking system includes at least one brake handle, a first shaft fixed to the at least one brake handle, a first gear concentrically positioned on and free to spin independently of the first shaft, an actuator fixed to the first shaft for providing a linear motion to a stop pin, an inlet opening on the first gear for receiving the stop pin, a second gear coupled to the first gear, concentrically fixed on a second shaft for mounting spinnably and extending horizontally to a chassis of a vehicle, at least one friction member attached to the second shaft, a tensioning means, and a control unit adapted to remove the stop pin from the inlet opening via the actuator.

A braking system for slideway guided amusement vehicles providing both manual and automatic braking for the slideway guided amusement vehicles is provided. The braking system includes at least one brake handle, a first shaft fixed to the at least one brake handle, a first gear concentrically positioned on and free to spin independently of the first shaft, an actuator fixed to the first shaft for providing a linear motion to a stop pin, an inlet opening on the first gear for receiving the stop pin, a second gear coupled to the first gear, concentrically fixed on a second shaft for mounting spinnably and extending horizontally to a chassis of a vehicle, at least one friction member attached to the second shaft, a tensioning means, and a control unit adapted to remove the stop pin from the inlet opening via the actuator.

A system includes a carriage configured to move along a rail. The system also includes a clamping brake configured to selectively allow and prevent movement of the carriage along the rail. The clamping brake includes multiple brake pads configured to be moved inward to lock onto the rail and to be moved outward to release the rail. The clamping brake also includes multiple springs configured to apply spring forces that cause the brake pads to move inward and lock onto the rail. The clamping brake further includes a camshaft coupled to or including multiple eccentrics. The eccentrics are configured to overcome the spring forces and cause the brake pads to move outward and release the rail.

A system includes a carriage configured to move along a rail. The system also includes a clamping brake configured to selectively allow and prevent movement of the carriage along the rail. The clamping brake includes multiple brake pads configured to be moved inward to lock onto the rail and to be moved outward to release the rail. The clamping brake also includes multiple springs configured to apply spring forces that cause the brake pads to move inward and lock onto the rail. The clamping brake further includes a camshaft coupled to or including multiple eccentrics. The eccentrics are configured to overcome the spring forces and cause the brake pads to move outward and release the rail.