The present invention relates to a control assembly for a railroad vehicle, in particular an electric locomotive.

Known locomotives are controlled from inside a driver's cab comprising a control console, in turn comprising an operating control or selector, which is operated manually by the driver to select various operating conditions, e.g. normal running, slow brake, fast brake, overload brake, isolation, etc.

The location of the operating control on the console varies according to the type of locomotive, and more specifically, according to the country in which the locomotive is operated.

In certain types of locomotive, particularly those used in Italy, the driver is stationed on the left-hand side of the cab and, with the left hand, operates a control comprising a drum rotating about a substantially vertical axis and controlled by a substantially horizontal lever.

In other types of locomotive, particularly those used in foreign countries such as Austria, the driver is likewise stationed on the left-hand side of the cab, but, with the right hand, operates a control located centrally on the console, and comprising a control lever which is rotated to various operating positions about a horizontal axis. In this type of locomotive, the console also comprises an emergency fast-brake button which is used in place of the normal operating control.

The difference in the design of the operating control and its location within the driver's cab poses serious problems when changing drivers, and particularly when crossing borders into countries other than those in which the locomotive is normally operated.

On approaching a border, in fact, local drivers are normally relieved by foreign drivers who, being called upon, for the above reasons, not only to work under different conditions but also to operate devices other than those to which they are accustomed, are at least initially disoriented at the expense of safety.

At present, the above problem is solved by changing the local locomotive, at the border, with another featuring a different console.

Though effective in solving the driver changeover problem, such a solution involves considerable expenditure in terms of time and cost.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a control assembly for solving the above problems in a straightforward, low-cost manner.

According to the present invention, there is provided a control assembly for a railroad vehicle as defined in Claim 1 and a railroad vehicle as defined in Claim 10.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing showing a schematic plan view of a non-limiting embodiment.

Number 1 in the accompanying drawing indicates a locomotive comprising a driver's cab 2, in turn comprising a front wall 3 and two lateral walls 4, 5.

Cab 2 houses a control console 6 presenting an operating station 7 and an additional station 8 located side by side and facing front wall 3.

Locomotive 2 also comprises a brake control assembly 9, in turn comprising a control system 10 of the type described and illustrated in Italian Patent Applications n. 67282-A/85 and n. 67097-A/87 (& EP-A-0 278 928) filed respectively on 22/03/1985 and 13/02/1987 by the present Applicant, and to which full reference is made herein in the interest of full disclosure.

More specifically, control system 10 comprises a main air pipe 11 connected to a compressed air source (not shown); and an air brake pipe 12 connected by a number of distributors (not shown) to a corresponding number of brake cylinders (not shown).

System 10 also comprises a known self-regulating device 12a connected to main pipe 11 and brake pipe 12 to supply and discharge pipe 12, and which in turn comprises a known electropneumatic circuit 12b, and an operating control 13 inside cab 2, adjacent to lateral wall 4, and associated with station 7. More specifically, control 13 is connected to electropneumatic circuit 12b, and comprises a drum 14 rotating about a substantially vertical axis 15, and an operating lever 16 for rotating drum 14 about axis 15 and selecting various operating conditions, such as normal running, slow brake, fast brake, isolation, etc.

Device 12a also comprises a known fast exhaust valve 17 (shown schematically) operated by control 13 and connected at the inlet to brake pipe 12; and a known isolating valve 18 switchable by control 13 to disconnect brake pipe 12 from main pipe 11. Alternatively, isolating valve 18 is replaced by an isolating solenoid valve 19 preferably activated in known manner by a known electronic control unit 20. Unit 20 forms part of device 12a, and provides for activating solenoid valve 19 in known manner, and more specifically in response to a signal supplied to it in known manner by control 13 when set to the isolating position.

Alternatively, according to a variation not shown, isolating solenoid valve 19 is operated directly by control 13.

As shown in the accompanying drawing, assembly 9 also comprises a further operating control 21 located centrally, substantially between stations 7 and 8, and associated with station 7. Control 21 performs the same functions as control 13, from which it differs by comprising a drum 22 rotating about an axis 23 perpendicular to axis 15, and an operating lever 24 for rotating drum 22 about axis 23 and selecting various operating positions.

Assembly 9 also comprises a further mechanically operated fast exhaust valve 25, which is operated by control 21 when lever 24 is set to the "fast" position, and is connected to brake pipe 12 in parallel with valve 17.

Assembly 9 also comprises an operating control 26 associated with station 8, located adjacent to lateral wall 5, and substantially similar to control 21. Control 26 operates a further mechanically operated fast exhaust valve 27 forming part of assembly 9 and connected at the inlet to brake pipe 12 in parallel with valves 17 and 25.

Controls 13, 21 and 26 present respective known signal generating devices 28, each connected electrically to a respective input of a known switching unit 29, the output of which is connected electrically to unit 20. More specifically, unit 29 provides for selectively activating controls 13, 21 and 26, and for supplying unit 20 with the control signals from the generating device 28 of the activated control.

Assembly 9 also comprises one or more further mechanically operated fast exhaust valves 30 (only one shown), each operated manually by the driver by means of a respective pushbutton 31 on console 6, each connected at the inlet to brake pipe 12 between and in parallel with valves 17 and 25, and each provided with a respective known signal generator 32 connected electrically to unit 20.

Operation of assembly 9 will now be described as of the condition in which the driver occupies station 7, and unit 29 is switched to activate control 13. In this condition, lever 16 may be rotated about axis 15 to supply unit 20, via unit 29, with a succession of electric signals, in response to which, unit 20 sets circuit 12b to a corresponding number of different operating positions; and control 13 may also be used for fast braking by discharging brake pipe 12 via valve 17, and for disconnecting brake pipe 12 from main pipe 11 by means of solenoid valve 19 or valve 18.

When changing drivers at a border crossing, control 21 may be operated in place of control 13 from the same station 7, by simply enabling control 21 by rotating lever 24 to a "recognition or enabling" position in which respective device 28 supplies unit 29 with a switching signal, in response to which unit 29 disables control 13 and enables control 21. More specifically, with known switching units 29 commonly used on trains, lever 24 must be so set as to select a greater braking force than that provided for by control 13, in which case, unit 29 disconnects control 13 from unit 20, and connects unit 20 to control 21, the lever 24 of which may then be used for performing the same operations as with control 13.

More specifically, brake pipe 12 may be disconnected from main pipe 11, pipes 11 and 12 may be connected to each other by switching solenoid valve 19, or brake pipe 12 may be discharged rapidly by activating valve 25.

Following the same procedure described above, it is then possible to disable control 21 and enable control 26 or control 13, to respectively control the brake function from station 8 using a different control, or once more from station 7.

As compared with the known procedure, assembly 9 therefore provides for fast, troublefree changeover of the driver, and in particular for eliminating any uneasiness on the part of the new driver.

Equipping console 6 with a number of differently designed controls, and the particular location of the controls inside cab 2, provide for achieving optimum working conditions, in particular by creating a station 7 familiar to both drivers.

Moreover, each driver operates a control that is not only of the same design as that to which he is accustomed, but also occupies the same position in cab 2, and more specifically on console 6.

As compared with known assemblies, assembly 9 therefore provides for greatly reducing running cost and downtime by eliminating the need to change the locomotive at border crossings.

Clearly, changes may be made to assembly 9 as described and illustrated herein without, however, departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the claims.

In particular, control 26 and valve 30 may be dispensed with; and at least one of controls 13, 21, 26 may be replaced by a control differing in design from that described by way of example.