Design of a testing equipment for experimental research of railway brake systems

This article deals with the design of a device intended for testing and research of friction characteristics of rail vehicles brake systems. For safety of running, brakes are one of the most important elements of a railway vehicle subsystems. Tasks of the subsystems are speed regulation, stopping or to keep railway vehicle motionless. Railway vehicles are used for international transportation of passengers and goods and as a consequence, large standardization of a whole railway vehicle structure has to be valid. Brake systems are included in multiple UIC and European standards. UIC 541-3 and UIC 541-4 are the most important standards for railway vehicle brake testing. In the article, there are described the process of a test of a park brake, the principle of the device operation, on which a test will be performed and a dimensional calculation of the main structural element of this device. There are presented two possible variants, on which there were performed functional and structural analyses with subsequent evaluation and a choice of the optimal variant. Results, which are obtained by means of this device, will be used for creation of new standards and rules as well as subsequent certification of brake components of rail vehicles brake systems.