New York Air Brake Company, headquartered in Watertown, New York, supplied compressed air system components, pneumatic control valves, and related equipment to the US Navy for shipboard high-pressure air (HP air), low-pressure air (LP air), and pneumatic control system applications throughout World War II and the Cold War. New York Air Brake supplied air compressor control equipment, pressure regulating valves, and pneumatic actuators used in the Navy’s shipboard compressed air distribution systems.

Asbestos in New York Air Brake Components

New York Air Brake valve and control products used asbestos-containing sealing materials in steam and high-pressure air service applications:

  • Valve stem packing on pneumatic control valves and compressed air service valves — asbestos braided packing in the stuffing box on valve stems, requiring periodic adjustment and replacement during valve maintenance
  • Actuator diaphragm housings on pneumatically actuated valves — asbestos-containing gaskets at actuator housing flanges on diaphragm-actuated control valves throughout the ship’s control system
  • Pressure regulator gaskets on air system pressure regulators — asbestos sheet gaskets at regulator body flanges and cover connections, disturbed during regulator maintenance
  • High-pressure air system flanged connections using asbestos sheet or spiral wound gaskets at flanged joints throughout the HP air distribution system

Compressed Air System Maintenance

Machinist’s Mates responsible for compressed air system maintenance aboard Navy ships — including HP air banks for submarine ballast and torpedo systems, LP air for general service, and pneumatic control air for automated valve systems — maintained New York Air Brake and other vendor compressed air components throughout the engineering plant maintenance program. Valve packing replacement and pressure regulator maintenance in compressed air systems generated asbestos fiber during packing and gasket removal.

Submarine HP Air System Applications

In the submarine force, high-pressure air systems were critical safety systems for ballast tank blowing and emergency surface capability. New York Air Brake supplied HP air system control valves and regulators to the submarine fleet, where their products were maintained by Machinist’s Mates in the enclosed submarine engineering environment.

VA Claims

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from valve and compressed air system maintenance aboard Navy vessels. Machinist’s Mates who performed compressed air system maintenance involving asbestos gaskets and packing and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.