Valve arrangement of a towing vehicle for controlling a pneumatic brake system of a trailer vehicle and a method for controlling it

A valve arrangement (14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 14.3′, 14.4, 14.5, 14.6) for controlling a pneumatic brake system of a trailer vehicle (4) coupled to a tractor vehicle (2) having a “reservoir” coupling head (6), the valve arrangement comprising:

• a trailer control valve (16) with a reservoir pressure input (p11) for introducing reservoir compressed air;
• a reservoir pressure output (p21) for a controlled discharge of reservoir compressed air, the reservoir pressure output (p21) being pneumatically connected to the “reservoir” coupling head (6) of the tractor vehicle (2);
• and
• a shut-off and ventilation valve (94, 98, 112, 114) arranged in a reservoir pressure line (44b, 48, 90) pneumatically upstream of the “reservoir” coupling head (6);
• wherein the shut-off and ventilation valve (94, 98, 112, 114) is configured to shut off a feed of reservoir compressed air to the “reservoir” coupling head (6) and to ventilate the “reservoir” coupling head (6) before an associated coupling head of the trailer vehicle (4) is connected to the “reservoir” coupling head (6) of the tractor vehicle (2),
• and wherein the shut-off and ventilation valve (94, 98, 112, 114) is configured to allow the “reservoir” coupling head (6) to be charged again with reservoir compressed air after connecting the associated coupling head of the trailer vehicle (4) to the “reservoir” coupling head (6) of the tractor vehicle (2).