Electrohydraulic system for towed vehicle
AssigneeControl Concepts, Inc.
InventorsKenneth W. Zeuner, Alonzo B. Jarman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tractor towed vehicle having a frame and hydraulic functions powered by a plurality of hydraulic devices. An electrohydraulic valve assembly is coupled to the devices and is rigidly secured to the frame of the towed vehicle. A switching assembly having a plurality of switches is adapted for electrically switching the valve assembly with a cable coupled between the switching assembly and the valve assembly. The switching assembly is disposed within the tractor cab for easy access of the plurality of switches to the operator of the tractor.
Claims14
In a vehicle towed by a tractor having a cab, the towed vehicle having a frame and hydraulic functions powered by a plurality of hydraulic devices to be controlled in which the improvement combination comprises:
- an electrohydraulic valve assembly having solenoid operated valves, said electrohydraulic valve assembly being hydraulically coupled to said plurality of hydraulic devices and rigidly secured to said frame of said towed vehicle,
- a switching assembly comprising a plurality of switching devices adapted for electrically switching said solenoid operated valves thereby to control said plurality of hydraulic devices, said switching assembly disposed within said cab for easy access of said plurality of switching devices to the operator of said tractor,
- electrical cable means coupled between said switching assembly within said cab and said electrohydraulic valve assembly secured to said towed vehicle frame, and
- means directly electrically connecting each of said switching devices to an individual pair of said solenoid valves, said valve assembly including an unload valve normally maintained open and hydraulically coupling the pressure and tank of said tractor whereby upon actuation of each switching device one solenoid valve of the respective pair is energized and said unload valve is switched to the valve closed state.
In a vehicle towed by a tractor having a cab, the towed vehicle having a frame and hydraulic functions powered by a plurality of hydraulic devices to be controlled in which the improvement combination comprises:
- an electrohydraulic valve assembly having solenoid operated valves, said electrohydraulic valve assembly being hydraulically coupled to said plurality of hydraulic devices and rigidly secured to said frame of said towed vehicle,
- a switching assembly comprising a plurality of switching devices adapted for electrically switching said solenoid operated valves thereby to control said plurality of hydraulic devices, said switching assembly disposed within said cab for easy access of said plurality of switching devices to the operator of said tractor, and
- electrical cable means coupled between said switching assembly within said cab and said electrohydraulic valve assembly secured to said towed vehicle frame, said electrohydraulic valve assembly has a plurality of non-modulated valve sections with each valve section comprising a pair of said solenoid operated valves and a spool valve, each pair of solenoid valves being hydraulically coupled to a respective spool valve for pilot operation thereof, each of said spool valves being hydraulically coupled to and for operation of at least one of said hydraulic devices whereby each hydraulic device is operated upon energization of one of its respective pair of solenoid valves,
- means directly electrically connecting each of said switching devices to an individual pair of said solenoid valves with only one switching device being coupled to an associated pair of solenoid valves for energizing a selected one of a pair of solenoid valves when an associated switching device is actuated thereby to actuate the respective spool valve for operating the associated hydraulic device, said electrohydraulic valve assembly includes an additional unload solenoid operated valve maintained normally open for hydraulically coupling the pressure and tank of said tractor, means for directly connecting each of said switching devices to said additional unload solenoid valve for switching said unload valve to the valve closed state upon actuation of any one of said switching devices thereby to close said unload valve simultaneously with the energization of said selected one of said pair of solenoid valves
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.