Electro-hydraulic brake actuating system
OwnerLarry W. Hippsinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A brake actuating system especially useful for applying the brakes of a towed vehicle concurrently with application of braking pressure in the towing vehicle is provided which includes a variable valve means interconnected to the towed vehicle's conventional type hydraulic brakes. The variable valve means controls the pressure applied to the brakes of the towed vehicle in response to variable electric current which is supplied via a variable current source which is interconnected to the brakes of the towing vehicle. Also provided, is a breakaway safety device which upon physical separation of the towed vehicle from the towing vehicle causes hydraulic pressure to be supplied automatically to the hydraulic brakes of the towed vehicle.
Claims9
A brake actuating system for towed vehicles having hydraulic brakes comprising:
- (a) a hydraulic fluid pumping means having an outlet connected hydraulically with hydraulic brakes of said towed vehicle;
- (b) reservoir means hydraulically interconnected with the inlet of said pumping means;
- and
- (c) a normally open variable valve means interconnected hydraulically between the inlet of said pumping means and the hydraulic brakes for restricting the flow of fluid from said hydraulic brakes to said reservoir as said valve closes, said variable valve means comprising an electromagnetically controlled valve stem means interconnected to a means for supplying variable electric current to thereby incrementally regulate the flow of fluid through said variable valve means according to the electric current supplied to the electromagnet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.