Apparatus for braking a train of vehicles
OwnerMogens Birkeholminventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for braking a train of vehicles whereby a differentiated braking of the wheels is carried out by servo-mechanical means in such a manner that the rear wheels are the only ones activated directly by the driver during braking. The wheels of the immediately preceding vehicle are then activated in response to drawbar tension forces, and this applies all the way to the first of the train of vehicles. Thereby it is ensured that during braking a tension force is exerted throughout the whole of the train of vehicles, and in this way skidding and jackknifing or fishtailing of the train essentially can be prevented or avoided.
Claims7
Apparatus for braking a train of vehicles including a tractor vehicle and at least one trailer vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
- braking means for at least the rear wheels of the rearmost trailer vehicle in the train of vehicles;
- control means located in the tractor vehicle and operable by an operator in said tractor vehicle for actuating only said braking means for the rearmost trailer vehicle;
- separate braking means for each vehicle in the train other than the rearmost trailer vehicle;
- means for actuating the braking means for each other vehicle in response only to a positive tension force between said other vehicle and the next following trailer vehicle in the train;
- and
- separate switch means for said each other vehicle, each of said switch means being actuated by the control means for enabling operation of the corresponding means for actuating the braking means for said each other vehicle only when said control means is operated to actuate the braking means of the rearmost trailer vehicle.
Apparatus for braking a train of vehicles including a tractor vehicle and at least one trailer vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
- braking means for at least the rear wheels of the rearmost trailer vehicle in the train of vehicles;
- control means located in the tractor vehicle for actuating said braking means for the rearmost trailer vehicle;
- separate braking means for each vehicle in the train other than the rearmost trailer vehicle;
- means for actuating the braking means for each other vehicle in response to a positive tension force between said other vehicle and the next following trailer vehicle in the train;
- and
- separate switch means for each other vehicle, each switch means being actuated by the control means for enabling the corresponding means for actuating the braking means for said other vehicle only when said control means is operated to actuate the braking means of the rearmost trailer vehicle, wherein the means for actuating the braking means of each vehicle other than the rear trailer vehicle comprises an hydraulic cylinder and piston connected to one and the other, respectively, of each vehicle and the immediately following trailer vehicle such that the pressure side of the piston provides hydraulic pressure output proportional to positive tension forces between each other vehicle and the immediately following trailer vehicle and hydraulic lines for connecting the hydraulic pressure output of the cylinder and piston directly to the braking means of the corresponding other vehicle, and the switch means comprises valve means inserted in said hydraulic lines, the valve means being actuated by the control means to provide free passage both ways in said lines only when the control means actuates the braking means of the rear trailer vehicle and to permit only return flow to the corresponding piston and cylinder when the control means is not operated.
Apparatus for braking a train of vehicles including a tractor vehicle and at least one trailer vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
- braking means for at least the rear wheels of the rearmost trailer vehicle in the train of vehicles;
- control means located in the tractor vehicle for actuating said braking means for the rearmost trailer vehicle;
- separate braking means for each vehicle in the train other than the rearmost trailer vehicle;
- means for actuating the braking means for each other vehicle in response to a positive tension force between said other vehicle and the next following trailer vehicle in the train;
- and
- separate switch means for each other vehicle, each switch means being actuated by the control means for enabling the corresponding means for actuating the braking means for said other vehicle only when said control means is operated to actuate the braking means of the rearmost trailer vehicle, wherein the braking means of the rearmost trailer vehicle comprises a pneumatic braking system, and the apparatus further comprises a pneumatic braking system for the tractor vehicle and switch means for placing the pneumatic braking system of the tractor vehicle on reserve when a trailer is connected to the tractor vehicle and for enabling the control means to actuate the pneumatic braking system of the tractor vehicle directly when no trailer is connected to the tractor vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.