Kneeling omnibus

An omnibus having an omnibus body that is supported on axles or wheel suspensions via respective pneumatic springs disposed at opposite ends of said axles, comprising:

• a level control system having a compressed air system that is self-contained for each of said axles and operating such that said omnibus body is pivotable about a longitudinal median floor level axis, whereby means on a passenger boarding side of said omnibus body permit lowering of said omnibus body to a boarding level that is lower than a normal level and again raising of said omnibus body back to said normal level, while simultaneously means on an opposite side of said omnibus body permit raising and lowering of said omnibus body from and again back to said normal level, including means for effecting transfer of compressed air between said pneumatic springs disposed at opposite ends of respective ones of said axles such that compressed air is transferred from said pneumatic springs on said boarding side to said pneumatic springs on said opposite side for effecting said lowering of said boarding side and simultaneously said raising of said opposite side, and, subsequently, compressed air is transferred from said pneumatic springs on said opposite side to said pneumatic springs on said boarding side for returning said omnibus body to said normal level;
• further including a compressed air receiver, respective compressed air supply ducts leading from said compressed air receiver to respective ones of said pneumatic springs, and respective shock absorbers associated with each of said pneumatic springs;
• said lowering and raising means being respective electrically controlled level regulating valves, a respective one of which is disposed in each of said compressed air supply ducts;
• and
• said means for effecting transfer of compressed air including:
• respective transfer lines extending between said pneumatic springs of a respective one of said axles, and for each of said axles a respective electrohydraulic device for varying the effective length of said shock absorbers of said axle.

An omnibus having an omnibus body that is supported on axles or wheel suspensions via respective pneumatic springs disposed at opposite ends of said axles, comprising:

• a level control system having a compressed air system that is self-contained for each of said axles and operating such that said omnibus body is pivotable about a longitudinal median floor level axis, whereby means on a passenger boarding side of said omnibus body permit lowering of said omnibus body to a boarding level that is lower than a normal level and again raising of said omnibus body back to said normal level, while simultaneously means on an opposite side of said omnibus body permit raising and lowering of said omnibus body from and again back to said normal level, including means for effecting transfer of compressed air between said pneumatic springs disposed at opposite ends of respective ones of said axles such that compressed air is transferred from said pneumatic springs on said boarding side to said pneumatic springs on said opposite side for effecting said lowering of said boarding side and simultaneously said raising of said opposite side, and, subsequently, compressed air is transferred from said pneumatic springs on said opposite side to said pneumatic springs on said boarding side for returning said omnibus body to said normal level;
• further including a compressed air receiver and respective compressed air supply ducts leading from said compressed air receiver to respective ones of said pneumatic springs;
• said lowering and raising means being respective electrically controlled level regulating valves, a respective one of which is disposed in each of said compressed air supply ducts;
• and
• said means for effecting transfer of compressed air including:
• respective transfer lines extending between said pneumatic springs of a respective one of said axles, and for each of said axles a respective lifting mechanism for varying the distance between said omnibus body and that axle in the vicinity of one end thereof.

An omnibus having an omnibus body that is supported on axles or wheel suspensions via respective pneumatic springs disposed at opposite ends of said axles, comprising:

• a level control system having a compressed air system that is self-contained for each of said axles and operating such that said omnibus body is pivotable about a longitudinal median floor level axis, whereby means on a passenger boarding side of said omnibus body permit lowering of said omnibus body to a boarding level that is lower than a normal level and again raising of said omnibus body back to said normal level, while simultaneously means on an opposite side of said omnibus body permit raising and lowering of said omnibus body from and again back to said normal level, including means for effecting transfer of compressed air between said pneumatic springs disposed at opposite ends of respective ones of said axles such that compressed air is transferred from said pneumatic springs on said boarding side to said pneumatic springs on said opposite side for effecting said lowering of said boarding side and simultaneously said raising of said opposite side, and, subsequently, compressed air is transferred from said pneumatic springs on said opposite side to said pneumatic springs on said boarding side for returning said omnibus body to said normal level;
• further including a compressed air receiver and respective compressed air supply ducts leading from said compressed air receiver to respective ones of said pneumatic springs;
• said lowering and raising means being respective electrically controlled level regulating valves, a respective one of which is disposed in each of said compressed air supply ducts, with each of said level regulating valves having a discharge outlet;
• and
• said means for effecting transfer of compressed air including respective transfer lines extending between said pneumatic springs of a respective one of said axles, with each of said level regulating valves having three switched positions, namely:
• a first position in which, for setting the level of said omnibus body to a desired level relative to a roadway, said pneumatic springs are filled with compressed air from said compressed air receiver via said compressed air supply ducts;
• a second position in which, for setting the level of said omnibus body to a level that is lower than said level in said first position, compressed air is released from said pneumatic springs into the atmosphere;
• and a third position in which both said compressed air supply ducts and said discharge outlets are shut off, while said transfer lines are open for the transfer of air between said pneumatic springs.