Patent ID: 8042882
Filing Date: 2011-10-25
Classification: B60T,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A braking system for a tractor/trailer combination having a towing tractor, a first trailer coupled to the towing tractor, and a second trailer coupled to the first trailer, said first trailer having a plurality of first trailer ground engageable wheels each of which includes a first trailer compressed air controlled brake assembly, said second trailer having a plurality of second trailer ground engageable wheels each of which includes a second trailer compressed air controlled brake assembly; a first air pressure circuit including a first circuit air pressure line mounted on said first trailer and connected to each of the first trailer compressed air controlled brake assemblies; a second air pressure circuit including a second circuit air pressure line mounted on said first trailer and connected to each of the first trailer compressed air controlled brake assemblies; a third air pressure line mounted on said second trailer and connected to each of the second trailer compressed air controlled brake assemblies and connectable to the first air pressure circuit; a fourth air pressure line mounted on said second trailer and connected to each of the second trailer compressed air controlled brake assemblies and connectable to the second air pressure circuit; a valve assembly, for connecting the third air pressure line mounted on said second trailer to the first circuit air pressure line and connecting the fourth air pressure line mounted on said second trailer to the second circuit air pressure line including a valve housing mounted on the first trailer, a first air pressure circuit passage extending through the valve housing, a second air pressure circuit passage extending through the valve housing, spaced from the first air pressure circuit passage and parallel to the first air pressure circuit passage, a bore in a valve body that is transverse to and intersects the first air pressure circuit passage, the second air pressure circuit passage, and extends through a valve body end wall, a first spherical chamber in the valve body at an intersection of the first air pressure circuit passage and the bore in the valve body, a second spherical chamber in the valve body at an intersection of the second air pressure circuit passage and the bore in the valve body, a first spherical ball valve body rotatably mounted in the first spherical chamber, a second spherical ball valve body rotatably mounted in the second spherical chamber, a rotary shaft passing into the bore in the valve body, fixed to the second spherical ball valve body, passing through and fixed to the first spherical ball valve body, a lever fixed to the rotary shaft outside the valve body and manually movable to rotate the rotary shaft, the first spherical ball valve body and the second spherical ball valve body between a closed position in which the second spherical ball valve body closes the second air pressure circuit passage and in which the first spherical ball valve body closes the first air pressure circuit passage and an open position in which a second spherical ball bore through the second spherical ball valve body is in fluid communication with the second air pressure circuit passage through the valve housing, and a first spherical ball bore through the first spherical ball valve body and rotary shaft, and in fluid communication with the first air pressure circuit passage through the valve housing; a pair of first air pressure circuit passage couplings on the valve housing connecting the first circuit air pressure line on said first trailer and the third air pressure line on said second trailer to the first air pressure circuit passage; and a pair of second air pressure circuit passage couplings on the valve housing connecting the second circuit air pressure line on said first trailer and the fourth air pressure line on said second trailer to the second air pressure circuit passage.