Patent GB-1038706-A (GB)
Title: Device for the emergency braking of towed vehicles provided with pneumatic brakes
IPC: B60T13/62
Filed: 1964-02-25
Abstract: 1,038,706. Fluid pressure braking systems. FABBRICA ITALIANA MAGNETI MARELLI S.p.A. Feb. 25, 1964 [June 1, 1963; Feb. 27, 1963], No. 7693/64. Heading F2F. A pneumatic braking system for tractortrailer vehicles has a distributer on the tractor which controls the supply of pressure air to the brake actuators of both vehicles through one line for service braking and another, which is connected to a relay-valve and storage reservoir, for automatic braking in an emergency; the system being characterized in that the said lines are charged during normal operation through a flow-control valve (Fig. 2) responsive to any pressure differential between the service lines of the tractor and the trailer and which, in event of a failure of said service lines, opens said emergency line to the atmosphere so that thereafter the distributer controls the trailer brakes through the relay valve. The flow-control valve has a cylinder 10 divided into chambers M and N by a piston 12 having a larger cross-sectional area on the side of M and a slotted cylindrical projection 14, engaging through a washer 16, a helical spring 18 which holds the spring against either the projection 14 or a flange 20 inside the cylinder. A spring 26 similarly holds a washer 24 either against a projection 22 on the piston or against a flange 28. The springs 18 and 26 normally hold the piston in the position shown in Fig. 2. A hollow push-rod 30 on the piston 12 passes through a gland 34 and valve-seat 36 to engage, in its normal position, a flow-control valve held against its end by a spring 40. The valve seat 36 and gland 34 divide a cylinder 42 into chambers P, Q and R which are connected respectively at 44 to the air reservoir aforesaid, at 45 to the emergency brake line of the tractor, and at 46 to the atmosphere. The chambers M and N are connected at 50 and 52 to the service brake-line of the tractor and the service brake-line of the trailer respectively. Air can therefore pass from the aforesaid reservoir to the chamber P and thence through the open valve 38 to the chamber Q to feed, at 45, through the emergency brake line to a reservoir on the trailer (Fig. 1, not shown). When braking under normal conditions, pressure air is supplied from the distributer to operate the brakes of both the tractor and the trailer and there are equal pressures on either side of the piston 12 causing it to move in the direction of the arrow X until checked by flange 28. This serves to compress the spring 26 ready for emergency action and to prevent sticking. Should the service brake-line to the tractor fail, pressure air from the distributer will reach chamber M but not chamber N. The piston 12 is therefore moved in a direction opposite to the arrow X and abuts the flange 20, retracting the push-rod 32 and seating the valve 38. Communication is thus established between the chambers Q and R so that the emergency brake-line of the tractor is opened to the atmosphere and thereby causes the tractor to be braked in known manner. Other embodiments of the device are illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 (not shown).