Patent GB-959720-A (GB)
Title: Combined control and tractor protection valve
IPC: B60T13/40
Filed: 1962-06-05
Abstract: 959,720. Fluid-pressure brakes; valves. BENDIX WESTINGHOUSE AUTOMOTIVE AIR BRAKE CO. June 5, 1962 [June 28, 1961], No. 21776/62. Headings F2F and F2V. A fluid pressure control valve, for use in a tractor/trailer compressed air braking system to conserve air pressure on a tractor vehicle in the event of a tractor-trailer break-in-two, comprises a casing having inlet and outlet ports connected to respective valve chambers interconnected by an internal passage and each having a respective exhaust port, a manually actuable valve element movable in the inlet valve chamber between first and second positions in which the passage is communicated with the respective exhaust port and with the inlet port, respectively, means responsive to the fluid pressure in the passage for automatically moving a second valve element in the outlet valve chamber between first and second positions in which the outlet port is communicated with the respective exhaust port and with the passage, respectively, according as the fluid pressure in the passage is below or above a predetermined value. As shown, a tractor/ trailer compressed air braking system comprises a reservoir 10, a driver's valve 14 supplying air from the reservoir at a regulated pressure to tractor air chambers 20, 24 and via a pressure responsive check valve 28 and " glad hand " coupling 34 to the service pipe of a trailer system (not shown), and an emergency conduit system supplying air at reservoir pressure to the emergency pipe of the trailer system via " gland hand " coupling 54, permanently interconnected ports 48, 50 in the valve 28, and a control valve 74. The check valve 28 comprises a valve element 56 integral with a piston 62 acted on by reservoir pressure in a chamber 66 interconnecting ports 48, 50, and acts to shut off the supply of regulated pressure from the trailer service pipe, by means of a spring 58, whenever reservoir pressure is below a predetermined value. The control valve 74, Fig. 2, has a pressure responsive valve element 110 which cuts off the supply of reservoir pressure should a leak develop in the trailer emergency pipe or in the event of a tractor/trailer break in two. Element 110 is in the form of a piston having 0-ring seals 112, 128 operating as slide valves in conjunction with respective sets of grooves 114, 130 in the wall of a cylinder 106. The piston is shaped to provide an annular space 116 between the 0-rings communicating with outlet 44 which is also connected by bleed passage 134 to the space above the piston. The latter space is connected via passage 80 with a chamber containing a valve element 92 mounted on a stem 88 operated manually by a knob 104. An 0-ring seal 90 on the stem is so dimensioned that irrespective of the pressure in an inlet 40 the valve element 92 is maintained in a position closing inlet seat 94, once returned to this position. In this position an exhaust outlet 82 is communicated to passage 80 and a spring 120 maintains element 110 also in a raised position to exhaust the outlet 44, i.e. the trailer emergency pipe, via grooves 130 and an exhaust outlet 84. When knob 104 is depressed manually the element 92 engages seat 100 to block the exhaust outlet 82 and, provided reservoir pressure is above a predetermined value, this now acts on the larger area of element 92 contacting the seat 100 and against the action of a spring 102 to maintain it in this position and communicate reservoir pressure to element 110. The latter is first moved by reservoir pressure to close off the grooves 130 so blocking the exhaust outlet 84 and then more rapidly to a position communicating grooves 114 and hence outlet 44 with passage 80. The pressure in the outlet 44 now acts differentially on the areas of the 0-rings 112, 128 so that if it subsequently falls below a predetermined value due to leakage element 110 is returned by spring 120 to its upper position and exhausts the outlet 44 to effect an emergency application of the trailer brakes. Valve element 92 returns to its upper position independently if reservoir pressure is low, by the action of spring 102. The arrangement allows the tractor driver to raise valve element 92 manually when pressure is normal to apply the trailer brakes, e.g. for parking, but, in the event of an automatic application by low pressure in outlet 44 raising element 110, prevents him from attempting to release the trailer brakes, and so lose tractor pressure, by holding element 92 down.