Patent ID: 6915884

Claim:
A load sensing and braking system for a vehicle having a vehicle body suspended on one or more axles by a pressurized gas suspension unit whose gas pressure is varied in dependence on the vehicle load, the load sensing and braking system comprising: a variable throttling valve having a valve member movable between a minimum and a maximum throttling position to control the flow of a brake operating fluid to a brake actuator of the one or more axles for applying braking force to at least one wheel of the vehicle; a pressure sensor for detecting the gas pressure in the suspension unit; a first air bag responsive to the gas pressure in the suspension unit and operable to urge the valve member towards the minimum throttling position; a pressure regulator for supplying a reference fluid pressure at one of a plurality of predetermined reference fluid pressures; control means operable to select one of said plurality of predetermined reference fluid pressures on the basis of the sensed gas pressure in the suspension unit; and a second air bag responsive to said selected one of said plurality of reference fluid pressures and operable to urge the valve member towards the maximum throttling position.