Anti-jackknifing method and apparatus
First Claim
1. Anti-jackknifing apparatus for a trailer towed by a tow vehicle, said trailer including left and right rear wheels and left and right brake means operative to brake said left and right wheels, respectively, said apparatus comprising:
- disabling means coupled to one of said left and right brake means and actuable for rendering only one of said left and right brake means inoperative whereby braking of said trailer by the driver of said tow vehicle is ineffective to brake the wheel or wheels associated with said one of said left and right brake means; and
,control means manually operative in the tow vehicle to actuate said disabling means for an extended period of time whereby said disabling means is adapted to render said one of said left and right brake means continuously inoperative during travel of said trailer over slippery roads.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An anti-jackknifing method and apparatus for preventing uncontrolled skidding or jackknifing of a trailer towed by a tow vehicle. The method includes the step of continuously disabling one of the rear trailer brakes throughout a period when slippery road conditions are encountered so that the associated wheel is allowed to rotate freely. The apparatus for disabling the particular brake is actuable by the driver whenever slippery road conditions are anticipated, and are deactuated by the driver when such conditions no longer prevail.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. Anti-jackknifing apparatus for a trailer towed by a tow vehicle, said trailer including left and right rear wheels and left and right brake means operative to brake said left and right wheels, respectively, said apparatus comprising:
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disabling means coupled to one of said left and right brake means and actuable for rendering only one of said left and right brake means inoperative whereby braking of said trailer by the driver of said tow vehicle is ineffective to brake the wheel or wheels associated with said one of said left and right brake means; and
,control means manually operative in the tow vehicle to actuate said disabling means for an extended period of time whereby said disabling means is adapted to render said one of said left and right brake means continuously inoperative during travel of said trailer over slippery roads. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An anti-jackknifing method for preventing jackknifing of a trailer truck by a tow vehicle, wherein said trailer includes left and right rear wheels and left and right brake means operative to brake said left and right rear wheels, respectively, said method comprising the steps of:
continuously disabling from the tow vehicle only one of said left and right brake means throughout a period of time that slippery road conditions are encountered by said trailer whereby the wheel or wheels associated with said one of said left and right brake means is allowed to rotate freely to tend to maintain said trailer in a straight line of travel. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. Anti-jackknifing apparatus for a trailer towed by a tow vehicle, said trailer including left and right rear wheels, and further including left and right air brakes connected by conduit means to a source of air under pressure and operative to brake said left and right rear wheels, respectively, said apparatus comprising:
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a solenoid valve in that portion of said conduit means leading to said right air brake, and electrically energizable to block air flow only to said right air brake whereby braking of said trailer by the driver of said tow vehicle is ineffective to brake the wheel or wheels associated with said right air brake; and control means for electrically energizing said solenoid valve, and including switch means manually operative by the towing vehicle driver to effect energization of said solenoid valve for an extended period of time whereby said right air brake can be rendered continuously inoperative during travel of said trailer over slippery roads.
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Specification