Air brake safety and anti-theft valve assembly
First Claim
1. An assembly for use with a trailer for holding cargo, a plurality of wheels, normally engaged air brakes coupled to the wheels, and an air supply line coupled to the air brakes for supplying air to release the air brakes, the assembly comprisingvalve means for selectively venting the air supply line to the atmosphere to prevent the release of the air brakes from their normally engaged position, the valve means including an exhaust port,means for coupling the valve means to the air supply line, the valve means being adjustable between a first position to seal the air supply line and a second position to vent the air supply line to the atmosphere, andan alarm coupled to the valve means for providing an audible indication when air is vented through the valve means to the atmosphere, the alarm including a whistle coupled to the exhaust port of the valve means.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An assembly is provided for use with a trailer including a plurality of wheels, normally engaged air brakes coupled to the wheels, and an air supply line coupled to the air brakes for supplying air to release the air brakes. The assembly includes a valve for selectively venting the air supply line to the atmosphere to prevent the release of the air brakes from their normally engaged position. The valve is coupled to the air supply line and is adjustable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the valve seals the air supply line to permit the air brakes to be released when air is supplied to the air supply line. In the second position, the valve vents the air supply line to the atmosphere. When the valve is in its second position and air is supplied to the air supply line, the air is vented to the atmosphere. Therefore, in the second position, the valve means prevents the air brakes from being released when air is being supplied to the air supply line.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An assembly for use with a trailer for holding cargo, a plurality of wheels, normally engaged air brakes coupled to the wheels, and an air supply line coupled to the air brakes for supplying air to release the air brakes, the assembly comprising
valve means for selectively venting the air supply line to the atmosphere to prevent the release of the air brakes from their normally engaged position, the valve means including an exhaust port, means for coupling the valve means to the air supply line, the valve means being adjustable between a first position to seal the air supply line and a second position to vent the air supply line to the atmosphere, and an alarm coupled to the valve means for providing an audible indication when air is vented through the valve means to the atmosphere, the alarm including a whistle coupled to the exhaust port of the valve means.
- 5. An assembly for use with a trailer having an interior region for holding cargo, a plurality of wheels, normally engaged air brakes coupled to the wheels, and an air supply line coupled to the air brakes for supplying air to release the air brakes, the assembly comprising valve means coupled to the trailer and configured so that the valve means is accessible and adjustable from within the interior region of the trailer, the valve means being adjustable between a first position and a second position, the first position closing the valve means to permit the air brakes to be released when air is supplied to the air supply line, and the second position opening the valve means to vent air supplied to the air supply line to the atmosphere to prevent the air brakes from being released when air is supplied to the air supply line, the valve means including a valve having an inlet and an outlet, means for coupling the air supply line to the inlet, and control means for adjusting the valve between its first position to close the valve and its second position to open the valve, the valve being situated inside a housing including an upper open end, the upper open end of the housing being coupled to the trailer in communication with the interior region of the trailer.
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12. An assembly for use with a trailer having an interior region for holding cargo, a plurality of wheels, normally engaged air brakes coupled to the wheels, and an air supply line coupled to the air brakes for supplying air to release the air brakes, the assembly comprising
a housing configured to define an internal chamber therein, the housing including upper and lower open ends, the upper open end being coupled to the trailer in communication with the interior region, a valve coupled to the housing, the valve having an inlet and an outlet, means for coupling the air supply line to the inlet of the valve, the valve being adjustable between a first position to close the valve to permit the air brakes to be released when air is supplied to the air supply line and a second position to open the valve to vent air supplied to the air supply line to the atmosphere to prevent the air brakes from being released when air is supplied to the air supply line, and control means located within the housing for adjusting the valve between the first position and a second position.
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19. An assembly for use with a trailer having an interior region for holding cargo, a plurality of wheels, normally engaged air brakes coupled to the wheels, and an air supply line coupled to the air brakes for supplying air to release the air brakes, the assembly comprising:
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a housing configured to define an internal chamber therein, the housing including upper and lower open ends, the upper open end being coupled to the trailer in communication with the interior region; a valve coupled to the housing, the valve including an inlet coupled to the air supply line and an outlet, the valve being adjustable between a first position to close the valve to permit the air brakes to be released when air is supplied to the air supply line and a second position to open the valve to vent air supplied to the air supply line to the atmosphere to prevent the air brakes from being released when air is supplied to the air supply line; and a control member located within the housing to adjust the valve between the first position and the second position. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification