A heavy vehicle and machinery trailer having: (i) a trailer base with wheels and suspension; (ii) a trailer bed supported on the trailer base by the suspension; (iii) loading ramps connected to the trailer bed where the suspension, or other methods such as hydraulically operated landing legs, are adapted to allow an operator to alter the pitch and/or roll angle of the trailer bed relative to the ground surface and wherein where the loading ramps are adapted to have varying lengths such that the ramps can be evenly pitched when they are extended to the ground on a sloped surface. The trailer has a hydraulic system under the control of an electrical controller which is operated by a user. The electrical controller has a preset matrix of safe loading and unloading parameters which it uses to determine whether the sensed state of the trailer is safe for loading or unloading.

A level control system for a vehicle, in particular a rail vehicle, includes at least one level control cylinder and one level control piston, the level control piston being movably guided in the level control cylinder in order to adjust the level of the rail vehicle, the level control piston having an outer piston sleeve and a piston main body at least partially accommodated in the piston sleeve, and the piston main body being slidable relative to the piston sleeve for wear readjustment and being lockable and/or fixable in at least two adjustment positions.

A method includes detecting whether a negative load has been placed on a hitch with a load detection assembly, determining if a rear axle height has changed from a predetermined value, determining if rear axle has been raised if the rear axle height increased from the predetermined value and whether a negative tongue load is present, and informing driver of the increase in rear axle height due to the negative load on the hitch.

A control system for a suspension height adjustment mechanism of a vehicle. The suspension height adjustment mechanism comprises a front suspension height adjustment mechanism at a front end of the vehicle and a rear suspension height adjustment mechanism at a rear end of the vehicle. The control system is configured to control the suspension height adjustment mechanism in response to user-generated control signals to: increase the height of at least the rear end of the vehicle to a first predetermined vehicle height corresponding to a High tow hitch height; and decrease the height of at least the rear end of the vehicle to a second predetermined vehicle height corresponding to a Low tow hitch height. Both the first and second predetermined vehicle heights are accessible from one or more other vehicle height that is different to the first and second predetermined heights. Decreasing the vehicle height from the High tow hitch height to the Low tow hitch height comprises the control system controlling the suspension height adjustment mechanism such that the height of the front end of the vehicle is decreased less than the height of the rear end of the vehicle.

A method for operating an electronically controllable air spring system having air springs includes ascertaining a vehicle velocity of a vehicle and performing a procedure of monitoring a loading procedure and/or a procedure of monitoring an unloading procedure if the vehicle velocity indicates that the vehicle is at a standstill. The method further includes suppressing a level control procedure via the air spring system for a determined time period if at least one pressure difference that is allocated to the air springs exceeds the respective loading pressure limit difference or undercuts the unloading pressure difference and/or a loading criterion or an unloading criterion are met.

A control system for a suspension height adjustment mechanism of a vehicle. The suspension height adjustment mechanism comprises a front suspension height adjustment mechanism at a front end of the vehicle and a rear suspension height adjustment mechanism at a rear end of the vehicle. The control system is configured to control the suspension height adjustment mechanism in response to user-generated control signals to: increase the height of at least the rear end of the vehicle to a first predetermined vehicle height corresponding to a High tow hitch height; and decrease the height of at least the rear end of the vehicle to a second predetermined vehicle height corresponding to a Low tow hitch height. Both the first and second predetermined vehicle heights are accessible from one or more other vehicle height that is different to the first and second predetermined heights. Decreasing the vehicle height from the High tow hitch height to the Low tow hitch height comprises the control system controlling the suspension height adjustment mechanism such that the height of the front end of the vehicle is decreased less than the height of the rear end of the vehicle.

A level control system for a vehicle, in particular a rail vehicle, includes at least one level control cylinder and one level control piston, the level control piston being movably guided in the level control cylinder in order to adjust the level of the rail vehicle, the level control piston having an outer piston sleeve and a piston main body at least partially accommodated in the piston sleeve, and the piston main body being slidable relative to the piston sleeve for wear readjustment and being lockable and/or fixable in at least two adjustment positions.

A system for adjusting a height of at least one part of a utility vehicle at at least one predetermined location, the utility vehicle having a position determination device and a height adjustment device to determine a position of the utility vehicle and to change a height of the at least one part of the utility vehicle above a ground surface, including: an interface to receive data that indicate a target height of the at least one part of the utility vehicle at the predetermined location; and a control unit that is couple-able to the position determination device and to the height adjustment device, and is configured, based on a determined position, to prompt the height adjustment device of the utility vehicle to adjust the height of the at least one part of the utility vehicle to the target height. Also described are a related utility vehicle and a method.

A method for operating an electronically controllable air spring system having air springs includes ascertaining a vehicle velocity of a vehicle and performing a procedure of monitoring a loading procedure and/or a procedure of monitoring an unloading procedure if the vehicle velocity indicates that the vehicle is at a standstill. The method further includes suppressing a level control procedure via the air spring system for a determined time period if at least one pressure difference that is allocated to the air springs exceeds the respective loading pressure limit difference or undercuts the unloading pressure difference and/or a loading criterion or an unloading criterion are met.

In some embodiments, a mobile safety platform includes a protective enclosure coupled to a frame of a wheeled transport. The wheeled transport is configured to raise the protective enclosure so that the wheeled transport can relocate the protective enclosure and to lower the protective enclosure so that the protective enclosure and/or deck is deployed on a substrate. In at least one embodiment, the wheeled transport is configured to raise and to lower the protective enclosure utilizing a lifting and lowering mechanism, such as a hydraulic system. In at least one embodiment, the lifting and lowering mechanism is configured, when deployed, to transfer at least some of the weight of the transport to the protective enclosure and/or deck. In at least one embodiment, the wheeled transport comprises a trailer. In other embodiments, the wheeled transport can be a motor vehicle including an engine.