A parking valve for manually actuating a spring-loaded parking brake, includes: a housing with a port that can be fluidically connected to a release chamber of a spring-loaded brake cylinder, a port that can be fluidically connected to a brake supply reservoir, and a ventilation port; a slide for manual actuation and which can be moved along a full section between two end positions inside the housing. The slide assumes positions along the full section, in which, as a result of at least one seal, there is no fluidic connection between the port to the release chamber and the ventilation port, and assumes other positions along the full section, in which, as a result of the at least one seal, there is no fluidic connection between the port of the release chamber and the port to the brake supply reservoir. A blocking device acts on the slide during movement at least along a partial section of the full section in at least one direction, with a continuously variable counterforce dependent on the position of the slide on the partial section.

A hydraulic arrangement for connecting a tractor hydraulic brake circuit to a trailer hydraulic brake circuit is disclosed. The hydraulic arrangement includes a coupler stage fluidly connecting a source of fluid in pressure to the trailer braking hydraulic circuit and a trailer brake valve fluidly connecting the tractor hydraulic brake circuit and the trailer hydraulic brake circuit. The hydraulic arrangement further includes a selection pilot stage fluidly connected to the source of fluid in pressure and being fluidly connectable to the trailer hydraulic brake circuit via at least a connector and a selection stage fluidly connected to the selection pilot stage and to the trailer brake valve. The selection stage being configured to impart an actuation signal to the trailer brake valve in function of an hydraulic signal coming from the selection pilot stage.

A vehicle braking system comprising a spring brake actuator having a spring brake chamber, a spring brake control assembly and an immobiliser valve which is movable between brake release position in which the spring brake control assembly is operable to cause the flow of pressurised fluid into the spring brake chamber or to vent the spring brake chamber to a low pressure region, and an immobilise position in which the spring brake control assembly is operable to connect the spring brake chamber to a low pressure region but cannot be operated to cause the flow of pressurised fluid into the spring brake chamber.

A vehicle braking system comprising a spring brake actuator having a spring brake chamber, a spring brake control assembly and an immobiliser valve which is movable between brake release position in which the spring brake control assembly is operable to cause the flow of pressurised fluid into the spring brake chamber or to vent the spring brake chamber to a low pressure region, and an immobilise position in which the spring brake control assembly is operable to connect the spring brake chamber to a low pressure region but cannot be operated to cause the flow of pressurised fluid into the spring brake chamber.

A vehicle braking system comprising a spring brake actuator having a spring brake chamber, a spring brake control assembly and an immobiliser valve which is movable between brake release position in which the spring brake control assembly is operable to cause the flow of pressurised fluid into the spring brake chamber or to vent the spring brake chamber to a low pressure region, and an immobilise position in which the spring brake control assembly is operable to connect the spring brake chamber to a low pressure region but cannot be operated to cause the flow of pressurised fluid into the spring brake chamber.

A parking valve for manually actuating a spring-loaded parking brake, includes: a housing with a port that can be fluidically connected to a release chamber of a spring-loaded brake cylinder, a port that can be fluidically connected to a brake supply reservoir, and a ventilation port; a slide for manual actuation and which can be moved along a full section between two end positions inside the housing. The slide assumes positions along the full section, in which, as a result of at least one seal, there is no fluidic connection between the port to the release chamber and the ventilation port, and assumes other positions along the full section, in which, as a result of the at least one seal, there is no fluidic connection between the port of the release chamber and the port to the brake supply reservoir. A blocking device acts on the slide during movement at least along a partial section of the full section in at least one direction, with a continuously variable counterforce dependent on the position of the slide on the partial section.

A method of brake control of a vehicle combination (2) composed of a tractor vehicle (4) with an electronically controlled braking system (5) and a trailer vehicle (6, 8) with a pneumatically controlled pneumatic braking system (7, 9), involves introducing the brake control pressure (p.sub.BC) of the trailer vehicle (6, 8) into a tractor brake control line (19) extending to a tractor vehicle-side “brake” coupling head (26) via an electronically controlled trailer control valve (13) of the tractor vehicle (4). At the beginning of a braking operation, a pressure pulse (34) exceeding a target brake control pressure (p.sub.BC_soll) is introduced into the tractor brake control line (19). The volume of a trailer brake control line (28, 29, 32) coupled to the “brake” coupling head (26) is ascertained, and the absolute value (Δp.sub.PI) and/or the duration (Δt.sub.PI) of the pressure pulse (34) introduced are/is established depending on the ascertained volume.

Hydraulic arrangement for connecting a tractor hydraulic brake circuit to a trailer hydraulic brake circuit, comprising a coupler stage fluidly connecting a source of fluid in pressure to trailer braking hydraulic circuit and a trailer brake valve fluidly connecting the tractor hydraulic brake circuit and the trailer hydraulic brake circuit, the hydraulic arrangement further comprising a selection pilot stage fluidly connected to the source of fluid in pressure and being fluidly connectable to said trailer hydraulic brake circuit via at least a connector and a selection stage fluidly connected to the selection pilot stage and to the trailer brake valve, the selection stage being configured to impart an actuation signal to the trailer brake valve in function of an hydraulic signal coming from the selection pilot stage.

A valve system includes an isolation check valve delivering pneumatic fluid as a supply pressure, a double-check valve adapted to deliver a braking demand control signal of the pneumatic fluid based on a higher of a first braking demand in a first pneumatic braking circuit and a second braking demand in a second pneumatic braking circuit, and a control module. The control module is adapted to receive the supply pressure as a control module supply pressure of the pneumatic fluid, receive a control module control pressure of the pneumatic fluid based on the braking demand control signal, and deliver a control module delivery pressure of the pneumatic fluid based on the control module supply pressure and the control module control pressure. A park control module selectively transmits the pneumatic fluid at the supply pressure based on a park brake control signal.

A valve system includes an isolation check valve delivering pneumatic fluid as a supply pressure, a double-check valve adapted to deliver a braking demand control signal of the pneumatic fluid based on a higher of a first braking demand in a first pneumatic braking circuit and a second braking demand in a second pneumatic braking circuit, and a control module. The control module is adapted to receive the supply pressure as a control module supply pressure of the pneumatic fluid, receive a control module control pressure of the pneumatic fluid based on the braking demand control signal, and deliver a control module delivery pressure of the pneumatic fluid based on the control module supply pressure and the control module control pressure. A park control module selectively transmits the pneumatic fluid at the supply pressure based on a park brake control signal.