The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 22, 1982
Filed:
Apr. 13, 1979
Herbert E Gladish, Ottawa, CA;
E. B. Eddy Forest Products, Ltd., Ottawa, CA;
Abstract
The present invention provides a system for overriding the prior art automatic levelling system for vehicles riding on fluid suspensions such as air bags. Such systems utilize a link extending between the vehicle axle and a regulating valve whereby the valve is responsive to vertical axle movement to alter the pressurization of the air bags and hence the clearance height between the vehicle bed and the axle. In the present invention the link is replaced by a cylinder and piston actuator which is connected to a master control via a conduit. An incompressible fluid fills the actuator chamber, the conduit and the master control chamber. The master control chamber may be varied in volume to produce a corresponding change, via the fluid, in the actuator chamber resulting in relative movement between the actuator cylinder and piston and hence operation of the regulating valve. By appropriately operating the master control it is possible to selectively effect pressurization or bleeding of the air bags to raise or lower the vehicle bed and hence achieve a desired elevation of the vehicle bed relative to a reference elevation. The invention permits rapid adjustment of the vehicle bed elevation to bring it parallel to, for example, the loading dock of a warehouse to speed the loading or unloading process.