Measuring and testing – With fluid pressure – Motor part or auxiliary
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-22
2001-08-14
Fuller, Benjamin R. (Department: 2855)
Measuring and testing
With fluid pressure
Motor part or auxiliary
C073S047000, C073S118040
Reexamination Certificate
active
06272904
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a driver-controlled contaminant purging apparatus for use in draining air tanks or compartments of a pressurized pneumatic reservoir of a vehicle such as a truck or a bus and a method of using same in testing the integrity of an air brake system of the vehicle. More specifically, the apparatus allows the vehicle operator to single-handedly test functionality of the air service brake system from within a driver area of the vehicle such test typically being referred to as a pre-trip air system inspection.
THE PRIOR ART
Heretofore, various drain valve apparatus for use in purging contaminants from a pneumatic tank of a vehicle air brake system and methods of use have been proposed.
Most recently, a drain valve and method for using same in automatically draining condensation and contaminants from a wet tank in a pneumatic braking system of a vehicle have been proposed in the Chille, Sr. U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,422. Automatic operation of the drain valve is controlled by vehicle ignition, with engine ignition acting to close the drain valve and engine shut off acting to open the drain valve. To date, however, a contaminant purging apparatus for use in a vehicle air system by means of which a pre-trip inspection of the vehicle air and service brake system may be performed by an operator while in a driver area of the vehicle has not been proposed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, a primary object of the apparatus and method of the present invention is not only to purge contaminants from all compartments of an air reservoir of a vehicle air system but also to provide an operator with an apparatus by means of which a method for single-handedly performing a mandatory pre-trip air and service brake system inspection from a driver area of the vehicle may be carried out.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4556259 (1985-12-01), Feldmann et al.
patent: 4928724 (1990-05-01), Margerum
patent: 5205315 (1993-04-01), Margerum
patent: 5335978 (1994-08-01), LaBastide, Jr.
patent: 5393130 (1995-02-01), Graham
patent: 5435422 (1995-07-01), Chille, Sr.
patent: 5624163 (1997-04-01), Kiel et al.
patent: 6007159 (1999-12-01), Davis et al.
Kuhn Lawrence H.
Neely, Jr. Robert H.
Calfa Jeffrey P.
Dennis Kelly Sullivan Gilberto Hernandez
Fuller Benjamin R.
International Truck and Engine Corporation
Powell Neil T.
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