Abstract: A method for determining the wheel base of steerable vehicles when cornering, in which the wheel base is determined from at least one defined track width, measured wheel circumference speeds and/or measured steering angles.

Abstract: A compressed-air disk brake for vehicles comprises an actuating device for applying brake blocks in the direction of a brake disk and a brake cylinder, which, on arrival of the compressed air, initiates a braking action via the actuating device. At least one control module, comprising individual pneumatic and electronic components, is incorporated into the brake and/or the associated brake cylinder. For example, the control module may be formed directly on the brake cylinder housing section which encloses the ventilation chamber.

Abstract: A brake control arrangement for a composite vehicle including a tractor and at least one trailer possessing an electronic brake control and a mechanical brake control, each producing a fluid pressure supplied to the brakes of the trailer based on brake demand for braking of the vehicle. A trailer control valve in the tractor receives the two pressurized fluids and selects the greater of the two fluid pressures, routing the fluid having the greater pressure to the trailer brake. A stop valve is connected between the mechanical brake control and the trailer control valve and is controlled by a monitoring device of the electronic brake control such that, during a normal mode of operation of the electronic brake control, the stop valve prevents the flow of fluid from the mechanical brake control to the trailer control valve and during an error mode the stop valve permits the flow of fluid from the mechanical brake control to the trailer control valve.

Abstract: A method for drive stability enhancement of multi-unit vehicle combinations which is based on an autonomous unilateral operation and pressure coordination (during braking) of the towing vehicle unit's brake system, producing a stabilizing yaw torque on the towing vehicle unit, whose calculation is based on an adaptive reference model of the vehicle combination, running in real-time on the vehicle's onboard computer and gathering information only from the towing vehicle unit, such as pneumatic pressures at the brake cylinders, pressure differences in the rear axle air bags, steering angle, yaw rate and lateral acceleration and the wheel speeds on the towing vehicle. Based on this information and the adaptive model, the hitch ange and its derivative is estimated.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for determining the overrun force which is produced by a trailer on a tractor during the braking operation without the requirement of a force sensor on the coupling. This process consists essentially of determining the equilibrium of the forces acting upon the tractor in the vertical direction, the equilibrium of forces acting upon the tractor in the horizontal direction, and finally determining the overrun force from the vertical and horizontal equilibrium of forces.

Abstract: Driver brake valve for operating compressed air brakes of rail vehicles. An electropneumatic converter is used to generate a servopressure. The servopressure actuates a relay valve for pressurizing a main air line. An electronic regulation circuit receives a plurality of electrical control signals, including a signal proportional to the pneumatic servo-pressure. The regulation circuit generates an ideal value signal for controlling the electro-pneumatic converter and controls the starting behavior of the brake system. Brake demands which exceed a threshold value are applied to the electronic circuit which generates the ideal value signal. Pressure sensors connected to the main air line and a flow sensor connected to a main container line are used to derive the ideal values for controlling the pneumatic servopressure and the operation of the relay valve.