Manually controlled self-leveling system for a vehicle suspension

Claim 1

IN A VEHICLE HAVING A SPRUNG MASS INCLUDING A FRAME AND AN UNSPRUNG MASS INCLUDING A WHEEL, MEANS INCLUDING AN AIR SPRING UNIT OPERATIVELY CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID MASSES FOR YIELDABLY SUPPORTING SAID SPRING MASS ON SAID UNSPRUNG MASS, SAID AIR SPRING UNIT INCLUDING AN EXPANSIBLE AND RETRACTABLE AIR CHAMBER, A LEVELING VALVE MECHANISM CARRIED BY ONE OF SAID MASSES FOR CONTROLLING THE INTRODUCTION OF AIR UNDER PRESSURE INTO AND EXHAUST OF AIR UNDER PRESSURE FROM SAID AIR CHAMBER, MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID VALVE MECHANISM AND MOUNTED WITH RESPECT TO SAID MASSES SO AS TO SENSE THE RELATIVE POSITION OF THE LATTER FOR ACTUATING SAID VALVE MECHANISM TO CONTROL THE MOVEMENT OF AIR UNDER PRESSURE INTO AND OUT OF SAID AIR CHAMBER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RELATIVE POSITION OF SAID MASSES, AND MANUAL CONTROL MEANS OPERABLE IN ONE POSITION TO PERMIT AIR UNDER PRESSURE TO BE INTRODUCED AND EXHAUSTED THROUGH SAID VALVE MECHANISM INTO AND OUT OF SAID AIR CHAMBER AND IN A SECOND POSITION TO CLOSE OFF EXHAUST OF AIR UNDER PRESSURE THROUGH SAID VALVE MECHANISM FROM SAID AIR CHAMBER, SAID MANUAL CONTROL MEANS INCLUDING A NORMALLY CLOSED AIR INLET VALVE OPERABLE TO BE OPENED BY ENGAGEMENT OF A CONVENTIONAL FILLING STATION AIR HOSE NOZZLE WHEN SAID MANUAL CONTROL MEANS IS DISPOSED IN SAID FIRST POSITION, SAID VALVE MECHANISM INCLUDING A VALVE BODY HAVING A WORKING PORT, AN INLET PORT AND AN EXHAUST PORT FORMED THEREIN, AND MEANS FOR CONTROLLING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID PORTS INCLUDING A MEMBER EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID VALVE BODY FOR ENGAGEMENT BY SAID POSITION SENSING MEANS WHEN SAID MANUAL CONTROL MEANS IS DISPOSED IN SAID FIRST POSITION SO AS TO BE MOVED IN RESPONSE TO SAID POSITION-SENSING MEANS AND MEANS OPERABLE ONLY WHEN SAID MANUAL CONTROL MEAN IS DISPOSED IN SAID SECOND POSITION FOR LOCKING SAID MEMBER IN A STATIONARY POSITION OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID POSITION-SENSING MEANS.