Trailers
In trailers, this remote air-supply is in the form of a tank, which is charged whenever the emergency brakes are released via the red trailer-supply valve on the dashboard. In a dual-circuit air brake system, this tank actually receives its air from both the primary and secondary reservoirs of the tractor; the air from both of these reservoirs is merged via a two-way check valve. The two-way check valve is a pneumatic device that has two inputs and one output; each input is connected to one these reservoirs. Only the air that is at the higher pressure is allowed to pass through to the check valve's output, which then passes through the tractor-protection valve, and then travels onward towards the trailer's air-tank and spring brake valve via the red trailer-supply line (a.k.a., the emergency line); this releases the trailer's emergency brakes (a.k.a. spring brakes). The tractor-protection valve is a device that prevents air from being lost from the tractor's braking system in the event of the air-lines becoming separated or broken. The tractor's air-lines connect to the trailer's air-lines via metal connectors known as gladhands. The merged air from both reservoirs of the tractor prevents air-loss from only one tractor braking circuit from causing the trailer's spring brakes to automatically apply. This gives the driver more control, and prevents the vehicle from grinding to a halt in an unsafe location, such as in the middle of an intersection.
Read more about this topic: Relay Valve