Land vehicles – Wheeled – Articulated vehicle
Patent
1992-09-03
1994-07-05
Focarino, Margaret A.
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Articulated vehicle
280433, 2804791, 280512, B62D 5312
Patent
active
053261232
ABSTRACT:
A connector assembly for interconnecting a vehicle and a trailer having a hitch element includes a gripper assembly which is operable to engage the hitch element. The gripper assembly includes a plurality of jaws which are pivotally connected with and are disposed in a circular array on a base. A rotatable ring circumscribes the circular array of jaws. A motor is connected with the ring and is operable to rotate the ring in a first direction to pivot the jaws toward each other. The motor is operable to rotate the ring in a second direction, which is opposite to the first direction, to pivot the jaws away from each other. The ring and jaws are interconnected by a plurality of links. The motor is connected with the ring by a drive chain. A hitch element detector detects when the hitch element is positioned in the gripper assembly. A ring position detector detects when the ring is in predetermined positions relative to the base.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2410373 (1946-10-01), Westervelt
patent: 3535679 (1970-10-01), Connors
patent: 4063749 (1977-12-01), Tracy et al.
patent: 4907815 (1990-03-01), Hunger
patent: 5109940 (1992-05-01), Yardley
patent: 5219436 (1993-06-01), Abbott
Carter Paul T.
Guest Vaughn W.
Boehler Ann Marie
Eaton-Kenway Inc.
Focarino Margaret A.
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