Land vehicles – Wheeled – Articulated vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-01
2002-03-19
Johnson, Brian L. (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Articulated vehicle
C280S477000, C280S479100, C280S479300, C280S462000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06357779
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to improvements in or relating to hitch assemblies for connecting a trailer to a tow vehicle.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
Vehicle trailers which may for example include caravans, domestic trailers, commercial trailers, water craft trailers and the like, which are normally connected to a vehicle such as a car or truck are well known. The most common form of coupling that is formed between the vehicle and its trailer is by the provision of a tow ball secured to a vehicle to which a female coupling member secured to the trailer (usually to the tow or draw bar of a trailer) can be secured. The female coupling member usually incorporates a displaceable portion which can be moved to a condition to allow for the female member to fall over the tow ball of the vehicle. The moveable member is then moved to a condition where it will subsequently prevent the female member from being uplifted from the tow ball.
The female member is usually located at the end of a draw bar which is rigidly fixed to the frame or chassis of the trailer. In order for the coupling between the vehicle and the trailer to be made, the tow ball of a vehicle must be placed in the vicinity or below the female member of the trailer.
The female member then needs to be manoeuvred, which normally requires the movement of the entire trailer so that it and the tow ball can be aligned for engagement. Although some trailers provide a jockey wheel on the draw bar to allow for the female member to be raised and lowered, normally there are no provisions to allow for the female coupling to be moved independently of the trailer. Therefore in order to make the coupling the entire trailer may need to be rotated and/or displaced to achieve the alignment.
Although this may not be a difficult task for smaller trailers or trailers where there is no significant loading, for caravans, boat trailers or other trailers where there is a significant resistance to movement, the achievement of a coupling between the trailer and the vehicle can be difficult. In such instances it is virtually essential for the tow ball of a vehicle to be located immediately below the female member of the trailer. An example of a means which allows for an increase in accuracy and simplicity of the placement of a tow ball of a vehicle is described in GB2247438. This patent specification describes a sighting device to assist the coupling of a trailer to a towing vehicle. The use of devices such as this still requires a driver of the vehicle to manoeuvre the tow ball to a position to allow an easy coupling to be achieved.
Devices to allow for a guided engagement of the trailer and the vehicle to be achieved are also known. In for example GB2170769, there is described the use of a coupling for towing vehicles which utilises an intermediate member between the securing means of the trailer with the tow ball of a vehicle. This intermediate member with the use of angled guide portions as part of the trailer allows for a vehicle to be backed towards a trailer and for the intermediate member to be guided to the trailer coupling.
Several patent specifications describe means by which an accurate positioning of the tow ball of a vehicle becomes in-essential.
GB225290 describes indeed an alternative arrangement to simplify the achievement of a coupling between a trailer and a vehicle. In this specification there is described a trailer coupling which by way of a cable connected to the trailer (preferably through the draw bar) can allow the trailer coupling to be positioned onto the tow bar of a vehicle and be subsequently winched by retracting the cable, to move the vehicle and trailer to a more proximate position to then allow the trailer coupling to be locked in place relative to the draw bar.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5277447 there is described a trailer coupling mechanism which consists of a telescopic and articulatable draw bar which allows for simplified alignment between the trailer coupling and its counterpart vehicle coupling.
The device is capable of both an axial and lateral movement and allows for a coupling between the trailer and the vehicle to be achieved as long as both coupling portions are within a region that can be reached by the movement of the device. Therefore it is not essential for a tow ball of a vehicle to be moved accurately as long as it is moved within the range of movement provided by the device.
Once the coupling has been made, the device still requires alignment of the portions to allow a retraction of these telescopic feature to be achieved to create a rigid draw bar arrangement.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide improvements in or relating to towing apparatus for trailers which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly in a first aspect the present invention consists a telescoping hitch assembly for connecting a trailer to a tow vehicle comprising:
a first member engaged or engagable to a trailer
a coupling arm telescopically engaged with said first member, said coupling arm adapted for coupling at or towards a first distal end thereof to said vehicle
a ratchet arrangement between said first member and said coupling arm , said arrangement including ratchet surface defining means and at least one movable deployable member engageable with said ratchet surface defining means
wherein said moveable deployable member is moveable between an operative condition(ratchet) and an inoperative (non ratchet) condition,
and wherein said deployable member, when in its operative condition, prevents displacement between said ratchet surface defining means and said deployable member in a direction of telescopic extension between said first member ands said coupling arm.
Preferably said first member carries said ratchet surface defining means.
Preferably said ratchet surface defining means is located within a cavity of said first member, and wherein said deployable member is moveably located within said cavity.
Preferably said ratchet surface defining means provides at least one ratchet surface of a plurality of reliefs being of a shape to allow engagement of a ratchet kind therewith by said deployable member.
Preferably said surface of said ratchet surface defining means is of an inclined stepped nature.
Preferably said ratchet surface defining means is dependably located from said first member and said deployable member carried by and is pivotally connected to said coupling arm within said cavity to pivot between said operative (ratchet surface defining means engaged) an inoperative conditions.
Preferably said deployable member in operative condition is engaged with a relief of the ratchet surface defining means to prevent telescopic extension but allow retraction of the connection arm to said ratchet surface defining means and
in said inoperative condition is pivoted away from being engaged with the ratchet surface defining means to allow axial displacement between said ratchet surface defining means and the coupling arm.
Preferably said first member is a hollow rigid elongate member.
Preferably said ratchet surface defining means is axially (in the telescopic direction) displaceable relative to said first member within inner (in direction of retraction) and outer (in direction of extension) limits.
Preferably said inner and outer limits are defined by end stops of said cavity of said first member.
Preferably said ratchet surface defining means is biased away from at least one of said inner or outer limits by biasing means.
Preferably said ratchet surface defining means is biased away from both said inner and outer limits by biasing means.
Preferably said biasing means are springs.
Alternatively said ratchet surface defining means is fixed relative to said first member.
Preferably said ratchet surface defining means is of a “U” section, having at least one inwardly directed ratchet surface.
Preferably said section provides two opposite and inwardly facing ratchet surfaces.
Preferably there are two deployable members pivotally connecte
Mok Chiu Hang
Mok Chiu Nang
Christie Parker & Hale LLP
Johnson Brian L.
Mok Chiu Hang
Yeagley Daniel
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