Land vehicles – Wheeled – Articulated vehicle
Patent
1993-04-29
1994-09-06
Focarino, Margaret A.
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Articulated vehicle
280511, B60D 100
Patent
active
053441745
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This application is a 371 of PCT/NL91/00214 filed Oct. 30, 1991.
The invention relates to a trailer coupling of the type with a built-in friction damper.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Such a coupling is known for example from the German "Offenlegungsschrift" 3 511 301. In the coupled situation, friction material of the coupling surfaces is pressed with a pre-loading against the surface of the towing ball of the pulling vehicle. Relative movements in the coupling, which are caused for instance because the trailer snakes behind the pulling vehicle, are damped by the friction force occurring in the coupling.
In the known trailer coupling the pre-loading is adjusted by means of a wedge driven by a screw which, when the screw is tightened, constrains a movable coupling element towards a coupling surface connected fixedly to the housing. This known coupling has the drawback that two separate operations have to be performed during coupling and uncoupling, namely, on the one hand operating the coupling itself and on the other setting or applying the pre-loading force. Furthermore, the pre-loading force is solely determined by the relative position of the wedge, so that with wear of the coupling material the friction force decreases and the pre-loading has to be adjusted once again. A correct pre-loading must thereby be set repeatedly, which makes the coupling awkward to use. This is all the more so the case when the same trailer has to be pulled by different vehicles. Since the diameter of the pulling coupling depends on the wear thereof, the pre-loading will have to be adapted repeatedly herein also.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These drawbacks are obviated with the trailer coupling according to the invention including a housing, one wall of which forms a first part-spherical coupling surface, a movable coupling element which is movably mounted on the housing and which forms a second part-spherical coupling surface, a control lever pivotally mounted on the housing and operable by an operating handle connected with the control lever, said control lever being engageable with the movable coupling element for displacement of the movable coupling element between an open position, in which the movable coupling element is at a distance from the first coupling surface, and an engaging position, in which the coupling element is close to the first coupling surface, wherein at least one of the coupling surfaces carries friction material, and wherein resilient pre-loading means are arranged for constraining the movable coupling element into the engaging position with a pre-loading towards the first coupling surface, said pre-loading means being pivotally connected to an engaging point on the operating handle and pivotally connected to an engaging point on the housing, such that the pre-loading of the pre-loading means is transferred from the operating handle to the control lever and therefrom onto the movable coupling element when said coupling element is in said engaging position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other aspects of the invention are apparent from the purely exemplary, and therefore not restrictive, embodiments illustrated in the following drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 illustrates a longitudinal section view of an embodiment according to the present invention in a position I;
FIG. 2 illustrates a longitudinal section view of an embodiment according to the present invention in a position II; and
FIG. 3 illustrates a longitudinal section view of an embodiment according to the present invention in a position III.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The coupling comprises a housing 1 which can be mounted in the usual manner to a drawbar 2 of a trailer.
In a foremost part of the housing 1 a spherical space 3 is defined in which the coupling ball of a pulling vehicle can be enclosed. Enclosure takes place between a part-spherical surface 4 fixedly connected to the housing 1 and a part-spherical surface that is integrally formed with a coupling element 8 pivotable round a shaft 9 connected to
REFERENCES:
patent: 2204882 (1940-06-01), Berluti
patent: 2219955 (1940-10-01), Gilmore
patent: 2732222 (1956-01-01), Harroun et al.
Focarino Margaret A.
Johnson Victor E.
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