Coupling for an articulated vehicle or the like
US4405146A · kind A · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 30, 1981 |
| Grant date | Sep 20, 1983 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 30, 2001 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S280/14
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
The coupling is provided with a load bearing plate (6) tiltably mounted on a circular plate (10) supported on the tractor for rotation about a substantially vertical axis (20). The load bearing plate receives, in a slot (7) formed therein, a pair of spaced apart kingpins (1,3) on the underside of the trailer (A) in such manner that the trailer and the two plates are restrained from rotation with respect to each other. A pair of fluid operated rams (29,30) are mounted on the tractor and are arranged to cooperate an opposite sides of said axis (20) with rollers (35,36) carried by the circular plate via a pair of swinging arms (23,24) pivoted on a center shaft at one end and on the ends of the ram piston rods (27,28) near their opposite end. Thus only one ram at a time may become operable to resist rotation of the plates away from an in-line position of the tractor and trailer or to restore this position, to avoid trailer swing or to cure a jacknifing condition, without the piston rods fouling the center shaft.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.