A COUPLING ASSEMBLY
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to couplings and is particularly relevant to vehicles towing trailers.
Background of the Invention
A typical method for coupling a trailer to a vehicle involves connecting a tow bar to the rear of the vehicle.
The tow bar includes a tow ball which is fitted into the tow bar's tongue attachment. A trailer can then be hitched to the tow ball by connecting a shackle to the tow ball.
Unfortunately it is not always easy to attach the shackle of the trailer to the tow ball of the vehicle. For example if the shackle and tow ball are not correctly aligned considerable strength may be required to maneuver the shackle over the tow ball and orient it correctly so that it can be dropped over the top of the tow ball. For example if the trailer happens to sit at an angle with respect to the vehicle, there may be considerable difficultly in coupling the two together.
In addition to the above there are a number of off-road type couplings which incorporate a universal joint type arrangement which is difficult to align.
The present invention provides an alternative coupling assembly which at least to some extent alleviates the above identified problem.
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Summary of the Invention
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a coupling assembly for coupling a towing vehicle to a towed vehicle, comprising:
a bracket for fastening to the towed vehicle;
a socket coupled to the bracket for relative movement therebetween and having an opening for receiving a substantially upright towing pin for fastening to the towing vehicle the opening having an entrance and at least one internal surface converging inwardly therefrom;
wherein as the pin is received into the opening, the pin cooperates with said surface to thereby move the socket for alignment with the pin.
Preferably the socket is rotatable about a longitudinal axis defined by the bracket for the relative movement therewith.
In a preferred embodiment the socket is further rotatable about an axis at an angle to the longitudinal axis for the relative movement.
Preferably the entrance of the opening defines a cylindrical space.
The opening may include an exit defining a second cylindrical space opposite the entrance for egress of a head of the pin.
The coupling assembly may be provided in combination with the pin.
Preferably the pin includes at least one surface, for example a sloping side, converging toward the head.
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In the preferred embodiment the pin includes a circumferential slot for receiving a locking member to thereby hold the pin in place in the socket.
Preferably sides of the pin complement internal surfaces of the opening.
It is preferred that the pin includes a collar for abutment with the socket about the entrance.
The coupling assembly may have a pin comprising:
a base portion;
a head portion;
first and second surfaces converging toward an apex of the head portion;
an intermediate neck of constant cross section between said first and second converging surfaces ;
a collar about the base portion; and a peripheral slot beneath the head portion for receiving a locking element.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a coupling assembly for coupling a towing vehicle to a towed vehicle, comprising:
a first coupling comprising a substantially upright towing pin for fastening to the towing vehicle;
a bracket for fastening to the towed vehicle and a second coupling comprising a link coupled to the bracket for relative movement therebetween, the link having a coupling hole configured to receive the towing pin, the coupling hole having an opening having an entrance and at least one internal surface converging inwardly therefrom;
the substantially upright towing pin having an upper portion with a first sloping peripheral surface and a lower portion with a second sloping peripheral surface, wherein the width of a lower end of the lower portion is greater than the width of a lower end of the upper portion of the towing pin; and
2006207859 12 Oct 2018 wherein as the towing pin is received into the opening, at least one of the said sloping peripheral surfaces of the pin cooperates with said at least one converging internal surface of the opening to thereby move the link for alignment with the towing pin.
Preferably the first coupling includes a neck portion of substantially constant width located between the upper and lower portions.
The sloping peripheral surfaces of the upper portion of the substantially upright towing pin preferably comprise a conical outer surface.
Preferably the upper portion of the substantially upright towing pin comprises a frusto conical outer surface.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the first coupling portion comprises a neck portion with a cylindrical region.
It is preferred that the neck portion of the first coupling portion has a width less than the width of the lower end of the upper portion of the substantially upright towing pin.
The lower portion of the substantially upright towing pin preferably has a sloping region comprising a substantially frusto conical peripheral surface.
The hole preferably comprises a through hole having an exit opposite the entrance for egress of a portion of the towing pin.
2006207859 12 Oct 2018
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a coupling assembly for coupling a towing vehicle to a towed vehicle, comprising:
a first coupling comprising a substantially upright towing pin for fastening to the towing vehicle and having an upper portion with a first sloping peripheral surface and a lower portion with a second sloping peripheral surface, the width of the lower end of the lower portion being greater than the width of a lower end of the upper portion;
a second coupling including a socket for receiving the towing pin, formed by a first portion of the second coupling which has a coupling hole;
the coupling hole comprising an opening of the socket the opening having an entrance and at least one internal surface converging inwardly therefrom;
a third coupling including a bracket for fastening to the towed vehicle, the second coupling being coupled to the bracket for relative movement therebetween;
wherein as the towing pin is received into the opening, at least one of the said sloping peripheral surfaces of the towing pin cooperates with said at least one inwardly converging internal surface to thereby move the socket for alignment with the towing pin.
Preferably the socket is rotatable about a longitudinal axis defined by the third coupling for the relative movement therebetween.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the socket is further rotatable about an axis at an angle to the longitudinal axis for the relative movement therebetween.
The entrance of the opening preferably defines a cylindrical space.
Preferably the opening includes an exit opposite the entrance for egress of a head of the towing pin.
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Preferably the exit defines a second cylindrical space
Preferably at least one of said peripheral surfaces of the towing pin converges toward the head.
The towing pin preferably includes a neck for placement of a cover or key component thereabout to ensure uncoupling cannot occur.
Preferably said sloping peripheral surfaces of the towing pin complement said internal surfaces of the opening.
The towing pin preferably includes a collar for abutment with the socket about the entrance.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention the pin comprises a lower base portion;
an upper head portion;
wherein the first and second sloping peripheral surfaces converge toward an apex of the head portion;
a collar about the lower base portion; and a neck of constant cross section between said first and second sloping peripheral surfaces;
for placement of a cover or key component thereabout.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a coupling for coupling a towing vehicle to a towed vehicle, comprising:
a bracket for fastening to the towed vehicle;
a link coupled to the bracket by a rotatable shaft for relative movement therebetween, the link having a rear wall, side walls and a base wall with a hole
2006207859 12 Oct 2018 therethrough for receiving a substantially upright towing pin for fastening to the towing vehicle;
the through hole having an entrance, an upper opening of smaller width than the entrance, and at least one sloping internal surface between the upper opening and the entrance converging inwardly therefrom; and wherein as the towing pin is received into the hole, the pin cooperates with said at least one internal surface to thereby move the coupling link for alignment with the pin.
Brief Description of the Drawings
A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 shows an angled view of a coupling in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention; and
Figures 2 to 6 show different stages of coupling between a coupling element and a coupling link in accordance with the preferred embodiment.
As shown in Figure 1 coupling 10 consists of coupling element 11 which is in the form of a specially configured upright shaft or as it may be referred to “pin” and a link 12 connected to a rotatable central shaft 40 located inside a cylindrical element 42 with a fixing bracket 14 fixed thereto.
The shape of the coupling element 11 can be seen in all of the figures. It consists of a conical shaped head 20 with an apex 21. Below the head 20 a cylindrical neck region 22 is provided of diameter which is approximately the same as the diameter of the head 20 at a mid vertical point thereof.
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The neck region 22 extends into a stepped cylindrical section 23 of wider diameter and this in turn extends into a frusto conical region 24 which tapers outwardly at a constant gradient similar to that for the head 20.
The frusto conical region 24 extends into a lower cylindrical region 25 which terminates in a collar 26.
Below the collar 26 a cylindrical shaft 27 is provided of slightly narrower width than the cylindrical region 25 but larger in width than the cylindrical region 22.
The link 12 consist of a rectangular rear wall 30 and two forwardly extending side walls 31 and 32 which are similarly rectangular in shape. A base wall 33 interconnects 31 and 32 and incorporates a socket formed by an enlarged region 34 with a central hole 35.
The central hole 35 has an inner peripheral surface which closely approximates the external profile of the shaft element 11 of regions 23, 25 and 25. Thus a top region 36 of the hole 35 has a narrow cylindrical profile, an intermediate region below this 37 has a frusto conical profile and a lower region 38 has a cylindrical profile with a diameter similarly slightly larger than the width of region 25.
As shown in Figures 2 to 6, the shape of the hole 35 is designed to accommodate the external profile of the shaft element 11.
The link 12 is coupled to a cylindrical element 42 which incorporates a central shaft 40 of small diameter which extends through a central rearward aperture in the central vertical wall of rear wall 30. A cylindrically shaped stopper or head 41 prevents the central shaft 40 from being pulled all the way through the central rearward aperture in the central vertical wall of rear wall 30 and the large cylindrical element 42 coaxial with central shaft 40 prevents the shaft 40 from
2006207859 12 Oct 2018 being pushed too far through the central rearward aperture in the wall 30 by abutting washer 43 which is fastened to the central shaft 40.
Bracket 14, which is attached to cylindrical element 42 enables trailer coupling element 13 to be attached to a trailer.
In operation coupling link 12 and its connected trailer coupling element 13 can be coupled to the upright shaft coupling element 11 by locating the hole 35 over the top end of the upright shaft coupling element 11. As shown in Figure 2 if the link 12 happens to be oriented at an angle with respect to the vertically oriented shaft element 11, the top or apex 21 of the head 20 will contact an inner surface of the hole 35 as for example shown in Figure 2. Because of the sloping surface 37 and corresponding sloping surface of the head 20, the link 12 slides over the head 20 to the position shown in Figure 3 where the sloping side wall of the head 20 contacts the sloping region 37 and the link therefore slides over the top of the shaft element as shown in Figure 4. As the width of the lower end of the head 20 closely approximates the inside width of the hole at region 36, the head 20 effectively prevents the link from dropping completely onto the shaft element in one dropping movement. Instead the head 20 aligns centrally into the hole region 36 at the same time aligning the lower edge of the link 12 so that it slides along the outer surface of region 24 causing the lower region 38 to slide over the region 24 and then align with region 25 at its top end.
As the external diameter of region 25 and lower end of head 20 are slightly smaller than the corresponding diameters of the hole at regions 37 and 36, the link is able to gradually drop onto the shaft element and rest on the flange/collar
26. As can be seen from the drawing as part of this process the link 12 reorientates from an angled position of say 45° in the example shown to a horizontal orientation and coupling is complete as shown in Figure 5 with the head 20 protruding beyond the upper end of the hole region 36 so that the neck
2006207859 12 Oct 2018 is exposed. A cover or key component can then be placed over the head 20 to ensure uncoupling cannot occur.
With the coupling described above alignment between the link 12 and coupling element 11 is assisted by the central shaft 40 allowing the link 12 to rotate with respect to cylindrical element 42 and bracket 14 which is fixed to part of a trailer. Thus regardless of the orientation of the coupling component of the trailer (identified by items 12 and 13), once the hole 35 has been located over the top end of the coupling element 11, self alignment centering of the link due to the shape of the internal and external surfaces of the hole and coupling element 11 respectively allows easy coupling of a trailer to a vehicle.
It is to be understood that, if any prior art publication Is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or in any other country.
In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word “comprise or variations such as “comprises or comprising Is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.