GB1295045A - - Google Patents

Abstract

1295045 Vehicle couplings including antijack-knifing arrangements ARTILOC Ltd 20 Nov 1969 [23 Nov 1968] 55650/68 Heading B7T An articulated vehicle coupling for inhibiting jack-knifing, Fig. 1, comprises a turntable 20 rotatably mounted on a support plate 17 which in turn is mounted on a transverse horizontal pivot 15 adapted to be located on a tractor vehicle, and a coupling member (not shown) e.g. a fifth wheel plate, mounted on the turntable and which is adapted to non-rotatably connect with a trailer vehicle so that articulation between the tractor and trailer vehicles is by way of the rotatable turntable, and there further being provided on the turntable a braking disc 32 which passes between four calipers 33 operable on braking of the tractor/ trailer combination to inhibit articulaticn thereof. A thrust ring 19 is provided between the turntable 20 and plate 17, and a ring 23 locates the turntable. In the embodiment of Fig. 3 the turntable is formed by composite members 40, 41, 42, 45 rotatable by way of thrust rings 21, 22 on a support 36, 37 and located by plate 23. The brake disc 32 is formed as a flange of member 42 and the calipers 33 are mounted on the chassis 11 of the tractor vehicle. A fifth wheel plate 44 is mounted by way of pin 15 on the upper member 45 of the turntable and is adapted to be engaged by a trailer vehicle. Rotation between the trailer vehicle and plate 44 is prevented or restricted by a wedge mounted on the trailer vehicle to the rear of the king pin and engagable in the V-shaped notch in the plate. In the embodiment of Fig. 6 the turntable is rotatable about the vertical axis of a pin 59 fast therewith and mounted in bearings 60. Flanges 57 of the pin are adapted for pivotal engagement with the end 58 of a tow-bar.