GB1403752A - Towing coupler - Google Patents

Abstract

1403752 Ball-and-socket vehicle couplings ATWOOD VACUUM MACHINE CO 16 Jan 1974 [2 Feb 1973] 02080/74 Heading B7T A towing coupler of the kind having a socket 12 to receive the ballhead 10 of a towing vehicle, comprises: a supporting bracket 13 which carries the socket 12, the bracket having a slot 36 extending away from the socket 12; a support plate 14 carried by the bracket 13; a clamp 18 which is in pivotal engagement with a fulcrum portion 38 of the plate 14 to allow movement to and from a position in which the clamp 18 engages and retains the ballhead in the socket 12; an operating member 27 which is pivoted by means of a pin 28 to a plate 21 secured to the clamp 18; and a spring 32 which urges the member 27 and clamp 18 in opposite rotational directions about the pin 28, the member 27 being movably engaged in the slot 36 of the bracket 13 such that the member 27 may be moved away from the socket 12 to move the clamp 18 from the position in which it engages the ballhead 10. In use of the embodiment shown a handle portion 29 of the member 27 is depressed to release engagement of shoulders 41 of the member with a ledge 39 of the bracket 13. The operating member may be held in its open position by engagement of shoulders 40 of the member 27 with the ledge 39 of the bracket 13. In the embodiment of Fig. 8 (not shown), shoulders such as the shoulders 41 of Fig. 1, are eliminated to allow automatic movements of the operating member (27<SP>1</SP>) and clamp (18) when the ballhead (10) is inserted into the socket (12). In the embodiment of Fig. 9, (not shown), shoulders such as the shoulders 40 of Fig. 1, are deleted.