GB1597507A

GB1597507A - Trailers

Info

Publication number: GB1597507A
Application number: GB52083/77A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1976-12-14
Filing date: 1977-12-14
Publication date: 1981-09-09
Also published as: ZA767427B; AU3173777A; AU518398B2

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO TRAILERS (71) I, WALTER FRANK PHILIPPONI, a South African citizen, of 41 Waterloo Crescent, Pineland, Pinetown, Natal, South Africa, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- THIS invention relates to trailers or towed vehicles and, more particularly, to towbars for trailers. In this specification the term 'trailer' is meant to include any vehicle adapted to be towed.

Towbars which are presently in use may include a single towing member adapted to be attached to the towing vehicle. In a more stable arrangement the towbar may comprise a triangular towing arrangement which includes two towbar members which converge from the trailer to a common hitch point.

However, even with the more stable arrangement, instability in motion, especially in the longitudinal direction, is still prevalent.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide a towbar and trailer which have certain advantages over the known arrangements.

The present invention consists in a trailer having a towbar comprising an elongated member, one end of which has a hitch point and the other end of which is pivotally connected to the trailer in order to allow pivotal movement of the hitched trailer relative to the member in a substantially vertical plane, and means for damping such movement extending between the member and the trailer from a position on the member disposed between its two ends to a position on the trailer disposed above the connection between the member and the trailer.

The pivotal connection between the towbar and the trailer allows for flexibility in motion of the trailer whilst being towed and the damping means serves to control this flexibility.

The damping means may for example include a resiliently flexible member the ends of which are respectively connected to the member and the trailer. Thus, for example, the flexible member may comprise a shock absorber of the telescopic type. Conveniently, the damping means is pivotally connected to both the member and the trailer.

The towbar may comprise two elongated members diverging from the hitch point to the trailer, each member being pivotally connected to the trailer to allow for movement of the trailer in a substantially vertical plane, and the damping means may extend between each member and the trailer.

Preferably, the member(s) and damping means are each mounted on a pivot carried between two lug formations secured to the trailer.

In one embodiment of the invention, the member(s) and damping means are each pivotally connected to an elongated extension element having one end pivotally connected to the trailer. In another embodiment, the or each member may include resilient means extending in non-pivotal relationship between the end of the member and a bracket mounted on the trailer.

The invention will now be described further by way of example with reference to the following drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of one embodiment of a trailer and towbar according to the invention; Figure 2 is a. diagrammatic side elevation of another embodiment of a towbar and trailer according to the invention; and Figure 3 is a similar view as that of Figure 2 of yet another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the arrangement shown in figure 1 of the drawings, the leading end of a trailer 1 includes a towbar having two converging elongated members 2 each pivotally connected to trailer 1 by a pivot 3 disposed between two lug formations 4 welded onto the body of trailer 1 towards the lower end thereof.

A pair of telescopic shock absorbers 5 of conventional construction have their one ends pivotally connected to members 2 at 6 and their other ends connected to pivots 7 each carried between two lug formations 8 welded onto trailer 1 in a position disposed towards the upper end thereof.

A pair of reinforcing bars 9 extend between lug formations 4 and 8 while a reinforcing cross member 10 extends between members 2.

In the arrangement shown in figure 2, the ends of members 2 are each pivotally connected at 11 to an elongated element 12, the other end of which is pivotally connected at 13 to trailer 1. In this arrangement, the one end of each shock absorber 5 is pivotally connected at 14 to one end of a folding element 15 the other end of which is carried on the pivot 7 between lug formations 8.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 3, each member 2 includes a coil spring 16 which is connected to the end of the member and to a bracket 17 which is welded onto trailer 1.

Applicant has found that the pivotal connection and presence of the various damping means on the towbar provides a stability in motion to the trailer, especially in the longitudinal direction, which has hitherto not been possible with the known arrangements.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A trailer having a towbar comprising an elongated member, one end of which has a hitchpoint and the other end of which is pivotally connected to the trailer in order to allow pivotal movement of the hitched trailer relative to the member in a substantially vertical plane, and means for damping such movement extending between the member and the trailer from a position on the member disposed between its two ends to a position on the trailer disposed above the connection between the member and the trailer.

2. A trailer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the damping means includes a resiliently flexible member the ends of which are respectively connected to the member and the trailer.

3. A trailer as claimed in claim 2, wherein the flexible member comprises a shock absorber of the telescopic type.

4. A trailer as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the damping means is pivotally connected to both the member and the trailer.

5. A trailer as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the towbar comprises two elongated members diverging from the hitch point to the trailer, each member being pivotally connected to the trailer to allow for movement of the trailer in a substantially vertical plane, and wherein the damping means extends between each member and the trailer.

6. A trailer as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the member(s) and damping means are each mounted on a pivot carried between two lug formations secured to the trailer.

7. A trailer as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the member(s) and damping means are each pivotally connected to an elongated extension element havine one one end pivotally connected to the trailer.

8. A trailer as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each member includes resilient means extending in non-pivotal relationship between the end of the member and a bracket mounted on the trailer.

9. A trailer substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 1, 2 or 3 of the accompanying drawings

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. A pair of reinforcing bars 9 extend between lug formations 4 and 8 while a reinforcing cross member 10 extends between members 2. In the arrangement shown in figure 2, the ends of members 2 are each pivotally connected at 11 to an elongated element 12, the other end of which is pivotally connected at 13 to trailer 1. In this arrangement, the one end of each shock absorber 5 is pivotally connected at 14 to one end of a folding element 15 the other end of which is carried on the pivot 7 between lug formations 8. In the arrangement shown in Figure 3, each member 2 includes a coil spring 16 which is connected to the end of the member and to a bracket 17 which is welded onto trailer 1. Applicant has found that the pivotal connection and presence of the various damping means on the towbar provides a stability in motion to the trailer, especially in the longitudinal direction, which has hitherto not been possible with the known arrangements. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A trailer having a towbar comprising an elongated member, one end of which has a hitchpoint and the other end of which is pivotally connected to the trailer in order to allow pivotal movement of the hitched trailer relative to the member in a substantially vertical plane, and means for damping such movement extending between the member and the trailer from a position on the member disposed between its two ends to a position on the trailer disposed above the connection between the member and the trailer.