GB2126967A - Fifth wheel trailer coupling - Google Patents

Fifth wheel trailer coupling Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2126967A
GB2126967A GB08323750A GB8323750A GB2126967A GB 2126967 A GB2126967 A GB 2126967A GB 08323750 A GB08323750 A GB 08323750A GB 8323750 A GB8323750 A GB 8323750A GB 2126967 A GB2126967 A GB 2126967A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
coupling
wheel
locking hook
coupling according
unlocking member
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB08323750A
Other versions
GB2126967B (en
GB8323750D0 (en
Inventor
Lothar Jakob
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Georg Fischer AG
Original Assignee
Georg Fischer AG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Georg Fischer AG filed Critical Georg Fischer AG
Publication of GB8323750D0 publication Critical patent/GB8323750D0/en
Publication of GB2126967A publication Critical patent/GB2126967A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2126967B publication Critical patent/GB2126967B/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B62LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
    • B62DMOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
    • B62D53/00Tractor-trailer combinations; Road trains
    • B62D53/04Tractor-trailer combinations; Road trains comprising a vehicle carrying an essential part of the other vehicle's load by having supporting means for the front or rear part of the other vehicle
    • B62D53/08Fifth wheel traction couplings
    • B62D53/10Fifth wheel traction couplings with means for preventing accidental uncoupling

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Lock And Its Accessories (AREA)
  • Handcart (AREA)
  • Rear-View Mirror Devices That Are Mounted On The Exterior Of The Vehicle (AREA)
  • Vehicle Cleaning, Maintenance, Repair, Refitting, And Outriggers (AREA)
  • Vending Machines For Individual Products (AREA)
  • Lubrication Of Internal Combustion Engines (AREA)
  • Pulleys (AREA)
  • Automatic Cycles, And Cycles In General (AREA)

Abstract

The locking hook 13 has first and second pivotal connection points 21, 25 which are arranged one on either side of the pivot 14, and the unlocking member 17, 17a is connected, or connectable, to a selected one of the first and second pivotal connection points 21, 25. This enables the unlocking member to project either to the one side, or to the opposite side of a towing vehicle on which the fifth wheel coupling is provided. Accordingly, the fifth wheel coupling can be readily adapted for use by vehicles travelling normally on the right, or left hand side of a road. In addition, preferably the pivots 2 and 14 are spaced by the same distance laterally from the longitudinal axis 8 of the vehicle, so that the positions of the coupling claw 3 and locking hook 13 can be interchanged. By virtue of interchanging of the position of the locking hook 13, this provides two further alternative positions for the unlocking member 17, 17a. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Fifth wheel trailer coupling This invention relates to a fifth wheel trailer coupling comprising a coupling plate having an entrance slot along which a fifth wheel king pin of a trailer is movable during coupling and uncoupling, a pivotally mounted coupling claw movable between engaged and released positions with respect to the king pin, a pivotally mounted locking hook engageable with the coupling claw in order to retain the latter in the engaged position, and an unlocking member connected to the locking hook and operable to pivot the latter away from locking engagement with the coupling claw in order to allow the king pin to be uncoupled.
Conventional, fixed fifth wheel couplings must be mounted permanently at a suitable point. The arrangement of the unlocking member (usually a bar) is thereby fixed. It can, however, occur that this position is not convenient for an operator, with the result that he can actuate this bar only with great difficultly. An unfavourable position of this type can result particularly if the handle of the unlocking bar is positioned vertically over a wheel.
In view of the fact that not all countries drive on the right, the side of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle from which the unlocking bar projects can be important.
The present invention has been developed from a fifth wheel coupling of the type disclosed in Swiss Patent Specification 595236, so as to provide an improved fifth wheel coupling in which the unlocking member can be arranged in different positions substantially without incurring additional costs.
According to the invention there is provided a fifth wheel trailer coupling comprising a coupling plate having an entrance slot along which a fifth wheel king pin of a trailer is movable during coupling and uncoupling, a pivotally mounted coupling claw movable between engaged and released positions with respect to the king pin, a pivotally mounted locking hook engageable with the coupling claw in order to retain the latter in the engaged position, and an unlocking member connected to the locking hook and operable to pivot the latter away from locking engagement with the coupling claw in order to allow the king pin to be uncoupled, in which: the locking hook has first and second connection points arranged one on either side of the pivotal axis of the locking hook; and the unlocking member is connected, or connectable, to a selected one of said first and second connection points.
Preferably, the pivotal axes of the coupling claw and the locking hook are equally spaced from the longitudinal axis of a vehicle on which the fifth wheel coupling is to be provided, so that the positions of the coupling claw and the locking hook can be interchangeable. This then enables two additional arrangements of the unlocking member(s) to be provided, giving a total of four different positions, to be provided on each side of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. It will then be unnecessary to manufacture different designs of fifth wheel coupling for use on vehicles which drive on the left hand side of the road. The unlocking member(s) can be mounted directly in the correct position at the factory when the order is placed. This leads to fewer parts and therefore smaller stocks. Manufacturing costs can also be reduced.
One embodiment of fifth wheel trailer coupling according to the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of the underside of the fifth wheel coupling, in which one position of an unlocking bar is shown in full lines, and an alternative position is shown in broken lines; and Figure 2 is a plan view of the fifth wheel coupling shown in Figure 1, but with the positions of a coupling claw and a locking hook interchanged.
Referring now to the drawing, Figure 1 shows a coupling plate 1, on which a coupling claw 3 is arranged, which is pivotably mounted about a point of rotation 2. The coupling claw 3 serves to secure a fifth wheel trailer kingpin 9 moving along an entrance slot 7, along the longitudinal axis 8 of the vehicle, during coupling and uncoupling of a trailer. A locking hook 13, which is pivotably mounted about a point of rotation 14, serves to lock the coupling claw 3 in the inserted position of the fifth wheel kingpin 9. The points of rotation 2 and 14 are formed preferably by pins, which are screwed or placed in position. The way in which the coupling claw 3 and the locking hook interengage can be seen in the drawing. It is a known design, which can also be seen for example in the above CH-PS 595 236.
An unlocking bar member 17 with a handle 18 is connected to an extension 22 of the locking hook 13 by means of a first connection in the form of a pivot 21 or a pivot point.
A second connection is provided by a pivot 25 on the locking hook 13, on the side opposite the first pivot 21 relative to the point of rotation 14.
An unlocking bar 1 7a shown in broken lines can now be connected to the locking hook 13 via the pivot 25. The unlocking bar 1 7a points to the right in Fig. 1, while the unlocking bar 17 points to the left. It is economical to arrange the pivots 21,25 in such a way that a single unlocking bar can be used for these two described embodiments.
The unlocking bars 1 7 and 1 7a can also be in mirror-symmetrical arrangement, as Fig. 2 shows.
In this case, the locking hook 1 3 mounted about the point of rotation of pin 2, and the coupling claw 3 about the point of rotation or pin 2, and the coupling claw 3 about the point of rotation or pin 14. In order for this embodiment to be realised, the imaginary line through the points of rotation 2, 14 must be at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle 8, and the points of rota ion 2, 14 must be at the same distance from the longitudinal axis 8 of the vehicle. It is advantageous for the coupling claw 3 and the locking hook 13 to be designed without shoulders so that the central planes at right angles to their axes of rotation 2, 14 and therefore their common abutment area, lie in the same plane.
As pointed out above, the same unlocking bar can have four positions. A bracket 28, respectively 28a, 28b, 28c is provided at every point where the unlocking bar can be placed.
Casting these brackets in one piece does not represent any major source of further expenditure.
Four stop cams 29, 29a, 29b, 29c are provided at every point where the unlocking bar can be placed, in order to prevent unintentional operation of the unlocking bar(s). These stop cams 29, 29a, 29b, 29c can advantageously be cast on. It is however, also possible to screw on these cams.
Of course, the springs 32, 33 with which the locking hook 13, respectively the coupling claw 3, is connected to the coupling plate 1 by means of appropriate hooks 34, 35 are also re-arranged accordingly.

Claims (10)

Claims
1. A fifth wheel trailer coupling comprising a coupling plate having an entrance slot along which a fifth wheel king pin of a trailer is movable during coupling and uncoupling, a pivotally mounted coupling claw movable between engaged and released positions with respect to the king pin, a pivotally mounted locking hook engeable with the coupling claw in order to retain the latter in the engaged position, and an unlocking member connected to the locking hook and operable to pivot the latter away from locking engagement with the coupling claw in order to allow the king pin to be uncoupled, in which: the locking hook has first and second connection points arranged one on either side of the pivotal axis of the locking hook; and the unlocking member is connected, or connectable, to a selected one of said first and second connection points.
2. A fifth wheel coupling according to claim 1, in which said first and second connection points are pivotal connections.
3. A fifth wheel coupling according to claim 1 or 2, including a pair of unlocking members, each connected, or connectable, to a respective one of said first and second connection points.
4. A fifth wheel coupling according to any one of the preceding claims, in which an imaginary line taken through the pivotal axes of the coupling claw and the locking hook is at right angles to the direction of movement of the king pin along the entrance slot (which corresponds with the longitudinal axis of the vehicle on which the coupling is to be provided), and in which the pivotal axes are spaced in use at the same distance from the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.
5. A fifth wheel coupling according to any one of the preceding claims. in which up to four brackets are provided on the coupling plate at positions in which the unlocking member(s) can be placed.
6. A fifth wheel coupling according to any one of the preceding claims, in which up to four stops are provided in places where the unlocking member(s) can be positioned.
7. A fifth wheel coupling according to claim 6, in which the stops are cast in one piece with the coupling plate.
8. A fifth wheel coupling according to claim 6, in which the stops are in threaded engagement with the coupling plate.
9. A fifth wheel coupling according to claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in the accompanying drawing.
10. A vehicle provided with a fifth wheel coupling according to any one of the preceding claims.
GB08323750A 1982-09-16 1983-09-05 Fifth wheel trailer coupling Expired GB2126967B (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CH548282 1982-09-16

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB8323750D0 GB8323750D0 (en) 1983-10-05
GB2126967A true GB2126967A (en) 1984-04-04
GB2126967B GB2126967B (en) 1985-10-30

Family

ID=4294327

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB08323750A Expired GB2126967B (en) 1982-09-16 1983-09-05 Fifth wheel trailer coupling

Country Status (7)

Country Link
BE (1) BE897752A (en)
DE (1) DE3330073C2 (en)
FR (1) FR2533171B1 (en)
GB (1) GB2126967B (en)
IT (1) IT1169811B (en)
NL (1) NL8302989A (en)
SE (1) SE451010B (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN103590691A (en) * 2013-11-29 2014-02-19 东莞市永强汽车制造有限公司 Square bucket-type ore hauling semitrailer

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH595236A5 (en) * 1976-07-05 1978-02-15 Fischer Ag Georg

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2429532A (en) * 1945-07-12 1947-10-21 Highway Trailer Co Fifth wheel locking mechanism

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH595236A5 (en) * 1976-07-05 1978-02-15 Fischer Ag Georg

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN103590691A (en) * 2013-11-29 2014-02-19 东莞市永强汽车制造有限公司 Square bucket-type ore hauling semitrailer
CN103590691B (en) * 2013-11-29 2015-11-18 东莞市永强汽车制造有限公司 A kind of square bucket type fortune ore deposit semitrailer

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
IT8322842A1 (en) 1985-03-09
FR2533171A1 (en) 1984-03-23
NL8302989A (en) 1984-04-16
SE451010B (en) 1987-08-24
DE3330073C2 (en) 1985-05-23
GB2126967B (en) 1985-10-30
DE3330073A1 (en) 1984-05-10
IT1169811B (en) 1987-06-03
GB8323750D0 (en) 1983-10-05
IT8322842A0 (en) 1983-09-09
BE897752A (en) 1984-01-02
SE8304886L (en) 1984-03-17
FR2533171B1 (en) 1987-07-17
SE8304886D0 (en) 1983-09-12

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PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee