GB2195967A - A coupling - Google Patents

A coupling Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2195967A
GB2195967A GB08620565A GB8620565A GB2195967A GB 2195967 A GB2195967 A GB 2195967A GB 08620565 A GB08620565 A GB 08620565A GB 8620565 A GB8620565 A GB 8620565A GB 2195967 A GB2195967 A GB 2195967A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
bore
recesses
projections
shaft
male
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB08620565A
Other versions
GB8620565D0 (en
Inventor
Robert Anthony Clay
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.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
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 Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to GB08620565A priority Critical patent/GB2195967A/en
Publication of GB8620565D0 publication Critical patent/GB8620565D0/en
Publication of GB2195967A publication Critical patent/GB2195967A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60DVEHICLE CONNECTIONS
    • B60D1/00Traction couplings; Hitches; Draw-gear; Towing devices
    • B60D1/48Traction couplings; Hitches; Draw-gear; Towing devices characterised by the mounting
    • B60D1/52Traction couplings; Hitches; Draw-gear; Towing devices characterised by the mounting removably mounted
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60DVEHICLE CONNECTIONS
    • B60D1/00Traction couplings; Hitches; Draw-gear; Towing devices
    • B60D1/58Auxiliary devices
    • B60D1/60Covers, caps or guards, e.g. comprising anti-theft devices

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Mutual Connection Of Rods And Tubes (AREA)

Abstract

A coupling comprising a male member (1) having a shaft (6) provided along its length with a plurality of projections (7) of different height, width, spacing, and a female member (2) having a bore (8) provided along its length with a plurality of spaced recesses (9) of different depth and width, the recesses (9) and the projections (7) being so arranged as to provide matching recess projection pairs when the shaft (6) is received within the bore (8). A ball and socket is illustrated. The towed vehicle having the ball 3 in its cup cannot therefore be towed away by another vehicle. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A coupling The present invention relates to a coupling and particularly to a coupling for use in connecting a powered vehicle such as a car to a trailer vehicle such as a caravan.
According to the present invention there is provided a coupling comprising a male member having a shaft provided along its length with a plurality of projections of different height, width, spacing, and a female member having a bore provided along its length with a plurality of spaced recesses of different depth and width the bores and the projection being so arranged as to provided matching boreprojection pairs when the shaft is received within the bore.
The projections may extend from opposite sides of the shaft and the bore may be transversely elongate to enable the projections to be inserted in the bore and on relative rotation between the male and female member for the projections to be received in the recesses.
Each projection may have a height and width which correspond with the depth and width of the recesses.
The coupling may comprise five recesses and five projections.
The present invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a vertical section of a coupling according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a section taken along line A-A of Fig. 1 and including a connecting member not shown in Fig. 1, and Figure 3 shows a plan view of a female member of the coupling shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and including a locking pin not shown in those Figures.
Referring to the drawings, a coupling comprises a male member 1 and a female member 2. The male member 1 has a ball 3 dimensioned to be received in a socket 4 (Fig. 2) of a connecting member 5 mounted to the front of a caravan (not shown). Extending from the ball 3 is a shaft 6 provided with a plurality of spaced projections 7 extending from opposite sides of the shaft 6. The base of the male member 1 is also provided with an annular projection 6a.
The female member has an elongate bore 8 provided with a plurality of spaced annular recesses 9. As can be seen from Fig. 3, the bore 8 in the female member comprises a central hole 10, and a lateral hole 11 at each side and merging with the central 10. The two lateral holes 11 so interrupt the recesses 9 that the maximum width of the bore 8 coincides with the diameter of the deepest recess 9.
In order to couple the male member 1 with the female member 2 the male member 1 is so disposed that its projections 7 are aligned with the two holes 11 of the bore 8 in the female member. The member 1 is then inserted into the female member 2 until the projections 7 of the shaft of the male member 1 engage the hole 11 of the bore 8 of the female member 2 as shown in Fig. 1 and the annular projection 6a of the shaft 7 is received in an annular recess 10. The male member 1 is then rotated through 90 by means of lever 12 so that the projections 7 enter the recesses 9 and are disposed at right angles to the holes 11. This poition is shown in Fig. 2. In order to fix the male member 1 in this position a pin 13 is passed through a transverse bore 14 in female member 2 and a bore 14 in the shaft of the male member 1.
The coupling is separated by removing the pin 13, rotating the shaft of the male member 1 through 90" and withdrawing the shaft from the bore 8.
Since each opposite pair of projections 7 have a unique height and width which corresponds with only one of the recesses 9 and the spacing between adjacent pairs of projections 7 equals that between corresponding adjacent recesses 9 the male member 1 is matched to the female member. By manufacturing the male and female members in matching pairs a particular male member 1 can only be used with a particular female member 2 and cannot be removed and used with a different female member 2.
Therefore if a caravan provided with a male member 1 is separated from a car provided with a female member 2 that caravan cannot be readily connected to a different car.
1. A couplng comprising a male member having a shaft provided along its length with a plurality of projections of different height, width, spacing, and a female member having a bore provided along its length with a plurality of spaced recesses of different depth and width, the recesses and the projections being so arranged as to provide matching recess projection pairs when the shaft is received within the bore.
2. A coupling according to claim 1, wherein the projection extend from opposite sides of the shaft and the bore is transversely elongate to enable the projections to be inserted in the bore and on relative rotation between the male and female member for the projections to be received in the recesses.
3. A coupling according to claim 2, wherein the recesses are at right angles to the transverse elongate bore such that in use the male and female members are rotated through 90" relative to each other to engage the projection within the recesses.
4. A coupling according to claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein each projection has a height and width which corresponds with the depth and
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION A coupling The present invention relates to a coupling and particularly to a coupling for use in connecting a powered vehicle such as a car to a trailer vehicle such as a caravan. According to the present invention there is provided a coupling comprising a male member having a shaft provided along its length with a plurality of projections of different height, width, spacing, and a female member having a bore provided along its length with a plurality of spaced recesses of different depth and width the bores and the projection being so arranged as to provided matching boreprojection pairs when the shaft is received within the bore. The projections may extend from opposite sides of the shaft and the bore may be transversely elongate to enable the projections to be inserted in the bore and on relative rotation between the male and female member for the projections to be received in the recesses. Each projection may have a height and width which correspond with the depth and width of the recesses. The coupling may comprise five recesses and five projections. The present invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a vertical section of a coupling according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a section taken along line A-A of Fig. 1 and including a connecting member not shown in Fig. 1, and Figure 3 shows a plan view of a female member of the coupling shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and including a locking pin not shown in those Figures. Referring to the drawings, a coupling comprises a male member 1 and a female member 2. The male member 1 has a ball 3 dimensioned to be received in a socket 4 (Fig. 2) of a connecting member 5 mounted to the front of a caravan (not shown). Extending from the ball 3 is a shaft 6 provided with a plurality of spaced projections 7 extending from opposite sides of the shaft 6. The base of the male member 1 is also provided with an annular projection 6a. The female member has an elongate bore 8 provided with a plurality of spaced annular recesses 9. As can be seen from Fig. 3, the bore 8 in the female member comprises a central hole 10, and a lateral hole 11 at each side and merging with the central 10. The two lateral holes 11 so interrupt the recesses 9 that the maximum width of the bore 8 coincides with the diameter of the deepest recess 9. In order to couple the male member 1 with the female member 2 the male member 1 is so disposed that its projections 7 are aligned with the two holes 11 of the bore 8 in the female member. The member 1 is then inserted into the female member 2 until the projections 7 of the shaft of the male member 1 engage the hole 11 of the bore 8 of the female member 2 as shown in Fig. 1 and the annular projection 6a of the shaft 7 is received in an annular recess 10. The male member 1 is then rotated through 90 by means of lever 12 so that the projections 7 enter the recesses 9 and are disposed at right angles to the holes 11. This poition is shown in Fig. 2. In order to fix the male member 1 in this position a pin 13 is passed through a transverse bore 14 in female member 2 and a bore 14 in the shaft of the male member 1. The coupling is separated by removing the pin 13, rotating the shaft of the male member 1 through 90" and withdrawing the shaft from the bore 8. Since each opposite pair of projections 7 have a unique height and width which corresponds with only one of the recesses 9 and the spacing between adjacent pairs of projections 7 equals that between corresponding adjacent recesses 9 the male member 1 is matched to the female member. By manufacturing the male and female members in matching pairs a particular male member 1 can only be used with a particular female member 2 and cannot be removed and used with a different female member 2. Therefore if a caravan provided with a male member 1 is separated from a car provided with a female member 2 that caravan cannot be readily connected to a different car. CLAIMS
1. A couplng comprising a male member having a shaft provided along its length with a plurality of projections of different height, width, spacing, and a female member having a bore provided along its length with a plurality of spaced recesses of different depth and width, the recesses and the projections being so arranged as to provide matching recess projection pairs when the shaft is received within the bore.
2. A coupling according to claim 1, wherein the projection extend from opposite sides of the shaft and the bore is transversely elongate to enable the projections to be inserted in the bore and on relative rotation between the male and female member for the projections to be received in the recesses.
3. A coupling according to claim 2, wherein the recesses are at right angles to the transverse elongate bore such that in use the male and female members are rotated through 90" relative to each other to engage the projection within the recesses.
4. A coupling according to claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein each projection has a height and width which corresponds with the depth and width of the recesses.
5. A coupling according to any preceding claim, wherein the coupling comprises five recesses and five projections.
6. A coupling according to any preceding claim, wherein a transverse bore is provided through both the female member and the shaft, which two bores are aligned when the projection are received within the recesses, and a locking pin is releasably received within the transverse bore to lock the male and female members together.
7. A coupling substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
GB08620565A 1986-08-23 1986-08-23 A coupling Withdrawn GB2195967A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB08620565A GB2195967A (en) 1986-08-23 1986-08-23 A coupling

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB08620565A GB2195967A (en) 1986-08-23 1986-08-23 A coupling

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB8620565D0 GB8620565D0 (en) 1986-10-01
GB2195967A true GB2195967A (en) 1988-04-20

Family

ID=10603185

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB08620565A Withdrawn GB2195967A (en) 1986-08-23 1986-08-23 A coupling

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2195967A (en)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4938496A (en) * 1989-01-17 1990-07-03 Thomas Charles B Ball hitch apparatus
US6203050B1 (en) 1998-03-31 2001-03-20 B.C. Cure, Inc. Ball hitch with lock assembly
US20110309599A1 (en) * 2007-06-04 2011-12-22 Columbia John R Multi-Function Anti-Rotational/Anti-Theft Hitch Ball Assembly
US8376387B2 (en) * 2007-09-17 2013-02-19 John R. Columbia Multi-function anti-rotational/anti-theft hitch ball assembly

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB681687A (en) * 1950-06-17 1952-10-29 Scintilla Ltd Improvements in or relating to bayonet fastenings
GB745101A (en) * 1953-10-08 1956-02-22 Charles Reginald Gee Improvements in or relating to locking devices or padlocks
GB819966A (en) * 1956-04-03 1959-09-09 Atomic Energy Authority Uk Improvements in or relating to lifting devices particularly for use with nuclear reactors
GB885342A (en) * 1959-10-15 1961-12-28 Dryad Metal Works Ltd Improved furniture for doors and the like
GB2155534A (en) * 1984-03-09 1985-09-25 Raymond A Holding clip for releasably securing components on a screwthreaded pin
GB2163475A (en) * 1984-08-15 1986-02-26 Automotive Products Plc Mounting a structure such as a hydraulic cylinder on a support

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB681687A (en) * 1950-06-17 1952-10-29 Scintilla Ltd Improvements in or relating to bayonet fastenings
GB745101A (en) * 1953-10-08 1956-02-22 Charles Reginald Gee Improvements in or relating to locking devices or padlocks
GB819966A (en) * 1956-04-03 1959-09-09 Atomic Energy Authority Uk Improvements in or relating to lifting devices particularly for use with nuclear reactors
GB885342A (en) * 1959-10-15 1961-12-28 Dryad Metal Works Ltd Improved furniture for doors and the like
GB2155534A (en) * 1984-03-09 1985-09-25 Raymond A Holding clip for releasably securing components on a screwthreaded pin
GB2163475A (en) * 1984-08-15 1986-02-26 Automotive Products Plc Mounting a structure such as a hydraulic cylinder on a support

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4938496A (en) * 1989-01-17 1990-07-03 Thomas Charles B Ball hitch apparatus
US6203050B1 (en) 1998-03-31 2001-03-20 B.C. Cure, Inc. Ball hitch with lock assembly
US20110309599A1 (en) * 2007-06-04 2011-12-22 Columbia John R Multi-Function Anti-Rotational/Anti-Theft Hitch Ball Assembly
US8376387B2 (en) * 2007-09-17 2013-02-19 John R. Columbia Multi-function anti-rotational/anti-theft hitch ball assembly

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB8620565D0 (en) 1986-10-01

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Legal Events

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WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)