GB2204844A

GB2204844A - Mounting of service lines with a tractor/trailer coupling

Info

Publication number: GB2204844A
Application number: GB08810787A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Neil Wilkinson; Peter Slocombe
Original assignee: CHRISTIAN SALVESEN
Current assignee: CHRISTIAN SALVESEN
Priority date: 1987-05-13
Filing date: 1988-05-06
Publication date: 1988-11-23
Anticipated expiration: 2008-05-06
Also published as: GB8810787D0; GB8711276D0; GB2204844B

Abstract

A mechanism adapted for coupling a tractor with a semi-trailer having conduits or conductors 19A leading services sourced at A, B, C along members of the tractor structure, the conduits or conductors 19A routed within a channel member of the chassis 10 emerging therefrom just below a locating or support means 20 adjacent the fifth wheel from which the conduits or conductors are laid side-by-side within a sheath 21 for convenience and ease of handling, these conduits or conductors emerging at the distant end of the sheath 21 for connection to the conventional coupling points on the front end of the semi-trailer 15. By virtue of this arrangement, the service lines do not cross the free space between the tractor cab and the front of the trailer. <IMAGE>

Description

CONNECTIONS BETWEEN TRACTORS AND SEMI-TRAILERS This invention relates to tractors for semi-trailers.

The invention is concerned particularly with flexible connecting means between a tractor and a semi-trailer for electrical hydraulic and pneumatic services.

Conventionally, services connections between a tractor and a semi-trailer are provided by open-coiled flexible pipes or conductors which extend from coupling points located adjacent the rear of a cab on the tractor to coupling points located on the front of the semitrailer. Thus, these connections extend across the gap between the tractor cab and the semi-trailer. This arrangement has the disadvantage of impeding free passageway or access between the cab and semi-trailer.

Also, there is the further disadvantage that these conventional connections generally impair the appearance of the tractor/semi-trailer combination.

Further, the known arrangement has the disadvantage that it unfavourably limits dimensioning of the semi-trailer having regard to the minimum cab/trailer gap to afford a safe range of free movement of the connections.

An object of the present invention is to provide in a tractor an arrangement for services connections whereby the aforesaid disadvantages, or any of them, are obviated or mitigated when the tractor is fully coupled to a semi-trailer.

According to the present invention, there is provided a tractor having a mechanism adapted for coupling with a semi-trailer, and conduits and/or conductors for carrying hydraulic and/or pneumatic and/ or electrical services between the tractor and the semitrailer when the latter is coupled to the tractor, said conduit and/or conductors extending along members of the tractor structure to a locating or support means for said conduits and/or conductors and disposed adjacent said mechanism.

Preferably, the said conduits and/or conductors include flexible conduits and/or conductors extending beyond said locating or support means.

By arranging the conduits and/or conductors in accordance with the present invention as aforesaid, the path of the flexible connections between the tractor and a semi-trailer fully coupled thereto is first forwards from the said locating or support means beneath a front end portion of the semi-trailer and then returned by way of an upward loop to terminate or connect with conventional coupling points on the front of the semi-trailer.Thus, free passageway or access in the gap between the tractor cab and the semi-trailer is improved, the unsightly conventional open-coiled connections are replaced by a simple return configuration having improved visual appeal, and the longitudinal dimension of the semi-trailer forwards from the coupling mechanism may be increased so increasing the capacity of the semi-trailer without altering the total length of the tractor/semi-trailer combination and without compromising satisfactory free action of the connections during articulating movement of the combination.

Preferably, also, the included flexible conduits and/or conductors extending beyond said locating or support means are disposed within a tubular sheath.

Preferably, the said locating or support means comprises a swivel connector having a relatively stationary part secured to a member of the tractor structure adjacent said mechanism, and a relatively movable part rotatable about an upright axis.

Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a tractor having a semi-trailer coupled thereto by means of a coupling mechanism establishing an articulated coupling disposed aft of the front of the semi-trailer, services conduits and/or conductors on the tractor extending to a locating or support means adjacent said coupling mechanism, and flexible connection means carrying said services to the semi-trailer and extending from the locating or support means forwards beneath the semi-trailer then returned to coupling points on the semi-trailer.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a tractor/semi-trailer combination showing conventional services connections Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the arrangement of services connections in accordance with the present invention; and Fig. 3 is a general view to a much enlarged scale of locating or support means shown in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, a tractor for use in an articulated tractor/semi-trailer combination consists essentially of a chassis 10, a cab 11, and a coupling mechanism 12. The tractor chassis 10 is mounted on road wheels 13 and is powered by an engine unit indicated by the broken line 14.

The tractor of Fig. 1 is coupled to a semi-trailer 15 which is adapted for articulated connection to the tractor by means of the coupling mechanism 12. Thus, the centre line of the coupling mechanism or "fifth wheel" is indicated by reference numeral 16 and the lower and upper fifth wheel plates are indicated by reference numerals 17 and 18 respectively. The operation of the coupling mechanism 12 is conventional and does not itself form part of the present'invention.

In Fig. 1, pneumatic or hydraulic or electrical services are conveyed from the tractor to the semitrailer by means of conventional open-coiled conduits and/or conductors indicated generally by reference numeral 19. The services are sourced at points A,B and C on the tractor and coupling points to these services are disposed at the back of the cab 11 as can be seen in Fig. 1. In the drawing, the coupling points are shown as being disposed with vertical spacing, but this is for illustration only and in practice the coupling points will usually be disposed with horizontal spacing.

Corresponding coupling points are provided on the front end of the semi-trailer 15.

The dimension of the gap between the back of the cab 11 and the front of the semi-trailer 15 is represented in Fig. 1 by Gl.

With the conventional arrangements of Fig. 1, the coupling up of the services connections 19 can be awkward for the driver/operator because in many cases such person is required to straddle the open-coiled formations while bringing together the ends thereof at the coupling points either on the rear of the cab 11 or the front of the semi-trailer 15. The dimension Gl must be sufficient to allow full articulation between the tractor and the semi-trailer without fouling or otherwise compromising free action of the connections 19 in the tractor/semi-trailer gap. Thus, there is some limitation on the longitudinal dimension of the semi-trailer measured forwards from the centre line 16.

The conventional open-coiled connections 19 tend to be unsightly and are difficult or time-consuming to clean. Accordingly, they tend to be unpleasant to handle.

In Fig. 2, parts corresponding with those in Fig. 1 are given the same reference numerals.

In Fig. 2, the coupling points for the services sourced at A, B and C have been removed from the back of the cab 11 and these services are led by means of conduits or conductors 19A along members of the tractor structure to locating or support means 20 disposed adjacent the coupling mechanism 12. More particularly, the conduits and/or conductors 19A are routed within a channel member of the chassis 10 emerging therefrom just below the locating or support means 20. Assuming that the services sourced at points A and B are respectively pneumatic and hydraulic services, then the conduits between the sources A and B and the means 20 need not be flexible provided that the means 20 incorporates a swivel connector as is described later herein with reference to Fig. 3. Assuming also that the source C is an electrical supply, the appropriate conductor will be flexible. From the means 20, the conductor (or conductors) from source C together with flexible conduits for the services from sources A and B are laid side-by-side within a sheath 21 for convenience and ease of handling. These conduits and conductors emerge at the distant end of the sheath 21 for connection to the conventional coupling points on the front end of the semi-trailer 15. As can be seen in Fig. 2, the flexible connections between the means 20 and the semi-trailer 15 extend forwards beneath the semi-trailer and are returned in an upwards loop to terminate at the semi-trailer coupling points. It can be seen in Fig. 2 that the dimension of the gap G2 between the cab 11 and the semi-trailer 15 is reduced as compared with Fig. 1, but nevertheless free passageway and access in the gap is improved for an operator handling the services connections carried by the sheath 21.

In Fig. 3, parts corresponding with those shown in Fig. 2 are given the same reference numerals.

In Fig. 3, the locating or support means 20 consists of a swivel connection having a stationary elements 22 and a rotatable element 23 which can be rotated about an upright axis 24. The swivel connection is held by a U-bracket 25 which in turn is carried by the fifth wheel lower plate 17 through an intermediate support bracket 26. The pneumatic and hydraulic services are supplied to the fixed elements 22 of the swivel connection and are transferred to the corresponding movable connections 22A.

Modifications of the services connection arrangement described within the scope of the present invention include dispensing with the swivel connection and simply providing locating or support means 20 in the form of a retaining ring or the like simply to locate the conduits and/or conductors adjacent the coupling mechanism 12.

Inspection of Fig. 2 shows that the dimension G2 is reduced as compared with that in Fig. 1 so that the dimension of the semi-trailer 15 can be increased longitudinally forward from the axis 16. Thus, the carrying capacity of the semi-trailer can be increased without change to the overall length of the tractor/ semi-trailer combination.

Claims

1. A tractor having a mechanism adapted for coupling with a semi-trailer, and conduits and/or conductors for carrying hydraulic and/or pneumatic and/or electrical services between the tractor and semi-trailer when the latter is coupled to the tractor, said conduit and/or conductors extending along members of the tractor structure to a locating or support means for said conduits and/or conductors and disposed adjacent said mechanism.

2. A tractor having a mechanism adapted for coupling with a semi-trailer as claimed in claim 1 wherein said conduits and/or conductors include flexible conduits and/or conductors extending beyond said locating or support means.

3. A tractor having a mechanism adapted for coupling with a semi-trailer as claimed in claim 2 wherein the path of the flexible conduits and/or conductors between the tractor and a semi-trailer fully coupled thereto is first forwards from the said locating or support means beneath a front end portion of the semi-trailer and then returned by way of an upward loop to terminate or convection with conventional coupling points on the frong of the semi-trailer.

4. A tractor having a mechanism as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein said flexible conduits and/or conductors extending beyond said locating or support means are disposed within a tubular sheath.

5. A tractor having a mechanism as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said locating or support means comprises a swivel connector having a relatively stationary part secured to a member of the tractor structure adjacent said mechanism, and a relativley movable part rotatable about an upright axis.

6. A tractor having a semi-trailer coupled thereto by means of a coupling mechanism establishing an articulated coupling disposed aft of the front of the semi-trailer, services conduits and/or conductors on the tractor extending to a locating or support means adjacent said coupling mechanism, and flexible connection means carrying said services to the semi-trailer and extending from the locating or support means forwards beneath the semi-trailer then returned to coupling points on the semi-trailer.

7. A tractor having a mechanism adapted for coupling with a semi-trailer as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.