GB2216084A

GB2216084A - Removable towball coupling for vehicles, particularly motor vehicles

Info

Publication number: GB2216084A
Application number: GB8903405A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hans Riehle
Original assignee: ORIS METALLBAU KG RIEHLE H
Current assignee: ORIS METALLBAU KG RIEHLE H
Priority date: 1988-02-26
Filing date: 1989-02-15
Publication date: 1989-10-04
Also published as: DE3806053A1; DK450888A; DK450888D0; BE1002018A4; GB8903405D0; IT8848129A0; SE8900652L; IT1219673B; NL8801200A; FR2627726A1; SE8900652D0; NO890407L; NO890407D0; CH675860A5

Description

n Trailer coupling for vehicles, -Particularly motor vehicles The

invention relates to a trailer coupling for vehicles, particularly but not exclusively, motor vehicles, which consists of a downwardly open housing adapted to be disposed in or on a cross-member and a ball neck provided with a coupling ball and which is insertable into the housing to which it is separably lockable.

In the case ' of trailer couplings of this type, described and illustrated, for example, in DAS 30 00 824, the insertable ball neck with the coupling ball consists of one piece so that it is not readily possible rationally to produce the unit because of the need to adapt to all manner of models of vehicle. Therefore, the invention is based on the problem of so constructing the ball neck with the coupling ball that a cost-saving production is possible.

According to the inv ention, there is provided a trailer coupling for vehicles, consisting of a downwardly open housing adapted to be disposed in or on a cross member of the vehicle and ball neck provided with a coupling ball and which is insertable into the housing to which it is separably lockable, wherein the ball neck with the coupling ball consists of two separately produced parts which are inseparably connected to each other after they have bqen produced.

It is ensured by the invention that only a part of the ball neck with the coupling ball must, with regard to the prescribed gap between the rear of the vehicle and with regard to the height of the coupling ball above the carriageway, be designed for a specific type of vehicle, while the other part can be used for any type of vehicle without any alteration.

An advantageous development of the invention can provide for a part of the ball neck to comprise the area of the ball neck which -is insertable into the housing, together with the looking mechanism, while the other part 2 comprises a bar-like portion, together with the coupling ball.

In this case, that part of the ball neck which is more expensive to produce, by virtue of the locking mechanism, can be used in the same construction for all types of vehicle, only the bar like part of the ball neck with the coupling ball which can be produced less expensively requiring to be changed.

The part which comprises the looking mechanism may comprise a bore into which the bar-like part is inserted and form-lockingly connected to. the looking means.

The locking means may consist of a conical screw which transversely passes through the two parts and of which the conical portion lies inside the bar-like part.

According to a further embodiment, the bore may also be slotted', a screw form-lockingly connecting and clamping the bar-like part in the region of the slot.

Connection of the two parts may be additionally ensured by a metal adhesive.

Embo4iments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an overall view of a ball neck with a coupling ball which consists of two parts; Figures 2 and 3 are sections through the ball neck at the point of attachment; Figures 4 and 5 are side views of different constructions of ball neck, and Figure 6 is a view substantially corresponding to Figure 3, but with a different connection of the two parts of the ball neck.

According to Figure 1, the ball neck with the coupling ball 2 consists of two parts la and 1b. Part la comprises the region which can be inserted into a housing rigid with a vehicle and which can be locked therewith by means of a separable locking mechanism which can be actuated by a hand lever 3. The part lb comprises a barlike portion with the coupling ball 2.

3 As emerges in greater detail from Figs 2 and 3, the bar-like portion of the part lb is inserted into a bore 4 and is held fast by a'transversely inserted conical screw 5 and in that a screwthreaded part 6 of the conical screw engages a screwthreaded bore on the part la of the ball neck, while the conical portion 7 lies in the region of the part lb. In order to apply a tool when inserting, the conical screw comprises an internally recessed hexagonal socket 8. A rigid fitment of part lb in part la is achieved by a suitable fit and by the use of a metal adhesive.

According to Fig. 4, the part lb of the ball neck is inserted into part la at a right-angle. It will be readily obvious that only by changing the length of the part lb is it possible easily to adapt to specific distances from the trailer coupling housing 9 which is fixed on the rear of the vehicle. Furthermore, it would be possible to vary the height of the coupling ball 2 by altering the part lb.

In the case of Fig. 5, the part lb lies obliquely in the part la. By varying the length of the part lb, so it is possible to achieve different distances from the housing 9. Furthermore, the height of the coupling ball 2 is easily varied.

The bore 4 in the part la can, according to Fig. 6, also be provided with a slot 10 in the region of which a screw 11 is inserted transversely. In conjunction with a metal adhesive, the screw 11 holds the form-lockingly connected part lb in an inseparable manner.

By reason of the separate production of the part la and by an easily implemented variation of the part lb, it is possible not only to achieve a favourably costed production but also rapidly to adapt to desired locations of the coupling ball without any:,.need to alter part la which is more expensive to produce.

1k i 4

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A trailer coupling for vehicles, consisting of a downwardly open housing adapted to be disposed in or on a cross-member of the vehicle-and ball neck provided with a coupling ball and which is insertable into the housing to which it is separably lockable, wherein the ball neck with the coupling ball consists of two separately produced parts which are inseparably connected to each other after they have been produced.

2. A coupling according to claim 1, wherein one part of the ball neck comprises the region of the ball neck which is adapted be inserted into the housing together with the locking mechanism, while the other part comprises a barlike region with the coupling ball.

3. A coupling according to claims 1 or 2, wherein a first one of the parts has a bore into which the other part is inserted and which is formlockingly connected thereto by locking means.

4. A coupling according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the locking means consist of a conical screw which transversely passes through the two parts, the conical portion being within the said other part.

5. A coupling according to claim 3, wherein the bore in the part is slotted and the looking means consist of a screw disposed in the region of the slot.'

6. A coupling according to claims 1 to 5, wherein the connection of the two parts is additionally secured by a metal adhesive.

7. A trailer coupling for vehicles, consisting of a downwardly open housing adapted to be disposed in or on a cross-member of the vehicle and ball neck provided with a coupling ball and which is insertable into the housing to which it is separably lockable, substantially as described herein with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

Published 1989 at The Patent 01noe, State House, 66.71 High Holborn, London WC1R 4TP. Further copies maybe obtained from The Patent Omee. gal" Branch, St Mary Cray, Orpington, Kent BRS M. Printed by Multiplex techniques Itd, St Mary Cray, Kent, Con. 1/87