GB2300394A - Trailer hitching and maneouvering aid - Google Patents
Trailer hitching and maneouvering aid Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2300394A GB2300394A GB9507886A GB9507886A GB2300394A GB 2300394 A GB2300394 A GB 2300394A GB 9507886 A GB9507886 A GB 9507886A GB 9507886 A GB9507886 A GB 9507886A GB 2300394 A GB2300394 A GB 2300394A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- trailer
- mirror
- aid
- vehicle
- hitching
- 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- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60D—VEHICLE CONNECTIONS
- B60D1/00—Traction couplings; Hitches; Draw-gear; Towing devices
- B60D1/24—Traction couplings; Hitches; Draw-gear; Towing devices characterised by arrangements for particular functions
- B60D1/36—Traction couplings; Hitches; Draw-gear; Towing devices characterised by arrangements for particular functions for facilitating connection, e.g. hitch catchers, visual guide means, signalling aids
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Transportation (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Rear-View Mirror Devices That Are Mounted On The Exterior Of The Vehicle (AREA)
Abstract
The aid 1 comprises a mirror 2 shaped to permit viewing of an area between a trailer 4 and a towing vehicle (6, fig. 1). The mirror is mounted to the trailer by a substantially L-shaped rod 3, and is movable between a first position (fig. 1) where the vehicle towball and the trailer hitch coupling 8 can be viewed simultaneously through the vehicle rear view mirror; and a second position, as shown, which facilitates maneouvering of the trailer by one person, once the trailer is unhitched.
Description
Trailer Hitching and Manoeuvring Aid
The present invention relates to a trailer hitching and manoeuvring aid and in particular to a trailer hitching and manoeuvring aid suitable for use with caravans or the like.
In order to attach the towing member (such as a towing ball) of a vehicle to the hitch coupling of a trailer, two people are generally required because a driver of a vehicle cannot see either the towing member or the hitch coupling, both being obscured from the drivers field of vision during the hitching process. Therefore, one person is required to drive the vehicle and to position the towing member correctly with respect to the hitch coupling of the trailer, and a second person is required to guide or direct the driver using hand signals, or the like, so that he can accurately attach the towing member of the vehicle to the hitch coupling of the trailer. Disabled drivers, or older drivers can find it difficult to turn in the driver's seat of the vehicle to view the signals given by the second person.
Another difficulty which is often encountered with trailers such as caravans, or the like, is accurate positioning or parking of the trailer once it has been detached from the vehicle. Generally, at least one side of the trailer is obscured from the view of the person manoeuvring the trailer into position. Two people, therefore, are also required to accurately position the trailer, one person to manually manoeuvre the trailer into position, and the other person to provide the necessary directions such that the trailer can be parked in the required position without, for example, being damaged or causing damage to stationary objects such as other vehicles or walls or the like.
Accordingly, it is the purpose of the present invention to alleviate such difficulties and to provide an aid which can be attached to a trailer and which enables one person to accomplish both the hitching and manoeuvring operations outlined above.
Thus, there is provided by the present invention a trailer hitching and manoeuvring aid comprising: a mirror shaped to permit viewing of an area between a trailer and a vehicle; and means for mounting said mirror to a trailer such that the mirror is movable between a first position where a towing member on a vehicle and a hitch coupling on a trailer can be viewed simultaneously through a rear-view mirror of the vehicle, to a second position which facilitates manoeuvring of the trailer by a person, when said trailer is unhitched. Thus, advantageously, the aid according to the invention enables one person to accomplish both hitching and manoeuvring of the trailer.
Preferably, the means for mounting the mirror comprises a support member pivotally connected about a fixed position on the trailer for movement between the first and second positions.
Preferably, the mirror is itself pivotally mounted on the support member. Thus, advantageously, the optimum position may be selected for viewing the towing member and the hitch coupling through the rear-view mirror of the vehicle and to suitably position the mirror when manoeuvring the trailer manually into the desired position so as to achieve the optimum view of, for example, the rear of the trailer.
The invention may be more clearly understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, given by way of example only, wherein:
Figure 1 illustrates an exemplary aid according to the present invention, when mounted on a trailer for viewing a hitching mechanism of a vehicle and a trailer;
Figure 2 illustrates the aid of Figure 1, in a position to facilitate manoeuvring of the trailer once it is unhitched from the vehicle.
Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a trailer hitching and manoeuvring aid indicated generally by reference numeral 1. The aid 1 comprises a mirror 2 which is pivotally mounted on a substantially L-shaped support rod 3. The rod 3 is itself rotatably mounted on the trailer 4 one end of the rod being rotatably inserted into a tubular sleeve 5 fixed to the trailer 4.
In use, when it is required to hitch the trailer 4 to the towing-ball of the vehicle 6, the mirror 2 is positioned such that the hitch coupling 8 can be viewed using the rear-view mirror of the vehicle so as to position the vehicle correctly.
Once the trailer 4 has been transported to its desired location and is unhitched from the vehicle 6, it can be manoeuvred into a preferred position using the mirror 2, which is extended beyond the extremity of the trailer 4 by rotation of the L-shaped rod within the sleeve 5 in which it is mounted. The mirror may then be suitably angled such that the sides and ends of the trailer, which are otherwise obscured from view, can be seen. The trailer 4 may then be positioned correctly into the desired parking position.
Claims (5)
1. A trailer hitching and manoeuvering aid comprising:
a mirror shaped to permit viewing of an area between a
trailer and a vehicle; and means for mounting said mirror
to a trailer such that said mirror is movable between a
first position where a towing member on said vehicle and a
hitch coupling on said trailer can be viewed simultaneously
through a rear-view mirror of said vehicle, to a second
position which facilitates maneouvering of said trailer by
a person when said trailer is unhitched.
2. An aid accordind to claim 1, wherein said means for mounting
said mirror comprises a support member pivotally connected
about a fixed position on said trailer for movement between
said first and second positions.
3. An aid according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said mirror is
itself pivotally mounted on said support member.
4. An aid according to any preceding claim, wherein said
support member comprises a substantially L-shaped rod.
5. A trailer hitching and manoeuvering aid substantiallly
as described herein with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9507886A GB2300394A (en) | 1995-04-18 | 1995-04-18 | Trailer hitching and maneouvering aid |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9507886A GB2300394A (en) | 1995-04-18 | 1995-04-18 | Trailer hitching and maneouvering aid |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB9507886D0 GB9507886D0 (en) | 1995-05-31 |
| GB2300394A true GB2300394A (en) | 1996-11-06 |
Family
ID=10773162
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9507886A Withdrawn GB2300394A (en) | 1995-04-18 | 1995-04-18 | Trailer hitching and maneouvering aid |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2300394A (en) |
Citations (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3858966A (en) * | 1974-01-02 | 1975-01-07 | Jr Percival Davis Lowell | Apparatus for facilitating trailer hitch element alignment |
| US4163606A (en) * | 1978-06-09 | 1979-08-07 | Granno Peter M | Hitch viewing trailer mirror with snap button connection |
| US5309289A (en) * | 1991-03-11 | 1994-05-03 | Johnson Brady G | Optical target system for trailer hitch alignment |
-
1995
- 1995-04-18 GB GB9507886A patent/GB2300394A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3858966A (en) * | 1974-01-02 | 1975-01-07 | Jr Percival Davis Lowell | Apparatus for facilitating trailer hitch element alignment |
| US4163606A (en) * | 1978-06-09 | 1979-08-07 | Granno Peter M | Hitch viewing trailer mirror with snap button connection |
| US5309289A (en) * | 1991-03-11 | 1994-05-03 | Johnson Brady G | Optical target system for trailer hitch alignment |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB9507886D0 (en) | 1995-05-31 |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| US5011176A (en) | Adjustable trailer coupling | |
| US5035441A (en) | Trailer hitch alignment device | |
| CA1278716C (en) | Mirror assembly | |
| RU2631359C2 (en) | System and method of trailer connection and disconnection to the vehicle | |
| US4065147A (en) | System for aligning trailer hitches | |
| US5098115A (en) | Converter dolly for permitting backing up of tandem trailers | |
| EP2208662A1 (en) | Trailer | |
| US6612603B2 (en) | Trailer hitch alignment system | |
| US5927742A (en) | Trailer hitch aligner | |
| US6213608B1 (en) | Trailer hitch alignment mirror | |
| US20030137126A1 (en) | Driver controlled side-to-side movable vehicle hitch for trailer backing | |
| US7052032B1 (en) | Pivotable anti sway trailer hitch | |
| US9643669B1 (en) | Attachable laterally-stable range extender for an electric vehicle | |
| US20060290100A1 (en) | Vehicle hitch aligning system | |
| US6955437B1 (en) | Hitch mirror assembly | |
| US5125679A (en) | Truck-trailer connection with means to assist coupling/uncoupling | |
| US20070241535A1 (en) | Mirrored hitch alignment apparatus and method of use | |
| US7976051B1 (en) | Dolly alignment guide for large, multi-trailer/van rigs | |
| US6332626B1 (en) | Tow bar for towing tongueless vehicles | |
| US11104191B2 (en) | Vertically articulating trailer hitch receiver for vehicle | |
| US4284291A (en) | Vehicle, particularly motor driven utility vehicle | |
| US6409200B1 (en) | Visual alignment aid for connecting trailers | |
| US4541183A (en) | Trailer alignment apparatus | |
| US6279940B1 (en) | Device for guiding the coupling of a trailer hitch | |
| GB2300394A (en) | Trailer hitching and maneouvering aid |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |