GB2339180A

GB2339180A - Coupling device

Info

Publication number: GB2339180A
Application number: GB9814565A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Ingles
Original assignee: Bradley Doublelock Ltd
Current assignee: Bradley Doublelock Ltd
Priority date: 1998-07-07
Filing date: 1998-07-07
Publication date: 2000-01-19
Anticipated expiration: 2018-07-07
Also published as: GB9814565D0; GB2339180B

Description

2339180 COUPLING DEVICE This invention relates to a coupling device and

particularly, although not exclusively, relates to a coupling device for securing a towable vehicle to a towing vehicle.

A very well-known and widely used coupling arrangement comprises a towball secured to a towing vehicle and a coupling head secured to a towable vehicle. The head is arranged to seat on the ball and then be secured thereto. However, there can be problems in manipulating a towable vehicle so that its coupling head is correctly positioned for engagement with the ball and then operating a securement means for securing the head and ball together.

It is an object of the present invention to address problems associated with known coupling devices.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coupling device comprising a coupling head arranged to be secured to a tow-ball, the head including a mouth for receiving a tow-ball and first securement means arranged to move from an inoperative (or primed) position to an operative position in which it can secure the head to the tow-ball, wherein the first securement means is arranged to move substantially automatically from said inoperative position to said operative position as a result of insertion of the towball into the mouth.

Preferably, said device includes actuation means which is arranged to control the automatic movement of said first securement means to said operative position.

2 when in a first position, said actuation means is preferably arranged to restrict movement of the first securement means from said inoperative to said operative position. when in a second position, said actuation means may allow movement of the first securement means from said inoperative to said operative position. Preferably, said actuation means is arranged to be contacted by a tow-ball during its insertion into said mouth and preferably said contact causes said actuation means to move from said first position to said second position.

Preferably, the device is arranged for movement of the first securement, means from said inoperative position to a third position prior to movement of said first securement means to said operative position. Said third position is preferably spaced further from said operative position than the spacing of said inoperative position from said operative position. Preferably, said actuation means is restricted from moving from said first position to said second position when said first securement means is in said inoperative position. Preferably, when said first securement, means is in its third position, said actuation means can be contacted by the tow-ball and caused to move from its first position to its second position and said first securement means can then move towards its operative position.

Said first securement means is preferably operatively connected to a handle means which is preferably pivotably mounted for moving said first securement means between its inoperative, operative and/or third positions. Said first securement means is preferably resiliently biased towards its operative position. It preferably includes a restrictor part which is arranged to extend into the mouth of the head when said f irst securement means is in its 3 operative position for restricting the effective size of the mouth for preventing removal of a tow-ball f rom the mouth (or insertion of a tow- ball into the mouth). With the f irst securement means in its inoperative position, said restrictor part is preferably arranged to be contacted by a tow-ball during its insertion into the mouth. Such contact preferably initiates movement of the first securement means to its third position as described above.

Said first securement means preferably includes an actuator member, for example a pin, which is arranged to contact said actuation means during movement of the first securement means from its operative position to its inoperative position (suitably in order to prime the device) and thereby cause said actuator means to move from its second to its first position.

Said actuation means preferably includes an abutment surface which preferably faces in an opposite direction to the direction of insertion of a tow-ball into the mouth. Said abutment surface is preferably arranged to abut an abutment part, particularly a projecting part, of said first securement means when said first securement means is in its inoperative position and said actuator means is in its first position. When so disposed, said abutment surface preferably supports the first securement means and restricts its movement towards the operative position. Pref erably, however, said abutment part is arranged to move away from said abutment surface during movement of the actuation means from its first to its second position.

Manual means may be provided for manually moving the actuation means from its first position to its second position. An operator may cause such movement if it is desired to arrange the first securement means in its operative position, in the absence of a tow-ball.

Said actuator means is preferably pivotably mounted.

An angle of less than 90", preferably less than 60' may be defined between its first and second positions.

An angle of less than 901, preferably less than 60, more preferably less than 450 may be defined between the third position and said operative position of said first securement means. The angle between the inoperative and operative positions is preferably less than the angle between the third position and said operative position.

Said coupling device preferably includes a second securement means, for example a trigger arrangement, for restricting movement of the first securement means from its operative to its inoperative position. Said device may include a third securement, means which may be a useroperable lock, for example a key-operable lock.

The invention extends to a coupling device according to the first aspect, when secured to a towing vehicle.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of securing a coupling head of a coupling device on a tow-ball, the method using a coupli ng device of the f irst aspect and comprising, with the first securement means in its inoperative (or primed) position, causing the tow-ball to enter the mouth of the head to initiate automatic movement of said first securement means from said inoperative position to its operative position.

Any feature of any aspect of any invention or embodiment described herein may be combined with any feature of any aspect of any other invention or embodiment described herein.

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

Figure 1 is a side view of a coupling head f rom. a first side; Figure 2 is a side view of the coupling head from a second side, opposite said first side; Figure 3 is a top view of the coupling head; Figure 4 is a cross-section through a coupling head engaged with a tow- ball; Figure 5 is a view of the head and ball of Figure 4 during disengagement; Figure 6 is a view of the head and ball of Figures 4 and 5 after disengagement and showing the coupling head in a primed position ready for re-insertion of the ball; and Figure 7 is a view of the head in a closed position with the ball removed.

A coupling head 2 (which may be secured at the front of a towable vehicle) include a pivotable cam member 4 which is arranged to retain a handle assembly 6 in a primed position prior to insertion of a tow-ball 8 (which may be secured to a towing vehicle) into a mouth of 10, as 6 shown in Figure 6. As the coupling head 2 is placed on ball 8, the cam member 4 is caused to pivot and thereby allow movement of the handle assembly 6 to the closed position of Figure 4 wherein the head and ball are securely coupled.

Further details are provided hereinafter.

The coupling head 2 includes a housing 12 which defines the mouth 10 and includes a sleeve arrangement 14 which is securable to a drawbar (not shown) of a towable vehicle. Cam member 4 is pivotably mounted on the housing about a pivot axis 30. The member 4 is substantially planar and it includes a curved downwardly facing surface 32 and an upwardly facing abutment surface 34. Other parts of the member 4 are shaped so that the member does not interfere with movement of the handle between the Figure 6 and Figure 4 positions.

Handle assembly 6 is pivotably mounted on the housing at a pivot point 16. The handle assembly includes an operator -engagement portion 18 which is arranged to be grasped by an operator to cause the handle to pivot. A foot portion 20 of the handle defines a seat for a compression spring 22 which is arranged between the foot portion 20 and an abutment part 24 of the housing 12 so that the spring applies a force to urge handle arrangement 6 in the anti-clockwise direction about pivot point 16.

Between the foot portion 20 and pivot point 16, the handle assembly 6 is arranged to cooperate with the cam member 4. In this respect, the handle assembly includes a cylindrical pin 40, having an elongate axis which is substantially parallel to pivot axis 30. The pin 40 is arranged to contact downwardly facing surface 32 of cam member 4 to cause it to pivot about axis 30. The handle assembly also includes a stepped region which defines an apex 42 which is arranged to rest upon abutment surface 34 of the cam member 4 when in the Figure 5 and Figure 6 positions.

The handle assembly also includes a finger 44 which is arranged to releasably engage a trigger arrangement 46.

The trigger arrangement is pivotably mounted about a pivot axis 48 and is spring loaded by means of a torsion spring which tends to urge it in the clockwise direction about axis 48. When the finger 44 and trigger arrangement 46 are engaged, the handle assembly 6 cannot move.

The coupling head 2 may be operated as follows.

Figure 4 shows the arrangement of coupling head 2 and ball 8 when engaged and, therefore, operative such that a towing vehicle to which the ball is f ixed may tow a towable vehicle to which the head is fixed. In Figure 4, it should be noted that the handle arrangement is almost at the extreme of its anti-clockwise movement about pivot point 16 so that operator engagement portion 18 extends substantially parallel to sleeve 14; the distance between faces 50 and 52 of the housing is less than the diameter of the ball 8, so that the ball 8 cannot be removed from mouth 10; and the apex 42 of handle assembly 6 is positioned at the right hand side of the abutment surface 34 - that is, it does not abut the surface 34.

when it is desired to disengage head 2 and ball 8, an operator grasps portion 18 of the handle assembly, disengages trigger arrangement 46 and causes the handle to pivot about point 16, against the force of spring 22, whilst lifting the head off the ball, as shown in Figure 8 5. During this movement, the pin 40 contacts the surface 32 of cam member 4 and causes the member 4 to pivot in a clockwise direction about pivot axis 30. As a result, apex 42 moves to a position wherein it is over abutment surface 34. When the handle is released by the operator, it moves under gravity and the force of spring 22 into the primed position shown in Figure 6, wherein apex 42 rests upon abutment surface 34.

The ball may be re-engaged with the head when required. In this respect, referring to Figure 6, the trailer including head 2 may be manipulated so that mouth 10 is over ball 8 and the head may be placed on the ball. During this movement, the ball initially contacts a strike face 60 of the handle arrangement and causes the handle arrangement to pivot a small amount in a clockwise direction about pivot point 16 so that the ball can enter mouth 10. As the ball moves further into the mouth, it contacts cam member 4 and causes it to pivot in a clockwise direction about pivot axis 30 so that the apex 42 moves rightwardly along abutment surface 34, to the position of Figure 4, wherein it is at the right hand side of the abutment surface 34. once the apex has moved to the right hand side, the handle arrangement 6 is urged by spring 22 into the Figure 4 position and the trigger arrangement 46 engages the handle to prevent its release.

A further manually operable key-lock 100 (Figure 2) may be incorporated into the head if desired.

It should be appreciated that, advantageously, the head 2 can, effectively, be automatically secured to the ball by simply urging the head downwardly onto the ball. This makes the coupling of the head to the ball much simpler.

- -A \0 In some circumstances, for example when a towable vehicle is parked and not coupled to a towing vehicle, it is desirable to secure the head in the closed position of Figure 4 (in the absence of ball 8). For this situation, a manual override member 70 is fixed to the cam member 4 and a mechanism (not shown) is provided outside the housing 12 which cooperates with member 70 and allows an operator to cause the cam member 4 to pivot about pivot axis 30. Thus, the head 2 may be moved from the Figure 6 configuration to the Figure 7 configuration by an operator raising handle 6 slightly and then causing cam member 4 to pivot so that apex 42 moves to the right hand side of surface 34. Then, the handle can be released in which case it is urged into the Figure 7 position. A lock may then be engaged with the head as before The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be.combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated 0- - otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any 10 method or process so disclosed.

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Claims

1. A coupling device comprising a coupling head arranged to be secured to a tow ball, the head including a mouth for receiving a tow ball and first securement means arranged to move from an inoperative (or primed) position to an operative position in which it can secure the head to the tow ball, wherein the first securement means is arranged to move substantially automatically from said inoperative position to said operative position as a result of insertion of the tow ball into the mouth.

2. A device according to Claim 1, including actuation means which is arranged to control the automatic movement of said first securement means to said operative position.

3. A device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein when in a first position, said actuation means is arranged to restrict movement of the first securement means from said inoperative to said operative position and, when in a second position, said actuation means may allow movement of the first securement means from said inoperative to said operative position. -

4. A device according to Claim 2 or Claim 3, wherein said actuation means is arranged to be contacted by a tow ball during its insertion into said mouth and said contact causes said actuation means to move from said first position to said second position.

5. A device according to any of Claims 2 to 4, wherein said actuation means is restricted from moving from said first position to said second position when said first securement means is in said inoperative position.

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6. A device according to any of Claims 2 to 5, the device being arranged for movement of the first securement means from said inoperative position to a third position prior to movement of said first securement means to said 5 operative position.

7. A device according to Claim 6, wherein, when said first securement, means is in its third position, said actuation means can be contacted by the tow ball and caused to move from its first position to its second position and said first securement means can then move towards its operative position.

8. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein said first securement means includes a restrictor part which is arranged to extend into the mouth of the head when said first securement means is in its operative position for restricting the effective size of the mouth for preventing removal of a tow ball f rom, the mouth (or insertion of a tow ball into the mouth).

9. A device according to any of Claims 3 to 8, wherein said f irst securement. means includes an actuator member which is arranged to contact said actuation means during movement of the first securement means from its operative position to its inoperative position and thereby cause said actuator means to move from its second to its first position.

10. A device according to any of Claims 3 to 9, wherein said actuation means includes an abutment surface arranged to abut an abutment part of said first securement means when said first securement means is in its inoperative position and said actuator means is in its first position.

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11. A device according to any prece ding claim, including a second securement means for restricting movement of the first securement. means from its operative to its inoperative position.

12. A device according to any preceding claim, including a third securement means which is a user-operable lock means.

13. A coupling device according to any preceding claim, when secured to a towing vehicle.

14. A method of securing a coupling head of a coupling device on a tow ball, the method using a coupling device according to any of Claims 1 to 12 and comprising, with the first securement means in its inoperative (or primed) position, causing the tow ball to enter the mouth of the head to initiate automatic movement of said first securement means from said inoperative position to its operative position.

15. A device and a method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the examples.