GB2515125A

GB2515125A - Early Jackknife Correctional System

Info

Publication number: GB2515125A
Application number: GB1312805.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Charles Joseph Mangion; Karl Michael Falzon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-06-16
Filing date: 2013-07-17
Publication date: 2014-12-17
Anticipated expiration: 2033-07-17
Also published as: GB201310712D0; GB2515125B; GB2515125A8; GB201312805D0; GB2515125B8

Abstract

A jackknife correction system is provided for an articulated trailer truck vehicle. The system comprises an on dashboard activation switch A in a dc system of the tractor unit. An electrical power connection B connects an additional flat engine E installed on the trailer. A drive shaft F from the engine E is coupled to two or more trailer axles. The engine E is fed by an additional small fuel tank C via a fuel line D. When the system is activated through switch A, the engine E is immediately ignited. It begins to accelerate up to reach its preset rotational speed settings. An installed centrifugal clutch between engine E and shaft F is then set into motion, engaging engine E to shaft F which is coupled to the axles, providing a drive force which is transferred from shaft F to the axles, causing back traction in a reverse direction. Correction can occur whilst the driver uses engine braking and steers in a straight line. The invention tends to return the vehicle to its initial axes. The system can then be reset.

Description

Early Jackknife Correctional System -EJC system

Introduction & Background to the invention

This invention relates to a system for correcting and eliminating a jackknifing situation for an articulated trailer truck vehicle.

Jack-knifing is best described as a loss in the yaw stability of an articulated vehicle. A report by VOSA (Vehicle and Operator Services Agency) claims that on a typical day there are over 100,000 lorries on UK roads each and every day.

According to government statistics, UK truck registrations stood at 507,000. The volume of goods lifted by road transport in Great Britain by cargo vehicles registered in the UK and weighing over 3.5 tonnes is estimated by Key Note" to have increased by 1% in 2008, to 1.89 billion tonnes. RTM The volume of goods moved by road also grew by 1.5%, to 163.9 billion tonne kilometres. Due to these increases, there are mare Lorries on the roads and drivers are running to tighter and tighter deadlines.

When a trailer truck (articulated vehicle) is travelling in certain dangerous road conditions such as: Snow, ice, rain, dust or oil spills, brakes usually fail to produce the much needed braking efficiency and become almost useless in such situations. A Jack-knifing situation can easily develop, e.g. from a simple twinge of the steering wheel to a sudden tap on the brakes.

A trailer truck driver is suddenly faced by an unwanted induced yaw, normally the driver's reactions would be to manipulate the steering and applies the brakes, in order to try and correct this unprecedented yaw, but brakes can't stop the vehicle as they are useless in such conditions. When this occurs the (tractor) usually continues to swerve uncontrollably to the side as the mass of the trailer (which is much heavier than the tractor) tends to keep moving forward by its momentum. This results in interlocking the tractor at almost a 45° angle with the trailer. Once this happens, the trailer is suddenly faced by a large braking force (of the now right angled tractor) causing the whole vehicle to either topple over or skid uncontrollably causing it to either slam into other vehicles or ending up in a roadside ditch, causing havoc. Even though truck drivers are usually more careful in driving, according to road accident statistics heavy trailer truck accidents accounted for 5,350 fatalities and 133,000 injuries in 2001 alone, which is an alarming number of fatalities, not to mention the loss of cargo and other damages which usually mounts up to enormous sums of money.

To overcome the above problems, this invention proposes a Jackknife correction system which is capable of effectively correcting an unprecedented induced yaw (Jackknife situation) of an articulated trailer truck at the earliest stages of inception, of which no other means of braking system, can produce.

Introduction to Drawings

Fig 1/7 System installed -Bottom View Fig 2/7 Stand alone layout of system -Top View Fig 3/7 Stand alone layout of system -Back View Fig 4/7 Cut away view of installed system -Top View Fig 5/7 Additional Engine, Drive shaft and Electrical connection -Back View Fig 6/7 Additional Engine, Fuel tank and Electrical connection -Front View Fig 7/7 Shows stand alone layout of system on Trailer -Side View The EJC System is exclusively aimed at correcting and eliminating the looming effects of an induced jackknifing situation of an articulated trailer truck at its preliminary stages of induction. Through an additional engine (E) coupled to 2 or more trailer axles by a centrifugal clutch (not shown) and an additional fuel tank (C) to supply the said engine with fuel, the main purpose of the system is to cause the said trailer axles to backtrack, creating an opposing force to the relative travel of the vehicle. Unlike brakes (which tend to lock the wheels) and cause the vehicle to skid. The EJC system produces a force which pulls the vehicle in the opposite direction to the travelling vehicle, ex: if two opposing forces are applied to 2 x 6 ft pieces of steel, which are pivoted to one another and angled to one another shall result in the 2 pieces to become aligned to each other.

Once the system is activated by the driver (at his discretion) in the earliest stages of a jackknifing situation, has the potential and the capacity to predominantly correct and align the tractor and the trailer, therefore eliminating all the dangers by preventing the situation from further developing into a catastrophic tragedy.

Advantages of the Invention A) A lorry driver who has an EJC system equipped lorry, should feel more confident and at ease, knowing that should an unexpected yaw starts to develop whilst driving in hazardous conditions, the onboard EJC System shall be able to correct and arrest the unexpected yaw with ease and therefore can have better concentration whilst driving.

B) Once the EJC System is activated all the driver has to do is to keep the vehicle in an engine brake mode and keep the steering as straight as possible, therefore minimizing panic error.

C) Preferably the driver should switch off the system once the system has performed its purpose and the vehicle has returned to its initial straight axes. The driver can then bring the vehicle to a dead stop, take a short pause to get himself together and continue on his journey. An automatic cut off sensor can be devised and incorporated into the system, so that the system can be shut off automatically once the situation is fully corrected.

D) Once the system has done its job and everything has returned back to normal, should the driver encounter another jackknifing situation along his journey he can re-activate the system, which shall do the same process all over again, so it can be used multiple times.

Early Jacknife Correctional System The EJC System consists of an activation switch (A) installed on the dashboard of the tractor unit. An Electrical power connection (B) supplies the electrical power source to an additional flat engine (E) installed on the trailer. A drive shaft (F) protruding from engine (E) is coupled to two or more trailer axles. This engine (E) is fuel fed by an additional small Fuel tank (C) via a fuel line connection (D). When the system is activated through switch (A), the engine (E) is immediately ignited. Once engine (E) is ignited and begins to rev up to reach its preset revving settings. An installed centrifugal clutch between engine (E) and shaft (F) shall now be set into motion, engaging engine (E) to shaft (F) which is coupled to the axles. This drive force shall be transferred from shaft (F) to the said axles of the trailer, causing back traction.

The Invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1-4 (A) represents a dashboard installed system activation switch Fig. 1-7 (B) represents electrical connections to supply electrics to system Fig. 1-4, 6-7 (C) represents a small capacity Fuel tank, to supply fuel to system Fig. 1-4, 7 (D) represents fuel line and electrical cables leading to additional Engine Fig. 1-7 (E) represents an additional engine to supply energy to system Fig. 1-5, 7 (F) represents protruding drive shaft coupled to rear axles

Claims

Claims 1) A correctional jackknifing system for an articulated vehicle comprising of an innovative additional flat engine, installed at a central location of a trailer unit in close proximity to the trailer drive train, coupled via the said engine drive shaft to 2 or 3 trailer axles.
2) A correctional jackknifing system according to claim 1, in which the power is supplied by the additional engine, to set in motion a multiple set of wheels of a trailer's rear drive chain.
3) A correctional jackknifing system according to claim 1, where the additional engine providing the energy to a multiple set of wheels causing the said wheels to operate simultaneously in a reverse motion to the relative motion of the vehicle.
4) A correctional jackknifing system for an articulated vehicle further comprising of an innovative additional and separate fuel tank and fuel pump to supply fuel to the additional trailer engine.
5) A correctional jackkifing system with a small fuel tank installed in a central location and in close proximity to the additional trailer engine to supply the said engine with the necessary fuel.
6) A correctional jackknifing system according to preceding claims which has an additional fuel tank and fuel pump, independent from the vehicle's main fuel system.
7) A correctional jackknifing system according to any of the preceding claims, where the additional fuel pump's electric is supplied via connection (B) of Fig 1/7 of line drawings.Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows: Claims 1) A jack-knifing correction system for an articulated vehicle having a trailer and having a prime mover for propulsion of the vehicle, wherein the system comprises an internal combustion engine which is not the prime mover for propulsion of the vehicle, the engine being installed at an approximately central location of the trailer and being coupled to at least two axles of the trailer via a drive shaft.2) A jack-knifing correction system according to any of the preceding claims, in which the power is supplied by an internal combustion engine which is not the prime mover, to set in motion a multiple set of wheels of a drive train.3) A jack-knifing correction system according to any of the preceding claims, where an internal combustion engine which is not the prime mover provides the energy to a multiple set of wheels causing the said wheels to operate simultaneously in a reverse motion to the relative motion of the vehicle.4) A jack-knifing correction system according to any of the preceding claims for an articulated vehicle further comprising of a separate fuel tank and fuel pump to supply fuel to an internal combustion engine which is not the prime mover.This small fuel tank is installed in a central location and in close proximity to an internal combustion engine which is not the prime mover to supply the said internal combustion engine which is not the prime mover with the necessary fuel.5) A jack-knifing correction system according to any of the preceding claims, which has a separate fuel tank and fuel pump, independent from the vehicle's main fuel system. This separate fuel tank is to supply the internal combustion engine which is not the prime mover with fuel, via a separate fuel pump.6) A jack-knifing correction system according to any of the preceding claims, where the separate fuel pump's electric is supplied via connection (B) of Fig 1/7 of line drawings. The separate fuel tank capacity is of no more than 8-10 * litres of which fuel should be more than sufficient in supplying the internal *. * combustion engine which is not the prime mover with the required fuel to * -execute the whole correction operation.7) A jack-knifing correction system according to claim 6, wherein a connection (B) is provided for the supply of electricity to the fuel pump in accordance with figure 1.