US3319977A - Automatic hitch couplers - Google Patents

Automatic hitch couplers Download PDF

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Publication number
US3319977A
US3319977A US462363A US46236365A US3319977A US 3319977 A US3319977 A US 3319977A US 462363 A US462363 A US 462363A US 46236365 A US46236365 A US 46236365A US 3319977 A US3319977 A US 3319977A
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United States
Prior art keywords
ramp
tongue
coupling
latch
members
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Expired - Lifetime
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US462363A
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English (en)
Inventor
Philip L Quandt
Folke C O Fyrk
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Individual
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Individual
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Publication date
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Priority to US462363A priority Critical patent/US3319977A/en
Priority to GB24646/66A priority patent/GB1135531A/en
Priority to BE682106D priority patent/BE682106A/xx
Priority to DE19661580578 priority patent/DE1580578A1/de
Priority to SE07775/66A priority patent/SE328784B/xx
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3319977A publication Critical patent/US3319977A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60D—VEHICLE CONNECTIONS
    • B60D1/00—Traction couplings; Hitches; Draw-gear; Towing devices
    • B60D1/01—Traction couplings or hitches characterised by their type
    • B60D1/06—Ball-and-socket hitches, e.g. constructional details, auxiliary devices, their arrangement on the vehicle
    • B60D1/065—Ball-and-socket hitches, e.g. constructional details, auxiliary devices, their arrangement on the vehicle characterised by the hitch mechanism
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60D—VEHICLE CONNECTIONS
    • B60D1/00—Traction couplings; Hitches; Draw-gear; Towing devices
    • B60D1/01—Traction couplings or hitches characterised by their type
    • B60D1/06—Ball-and-socket hitches, e.g. constructional details, auxiliary devices, their arrangement on the vehicle
    • 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
    • B60D1/363—Hitch guiding or catching elements, e.g. V-shaped plates partially surrounding a coupling member for guiding the other coupling member

Definitions

  • magnetic means may be provided on the tongue to hold the parts in coupled relation up to the time that the operator by a pull on a rope attached to the latch disengages it from the projection and uncouples the trailing vehicle.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 are side views of a tractor and trailing vehicle showing one form of the hitch coupler of our invention in operation, FIG. 1 illustrating the relationship of the parts while the ramp on the draw-bar is still in an inclined position guiding the tongue toward coupling position by means of the rollers carried thereon, and FIG. '2 showing the completion of the coupling operation, where the prop under the tongue is swung rearwardly to an out of the way position by engagement with the rear end of the ramp;
  • FIG. 1-A illustrates a modification of the construction of FIGS. 1 and 2;
  • FIG. 3 is a perspective view related to FIGS. 1 and 2 showing the ramp carried on the draw-bar;
  • FIG. 4 is a perspective view also related to FIGS. 1 and 2 showing the assembly carried on the front end of the tongue of the trailing vehicle;
  • FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the assembly of FIG. 4 in superimposed coupled relation to the assembly of FIG. 3;
  • FIGS. 6 and 7 are perspective Views of the rear end portion of the assembly of FIG. 4, showing the tonguesupporting prop in the supporting vertical position in FIG. 6 and in the rearwardly deflected position in FIG. 7, as when moved to an out of the way position by engagement with the rear end of the ramp;
  • FIG. 8 illustrates a modification of the construction of FIG. 3
  • FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a modification of the construction of FIG. 4;
  • FIG. 10 shows the assemblies of FIGS. 8 and 9 in superimposed coupled relationship
  • FIGS. 11 and 12 are a plan view and side view, respectively, of our preferred form of hitch coupler in coupled condition, the side view FIG. 12 having the side rollers shown only in dotted lines to enable better illustration of certain details on the ramp and tongue that would otherwise be hidden;
  • FIG. 12-A is a perspective view of the tongue and prop assembly secured to the tongue of a trailing vehicle
  • FIG. l2B corresponds to a portion of FIG. 12 but shows a stop for control of the prop in dropping in lieu of the braking means shown in FIG. 12, FIG. 12-C showing the prop in full lines in operative position and in dotted lines before reaching that position;
  • FIG. 13 is an end view of FIG. 12 with the latch and its mounting bracket omitted;
  • FIG. 14 is a rear view of the U-shaped yoke of FIG. 12, and
  • FIG. 15 is a section on line 15-15 of FIG. 12.
  • the reference numeral 16 designates a tractor having the usual draw-bar 17 extending rearwardly therefrom, while 18 designates the trailing vehicle having a forwardly extending tongue 19 to be detachably coupled or hitched to the draw-bar 17.
  • Tongue 19 has a prop 20 pivotally mounted on its front end portion for support of the tongue in elevated relation to the ground preliminary to the coupling or hitching operation.
  • Draw-bar 17 has the hitch coupler assembly indicated at 21 mounted thereon and arranged to cooperate with the coupler assembly indicated at 22 provided on the front end of the tongue 19 so as to couple the tongue 19 to the draw-bar 17 and at the same time swing the prop 20 upwardly and rearwardly to an out-of-the-way position as it is shown in full lines in FIG. 2, so that it is out of the way while the trailing vehicle is being pulled, but is nevertheless in readiness to drop down into tongue-supporting position again whenever the operator, riding on the tractor 16, pulls the rope 23 to uncouple the trailing vehicle.
  • a ballhead 24 is secured to the draw-bar 17 and projects vertically upwardly therefrom centrally with respect to a circular plate 25 that is secured to the bottom of the draw-bar by means of a nut 26 threaded on the down- Wardly projecting shank portion 27 of the ballhead, the plate serving as a rest for the ramp 28 which forms a part of the coupler assembly 21 and in which a socket is provided swivelled on the ballhead 24 to allow free swinging of the ramp 28 and tongue 19 relative to the draw-bar.
  • Radial corrugations 29 on the top of the plate 25 serve to hold the ramp 28 in a fixed position and prevent it from swinging laterally about the ballhead and thereby interfering with proper coupling action.
  • corrugated plate 25 we may, as shown in FIG. 1-A, use a plate 25 having welded to the rear end thereof a generally U-shaped yoke 29' between the two forwardly inclined arms 30 of which the ramp 28 can be positively located in one fixed position aligned with the draw-bar 17 on the longitudinal center line of the tractor when disposed in the inclined position shown in FIG. 1, ready for coupling the tongue 19 to the draw-bar.
  • a latch 31 pivoted transversely of the front end of the tongue 19, as at 32, and arranged to be dropped down over an upward keeper projection 33 provided on the front end of the ramp 28 when the tongue 19 and ramp 28 are in longitudinally aligned superimposed parallel relation with the rear end of ramp 28 projecting through an eye 34 provided on and projecting downwardly from tongue 19 in rearwardly spaced relation to the latch 31, the ramp 28 in this position engaging a plate 35 on the prop and holding the latter in a raised retracted position, as seen in FIG. 2.
  • a vertical pin 36 which may be fixed but is here shown as threadedly adjustable with respect to the latch 31, as indicated at 37, projects downwardly from the latch to support it in raised position while it slides along the top of the ramp 28 in the coupling operation until it reaches the hole 38 provided in the front end portion of the ramp located forwardly of the ballhead 24 and in rearwardly spaced relation to the projection 33, when, of course, the latch 31, which has meanwhile been held in a raised position so as to have its cross-portion 39 on the front end clear the keeper projection 33, is free to drop down in front of the projection and complete the coupling operation. Then the load in pulling the vehicle 18 with the tractor 16 is assumed by this cross-portion 39 on the latch 31 in surface-to-surface engagement with the projection 33, as seen in FIG.
  • a roller 40 that is mounted horizontally in the front end of the tongue 19 in the same manner as rollers 40a and 40b in tongue 19a in FIG. 9 is adapted to run along the center line of the ramp 28 to support and guide the front end of the tongue 19 on the ramp 28.
  • This roller 48 is disposed between the front ends of two rearwardly diverging and downwardly inclined guide rollers 41 that are mounted in yokes 42 fixed to the front end of the tongue 19 on opposite sides thereof, similarly as yokes 42' for rollers 41' in FIG.
  • rollers 41 are adapted to run along opposite sides of the ramp 28 and thereby guide the front end of the tongue 19 into longitudinal alignment with the ramp, it being obvious that the driver on the tractor may not back the tractor so accurately on a straight line with the tongue 19 as to make such guiding by rollers 41 unnecessary.
  • An inverted V defined by two rods 43 welded or otherwise suitably secured to the tongue 19 in rearwardly spaced relation to the latch 31 and also welded to an inverted V-clip 44 suitably secured to the tongue 19, as by screw 45, serves by engagement with one or the other side of the ramp 28 to swing the tongue 19 and ramp 28 into longitudinal alignment with one another.
  • the eye 34 previously mentioned is welded in place on the tongue 19 by a similar inverted V-clip 46 that is fastened to the tongue 19, as by another screw 47.
  • the ramp 28 In operation, when the tractor 16 is backed up toward the front end of vehicle tongue 19, the ramp 28 is disposed resting on corrugated plate in the inclined position shown in FIG. 1 and it first encounters the three rollers and 41 to center the front end of the tongue 19 with respect to the ramp 28.
  • the tractor backing up farther causes the pin 36 to strike and slide along the top of the ramp 28 thereby holding the latch 31 raised so that the front end 39 thereof will be elevated enough in relation to the keeper projection 33 on the front end of the ramp to pass over it when the latch reaches the front end of the ramp, and, at that point, the pin 36 drops into the hole 38 so that the latch drops down into latched position with the cross-portion 39 thereof disposed in front of projection 33 to assume the load in pulling the trailing vehicle by means of tongue 19.
  • a tension spring or torsion spring (not shown) may be provided to force it down.
  • the roller 40 passes the ballhead 24, the front end of the ramp is forced down under the weight of the tongue and at this point the wire V-guide 43 may engage one or the other side of the ramp 28 to bring the tongue 19 and ramp 28 into the desired longitudinal alignment, and, just prior to the latch 31 dropping into place over the projection 33, the rear end of the ramp 28 passes through the eye 34 and strikes the plate 35 to swing the prop 20 upwardly to an out-of-theway position, as seen in FIG. 2.
  • a small semi-circular rib 48 may be provided on the top of ramp 28 forwardly of the ballhead 24 to cause enough downward thrust against the front end portion of the ramp by the roller 40 to start the ramp 28 swinging downwardly from its inclined position toward the horizontal position, although, of course, when the roller 40 passes the ballhead 24 this would tend to occur anyway, the only reason for the provision of ridge 48 being to give an extra impetus to the swinging of the ramp 28 toward horizontal position immediately, because it is so important that there be no lag as the rear end of the ramp 28 is arranged at the same time to enter the eye 34 provided on the tongue 19 in rearwardly spaced relation to the V-guide 43.
  • the ramp 28 Once the ramp 28 has been raised off the corrugations 29, it also becomes necessary to hold it against lateral tilt on its longitudinal axis and this we accomplish by providing at the front end of the ramp the U-shaped yoke 49 suitably secured to the ramp by means of its cross-portion 56 and having downwardly and rearwardly diverging arms 51 arranged to engage one or the other of the rollers 41 and thereby square up the ramp 28 with the tongue 19, as should be clear from a study of FIG. 5, where the two arms 51 are shown engaged under the two rollers 41.
  • the trailing vehicle 18 remains coupled to the tractor 16 until the operator pulls upwardly on rope 23 to swing a lever 52 upwardly on its pivot 53 at one end and thereby lift the front end 39 of the latch 31 clear of the lug 33, whereupon the tongue 19 is disconnected from the ramp 28 so that the tractor can pull away from the vehicle.
  • the ramp 28 is withdrawn from its position holding the prop 20 in the raised retracted position seen in FIG. 2, the prop 20 drops back again to the Vertical position shown in full lines in FIG. 1 and is ready to support the tongue 19 again in the raised position ready for the next coupling operation as soon as the ramp 28 moves away from rollers 40 and 41.
  • the prop 20 is pivoted at its upper end on the tongue 19 by means of pins 54 extending through elongated slots 55 that extend lengthwise of the prop, the pins having square shanks which when disposed in the narrower lower ends of the slots 55 hold the prop 20 against pivotal movement, as in FIG. 6, but allow the prop 20 to swing freely with respect to the pins when they are engaged in the upper ends of the slots, as in FIG. 7, when the prop is suspended from the tongue and can be swung rearwardly by engagement of the rear end of the ramp 28 with the plate 35, as previously described.
  • FIGS. 8 to 10 The other construction illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 10 is closer to our preferred construction of FIGS. 11-15 and differs from the construction of FIG. 1 mainly in reversing the arrangement of the latch and its keeper projection, and in providing magnetic means for holding the latch in its coupled position.
  • the latch 31' is pivoted, as at 56, on the rearwardly bent end portions 57 of a cross-piece 58 that is welded or otherwise suitably secured to the front end of the ramp 28', while the wedge shaped keeper projection 33 is provided on the front end portion of the tongue 19a in front of a permanent magnet 59 that is set in a slot 60 extending transversely of the top wall of the channel shaped tongue 19a and suitably welded in place therein.
  • the keeper projection 33 is also suitably welded in place, as indicated at 61.
  • the two rollers 40a and 4017 as seen in FIG. 9, give an hourglass shaped assembly so that the inwardly converging conical surfaces 62 riding along the curved top of the ramp 28' will center the front end portion of the tongue 19a as it rides up on the ramp in the coupling operation and initiate the horizontal as well as vertical movement of the ramp, the inverted V-guide 43 cooperating by engagement on one or the other side of the ramp to cause the tongue and ramp to be brought into longitudinal alignment.
  • the rearwardly diverging side members 63 of the latch 31' also help by engaging one or the other side of the tongue 19a to right the ramp 28' if it has cocked on its longitudinal axis one way or the other relative to the ballhead 24.
  • the keeper projection 33' rides under the cross-portion 64 of the latch 31 just prior to the completion of the coupling operation, the coupling operation being completed, of course, when the cross-portion 64 of the latch drops down into place behind the projection 33' and against or close to the magnet 59.
  • the latter serves to hold the latch in its locked position until the latch is raised manually, similarly as in the first form, namely, by a pull on the rope 23 that can be attached to either end of the cross-portion 64 of the latch or to its upwardly bent middle portion 65.
  • a screw S threaded in a hole in the cross-piece 58 is adjustable on a line with one end of latch 31' below the pivot 56 to engage the latch and raise or lower it relative to the top of the keeper projection 33' to vary the resistance afforded by the latch to movement of the tongue when the center rollers pass the ballhead 24 so as to help swing the ramp upwardly and laterally into the final coupling position substantially parallel to the tongue.
  • the screw S we can vary the impetus, whereas with a ridge 48 the impetus is fixed.
  • rollers 41 serve by engagement with one or the other side of the ramp to swing the tongue toward alignment with the ramp when the tractor approaches the tongue either off-line or at an acute angle relative thereto, and, soon thereafter, the V-guide 43 by contacting one or the other side of the ramp 28' causes the two parts 19a and 28' to be swung into closer longitudinal alignment to enable a good coupling action.
  • FIGS. 11 to 15 Our preferred construction is illustrated in FIGS. 11 to 15 where we have shown in FIG. 12 A the tongue member of our improved coupling as an attachment A to an existing tongue T.
  • the tongue 19 in FIG. 1 is the part 1912 of relatively short length that is bolted, as indicated at 66, to the clevis 67 of tongue T at the forward end, and is clamped, as indicated at 68, at its rear end to the tongue, the bolted connection 66 being coaxially aligned vertically with the ballhead 24 in the ramp 28", so that the end result after coupling is the same as if the tongue T had its clevis 67 bolted directly to the draw-bar 17 in the conventional manner.
  • the front end of the present assembly closely resembles the construction of FIGS. 8 to in that the latch 31" is pivoted, as a 56', to the rearwardly bent end portions 57 of a cross-piece 58 that is welded or otherwise suitably secured on the front end of the ramp 28".
  • the latch 31 has an inclined cross-portion 64 on the rear end thereof arranged to engage the top portion of a keeper projection 33 provided on the front end of the tongue member 1% so as to be raised first and then drop into coupling position behind said projection, a fairly heavy weight 69 on the rear end portion of the latch making it quite certain that the latch will drop firmly in place behind the projection and stay there once the coupling operation has been completed, so that there is no need for a magnet, like that shown at 59 in FIGS. 9 and 10, to hold the latch in locked position.
  • the weight also adds appreciable resistance to the relative movement between the tongue and ramp members just prior to the coupling action being completed, whereby to give added impetus to the swinging upwardly of the ramp into substantial parallelism with the tongue, and, in order to vary this impetus, a screw S may be provided as in FIG. 8.
  • a hole 70 provided in the weight 69 at one end provides a place for attaching the rope, like that shown at 23 in FIG. 1, for the operator to use in raising the latch to disconnect the tractor from the trailing vehicle.
  • the tongue member 19b has a pair of rollers 40c and 40d, similar to the hour-glass shaped assembly of rollers mounted in its front end portion to center the tongue member 1912 with respect to the ramp 28" as soon as the latter comes into contact with these rollers as the tractor is backed up toward the tongue T.
  • the downwardly and rearwardly diverging rollers 41 also carried on the front end of the tongue member 1911 on opposite sides of the central rollers 40c and 40d, serve to center these rollers on the tongue with respect to the ramp if the latter is 01f line or at an angle relative to these rollers in the backing up of the tractor in the first part of the coupling operation.
  • the ramp 28" it must be remembered, is disposed in the inclined position shown in FIGS.
  • the downwardly diverging guide rods 43 on the tongue 19b cooperate with the central rollers 40c and 40d to bring the tongue 19b and ramp 28" into longitudinal alignment, but should the ramp 28 be slightly cocked on its longitudinal axis in this part of the coupling operation, it is quickly righted by the sliding engagement of one or the other of the inclined surfaces 71 provided on both sides of the front end portion of the tongue 19]) with one or the other of elongated guide projections 72 that are provided on the opposite sides of the ramp 28" longitudinally of its front end portion, such guide projections being in the form of rods welded or otherwise suitably secured to the ramp.
  • ramp 28" While the inclined surfaces 71 are riding on the guides 72, the rear end portion of ramp 28" is entering the eye 34 provided on the rear end portion of the tongue member 19b to maintain interlocked substantially parallel relationship of the two parts 1% and 28" when the coupling operation is completed by latch 31" dropping behind keeper projection 33".
  • ramp 28" enters the eye 34, it strikes the plate 35 on the prop 20 and swings the latter rearwardly and upwardly to the retracted position shown in FIG. 12.
  • Prop 20' which is made in two telescoping longitudinally adjustable sections 73 and 74 with a pad 75 on the lower end of the inner section, the two sections arranged to be clamped securely in adjusted relationship by means of a bolt 76 entered in a hole 77 in the outer section 73 and in a registering slot 78 provided in the inner section 74, has registering slots 79 in the opposite sides of the upper end portion thereof receiving a cross-pin 54' for slidably pivotally mounting the prop on the rear end 'of the tongue member 19b.
  • the eye 34 previously mentioned is welded or otherwise suitably secured to the tongue member 1912.
  • a second cross-pin 80 is provided in the upper section 73 of the prop in downwardly spaced relation to pin 54, and, when the ramp 28" is withdrawn from the eye 34, pin 80 enters registering slots 81 provided in the opposite sides of the eye 34, the latter being cut away on both sides, as indicated at 82, to allow free access for the pin 80 to the slots 81 between the eye 34 and two generally U-shaped wire frames 83 that are welded or otherwise suitably secured by the ends of their arms to the opposite sides of the eye 34, as indicated at 84.
  • the arcuate rear portions 85 of the frames 83 allow ample working clearance for the cross-pin 80 inside the frames 83 when the prop 20 is swung upwardly and rearwardly to the retracted position seen in FIG.
  • the latch 31 which may or may not include the screw adjustment S shown in FIGS. 8 and 10, to predetermine the elevation of the inclined rear cross-portion 64' relative to the keeper projection 33", is pivoted at 56 below the level of the keeper projection to insure a better hold of the latch on the keeper projection as the forward pull on the latch in pulling a trailing vehicle with the tractor has a downward component, thereby making a holddown spring or magnet unnecessary.
  • This preferred form operates very much the same as the modified form of FIGS. 8 to 10.
  • rollers 40 and 41 in FIGS. l to 7, rollers 40a-40b with 41 in FIGS. 8 to 10, and rollers 40c-40d with rollers 41" in FIGS. 11 to 15, it should be understood that We do not wish to be limited to such guide means, inasmuch as a yoke may be provided on the end of the tongue providing guide surfaces thereon similarly arranged with respect to one another as the central and outboard rollers, where for example, a more economical construction is desired, or where the application of the coupling does not require anti-friction roller guide means and sliding movement of the tongue and ramp members with respect to one another is satisfactory.
  • latches 31, 61', and 31 which in each instance engage a keeper projection
  • magnetic means or spring means may be employed to hold the latch in coupled relationship to the keeper projection
  • a weight 69 on the rear end portion of the latch to insure its dropping more firmly in place behind the keeper projection and staying there once the coupling operation has been completed
  • 20 designates another prop slidably pivotally connected, as at 54", to the tongue member 190, the pivot pin 54 extending through elongated slots 79' provided in the upper end portion of the prop, in downwardly spaced relation to a cross-bar 90 rigid with the upper end of the prop.
  • the prop has a cross-pin 80' in downwardly spaced relation to the slots 79 and arranged to engage in slots 81 provided in opposite sides of the eye 34', the back portion of the eye being cut away at an angle, as shown at 82, to provide inclined edges 87 to guide the pin 80' into the slot 81 from one side, while the slot has its lower end widened as at 88' to provide similar guides on the other side to enable easy entry of the pin into the slots 81' in the event the pin does not happen to be directly in line vertically with the slots when the tongue 19c comes down to rest on the prop after an uncoupling operation.
  • a generally triangular shaped retractable stop plate 91 that is pivotally mounted between the side walls of the channel-shaped tongue member 196, as at 92, off-center, so that the stop normally drops by gravity to the position shown in FIG. 12-C with its apex 93 engaging the top wall of the tongue 19c, and with a tooth 94 disposed in the path of the cross- 'bar when the prop 20" suspended on pins 54" swings down by gravity toward a vertical position immediately after uncoupling, as shown in the dotted line position of bar 90 in FIG. 12-C, whereby to limit the rebound of the prop 20" when it strikes the back of the eye 34 and the bar 90 engages the tooth 94 on the rebound.
  • Stop 91 is swung upwardly to a retracted position with respect to the cross-bar 90 by engagement of the rear end of the ramp 28" on the inclined surface 95 on the front of the stop as the rear end of the ramp enters the eye 34 and swings the prop 20" upwardly and rearwardly to a retracted position in the coupling operation.
  • the prop 20 there is no interference whatsoever with the rearward swinging of the with this prop 20" is otherwise the same as with the prop 20 shown in FIGS. 11 and 12.
  • an elongated ramp coupling member swivelled near its one end on one of two things to be coupled together and adapted when uncoupled to gravitate to a rearwardly and downwardly inclined position
  • a coupling tongue member extending from the other thing
  • guide means on the forward end of said tongue to engage and run up on the inclined ramp to center the two members relative to one another
  • one of said tongue and ramp members having a keeper projection on its forward end portion
  • said tongue being disposed with its front end above the level of the lower end of said ramp preparatory to the coupling of said members
  • said ramp being swingable upwardly toward parallelism with said tongue when said guide means running up said ramp runs forwardly over the swivel support onto the front end portion of said ramp in the coupling operation, and an eye extending downwardly from the tongue
  • An automatic coupling as set forth in claim 1 including a second guide means on the tongue between said first mentioned guide means and said eye to engage said ramp intermediate its ends to align the ramp and tongue members with respect to one another during the coupling operation.
  • An automatic coupling as set forth in claim )1 including a prop pivoted at its upper end to and supporting the tongue elevated off the ground preparatory to the coupling operation, said prop being so disposed relative to said eye and the rear end of said ramp in its coupled position that the rear end of said ramp engages and swings the prop rearwardly and upwardly to an out of the way position in the coupling operation, and means for holding the prop against pivotal movement while it is supporting the tongue, said prop 'being free to have pivotal movement when said prop is suspended from said tongue.
  • An automatic coupling as set forth in claim 1 including a weight on the latch holding it in engagement with the keeper projection while also contributing toward better balance of said ramp on its swivel support, the latch being swingable out of such engagement manually in uncoupling.
  • An automatic coupling as set forth in claim 1 including magnetic means for holding the latch in engagement with said keeper projection, said latch being disengageable manually in uncoupling.
  • keeper projection is on one of the tongue and ramp members and engages under the latch which is pivoted on the other of said members, and one of said latch and keeper projection is cam shaped whereby the latch is cammed upwardly out of the way in the interengagement of the latch and keeper projection in the relative endwise movement of the ramp and tongue members in the completion of the coupling operation to automatically engage the latch behind the keeper projection when the coupling operation is completed, there being magnetic means adjacent said keeper projection cooperating with the latch to hold it releasably in coupled position, the latch being movable manually to uncoupled position.
  • the ramp has an opening provided in the front end portion thereof forwardly from the swivel support adapted for reception of a pin projecting downwardly from the latch, the latch carrying a downwardly projectin-g pin which in the running up of the guide means on the ramp holds the latch raised so as to clear the keeper projection as it slides along on top of the ramp until it drops into the opening upon arrival of the latch at the coupling position, the latch being swingable upwardly manually to an uncoupled position.
  • the ramp has an opening provided in the front end portion thereof forwardly from the swivel support adapted for reception of a pin projecting downwardly from the latch, the latch carrying a downwardly projecting pin which in the running up of the guide means on the ramp holds the latch raised so as to clear the keeper projection as it slides along on top of the ramp until it drops into the opening upon arrival of the latch at the coupling position, the latch being swingable upwardly manually to an uncoupled position, and a trip lever pivoted with respect to the front end of the ramp and disposed under the latch when it is hooked over the keeper projection to couple the tongue and ramp members, said trip lever being raisable manually to release the latch from the keeper projection.
  • both of said guide means comprises anti-friction rollers, the rollers of the first-mentioned means defining an hour-glass assembly, which in rolling on a rounded top provided on said ramp member causes centering of the tongue relative to said ramp, and when said first mentioned guide means passes the swivel support also causes the alignment of said ramp to said tongue members.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
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US462363A 1965-06-08 1965-06-08 Automatic hitch couplers Expired - Lifetime US3319977A (en)

Priority Applications (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US462363A US3319977A (en) 1965-06-08 1965-06-08 Automatic hitch couplers
GB24646/66A GB1135531A (en) 1965-06-08 1966-06-02 Vehicle automatic hitch couplers
BE682106D BE682106A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1965-06-08 1966-06-06
DE19661580578 DE1580578A1 (de) 1965-06-08 1966-06-06 Selbsttaetige Kupplung fuer Fahrzeuge
SE07775/66A SE328784B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1965-06-08 1966-06-07

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Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US462363A US3319977A (en) 1965-06-08 1965-06-08 Automatic hitch couplers

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US3319977A true US3319977A (en) 1967-05-16

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US462363A Expired - Lifetime US3319977A (en) 1965-06-08 1965-06-08 Automatic hitch couplers

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US (1) US3319977A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
BE (1) BE682106A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE1580578A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1135531A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
SE (1) SE328784B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4214771A (en) * 1978-11-13 1980-07-29 Vernon T. Mullican Coupling device
WO1989001418A1 (en) * 1987-08-18 1989-02-23 Caterpillar Industrial Inc. Hitch assembly and method
US4953883A (en) * 1989-04-26 1990-09-04 Simon Helie Truck trailer hitch
US5316330A (en) * 1992-11-20 1994-05-31 Renald Bergeron Automatic coupling and decoupling hitch system
US5975552A (en) * 1997-12-02 1999-11-02 Slaton; James Olan Self-aligning trailer hitch
US6176470B1 (en) 1998-11-17 2001-01-23 U-Haul International, Inc. Trailer tongue with vertical lift geometry
US20080054598A1 (en) * 2004-03-11 2008-03-06 Richard Weber Adjustable Trailer Coupling System
US7976052B1 (en) * 2007-08-07 2011-07-12 Williams Innovations, Llc Lock and positioning assembly for the tongue of a steerable trailer
US20110198826A1 (en) * 2010-02-15 2011-08-18 Richard Weber Novel Trailer and Towing Related Technologies
US9924625B2 (en) * 2014-10-22 2018-03-27 Deere & Company Jack stand for auto-connect assembly

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GB9123565D0 (en) * 1991-11-06 1992-01-02 Buxton Norman A A coupling device
SI2540530T1 (en) * 2011-06-27 2018-04-30 Coutier Industrie Freight train
DE102019208895B4 (de) * 2019-06-19 2021-08-26 Holger Saggau Anhänger-Kupplungsvorrichtung, Fahrzeuganhänger und Verfahren zum automatischen Einkuppeln

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US2020161A (en) * 1933-07-06 1935-11-05 Highway Trailer Co Trailer
US2464424A (en) * 1947-03-13 1949-03-15 Weldon Conrad Tractor coupler
US2671673A (en) * 1952-04-04 1954-03-09 Benson James Harry Automatic tractor hitch
US2810590A (en) * 1953-11-10 1957-10-22 Brockhouse J & Co Ltd Device for coupling a tractor to a trailer vehicle
US2844390A (en) * 1956-11-30 1958-07-22 Leonard L Smith Tractor hitch of the automatic coupling type having connection facilitating means
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US1862112A (en) * 1931-03-06 1932-06-07 Highway Trailer Co Automatic fifth wheel for semitrailers
US2020161A (en) * 1933-07-06 1935-11-05 Highway Trailer Co Trailer
US2464424A (en) * 1947-03-13 1949-03-15 Weldon Conrad Tractor coupler
US2671673A (en) * 1952-04-04 1954-03-09 Benson James Harry Automatic tractor hitch
US2810590A (en) * 1953-11-10 1957-10-22 Brockhouse J & Co Ltd Device for coupling a tractor to a trailer vehicle
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Cited By (14)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4214771A (en) * 1978-11-13 1980-07-29 Vernon T. Mullican Coupling device
WO1989001418A1 (en) * 1987-08-18 1989-02-23 Caterpillar Industrial Inc. Hitch assembly and method
US4807714A (en) * 1987-08-18 1989-02-28 Caterpillar Industrial Inc. Hitch assembly and method
US4953883A (en) * 1989-04-26 1990-09-04 Simon Helie Truck trailer hitch
US5316330A (en) * 1992-11-20 1994-05-31 Renald Bergeron Automatic coupling and decoupling hitch system
US5975552A (en) * 1997-12-02 1999-11-02 Slaton; James Olan Self-aligning trailer hitch
US6176470B1 (en) 1998-11-17 2001-01-23 U-Haul International, Inc. Trailer tongue with vertical lift geometry
US6311954B1 (en) 1998-11-17 2001-11-06 U-Haul International, Inc. Trailer tongue with vertical lift geometry
US20080054598A1 (en) * 2004-03-11 2008-03-06 Richard Weber Adjustable Trailer Coupling System
US7651114B2 (en) 2004-03-11 2010-01-26 Richard Weber Adjustable trailer coupling system
US7976052B1 (en) * 2007-08-07 2011-07-12 Williams Innovations, Llc Lock and positioning assembly for the tongue of a steerable trailer
US20110198826A1 (en) * 2010-02-15 2011-08-18 Richard Weber Novel Trailer and Towing Related Technologies
US8235410B2 (en) 2010-02-15 2012-08-07 Richard Weber Trailer and towing related technologies
US9924625B2 (en) * 2014-10-22 2018-03-27 Deere & Company Jack stand for auto-connect assembly

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1135531A (en) 1968-12-04
SE328784B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1970-09-21
BE682106A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1966-11-14
DE1580578A1 (de) 1970-06-04

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