GB938735A - Improvements relating to vehicle couplings - Google Patents

Abstract

938,735. Vehicle fifth wheel couplings. TOUSSAINT & HESS HYDRAULISCHE HEBEZEUGFABRIK G.m.b.H. Jan. 4, 1961 [Jan. 8, 1960]; No. 384/61 Class 103(5). A coupling of the type wherein a vertical pin on a carrier may be moved into a horizontal slot 2 in a plate on the tractor, Figs 1 and 3, comprises a pivoted or longitudinally slidable locking member such as 5 which moves over the slot to partly surround the pin, and a segment 8 mounted on the locking member for limited rotation about a vertical axis. A against the action of spring 13. A sleeve 18 is also provided to swing about the pivot 4 of the member 5 and contains a slider 19 which is pushed outwardly by a spring 20. The sleeve 18 has one projection 22 which coacts with the member 5 during coupling up, and another projection 23 provided with a pin 24 engaging in a slot 25 in one link of a lever system 27, 28, 29, the lever 29 in the uncoupled -position abutting the left hand end of a guide 31. In Fig 1, a spring 35 holds the nose of the slider 19 against the surface 38 of the member 5, but the spring 20 tends to rotate the sleeve and slider clockwise, which rotation is however limited by a stop (not shown). In coupling up, the pin 1 is entered into the slot 2 by backing the tractor, and abuts the part 33 of the member 5. The member 5 is thus rotated in an anti-clockwise direction and by abutting the projection 22 carries the sleeve and slider around and moves the lever system. When the pin 24 is to the right of a line joining the pivots 4 and 26 the spring 20 acts to rotate the sleeve and slider with the locking member 5 in an anticlockwise direction so that the segment 8 engages the pin 1. The slider then locks in a support 34. When uncoupling, the lever 29 is brought back to a notch 32, which action withdraws the slider and permits the sleeve 18 and the member 5 to be rotated clockwise out of engagement with the pin. As the vehicles are separated from one another the pin forces the locking member back to the release position. The slider nose has two parts 44, 45 which may be adjusted by bolts 43 to take up wear on the surface 47. In another embodiment, Fig. 5, the locking member 6 may slide either at right angles to or at an angle across the slot 2.