GB892952A - Improvements in or relating to trailer couplings - Google Patents

Abstract

892,952. Vehicle couplings and draw gear. WITTER, C. P. Feb. 9, 1959 [March 27, 1958], No. 9784/58. Class 103(5). To prevent snaking between a tractor and trailer angular movement about a vertical axis between members of the coupling is reduced by providing a lining or pads of friction material between said members, and the invention is characterized in that the lining or pads is or are of brake lining material. A part 16, Fig. 2, may be tightened down against brake lining friction material 17a in in a bracket 12, the ball 11 being fastened to the socket .13 by a removable pin 21 so that relative movement in a horizontal plane between the coupling parts may be confined to the frusto conical portions. In Fig. 3 the ball is not so pinned but the element 23 is provided at its top 30 with side flats which may be engaged by a forked member 27 hinged to an outwardly slidable bar 26 on the trailer, this arrangement ensuring that the ball rotates only about a horizontal axis and that the element 23 turns about a vertical axis against the lining 24. The part 23 may however be replaced by a plug of brake lining friction material bonded to the bolt 22. In a modification the socket 13 is horizontally hinged to the trailer draw gear and engages directly with a frusto conical spigot covered by brake lining friction material, the mating coupling elements being tightened together by a handwheel engaging a screw threaded bolt passing through the elements. In a further modification a ball socket may be provided with screw adjustable brake lining friction members.