Automatic hitch system

• US 20060076755A1
• Filed: 10/13/2004
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Renald Bergeron
• Original Assignee: Renald Bergeron
• Inventors: Bergeron, Renald
• Application Number:
  US10/962,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20060076755A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/509
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/24 characterised by arrangements for particular functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/36 for facilitating connection, e.g. hitch catchers , visual guide means, signalling aids B60D1/465 takes precedence; vehicle signalling in general B60Q; optical arrangements specially adapted for viewing trailer-hitches B60R1/003
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/66 Props

Abstract

An automatic hitch system which is capable to automatically couple or uncouple a pulling vehicle with a trailing vehicle without the need of the driver to get out of the pulling vehicle. The automatic hitch system comprises a first hitch section to be mounted on a pulling vehicle to be hitched to a second hitch section mounted on a trailing vehicle, and which allow the automatic positioning, coupling and uncoupling of the pulling vehicle with respect to the trailing vehicle. The first hitch section of the invention comprises a bottom channel to receive the extending tongue portion of the pulling vehicle. The bottom channel includes at its lower end a lever with contact flanges to fold up the foot member of the second hitch section underneath the extending drawbar of the trailing vehicle during the coupling operation.

Claims

1. An automatic system for hitching to a pulling vehicle a trailing vehicle, comprising a first hitch section to be mounted on said pulling vehicle and a second hitch to be mounted on said trailing vehicle, wherein said first hitch section comprises:

a bottom channel (3) to receive the extending tongue portion of the pulling vehicle;

a hitch pin with pull handle (C) passing through an aperture (37) drilled on the top surface of an horizontal upper plate (8) welded thereon said bottom channel (3), an aperture drilled on the forwardly tongue portion of the pulling vehicle, and of which the hitch pin is vertically aligned with an aperture (4) drilled through the bottom of said channel (3);

a structural body member (13) mounted on the top surface of the upper plate (8) and welded thereon;

a pin (16) mounted and welded on the top surface of said upper plate (8) for blocking said body member (13) thereon; and

a part member (10) mounted and welded thereon the front portion of said upper plate (8) for blocking a locking member (22) when a tension spring (28) applies a pressure on a rectangular block (27) in an angular notch formed in the edge of the locking member (22) to be locked with a vertical hitch pin (58) being guided by a V-shaped cut toward a rounded recess being formed with the front portion of said upper plate (8), and when uncoupling the driver pulls a cable (32) that is securely installed into the pulling vehicle to withdraw the rectangular block (27) from the angular notch of which enabling rotation of the locking member (22) about a pivot (11) to be unlocked from the vertical hitch pin (58), and which moves forward with the pulling vehicle to release a lever (1) from a foot member (39) which is capable of returning downwards by the tension force produced through each spring (61)(66).

2. A first hitch section as recited in claim 1, wherein said bottom channel (3) includes at its lower end the lever (1) with contact flanges (2) for folding up the foot member (39) underneath the extending drawbar of the trailing vehicle.

3. A first hitch section as recited in claim 1, wherein said bottom channel (3) includes horizontally aligned apertures (4) drilled through the both sides of said bottom channel (3) to receive a threaded rod (6) for adjusting the extending tongue portion of the pulling vehicle by displacing a plurality of washers (5) interposed along the threaded rod (6) being fixed thereby means of a nut (7) screwed on said threaded bolt (6).

4. A first hitch section as recited in claim 1, wherein said body member (13) includes at its rear portion a pair of holes (14)(15) for connecting a chain (17), and at its front portion an aperture (20) to receive the pivot pin (11) being welded on the top surface of said upper plate (8) and on which is pivotally mounted the locking member (22) and washer (25) being blocked thereby a safety pin (26) inserted therein hole (12) drilled through said pivot pin (11).

5. The structural body member as recited in claim 4, in which a locking pin (18) locks a first end of the chain (17) therein the first hole (14) drilled through said structural body member (13).

6. The structural body member as recited in claim 4, in which a safety clip (19) locks a second end of the chain (17) therein the second hole (15) drilled through said body member (13), and of which the safety clip (19) is engaged onto said body member (13).

7. The structural body member as recited in claim 1, in which a hole (21) is drilled through the front portion of said body member (13) for connecting a pulley (33) by means of a blocking pin (35), and of which the cable (32) turning around is engaged therein hole (34) drilled through an elongated rectangular plate (31) and fixed therein.

8. The cable as recited in claim 7, which is securely installed into the pulling vehicle so as to prevent said locking member (22) be accidentally unlocked from said vertical hitch pin (58) for coupling the forwardly drawbar portion of the trailing vehicle.

9. The elongated rectangular plate as recited in claim 7, in which an aperture (30) is drilled therethrough to receive a threaded rod (29) on which a tension spring (28) is wound and disposed between the rectangular plate (31) and said rectangular block (27).

10. The second hitch section as recited in claim 1, wherein said second hitch section (D) to be coupled on the trailing vehicle to be hitched to the first hitch section (B), and which comprising:

said vertical hitch pin (58) being welded thereon the top surface of a body member (55);

said vertical hitch pin (58) passes through corresponding aligned apertures (69) of a U-shaped bracket (70) engaged thereon, and of which the forwardly drawbar portion of the trailing vehicle is welded therein said U-shaped bracket (70); and

the upper end of said vertical hitch pin (58) is threaded to receive a nut (72), and a washer (71) is interposed between nut (72) and the top surface of said U-shaped bracket (70).

11. The body member as recited in claim 10, includes a pair of grooves (57) which are capable to receive one first end of the tension springs (61)(66) which are assembled with a plurality of components (60)(62)(63) (64)(65)(67) being mounted thereon a threaded rod (59) passing through each opening (49)(51) drilled through each parallel mounting plate (41)(45) to be engaged therein each aperture (54) of a central pivot (53) located underneath the front portion of said body member (55) and being fixed thereby a nut (68) screwed thereon the threaded rod (59).

12. The parallel mounting plates as recited in claim 11, wherein the second end of said tension springs (61)(66) is blocked therein a groove (73)(74) being formed with the top surface (50)(52) of said parallel mounting plates (41)(45).

13. The second hitch section as recited in claim 10, further includes a foot member (39) which is provided with a pair of side plate portions defining of the inside a V-shaped and welded thereon a lower plate.

14. The parallel mounting plates as recited in claim 11 or 12, further includes having aligned apertures (43)(46) drilled therethrough and defining of the inside a V-shaped, are engaged thereon each side plate portion by a plurality of bolts (42)(47) and nuts (44)(48) therein aligned apertures (40) drilled through the both side plate portions to be adjusted and aligned in height with the lever (1) folding up the foot member (39) underneath the extending drawbar of the trailing vehicle.