TRAILER HITCH

• US 3,633,939 A
• Filed: 06/08/1970
• Issued: 01/11/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alvina M. Novick, Brice A. Evernham
• Original Assignee: Alvina M. Novick, Brice A. Evernham
• Inventors: Evernham, Brice A., Novick, Alvina M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Friaglia, Leo
• Application Number:
  US05/044,188
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 280/46A,446B 267/47
• US Class Current: 280/406.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/065 characterised by the hitch mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/32 involving damping devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/345 the springs being of the bar or leaf type torsion bars per se F16F1/14, leaf springs per se F16F1/18

Abstract

The present invention relates to a trailer hitch that incorporates a snubbing arrangement that acts to dampen-out sidewise movements of the trailer if the trailer tends to wander from the towing track, or tends to weave from side-to-side behind the towing vehicle. The disclosed hitch comprises a brakelike arrangement that provides the actual snubbing action as soon as there is a relative rotational movement at the trailer hitch. The operative principles and various embodiments are disclosed and explained.

Claims

1. A rain-resistant snubbing hitch for a towed/towing vehicle combination, comprising:

a lower plate;

an inner hollow cone affixed to said lower plate;

an upper plate;

an outer hollow cone affixed to said upper plate, said outer cone positioned circumjacent to said inner cone, and providing a rain-protective covering therefor;

the tapered surfaces of said cones positioned to face each other in a coacting relationship;

a layer of friction material mounted on the tapered surface of one of said cones, whereby said cones and said friction material define a rotation snubbing arrangement;

spring means, positioned in the inner space common to both said hollow cones, for interconnecting and spacing said cones;

means for attaching one of said cones to one of said vehicles;

means for attaching the other of said cone to the other of said vehicles;

said attaching means permitting snubbed rotation of said vehicles.

2. A rain-resistant hitch for snubbing rotation when one vehicle tows another vehicle, comprising:

a lower plate;

a first hollow cylinder, having its outer face tapered to form an inner cone, affixed to said lower plate;

a layer of friction material affixed to the tapered surface of said inner cone;

an upper plate;

a second hollow cylinder having its inner surface tapered to form an outer cone affixed to said upper plate, said second cylinder providing a rain protective enclosure for said first cylinder;

the tapered surfaces of said cones positioned to face each other in a coacting relationship, whereby said cones and said friction material form an arrangement for snubbing relative rotation between said cones;

means, positioned along the axial portion of said cones, for maintaining said cones in said coacting relationship;

first means for attaching said first cone to said towed vehicle, said first attaching means comprising a pair of V-connected equalizing rods having the first ends thereof affixed to said lower plate, and having the other ends thereof linked to said towed vehicle;

second means for attaching said second cone to said towing vehicle, said second attaching means comprising a towing bar having one end thereof affixed tO said upper plate, and having the other end thereof affixed to said towing vehicle;

said attaching means permitting snubbed rotation to occur between said cones.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein said maintaining means comprises a spring interconnecting and spacing said cones.

4. The combination of claim 2, wherein said upper plate comprises a pair of spaced apart vertically extending guides.

5. The combination of claim 4, wherein said towing bar is positioned between, and affixed to, said pair of guides of said upper plate.

6. The combination of claim 2, wherein said lower plate comprises a block having a pair of receiving holes for receiving said pair of equalizing rods.

7. The combination of claim 6, wherein said equalizing rod receiving holes are at a sharper angle than the tongue arms of said towed vehicle for placing said equalizing rods under a constant spreading tension.

8. The combination of claim 6, wherein respective auxiliary tubes surround respective equalizing rods, said rod/tube combinations forming stronger composite equalizing rods.

9. The combination of claim 8, including means for retaining said rod/tube combination in said hole of said block, said retaining means comprising a longitudinal socket in the end of said rod;

a washer having an elongated central opening;

a headed pin traversing said washer opening, and being received in said longitudinal socket at the end of said equalizing rod.

10. A rain-resistant trailer hitch for permitting one vehicle to tow another vehicle, and to provide a snubbing action against relative rotation at the hitch comprising:

a blocklike lower plate having a pair of holes therein for receiving a pair of equalizing rods;

a first, hollow cylindrical cylinder having its outer surface tapered to form an inner cone, said first cylinder being substantially perpendicularly positioned, and being affixed to said lower plate;

a layer of friction material mounted on the tapered surface of said inner cone;

an upper plate;

a second hollow cylinder having its inner surface tapered to form an outer cone, said second cylinder being substantially perpendicularly positioned, and being affixed to said upper plate, and providing a rain-protective enclosure for said inner cone;

the tapered surfaces of said cones facing each other in a coacting relationship, whereby said cones and said friction material form an arrangement for snubbing relative rotation between said cones;

a pair of spaced apart vertically extending guides affixed to said upper plate;

means, comprising a spring interconnecting and spacing said cones, positioned along the axial portion of said cones, for maintaining said cones in said coacting relationship;

first means for attaching said first cone to said towed vehicle, said first attaching means comprising a pair of V-connected equalizing rods having their first ends receiving in said receiving holes of said blocklike lower plate, and having their other ends linked to said towed vehicle;

second means for attaching said second cone to said towing vehicle, said second attaching means comprising a towing bar having one end thereof positioned between and affixed to said guides of said upper plate, and having the other end thereof affixed to said towing vehicle;

said attaching means providing snubbed rotation when said towed vehicle tends to wander from the true towing track.

11. The combination of claim 10, wherein said equalizing rod comprises a standard equalizing rod surrounded by an auxiliary tube for providing a composite equalizing rod of desired strength.