Steering system for tractor-trailer units
First Claim
1. A system for controlling the turning of a semi-trailer of a tractor-trailer unit relative to the tractor wherein the tractor has steerable wheels and is connected to the trailer for turning movements relative to the trailer, said trailer including a frame and a rear wheel bogie assembly supported on said trailer for pivotable movement about a generally vertical pivot axis relative to said trailer frame, said system comprising:
- cam means secured to said tractor and pivotable relative to said trailer frame about a pivot connection between said trailer and said tractor;
flexible cable means including opposed cable traces extending along said trailer frame and connected to said bogie;
cam lever means pivotally secured at pivot means on said trailer at a point forward of said bogie and connected at its opposite ends to respective ones of said cable traces; and
cam follower means connected to said lever means at spaced apart points on opposite sides of said pivot means and engageable with said cam means, said cam means and said cam follower means being cooperable in such a way that in response to turning of said tractor relative to said trailer when said bogie is trailing said tractor during an initial portion of a turn of said tractor said bogie continues in a pre-turn direction of travel of said trailer, and during a further portion of a turn of said tractor said bogie pivots relative to said frame so that the path of said bogie follows substantially the same path as said tractor through said turn.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for controlling turning of the trailer of a tractor-trailer unit comprising a cam which is supported on and fixed to the fifth wheel hitch member of the tractor and is engageable with cam followers mounted on a pivotable cam lever secured to the trailer frame. The cam lever includes opposed cam followers engageable with the cam and for actuating opposed traces of a flexible cable which extend along the trailer frame and are secured to a pulley mounted on a pivotable rear axle bogie of the trailer. In response to turning movements of the tractor, the trailer bogie follows a track or path through the turn which is approximately the same path as the tractor. The cam is configured so that on backing the trailer the bogie remains fixed in a non-turning position relative to the trailer frame.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A system for controlling the turning of a semi-trailer of a tractor-trailer unit relative to the tractor wherein the tractor has steerable wheels and is connected to the trailer for turning movements relative to the trailer, said trailer including a frame and a rear wheel bogie assembly supported on said trailer for pivotable movement about a generally vertical pivot axis relative to said trailer frame, said system comprising:
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cam means secured to said tractor and pivotable relative to said trailer frame about a pivot connection between said trailer and said tractor; flexible cable means including opposed cable traces extending along said trailer frame and connected to said bogie; cam lever means pivotally secured at pivot means on said trailer at a point forward of said bogie and connected at its opposite ends to respective ones of said cable traces; and cam follower means connected to said lever means at spaced apart points on opposite sides of said pivot means and engageable with said cam means, said cam means and said cam follower means being cooperable in such a way that in response to turning of said tractor relative to said trailer when said bogie is trailing said tractor during an initial portion of a turn of said tractor said bogie continues in a pre-turn direction of travel of said trailer, and during a further portion of a turn of said tractor said bogie pivots relative to said frame so that the path of said bogie follows substantially the same path as said tractor through said turn. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for controlling the turning of a semi-trailer of a tractor-trailer unit relative to the tractor wherein the tractor has steerable wheels and is connected to the trailer for turning movements relative to the trailer, said trailer including a rear wheel bogie assembly supported on said trailer for pivotable movement about a generally vertical pivot axis relative to a frame of said trailer, said system comprising:
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cam means secured to said tractor and pivotable relative to said trailer frame about a pivot connection between said trailer and said tractor; cable means including opposed traces interconnecting said bogie and cam lever means pivotally secured on said trailer at a point forward of said bogie; and cam follower means spaced apart on said lever means and engageable with said cam means, said cam means and said cam follower means being configured in such a way that in response to turning of said tractor relative to said trailer during at least a portion of a turn of said tractor, said bogie pivots relative to said frame so that the path of said bogie follows substantially the same path as said tractor through said turn in a forward direction of movement of said tractor-trailer unit and during a reverse direction of movement of said tractor-trailer unit said bogie remains aligned with said trailer frame. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for controlling the turning of a semi-trailer of a tractor-trailer unit relative to the tractor wherein the tractor has steerable wheels and is connected to the trailer for turning movements relative to the trailer, said trailer including a rear wheel bogie assembly supported on said trailer for pivotable movement about a generally vertical pivot axis relative to a frame of said trailer, said system comprising:
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cam means secured to said tractor and pivotable relative to said trailer frame about a pivot connection between said trailer and said tractor; means interconnecting said bogie and said cam means and responsive to turning movement of said tractor in one direction of travel of said tractor-trailer unit to effect turning movement of said bogie relative to said frame; and means for releasably securing said cam means to a fifth wheel hitch member of said tractor for rotation with said tractor about the pivot axis of said hitch pin when said trailer is hitched to said tractor comprising a key member adapted to be disposed in a predetermined position in a slot in said fifth wheel hitch member and means for securing said key member in said predetermined position in said slot. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A system for controlling the turning of a semi-trailer of a tractor-trailer unit relative to the tractor wherein the tractor has steerable wheels and is connected to the trailer for turning movements relative to the trailer, said trailer including a frame and a rear wheel bogie assembly supported on said trailer for pivotable movement about a generally vertical pivot axis relative to said trailer frame, said system comprising:
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a generally convex lobe cam secured to said tractor and pivotable relative to said trailer frame about a pivot connection between said trailer and said tractor; flexible cable means connected to said bogie and including opposed cable traces extending forward of said bogie toward said pivot connection; cam lever means pivotally secured at pivot means on said trailer at a point forward of said bogie and connected at its opposite ends to repective ones of said cable traces; and cam follower means connected to said lever means at spaced apart points on opposite sides of pivot means and engageable with said cam means, respectively, in such a way that in response to turning of said tractor relative to said trailer when said bogie is trailing said tractor during an initial portion of a turn of said tractor said bogie continues in a pre-turn direction of travel of said trailer, and during a further portion of said turn of said tractor said cable traces are actuated to cause said bogie to pivot relative to said frame so that the path of said bogie follows substantially the same path as said tractor through said turn.
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Specification