Anti-jackknifing apparatus

• US 4,784,403 A
• Filed: 10/23/1986
• Issued: 11/15/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jack-Knife Guard America, Inc., Lee Maarkquart, Leroy E. Markquart, Northwest Power & Equipment, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Red Arrow International, Inc.
• Inventors: Hawkins, Wallace H., Gosnell, Calvin B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Love, John J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Watts, Charles R.
• Application Number:
  US06/922,439
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 280/432, 280/446 B, 280/415 B, 280/423 R, 280/474
• US Class Current: 280/432
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 53/0878 the fifth wheel coupling incorporating braking or restraining means

Abstract

Apparatus is disclosed for limiting the angular movement between the tractor and trailer wherein a fluid operated cylinder is mounted within a rigid frame, having a mounting bar attached to a forward member of the tractor, for moving an abutment means between a position extending downwardly within the longitudinal slot of the fifth wheel to a position wherein the abutment means is removed from the slot. Means are carried within the frame having fixed relation thereto for providing lateral support within the position of the slot.

Claims

1. Anti-jackknifing apparatus for use in connection between articulated vehicles having a pulling unit and trailer wherein there is mounted on the pulling unit a plate having a v-slot and in the v-slot of the plate a coupling is made with a trailer coupling pin, wherein the apparatus comprises,

a support frame adapted to be mounted on said trailer,

an abutment member adapted to be positioned in an active engagement position between the sides of the v-slot of the pulling unit,

and drive means for said abutment member to move said abutment member into its active engagement position and retract it from said active engagement position,

said support frame including an abutment transverse support means including a mounting bar element mounted on the trailer above the v-slot of the pulling unit and behind the trailer coupling pin and positioning said abutment member which depends from the support frame in a depending vertically aligned position from above said v-slot and into the zone between the v-slot plate mounted on the pulling unit, said transverse support means and said drive means restraining movement of the abutment such that when pivotal movement of the pulling unit and trailer moves the abutment member and v-slot plate relative to each other to cause engagement of the abutment member with the v-slot side of the v-slot plate such engagement arrests further relative swinging movement of the pulling unit and trailer,

bracing means connected to said abutment transverse support means for transferring forces applied to said abutment member by and during engagement with said v-slot plate to said mounting bar element to thereby transfer the forces from said support frame to the trailer at a point above the v-slot.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said bracing means includes bracing plates and housing for said abutment support means which are joined to said mounting bar element adapted to be joined to the trailer when the apparatus is mounted on said trailer.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said abutment member is supported on a slide plate which slides in a channel of said abutment transverse support means as said abutment member is carried forwardly into a position for engagement with said v-slot plate.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said mounting bar element is joined to said support frame which is adapted to be joined to the trailer, and said abutment transverse support members includes two transverse support members joined to the said mounting bar element, one at each side of the abutment member, to receive and transfer forces applied to said abutment member by its engagement with said v-slot plate to said mounting bar support frame, said two transverse support members fixing the normal active position of said abutment member a spaced distance from said mounting bar support frame member at a position where the abutment member in its normal active position has a member which is positioned to engage the v-slot plate.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said abutment transverse support means includes means permitting said abutment member to pivot in a vertical direction down into position for engagement with said v-slot plate from a retracted position above said v-slot plate.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said abutment transverse support means includes means permitting said abutment member to slide forwardly into a position for engagement with said v-slot plate from a retracted position rearward of said v-slot plate.

7. An anti-jackknifing apparatus for use in connection with a coupling of a tractor having a fifth wheel with a longitudinal outwardly tapering slot therein and a trailer having a frame thereunder, comprising:

elongated abutment means having a limit element pivotally movable in a vertical plane for movement between a first position where said limit element is adapted to extend when mounted on said trailer into an intercept zone located beneath said abutment means to a first position located within said tapering slot and a second position retracted from within said slot;

a transverse shaft member mounting said abutment for pivotal movement into and out of said intercept zone, said shaft member being supported by said frame beneath the trailer,

actuation means for pivoting said abutment element between said first and second positions, and

said limit element of said abutment means when stopped in position in said slot arresting relative rotational movement of said tractor and trailer about said coupling.

8. An anti-jackknifing apparatus as set forth in claim 7 including means mounting said abutment to permit limited transverse movement thereof with additional swinging movement of said tractor and trailer after engagement between the abutment and the fifth wheel.

9. An anti-jackknifing apparatus as set forth in claim 8 including a support frame adapted to be mounted on said trailer frame, said support frame having a mounting bar for securement to said trailer frame above said tapering slot.

10. An anti-jackknifing apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said actuation means includes a fluid operated cylinder, and a support frame carrying said fluid operated cylinder about said tapering slot for vertical and lateral pivotal movement.