Trailer/tractor light system tester

• US 4,884,032 A
• Filed: 09/16/1982
• Issued: 11/28/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army
• Inventors: LaPensee, Kenneth R.
• Primary Examiner(s): EISENZOPF, REINHARD
• Application Number:
  US06/418,920
• Time in Patent Office: 2,630 Days
• Field of Search: 324/51, 324/504
• US Class Current: 324/504
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/44 Testing lamps

Abstract

A portable testing mechanism for tractor-trailer lighting systems. The menism is specially designed to permit a test of the trailer lighting system without the physical presence of the tractor, or to permit test of a tractor light control system without the physical presence of the trailer.

Claims

1. Electrical test means for both a military trailer lighting system and an electrical power supply in a military tractor for the lighting system, the test means being configured to provide nonverbal indicia for instructing the human user in operating the test means, the test means comprising;

a three dimensional cabinet having a first upstanding side face and a second upstanding side face;

a source of electrical power at the cabinet having a rating similar to the battery power source in the military tractor to be tested;

a first conventional multi-terminal receptacle (46) mounted on the first face of the cabinet;

a second conventional multi-terminal receptacle (66) mounted on the second face of the cabinet;

the first receptacle being similar to a receptacle used on the tractor;

the second receptacle being similar to a receptacle used on the trailer to be tested;

A manual turn signal controller (52) mounted on the first face of the cabinet, the controller being similar to the controller used on the military tractor;

a manual multi-function light switch (50) mounted on the first face of the cabinet, the multi-function light switch including a lock-out handle (56) swingable between locked and unlocked positions, an auxilliary switch handle (58) selectively swingable from an off position to various energized positions to control the parking and instrument panel illumination, and a main handle switch (59) swingable from a circuit-breaking position to one of several circuit-completing positions to control vehicle service lamps and blackout lights, the multi-function light switch being similar to a switch used on the military tractor;

a spring biased, manually actuable brake switch simulator means (54) mounted on the first face of the cabinet having a manual lever (60) moveable against the spring bias to deliver electrical power to the appropriate brake pin terminal in the first receptacle (46), whereby the brake switch simulator duplicates the action of a brake actuated switch in a military tractor;

the brake switch simulator means having a different shape than the multi-function light switch and being smaller than the manual turn signal controller, the brake switch simulator means being closer to the multi-function light switch than is the manual turn signal controller, the brake switch simulator means being disposed on a corner of the first face of the cabinet diagonally opposite from the manual turn signal controller, whereby the turn signal controller, the multi-function light switch, and the brake switch simulator are tactiley and visually discernable from one another;

a plurality of trailer condition indicator lamps (64) on the second face of the cabinet;

first electrical connections within the cabinet connecting the first receptacle to the power source, turn signal controller, multi-function light switch, and brake switch-simulator means in generally the same manner as the corresponding components in the tractor, whereby the cabinet simulates a conventional tractor power supply for the trailer lighting system;

second electrical connections within the cabinet connecting the second receptacle to the indicator lamps in generally the same manner as the corresponding lamps on the trailer, whereby the cabinet simulates the trailer light system;

the test means being adapted for testing the trailer lighting system by training a cable between the first receptacle and a receptacle on the front end of the trailer;

the test means being adapted for testing the tractor power supply by training the cable between the second receptacle and a receptacle on the rear end of the tractor to be tested;

the first and second receptacles being located near the cabinet lower extremities to minimize potential interference between the cable and any one of the turn signal controller, multi-function light switch, brake switch-simulator means or indicator lamps.