Car towing apparatus with surge brake

• US 5,066,034 A
• Filed: 03/19/1990
• Issued: 11/19/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gene Heiden
• Original Assignee: Gene Heiden
• Inventors: Carr, Larrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, Charles A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kager, Alan M.
• Application Number:
  US07/495,086
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 280/420, 280/421, 280/428, 280/432, 188/3 H
• US Class Current: 280/428
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 11/107 overrun brakes with fluid means

Abstract

Car towing apparatus having a surge brake system on a tow bar adapted to be coupled to the brakes of the towed vehicle to actuate the same upon actuation of the brakes of the towing vehicle.

Claims

1. A car towing apparatus for connection to a towing vehicle for towing a driveable vehicle, having its own braking system which comprises a master brake cylinder fluidly coupled to spaced wheel cylinders, which apparatus permits said driveable vehicle'"'"'s braking system to be actuated remotely during a tow and by the driver when the vehicle is being driven, said apparatus comprising:

a frame;

a pair of spaced elongated towed vehicle engaging supports on said frame adapted to be coupled to said towed driveable vehicle;

surge brake means on said frame adapted to emit a flow of hydraulic fluid upon sudden stop of said frame when said frame is being towed;

brake system actuating means on said driveable vehicle fluidly connected between both said surge brake means and the master cylinder of the driveable vehicle braking system for receiving fluid from both said surge brake means and from said master cylinder for distribution of said fluid to said wheel cylinders whereby,

when said driveable vehicle is being driven and the driver applies the brake pedal, fluid from said master cylinder flows to said actuating means where said fluid is distributed to said wheel cylinders to stop the vehicle, and,

when said driveable vehicle is being towed and said frame is stopped suddenly, said surge brake means actuates to deliver fluid to said actuating means which in turn distributes said fluid to said wheel cylinders to stop the vehicle.

2. In apparatus of claim 1 wherein said frame is generally triangularly shaped, the apex of said triangle having a ball socket for engaging a ball on a towing vehicle, said surge brake means being mounted at said apex and adjacent said ball socket.

3. In the apparatus of claim 2 wherein the side legs of said triangularly shaped frame provide said elongated supports, each of said supports having a plurality of spaced bolts adjustably mounted at the terminal end thereof.

4. In the apparatus of claim 1 including an electrical conduit coupled to said surge brake means, said surge brake means providing electrical current through said electrical conduit upon sudden stop of said frame, the terminal end of said electrical conduit being electrically coupled to the brake lights of said towed vehicle.

5. In the apparatus of claim 1 wherein said fluid coupling between said surge brake means and said actuator means includes a fluid conduit releasably coupled to both.

6. In the apparatus of claim 2 further comprising arms extending from said triangularly shaped frame, one of said arms having a flange plate mounted thereon, said fluid communication between said surge brake means and said flange plate being provided by a fluid conduit releasably coupled to a coupler on said flange plate said actuating means being also fluidly and releasably coupled to said coupler on said flange plate.

7. In the apparatus of claim 6 wherein said surge brake means is releasably and electrically coupled by an electrical conduit to a coupler on said flange adapted to flow electrical current through said electrical conduit upon sudden stop of said surge brake means, said actuating means also being releasably and electrically coupled to said last-mentioned coupler.

8. In the apparatus of claim 1 wherein said frame is generally triangularly shaped having a ball coupler at its apex, said spaced supports providing the side legs of said triangularly shaped frame, and a cross bar interconnecting said legs, said surge brake means being disposed on said frame adjacent said ball coupler, said apex extending in a generally horizontal plane, said supports extending from said apex first downwardly at an angle with respect to the horizontal, then upwardly and away from said apex also at a slight angle with respect thereto to said cross bar.

9. In the apparatus of claim 1, wherein said vehicle engaging supports are releasably attached to said frame, for retention on said towed vehicle for future use.

10. In the apparatus of claim 1 wherein said actuating means includes a pair of fluid inlet connections and a fluid outlet connection.

11. In the apparatus of claim 1 wherein the actuating means includes an elongated chamber, having a piston therein, one fluid inlet at each end of said chamber and a fluid outlet disposed normal to said inlets.

12. In the car towing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said brake system actuating means includes a bracket for the mounting thereof to the undercarriage of the driveable vehicle.

13. The car towing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the brake system actuating means on said driveable vehicle is removably fluidly connected to said surge brake means and permanently fluidly connected to said master cylinder.