Systems for drawing trailers behind tractors

Claim 2

An attachment for coupling a trailer means to a tractor, having a rear axle drive, the attachment including a bracket swingably mounted on the tractor for coupling to the trailer means and an actuator coupled to swing the bracket to apply a liftiNg effect to the trailer means for causing the weight of the trailer to apply an increased load to the rear axle of the tractor, the bracket including a post and the attachment including a coupling comprising a ring for going over the post and a link for connecting the ring to the trailer means, and a transverse yoke on the link and attachment points at positions along the length of the yoke.

Claim 3

An attachment as claimed in claim 1 in which the bracket is pivotally mounted at its lower end to the tractor.

Claim 4

An attachment as claimed in claim 2 in which the tractor has standard attachment points, and the pivotal mounting at the lower end of the bracket is to at least one attachment point of the tractor.

Claim 5

An attachment for coupling trailer means to a tractor having rear wheels and a rear axle drive, the attachment including a bracket which extends generally vertically and is mounted at the rear of the tractor to pivot at its lower end about a horizontal axis transverse to the tractor, the bracket having a hitching point at its upper end which is above the top of the rear wheels of the tractor, an actuator coupled between the tractor and the bracket for pivoting the top of the bracket forwardly to apply a lifting effect to the trailer means, a towing bar connected independently of the bracket as a strut between the trailer means and the tractor, and a coupling linked to the hitching point and to a point at the trailer means above the towing bar.

Claim 6

An attachment for coupling trailer means to a tractor having rear wheels and a rear axle drive, the attachment including a bracket which extends generally vertically and is mounted at the rear of the tractor to pivot at its lower end about a horizontal axis transverse to the tractor, the bracket having a hitching point at its upper end which is above the top of the rear wheels of the tractor, an actuator coupled between the tractor and the bracket for pivoting the top of the bracket forwardly to apply a lifting effect to the trailer means, a towing bar connected independently of the bracket as a strut between the trailer means and the tractor, and a coupling linked to the hitching point and to a point at the trailer means above the towing bar.

Claim 7

An attachment as claimed in claim 4 in which the bracket includes a post, and the coupling comprises a ring for going over the post and a link for connecting the ring to the trailer means.

Claim 8

An attachment as claimed in claim 5 in which the post is pivotally connected to the remainder of the bracket and including means for locating the remainder of the bracket and post together in a selected position of relative pivoting.

Claim 9

An attachment as claimed in claim 5 in which the bracket is in the form of an inverted Y.

Claim 10

An attachment as claimed in claim 4 in which the bracket has an epstanding post at its top.

Claim 11

An attachment as claimed in claim 4 in which the tractor has a three point attachment system comprising two lower points and one upper point and the lower end of the bracket is in the form of a fork having arms respectively pivoted to the two lower attachment points.

Claim 12

An attachment for coupling a number of trailers to a tractor having a rear axle drive, the attachment including a bracket swingably mounted on the tractor and an actuator coupled between the tractor and the bracket for pulling the top of the bracket forwardly to apply a lifting effect to the trailer, a towing bar connected between one trailer and the tractor to maintain them spaced apart at a level below the top of said bracket, a link connected between the top of the bracket and said one trailer and a yoke on the link near the top of the bracket, and a coupling between the yoke and a point on each trailer above the towing bar.

Claim 13

An attachment for coupling a number of trailers to a tractor having a rear axle drive, the attachment including a bracket swingably mounted on the tractor and an actuator coupled between the tractor and the bracket for pulling the top of the bracket forwardly to apply a lifting effect to the trailer, a towing bar connected between one trailer and the tractor to maintain them spaced apart at a level below the top of said bracket, a link connected between the top of the bracket and said one trailer and a yoke on the link near the top of the bracket, and a coupling between the yoke and a point on each trailer above the towing bar.