Vehicular hitching system

Claim 2

A vehicular hitching system comprising: first and second vehicles having adjacent ends; a pair of corner members, one mounted at one corner of the adjacent end of the first vehicle for engagement with and for transverse movement relative to the adjacent end of the second vehicle in response to relative turning movements between the vehicles in one direction, and the other mounted at the other corner of the adjacent end of the first vehicle for engagement with and for transverse movement relative to the adjacent end of the second vehicle in response to relative turning movements between the vehicles in the other direction; and means pivotally interconnecting the first and second vehicles for biasing the vehicles toward one another and extensible relative to one of said vehicles to permit relative turning movement therebetween.

Claim 3

The vehicular hitching system according to claim 1 wherein the corner members comprise rollers mounted on the first vehicle and positioned between the adjacent ends of the vehicles.

Claim 4

The vehicular hitching system according to claim 1 wherein the biasing means includes a member mounted on the second vehicle for movement outwardly of the adjacent end thereof and means for continuously urging the outwardly moving member to move inwardly of the adjacent end of the second vehicle.

Claim 5

The vehiculaR hitching system according to claim 3 wherein the urging means comprises a fluid spring connected between the second vehicle and the outwardly moving member.

Claim 6

The vehicular hitching system according to claim 1 wherein the means interconnecting the vehicles comprises an elongate shaft and further including means for slidably supporting the shaft on the second vehicle.

Claim 7

The vehicular hitching system according to claim 5 further including an air cylinder connected between the second vehicle and the shaft for urging the shaft to move inwardly relative to the adjacent surface of the second vehicle and relief valve means for maintaining a substantially constant pressure within the air cylinder during turning movements between the vehicles.

Claim 8

A vehicular hitching system comprising: a towed vehicle having a reinforced front surface; a towing vehicle; a pair of rollers mounted at the opposite rear corners of the towing vehicle for engagement with and for movement across the reinforced front surface of the towed vehicle in response to relative turning movements between the vehicles; a member mounted on the towed vehicle for sliding movement forwardly and rearwardly thereof; means biasing the sliding member for movement rearwardly of the towed vehicle, and means pivotally interconnecting the forward end of the sliding member and the rear of the towed vehicle and extensible relative to one of said vehicles to permit relative turning movement therebetween.

Claim 9

A vehicular hitching system comprising: a towed vehicle having a reinforced front surface; a towing vehicle; a pair of rollers mounted at the opposite rear corners of the towing vehicle for engagement with and for movement across the reinforced front surface of the towed vehicle in response to relative turning movements between the vehicles; a member mounted on the towed vehicle for sliding movement forwardly and rearwardly thereof; means biasing the sliding member for movement rearwardly of the towed vehicle, and means pivotally interconnecting the forward end of the sliding member and the rear of the towed vehicle and extensible relative to one of said vehicles to permit relative turning movement therebetween.

Claim 10

The vehicular hitching system according to claim 7 wherein the pair of rollers is mounted at the upper ends of the opposite rear corners of the towing vehicle and further including an additional pair of rollers mounted at the lower ends of the opposite rear corners of the towing vehicle and an additional reinforced front surface on the towed vehicle for engagement by the additional pair of rollers.

Claim 11

The vehicular hitching system according to claim 7 wherein the sliding member comprises an elongate shaft and further including guide means supporting the shaft on the towed vehicle for sliding movement forwardly and rearwardly thereof.

Claim 12

The vehicular hitching system according to claim 9 wherein the guide means prevents movement of the shaft transversely of the towed vehicle.

Claim 13

The vehicular hitching system according to claim 7 wherein the biasing means comprises an air cylinder connected between the member and the towed vehicle and means for maintaining substantially constant pressure within the air cylinder.

Claim 14

The vehicular hitching system according to claim 11 further including means for selectively extending and retracting the air cylinder and thereby controlling the distance between the towing vehicle and the towed vehicle.

Claim 15

The vehicular hitching system according to claim 7 wherein the interconnecting means comprises a pintle hook mounted on the rear of the towing vehicle and an eye mounted on the proximal end of the sliding member and received in the pintle hook.

Claim 16

The vehicular hitching system comprising: a towing vehicle having a rear end; a towed vehicle having a front end; a pintle hook fixed to the towing vehicle adjacent the rear end thereof; a first roller mounted at one corner of the rear end of the towing vehicle for engagement with and thereafter for transverse movement across the front end of the towed vehicle in response to relative turning movements between the vehicles in one direction; a second roller mounted at the other corner of the rear end of the towing vehicle for engagement with and thereafter for transverse movement across the front end of the towed vehicle in response to relative turning movements between the vehicles in the other direction; a member mounted on the towed vehicle for outward and inward movement relative to the front end thereof; means biasing the member for inward movement relative to the front end of the towed vehicle, and an eye mounted on the distal end of the meMber and received by the pintle hook.

Claim 17

The vehicular hitching system comprising: a towing vehicle having a rear end; a towed vehicle having a front end; a pintle hook fixed to the towing vehicle adjacent the rear end thereof; a first roller mounted at one corner of the rear end of the towing vehicle for engagement with and thereafter for transverse movement across the front end of the towed vehicle in response to relative turning movements between the vehicles in one direction; a second roller mounted at the other corner of the rear end of the towing vehicle for engagement with and thereafter for transverse movement across the front end of the towed vehicle in response to relative turning movements between the vehicles in the other direction; a member mounted on the towed vehicle for outward and inward movement relative to the front end thereof; means biasing the member for inward movement relative to the front end of the towed vehicle, and an eye mounted on the distal end of the meMber and received by the pintle hook.

Claim 18

The vehicular hitching system according to claim 14 wherein the pintle hook is positioned midway between the corners of the rear end of the towing vehicle, and wherein the member is positioned midway between the corners of the front end of the towed vehicle.

Claim 19

The vehicular hitching system according to claim 14 wherein the member comprises an elongate shaft and further including means for supporting the shaft on the towed vehicle, for permitting sliding movement of the shaft inwardly and outwardly relative to the front end of the towed vehicle, and for preventing movement of the shaft transversely of the front end of the towed vehicle.

Claim 20

The vehicular hitching system according to claim 14 wherein the biasing means comprises at least one pneumatic cylinder connected between the towed vehicle and the member for urging the member to move inwardly relative to the front end of the towed vehicle.

Claim 21

The vehicular hitching system according to claim 17 further characterized by means for selectively extending and retracting the pneumatic cylinder and thereby selectively controlling the distance between the towed vehicle and the towing vehicle.