US3881749A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Towing coupler assembly for factory made homes
Assignee: Holland USA Inc
•
Filing: 1974-02-01
•
Granted: 1975-05-06
•
Expires: 1994-02-01
Abstract
Abstract A towing coupler assembly for removable attachment to a factory made home or the like having under-girders, for stable towing thereof. The assembly has a frame with an elevated front end and divergent lower rear ends. The front end has a coupler kingpin mounted with limited pivotal action on a longitudinal pivot axis. The frame rear ends extend under the home and attach to the under-girders. Compression units intermediate the front and rear ends are vertically operable to apply controlled compression between the home and the frame, to effect controlled load distribution and controlled elevation to the home front end. Special jack means allows attachment and detachment. Small wheels on the frame enable the novel assembly to be towed as a trailer when not attached to a home. Preferably, a coupler ball on the novel assembly engages the conventional ball coupler on the home and acts as a fulcrum for easy mounting of the assembly. Alternatively, the novel towing coupler assembly can attach to a home or the like not having the conventional ball coupler.
Inventors
- 👤 Howard P Berends
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 03:05
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62D; B62D53/00; B62D53/04; B62D53/06; B62D53/061; B62D53/062; B62D53/065; B62D53/08; B62D53/0857; B62D53/0864; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S280/00; Y10S280/901
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
142 words
An attachable-detachable towing coupler assembly for mounting to and towing of, from the front end, a parallelepiped structure having supporting under-girders and a wheeled undercarriage, comprising: a bifurcated frame having a front portion and rear portions; said rear portions being shaped to extend beneath the structure front end, being spaced from each other and including attachment zones connectable to under-girders of the structure spaced rearwardly from the front end of the structure; said frame front portion being upwardly offset relative to said frame rear portions and having cooperative coupling means thereon connectable with complementary coupling means on a towing vehicle to enable a stable elevated coupling thereto; and compression-load, structure-engagement means on said frame between said front and rear portions, to selectively engage the structure front end, thereby affording a multiple point securement for the structure while towed on its wheeled undercarriage.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
142 words
An attachable-detachable towing coupler assembly for mounting to and towing of, from the front end, a parallelepiped structure having supporting under-girders and a wheeled undercarriage, comprising: a bifurcated frame having a front portion and rear portions; said rear portions being shaped to extend beneath the structure front end, being spaced from each other and including attachment zones connectable to under-girders of the structure spaced rearwardly from the front end of the structure; said frame front portion being upwardly offset relative to said frame rear portions and having cooperative coupling means thereon connectable with complementary coupling means on a towing vehicle to enable a stable elevated coupling thereto; and compression-load, structure-engagement means on said frame between said front and rear portions, to selectively engage the structure front end, thereby affording a multiple point securement for the structure while towed on its wheeled undercarriage.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
The towing coupler assembly in claim 1 wherein said compression-load, structure-engagement means are vertically operable, and are located forwardly of said attachment zones to be adapted to engage the front of the structure and impart to said frame a controlled amount of vertical compression loading from the structure.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The towing coupler assembly in claim 2 wherein said frame has a pair of beams which are rearwardly divergent to said rear end portions, and said compression-load, structure-engagement means are on said beams.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The towing coupler assembly in claim 1 including a ground engaging jack, and a coupler ball on said jack generally intermediate said front and rear portions, oriented for coupling connection to a standard ball coupler on the front end of the structure.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The towing coupler assembly in claim 4 having its center of gravity proximate said coupler ball, to enable easy connection and disconnection of said attachment zones to the structure under-girders while using said coupler ball as a fulcrum.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
The towing coupler assembly in claim 1 including a bolster to which said cooperative coupling means is secured and which is mounted to said front end portion for limited pivotal movement on a longitudinal pivot axis.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The towing coupler assembly in claim 1 wherein said cooperable coupling means comprises a kingpin.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
165 words
A towing coupler assembly for a factory made home or the like having structural support under-girders, a front cross beam, and a wheeled undercarriage, comprising: a bifurcated frame having a front end portion and including a pair of beams joined at said front end portion and rearwardly divergent to a pair of spaced rear end portions; said front end portion being upwardly offset relative to said beams and rear end portions and having a kingpin coupler for connection to a mating fifth wheel coupler on a truck tractor; vertical compression load units on both said beams, forwardly of said rear end portions, to engage the front cross beam of the home and operable to receive and impart controlled compression load to said frame from said home; and said rear end portions being attachable to the home under-girders, whereby said coupler assembly effects a multiple point connection to the home and an elevated fifth wheel connection to the towing vehicle for stable towing of the home.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
165 words
A towing coupler assembly for a factory made home or the like having structural support under-girders, a front cross beam, and a wheeled undercarriage, comprising: a bifurcated frame having a front end portion and including a pair of beams joined at said front end portion and rearwardly divergent to a pair of spaced rear end portions; said front end portion being upwardly offset relative to said beams and rear end portions and having a kingpin coupler for connection to a mating fifth wheel coupler on a truck tractor; vertical compression load units on both said beams, forwardly of said rear end portions, to engage the front cross beam of the home and operable to receive and impart controlled compression load to said frame from said home; and said rear end portions being attachable to the home under-girders, whereby said coupler assembly effects a multiple point connection to the home and an elevated fifth wheel connection to the towing vehicle for stable towing of the home.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The towing coupler assembly in claim 8 wherein said vertical compression load units are movable along said beams for accurate positioning beneath the cross beam of the particular home being towed.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
50 words
The towing coupler assembly in claim 8 including a bolster to which said kingpin coupler is secured, and which is mounted at said frame front end portion on a longitudinal pivot axis, there being limit means between said bolster and said front end portion to limit pivoting of said bolster.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
The towing coupler assembly in claim 10 including a couplEr ball intermediate said front and rear end portions at an elevation to connect with a standard ball coupling on the home front end.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
The towing coupler assembly in claim 11 having its center of gravity proximate said coupler ball to enable easy connection and disconnection of said rear end portions to the under girders while using said coupler ball as a fulcrum.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
87 words
A combination factory built home and towing coupler assembly comprising: a factory built home having elongated under-girders and a cross beam at the front thereof, and a wheeled undercarriage toward the rear thereof; a towing coupler assembly having lower rear portions extending under the front of said home and having connections to said girders, and an upwardly offset front portion projecting forwardly of said home; home engagement means forwardly of said connections to said girders; and kingpin coupling means depending from the underside of said front portion.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
87 words
A combination factory built home and towing coupler assembly comprising: a factory built home having elongated under-girders and a cross beam at the front thereof, and a wheeled undercarriage toward the rear thereof; a towing coupler assembly having lower rear portions extending under the front of said home and having connections to said girders, and an upwardly offset front portion projecting forwardly of said home; home engagement means forwardly of said connections to said girders; and kingpin coupling means depending from the underside of said front portion.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
The combination in claim 13 wherein said home engagement means includes vertically operable compression load means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
The combination in claim 14 wherein said home includes a ball type hitch coupler on an A-frame projecting forwardly of said front end and said towing coupler assembly includes a hitch ball connected to said ball type hitch coupler.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
39 words
The combination in claim 13 wherein said home includes a ball type hitch coupler on an A-frame projecting forwardly of said front end and said towing coupler assembly includes a hitch ball connected to said ball type hitch coupler.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
44 words
The combination in claim 16 wherein said home includes a jack on said A-frame, and said lower rear portions include a pair of laterally spaced rearwardly projecting beams defining an unobstructed space therebetween to form a bifurcated arrangement adapted to straddle said A-frame jack.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
The combination in claim 16 including a ground-engageable telescopic jack on said towing coupler assembly and to which said hitch ball is connected.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
The combination in claim 13 wherein said kingpin coupling means includes a bolster mounted on a longitudinal pivot axis and having stop means to limit pivoting of said bolster to a small acute angle.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
The combination in claim 13 wherein said connections include removable clamp means secured to said girders and pinned to said lower rear portions.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
The combination in claim 13 including a truck tractor having a fore-to-aft shiftable fifth wheel coupler connected to said kingpin coupling means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2547269A
Cited
US2925135A
Cited
US3021155A
Cited
US3442409A
Cited
US3505767A
Cited
US3747788A
Cited
US3697098A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-05-05 | 1978-11-04 | 1979-05-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-05-05 | 1982-11-04 | 1983-05-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-05-05 | 1986-11-04 | 1987-05-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |