Patent EP0339233A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4003586A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sway resisting structure for trailers
Assignee: Mentor Products Inc
•
Filing: 1975-11-21
•
Granted: 1977-01-18
•
Expires: 1995-11-21
Abstract
Abstract In a combination including a towing vehicle equipped with a ball type tow hitch and a trailer equipped with a forwardly projecting tongue portion having a socket type tow hitch mounted on its forward end removably universally coupled to the ball type tow hitch the free ends of a U-shaped frame are pivotally supported to the rear of the tow vehicle for oscillation about a horizontal transverse axis and with the frame opening in a horizontal direction and having its closed end spaced rearward of the ball-and-socket type tow hitches and underlying the tongue portion of the trailer. An adjustable caliper-type friction brake assembly provided with opposing and relatively adjustable generally horizontal and vertically spaced friction surfaces is stationarily supported from the tongue portion of the trailer with the closed end of the U-shaped frame disposed between the friction surfaces of the brake assembly. The closed end of the frame is of substantially constant radius of curvature and its center of curvature substantially coincides with a vertical axis extending through the removably coupled ball-and-socket type tow hitches. In this manner, relative angular displacement of the towing vehicle and trailer about an upstanding axis passing through the ball-and-socket type tow hitches is frictionally resisted to an extend (adjustable) enabling intentional relative angular displacement of the towing vehicle and the trailer such as occurs during turning operations, but frictionally resisting swaying movements of the rear end of the trailer from side to side during movement of the towing vehicle along a substantially straight path.
Inventors
- 👤 Jack R. Luck
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 10:48
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60D; B60D1/00; B60D1/24; B60D1/30; B60D1/34; B60D1/345; B60D1/01; B60D1/06; B60D1/065
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
231 words
In combination with a towing vehicle and a trailer coupled to said vehicle for trailing therebehind and angular displacement relative to said vehicle about an upstanding axis, first generally horizontally disposed friction surface structure supported from said vehicle and extending rearwardly of said axis, second friction surface structure supported from said trailer rearwardly of said axis and frictionally engaged with said first friction surface structure frictionally resisting angular displacement of said trailer relative to said vehicle about said axis, said first friction surface structure including a rear portion generally semicircular in plan shape and positioned with its center of curvature generally coinciding with said upstanding axis, said first friction surface structure comprising a horizontally disposed forwardly opening U-shaped frame, the free ends of said frame being attached to said vehicle and the closed rear end of said frame comprising said rear portion and being of substantially constant radius of curvature with its center of curvature at least generally coinciding with said upstanding axis, said second friction surface structure comprising a clamp assembly mounted on said trailer and including relatively adjustable upper and lower downwardly and upwardly facing friction surfaces between which said closed end of said frame is received, the ends of said frame being pivotally supported from the rear of said vehicle for oscillation about aligned horizontal transverse axes, said aligned axes being spaced slightly forward of said upstanding axis.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
231 words
In combination with a towing vehicle and a trailer coupled to said vehicle for trailing therebehind and angular displacement relative to said vehicle about an upstanding axis, first generally horizontally disposed friction surface structure supported from said vehicle and extending rearwardly of said axis, second friction surface structure supported from said trailer rearwardly of said axis and frictionally engaged with said first friction surface structure frictionally resisting angular displacement of said trailer relative to said vehicle about said axis, said first friction surface structure including a rear portion generally semicircular in plan shape and positioned with its center of curvature generally coinciding with said upstanding axis, said first friction surface structure comprising a horizontally disposed forwardly opening U-shaped frame, the free ends of said frame being attached to said vehicle and the closed rear end of said frame comprising said rear portion and being of substantially constant radius of curvature with its center of curvature at least generally coinciding with said upstanding axis, said second friction surface structure comprising a clamp assembly mounted on said trailer and including relatively adjustable upper and lower downwardly and upwardly facing friction surfaces between which said closed end of said frame is received, the ends of said frame being pivotally supported from the rear of said vehicle for oscillation about aligned horizontal transverse axes, said aligned axes being spaced slightly forward of said upstanding axis.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
The combination of claim 1 wherein one of said upper and lower friction surfaces is secured in stationary position relative to said trailer and the other of said upper and lower friction surfaces is supported for shifting toward and away from said one friction surface by means of clamp screw means operatively connected between said upper and lower friction surfaces.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination of claim 1 wherein said trailer includes a forwardly projecting tongue portion, mounting means mounting said second friction surface structure on said tongue portion for adjustable positioning therealong.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The combination of claim 3 wherein said mounting means also includes structure for adjustment of said second friction surface structure laterally of said tongue portion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
328 words
In combination with a towing vehicle and a trailer coupled to said vehicle for trailing therebehind and angular displacement relative to said vehicle about an upstanding axis, first generally horizontally disposed friction surface structure supported from said vehicle and extending rearwardly of said axis, second friction surface structure supported from said trailer rearwardly of said axis and frictionally engaged with said first friction surface structure frictionally resisting angular displacement of said trailer relative to said vehicle about said axis, said first friction surface structure including a rear portion generally semicircular in plan shape and positioned with its center of curvature generally coinciding with said upstanding axis, said first friction surface structure comprising a horizontally disposed forwardly opening U-shaped frame, the free ends of said frame being attached to said vehicle and the closed rear end of said frame comprising said rear portion and being of substantially constant radius of curvature with its center of curvature at least generally coinciding with said upstanding axis, said trailer including a forwardly projecting tongue portion, mounting means mounting said second friction surface structure on said tongue portion for adjustable positioning therealong, said mounting means also including structure for adjustment of said second friction surface structure laterally of said tongue portion, said second friction surface structure comprising a clamp assembly mounted on said trailer and including relatively adjustable upper and lower downwardly and upwardly facing friction surfaces between which said closed end of said frame is received, one of said upper and lower friction surfaces being secured in stationary position relative to said trailer and the other of said upper and lower friction surfaces is supported for shifting toward and away from said one friction surface by means of clamp screw means operatively connected between said upper and lower friction surfaces, the ends of said frame being pivotally supported from the rear of said vehicle for oscillation about aligned horizontal transverse axes, said aligned axes being spaced slightly forward of said upstanding axis.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
328 words
In combination with a towing vehicle and a trailer coupled to said vehicle for trailing therebehind and angular displacement relative to said vehicle about an upstanding axis, first generally horizontally disposed friction surface structure supported from said vehicle and extending rearwardly of said axis, second friction surface structure supported from said trailer rearwardly of said axis and frictionally engaged with said first friction surface structure frictionally resisting angular displacement of said trailer relative to said vehicle about said axis, said first friction surface structure including a rear portion generally semicircular in plan shape and positioned with its center of curvature generally coinciding with said upstanding axis, said first friction surface structure comprising a horizontally disposed forwardly opening U-shaped frame, the free ends of said frame being attached to said vehicle and the closed rear end of said frame comprising said rear portion and being of substantially constant radius of curvature with its center of curvature at least generally coinciding with said upstanding axis, said trailer including a forwardly projecting tongue portion, mounting means mounting said second friction surface structure on said tongue portion for adjustable positioning therealong, said mounting means also including structure for adjustment of said second friction surface structure laterally of said tongue portion, said second friction surface structure comprising a clamp assembly mounted on said trailer and including relatively adjustable upper and lower downwardly and upwardly facing friction surfaces between which said closed end of said frame is received, one of said upper and lower friction surfaces being secured in stationary position relative to said trailer and the other of said upper and lower friction surfaces is supported for shifting toward and away from said one friction surface by means of clamp screw means operatively connected between said upper and lower friction surfaces, the ends of said frame being pivotally supported from the rear of said vehicle for oscillation about aligned horizontal transverse axes, said aligned axes being spaced slightly forward of said upstanding axis.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
195 words
In combination with a towing vehicle and a trailer coupled to said vehicle for trailing therebehind and angular displacement relative to said vehicle about an upstanding axis, first generally horizontally disposed friction surface structure supported from said vehicle and extending rearwardly of said axis, second friction surface structure supported from said trailer rearwardly of said axis and frictionally engaged with said first friction surface structure frictionally resisting angular displacement of said trailer relative to said vehicle about said axis, said first friction surface structure including a rear portion generally semi-circular in plan shape and positioned with its center of curvature generally coinciding with said upstanding axis, said first friction surface structure comprising a horizontally disposed forwardly opening U-shaped frame, the free ends of said frame being attached to said vehicle and the closed rear end of said frame comprising said rear portion and being of substantially constant radius of curvature with its center of curvature at least generally coinciding with said upstanding axis, the ends of said frame being pivotally supported from the rear of said vehicle for oscillation about aligned horizontal transverse axes, said aligned axes being spaced slightly forward of said upstanding axis.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
195 words
In combination with a towing vehicle and a trailer coupled to said vehicle for trailing therebehind and angular displacement relative to said vehicle about an upstanding axis, first generally horizontally disposed friction surface structure supported from said vehicle and extending rearwardly of said axis, second friction surface structure supported from said trailer rearwardly of said axis and frictionally engaged with said first friction surface structure frictionally resisting angular displacement of said trailer relative to said vehicle about said axis, said first friction surface structure including a rear portion generally semi-circular in plan shape and positioned with its center of curvature generally coinciding with said upstanding axis, said first friction surface structure comprising a horizontally disposed forwardly opening U-shaped frame, the free ends of said frame being attached to said vehicle and the closed rear end of said frame comprising said rear portion and being of substantially constant radius of curvature with its center of curvature at least generally coinciding with said upstanding axis, the ends of said frame being pivotally supported from the rear of said vehicle for oscillation about aligned horizontal transverse axes, said aligned axes being spaced slightly forward of said upstanding axis.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-01-18 | 1980-07-19 | 1981-01-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-01-18 | 1984-07-19 | 1985-01-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-01-18 | 1988-07-19 | 1989-01-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |