Vehicle connecting device

Claim 3

first maintaining means for maintaining the axes of rotation of said first and second pivot means parallel and not collinear; 3. means for connection of each of said first elements of said first and second pivot means to a first vehicle; 4. third and fourth pivot means each for allowintg pivoting of a first element with respect to a second element, each of said third and fourth pivot means having only 1° of rotational freedom; 5. second maintaining means for maintaining the axes of rotation of said third and fourth pivot means parallel, not collinear, and at a different distance apart than said first and second pivot means; 6. means for connecting each of said first elements of said third and fourth pivot means to said second vehicle; 7. said second element of said first pivot means connecting to or being integral with said second element of said third pivot means and said second element of said second pivot means connecting to or being integral with said second element of said fourth pivot means; d. said means for connection to a first vehicle including; 1. fifth and sixth pivot means for allowing pivoting of a first element with respect to a second element, each of said fifth and sixth pivot means having only 1° of rotational freedom; 2. means for maintaining the axes of rotation of said fifth and sixth pivot means parallel and not collinear; 3. means for connection of each of said first elements of said fifth and sixth pivot means to a first vehicle;

Claim 4

first maintaining means for maintaining the axes of rotation of said first and second pivot means parallel and not collinear; 3. means for connection of each of said first elements of said first and second pivot means to a first vehicle; 4. third and fourth pivot means each for allowintg pivoting of a first element with respect to a second element, each of said third and fourth pivot means having only 1° of rotational freedom; 5. second maintaining means for maintaining the axes of rotation of said third and fourth pivot means parallel, not collinear, and at a different distance apart than said first and second pivot means; 6. means for connecting each of said first elements of said third and fourth pivot means to said second vehicle; 7. said second element of said first pivot means connecting to or being integral with said second element of said third pivot means and said second element of said second pivot means connecting to or being integral with said second element of said fourth pivot means; d. said means for connection to a first vehicle including; 1. fifth and sixth pivot means for allowing pivoting of a first element with respect to a second element, each of said fifth and sixth pivot means having only 1° of rotational freedom; 2. means for maintaining the axes of rotation of said fifth and sixth pivot means parallel and not collinear; 3. means for connection of each of said first elements of said fifth and sixth pivot means to a first vehicle;

Claim 5

seventh and eighth pivot means for allowing pivoting of a first element with respect to a second element, each of said seventh and eighth pivot means havig only 1° of rotational freedom; 5. means for maintaining the axes of rotation of said seventh and eighth pivot means parallel, not collinear, and at a different distance apart than said fifth and sixth pivot means, each of said first elements of said seventh and eighth pivot means being connected to said first elements of said first and second pivot means; 6. said second element of said fifth pivot means connecting to or being integral with said second element of said seventh pivot means and said second element of said sixth pivot means connecting to or being integral

Claim 6

seventh and eighth pivot means for allowing pivoting of a first element with respect to a second element, each of said seventh and eighth pivot means havig only 1° of rotational freedom; 5. means for maintaining the axes of rotation of said seventh and eighth pivot means parallel, not collinear, and at a different distance apart than said fifth and sixth pivot means, each of said first elements of said seventh and eighth pivot means being connected to said first elements of said first and second pivot means; 6. said second element of said fifth pivot means connecting to or being integral with said second element of said seventh pivot means and said second element of said sixth pivot means connecting to or being integral

Claim 7

with said second element of said eighth pivot means. 2. The device of claim 1 in which the distance between the axes of rotation of said fifth and seventh pivot means is equal to the distance between the said axes or rotation of the sixth and eighth pivot means.

Claim 8

The device of claim 1 in which the axes of rotation of said first and second, pivot means are oriented such that a line perpendicular to both of the axes of said first and second pivot means will be parallel to the axes of said seventh and eighth pivot means.

Claim 9

The device of claim 1 which includes; a. means maintaining the axes of rotation of said first, second, third and fourth pivot means parallel; b. means maintaining the axes of rotation of said fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth pivot means parallel; c. a rotary joint providing only 1° of rotational freedom; d. means connecting said second means for maintaining to one side of said rotary joint; and e. means connecting said second vehicle to the other side of said rotary joint.

Claim 12

means for connecting each of said first elements of said third and fourth pivot means to said second vehicle; 7. said second element of said first pivot means connecting to or being integral with said second element of said third pivot means and said second element of said second pivot means connecting to or being integral with said second element of said fourth pivot means; and d. said connecting means also including a further pivot means allowing for rolling of said second vehicle with respect to said second maintaining

Claim 13

means for connecting each of said first elements of said third and fourth pivot means to said second vehicle; 7. said second element of said first pivot means connecting to or being integral with said second element of said third pivot means and said second element of said second pivot means connecting to or being integral with said second element of said fourth pivot means; and d. said connecting means also including a further pivot means allowing for rolling of said second vehicle with respect to said second maintaining

Claim 14

means. 6. The device of claim 5 in which said further pivot means allowing for rolling includes: 1. a rotary joint providing only 1° of rotational freedom; 2. means connecting said second means for maintaining to one side of said rotary joint and 3. means connecting said second vehicle to the other side of said rotary joint.

Claim 15

The device of claim 6 in which said rotary joint has an axis of rotation parallel to the longitudinal axis of said second vehicle.

Claim 16

The device of claim 5 in which said second element of said first pivot means connects to said second element of said third pivot means through first and second connecting pieces which each pivotally attach with only 1° of freedom to each of said second elements of said first and third pivot means, the axes of rotation in said second elements of said first and third pivot means being parallel, not collinear and a different distance apart in one of said second elements of said first and third pivot means than in the other of said second elements of said first and third pivot means, and said second element of said second pivot means connects to said second element of said fourth pivot means through third and fourth connecting pieces which each pivotally attach with only 1° of freedom to each of said second elements of said second and fourth pivot means, the axes of rotation in said second elements of said second and fourth pivot means being parallel, not collinear and a different distance apart in one of said second elements of said second and fourth pivot means than in the other of said second elements of said second and fourth pivot means.

Claim 17

The combination comprising: a. a motor vehicle; b. a second vehicle; c. connecting means for rotatably connecting said second vehicle to said motor vehicle which connecting means includes: 1. means for causing at least a portion of rotational movement between said motor vehicle and said second vehicle to be about a first axis which does not intersect said connecting means; 2. means for causing at least a portion of rotational movement between said motor vehicle and said second vehicle to be about a second axis which does not intersect said connecting means and which is perpendicular to said first axis; 3. means for causing at least a portion of rotational movement between said motor vehicle and said second vehicle to be about a third axis which intersects said connecting means, and which is parallel to said first axis; and

Claim 18

The combination comprising: a. a motor vehicle; b. a second vehicle; c. connecting means for rotatably connecting said second vehicle to said motor vehicle which connecting means includes: 1. means for causing at least a portion of rotational movement between said motor vehicle and said second vehicle to be about a first axis which does not intersect said connecting means; 2. means for causing at least a portion of rotational movement between said motor vehicle and said second vehicle to be about a second axis which does not intersect said connecting means and which is perpendicular to said first axis; 3. means for causing at least a portion of rotational movement between said motor vehicle and said second vehicle to be about a third axis which intersects said connecting means, and which is parallel to said first axis; and

Claim 19

said connecting means including: a. a rotary joint providing only 1° of rotational freedom; b. means connecting one side of said rotary joit to said motor vehicle nd the other side of said rotary joint to said second vehicle and c. the axis of rotation for said rotary joint being aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of said motor vehicle and said second vehicle when such vehicles are in longitudinal alignment one with the other.

Claim 20

said connecting means including: a. a rotary joint providing only 1° of rotational freedom; b. means connecting one side of said rotary joit to said motor vehicle nd the other side of said rotary joint to said second vehicle and c. the axis of rotation for said rotary joint being aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of said motor vehicle and said second vehicle when such vehicles are in longitudinal alignment one with the other.

Claim 21

The combination comprising: a. a motor vehicle; b. a second vehicle; c. connecting means for rotatably connecting said second vehicle to said motor vehicle which connecting means includes: 1. means for causing at least a portion of pitch rotational movement between said motor vehicle and said second vehicle to be about a lateral axis which does not intersect said connecting means, but comes close to or intersects the center of mass of said motor vehicle; 2. means for causing at least a portion of yaw rotational movement between said motor vehicle and said second vehicle to be about a first vertical axis which does not intersect said connecting means but comes close to or intersects the center of mass of said motor vehicle; 3. said connecting means including means for causing at least a portion of yaw rotational movement between said motor vehicle and said second vehicle to be about a second vertical axis which comes close to or intersects said connecting means, and which is parallel to said first vertical axis; and

Claim 22

The combination comprising: a. a motor vehicle; b. a second vehicle; c. connecting means for rotatably connecting said second vehicle to said motor vehicle which connecting means includes: 1. means for causing at least a portion of pitch rotational movement between said motor vehicle and said second vehicle to be about a lateral axis which does not intersect said connecting means, but comes close to or intersects the center of mass of said motor vehicle; 2. means for causing at least a portion of yaw rotational movement between said motor vehicle and said second vehicle to be about a first vertical axis which does not intersect said connecting means but comes close to or intersects the center of mass of said motor vehicle; 3. said connecting means including means for causing at least a portion of yaw rotational movement between said motor vehicle and said second vehicle to be about a second vertical axis which comes close to or intersects said connecting means, and which is parallel to said first vertical axis; and

Claim 23

said connecting means including means for allowing rolling of said second vehicle with respect to said first vehicle, said means for allowing rolling including: a. a rotary joint providing only 1° of rotational freedom, and b. means for connecting said second vehicle to one side of said rotary joint and for maintaining alignment of said rotary joint with its axis of rotation parallel to the longitudinal axis of said second vehicle.

Claim 24

said connecting means including means for allowing rolling of said second vehicle with respect to said first vehicle, said means for allowing rolling including: a. a rotary joint providing only 1° of rotational freedom, and b. means for connecting said second vehicle to one side of said rotary joint and for maintaining alignment of said rotary joint with its axis of rotation parallel to the longitudinal axis of said second vehicle.