Steering controlling apparatus for trailers

Claim 2

In an articulated truck-trailer combination having a steering control apparatus connected between the truck and the trailer for causing the trailer to approximately follow the path of the truck during turning, the improvement wherein said steering control apparatus comprises: a first coupling device mounted on said truck and having a pair of substantially diametrically opposite projecting parts; said first coupling device including an annular coupling plate having front and rear opposed semicircular parts which are of different diameters, the front part being of greater diameter than the rear part so that the intersection of said two parts define a pair of shoulders located on diametrically opposite sides of said coupling plate, said shoulders defining said projecting parts; a second coupling device mounted on said trailer adjacent the forward end thereof and being pivotally connectible to said first coupling device for joining said truck and trailer together, said second coupling device including a first steering transmitting plate mounted for horizontal angular displacement relative to the trailer bed; said first steering transmitting plate having a pair of diametrically opposite slots formed therein and extending radially thereof, said slots being disposed on a diametrically extending line which extends substantially perpendicular to the longitudinally extending direction of the trailer when the truck-trailer combination is traveling along a straight path; operator means mounted on said second coupling device and being engageable with said projecting parts for causing horizontal angular displacement of said first steering transmitting plate relative to said trailer bed in response to rotation of said first coupling device due to turning of said truck relative to said trailer; said operator means including slide members slidably disposed within said slots and having projecting portions thereon disposed adjacent the periphery of said coupling plate for engagement with said shoulders; a second steering transmitting plate mounted on said trailer adjacent the rear end thereof, said second steering transmitting plate being mounted for horizontal angular displacement relative to said trailer bed, said trailer having a rear axle assembly connected to said second steering plate so as to be horizontally angularly displaceable therewith relative to said trailer bed; and cable means connected between said first and second steering transmitting plates for horizontally angularly displacing said second steering transmitting plate and said axle assembly in one direction in response to horizontal angular displacement of said first steering transmitting plate in the opposite direction.

Claim 3

A combination according to claim 1, including disconnection means coacting with said opertor means for causing the projections associated with said slie members to be disengaged from said shoulders when the horizontal angular displacement of said coupling plate relative to said trailer bed exceeds a predetermined angle.

Claim 4

A combination according to claim 2, wherein said disconnection means includes a pair of elongated guide members fixed to said trailer and disposed adjacent said first steering transmitting plate, said elongated guide members each having elongated guide means associated therewith, and each of said slides having a guide portion slidably engaged with said elongated guide means for controlling the radial slidable displacement of the respective slide relative to said first steering transmitting plate in response to angular displacement of the latter.

Claim 7

A combination according to claim 1, wherein a second trailer has the front end thereof hingedly connected to the rear end of said first-mentioned trailer, and a further said steering control apparatus associated with said second trailer and the rear part of said first trailer for causing horizontal angular displacement of the rear axle assembly of said second trailer.

Claim 8

In an articulated truck-trailer combination having a steering control apparatus connected between the truck and the trailer for causing the trailer to approximately follow the path of the truck during turning, the improvement wherein said steering control apparatus comprises: a first coupling device mounted on said truck and including an annular coupling plate having front and rear opposed partial circular parts which are of different diameters, the front part being of greater diameter than the rear part so that the intersection of said two parts define a pair of shoulders located on opposite sides of said coupling plate; a second coupling device mounted on said trailer adjacent the forward end thereof and being pivotally connectible to said first coupling device for joining said truck and trailer together, said second coupling device including a first steering transmitting plate mounted for horizontal angular displacement relative to the trailer bed, said first steering transmitting plate having a pair of opposed slots formed therein and extending radially thereof, said slots extending transversely relative to the longitudinally extending direction of the trailer when the truck-trailer combination is traveling along a straight line; operator means mounted on said second coupling device and being engageable with said shoulders for causing horizontal angular displacement of said first steering transmitting plate relative to said trailer bed in response to rotation of said first coupling device due to turning of said truck relative to said trailer, said operator means including slide members slidably disposed within said slots and having projecting portions thereon disposed adjacent the periphery of said coupling plate for engagement with said shoulders; disconnection means coacting with said operator means for causing the projections on said slide members to be disengaged from said shoulders when the horizontal angular displacement of said coupling plate relative to said trailer bed exceeds a predetermined angle, said disconnection means including a pair of elongated guide cams fixed to said trailer and disposed adjacent said first steering transmitting plate, said guide cams being disposed in slidable engagement with said slide members for controlling the radial position thereof; a second steering transmitting plate mounted on said trailer adjacent the rear end thereof, said second steering transmitting plate being mounted for horizontal angular displacement relative to said trailer bed, said trailer having a rear axle assembly connected to said second steering plate so as to be horizontally angularly displaceable therewith relative to said trailer bed; and elongated flexible motion transmitting means connected between said first and second steering transmitting plates for horizontally angularly displacing said second steering transmitting plate and said axle assembly in one direction in response to horizontal angular displacement of said first steering transmitting plate in the opposite direction.

Claim 9

In an articulated truck-trailer combination having a steering control apparatus connected between the truck and the trailer for causing the trailer to approximately follow the path of the truck during turning, the improvement wherein said steering control apparatus comprises: a first coupling device mounted on said truck and including an annular coupling plate having front and rear opposed partial circular parts which are of different diameters, the front part being of greater diameter than the rear part so that the intersection of said two parts define a pair of shoulders located on opposite sides of said coupling plate; a second coupling device mounted on said trailer adjacent the forward end thereof and being pivotally connectible to said first coupling device for joining said truck and trailer together, said second coupling device including a first steering transmitting plate mounted for horizontal angular displacement relative to the trailer bed, said first steering transmitting plate having a pair of opposed slots formed therein and extending radially thereof, said slots extending transversely relative to the longitudinally extending direction of the trailer when the truck-trailer combination is traveling along a straight line; operator means mounted on said second coupling device and being engageable with said shoulders for causing horizontal angular displacement of said first steering transmitting plate relative to said trailer bed in response to rotation of said first coupling device due to turning of said truck relative to said trailer, said operator means including slide members slidably disposed within said slots and having projecting portions thereon disposed adjacent the periphery of said coupling plate for engagement with said shoulders; disconnection means coacting with said operator means for causing the projections on said slide members to be disengaged from said shoulders when the horizontal angular displacement of said coupling plate relative to said trailer bed exceeds a predetermined angle, said disconnection means including a pair of elongated guide cams fixed to said trailer and disposed adjacent said first steering transmitting plate, said guide cams being disposed in slidable engagement with said slide members for controlling the radial position thereof; a second steering transmitting plate mounted on said trailer adjacent the rear end thereof, said second steering transmitting plate being mounted for horizontal angular displacement relative to said trailer bed, said trailer having a rear axle assembly connected to said second steering plate so as to be horizontally angularly displaceable therewith relative to said trailer bed; and elongated flexible motion transmitting means connected between said first and second steering transmitting plates for horizontally angularly displacing said second steering transmitting plate and said axle assembly in one direction in response to horizontal angular displacement of said first steering transmitting plate in the opposite direction.