Patent ID: 6241270
Filing Date: 2001-06-05
Classification: B60D

Abstract:
An articulated vehicle comprising a motorized vehicle (1) being coupled to a trailer (2) via a mechanical coupling (1) for facilitating transportation of the trailer (2), the motorized vehicle (1) having a vehicle chassis supporting at least two axles and the trailer (2) having a trailer chassis supporting a non-steerable axle, the non-steerable axle being a fixed, forward most axle of the trailer, the at least two axles of the motorized vehicle (1) and the fixed, forward most non-steerable axle of the trailer (2) each supporting rotatable wheels to facilitate movement of the articulated vehicle, the motorized vehicle (1) and the trailer (2) together defining a vertical longitudinal median plane of the articulated vehicle, and the mechanical coupling controlling a trajectory of the trailer (2) during travel of the motorized vehicle (1), said mechanical coupling comprising:a pivoting linkage (13) having a front extremity (14) and a rear extremity (17), the front extremity of the pivoting linkage (13) being pivotally connected to a rear portion of the vehicle chassis at a location coincident with the vertical longitudinal median plane of the articulated vehicle, the rear extremity (17) of the pivoting linkage (13) being connected to a pivoting center (18), and the pivoting center (18) being connected to the trailer chassis at a location coincident with the vertical longitudinal median plane of the articulated vehicle;the pivoting center (18) being connected under the trailer chassis to a portion of the trailer chassis (8) extending between a front of the trailer (2) and the fixed, forward most non-steerable axle and, when the pivoting linkage (13) is connected to the motorized vehicle (1), the pivoting linkage (13) is capable of directly supporting both vertical upward and downward forces applied by a load when being transported by the trailer (2), and the pivoting center (18) defining a geometrical pivoting axis (43) for the pivoting linkage (13); anda constant length single rod being connected between the vehicle chassis (1) and the trailer chassis, the single rod having opposed first and second ends, the first end of the single rod being connected to a rear corner portion of the vehicle chassis and the second end of the single rod being connected to an opposed front corner portion of the trailer chassis such that the single rod obliquely traverses both the vertical longitudinal median plane of the articulated vehicle and the pivoting linkage (13);the pivoting center (18), which pivots around the geometrical pivoting axis (43), is an assembly which consists of a pivot (26) and a sliding connection (30) supported by the pivoting linkage (13) at a location between the front extremity (14) and the rear extremity (17);the sliding connection (30) includes a support element (27) which connects the pivoting linkage (13) to the trailer chassis, and the support element is simultaneously displaceable with the pivoting linkage (13) relative to the trailer chassis; andwherein the sliding connection further consists of an arc-shaped track (28) supported by an undersurface of the trailer chassis and the support element (27) engages with and is guided by the arc-shaped track (28).