Backing stabilizer

A backing stabilizer for use in conjunction with a tractor having a tractor trailer pivotally connected thereto and another trailer with a tongue having one end pivotally connected to the tractor trailer and having the opposite end pivotally connected to the other trailer. The backing stabilizer includes a continuous cable having a portion connected to the tongue, means for movably connecting a portion of the cable to the trailer, and means for moving the cable to a slack condition wherein the tongue is pivotally movable and for moving the cable to a taut condition wherein the tongue is substantially held in a nonpivotable position by the cable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Field of the Invention 
The present invention generally relates to a system for improving the 
maneuverability of tractors pulling two trailers and, more particularly, 
but not by way of limitation, to a system for securing the tongue, which 
pivotally connects the two trailers, in a nonpivotable position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring to the drawings in general and to FIGS. 1 and 2 in particular, 
shown therein and designated by the general reference numeral 10 is a 
backing stabilizer which is constructed in accordance with the present 
invention. The backing stabilizer 10 particularly is adapted to be 
utilized in conjunction with a tractor 12 which is pulling two trailers 14 
and 16 (shown in FIGS. 3 and 4). In this type of application, one end of 
the trailer 14 is pivotally connected to one end of the tractor 12. A 
tongue 18, having a first end 20 and a second end 22, pivotally connects 
the trailers 14 and 16, the first end 20 of the tongue 18 being pivotally 
connected to the trailer 16 and the second end 22 of the tongue 18 being 
pivotally connected to the trailer 14. The backing stabilizer 10 includes: 
a continuous cable 24 which is connected to the tongue 18 generally near 
the second end of the tongue 18; a support assembly 26 which movably 
connects a portion of the cable 24 to the trailer 16 for supporting a 
portion of the cable 24 from the trailer 16; and an actuator assembly 28 
which is connected to the cable 24 and adapted to move the cable 24 to a 
slack condition (shown in FIG. 1) wherein the tongue 18 is pivotally 
movable about the pivot connection between the tongue 18 and the trailer 
16 and to move the cable 24 to a taut condition (shown in FIG. 2) wherein 
the tongue 18 substantially is held in a nonpivotable condition by the 
cable 24, the tongue 18 not being pivotable about the pivot connection 
between the tongue 18 and the trailer 16 in the nonpivotable condition of 
the tongue 18. 
The backing stabilizer 10 particularly is useful in facilitating the 
backing of the rear or second trailer 16 to a loading dock. In the past to 
position a tractor pulling two trailers (known in the art as a set of 
doubles) in condition for loading, it has been necessary to lower the 
stands on the rear or second trailer, disconnect the dolly and pull the 
dolly (front set of wheels) out from under the rear or second trailer, 
pull the dolly some distance away from the rear or second trailer, 
disconnect this dolly from the front or first trailer, park the front or 
first trailer for loading at the dock, disconnect the tractor from the 
front or first trailer, back the tractor to and make connection between 
the tractor and the second trailer, park the second trailer for loading at 
the dock, and manually roll the dolly from the second trailer to a 
position in front of the first trailer, which now will become the second 
trailer. This procedure requires a great deal of time (fifteen minutes or 
more) and a great deal of manual effort. 
Utilizing the backing stabilizer 10 of the present invention, the driver 
lines the tractor 12 and the two trailers in a relatively straight line 
perpendicular to the dock, as shown in FIG. 1, actuates the actuator 
assembly 28 to move the cable 24 to the taut condition, back the second or 
rear trailer 16 to a loading position against the dock, disconnect the 
tongue 18 from the first or front trailer 14, and then back the front 
trailer 14 to a loading position against the dock. Thus, utilizing the 
backing stabilizer 10, the two trailers 14 and 16 can be positioned in a 
loading position against the dock in much less time and in a manner 
requiring much less physical effort. Further, utilizing the backing 
stabilizer 10, the trailers 14 and 16 can be placed in a loading position 
in a safer manner which reduces the possibilities of personal injury 
present when manually handling the dolly as in the past. 
As shown more clearly in FIGS. 3 and 4, the front trailer 14 includes a 
vehicle body 30 having a first end 32, a second end 34, a first side 36, a 
second side 38, a top 40 and a bottom 42. The rear trailer 16 includes a 
vehicle body 44 having a first end 46, a second end 48, a first side 50, a 
second side 52, a top 54 and a bottom 56. The trailers 14 and 16 sometimes 
are referred to herein simply as "vehicles" because the backing stabilizer 
10 is not limited to use with any particular type of trailer or vehicle. 
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the tongue 18 is connected to the vehicle body 
44 generally at a pivot connection 58, the pivot connection 58 being 
located on the bottom 56 of the vehicle body 44 generally between the 
first side 50 and the second side 52 and generally near the first end 46 
of the vehicle body 44. The tongue 18 extends a distance from the first 
end 46 of the vehicle body 44 terminating with the second end 22 of tongue 
18. The second end 22 of the tongue 18 is adapted to be pivotally 
connected to the vehicle body 30 of the front trailer 14, generally near 
the second end 34 of the trailer 14, in a manner and for reasons well 
known in the art. 
The support assembly 26 includes a first ring 60, a second ring 62, a third 
ring 64 and a fourth ring 66. The first ring 60 has an opening 68 
extending therethrough and the first ring 60 is secured to the vehicle 
body 44, generally near the first side 50 and generally near the first end 
46 and generally near the bottom 56 of the vehicle body 44. The second 
ring 62 has an opening 70 extending therethrough and the second ring 62 is 
secured to the vehicle body 44 generally near the first side 50 and 
generally between the first end 46 and the second end 48 and generally 
near the bottom 56 of the vehicle body 44. The third ring 64 has an 
opening 72 extending therethrough and the third ring 64 is secured to the 
vehicle body 44 generally near the second side 52 and generally between 
the first end 46 and the second end 48 and generally near the bottom 56 of 
the vehicle body 44. The fourth ring 66 has an opening 74 extending 
therethrough and the fourth ring 66 is secured to the vehicle body 44 
generally near the second side 52 and generally near the first end 46 and 
generally near the bottom 56 of the vehicle body 44. Although rings 60, 
62, 64 and 66 have been shown in the drawings, it should be noted that 
other structures which would support the cable 24 and yet permit some 
movement of the cable 24 would be utilized. 
The cable 24 is securedly connected to the tongue 18, generally near the 
second end 22 of the tongue 18. The cable 24 extends from the tongue 18 to 
the first ring 60, the cable 24 extending through the opening 68 in the 
first ring 60. The cable 24 extends from the first ring 60 to the second 
ring 62, the cable 24 extending through the opening 70 in the second ring 
62. The cable 24 extends from the second ring 62 to the third ring 64, the 
cable 24 extending through the opening 72 in the third ring 64. The cable 
24 extends from the third ring 64 to the fourth ring 66, the cable 24 
extending through the opening 74 in the fourth ring 66. The cable 24 
extends from the fourth ring 66 to the second end 22 of the tongue 18. It 
should be noted that the cable 24 actually extends beyond the ring 62 and 
is looped back through the opening 70 and the cable 24 actually extends 
beyond the ring 64 and is looped back through the opening 72. 
The actuator assembly 28 comprises an actuator 80 which is supported on the 
bottom 56 of the vehicle body 44 generally between the first side 50 and 
the second side 52 and generally near the portion of the cable 24 
extending between the second ring 62 and the third ring 64. The actuator 
80 includes a member 82 which is movably supported within the actuator 80, 
a portion of the member 82 extending from the actuator 80 terminating with 
an end 84. A tube 86 is secured to the end 84 of the member 82 and the 
cable 24 extends through an opening (not shown in the drawings) which 
extends axially through the tube 86, the tube 86 operating to movably 
connect the cable 24 to the end 84 of the member 82. 
The actuator 80 is adapted to move the member 82 in a direction 88 
generally away from the actuator 80 and to move the member 82 in a 
direction 90 generally into or toward the actuator 80. The actuator 80 is 
supported on the vehicle body 44 and oriented such that, when the actuator 
80 causes the member 82 to be moved in the direction 88, the member 82 and 
the cable 24 movably connected thereto are moved in a direction generally 
away from the tongue 18, the actuator 80 being positioned and adapted to 
move the member 82 and the cable 24 movably connected thereto in the 
direction 88 to a position wherein the cable 24 is in the taut condition. 
The actuator 80 is supported on the vehicle body 44 and oriented such 
that, when the actuator 80 causes the member 82 to be moved in the 
direction 90, the member 82 and the cable 24 movably connected thereto are 
moved in a direction generally toward the tongue 18, the actuator 80 being 
positioned and adapted to move the member 82 and the cable 24 in the 
direction 90 to a position wherein the cable 24 is in the slack condition. 
Actuators constructed to operate in a manner like that just described with 
respect to the actuator 80 are commercially available. One commercially 
available actuator which is suitable for the actuator 80 is referred to as 
a linear actuator and is available from Saginaw Steering Gear Division of 
General Motors Corporation, Saginaw, Mich. This particular type of 
actuator includes an elongated screw, a tubular housing disposed over and 
connected to the elongated screw (member 82) and an electric motor. The 
motor shaft is connected to the elongated screw through drive gearing. 
When power is connected to the motor in one way, the motor rotatingly 
drives the elongated screw to move the tubular housing in a direction away 
from the actuator and, when power is connected to the motor in another 
way, the motor rotatingly drives the elongated screw to move the tubular 
housing in a direction toward the actuator. 
The cable 24 has a predetermined length and, when the cable 24 is connected 
to the tongue 18 and supported from the rings 60, 62, 64 and 66 and when 
the member 82 has been moved in the direction 90 to condition the cable 24 
in the slack condition (FIG. 1), the tongue 18 is pivotally moveable in a 
direction 92 and in a direction 94 about the pivot connection 58, the 
cable 24 being long enough so that the cable 24 does not inhibit the 
movement of the tongue 18 in the slack condition of the cable 24. When the 
member 82 is moved in the direction 88, the cable 24 is pulled taut (moved 
to a taut condition) and, in the taut condition (FIG. 2) of the cable 24, 
the cable 24 pulls at the tongue 18 in a direction 96 (FIG. 2) generally 
toward the first side 50 of the vehicle body 44 and the cable 24 pulls at 
the tongue 18 in a direction 98 (FIG. 2) with an equal force generally 
toward the second side 52 of the vehicle body 44. Thus, by the way the 
cable 24 is supported and connected to the tongue 18, the cable 24 
operates to prevent the tongue 18 from pivotally moving about the pivot 
connection 58 in the taut condition of the cable 24. 
The actuator 80 is controlled from the tractor 14 so the operator can 
position the actuator 80 to place the cable 24 in the taut condition or 
the slack condition from the tractor 14. As mentioned before, the actuator 
can be of the type which utilizes an electric motor and, in this event, 
the controls in the tractor merely would consist of a control device for 
controlling the electric motor. With hydraulic type actuators, the 
controls of course would be of the hydraulic type. In view of the 
description herein, various controls will become evident to those skilled 
in the art and a detailed description of the specific devices for 
controlling the actuator 80 from the tractor 12 is not deemed necessary. 
Embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 
Shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is a modified backing stabilizer 10a. The modified 
backing stabilizer 10a is constructed and operates exactly like the 
backing stabilizer 10 described in detail before, except the backing 
stabilizer 10a includes a modified actuator assembly 28a. 
The actuator assembly 28a includes a rod 100 which is journally connected 
to vehicle body 44 by two bearing supports 102 and 104, the rod 100 
extending generally between the first side 50 and the second side 52 of 
the vehicle body 44. A crank arm 106 is formed on one end portion of the 
rod 100. A protruding portion 108 is formed on a midportion of the rod 
100, the protruding portion 108 extending a distance from the axis of the 
rod 100. A tube 86a is connected to the protruding portion 108 and the 
cable 24 extends through an opening (not shown) in the tube 86a, the tube 
86a movably connecting the cable 24 to the rod 100. 
When the crank arm 106 is rotated in a direction to cause the rod 100 to be 
rotated in a direction 110, the protruding portion 108 is moved to the 
position shown in FIG. 5 wherein the protruding portion 108 extends 
generally toward the tongue 18, thereby moving the cable 24 portion 
connected to the protruding portion by the tube 86a generally toward the 
tongue 18 to the slack condition (shown in FIG. 5). The cable 24 has the 
predetermined length and is supported from the vehicle body 44 such that, 
in the slack condition of the cable 24, the tongue 18 is pivotable about 
the pivot connection 58 in the directions 92 and 94. When the crank arm 
106 is rotated in a direction to cause the rod 100 to be rotated in a 
direction 112, the protruding portion 108 is rotated in a direction 
generally away from the tongue 18 to the position shown in FIG. 6, thereby 
moving the portion of the cable 24 which is movably connected to the 
tongue 18 by the tube 86a in a direction generally away from the tongue 18 
and moving the cable 24 to the taut condition (shown in FIG. 5). In the 
taut condition of the cable 24, the tongue 18 is not movable about the 
pivot connection 58 in a manner and for reasons described before. 
It should be noted that, although the crank arm 106 has been shown as being 
manually operable, a gear could be connected to one end of the rod 100 and 
a motor could be drivingly connected to the gear for rotating the rod 100. 
Various other devices are known in the art for rotating rods which could 
be controlled from the tractor 12 automatically. 
It should be noted that, although the cable 24 has been defined herein as 
being a continuous cable, various constructions will be apparent to those 
skilled in the art in view of the foregoing disclosure wherein the cable 
per se is not one continuous length of cable. For example, one end of a 
cable could be connected to the tongue 18, the cable then could be 
extended through the support assembly 26 and the opposite end of the cable 
then could be connected to the tongue 18. In any event, the term 
"continuous cable" as used herein means a cable which is constructed and 
supported to provide the result described herein with respect to the cable 
24 portion of the backing stabilizers 10 and 10a. 
Changes may be made in the various elements, parts and assemblies without 
departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the 
following claims.