METHOD, CONTROL SYSTEM AND EQUIPMENT TO PREVENT THE SEIZURE OF AN ARTICULATED VEHICLE AND/OR A TRAILER TO BE CONNECTED WITH A DRAWING VEHICLE

Abstract: The seizure prevention of trailers and articulated vehicles and a method, control system and equipment to prevent the seizure of a vehicle combination and/or a trailer to be connected with a drawing vehicle. According to the invention based on the data transfer between the first control unit (23) in the drawing vehicle and the second control unit (10, 10') in the trailer, the trailer and/or the vehicle combination formed by the trailer and the drawing vehicle is locked in such a way, that it becomes unfit for driving or towing, whereby when an attempt of seizure is directed to a vehicle combination at least one of the following actions is performed: the turning shaft (5, 5') or turning bogie (6, 6') of the trailer is locked as unturnable; the trailer, particularly a half-trailer, is bolted to the drawing table as unturnable in regard to the drawing table; and whereby when an attempt of seizure is directed to a trailer left by itself also moving of the pull pin (16) of the trailer is selectively prevented to the drawing position, in which coupling of the pull pin (16) to the drawing table and towing of the trailer by the pull pin (16) are possible.

Description: Method, control system and equipment to prevent the seizure of an articulated vehicle and/or a trailer to * • be connected with a drawing vehicle • * 5 This invention relates to a method according to the preamble of claim 1 , control system according to the preamble of claim 6 and equipment according to the preamble of claim 9 to prevent the seizure of an arti¬ culated vehicle and/or a trailer to be connected with TQ a drawing vehicle. A drawing vehicle is traditionally actuated by an igni¬ tion lock operated by an ignition key or after the cur¬ rent is switched on by, a separate start button. There- 15 after the hand brake is switched off from its opera¬ tional position and driving can be commenced. A disadvantage is connected with the conventional driving preparations, that anybody can drive or tow 20 a trailer illegally with a properly equipped drawing vehicle, and that the combination of the drawing vehic¬ le and the trailer can be seized from the driver by force, and that a vehicle or a vehicle combination in standstill can be captured by passing the ignition 25 lock and starting the motor either from the cabin or the motor space.. When the seizures of vehicles and particularly articu¬ lated vehicles have increased, several solutions have 30 previously been proposed to hamper or prevent the sei¬ zures. In the Patent FI-850958 has- been disclosed a device to prevent stealing of a vehicle and a trailer connec- 35 ted with it, so that this vehicle combination includes a brake system operated by pressure medium. The device according to the invention has been connected to influ¬ ence to the before-mentioned brake system, so that it comprises a three-way valve controlled by one code lock and including one inlet opening and two outlets. By the code lock the connection of the inlet opening to each outlet is controlled and thus the pressuri- zation of the brake system or vice versa is made possib¬ le. In the U.S. Patent 4436176 a system to prevent stealing of an articulated vehicle is suggested, in which system couplings are placed in different parts of the vehicle combination, so that these couplings must be gone through in certain order and set to a certain position in order to start the vehicle. The system consequently functions connected with the starting circuit of the vehicle. In the GB Patent 2141567 a device to prevent seizure of a vehicle has been disclosed. The device consists of a code feeding section, a memory section in which a reference code has been deposited in advance, and a comparison section, in which the reference code is com¬ pared with the feeding code. The device has been coup¬ led to the signal horn and starting system of the ve¬ hicle, so that the device, when it is activated by a certain code preventing the seizure, switches off the vehicle motor by the timer section in it after a pre¬ determined time and actuates an alarm signal. If the danger factor is passed, the driver can stop the timer by feeding a certain signal -in code form to the device. The DE-patent 3045345 shows a theft-preventing device influencing the fuel feed or the ignition circuit of the vehicle motor. The device functions by code control, so that a signal in a series of numbers has been pre- deposited in it and compared with the digital signal to be fed to the device. If the fed signal does not correspond the deposited signal, the device breaks off the ignition circuit (gasoline motors) or fuel feed (diesel motors) of the vehicle. Previously is also known a method to prevent seizure used in the device with a trademark PSI MKII and agent Pekka Sarssi International Oy Mikonkatu 21 A 00180 Hel¬ sinki Finland. This device is controlled by infra-red beams using a small infra-red transmitter. A disadvan¬ tage in the system is its dependence on the driver. Moreover the infra-red transmitter and also the key can be stealed. A summary can thus be made, that the essential disad¬ vantages of previously known methods and the devices connected with them, as code locks, hand brake gear locks, alarm arrangements, interlock systems of the steering wheel and pull pin locks are especially the following things: - the drawing vehicle or the whole combination can be captured during the drive, - it is relatively easy to break the devices, - by previously known methods it is not possible with sufficient security to prevent illegal towing or real driving of a vehicle combination nor the sei¬ zure of it or a half-trailer left by itself. Connected with the above-mentioned one must still parti¬ cularly emphasize, that especially trailers left by themselves are nowadays entirely devoid of any seizure- preventing devices and thus quite suitable objects for capture. 5 The first goal of the present invention is to achieve a solution based on a completely novel way of thinking to prevent the seizure of vehicles and trailers, the breaking or evading of which solution would not be pos¬ sible to get rapidly done and by which the thefts of Q both a trailer left by itself and a vehicle combi¬ nation could reliably be prevented. The second goal of the invention is the tendency to eliminate the '" dis- advantages and weaknesses in the previously known met¬ hods and devices for prevention of seizures and thus 5 in the first place to prevent and eliminate captures directed particularly to trailers and articulated ve¬ hicles during both the driving and the parking. These goals have been achieved by a before-mentioned Q method, control system and equipment according to the invention, the characteristic features of which have been described in the appended claims. The method according to the invention is thus based on 5 the brilliant idea, that by making the trailer and/or the vehicle combination formed by the trailer and the drawing vehicle unfit for driving, i.e. - by locking the turning trailer shaft or bogie as unturnable, or Q - by locking the trailer, especially half-trailer, as unturnable in regard to the drawing table, it can in a quite simple way be made the driving or towing of a vehicle combina-tion or a trailer impossib¬ le. 5 The control system according to the invention is based on the brilliant principle, that by making a trailer or a drawing vehicle and a trailer only after an accep¬ table code comparison as a cooperating combination and by locking, when error codes emerge, as unturnable at least one function or part necessary for driving the vehicle combination or towing the trailer, as - turning shaft or bogie of the drawing vehicle or the vehicle combination, - turning joint formed by the pull pin and the drawing table, - turning pull pin turned in the position, in which its connection to the drawing table is prevented, and by using two separate, dependently on each other by the code information to be fed and received functioning control units to drive different operational organs in the vehicle or the vehicle combination, by which or¬ gans it is possible to influence the functions neces¬ sary for the driving of the before-mentioned vehicle, the attempts of stealing can with sufficient security be eithβ- prevented or significantly delayed. In an advantageous embodiment of the control system the control commands from the control units are entered by a keyboard, so that right codes make it possible for a relay unit,in the drawing vehicle and/or the trailer to open and close the operational organs of the equip¬ ment according to the invention, as solenoids, magnetic valves and transmission gears, which then enable the normal use of the drawing vehicle, trailer and the vehicle combination and in the contrary condition pre¬ vent the illegal use, in which case the pull pin of the trailer does not advantageously turn to the towing posi¬ tion or the vehicle combination and/or trailer is lock- ed as unturnable. Moreover it is advantageous that wrong codes lead to- alarms. As a summary about the advantages connected with the present invention it can be stated, that a solution has been achieved, by which a trailer or a vehicle combina¬ tion can be made as an acting transportation unit only by using right codes and by which driving and/or towing is made impossible, if a code or codes deviating from the preset code or codes are tried to feed to the cont¬ rol system. Thanks to the two-sectioned control system according to the invention the driver can now, if needed, feed to the system transportation codes of ot¬ her drawing vehicles or carriers, so that also these can draw a trailer provided with the equipment in comp¬ liance with the invention. The trailer can thus be tow¬ ed only by exactly predetermined vehicles. The theft prevention equipment placed to the trailer can in a simple way be provided also by a key switch making it possible for the ship companies to transfer the trailer to a ship and away from it. Instead of the key switch of course also a code feeding keyboard placed to the trailer can be used. Further on it is advantageous, that a special theft code can easily be deposited to the control system, which code is used if a theft takes place during, the transport. The transport code makes normal driving operations possible for a certain time, after which the control system actuates independently theft prevention and alarm functions. The invention will be described in the following in detail by certain advantageous exemplary adaptations with reference to accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows schematically a control system accor- ding to the invention- and the progress of the code in¬ formation in it, Figure 2 is a simplified view of the equipment accor¬ ding to the invention, by which the turning trailer shaft can be locked as immobile, Figure 3 is a more detailed view of the locking mecha¬ nism belonging to the equipment of Fig. 4 with neces¬ sary pipings and valves, Figure 4 is a simplified side view of the equipment according to the invention, by which on the one hand a half-trailer can be locked in regard to the drawing vehicle as unturnable, and on the other the turning pull pin of the half-trailer can be set to the posi¬ tion, where drawing of the trailer from it becomes im- possible, and Figure 5 shows the equipment similar to the one of Fig. 4 as a top view. In this figure also the necessa¬ ry pipings and valves for the operation of the euip- ment have been shown. The part 22 of the control system of the seizure pre¬ vention equipment according to the invention, placed to the drawing vehicle comprises: - control unit 23, - relay unit 24 steered by the control unit 23, - code feeding keyboard 25 connected with the control unit 23 - alarm unit 36, and also advantageously - switches 37, 38, 39, which by wrong coupling activate the alarm and, when desired, actuate the functions stopping the vehicle either immediately or after a predetermined time delay and lock the vehicle influen¬ cing e.g. the brake, fuel, -electric or pressure system. It is advantageous that the switch 37 is connected to the hand brake system 29- and switches 38- and 39 for ins¬ tance to the locks: 32 of the cabin door. Λs also shown in Fig. 1 the part 22 of the control sys- tern in the drawing vehicle further includes operational organs controlled by the control unit 23 and relay unit 24, advantageously magnetic valves connected to the pressure system 27, brake system 28, hand brake system 29, fuel system 30, compressed air system 33 of the trailer, hydraulic system 34 and locking arrangement 35, by which an illegal access to the motor space of the vehicle can be prevented. By the part 22 of the control system in the drawing vehicle also the function of the electric system 31 and the solenoid 26 of the start motor as well as the locks 32 of the cabin doors can be influenced through the relay unit 24. The half-spherical symbol marked in Fig. 1 by the reference number 50 means the connection to the trailer. This part 22 of the control system placed in the drawing vehicle can advantageously be placed to as inaccessible location as possible, e.g. to the motor space of the vehicle, where it additionally is protected against break-ins by steel plates. The other half of the control system consists of the part 9, 9' placed to the trailer and including: - control unit 10,.10' - relay unit 11, 11' steered by the control unit 10, 10' and - power device 18, 19, 18', 19' steered by the control unit 10, 10' and the relay unit 11, 11' and locking by the bolt mechanism 12 one turnable shaft 5 or bogie 6 of the trailer. If more than one turnable shaft or bo¬ gie is desired to be locked as unturnable by the cont- rol system, the. control system placed to the trailer will be equipped with,corresponding number of additional power devices.18', 19',- which drive the corresponding mechanisms 12', 13' in order to lock the desired number of turnable shafts 5' or bogies 6' as unturnable, most advantageously to a slanting position, so that the trailer becomes stiff and unturnable in regard to the drawing vehicle, which effectively prevents driving of the' ehicle combination and also more generally draw- ing of the trailer on a curved road portion. The part 9, 9' of the control system placed to the trai¬ ler can also be provided with the bolt mechanism.14 driven by the power device 18', 19^ so that this bolt mechanism is set by the power device 19' to a position, in which it locks the half-trailer to the turntable in such a way, that turning of the half-trailer in regard to the turntable is prevented. Then the trailer becomes stiff and unturnable in regard to the drawing vehicle. Moreover this part 9, 9' of the control system can be equipped with the lifting or turning mechanism 15 of the pull pin 16 driven by the power device 19', so that the pull pin can be set to a position, where the trailer cannot be drawn out of it. The above-mentioned part 9, 9' of the control system can advantageously be mounted together with other ele¬ ments possibly connected with it, as the power device 18, 19, 18', 19', bolt mechanism 12, 14 and lifting or turning mechanism.15 of the pull pin 16, to a place shielded against break-ins for example by steel plates. The half-spherical symbol marked in the figure by the reference numbers 51, 52 means the connection to the drawing vehicle. In the control system according to Fig. 1 on the basis of the code-form information sent by the control unit 23 provided with the keyboard 25 functioning as the feeding means of information, when the reference infor- 5 mation in code form has previously been deposited to the control unit 23, it is possible to control the de¬ sired number of electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic and/or mechanical operational organs 18, 19, 18', 19' in the trailer and/or the vehicle combination, so that such O an organ influences at least one function, which as prevented makes it impossible either immediately or after a predetermined period to drive the vehicle combi¬ nation and/or the trailer. 5 According to the invention the first feeding information in code form, advantageously a series of numbers, is entered to the control unit 23 by the keyboard 25. Then this first feeding information is compared in the com¬ parison section of the control unit 23 with the refe- Q rence information predeposited to the memory section of the control unit 23. In the above-mentioned comparison section of the control unit 23 a signal is formed by the feeding information and the reference information, and this signal is fed along the first data transfer 5 channel from the control unit 23 to the relay unit 24. Similarly a second code-form information is formed in this comparison section and it is fed along the second two-directional data transfer channel between the cont¬ rol unit 23 of the drawing vehicle and the the control Q unit 10, 10' of the trailer to the control unit 10, 10' of the trailer including the second memory section, into which the second reference information has been de¬ posited. In the comparison section of the trailer cont¬ rol unit 10, 10' the .mentioned second reference infor- 5 mation and the second code-form information from the control unit 23 are compared with each other. Then an impulse signal is formed, which is fed through at least one (third) data transfer channel to the relay unit 11 , 11 ' to control the desired electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic and/or mechanical operational device 18, 19, 18', 19'. This impulse signal is either a preventing or releasing signal of the desired function depending on the correspondence of the mentioned second reference information and the second code-form information. It is known, that attempts of seizure are remarkable restrained by the condition, that either the vehicle's own or a separate horn signal system is switched on when the stealing is attempted. Therefore it is advan¬ tageous, that an additional data transfer channel leads from the trailer control unit 10, 10' to the horn sig¬ nal system, so that when a preventing signal is gene¬ rated, the circuit of the horn signal system is closed and the alarm actuated. Though from the operational point of vie.w of the inven¬ tion it is not necessary, the effectivity of the seizure prevention can be increased by using the second code- form signal through the relay unit 24 as a seizure- preventing signal, when the first code-form feeding in¬ formation fed to the control unit 23 differs from the preselected reference information to activate the pres¬ sure system 27, brake system 28, hand brake system 29, fuel system 30, compressed air system of the trailer 33, hydraulic system 34 or locking arrangement of the motor space 35. Besides this second code-form information can be used as a seizure-preventing signal to influence the function of the electric system 31- and the start motor solenoid 26- as well- as the cabin door locks.32. It is also reasonable to emphasize, that the seizures are not directed only to vehicle combinations or trai- lers left by themselves, but that quite often also si¬ tuations occur, where especially a vehicle combination is tried to be captured by force from the driver during the drive. For such situations also a second reference information, a so-called protection information, has been deposited to the memory section of the control unit 23 of the control system, so that instead o the first code-form feeding information, i.e. transporta¬ tion code, a protective code corresponding the protec¬ tion information deposited to the memory section of the first control unit 23, as mentioned above, can be fed to the control unit 23. Then a temporary release signal of the desired function making the driving of the ve¬ hicle combination possible is at first generated in the control unit and then, after a certain delay time, du- ring which the driving of the vehicle combination is possible in a normal way, first a signal activating the stopping function of the vehicle, advantageously breaking of the fuel feed or braking, and thereafter a signal preventing the desired function and activa- ting the power device 18, 19, 18', 19', so that it thus prevents at least one function necessary for the driving of the vehicle combination or generally the drawing of the trailer and advantageously activates also the alarm. In this connection one must ephasize, that from the operational point of view of the inven¬ tion the use of the function stopping the vehicle is not necessary. This arrangement is, however, advanta¬ geous, because the vehicle combination might get da¬ maged, if it should be stiffened as unturnable sud- denly under driving. As already stated above, as a function by which it is possible to effectively prevent the driving of the ve- hicle combination or more generally the drawing of the trailer, it is advantageous to select at least one of the following: - the trailer and the drawing vehicle are stiffened as unturnable in regard to each other, whereby an ad- verse organ of the bolt mechanism 14 to be moved by the power device 19 is pushed to the guiding groove of the pull pin in the drawing table or to the both sides of the drawing table are pushed adverse organs of the bolt mechanism, so that the extended adverse organ is supported to the drawing table and prevents together with the pull pin 16 turning of the trailer in regard to the drawing table, - at least one turnable shaft of the trailer is locked as unturnable, advantageously to a slanting position, so that the first annular ball ring of the suspension bearing of the shaft or the bogie stationary fixed to the chassis of the trailer and the second annular ball stationary fixed to tha shaft 5,5 * or bogie 6, 6', • which rings as rotatingly mounted in bearings in regard to each other during the normal drive thus make pos¬ sible turning of the shaft 5, 5 ' or bogie 6, 6', are locked by a proper adverse, organ of the bolt mechanism 12 driven by the power device 18, 18',. 19' as immobile in regard to each other, - turning pull pin 16 in the trailer, fixed to the ro¬ tating shaft 15 driven by the power device 19 is locked to the position, advantageously slantingly in regard to the guiding groove of the drawing table, so that both the coupling of the pull pin 16 to the drawing table and drawing of the trailer from the pull pin 16 are prevented. As a control unit 23 to be placed to the drawing vehic- le and steering the function of the relay unit 24, and which comprises a feeding device 25 for code-form in¬ formation and necessary memory and comparison sections, a micro computer with the trademark ART-100E can be used. As a control unit 10 or 10' to be placed to the trailer and steering the function of the relay unit 11, 11', and which comprises a feeding device for " code- form information and necessary memory and comparison sections, a micro computer with the trademark ART-220E can be used. These devices as well as cables needed in the control system and suitable for data transfer chan¬ nels are commercially available from the company with the business name ARTSOFT and registered office in Helsinki. In Figs. 2 and 3 an equipment to be driven by the cont¬ rol system according to the invention, the so-called security locking equipment, has been shown. With this equipment some of the turning shafts 5 or bogies β of the trailer, i.e. whole trailer, or turnable shafts 5' or bogies 6' of the half-trailer can be locked as im¬ mobile, most advantageously to a slanting position in regard to the other shafts or bogies of the vehicle combination or the trailer. The conventionally turning shaft has been suspended to the trailer by two annular ball rings rotating in regard to each other, whereby one ball ring is statio¬ nary fixed either directly or, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, through spacers 2 and 3 to the shaft 5 or bogie 6 and the other ball- ring to the chassis structu¬ res of the trailer. Due to spacers 2 and 3 a larger spa¬ ce is formed between the lower bottom of the trailer and the shaft or bogie. The equipment according to the invention and the part of the control system on the side of the trailer driving it have been adapted to this space. Moreover the said space is protected against break-ins by steel plates placed over and under the said space. As shown in Fig. 2, the power device 18 belonging to the equipment according to the invention is fixed to the steel plate shielding the said space underneath, so that the bolt mechanism 12 driven by the power devi¬ ce penetrates, when the preventive signal is generated, through the opening in the steel plate shielding the said space from above locking thus the ball rings as immobile in regard to each other. In Fig. 2 the connec¬ tion to the drawing vehicle has also been shown by a hαlf-sphericαl symbol and the reference number 51. In Fig. 3 has been presented in further details the power device 18, bolt mechanism 12 and instruments to achieve the desired locking function belonging to the equipment according to a preferable embodiment of the invention as shown in Fig. 2. In the exemplary case of Fig. 3 the power device comprises a pneumatic cylinder 18 fastened at its one shaft end to a lug, which has been, e.g. by welding, fixed to the steel plate pro¬ tecting the before-mentioned space underneath. The pneumatic cylinder gets the charging pressure from a delivery pipe 58 connected to the filling pipe 57 of the brake circuit of the trailer. The delivery pipe has been provided with a return valve 59 preventing the medium flow in wrong direction, and with a valve 66 steered by the control system according to the in- vention and which can be e.g. a magnetic valve. In the figure also- a discharge pipe of the pneumatic cylinder and the valves 67- and 68 inserted in it have been shown, so that the valve 67 is pressure-operated and receives the control pressure from the filling pipe 57 of the brake circuit and permits the medium flow dis¬ charging the cylinder 18 when the pipe 58 is out of pressure. Valve 68 is electrically operated. The piston rod of the pneumatic cylinder 18 is connected in this exemplary case through articulated levers and a cam to the bolt mechanism 12, so that by the cam and the ^ arti- culated levers the axial movement of the piston rod of the pneumatic cylinder 18 is changed to the up-and-down movement of the adverse organ of the bolt mechanism, whereby during the upward movement of the adverse organ this organ penetrates to the steel plate protecting the above-mentioned space from above through the ope¬ ning made close to the outer edge of the mentioned ball ring locking thus the shaft 5 or the bogie 6 as unturnable. In this connection it is reasonable to emphasize, that the use of the adverse organ of the bolt mechanism 12 moving in the up-and-down direction to achieve the de- sired locking result is not necessarily the only possib¬ le adaptation , form. Thus the piston rod of the power device can be provided for instance with suitable pro¬ jections or serrations corresponding the design of the inner surfaces of the annular ball rings opening to the said space or the perforation made in them. In Figs. 4 and 5 has been shown another advantageous adaptation form for making " a trailer and/or a vehicle combination unfit for driving or towing. In this embo- diment the goal is achieved by locking a trailer, i.e. half-trailer, connected to a drawing vehicle as untur¬ nable in regard to the drawing table and in case of a half-trailer left by itself by turning the pull pin 16 of the trailer to a slanting position in regard to the guiding groove in the drawing table. As shown in Fig. 4, the seizure-preventing equipment according to an advantageous embodiment of the inven- tion, i.e. security locking equipment of a half- trailer placed under the chassis structures of a half- trailer and closed into a casing 4 of steel plate,' " has a pull pin 16 stationary fixed to the rotating shaft 15 driven by the reciprocating piston rod of the first power device 19 and thus turning with the rotating shaft 15, and the bolt mechanism 14 driven by the se¬ cond power device 19' and by a crankshaft and a cam member connected with the reciprocating piston rod of the said power device, this bolt mechanism 14 including selectively either one protruding adverse organ fit¬ ting to the guiding groove of the drawing table, as shown in the figure, or at least two protruding adver¬ se organs fitting around the inner perimeter of the drawing table, whereby each of the adverse organs have advantageously been equipped with the before-mentioned cam member to change the rotating movement of the crank¬ shaft to the vertical up and down movement of the ad¬ verse organ. The preferably place for the bolt mecha¬ nism 14 is immediately behind the pull pin 16. Fig. 5 shows in further details the power devices 19, 19', bolt mechanism.14 and instruments to obtain the desired locking result belonging to the equipment accor¬ ding to the advantageous embodiment of the invention as shown in Fig. 4. In this exemplary case the power de¬ vices are pneumatic cylinders 19, 19' connected- at their one shaft end to- a lug, which has been made e.g. by welding to the protective casing 4 of the equipment. 5 Pneumatic .cylinders 19 and 19' get the charging pressure from the delivery piping 56 connected to the filling pipe 55 of the trailer brake circuit and equipped with a return valve 60 preventing the medium flow in wrong direction. To pressurize the pneumatic cylinder 19, by 10 which the pull pin 16 is driven, the delivery piping 56 comprises a valve, for instance a magnetic valve,,_ steered by the control system 10', 11' 'according to the invention. To pressurize the pneumatic cylinder 19', by which the bolt mechanism 14 is driven, the delivery 15 piping 56 also comprises a valve 65, for example a mag¬ netic valve, steered by the control system 10', 11' according to the invention. The figure includes also the discharge piping of pneumatic cylinders 19 and 19' and to it placed discharge valves 62, 63 and 64, of 20 which the valves 62 and 64 are electrically operated and the valve 63 pressure-operated receiving the control pressure from the filling pipe 55. The valve 63 passes the medium flow emptying the cylinder 19, 19', when no pressure exists in the pipe 55. 25 The invention-has been described above only by some of its advantageous exemplary embodiments. This does not, of course, restrict the invention, but several combina¬ tions and modifications are possible within the scope 3.0 of the appended claims. Particularly one must emphasi¬ ze, that the invention is not necessarily connected with trucks and trailers, but that it can be- also adapted to other vehicles, as buses and earthmovers. The security of the equipment according to the inven- 35 tion can still be increased by depositing for instance to the memory section of the control unit of the draw¬ ing vehicle a special service code, by which the condi¬ tion of the locks in the motor space is controlled. Then the access to the motor space, into which the control unit 23 of the drawing vehicle can most advan¬ tageously be placed, becomes possible only by the right code.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A method to prevent the seizure of an articulated vehicle and/or α trailer to be connected with α - drawing vehicle, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the vehicle combination formed by the trailer and the drawing vehicle is locked as unfit for driving or towing, whereby when the vehicle combination becomes the object of an attempt of seizure at least one of the following actions is performed: - the turning shaft (5, 5') or the turning..bogie 6, 6") of the trailer is locked as unturnable, - the trailer, particularly a half-trailer, is locked to the drawing table as unturnable in regard to the drawing table, and whereby when the attempt of seizure is directed to a trailer left by itself the moving of the pull pin (16) to the drawing position, in which the coupling of the pull pin (16) to the drawing table and the towing of the trailer by the pull pin (16) become pos¬ sible, is also selectively prevented. 2. A method according to claim 1, in which method a predetermined number of electrical, hydraulic,- pneuma- tic and/or mechanical operational organs (18, 18', 19, 19') is steered by a control unit (23) placed to the drawing vehicle and/or vehicle combination and provi¬ ded by a feeding device of information, advantageously a keyboard (25), when at least one reference informa- tion has in advance been deposited to the said control unit, the said operational organs being adapted to in¬ fluence at least one function, which as prevented ma¬ kes it impossible either immediately or after a preset time to tow and/or drive a trailer and/or a vehicle combination, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that to the control unit (23) in the drawing vehicle is fed by the feeding device (25) a first code-form feeding informa¬ tion, which is compared with the reference information deposited in advance to the control unit (23) , that from this first code-form feeding information and the reference information is formed a second code-form information, which is fed to at least one other control unit (10, 10'), into which has been deposited a second reference information, that this second code-form infor¬ mation is compared with the second reference informa- tion, that from the second code-form information and the second reference information is formed in the other control unit (10, 10') at least one impulse signal, which depending on the correspondence of the second code-form information and the second reference informa¬ tion is either a preventing or releasing signal of the desired function and which is fed to control the said electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic and/or mechanical ope- rational organ influencing at least one said function. 3. A method according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i z e d in that by the preventing signal also a desired alarm function, preferably the vehicle's own horn signal system, is activated, 4. A method according to. claim 2 or 3, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that instead of the first code-form feeding information, i.e. transportation code, gene¬ rating the release signal of the desired function, it is possible to enter to the control unit (23) a pre¬ selected second feeding information, i.e., protection code, so that in the other control unit " .(10, 10') is at first formed a temporary release signal of the desired function and then after a preselected delay time in the other control unit (10, 10') is formed a preventing signal of the desired function, during which delay time (t1) it is possible to drive the vehicle and/or vehicle combination in a normal way, and after which delay time at least one desired function making the normal driving of the trailer and/or the vehicle combination possible is prevented by the preventing signal and the alarm is actuated. 5. A method according to any of claims 2...4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the electrical, hyd- raulic, pneumatic and/or mechanical operational organ (18, 18', 19, 19') is forced by the preventing signal to a condition, in which at least one of the following functions takes selectively place: - the trailer and the drawing vehicle are locked as un- turnable in regard to each other, - at least one shaft and/or bogie (5, 5', 6, 6') of the trailer and/or the vehicle combination is locked as unturnable, advantageously in a slanting position in regard to the drawing vehicle, - the pull pin (16) of the trailer is locked to a position preventing the coupling of the pull pin to the drawing table of the drawing vehicle and the draw¬ ing of the trailer from the pull pin (16), and that the electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic and/or mechanical operational organ (18, 18', 19, 19') is by a releasing signal released to the condition, in which it is pos¬ sible to open at least the locking bolts (35) of the motor space of the drawing" vehicle enabling thus the access at least to the motor space, 6. A control system to prevent the seizure of a trailer to be connected with a vehicle combination- and/or a drawing vehicle, comprising a control unit (23) adapted to the drawing vehicle and/or vehicle combination and provided with a device for feeding information, advan¬ tageously by a keyboard (25) , so that at least one re¬ ference information can be deposited in advance to the said control unit, the said control system comprising also instruments in the control unit (23) to send for- ward the code-form information formed by the feeding and the reference informations to control .a preselec- ted number of electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic and/or mechanical operational organs (18, 18', 19, 19') in the drawing vehicle and/or the vehicle combination, such an organ influencing to at least one function, which as prevented makes either immediately or after a preselected time it impossible to tow and/or drive of the trailer and/or the vehicle combination, or to the motor space, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the equipment comprises a first control unit (23), a second control unit (10, 10') and a two-directional data transfer channel between the control units, that at least the first control unit (23) has been placed to the drawing vehicle and provided with the informa- tion feeding device, advantageously a keyboard (25) , that each of, the said control units (23, 10, 10') have been provided with a memory section to record a code- form reference information and with a comparison sec¬ tion to compare the information fed to the control unit (23, 10, 10') and the reference information and to form a code-form signal from them, so that at least the code-form signal coming from the second control unit (10, 10') is an impulse signal, which depending on the form of the incoming information and also on the correspondence of the incoming signal and the refe¬ rence signal is a releasing signal, temporary releasing signal or preventing signal of the desired function, and that the equipment comprises also at least -one other data transfer channel to send the impulse signal from the second control unit (10, 10') to at least one elec¬ trical, hydraulic, pneumatic and/or mechanical opera¬ tional organ (18, 18', 19, 19') influencing the desired function. 7. A control system according to claim 6, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d in that an electrical operational organ closing the circuit of the horn signal system of the vehicle has been connected to the second control unit (10, 10') on the additional data transfer channel, so that the preventing signal forces the electrically ope¬ rating organ to the condition, which closes the said circuit of the horn signal system and actuates the alarm. 8o A system according to claim 6 or 7, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that to the memory sections of the control units (23, 10, 10 ' ) have besides the first and the second code-form informations been also deposited correspondingly a third and a fourth code-form refe¬ rence information, that by the second feeding informa¬ tion, i.e. protection code, fed to the first control unit and corresponding the third reference information in the comparison section of the first control unit (23) is generated a first protection signal, which is transferred along the two-directional data transfer channel between the control units to the second control unit (10, 10'), that in the" comparison section of the second control unit (10, 10') from the first protec- tion code- and the fourth reference information is gene¬ rated an impulse signal going- along the data transfer channel between the second control unit and the opera¬ tional organ to the operational organ (18, 18', 19, 19') 5 and being either an immediate preventing signal or a temporary releasing signal of the desired function depending on the correspondence of the first protection code and the fourth reference code, whereby the second control unit forms a predetermined delay time, during 1Q which the driving of the trailer and/or the vehicle combination is possible, after the preventing signal of the desired function and actuates the alarm. 9. An equipment to prevent the seizure of an articula- 15 ted vehicle and/or a trailer to be connected with a drawing vehicle, the equipment being a security locking equipment of a whole- or half-trailer and steered by a control system according to any of the claims 6...8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the security lock- 20 ing equipment comprises at least one power device (18, 19) steered by the control unit (10, 10')- of the trail¬ er advantageously connected with the relay unit (11, 11') steered by the said control unit, the said power device being advantageously a pneumatic power cylinder 2.5 adapted to move a bolt mechanism (12, 12'; 13, 13', 14) to lock the turning shaft or bogie (5, 5', " 6, 6') of the trailer, when the preventing signal is generated, as unturnable in regard to the trailer, whereby the power cylinder (18, 18'; 19, 19')- is at least on the 3.0 infeed side of the pressure medium in connection with the vehicle's own pressure medium system through a flow pipe (58) of the pressure medium and a valve ( β β ) adapted to the said pipe (58) and steered by the said control unit (10, 10') advantageously through a relay 35 unit (.11,.11')-,- and that the security locking equip¬ ment comprises selectively also at least one other po¬ wer device ' (19'), advantageously a pneumatic power cy¬ linder adapted to move through a power transmission 5 member (15) the pull pin (16) of the trailer between the drawing position and the security position, in which the coupling of the pull pin (16) to the draw¬ ing table of the drawing vehicle is prevented. 0 10, An equipment according to claim 9, being a security locking equipment of a whole-trailer, c a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the bolt mechanism (12) compri¬ ses at least one adverse organ driven by the piston rod of the power cylinder (18) and locking the ball 5 rings of a suspension bearing of the trailer shaft (5) or bogie (6) as immobile in regard to each other. 11. An equipment according to claim 9, being a security locking equipment of a half-trailer, c h a r a c - 0 t e r i z e d in that the bolt mechanism (14) compri¬ ses at least one adverse organ driven by the piston rod- of the. power cylinder (19'), each of which organs in the protruded position is supported to the side sur¬ face of the drawing table defining the outer perimeter 5 of the drawing table or a control guide and preventing together with the pull pin (16) turning of the trailer in regard to the drawing table. 12, An equipment according to claim 9, being a security 0 locking equipment of a half-trailer left by itself, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the power transmis- - - sion organ is a shaft (15) coupled to the piston rod of the power cylinder (19) " , to which shaft the pull pin (16) has been rigidly fastened, so that the pull 5 pin (16) is turned' in a manner corresponding the rota¬ ting movements of the shaft. 13. Λn equipment according to any of the claims 10...12, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the power cylinder (18, 19, 18', 19') is at least on the infeed side of the pressure medium in connection with the vehicle's own hydraulic or pneumatic system through a delivery pipe (55) and into it adapted valve (65) steered by the second control unit (10, 10').

Inventors: TOIKKA ARTO ENSIO, TOIKKA ENSIO ANTERO, TOIKKA, ARTO, ENSIO, TOIKKA, ENSIO, ANTERO
Applicants: TOIKKA ARTO ENSIO, TOIKKA ENSIO ANTERO, TOIKKA, ARTO, ENSIO, TOIKKA, ENSIO, ANTERO
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B60R25
IPC codes: B60R25, B62D53