HITCHING MEANS FOR VEHICLES

Abstract: The invention concerns a hitching means for vehicles and of the type which comprises one pivotally at the buffer beam (11, 12) attached hitch (15), which is pivotable from one in the buffer (10) retracted inoperative end position to a partly outside the buffer located extended operative end position. The hitch (15) is channel-shaped, with a hitch ball arranged at a first branch end of the channel and with a pivot axle (20) at its other branch end. The pivot axle (20) is mounted essentially horizontally in two attachments (14) in the buffer beam (11, 12), so that the middle part (23) of the hitch in retracted position is located essentially vertically and in extended position essentially horizontally. A locking device (27) is arranged for locking the hitch (15) in its both end positions.

Description: HITCHING MEANS FOR VEHICLES The present invention concerns a hitching means for vehicles and of the type which compπses one pivotally at the buffer beam attached hitch ball, which is pivotable from one in the buffer retracted inoperative end position to a partly outside the buffer located extended operative end position THE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND THE PROBLEM Hitching means with a hitch ball, which can be totally retracted in the rear buffer is earlier known from for instance SE-C-390 143 These solutions are however not adapted to the soft formed totally covered buffer cover of today Most of the hitching means of today are still fixed or to a less extent removable A fixed hitch ball is aggressive against a colliding car and when backing A fixed hitch ball is also in the way for access to the luggage compartment and can cause dirtying of trouser-leg and bruises on the small of the leg A removable hitch ball is a big . heavy and dirty object to handle and shall be kept in a safe way in the car in order to not cause damage at a collision THE PURPOSE WITH THE INVENTION AND THE SOLUTION OFTHE PROBLEM The purpose with the invention is to achieve a hitch which -has low weight . as an existing closed cross beam of the car body can be used, -is so arranged that it gives the possible minimum stress on the attachment -easy can be brought inside the buffer cover, - in extended position is abolutely safe and which can take up draw load and forces directed upwards as well as braking force and forces directed downwards, - can be made in a manual or motor-driven vesion, - can be provided with an electric motor for operation of the hitch from the driving compartment. These tasks have been solved by that the hitch is channel-shaped, with a hitch ball arranged at a first branch end of the channel and with a pivot axle at its other branch end, that the pivot axle is mounted essentally horizontally in tow attachments in the buffer beam, so that the middle part of the hitch in retracted position is located essentially vertically and in extended position essentially horizontally, that a locking device is arranged for locking the hitch in its both end positions, that the locking device comprises a locking part, which is connected with the hitch ball within a transition part between the second branch of the hitch and its middle part, that said locking part is arranged to be conveid by said transition part when the hitch rotates from the retracted inoperative end position to the extended operative end position and that the locking part in the extended position of the hitch is in engagement with a locking device, so that occurring load and force stresses are taken up in said transition part. DESCRIBTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will in the following be more closely described in connection with an embodiment and with reference to the enclosed drawings Figure 1 shows a section along the line I-I in figure 6 through a buffer with one in this built-in hitch in accordance with the invention and in extended position. Figure 2 shows one with figur 1 analogues view with the hitch in retracted position. Figure 3 shows one of the attachments at the buffer beam. Figure 4 shows a section along the line IV-IV in figure 1 through the locking device of the hitch. Figure 5 shows a section along the line V-V in figure 1. Figure 6 shows in analogy with figure 1 a side view of one with the aid of an electric motor operable hitch in accordance with the invention. Figure 7 shows the hitch in accordance with figure 6 in a view from above. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS The in figure 1-5 shown embodiment concerns a hitching means for manual operation. In the drawings 10 represents a buffer, consisting of a buffer beam 11, which can be a cross beam of the car body, and one the beam in a backward direction surrounding buffer cover 13. At the buffer beam 11 is fastened a channel 12, on which is welded two draw attachments 14 on some distance from each other, and between these is pivotally arranged a hitch 15. This has the form of a channel, where the end of the first branch 16 of the channel is equiped with a hitch ball 17, while at the end of the second branch 18 is arranged a drilling 19 for a pivot axle 20, which in its turn is mounted in drillings 21 in the tow attachments 14. The hitch is thus rotateable from one in the buffer retracted position to a position, where the hitch ball is located outside the buffer, in which position the middle part 23 of the hitch is essentially horizontal. For fixing the hitch in its retracted and extended position is a locking device 27 arranged at the hitch, which locking device includes a slot 22, which extends along a part of a circle, in each tow attachment 14, and where the center of the circle coincides with the center of the pivot axle 20. The hitch 15 is in the transition part between the second branch 18 and the middle part 23 provided with a drilling 24, which center coincides with the center line of the slot 22, and which drilling 24 is a bearing for a axle spindle 25. On both ends of said axle spindle is fastened a barrier clasp 26, each one of which is at least partly located in its respective slot 22. The from the axle spindle 25 turned front end of the barrier claps, which end is pressed against the outer border of the slot by a spring 28, will when the hitch is folded out snap into one with a locking surface 29 provided cavity 30 in the slot 22 and prevents the hitch from rotating around its pivot axle 20. The locking function of the locking device 27 can be eliminated with the aid of an operating handle 31, with which one at the barrier clasp 26 arranged spring actuated latch bolt 32 can be actuated, which in the in figure 1 shown position blocks the movement of the barrier clasp. When the latch bolt 32 is lifted with a carrier 41 out of the slot 22 the barrier clasp is released , so that it can rotate out of the cavity 30 and totally into the slot 22. The hitch can thereby rotate into its retracted, inoperative position, in which the middle part 23 of the hitch will take an essentially vertical position, where the hitch will take minimum space vertically as well as in file depth and sideways. The latch bolt 32, the barrier clasp 26 and the operating handle 31 are included in a safety system, which operates in such a way that if the locking device is not in its locking funktion, the tow-glove 42 of the trailer cannot be applied on the hitch ball 17. This has been achieved in the following way. When the barrier clasp 26 reaches the end position the spring actuated latch bolt can enter and lock the clasp in locking position. First when this has occurred the operating handle 31 can be turned 90 degrees, whereafter it is possible to push it in and lock the hitch. Before the operating handle 31 has been turned and pushed in it is thus not possible to use the hitch, as the handle prevents the tow- glove 42 to be applied over the ball. The two barrier clasps 26, in which the axle spindle is applied, will in the extended position of the hitch lie against one lower, rounded end of the circular slot 22, in which position the hitch can take draw load and forces directed upwards while forces directed inwards, such as braking force from a trailer, and forces directed downwards are taken up by the locking surface 29. In the buffer cover 13, which can be produced of a suitable plastic material, is right ahead of the hitch arranged a lid 33, which is openable around a hinge 34. The in the figures 6 and 7 shown embodiment concerns a motor-driven hitch device where remote control of the hitch can occur electically directly from the driving compartment. Constructively the electric driven version differs from the manual only through that on the outside of the two tow attachments 14 is arranged an operating lever 35, which is turn fixed connected with a spline-axle 36, which extends through the pivot axle 20. An electric motor 37 with a gear 38 is arranged to turn the operating levels 35, which convey the hitch 15. In the operating levers is arranged an angled slot 39, comprising the slot parts 39a and 39b, which cooperates with a steering pin 40 arranged at the barrier clasp 26 in such a way, that the slot part 39a presses the barrier clasp down in the cavity 30 of the slot 22 and vice versa when the electric motor is reversed. One of the operating levers 35 cooperates in the end position of the lever with a micro switch (not shown) which breaks the current to the electric motor. For safety the manually actuated operating handle with the locking device 27 can exist also in this embodiment to make it possible to operate the hitch in an emergency situation. The invention is not limited to the shown and described embodiments but a lot of variations are possible within the scope of the claims. The embodiments describe double tow attachments, barrier claps etc. but it is of course also possible that these elements are single if secure strength can be guaranted. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS 10 buffer 11 buffer beam 12 channel 13 buffer cover 14 tow attachment 15 hitch 16 1 st branch 17 hitch ball 18 2nd branch 19 drilling 0 pivot axle 1 drilling 2 slot 3 middle part 4 drilling 5 axle spindle 6 barrier clasp 7 locking device 8 spring 9 locking surface 0 cavity 1 operating handle 2 latch bolt lid hinge operating lever spline-axle electric motor gear angled slot a slot part b slot part steering pin carrier tow-glove

Claims: PATENT CLAIMS l.A hitching means for vehicles and of the type which comprises one pivotally at the buffer beam (11,12) attached hitch (15), which is pivotable from one in the buffer (10) retracted inoperative end position to a partly outside the buffer located extended operative end position, characterized in that the hitch (15) is channel-shaped, with a hitch ball arranged at a first branch end of the channel and with a pivot axle (20) at its other branch end, that the pivot axle (20) is mounted essentially horizontally in tow attachments (14) in the buffer beam (1 1,12), so that the middle part (23) of the hitch in retracted position is located essentially vertically and in extended position essentially horizontally, that a locking device (27) is arranged for locking the hitch (15) in its both end positions, that the locking device comprises a locking part, which is connected with the hitch within a transition part between the second branch (18) of the hitch and its middle part, that said locking part is arranged to be conveid by said transition part when the hitch rotates from the retracted inoperative end position to the extended operative end position and that the locking part in the extended position of the hitch is in engagement with a locking device, so that occurring load and force stresses are taken up in said transition part. 2. A hitching means according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking device is one at the hitch (15) pivotally mounted spring actuated barrier clasp (26), which is arranged to cooperate with at least one in said attachments (14) arranged slot (22), which extends along a part of a circle and which is concentrically with the pivot axle (20), and that in the slot (22) is arranged a locking surface (29) for cooperation with the barrier clasp (26) in the extended position of the hitch (15). 3. A hitching means according to claim 2, characterized in that the barrier clasp (26) against the actuation of a spring (28) is pivotable with the aid of an operating handle (31) from a locked position to a position in which the barrier clasp (26) is free from the locking surface (29) and movable in the slot (22). 4. A hitching means according to claim 3, characterized in that the barrier clasp (26) is provided with a spring actuated latch bolt (32), which is arranged to lock the barrier clasp (26) in at least one of its end positions in the slot (22), and which latch bolt is actuatable by said operating handle (31). 5. A hitching means according to claim 4, characterized in that the operating handle (31) in the locking position of the latch bolt (32) is turnable from one position, in which it prevents the application of a tow-glove (42) on the hitch ball (17) to a position in which it allows free access to the hitch ball. 6. A hitching means according to claim 2, characteized in that the locking surface (29) is located outside and below the circular path of the slot (22). 7. A hitching means according to claim 1, characterized in that on the pivot axle (20) is pivotably mounted at least one on the outside of the attachment (14) arranged operating lever (35), which is in connection with a driving device (37) for transmission of power for pivoting of the hitch, and that connecting means (39,40) are arranged between the operating lever (35) and the barrier clasp (26), which connecting means are arranged to in one direction of rotation of the driving device keep the barrier clasp in engagement with one at the slot arranged locking surface (29) and when reversing the driving device disengage the barrier clasp from its locking position.

Inventors: PILHALL STIG, PILHALL, STIG
Applicants: PILHALL STIG, VOLVO AB, AB VOLVO, PILHALL, STIG
Application year: 1998
Main classification: B60D1
IPC codes: B60D1