Abstract:
A coupler includes a first telescopic member having a first pair of coaxially aligned apertures, and a second telescopic member having a second pair of coaxially aligned apertures. The second pair of apertures is capable of coaxial alignment with the first pair of apertures during telescopic engagement between the first and second telescopic members. A pin member having a head is capable of insertion through the coaxially aligned first and second pairs of apertures. At least one of the second apertures is sized to receive the head therethrough to engage the first telescopic member.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to a coupler for securing a trailer to a towing vehicle, and more particularly to a gooseneck coupler having an anti-rattle device. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    With the increased popularity of recreational vehicles, manufacturers are designing and building vehicles of varying proportions and features. While many recreational vehicles, or trailers, continue to be hitched to the rear end of a towing vehicle through a coupler on the trailer and a hitch on the towing vehicle, larger vehicles have been developed which include a portion extending over the back of the towing vehicle. Examples of such large vehicles include fifth wheel trailers which couple to a specialized hitch mounted within the bed of a pick-up truck and trailers incorporating a gooseneck coupler that is secured to a ball mounted inside the pickup truck bed, usually directly over the rear axle. 
         [0003]    Typically, a gooseneck coupler includes a pair of telescoping tubes with a first tube being fixedly secured to a towing vehicle and the second tube being fixedly secured to a trailer. The first tube includes a pair of coaxially aligned apertures. Similarly, the second tube includes a pair of coaxially aligned apertures. The second tube telescopically slides over the first tube until the apertures of the second tube are in coaxial alignment with the apertures of the first tube or visa-versa. A cross-pin is then disposed through both pairs of apertures to couple the first and second tubes to one another thereby releasably coupling the trailer to the towing vehicle. The cross-pin may be held into place by a fastener such as a nut, cotter pin, or the like. 
         [0004]    In use, the towing vehicle may encounter various road conditions, which may result in significant impact loading of the towing vehicle&#39;s rear axle that may be transferred through the vehicle&#39;s frame and associated componentry directly to the gooseneck coupler. This impact loading may cause elongation of one or both pairs of tube apertures. Over time, the elongation of these apertures will make it increasingly difficult to align and insert the cross-pin therethrough. In addition, portions of the tubes surrounding the apertures may crack, which may lead to tube fracture and failure. Moreover, the impact loading may cause cross-pin deformation, making it increasingly difficult to insert and remove the cross-pin from the apertures, and, over time, the cross-pin may fracture resulting in damage to the gooseneck coupler, towing vehicle, trailer and cargo. 
         [0005]    Consequently, there exists a significant need for a more durable gooseneck coupler, which will better handle imposed vertical impact loading, and which will be relatively simple and cost effective to produce. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    An embodiment of the present invention provides for a coupler. The coupler includes a first telescopic member having a first pair of coaxially aligned apertures, and a second telescopic member having a second pair of coaxially aligned apertures. The second pair of apertures is capable of coaxial alignment with the first pair of apertures during telescopic engagement between the first and second telescopic members. A pin member having a head is capable of insertion through the coaxially aligned first and second pairs of apertures. At least one of the second apertures is sized to receive the head there through to engage the first telescopic member. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The present invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the views and in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a towing vehicle connected to a trailer incorporating an adjustable gooseneck coupler embodying the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a partial perspective view of the gooseneck coupler; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a partial first side view of the gooseneck coupler without a cross-pin inserted into the apertures; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a partial second side view of the gooseneck coupler with a cross-pin inserted into the apertures. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    Referring first to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a towing vehicle  10 , such as a pick-up truck having a cargo bed  12  and a passenger cab  14 , and a trailer  16  adapted to be towed by the vehicle  10 . The trailer  16  may include a housing compartment  18  supported on at least one set of wheel axles  20  to roll along the road  22 . The trailer  16  may also have an overhanging portion  24  which extends above the truck cargo bed  12  when the vehicles  10  and  16  are coupled; however it will be understood that the trailer  16  may not necessarily include an overhanging portion. The truck bed  12  may include a hitch ball or similar structure for detachably receiving a gooseneck coupler  30  in accordance with the present invention. Also, it will be appreciated that the gooseneck coupler  30  may be coupled to the towing vehicle  10  in a location other than the truck bed. 
         [0014]    Referring now  FIGS. 2 through 5 , the gooseneck coupler  30  includes a pair of telescoping tubes—an inner tube  32  and outer tube  34 . The inner tube  32  may be releasably coupled to the towing vehicle  10 , typically within the truck bed  12 ; alternatively, the inner tube  32  may be fixedly secured to the trailer  16 , typically the underside of the trailer overhang  24 . As best shown in  FIG. 3 , the inner tube  32  may include a pair of coaxially aligned apertures  31 . While the inner tube  32  is shown having a substantially square cross-section, it will be appreciated that any suitable cross-section may be employed, including but not limited to circular, triangular, rectangular, hexagonal, or the like. In addition, while the inner tube  32  is shown as having a substantially hollow cross-section, it will be understood that the inner tube  32  may have a substantially solid cross-section. 
         [0015]    The outer tube  34  may be fixedly secured to the trailer  16 , typically the underside of the trailer overhang  24 ; alternatively, the outer tube  34  may be releasably coupled to the towing vehicle  10 , typically within the truck bed  12 . As best shown in  FIG. 3 , the outer tube  34  may include a pair of coaxially aligned apertures  36  and  36   a . In one embodiment, the first aperture  36   a  is larger in diameter than the second aperture  36  and is sized to receive a head  42  of a cross-pin such that the head  42  maybe drawn into the first aperture  36   a . The first aperture  36   a  and head  42  may have complimentarily shaped cross-sections such that engagement of the head  42  within the aperture  36   a  prevents rotation of the cross-pin  40 . For example, the first aperture  36   a  may have a triangular cross-section, square cross-section, hexagonal cross-section, circular cross-section, or the like. 
         [0016]    Additionally, the outer tube  34  may be reinforced about the second aperture  36  to distribute load from a nut  54 , or other similar fastener, situated about the second aperture  36 . For example, in one embodiment as illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , a washer  50  may be welded on an exterior surface of the outer tube  34  and in alignment with the second aperture  36  to distribute load from a nut  54  situated about the second aperture  36 . Further, while the outer tube  34  is shown having a substantially square cross-section, it will be appreciated that any suitable cross-section may be employed, including but not limited to circular, triangular, rectangular, hexagonal, or the like. 
         [0017]    A cross-pin  40  may be used to couple the inner tube  32  and outer tube  34  together. The cross-pin  40  may have any suitable cross-section such that the cross-pin  40  may extend through both pairs of apertures  36 ,  36   a  and  31  and washer  50 . For example, the cross-pin  40  may have a circular cross-section, square cross-section, triangular cross-section, hexagonal cross-section, or the like. The cross-pin  40  may include a head  42 . In one embodiment, the head  42  is located at a trailing end of the cross-pin  40 ; alternatively, the head  42  may be located on the cross-pin  40  between a trailing and a leading end  44 . As previously mentioned, the first aperture  36   a  and head  42  may have complimentarily shaped cross-sections such that engagement of the head  42  within the aperture  36   a  prevents rotation of the cross-pin  40 . For example, the head  42  may have a triangular cross-section, square cross-section, hexagonal cross-section, or the like. 
         [0018]    The cross-pin  40  may also include a threaded portion  46  for threadably receiving a nut  54 . In one embodiment, the threaded portion  46  is located at a leading end  44  of the cross-pin  40 ; alternatively, the threaded portion  46  may be located on the cross-pin  40  between a trailing end and a leading end  44 . A nut  54  may threadably engage the threaded portion  46  to partially draw the cross-pin  40  through the apertures  36 ,  36   a  and  31  as well as hold the cross-pin  40  in place. However, it will be appreciated that any suitable fastener, such as a cotter pin or the like, may be used to hold the cross-pin  40  in place. 
         [0019]    In use, the outer tube  34  and inner tube  32  are telescopically engaged whereby both pairs of apertures  36 ,  36   a  and  31  are coaxially aligned. The cross-pin  40  is inserted through both pairs of apertures  36 ,  36   a  and  31  such that the head  42  is received by the first aperture  36   a  and such that a leading end  44  extends through the second aperture  36  and washer  50 . The nut  54  is threadably engaged with the threaded portion  46  of the cross-pin  40 . 
         [0020]    Rotation of the nut  54  in a first direction will cause the cross-pin  40  to move radially inwardly such that the head  42  is drawn into the first aperture  36   a  to engage and bias the inner tube  32  against an opposing interior side  33  of the outer tube  34  thereby providing substantial normal and frictional forces between the outer  34  and inner  32  tubes. These normal and frictional forces act to maintain the inner tube  32 , both positionally and rotationally, within the outer tube  34 . Consequently, impact forces may be transferred to the outer tube  34 , not only through direct bearing of the cross-pin  40 , but also through the normal and frictional contact between the outer tube  34  and inner tube  32  thereby reducing the amount of impact transferred to the apertures  36 ,  36   a  and  31  and cross-pin  40 . Rotation of the nut  54  in a second opposite direction will cause the cross-pin  40  to move radially outwardly such that the head  42  is drawn away from the inner tube  32  thereby disengaging the inner tube  32  from the interior side  33  of the outer tube  34 . 
         [0021]    Having shown and described the preferred embodiment, further adaptations of the methods and systems described herein may be accomplished by appropriate modifications by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and principles of the present invention. Several potential modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should be considered in terms of the following claims and is understood not to be limited to the details of the embodiment shown and described above.