Patent GB-654773-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in electrically propelled articulated vehicles
IPC: B62D59/04
Filed: 1948-05-21
Abstract: 654,773. Articulated road vehicle. WILSON, A. R., and WALSON, Ltd. May 21, 1948, No. 13850. [Class 79 (iii)] [Also in Groups XXXII, XXXVI and XXXVII] In an articulated motor road vehicle having the tractor driven by an electric motor and the tractor and trailer each having a set of batteries, means are provided so that when the tractor and trailer are coupled together the motor is connected to the trailer batteries and when the tractor and trailer are uncoupled, the motor is connected to the tractor batteries. As shown the invention is applied to the tractor 1 carrying its batteries 10 and the trailer 2 carrying its batteries 11, which latter are mounted by means of lateral brackets 13 slidably engaged with channels 12, the batteries 11 being mounted fore and aft of the rear axle. The coupling means between the tractor and trailer includes ramps 3 on the tractor on which rollers 4 on the trailer can run, the rollers 4 being associated with a transverse beam 5 carrying the lower member 6 of a turntable and coupling hooks 8 controlled by remote means engage the cross beam 5. A central bolt 9 on the beam 5 is axially bored to carry a cable 15 having leads connected to the batteries 11 on the trailer and to contacts 15<SP>1</SP> carried in the forward end of the bolt 9 by means of a cap nut 18. Resiliently mounted by means of blocks 221 on a tractor frame member 23 is a switch housing 22, between a boss 27 and a bush 20 on which is mounted a sleeve 26, a spring 28 urging the sleeve to the right in Fig. 5 when the tractor is not coupled to the trailer in order that contacts 32, 33 respectively connected to the tractor motor and the tractor batteries 10 can be connected through a contact ring 31 carried on the sleeve 26 by means of an insulator 30. When the tractor and trailer are coupled, the cap nut 18 enters a flared mouth 19 of the bush 20, the sleeve 26 is urged to the left in Fig. 5 against the action of the spring 28, the connection between the contacts 32, 33 via the ring 31 is broken and the motor is connected to the trailer batteries 11 by the contacts 151 engaging conductor bars 39 on a plug 35 carried by the sleeve 26, the conductor bars 39 being contacted due to the movement of the sleeve 26 by contacts 38 carried by an insulated socket 36 secured to the boss 27 by a cap nut 37, and the contacts 38 being connected by leads to the tractor motor. In a modification, Figs. 8, 9, of the switching arrangement a switch box 44 having a " snap-over " action is resiliently carried by the tractor and comprises a spindle 43 carrying a spring urged arm 42 and a head 51, the head being rotated by abutments 46 on the spindle. The head carries an arm 47 with contacts 48 which when the tractor is not coupled to the trailer bridges contacts 49 to connect the tractor motor to the tractor batteries via leads 61, 61a and the head 51 is connected by a lug 52 to a reaction plunger 53 pivoted at 54 on the switch box. The arm 42 is adapted to be engaged by a stop 41 carried by a bracket 40 on a suitable part of the trailer on coupling of the tractor and trailer, which engagement causes the spindle 43 to be rotated and consequential movement of the head 51 breaking the connection between the contacts 49 and by means of the reaction plunger 53 causing the contacts 48 on the arm 47 to bridge contacts 55 which are connected by leads 56a, b, to the motor and a contact in an insulated socket 57, another contact in the socket 57 being connected by leads 56, 61a to the motor. Coupling of the tractor and trailer enables contacts connected to the trailer batteries and carried by a plug 59 resiliently mounted on the bracket 40 to make with the contacts in the socket 57, and thus connect the trailer batteries to the tractor motor. The contacts on the plug 59 and socket 57 engage in advance of the engagement of the contacts 48 with the contacts 55 to obviate arcing. Specification 622,757, [Group XXXII], is referred to.