GB2137151A - Gooseneck Connector for a Semi-Trailer - Google Patents

Abstract

A gooseneck 1 includes a tongue 2 for location within the socket of a semi-trailer, and is characterised in that the gooseneck is provided with a movement-restriction member 8 for restricting the vertical movement or play of the tongue within the socket said movement-restricting member 8 being selectively extendable and withdrawable relative to said tongue. Preferably there is also provided an additional fixed or, as shown, movable stop member 25 extending upwardly of the tongue for co-operating with a surface of the socket. An audible or visible indicator may be provided to indicate the position of the movement-restricting member 8. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Coupling for Gooseneclo'Semi-trailer Combination This invention relates to a gooseneck connector and to a tractor/gooseneck!semi-trailer combination.

Such a gooseneck connector is generally employed to engage a tractor and a semi-trailer in ro-ro operations. Conventionally a tongue of the gooseneck is provided with a downwardly projecting toe at its distal end, so that when the tongue is fully inserted into a socket of a semitrailer and the gooseneck is rotated about a transverse horizontal axis into an engaging position the toe lodges in a recess provided at the rear of the socket.

Various methods have been proposed for decreasing the likelihood of accidental uncoupling of a gooseneck from a semi-trailer such as that of Applicants' British Patent Publication No.

2035239. In that publication there is disclosed an arrangement in which the two at the end of the tongue of a gooseneck is capable of being extended downwardly of the tongue thereby to increase the safe range over which relative movement between the gooseneck and semitrailer can occur. In another arrangement recently proposed an end portion of the gooseneck of a generally rectangular transverse section is arranged to be eccentrically pivotable between an insertion position in which the major axis of said section is generally horizontal and a secural position in which said major axis is generally vertical, thereby to form a downwardly extending toe of some 100 mm depth.

Experience has shown however that both of these prior art solutions to the problem of accidental uncoupling can still be unsafe in practice.

A further solution is shown in European Patent Publication No. 0012121 and involves a movable latching member; this solution, however, requires the modification of the semi-trailer by provision in its socket of a latch-engaging recess. In view of the large number of conventional semi-trailers in use such a solution is unsatisfactory.

According to the present invention there is provided a gooseneck connector for a semi-trailer having a socket which gooseneck includes a tongue for location within the socket, characterized in that the gooseneck is provided with movement-restriction means for restricting the vertical movement or play of the tongue within the socket, said movement-restricting means being selectively extendable and withdrawable relative to said tongue.

Preferably said movement-restricting means takes the form of a member extendable downwardly from the tongue. In a preferred embodiment the member comprises an angled member, one arm of which is arranged to extend downwardly from the tongue of the gooseneck when the member is rotated about a pivot point.

It is generally to be preferred that an additional member or stop be provided extending upwardly of the tongue for co-operating with a surface of the socket further to enhance the safety of the gooseneck/semi-trailer combination. Suitably, of course, the relative locations of the movementrestricting member and the additional member or stop is such that the tongue physically cannot be removed from the socket of the-semi-trailer when the said movement-restricting member is in its extended position, no matter how extreme becomes the angle between the tongue and the socket Preferably said additional member or stop is also arranged to be extendable and withdrawable of the tongue. In a preferred embodiment such extension or withdrawal occurs synchronously with extension and withdrawal of the said movement-restricting means.

The said movement-restricting member and/or said additional member may be operated by any suitable means such as pneumatic, hydraulic or mechanical means. Pneumatic operation is preferred since the necessary pressure can be derived from the pneumatic systems of the tractor vehicle which is to support the gooseneck.

The mechanism of the movement-restricting member and/or of said additional member may be such that it fails to a withdrawn position, e.g. by provision of suitable biassing springs or the like.

Indicator means, e.g. audible and/or visible, may be provided for indicating when the movement-restricting member and/or said additional member is in its extended position.

It is to be noted that in a preferred embodiment the movement-restricting member moves downwardly from within the gooseneck tongue which of necessity involves the provision of an aperture or recess within the tongue. Since the tongue is highly stressed in use (particularly in the case of a gooseneck rated at 25 tons) clearly the size of any such aperture or recess should be as small as possible. The same considerations apply also to an aperture or recess provided for the said additional member when that too is movable.

Preferably the gooseneck of the present invention is adapted for safety coupling with any .one of the semi-trailers currently in use, including those having sockets entrances of rectangular, hexagonal, (e.g. rectangular with additional facets across upper corners), pentagonal or domed shape.

Embodiment of a gooseneck according to the present invention will now be described, by way of example only by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the tongue portion of a gooseneck according to the present invention with a movement-restricting member in a withdrawn position; Fig. 2 is as Fig. 1 but showing the movement restricting member in an extended position; Fig. 3 is a plan of the tongue portion of the gooseneck shown in Fig. 1; Figs. 4 and 5 are side elevations of the said tongue portion of the gooseneck of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of the tongue portion of a further embodiment of a gooseneck according to the present invention with two movable members, shown in their withdrawn positions; Fig. 7 is as Fig. 6 but showing the movable members in their extended positions; and Fig. 8 is a plan of the tongue portion of the gooseneck shown in Fig. 6.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings, a gooseneck 1 includes a rearwardly projecting tongue 2, at the end of which there is provided a downwardly extending toe 3.

The tongue 2 is intended to be received within a socket 4 (shown in broken lines) of a semitrailer (not otherwise shown). After the tongue 2 has been inserted sufficiently deeply in socket 4 the gooseneck which is supported by the fifth wheel of a tractor is elevated to cause rotational movement of the tongue 2 relative to the socket 4 and thus to cause the toe 3 to engage over a cross-member 5 of the socket 4 and an upper surface 6 of the tongue 2 to bear against a crossmember 7 of the socket 3.

Within the tongue is located a movementrestricting member 8 in the form of an angled member pivotable with a horizontal stainless steel bar 9 journalled in the tongue 2. The bar 9 extends outwardly laterally of the tongue 2 and is provided at its end with means for manually moving the movement-restricting member 8. The member 8 can move from the withdrawn position shown in Fig. 1 to the extended position shown in Fig. 2 in which latter position the lower limb 10 of the member 8 acts to reduce the freedom of movement of the tongue 2 within the socket 4.

The member 8 is of massive construction, preferably of solid steel, 2 inches square in section.

The upper end of the member 8 is pivotably connected via pivot pin 11 to levers 12 arranged to pivot about fixed points 1 3 and connected via intermediate pivot pin 14 to a piston 1 5 of a pneumatically-operated piston and cylinder device 16. Pivot pin 11 extends outwardly laterally of the neck of the gooseneck 1 in slots 17 therein. The member 8 is biassed into its withdrawn position by coil springs 1 8. The device 1 6 is arranged to be connected to the pneumatic systems of a tractor not shown.

On the upper surface 6 of the tongue there is provided a stop 19 located so as to co-operate with the said cross-member 7 of the scoket 4 in the event that accidental uncoupling movement of the tongue 2 and socket 4 shoulder commence.

Movable indicator means 20 are provided at one or both sides of the gooseneck 1 for indicating to the driver whether the movementrestricting member is in a withdrawn or an engaged position. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the means 20 takes the form of a painted plate mounted on a lever 21 pivotable about intermediate pivot pin 14 movable by means of the action of pivot pin 11 in a slot 22 of lever 21 and in slot 17 of gooseneck 1.

Since the general working of the embodiment of Figs. 6 to 8 is similar to that of Figs. 1 to 5, this will not be described again. Reference numerals employed in Figs. 6 to 8 correspond to those employed in Figs. 1 to 5.

Referring to Figs. 6 to 8 of drawings, an upper surface 6 of a tongue 2 of a gooseneck 1 is provided with a recess 23. A laterally-extending pivot bar 24 is journalled in the tongue 2 and a stop member 25 is mounted for pivotal movement about the axis of said pivot bar 24. The stop member 25 includes a stop 19 at one end thereof and is provided at its other end with a pair of cam-follower or bearing surfaces 26 and 27, fashioned on opposite sides of a lug 28.

The movement-restricting member 8 in the form of an angled member pivotable about the axis of an horizontal stainless steel bar 9 has its internal angle specially shaped at 29 to receive the lug 28 and to provide cam surfaces 30, 31 for acting upon the cam follower or bearing surfaces 26 and 27.

The arrangement is such that as pneumatic piston and cylinder device 1 6 acts to pivot angled member 8 from a withdrawn to an extended position, so cam surface 30 acts upon bearing surface 26 and causes the stop member 25 to pivot about bar 24 thus to extend the stop 19.

Withdrawal is effected by a corresponding coaction between surfaces 31 and 27.

A cover piate 32 is provided for maintenance purposes.

By means of the present invention it can be ensured that it is impossible both in theory and in practice to disengage the tongue of a gooseneck from the socket of a semi-trailer with which it is coupled. Moreover, few if any compromises need to be made to the strength or robustness or to the operating convenience of the gooseneck/semitrailer concept.

By means of the embodiment of the present invention shown in Figs. 6 to 8, entry and removal of the gooseneck into and from the socket of a semi-trailer is further facilitated, whilst improved safety can be achieved due to the fact that the stop 1 9 can be made deeper thus further reducing the possibility of accidental uncoupling.

Claims (12)

1. A gooseneck connector for a semi-trailer having a socket which gooseneck includes a tongue for location within the socket, characterized in that the gooseneck is provided with movement-restriction means for restricting the vertical movement or play of the tongue within the socket, said movement-restricting means being selectively extendable and withdrawable relative to said tongue.

2. A gooseneck connector according to Claim 1, wherein the movement-restriction means is in the form of a member extendable downwardly of the tongue.

3. A gooseneck connector according to Claim 2, wherein said member comprises an angled member, one arm of which is arranged to extend downwardly from the tongue of the gooseneck when the member is rotated about a pivot member.

4. A gooseneck connector according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein an additional member or stop is provided extending upwardly of the tongue for co-operating with a surface of the socket of the semi-trailer.

5. A gooseneck connector according to Claim 4, wherein said additional member or stop is arranged to be extendable and withdrawable of the tongue.

6. A gooseneck connector according to Claim 5, wherein the extension or withdrawal of the additional member or stop occurs synchronously with extension and withdrawal of the said movement-restricting means.

7. A gooseneck connector according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the movement-restricting means, and the said additional member or stop if present, is arranged such that failure will cause it to move to a withdrawn position.

8. A gooseneck connector according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein indicator means are provided for indicating when the movement-restricting means and/or said additional member or stop if present is in its extended position.

9. A gooseneck connector according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the movement-restricting means and/or said additional member or stop if present is adapted to be pneumatically operated.

10. A gooseneck connector for a semi-trailer, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5 or 6 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.

11. A combination of a semi-trailer having a socket, and a gooseneck connector as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

12. The features hereinbefore disclosed, or their equivalents, in any novel selection.