Pin box assembly with gooseneck coupler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9944137-B2
Application number	US-201113392283-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 21, 2011
Priority date	Sep 21, 2010
Publication date	Apr 17, 2018
Grant date	Apr 17, 2018

Abstract

A pin box assembly with gooseneck coupler for coupling a towed vehicle to a towing vehicle is described. The pin box assembly may include a first member capable of being secured to a towed vehicle and a second member pivotally coupled to the first member about an axis of rotation relative to the first member. The pin box assembly may further include a gooseneck ball coupler coupled to the second member, and a suspension system coupled to at least one of the first and second members, the suspension system damping motion between the first and second members.

First claim

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed:

1. A towing assembly comprising:
a first member configured to be attached to a towed vehicle in a fixed orientation;
a second member movably coupled to said first member;
a suspension system coupled to at least one of said first and second members, said suspension system capable of restricting relative movement between said first and second members;
an indicator secured to at least one of said first and second members wherein said indicator is capable of identifying occurrence of said suspension system failing to restrict relative movement between said first and second members; and
a gooseneck ball coupler attached to said second member and capable of moving upon movement of said second member, said gooseneck ball coupler configured to engage and disengage with a ball portion of a gooseneck ball on a towing vehicle.

2. The towing assembly of claim 1 , wherein said indicator comprises a pair of pins secured to said second member.

3. The towing assembly of claim 2 , wherein said pins are capable of damaging to indicate said suspension system failing to restricting relative motion.

4. The towing assembly of claim 1 , wherein said indicator identifies failure of said suspension system to restrict relative movement between said first and second members without becoming disengaged.

5. The towing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second member is pivotally coupled with the first member.

Assignees

• Curl Michael R
• Mccoy Richard W
• Horizon Global Americas Inc

Inventors

• Curl Michael R
• Mccoy Richard W

Classifications

• B62D53/08

  Fifth wheel traction couplings {(tractors for handling trailers in terminals B62D49/007)} · CPC title

• B62D53/0871

  with stabilising means, e.g. to prevent jack-knifing, pitching, rolling, buck jumping (stabilising in general B62D37/00; tractors B62D49/08) · CPC title

• B60D1/065

  characterised by the hitch mechanism · CPC title

• B60D1/249 Primary

  for damping in the pulling direction and being integrated with the hitch, e.g. resilient dampers integrated with the hitch · CPC title

• B62D53/0828 Primary

  Removable or fold-away traction couplings for non-specialised tractor vehicles · CPC title