IMPROVEMENTS IN CONNECTING LINKAGES BETWEEN VEHICLES AND TRAILERS

1306443 Tractor hitches COUNTY COMMERCIAL CARS Ltd 16 June 1971 [3 July 1970] 32391/70 Heading A1P A linkage 19 connects a tractor 10 to a trailer 14 of the type applying a downward load to the tractor. The linkage resolves this force into two components whose lines of action, shown by broken lines, meet at a point 25, through which point the resultant force acts. The trailer is connected by a vertical pivot to a joining piece 27, which is connected to member 23 through a bore 26. Upper and lower links 20, 21 are pivotally attached to member 23 and to the tractor body, and have the shape of wish bones. The upper link 20 may be adjustable by means of a hydraulic ram (31), Fig. 3 (not shown) which can apply a force to the linkage to assist weight transfer. In an alternative embodiment. Fig. 5, the pivot connections are replaced by roller-slot bearings, the slots being in two pairs of vertical plates (50, 51), Fig. 6 (not shown).