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1. * GB780070 (A)
Description: GB780070 (A) ? 1957-07-31
Improvements relating to vehicle couplings
Description of GB780070 (A)
PATENT SPECIFICATION
Inventtor: HENRY EDWARD BILLINGTON 780,070 Date of filing Complete
Specification: April 14, 1955.
Application Date: April 14, 1954.
Complete Specification Published: July 31, 1957.
No. 10922/54.
Index at acceptance:-Classes 79(3), M; and 103(1), E(2B' 10).
International Classification:-1B62d.
COMPLETE SPEGOIFI,0ATION Improvements relating to Vehicle Couplings
We, BIRD AND BILLINGTON LIMITED, a British Company of, 37, Park
Street, Royal Leamington iSpa, in the 'County of Warwick, do hereby
declare the invention, for which we pray that a Patent may be granted
to us, and the method, by which it is to be performed, to be
particularly described in and by the following statement:-
The present invention relates to releasable couplings for connecting a
trailer vehicle with a towing vehicle, and refers to such couplings of
the kind wherein: the coupling member which is adapted for mounting on
the trailer vehicle includes a brake actuating element adapted to be
coupled to the trailer vehicle braking system and. to be displaced
towards an operative brake applying position in response to "overrun "
of the trailer vehicle relative to the towing vehicle such as occurs
when the latter is; decelerated or when descending hills, and wherein
there is also provided on the coupling member and in association with
such brake actuating element a manually operable brake applying member
which can be used to apply the brake of the trailer vehicle for
parking or when otherwise desired.
The object of the present invention is to provide a new or improvedi
construction primarily with a view to reducing the frequency and
extent of the periodic maintenance work on such coupling members and
with a view to promoting ease of operation of the manually operable

2. brake applying member and security of retention thereof in an
operative brake applying position.
With this object in view according to the present invention we provide
a coupling member of the kind referred to mounted or adapted for
mounting on a trailer vehicle characterised in that the manually
operable brake applying member is associated operatively with
releasable retention means which are enclosed in an inverted box-like
housing at the [Prices.,M.] upper end thereof so as not to become
fouled, corroded or obstructed by exposure to weather conditions or
dirt thrown up irn between. the towing vehicle and trailer.
In a preferred form of coupling member according to the present
invention such coupling member comprises a mounting member having an
attachment portion secured or adapted to be secured to the trailer
vehicle and having a hollow inverted, box-like housing in which is
mounted, for endwise sliding movement the shank of a coupling head
under constraint imposed by spring means acting ito move the shank
inwardly of the housing, the coupling head having a part co-operating
with or connected to a brake actuating member to displace same towards
an operative brake applying position when; the shank is slidden
endwise against said spring 'by endwise compression of the coupling
member as a whole, and said brake actuating member having a manually
operable handle or member integrally or otherwise fixed or connected
thereto for moving same to an operative position independently of the
coupling head, and a pawl or detent co-operating with a member having
ratchet teeth or other retentive formations accommodated in said
housing at the upper end thereof and coupled operatively with said
brake actuating member for retaining it releasably in an operative
brake applying position.
Preferably the brake actuating member may have a pant disposed in. the
path of the shank of the coupling head so as 'to be displaced towards
an operative brake applying position by rearward movement thereof, and
the brake actuating member may be connected' to a ratchet-toothed
rack-bar slidably mounted for endwise movement in said housing at the
upper end thereof with which bar is associated a pawl or detent having
its inner operative end disposed, within said housing.
A further feature of the invention is that we may provide a buffer of
rubber or other resilient shock-absorbent material in between an
abutment on the shank of 'the coupling head and a stop on or retained
by said housing so as to prevent or reduce the severity of the shock
load thereon caused when the shank is drawn forwardly by the towing
vehicle.
Preferably the buffer may be disposed inside the housing.
In order that the invention shall be fully understood same is now more
particularly described wvith reference to the accompanying drawings in

3. which:Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a coupling member:
Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1 and:
Fig. 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the lines 3-3
of Fig. 1.
The coupling member comprises a housing 10 of inverted box-lIke
formation made as a one-piece part with the open mouth 11 of the box
normally facing downwardly when the coupling member is in its
installed position, the lower edges of ithe housing having integral
flanges 12 projecting laterally to constitute a plate-like member in
combination with each other which extends on both sides of the housing
and for some distance rearvardly of the housing. This plate-like
member is provided with boles 13 extending through its thickness at
convenient positions for example in the frontal portion which lies in
advance of the housing and towards the rearward extremities of the
lateral parts or flanges, such holes being adapted to receive fixing
bolts for securing (the coupling member to the trailer vehicle
indicated at 14.
A further part of the coupling member comprises a coupling head 15 of
which the forward end is formed as a socket 16 for fitting over a ball
elemnent provided on a coupling member 17 which is adapted to be
mounted on the towing vehicle, such socket being provided with a
releasable retaining plunger constructed, arranged and adapted to
operate preferably in the manner described and claimed in our prior
British Patent Specification 664,988 either with or without the
improvements forming the subject of our copending patent application
7712/52, (Serial No. 7t.7,781).
A further part of the coupling head comprises a shank member 18 in the
form of a rod slidably mounted for endwise movement in openings formed
in the opposite end walls 19, 20 of the housing and projecting at its
forward end for connection to the socket portion.
In the interior of the housing this shank 18 is provided with an
abutment 21, conveniently in the form of a bolt, extending
transversely through the shank at a position approximately midway
between the ends of the housing, and rearwardly of this bolt and on
the shank is mounted a coiled compression spring 22 which, acting
between the bolt and the rear wall 20 of the housing, tends to urge
the shank in a forward direction. The abutment 21 may be in the form
of a collar instead of a bolt. 70 Movement in the forward direction is
limited by stop means, which, in accordance with a feature of the
present invention, are preferably provided in the form of a buffer 23
of resiliently vieldable material capable 75 of absorbing any sudden
shocks or jerks such as may occur when the towing vehicle is moving
off from rest.
This buffer is in the form of a rubber washer of a suitable thickness

4. measured in the axial 80 direction of the shank, for example inch or
thereabouts and forwardly of this buffer and also on the shank is a
tubular spacer 24 interposed between the forward face of the buffer
and the forward end 19 of the housing. Preferably, and as shown. the
buffer itself is enclosed by a local cover 25 such as a cup shaped
member of'sheet metal in order to prevent grease or other lubricant
from causing deterioration of the rubber in the course of 90 time.
At the rearward end of the housing and at a position somewhat below
ithe shank mounted therein the housing is formed with an integral fork
portion 26, or may have a forked bracket 95 secured thereto, and
between this fork is pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis
disposed somewhat beneath the level of the shank, a brake actuating
lever member 27 having an arm extending upwardly from the forked
pertion or bracket, and disposed in the path of the shank 18 when the
rearward end of the latter is displaced rearwardly due to compression
in the coupling member as a whole and resulting endwise movement of
the shank. 105 Conveniently, the brake actuating member is of inverted
"L" shape as viewed in side elevation, the lower end of its vertically
or approximately vertically extending limb 28 already referred to
being coupled or adapted 110 for coupling to the brake system of the
trailer vehicle, whilst the upper end of this vertically extending
limb is integrally connected with the further limb 29 which overlies
the housing in a horizontal or approximately horizontal position and
constitutes a manually operable member or handle by means of which the
brake can be applied for operating purposes independently of the
action of the shank.
For retaining this member 27 in its operative brake applying position
releasable retention means are provided in the interor of the housing
these preferably being in the form of a rack-bar 30 mounted above the
shank 18 but within the housing for endwise sliding movement parallel
to the shank. The bar is slidably mounted in the end wall 20 and a lug
31 and is formed with ratchet teeth 32 or other suitable formations
for co-operation with a pawl or detent 33 mounted on the housing. 130
780,0'70 is closely adjacent the opena underside of the housing
whereby the latter becomes substantially totally enclosed.
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