FIFTH-WHEEL COUPLING HAVING SECURING APPARATUS

Abstract

A fifth wheel coupling includes a fifth wheel coupling plate having a bearing surface having a normal and an retraction opening for a king pin and configured to prevent the king pin from being moved out of the retraction opening when in a closed position, and allow the king pin to be moved out of the retraction opening when in an open position, an actuating device having an actuating area extending along a longitudinal axis and configured to transfer the locking mechanism from the closed position to the open position, and a transmission area configured to transfer forces to the locking mechanism, and a safety device including a locking arrangement pivotably mounted about a pivot axis such that the locking arrangement can be moved into a locking position and into a release.

Claims

1.-14. (canceled)

15. A fifth wheel coupling, comprising: a fifth wheel coupling plate having a bearing surface and a retraction opening for a king pin, wherein the bearing surface has a normal, and wherein the retraction opening extends in a retraction direction; a locking mechanism configured such that, in a closed position, the locking mechanism indirectly and/or directly prevents the king pin from being extended out of the retraction opening in a positive-locking manner, and wherein the locking mechanism in an open position allows the king pin to be extended from the retraction opening; an actuating device comprising an actuating area including a handle, and a transmission area, wherein the actuating device extends along a longitudinal axis, wherein the actuating device is configured to transfer the locking mechanism from the closed position to the open position by a displacement of the actuating device in a direction of actuation, and wherein the transmission area is configured to transmit forces and/or moments to the locking mechanism indirectly or directly; and a safety device comprising a locking arrangement pivotably mounted about a pivot axis such that the locking arrangement can be moved into a locking position and into a release position, wherein the locking arrangement in the locking position positively prevents a transfer of the locking mechanism from the closed position to the open position, wherein the pivot axis is substantially parallel to the normal, and wherein the locking arrangement is mounted to the fifth wheel coupling plate.

16. The fifth wheel coupling according to claim 15, wherein the locking arrangement is exclusively rotatably pivotable about the pivot axis.

17. The fifth wheel coupling according to claim 16, wherein the safety device further comprises an actuating device, wherein the actuating device has a power port, and wherein the actuating device is configured such that the locking arrangement can be transferred from the locking position to the release position by the actuating device.

18. The fifth wheel coupling according to claim 17, wherein the safety device further comprises a pretensioning arrangement configured such that a pretensioning force and/or a pretensioning moment is exerted by the pretensioning arrangement on the locking arrangement in the direction of the locking position.

19. The fifth wheel coupling according to claim 18, wherein the safety device further comprises a manual release device.

20. The fifth wheel coupling according to claim 19, wherein the actuating device further includes a taper section that tapers toward the actuation area, and wherein the taper section is configured to positively prevent a transfer of the locking mechanism from the closed position to the open position, when the locking arrangement is in the locked position, by contact with a part of the fifth wheel coupling plate.

21. The fifth wheel coupling according to claim 19, wherein the locking arrangement is configured such that the locking arrangement is self-locking.

22. The fifth wheel coupling according to claim 21, wherein the locking arrangement includes a locking claw.

23. The fifth wheel coupling according to claim 22, wherein the locking arrangement includes a contact area configured to be engaged when the locking arrangement is in the locked position, contacting the actuating device indirectly or directly.

24. The fifth wheel coupling according to claim 23, wherein a projection of the contact area onto the longitudinal axis is at least partially closer to the actuation area than a projection of the pivot axis onto the longitudinal axis, when the locking arrangement is in the locked position.

25. The fifth wheel coupling according to claim 24, wherein the fifth wheel coupling is configured such that a transfer of the locking arrangement by positive locking from the release position to the locked position is prevented when the locking mechanism is in the open position.

26. The fifth wheel coupling according to claim 15, further comprising: a disengaging cylinder arranged and configured such that the actuating device can be displaced indirectly and/or directly in the direction of actuation by the disengaging cylinder.

27. The fifth wheel coupling according to claim 15, wherein the safety device further comprises an actuating device, wherein the actuating device has a power port, and wherein the actuating device is configured such that the locking arrangement can be transferred from the locking position to the release position by the actuating device.

28. The fifth wheel coupling according to claim 15, wherein the safety device further comprises a pretensioning arrangement configured such that a pretensioning force and/or a pretensioning moment is exerted by the pretensioning arrangement on the locking arrangement in the direction of the locking position.

29. The fifth wheel coupling according to claim 15, wherein the safety device further comprises a manual release device.

30. The fifth wheel coupling according to claim 15, wherein the actuating device further includes a taper section that tapers toward the actuation area, and wherein the taper section is configured to positively prevent a transfer of the locking mechanism from the closed position to the open position, when the locking arrangement is in the locked position, by contact with a part of the fifth wheel coupling plate.

31. The fifth wheel coupling according to claim 15, wherein the locking arrangement is configured such that the locking arrangement is self-locking.

32. The fifth wheel coupling according to claim 15, wherein the locking arrangement includes a locking claw.

33. The fifth wheel coupling according to claim 15, wherein the locking arrangement includes a contact area configured to be engaged when the locking arrangement is in the locked position, contacting the actuating device indirectly or directly.

34. The fifth wheel coupling according to claim 33, wherein a projection of the contact area onto the longitudinal axis is at least partially closer to the actuation area than a projection of the pivot axis onto the longitudinal axis, when the locking arrangement is in the locked position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Further advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description with reference to the Figures. Individual features of the embodiments shown can thereby also be used in other embodiments, unless this has been expressly excluded. Showing:

[0020] FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a fifth wheel coupling according to the invention;

[0021] FIG. 2 is a side view of a fifth wheel coupling according to the invention;

[0022] FIG. 3 is a detailed view of a fifth wheel coupling in the area of the safety device, wherein the safety device being in the locked position; and

[0023] FIG. 4 is a detailed view of a fifth wheel coupling in the area of the safety device, wherein the safety device is in the release position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0024] In FIG. 1, a fifth wheel coupling 1 is shown, wherein the fifth wheel coupling 1 has a fifth wheel coupling plate 10. The fifth wheel coupling plate 10 is shown from below in FIG. 1, so that the bearing surface of the fifth wheel coupling plate is not visible in FIG. 1. However, the normal N of the bearing surface is schematically shown in FIG. 1. The fifth wheel coupling plate 10 has a retraction opening 14 between two fifth wheel horns, which extends in the retraction direction E. In FIG. 1, the fifth wheel coupling 1 is shown in such a way that the locking mechanism 20 is in the closed position, so that disengagement or extension of the king pin against the retraction direction E from the retraction opening 14 is positively prevented by the locking mechanism 20. The locking mechanism 20 can be transferred from the closed position to the open position via the actuating device 30. This can be achieved, for example, by the disengagement cylinder 80 or by manual actuation of the actuating device 30. For this purpose, the actuating device 30 has an actuating area 32, which can be formed, for example—as in FIG. 1—by a manual engagement eyelet. The actuating device 30 can be displaced in the actuating direction B in order to transfer the locking mechanism 20 from the closed position to the open position. In order to transmit these forces or moments from the actuating device 30 to the locking mechanism 20, the actuating device 30 has a transmission area 34. In the embodiment example shown, the actuating direction B corresponds to the longitudinal axis L in which the actuating device 30 extends. Approximately centrally between the transmission area 34 and the actuation area 32, the actuation device 30 has a taper section 36, wherein in the taper section 36 the cross-section of the actuation device 30 tapers continuously in the direction of the actuation area 32. In order to achieve positive locking of the locking mechanism 20 or the actuating device 30, the fifth wheel coupling 1 has a safety device 40. This safety device 40 has a locking means 42, which is mounted so as to be pivotable about the pivot axis S. In the situation shown in FIG. 1, the pivot axis S is oriented parallel to the normal N of the bearing surface 12. In order to achieve automatic actuation of the locking means 42 of the safety device 40, the safety device 40 has an actuating device 44 in the form of a compressed air cylinder. However, in order to also achieve a manual transfer of the locking means 42 from the locking position shown in FIG. 1 to the release position, the safety device 40 also has a manual release device 48 in the form of a manual handle.

[0025] FIG. 2 shows a side view of a fifth wheel coupling 1. The fifth wheel coupling 1 has a fifth wheel coupling plate 10, which in turn has a bearing surface 12. This bearing surface 12 has a normal N.

[0026] FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of the fifth wheel coupling 1 in the area of the safety device 40. In FIG. 3, the locking means 42 is in the release position. The locking means 42 is mounted to pivot about the pivot axis S relative to the fifth wheel coupling plate 10 by means of a pin forming the pivot axis S. The locking means 42 is configured as a locking claw and has a contact area 50. This contact area 50 is designed to contact and/or be able to contact directly with parts of the actuating device 30 in the locked position. The actuating device 30 extends in the direction of the longitudinal axis L, wherein this longitudinal axis L is parallel or at least substantially parallel to the actuating direction B. In principle, the detailed view shown in FIG. 3 can thereby belong to the fifth wheel coupling 1 shown in FIG. 1 and/or to the fifth wheel coupling 1 shown in FIG. 2.

[0027] FIG. 4 shows the situation already depicted in FIG. 3, wherein in FIG. 4 the locking means 42 is in the locked position. As can be seen from FIG. 4, displacement of the actuating device 30 in the actuating direction B is thereby positively prevented by the interaction of the locking means 42 with the tapered section 36 of the actuating device 30 and with the fifth wheel coupling plate 10. Therefore, FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the invention in which the locking means in the locked position indirectly positively prevents transfer of the locking mechanism 20 from the closed position to the open position.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0028] 1—Fifth wheel coupling [0029] 10—Fifth wheel coupling plate [0030] 12—Bearing area [0031] 14—Retraction opening [0032] 20—Locking mechanism [0033] 30—Actuating device [0034] 32—Actuating area [0035] 34—Transmission area [0036] 36—Taper section [0037] 40—Safety device [0038] 42—Locking means [0039] 44—Actuating device [0040] 46—Pretensioning agent [0041] 48—Manual release device [0042] 50—Contact area [0043] 80—Disengaging cylinder [0044] B—direction of actuation [0045] E—retract direction [0046] L—longitudinal axis [0047] N—normal of the bearing surface [0048] S—pivot axis