Adjustable drawbar
AssigneeSystematics Limited
InventorRaymond Owers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adjustable drawbar for a towed vehicle, such as a trailer, which allows it to be connected to a towing vehicle. It includes a hollow member which is configured with an opening along a surface and slidably receives an extension member. The extension member includes a guide which is dimensioned to be received by the opening. When the extension member is axially rotated in a first direction, the guide is engaged with the hollow member and prevents slidable movement. When the extension member is axially rotated in a second direction, the guide is disengaged from the opening and slidable movement is permitted. In this manner, the length of the drawbar may be adjusted as required, for example, to reduce the overall footprint of the trailer when being stored in a confined area.
Claims13
An attachment for a vehicle to be towed by a towing vehicle, the attachment including:
- a hollow member having an elongate dimension and a substantially square cross-sectional profile, and wherein the hollow member is configured to be attached to the chassis of the vehicle to be towed;
- a hollow extension member having an elongate dimension and a substantially circular cross-sectional profile, wherein the extension member is configured to be slidably received within the hollow member, wherein the extension member includes, at or proximate an end, a coupling configured to mate with a complementary coupling of the towing vehicle;
- characterised in that
- the hollow extension member includes a guide extending transversely from the elongate dimension of the extension member, and wherein the hollow member includes at least one opening substantially complementary to the guide, and wherein the extension member is configured to be axially rotatable relative to the hollow member, and wherein the guide and opening are arranged to limit the axial rotation of the extension member, and wherein axial rotation of the hollow extension member in a first direction engages the guide with the opening to prevent slidable movement of the hollow extension member relative to the hollow member, and wherein axial rotation of the extension member in a second direction disengages the guide from the opening into a first right angle interior corner of the substantially square cross-sectional profile of the hollow member to permit slidable movement of the hollow extension member relative to the hollow member.
A vehicle to be towed by a towing vehicle, wherein the vehicle to be towed is configured with a chassis, the chassis including:
- a hollow member having an elongate dimension and a substantially square cross-sectional profile;
- a hollow extension member having an elongate dimension and a substantially circular cross-sectional profile, and wherein the hollow extension member is configured to be slidably received within the hollow member, wherein the hollow extension member includes, at or proximate an end, a coupling configured to mate with a complementary coupling of the towing vehicle;
- characterised in that the hollow extension member includes a guide extending transversely from the elongate dimension of the hollow extension member, and wherein the hollow member includes at least one opening substantially complementary to the guide, and wherein the hollow extension member is configured to be axially rotatable relative to the hollow member, and wherein the guide and opening are arranged to limit the axial rotation of the extension member, and wherein axial rotation of the hollow extension member in a first direction engages the guide with the opening to prevent slidable movement of the hollow extension member relative to the hollow member, and wherein axial rotation of the extension member in a second direction disengages the guide from the opening into a first right angle interior corner of the substantially square cross-sectional profile of the hollow member to permit slidable movement of the hollow extension member relative to the hollow member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.