Jacknife warning system

A warning system of the type used with a towed vehicle and a towing vehicle to determine the relative orientation thereof, said warning system comprising:

• base means mounted on the towed vehicle, sensing means attached to said base means and extending outwardly therefrom in communicating disposition relative to the towing vehicle, said sensing means comprising at least two elongated arms, each arm formed from an electrically conductive material, each of said two arms electrically connected in parallel to one another, and disposed and configured to extend laterally outwardly from said base means, each of said arms comprising a plurality of arm portions interconnected to one another in telescoping relation so as to be adjustable outwardly along a longitudinal axis of each arm in substantially opposite directions, each of said arm members disposed to extend outwardly from said base into engagement with a conductive portion of the towing vehicle, when the towed and towing vehicles are in a predetermined spaced relation to one another, whereby relative movement of the towed and the towing vehicle toward one another beyond the point of engagement of one of said arm members and a connective portion of the towing vehicle is regulated;
• said base means comprising a plate element formed from insulating material and securely attached to the towed vehicle, adjusting means disposed in movable, interconnecting relation between each of said two arms, whereby each of said two arms is adjustably positioned relative to said plate element, said plate element disposed to define an insulated barrier between each of said arms and the towed vehicle;
• indicator means mounted on the towing vehicle in communicating position relative to an operator thereof, electrical circuit means defined at least in part by a power source, each of said arms, a switch, said indicating means and an electrically conductive portion of the towing vehicle, whereby said electric circuit means is completed upon engagement between the conductive portion of the towing vehicle and one of said arm members.