Abstract: A towing hook arranged on a mining machine, with a first end having a bent portion to allow a towing tool to be connected and a second end having a cylindrical rod. An intermediate part is located between the first and the second end. The towing hook is arranged to be mounted in a through hole in a frame of a machine in order for the first and second ends to be positioned on different sides of the machine frame. The intermediate part is mounted partly in the through hole of the frame, and wherein the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical rod is generally parallel with a longitudinal axis defined through the towing hook representing the force transmitting direction when connecting the towing tool to the bent portion.

Abstract: A vibration minimization towing hitch includes a shank attachable into the receiver tube the towing vehicle, and a separately formed head, such as for supporting a tow ball. The head is pivotable through a partial range of motion relative to the head, such as allowing the tow ball to pivot up to 7° downward or up to 3° upward. One or more compressible inserts are disposed in a pocket between the shank and the head, for resisting the limited pivotal motion of the head relative to the shank. A user performs a part of the assembly using two insertable pins or bolts, with insertion of the second pin compressing a compressible bumper which is separate from the insert(s).

Abstract: A tow apparatus includes a front bumper, a housing rigidly attached to the front bumper, and a tow hook slidable in the housing. The housing and the tow hook define a closed chamber, and the closed chamber is filled with a compressible fluid. Sliding the tow hook in the housing in a direction that decreases the volume of the closed chamber compresses the compressible fluid.

Abstract: A tow hook assembly includes a U-shaped tow hook received in a housing. The U-shaped tow hook includes first and second legs where the first and second legs each include forward and rearward locking flanges. The legs of the U-shaped tow hooks are received in a housing. The housing includes springs which bias the U-shaped tow hook in a forward direction and the locking flanges prevent the U-shaped tow hook from moving in a forward direction. The springs allow the U-shaped tow hook to deflect in a rearward direction upon a forward impact with the U-shaped tow hook.

Abstract: The disclosed inventive concept provides a trailer hitch arrangement for use with a drawbar that is adaptable to universally use a high strength conventional hitch pin. Particularly, a reducing pin sleeve is fitted into the hitch pin hole of the drawbar. The inner diameter of the reducing pin sleeve is less than the hitch pin hole conventionally formed in the drawbar while the inner diameter of the reducing pin sleeve is the same as that of the receiver. When the drawbar is fitted into the receiver, the reducing pin sleeve is captured therein, thus preventing side-to-side movement relative to the drawbar. The disclosed inventive concept allows vehicle owners having a standard 3? receiver trailer hitch which conventionally includes a ?? hitch pin hole to safely and effectively handle above 20,000 lbs. trailer rating by insertion of the hitch pin sleeve into the ¾? hitch pin hole provided in the drawbar.

Abstract: A shock energy absorber includes, in one example, a cylinder having a closed end and an open end, a sleeve fixed about the open end of the cylinder, and a damping material in the form of an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene material in the cylinder. A plunger is positioned to be driven into the damping material via the sleeve. When the plunger is impacted and driven into the damping material, the damping material changes from a solid to a viscous fluid state thereby enabling absorption of a significant amount of energy.

Abstract: The towed roping dummy shock absorption apparatus provides for an apparatus designed to be inserted between a pulling vehicle and a towed roping dummy when practicing team roping from horseback. The apparatus provides for modulation of jerks and forces on the dummy that cause strain on the vehicle, dummy and horse, as well as providing for more consistent speed when being towed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an energy-absorbing unit, including a UIC buffer or a side buffer, which provides an additional irreversible shock-absorbing stage for e.g., a UIC buffer which can be retroactively installed, an energy-absorbing unit, is proposed which is mountable to the support frame or undercarriage, of e.g., a railborne vehicle as one complete exchangeable unit. The energy-absorbing unit hereto includes a base plate for preferably detachable connecting of the energy-absorbing unit to the support frame or undercarriage of a car body, a connecting plate, to which e.g., the UIC buffer can be connected, and a destructively-configured energy-absorbing element which is braced between the base plate and the connecting plate without play.

Abstract: A trailer hitch uses a draw bar to interconnect tractor and trailer vehicles. The draw bar includes an elongated shank with a transverse throughway. A resilient cushion is disposed in the throughway. A passageway is associated with the throughway to receive a hitch pin such that longitudinal motion of the shank is resiliently resisted by the cushion. The cushion may be disposed in a rigid casing to form a cartridge that inserts into the throughway, and the passageway may be provided by a reciprocating slide member in the casing. Cushions may be employed in the casing to resist motion during both braking and acceleration. Cartridges having differing performance may be interchanged in the system. A method employing such structures is described.

Abstract: A stabilizer for reducing, if not totally eliminating, swaying, fishtailing and/or jackknifing of a multi-trailer rig includes spring units that can be retrofit onto the rig between a towed unit and another unit towing that towed unit. Each of the spring units is operated by a lever-like pivot handle and the spring units are located on opposite sides of a dolly.

Abstract: A vehicle hitch for interconnecting a pair of all terrain vehicles includes a pair of bars with socket couplers at one end of each bar for connecting the bars to the balls of conventional trailer hitches; and a damping mechanism releasably interconnecting the other ends of the bars and limiting longitudinal movement of the bars relative to each other. The bars are releasably locked together by a generally C-shaped pin, the arms of which are inserted through one end of a shaft extending out of one of the bars.

Abstract: An apparatus, interposed between and attached to a drive vehicle and an object to be moved, dampens the force (drive, resistance, inertia, etc.) between them. The apparatus has a rigid structure which is capable of transferring the large forces required to pull the object, from the drive vehicle to the object, but uses damping to moderate the impact of the forces on the drive vehicle/object combination.

Abstract: A dynamic motion limiter for supporting high temperature piping in nuclear power plants, the motion limiter including a cylinder and piston wherein the movement of the piston within the cylinder is limited with intermittent contact between energy absorbing stop positions.

Abstract: An energy dampening drawbar for use with receiver hitches and specialty types of hitches is described as including an elongated hollow shank having slots on opposite sides. A first cushion block is located within the shank and has a portion of the first cushion block adjacent one surface of a pin block. The pin block has a hole that aligns with a portion of the two slots. A second cushion block is located within the shank adjacent another surface of the pin block. A first restraint prevents longitudinal travel within the shank by the first cushion block. A second restraint prevents longitudinal travel within the shank by the second cushion block. A plate is attached to one end of the shank to provide a surface for attaching a trailer coupling.

Abstract: A trailer hitch adapter is provided for connection either to a trailer hitch ball or to a trailer hitch tongue. The adapter includes a tubular member that defines a housing and a connecting member carried within the housing between a pair of resilient elements to absorb axial shocks and rotational loads imparted by one of the towed vehicle or the towing vehicle to the other vehicle. The adapter is removably connected with a portion of the trailer hitch by means of a pair of retaining pins, to permit its removal and transfer from one vehicle to another, and also to prevent an unauthorized connection of a towed vehicle to a trailer.

Abstract: An improved trailer hitch assembly of the draw bar type consisting of a receiver tube mounted on the tow vehicle to receive a draw bar tube in vibration damped retention while extending a hitch ball. The draw bar tube retains a resilient spring block assembly that is secured to the receiver tube by means of a hitch pin and the hitch pin moves within elongated slots on said draw bar tube so that vibration from the draw bar tube is damped by the spring block assembly and isolated from the receiver tube and tow vehicle. A shock absorber is connected between the receiver tube and some point on said draw bar tube.

Abstract: A towing hitch is disclosed which has a housing for receiving a tow bar such that said housing can be pivotally connected to said tow bar. A tongue is coupled to the housing for receiving a towing element. The housing has a pin which project into said tow bar and said pin has a resilient block mounted thereon such that said block is arranged between said pin and said tow bar to dampen or absorb shock or vibration transmitted to said towing hitch.

Abstract: An improved trailer hitch assembly of the draw bar type consisting of a receiver tube mounted on the tow vehicle to receive a draw bar tube in vibration damped retention while extending a hitch ball. The draw bar tube retains a resilient spring block assembly that is secured to the receiver tube by means of a hitch pin, and the hitch pin moves within elongated slots on said draw bar tube so that vibration from the draw bar tube is damped by the spring block assembly and isolated from the receiver tube and tow vehicle.

Abstract: A base portion is provided for support from the forward end of a vehicle to be towed or the rear end of a vehicle to be used to tow a second vehicle. An elongated hitch bar assembly is provided including first and second ends and mounting structure mounts the second hitch bar end, intermediate its opposite ends, from the base portion for guided front to rear lengthwise extension and retraction relative to the base portion between forward and rearward limit positions and for angular displacement of the rear hitch bar end about an upstanding axis, shiftable forward and rearward with the second hitch bar end, relative to the base portion between opposite limit positions of angular displacement. Bias structure yieldingly biases the second hitch bar end toward a central position between the front and rear limit positions and first latch structure is operative to releasably latch the hitch bar rear end relative to the base portion in a center position of angular displacement.

Abstract: A trailer stabilizer for use on a self-contained amusement ride to stabilize and reduce movement between the trailer body and a movable point of attachment referred to as the goose neck which directly engages the fifth wheel of a truck cab.

Abstract: A hitch assembly includes an outer housing adapted to be attached to a propelled vehicle, an inner housing enclosed by the outer housing and a tongue member partially enclosed by the inner housing and adapted to be connected to a vehicle to be towed. A selectively releasable latching mechanism mounted on the outer housing retains the inner housing in a first latched position to prevent relative movement between the housings. When the latching mechanism is released, the inner housing is free to be moved to a second position where it is pivotally connected to the outer housing to permit movement of the tongue member through an arc in a horizontal plane to aid in the connection to the vehicle to be towed. The hitch assembly can also be provided with shock absorbing cushions in the inner housing to absorb and dissipate starting and stopping shock loads.

Abstract: A towing hitch having a main frame for attachment to a vehicle, a tongue force transmitting member pivotally coupled to the main frame, and a resilient member supporting said force transmitting member so as to absorb shock forces applied to the last mentioned member.

Abstract: Shock absorbing unit which comprises a shaped resilient polyurethane composition characterized by being able to withstand compressive cycling and particularly being characterized by retaining a high degree of rebound after a multitude of compressive cycling cycles. The unit is suitable for use in a railroad draft gear. Such polyurethane composition for said shock absorbing unit is prepared by reacting specifically selected polyols with a corresponding balance of 1,5-naphthalene diisocyanates in combination with mixtures of certain polymeric polyols with a manipulation of their molecular weights.

Abstract: An arrangement for resilient absorption of forces, particularly for an intermediate buffer coupling of rail vehicles, comprises an elongated housing having open and closed ends, a friction element located in the region of the open end of the housing, a resilient element cooperating in series with the friction element and formed as a friction spring including a plurality of inner conical rings and a plurality of outer conical rings cooperating with one another with interposition of lubricant, outer and inner cup-shaped casing members located in the housing and closeably accommodating the friction spring. The outer cup-shaped member forms a support for one end of the friction spring, whereas the inner cup-shaped member forms a support for the other end of the friction spring.

Abstract: A spring assembly is carried by a mounting casting. The mounting casting includes a receptacle which is adapted to mount to a horizontal frame member by means of a vertical bolt which, when tightened, adjusts the elevation of the spring assembly by rotating the mounting casting about the frame member due to a shim effect achieved by the slight off-parallel alignment of the receptacle and the axes of the springs. This raises the spring assembly to take its weight off the draw bar and makes it easier to telescope the draw bar. A spring casting includes upper dogs for mounting an actuating lever which is rotatable between a latching and an unlatched position by vertical motion. A latch member on the draw bar is locked between the spring casting and the lever, but is released when the lever is lowered to permit the draw bar to be extended to the rear for alignment with a trailer hitch. Other improvements permit the use of coil springs without grinding the ends flat.

Abstract: A friction spring unit has a friction spring including a plurality of inner rings and outer rings whose conical surfaces cooperate with each other with interposition of a lubricant, and an outer casing element and an inner casing element which shield the friction spring from outside and inside, respectively. The rings of the friction spring which are located at axial ends of the latter are sealingly connected with the inner casing element and the outer casing element. This sealing connection may be performed by interengaging beads and grooves, or flange-like projections and supports. The casing elements may be formed as hoses or each may be composed of at least two telescopable sleeves.

Abstract: A shock absorber has a body with a bore and a secondary chamber housing a preloaded floating piston. An apertured piston and rod assembly with a float valve is retracted in the bore when the piston rod extending from the body is engaged by a moving body to be decelerated and smoothly stopped. A variable orifice head in the bore bleeds liquid through a series of passages to a return chamber which communicates with a hollow metering pin. This pin directs liquid through the piston and through outlets into a secondary chamber whose floating piston retracts against a spring as the chamber fills with liquid. This maintains a preload pressure upon the liquid in the bore and pressure chamber. The metering pin is tapered and is loosely received by the piston. When a load is axially applied to the piston rod retracting the pressure piston into the preloaded liquid within the body the liquid initially flows between the piston and metering pin.

Abstract: An elongated horizontal channel member is mounted by means of a dual spring shock absorber in transverse position on one end of a towing vehicle. A pair of horizontal support arms have a first pair of corresponding ends pivotally mounted on the channel member for shifting along the channel member and swinging relative to the channel member about upstanding axes shiftable along the channel member with the first pair of arm ends between first outwardly convergent positions and second substantially aligned positions generally paralleling the channel member with the first pair of arm ends disposed remote from each other and the second other pair of arm ends disposed adjacent each other.

Abstract: A resilient hitch linkage between a towing vehicle such as a tractor and an implement or attachment such as, for example, a rotary tiller, towed by the towing vehicle. The resilient hitch linkage serves to reduce the transmission of impact or shock loads and/or vibrations between the implement and the tractor and includes a front link pivotally connected to a hitch point on the tractor and a rear link pivotally connected to the attachment being towed. One of the pivoted links, such as the rear link, has a member with multiple flat exterior surfaces such as a member of rectangular cross section (a "square tube") secured thereto and extending laterally therefrom. The other pivoted link, such as the front link, has a first U-shaped clamp member secured thereto and lying on one side of the "square tube" carried by the one link. A pair of rubber cylinders are retained by the first clamp member.

Abstract: The invention concerns a new and novel device for connecting a beam or tow bar to a touring trailer or caravan. More particularly, the invention relates to a device for connecting two metallic components. The device comprises intermediate connecting components cut from a profile of light metal alloy. These components are mounted to the chassis and the towing beam and are made from a deformable, supple and insulating material so that these components provide an insulating media between different metals and, further, absorb the violent stresses transmitted to the towing beam.

Abstract: The invention comprises a two directional cushioning device for towing trailers and the like behind a towing vehicle. The device has a first pair and second pair of parallel rods. The first pair of rods are joined at the outer forward ends for attachment to a towing vehicle. The second pair of parallel rods are joined at the outer rearward end for attachment to a vehicle being towed. The first and second pair of rods are aligned in parallel overlapping relation to one another and are slidably mounted in a pair of caps. One of the caps is adjacent the forward end of the first pair of rods and the other cap is adjacent the rearward end of the second pair of rods. A coil spring is mounted coaxially between the caps urging the caps apart under compression. Nuts are threaded onto the overlapping ends of rods limiting the caps' outward movement relative to one another.

Abstract: A force absorbing hitch for a vehicle is disclosed. The hitch is capable of at least partially absorbing external forces exerted on the hitch as would be common with the hitch attached to a vehicle for towing of a trailer or the like, particularly those encountered due to acceleration or deacceleration of the towing vehicle. The hitch includes a hitch plate upon which a hitch ball can be mounted with the hitch plate having a pair of rods extending from one edge through apertures in a pair of spaced walls of a frame attached to the rear of the vehicle. Between the walls a stop plate is fastened to the rods and springs surrounding the rods are located at each side of the stop plate on both rods. The frame can be elongated to serve as a bumper or bumper extension with the hitch centrally located on the bumper and below a recess, or step, in the bumper behind which a license plate can be mounted, if desired.

Abstract: A push-pull coupling for tandem earthmoving scrapers is disclosed wherein the coupling may be rapidly connected or disconnected, thereby permitting the scrapers to operate either in unison or separately. A push block having a pulling hook projecting therefrom is mounted on the rear of a forward scraper, while a push block and a bail for engaging the hook are mounted on the front of a rearward scraper. Furthermore, at least two sets of two-way shock absorber assemblies which can absorb the shock loads caused in the course of the pushing or pulling operations are respectively connected between the push block of the rearward scraper and a reinforcing member fixedly secured to the front thereof.

Abstract: A shock absorbing trailer hitch for cushioning end thrust shocks between towing and towed vehicles is disclosed having a base member rigidly attached to one vehicle with a pair of upstanding slide guides thereon and a second member slidably supported within the slide guides by a pair of generally parallel extending slide members. The second member provides one connector for coupling the vehicles together and tongue weight between the vehicles is borne by the slide members. Movement of the second member relative to the first is limited between rigid stop positions and cushioning of end thrust shocks is provided by a resilient plug which mechanically engages the first and second members and urges the second member toward a position intermediate the rigid stop positions.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a trailer hitch for coupling a draft vehicle to a drawn vehicle wherein the eye portion of the hitch includes a molded insert of flexible material having an axial bore extending therethrough adapted to receive the pintle portion of the hitch in coupling relation. The flexible insert completely surrounds the pintle and thus maintains the pintle in spaced relation from the eye for yieldingly restraining relative radial movement between the pintle and the eye during all phases of operation, including flexing in the vertical plane when the trailer is negotiating inclined ramps or the like.

Abstract: An energy-absorbing device comprising a permanently shortened member of a thermoplastic elastomer wherein said member comprises circumferentially enlarged portions due to permanent shortening by compression of an elongated member along its longitudinal axis of at least 10% of its original length, the enlarged portions being at least partially oriented and at least one unenlarged portion, and rigid retaining means encircling said unenlarged portion of the shortened thermoplastic elastomer member.