Abstract: A trailer light connector enclosure which is characterized by an enclosure housing attached to either the frame, bumper or trailer hitch of a towing vehicle or the trailer tongue of a trailer and fitted with a removable or hinged door or closure and one or more slots, for receiving the plug or plug receptacle of the trailer or vehicle to enclose and secure the plug or plug receptacle when the plug or plug receptacle is not in use. In a preferred embodiment the trailer light connector enclosure is characterized by a notched housing of suitable shape, fitted with a hinged closure and an adhesive backing for mounting the housing on the vehicle or trailer, such that the plug or receptacle can be enclosed inside the housing when not in use and removed or extended from the housing for connection to the corresponding plug or plug receptacle component by opening the closure.

Abstract: In the case of an articulated train, there is between the two partial vehicles, that is to say the tractor vehicle (10) and the trailer vehicle (22), a supply coupling (32, 54) which closes automatically when the two partial vehicles are coupled together and opens automatically when the two partial vehicles are separated from each other (FIG. 1).

Abstract: A bracket 12 for mounting an electrical connector 28 to a trailer hitch assembly 10 is described. The bracket 12 is formed from a single sheet of material which is bent at two 90.degree. angles L1 and L2 to form a top section 12C and a first extension 12A and a second extension 12B. The top section 12C with the two extensions 12A and 12B have a U-shape which conforms with a hitch bar 22 having a rectangular or square cross-section on a trailer hitch assembly 10. The first and second extensions 12A and 12B are provided with securing holes 20 through which a nut and bolt assembly 18 is inserted to secure the bracket 12 to the hitch bar 22. The second extension 12B extends beyond the bottom 22B of the hitch bar 22 and has an aperture 14 through which an electrical connector 28 is mounted.

Abstract: A safety interlock mechanism requires a trailer tow bar to be raised and placed into the mechanism before an electrical power supply cable can be removed from the mechanism and attached to an aircraft. Similarly, the electrical cable must be disconnected from the aircraft and placed into the interlock mechanism before the tow bar can be removed and placed onto a tractor for movement of the ground power unit. The safety interlock mechanism includes a hinged plate, which, in one position, prevents the removal of the electrical cable connector when the tow bar is not in place, and when in another position, prevents the removal of the tow bar when the electrical cable connector has been removed. Locking tabs engage the electrical connector whenever the tow bar has been removed. A locking pin engages a U-bolt attached to the tow bar whenever the electrical connector has been removed.

Abstract: A trailer light connection system includes a T-shaped connector having three terminals including a modularized tap plug as the third terminal for direct or indirect connection to the trailer lighting system. One of the conductors leading to the tap plug can be selectively disconnected from the first and second terminals and then reconnected to a ground receptacle on the vehicle to ground the trailer to the towing vehicle when the trailer does not have a back-up light system. By standardizing the system components and modularizing the tap plug connections, the trailer light system of the present invention reduces the number of stock keeping units required while simplifying system installation.

Abstract: A heated box assembly including a case and a case support is mounted on a tractor chassis behind the cab. Within that case are electrical cable connections, heating elements, insulation, an electrical cable connection for a trailer mounted on a reel, and two air hoses mounted on reels for connection to the air brake system of a trailer. An alcohol injector used in combination with heating of the box avoids freezing of the hose. The heated box keeps the hose from freezing while the hose is in the box. When the air brakes are applied, the alcohol is injected into the hose and keeps the hose from freezing while in use.

Abstract: The motorized trolley-type golf cart of the invention comprises a chassis made up from at least two supports assembled to each other by a swivel type connection device constituted by a male portion and a female portion which are engaged in each other and which are fixed to respective ones of the two supports of the chassis. One of the supports carries two drive wheels, an electric motor, and a battery, while the other support is essentially constituted by a tiller bar which is foldable and terminated at one end by a grip having a manual control member which is connected to the motor by an electrical connection which includes an intermediate connector whose two halves are fixed to respective ones of the portions of the connection device.

Abstract: A drive connection on a support vehicle for interchangeable hydraulic attachments to be coupled to the support vehicle includes an electronic control apparatus and a plurality of circuit elements connected thereto and actuated when the attachment is mechanically coupled to the support vehicle so as to perform the programming of the control apparatus to adjust the hydraulic system in accordance with the requirements of the particular attachment in question.

Abstract: An improved fifth wheel incorporates a junction fitting for pneumatic, hydraulic and electrical control lines which mates the truck to the tractor simultaneously with the connection performed by the fifth wheel. The deck plate is pivoted about a vertical axis to maintain the connection and facilitate turning of the rig.

Abstract: The apparatus disclosed comprises a universal tow and coupling bar for connecting automatically to an aircraft landing nose gear and towing the aircraft during ground transport. The aircraft engaging end of the tow bar has directional adjustment and is hydraulically controlled in three coordinates. The end of the tow bar opposite to the aircraft engaging end is semi permanently connected to the aircraft towing vehicle. The aircraft engaging end of the tow bar contains an automatic hydraulically controlled locking assembly arranged to engage and lock with a mating locking assembly permanently fixed to the aircraft nose wheel structure. In addition to the aforementioned features of the universal tow bar are means for controlling the length of the tow bar, interupting the aircraft's hydraulic steering system, and connecting to the aircraft's telephone system.

Abstract: To match the wires of a pickup to a trailer, a conversion box is provided. The jumper adapters are used to convert the plugs from the pickup to a six connection plug. Another adapter connects the wires from the trailer to a six wire connector. Therefore, a standard six wire box is used regardless of the fact that the pickup and the trailer may neither have six wires nor the same number of wires as the other.The wires from the pickup are connected to switch wires which have banana plugs on the end. The wires from the trailer are connected to receptacles so that when each switch wire is plugged into a receptacle, a connection is made. Lights on the box are used to indicate which of the truck wires are activated.

Abstract: An electrical connector for selectively connecting various electrical circuits of a first vehicle to corresponding electrical circuits of a second vehicle. The connector includes variably positionable switches whereby no rewiring of either vehicle is necessary. The housing for the connector is parallelepipedonal in form and the switches project from a major surface of the housing.

Abstract: A control module including circuitry therefor, which prevents short circuit conditions of a boat trailer's light-circuitry at the boat-launch site, in which at least two co-ordinated control circuits are provided to assure that none of the trailer circuits are energized while the trailer is in the water body of the lake or stream at the launch site. Both the circuits are provided as branches of the towing vehicle's own circuitry. One is provided to be a branch of the vehicle's backup lights' circuitry, utilizing the fact of the boat-launch and retrieval maneuver normally including a reverse-drive action of the towing vehicle, which assures energizing of that first control circuit.

Abstract: An improved arrangement of a short coupling for rail vehicles includes a pair of plates connected to the short coupling which supports an axially displaceable electrical line coupling as well as a pneumatic line coupling and a centering pin and bore for engaging complementary centering pins and bores of a counter-coupling.

Abstract: A shock absorbent support for an elongate member comprises a resilient shank with opposite first and second ends and an attachment means at the first end. A resilient body member at the second end has a slot with a receptacle portion and divides the body member into adjoining fingers each having an edge. The fingers are partable whereby the edges are sufficiently spaced for an elongate member to pass therebetween into the receptacle portion. A strap has a first end portion connectible to one of the fingers and a free end portion detachably connectible to another of the fingers for retaining the fingers in mutually closed relationship for retention of the elongate member in the receptacle portion.

Abstract: Towing attachments for attaching trailers to the end of various vehicles are disclosed, including a tubular sleeve attached to the vehicle, an extension bar having one end rotatably attached to the tow bar of the trailer while the other end is adapted to be releasably attached to the tubular sleeve and having a cross-sectional shape which is complementary to that of the tubular sleeve so that it may slide smoothly into same for attachment thereto, and a clamp for releasably clamping the end of the extension bar to the tubular sleeve, the clamp including a fixed trunnion extending from the tubular sleeve and a resilient clamp affixed to the extension bar so that the resilient clamp can be releasably clamped to the fixed trunnion when the extension bar slides into the tubular sleeve, the resilient clamp being pivotable between a first position in which it does not interfere with the sliding of the extension bar into the tubular sleeve and a second position in which it prevents the extension bar from being slida

Abstract: Trailer hitch apparatus is disclosed of the type having a ball and socket coupling wherein the ball includes an upper cap and lower ball section with opposing overlying faces in which electrical contacts are incorporated and wherein the upper cap section is suspended in the socket coupling and contoured to seat with the lower ball section to provide an unlimited universal-type action to insure positive electrical contact regardless of tilting and rotational movements.

Abstract: An improved reciprocatory self-loading dual-ended earth excavation vehicle pivotally connected to two or more unmanned self-leveling and self-maneuvering telescopic conveyor vehicles, the latter in turn are pivotally connected to a multi-function dual-ended distribution vehicle capable of conveying, spreading, wetting, impacting and grading the earth fill. The above-mentioned articulated vehicles provide the means to excavate, convey and discharge a virtually continuous flow of earth while traveling in a forward or rearward direction. The excavation and telescopic conveyor vehicles are readily adaptable to surface mining of various minerals including coal and oil shale by simply exchanging the above-mentioned distribution vehicle for a pivotally connected boom conveyer vehicle which provides the means for discharging the ore at a mill site or for the loading of long haul ore carriers.

Abstract: A connector system for coupling the electrical and brake systems of a tractor vehicle with those of a trailer to be towed by the tractor vehicle. The coupling is done automatically at the time the tractor vehicle couples to the trailer. The connector system has a female receptacle having therein connectors from the electrical and braking systems to the trailer. A male unit having therein connectors from the electrical and braking systems of the tractor is lifted automatically vertically for insertion into the female receptacle. When the insertion is made the various connector carry out connections connecting the electrical and braking system of the tractor vehicle to those of the trailer.

Abstract: The invention comprises a holder or support for the outlet plug of an electric heater for an engine of a vehicle. The holder has a pair of parallel plates adapted to be fixed on opposite sides of a front bumper of the vehicle. A pivotally mounted plate is pivotally mounted to one of the parallel plates which may be pivoted to lock it in a selected position depending upon the configuration of the front portions of the vehicle. The pivotally mounted plate has a hole therethrough to receive the prongs of the outlet plug of the heater. The pivotally mounted plate also has clamping means to clamp the plug to the plate when the plug is mounted in the hole in the plate with the prongs projecting forward to receive an extension cord plug to provide current to the heater.

Abstract: An improved electrical jumper system, for a locomotive consist for hauling trains, is provided by an installation that converts an existing single-headed receptacle, for receiving one end of a non-permanent jumper cable, into a multiple-headed permanent system that alternatively may be used either to receive a cable head from another locomotive unit, as was the previous purpose of the existing receptacle, or to provide a permanently installed jumper cable that assures presence of equipment at all times to properly electrically connect the units of the consist.

Abstract: A wire for the running lights of a towing vehicle is connected to a wire for the running lights of a trailer. A chassis ground wire of the vehicle is connected to a trailer ground wire of the trailer. A relay circuit connects a right turn signal wire of the vehicle, a left turn signal wire of the vehicle and a brake wire of the vehicle to a combination right turn signal and brake wire of the trailer and a combination left turn signal and brake wire of the trailer.

Abstract: This invention relates to a mechanism for connecting and disconnecting service lines between a pair of relatively articulated vehicles, such as electrical service lines and service lines for pressurized operating fluids, between a tractor and a semitrailer, one of which having a fifth wheel and the other a king pin and each having one connector in the vicinity of the fifth wheel and the king pin, respectively, for the connection of said service lines, one of said connectors being mounted on a support which is reciprocably movable along a circular path having its center on the common geometrical axis of the fifth wheel and king pin when coupled together, whereby said one connector is free to be moved on one vehicle by the other connector which is fixed to the other vehicle in case of articulation between the tractor and the semitrailer, and one of said connectors being movable in relation to the other into and out of engagement therewith by means of an operating mechanism for the connecting and disconnecting o