TRAILER DRAW-BARS.
Page 11
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A Design Which Eliminates the Risk of Involuntary Disconnection.
WE RECENTLY drew attention to several accidents which have reeulted,. owing to trailers having become detached from the vehicles towing them. Such accidents may have very serious consequences, and attention should certainly be directed to the question of eliminating this source of danger. In many cases the only connection between the trailer and the towing vehicle is a. bolt held by a split-pin and it should be
quite possible to design towing hooks of a considerably safer pattern than that employed on most vehicles.
Our attention has been drawn by the Saurer Commercial Vehicle Co., Ltd., to the design of trailer-hook employed on the vehicles marketed by this company. The Sewer lorry is one which embodies a. great many interesting, points in its design, and its trailer-hook is not the least of these. In the Saurer hook a special clip prevents the draw-bar from
jumping out. This safety clip is pivoted on a bolt locked, in a split-pinned nut, and when in service is securely fixed in position by means of a lever inserted through a key-way and then turned so that the knob lies downwards, when it is again locked in position -by means of a separateekey-way, anti the weight of the knob aveists in holding the lock in position. When it is desired to unconple the trailer, the knob is turned through 90 degrees and the pin withdrawn. A chain attached to the lever and to the clip fulcrum bolt prevents the former from being lost. The hook itself is of generous proportions, and the pull is taken by a coiled spring within the casing.
One type of the towing-hook is shown in the diagram reproduced herewith. In this the spring and draw-bar are carried outside the frame ; in the other, they are inside the frame; but the principle is the same in each ease.
It will be seen that the hook is very substantially constructed and so arranged that the sliding member and the spring are always kept ina bath of lubricant, which is supplied front a Stauffer screwed into the top of the, spring-housing, the grease passing through holes drilled in the shaft.