HYVA. the Netherlandsbased manufacturer of hydraulic equipment, has introduced its
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novel close-coupling system for articulated vehicles on the West German market.
Hyva says it has received approval from TUV (West German type approval authority) for the device which was first introduced in the Netherlands about 18 months ago. The UK's maximum trailer length limit will prevent its sale here.
The Hyva semi-trailer close-coupling system works on the same principle as sonic drawbar close-coupling SySteMS.
The semi-trailer kingpin is mounted in an auxiliary frame which slides longitudinally on two guide rods mounted in the swan neck.
A steel wedge fixed to a large geared wheel in the frame locates in the jaws of a conventional fifth-wheel coupling on the tractive unit.
The large gear wheel meshes with a smaller one which in turn is connected via an eccentrically mounted pin to a rod which drives the sliding frame forwards and backwards.
As the tractive unit corners, the side thrust on the wedge causes the large and small gears to turn relative to each other, effectively pushing the semi-trailer back, reducing its front overhang.
This enables the tractive unit and semi-trailer to be coupled much Closer than normal when in line in the straight-ahead position.
As the combination corners, the front swing clearance (the gap between the front of the semi-trailer and the rear of the cab) is automatically increased.
Semi-trailer deck length can be increased by as much as the maximum travel of the sliding pin — 50 Omm — within the normal maximum overall length.
The system adds about 400kg to the weight of a conventional fixed pin semitrailer.
In West Germany, the conversion sells at about DM13,500 (S:3,600).