Automatic car and trailer connection
- Thread starter Buckman
- Start date
I was wondering where the point of articulation was too.
But the idea does seem promising, not withstanding the points Buckman makes.
But the idea does seem promising, not withstanding the points Buckman makes.
Just like Guzzilazz and the Prof, I too am curious about this one ...
Perhaps nobody has explained to the women genius team that trailers also need to go around corners.
You see, if they don’t see a problem, they won’t look for a solution
Perhaps nobody has explained to the women genius team that trailers also need to go around corners.
You see, if they don’t see a problem, they won’t look for a solution
Exactly what I was thinking , I want to see her do a full left and right lock & see what happens to the bumper !!
It'll will end up in a canni state !
Women !! :lol:
It'll will end up in a canni state !
Women !!
:lol:
Articulation must be in the gaiter section but it looks very tight for all of the DoF required. No need for hitch stabilisers given ATC and cars stability/ trailer control systems. Outfit will put itself onto the chosen pitch while the “man” searches high and low for the handbrake
Not just side to side articulation but also up and down as the outfit goes up and down hills and over hump-backed bridges.
Just as a passing thought, what happens if (i) the vehicle does not have a reversing camera and (ii) there is not cellular coverage? Can't guarantee Bluetooth will work.
Not quite got it all there yet methinks........
Just as a passing thought, what happens if (i) the vehicle does not have a reversing camera and (ii) there is not cellular coverage? Can't guarantee Bluetooth will work.
Not quite got it all there yet methinks........
The shaft that engages in the socket is ball jointed so articulation is not the issue, but the company has a long way to go to get the system type approved as it doesn’t tie in with any proprietary one, as there are no provisions for such a device in existing regulations.
Looks good, but apart from the regulatory points I cannot imagine the cost will be within the reach of most of us.
I have used an automatic hitch with a tractor, the three point linkage lifts the hook up. However there were no electrics.
There would need to be automatic adjusting of the leg or jockey wheel and adjusting the spigot direction and angle to match the hole in the car, it does not show how trailer is connected in a dip or hump or when vehicle not directly in front of trailer.
It reminds me of the teleportation machine used in the Star Trek.
Back in the 1950's the ball was on the caravan, and the cup screwed down on the ball, however my dad found out the hard way what happens if you forget to screw it down, it popped out, although the safety cable stopped it getting completely loose, it rammed the car when trying to stop.
With the ball with neck at bottom, even with a mixture of 50 mm and 2" where you can lift the cup off the ball without releasing it, in the main they still did not pop off. And today the safety link is designed to apply hand brake then break away so caravan does not ram car.
The Scammell Scarab had an automatic fifth wheel, production ended in 1968 as forthcoming construction and use regulations mandating dual-line brakes on articulated combinations could not be met. However as to why the fifth wheel stopped being used I don't know.
However today with electric cars, the caravan as we know it may have a limited life, having electrical powered caravans may be the future, but again rules would need to change, we have seen the problem with bendy buses, having a railway engine articulate is one thing, but on the road very different, Welsh Mountain railway may be steep for railways, but it's gradient and bends are nothing like what you get on roads.
There would need to be automatic adjusting of the leg or jockey wheel and adjusting the spigot direction and angle to match the hole in the car, it does not show how trailer is connected in a dip or hump or when vehicle not directly in front of trailer.
It reminds me of the teleportation machine used in the Star Trek.
Back in the 1950's the ball was on the caravan, and the cup screwed down on the ball, however my dad found out the hard way what happens if you forget to screw it down, it popped out, although the safety cable stopped it getting completely loose, it rammed the car when trying to stop.
With the ball with neck at bottom, even with a mixture of 50 mm and 2" where you can lift the cup off the ball without releasing it, in the main they still did not pop off. And today the safety link is designed to apply hand brake then break away so caravan does not ram car.
The Scammell Scarab had an automatic fifth wheel, production ended in 1968 as forthcoming construction and use regulations mandating dual-line brakes on articulated combinations could not be met. However as to why the fifth wheel stopped being used I don't know.
However today with electric cars, the caravan as we know it may have a limited life, having electrical powered caravans may be the future, but again rules would need to change, we have seen the problem with bendy buses, having a railway engine articulate is one thing, but on the road very different, Welsh Mountain railway may be steep for railways, but it's gradient and bends are nothing like what you get on roads.
The issue with designs like this and current factory swivelling electric tow hitches is that if / when it doesn't work as expected or throws up a warning, the owner will probably have absolutely no idea how to resolve the issue, being forced into the inconvenience of waiting for a professional engineer.
Just because something could be done in a more complicated way doesn't make it better - the KISS principle!
Just because something could be done in a more complicated way doesn't make it better - the KISS principle!
This is an un-braked small trailer and in the UK, a second securing cable is also legally required, (much heavier gauge than a break-away cable).
Also 9 pin connection, not suitable for caravan. System is unlikely to meet regulations for towing a 2 ton caravan.
Also 9 pin connection, not suitable for caravan. System is unlikely to meet regulations for towing a 2 ton caravan.
It is certainly true that the proposed design would not meet current construction and use regulations. I would be very supposed indeed if the designers were not aware of that, but I recall their brief was to look after at the problem, and using modern technology see if there is a way to improve on the present archaic system.
As for the electrical connections, it was quite clear from the video, there was a lot more going on then just conventional road lighting, so I would guess it's employing something like a canbus system.
It's impossible to judge from the video how strong the coupling was, and again I'd be very disappointed if the system hadn't been properly designed and specified for all sizes of trailers for domestic cars.
If a new (better?) way doing a job can be found, regulations can be ammended to allow the system to legally used. There are plenty of prior instances where regulations have been changed to cope or encompass nearer technologies.
As for the electrical connections, it was quite clear from the video, there was a lot more going on then just conventional road lighting, so I would guess it's employing something like a canbus system.
It's impossible to judge from the video how strong the coupling was, and again I'd be very disappointed if the system hadn't been properly designed and specified for all sizes of trailers for domestic cars.
If a new (better?) way doing a job can be found, regulations can be ammended to allow the system to legally used. There are plenty of prior instances where regulations have been changed to cope or encompass nearer technologies.
I was referring to the Scammell Scarab had an automatic fifth wheel, as you reversed into it the legs auto lifted.ProfJohnL said:
There would need to be some thing similar, or no point, so it would need a standard height for the hitch.
I have used the units with hydraulic lifting fifth wheels so you don't need to wind up the legs, with a door to centre of unit so you can *** out easy to connect the air, also a seat and steering wheel which swing around so your facing the trailer for reversing.
However with a wagon there is no need to in the main level the trailer when it is dropped, however with a caravan once unhitched we level it up, so it would be unlikely to be at exactly the correct height.
I am sure you could make electric jockey wheels and/or electric steady jacks which could level the caravan once unhitched and return it to set level for hitching up.
However I would have thought auto levelling should come first. With last car I had a camera on hitch and I could place the car spot on to drop hitch, the technology is already there to park car, so why not to auto position car for hitching up?
But which item has the auto position? I could not possibly tow the caravan from rear of house to the road, it needs a motor mover, so it would make more sense to have caravan connect to car than car connect to caravan in that case.
I have once hitched up a caravan on Sutton Bank, it was not easy, the Austin Gypsy had to be spot on to cup, could not move caravan an inch. Getting a car spot on is not that easy, everything seems OK then a imperfection in the road means it is slightly out.
I simply can't see how it would work in any other than perfect conditions, look at a wagons hitch and see the size of the guide funnel to ensure eye goes into where pin will drop, it needs to cater for a inch out either way, likely more.
I am sure an auto hitch can be made, however the one shown is for the comic books.
Parksy
Moderator
I can position my towball in the correct place under the hitch every time, I simply use my reversing camera which gives a view for a few yards back and of the top of my towball when I engage reverse gear.ericmark said:
The automated hitch shown isn't yet suitable for caravan use but with Bluetooth technology and a similar system to parking assist which is fitted to many of todays family cars the tow vehicle could be programmed to reverse onto the hitch every time with no steering inputs from the driver. For such as system to have any use however caravan hitch and height setting technology would have to be similarly updated.
It's unlikely to catch on anytime soon because caravan manufacturers will not be able to keep pace with automotive technology.
ericmark said:
The couplings on the Scammel Scarab and Townsman were predecessors of fifth wheels and were common on the standard artics of the day (I know because my father was a truck mechanic for British Rail from 1938 until the 70's. When I was a small child I was fascinated by the different tractor units and trailers that the parcels and freight delivery used. The basic coupling was a spring loaded pair of hooks, and there were two rails that angled in and up, with small wheels at the top of the trailer "jockey wheel" equivalent that did fold up when they reached the right place. there was a steel bar square hoop that engaged with the hooks on the tractor
The 5th wheel coupling is the big horizontal greasy rounded plate with a V in it that mates to a similar plate under the trailer. There's a big steel pin under the trailer, that is directed into the end of the V where a bar slips across to capture it.
Picture here
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