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EP-3955722-B1 - FASTENING DEVICE FOR TOWING VEHICLES

EP3955722B1EP 3955722 B1EP3955722 B1EP 3955722B1EP-3955722-B1

Inventors

  • CORNIA, ENRICO MARIA

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20200414

Claims (15)

  1. Fastening device (1) for towing vehicles comprising: - at least one main body (2) comprising at least one housing seat (3) for an apparatus to be towed; - at least one fastening element (7) associated in a movable manner with said main body (2) between at least one release configuration, in which it releases said housing seat (3) to allow the insertion/removal of said apparatus to be towed, and at least one engagement configuration, in which it obstructs at least partly said housing seat (3) to prevent the removal of said apparatus to be towed; - at least one control lever (10) connected at least in rotation to said fastening element (7) around a first axis (X), and movable with respect to said main body (2) to displace said fastening element (7) from the engagement configuration to the release configuration and vice versa, said control lever (10) being further movable between a locking position, in which it operates in conjunction with said main body (2) to keep said fastening element (7) in the release configuration, and a home position, in which it is movable with respect to said main body (2) to allow the displacement of said fastening element (7); characterized by the fact that said control lever (10) is movable in rotation with respect to said fastening element (7) around at least a second axis (Y) which is transverse to said first axis (X), to displace from the locking position to the home position and vice versa, where said first axis (X) and said second axis (Y) are incident with each other.
  2. Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said control lever (10) is directly associated with said fastening element (7).
  3. Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the fact that said control lever (10) has an elongated shape and by the fact that said second axis (Y) substantially corresponds to the longitudinal axis (Z) of the control lever itself.
  4. Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the fact that said control lever (10) has an elongated shape and by the fact that said second axis (Y) is arranged substantially transverse with respect to the longitudinal axis (Z) of the control lever itself.
  5. Device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that said control lever (10) comprises at least one abutment surface (14) adapted to operate in conjunction with said main body (2) in the locking position.
  6. Device (1) according to claim 3 or 4 and claim 5, characterized by the fact that said abutment surface (14) is arranged laterally with respect to a first longitudinal median plane (15) of said control lever (10) oriented transversely with respect to said first axis (X).
  7. Device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that said control lever (10) comprises at least one connecting portion (10a) with said fastening element (7) and at least one gripping portion (10b), where said connecting portion (10a) and said gripping portion (10b) are adapted to be contained inside said main body (2) and to protrude from said main body (2) respectively, when the fastening element itself is in the engagement configuration.
  8. Device (1) according to claims 6 and 7, characterized by the fact that said connecting portion (10a) has at least two side walls (16) arranged substantially parallel to said first median plane (15) and comprises at least one rotating wall (17) which is inclined with respect to said side walls (16) and incident at least one of them in such a way as to define said abutment surface (14).
  9. Device (1) according to one or more of claims 6 to 8, characterized by the fact that said main body (2) has at least one resting surface (18) adapted to operate in conjunction with said abutment surface (14) in the locking position of said control lever (10), said first median plane (15) being arranged substantially parallel to said resting surface (18) in the home position and being placed transversally to said resting surface (18) in the locking position.
  10. Device (1) according to one or more of claims 6 to 9, characterized by the fact that it comprises at least one pair of said abutment surfaces (14) arranged on opposite sides with respect to said first median plane (15).
  11. Device (1) according to claim 10, characterized by the fact that said abutment surfaces (14) are arranged on opposite sides with respect to a second longitudinal median plane (19) perpendicular to said first median plane (15).
  12. Device (1) according to one or more of claims 5 to 11, characterized by the fact that said control lever (10) comprises at least one projection (12) which is adapted to contact said main body (2) when said fastening element (7) is in the engagement configuration and by the fact that said abutment surface (14) is separate and staggered with respect to said projection (12).
  13. Device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that it comprises kinematic connection means (20) of said control lever (10) to said fastening element (7).
  14. Device (1) according to claim 13, characterized by the fact that said connection means (20) comprise at least one slot (21) defined on at least one of said control lever (10) and said fastening element (7), and adapted to accommodate at least one corresponding pin (22) defined on the other of said control lever (10) and said fastening element (7).
  15. Device (1) according to claim 14, characterized by the fact that said slot (21) is defined on said control lever (10) and said pin (22) is defined on said fastening element (7).

Description

Technical Field The present invention relates to a fastening device for towing vehicles, particularly for an agricultural or industrial vehicle. Background Art In particular, the present invention relates to a lower fastening device for a three-point hitch towing system. Such fastening devices generally consist of a main body, in which a housing seat is obtained for a coupling ball of a towing apparatus, and of a fastening element which, when engaged with the apparatus, allows it to be towed. The fastening element is movable with respect to the main body between an engagement configuration and a release configuration to allow the engagement and release thereof with the apparatus to be towed, respectively. The fastening element is kinematically connected to a control lever, which is movable with respect to the main body to displace the fastening element from the engagement position to the release configuration and vice versa. The control lever is connected at least in rotation to the fastening element around a first axis, e.g. by means of a relevant pin. In particular, the control lever is pulled outwards and, by partly rotating around the pin, allows the fastening element to be moved between the engagement configuration and the release configuration. Between the main body and the control lever there are elastic means adapted to counteract the displacement of the control lever adapted to bring the fastening element from the engagement configuration to the release configuration. The control lever can be further moved between a locking position, wherein it keeps the fastening element in the release configuration, and a home position, wherein it allows the movement of the fastening element between the engagement configuration and the release configuration. In order to reach the locking position, the control lever rotates further with respect to the fastening element around the aforementioned first axis or around a second axis parallel thereto, counteracting the elastic means. However, this type of fastening device has some drawbacks. In fact, the control lever is difficult to maneuver between the locking position and the home position, as it is necessary to act with force thereon to counteract the elastic means and allow the return of the fastening element to the engagement configuration. In addition, in the locking position, the control lever is protruding from the main body and can intercept any external bodies with the risk of causing damage, injury and/or breaking in turn. Furthermore, this type of fastening devices is generally of complex manufacture and has a high number of components, often small in size, which also makes complex and difficult any replacement of damaged or malfunctioning components. These fastening devices, therefore, require to be disassembled from the towing vehicle before any maintenance work can be carried out, with an increase in time and costs associated therewith. In the light of the above considerations, it is clear that the above mentioned fastening devices of known type are susceptible to further refinements aimed at allowing the towing of an apparatus, in a practical, efficient and cost effective manner. The previous documents US 2001/037759 A1, US 3 544 133 A, US 3 498 638 A and US 4 549 744 A describe fastening devices for towing vehicles in which the control lever is connected to the relevant fastening element by means of an intermediate linkage. In the embodiments described in these documents, the control lever is associated in rotation with the relevant intermediate linkage around a single axis of rotation. The control lever can therefore rotate with respect to the relevant fastening element around a single axis of rotation. Description of the Invention The main aim of the present invention is to devise a fastening device for towing vehicles that allows a practical and safe fastening of an apparatus to be towed. Within this aim, one object of the present invention is to devise a fastening device for towing vehicles that allows reducing the risk of damage, during use, in the event of a shock with external bodies. Another object of the present invention is to devise a fastening device for towing vehicles that is simple to implement and allows a reduction in time and costs related to the maintenance interventions compared to the devices known today. Another object of the present invention is to devise a fastening device for towing vehicles that allows overcoming the above mentioned drawbacks of the prior art within a simple, rational, easy, effective to use and low cost solution. The objects set out above are achieved by the present fastening device for towing vehicles having the characteristics of claim 1. Brief Description of the Drawings Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be more evident from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of a fastening device for towing vehicles, illustrated by way of an indicative, but non-