Jacknife warning ideas

[Mikebits]

Nope!

The definition says clearly anglo-saxons are descendants of the germanics.

(or may be germaniacs )

I thought you were German. Is that not Germanic? Sorry do not mean to go off subject of OP.

 

[Boncuk]

I thought you were German. Is that not Germanic? Sorry do not mean to go off subject of OP.

Never mind.

You just turned it around which didn't make much sense to me.
comparatively to English people being said they are descendants of Australians.

I differ a lot from "normal" Germans. E.g. I don't have trouble with my neighbors as usual in Germany. The neighbors having had trouble with me aren't alife anymore.

Actually I'm a leftover of the original Prussian knights and I'm a pure Aries as well, born on Easter Sunday 1942. (find out the day of the week

A bit off topic doesn't harm anybody.

Kind regards

Hans

 

[Boncuk]

Hi Brownout,

the idea using a rotary encoder was not the worst at all.

It is accurate and easy to use with an MCU to calculate for the off-angle.

Here is my mechanical suggestion:

Use a tooth belt (as used in some car engines for the valve drive) and connect it from side to side of the towing car running over the sprocket driving the encoder.

The pivot point and the suspension points for the belt must be in a perfect circle not to lose tension of the belt as the tow bar gets out of line with the towing car. For easy removal use clips to connect the belt to the car.

I guess the rest is self explanatory. The electronic part is a piece of cake if you know how to write the software (I don't )

Regards

Boncuk

 

[BrownOut]

Thanks Boncuk. The description made me feel goofy, but the drawing cleared it all up.

 

[BrownOut]

I have one of those tiny Harbor Freight trailers that is too low to see over the tailgate of a pickup. I solved the problem of not seeing it (and potentially jackknifing it) by attaching one of those fiberglass poles to the rear of it with the flag on top like you see on kid's bikes or grandma's scooter. That gives me an aiming point when backing it up. It is a ***** to back up because the distance from hitch to wheels is way less than the wheel-base of the towing vehicle...

HAHA! I have one of those. It came in about 100 pieces and took 3 hours to assemble. I tried to back it with my 3/4 ton truck, and jacknifed it the on the first attempt.

 

[Mark_R]

laser

how about a laser diode generating A vertical line, shining back at the bumper from the tongue. Then have a detector on the bumper at each end, if the laser paints either sensor, you are about to jackknife.
you could have multiple sensors in a strip if you want to sense in steps.

 

[BrownOut]

Great idea!

I know you meant "horizonal" line. I get that mixed up too.

 

[Mark_R]

Great idea!

I know you meant "horizonal" line. I get that mixed up too.

No, I mean vertical. the vertical (up & down) stripe would travel back and forth on the bumper, hitting the sensors. If it was horizontal it would hit all the sensors all the time.

Use a line instead of a point to allow for up and down misalignment of the trailer and truck.

 

[Mikebits]

HAHA! I have one of those. It came in about 100 pieces and took 3 hours to assemble. I tried to back it with my 3/4 ton truck, and jacknifed it the on the first attempt.

Ya gotta love HFT. I have the HFT mini lathe and micro mill, work great for the price. A few mods and your all set.

I like the flag idea

 

[BrownOut]

I have two HFT mini laths which I got at auction. Both have dead control boards. I doubt that I can get replacements, so I'm making a PWM controller for them.

What mods have you made?

BTW, HFT is one of my favorite places to hang out. Even though some of their stuff is junk.

 

[BrownOut]

No, I mean vertical. the vertical (up & down) stripe would travel back and forth on the bumper, hitting the sensors. If it was horizontal it would hit all the sensors all the time.

Use a line instead of a point to allow for up and down misalignment of the trailer and truck.

Gotcha!

 

[Boncuk]

Thanks Boncuk. The description made me feel goofy, but the drawing cleared it all up.

Sorry, I couldn't describe it clearer. I know how to describe technical things concerning aviation but I've never had to describe machine (mechanical) functions using English.

Aviation is much easier than machines: One peek is worth 1,000 sweeps (radar navigation)

Boncuk

 

[BrownOut]

I definitely use flags and such to increase the visibility. Still, I get in tight spots sometimes, and it would be good to know how much margin I have. When I was in the Army, we did lots and lots of trailering. Jacknifing was common, despite it being against regulations to back a trailer without a "ground guide", another person watching the trailer. People would try to back without one, and whenever you noticed someone about to jacknife his trailer, you would yell, "JACKNIFE" as loud as you could. Heh!

 

[BrownOut]

Sorry, I couldn't describe it clearer. I know how to describe technical things concerning aviation but I've never had to describe machine (mechanical) functions using English.

Aviation is much easier than machines: One peek is worth 1,000 sweeps (radar navigation)

Boncuk

It wasn't just you. Haden't had my coffee just yet.

 

[Mikebits]

I would love to discuss HFT lathe mods with you, perhaps we should make this a new topic in **** chat.

 

[Diver300]

**broken link removed**

Something like that, mounted to detect the trailer not stationary objects, might do just what you want.

 

[Boncuk]

I would love to discuss HFT lathe mods with you, perhaps we should make this a new topic in **** chat.

What is "HFT" please?

I'm sure I'll find thousands of "HFTs" googling for it, but I doubt I'll find the right one.

 

[BrownOut]

Harbor Freight Tools. It's a discount tool store chain in the US. Maybe other countries too.

 

[Pommie]

Why not use a potentiometer to measure the angle? Mount if ahead of the towball with an arm (think RC servo horn) out sideways with an RC ball linkage to the trailer. Or, mount it below the towball with a slotted linkage in line with the trailer, the trailer would need a downward facing pin to go into the linkage. A simple window comparator would give you the warning signal.

Mike.