Telescopic trailer tongue with spring

I'm playing with a hobby project that has a telescopic tongue with a spring and damper on the length of the tongue.

I'm looking for some real world examples.

 

The closest thing I can think of along these lines would be a surge brake or overrun brake.

Are you doing this to reduce the forces on the trailer when the tow vehicle accelerates or decelerates?

 

Just a little reminder about physics. Remember a fellow by the name of Newton.......?

Any force (load) from the trailer WILL have an equal and opposite force (load) from the tow vehicle.

I urge you to avoid this path.

 

What is it going to be used on?
And what is the expected load on the system?

The dampening idea has been around for awhile.
I’m not sure using springs alone would be ideal for heavy load applications.
Maybe incorporate some type of hydronic dampener to the system. (Yes, much like a shock absorber)

I’d take into account Newton’s 3rd law.
Objects at rest and in motion.

 

Me and you have the same thoughts I see?

 

Yeah....just imagine a resonance setting up while towing........
or
stretch/retract slamming the springs to solid length or extending the springs beyond yield point.


@TnShooter ... Do you mean Hydronics or Hydraulics??
Hydronics are used to grow plants without soil.

 

Holy pitchforks y'all! Some of the surge brake systems (or overrun brakes overseas) have dampers inside to help regulate how quickly the brakes actuate. Yes, you still get all of Newton's affects, but if you can change the rate that the trailer accelerates (positive or negative) in relation to the rate that the vehicle accelerates by using a dampener (need to have a dampener) then you will reduce the forces involved.

With the OP's above picture, you could easily make it a dampened system by building the unit as a sleeve that covers the springs. Place a seal or two around the metal disc between the two red springs and you've made a piston. Place a small air port on the forward and aft end of the spring sleeve and you've got a pneumatic shock absorber that will use air pressure to slow the movement. It almost looks like @soggyBottom is heading this way and that he 3d printed with a cutaway to see inside.

I could see using a variant of this system if you were trying to tow something and minimize jerks on the trailer. Black Series Trailers has a video on their polyblock coupler (which is garbage, don't buy one) where they advertised the surge brake option as a shock absorber for offroad. Just in case you need more evidence to be cautious of what a salesperson says:

https://youtu.be/8T3XSBZ8FdQ?t=270


Kurt sells a hitch that has a dampener system built in, which IMO would be the place to have the dampener and shock absorption if you're trying to make the ride more comfortable for the tow vehicle, especially if the tow vehicle hauls different trailers. Doing that on the trailer really only makes sense to me if you're using it to actuate a surge brake or if you have cargo where you really want to minimize jerking between the tow vehicle and trailer. IMO, you're better off doing this by driving smoothly and using something like a multi-axis offroad style coupling.

https://www.curtmfg.com/shockdrop

 

There are multiple ways to build it.
Still like to know what it will be used on?

 

Based off of his image, he's trying to develop an RC car trailer that will safely deliver a pint of his favorite frosty beverage without spilling any due to the RC car's jerky accelerations

 

What is it that you are trying to accomplish?

 

So will the plane take off or ??