Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE OF THE INVENTION:
Multi-purpose Commercial Vehicle
~> FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a multi-purpose
commercial vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Commercial vehicles, whether in the form of trucks or
truck and trailer units, tend to be constructed to fulfil a
specialized function. A commercial vehicle equipped with a
tank cannot fulfil thE:- same functions as can a vehicle equipped
with a crane, refriger<~tion unit, vacuum unit, or gravel box.
1> Even commercial veh:i_cles equipped with tanks tend to be
categorized by what t~r:ey haul. Vehicles with tanks used to
haul liquid fuels or chemicals are not used to haul liquids,
such as water or milk, that are intended for human consumption.
The vehicles themselves are becoming increasingly
expensive. Prior to l:~eing equipped with specialized equipment,
the vehicles can cost t)300,000.00 to X400,000.00. If equipped
with floatation tires for travel in environmentally sensitive
areas the vehicles alone can cost as much as $800, 000 . 00 . In
view of the high cost:. of commercial vehicles, it is important
that they be kept con::~tantly busy. It is, therefore, beneficial
to have a mufti-purpose comrnercial vehicle, that can be used
for a variety of functions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
What is requirec:~ is a mufti-purpose commercial vehicle
that is versatile a.nd can be readily Gdapted to perform
different specialized uses.
3!~ According to th~~ present invention there is provided a
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multi-purpose commercial vehicle which includes a body having
underlying support wheels. The body has a deck with side
rails. Either interlock receptacles or interlock members are
positioned at: spaced _.ntervals along the side rails. A skid
G is provided having opposed sides. The other of interlock
receptacles or inter~.o.~k members az-e positioned at spaced
intervals long the opl:>osed sides of the skin. The interlock
members interlock with the interlock receptacles to detachably
secure the skid to the deck . t3 working module , such as a tank,
1U vacuum unit, refrigea_-ation unit or crane, is permanently
mounted on the skid.
With the mufti-purpose commercial vehicle, as described
above, the vehicle can be adapted to undertake a different
1~~ function merely by substituting a different skid having a
different working module. It is contemplated that two or more
skids will be providec:~ for each vehicle, so that the vehicle
owner will have two c:~r more different working modules from
which to chose from. If there is no demand for the services
20 of one working module, the vehicle owner can keep his vehicle
busy by switching to a:~ different working module.
It is preferred that the interlock receptacles be
positioned at: spaced interval:> along t:he side rails of the deck
25 and the interlock members be positioned at spaced intervals
along the opposed sides of the skid. It is <;ontemplated that
the interlock members will be movable between an extended and
a retracted position.
30 The deck has a first end and a second end. It is
preferred that a roller be positioned at the second end and a
winch being positionec:~ at the first end. This enables one of
the skids to be pulled over the rol:Ler into position on the
deck by the winch.
3 ~~
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features of the inventiOT1 wlll become more
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apparent from the following description in which reference is
made to the appended drawings, the drawings are for the purpose
of illustration only a.nd are not intended to in any way limit
the scope of the inve=ntion t:o the particular embodiment or
~~ embodiments shown, wher~=in:
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a mufti-purpose
commercial vehicle constructed in accordance with the teachings
of the present invention.
FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the mufti-purpose
commercial vehicle illustrated in FIGURE l, without the skid.
FIGURE 3 is side elevation vic=_w of the mufti-purpose
commercial vehicle illustrated in FIGURE 1, without the skid.
FIGURE ~ is bottc:~m plan 'view of the skid from the multi
purpose commercial veraicle illustrated in FIGURE 1.
l~~ FIGURE 5 is an and elevation view, in section, of the
mufti-purpose commerci.a:1 vehicle illustrated in FIGURE 1, with
skid.
FIGURE 6 is a side elevation view of t:he mufti-purpose
commercial vehicle il:l_ustrated in FIGURE 1, showing the skid
in the process of being pulled over the roll and onto the deck
by the winch.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The preferred embodiment, a rnulti-purpose commercial
vehicle generally identified by reference numeral 10, will now
be described with refE>rence to FIGURES 1 through 6.
Structure and Re_I_ationsh.ip of Parts:
3c) Referring to FIGURE 1, there is provided a mufti-purpose
commercial vehicle 10 which lTlCludes a body 12 with underlying
support wheels 14. REferring to FIGURE 2, body 12 has a deck
16 with a first end 18 and a ~~econd end 20, and side rails 22.
A winch 26 is positioned at first end 18 and a roller 24 is
positioned at second end 20 oi_ deck 16. Interlock receptacles
28 are positioned at ,:paced intervals along side rails 22.
Referring to FIGURE 1, two skids 30 are illustrated,
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although it will be appreciated that there could be additional
skids 30 could also bF: includ.ed. One of skids 30 is mounted
to vehicle 10.
Referring to FIGURE 4, each skid 30 has opposed sides 32
c~ with interlock member; 34 positioned at spaced intervals long
opposed sides 32 of sk:i..d 30. R.=ferring to FIGURES 4 and 5, each
interlock member 34 is movable between an extended position as
shown in FIGURE 5, and a retracted position as shown in FIGURE
4. A series of telescopic fluid activated cylinders 36 are
secured to each skid 30, whereby interlock members 34 are moved
from the retracted pos=i.tion to the extended position. Referring
to FIGURE 5, it can be seen how, when :in the e:~tended position,
interlock members 34 engage inter:Lock receptacles 28 to
detachably secure skic;ts 30 to deck 1E> .
Referring to FIGURE 1, a different working module, such
as a crane 38 or a ta:nk:. 40 i~~ permanently mounted on each of
skids 30. This enablE=s the function of vehicle 10 to be
altered by substituting a diff=erent skid 30 having a different
working module. In th.e illustrated embodiment, crane 38 and
tank 40 are illustrated as being mounted to :kids 30, however
it will be appreciated that there are a variety of modules
which could be mounted to skid 30 in order to increase the
versatility of vehicle 10.
Operation:
The use and operation of multi-purpose commercial vehicle
10 will now be described with reference to FIGURES 1 through
6. Referring to FIGURE 1, vehicle= 10 can be adapted to
undertake a different function merely by substituting one skid
30 skid having a different working module for another skid 30.
Referring to FIGURE 6r in order to place ski~3 30 such as skid
30 with mounted tank 40 onto deck 16 of vehicle 10, skid 30 is
positioned adjacent to second end 20 of deck 16. A cable 42
which extends from winch 26 i~; then attached t:o skid 30. Winch
26 is activated to wind cable 42 onto winch 26 so that skid 30
is pulled up over rollez° 24 anal into position on deck 16. Skid
30 is maintained in proper alignment on deck J.6 by the presence
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of side rails 22.
Referring to FIGURES 4 and 5, once skid 30 has been pulled
onto deck 16, telescopic fluid activated cyl-~nders 36 on skid
30 are activated to move interlock members 34 from the
5 retracted position as shown in FIGURE 4 to the extended
position as shown in FIGURE 5, thereby engaging interlock
receptacles 28 to detac:hably secure skids 30 to deck 16.
Referring to FIGURE 1, when it is no longer desirable to
have skid 30 with mounted t<~nk 40 secured to deck 16, the
function of vehicle 10 ~~an be altered by substituting skid 30
with permanently mounted crane 38. If additional skids 30 with
differing modules were available, those skids 30 could also be
substituted, depending on the desired functionality of vehicle
10.
In this patent document, the word "comprising" is used in
its non-limiting senst:~ to mean that items following the word
are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not
excluded. A reference t:o an element by the indefinite article
"a" does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the
element is present, uell.ess the context clearly requires that
there be one and only one of the elements.
It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that
modifications may be m,:~d.e to tJze illustrated embodiment without
departing from the :spirit and scope of t:he invention as
hereinafter defined i~:l the Claims.
