Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02454819 2003-12-31
SIDE DUMP TRAILER FOR PARTICULATE MATERIAL
Technical Field
[0001] The invention relates to the field of vehicles for hauling materials,
S and more particularly to vehicles for hauling particulate material having
side
dumping facility.
Back r~ ound
[0002] Side dumping trailers have previously been used, particularly in
mining and agricultural applications for ease of unloading certain materials
especially particulate materials. See United States Patent no. 5,480,214
Rogers.
Typically the dump box is open at the top for loading and unloading and the
dump
box is pivoted about a longitudinal axis below the box to dump the material
over
the top side edge of the dump box. A problem with such configurations is that
in
order to fully dump materials the side walls of the dump box are tapered
rather
than extending vertically from the bottom surface. The potential volume of the
load is therefore reduced. Another problem with previous side dumping trailers
is that the materials cannot be dumped far enough away from the side of the
trailer
to avoid interference with the movement of the trailer.
[0003] For applications such as transporting loads such as hog fuel or wood
chips which are high volume but relatively light, it is important to maximize
the
volume of the trailer to make transport of such material economical while
allowing
for ease of loading and unloading. Live floors can be used for such
applications
but cannot be used with B-train trailers. There is therefore a need for a high-
volume side dumping trailer for particulate materials.
Summary of Invention
[0004] The invention provides a side-dumping trailer in which the load is
3 O dumped through one side of the trailer box by opening one side of the
trailer box
and subsequently tilting the entire box. According to one aspect of the
invention
the side is opened by moving the entire vertical side of the trailer box
upwardly
away from the load. According to a further aspect the lower edge of the
opening
side has sealing latches to secure the side in the closed position during
transport.
3 S The invention also provides a method of unloading a particulate load from
a truck
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_ _
and side-dumping trailer by jack-knifing the trailer, opening the side of the
trailer
box, tilting the entire trailer box and then driving the truck forward.
Brief Description of Drawings
S [0005] In drawings which disclose aprefened embodiment of the invention:
Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of a truck and trailer incorporating the
invention;
Fig. 2 is an end view of the trailer shown in Fig. 1 incorporating the
invention with the hinged side in the closed position;
1 O Fig. 3 is an end view of the trailer shown in Fig. 1 incorporating the
invention with the hinged side in the open position, with intermedi-
ate positions shown in dotted outline;
Fig. 4 is an end view of the trailer shown in Fig. 1 incorporating the
invention with the hinged side in the open position, and the box
1 S tilted for dumping;
Fig. 5 is an end perspective view of the trailer shown in Fig. 1
incorporating the invention with the hinged side in the open
position;
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the trailer shown in Fig. 1 incorporat-
20 ing the invention with the hinged side in the open position and the
truck jack-knifed for unloading;
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the trailer shown in Fig. 1 incorporat-
ing the invention with the hinged side in the open position and the
truck jack-knifed for unloading and the box tilted for dumping;
2S Fig. 8 is a front elevation view of the lower latch for the hinged side
of the invention; and
Fig. 9 is a side view of the lower latch for the hinged side of the
invention.
30 Description
[0006] Throughout the following description, specific details are set forth
in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However,
the
invention may be practiced without these particulars. In other instances, well
known elements have not been shown or described in detail to avoid
unnecessarily
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obscuring the invention. Accordingly, the specifi<;ation and drawings are to
be
regarded in an illustrative, rather than a restrictive, sense.
[0007] With reference to Figure 1, a truck: 10 has a B-train trailer 12
comprising two side-dumping trailers 14 according to the invention. While a
S preferred embodiment of the invention is incorporated into two trailers such
as A-
train or B-train to maximize the volume, the invention will also have
application
to simple trailers, full trailers or semi-trailers with one trailer. In the
preferred
form of the invention the trailers 14 have "possum°' floors 16 to
maximize the
volume. Each trailer has top 18, front end wall 20,, rear end wall 22, closed
side
1 O wall 23 and opening side wall 24. Preferably front end wall 20, rear end
wall 22,
and closed side wall 23 are formed of hollow-core aluminum extrusion panels.
Opening side wall 24 is provided with more rigidity while retaining lightness
by
constructing it as a composite of high tensile steel bolted to aluminum. Top
18
may be open but preferably is closed by a mesh or solid tarp to prevent
material
~ S from blowing out. The tarp may be a standard roll tarp as used on chip
vans and
trailers or a flip tarp or tarp frame.
[0008] With reference to Figures 2-5, side hinged wall 24 is supported at
both ends on lower hinged arms 30 and upper hinged arms 32. Lower arms 30 are
pivotally connected to the frames of end walls 22 at 34 and are pivotally
connected
20 to the edges of side 24 at 36. Hydraulic cylinders 38 are pivotally
connected at
their lower ends to the trailer frame at 40 and axe pivotally connected to
arms 30
at 42. Upper arms 32 are pivotally connected to the frame of end walls 22 at
44
and are pivotally connected to the edges of side 24 at 46. As shown in Fig. 3,
activation of hydraulic cylinders 38 raises side 24 from the closed position
shown
25 in Fig. 2 to the open position shown in Fig. 3.
[0009] With reference to Figure 4, the trailer box 15 is hingedly connected
at both ends at hinges 50 to trailer end frames 52. The hinges 50 are formed
in
steel outriggers 51 secured to the frames 52. Hydraulic cylinders 54 are
pivotally
connected at their lower ends 56 to the trailer end. frames 52 and are
pivotally
30 connected to the trailer box 15 at 58. As shown in Fig. 4, activation of
hydraulic
cylinders 54 tilts box 15 from the transport position shown in Fig. 2 to the
dumping position shown in Fig. 4. The preferred maximum angle A of tilt for
dumping is about 50 degrees from horizontal.
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_,4.-
[0010] When hinged sides 24 are in the closed position for transport, they
are tightly sealed along their lower edges by a number of powered paddle
latches
60 as shown in Fig. 8-9. Preferably about 5 to 7 o:f these paddle latches 60
are
spaced along lower edge 25, mounted on lower box rail 62. Fig. 8 and 9 show
the
S latch in the closed position, with the open politic>n shown in Fig. 9 in
dotted
outline. Pad 70 is hinged on arms 72. Arms 72 are hingedly connected to
intermediate arm 74 which in turn is hingedly connected to rod 66 and is
hinged
on support 76. A pneumatic or hydraulically powered cylinder 64 extends rod 66
to open the latch to free side 24 for opening. When power is released from
1 O cylinder 64, spring 65 withdraws rod 66 and pad 70 is pressed tightly
against lower
edge 25.
[0011] Each trailer box 15 is loaded with hydraulic cylinders 38 and 54 in
retracted positions, whereby side 24 is closed, and latches 60 are closed
against
lower edge 25. Where a tarp is used to cover top 14, in the case of a roll
tarp the
1 S tarp is rolled open, or in the case of a frame tarp the frame is opened.
The load of
particulate material then flows into the interior of box 15 through top 14 to
the
desired level and the tarp is closed and tied down with restraining devices if
applicable. The retraction of cylinders 54 will secure the boxes 15 in
horizontal
position for transport, although they may also be provided with automatic
locking
20 valves to lock the boxes 15 in horizontal position. To unload the trailers,
preferably a remote control is used to activate the hydraulic or pneumatic
cylinders. Where there is not an elevated dumping station, the driver jack-
knifes
the truck as shown in Fig. 6. Cylinders 64 are remotely activated to release
paddle
latches 60 and free sides 24. Cylinders 38 are the activated to open sides 24
to the
25 fully open position as spawn in Fig. 6. Cylinders 54 are then remotely
activated
to tilt boxes 15 and dump the load as shown in Fig. 7. The truck driver then
moves
the truck forward away from the dumped load 90 until fully dumped. Cylinders
54, 38 and 64 are then retracted to fully close the boxes 15 and the dump has
been
completed.
30 [0012] To facilitate the flow of particulate material during unloading, in
the
preferred embodiment the length of closed side 23 :is about 4 inches shorter
than
side 24 to give the interior a slightly wedge shape.
[0013] As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the
foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modiiFications are possible in the
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practice of this invention without departing frorr.~ the spirit or scope
thereof.
Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in accordance with
the
substance defined by the following claims.
