Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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REMOVABLE TRUCK DECK
Field of the Invention
The invention relates to removable truck decks. More particularly, the
invention
relates to a removable truck deck for use as part of a roll-off truck deck
system having a
number of available side fittings permitting a number of configurations.
Background
Roll-off truck deck systems are advantageous in that they permit a number of
purpose-built truck decks to be readily interchanged on a suitably equipped
truck or
military vehicle, such as a Humvee. This allows a single truck to be used for
a number of
different applications and also allows decks to be left at a desired location
for use
separately from the truck. Examples of purpose-built deck configurations
include: flat
decks, cube decks, dump boxes, welding decks, portable washrooms, jobsite
offices,
equipment storage lockers, etc. Roll-off truck systems and further examples of
suitable
decks for use therewith are described in United States patent 6,641,353.
Since the advantage provided by a roll-off truck deck system is in making a
single
truck adaptable to a number of different applications, it would be further
advantageous to
make the decks themselves adaptable by providing a number of replaceable and
interchangeable attachments that allow the deck to be used in different ways.
It would be
further advantageous to provide these attachments in a manner that allows
their position
of the truck deck to be adjustable so as not to be limited by the location of
the attachment
on the truck deck.
Winches or eyelets are sometimes used to receive straps for securing a load to
a
flatbed truck or trailer. The truck or trailer is often provided with a
channel located
beneath the deck that allows the winch or eyelet position to be adjusted along
the length
of the trailer. The winch or eyelet is not usually secured at a desired
position, but instead
friction between the strap and the upper surface of the truck deck is relied
upon to hold
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the winch in position. An example of such a system is provided in US
4,382,736. In
trailer applications, it is desirable to provide the rail beneath the deck so
as to provide as
much load-bearing deck width as possible without the trailer exceeding the
maximum
allowable road width. However, purpose-built removable truck decks do not
approach the
maximum allowable road width and therefore are not faced with this same
limitation.
Furthermore, providing a channel beneath the deck would potentially interfere
with loading
and unloading of the removable truck deck. For this reason, these prior art
systems are
not suitable for use in removable truck deck applications.
Side-channel systems for trailers are also known, and some of these systems do
include replaceable and interchangeable fittings for a variety of different
purposes.
Examples of such systems are provided in US 4,342,480, US 5,338,084 and US
6,250,861. These systems typically suffer from structural strength
limitations, primarily
due to the manner in which they are locked in position. In addition, most of
these systems
have only been previously employed on trailers, not trucks. To the extent such
systems
have been employed on trucks, they are located on an interior side wall of a
cargo space,
such as within the box of a pickup truck (see, for example, US 4,969,784 and
US
6,585,465) or within an aircraft (see US 2,688,289). This interior application
is not
analogous to the exterior of a removable truck deck and such systems would be
difficult to
keep clean of road debris or ice if mounted on the exterior of a vehicle.
In another known system, channels are provided in a top surface of a side wall
of a
pickup truck box. Examples of such systems are provided in US 5,259,711, US
5,454,612, US 6,024,402 and US 6,712,568. Removable truck decks generally do
not
have fixed side walls and, if such a system were provided in a top surface of
a truck deck,
it would take up a substantial portion of the load bearing surface of the
truck deck.
Mounted the rails on the top surface of the truck deck would also make the
rails
susceptible to debris contamination and damage by loading of cargo on and off
of the
deck. Such a system is therefore not suitable for use on a removable truck
deck.
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The need therefore remains for improved removable truck decks having
adjustable
and interchangeable side fittings allowing a single deck to be used in a
variety of
applications.
One application of roll-off truck deck systems is in transporting cargo. When
transporting cargo across a body of water, the cargo is typically unloaded
from the truck
deck and then loaded on to a boat. It would be desirable to have a purpose-
built truck
deck that obviated the need for this un-loading/loading step, for example by
allowing the
deck to float when removed from the truck. Floating truck decks that are
compatible for
use with roll-off truck deck systems for ease of removal are currently
unavailable and
therefore the need for these types of truck decks still remains. It would be
desirable to
utilize adjustable and interchangeable side fittings in creating such a
floating truck deck.
Floating bridges are used to transport equipment across bodies of water,
particularly in situations where it is desirable to erect the bridge quickly
and temporarily. It
would be desirable to provide a plurality of purpose-built removable truck
decks for use in
quickly erecting a floating bridge. However, no such removable truck decks
currently
exist, particularly for use with a roll-off truck deck system for ease of
loading and un-
loading. The need therefore still remains for a removable truck deck for use
in floating
bridge applications. It would be desirable to utilize a floating removable
truck deck in
these floating bridge applications.
Summary of the Invention
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a removable
truck deck having means for slidably positioning a fitting at a plurality of
discrete locations
along a length thereof, the removable truck deck comprising: a deck frame
having
opposed longitudinal sides and a planar surface; a central channel mounted to
the frame
beneath the deck surface and extending along a length thereof, the central
channel for
receiving a pair of longitudinal frame members of a truck when the removable
truck deck
is mounted on the truck; a side rail mounted on each of the opposed sides
outwardly of
the deck frame, each side rail having a hollow cross-section and an outwardly
oriented
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central slot extending a length thereof; a plurality of longitudinally spaced-
apart holes on
each side rail; at least one removable fitting in each side rail, each fitting
having a base
slidably received within the hollow cross-section of its respective rail and
having an
outwardly projecting portion extending through the central slot; a pin on each
fitting for
engagement with the holes; and, wherein the pin engages with one of the holes
to secure
the fitting at a selected position along the length of the rail.
The side rails may have a top surface aligned with a top surface of the deck
frame
and/or may have a bottom surface located above a bottom surface of the central
channel.
This advantageously prevents the side rails from engaging the ground when the
removable truck deck is un-loaded from the truck. When viewed in transverse
cross-
section, each side rail may have a substantially C-shaped cross-section and
the portions
of the C-shape adjacent the slot may be outwardly flared or bent to prevent
binding of the
fitting within the side rail and to facilitate cleaning of the side rail.
The base may be of any suitable shape, for example square or rectangular. The
base may include a means to facilitate sliding of the base along the side
rail, for example
one or more dry lubricant pads made from a material such as DelrinTM,
TeflonTM, or similar
materials.
The locking pin may be resiliently biased towards the side rail using a co-
axial
spring and may be selectively un-locked to permit movement of the fitting
along the side
rail. The pin may be mounted to the fitting longitudinally adjacent the base
to allow the
base to be made from suitable materials and of suitable thickness to support
the desired
load applied to the fitting. The plurality of holes may be round, oval, or any
suitable
shape. The holes may be provided within the side rail on an interior surface
thereof. The
holes may be laterally aligned with the central slot to facilitate passage of
the pin into the
interior of the side rail.
The outwardly projecting portion of the fitting may comprise an eye, winch or
similar device for receiving a load securing tension member, for example a
rope, cable,
chain or strap. Alternatively, the outwardly projecting portion may comprise a
vertically
oriented post receiving member. The post receiving member may have any
suitable
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horizontal cross-sectional shape and may have a square, rectangular, circular
or oval
shape. Preferably, the post receiving member has a substantially square
horizontal
cross-sectional shape. The post receiving member may have an open top and/or
an open
bottom. The bottom of the post receiving member may have a closed portion
against
which the bottom of a post may be abutted to prevent the post from passing
completely
through the post receiving member. The post receiving member may be hinged to
permit
pivoting from a vertical orientation to a horizontal orientation and may pivot
beyond the
horizontal to an inverted vertical orientation. One or more apertures may be
provided on
the post receiving member for receiving a post securing pin that is used to
lock the post
within the post receiving member. The post securing pin may be spring loaded
and/or
may include means to prevent inadvertent removal of the post securing pin from
the
aperture(s).
A number of different attachments may be provided and removably secured to the
removable truck deck, for example by insertion within the post receiving
member.
Examples of suitable attachments include a post, a hoop, a jack, a crane, a
winch, a
wheel, a caster wheel, a side wall, a transverse partition, a tailgate, a
ramp, a toolbox, a
pontoon, a reinforcing structure, etc.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a floating
removable
truck deck comprising: a deck frame having opposed longitudinal sides and a
planar
surface; a central channel mounted to the frame beneath the deck surface and
extending
along a length thereof, the central channel for receiving a pair of
longitudinal frame
members of a truck when the removable truck deck is mounted on the truck; and,
at least
a pair of pontoons, each pontoon removably attachable to the truck deck when
the deck is
removed from the truck.
The pair of pontoons may be transported in an upright position when the truck
deck
is attached to the truck and then inverted so that the flotation portion of
each pontoon is
below the truck deck when the truck deck is removed from the truck. The
pontoons may
be attached to the truck deck using one, two, three or more vertical posts
attached thereto
and inserted within a complementary member, such as the post receiving member
of a
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side fitting as previously described. The pontoons may be provided either
parallel to the
length of the truck deck or oriented transversely thereto. The transverse
orientation
advantageously allows a plurality of pontoons to be provided, allowing the
removable
truck deck to support more weight when floating.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a bridge
made
from a plurality of floating removable truck decks, the bridge comprising: at
least two
floating removable truck decks, each comprising: a deck frame having opposed
longitudinal sides and a planar surface; a central channel mounted to the
frame beneath
the deck surface and extending along a length thereof, the central channel for
receiving a
pair of longitudinal frame members of a truck when the removable truck deck is
mounted
on the truck; at least a pair of pontoons, each pontoon removably attached to
the truck
deck; and, means for attaching two or more truck decks in abutting
longitudinal series.
The means for attaching two or more truck decks in abutting longitudinal
series
may comprise a link bar that may be partially inserted within the side rail of
a first
removable truck deck with the remainder extending into the aligned side rail
of an abutting
second removable truck deck. The link bar may then be secured to both the
first and
second truck decks, for example using a link bar locking pin inserted through
the link bar
and into one of the holes on the side rail. The means may include, optionally
or
additionally, a longitudinally extending pin located at one end of the first
removable truck
deck. The longitudinally extending pin may be used to align the two abutting
truck decks
by engagement of the pin within a complementary pin receiving aperture located
at an
opposite end of the second truck deck. Each truck deck would therefore have a
longitudinally extending pin at one end and a complementary aperture at its
opposite end
to permit a plurality of truck decks to be connected to one another in
abutting longitudinal
series. Any number of pins may be provided and a corresponding number of
apertures
may be provided. The aperture(s) may have a chamfered edge to facilitate
engagement
of the pin within the aperture(s). An engagement mechanism may be used to
secure the
pins within the apertures and/or to facilitate guiding of the pins into the
apertures. The
engagement mechanism may comprise a magnet.
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The present invention advantageously provides removable and interchangeable
side fittings to allow a single removable truck deck to be adapted to a
variety of purposes.
This enhances the functionality of the removable truck deck as part of a roll-
off truck deck
system designed to allow a single truck to be used in a number of different
applications.
The floating removable truck deck, in particular, is advantageous in
transporting cargo
across bodies of water while obviating the need for un-loading the cargo then
re-loading it
on to a boat. The floating truck deck is also advantageous when used as part
of a floating
bridge system.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Having summarized the invention, preferred embodiments thereof will now be
described with reference to the following figures, in which:
Fig. 1 is a side view of a prior art roll-off truck deck system having a
removable
truck deck;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a side rail and fitting according to an
embodiment of
the present invention;
Fig. 3 is a side view of a truck having a removable truck deck with adjustable
side
fittings according to the present invention;
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a side fitting comprising a winch;
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a vertical post comprising an eyelet for
mounting
within a post receiving member of a side fitting according to the present
invention;
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a removable truck deck having adjustable side
fittings for attachment to a hinged transverse partition;
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a floating removable truck deck having
adjustable
side fittings for attachment to pontoons;
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a plurality of floating removable truck decks
connected to one another in abutting longitudinal series to form a floating
bridge; and,
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Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a removable truck deck having adjustable side
fittings for attachment to wheels.
Detailed Description
Throughout the description, like features will be referred to using like
indicia.
Accordingly, features marked by indicia on a particular drawing need not
necessarily be
described with reference to that drawing, but are described elsewhere in
relation to
another drawing. Similarly, indicia described with reference to a particular
drawing need
not necessarily be shown in association with that drawing but may be
understood to relate
to features shown in other drawings.
Referring to Fig. 1, a prior art roll-off truck deck system comprises a truck
1 having
a chassis 2 to which is attached a pivoting frame 3 that includes extendible
and
retractable frame extensions 4. A winch is provided, either on the chassis 2
or on the
frame 3, which is attached to a removable truck deck 6 by means of a hooked
cable. The
removable truck deck 6 includes a central channel 7 located beneath the truck
deck that is
designed to receive and slide along the frame 3 and frame extensions 4. To
remove the
removable truck deck 6, the frame is pivoted upwardly about a rear pivot on
the chassis 2
through extension of hydraulic cylinders 8 provided between the chassis 2 and
the frame
3. The frame extensions 4 are extended so that when the frame 3 reaches its
ultimate
inclined position the frame extensions 4 engage the ground. The winch is then
operated
in a manner allowing the cable to extend, thereby permitting the removable
truck deck 6 to
slide downwardly along the frame 3 and the frame extensions 4. When the
rearward end
of the removable truck deck 6 reaches the ground, the truck 1 may be either
driven
forward or allowed to roll forward through the declining action of the
removable truck deck.
The lower or bottom surface of the central channel 7 rests against the ground
once the
removable truck deck 6 has been fully removed from the truck. The hooked cable
may
then be disconnected from the removable truck deck 6 and retracted, the frame
3 may be
lowered, and the frame extensions 4 retracted so that the truck is in its
original
configuration and ready to travel to its next destination. In this manner,
purpose-built
removable truck decks may be left at a desired location, such as a jobsite,
and the truck
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may then be used to retrieve other decks, potentially for other purposes. This
roll-off truck
deck system advantageously allows a single truck to be used in a variety of
applications
and is more fully described in the previously cited US patent 6,641,353.
Referring to Figs 2 and 3, particularly Fig. 2, each removable truck deck 3
includes
a deck frame 5 having a longitudinal side rail 10 along each opposed side
thereof
outwardly of the deck frame. Although the deck 3 shown in Fig. 2 is a flat
deck having a
deck frame 5 virtually indistinguishable from the deck itself, the deck might
also include a
superstructure having purpose-built features for a desired application. The
side rail 10
has a top surface 11 that is aligned with a top surface of the deck frame 5.
In addition, a
bottom surface 12 of the side rail 10 is located above a bottom surface of the
central
channel(s) 7 in order to keep the side rail spaced apart from the ground when
the deck 3
is removed from the truck. This keeps the side rail 10 free of contamination
by dirt, etc.
and allows removal and/or re-positioning of fittings along the side rail
without ground
interference. The bottom surface may include a plurality of drainage openings
(not
shown) to prevent the accumulation of debris, ice, etc. and to facilitate
cleaning of the
interior of the side rail, for example by a high pressure water jet. The side
rail 10 is hollow
with a substantially C-shaped cross section and has a central longitudinal
slot 13 along an
outward side thereof. The portions of the C-shaped cross section adjacent the
slot 13 are
bent outwardly to facilitate non-binding sliding movement of a removable
fitting 14
longitudinally along the hollow cross section of the side rail 10. Each
fitting 14 comprises
a base 15 with an outwardly projecting portion 16 mounted thereto in a
position that
allows it to extend through the slot 13 when the base is mounted within the
side rail 10.
The base is substantially rectangular in shape and includes a pair of upper
and lower
strips 17 that allow the base to fit snugly within the hollow C-shaped cross
section of the
side rail 10 while at the same time permit ready movement of the base along
the side rail.
The strips 17 may be made from a wear resistant material and may include a dry
lubricant
material. The strips 17 may also be made from a composite of two or more
materials.
Examples of suitable materials include metals and certain plastics, preferably
wear
resistant dry lubricant plastics such as DelrinTM, UHMW polyethylene or
TeflonTM
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Each fitting 14 has a pin 18 mounted to the fitting adjacent the base 15. The
pin is
resiliently mounted within a casement 19 by means of a co-axial coil spring 20
that is
captivated within the casement. The spring 20 biases the pin 18 towards an
interior
surface 21 of the side rail 10. A plurality of holes 22 are provided at spaced
apart
intervals along the length of the interior surface 21 and are sized to
correspond with the
diameter of the pin 18. Engagement of the pin 18 within a chosen hole 22 locks
the fitting
14 at a desired longitudinal position along the length of the side rail 10.
The pin includes
a radially extending dog 23 that may be locked within a complementary slot 24
in the
casement 19 by rotation of the pin 18 after withdrawal from the hole 22. This
permits the
position of the fitting 14 to be readily adjusted by sliding the base 15 along
the side rail 10,
as illustrated in Fig. 3. By locating the pin 18 within the casement 19
adjacent the base
15, a stronger locking mechanism can be made than if the pin 18 were simply
mounted
directly to the base. The strength of the locking mechanism allows the fitting
14 to be
securely held in a desired longitudinal position against the significant loads
that are
sometimes applied in certain applications, especially when the deck 3 is
removed from the
truck 1.
The outwardly projecting portion 16 may comprise a variety of purpose-built
ends.
For example, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the outwardly projecting portion 16 may
comprise a
vertically oriented post receiving member 25. The post receiving member 25 has
a
hollow, substantially square cross-section with an open top end and either an
open,
closed or partially closed bottom end. A vertical post 27 (not shown in Fig.
2) having a
complementary cross-sectional shape to the post receiving member 25 may be
inserted
through the open top and optionally abutted against the closed or partially
closed bottom.
A pair of aligned apertures 26 is provided in both the post receiving member
25 and the
vertical post 27 for receiving a post locking pin (not shown) therethrough to
secure the
vertical post within the post receiving member. It should be noted that, as
shown in Fig. 2,
the top end of the post receiving member 25 is angled slightly inwardly
towards the truck
deck 3 by an angle of about 5 degrees. The vertical post 27 is therefore not
perfectly
vertical when inserted within the post receiving member 25 but may be
understood to be
substantially vertical within the context of this invention. The inward angle
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receiving member 25 is intentionally provided to compensate for the slightly
oversized
nature of its hollow interior as compared with the exterior dimensions of the
vertical post
27. The inclination of the post receiving member 25 causes the posts 27 to all
incline
towards the truck deck 3 rather than be randomly inwardly or outwardly
inclined,
simplifying alignment of removable sidewalls or other devices along the posts.
Furthermore, the inward angle of the posts is useful when a transverse
partition is
employed, as will be more thoroughly described hereinafter. The transverse
partition
pushes out against the inwardly inclined posts 27 on opposite sides of the
truck deck 3
and wedges them against both the lower inner and upper outer edges of the post
receiving member 25. This locks the transverse partition in place and reduces
its
tendency to rattle during transport. The inward angle of the post receiving
member 25 is
therefore a function of both the amount by which its interior dimensions are
oversized
relative to the post 27 to be inserted and the overall height of the post
receiving member
itself.
Referring to Fig. 4, another purpose-built end for the outwardly projecting
portion
16 is shown. In this embodiment of the fitting 14, the outwardly projecting
portion 16
comprises a winch 28. The winch 28 is mounted directly to the base 16 and
comprises a
shaft 29 rotatably mounted within a winch housing 30. The shaft 29 includes a
longitudinal slot 38 through which the free end of a load-engaging strap may
be inserted
and then doubled over itself. A crank member (not shown) is inserted within
the hole 31
outward of the housing 30 to apply rotational leverage to the shaft 29 in a
counter-
clockwise direction when tightening the strap. A gear 32 co-axial with the
shaft and
having a plurality of angled teeth is provided for locking engagement with a
spring-loaded
pawl 33 in order to prevent rotation of the shaft in the clockwise direction,
thereby holding
the strap taut against the load and permitting the crank member to be re-
positioned in
order to apply additional leverage. A release catch 34 may be activated to
disengage the
pawl 33 from the gear 32 and permit loosening of the strap by reverse rotation
of the shaft
29. The locking pin 18 mounted adjacent the base 15 is used to position the
fitting 14 at a
desired longitudinal position along the length of the truck deck 3, as
previously described
in relation to Fig. 2. This permits the winch 28 to be located wherever the
load-engaging
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strap is needed, rather than being located at a fixed position as is common in
the prior art.
A strong locking mechanism is needed to ensure that the winch 28 remains
secured and
that the load does not come free from the deck 3. As previously described, the
mounting
of the pin 18 adjacent the base 15 allows a stronger locking mechanism to be
provided
than if the pin were mounted directly within the base itself.
Referring to Fig. 5, another purpose-built end for the outwardly projecting
portion
16 is provided in the form of an eye 35 for receiving the free end of a rope,
chain, strap,
cord or similar load-engaging tension element. The eye 35 is mounted to a post
stub 36
for insertion within a complementary post receiving member 25 as previously
described.
The post stub 36 includes a pair of aligned apertures 26 for receiving a post
locking pin to
secure the post stub within the post receiving member 25, also as previously
described.
In a like manner, any number of purpose-built ends be created and readily
interchanged
with a single fitting 14 having a post receiving member 25 as part of the
outwardly
projecting portion 16.
Referring to Fig. 6, a removable truck deck 3 is shown having an adjustable
fitting
14 mounted within each side rail 10. Each fitting 14 has an outwardly
projecting portion
16 comprising a post receiving member 25 and is locked at a selected
longitudinal
position by engagement of pin 18 within one of the plurality of holes 22. A
vertical post 27
is inserted within each post receiving member 25. A transverse partition 37 is
provided
between the posts 27. The transverse partition 37 may be located at any
desired position
along the length of the truck deck 3 and its position may be readily adjusted.
This allows
the load bearing surface of the truck deck 3 to be sub-divided into smaller
area, such as
may be useful in keeping different types of cargo separated. The transverse
partition 37
may also include a hinge means (the location and features of which may be
inferred with
reference to the drawing) permitting downward folding of the partition away
from the posts
27. This allows the partition 37 to function as a tailgate that may be opened
and closed to
load and unload cargo from the truck deck 3. A plurality of transverse
partitions 37 may
be provided with a single truck deck 3 and may be provided in conjunction with
side
partitions (not shown) formed in a similar manner using a pair of posts 27
within the same
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side rail 10. This side and transverse partition system can be used to create
a plurality of
load compartments on a single truck deck 3 for carrying a combination of loose
loads (for
example, top soil, wood chips and gravel), while still permitting the truck
deck 3 to be re-
configured to change the relative size of the load compartments or eliminate
the load
compartments altogether. This system is of particular utility in landscaping
applications.
Referring now to Fig. 7, a removable truck deck 3 is illustrated having a pair
of
adjustable fittings 14 on each side thereof to which a pontoon 40 is removably
mounted.
Each pontoon has two pontoon posts 41 attached thereto for removable insertion
through
the open bottom end of each post receiving member 25. The post locking pin
(not shown)
is used to retain each pontoon post 41 within its post receiving member 25. By
locating
the pontoons 40 beneath the truck deck 3, the truck deck is permitted to float
and can act
as a barge to permit cargo to be transported across a body of water without
first requiring
that it be unloaded from the truck deck 3. The posts may be transported
outwardly of the
truck deck 3 while on the truck by downward insertion of the pontoon posts 41
into the
open top end of the post receiving member 25, then inverted just prior to
removing the
truck deck 3 from the truck deck. To facilitate this, the pontoon posts 41 may
be
transversely offset from the centreline of the pontoon 40. The post receiving
members 25
may be hinged in a manner allowing the pontoons 40 to pivot from an upright
position to
an inverted position, thereby obviating the need for removing the pontoon
posts 41 from
the post receiving members and re-inserting them in the inverted position.
Instead of a
single long pontoon 40 along each side of the truck deck 3, as illustrated in
Fig. 4, two or
more shorter pontoons may be provided, each having two or more pontoon posts
41 for
insertion within a complementary number of post receiving members 25. The
pontoons
40 may be sized according to the desired load to be carried on the truck deck
3 and both
the pontoons and truck deck may be made from lightweight materials such as
aluminium
or reinforced plastics. The pontoons 40 may be oriented either longitudinally
or
transversely oriented relative to the truck deck 3.
Referring to Fig. 8, two removable truck decks 3 are shown, each having a pair
of
transversely oriented pontoons 40 attached thereto in a manner permitting both
decks to
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float. Any number of transversely aligned pontoons 40 may be provided
according to the
load bearing requirements. The floating truck decks 3 may be abutted in
longitudinal
series and attached to one another in order to form a floating bridge. Each
deck 3 has at
one end a pair of longitudinally extending alignment pins 50 and at an
opposite end a pair
of complementary pin receiving apertures 51. The pin receiving apertures may
be either
recessed within the deck frame 5 or housed within a cylindrical extension 52,
as shown.
The pin receiving apertures 51 may include a chamfered edge to aid in guiding
the pins
50 into the apertures. The apertures 51 may be oversized relative to the pins
50 to
facilitate alignment and to permit limited relative movement between the truck
decks 3.
Once the truck decks 3 are aligned, a link bar 53 located within each side
rail of a first
truck deck may be extended into the longitudinally aligned side rail of a
second abutting
truck deck. The link bar 53 comprises a plurality of spaced apart holes 54
which may be
aligned with the holes 22 on the interior of the side rail 10 of each truck
deck 3 and
secured thereto by means of two pins (not shown), one pin inserted through the
longitudinal slot 13 of each truck deck. A reinforcing superstructure or
substructure (not
shown), for example a truss-like side railing, may be provided along the
length of each
truck and may be used to optionally interconnect two or more truck decks. The
reinforcing
structure may include a plurality of vertical posts for insertion within post
receiving
members of a side fitting 14 in a manner as has been previously described.
This provides
additional rigidity to the truck deck, allowing more weight to be supported,
and allows the
truck decks to be optionally interconnected in a manner that limits flexion
and rotational
movement between truck decks. A plurality of tuck decks, pontoons, and
reinforcing
structures can be provided on one truck or a plurality of trucks to form the
bridge. In this
manner, a plurality of abutting truck decks may be readily connected to one
another in
longitudinal series to form a floating bridge having any desired length and
any desired
load bearing capacity.
Referring to Fig. 9, a removable truck deck is shown having a number of wheels
60
attached thereto. Each wheel 60 includes a wheel post 61 that is removably
inserted
upwardly into its respective post receiving member 25. The wheel post 61 may
have any
required length and may be inserted to the extent required to provide the
desired
14
CA 02541632 2006-03-20
ONT-0001
elevation between the upper surface of the truck deck 3 and the surface on
which the
wheels 60 are intended to roll. In the four-wheeled configuration shown in
Fig. 6, at least
two of the wheels 60 are allowed to caster, thereby permitting the truck deck
3 to be
steered. The wheels 60 are particularly useful in moving a removable truck
deck from
location to location, for example within a factory or on a jobsite.
Any combination of fittings 14 may be provided with a removable truck deck
according to the present invention to form desired structures or to facilitate
desired uses.
For example, side walls and transverse partitions may be formed on a deck with
wheels to
create a mobile storage container. Other configurations for the outwardly
extending
portion 16 may be provided that are not explicitly described herein but are
intended to be
encompassed within the ambit of the following claims. The invention is
described
throughout the specification with reference to a truck, and it should be noted
that the term
truck is meant to encompass all manner of truck-like vehicles, including multi-
wheeled
vehicles, tracked vehicles and military vehicles such as the Humvee. The
foregoing
describes preferred embodiments of the invention and other features and
embodiments of
the invention will be evident to persons skilled in the art. The following
claims are to be
construed broadly with reference to the foregoing and are intended by the
inventor to
include other variations and sub-combinations that are not explicitly claimed.
