Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TRAILER APPARATUSES
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present utility application relates to and claims priority to U.S.
Provisional Patent
Application No. 62/017,493, filed June 26, 2014, which is incorporated herein
in entirety.
FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates to trailers for motor vehicles, and in
particular, pertains to
a tilt bed traveling or sliding axle trailer which is useful in loading,
unloading and transporting
heavy objects.
BACKGROUND
[0003] The following U.S. patents and U.S. published application are
incorporated herein by
reference in entirety:
[0004] U.S. Patent No. 4,125,198 discloses a trailer having a tiltable bed and
a wheel-
supported undercarriage that is supported with structure mounting the
undercarriage for
reciprocal movement for and aft of the bed between a forward, bed-tilting
position and a
rearmost, roading position wherein the bed is carried lower to the ground to
accommodate higher
loads. The mounting structure includes a pair of tracks on the bed and a
series of ramps for
raising the bed relative to the undercarriage when the latter is shifted from
its roading position
such that sufficient spacing between the bed and the undercarriage is provided
for clearance of
the bed under structure during movement of the undercarriage along its fore
and aft path of
travel.
[0005] U.S. Patent No. 4,231,710 discloses a tiltable trailer that is provided
with longitudinal
beams that are spaced such as to be located directly beneath the wheels of
equipment to be
hauled, thereby eliminating the need for heavy crosspieces beneath the deck
for the supporting
wide loads, and contributing toward decreased trailer weight. A lower deck
weight is
accomplished by having the tracks for the rollers of the reciprocable
undercarriage and the ramps
of such tracks located within the beams, by positioning the undercarriage
between the beams and
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by providing the undercarriage with a low-profile beam support which in turn,
has roller
mounting cross members immediately ahead of and immediately behind the wheel
and axle
assemblies.
[0006] U.S. Patent No. 5,013,056 discloses a trailer having a tiltable main
deck and a shiftable
undercarriage that includes an undercarriage assembly having a deck support
structure mounted
thereon for supporting the deck. The deck support structure includes lifting
arms for lifting the
elongated deck assembly relative to the undercarriage independently of the
undercarriage
shifting mechanism so that the deck may be lifted relative to the
undercarriage without
simultaneously shifting the undercarriage along the deck. The trailer may
include a hitch
assembly that permits the trailer to be pivotally connected to a towing
vehicle to permit the
forward deck to be tilted away from the main deck to increase the angle
between the main deck
and the forward deck when the trailer is in the unloading position. Further, a
deck adjustment
assembly is disclosed for adjusting the relative positions of the decks.
[0007] U.S. Patent No. 5,211,413 discloses an elongated trailer including a
bed supported on
an undercarriage, where the undercarriage is shiftable longitudinally between
roading and
loading positions. At least one beam is provided on the bed and includes a
lower flange defining
a tracking surface, a web extending upward from the central longitudinal axis
of the flange, and
forward and rear ramps formed in the tracking surface. The forward and rear
ramps are spaced
longitudinally from one another and extend laterally inward from opposite
sides of the tracking
surface. The ramps are a greater width than one-half the width of the tracking
surface so that the
ramps overlap one another when viewed along the central longitudinal axis, and
each ramp
extends beneath the web. A pair of rollers is supported on the undercarriage
for rotational
movement, bear against the central longitudinal axis of the tracking surface
and engage the
ramps when the undercarriage is shifted to the roading position.
[0008] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2008/0231016 discloses a
trailer combined
with a movable wheel assembly. The trailer comprises a front portion and a
load carrying bed
portion. The front portion is combined with the load carrying bed portion at a
pivot point so that
the front portion and the load carrying bed portion can pivot relative to each
other. A rack and
pinion means allows selected movement of the wheel assembly relative to the
trailer. The rack is
combined with the load carrying bed portion of the trailer, and the pinion is
combined with the
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movable wheel assembly. A power assist means, such as a hydraulic motor, is
combined with
the movable wheel assembly and is adapted to rotate the pinion. Activation of
the power assist
means rotates the pinion and moves the wheel assembly in a first direction
along the rack
towards the front of the load carrying bed or in a second direction along the
rack towards the rear
of the load carrying bed. As the wheel assembly is moved towards the front of
the load carrying
bed, the rear end of the load carrying bed can be lowered to the ground to act
as a ramp to allow
objects to be loaded or unloaded from the trailer.
SUMMARY
[0009] Through research and experimentation, the present inventor has
determined that a need
exists to design and construct a tilt bed, traveling axle trailer to better
facilitate the safe and
efficient loading and unloading of heavy cargo, and to provide enhancements in
achieving lower
deck height with improved loading and tipping angles. The inventor has found
it to be desirable
to provide a tilt bed traveling axle trailer with various operating features
which will enable better
operator accessibility and increased ease of operation.
[0010] In one example, the present disclosure relates to a traveling axle
trailer that is movable
between a transport position and a loading position. The trailer includes an
elongated deck
adapted to be connected to a towing vehicle. The elongated deck is constructed
with a front end,
a rear end and an underlying main frame provided with a pair of main support
beams extending
longitudinally of the trailer along lateral sides thereof A pair of guide
beams extends
longitudinally of the trailer between the main support beams. The main frame
includes a set of
transverse crossbeams interconnecting the main support beams and the guide
beams. An
undercarriage is movably supported and guided along the guide beams between
the transport
position and the loading position. A translating arrangement is provided for
moving the
undercarriage back and forth along the guide beams. The undercarriage includes
an
undercarriage frame having a plurality of axles provided with ground engaging
wheels mounted
thereon. The frame includes a pair of longitudinal side members disposed
laterally inwardly of
the wheels and joined together by a front cross member and a rear cross
member. The front
cross member includes a set of front guiding and supporting assemblies located
outside the side
members of the undercarriage frame and engaged with the guide beams. The side
members have
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outer surfaces including a set of rear guiding and supporting assemblies
engaged with the guide
beams and spaced forwardly of the rear cross member.
100111 In another example, a traveling axle trailer is supported on a ground
surface and is
movable from a transport position to a loading position. The trailer includes
an elongated deck
adapted to be connected to a towing vehicle. The elongated deck is constructed
with a front end,
a rear end and an underlying main frame provided with a set of main support
beams extending
longitudinally of the trailer along lateral sides thereof. A pair of guide
beams extends
longitudinally of the trailer between the main support beams. The main frame
includes a set of
transverse crossbeams interconnecting the main support beams and the guide
beams. The guide
beams are configured with rear guiding and supporting surfaces extending in
one sloping
direction between the front end and the rear end of the trailer. Front guiding
and supporting
surfaces are located forwardly of the rear guiding and supporting surfaces and
extend in another
sloping direction opposite the one sloping direction between the front end and
the rear end of the
trailer. An undercarriage is movably supported and guided along the guide
beams between the
transport position and the loading position. The undercarriage has a frame
provided with a set of
front guiding and supporting assemblies and a set of rear guiding and
supporting assemblies
spaced rearwardly of the front guiding and supporting assemblies. The front
and rear guiding
and supporting assemblies are engaged for progressive movement with the rear
guiding and
supporting surfaces in the one sloping direction and with the front guiding
and supporting
surfaces in the opposite sloping direction to move the elongated deck from the
transport position
to the loading position during which movement the elongated deck is tilted
such that the rear end
of the trailer engages the ground surface. A translating arrangement is
provided for moving the
undercarriage along the guide beams.
[0012] In yet another example, a traveling axle trailer is supported on a
ground surface for use
in connection with a towing vehicle having a fifth wheel coupling device. The
trailer includes a
forward deck coupled to the fifth wheel coupling device of the towing vehicle
by a hitching
assembly. An elongated main deck is pivotally joined to the forward deck, the
elongated main
deck having a front end and rear end. A lifting device is provided between the
forward deck and
the elongated deck for enabling movement between the forward deck and the
elongated main
deck. An undercarriage supports the elongated main deck, the undercarriage
including a set of
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ground engaging wheels. The hitching assembly includes a separable kingpin
plate assembly for
permitting pivoted movement between the forward deck and the fifth wheel
coupling device
during the loading operation of the trailer. The plate assembly has a rigid
plate constructed with
a kingpin depending therefrom for engagement with the fifth wheel coupling
device. The
forward deck has a forward end pivotally coupled to the rigid plate, and a
rearward end provided
with at least one stationary locking member. The plate assembly further has a
latching assembly
mounted on the rigid plate and constructed with a latching member biased
normally by a spring
force into engagement with the locking member to retain the plate in a locked
position relative to
the forward deck. Application of a force on the forward deck in excess of the
spring force
applied on the locking member causes disengagement between the latching member
and the
locking member enabling the forward deck to separate from the rigid plate
thereby permitting an
angle between the elongated main deck and the ground surface to increase
during the loading
operation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] Figure 1 is a side view of a traveling axle trailer hitched to a towing
vehicle and is
shown at an advanced tilted loading position with a rear end of a trailer main
deck engaging a
ground surface;
[0014] Figure 2 is a top perspective view of the trailer removed from the
towing vehicle and
shown in a transport position with the trailer main deck raised from the
ground surface and
partially broken away to illustrate structural elements of the trailer;
[0015] Figure 3 is a bottom perspective view of the trailer shown in Figure 2
illustrating a
wheeled undercarriage mounted at a rear portion thereof;
[0016] Figure 4a is an enlarged fragmentary bottom perspective view of the
rear portion of the
trailer shown in Figure 3;
[0017] Figure 4b is an enlarged fragmentary detail view illustrating a rear
mounting of the
undercarriage from a frame of the trailer;
[0018] Figure 4c is an enlarged fragmentary detail view illustrating a front
mounting of the
undercarriage from the frame of the trailer;
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[0019] Figure 5 is a top perspective view of the wheeled undercarriage
isolated away from the
trailer shown in Figure 4;
[0020] Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom perspective view of the
trailer extending
forwardly from the wheeled undercarriage as shown in Figure 3;
[0021] Figure 7 is a fragmentary bottom view of the trailer shown in Figure 3;
[0022] Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 showing the wheeled
undercarriage moved
forwardly beneath the main deck;
[0023] Figure 9 is enlarged fragmentary bottom perspective view of the trailer
illustrating a
forward deck provided with a separable kingpin plate and coupled to a front
end of the main
deck;
[0024] Figure 10 is a top perspective view of the separable kingpin plate
shown in Figure 9;
[0025] Figure 11 is a sectional view taken on line 11-11 of Figure 9 showing
the forward deck
engaged with the kingpin plate;
[0026] Figure 12 is a view similar to Figure 11 showing the forward deck
disengaged from the
kingpin plate;
[0027] Figure 13 is an enlarged perspective view of a warning light mounted on
a side of the
trailer;
[0028] Figure 14 is an enlarged perspective view of a pivotable access step
mounted on the
side of the trailer at a forward portion thereof;
[0029] Figure 15 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom perspective view of a
ground engaging
bumper assembly at the rear end of the trailer;
[0030] Figure 16A is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the rear end of the
trailer in the
transport position;
[0031] Figure 16B is a view similar to Figure 16A showing the rear end of the
trailer in a
ground engaging loading position;
[0032] Figure 17 is a side view of the trailer in the transport position with
the towing vehicle
removed for clarity;
[0033] Figure 18 is a side view of the trailer shown in an initial tilted
loaded position with the
towing vehicle removed; and
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[0034] Figure 19 is a side view of the trailer shown in the advanced tilted
loading position with
the towing vehicle removed for clarity.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0035] Referring now to the drawings, a traveling axle trailer 10 is shown in
an advanced tilted
loading position in Figure 1 coupled behind a towing vehicle 12. The trailer
10 includes a
forward goose-neck shaped deck 14 hitched to the towing vehicle 12, and an
elongated flat main
deck 16 having a front portion which is movably attached at pivot point 18 to
the forward deck
14. The main deck 16 has a front end 20, a rear end 22 and an underlying deck
supporting frame
24, and defines a tiltable, floor-like bed 26 used in loading and unloading
generally heavy goods.
[0036] The main deck 16 is provided with a wheeled undercarriage 28 positioned
adjacent the
rear end 22 thereof on which the trailer 10 is supported for transportation.
The undercarriage 28
includes a ground engaging bumper assembly 30, and is shiftably mounted for
selective fore and
aft travel beneath the main deck 16. As will be appreciated hereafter, the
main deck 16 and the
undercarriage 28 are movable between various loading positions, and a road
traveling transport
position, such as is shown in Figures 2 and 17, wherein the plane of the main
deck 16 is
substantially parallel to the ground plane.
[0037] A lifting device, such as a fluid pressurized cylinder arrangement 32,
is provided
between a rear portion of the forward deck 14 and the front portion of the
main deck 16.
Actuation of the cylinder 32 causes the main deck 16 to pivot relative to the
forward deck 14 at
the pivot point 18 so that the rear end 22 of the main deck 16 is pivoted
towards the ground G. A
hitch assembly 34 between the towing vehicle 12 and the forward deck 14 is
provided for
permitting the forward deck 14 to be tilted relative to the towing vehicle 12
to vary the angle
between the main deck 16 and the ground G during loading and unloading of the
trailer 10.
[0038] As seen in Figures 2 and 3, the frame 24 of the main deck 16 includes a
pair of parallel,
elongated support beams 36, 38 extending longitudinally of the trailer 10
along the lateral sides
thereof. A pair of longitudinally extending centrally located guide I-beams
40, 42 are positioned
between the main support beams 36, 38, and are configured for movably mounting
and guiding
the undercarriage 28 thereon. A number of transversely extending crossbeams 44
pass through
the guide I-beams 40, 42 and extend between the main support beams 36, 38 for
providing
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structural reinforcement of a mounting structure beneath the main deck 16. As
further shown in
Figure 3, the frame 24 further includes a pair of parallel guide channels 46,
48 fixed to the
crossbeams 44 and extending longitudinally between the guide I-beams 40, 42.
The guide
channels 46, 48 serve to slidably guide an undercarriage translating
arrangement 50 which is
used to selectively shift the undercarriage 28 along the guide I-beams 40, 42
as will be detailed
below.
[0039] Referring to Figures 3, 4a and 6-8, lower surfaces of the guide I-beams
40, 42 are
formed with sloping rear surfaces 52, first ramps 54, second ramps 56 and
front sloping surfaces
57. As seen in Figure 4a, sloping surfaces 52 and first ramps 54 extend
upwardly and forwardly.
As seen in Figure 6, ramps 56 and sloping surfaces 57 extend downwardly and
forwardly. As
best seen in Figures 6-8, the first ramps 54 terminate in rear docking
stations 58 and the second
ramps 56 terminate in front docking stations 60. The rear and front docking
stations 58, 60,
respectively, are designed to establish fore and aft travel limits for the
undercarriage 28.
[0040] The undercarriage of the trailer 10 is designed to move beneath the
main deck 16 in
opposite directions as represented by arrows A and B in Figure 8. The
construction of the
undercarriage 28 is best shown in Figure 5 and takes the form of a bogie
assembly having a
frame 62 on which two axles 64 supporting sets of rotatable ground engaging
wheels 66 are
mounted, and are provided with cushioning air suspension assemblies 68 in
communication with
air tanks 70. The frame 62 is designed to receive and retain the axles 64 and
mount the
suspension assemblies 68 at a low position which contributes in providing a
low height for the
main deck 16 when the undercarriage 28 is installed therebeneath. The
undercarriage frame 62
includes a pair of parallel longitudinally extending side members 72 disposed
laterally inwardly
of the wheels 66 and joined together by several transverse members, namely, a
front cross
member 74, intermediate cross members 75, 76, 78 and a rear cross member 80,
as seen in
Figures 4a and 5. Cross members 75 and 78 are designed as low profile mounting
surfaces for
the suspension assemblies 68. Tanks 70 are mounted between cross members 78
and 80 and
provide a source of air for the suspension assemblies 68. The side members 72
of the
undercarriage frame 62 are provided with a pair of rotatable rear cam follower
rollers 82, both of
which are seen in Figures 7 and 8. A pair of rear mounting blocks 84 is fixed
to the side
members 72 above the rear cam follower rollers 82 as seen in Figure 5. At the
front of the frame
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62, the transverse cross member 74 has opposite ends provided with support
brackets 86 having a
pair of front cam follower rollers 88 rotatably secured thereto and a pair of
front mounting blocks
90 fixed thereon. The rear cam follower rollers 82 are positioned on the frame
62 inwardly of
and between the front cam follower rollers 88. An attachment bracket 92 is
connected to the
undercarriage cross member 78, and defines a rear mounting bracket for the
undercarriage
translating arrangement 50 to be further described hereafter.
[0041] As seen in Figures 4a, 4b and 4c, the rear cam follower rollers 82 of
the undercarriage
28 are designed to rollably engage the bottom surfaces of lower flanges 94 of
the guide I-beams
40, 42 along inner paths thereon, such as exemplified at each sloping surface
52 (Figure 4b). The
rear mounting blocks 84 are adapted to slidably contact the top surfaces of
the lower flanges 94.
The front cam follower rollers 88 of the undercarriage 28 are also designed to
rotatably engage
the bottoms of the lower flanges 94 along outer paths thereon, such as shown
along each rear
ramp 54 (Figure 4c). The front cam follower rollers 88 are also designed to
roll upon the front
sloping surfaces 57 when the undercarriage 28 is moved to a forwardmost
position. The front
mounting blocks 90 are adapted to slidably contact the top surfaces of the
lower flanges 94, one
surface engaging portion being shown on top of the rear ramp 54. It should be
appreciated that
the undercarriage 28 is therefore slidably supported and retained from the
guide I-beams 40, 42
of the trailer main frame 24 by means of the mounting blocks 84, 90 so as to
prevent the
undercarriage 28 from separating from the trailer frame 24. In addition, the
undercarriage 28 is
rollably mounted on inner and outer paths of the guide I-beams 40, 42 for fore
and aft movement
relative to the trailer main frame 24 by means of the cam rollers 82, 88.
[0042] Referring to Figures 4a, 5, 15, 16A, 16B, the rear portion of the
undercarriage 28 is
constructed with the bumper assembly 30 which is used to protect the ground
surface G during a
loading operation. The bumper assembly 30 includes an outwardly and downwardly
extending
support arm 86 which is pivotally attached by pins 90 to the rearmost
undercarriage cross
member 80 such that the bumper assembly 30 may be easily installed, removed
and replaced on
the undercarriage 28. A pair of rollers 100 having ground engaging portions
are rotatably
mounted within the support arm 96, and protrude through suitable openings
formed thereftuough.
The support arm 96 is configured to fixedly support a bumper bar 102 which
extends
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transversely across the rear end 22 of the trailer 10. As seen in Figure 3,
the bumper bar 102 is
typically provided with a series of rearwardly facing lights 104, such as it
opposite ends.
[0043] When in the transport position, the bumper assembly 30 is designed to
be carried in the
position shown in Figure 16A spaced beneath the rear end of the trailer 10.
When the trailer 10 is
adjusted to its maximum tilted loading position, as depicted in 16B as well as
in Figures 1 and
19, the support arm 96 is pivoted about the pins 98 so that the rollers 100
softly touch down on
the ground G, blacktop, concrete or other loading surface thus causing minimal
damage thereto.
When the trailer 10 again assumes the transport position, the bumper assembly
30 will pivot by
gravity back to its position shown in Figure 16A.
[0044] The undercarriage translating arrangement 50 is utilized to move or
shift the
undercarriage 28 between the transport position shown in Figure 17 and the
loading positions
shown in Figures 18 and 19. The translating arrangement 50 is illustrated in
Figures 3 and 6-8
and includes a master hydraulic cylinder 106 and a slave hydraulic cylinder
108 operably
connected such as by hydraulic lines, in side-by-side relationship. The
hydraulic cylinder 106 is
positioned such that its longitudinal axis is slightly off center relative to
the longitudinal axis of
the main frame 24 so as to provide clearance when the undercarriage 28 is
moving. As most
clearly seen in Figure 6, the hydraulic cylinder 106, 108 are arranged for
sliding movement on an
adjustable anchorage formed by a carriage 110 which is slidably mounted for
back and forth
movement within the mounting channels 46, 48. In one exemplary embodiment,
side edges of
the carriage 110 are slidably mounted along bearing pads 112 fixed
longitudinally within the
channels 46, 48, but it should be understood that other suitable sliding
structure may be provided
between the carriage 110 and the mounting channels 46, 48.
[0045] A first mounting bracket 114 is engaged with the master hydraulic
cylinder 106 and is
adjustably secured on the carriage 110. A second mounting bracket 116 is
coupled to the slave
hydraulic cylinder 108 and is adjustably connected to the carriage 110
independently of the first
mounting bracket 114. The mounting brackets 114, 116 provide for an
independent servicing of
the cylinders 106, 108 when desired. The master cylinder 106 includes
forwardly extending
piston rod 118 having a rod end 120 joined by a retaining pin 122 to a forward
mounting bracket
124 fixed to the cross members 44 beneath the forward portion of the trailer
10. The forward
mounting bracket 124 is provided with various holes 126 facilitating an
adjustable mounting of
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the rod end 120. The slave cylinder 108 has a rearwardly extending piston rod
128 having rod
end 130 fixed to the rear mounting bracket 92 (Figure 5). The translating
arrangement 50 is
designed to provide a travelling and adjustable cylinder assembly which allows
the cylinders
106, 108 to fit any length of the trailer 10, and to travel along with the
undercarriage 28.
[0046] The hitching assembly 34 shown in Figure 1 includes a separable king
pin plate
assembly 132 for permitting pivoted movement between the forward deck 14 and a
fifth wheel
coupling device 134 of the towing vehicle 12.
[0047] Details of the king pin plate assembly 132 are illustrated in Figures 9-
12. The plate
assembly 132 includes a rigid locking plate 136 having a king pin 138 welded
or otherwise fixed
from a lower surface of the plate 136 for engagement with the fifth wheel
device 134 of the
towing vehicle 12 as is well known. A front end of the plate 136 also includes
a set of spaced
apart hinge barrels 140 which are aligned with similar barrels (one being seen
at 142 and in
Figures 9, 11 and 12) joined to a front crossbeam 144 extending across a front
end of the forward
deck 14. The aligned barrels 140, 142 receive a rod 146 positioned at the
bottom front end of the
forward deck 14 so that a pivotal connection is established between the
forward deck 14 and the
plate 136.
[0048] A double spring biased latching assembly 148 is provided on the plate
136 for
providing retention and release of the plate 136 and the king pin 138 relative
to a rear crossbeam
150 of the forward deck 14 extending transversely beneath an upper surface
thereof. The
crossbeam 150 is joined to a pair of longitudinal members extending forwardly
to the front
crossbeam 144 of the forward deck 14, one longitudinal member being shown at
151. As
depicted in Figures 11 and 12, the crossbeam 150 is provided with at least one
stationary locking
tab 152 having an angled engagement surface 154.
[0049] The latching assembly 148 includes a channel 156 and a reinforcing
gusset 158 fixed to
the top of the plate 136. On each side of the channel 156, two spaced apart
bosses 160, 162 are
welded to the plate 136, and configured to receive a threaded locking pin 164
provided with a
pair of nuts 166, 168 threaded thereon. The locking pin 164 has an unthreaded
end 170 which is
retained within a latching angled nose member 172 positioned between a pair of
guide blocks
174 fixed to the plate 136 for guiding travel of the nose member 172 relative
to the plate 136. A
coil spring 176 is disposed between the boss 160 and the nut 166 and, with
suitable positioning
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of the nuts 166, 168, provides an adjustable biasing force on the locking pin
164 so that the nose
member 172 is normally forced into locking engagement with the angled
engagement surface
154 of locking tab 152 on the forward deck crossbeam 150. Thus, it should be
appreciated that
the dual springs 176 hold the nose members 172 engaged adjacent the locking
tab 152 with a
positive force that will retain the plate 136 in locked position shown in
Figure 11 during a
normal transport condition of the trailer 10.
[0050] However, in the event an upward force is applied in the direction of
arrow C (Figure
11) to move the forward deck 14 to the dotted line position, the nose members
172 are forced in
the direction of arrow D against the biasing force of springs 176. As can be
seen in Figure 12,
further upward movement of the forward deck 14, such as experienced during a
loading
operation, will cause the forward deck 14 to pivot about the axis of rod 146
and attain the
unlocked position in which the locking tab 152 and the forward deck 14
separate and break away
from the plate 136 leaving the king pin 138 connected to the fifth wheel
coupling device 134.
The plate assembly 132 thus permits tilting of the forward deck 14 relative to
the towing vehicle
12 to increase the angle between the main deck 16 and the ground surface
during loading and
unloading operations.
[0051] As can also be seen in Figure 9, the front deck 14 is provided with a
pair of extendable
and retractable support legs 178 which can be lowered from a raised position
to a ground
engaging lowered position by using a rotatable handle 180 to support the
trailer 10 in a transport
position when the towing vehicle 12 is uncoupled from the trailer 10.
[0052] The trailer 10 is designed with a set of strobe warning lights
assemblies mounted
externally on the rear portions of the main support beams 36, 38, and
activated when the main
deck 16 is in any tilted position to illuminate the rear of the trailer 10.
One such warning light
assembly 182 is depicted on support beam 36 in Figure 4a, and is illustrated
in Figure 13
swingably mounted from a retained storage position (shown in dotted lines),
such as used during
trailer transport, to a released operating position (shown in solid lines),
such as used during
trailer loading and unloading.
[0053] The warning light assembly 182 includes a strobe light 184 (as seen in
the storage
position) mounted on a light holder 186 formed in a sidewall thereof with an
aperture 188. A
tube 190 is fixed to a top of the light holder 186, and receives the shaft of
a bolt 192 extending
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therethrough so that the light 184, light holder 186 and the tube 190 are
freely swingable about
the bolt 192 and are designed to continuously hang downwardly, such that an
illuminated beam
of the light 184 shines rearwardly and parallel to the ground surface
regardless of the tilted
position of the trailer 10. The light holder 186 is connected by a tube
extension 194 to a first
mounting bracket 196 pivotally mounted about a vertical axis to a second
mounting bracket 198
fixed to the support beam 36. The mounting brackets 196, 198 are constructed
to limit the travel
of the light 184 and the holder 186 to the solid line position of Figure 13
such that the pivot axis
of bolt 192 is generally perpendicular to the support beam 36. A third
mounting bracket 200 is
secured to the support beam 36, and is used to slidably mount a locking pin
202 which is
surrounded by a spring 204 retained within bracket 200 to provide a biasing
force on the pin 202
which will normally cause an engagement end 206 of the pin 202 to protrude in
the direction of
the mounting brackets 196, 198. The pin 202 is formed with a handle portion
208 which can be
used to retract the engagement end 206 of the pin 202 against the biasing
force of spring 204 to
release the light holder 186.
[0054] In the storage position, the light 184 and the light holder 186 are
positioned against the
support beam 36 with the light 184 facing outwardly therefrom, and the
engagement end 206 of
the pin 202 is inserted within the aperture 188 to prevent movement of the
light holder 186.
When it is desired to use the warning light assembly 182, the pin 202 is
retracted from the
aperture 188, and the light holder 186 is swung outwardly in the direction of
arrow E where
suitable locking structure, such as cooperating detents or other suitable
structure, on the
mounting brackets 194, 196 hold the light 184 and the light holder 186 in the
operating position
at which the light 184 can be suitably illuminated. If desired, a
counterweight may be provided
within the light holder 186 to facilitate the desired downward disposition
thereof.
[0055] As seen in Figure 14, a foldable access step 210 is provided at the
forward end of the
trailer 10 to enable trailer personnel to easily gain access to the forward
deck 14 and the main
deck 16 when the trailer 10 is in the transport position. The access step 210
is pivotally mounted
about a suitable mounting structure 212 secured on a lower side portion 214 of
the goose necked
forward deck 14, and is constructed with a anti-slip surface 216. The access
step 210 is movable
in a direction of arrow F between an upright storage position (shown in dotted
lines) engaged
against a side surface of the lower portion 214, and a lowered operating
position (shown in solid
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lines) engaged against and supported by a ledge 218 on the lower portion 214.
Although not
illustrated, the access step 210 may be retained in and released from the
storage position using a
spring biased locking pin arrangement as similarly described in conjunction
with the light
assembly 182. A grab handle 220 is mounted on an upper side portion 222 of the
forward deck
14, and can be used in conjunction with the step 210.
[0056] In addition to the access step 210, a rearward ramp portion 224 (Fig.
2) of the forward
deck 14 is provided with an anti-slip surface 226, and a rear lead up plate
228 adjacent the trailer
rear end 22 is also constructed with an anti-slip surface 230. Wheel arches
232 of the trailer 10
can also be provided with anti-slip surfaces.
[0057] In an exemplary embodiment, the anti-slip surfaces can be formed by
stamping
upwardly projecting protrusions in the metal plates used in the step 210, the
ramp portion 224
and the plate 228. The protrusions have closed top surfaces and are preferably
shaped with
round edges, typically sized up to 3 inches in diameter, and arranged in any
desired pattern.
[0058] Although not illustrated, it should be understood that the trailer 10
is suitably provided
with a hydraulic source of power, a hydraulic circuit and hydraulic controls
for controlling the
hydraulic cylinders 32, 106, and 108. It should also be understood that the
trailer 10 can be
equipped with trailer brakes independent of brakes provided on the towing
vehicle 12.
[0059] One example of a loading operation of the trailer 10 is described as
follows. Normally,
when the trailer 10 is parked on a flat ground surface in the transport
position, as shown in
Figure 17, the main deck 16 has a lower deck height which permits the trailer
10 to be used in
transporting tall objects without violating state and federal height
restrictions. The low height of
the main deck 16 is minimized by the compact profile of the undercarriage 28
and its moveable
mounting on the particularly configured guide I-beams 40, 42, as described
above.
[0060] In the transport position shown in Figure 17, the brakes of the towing
vehicle 12 have
been applied and the drive wheels of the towing vehicle 12 appropriately
secured by chocks. The
undercarriage 28 is in its rearmost position and the rear end 22 of the
trailer 10 is elevated from
the ground G. As seen in Figures 4a and 7, with the undercarriage 28 in the
rearmost position,
the rear cam follower rollers 82 are positioned upon the sloping surfaces 52
of the guide I-beams
40, 42 and the front cam follower rollers 88 are positioned in the rear
docking stations 58 of the
guide I-beams 40, 42.
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[0061] When it is desired to initiate a tilted loading operation, the operator
activates the
hydraulic circuit to start moving the undercarriage 28 forwardly beneath the
main deck 16 from
the rearmost position as depicted in Figure 18. More specifically, the
cylinders 106, 108 of the
translating arrangement 50 are energized so that the rear cam followers 82
move upwardly along
inner paths on the sloping surface 52 and then onto flat surfaces of the guide
I-beams 40, 42 as
seen in Figure 4a. The front cam follower rollers 88 move upwardly along outer
paths on ramps
54 in the direction of arrow A in Figure 8 and then onto flat surfaces of the
guide I-beams 40, 42.
At the same time, the operator actuates the lifting device 32 causing the
front end 20 of the main
deck 16 to be raised relative to the lower portion of the forward deck 14 and
forcing the upper
portion of the forward deck 14 to separate from the king pin plate assembly
132. The combined
initial movement of the undercarriage 28, the front end 20 and the forward
deck 14 results in
tilting the main deck 16 to an initial loading position so that the rear end
22 thereof moves into
initial contact with the ground G as shown in Figure 18.
[0062] At this point, the angle between the main deck 16 and the ground G can
be increased by
continuing to move the undercarriage 28 forwardly beyond the position shown in
Figure 18 as
the front end 20 and the forward deck 14 are further raised. During this
movement, the rear cam
follower rollers 82 are moved on inner paths along flat surfaces of the guide
I-beams 40, 42 until
the rear rollers 82 reach the forward docking stations 60. The front cam
follower rollers 88
continue to ride along outer paths on forward flat portions of the guide I-
beams 40, 42 and onto
downwardly sloping ramps 57 formed thereon.
[0063] Once the main deck 16 has been tilted to the loading position shown in
Figure 19, the
undercarriage 28 is moved backwards via the cylinders 106, 108 to its rearward
position during
which the support arm 96 on the bumper assembly 30 pivots beneath the trailer
rear end 22 so
that the rollers 100 contact the ground G to protect the rear end 22 from
gouging and damaging
the ground G or other loading surface. In addition, the movement of the bumper
assembly 30
causes the bumper bar 102 to pivot upwardly so that the bar 102 is prevented
from being
damaged.
[0064] During the movement of the trailer 10 to its various loading positions,
the rear wheels
66 are held in continuous engagement with the ground G. It should be
understood that the
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hydraulic cylinders 32, 106 and 108 may be controlled as desired by the
operator to attain the
desired angle of the main deck 16 relative to the ground during loading.
[0065] Once the trailer 10 has reached a desired loading position, heavy
objects can be loaded
onto the rear end 22 of the main deck by suitably positioning the main deck 16
as previously
described. In some instances, it is helpful to employ a winch 234 (Figure 2)
such as mounted at
the forward deck 14 to facilitate loading. Once a loading operation is
finished and the loaded
objects are secured, the undercarriage 28 is shifted and the main deck 16 of
the trailer 10 is
moved to the transport position shown in Figure 17 using the cylinders 106,
108 and the lifting
device 32 until the king pin plate assembly 132 reengages with the forward
deck 14. Thereafter,
the loaded trailer 10 can be pulled by the towing vehicle 12 to its desired
destination.
[0066] While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and
described, it
will apparent to those skilled in the area that changes and modifications may
be made without
departing from the spirit of the invention.
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