Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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SIDE LOADING TRANSPORT APPARATUS P'OR SH1ATH8R8 AND THE LIKE
This invention is in the field of transport trailers, and more
particularly deals with a trailer or transport truck which can
be used to transport swathers or other equipment of similar
dimensions presenting similar transportation problems.
As economies of scale increase in agricultural and other
operations, the use of larger or faster equipment by
individual producers or custom operators to perform large
amounts of processing increases. In the agricultural setting
in particular, where tasks such as harvesting are carried out
by a large or custom operator, safety, economy and speed of
changeover between fields necessitates the rapid transport of
equipment between working areas.
2o Self-propelled swathers and other similar equipment present a
particular transportation problem. It is necessary to rapidly
move them between fields by a trailer or some other similar
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means. The trailers are often difficult to load, or require
elaborate mechanical measures to provide for a quickly loading
trailer with rapidly deployable loading ramps or the like.
Complicating this is the fact that a self-propelled swather,
sprayer or other similar implement generally needs to be
transported in an end-to-end orientation in relation to the
road, since that lessens the width of the road, as well as the
fact that in many cases the wheels of such an implement are
often positioned horizontally across the implement such that
1o they are outside of the area of a typical trailer deck.
As the size of agricultural operations has dictated the
consolidation of larger fleets of equipment, the equipment
itself has increased in size also. Swathers micrht have a
table of up to thirty feet in width, or in some cases multiple
tables of such width are attched to one unit, and yet only be
about ten to twenty feet deep from the front of the table to
the rear of the vehicle. As such it is necessary either to
remove the cutting table or wide working equipment and load it
2o separately end to end on a trailer, and drive the propulsion
unit onto a typical rear loading transport unit, for
reattachment of the table or other parts at the next field,
which is a labour intensive process, or alternatively it is
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necessary to load the entire unit end to end along the axis of
the transport unit.
Several attempts have been made to provide transport trailers
and equipment which allow for the rapid transport of swathers
and other similar equipment end-to-end along the axis of a
transport vehicle, with varying degrees of success. Where
successful side-loading trailers have been built however they
generally include an elaborate mechanical apparatus to tilt
1o the loading deck of the trailer once the swather is loaded, or
to tilt the deck down for unloading, or alternatively it is
necessary to lift the unit in some way onto the load surface
of such a flat deck unit. It would be preferable to provide
a rapid side-loading apparatus for the carriage of such
equipment that required no elaborate mechanical assistance for
any tilting motion, and did not require any labour intensive
activity to load the apparatus which in the past may have even
included partial disassembly of the unit.
SUNr4ARY OF THE INVENTION
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It is the object of the present invention to provide a side
loading transport apparatus for swathers and the like which
would allow for the rapid and simple loading and transport of
equipment which has a wider frontal section than its depth.
The invention is a side loading apparatus to carry a wheeled
vehicle in end-to-end orientation. Said vehicle has a
furthest forward wheel and a furthest rearward wheel, the
distance between the axis of said furthest forward wheel and
to said furthest rearward wheel being the wheelbase of the
wheeled vehicle, and the path of each wheel or aligned set of
wheels of said wheeled vehicle in the direction of travel of
the wheeled vehicle is a wheel path.
The apparatus of the present invention itself comprises a
transport having two side edges, the side edge,thereof from
which it is desired to load said wheeled vehicle being the
loading edge and the other side edge being the far edge;
wheels on said transport for moving said transport along the
ground; and a load-bearing ramp corresponding to each wheel
path hingably attached to the loading edge of the transport
perpendicular to said loading edge.
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The point of attachment of said load-bearing ramp to the
loading edge is the hinge point, the end of the load-bearing
ramp to the outside of the loading edge being the loading end
from which the wheeled vehicle will be moved onto the load-
s bearing ramp, and the opposite end thereof being the far end.
The section of each load-bearing ramp between the hinge point
and the loading end is the outboard section of said load-
bearing ramp, and the section of said load-bearing ramp
1o between the hinge point and the far end is the inboard section
of said load-bearing ramp.
The outboard section of each load-bearing ramp is at least as
long as the wheelbase of said wheeled vehicle; and each load-
15 bearing ramp can hingably move between a transport position
resting on top of the side edges and a loading position
wherein said load-bearing ramp is tilted down at its loading
end to the ground; and wherein the movement of the weight of
the wheeled vehicle between the outboard section and inboard
2o section of the load-bearing ramps) tilts the load-bearing
ramps) between their transport and loading positions.
By manufacturing the outboard section of each load-bearing
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ramp to be at least as long as the wheelbase of the wheeled
vehicle to be loaded, all of the wheels of the wheeled vehicle
will be engaged by one or another of the load-bearing ramps)
before the weight of the wheeled vehicle moves across the
hinge point onto the inboard section and causes the tilting of
the load-bearing ramps) into the transport position. The
movement of the weight of the wheeled vehicle, even where the
wheeled vehicle is weighted heavily at the front, will cause
the tilted transport loading of the entire wheeled vehicle
1o including the rearward end of the wheeled vehicle. This is
different from attempts to produce side loading transports in
the past which have involved the loading of the front end only
of a swather or other similar piece of equipment, and the rear
wheels) of the swather was allowed to ride on the road
surface.
The apparatus of the present invention could be made flexible
enough to accommodate wheeled vehicles of varying sizes or
wheelbases by rendering the outboard section of the load-
2o bearing ramps long enough to accommodate the longest possible
wheelbase of a wheeled vehicle to be carried, and smaller
vehicles would also be accommodated.
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The outboard section of the load-bearing ramps) could be
rendered foldable so that it could be folded up over on top of
the inboard section of the ramps) for storage or movement of
the transport apparatus of the present invention in an
unloaded state. This would decrease the width of the unloaded
apparatus.
Transport locks could also be added to the apparatus of the
present invention which would be used to lock the load-bearing
ramps into their transport position. Clamps or other types of
locking mechanisms known in the art could be used.
The furthest forward and furthest rearward wheels of the
wheeled vehicle might be substantially aligned in the same
wheel path. This would be the case where a vehicle for
example had four wheels, two rear wheels and two forward
wheels, each of which pair of rearward and forward wheels were
either directly aligned from front to back of the vehicle or
where closely enough aligned that it made sense to define only
2o a single wheel path with that pair of wheels, said wheel path
then being defined by the outermost edge of the outermost
wheel and the innermost edge of the innermost wheel, for
loading onto the apparatus of the present invention using, in
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the case of the vehicle with two pairs of such wheels, two
load-bearing ramps.
Alternatively, the furthest forward and furthest rearward
wheels of the wheeled vehicle might be in separate wheel paths
and might each engage a separate load-bearing ramp.
Another improvement which could be made to the basic
embodiments of the invention would be to add shock absorbing
to means between the load-bearing ramps and the transport which
would have the effect of cushioning the movement of the load-
bearing ramps between their respective transport and loading
positions. One or more shock absorbers could be used with
respect to the apparatus. A shock absorber might be attached
to each load-bearing ramp, or several shock absorbers might
alternatively be attached to each load-bearing ramp.
Alternatively, in an embodiment wherein the load-bearing ramps
were connected together for joint movement, it may even be
possible to use less than one shock absorber for each load-
2o bearing ramp.
Tn~h.ere the wheeled vehicle to be loaded defines more than one
wheel path and thus more than one load-bearing ramp is used,
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the load-bearing ramps might be linked together such that they
move in conjunction with each other. Where the load-bearing
ramps were linked together they might be linked together by a
single ramp connecting member, or by some other method. It
will be understood, however, that they might also move
independently of each other and that both such configurations
are contemplated within the scope of the present invention.
The transport on which the apparatus of the present invention
to is used might be a trailer, or alternatively the apparatus
could also be mounted on the frame of a truck or other
transport vehicle.
An extensible outer end section could be added to the outboard
section of one or more load-bearing ramps. The extensible
outer end section might be made extensible in various ways,
including collapsing the section by removing it from the
remainder of the load-bearing ramp, collapsing it by folding
towards the transport and/or up towards the wheeled vehicle
stowed on the apparatus, or collapsing by rendering the
extensible outer section telescopic within a storage opening
at the loading end of the load-bearing ramp.
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There should be one load-bearing ramp for each wheel path
defined by the wheels of the wheeled vehicle. Where two
wheels of the wheeled vehicle are in substantially the same
path but not perfectly in line with each other, the load-
s bearing ramp could be widened and the path of those two wheels
still considered as one wheel path.
Where two or more load-bearing ramps are used, the wheels of
the transport could be positioned between two of the load
to bearing ramps.
Furthermore, where the wheels of the transport are positioned
between two of the load-bearing ramps, where the wheeled
vehicle to be loaded had sufficient underbody clearance, the
15 tops of the wheels of the transport might be above the tops of
the load-bearing ramps in their transport position. This
would allow for a lowering of the profile of the overall
transport and apparatus and provide for a safer, less top-
heavy loaded vehicle.
In another embodiment of the invention, a side loading
apparatus is disclosed to carry such a wheeled vehicle in end-
to-end orientation, said apparatus comprising a transport
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having two side edges, the side edge thereof from which it is
desired to load said wheeled vehicle being the loading edge
and the other side edge being the far edge; wheels on the
transport for moving said transport along the ground; and a
load-bearing deck wide enough to accept all of the wheels of
said wheeled vehicle, said load-bearing deck being hingably
attached to the loading edge of the transport such that said
load-bearing deck tilts downwards towards the ground along the
loading edge of said transport, the point of attachment of
to said load-bearing deck to the loading edge being a hinge
point, the end of the load-bearing deck to the outside of the
loading edge being the loading end from which the wheeled
vehicle will be moved onto the load-bearing deck, and the
opposite end thereof being the far end, the section of said
load-bearing deck between the hinge point and the loading end
being the outboard section of said load-bearing deck and the
section of said load-bearing deck between the hinge point and
the far end being the inboard section of said load-bearing
deck; wherein the outboard section of the load-bearing deck is
2o at least as long as the wheelbase of said wheeled vehicle; and
wherein said load-bearing deck can hingably move between a
transport position resting on top of the side edges, and the
loading position wherein said load-bearing deck is tilted down
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at its loading end to the ground. The movement of the weight
of the wheeled vehicle between the outboard and inboard
sections of the load-bearing deck will be the actuating force
required to switch the load-bearing deck between its loading
and transport positions.
The outboard section of the load-bearing deck could be made to
fold onto the inboard section of the load-bearing deck when
the apparatus was not loaded, in order to decrease the width
to of the unloaded apparatus.
A transport lock might be added to lock the load-bearing deck
in the transport position.
Again, a shock absorbing means might be also added to cushion
the movement of the load-bearing deck between the transport
and loading positions. Again, one or more shock absorbers of
varying types might be used. The shock absorber might be a
shock absorbing hydraulic cylinder, a spring or another type
of shock absorbing means . It will be understood that for this
invention wherever the reference is made to the use of a shock
absorbing apparatus, any of these types of apparatus are
contemplated within the scope of the present invention.
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The outboard section of the load-bearing deck might include an
extensible outer end section which could be collapsed once the
apparatus was loaded with a wheeled vehicle, or while
unloaded. The extensible outer section might be collapsed by
removal thereof from the remainder of the load-bearing deck,
by folding the extensible outer end section towards the
transport and/or up towards the wheeled vehicle stowed on the
apparatus, or by telescoping into or out of a storage opening
at the loading end of the deck.
Again, this embodiment could either be used on a trailer,
truck or other transport vehicle.
V~here the below-body clearance of the wheeled vehicle was
sufficient, and the spacing of the wheels on the wheeled
vehicle was agreeable, the wheels of the transport could be
made to extend above the surface of the inboard section of the
load-bearing deck when in the transport position, by addition
of wheel apertures or the like through the deck whereby when
2o the deck settled down into the transport position the top
edges of the wheels of the transport would extend through
holes in the surface of the inboard section of the load-
bearing deck. This would again allow for the lowering of the
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profile of the overall apparatus, transport and load.
D$$CRIPTION OF TIiB DRAWINGS:
While the invention is claimed in the concluding portions
hereof, preferred embodiments are provided in the accompanying
detailed description which may be best understood in
conjunction with the accompanying diagrams where like parts in
to each of the several diagrams are labeled with like numbers,
and where:
Figure 1 is a side view of one embodiment of the
apparatus of the present invention, wherein the transport
is a trailer;
Figure 2 is a top view of the apparatus of Figure 1;
Figure 3 shows a swather being loaded onto the apparatus
of Figure 1, the load-bearing ramps being in the loading
position;
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Figure 4 demonstrates the swather and apparatus of Figure
3, the load-bearing ramps being in the transport
position;
Figure 5 is a top view of the loading of the swather in
Figure 3, as the swather is partially loaded;
Figure 6 shows the top view of Figure 4 with the swather
fully loaded;
Figure 7 shows the top view of Figure 5, with the
addition of a third load-bearing ramp to the apparatus to
engage a third wheel path;
Figure 8 demonstrates a folding outboard section of the
load-bearing ramp;
Figures 9 to 11 demonstrate an extensible outer end
section at the end of the load-bearing ramp and three
2o methods of rendering said section extensible;
Figure 12 is a top view of another embodiment of the
apparatus of the present invention wherein a single load-
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bearing deck is used;
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED ENBODINENTS:
As described above, the invention is a side loading apparatus
to carry a wheeled vehicle such as a swather or the like,
where the dimensions of the vehicle are such that it is more
convenient to transport the vehicle for lengthy distances down
io a road aligned in an end-to-end direction along the road,
rather than simply driving the implement straight down the
road. While the specification of this patent for invention
speaks specifically of the transport of a swather, being an
obviously dimensioned piece of equipment that would benefit
from transport on a piece of equipment such as that of the
present invention, it will be understood that other similarly
shaped types of equipment could also be transported using the
apparatus of the present invention and the transport of all
such other types of equipment is intended to be within the
2o scope of the claims of this invention.
Before discussing the apparatus of the present invention in
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detail, it is desirable to describe in more detail the key
elements of the wheeled vehicle which the apparatus of the
present invention is intended to transport in an end-to-end
direction along a road. Reference will be made to the side
s view of Figure 3, as well as the top views of Figures 6 and 7,
in describing such wheeled vehicle. The wheeled vehicle (11),
such as a swather, sprayer or other piece of equipment, which
is wider than it is deep, has a front end (26) and a back end
(27). A wheeled vehicle (11) which it is intended to
to transport on the apparatus might have any number of axles
and/or wheels. Each wheel of the wheeled vehicle (11) has a
path of travel in the direction of travel (25) of the wheeled
vehicle. This wheel path (16) is defined by the width of the
wheel in question. Where two or more wheels, which might be
15 positioned at differing places from front to back of the
machine (11), are approximately close to each other in their
horizontal spacing across the width of the machine, a single
wheel path might be defined by the outer edge of the outermost
such wheel and the inner edge of the innermost such wheel.
2o For example, in the apparatus shown from the top in Figure 6,
there are four wheels on the swather, being two furthest
forward wheels (12) and two furthest rearward wheels (13).
The two pairs of each one furthest forward wheel (12) and one
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furthest rearward wheel (13) define a single wheel path (16).
Alternatively, the apparatus shown from the top in Figure 7
has three wheels, namely two furthest forward wheels and one
furthest rearward wheel ( 13 ) , the furthest rearward wheel ( 13 )
in this case also being used to steer the swather (11). In
that case, three wheel paths (16) are shown.
The wheelbase of the wheeled vehicle is defined by the axis
(22) of the furthest forward wheel and the axis (23) of the
1o furthest rearward wheel.
The furthest forward wheel (12) might be at the front end (26)
of the swather (11), or it might be spaced back some distance
from the front end (26) of the wheeled vehicle (11).
Similarly, the furthest rearward wheel (13) might be located
all the way at the back end (27) of the wheeled vehicle (11),
or alternatively may be located some distance forward thereof .
While the overall apparatus obviously needs to be sized and
manufactured of strength and dimension to accommodate varying
2o dimensions of the wheeled vehicle (11), it will be understood
that the positioning of the furthest forward wheel and the
furthest rearward wheel (12) and (13) in relation to the front
and back ends (26) and (27) of the wheeled vehicle (11) is not
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directly material to the overall operability of the invention
and as such any variations in the wheeled vehicle itself, so
long as wheel paths ( 16 ) can be defined to correspond to load-
bearing ramps (7), the remainder of the construction of the
wheeled vehicle (11) is immaterial.
The apparatus of the present invention might also be used to
move a wheeled vehicle that moved on tracks rather than on
wheels. In that case, the furthest forward wheel (12) would
1o be the front end of the track and the furthest rearward wheel
(13) would be the furthest rearward end of the track.
Turning to Figures 1 to 6, there is shown one embodiment of
the apparatus of the present invention. There is shown the
i5 side loading apparatus (6) to carry a wheeled vehicle in an
end-to-end orientation in relation to the road.
The apparatus (6) is attached to a transport (1), which
transport (1) in this case is a trailer. The transport (1)
2o has wheels (2) which engage the ground and are used to move
the transport (1) along the ground. The transport (1) has two
side edges (3) and (4}, one of which edges is a far edge (3)
and the other edge is the loading edge (4) from which it is
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desired to load the wheeled vehicle (11) onto the transport
(1) .
In this particular embodiment two ramps (7) are shown. There
is one load-bearing ramp (7) for each wheel path (16) of the
implement or wheeled vehicle which it is desired to transport .
Each load-bearing ramp (7) is hingably attached to the loading
edge (4) of the transport. The point of attachment of the
loading ramp (7) to the transport (1) is the hinge point (8).
The loading ramp (7) is attached perpendicular to the loading
edge ( 4 ) , such that a load placed on said load-bearing ramp ( s )
(7) will be carried in an end-to-end configuration in relation
to the road. The end of the load-bearing ramp (7) to the
outside of the loading edge (4) is the loading end (17) from
which the wheeled vehicle will be moved onto the load-bearing
ramp (7). The opposite end thereof is the far end (18).
The section of each load-bearing ramp (7) between the hinge
2o point (8) and the loading end (17) is the outboard section
(28) of the load-bearing ramp (7) and the section of the load-
bearing ramp (7) between the hinge point (8) and the far end
(18) is the inboard section (29) thereof.
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Each load-bearing ramp (7) is hingably moveable between a
transport position and a loading position. The transport
position of the load-bearing ramps) (7) is where the ramps)
(7) rest on top of the side edges (3) and (4) of the transport
(1). The loading position of said load-bearing ramps (7)
would be where the ramps (7) were tilted down at their loading
end (17) to the ground, the far end thereof (18) then moving
upwards and away from the far edge (3) of the transport (1).
to The load-bearing ramps (7) will be moved between their loading
and transport positions by the movement of the weight of a
wheeled vehicle ( 11 ) between the inboard and outboard sections
(29) and (28) thereof. For example, where the load-bearing
ramps (7) are in their tilted loading position, the driving of
a wheeled vehicle (11) up the load-bearing ramps (7) past the
hinge point (8) onto the inboard section (29) of the load-
bearing ramps (7), will result in the tilting into transport
position of the load-bearing ramps (7) and their load.
Conversely, to unload the wheeled vehicle (11) from the load-
2o bearing ramps (7), the weight of the wheeled vehicle (11) just
needs to be shifted back along the load-bearing ramps (7) off
of the inboard section (29), past the hinge point (8) and onto
the outboard section (28).
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One of the main advantages of the apparatus of the present
invention is that no mechanical assistance is required to load
or unload the wheeled vehicle from the apparatus (6).
Specifically, each load-bearing ramp (7) would tilt into its
s transport position without mechanical assistance when the
weight of the wheeled vehicle moved past the hinge point (8).
In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 7, the load-bearing ramps
(7) shown are constructed using two side rails joined by a
1o plurality of track members therebetween. It will be
understood, however, that various configurations or materials
could be used in the construction of the load-bearing ramps
and that insofar as such configurations or materials all
accomplish the same goal of providing a surface upon which a
15 wheel or wheels can be driven into the transport position on
the apparatus (1), all such configurations or construction
methods are contemplated within the scope of the present
invention.
2o Figures 3 and 4 demonstrate the loading of this basic
embodiment of the present invention. In Figure 3, the load-
bearing ramps (7) have been tilted into their loading position
and a wheeled vehicle (11), in this case a swather, is driven
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onto said load-bearing ramps (7). As the furthest forward
wheel (12) moves over the hinge point (8), the load-bearing
ramps (7) will tilt down into their transport position. Once
the load-bearing ramps (7) are in their transport position,
demonstrated in Figure 4, they can be locked by a transport
lock (15).
While the outboard section of the load-bearing ramps) (7)
needs to be at least as long as the wheelbase of the wheeled
1o vehicle (11) for loading purposes, the entire length of the
ramps) (7) will not necessarily be required during the
transport of the wheeled vehicle (11), once it is loaded. The
collapsible outer end section (10) will be discussed in more
detail below, but for descriptive purposes at this point it
will be seen that the collapsible outer end section ( 10 ) could
be any section of the load-bearing ramps) (7) that would
still leave the length of the load-bearing ramps) (7) from
the far end (18) in the direction of the loading end (17) at
least as long as the wheelbase of the wheeled vehicle (11).
A transport lock (15) is demonstrated in Figure 4. Any
apparatus or mechanism capable of locking the load-bearing
ramps (7) into the transport position when level with the side
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edges (3) and (4) is contemplated within the scope of the
invention as a possible transport lock (15). Clamps, locks or
other methods known in the art could be used as the transport
locking mechanism (15).
Also shown in Figure 3 are shock absorbers (14) attached
between the transport (1) and the load-bearing ramps (7). The
shock absorbers (14) will cushion the movement of the load-
bearing ramps (7) between the transport and loading positions.
1o The shock absorbing means (14) might be any type of a shock
absorbing cylinder, spring or other apparatus which would
soften the movement of the load-bearing ramps (7) in their
tilting into or out of the transport position when weight was
applied to either end of the load-bearing ramps (7). It will
1s be understood that any such type of shock absorber is
contemplated within the scope of the present invention.
The outboard section (28) of each load-bearing ramp (7) will
be at least as long as the wheelbase of the wheeled vehicle
20 ( 11 ) . This is so that the rearward wheel ( 13 ) will be engaged
by the load-bearing ramps (7) before the forward wheel (12)
moves across the hinge point ( 8 ) onto the inboard section ( 29 )
causing the tilting of the load-bearing ramp (7) into
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transport position.
The swather (11) of Figures 5 and 6 demonstrates the concept
of substantial alignment of forward and rearward wheels in a
single wheel path.
Figure 7 demonstrates a swather (11) that has a separate wheel
path for the rearward wheel (13). Also shown in Figure 7 is
a ramp connecting member (19) which is used to connect the
1o three load-bearing ramps (7) of that embodiment of the
apparatus of the present invention so that they move together .
Specifically, when the two forward wheels (12) of the swather
(11) of that embodiment move across the hinge point onto the
inboard section (29) of their respective ramps (7), the
linking together of the three ramps ( 7 ) by the ramp connecting
member (19) will cause the centre ramp (7) on which the
rearward wheel (13) is engaged to tilt forward into transport
position at the same time as the two outer ramps (7) on which
the two outer and forward wheels (12) are engaged. The
2o application of weight to the load-bearing ramps (7) on either
side of the hinge point ( 8 ) would be communicated to all ramps
(7) via the ramp connecting member (19).
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It will be understood that the linking together of the load-
bearing ramps (7) with the ramp connecting member (19) such
that they move in conjunction with each other is not necessary
to the broadest concept of the present invention, but it does
provide an added benefit where enacted.
It will be understood that while this Figure demonstrates the
use of a single ramp connecting member (19) to link the load-
bearing ramps (7) in conjunction with each other, that other
to means are possible to link the load-bearing ramps (7) together
so that they would move in conjunction with each other and
that all such means and adaptations to the apparatus of the
present invention which might be required to effect such
linking and conjunctive movement are contemplated within the
scope of the present invention.
Figure 8 demonstrates an additional modification which can be
made to the apparatus of the present invention. Specifically,
the outboard section (28) of the loading ramps) (7) can be
2o rendered foldable at or near the hinge point (8) so that the
outboard section (28) can be folded back over the inboard
section (29) for storage when the unit is not in use, to
decrease the width of the unloaded trailer for rapid transport
,, , CA 02275171 1999-09-10
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or other storage purposes . The outboard section could also be
rendered removable alternative to foldable to accomplish the
same result, and it will be understood that any such
modification is contemplated within the scope of the present
invention.
As is demonstrated in Figures 1 to 8, in an embodiment of the
apparatus of the present invention having more than one load-
bearing ramp (7), the load-bearing ramps (7) could be placed
on either side of the transport wheels (2). The transport
wheels (2) could, in actual fact, protrude above the top
surface of the load-bearing ramps (7), so long as the
underbody clearance of the wheeled vehicle (11) was
appropriate, and this would succeed in lowering the overall
profile of the loaded apparatus (6) and transport (1) so that
the load would be less top-heavy and more safe.
The apparatus shown in the Figures demonstrates a transport
being a trailer. The trailer could be pulled by a truck or
other piece of equipment. Alternatively, where desired, the
transport which was used to attach the apparatus (6) to might
be a truck frame or other piece of equipment. It will be
understood that any such power unit or pull unit is
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contemplated within the scope of the present invention.
Figures 9 to 11 demonstrate an extensible outer end section
(10) at the end of the load-bearing ramp (7). The outer end
section ( 10 ) can be collapsed, either when the wheeled vehicle
(11) is fully loaded onto the apparatus of the present
invention, or alternatively when the apparatus is not in use.
As demonstrated in Figures 9 to 11, there are various means of
rendering the outer end section (10) extensible. Figure 9
1o demonstrates a foldable outer end section (10) which can be
folded up in the direction of the load on the apparatus.
Figure 10 demonstrates a removable outer end section (10),
which is an alternative to a foldable extensible outer end
section (10). Figure 11 demonstrates a telescoping outer end
section (10) which is extensible by sliding into or out of a
storage receptacle at the loading end (17) of the load-bearing
ramp (7). These three methods will be considered
demonstrative of various ways in which the outer end section
(10) could be rendered extensible or removable to reduce the
2o width of the unit when loaded or unloaded. The outer end
section (10) might only be needed during loading of the
apparatus (1). As outlined above, any portion of the load-
bearing ramp (7) outside of the distance of the wheelbase of
CA 02275171 2003-07-09
Amended Wage :31
the wheeled veYiicle (7.1) mea.suxeca ~r~,m xr:~e f4~r end (lf3) could be
part of the collapsible outer end sectzc>n (1~).
Figure 32 shows another emik~o;i;imez~t of ~:::xe appara.tus Of the present
invention wherein a single Load-bearing deck is used. Specifically,
there is shown a side load~.nc~ a~ppaxwt~z~ (6) to Carry a wheeled
vehicle (ly) izx end-to-eriri orientation, eaid wheeled vehicle ~11>
having a furthest forward wheel and a furthesC rearward wheel (12)
and (13) , said apparatus (6) c:ramprisix~c~ a 'txaxmpox°t (1) having
two
side edges, the Bide edge thex-eof which it ;~s desired tca load said
wheeled vehicle (11) being the :~.oading edgm (4) and the othbr side
edge be ing the ~ax edge ( 3 ) ~ 'fhe t r;~ns'pr~rt ( 1 ) has wheels ( 2 )
which engage th.e ground for rcaea ~,xxc~ ~aa.:ia:'i t.ransporr (1) across the
ground or a road. A single load-Y~earx.ng deck (27), which is wide
enough to accept all of the wheels of, said wheeled vehicle (11) is
shown. This single load-beaz:ing ~3eck ~;t:'J) is hingabl~ attached to
the loading edge i4) of the Gra~.~pc~rt such that the load-bearing
i
deck (27) tilts downwards towards the ground along the Loading edge
(4) of the traxispox't (.1) . cue point r:~~' atta~:hmcnt of the load
2Q bearing deck (~7) to the ~.c>adl.n.g ~:dqe g4) is t-.he hinge point (8) .
CA 02275171 2003-07-09
Amended Page :~?
The end of the load-bearing deck 0.27) ~:.cs t~zra outside Gf ~h~~ loadzng
edge (4) is the loading end (L7>, from which the wheeled vehicle
C11) wzl7. ba moved onto tkac Lc>ad._t,ea~~,y~~ dr~ck C~t7) . ;Ihe opposite
end thereof is the far en.d (:Lg) . The ~~ert:aozx 'of tic ioa,a-bearing
deck (27) between the hinge point (e) and ~.lae Zoading end (17) is
the outboard sectiGn (28) of the=. Loaca..~earing deck (z7) and the
section of the load-bearing deck ( ~'? ) iretween the h.ixige point ( 8 )
and the far end i18) is the ir~axd section X291 of the lead-bParina
is at least as lonr~ as the snrhe~el.t~~a~se c~f t.ln~s wheeled vehicle (7.1)
.
The load-bearing d~:ck C27) c.an 2~inc~ably mgue between a transport
position resting on top of the side cadges C3) and (4) and a loading
poa~itiorr wherefn the load-bearixrg deck (2'3) is tilted down with
loading end (17) to the ground.
1S
Similar to the embodiments of Figures 1 *~0 11, the outbo~a.rd section
(28 ) of the embodiment of Figure 12 could also Y~e made to fold onto
the inboard sect ion ( 2 ~ ) when the appara.tu~s ( ~a ) i s not 1 oa.ded . A
traz~,xpoxt loc)c Gould elxo be axed wa,th t.hix embadxmertt as with the
others.
CA 02275171 2003-07-09
Alnezaded gage
Shock absorbing means could also be added to this embodiment, like
tlm others, to cus'kxzon r_he mr~vem~.>,nt c>~ t'he loner-bearing deck (2?)
between the transport arid laa~~ixz;~ ,~cac~i.t:ic:arm.
The outboard section (28) of the load-bearing deck (27) could
include an exCensf7ble outer end section. which would be collapsed
once the apparatus was leaded r~r unleaded. The extensible end
section (14) of this load-bearing d~ec:k x.27) could be rendered
extensible ' in xzumerous ways, inc~.~.zding removal, folding or
telescopic movement. The wheels (2) of the transport could be made
to extend above the surface of the inboazrd s~scti.on (29) of the load-
bearing deck (27) in the tran~~r~art position ~y the creation of deck
wheel openings (24) i:n the de.~°k of ~he inboard seotitrn {29) .
Provided that the wheels of the whee7.ee~ vehicle (11) were spaced
appropriately hariaontally acrosa~ the trorztal section o~ the wheeled
vehicle (11) arid that the und~arbody c:lea~r~nc~s of the wheeled vehicle
(11) was appropriate, the wkzcclG~d vckzir~.:a~s o~ru~.d be driven up over
top of tkae wlotels (2) protr~zding thrcau<~°h the deck whe~:l openings
{24), and the profile of the overall unit could be lawercd.
Thus it can be seen that. thc~ ic~~~rent:.a.~~z as:complishF~~; sell of its
i stated objectives. TYze .~<>r.~egoir~r~ i.s ccan,si.c;icreci ~s
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illustrative only of the principles of the invention.
Further, since numerous changes and modifications will readily
occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit
the invention to the exact construction and operation shown
and described, and accordingly, all such suitable changes or
modifications in structure or operation which may be resorted
to are intended to fall within the scope of the claimed
invention.
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LISTING OF' DIAGRAD~ R~g'BRENCE NUN~RALS
1. transport; ramp;
2. transport wheels; 19. ramp connecting member;
3. far edge of transport; 20. inboard section of
4. loading edge of ramp;
transport; 21. outboard section of
5. hitch; ramp;
6. apparatus; 22. axis of furthest
l0 7. load-bearing ramp; forward wheel;
8. hinge point; 23. axis of furthest
9. folding ramp section; rearward wheel;
10. ramp extension; 24. deck wheel opening;
11. vehicle/swather; 25. direction of travel
of
12. furthest forward wheel; wheeled vehicle;
13. furthest rearward 26. front end of wheeled
wheel; vehicle;
14. shock absorber; 27. back end of wheeled
15. transport lock; vehicle;
16. wheel path; 28. outboard section of
17. loading end of load- load-bearing ramp;
bearing ramp; 29. inboard section of
18. far end of load-bearing load-bearing ramp;
