AU2002100105A4 - Improved tractor-unit for Australian highway road-trains - Google Patents
Improved tractor-unit for Australian highway road-trains Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- AU2002100105A4 AU2002100105A4 AU2002100105A AU2002100105A AU2002100105A4 AU 2002100105 A4 AU2002100105 A4 AU 2002100105A4 AU 2002100105 A AU2002100105 A AU 2002100105A AU 2002100105 A AU2002100105 A AU 2002100105A AU 2002100105 A4 AU2002100105 A4 AU 2002100105A4
- Authority
- AU
- Australia
- Prior art keywords
- unit
- tractor
- prime
- mover
- trailer
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Ceased
Links
Landscapes
- Arrangement Of Transmissions (AREA)
Description
AUSTRALIA
Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT IMPROVED TRACTOR-UNIT FOR AUSTRALIAN HIGHWAY ROAD-TRAINS The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me.
AN IMPROVED TRACTOR-UNIT FOR AUSTRALIAN HIGHWAY ROAD-TRAINS Highway Road-Trains have been used in Australia for the transport of freight since 1934.
Currently these vehicles are permitted only on rural roads of Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland and the load they can legally carry is limited by the horsepower of the engine.
Typically, highway road-trains currently in use comprise a single prime-mover of about 400-600 horse-power towing two or more trailers or semi-trailers.
The tractor-unit I have designed is a new concept. It consists of a prime-mover attached by a turntable to a powered semi-trailer. It could thus be regarded as an articulated, twinpowered tractor-unit. The engine, clutch, gear box and the remainder of the transmission of the prime-mover and the powered semni-trailer are identical. Both engines, clutches and gear boxes are controlled from the prime-mover cab.
Fig. 1 shows the tractor-unit in side view. The prime-mover and semi-trailer are powered by identical 600 horse-power diesel engines 8.9. Power is then transmitted through identical dry-plate clutches 10.11 and identical 18 ratio gear-boxes 12.13 to the driving wheels 5.6.16.17. The clutches are operated by compressed air and the gear-boxes are electrically operated. The semi-trailer engine, clutch and gear box are enclosed in a housing 7 and air for the semi-trailer engine enters through the air-intakes 14.15*.
Fig. 2 shows the cooling system for the semi-trailer engine from the top. Air is drawn through the radiator and rearwards along the two air-ducts 20.21 by the engine fan 19. It then passes over the engine, clutch and gear-box and exhausts through the air outlets 18.
The sides and top of the radiator-cowling 24 are curved forwards formning an air-scoop 22.
Fig. 3 shows the semi-trailer's engine radiator 23 and air-intakes 14.15 from the front.
Fig. 4 shows the semi-trailer's engine cooling system from the side.
The advantages of this tractor-unit over existing tractor-units (viz single prime-movers) are: 1. Improved traction. This unit has four pairs of powered axles; twice the number on existing units.
2. Faster acceleration and less speed loss on hills. When fully loaded, ie weighing 128 tons, the vehicle has 9.4 horsepower per tonne.
4 and 15 are depicted in top view on Fig. 2 i 2 3. Reduced fuel consumption. I estimate that when fully loaded, ie. weighing 128 tons and travelling at 100km per hour the engines would be operating at only about 75 per cent of their capacity.
4. Reduced stress on clutches, transmissions and drive tyres. Engine torque in this tractor-unit is distributed over 2 clutches., 2 transmissions and 16 drive tyres.
Thus the torque on each of these components is halved thus increasing their life and reducing maintenance costs.
5. Reduced driver fatigue. The gearboxes are operated electrically, the dry-plate clutches are operated by compressed air and the-tractor-unit has power in reserve.
All these contribute to reduced driver fatigue.
Although the initial cost of this tractor-unit is higher than that of tractor-units currently in use the additional cost should soon be recovered by virtue of the increased payload, the reduced trip times and the reduced maintenance costs.
Claims (4)
1. A tractor-unit comprising a prime-mover and a powered semi-trailer for the haulage of one or more trailers or semi-trailers or combinations thereof on Australian highways.
2. A tractor-unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the diesel engines, compressed-air operated dry-plate clutches, electrically operated gear-boxes and the remainder of the transmissions of the prime-mover and the powered semi-trailer are all identical.
3. A tractor-unit according to claims I and 2 wherein the prime-mover and the powered semi-trailer are controlled from the cab of the prime-mover.
4. A tractor-unit substantially as herein before described with reference to figures 1 4 of the accompanying drawings. John Stevenson Smyth 14 March 2002
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| AU2002100105A AU2002100105A4 (en) | 2002-04-11 | 2002-04-11 | Improved tractor-unit for Australian highway road-trains |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| AU2002100105A AU2002100105A4 (en) | 2002-04-11 | 2002-04-11 | Improved tractor-unit for Australian highway road-trains |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| AU2002100105A4 true AU2002100105A4 (en) | 2002-06-06 |
Family
ID=3839437
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| AU2002100105A Ceased AU2002100105A4 (en) | 2002-04-11 | 2002-04-11 | Improved tractor-unit for Australian highway road-trains |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| AU (1) | AU2002100105A4 (en) |
-
2002
- 2002-04-11 AU AU2002100105A patent/AU2002100105A4/en not_active Ceased
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| US6892839B2 (en) | Multi-combination vehicle incorporating a power trailer | |
| US7743859B2 (en) | Hybrid drivetrains for trailers | |
| CN101203399B (en) | Vehicle | |
| US20050000739A1 (en) | Motorized semi-trailer | |
| US11002350B2 (en) | Axle assembly | |
| CA2457216C (en) | Motorized semi-trailer | |
| KR20030031962A (en) | Power Train | |
| US5492402A (en) | Combination trailer and self propelled vehicle | |
| EP1534553A1 (en) | System for the control of multiple transmissions in a multi-combination vehicle | |
| CN101456356B (en) | 4-wheel driven articulated tractor trucks | |
| CA2443863C (en) | System for the control of multiple engines in a multi-combination vehicle | |
| AU758169B2 (en) | Multi-combination vehicle incorporating an electronically coupled power trailer | |
| US7410021B1 (en) | Fuel-efficient vehicle with auxiliary cruiser engine | |
| AU2002100105A4 (en) | Improved tractor-unit for Australian highway road-trains | |
| RU2398684C1 (en) | Multi-axle vehicle driving axle drive | |
| US7115070B2 (en) | System for the control of multiple engines in a multi-combination vehicle having independent throttle controls when under emergency braking | |
| EP1451058B1 (en) | Multi-combination vehicle incorporating a power trailer | |
| AU2003303903B2 (en) | System for the control of multiple engines in a multi-combination vehicle having independent throttle controls when under emergency braking | |
| CN101181872A (en) | Airtow power transmitting means | |
| CN201140666Y (en) | Power installation of luggage towing vehicle | |
| CN201046671Y (en) | Agricultural cross-country truck | |
| Chew | The power dolly approach to highway transportation | |
| Braithwaite | Selection of a haulage tractor | |
| CN2231642Y (en) | Transporting tractor | |
| RU26492U1 (en) | CAR DIESEL |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MK22 | Patent ceased section 143a(d), or expired - non payment of renewal fee or expiry |