CA1109502A - Triple axle trailer - Google Patents

Triple axle trailer

Info

Publication number
CA1109502A
CA1109502A CA348,313A CA348313A CA1109502A CA 1109502 A CA1109502 A CA 1109502A CA 348313 A CA348313 A CA 348313A CA 1109502 A CA1109502 A CA 1109502A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
trailer
walking beams
main walking
axle
trunnion
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.)
Expired
Application number
CA348,313A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Arthur Copes
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
COLUMBIA TRAILER Co Ltd
Original Assignee
COLUMBIA TRAILER Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by COLUMBIA TRAILER Co Ltd filed Critical COLUMBIA TRAILER Co Ltd
Priority to CA348,313A priority Critical patent/CA1109502A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1109502A publication Critical patent/CA1109502A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B62LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
    • B62DMOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
    • B62D53/00Tractor-trailer combinations; Road trains
    • B62D53/04Tractor-trailer combinations; Road trains comprising a vehicle carrying an essential part of the other vehicle's load by having supporting means for the front or rear part of the other vehicle
    • B62D53/08Fifth wheel traction couplings
    • B62D53/0857Auxiliary semi-trailer handling or loading equipment, e.g. ramps, rigs, coupling supports
    • B62D53/0864Dollies for fifth wheel coupling
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60GVEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
    • B60G5/00Resilient suspensions for a set of tandem wheels or axles having interrelated movements
    • B60G5/01Resilient suspensions for a set of tandem wheels or axles having interrelated movements the set being characterised by having more than two successive axles

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Vehicle Body Suspensions (AREA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A triple axle trailer comprises a forward axle assembly and a pair of spaced-apart rear axle assemblies.
A pair of substantially parallel, main walking beams extend longitudinally between the forward axle assembly and the rear axle assemblies. A pair of longitudinally extending, rear walking beams interconnect the rear axle assemblies. A
rear connecting member is pivotally connected to the main walking beams and the rear walking beams. A forward con-necting member extends between the main walking beams near the forward axle. A resilient bushing yieldably connects the forward connecting member to each main walking beam, permitting limited independent pivoting of the main walking beams about the rear connecting member. A load bearing bunk is mounted on the main walking beams. A turntable rotatably connects the forward axle assembly to the forward connecting member for rotation of the forward axle assembly about a vertical axis. There is a forwardly extending drawbar connected rearwardly to the forward axle assembly for connecting the trailer to a haulage vehicle.

Description

95~2 This invention relates to a triple axle trailer with a walking beam frame.
In logging operations, triple axle trailers are used to increase the load that may be hauled with a logging truck. The trailer as typically found in the prior art has a tandem rear axle and a forward axle which is spaced-apart therefrom. A frame extends forwardly from the rear axles to the forward axle. A turntable assembly is connected to the frame and the forward axle is connected thereto, permitting steering of the trailer. A drawbar connects the forward axle to the truck.
In practice, it has been found that the use of this frame presents problems. Logging trucks must operate over extremely rough logging roads, resulting in a great deal of movement of the wheels and axles as bumps are encountered. This movement of the axles and the high loading placed on the trailer by the logs being carried result in high stresses being placed on the frame. After a period of such rugged use, failure of the frame because of metal fatigue is common.
The use of triple axle suspensions using two sets of walking beams is found, for example, in United States Patent, 3,253,838 to Hickman. However, a trailer as dis-closed by Hickman stills employes a separate frame mounted on the triple axle suspension and, therefore, offers no solution to the problem of frame failure. ;
According to the invention, a triple axle trailer comprises a forward axle assembly and a pair of spaced-apart rear axle assemblies. Each of the axle assemblies comprises a laterally extending, rigid axle with wheels rotatably ..

53;~

mounted at each end thereof~ A pair of substantially parallel, main walking beams extend longitudinally between the forward axle assembly and the rear axle assemblies. A
pair of longitudinally extending, rear walking beams h~ve forward and back ends, the rear axle assemblies interconnec-ting the rear walking beams near the forward and back ends thereof. Laterally extending rear connecting means is pivotally connected to the main walking beams and to the rear walkiny beams. Forward connecting means extends between the main walking beams near the forward axle. There is means yieldably connecting the forward connecting means to each said main walking beam, permitting limited independent pivoting of the main walking beams with respect to the rear connecting means. Load bearing means is mounted on the main walking beams. There is means pivotally connecting the forward axle assembly to the forward connecting means for rotation of the forward axle assembly about a vertical steering axis. Drawbar means connects to the forward axle -assembly for connecting the trailer to a haulage vehicle.
The present invention solues the problem of frame failure by removing the frame itself. The present invention is easily distinguishable from earlier trailers using triple axle suspensions with two set of walking beams: in the present invention, the walking beams, in effect, become the entire trailer. The steerable front axle is connected directly to the front of the elongate main walking heams.
The suspension of the trailer, accordiny to a preferred embodiment of the invention, comprises the various rubber bushings used throughout the trailer. Larger movement of ~' the wheels is accomodated by movement of the walking beams and the bushings. The highly flexible nature of the pre-ferred form of the inventian removes hiyh stresses placed on members of the trailer which result in metal fatigue. The rubber bushings used in the preferred form of the invention obviate the need for springs in the suspension system.
In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention:
Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a triple axle trailer, according to an embodiment of the invention, connected to a truck;
Figure 2 is a top plan view of the trailer;
Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2;
lS Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3;
Figure 5, on the third sheet of drawings, is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Figure 3;
Figure 6 is a sèctional view taken along line 6~6 of Figure 2;
Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 --~
of Figure 6; and Flgure 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8-8 of Figure 2~.
Figure 1 shows a triple axle trailer 1 connected to the back of a haulage vehicle or tractor, in this case, a logging truck 2. The trailer has a forward axle a~sembly 4 and a pair of rea~ axle assemblies 6 and 8. Each of the axle assemblies camprise~ a laterally extending, rigid axle lO with rubber tired dual wheels 12 mounted at each end thereof.
A pair of substantially parallel, main walking beams 14 and 16 extend longitudinally be-tween the forward axle assembly 4 and the rear axle assemblies 6 and 8. Each of the main walking beams 14 and 16 omprises a box girder in the preferred embodiment. At their back ends, main walking beams 14 and 16 are interconnected by the laterally extending, rear connecting means or beam 18 which comprises a steel tube. Beams 14 and 16 have downwardly curved rear portions 20, best seen in Figure 7 for beam 14. The concave end 22 of each of the beams 14 and 16, together with the cap 24 bolted thereto, form a trunnion receiving recess within which the bushing 26, of a resilient material such as rubber, is received. Portions of the tube 18 comprise trunnions tightly fitted within each of the annular bushings 26. The rubber bushings 26 pro~ide yieldable means per-mitting limited independent pivoting of the main walking beams 14 and 16 about the tube 18.
The trailer 1 also has a pair of longitudinally extending rear walking beams 28 and 30. As seen for beam 28 in Figure 7, each of the rear walking beams has a fronk end 32 and a back end 34. Referring to Figure 6, each of the rear walking beams also has a pair of laterally extending brackets 36 and 38 to which a pair of ~-bolks 40 and 42 are connected. Portions of tube 18 comprise trunnions received within the resilient annular bushings 44 ~hown in Figure 8 and the trunnion housings 46, which are held tightly against the gussets 48 and the bottoms of the rear walking beams 2 a and 30 by the U~bolts 40 and 42. By this arrangement, the rear walking beams 28 and 30 are pivotally connected to the tube 18 with resilient bushings 44 therebetween, Each of the rear walkiny beams 28 and 30 ha~ a longitudinally extending tube 50 connected thereto and extending forward and rearwardly therefrom. This is illus-trated best in Figure 7. The forwardly and rearwardlyextending portions of the tubes 50 form trunnions at each end of each rear walking beams extending along the hori-zontal axis 52 of each rear walking beam. A pair of U-bolts 54 and 56, as shown in Figure 6, secure each end of each of the rear axle assemblies 6 and 8 to an axle saddle 58. The axle saddles 58 have cylindrical openings or recesses for receiving the ends of the tubes 50. A resilient rubber bushing 60 is tightly received between each of the axle saddles 58 and the ends o the tubes 50. In this way, the rear axles are yieldably connected to the trunnions at each end of each of the rear walking beams 28 and 30.
The trailer 1 also includes a forward connecting means or tube 62, best seen in Figure 3~ extending laterally between the main walking beams 14 and 16 near the forward axle assembly 4. Each of the main walking beams has a tube 64 extending forwardly therefrom as seen in Figure 4. The tube 62 has axle saddles 66 secured to the bottom thereof near each end by a pair of U-bolts 68 and 70. The axle saddles 66 have cylindrical openings or trunnion receiving means for the t.runnions comprisiny forward portions o~ -the tubes 64. Resilient annular bushings 72 are t:ightly re-ceived between the tubes 64 and the axle saddles 66 as shown in Figure 3. Each of the bushings 72 comprises means yieldably connecting the tube 62 to one of the main walking beams 14 and 16 and permitting limited relative rotation ~q~5~Z

between a main walking beam and the tube 62 about a hori-zontal axis 74 extending longitudinally along the trailer, as seen in Figure 4. The yieldable connection between the tube 62 and each of the main walking beams permits limited S independent pivoting of the main walking beams with respect to the tube 18 near the rear of the trailer.
Referring to Figure S, the tube 62 is pivotally connected to the forward axle assembly 4 by means of the turntable assembly 76 which has an uppex portion 78 connec- -ted to the tube 62 and a lower portion 78a connected to the axle assembly 4. The turntable assembly 76 permits rotation of the forward axle assembly 4 about the vertical steering axis 77. A bolt 76a with nuts 76b and 76c compresses rubber bushing 77a between washers 77b and 77c, compresses rubber 15 bushing 77g be~ween disc 77f and washer 77h and thereby holds turntable poxtions 78 and 78a together. A thrust bearing 77d is received between washer 77c and disc 77e.
A dra~bar assembly 79 is pivotally connected to the forward axle assembly 4 for pivoting about the hori-~0 zontal, laterally extending axis 81 and extends forwardlytherefrom. There is an eye connector 82 at the fo~7ard end of a compensator bar 80 for connecting the trailer 1 to the tractor 2 and permitting pivoting about the ~er-tical axis 83. Compensator 80 is telescopically connected to drawbar assembly 79 to permit the eye connector to move rearwardly when the trailer turns as shown in broken lines. This is necessary when a load such as logs e~tend~ between the tractor and trailer. When the trailer is empty, a pin is fitted between the compensator 80 and drawbar assembly 82 to prevent the telescoping.
.

.

. ~ ~
5~2 A load bearing means or bunk 84 is mounted on the main walking beams 14 and 16. The bunk 84 is connected to the upper portion 86 of a turntable assembly 88, best seen in Figure 6, which permits rotation of the bunk about the vertical axis 85. The lower portion 90 of the turntable assembly 88 is connected to a laterally extendiny beam ~2.
Trunnion clamps 94 are connected to the bottom of beam 92 near each end thereof. ~runnions, comprising each end of the tube 93, are received within the trunnion clamps 94.
Each of the beams 14 and 16 has a housing 95 and a pair of U-bolts 97 for tightly receiving these trunnions of tube 93, with resilient bushings 96 therebetween. The rubber bushings 96, shown in Figure 7 comprise means yieldably connecting the bunk 84 to the main walking beams 14 and 16. The bushings permit relative rotation of the walking beams about the laterally extending axis 98 as well as limited movement perpendicular thereto. This allows limited relative rota-tion of the walking beams about tube 18.
Referring to Figure 1, the tractor or truck 2 is equipped with a tractor bunk 100 rotatably mounted on the tractor by means of a turntable assembly 102 for rotation about the vertical axis 103. Logs 105, or other such elongate loads, extend between the tractor 2 and the trailer 1 and are carried forwardly by the bunk 100 and rearwardly by the bunk 84.
When compared with prior art triple axle trailers, trailer 1 completely eliminates the need for a rigid Erame.
The yieldable connection~ employlng rubber bushings permit movement of the main walking beam~ 14 and 16 instead of subjecting them to varyiny loads which result in metal fatigue. The durability and simplicity of the trailer l is enhanced by the complete elimination of conventiorlal sus-pension components, such as springs, in favour of the combination of walkiny beams and resilient rubber bushings as described above. Independent vertical movement of the front wheels is accommodated by the rubber bushings 72 at the forward ends of the main walking beams and by the bushings 26 between the main walking beams and the tube 18 adjacent the rear axle assemblies. At the same time, the rubber bushings 96 connecting the bunk 84 -to the main walking beams 14 and 16 allow this independent vertical movement of the main walking beams and pivoting about the tube 18. Relative vertical movement of the rear wheels at opposite ends of the rear axle assemblies 6 and 8 is acco-mmodated by the rubber bushings 60 connecting the rear axleassemblies to the rear walking beams 28 and 30 and by the rubber bushings 44 connecting the rear walking beams to the tube 18. Other stresses are absorbed by deformation of the various rubber bushings either perpendicular to their respective trunnions or shafts of by deformation of the bushings along the trunnions.

Claims (18)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:-
1. A triple axle trailer having a front and a back and comprising:
a forward axle assembly near the front of the trailer and a pair of spaced-apart rear axle assemblies near the back of the trailer, each of the axle assemblies compri-sing a laterally extending, rigid axle with wheels rotatably mounted at each end thereof;
a pair of substantially parallel, main walking beams extending longitudinally between the forward axle assembly and the rear axle assemblies;
a pair of longitudinally extending, rear walking beams having forward and back ends, the rear axle assemblies interconnecting the rear walking beams near the forward and back ends thereof;
laterally extending, rear connecting means pivo-tally connected to the main walking beams and to the rear walking beams.
forward connecting means extending between the main walking beams near the forward axle assembly;
means yieldably connecting the forward connecting means to each said main walking beam, permitting limited independent pivoting of the main walking beams with respect to the rear connecting means;
load bearing means mounted on the main walking beams;
means pivotally connecting the forward axle assembly to the forward connecting means for pivoting of the forward axle assembly about a vertical steering axis: and drawbar means connected to the forward axle assembly for connecting the trailer to a haulage vehicle.
2. A trailer as claimed in claim 1, the means yieldably connecting the forward connecting means to each said main walking beam comprising means permitting limited relative rotation between each said main walking beam and the forward connecting means about horizontal axes extending longitudinally along the trailer.
3. A trailer as claimed in claim 2, the means yieldably connecting for each main walking beam comprising a trunnion connecting each said main walking beam to the forward connecting means, each said trunnion having a bushing of a resilient material such as rubber.
4. A trailer as claimed in claim 3, the forward connecting means comprising a laterally extending forward beam.
5. A trailer as claimed in claim 4, the forward beam comprising a tube.
6. A trailer as claimed in claim 3, each said trunnion connecting each said main walking beam comprising a trunnion on each said main walking beam extending towards the front of the trailer and a trunnion receiving recess of the forward connecting means, each said bushing being annular and being tightly received within one said recess of the forward connecting means and about one said trunnion of the main walking beams.
7. A trailer as claimed in claim 6, the trunnion receiving recesses of the forward connecting means being formed by trunnion clamps of the forward connecting means.
8. A trailer as claimed in claim 1, comprising means yieldably connecting the load bearing means to the main walking beams, permitting limited rotation of the main walking beams relative to the load bearing means about a horizontal, laterally extending axis and permitting limited relative movement perpendicular thereto.
9. A trailer as claimed in claim 8, the load bearing means comprising a bunk.
10. A trailer as claimed in claim 9, the load bearing means comprising a turntable, the bunk being mounted on the turntable, permitting rotation of the bunk about a vertical axis.
11. A trailer as claimed in claim 10, the means yieldably connecting the load bearing means comprising trunnions extending through trunnion receiving recesses of the main walking beams and annular bushings of a resilient material, such as rubber, tightly received therebetween.
12. A trailer as claimed in claim 11, the trun-nions of the load bearing means comprising a tube, the turntable being mounted on the tube.
13. A trailer as claimed in claim 1, comprising means yieldably connecting the rear axle assemblies to the rear walking beams, permitting limited relative rotation of the rear axles about horizontal axes extending longitu-dinally along each of the rear walking beams and permitting limited movement perpendicular thereto.
14. A trailer as claimed in claim 13, the means yieldably connecting the rear axle assemblies comprising trunnions at each end of each rear walking beam extending along the horizontal axis of said each rear walking beam, a trunnion receiving recess of each rear axle assembly and an annular rubber bushing received therebetween.
15. A trailer as claimed in claim 1 comprising means yieldably connecting the main walking beam to the rear connecting means comprising a laterally extending trunnion of the rear connecting means, trunnion receiving recesses of the main walking beams and annular bushings, of a resilient material such as rubber, received therebetween.
16. A trailer as claimed in claim 15, the trun-nions of the rear connecting means comprising a laterally ex-tending tube.
17. A combination of the trailer as claimed in claim 10 and a tractor, wherein:
the drawbar means is a drawbar assembly pivotally connected to the forward axle assembly for vertical pivoting, the drawbar assembly being pivotally connected to the tractor for pivoting about a vertical axis and thereby steering the forward axle assembly and the trailer; and a tractor bunk rotatably mounted on the tractor for rotation about a vertical axis to receive the forward end of a load, such as logs, extending rearwardly to the bunk of a trailer.
18. A trailer as claimed in claim 1, the rear walking beams being pivotally connected to the rear con-necting means with bushings therebetween of a resilient material such as rubber.
CA348,313A 1980-03-24 1980-03-24 Triple axle trailer Expired CA1109502A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA348,313A CA1109502A (en) 1980-03-24 1980-03-24 Triple axle trailer

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA348,313A CA1109502A (en) 1980-03-24 1980-03-24 Triple axle trailer

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1109502A true CA1109502A (en) 1981-09-22

Family

ID=4116552

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA348,313A Expired CA1109502A (en) 1980-03-24 1980-03-24 Triple axle trailer

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA1109502A (en)

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