CA1214395A - Steerable device for moving trailer type vehicles - Google Patents
Steerable device for moving trailer type vehiclesInfo
- Publication number
- CA1214395A CA1214395A CA000451830A CA451830A CA1214395A CA 1214395 A CA1214395 A CA 1214395A CA 000451830 A CA000451830 A CA 000451830A CA 451830 A CA451830 A CA 451830A CA 1214395 A CA1214395 A CA 1214395A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- trailer
- steerable
- wheels
- tiller
- frame
- 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
Links
Landscapes
- Non-Deflectable Wheels, Steering Of Trailers, Or Other Steering (AREA)
Abstract
"Steerable device for moving trailer type vehicles"
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE.
A power driven steerable device, operated by a person walking with the device, for moving a trailer type vehicle. So that the device can easily and safely be manoeuvred in a confined space and can easily be connected to or disconnected from a trailer vehicle, it has a steering tiller, a bearing sleeve for engagement with the usual coupling pin of the trailer, the bearing sleeve being trunnion mounted on a carrier part which can be lifted and lowered by powered means, and has safety means for preventing a person steering the device from becoming trapped thereby, the safety means including a contactor element capable of being resiliently displaced to cut off the drive.
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE.
A power driven steerable device, operated by a person walking with the device, for moving a trailer type vehicle. So that the device can easily and safely be manoeuvred in a confined space and can easily be connected to or disconnected from a trailer vehicle, it has a steering tiller, a bearing sleeve for engagement with the usual coupling pin of the trailer, the bearing sleeve being trunnion mounted on a carrier part which can be lifted and lowered by powered means, and has safety means for preventing a person steering the device from becoming trapped thereby, the safety means including a contactor element capable of being resiliently displaced to cut off the drive.
Description
STEERABLE DEVICE FOR MOVING TRAILER TYPE VEHICLES.
The invention relates -to a steerable device for moving trailer type vehicles.
It has been a particular problem for manufacturers of trailer type vehicles, but also for S users of such vehicles, that for moving such vehicles about their works or parking areas they have needed at least one tractor unit always on hand.
Such tractor units themselves take up a fair amount of space, are not always easy to manoeuvre into position for the coupling up of a trailer and, if reasonably new, represent a considerable financial outlay for what can only be regarded as non-productive work. If a very old and therefore inexpensive tractor unit is used for this sort of work, it will often be difficult to start and may turn out a great deal of smoke and fumes.
The invention as claimed is intended to provide a remedy and seeksto solve the problem of how to move trailer type vehicles around in relatively confined parking areas.
B
3~
An aspect of the invention are as follows:
A steerable device for moving a trailer type vehicle, the device including: (a) a frame, (b) at least three wheels, (c) an engine, (d) a hydraulic pump driven by the engine and connected to a hydrau-lic motor or hydraulic motors for driving at least one of the at least three wheels, (e) a tiller for use by a person walking with the device for turning a steerable one or pair of the wheels, (f) means whereby the device can be connected to that part of a trailer type vehicle normally connected to the so-called fifth wheel connection of a tractor unit, for the weight of the front end of the trailer to be supported by the device, and (g) safety means for preventing a person steering the device from becoming trapped thereby, the safety means including a forwardly extending contactor element capable of being resiliently displaced on contacting an obstruction to cut off drive to the at least one power driven wheel.
The means whereby the device can be connect-ed to a trailer type vehicle may be constituted ~L~3~3~
-2a -by a bearing sleeve trunnion mounted to one end of a carrier, the latter being pivotally connect-ed at its other end to the frame, means being provided for lifting the carrier relative to the frame so that the bearing sleeve can be engaged with the usual coupling pin of the trailer and can then lift the front end of the trailer. The means for lifting the carrier relative to the frame may be constituted by at least one hydraulic ram. The or each driving wheel will preferably be drivable by a B
~21~3~:35 hydraulic mo-tor to which oil under pressure can be delivered from a pump driven by the engine, and in this case the tiller for turning the s-teerable wheel or wheels of the device will preferably carry valve means at its front end, and a lever for opening and closing the valve means to the flow of oil in opposite directions through flow and return pipes extending along the tiller will preferably be operable by a person steering the device to cause the hydraulic motor or motors to be driven in either direction so that the device can be power driven forwardly or in reverse. The displacement of the contactor element relative to the tiller may be effective to actuate a micro switch which immediately cuts o'ff drive to the at least one power driven wheel.
One way of carrying out the invention is described in detail below with reference to the drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a side view of a device ernbodying the invention and capable of being coupled to a trailer type vehicle, Figure 2 is a plan view thereof, Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 in Figure 1, Figure 4 is a side view of a front end of a tiller part of the device, and ~ ~Sd~ J3 3 ~
Figure 5 is a similar view of a modified tiller part which will be referred to.
Referring now to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, the device there illustrated has a welded steel frame 10 provided with a pair of rearwardly disposed driving wheels 12 and a forwardly disposed pair of steerable wheels 14. The driving wheels 12 are drivable by hydraulic motors 16 to which oil under pressure is delivered from a pump 18 driven by a deisel engine 20.
The steerable front wheels are freely rotatable on the opposite ends of an axle 15 which is carried at the lower end of a pivot pin 24 mounted in bearings in brackets 26 projecting from the front of the frame. A tiller 28 for steering the device is connected to the pivot pin 24. Flow and return pipes 32, 34 extend along the tiller to valve means 36 carried at its front end. A lever 38 for opening and closing the valve means to the flow of oil under pressure in opposite directions through the flow and return pipes can be operated by a person walking along with the device and steering the device to cause the hydraulic motors to be driven in either direction when the device is being manoeuvred as required. When the lever is in a neutral position, to which it returns automatically when 3~3~
released by the person operatlng the vehicle, there is hydraulic lock in the system so that the device is immovable in either direction. The device does not therefore require brakes.
The device is provided with means whereby it can be connected to a trailer type vehicle beneath that part of the trailer normally connected to the so-called fifth wheel connection of a tractor unit.
These means are constituted by a bearing sleeve 40 trunnion mounted at 42 to one end of a carrier 44 the latter being pivotally connected at 46 to the frame 10. A pair of hydraulic rams 48 are pivo-tally connected beneath the carrier at that end which supports the beariny sleeve 40, the rams reacting against a lower part of the frame 10. The arrangement is such that when the device has been manoeuvred as previousl.y described, so that the bearing sleeve 40 is almost e~actly beneath the depending coupling pin of the trailer which it is desired to move, the output of the pump 18 can ~e diverted to the hydraulic ram 48 (by valve means not shown) so that the bearing sleeve is brought into engagement with the coupling pin and then lifts the front end of the trailer. When the front end of the device has lifted the front end ol- the trailer, the person controlling the device, that is to say ~2~3~S
walking along and steering it by means of its tiller, can move the trailer as required.
Referring now to Figure 4, -the tiller of the device is shown to carry safety means for preventing a person steering the device from becoming trapped thereby. The safety means include a forwardly extending buffer element 50 which is slidably mounted relative to the tiller. The arrangement is such that on contacting an obstruction, which may of course be the body of the person steering the device, the buffer element is displaced against the force of a spring 52 and actuates a micro switch 54 to cut off the drive to the power driven wheels 12. (The drive -to the power driven wheels can of course be cut off in a number of ways. E'or example, the actua-tion of the micro switch may be arranged to stop the engine or may be arranged to bring about hydraulic lock in the hydrostatic transmission. It may at the same time be arranged to apply a brake or to engage a mechanical lock in the drive transmission). The displaceable buffer element does not of course interfere with the movement of the lever 38 for opening and closing the valve means which cause the hydraulic motors to be driven in either direction as required.
39S;
The device is such that when it has been connected to a trailer vehicle as just described, the coupled combination can be manoeuvred very easily indeed and with much greater safety than when using a conventional tractor unit. This is because a person operating the device has excellent visibility underneath and around the sides of the trailer. It will be observed that the point of attachment of a trailer vehicle to the device, that is to say the location of the bearing sleeve 40 at the end of the carrier 44/ is just forwardly of the rear wheels 12. Consequently, the greater part of the weight imposed on the device by the trailer concerned is taken by the rear wheels. ~lowever, for the sake oE safety, to prevent the front end of the device from rearing up when starting off, the engine is located well forwards of the rear wheels so that its weight tends to hold down the front end of the device.
It will be understood tha-t the device is only required to operate at a walking speed.
Consequently, it can have a relatively small engine and can operate very quietly. The device is very compact and of very much smaller overall size than a conventional tractor unit and can therefore be much more easily parked out of the way when not in use.
S
Referring now to Figure 5, in a modification of the device just described, the safety means for preventing a person steering the device from becoming trapped thereby have been re-designed. In this case it will be seen that the forwardly extending contactor element capable of being resiliently displaced on contacting an obstruction is not constituted by a slidably mounted buffer element but by a length of flexible metal rod 56 which is pivotally mounted at 58 and which has its forwardly extending end curled around as shown. A rearwardly extended part of said rod (or a part connected thereto for movement therewith) is acted on by a spring 60 to hold it against a stop and to hold closed a micro-switch 62.
As in the originally described device, a person operating the device can manoeuvre it backwards and forwards by moving the lever 38, as shown in chain-dotted lines, and can steer the device by means of the tiller 28. If the contac-tor element is displaced by contacting an obstruction, the drive to the power driven wheels is immediately cut off.
The movement of the lever 38 is not obstructed by the contactor element.
Various modifications may be made. For example, the pair of steerable wheels 1~ could be replaced by a single steerable wheel mounted in a steering fork ~ Z~3~5 carried at the lower end of the pivot pin 24.
Furthermore, although the hydraulic transmission of the device described and illustrated is capable of braking the device, it may be though-t desirable to fit the device with braking means acting on the transmission mechanism and/or with conventional brakes acting on at least one of the wheels or on at least a pair of the wheels to be operated by a manually operable lever. The device can be course be fitted either with a deisel engine or wi-th a petrol engine.
The invention relates -to a steerable device for moving trailer type vehicles.
It has been a particular problem for manufacturers of trailer type vehicles, but also for S users of such vehicles, that for moving such vehicles about their works or parking areas they have needed at least one tractor unit always on hand.
Such tractor units themselves take up a fair amount of space, are not always easy to manoeuvre into position for the coupling up of a trailer and, if reasonably new, represent a considerable financial outlay for what can only be regarded as non-productive work. If a very old and therefore inexpensive tractor unit is used for this sort of work, it will often be difficult to start and may turn out a great deal of smoke and fumes.
The invention as claimed is intended to provide a remedy and seeksto solve the problem of how to move trailer type vehicles around in relatively confined parking areas.
B
3~
An aspect of the invention are as follows:
A steerable device for moving a trailer type vehicle, the device including: (a) a frame, (b) at least three wheels, (c) an engine, (d) a hydraulic pump driven by the engine and connected to a hydrau-lic motor or hydraulic motors for driving at least one of the at least three wheels, (e) a tiller for use by a person walking with the device for turning a steerable one or pair of the wheels, (f) means whereby the device can be connected to that part of a trailer type vehicle normally connected to the so-called fifth wheel connection of a tractor unit, for the weight of the front end of the trailer to be supported by the device, and (g) safety means for preventing a person steering the device from becoming trapped thereby, the safety means including a forwardly extending contactor element capable of being resiliently displaced on contacting an obstruction to cut off drive to the at least one power driven wheel.
The means whereby the device can be connect-ed to a trailer type vehicle may be constituted ~L~3~3~
-2a -by a bearing sleeve trunnion mounted to one end of a carrier, the latter being pivotally connect-ed at its other end to the frame, means being provided for lifting the carrier relative to the frame so that the bearing sleeve can be engaged with the usual coupling pin of the trailer and can then lift the front end of the trailer. The means for lifting the carrier relative to the frame may be constituted by at least one hydraulic ram. The or each driving wheel will preferably be drivable by a B
~21~3~:35 hydraulic mo-tor to which oil under pressure can be delivered from a pump driven by the engine, and in this case the tiller for turning the s-teerable wheel or wheels of the device will preferably carry valve means at its front end, and a lever for opening and closing the valve means to the flow of oil in opposite directions through flow and return pipes extending along the tiller will preferably be operable by a person steering the device to cause the hydraulic motor or motors to be driven in either direction so that the device can be power driven forwardly or in reverse. The displacement of the contactor element relative to the tiller may be effective to actuate a micro switch which immediately cuts o'ff drive to the at least one power driven wheel.
One way of carrying out the invention is described in detail below with reference to the drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a side view of a device ernbodying the invention and capable of being coupled to a trailer type vehicle, Figure 2 is a plan view thereof, Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 in Figure 1, Figure 4 is a side view of a front end of a tiller part of the device, and ~ ~Sd~ J3 3 ~
Figure 5 is a similar view of a modified tiller part which will be referred to.
Referring now to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, the device there illustrated has a welded steel frame 10 provided with a pair of rearwardly disposed driving wheels 12 and a forwardly disposed pair of steerable wheels 14. The driving wheels 12 are drivable by hydraulic motors 16 to which oil under pressure is delivered from a pump 18 driven by a deisel engine 20.
The steerable front wheels are freely rotatable on the opposite ends of an axle 15 which is carried at the lower end of a pivot pin 24 mounted in bearings in brackets 26 projecting from the front of the frame. A tiller 28 for steering the device is connected to the pivot pin 24. Flow and return pipes 32, 34 extend along the tiller to valve means 36 carried at its front end. A lever 38 for opening and closing the valve means to the flow of oil under pressure in opposite directions through the flow and return pipes can be operated by a person walking along with the device and steering the device to cause the hydraulic motors to be driven in either direction when the device is being manoeuvred as required. When the lever is in a neutral position, to which it returns automatically when 3~3~
released by the person operatlng the vehicle, there is hydraulic lock in the system so that the device is immovable in either direction. The device does not therefore require brakes.
The device is provided with means whereby it can be connected to a trailer type vehicle beneath that part of the trailer normally connected to the so-called fifth wheel connection of a tractor unit.
These means are constituted by a bearing sleeve 40 trunnion mounted at 42 to one end of a carrier 44 the latter being pivotally connected at 46 to the frame 10. A pair of hydraulic rams 48 are pivo-tally connected beneath the carrier at that end which supports the beariny sleeve 40, the rams reacting against a lower part of the frame 10. The arrangement is such that when the device has been manoeuvred as previousl.y described, so that the bearing sleeve 40 is almost e~actly beneath the depending coupling pin of the trailer which it is desired to move, the output of the pump 18 can ~e diverted to the hydraulic ram 48 (by valve means not shown) so that the bearing sleeve is brought into engagement with the coupling pin and then lifts the front end of the trailer. When the front end of the device has lifted the front end ol- the trailer, the person controlling the device, that is to say ~2~3~S
walking along and steering it by means of its tiller, can move the trailer as required.
Referring now to Figure 4, -the tiller of the device is shown to carry safety means for preventing a person steering the device from becoming trapped thereby. The safety means include a forwardly extending buffer element 50 which is slidably mounted relative to the tiller. The arrangement is such that on contacting an obstruction, which may of course be the body of the person steering the device, the buffer element is displaced against the force of a spring 52 and actuates a micro switch 54 to cut off the drive to the power driven wheels 12. (The drive -to the power driven wheels can of course be cut off in a number of ways. E'or example, the actua-tion of the micro switch may be arranged to stop the engine or may be arranged to bring about hydraulic lock in the hydrostatic transmission. It may at the same time be arranged to apply a brake or to engage a mechanical lock in the drive transmission). The displaceable buffer element does not of course interfere with the movement of the lever 38 for opening and closing the valve means which cause the hydraulic motors to be driven in either direction as required.
39S;
The device is such that when it has been connected to a trailer vehicle as just described, the coupled combination can be manoeuvred very easily indeed and with much greater safety than when using a conventional tractor unit. This is because a person operating the device has excellent visibility underneath and around the sides of the trailer. It will be observed that the point of attachment of a trailer vehicle to the device, that is to say the location of the bearing sleeve 40 at the end of the carrier 44/ is just forwardly of the rear wheels 12. Consequently, the greater part of the weight imposed on the device by the trailer concerned is taken by the rear wheels. ~lowever, for the sake oE safety, to prevent the front end of the device from rearing up when starting off, the engine is located well forwards of the rear wheels so that its weight tends to hold down the front end of the device.
It will be understood tha-t the device is only required to operate at a walking speed.
Consequently, it can have a relatively small engine and can operate very quietly. The device is very compact and of very much smaller overall size than a conventional tractor unit and can therefore be much more easily parked out of the way when not in use.
S
Referring now to Figure 5, in a modification of the device just described, the safety means for preventing a person steering the device from becoming trapped thereby have been re-designed. In this case it will be seen that the forwardly extending contactor element capable of being resiliently displaced on contacting an obstruction is not constituted by a slidably mounted buffer element but by a length of flexible metal rod 56 which is pivotally mounted at 58 and which has its forwardly extending end curled around as shown. A rearwardly extended part of said rod (or a part connected thereto for movement therewith) is acted on by a spring 60 to hold it against a stop and to hold closed a micro-switch 62.
As in the originally described device, a person operating the device can manoeuvre it backwards and forwards by moving the lever 38, as shown in chain-dotted lines, and can steer the device by means of the tiller 28. If the contac-tor element is displaced by contacting an obstruction, the drive to the power driven wheels is immediately cut off.
The movement of the lever 38 is not obstructed by the contactor element.
Various modifications may be made. For example, the pair of steerable wheels 1~ could be replaced by a single steerable wheel mounted in a steering fork ~ Z~3~5 carried at the lower end of the pivot pin 24.
Furthermore, although the hydraulic transmission of the device described and illustrated is capable of braking the device, it may be though-t desirable to fit the device with braking means acting on the transmission mechanism and/or with conventional brakes acting on at least one of the wheels or on at least a pair of the wheels to be operated by a manually operable lever. The device can be course be fitted either with a deisel engine or wi-th a petrol engine.
Claims (5)
1. A steerable device for moving a trailer type vehicle, the device including:
(a) a frame, (b) at least three wheels, (c) an engine (d) a hydraulic pump driven by the engine and connected to a hydraulic motor or hydraulic motors for driving at least one of the at least three wheels, (e) a tiller for use by a person walking with the device for turning a steerable one or pair of the wheels, (f) means whereby the device can be connected to that part of a trailer type vehicle normally connected to the so-called fifth wheel connection of a tractor unit, for the weight of the front end of the trailer to be supported by the device, and (g) safety means for preventing a person steering the device from becoming trapped thereby, the safety means including a forwardly extending contactor element capable of being resiliently displaced on contacting an obstruction to cut off drive to the at least one power driven wheel.
(a) a frame, (b) at least three wheels, (c) an engine (d) a hydraulic pump driven by the engine and connected to a hydraulic motor or hydraulic motors for driving at least one of the at least three wheels, (e) a tiller for use by a person walking with the device for turning a steerable one or pair of the wheels, (f) means whereby the device can be connected to that part of a trailer type vehicle normally connected to the so-called fifth wheel connection of a tractor unit, for the weight of the front end of the trailer to be supported by the device, and (g) safety means for preventing a person steering the device from becoming trapped thereby, the safety means including a forwardly extending contactor element capable of being resiliently displaced on contacting an obstruction to cut off drive to the at least one power driven wheel.
2. A steerable device as claimed in claim 1, in which the means whereby the device can be connected to a trailer type vehicle are constituted by a bearing sleeve trunnion mounted at one end of a carrier the latter being pivotally connected at its other end to the frame, means being provided for lifting the carrier relative to the frame so that the bearing sleeve can be engaged with the usual coupling pin of the trailer and can then lift the front end of the trailer.
3. A steerable device as claimed in claim 2, in which the means for lifting the carrier relative to the frame are constituted by at least one hydraulic ram.
4. A steerable device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the tiller for turning the steerable wheel or wheels of the device carries valve means at its front end, a lever for opening and closing the valve means to the flow of oil in opposite directions through flow and return pipes extending along the tiller being operable by a person steering the device to cause the hydraulic motor or motors to be driven in either direction so that the device can be power driven forwardly or in reverse.
5. A steerable device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the displacement of the contactor element relative to the tiller is effective to actuate a micro switch which immediately cuts off drive to the at least one power driven wheel.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000451830A CA1214395A (en) | 1984-04-12 | 1984-04-12 | Steerable device for moving trailer type vehicles |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000451830A CA1214395A (en) | 1984-04-12 | 1984-04-12 | Steerable device for moving trailer type vehicles |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1214395A true CA1214395A (en) | 1986-11-25 |
Family
ID=4127636
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000451830A Expired CA1214395A (en) | 1984-04-12 | 1984-04-12 | Steerable device for moving trailer type vehicles |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1214395A (en) |
-
1984
- 1984-04-12 CA CA000451830A patent/CA1214395A/en not_active Expired
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |