EP0127660A1

EP0127660A1 - Tipping trailer vehicle

Info

Publication number: EP0127660A1
Application number: EP19840900083
Authority: EP
Inventors: Fred Alan Jones; Jean Jones
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-12-04
Filing date: 1983-12-02
Publication date: 1984-12-12
Also published as: WO1984002109A1; GB2141981B; GB2141981A; GB8419606D0

Abstract

Dans une remorque du type ayant un châssis de support (1) porté par au moins une paire de roues (2) et avec un corps basculant (4) monté sur ce châssis de telle manière que le pivot de basculement s'élève au-dessus du châssis pour permettre le basculement à une hauteur supérieure, le corps basculant (4) et le support de pivot (6) sont montés de manière coulissante sur le châssis avec des moyens d'actionnement pour faire coulisser le support et le corps vers l'avant au fur et à mesure que le corps (4) s'élève autour du pivot pour en déverser son contenu. Dans un mode de réalisation, les moyens d'actionnement sont des vérins hydrauliques connectés en parallèle à des vérins de levage (11) du corps basculant par l'intermédiaire d'une soupape de dosage pour que le levage et le coulissement aient lieu simultanément. Dans un autre mode de réalisation, une liaison ou bras (40) est prévue entre le corps et le châssis (1) de manière que le support de pivot (6) coulisse vers l'avant suite à l'élévation du corps basculant (4). Cet agencement empêche le centre de gravité du corps basculant et de sa charge de se déplacer exagérément lors d'un basculement, qui soulèverait l'arrière du tracteur.In a trailer of the type having a support frame (1) carried by at least one pair of wheels (2) and with a tilting body (4) mounted on this frame in such a way that the tilting pivot rises above of the chassis to allow tilting to a higher height, the tilting body (4) and the pivot support (6) are slidably mounted on the chassis with actuating means for sliding the support and the body towards the forward as the body (4) rises around the pivot to discharge its contents. In one embodiment, the actuating means are hydraulic cylinders connected in parallel to lifting cylinders (11) of the tilting body via a metering valve so that the lifting and sliding take place simultaneously. In another embodiment, a link or arm (40) is provided between the body and the frame (1) so that the pivot support (6) slides forward following the elevation of the tilting body (4 ). This arrangement prevents the center of gravity of the tipping body and its load from moving excessively during a tipping, which would raise the rear of the tractor.

Description

TIPPING TRAILER VEHICLE This invention relates to a trailer vehicle having a supporting frame carried by at least one pair of wheels and with a tipping body mounted thereon, the body being tipped by at least one tipping jack about a pivot mounted above the frame.

Trailer vehicles with tipping bodies are commonly used in agriculture for transporting products such as sugar beet, and will typically be towed by an agricultural tractor. In order to be able to tip beet, in particular, into a high enough mound to resist attack by frost, the vehicle is arranged so that the tipping body is pivoted adjacent its upper edge rather than at the level of the main frame of the vehicle. A problem which can arise with this arrangement is that it is necessary to elevate the body until the base is nearly vertical before the contents of the body will discharge satisfactorily, and as the body is elevated, the centre of gravity of the load moves rearwardly. In order to limit the load on the tractor's tow bar, the wheels of the trailer vehicle are positioned so that the load is substantially balanced over the wheels, but the shift of centre of gravity upsets this balance and this can lead to the trailer vehicle lifting the tractor by its tow bar. For these reasons, the maximum design load has to be limited to 6 to 8 tonnes where a load of 10 tonnes or even higher may be economically preferable to the farmer. It is not possible to compensate substantially for this shift in centre of gravity by arranging for more weight to be placed on the tractor's tow bar initially, since an excessive load on the tow bar might tend to lift the front wheels of the tractor during towing.

Accordingly, the trailer vehicle of the present invention is characterised in that the tipping body and pivot are movably mounted on the frame and actuating means are provided for moving the tipping body and pivot relative to the frame, and in that the actuating means are arranged to cause the tipping body and pivot to move forward relative to the frame as the body is elevated about the pivot. The actuating means may comprise a hydraulic ram between the body, or preferably the mount for the pivot, and the frame, but chain or gear drives, or even manually operable levers, may also be suitable.

In an alternative embodiment, the actuating means comprise a rigid link or arm pivotally mounted on the frame and extending to the body, the link being positioned such that, as the body is elevated, the link draws the body forwardly along the frame.

The amount of sliding of the body will be chosen to ensure that the centre of gravity does not move substantially forward of the wheels, relative to the direction in which the trailer vehicle is towed.

The trailer vehicle of the invention can be made of greater carrying capacity than existing trailers of the same general type, without the risk of lifting the tractor or other towing vehicle off the ground during tipping, or of overloading the tractor's tow-bar during towing. Reference is made to the drawings, in which : Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the trailer vehicle in accordance with the invention, with the tipping body in its towing position;

Figure 2 shows the trailer vehicle of Figure 1 with the tipping body partially raised in the tipping position; Figure 3 is a partial rear elevation on an enlarged scale of the vehicle illustrated in Figures 1 and 2; and

Figures 4 and 5 are views corresponding to Figures 1 and 2, showing an alternative embodiment of the invention. The vehicle has a main frame 1 carried by two pairs of road wheels 2, the suspension for which is not shown for the sake of clarity. The main frame 1 has a draw-bar 3 extending from the front end thereof for connection to the tow bar of a tractor, for example. A tipping body 4 is open-topped and has a sloping rear surface 5 to assist in discharge of material therefrom. The body 4 is pivotally connected adjacent to the upper edge of the surface 5 to a pivot support 6 whereby the height at which the material is discharged is elevated.

The pivot support 6 has a portion 7 extending beneath the lower surface 8 of the body and carrying rollers 9 which run in channel members 10 (Figure 3) forming the sides of the main frame. A substantially horizontal double-acting hydraulic ram (not shown) is arranged between the main frame 1 and the pivot support 6 to move the support 6, and with it the body 4, between the position for towing as illustrated in Figure 1 and the tipping position illustrated in Figure 2. The body 4 may simply be in contact with the main frame 1 during the sliding movement, or rollers or some other bearing means may be interposed between the frame and the body.

Where a hydraulic ram is used to move the body and support, this may be hydraulically connected with the side thereof causing movement towards the tipping position in parallel with the twin single-acting three-or four-stage lifting rams 11 which serve to tip the body, but with a valve dividing the flow of hydraulic fluid between the lifting rams 11 and the horizontal ram in proportions such that the body tips and slides simultaneously so that the horizontal movement of the centre of gravity of the body is kept to a minimum. The rams 11 are mounted between the body 4 and the forwardly extending portion 7 of the pivot support 6 so as to slide with the support and body. The length of the draw bar 3 is arranged to be sufficient to ensure that the body is clear of any towing vehicle during tipping. Where a greater tipping height is required, the support 6 may be extended upwardly, and the rear surface 5 of the body 4 is then also extended by a corresponding amount beyond the upper extent of the sides of the body.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the trailer vehicle illustrated is identical with that shown in Figures 1 and 2, except that no horizontal ram is provided to move the body 4 relative to the frame 1. Instead, one or more rigid arms or links 40 are provided between the body 4 and the frame 1. For clarity, one link 40 is illustrated attached to the sides of the body and frame, but the link may, with some arrangements, be positioned beneath the body 4. As the body 4 is elevated by the lifting rams 11, the distance between the pivot points 41 and 42 of the links 40 would, if the link were not present increase. The presence of the links 40 causes the support 6 and the body 4 to be drawn forward along the frame 1 as the angle of inclination of the body relative to the frame increases, until the position of maximum elevation is reached as illustrated in Figure 5. The links are dimensioned and arranged such that this position corresponds to the maximum forward movement of the body 4 relative to the frame 1. It will be seen that lowering of the body will cause the body to be urged rearwardly again, relative to the frame, returning towards the position illustrated in Figure 4.

Further, the links are also dimensioned and arranged such that the horizontal movement of the centre of gravity during tipping is kept as small as possible. The position of the rearward pivotal attachment for each link is on or above a line joining forward pivotal attachment of each link to the pivot axis of the tipping body.

Claims

1. A trailer vehicle having a support frame carried by at least one pair of wheels and with a tipping body mounted thereon, the body being tipped by at least one lifting jack about a pivot mounted above the frame, characterised in that the tipping body and pivot are movably mounted relative to the frame and actuating means are provided for moving the tipping body and pivot relative to the frame, and in that the actuating means are arranged to cause the tipping body and pivot to move forward relative to the frame as the body is elevated about the pivot.

2. A trailer vehicle according to Claim 1, characterised in that the or each lifting jack is mounted on a support coupled to and movable with the pivot for the tipping body.

3. A trailer vehicle according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the or each lifting jack is a hydraulic ram.

4. A trailer vehicle according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the actuating means comprise at least one arm pivotally attached to the tipping body and to the frame such that the horizontal distance between the pivots of the or each arm reduces continuously as the body is elevated about the pivot.

5. A trailer vehicle according to Claim 4, characterised in that the or each arm is pivotally attached to the side of the supporting frame adjacent the forward end thereof and to the side of the tipping body at a position on or above a line joining the attachment pivot for the arm on the supporting frame and the pivot of the tipping body.

6. A trailer vehicle according to Claim 4 or 5, characterised in that a pair of arms is used, one arm being on or adjacent to each side of the vehicle.

7. A trailer vehicle according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the actuating means comprise at least one drive device mounted on the supporting frame and acting to move the pivot and tipping body therealong, the drive device being controlled to operate synchronously with the lifting jack or jacks.

8. A trailer vehicle according to Claim 7, characterised in that the lifting jack or jacks and the drive device or devices are hydraulic rams connected to a single hydraulic pressure source via a proportioning valve means.