GB2132568A - Trailer - Google Patents

Abstract

A demountable skip 50 is supported on a trailer chassis 10 having a winch arrangement 26, to tip the skip when mounted on the trailer. Alternatively a hydraulic ram may be employed as the tipping mechanism <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Load-carrying vehicle The invention relates to load-carrying vehicles especially but not exclusively trailers towed, in use, by motorised vehicles, particularly private motor cars.

It has been the practice when it is required to transport awkward or heavy loads either to hire specialised transport such as a truck or to use a small trailer attached to a private motor car. The latter is desirable for householders as the cost of transport is kept within modest bounds, and an increasing number of private motor vehicles are being fitted with trailer towing equipment.

A disadvantage with such trailers is that if the load is accumulated over a period of time then either the trailer must be standing idle for a long period or the load has to be collected separately and then loaded on to the trailer. The provision of large truck-transported skips has filled a particular need for the transport of large loads but hitherto small loads have been expensive to transport using such skips.

The present invenfion provides apparatus comprising a trailer chassis having wheels, towing equipment, a releasably attachable load carrying body and means for tipping the body relative to said trailer chassis.

The towing equipment comprises a tow bar adapted to seat on a towing ball fitted to a motor vehicle. Alternatively the towing equipment may comprise a towing ring. In the former case the wheels may be non-steering wheels. In the latter case a pair of steerable wheels may be provided for example on a sub-frame pivotally attached to said chassis, the towing ring being pivotally attached to said sub-frame. One or more retractable 'jockey' wheels may also be provided to support the trailer when not connected to a vehicle.

Desirably the load carrying body is a small skip and preferably a rear wall of said skip is provided with a hinged door or is removable to enable a load to be emptied therefrom.

A winch is preferably provided to raise a front part of the skip body to facilitate tipping, the body being hingedly connected to the chassis at the rear base of the body. The winch is preferably mounted on a pillar at a level above the skip body or alternatively a pillar may be provided which mounts a pulley, the winch being mounted at low level with the winch cable passing from the winch over the pulley and down to an anchorage on the skip body. As an alternative anhydraulic piston and cylinder may be provided having one end pivotally fixed to the chassis and another end pivotally fixed to the skip body. The apparatus is preferably fitted with some kind of brake operated by hand, by operation of a towing vehicle's brakes or automatically during overrun conditions.

Preferably the chassis is provided with an opening at the rear through which a load may be tipped from the skip body. A brige member having an aperture beneath may link opposed sides of the chassis.

The apparatus is preferably provided with all the lights, number plates, warning plates and reflectors (together with any associated electrical, mechanical or hydraulic lines) necessary for it to legally use public highways.

Preferably a number of ground engageable stabilizing feet are provided on the chassis.

The apparatus is preferably made principally from metal but any other suitable material may be used such as plastics, fibre reinforced plastics, and wood especially marine plywood.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of apparatus according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the apparatus of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of part of the apparatus similar to that shown in Fig. 1 but employing an alternative lifting device.

The apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises generally a trailer chassis shown as 10, and a skip body shown as 50. The chassis 10 is composed of a framework of box-section steel members 11. The chassis is provided with a pair of wheels 12, with mudguards 14 mounted to the chassis by means of vehicle suspension units (not shown). The chassis has a triangular shaped front portion at the apex of which is provided a towing bracket 1 6 of the type co-operable with a 'tow ball' fitted to a towing vehicle. A retractable jockey wheel 1 8 is also provided near the towing bracket and can be extended by rotation of a handle 20 to provide support when the apparatus is not hitched to a towing vehicle. The chassis 10 also mounts an upright member 22 having an arm 24 extending rearwardly of the chassis 10, and on which is mounted a hand winch 26.At a rear part of the chassis there is provided a bridge member 28 beneath which is an opening 30 through which the skip body 50 (to be described later) may be removed from the chassis 10. The bridge member 28 is provided with a pair of side members 31 which mount lighting units 32, speed restriction signs 34 and trailer warning triangles 36. A number plate 38 with lighting units 40 is also mounted on the bridge member 28. Also at the rear of the chassis 10 is provided a pair of retractable legs 40 which can be lowered to support the chassis when the skip 50 is being moved.

The skip body 50 rests on the chassis and is pivotally secured thereto by releasably attachable pivot pins (not shown) which pass through cylindrical tubular members 52 welded to the rear base of the skip and also through complementary members 54 welded to the chassis.

At a front part of the skip body 50 there is welded a rectangular bracket 56 consisting of inverted 'L' section girder. This bracket is connected by wires 58 to the winch 26. Operation of the winch causes the skip body to pivot relative to the chassis 10 about the pivot pins.

An alternative arrangement for tipping the skip body is shown in Fig. 3 A hydraulic piston and cylinder 60 is pivotally attached at one end to the chassis and at an opposite end pivotally attached to the skip body. In the latter case the need for a pillar is obviated.

The skip body is provided with an end door 62, hinges 64 for said door being mounted along a top rear edge of the body so that when the door is released by means of a catch 66 the door swings free of the body at its lower edge, allowing contents of the skip to escape.

The bridge member may be located at a higher level so that the skip body may be withdrawn beneath it, and the skip body may be provided with preferably retractable wheels or castors. The chassis may be provided with rails and releasably attachable ramps which receive the said wheels or casters when the skip body is to be drawn on to the chassis, for example by means of the winch 26.

It will be appreciated that the apparatus according to the invention may be hired by a person having a small private motor vehicle with a tow bar. The skip body may be detached for filling over a period of time during which the chassis part can be used for other skips. The tipping facility enables the skip body to be easily emptied.

Various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention for example the skip body or chassis may be of a different shape to suit the circumstances.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing Specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims (25)

1. Trailer apparatus comprising a trailer chassis having wheels, towing equipment, a releasably attachable load-carrying body and means for tipping the body relative to said trailer chassis.

2. Trailer apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which there is provided a winch to raise a front part of the load-carrying body to facilitate tipping, the body being hingedly connected to the chassis at the rear base of the load-carrying body.

3. Trailer apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which the winch is mounted on a pillar at a level above the load-carrying body.

4. Trailer apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which there is provided a pillar mounting rolling element, a winch being mounted on the chassis with a winch cable passing from the winch over the rolling element and down to an anchorage on the load-carrying body so that the winch is operable to tip the load-carrying body.

5. Trailer apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which there is provided an hydraulic piston cylinder pivotally fixed at one end to the chassis and an opposite end pivotally fixed to the loadcarrying body.

6. Trailer apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the load-carrying body is a small skip.

7. Trailer apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which a rear wall of the said skip is provided with a hinged door.

8. Trailer apparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which the hinge door is provided with catch means to secure it in a closed position.

9. Trailer apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which the skip is provided with a rear wall which is removable to enable a load to be emptied therefrom.

10. Trailer apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the load carrying body is provided with wheels or castors so as to be easily loaded onto said chassis.

11. Trailer apparatus as claimed in claim 10 in which the chassis is provided with rails and at least one ramp releasably attachable to the chassis is provided to receive the said wheels or castors to enable the skip body to be drawn onto the chassis.

12. Trailer apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the chassis is provided with an opening at the rear through which a load may be tipped from the load-carrying body.

1 3. Trailer apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which there is provided a bridge member having an aperture beneath, the bridge member linking opposite sides of the chassis.

14. Trailer apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which there is provided a brake operable on one or more of the wheels on the chassis.

15. Trailer apparatus as claimed in claim 14 in which the brake is operable by hand.

1 6. trailer apparatus as claimed in claim 1 4 or claim 1 5 in which the brake is operable by a braking system of a towing vehicle.

17. Trailer apparatus as claimed in claim 14, 1 5 or 1 6 in which the brake is automatically engaged during overrun conditions during towing of the trailer.

1 8. Trailer apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the towing equipment comprises a tow bar adapted to seat on a towing ball fitted to a motor vehicle.

1 9. Trailer apparatus according to claim 1 8 in which the wheels on the trailer chassis are non steering.

20. Trailer apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 17 in which the towing equipment comprises a towing ring.

21. Trailer apparatus as claimed in claim 20 in which a pair of steerable wheels is provided on a sub-frame pivotally attached to said chassis, the towing ring being pivotally attached to the said sub-frame.

22. Trailer apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which one or more retractable 'jockey', wheels is provided to support the trailer when not connected to a vehicle.

23. Trailer apparatus as claimed in any preceding claims in which there is provided at least one ground-engageable stabilising foot on the chassis.

24. Trailer apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim provided with lights, number plates, warning plates and reflectors together with electrical, mechanical and/or hydraulic lines, for legal use on public highways.

25. Trailer apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 or Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.