GB2145995A

GB2145995A - Trailer

Info

Publication number: GB2145995A
Application number: GB08323380A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Donald Wilfred Sessions
Original assignee: SESSIONS ROSEMARY CRIGHTON
Current assignee: SESSIONS ROSEMARY CRIGHTON
Priority date: 1983-08-31
Filing date: 1983-08-31
Publication date: 1985-04-11
Also published as: GB2145995B; GB8323380D0

Abstract

A motor vehicle trailer has a U-shaped plan body provided with stub shafts to carry the wheels. An upright plunger can be moved up and down and tilted by jacks and is provided with load carrying forks or hooks for lifting skips.

Description

SPECIFICATION Trailer This invention relates to trailers to be hitched to motor vehicles or other means of transport.

The object of the invention is to facilitate loading and unloading of a trailer.

According to the invention I provide a trailer comprising an approximately U-shaped body in plan, said body having side limbs and a transverse forward limb connecting the forward ends of the side limbs together, wheels mounted on stub shafts on the side limbs, lifting and lowering means mounted on the transverse limb, the space between the side limbs being free apart from the forks of said fork lift means, said side limbs and transverse limb being of such strong and rigid construction as to permit operation of the lifting and lowering means with loads thereon and holding said stub shafts rigidly apart.

The side limbs and transverse limb are preferably of box-like construction, The invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a trailer made in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view thereof; Figure 3 is a side elevational view thereof; Figure 4 is a rear view thereof; Figures Sto 9 show a modification for lifting a skip in which: Figure 5 is a plan view; Figure 6 is a side view; Figure 7 is a plan of a frame; Figure 8 is a side view of the skip; and Figure 9 is an end view partly in section of the skip.

The trailer (Figures 1 to 6) has a body which is approximately U-shaped in plan and comprises two side limbs, 40,41 and a transverse limb 42 which connects the forward ends of the side limbs together. Welded to the underside of the side limbs are brackets 45 on which suspension arms 46 are mounted which carry stub shafts 47 on which the road wheels 48 are mounted; these parts being within the width of the limbs.

Lifting forks 50, 51 are connected by a cross-bar 53 which is mounted on a vertical plunger 54 that is vertically movable in a guideway 60 and is actuated by a jack housed within it.

The guideway tube 60 is frictionally separated from the vertical plunger 54 by twin sets of rollers mounted top and bottom of the guideway 60, at opposite sides of this. The rollers bear on the plunger 54, and transmit the full lifting load to this member. To ensure all rollers are loaded equally, one pair of rollers is swivel mounted.

The jack is supplied with fluid pressure from a pump operated by an electric motor housed in the limb 42. The motor can be plugged into a socket connected with the towing motor-vehicle battery or a separate battery may be provided in the trailer.

The guideway 60 is carried by a transverse bar 61 that is mounted on transverse pivots 64, 65. Jacks 70,71 carried by the limb 42 serve to tilt the cylinder and parts carried by it including the forks 50, 51 to accommodate the tilt of a pallet to be lifted.

The jacks are pivoted at 72 on a bracket 72A welded to front arms 76 which carry the usual jockey wheel 77 and trailer connecting device 78. A central support bar 80 is fixed to the arms 76.

A cover 73 mounted on the limb 42 covers the upper end of the plunger 54.

A detachable tailgate 81 may be provided.

For roll on roll off articles a deck or platform may be detachably secured to the surface of the blades.

Hinged lids enclose the box-like parts 40,41 for weather protection of the available locker space and security of ancillary equipment.

In Figures 5 to 9 a tubular frame 90 replaces the forks 50, 51 with identical bolting to the cross-bar 53 at 91,92. An arm 94 is fixed to the top of the plunger 54. The arm 94 supports a tubular beam 95 to the ends of which links 96 are secured. The lower ends of the links 96 are secured to the upper ends of the frame 90 by hooked plates 98 that are welded to the frame and attached to the links 96 by pins 99. Latch pawls 100 are also carried by the pins 99.

A skip 102 is made from sheet metal and is hexagonal in side view to permit controlled movement on the ground.

The skip is constructed from sheet metal and is hexagonal in shape to permit controlled movement on the ground. Pivot spindles 103 are centrally welded to the skip ends and second lock spindles 104 are welded off-set from spindles 103. The skip is constructed from flanged segments 105 six of which are spot welded together to form a stiff disc each end joined together by sheet metal panels 109 on 4 or 5 of the hexagonal faces of the ends leaving an aperture for loading which may be detachably covered at 110.

In use, the trailer is backed until the skip spindle 103 contacts the hook plate 98. The tilt jacks rams 70, 71 push the hook plates into engagement with skip spindles 103 and the latch pawls 100 are thrown over to engage lock spindles 104 which prevent the skip from rotating. Power is supplied to the lifting jack to raise the plunger 54 and the skip is raised clear of the ground for transit. To discharge the contents of the skip the locking pawls 100 are swung back and the skip revolves on spindles 103 until fully discharged.

The skip may also be discharged by lowering this to ground level, reversing the trailer hook plates against the skip spindles which will topple the skip on one of its corners until the openings are facing the ground.

By removing the trailer towing components 76,77, 78 and 80, the complete trailer may be rigidly and permanently secured to the front half of a frontwheel drive vehicle, forming a complete, selfpropelled vehicle, or articulated vehicles.

1. A motor vehicle trailer comprising an approximately U-shaped body in plan, said body having side limbs and a transverse forward limb connecting the forward ends of the side limbs together, wheels

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Trailer This invention relates to trailers to be hitched to motor vehicles or other means of transport. The object of the invention is to facilitate loading and unloading of a trailer. According to the invention I provide a trailer comprising an approximately U-shaped body in plan, said body having side limbs and a transverse forward limb connecting the forward ends of the side limbs together, wheels mounted on stub shafts on the side limbs, lifting and lowering means mounted on the transverse limb, the space between the side limbs being free apart from the forks of said fork lift means, said side limbs and transverse limb being of such strong and rigid construction as to permit operation of the lifting and lowering means with loads thereon and holding said stub shafts rigidly apart. The side limbs and transverse limb are preferably of box-like construction, The invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a trailer made in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view thereof; Figure 3 is a side elevational view thereof; Figure 4 is a rear view thereof; Figures Sto 9 show a modification for lifting a skip in which: Figure 5 is a plan view; Figure 6 is a side view; Figure 7 is a plan of a frame; Figure 8 is a side view of the skip; and Figure 9 is an end view partly in section of the skip. The trailer (Figures 1 to 6) has a body which is approximately U-shaped in plan and comprises two side limbs, 40,41 and a transverse limb 42 which connects the forward ends of the side limbs together. Welded to the underside of the side limbs are brackets 45 on which suspension arms 46 are mounted which carry stub shafts 47 on which the road wheels 48 are mounted; these parts being within the width of the limbs. Lifting forks 50, 51 are connected by a cross-bar 53 which is mounted on a vertical plunger 54 that is vertically movable in a guideway 60 and is actuated by a jack housed within it. The guideway tube 60 is frictionally separated from the vertical plunger 54 by twin sets of rollers mounted top and bottom of the guideway 60, at opposite sides of this. The rollers bear on the plunger 54, and transmit the full lifting load to this member. To ensure all rollers are loaded equally, one pair of rollers is swivel mounted. The jack is supplied with fluid pressure from a pump operated by an electric motor housed in the limb 42. The motor can be plugged into a socket connected with the towing motor-vehicle battery or a separate battery may be provided in the trailer. The guideway 60 is carried by a transverse bar 61 that is mounted on transverse pivots 64, 65. Jacks 70,71 carried by the limb 42 serve to tilt the cylinder and parts carried by it including the forks 50, 51 to accommodate the tilt of a pallet to be lifted. The jacks are pivoted at 72 on a bracket 72A welded to front arms 76 which carry the usual jockey wheel 77 and trailer connecting device 78. A central support bar 80 is fixed to the arms 76. A cover 73 mounted on the limb 42 covers the upper end of the plunger 54. A detachable tailgate 81 may be provided. For roll on roll off articles a deck or platform may be detachably secured to the surface of the blades. Hinged lids enclose the box-like parts 40,41 for weather protection of the available locker space and security of ancillary equipment. In Figures 5 to 9 a tubular frame 90 replaces the forks 50, 51 with identical bolting to the cross-bar 53 at 91,92. An arm 94 is fixed to the top of the plunger 54. The arm 94 supports a tubular beam 95 to the ends of which links 96 are secured. The lower ends of the links 96 are secured to the upper ends of the frame 90 by hooked plates 98 that are welded to the frame and attached to the links 96 by pins 99. Latch pawls 100 are also carried by the pins 99. A skip 102 is made from sheet metal and is hexagonal in side view to permit controlled movement on the ground. The skip is constructed from sheet metal and is hexagonal in shape to permit controlled movement on the ground. Pivot spindles 103 are centrally welded to the skip ends and second lock spindles 104 are welded off-set from spindles 103. The skip is constructed from flanged segments 105 six of which are spot welded together to form a stiff disc each end joined together by sheet metal panels 109 on 4 or 5 of the hexagonal faces of the ends leaving an aperture for loading which may be detachably covered at 110. In use, the trailer is backed until the skip spindle 103 contacts the hook plate 98. The tilt jacks rams 70, 71 push the hook plates into engagement with skip spindles 103 and the latch pawls 100 are thrown over to engage lock spindles 104 which prevent the skip from rotating. Power is supplied to the lifting jack to raise the plunger 54 and the skip is raised clear of the ground for transit. To discharge the contents of the skip the locking pawls 100 are swung back and the skip revolves on spindles 103 until fully discharged. The skip may also be discharged by lowering this to ground level, reversing the trailer hook plates against the skip spindles which will topple the skip on one of its corners until the openings are facing the ground. By removing the trailer towing components 76,77, 78 and 80, the complete trailer may be rigidly and permanently secured to the front half of a frontwheel drive vehicle, forming a complete, selfpropelled vehicle, or articulated vehicles. CLAIMS

1. A motor vehicle trailer comprising an approximately U-shaped body in plan, said body having side limbs and a transverse forward limb connecting the forward ends of the side limbs together, wheels mounted on stub shafts on the side limbs, load lifting and lowering means mounted on the transverse limb, the space between the side limbs being free apart from the load lifting and lowering means, said side limbs and transverse limb being of such strong and rigid construction as to permit operation of the lifting and lowering means with loads thereon and holding said stub shafts rigidly apart.

2. A trailer as claimed in claim 1 wherein the side limbs and transverse limb are of box-like construction.

3. A trailer as claimed in claim 1 or 2 having an upstanding plunger mounted for up or down movements in a guideway, said guideway being pivotally mounted on a horizontal transverse axis at the upper front corner of the body, load engaging means mounted on the plunger, and jacking means for lifting, lowering and tilting the plunger.

4. Atrailer as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the load engaging means is in the form of a lifting fork attached on the lower end of the plunger.

5. Atrailer as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the lifting means is in the form of hooks at the free ends of a pair of arms which are attached at their other ends to a cross-bar which is fixed to the upper end of the plunger, and the hooks are attached to the upper ends of the arms of a frame which is connected at its lower end to the lower end of the plunger.

6. A trailer as claimed in claim 5 wherein the hooks engage pins of a skip which is of hexagonal shape in side view, the axis of the pins being at the centre of the hexagon.

7. A trailer substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 or 5 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.