GB2276132A

GB2276132A - Vehicle transporter powered and steered by the vehicle being carried.

Info

Publication number: GB2276132A
Application number: GB9304308A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Laurence Parsons
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-03-03
Filing date: 1993-03-03
Publication date: 1994-09-21
Anticipated expiration: 2013-03-03
Also published as: GB9304308D0; GB2276132B

Abstract

The transporter has a chassis 20 with front and rear axles 30, 31 and a ramp 40 for loading the vehicle to be transported, eg a tractor 15. The rear axle 31 of the transporter is driven from the tractor p.t.o. via a transfer gearbox 50. Steering movements of the front wheels of the tractor are transmitted to the front wheels of the transporter by means of pivoted cradles 75 which engage the tractor's wheels and are connected to the steering linkage of the transporter's front wheels 5, eg via chain-and sprocket gearing. The tractor's electric and hydraulic supplies may be coupled to a panel 16 on the transporter via connectors 18, 19. The transporter enables transport of vehicles which are unsuited to road travel over long distances without the need for towing a trailer. <IMAGE>

Description

A Vehicle Transporter The present invention relates to a vehicle transporter.

It has long been a problem with industrial vehicles, that they are unsuited for travelling on public roads.

Vehicles, such as conventional farm tractors, are fitted with large diameter driving wheels and deep treaded tyres to facilitate driving in soft ground conditions.

They are also provided with low gearing which limits their speed on open roads. When they have to be transported over reasonably long distances, they are usually mounted on a trailer and towed. This is expensive and time consuming and requires the provision of a trailer towed vehicle. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to mitigate the above problems.

According to the present invention there is provided a vehicle transporter comprising a wheeled support frame for supporting the vehicle characterised in that the support frame and vehicle are coupled so that the support frame receives automotive power and is steerable from the vehicle supported on the support frame. The support frame preferably comprises a chassis.

Preferably, the vehicle transporter comprises a chassis supported on a front and a rear transverse axle; the chassis being provided at one end with a ramp for loading the vehicle to be transported and including first transmission means to transmit automotive power from said vehicle to one of the transverse axles, and second transmission means to transmit the steering movements of said vehicle to a steering linkage of the transporter.

Preferably, the vehicle is a tractor wherein the first transmission means is capable of connecting the power take off of the tractor to the one of the transverse axles; and the second transmission means includes means for receiving the front wheels of the tractor, said means being rotatable about vertical axes in unison with the rotation of the front wheels of the tractor.

Preferably the means for receiving the front wheels of the tractor are rotatable about horizontal longitudinal axes to adapt to the respective planes of said front wheels.

Further preferably, the first transmission means includes a gearbox located at the rear of the chassis comprising an input shaft connected to an output shaft, said input shaft being disposed vertically above and parallel to said output shaft, said input shaft being flexibly connected by an elongate shaft to the power take off of the tractor; and said output shaft being flexibly connected by an elongate shaft to a differential gear on the rear axle of the transporter.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation view of a vehicle transporter according to the invention with a tractor mounted on it; Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the vehicle transporter of Figure 1 in a position ready to receive a vehicle; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a gearbox of the vehicle transporter of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a detail view of a front wheel cradle portion of the vehicle transporter of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a steering linkage of the vehicle transporter of Figure 1; Figure 6 is a detail view of an anchor mechanism of the vehicle transporter of Figure 1; and Figure 7 is a front perspective view of a ramp of the vehicle transporter of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a vehicle transporter generally indicated at 10 according to the invention. The vehicle transporter 10 comprises a chassis 20 including two parallel spaced apart elongate side members 21 and a plurality of cross members 22-25, Figure 3. Each side member 21 of the chassis 20 includes a conventional front and rear leaf spring 32,33 which is linked to the chassis 20 by brackets 35. Front and rear axles 30,31 are linked to the respective front and rear leaf springs 32,33 in a conventional manner.

A U-shaped ramp 40 is located towards the front end 11 of the transporter 10 and a vehicle, which in the present embodiment is exemplified by a tractor 15, is loaded onto the transporter 10 by reversing the vehicle 15 up the ramp 40 and onto the chassis 20, Figure 1.

When loaded the vehicle 15 rests on a mid-portion 26 of the chassis 20 located between the front and rear axles 30,31 respectively.

The U-shaped ramp 40 comprises two legs 41 connected by a bridge portion 42. Each leg 41 rests on a respective front portion 27 of the side members 21 of the chassis 20. A ramp housing 28 is fixed to each front portion 27. The housings 28 guide the ramp 40 when moving from an extended state, wherein it is ready to receive a vehicle, Figure 2, to a retracted in-use state, Figure 1. The ramp 40 is driven by a telescopic hydraulic ram 45, one end 46 of which is located on the cross member 25, the opposite end 47 being connected to the bridge portion 42 of the ram 45, Figure 7. The bridge portion 42 is further provided with one portion of a locking mechanism 48 which, in the fully retracted in-use state, engages a complementary portion located on the front 14 of the tractor 15, thus locking the tractor 15 onto the transporter 10.

A panel 16 is located to the rear 12 of the transporter 10 and is provided with coupling means 17 suitable for connection with the electric and hydraulic supplies (not shown) of the tractor 15 through cables 18,19 respectively, Figure 1. The panel 16 is further connected to points around the transporter 10 which require an electric or hydraulic power supply, for example, indicator lights (not shown) and the hydraulic ram 45.

The rear axle 31 of the transporter 10 is driven from the tractor engine (not shown) via a transfer gearbox 50, Figure 3. The gearbox 50 is located at the rear 12 of the transporter 10 and includes two forward facing protruding parallel splined shafts 54,55. The gearbox 50 transmits rotation of shaft 54 to rotation of shaft 55. Shaft 54, disposed vertically above shaft 55, is connected to the power take off (PTO) point of the tractor 15 through a telescopic shaft 51. The connections of the shaft 51 to the PTO and to the gearbox 50 are universal joints to allow for variations in the position of the tractor 15. The shaft 55 is connected via a telescopic shaft 56 to the differential gear of the rear axle 31 again using universal joints.

The gearbox 50 has a step up ratio of approximately 1:2, the exact ratio depending on the size of transporter wheels 5.

Steering movement of the tractor 15 is transmitted via the front wheels 8 of the tractor 15 and the steering linkage 70 to the wheels 5 of the transporter 10, Figure 4. In use the front wheels 8 of the tractor rest in cradles 75. The cradles 75 comprise two substantially rectangular side plates 71 which have a series of holes 74 located towards both ends of one long edge 77. The opposite long edges 78 of each side plate 71 are linked to a base plate 72 through hinges 73. A pair of bolts 76 located in juxtaposed holes 74 towards the front and rear of the side plates 71 secure each pair of side plates 71 together. This enables various widths of tyre to be secured in place and also compensates for variations in wheel base length.

In order to allow the each cradle 75 to rotate to follow the movement of the wheels 8, two spigots 79 protrude from the front and rear edges of the base plate 72. A cylindrical roller 80 is mounted on each spigot 79, and each roller 80 in turn rests on a cross member 22. When the wheels 8 turn the rollers 80 describe an arc along the cross members 22. This rotation is transmitted to the steering linkage 70 firstly through a pivot 85 comprising upper and lower complementary portions 85',85". The upper portion 85' is bolted to the underside of the base plate 72 and includes a bar 86 which passes through the lower portion 85". In use the bar 86 is disposed horizontally and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the transporter 10. It is important for the upper portion 85' to rotate within the lower portion 85" to compensate for the fact that, in general, the front wheels of tractors are not mutually parallel.

The lower portion 85" is located on a splined shaft 87, Figure 5. The shaft 87 protrudes upwardly from a housing 88. The rear portion 89 of the housing is threaded so that a threaded bar 95 may pass through each housing 88. The threaded bar 95 extends through both side members 21 and at one end is fitted with a crank handle 96. The blocks 89 are threaded in opposite directions, so that rotation of the crank handle 96 causes the housings 88 to move either towards or away from one another. This compensates for variation in the spacing of the front wheels 8. A similar arrangement is provided to engage the rear wheels 9 of the tractor 15, Figure 1. In this case a crank handle 98 causes two plates 97 to move in or out to compensate for the spacing of the rear wheels 9 of the tractor 15. It is important to note that the centre of the front wheels 8 should be disposed vertically above the centre of shaft 87 to ensure the correct steering transmission.

In order to transmit rotation of both shafts 87 to the steering linkage 70, each housing 88 contains a sprocket provided on the shaft 87 which is connected by roller chains to a sprocket provided on a downwardly protruding spindle 92 provided at the front end 91 of the housing 88. Each spindle 92 is located in and protrudes downwardly from a hole 92' in the cross member 23. Each spindle 92 is connected to antopposite end of the steering linkage draglink 90 via a link 93. The transverse movement of the draglink caused by rotation of the front wheels 8 of the tractor is further connected to cause rotation of front wheels 5 of the transporter 10 in a conventional manner.

The tractor 15 is anchored to the transporter 10 by making use of standard tractor attachments 61,62,63 cooperating with suitable attachments on the chassis, Figure 6. Two juxtaposed plates 65 are located in front of the rear wheels 5 of the transporter 10 on opposite portions 29 of the chassis 20. Two parallel rows of holes 69 are formed in each plate 65. An elongate box section beam 64, including a row of holes 69' at the same distance apart as the rows of holes 69, is located between the plates 65. Each of two bolts 68 passes through juxtaposed holes on plates 65 and adjacent holes on the box section beam 64 to secure the beam 64 in position. This adjustablility compensates for tractors of variable wheel base length. The beam 64 is provided at its forward facing end with a loop 66 so that when the tractor 15 is reversed into position the hook 67 on its pick-up hitch 63 may be positioned under the loop 66. The pick-up hitch 63 is then raised by the hydraulic lift arm 61 so that the hook 67 engages the loop 66. The arm 63 is locked in position by pushing down on the handle 62, thus ensuring that the tractor 15 is safely anchored to the transporter 10.

It will be realised that the transporter can be varied, for instance, by altering the crank mechanisms 95,96,97,98 to be operated under hydraulic power so that the adjustment of the steering cradles 75 can be carried out more easily.

The only requirements for the transporter 10 to be used for transporting other vehicles is that it may coupled to the steering and to the drive shaft of the vehicle to be transported.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein which may be modified or varied without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A vehicle transporter comprising a wheeled support frame for supporting the vehicle characterised in that the support frame and vehicle are coupled so that the support frame receives automotive power and is steerable from the vehicle supported on the support frame.

2. A vehicle transporter as claimed in claim 1 wherein the support frame comprises a chassis supported on a front and a rear transverse axle; the chassis being provided at one end with a ramp for loading the vehicle to be transported and including first transmission means to transmit automotive power from said vehicle to one of the transverse axles, and second transmission means to transmit the steering movements of said vehicle to a steering linkage of the transporter.

3. A vehicle transporter as claimed in claim 2, wherein the vehicle is a tractor wherein the first transmission means is capable of connecting the power take off of the tractor to the one of the transverse axles; and the second transmission means includes means for receiving the front wheels of the tractor, said means being rotatable about vertical axes in unison with the rotation of the front wheels of the tractor.

4. A vehicle transporter as claimed in claim 3 wherein the means for receiving the front wheels of the tractor are rotatable about horizontal longitudinal axes to adapt to the respective planes of said front wheels.

5. A vehicle transporter as claimed in claim 4 wherein the first transmission means includes a gearbox located at the rear of the chassis comprising an input shaft connected to an output shaft, said input shaft being disposed vertically above and parallel to said output shaft, said input shaft being flexibly connected by an elongate shaft to the power take off of the tractor; and said output shaft being flexibly connected by an elongate shaft to a differential gear on the rear axle of the transporter.

6. A vehicle transporter substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.