GB2523809A

GB2523809A - Trailer

Info

Publication number: GB2523809A
Application number: GB1403970.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jimmy Dorrian
Original assignee: SDC TRAILERS Ltd
Current assignee: SDC TRAILERS Ltd
Priority date: 2014-03-06
Filing date: 2014-03-06
Publication date: 2015-09-09
Also published as: GB201403970D0

Abstract

A trailer 10 comprises a chassis 12 and a rear portion 30 moveable between contracted and extended positions rearward of chassis 12. Rear portion 30 may comprise part of and/or may be located adjacent to chassis 12. Rear portion 30 may be moveable to further positions between fully contracted and extended. Rear portion 30 may comprise one or more spines 32 which slide relative to chassis 12 and a rear cross member 33 extending across the width of the trailer 10. Spines 32 may slide along guides 34 comprising a sleeve or track. Sliding may be caused by a rack and pinion or hydraulic rams. Rear portion 30 may comprise container supports (40 fig 2b) which may be stanchions. Rear portion 30 may comprise a crash bar (44 fig 2b) which may extend across the width of trailer 10 and/or may include rear lights (46 fig 2b). Chassis 12 may have two or three sets of wheels 22, 24, 26 with the rearward most set of wheels 26 being steerable. Trailer 10 may be a skeletal trailer and/or may be used with a tractor unit.

Description

Trailer

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to trailers, in particular, but not limited to skeletal trailers.

Background to the Invention

Trailers for the transportation of goods and cargo are generally formed of an elongate chassis, having at least one rear axle, usually a number of rear axles, to be pulled by a tractor unit Wholly or substantially on the trailer chassis is a cargo area for the location of the cargo.

In one common arrangement, a cargo deck or floor is provided on the chassis, the cargo deck being adapted to support goods, often palletised, for transportation. In another variant, the cargo area may be enclosed by extended side walls and an extended roof a front wall, and a back wall, generally an openable back wall, commonly comprised of one or more doors. One or more of the side walls, or parts of the side walls, may also be openable through the use of one or more panels or curtains.

In another trailer arrangement, the trailer chassis is adapted to directly receive and carry a container directly upon said chassis. As this type of trailer dispenses with a traditional cargo floor and the chassis is otherwise exposed, it is commonly referred to as a skeletal trailer. Typically, the containers carried by skeletal trailers are intermodal containers, known also as ISO containers. In use, the container is lowered onto the trailer chassis such that twist locks provided on the chassis engage with complementary castings provided on the corners of the container thereby securing the container to the trailer.

Generally, skeletal trailers have twist ocks located to enable the securing of containers having the common standard sizes of 20,30,40 and 45 feet (ft] in length.

However, longer containers exist (e.g. SOft) and although susceptible to carriage on rail cars, they are not considered lega' for road transportation unless the container is empty.

Therefore, there is a requirement for a trailer to be able to carry longer containers, without dramatic increase in dimensions leading to difficulty in manoeuvring such a trailer on roads and motorways, and in a safe manner with respect to other vehicular traffic.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a trailer comprising a chassis and a moveable rear portion, said moveable rear portion being moveable from a first contracted position to a second extended position rearward of the chassis.

In this way, the trailer is telescopic', and suitable for certain additional uses within road law parameters.

The moveable rear portion may comprise part of the chassis, or it may be located adjacent the chassis.

The moveable rear portion may be selectively moveable to further positions within the range of the first and second positions.

In one embodiment, the movable rear portion comprises one or more spine sections that are slidaby movable relative to the chassis, and a rear cross-member which extends substantially across the width of the trailer.

Advantageously, the spine section(s) extends substantially perpendicularly from the rear cross-member.

Advantageously, the spine section(s) are slidable along suitable guide means provided on the chassis.

Preferably, the guide means comprises a suitable sleeve or track along which the spine is slid to extend and retract the moveable rear portion.

Preferably, there is provided a single spine section.

In one embodiment, a rack and pinion means is used to produce slidable motion of spine from its first contracted position to its second extended position and vice versa, the pinion being manually rotated by means of a turn handle.

Alternatively, the trailer may comprise one or more hydraulic rams or the like, or any other suitable means for enabling movement of the moveable rear portion from said first to said second position.

Conveniently, the movable rear portion comprises container support means adapted to engage with the underside of a container in use.

Preferably, the support means comprises one or more movable stanchions that are movable in a substantially vertically direction to and from the underside of a container located on the trailer in use.

Preferably, the stanchions are located towards or at the respective ends of rear cross-member.

In this way, the movable rear portion provides support for an overhanging load.

Advantageously, the movable rear portion comprises vehicle underrun protection means.

Conveniently, the vehicle underrun protection means includes a crash bar.

Preferably, the crash bar extends substantially across the width of the trailer.

Preferably, vehicle underrun protection means includes the rear lights of the trailer.

The trailer is preferably a standard' length such as 45ft long when the rear portion is in its first contracted position.

The trailer may have any suitable extended length when the rear portion is in its second extended position, such as Soft.

The chassis may include one or more wheels mounted on one or more wheel mounts. Such wheel mounts may be axles. Typically, the length between the trailer kingpin and the rear set of wheels is 12m maximum for road use.

Optionally, the chassis has at least two or three sets of wheels, and the rearwardmost set of wheels is rotatable about their axis. Rotataffle wheels are known in the art, and are not further described herein.

The chassis may comprise a front portion support, a rear portion support and a movable portion support. The front portion support may include a douffle I-beam arrangement The rear portion support may comprise a double I-beam arrangement.

The movable portion support may comprise a single narrower spine section adjoined to the double I-beam arrangement of said front portion support and said rear portion support Preferably, the trailer is a skeletal trailer.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a vehicle comprising at least one trailer according to the first aspect of the present invention and at least one tractor unit.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a cargo carrying vehicle comprising a chassis and a moveable rear portion, said moveable rear portion being moveable from a first position to a second position.

Brief Description of the Drawings

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings, in which: Figs. la and lb are side elevations of a trailer according to the present invention with a moveable rear portion in a first contracted position and a second extended position rearward of the chassis respectively; and Figs. 2a and 2b are side elevations of a trailer with a container according to the present invention with a moveable rear portion in a first contracted position and a second extended position rearward of the chassis respectively; and Figs. 3a and 3b are plan views of a trailer according to the present invention with a moveable rear portion in a first contracted position and a second extended position rearward of the chassis respectively.

Referring to the drawings, Figs la and lb show a trailer 10 comprising a chassis 12 and a moveable rear portion 30. The moveaffle rear portion 30 is moveable from a first contracted position (Figure la) to a second extended position rearward of the chassis (Figure lbJ. In the drawings, trailer 10 is shown as a sk&etal trailer.

As shown in Figures 3a and 3b, the chassis 12 is constructed generally in a double I-beam 11 arrangement extending generally along the length of the trailer 10. As shown in Figs la and 3a, each I-beam may comprise an assembly having a number of elongate sections joined end to end, for example in a first (front) section ha, a second (main section) llb, and a third (end section) lic.

Three axle and wheel assemblies 22, 24 and 26 are mounted beneath the chassis 12 in a known manner. The wheels of the rearmost wheel assembly 26 are steerable about their axis. A tractor unit coupling lug or kingpin 14 of a known design projects below a front region of the chassis 12 allowing connection of the trailer 10 to a tractor unit (not shown).

Referring to Figures 3a and 3b, the movable rear portion 30 comprises a spine section 32 that is slidably movable relative to chassis 12, and a rear cross-member 33 which extends substantially across the width of the trailer. The spine section 32 is slidable along a guide means 34 provided on said chassis 12. Spine section extends substantially perpendicularly from rear cross-member 33. It will be appreciated that movable rear portion 30 may comprise one or more additional spine sections 32.

Guide means 34 may comprise any suitable sleeve or track along which spine 32 is slid to extend and retract the moveable rear portion 30.

In one embodiment, a rack and pinion means (not shown) is used to effect slidable motion of spine 32 from its first contracted position to its second extended position and vice versa, the pinion being rotated by means of a turn handle 36.

Alternatively, one or more hydraulic rams or the like, or any other suitable means, maybe provided to move the move rear portion 30.

It will be appreciated that moveable rear portion 30 may be selectively moveable to further positions within the range of the first and second positions.

In this way, trailer 10 is telescopic', such that it is suitable for certain additional uses within road law parameters. By way of example as shown in Figs. 2a and 2b, trailer 10 can carry a container 100A having a standard' length such as 4Sft when the rear portion is in its first contracted position (Fig. 2a], and can carry a container bOB having a length of SOft when the rear portion is in its second extended position (Fig. 2b).

Referring to Figures 2a and 2b, movable rear portion 30 comprises one or more movable stanchions 40 that are movable in a substantially vertically direction to and from the underside of a container 1004 100B located on the trailer 10 in use.

Stanchions 40 are located towards or at the respective ends of rear cross-member 33. In this way, the movable rear portion 30 provides support for an overhanging load.

Advantageously, the movable rear portion 30 includes vehicle underrun protection means 42. In this way, in a rear collision, any vehide with a low front, such as a car or motorcycle, is prevented from travelling under the extended movable rear portion 30. Preferably, the vehicle underrun protection means includes a crash bar 44 that ideally extends substantially across the width of the trailer 10. Preferably also) the vehicle underrun protection means includes the rear lights 46 of the trailer.

In this way, the rear lights 46 maintain their location at the rearmost end of the trailer even when the movable rear portion 30 is fully extended.

Various modifications and variations to the described embodiment of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Although the invention has been described in connection with a specific preferred embodiment) it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiment.

Claims

Claims 1. A trailer comprising a chassis and a moveable rear portion, said moveable rear portion being moveable from a first contracted position to a second extended position rearward of the chassis.
2. A trailer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the moveable rear portion comprises part of the chassis.
3. A trailer as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the moveable rear portion is located adjacent the chassis.
4. A trailer as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the moveable rear portion is selectively moveable to further positions within the range of the first and second positions.
5. A trailer as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the movable rear portion comprises one or more spine sections that are slidably movable relative to the chassis, and a rear cross-member which extends substantially across the width of the trailer.
6. A trailer as claimed in claim 5, wherein the spine section(s) extends substantially perpendicularly from the rear cross-member.
7. A trailer as claimed in claim S or claim 6, wherein there is provided a single spine section.
8. A trailer as claimed in any of claims S to 7, wherein the spine section(s) is/are slidable along suitable guide means provided on the chassis.
9. A trailer as claimed in claim 8, wherein the guide means comprises a sleeve or track along which the spine(s) is/are slid.
10. A trailer as claimed in any of claims 5 to 9, wherein slidable motion of the spine(s) is effected by rack and pinion means, the pinion being rotated by means of a turn handle.
11. A trailer as claimed in any of claims 5 to 9, wherein slidable is motion of the spine(s) is effected by one or more hydraulic rams.
12. A trailer as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the movable rear portion comprises container support means adapted to engage with the underside of a container in use.
13. A trailer as claimed in claim 12, wherein the support means comprises one or more movable stanchions that are movable in a substantially vertically direction to and from the underside of a container located on the trailer in use.
14. A trailer as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the movable rear portion comprises vehicle underrun protection means.
15. A trailer as claimed in daim 14, wherein the vehicle underrun protection means includes a crash bar.
16. A trailer as claimed in claim 15, wherein the crash bar extends substantially across the width of the trailer.
17. A trailer as claimed in any of claims 14 to 16, wherein the vehicle underrun protection means includes the rear lights of the trailer.
18. A trailer as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the chassis has at least two or three sets of wheels, and the rearwardmost set of wheels is rotatable about their axis.
19. A trailer as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the trailer is a skeletal trailer.
20. A vehicle comprising at least one trailer as claimed in any of claims 1 to 19 and at least one tractor unit.
21. A trailer as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.