IES72484B2

IES72484B2 - A trailer

Info

Publication number: IES72484B2
Authority: IE
Inventors: Anthony Peter Hoyne
Original assignee: Anthony Peter Hoyne
Priority date: 1996-09-19
Filing date: 1996-09-19
Publication date: 1997-04-23
Also published as: ZA978463B; GB2317595A; GB9627054D0; GB2317595B; IE20010872A1

Abstract

A goods vehicle such as a truck or trailer 1 having a base 5 and side walls 6, 7, 8, 9 forming an open topped load area 4 has a rigid cover 10 mounted on the side walls and movable between open and closed positions, there being sealing means (36 figure 4) between the side walls and the cover in its closed position. The cover may be hingedly mounted and may be movable by rams 12. The load area may be tippable and have a discharge door pivotable 9 about its upper edge and clamped shut by a locking beam 28 at its lower end. The sealing means may be a flap (51 figure 7) along the free edge of the cover. Cover locking means may be provided in the form of at least one bolt 15 and receiver.

Description

ft Trailer The invention relates to trailers, wagons and the like for the transport of goods and materials.

The invention particularly relates to the transport of bulk materials such as mineral concentrates. Open topped trailers are commonly used for the transport of such material. However, in the event of a collision, such materials can be spread over a wide area causing environmental hazards. The present invention is directed towards overcoming this problem.

According to the invention there is provided a trailer comprising a material container body having a base and upstanding side walls around the base with an inlet opening at the top of the side walls for filling the container body, and a cover mounted on the side walls and being movable between a closed position across the inlet opening and an open position for filling the container body. Thus advantageously the cover can be opened for filling the container body and closed during transport to protect and retain the materials within the container body.

The term trailer used in this specification includes road trailers or containers for mounting on a chassis to form a road trailer, and also wagons and the like such as are used in rail transport.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the cover is hingedly mounted on the side wall. Preferably means is provided to move the cover between the open and closed positions. Conveniently a ram means is provided, mounted between the cover and the side wall, for moving the cover between the open and closed positions.

In another embodiment locking means is provided for releasably securing the cover in the closed position. - 2 In a preferred embodiment the locking means is of two part construction, comprising a bolt and an associated receiver, one part being on the cover and the other part being on the side wall. Preferably, the bolt is ram operated for movement between an engaged and a released position.

Ideally, also mechanical locking means is provided for further securing the cover in the closed position. For example mechanical screw locks may be provided for engagement between the side walls and the cover.

In a particularly preferred embodiment a seal is engaged between the cover and the side walls when the cover is closed. Thus advantageously the ingress of moisture is prevented and also escape of materials from the container body is prevented. The seal may be mounted on one or both of the cover and side walls.

In another embodiment a rear side wall is formed by a rear discharge door pivotally mounted at a rear end of the container body, having associated locking means to retain the door in a closed position. Preferably, the door is hinged at its upper end to facilitate tipping the container body on a chassis of the trailer to discharge material from the container body.

In a further embodiment the locking means is a ram operated beam mounted at a rear end of the trailer and being moveable between an engaged position across the rear lower end of the door and a released position.

In a particularly preferred embodiment a seal is provided for sealing between the door and a rear end of the container body when the door is closed.

Preferably the container has tapered sides which taper inwardly between a front end and a rear end of the container. - 3 The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of an embodiment thereof, given by wav* of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which;Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a trailer according to the invention shown attached to a tractor vehicle; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the trailer, with a cover of the trailer shown in an open position; Fig. 3 is a detail side elevational view showing portion of a rear end of the trailer; Fig. 4 is a detail view of a seal for a rear door of the trailer; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the trailer in use.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a trailer according to the invention indicated generally by the reference numeral 1. The trailer 1 has a chassis 2 mounted on wheels 3. A box-shaped material container body 4 is mounted on the chassis 2 and comprises a base 5 with upstanding side walls comprising sides 6,7, a front wall 8 and a discharge door 9 which is hingedly mounted at its upper ends between the sides 6,7. A cover 10 is hingedly mounted on one side 7 for movement between an open position as shown in Fig. 2 and a closed position as shown in Fig. 1.

The cover 10 is mounted on the side wall 7 by hinges 11. Rams 12 are mounted between the side wall 7 and the cover 10 and are operable to pivot the cover 10 on the side wall 7 for opening and closing the cover 10. Each ram 12 is connected to an hydraulic power supply for operation of the rams 12.

Locking means is provided for locking the cover 10 in the closed position. In this case the locking means comprises locking bolts 15, carried by rams 16 which are mounted on an underside of the cover 10. The rams 15 are operable to extend the bolts 15 for engagement with associated receiver sockets (not shown) adjacent an upper end of the side wall 6 for securely locking the cover 10 in the closed position. Additionally, further locking means is provided in the form of mechanical screw locks 18 which extend through hollow pillars 19 in the side wall 5 for engagement with associated receiver slots 20 in the cover 10.

A resilient seal is engageable between the cover 10 and the side walls 5,7,8,9. The seal may be mounted along an upper edge of the side walls 5,7,8,9 and/or around a peripheral edge of an inside face of the cover 10. Advantageously the seal prevents ingress of water and moisture which could adversely affect a cargo and also prevent the escape of dust from an interior of the container during transport of material in the container.

The rear discharge door 9 is hinged at its upper end to the sides 5,7 of the container body 4. A five point door locking clamp 24 is mounted at the bottom of the door 9 having an associated actuating lever 25. Also, a manual twist lock clamp 25 is mounted on each side of the door 9. For added security a locking beam 28 is engagable with a lower end of the door 9 to securely retain the door 9 in the closed position. The beam 28 is carried on a pair of pivoting support arms 29. Each support arm 29 is mounted by a pivot pin 30 on a mounting bracket 31 at a rear end of the container body 4. A ram 32 is mounted between a pivot link 34 on the arm 29 and the container body 4 or trailer chassis 2. The ram 32 is operable to engage and release the beam 28, the beam 28 being retracted for opening the door 9.

A twin ruberoid seal 35 (Fig. 4) engages between the door 9 and each side 6,7 and the base 5 of the container body 4 to prevent escape of material from the container body 4 and ingress of moisture into the body 4 during transport.

Each of the sides 6,7 tapers inwardly between a front end and a rear end of the container body 4, effectively forming a funnel to assist in the discharge of material when the container body 4 is tipped on the chassis 2.

Fig 5 shows loading of the container body 4 with the cover 10 open.

In use, to load the trailer 1 the cover is opened as shown in Figs. 2 and 5 and material is dropped into the container body 4. The cover 10 is then closed and locked sealing the material within the container body 4. During transport, escape of dust from within the container body 4 and ingress of moisture into the container body 4 is prevented by the seals. In the event of accidents or collisions, the locking means for the cover 10 and rear discharge door 9 keep the materials securely sealed within the container body 4. To discharge material from the container body 4 the door locking clamp 24, manual twist lock clamps 26 and the locking beam 28 are released and upon tipping the container body 4 on the chassis 2 material is discharged through a rear end of the container body 4. It will be noted that the tapered sides 6,7 promote the full discharge of material once the material begins to flow from the container body 4.

Advantageously, the invention provides a trailer for the sealed transportation of material, in particular bulk particulate materials for example mineral concentrate materials. The sealing arrangements ensure that in the event of collision or turn-over loss of material from the container body is prevented.

It will be appreciated that various other cover arrangements may be provided within the scope of the invention.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment hereinbefore described which may be varied in both construction and detail.

Claims

1. A trailer comprising a material container body having a base and upstanding side walls around the base with an inlet opening at the top of the side walls for filling the container body, and a cover mounted on the side walls and being movable between a closed position across the inlet opening and an open position for filling the container body.

2. A trailer as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cover is hingedly mounted on the side wall, and preferably means is provided to move the cover between the open and closed positions, and most preferably a ram means is provided, mounted between the cover and the side wall for moving the cover between the open and closed positions.

3. A trailer as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein locking means is provided for releasably securing the cover in the closed position, preferably the locking means is of two part construction, comprising a bolt and an associated receiver, one part being on the cover and the other part on the side wall, and preferably the bolt is ram operated for movement between an engaged and a released position, and a seal is engaged between the cover and the side walls when the cover is closed.

4. A trailer as claimed in any preceding claim wherein a rear side wall is formed by a rear discharge door pivotally mounted at a rear end of a container body, having associated locking means to retain the door in a closed position, and preferably the door is hinged at its upper end to facilitate tipping the container body on a chassis of the trailer to discharge material from the container body, the looking means is a ram operated beam mounted at a rear end of the trailer and being movable between an engaged position across the rear lower end of the door and a released position, and preferably a seal is provided for sealing between - Ί the door and a rear end of the container body when the door is closed.

5. A trailer substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.