NZ705537A - Longer Vehicle Configuration - Google Patents

Abstract

longer vehicle combination for road transport uses a prime mover connected to a front trailer and then a rear trailer and the trailer axles are arranged in three tandem sets. The leading tandem set of the rear trailer is part of a dolly which supports a fifth wheel of the rear trailer and the spacing of the tandem sets is 1.5-2.5m. The rear axle of the tandem set has a pair of self-steered wheels which assist in the reduction of the turning circle over rough terrain when the combination is a bulk milk tanker combination. cing of the tandem sets is 1.5-2.5m. The rear axle of the tandem set has a pair of self-steered wheels which assist in the reduction of the turning circle over rough terrain when the combination is a bulk milk tanker combination.

Description

TITLE OF INVENTION Longer Vehicle Configuration TECHNICAL FIELD This invention concerns larger ation vehicles (LCVS).

BACKGROUND In Australia the m width ofroad vehicles is 2.5m and the maximum height is 4.3111. Vehicles may exceed these limits but are restricted to selected road routes.

The most popular configurations of trailer combinations have a prime mover which with dual drive axles, with three axles on each trailer and four tires on each axle. In lighter duty combinations the trailer may have only two axles.

In trailer design it is usual to limit the load carried to 9 tonnes per axle. When the trailer has tandem axles, the pair in practice can only support 17 tonnes. This would normally be overcome by using a triple axle configuration but this in turn introduces other unwelcome restrictions.

Bulk liquid tankers face special design requirements in that the ng characteristics change moving from full to empty. If the trailer is being used for milk collection from farm to milk sing s, the access road may not be ideal having regard to the length of the truck.

Its turning circle may be too large for some tion areas having regard to the layout of farm buildings. If the vehicle combination has to travel over grassy areas these may become muddy in wet weather and the prime mover may lose traction.

Reducing length to reduce turning circle tends to proportionally reduce load capacity.

This affects the economics of the collection operation. B-doubles are limited to a length of26m 201527,C:\Users\Sharlene‘Documents‘SPEClFICATIONS‘b)f0rd.cap.\\pd,l if they are fitted with front underrun protection devices and have a maximum weight limit. Milk s must be able to travel in all parts of the state in which they collect on behalf of a business. Such vehicle combinations commonly have a 26m turning circle.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION This invention provides a longer vehicle combination comprising a prime mover, a first trailer and a rear trailer, wherein the r axles are arranged in three tandem groups. The rear ofthe front trailer may have a tandem group, the rear trailer may have a leading tandem group and a ng tandem group. The g tandem group of the rear trailer may support a fifth wheel of the rear trailer. The spacing of the tandem may be Wider than is customary. The spacing may be 1.5-2.5m. The spacing between the tandem groups may be adjusted so that the load is better distributed and the limit or mass is sed.

In a red arrangement the vehicle combination has a three axle prime mover with a fifth Wheel and connected to this fifth wheel is the lead tanker, via its king pin. This trailer is supported at its rear by two axles, spaced widely apart (between 1.5m and 2.5m) to improve the performance of the steer axle that the rear axle possesses. A tandem dolly is connected to the rear of the lead trailer via a ring feeder, and may or may not have a steer axle at its rear. The dolly supports a fifth wheel and connected to this fifth wheel is the king pin of the tag trailer.

The tag trailer is also supported by tandem axles at its rear (between 1.5m and 2.2m), with the most rear axle being self—steering. The king pins and fifih wheels are located in positions to ze weight distribution.

The tandem axles ofboth trailers may be l900-2100mm apart.

The tandem axles ofthe dolly may be 600mm apart.

The rear axle of the front trailer and the front of the dolly frame may be 3300~3800mm apart. The distance between the rear tow point of the first trailer to the centre of the fifth wheel supported by the dolly is 4100-4500mm. The rear tow point being the RINGFEDER® coupling. 201527,C:\Users\Sharlene\DocunEnts\SPECIFICATIONS\byford.cap.\\pd,2 The rear axle of each trailer pair may be self—steering. Self—steering for the rear axle of the dolly pair is optional.

The self~steered wheels preferably have castor action.

The vehicle combination ofthe invention provides a prime mover with a fifth wheel, a front tanker trailer With a pin for coupling to the fifth wheel of the prime mover and tandem axles at the trailer rear, a rear tanker trailer with a pin for coupling to a flfih wheel and tandem axles at the trailer rear, and a dolly with a frame for supporting said fifth wheel, a draw bar for mutually connecting the two trailers, the dolly frame being supported by tandem axles, wherein if the mutual spacing ofthe tandem axles is x, the separation n the rear driven wheel of the prime mover and the tandem axle ofthe front trailer and the separation between the rear dolly axle and the tandem axle ofthe second r is about 2.5x. The extent of variation may be i5%.

The dolly aspect of the invention provides a dolly for g a rear trailer to a front trailer sing a frame for supporting a flfih wheel, an A-configuration draw bar ing forwardly ofthe frame, a pair of wheel axles and wheel assemblies rendering the frame mobile, wherein the wheels of the trailing axle are teering.

The trailer aspect of the ion provides a trailer with a locating pin for a fifth wheel coupling at the front end and a pair of axles at the rear end, wherein the leading axle has wheels and the trailing axle has self-steered wheels.

Advantageous Effects ofInvention 1. The purpose of this arrangement is to share the load more evenly by spacing the axles differently, which is kinder to roads and bridges. The combination can carry three lots of the capacity of two axles, instead oftwo lots of the capacity of three axles. Therefore, as the load is better distributed, the limit on the mass is increased. Currently in Victoria, the higher mass limit (HML) ofthree axles is 21TN (7.5TN per axle), and the HML of two axles is l7TN (8.5TN per axle). This means by using tandem axles, all of the axles in the configuration can carry an extra 2015432-27,C:\Users\SharlendDowmentsBPEClHCATIONS‘hyford.cap.\\pd,3 tonne each. 2. The self~steering axles used in this invention also decrease the swept path of the combination. By having the self-steer axles, the swept path can be less than that of a 19m B- double. The self-steer axles are also designed to lock up at higher speed, so that they act as a rigid axle which improves the stability at said higher . 3. The self-steering axles will reduce the tyre scrub, which in turn reduces the tyre wear.

This in turn means less friction, less filel consumption and lower emissions. If the combination only drives from factory to factory, self-steer axles are superfluous.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The single figure of the accompanying drawing is a side View of the vehicle combination.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawing, prime mover 2 has steered wheels 4 beneath cab 6 and a pair of driver axles 8, 8' in conventional manner. A fifth Wheel assembly 10 between the driver axles supports the forward end of a front trailer 12, 8560mm in length. The trailer 12 has tandem axles 14, 14’ at its rear spaced at . The latter spacing is economical and ed load distribution. The distance n axle 8' and axle 14 is 5053mm. Front trailer 12 articulates about the axis of the fifth wheel 10.

Rear trailer 16 is likewise 8560mm in length and has a tandem axle assembly 18, 18'.

Again the spacing between the r axles is . The forward end of the rear trailer is supported by a fifth wheel 20 borne by dolly frame 22. The tandem axle 24, 24' ofthe dolly frame are 1500mm apart. The dolly frame 22 has an A-fi'ame draw bar 26 which hitches to the rear of front trailer 12 via a RINGFEDER® coupling. The distance supporting the dolly frame 22 from the rear of trailer 12 is 3614mm which allows the dolly to articulate. 201527,C:\Users\Sh-Jriene‘Docurnents\SPECJFICATIONS‘byfotd.cap.\\pd,4 The fifth wheel 20 allows the trailer 16 to articulate. The combined effect of three axes of articulation is to reduce the turning circle to 21m diameter instead of the 23780mm which is the ce separating steered axle 4 and the rearmost axle 18'. General Mass Limit (GML) up to 68.5TN and Higher Mass Limit (HML) up to 74.5TN (currently).

The wheel axles are connected to the two trailer chassis and to the dolly frame by trailing arm suspension units incorporating air bags.

Conventional retractable legs 28 extend from both trailer chassis.

In a non-illustrated variant, axles, 14', 24’ and 18' are fitted with self-steered wheels which allow caster action. This is possible by the use of truncated cone mounts for the wheels.

Caster action only occurs at speeds up to 40kph in order to confine this assistance to steering to the peat of the vehicle journey in the vicinity of the collection area at the farm. At cruising speed there is 110 caster action. The speed at which the axles are locked and unlocked is programmed by the EBS system provided with the trailer.

It is to be understood that the word “comprising” as used throughout the cation is to be reted in its ive form, ie. use of the word “comprising” does not exclude the addition of other elements.

It is to be understood that various ations of and/or additions to the invention can be made without departing from the basic nature ofthe ion. These modifications and/or additions are therefore considered to fall within the scope of the invention. 201S‘02-27,C:\Use{s\sharlenc\Docunicnts\SPEC1HCATIONS‘bfiordcapnpdfi

Claims (13)

1. A longer vehicle combination for road transport of bulk goods comprising a prime mover, a front trailer and a rear trailer, wherein the trailer axles are arranged in tln'ee tandem sets, the rear of the front trailer has a tandem set, the rear trailer has a leading tandem set and a trailing tandem set and the g tandem set of the rear trailer is part of a dolly which ts a fifth wheel of the rear trailer.

2. A longer vehicle configuration as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the spacing of the tandem sets is 1.5-2.5m, preferably 1900-2100mm.

3. A longer vehicle configuration as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the rear axle of the tandem sets has a pair of self-steered wheels which have caster action as herein defined.

4. A longer vehicle configuration as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the t axle of the combination is devoid of caster .

5. A longer vehicle configuration as claimed in any one of Claims 1-4, wherein the prime mover has three axles with a fifth wheel and connected to the fifth wheel is the fi‘ont r.

6. A longer vehicle configuration as claimed in any one of Claims 1-5, wherein a tandem dolly is connected to the rear of the front trailer by a coupling and has a rear axle with self- steered wheels.

7. A longer vehicle ration as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the dolly supports a fifth wheel and a tag trailer is connected to the fifth wheel.

8. A longer vehicle configuration as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the tandem axles ofthe doily are 14004600111111 apart.

9. A longer vehicle configuration as claimed in any one of Claims 1-8, wherein the tandem 201 527,C:\Users\shmene\Dommen!sSPECI'F]CATIONS‘byfordxapAspdfi axles of both trailers are 1900-2100mm apart.

10. A longer vehicle configuration as claimed in any one of Claims 6—9, wherein the distance n the tow point of the first r to the centre of the fifth wheel supported by the dolly is 4100—4500111m.

11. A longer vehicle configuration for the road transport of bulk goods comprises a prime mover with a fifth wheel, a front tanker trailer with a pin for coupling to the fifth wheel of the prime mover and tandem axles at the r rear, a rear tanker trailer with a pin for ng to a fifth wheel and tandem axles at the trailer rear, and a dolly with a frame for supporting said fifth Wheel, a draw bar for mutually connecting the two rs, the dolly frame being supported by tandem axles, where if the separation between the rear drive wheel of the prime mover and the tandem axle of the front trailer is x, the separation between the rearmost wheel of the second trailer and the rearmost wheel of the first trailer is about 2.5x.

12. A longer vehicle configuration as claimed in Claim 11, wherein the extent of variation is i5%.

13. A dolly for joining a rear trailer to a front trailer in a longer vehicle combination for the road transport of bulk goods comprising a frame for supporting a fifth wheel, an A—configuration draw bar extending forwardly of the frame, a pair of wheel axles and wheel assemblies rendering the frame mobile, wherein the wheels of the trailing axle are self-steering. 201S~02-27,C:\Users\Sharlene\Documenls\SPECIFICATIONS\byfordxapwpdfl