AU658290B2

AU658290B2 - A module hauler

Info

Publication number: AU658290B2
Application number: AU37191/93A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Graham Olde
Original assignee: ENGINEERING DYNAMICS Pty LIMIT
Current assignee: ENGINEERING DYNAMICS Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1992-04-24
Filing date: 1993-04-27
Publication date: 1995-04-06
Anticipated expiration: 2013-04-27
Also published as: AU3719193A

Description

658z90

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

S F Ref: 238804 Name and Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: T'vention Title: Engineering Dynamics Pty Limited Nemingha New South Wales 2340

AUSTRALIA

Graham Olde Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia A Module Hauler *r ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL [313 Application No(s) PL2049 APPLICATION DETAILS [333 Country

AU

[32] Application Date 24 April 1992 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5815/3 1 A MODULE HAULER FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to cotton module haulers and more particularly but not exclusively to articulated cotton module haulers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Disclosed in Australian Patent 535102 is a cotton module hauler which is basically an articulated vehicle including a trailer. The trailer has the chassis supported upon a rear wheel assembly. The rear wheel assembly (bogie wheel assembly) is longitudinally movable of the trailer to permit the rear of the trailer to pivot to engage a ground surface. Also supported on the chassis is the container for the module. Mounted on the chassis is a chain conveyor which transports the module to and from the trailer. The rear of the trailer is equipped with a drive mechanism which moves the trailer forward or rearward as the module is loaded or unloaded.

The above discussed hauler has several disadvantages, including the vulnerability of the rear drive system. This is an additional drive system to the wheels of the vehicle.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION There is disclosed herein a trailer for coupling to a prime mover to form a cotton module hauler, said trailer comprising: an elongated frame including front and rear ends; a module container mounted on the frame to receive the cotton module, and having an open end face through which the module passes during loading and unloading; 25 a conveyor mounted on the frame to transport the module longitudinally of the container; pivot means supporting the container and conveyor on the frame, to permit pivoting of the container relative to the elongate( frame about an axis extending generally transverse of the trailer; a wheel assembly supporting the rear of said frame, which wheel assembly •includes at least one driven wheel to move the hauler forward or rearward relative to the 0 module during loading and unloading of a module; and 00000: motor means to cause tilting of said container and conveyor about said axis between a horizontal transport position, and an inclined position with the rear of said 35 container lowered to engage the cotton module.

BRIEP DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawing there is schematically depicted in side elevation an articulated cotton module hauler.

Prv00004:LMM lo 6 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the accompanying drawing there is schematically depicted an articulated cotton module hauler 10 including a prime mover 11 and a trailer 12. The trailer 12 includes a main elongated frame 13 which includes a forward portion 14 and a rearward portion The portion 15 is retractable into the forward portion 14 to operatively reduce the overall length of th. trailer 13. This may be achieved by a hydraulic ram or alternatively relative movement between the prime mover 11 and the rearward portion 15 by operation of the drive system of the prime mover 11 and/or driving the bogie wheel assembly 16 supporting the rearward portion Supported on the rearward portion 15 is a container 17 including longitudinally extending side walls 18 and an end wall 19. The floor 20 includes a chain conveyor which extends longitudinally of the container 17. The chain conveyor includes a plurality of endless chain loops which are driven to transport the module longitudinally of the container 17.

The container 17 is supported by means of a pivot 21 which is longitudinally "i movable of a rail assembly 22 forming part of the floor 20. The pivot 21 is above the wheel assembly 16, and is movable relative to the rail assembly 16 by retraction and extension of the rearward portion V.606 Extending between the front wall 19 and the forward portion 14 is a hydraulic ram 20 23 which can be operated to raise and lower the forward portion about the pivot 21.

The rear of the container 17 is provided with one or more rollers 24 which are adapted to engage a ground surface 25 when the container 17 is tilted. The wheel assembly 16 includes at least two driven wheels 25 which are operated to cause extension or retraction of the frame 14. The wheels 25 are used also in conjunction with the chain 25 conveyor when the module is being loaded or unloaded. During normal use of the trialer 12, such as road use, the wheels 25 would "free-wheel" and would not be driven.

It should be appreciated that the rollers 14 may be replaced with "skid plates".

The forward end 26 is coupled to the prime mover 11 by means of a fifth wheel S"assembly 27.

In operation of the above described hauler 10, a module is loaded onto or removed from the container 17, by moving the container 17 to the tilted position illustrated.

Normally for transportation purposes, the frame 13 is arranged so as to be extended with the rearward portion 15 located at its extended position reltaive to the forward portion 14. When a cotton module is to be removed from or located in the container 17, the frame 13 is contracted by telescoping the rearward portion 15 into the forward portion 14. This is achieved by operating a hydraulic ram. This also entails longitudinal movement of the pivot 21 along the container 18 so that the effective pivot position of the container 17 is moved forward. Thereafter, the hydraulic ram 23 is operated to tilt the container 17. Once the rollers 24 have engaged the ground surface, the chain IPrI 1)O000:LMM conveyor may be operated to transport the cotton module into or out of the container 17.

During this movement of the cotton module, the wheels 25 are driven so as to be synchronised with the movement of the chain conveyor so that the hauler 10 is moved foward or rearward depending on whether the cotton module is being loaded or unloaded. During this operation, the prime mover is effectively inoperative. Preferably, the trailer 12 would be provided with its own power source such as a motor to which there would be coupled a hydraulic pump to provide hydraulic fluid under pressure for operation of the hydraulic ram 23 and the ram which causes retraction and extension of the rearward portion 15. The hydraulic pump would also operate a drive mechanism coupled to the wheels It should be appreciated that when the rearward portion 15 is retracted, the pivot 21 moves longitudinally of the floor 20 so as to be located more centrally of the container 17 during unloading and loading of the cotton module. During transportation, the pivot 21 is located towards the rear of the container 17.

0o0 IPrlvil00004;LMM 3 o1

Claims

1. A trailer for coupling to a primer mover to form a cotton module hauler, said trailer comprising: an elongated frame including front and rear ends; a module container mounted on the frame to receive the cotton module, and having an open end face through which the module passes during loading and unloading; a conveyor mounted on the frame to transport the module longitudinally of the container; pivot means supporting the container and conveyor on the frame, to permit pivoting of the container relative to the elongated frame about an axis extending generally transverme of the trailer; a wheel assembly supporting the rear of said frame, which wheel assembly includes at least one driven wheel to move the hauler forward or rearward relative to the module during loading and unloading of a module; and motor means to cause tilting of said container and conveyor about said axis between a horizontal transport position, and an inclined position with the rear of said contairier lowered to engage the cotton module.

2. The trailer of claim 1, wherein said elongated frame includes a forward frame portion and a rearward frame portion, with said rearward frame portion being mounted with respect to said forward frame portion to permit extension and retraction thereof relative to the forward frame portion.

3. The trailer of claim 1, wherein said rearward frame portion is mounted on said wheel assembly, and said wheel assembly is a bogie wheel assembly.

4. The trailer of claim 2 or 3, wherein said pivot means is mounted on said 25 rearward frame portion.

5. The trailer of claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein said rearward frame portion is V retractable into said forward frame portion. 999

6. The trailer of any one of claims 2 to 5, further including means to cause relative movement between said forward frame portion and said rearward frame portion.

7. The trailer of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said driven wheel is synchronised with said conveyor to facilitate loading and unloading of the module.

8. The trailer of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said pivot means is located generally centrally of said frame during transportation of the module, and said pivot means is located more rearwardly of said frame during loading and unloading of the module.

9. The trailer of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said pivot means is located generally above said wheel assembly. dlO M4 o- ;,AvP 1100004:LMM 4 ol 6 0~( The trailer of any one of claims 1 to 9, further including a roller located adjacent the rear extremity of said elongated frame, the roller being positioned to engage -"ound surface during loading and unloading of the module.

11. A trailer, for coupling to a prime mover to form a cotton module hauler, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated 27 January, 1995 Engineering Dynamics Pty Limited Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON FERGUSON s Se* S oo *I~ ooo *O *go *o oo ol6 A MODULE HAULER ABSTRACT A cotton module hauler 10 which includes a prime mover 11 and a trailer 12. The trailer 12 includes an elongated main frame 13 having a forward frame portion 14 and a rearward portion 15. The portion 15 is telescopically received within the forward portion 14. The rearward portion 15 is retractable into the forward portion 14. The rearward portion 15 is supported on a wheel assembly 16 having a pair of driven wheels Pivotally supported on the rearward portion 15 is a container 17 which receives a cotton module. Extending longitudinally within the container 17 is a chain conveyor. In operation of the hauler 10, the rearward portion 15 is retracted into the forward portion 14 and the container 17 and its associated chain conveyor are tilted to enable the cotton module to be loaded. r a *fee 6 so IPrlv I00004:LMM gof a