GB1583861A

GB1583861A - Flat-bed trailers

Info

Publication number: GB1583861A
Application number: GB1133176A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1977-06-17
Filing date: 1977-06-17
Publication date: 1981-02-04

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO FLAT-BED TRAILERS (71) We, FRANK ALBERT WATSON and DENNIS WATSON, both British subjects, trading as WATSON TRAILERS, of Hill Top Garage, Gelderd Road, Birstall, Near Leeds, Yorkshire do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement : This invention relates to flat-bed trailers which are attachable to and detachable from tractor units adapted to pull said trailers.

The trailers are attached to the tractor unit by means of a neck on the trailer engaging means on the tractor unit such that the two units may move together as one vehicle. With existing trailers, when it is required to disconnect the trailer and tractor unit for loading or unloading purposes, it is necessary in the case of a trailer having a fixed neck, i.e. where the neck is rigidly and immovably secured to the trailer, to jack up the trailer at its leading end so that the tractor unit may be moved relative to and away from the trailer leaving the trailer in situ and supported at its front end on the jacks or other supports provided. In the case of a trailer having a neck which whilst being permanently fixed to the trailer is movable relative to the trailer, it is necessary to jack up the trailer by means of jacks such that the neck moves relative to the trailer, so as to enable the tractor unit to be disconnected from the neck and moved away from the trailer leaving the trailer (and neck) in situ.

The above-mentioned jacks are of necessity double-acting jacks and their provision and operation is expensive and very time-consuming and the present invention seeks to provide an improved form of trailer which will obviate the above and other disadvantages of known flat-bed trailers.

Accordingly, the present invention provides means for connecting a flat-bed trailer to a tractor unit comprising a first part for connection to said tractor unit and a second part for connection to said flat-bed trailer, said first and second parts being movably secured together, connecting means which are movable from a first position at which movement of said second part relative to said first part is prevented to a second position so as to allow said relative movement, jacking means to return said second part to its initial position relative to said first part, and a poweroperated locking pin for locking the said means to said flat-bed trailer.

Preferably, the connecting means will comprise horizontal pins which are movable by power-operated cylinders relative to the neck to maintain the two parts of the neck in operative relationship and to release said two parts from said operative relationship. The pins will be movable in mutually opposed directions. Said pins will preferably be engaged by brackets or lugs on the other of said parts to maintain the two parts in operative relationship.

The neck will preferably be detachably connectable to a flat-bed trailer by means of downwardly depending lugs on the neck which are adapted to be engaged by spigots on the leading end of the flat-bed trailer.

In order that the invention will be more readily understood, an embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a side-elevation of tractor unit coupled to a flat-bed trailer; Figure 2 is a side elevation to a larger scale of part of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing the parts of the neck of the trailer in another position; Figure 4 is a view similar to Figures 2 and 3, but showing the neck and trailer in disconnected positions; Figure 5 is a plan view of Figure 2; and Figure 6 is a rear elevation of part of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, and firstly to Figure 1, there is shown a tractor unit 2, having front and rear wheels 4 and 6 respectively, to which is connected, via a neck 8, a flat-bed trailer 10. The trailer 10 has wheels 12-the number of wheels may vary-at the rear thereof.

As will be seen from Figure 2, the neck 8 comprises a first part 14 and a second part 16, the parts 14 and 16 being connected together by pivot pins 18 whereby the two parts may move relatively to one another about the pivot pins. The neck 8 is detachably connected to the flat-bed trailer 10 by means of downwardly depending lugs-one is shown at 20; on the parts 16 of the neck, said lugs 20 being engaged by forwardly projecting spigots one is indicated by reference numeral 22 on the leading end of the flat-bed trailer 10.

To maintain the two parts 14 and 16 of the neck 8 in the operative, Figure 2, position, the part 16 at its rear is provided with two spaced brackets or lugs, one being indicated by reference numeral 24, which are engageable by means of pins 26 and 28 (Figure 6) carried by the part 14. The pins 26 and 28 are movable in mutually opposed directions by means of a power-operated jack 30 (Figure 6).

Referring now to Figure 6 in detail, it will be seen that the neck 8 is provided with a plurality of power-operated lifting cylinders 32 which are in fact carried on a cross-member 34 of the part 16 of the neck, the pistons 36 of the lifting cylinders 32 being connected to a cross-member 38 of the part 14 of the neck. Also carried by the cross-member 34 on an ancillary part 34A thereof is a sleeve 40 having therein a pin 42 which is adapted to enter a blind bore 44 in the flat-bed trailer 10, the pin 42 serving to prevent inadvertent separation of the neck from the trailer as will be later explained. The pin 42 is movable relative to the sleeve 40 by means of a locking cylinder, not shown in the drawings, but which is located in close proximity to the sleeve.

It will be seen from Figure 5, that the flat-bed trailer 10 is provided with bearing surfaces 46 and 48 to receive the lower surfaces of the part 16 of the neck, and that the trailer 10 is provided with a central open slot 50 to allow passage thereto of the sleeve 40, the blind bore 44 being located in the slot 50.

The lifting cylinders 32, the locking cylinder for the pin 42 and the cylinder 30 are preferably hydraulically operated from the hydraulic system of the tractor unit 2, but they may be air-operated or indeed screw operated if preferred. In each case, appropriate controls, including valves where necessary, will be incorporated on the neck or the tractor unit.

In operation and starting from the Figure 2 position, where the tractor unit 2 and the flat-bed trailer 10 are in linearly movable relationship, it will be appreciated that the pins 26 are in engagement with the brackets or lugs 24, the lifting cylinders 32 are pressurised as an added safety precaution against inadvertent relative movement of the parts 14 and 16 of the neck, and the pin 42 is engaged in the blind bore 44 in the trailer. In addition, the spigots 22 are located in the lugs 20. In this position, the parts of the neck cannot move relative to one another, nor can the neck 8 move relative to the flat-bed trailer 10.

In order to facilitate loading or unloading of a vehicle (not shown) to be transported, the lifting cylinders 32 are exhausted and simultaneously the pins 26 are moved towards each other, by actuating of the cylinder 30, which has the effect of allowing the part 16 of the neck to pivot about pivot pins 18 relative to the part 14 of the neck and Sc. to permit lowering of the flatbed trailer 10 onto the ground as shown in Figure 3. The locking cylinder is then actuated to raise the pin 42 clear of the blind bore 44, so that effectively the neck 8 remains secured to the trailer 10 only by means of the lugs 20 and spigots 22. To release the neck 8 from the trailer 10, the tractor unit 2 is moved forwardly taking with it the neck 8 thus releasing the lugs 20 from the spigots 22 as shown in Figure 4. Thus the flat-bed trailer 10 now stands in isolation, and in order that the tractor unit 2 may be moved from the vicinity of the trailer to allow loading or unloading of the trailer, the lifting cylinders 32 are actuated to raise the part 16 of the neck relative to the part 14 thereof, whereafter the cylinder 30 is actuated so as to move the pins 28 into engagement with the brackets or lugs 24 to maintain the parts 14 and 16 in fixed relation. The tractor unit may then, if necessary, be driven away.

When it is required to reconnect the neck to the trailer, the reverse of the above procedure is adopted.

The whole sequence of operations from the Figure 2 position to the Figure 4 position takes but a few minutes with the result that considerable time is saved in the loading or unloading of the trailer 10.

In addition, the provision of separate and expensive jacks to lift the trailer 10 is avoided, the nett effect being a considerable saving in the overall cost of the operation.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. Means for connecting a flat-bed trailer to a tractor unit, comprising a first part for connection to said tractor unit and a second part for connection to said flat-bed trailer, said first and second parts being movably secured together, connecting means which are movable from a first position at which movement of said second part relative to said first part is prevented to a second position so as to allow such

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. has wheels 12-the number of wheels may vary-at the rear thereof. As will be seen from Figure 2, the neck 8 comprises a first part 14 and a second part 16, the parts 14 and 16 being connected together by pivot pins 18 whereby the two parts may move relatively to one another about the pivot pins. The neck 8 is detachably connected to the flat-bed trailer 10 by means of downwardly depending lugs-one is shown at 20; on the parts 16 of the neck, said lugs 20 being engaged by forwardly projecting spigots one is indicated by reference numeral 22 on the leading end of the flat-bed trailer 10. To maintain the two parts 14 and 16 of the neck 8 in the operative, Figure 2, position, the part 16 at its rear is provided with two spaced brackets or lugs, one being indicated by reference numeral 24, which are engageable by means of pins 26 and 28 (Figure 6) carried by the part 14. The pins 26 and 28 are movable in mutually opposed directions by means of a power-operated jack 30 (Figure 6). Referring now to Figure 6 in detail, it will be seen that the neck 8 is provided with a plurality of power-operated lifting cylinders 32 which are in fact carried on a cross-member 34 of the part 16 of the neck, the pistons 36 of the lifting cylinders 32 being connected to a cross-member 38 of the part 14 of the neck. Also carried by the cross-member 34 on an ancillary part 34A thereof is a sleeve 40 having therein a pin 42 which is adapted to enter a blind bore 44 in the flat-bed trailer 10, the pin 42 serving to prevent inadvertent separation of the neck from the trailer as will be later explained. The pin 42 is movable relative to the sleeve 40 by means of a locking cylinder, not shown in the drawings, but which is located in close proximity to the sleeve. It will be seen from Figure 5, that the flat-bed trailer 10 is provided with bearing surfaces 46 and 48 to receive the lower surfaces of the part 16 of the neck, and that the trailer 10 is provided with a central open slot 50 to allow passage thereto of the sleeve 40, the blind bore 44 being located in the slot 50. The lifting cylinders 32, the locking cylinder for the pin 42 and the cylinder 30 are preferably hydraulically operated from the hydraulic system of the tractor unit 2, but they may be air-operated or indeed screw operated if preferred. In each case, appropriate controls, including valves where necessary, will be incorporated on the neck or the tractor unit. In operation and starting from the Figure 2 position, where the tractor unit 2 and the flat-bed trailer 10 are in linearly movable relationship, it will be appreciated that the pins 26 are in engagement with the brackets or lugs 24, the lifting cylinders 32 are pressurised as an added safety precaution against inadvertent relative movement of the parts 14 and 16 of the neck, and the pin 42 is engaged in the blind bore 44 in the trailer. In addition, the spigots 22 are located in the lugs 20. In this position, the parts of the neck cannot move relative to one another, nor can the neck 8 move relative to the flat-bed trailer 10. In order to facilitate loading or unloading of a vehicle (not shown) to be transported, the lifting cylinders 32 are exhausted and simultaneously the pins 26 are moved towards each other, by actuating of the cylinder 30, which has the effect of allowing the part 16 of the neck to pivot about pivot pins 18 relative to the part 14 of the neck and Sc. to permit lowering of the flatbed trailer 10 onto the ground as shown in Figure 3. The locking cylinder is then actuated to raise the pin 42 clear of the blind bore 44, so that effectively the neck 8 remains secured to the trailer 10 only by means of the lugs 20 and spigots 22. To release the neck 8 from the trailer 10, the tractor unit 2 is moved forwardly taking with it the neck 8 thus releasing the lugs 20 from the spigots 22 as shown in Figure 4. Thus the flat-bed trailer 10 now stands in isolation, and in order that the tractor unit 2 may be moved from the vicinity of the trailer to allow loading or unloading of the trailer, the lifting cylinders 32 are actuated to raise the part 16 of the neck relative to the part 14 thereof, whereafter the cylinder 30 is actuated so as to move the pins 28 into engagement with the brackets or lugs 24 to maintain the parts 14 and 16 in fixed relation. The tractor unit may then, if necessary, be driven away. When it is required to reconnect the neck to the trailer, the reverse of the above procedure is adopted. The whole sequence of operations from the Figure 2 position to the Figure 4 position takes but a few minutes with the result that considerable time is saved in the loading or unloading of the trailer 10. In addition, the provision of separate and expensive jacks to lift the trailer 10 is avoided, the nett effect being a considerable saving in the overall cost of the operation. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. Means for connecting a flat-bed trailer to a tractor unit, comprising a first part for connection to said tractor unit and a second part for connection to said flat-bed trailer, said first and second parts being movably secured together, connecting means which are movable from a first position at which movement of said second part relative to said first part is prevented to a second position so as to allow such

relative movement, jacking means to return said second part to its initial position relative to said first part, and a power-operated locking pin for locking the said means to said flat-bed trailer.

2. Means as claimed in claim 1, wherein said connecting means comprises horizontal pins which are movable by power-operated means relative to the neck to maintain the two parts of the neck in operative relationship and to release said two parts from said operative relationship.

3. Means as claimed in claim 2, wherein said pins are movable by said power-operated means in opposed directions to each other.

4. Means as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said two parts are movable into their operative positions by means of power-operated lifting cylinders interposed between said two parts.

5. Means as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein said neck is detachably connectable to said flat-bed trailer.

6. Means as claimed in claim 5, wherein said neck is detachably connectable by means of interengaging spigots and lugs on the neck and trailer.

7. Means as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein said neck is detachably connectable to a tractor unit with or without being connected to the trailer.

8. Means for connecting a flat-bed trailer to a tractor unit, constructed and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

9. A flat-bed trailer having means as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 8.

10. A flat-bed trailer having means substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.