GB2460122A

GB2460122A - Ram mounting assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2460122A
Application number: GB0809266A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thomas William Coley; John George Howard
Original assignee: FRUEHAUF Ltd
Current assignee: FRUEHAUF Ltd
Priority date: 2008-05-22
Filing date: 2008-05-22
Publication date: 2009-11-25
Also published as: GB0809266D0

Abstract

A ram mounting assembly for a tipping trailer (10, Figure 1) which has a pivotally mounted body (12, Figure 1) movable by a ram 18. Two inclined elongate members 20 are provided on the front face of the body (12), with a space between their upper ends. An upper mounting bracket 26 is mountable to the front face 22 of the body (12), and the upper mounting bracket 26 mounts the upper end of the ram 18. Preferably a top rail 24 is present on the front face 22 of the body (12) and the upper mounting bracket 26 is mounted on the underside of the rail 24. Also disclosed is a ram mounting assembly including a coupling plate (48, Figure 7) attached to the front end of chassis 16 and a pair of spaced trunnions 62 between which the lower end of the ram 18 is pivotally extendable.

Description

I

Ram Mounting Assembly This invention concerns improvements in or relating to ram mounting assemblies, and also trailers incorporating such assemblies.

This invention is concerned principally with tipping trailers which are driven by lorry tractor units. Such trailers have a body pivotally mounted towards the rear thereof to a chassis, with a hydraulic ram at the front of the trailer engageable between the trailer and the chassis. With such rams it is usually desirable that they are mounted as close as possible to directly above the mounting between the trailer and a tractor unit. One arrangement for achieving this is to provide a "dog house" which is a forwards facing recess in the front face of a trailer which locates the ram. Such an arrangement though provides a projection extending into the front end of the trailer body, thereby reducing the volume of the trailer and also potentially leading to material becoming trapped or blocked in the trailer body around the projection.

The lower end of the ram has generally been mounted in a cradle which extends between two transverse beams near the front of the chassis.

This provides a satisfactory but relatively heavy arrangement.

According to the present invention there is provided a ram mounting assembly for a tipping trailer which trailer includes a body pivotally mounted towards the rear thereof on a chassis, and a ram for pivotally moving the body relative to the chassis, the assembly including two inclined elongate members on the front end of the trailer body which extend downwardly and outwardly, and have a spacing between their upper ends, an upper mounting bracket located between the elongate members at their upper ends and mounted thereto, the upper mounting bracket also being mounted to the front end of the trailer body, the upper mounting bracket mounting the upper end of the ram.

A top rail may be provided along the front end of the trailer body, and the upper mounting bracket may be mountable to the underside thereof.

A removable cover member may be provided mountable to the front end of the trailer body to conceal the upper mounting bracket.

The lower ends of the elongate members may extend to adjacent the locations where the front of the trailer body engages on the chassis in a lowered position.

The upper mounting bracket may include two side plates each mountable substantially flush against an inner side face of a respective one of the elongate members.

The mounting bracket may include an upper plate mountable substantially flush to the underside of the top rail.

The upper mounting bracket may include a ram mounting plate, which plate extends parallel to and spaced below the upper plate. A strengthening rib may extend between the upper plate and the ram mounting plate.

The upper mounting bracket may include a rear plate which is mountable flush against the front end of the trailer body.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a ram mounting assembly for a tipping trailer which trailer includes a body pivotally mounted towards the rear thereof on a chassis, and a ram for pivotally moving the body relative to the chassis, the assembly including a coupling plate on the front end of the chassis, the ram mounting plate mounting thereon a spaced pair of trunnions between which the lower end of the ram is pivotally extendible.

Load cells may be provided between the trunnions and the coupling plate. The coupling plate may mount a downwardly extending tractor unit connecting member, which connecting member may be located immediately behind the trunnions.

A shoulder may be provided on the coupling plate immediately behind the trunnions to resist rearward forces from the ram.

A plate may be provided on the front edge of the coupling plate to locate connections to the trailer. A transverse beam may be provided at the rear edge of the coupling plate.

The invention also provides a tipping trailer, the trailer incorporating a ram mounting assembly according to any of the preceding twelve paragraphs.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Fig. I is a diagrammatic front perspective view of a trailer incorporating a ram mounting assembly according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a front perspective view of a front part of the trailer of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a front view of the trailer of Fig. I; Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic front perspective view of part of the trailer of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic front view of a component of the mounting assembly of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a perspective front view of the component of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a perspective view from above of a further part of the mounting assembly of Fig. 1; and Fig. 8 is a perspective view from above of the further part of Fig. 7, but with some items removed.

Fig. 1 shows a tipping trailer 10 mountable behind a lorry tractor unit (not shown). The trailer 10 includes a body 12 pivotally mounted at 14 on a chassis 16. A hydraulic or ram 18 is provided at the front end of the trailer 10 engageable between the body 12 and the chassis 16 for raising the front of the trailer 10 to tip the body 12 rearwardly.

Two elongate members 20 in the form of aluminium pressings are provided on the front face 22 of the body 12. The elongate members 20 extend from the bottom edge of the front face 22 adjacent the part, a subframe 23, of the body 12 which is supported by the chassis 16 in a lowered condition. The elongate members 20 extend upwardly and converge but are still spaced apart to a small degree at the top of the front face 22. A top rail 24 extends along the top of the front face 22, and the elongate members 20 extend to the underside of the top rail 24.

A mounting bracket 26 (Figs. 5 and 6) is provided which is mountable to the front face 22 in a space defined by the elongate members 20 and the top rail 24. The mounting bracket 26 includes side plates 28 with mounting holes 30, which plates 28 are mountable to inner side faces of the respective elongate members 20.

The mounting bracket 26 also includes a top plate 32 which is mountable flush against the underside of the top rail 24 by two mounting holes 34. A ram mounting plate 36 is provided spaced below the top plate 32 and has mounting holes 38 for mounting the top end of the ram 18. A web 40 extends between the top plate 32 and ram mounting plate 36. A rear mounting plate 42 is provided which extends behind the ram mounting plate 36 and web 40, and also alongside the inner edges of the elongate members 20. Six mounting holes 44 are provided alongside the elongate members 20, to enable mounting of the bracket 26 to the front face 22.

A removable cover 46 (Figs. 1 and 3) is provided extending between the top ends of the elongate members 20, to enclose the bracket 26 and fittings thereto.

The mounting of the lower end of the ram 18 is best illustrated in Figs. 2, 7 and 8. A coupling plate 48 is provided at the front end of the chassis 16.

The coupling plate 48 mounts to extend from its underside a downwardly extending mounting member 50 for mounting the trailer 10 on a tractor unit.

Immediately in front of the mounting member 50 a pair of ram mounting blocks 52 are provided with upstanding projections 54 at their rear ends and a rear most lip 55. A mounting hole 56 is provided through each projection 54. A load cell 58 is mounted to each block 52 by a mounting hole 60 alignable with the respective hole 56. A trunnion 62 is mounted on each load cell 58.

A plate 64 is provided along the front edge of the coupling plate 48 to enable mounting of connections to the trailer 10. A transverse beam 66 extends across the rear of the coupling plate 48, which beam 66 connects with beams 68 on each side of the chassis 16.

There are thus described arrangements for mounting the upper and lower ends of the ram to respectively the trailer and chassis which provide for advantages over existing arrangements. The upper mounting arrangement provides a lightweight and robust structure without interfering with theprofile of the front face of the trailer body. The mounting bracket can readily be mounted to the elongate members, top rail and trailer body, and is neatly concealed behind the removable cover. The elongate members transmit forces directly down to the chassis.

The lower mounting arrangement provides direct mounting on the ram mounting plate and removes the requirement for a front beam on the chassis and also a cradle. This provides for significant weight reduction. The lower mounting arrangement enables mounting of the ram adjacent to the tractor unit mounting member.

These mounting arrangements provide for a significant weight saving relative to prior arrangements. This is significant in that a maximum overall weight is stipulated for such trailers, and therefore if weight savings are provided in the trailer, a greater weight of load can be carried.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For instance a step may be provided in the ram mounting plate to receive horizontal rearward forces from the ram. The elongate members could be formed other than by pressing.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

Claims 1. A ram mounting assembly for a tipping trailer which trailer includes a body pivotally mounted towards the rear thereof on a chassis, and a ram for pivotally moving the body relative to the chassis, the assembly including two inclined elongate members on the front end of the trailer body which extend downwardly and outwardly, and have a spacing between their upper ends, an upper mounting bracket located between the elongate members at their upper ends and mounted thereto, the upper mounting bracket also being mounted to the front end of the trailer body, the upper mounting bracket mounting the upper end of the ram.
2. An assembly according to claim 1, in which a top rail is provided along the front end of the trailer body, and the upper mounting bracket is mountable to the underside thereof.
3. An assembly according to claim 2, in which the mounting bracket includes an upper plate mountable substantially flush to the underside of the top rail.
4. An assembly according to claim 3, in which the upper mounting bracket includes a ram mounting plate, which plate extends parallel to and spaced below the upper plate.
5. An assembly according to claim 4, in which a strengthening rib extends between the upper plate and the ram mounting plate.
6. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, in which the upper mounting bracket includes a rear plate which is mountable flush against the front end of the trailer body.
7. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, in which a removable cover member is provided mountable to the front end of the trailer body to conceal the upper mounting bracket.
8. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, in which the lower ends of the elongate members extend to adjacent the locations where the front of the trailer body engages on the chassis in a lowered position.
9. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, in which the upper mounting bracket includes two side plates each mountable substantially flush against an inner side face of a respective one of the elongate members.
10. A ram mounting assembly for a tipping trailer which trailer includes a body pivotally mounted towards the rear thereof on a chassis, and a ram for pivotally moving the body relative to the chassis, the assembly including a coupling plate on the front end of the chassis, the ram mounting plate mounting thereon a spaced pair of trunnions between which the lower end of the ram is pivotally extendible.
11. An assembly according to claim 10, in which load cells are provided between the trunnions and the coupling plate.
12. An assembly according to claims 10 or 11, in which the coupling plate mounts a downwardly extending tractor unit connecting member.
13. An assembly according to claim 12, in which the connecting member is located immediately behind the trunnions.
14. An assembly according to any of claims 10 to 13, in which a shoulder is provided on the coupling plate immediately behind the trunnions to resist rearward forces from the ram.
15. An assembly according to any of claims 10 to 14, in which a plate is provided on the front edge of the coupling plate to locate connections to the tra i er.
16. An assembly according to any of claims 10 to 15, in which a transverse beam is provided at the rear edge of the coupling plate.
17. A tipping trailer, the trailer incorporating a ram mounting assembly according to any of the preceding claims.
18. A ram mounting assembly according to any of claims I to 9 and also any of clainis lOto 16.
19. A ram mounting assembly for a tipping trailer, the assembly being substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
20. A tipping trailer substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
21. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed herein, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.