US3270691A

US3270691A - Locomotive truck

Info

Publication number: US3270691A
Application number: US205415A
Authority: US
Inventors: Zoellner Fritz
Original assignee: Krauss Maffei AG
Current assignee: Mannesmann Demag Krauss Maffei GmbH
Priority date: 1962-06-26
Filing date: 1962-06-26
Publication date: 1966-09-06
Anticipated expiration: 1983-09-06

Description

Sept. 6, 1966 F. ZOELLNER LOCOMOTIVE TRUCK 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 26. 1962 R m M T NM W 2 m w R Q T r %N Q QQ hrs Arromvfr Sept. 6, 1966 F. ZOELLNER LOCOMOTIVE TRUCK 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 26, 1962 INVENTOR. F/WI'Z 2024mm? Sept. 6, 1966 F. ZOELLNER LOCOMOTIVE TRUCK 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 26, 1962 INVENIOR.

m wfw Se t. 6, 1966 F. ZOELLNER LOCOMOTIVE TRUCK 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 26, 1962 NVENTOR, W 72 6/ Sepia 1966 F. ZOELLNER 3,270.691

LOGOMOTIVE TRUCK Filed June 26, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. 7 2 2mm,-

ZMLJMM fl f//ar LAM/ r United States Patent 3,270,691 LOCOMOTIVE TRUCK Fritz Zoellner, Munich-Allach, Germany, assignor to Krauss-Matfei A.G., Mnnich-Allach, Germany Filed June 26, 1962, Ser. No. 205,415 13 Claims. (Cl. 105-199) The present invention relates to railway vehicles. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in arrangements for mounting the main frame or body of a railway vehicle on trucks such as are utilized in diesel-hydraulic locomotives and each of which normally comprises two or three wheel assemblies. Still more particularly, the invention relates to improvements in railway vehicles of the type in which the trucks are free to swivel with respect to the vehicle body without a centric connection between the body and the trucks.

An important object of the invention is to provide a very simple and sturdy arrangement which is adapted to detachably mount the body of a railway vehicle on the trucks and which is constructed and arranged in such a way that the body may be rapidly and conveniently detached from and lifted above the trucks.

commodate at least some elements of the power train v which transmits motion to the wheel assemblies of the trucks without any interference on the part of such elements when the body of the railway vehicle must be lifted above the trucks.

A further object of the instant invention is to provide an arrangement of the above described general character which constitutes an improvement over the structure disclosed in US. Patent No. 3,011,458 to T. Wirth et al.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide an arrangement for mounting the body of a railway vehicle on a pair of spaced trucks in such a way that the body may be lifted above the trucks without necessitating disconnection or dismantling of the steering linkage for the trucks and without disturbing the guide means which permit the trucks to swivel with respect to the vehicle body.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an arrangement of the above outlined characteristics which is equally useful in railway vehicleswhose trucks are provided with two or three wheel assemblies.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved railway vehicle, particularly, a diesel-hydraulic locomotive, wherein the vehicle body may be separated from and lifted above the trucks within exceptionally short periods of time and wherein the means which provides a detachable connection between the trucks and the vehicle body is not subjected to any shearing stresses even if the trucks are caused to swivel with respect to the body. I

An additional object of the invention is to provide a railway vehicle of the just outlined characteristics wherein the means which connects the body with the trucks is conveniently accessible to permit rapid disconnection or connection of the vehicle body.

A further object of the invention is to provide a railway vehicle wherein the body may be separated from and reconnected with the trucks in a very simple manner so that such work may be performed by semiskilled persons.

With the above objects in view, the invention resides in the provision of a railway vehicle which preferably assumes the form of a diesel-hydraulic locomotive of the type in which the trucks are free to swivel with respect to the vehicle body without a centric connection between the body and the trucks. The vehicle comprises a body having an understructure, a truck adapted to extend at least in part beneath the understructure and having a central aperture and a longitudinal axis of symmetry extending in the direction of travel of the locomotive, and an arrangement for mounting the understructure on the truck. This arrangement comprises a first component which preferably assumes the shape of a box-like structure and which is rigidly secured to and extends downwardly from the understructure, a second component which is mounted in the central aperture of the truck in such a way that the truck may swivel with respect thereto about the longitudinal axis of symmetry and about a vertical axis which is perpendicular to such symmetry axis, and means for detachably connecting the two components with each other so that, upon disconnection of said components, the vehicle body and the first component 'may be lifted above the truck and above the second component.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following detailed description of a specific embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG, 1 is an elevational view showing a fragmentary longitudinal central section through the truck of a dieselhydraulic locomotive and through a novel arrangement for mounting the understructure of the main frame of the locomotive on the truck in such a way that the truck is free to swivel with respect to the main frame or vice versa, the section of FIG. 1 being taken along the line II of FIG. 2, as seen in the direction of arrows;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view showing a transverse section as seen in the direction of arrows from the line II- II of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view showing a longitudinal section through the truck of a diesel-hydraulic locomotive and through the arrangement according to FIG. 1 for swivelly coupling thereto the understructure of the main frame, of which only a fragment is shown;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the truck according to FIG. 3 and showing a fragmentary portion of the understructure of the main frame and the arrangement for swivelly coupling the latter to the truck; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective View of the main frame understructure and coupling arrangement according to the present invention.

The structure which is illustrated in the drawings forms part of a diesel-hydraulic locomotive including a vehicle body or main frame 4 which is mounted on a pair of spaced railway trucks 13 (only one shown), and each truck is capable of being swiveled with respect to the body 4. The prime mover mounted in the body 4 drives the wheel assemblies of the trucks in :a manner as disclosed in US. Patent No. 3,011,458 to T. Wirth et al. Each truck is assumed to be provided with three wheel assemblies which receive motion through a power train including a driver shaft 5, a transmission 29 which is mounted in the body 4 and whose input shaft 31 is connected to the shaft 5 by a detachable coupling 30, a pair of driven shafts 6,. 7 which are detachably connected to output shafts 29a, 29b of the transmission 29 by couplings 6a, 7a, respectively, and a third driven shaft 8 which is coupled to the shaft 6.

' In accordance with my invention, the vehicle body 4 is swivelly coupled to the trucks 13 by means of two special arrangements each of which includes a substantially box-like first or upper component 1 and a second component which comprises a pair of

sections

2, 3. These sections are detachably connected to the component 1 and are accommodated in a central aperture 13a of the respective truck 13 as shown in FIG. 4. Only one such arrangement is shown in the drawings because the other arrangement is of identical design.

The vehicle body 4 may be of the self-supporting type, i.e., in addition to being mounted on a pair of swiveling trucks 13 this body may be provided with additional wheel assemblies which travel along the rails. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the understructure of the body 4 comprises elongated metallic plates 9 which are welded to transversely extending metallic plates 10. The

plates

9, 10 form a honeycomb structure, and the plates 10 are welded to a pair of spaced supporting tubes 11 which are parallel with the plates 9. The upper side of this composite understructure 9-11 is covered by a horizontal plate 12. The plates 10 and the tubes 11 form a structural unit resembling a ladder wherein the plates 10 form the steps and wherein the tubes 11 form the uprights.

The vertical axis of rotation of the truck 13 is shown by a line Y which extends concentrically through the aperture 13a. The

sections

2, 3 of the second component are received in this aperture in such a way that the truck 13 is free to swivel about the axis Y and/or about a longitudinal axis of symmetry X. The component 1 is a box-like structure of rectangular shape and is open at its lower end. It will be noted that the upper end of this component is welded to the understructure 9-11 and that this component comprises a series of metallic sheets which are joined by welding. These sheets include .two

end walls

14, 14a which are located in vertical planes that make right angles with a plane passing through the longitudinal axis of symmetry X of the truck 13. The

end walls

14, 14a are respectively provided with arched openings or

cutouts

15, 15a whose lower ends are open, and the

end walls

14, 14a are respectively reinforced by arcuate wall portions 14', 14a shown in FIG. which surround the

cutouts

15, 15a. The

cutouts

15, 15a permit the shafts 6, 8 to extend with at least some play into the interior of the component 1. FIG. 1 shows that the shaft 6 drives the transmission 32 of an axle 33 which forms part of the central or intermediate wheel assembly of the truck 13. This axle is mounted in the truck 13 in the same way as described in U.S. Patent No. 3,011,458. The shafts 7, 8 respectively drive two outer wheel assemblies which are mounted in the frame of the truck 13.

The underside of the component 1 is located in a horizontal plane (this horizontal plane passes through the symmetry axis X), and the component 1 comprises two pairs of

horizontal flanges

16, 16a which are outwardly adjacent to the lower ends of the

wall portions

14, 14a. That end of each flange which is nearer to the vertical axis Y is provided with a downwardly extending web 17, and these webs have horizontally extending faces which abut against a pair of flanges 18, 18a forming part of the second component as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 5. This second component comprises two

distinct sections

2, 3 the former of which is located below the end wall 14 and the latter of which is located below the end wall 14a. The flange 18 forms part of the section 2 and its upper side abuts against the undersides of the flanges 16 and against the horizontally extending faces of the webs 17. The other flange 18a forms part of the section 3 and abuts against the undersides of the flanges 16a as well as against the horizontally extending faces of the webs 17 forming part of the flanges 16a. The section 2 is connected to the component 1 by bolts 26 which extend through the

flanges

16, 18. Similar bolts 26a extend through the flanges 16a, 18a to provide a detachable connection between the component 1 and the other section 3 of the second component. The horizontal plane passing through the axis X in FIG. 1 is the plane of separation between the two components, and it will be noted that the

cutouts

15, 15a extend upwardly from this plane so that, upon removal of the

bolts

26, 26a, the vehicle body 4 and the component 1 may be lifted above the truck 13 and away from the

sections

2, 3 0f the second component.

The

sections

2, 3 respectively comprise downwardly extending

plates

19, 19a which carry the respective flanges 18, 18a and which are provided with stiffening ribs 20. The

plates

19, 19a respectively support

bearings

21, 21a for

steering elements

22, 22a which form part of a steering linkage for the truck 13. The

elements

22, 22a make right angles with the longitudinal axis X of the truck 13 and transmit to this truck transversely directed steering impulses so that the truck may turn about the axis Y. In addition to the

elements

22, 22a, the steering linkage comprises a pair of bell cranks (-not shown) which are mounted on the frame of the truck 13 and which are connected by a push-pull rod in a manner well known in the art.

The flanges 18, 18a are respectively provided with spherical guide means 24, 24a which serve to transmit stresses in the longitudinal direction of the truck 13. The guide means 24 cooperates with a spherical guide means 23, and the guide means 24a cooperates with a spherical guide means 23a. The guide means 23, 23a are mounted on the truck 13 and each of the guide means 23, 23a and 24, 24a is provided with a layer 25 of manganese steel or a similar hard substance so that the wear on the guide means is reduced to a minimum. The center of curvature of each guide means is located in the axis Y so that the truck 13 may turn with respect to the guide means 24, 24a about this axis without having a centric connection with the body 4.

By abutting against the adjacent horizontally extending faces of the webs 17, the flanges 18, 18a protect the

bolts

26, 26a from shearing stresses which would develop if the upper sides of the flanges 18, 18a were free to slide with respect to the undersides of the

flanges

16, 16a in a direction parallel with the axis of symmetry X. In order to protect the

bolts

26, 26a from shearing stresses which would develop if the flanges .18, 18a were free to slide with respect to the

flanges

16, 16a in directions making right angles with the axis X, the flanges 18 are provided with upwardly extending webs 27 whose outer faces are horizontal and abut against the inner sides of the flanges 16 so that the

flanges

16, 16a are held against any displacements with respect to the flanges 18, 18a or vice versa. The webs 27 fit into the lower ends of the

cutouts

15, 15a.

The

bearings

21, 21a are secured to

plates

19, 19a by screws or bolts 28. It will be noted that the bearings 21 are secured to that side of the plate 19 which faces the axis Y whereas the bearings 210: are secured to that side of the plate 19a which is turned away from this axis.

If it should become necessary to separate the vehicle body 4 from the truck 13, the

sections

2, 3 are separated from the component 1 by removing the

bolts

26, 26a, and the shafts 6, 7 are separated from the transmission 29 by disconnection of couplings 6a, 7a shown in FIG. 1. It is assumed that, as seen in FIG. 3, the transmission 29 is mounted on, i.e., secured to, the understructure 911 by connection 35; however, if this transmission is secured to the truck 13, the coupling 6a, 7a need not be touched at all and the operators merely disconnect the coupling 30 between the drive shaft 5 and the input shaft 31 of the transmission 29.

It will be readily understood that the arrangement of my invention is equally useful in railroad vehicles of the type wherein each truck comprises only two wheel assemblies. Furthermore, it is equally within the scope of this invention to provide a rigid connection between the

sections

2, 3 so that the arrangement then comprises a unitary first component with parts 14-17 which is fixed to the vehicle body and a unitary second component with parts 18-22a, 24, 24a and 27, 28 which cooperates with the truck. In such instances, the second component preferably also assumes the shape of a box-like structure which is detachably secured to the component 1. The width of the cutouts 15, a must be sufficient to permit passage of the shafts 6, 8 or of articulated joints which connect these shafts with each other and with the output shaft 29a of the transmission 29. Such dimensioning of the

cutouts

15, 15a permits unobstructed lowering or lifting of the vehicle body 4.

If it should become necessary to extend one of the components downwardly and beyond the axle 33 of the intermediate wheel assembly, the arrangement of my invention may consist of two or more groups of separable parts so that, for example, a first group of parts must be detached in a first horizontal plane if the axle 33 is exchanged and that a second group of parts is detached in a second horizontal plane when the vehicle body 4 is to be lifted above the truck. Such modifications of my invention are so obvious that they can be readily comprehended without additional illustrations.

As explained hereinabove, the railroad vehicle of my invention is of the type in which there is no central pivot for interconnecting the vehicle body 4 and the truck 13. The body 4 is, as seen in FIG. 4, preferably carried by a pair of springs 36 arranged at opposite sides of the truck 13 in a manner disclosed in US. Patent 3,011,45 8, and the spherical configuration of cooperating guide means 2 3, 23a and 24, 24a enables the truck and the vehicle body to turn one with respect to the other, but there is no pivot at the center of the truck connecting the latter with the body 4-.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the .gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and] range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a railway vehicle of the type in which the trucks are free to swivel with respect to the vehicle body without a centric connection between the body and the trucks, in combination, a vehicle body; a truck adapted to extend at least in part beneath said body; an arrangement for swivelly coupling said body to said truck, said arrangement comprising a first component rigidly secured to and extending downwardly from said body, a second component positioned in the truck beneath said first component for rotative movements with respect to the truck about a vertical axis,.and means detachably securing said second component to said first component so that each thereof shares all rotative movements of the other, said first and second components defining between themselves a substantially horizontally extending channel open at opposite ends thereof, said first and second components including portions defining respectively upper and lower boundaries of said channel; and operating means for said vehicle mounted on said truck and including an elongated portion extending through said channel so that without interfering with said operating means said body and said first component may be lifted with respect to said truck and said second component when said components are disconnected from each other.

2. In a railway vehicle, in combination, a vehicle body; a truck adapted to extend at least in part beneath said body, said truck having a central aperture and a longitudinal axis of symmetry extending in the direction of the travel of the vehicle; shaft means mounted in said truck and having axes located in a vertical plane passing through said axis of symmetry; and an arrangement for swivelly coupling said body to said truck, said arrangement comprising a first component rigidly fixed to and located beneath said body, said component including a pair of spaced end walls extending in vertical planes substantially perpendicular to said axis of symmetry and each of said end wall means provided with a cutout having an open lower end, said cutouts receiving with play spaced portions of said shaft means, a second component positioned in the truck beneath said first component for rotative movements about a vertical axis which intersects said axis of symmetry, and means detachably securing said second component to said first component.

3. In a railway vehicle, in combination, a vehicle body; a truck adapted to extend at least in part beneath said body, said truck having a central aperture and a longitudinal axis of symmetry extending in the direction of the travel of the vehicle; shaft means mounted in said truck and having axes located in a vertical plane passing through said axis of symmetry; and an arrangement for swivelly coupling said body to said truck, said arrangement comprising a first component rigidly fixed to and located beneath said body, said component having an underside located in a horizontal plane and including a pair of spaced end walls extending in vertical planes substantially perpendicular to said axis of symmetry and each of said end wall means provided with a cutout having an open lower end, said cutouts receiving with play spaced portions of said shaft means, a second component positioned in the truck beneath said first component for rotative movements about a vertical axis which intersects said axis of symmetry and having an upper side abutting against the underside of said first component; and means detachably securing said second component to said first component.

4. A combination as set forth in claim 3, wherein one of said components comprises web means having horizontal faces parallel with said axis of symmetry and the other component comprises flange means abutting against said faces so as to prevent transmission of shearing stresses to said connecting means.

5. A combination as set forth in claim 3, wherein one of said components comprises web means having horizontal faces making right angles with said axis of symmetry and the other component comprises flange means abutting against said faces so as to prevent transmission of shearing stresses to said connecting means.

6. In a railway vehicle of the type in which the trucks are free to swivel with respect to the vehicle body without a centric connection between the body and the trucks, in combination, a vehicle body; a truck adapted to extend at least in part beneath said body; an arrangement for swivelly coupling said body to said truck, said arrangement comprising a first component rigidly secured to and extending downwardly from said body, a second component positioned in the truck beneath said first component for rotative movements with respect to the truck about a vertical axis, means detachably securing said second component to said first component so that each thereof shares all rotative movements of the other, first curved guide means having a center of curvature in said vertical axis and secured to said truck so as to surround fixed to said second component and slidably abutting against said first guide means so as to permit said truck to swivel with respect to said body, said first and second components defining between themselves a substantially horizontally extending channel open at opposite ends thereof, said first and second components including portions defining respectively upper and lower boundaries of said channel; and operating means for said vehicle mounted on said truck and including an elongated portion extending through said channel so that without interfering with said operating means said body and said first component may be lifted with respect to said truck and said second component when said components are disconnected from each other.

7. In a railway vehicle, in combination, a vehicle body; a truck adapted to extend at least in part beneath said body, an arrangement for swivelly coupling said body to said truck, said arrangement comprising a first component rigidly secured to and extending downwardly from said body, a second component positioned in the truck beneath said first component for rotative movements about a vertical axis, and means detachably securing said second component to said first component, said first and second components defining between themselves a substantially horizontally extending channel open at opposite ends thereof, said first and second components including portions defining respectively upper and lower boundaries of said channel; and operating means for said vehicle mounted on said truck and including an elongated portion extending with play through said channel so that without interfering with said operating means said body and said first component may be lifted above said truck and above said second component when said components are disconnected from each other.

8. In a railway vehicle, in combination, a vehicle body; a truck adapted to extend at least in part beneath said body, said truck having a central aperture and a longitudinal axis of symmetry extending in the direction of the travel of the vehicle; shaft means mounted in said truck and having axes located in a vertical plane passing through said axis of symmetry; and an arrangement for swivelly coupling said body to said truck, said arrangement comprising a first component rigidly fixed to and located beneath said body, said component including a pair of spaced end walls extending in vertical planes substantially perpendicular to said axis of symmetry and each of said end wall means provided with a cutout having an open lower end, said cutouts receiving with play spaced portions of said shaft means, a second component positioned in the truck beneath said first component for rotative movements about a vertical axis which intersects said axis of symmetry, means detachably securing said second component to said first component, flange means fixed to said second component, first curved guide means having a center of curvature in said vertical axis and fixed to said flange means, and second curved guide means abutting against and disposed about said first guide means, said second guide means fixed to said truck so that the truck is free to swivel with respect to said body.

9. In a diesel-hydraulic locomotive of the type in which the trucks are free to swivel with respect to the vehicle body without a centric connection between the body and the trucks, in combination, a vehicle body having an understructure; a truck adapted to extend at least in part beneath said body, said truck having a central aperture and a longitudinal axis of symmetry extending in the direction of travel of the locomotive; an arrangement for swivelly coupling said understructure to said truck, said arrangement comprising a first component rigidly secured to and extending downwardly from said understructure, a second component positioned in the central aperture of said truck so that the truck is free to swivel with respect to said second component about said longitudinal axis and about a vertical axis which intersects said first mentioned axis, and means for detachably connecting said components to each other, said first com ponent including a substantially box-like structure having a pair of end walls located in vertical planes perpendicular to said axis of symmetry, each of said end walls being provided with a cutout having an open lower end and said axis of symmetry being located in a vertical plane halving said cutouts; and shaft means mounted in said truck and extending with play through said cutouts so that said body and said first component may be lifted above said truck and above said second component who said components are disconnected from each other.

10. A combination as set forth in claim 9, wherein said second component comprises 'a first section adjacent and connected to one of said end walls and a second section adjacent and secured to the other end wall.

11. A combination as set forth in claim 9, wherein said second component is a box-like structure having an upper side located in a horizontal plane and abutting against the undersides of said end walls.

12. In a diesel-hydraulic locomotive of the type in which the trucks are free to swivel with respect to the vehicle body without a centric connection between the body and the trucks, in combination, a vehicle body having an understructure; a truck adapted to extend at least in part beneath said body, said truck having a central aperture and a longitudinal axis of symmetry extending in the direction of travel of the locomotive; an arrangement for swivelly coupling said understructure to said truck, said arrangement comprising a first component rigidly secured to and extending downwardly from said understructure, a second component positioned in the central aperture of said truck so that the truck is free to swivel with respect to said second component about said longitudinal axis and about a vertical axis which intersects said first mentioned axis, and means for detachably connecting said components to each other, said first component having an underside located in a horizontal plane and said second component having an upper side abutting against said underside, said first component defining at said underside thereof an elongated horizontal channel open at opposite ends and said upper side of said second component at least partly closing said channel lengthwise intermediate the ends thereof; and operating means for said vehicle mounted on said truck and including an elongated portion extending with play through said channel so that said body and said first component may be lifted above said truck and above said second component when said components are disconnected from each other.

13. A combination as set forth in claim 12, further comprising abutting flange and web means provided on said components for preventing displacements of said components in said horizontal plane.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 395,859 1/1889 Turyman -199 1,613,864 1/1927 Ahlm 105-133 1,743,514 1/1930 Alley et a1. 105-34 2,084,861 6/1937 Michael et a1. 105-133 2,150,896 3/1939 Muchnic 105-199 2,184,102 12/1939 Piron 105-182 2,509,955 5/1950 Barnes 105-199 2,885,970 5/1959 Heumann 105-199 3,011,458 12/1961 Wirth et al. 105-196 3,013,507 12/1961 Stein 105-96 X 3,150,611 9/1964 Kugler 105-199 3,181,479 5/1965 Rumsey et al. 105-136 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner. LEO QUACKENBUSH, Examiner. H. BELTRAN, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A RAILWAY VEHICLE OF THE TYPE IN WHICH THE TRUCKS ARE FREE TO SWIVEL WITH RESPECT TO THE VEHICLE BODY WITHOUT A CENTRIC CONNECTION BETWEEN THE BODY AND THE TRUCKS, IN COMBINATION, A VEHICLE BODY; A TRUCK ADAPTED TO EXTEND AT LEAST IN PART BENEATH SAID BODY; AN ARRANGEMENT FOR SWIVELLY COUPLING SAID BODY TO SAID TRUCK, SAID ARRANGEMENT COMPRISING A FIRST COMPONENT RIGIDLY SECURED TO AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID BODY, A SECOND COMPONENT POSITIONED IN THE TRUCK BENEATH SAID COMPONENT FOR ROTATIVE MOVEMENTS WITH RESPECT TO THE TRUCK ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS, AND MEANS DETACHABLY SECURING SAID SECOND COMPONENT TO SAID FIRST COMPONENT SO THAT EACH THEREOF SHARES ALL ROTATIVE MOVEMENTS OF THE OTHER, SAID FIRST AND SECOND COMPONENTS DIFINING BETWEEN THEMSELVES A SUSBTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING CHANNEL OPEN AT OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF, SAID FIRST AND SECOND COMPONENTS INCLUDING PORTIONS DEFINING RESPECTIVELY UPPER AND LOWER BOUNDARIES OF SAID CHANNEL; AND OPERATING MEANS FOR SAID VEHICLE MOUNTED ON SAID TRUCK AND INCLUDING AN ELONGATED PORTION EXTENDING THROUGH SAID CHANNEL SO THAT WITHOUT INTERFERING WITH SAID OPERATING MEANS SAID BODY AND SAID FIRST COMPONENT MAY BE LIFTED WITH RESPECT TO SAID TRUCK AND SAID SECOND COMPONENT WHEN SAID COMPONENTS ARE DISCONNECTED FROM EACH OTHER.