Method and means for providing rear steerability in a trailer assembly
First Claim
1. A method of providing auxiliary rear steering for a transport-type vehicle having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis at right angles to the longitudinal axis, said vehicle also having a substantial length and dual rear axles normally aligned for over-the-road operation with the transverse axis, said vehicle being further provided with a vertical axle movement effecting means for at least one of said dual axles and transverse axle rotation effecting means associated with at least one of said dual axles, comprising, when it is desired to auxiliarily steer said vehicle:
- (a) relieving the weight of said vehicle and any load thereupon from the one of said dual axles provided with the transverse axle rotation effecting means by at least partially raising said one dual axle relative to the other axle by operating the vertical axle movement effecting means,(b) when at least a substantial proportion of the combined weight of the vehicle and any load thereupon is relieved from said transversely rotatable axle, transversely rotating said transversely rotatable axle a predetermined amount deviating from alignment with the transverse axis of said vehicle to a non-transversely oriented alignment by operating said transverse axle rotation effecting means, the other dual axle remaining substantially aligned with the transverse axis of said vehicle,(c) after said transversely rotatable axle is rotated said predetermined amount, reapplying the combined weight of the vehicle and any load thereupon to the non-transversely oriented rotated dual axle by lowering said non-transversely oriented axle relative to the other dual axle,(d) at least partially removing the combined weight of the vehicle and any load thereupon from the transversely aligned axle by raising it relative to the non-transversely aligned axle,(e) moving the vehicle in a direction having a substantial component of motion parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle so that the non-transversely aligned rear axle initiates a component of motion of the rear portion of the vehicle at least partially to the side or with a component of motion transverse with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle in a desired direction, whereby the rear of the vehicle is caused to track in a different direction than it would otherwise upon activation of drive wheels associated with said vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tractor trailer or other truck or vehicle is equipped with an auxiliary rear steering arrangement in which one or both sets of dual wheels are equipped for vertical movement and/or a pivoted turning movement plus locking at various angles of turning. In operation, the weight of the truck and any load on the truck is removed from the dual wheel axle equipped for turning by either extending the other dual wheel to lift the trailer body or by lifting the turning equipped axle. Such axle is then turned and the weight of the truck returned to the turned axle and removed from the adjacent unturned dual axle while the truck is moved causing the trailer to move partly to the side. The wheels are then returned to the starting or road condition.
87 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method of providing auxiliary rear steering for a transport-type vehicle having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis at right angles to the longitudinal axis, said vehicle also having a substantial length and dual rear axles normally aligned for over-the-road operation with the transverse axis, said vehicle being further provided with a vertical axle movement effecting means for at least one of said dual axles and transverse axle rotation effecting means associated with at least one of said dual axles, comprising, when it is desired to auxiliarily steer said vehicle:
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(a) relieving the weight of said vehicle and any load thereupon from the one of said dual axles provided with the transverse axle rotation effecting means by at least partially raising said one dual axle relative to the other axle by operating the vertical axle movement effecting means, (b) when at least a substantial proportion of the combined weight of the vehicle and any load thereupon is relieved from said transversely rotatable axle, transversely rotating said transversely rotatable axle a predetermined amount deviating from alignment with the transverse axis of said vehicle to a non-transversely oriented alignment by operating said transverse axle rotation effecting means, the other dual axle remaining substantially aligned with the transverse axis of said vehicle, (c) after said transversely rotatable axle is rotated said predetermined amount, reapplying the combined weight of the vehicle and any load thereupon to the non-transversely oriented rotated dual axle by lowering said non-transversely oriented axle relative to the other dual axle, (d) at least partially removing the combined weight of the vehicle and any load thereupon from the transversely aligned axle by raising it relative to the non-transversely aligned axle, (e) moving the vehicle in a direction having a substantial component of motion parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle so that the non-transversely aligned rear axle initiates a component of motion of the rear portion of the vehicle at least partially to the side or with a component of motion transverse with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle in a desired direction, whereby the rear of the vehicle is caused to track in a different direction than it would otherwise upon activation of drive wheels associated with said vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus system for auxiliary rear steering of a transport-type vehicle having dual rear axles comprising:
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(a) a transversely rotatable mounting means for at least one of the dual rear axles of said vehicle, (b) a vertical displacement means for forcefully moving at least one of the dual rear axles of said vehicle in a vertical direction in response to a control signal, (c) means for exerting a horizontally oriented turning force on the rotatable mounting means, and (d) control means operable by the vehicle operator to vertically move the dual axle provided with the vertical movement means and to turn the rotatable mounting means in a horizontal plane in a sequence providing for effective relief of a major proportion of the weight of the vehicle and any cargo thereupon from the rear axle provided with the rotatable mounting means followed by turning of said rotatable rear axle followed by reapplication of the weight of the vehicle and any cargo to said rotated axle and effective relief from the other axle of a major proportion of the combined weight of the vehicle and any cargo thereupon and allowing the rear of the vehicle to be moved to the side upon the operation of the drive wheels of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A kit for retrofitting an auxiliary rear steering system to a dual rear axle tractor trailer combination comprising:
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(a) a transversely rotatable mounting means for mounting one dual axle to the trailer body, (b) a power means for interengagement between the trailer body and the rotatable mounting means to effect rotation of said rotatable mounting means, (c) a locking means having elements for attachment to the trailer body and said rotatable mounting means for locking said rotatable mounting means in a predetermined relationship with the tractor body, (d) control means for sequentially activating the power means and a vertical movement activation means provided for moving at least one of said dual axles to first remove weight from said rotatable mounting means and then turning said mounting. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. In a tractor trailer combination having dual rear axles on the trailer designed for over-the-highway operation with fixedly transversely disposed axles closely spaced in order to minimize scuffing and wear when negotiating a curve or corner, a means for allowing auxiliary steering of the rear of the trailer comprising:
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(a) a rotatable mounting for one of said axles to facilitate transverse rotational movement of said axle, (b) a means for forcefully vertically moving at least one of the axles such that the weight of the truck can be substantially supported consecutively upon the vertically movable axle and upon the other axle in a predetermined sequence, (c) power means for rotating the rotatable mounting to rotate the axle mounted thereupon to a desired angle which may be from a right angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said trailer to an angle within less than ninety degrees of said longitudinal axis while the weight of the trailer and any load thereupon is supported upon the other axle, (d) means to lock the rotatable mounting in both straight ahead and rotated position, and (e) power means to move the truck longitudinally while the rotatable mounting is rotated and the weight of the truck is substantially supported upon the rotated axle whereby the rear of the trailer component of the tractor trailer combination can be moved partially to the side in the direction in which the rotatable mounting of the axle is directed. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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31. A rear steering arrangement for a transport-type vehicle comprising:
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(a) pivoted mounting means for at least one of several multiple tire wheel assemblies at the rear of the vehicle each such assembly including an axle upon which multiple wheels are journaled, (b) the pivot point of said mounting means being located substantially forward of the axle upon which the multiple wheels of the assembly are journaled forming a pivotally mounted multiple wheel assembly, (c) means to at least partially relieve the weight of the transport-type vehicle from the pivotally mounted multiple wheel assembly, and (d) power means to pivot the multiple wheel assembly mounting while the weight of the truck body is at least partially relieved from such multiple wheel assembly, and (e) means to lock the pivoted mounting for multiple wheel assembly at a predetermined angle in the pivoted position as well as in transverse position at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the truck. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A rear steering arrangement for a truck comprising:
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(a) a pivoted mounting for a wheel assembly of at least one of several multiple wheel tire assemblies at the rear of the truck, (b) the pivot mechanism for such pivoted mounting being comprised of a top, middle and bottom plate, the middle plate being secured at least indirectly to structural members on the bottom of the truck, and the bottom plate being secured at least indirectly to an axle mounting forwardly of the axle and having a substantially round raised central portion having a dimension designed to fit snuggly but rotatably in a substantially round orifice within the center of the middle plate, the top plate being secured to the raised portion of the lower plate by fastener means and having a greater diameter than the orifice within the center of the middle plate, and (c) a bearing means provided at the rear of the pivoted assembly comprise of an upper arcuate beam secured at least indirectly to structural members on the bottom of the truck and a lower arcuate beam secured to the pivoted assembly in a position to remain adjacent to but circumferentially movable with respect to the upper curved beam during pivoting of the pivoted assembly.
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Specification