Method for a utility extension of an off-road vehicle having a dump body

• US 5,102,198 A
• Filed: 10/02/1991
• Issued: 04/07/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LeRoy G Hagenbuch
• Original Assignee: LeRoy G Hagenbuch
• Inventors: Hagenbuch, Leroy G.
• Primary Examiner(s): DAYOAN, DARRELL G
• Application Number:
  US07/769,585
• Time in Patent Office: 188 Days
• Field of Search: 298/1 R, 298/17 B, 298/17 S, 298/17 SG, 298/17 T, 293/117, 293/118, 280/763.1
• US Class Current: 298/17.00B
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 3/00 Fittings to facilitate pushing B60D1/00 takes precedence; vehicle bumpers B60R19/02; steering arrangements for backing a normally-drawn trailer B62D13/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/04 with a tipping movement of load-transporting element dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/56 Fittings damping bouncing force in truck collisions, e.g. bumpers; Arrangements on high-riding vehicles, e.g. lorries, for preventing vehicles or objects from running thereunder

Abstract

A method for providing an extension to the frame of a heavy-duty, off-road vehicle such that the frame is accessible from the posterior area of the vehicle for pushing or pulling. By providing such an extension, the vehicle may pull or be pushed, pulled or bumped without risking damage to the body of the vehicle which typically overhangs the most rearward portion of the frame. In order to allow for rotation of the body to dump loads, the extension is operably coupled to the body and frame such that it is automatically rotated to an out-of-the-way position during the dumping of a load.

Claims

1. A method of preventing serious injury to the operators of heavy-duty, off-road vehicles resulting from collisions between a most posterior portion of a ducktail-type dump body of a first vehicle and any portion of a second vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

extending a bumper assembly that is pivotally secured to a frame of the first vehicle such that a free end of the bumper assembly is positioned proximate to a first vertical plane including the most posterior portion of the ducktail-type dump body when the dump body is in a lowered position;

colliding the first and second vehicles;

conducting a force resulting from the collision along at least one rigid horizontal bar of the bumper assembly and directly to the frame, wherein the horizontal bar provides an unyielding barrier between the most posterior portion of the ducktail-type dump body of the first vehicle and any portion of the second vehicle;

preventing the most posterior portion of the ducktail-type dump body of the first vehicle from seriously damaging the second vehicle, regardless of which vehicle is moving towards the other vehicle; and

mechanically linking the dump body and the bumper assembly such that when the dump body is rotated into a raised position the free end is forward of a second vertical plane including a most posterior portion of a bed of the dump body.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said force is transferred to said frame from a vehicle pushing on or colliding with said bumper assembly.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the bumper assembly includes a flat plate affixed to the free end of the bumper assembly, whereby the flat plate receives the force from the collision.

4. In a heavy-duty, off-road vehicle having a dump body pivotally mounted to a frame, a bumper assembly comprising:

a bar assembly including first and second bar means joined in a substantially traverse relationship wherein said first and second bar means are each comprised of at least one bar;

means for pivotally mounting a first end of said first bar means to said frame so that a force delivered along the length of said first bar means may be absorbed by said frame without effecting the pivoting ability of said first bar means; and

multi-jointed linkage means connecting said bar assembly to said dump body in an area of said dump body which is posterior of a hinge assembly joining said frame and body such that said bar assembly pivots about said mounting means in response to the pivoting of said dump body about said hinge assembly;

a method of aiding stability during the dumping of a load carried by said dump body using said bumper assembly comprising the steps of;

rotating said dump body to a fully raised position;

rotating said bar assembly in response to the rotation of said dump body so as to bring said second bar means in proximity to a ground surface and approximately parallel thereto;

producing a lateral force applied to said dump body in response to a weight of said load being dumped from said dump body; and

engaging said second bar means with said ground surface to resist tilting of said dump body in response to the lateral force being applied to said dump body.

5. The method as defined in claim 4, wherein a plate is attached to the second end of said second bar means, and said plate engages the ground surface to prevent tilting of said dump body.