Sequential pivoting mechanism for side dumping trailers

• US 6,106,072 A
• Filed: 05/11/1999
• Issued: 08/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lloyd L. Lutter Jr
• Original Assignee: Lloyd L. Lutter Jr
• Inventors: Lutter, Lloyd L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gordon, Stephen T.
• Application Number:
  US09/309,703
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 298/13, 298/17.5, 298/17.6, 298/17.7, 298/17.8, 298/18
• US Class Current: 298/17.7
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/165 tipping movement about a fore and aft axis

Abstract

A sequential pivoting mechanism for side dumping trailers, which allows the containment vessel to be initially pivoted upon a near point and subsequently pivoted upon a far point, while still allowing the containment vessel to be dumped to either side of the trailer frame. The mechanism comprises at least one forward and one rearward support beam of substantial length, which are affixed to the longitudinal members of the trailer frame. Atop of each support beam is secured an inwardly positioned pair of pivot pin receivers, and an outwardly positioned pair of pivot pin receivers secured on each side thereof. Each receiver has an associated pivot pin secured to the sidewalls of the containment vessel, positioned in a manner as to coincide with these receivers. Each inwardly positioned receiver is provided with a hydraulically-actuated, pivot pin locking and releasing device, which can be remotely controlled and are used to selectively release either the right or left side pivot pins to allow the containment vessel to be initially rotated to the side opposite that of the released pins, when the containment vessel is acted upon by extension of the lifting cylinders. The outwardly positioned receivers are also provided with a pivot pin locking and releasing device which when actuated by contact from their associated pivot pins, cause the inwardly positioned locking devices on the dumping side to be urged into the released position. This allows for the containment vessel to be subsequently pivoted upon a far point. Conversely, after the dumping operation is complete, retraction of the lift cylinders creates a lack of contact, which allows the inwardly positioned locking devices to be drawn over their associated pivot pins. The containment vessel is completely locked in the normal transport position as the lift cylinders become fully retracted and the hydraulic pressure is released from the orginally actuated inwardly positioned locking devices, thus allowing these locking devices to be drawn over their associated pivot pins.

Claims

1. In a side dump trailer of the type comprising an elongated containment vessel having at least a front wall at its forward end, a rear wall at its rearward end, and first and second sidewalls which extend upwardly and outwardly from a bottom enclosure means to an open upper end for receiving materials to be transported, and is pivotably mounted upon a wheeled trailer frame by a pivoting mechanism which allows said containment vessel, having interior and exterior surfaces and having its said first sidewall on one side thereof, and its said second sidewall on the other side thereof, to be selectively dumped by hydraulic means to either side thereof, a sequential pivoting mechanism for side dump trailers wherein the improvement comprises:

at least one forward and one rearward elongated support beam of substantial length positioned perpendicularly with respect to spaced apart longitudinal members of said frame and affixed thereto so as to become an integral part thereof, and having their ends projecting outwardly therefrom at equal distances;

a first pivot pin receiver mounted atop said forward support beam, said first pivot pin receiver of said forward support beam inwardly positioned a predetermined distance from the midpoint of said forward support beam'"'"'s length on said one side thereof;

a second pivot pin receiver mounted atop said forward support beam, said second pivot pin receiver of said forward support beam inwardly positioned a predetermined distance from the midpoint of said forward support beam'"'"'s length on said other side thereof;

a first pivot pin receiver mounted atop said rearward support beam, said first pivot pin receiver of said rearward support beam inwardly positoned a predetermined distance from the midpoint of said rearward support beam'"'"'s length on said one side thereof;

a second pivot pin receiver mounted atop said rearward support beam, said second pivot pin receiver of said rearward support beam inwardly positioned a predetermined distance from the midpoint of said rearward support beam'"'"'s length on said other side thereof;

an outlying third pivot pin receiver mounted atop said forward support beam, said third pivot pin receiver of said forward support beam adjacent said one side thereof;

an outlying fourth pivot pin receiver mounted atop said forward support beam, said fourth pivot pin receiver of said forward support beam adjacent said other side thereof;

an outlying third pivot pin receiver mounted atop said rearward support beam, said third pivot pin receiver of said rearward support beam adjacent said one side thereof;

an outlying fourth pivot pin receiver mounted atop said rearward support beam, said fourth pivot pin receiver of said rearward support beam adjacent said other side thereof;

a first horizontally disposed pivot pin secured to the exterior surface of said first sidewall of said containment vessel adjacent the forward and bottom end thereof;

a second horizontally disposed pivot pin secured to the exterior surface of said second sidewall of said containment vessel adjacent the forward and bottom end thereof;

a first horizontally disposed pivot pin secured to the exterior surface of said first sidewall of said containment vessel adjacent the rearward and bottom end thereof;

a second horizontally disposed pivot pin secured to the exterior surface of said second sidewall of said containment vessel adjacent the rearward and bottom end thereof;

a third horizontally disposed pivot pin secured to the exterior surface of said first sidewall, adjacent the forward end thereof, positioned medially a predetermined distance between said forward first pivot pin and the open upper end of said containment vessel;

a fourth horizontally disposed pivot pin secured to the exterior surface of said second sidewall, adjacent the forward end thereof, positioned medially a predetermined distance between said forward second pivot pin and the open upper end of said containment vessel;

a third horizontally disposed pivot pin secured to the exterior surface of said first sidewall, adjacent the rearward end thereof, positioned medially between said rearward first pivot pin and the open upper end of said containment vessel;

a fourth horizontally disposed pivot pin secured to the exterior surface of said second sidewall, adjacent the rearward end thereof, positioned medially between said rearward second pivot pin and the open upper end of said containment vessel;

said containment vessel being pivotably mounted to said wheeled frame by releasable connection of each of said first and second forward pivot pins to a respective one of said first and second forward pivot pin receivers and releasable connection of each of said first and second rearward pivot pins to a respective one of said first and second rearward pivot pin receivers;

a first and a second forward releasable locking means, each mounted adjacent a respective one of said first and second forward pivot pin receivers, and a first and a second rearward releasable locking means each mounted adjacent a respective one of said first and second rearward pivot pin receivers for releasably securing said first and second forward and rearward pivot pins within a respective one of said forward and rearward pivot pin receivers;

a third and a fourth forward releasable locking means, each mounted adjacent a respective one of said third and fourth forward pivot pin receivers, and a third and a fourth rearward releasable locking means each mounted adjacent a respective one of said third and fourth rearward pivot pin receivers for releasably securing said third and fourth forward and rearward pivot pins within a respective one of said forward and rearward pivot pin receivers;

a first forward connection means to pivotably interconnect said first forward releasable locking means to said third forward releasable locking means;

a second forward connection means to pivotably interconnect said second forward releasable locking means to said fourth forward releasable locking means;

a first rearward connection means to pivotably interconnect said first rearward releasable locking means to said third rearward releasable locking means;

a second rearward connection means to pivotably interconnect said second rearward releasable locking means to said fourth rearward releasable locking means;

means for simultaneously selectively urging either said first forward and rearward releasable locking means or said second forward and rearward releasable locking means into their unlocked positions;

a first power cylinder having a base end pivotably secured to a forward hydraulic cylinder mount secured to a forward surface of said forward support beam intermediate the sides thereof forwardly of said containment vessel and a rod end secured to said front wall of said containment vessel intermediate the sides thereof;

a second power cylinder having a base end pivotably secured to a rearward hydraulic cylinder mount secured to a rearward surface of said rearward support beam intermediate the sides thereof rearwardly of said containment vessel and a rod end secured to said rear wall of said containment vessel intermediate the sides thereof;

and means for simultaneously selectively extending the rods of said first and second power cylinders whereby said containment vessel will be initially rotated to dump the material therein to said one side thereof when said first releasable locking means are in their locked positions and said second releasable locking means have been moved into their unlocked position by their urging means and subsequently rotated when said third releasable locking means have been moved into their locked position and said first releasable locking means have been moved into their unlocked position as a result of contact of said third pivot pins with said third releasable locking means, and whereby said containment vessel will be initially rotated to dump the material therein to said other side thereof when said second releasable locking means are in their locked positions and said first releasable locking means have been moved into their unlocked position by their urging means and subsequently rotated when said fourth releasable locking means have been moved into their locked position and said second releasable locking means have been moved into their unlocked position as a result of contact of said fourth pivot pins with said fourth releasable locking means.

2. The sequential pivoting mechanism of claim 1 wherein each of said third forward and rearward and said fourth forward and rearward releasable locking means includes a generally question mark shaped latch which is pivotably interconnected with a respective one of each of said first forward and rearward and said second forward and rearward releasable locking means.

3. The sequential pivoting mechanism of claim 2 wherein said latches of each of said third forward and rearward and said fourth forward and rearward releasable locking means are rotatably mounted adjacent its associated pivot pin receiver and are rotatably movable into engagement by contact from its associated pivot pin for rotatably maintaining said pivot pins and is rotatably movable out of engagement by lack of contact with its associated pivot pin for releasing said pivot pins.

4. The sequential pivoting mechanism of claim 3 wherein each of said third forward and rearward and said fourth forward and rearward releasable locking means is pivotably interconnected with a respective one of each of said first forward and rearward and said second forward and rearward releasable locking means whereby contact of said latches of said third forward and rearward releasable locking means by their associated pivot pins urges said first forward and rearward releasable locking means into their unlocked positions, and whereby contact of said latches of said fourth forward and rearward releasable locking means by their associated pivot pins urges said second forward and rearward releasable locking means into their unlocked positions.

5. The sequential pivoting mechanism of claim 3 wherein each of said third forward and rearward and said fourth forward and rearward releasable locking means is pivotably interconnected with a respective one of each of said first forward and rearward and said second forward and rearward releasable locking means whereby a lack of contact of said latches of said third forward and rearward releasable locking means by their associated pivot pins urges said first forward and rearward releasable locking means into their locked positions, and whereby a lack of contact of said latches of said fourth forward and rearward releasable locking means by their associated pivot pins urges said second forward and rearward releasable locking means into their locked positions.