Transportable bin or like object

• US 8,142,134 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2010
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Lavoie, Claude, Herman, Erin, Herman, Alvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Saul
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERRY JR, WILLIE WENDELL
• Application Number:
  US12/694,848
• Publication Number:
  US 20100196130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 414/812, 414/339, 414/346
• US Class Current: 414/812
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/00 Vehicles predominantly for transporting loads and modified to facilitate loading, consolidating the load, or unloading vehicles for carrying harvested crops with means for self-loading or self-unloading A01D90/00; peculiar to refuse collecting-vehicles B65F; loading or unloading vehicles by means not incorporated therein B65G

Abstract

A transportable apparatus has a main body in a working position with a bottom end resting on the ground. The bottom end of a frame is pivotally attached to the main body above the bottom end of the main body and the frame is aligned with a side of the main body. An actuator pivots the frame downward about the pivot axis to a transport position where the frame extends substantially horizontally away from the main body. Wheels support the frame and a hitch at a top end of the frame is adapted for connection to a tow vehicle when the frame is in the transport position. When the frame is connected to a tow vehicle, the actuator can be operated to pivot the main body downward about the pivot axis to a lowered transport position where the main body rests on the frame for transport on the wheels.

Claims

1. A transportable apparatus comprising:

a main body in a working position with a bottom end configured for resting on the ground, and sides extending upward from the bottom end, wherein the main body is one of a tank, a bin, and a silo;

a frame pivotally attached at a bottom end thereof to a lower portion of the main body about a substantially horizontal pivot axis located above the bottom end of the main body, the frame oriented in an upright stored position substantially aligned with a first side of the main body;

at least one cylinder disposed between and operatively coupling the main body to the frame, the at least one cylinder comprising a first end pivotally attached to the main body and a second end pivotally attached to the frame at a fixed location thereon, the at least one cylinder operative to extend thereby pivoting the frame from the stored position downward about the pivot axis to a lowered transport position where the frame extends substantially horizontally away from the main body and wherein wheels rotatably attached to the apparatus support the apparatus for movement along the ground;

a hitch at a top end of the frame adapted for connection to a tow vehicle when the frame is in the transport position;

wherein, when the frame is connected to a tow vehicle, the at least one cylinder operative to retract thereby pivoting the main body downward about the pivot axis wherein the first side of the main body rests on the frame.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the main body has a weight sufficient to maintain the main body in the working position when the at least one cylinder is operated to move the frame downward to the lowered transport position.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the main body is configured to be anchored in the working position to maintain the main body in the working position when the at least one cylinder is operated to move the frame downward to the lowered transport position.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pivot axis is oriented substantially parallel to a rotational axis of the wheels.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the wheels are rotatably attached to the frame.

6. A method of transporting a transportable apparatus comprising a main body, the method comprising:

providing the main body in a working position with a bottom end configured for resting on a ground surface, and sides extending upward from the bottom end, wherein the main body is one of a tank, a bin, and a silo, and wherein the bottom end of a frame is pivotally attached to a lower portion of the main body about a substantially horizontal pivot axis located above the bottom end of the main body;

positioning the frame in a stored position substantially aligned with a first side of the main body;

maintaining the main body in the working position and operating at least one cylinder, disposed between and operatively coupled to the main body and to the frame, to extend and pivot the frame from the stored position downward about the pivot axis to a lowered transport position where the frame extends substantially horizontally away from the main body, the at least one cylinder comprising a first end pivotally attached to the main body and a second end pivotally attached to the frame at a fixed location thereon;

supporting the apparatus on wheels for movement along the ground;

providing a hitch at a top end of the frame and connecting a tow vehicle to the hitch when the frame is in the transport position;

operating the at least one cylinder to retract and pivot the main body downward about the pivot axis wherein the first side of the main body rests on the frame; and

towing the frame and the main body to a desired location.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

maneuvering the frame such that the bottom end of the main body is adjacent to a desired main body location;

operating the at least one cylinder to pivot the main body from the lowered transport position upward about the pivot axis to the working position;

disconnecting the tow vehicle from the hitch; and

operating the at least one cylinder to move the frame upward to the stored position while maintaining the main body in the working position.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the main body has a weight sufficient to maintain the main body in the working position when the at least one cylinder is operated to move the frame downward to the transport position.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising anchoring the main body in the raised working position to maintain the main body in the working position when the at least one cylinder is operated to move the frame downward to the transport position.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the pivot axis is oriented substantially parallel to a rotational axis of the wheels.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein the wheels are rotatably attached to the frame.