Vehicle assembly having a sloped gate

A method of dumping a load out of a tank trailer, comprising steps of:

• providing a tank trailer having a cylindrical body including a top, a bottom, a front and a rear;
• wherein a longitudinal axis extends between the front and rear, and a vertical plane extends between the top and bottom, and wherein the top, bottom, front, and rear bounds and defines a compartment;
• orienting the rear at an acute angle relative to the vertical plane;
• defining an opening in the rear that is in communication with the compartment;
• providing a gate at the rear, wherein the gate is selectively movable between a closed position and an open position;
• placing a load in the compartment and moving the gate to the closed position to close off access to the compartment;
• moving a locking mechanism provided on the gate or on the body from an unlocked position to a locked position;
• carrying the load in the compartment;
• defining a chute in a rear end of the body;
• wherein the chute comprises a portion of each of a left side and a right side of the body as well as a portion of the bottom;
• and
• moving the locking mechanism from the locked position to the unlocked position;
• wherein the moving of the locking mechanism to the unlocked position includes:
• actuating a first actuator of the locking mechanism to rotate a center plate in one of a clockwise and a counter-clockwise direction;
• moving locking rods of the locking mechanism inwardly towards the center plate;
• actuating a second actuator that is operatively engaged with the body and the gate;
• and the method further includes:
• moving the gate from the closed position to the open position;
• and
• removing the load from the compartment through the chute.

A tank trailer comprising:

• a cylindrical body having a circumferential wall, wherein the body includes a front and a rear;
• and wherein the wall bounds and define an interior compartment adapted to carry a load, and wherein the rear includes an inclined rear edge that bounds and defines an opening to the compartment, and wherein the opening is of substantially a same circumference as the circumferential wall;
• a gate movable between an open position and a closed position, and when in the closed position, the gate blocks the opening;
• a locking mechanism operative to move the gate between a locked position and an unlocked position, and when the locking mechanism is in the locked position the gate is unable to move to the open position;
• wherein the locking mechanism comprises:
• a center plate;
• a first actuator operative to rotate the center plate in one of a clockwise direction and a counter-clockwise direction;
• at least one locking rod operative to selectively move one of inwardly toward the center plate and outwardly toward the rear of the circumferential wall;
• and
• a second actuator operatively engaged with the cylindrical body and the gate, wherein the second actuator is actuated to move the gate between the open position and the closed position.