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US 4,398,738 AGranted
Self-steering and retractable axle assembly
OwnerThomas I. McDanielinventor
Life of this patent
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OwnerThomas I. McDanielinventor
Estimating the term…
A semi-trailer construction including forward coupling structure for universal coupling and support from a towing vehicle, a rear portion from which wheeled running gear is supported and an intermediate portion dependingly supporting supplemental wheeled running gear is provided. The supplemental wheeled running gear includes a mounting plate supported beneath the semi-trailer frame for oscillation relative thereto about a vertical axis and horizontal shifting relative to the frame along a predetermined path extending through the axis of oscillation of the mounting plate relative to the frame. The mounting plate supports a transverse axle assembly therefrom having support wheels journaled thereon and the axle assembly is disposed generally normal to the aforementioned path. The mounting plate may be shifted along the path between first and second limit positions with a vertical plane containing the axis of rotation of the support wheels and disposed normal to the aforementioned path disposed on opposite sides of the axis of oscillation of the mounting plate relative to the trailer frame. Further, the axle assembly is supported from the mounting plate for guided vertical movement relative thereto and is yieldingly biased downwardly relative to the mounting plate and may be selectively upwardly retracted relative to the mounting plate.
In combination with a semi-trailer of the type including a front portion for universal coupling to and support from a towing vehicle and a rear portion having wheeled running gear supported therefrom, supplemental wheeled running gear supported from an intermediate portion of said trailer disposed between said front and and rear portions, said supplemental wheeled running gear including a downwardly facing bearing plate stationarily mounted on said intermediate portion, a mounting plate supported from said bearing plate beneath the latter for free oscillation relative thereto about an upstanding axis and shifting of said mounting plate relative to said bearing plate along a predetermined path generally normal to said axis between first and second limit positions, said mounting plate having wheeled running gear supported therefrom including opposite side wheels journaled about horizontal axes extending substantially normal to said path, said axis being disposed on opposite sides of a vertical plane containing said axes when said mounting plate is in said first and second limit positions, and means operably connected between said mounting plate and said bearing plate operative to selectively shift said mounting plate between said first and second limit positions.
In combination with a vehicle chassis including a front portion for universal coupling to a towing vehicle and a rear portion having wheeled running gear supported therefrom, a transverse supplemental axle assembly supported from said chassis intermediate said front and rear portions, said transverse axle assembly including opposite side wheels journaled therefrom for rotation about a horizontal transverse axis, a mounting plate, suspension means supporting said transverse axle assembly from said mounting plate for vertical shifting relative to said mounting plate, means downwardly biasing said transverse axle assembly relative to said mounting plate, and means mounting said mounting plate from said chassis for horizontal shifting along a path disposed at generally right angles relative to said axle assembly and oscillation of said mounting plate about an upstanding axis relative to said chassis and intersecting said path, said mounting plate being shiftable between limit positions with said upstanding axis placed to the rear and forward of an upstanding plane containing said axle assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.