US 5,344,271 A · Trailer dumper

Abstract

A portable low-profile tipper for dumping the contents from a trailer containing a dumpable material, includes a towable elongated and angled frame having a portion resting on the ground during dumping for greater stability. A deck is pivotally attached at an elevated position to the frame back end. The deck has a backstop for positioning the trailer during dumping. Actuators raise and lower the deck to dump the trailer contents. The tipper has a chute with fixed and pivoting components cooperating to guide the dumpable material from the trailer past the frame back end. Front and back stabilizers extend outwardly from the frame. The front stabilizers lift and lower the frame front end between a low-profile dumping position and a raised towing position. A method of successively removing the contents from a plurality of trailers using the tipper is also provided.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A portable tipper for dumping the contents from a trailer containing a dumpable material through a back opening of the trailer, the tipper comprising:

an elongated tipper frame having front and back ends, first and second lateral sides, and upper and lower frame surfaces;
a deck positioned over said frame having front and back ends, and first and second lateral sides, the deck including a backstop located a first distance from the deck back end for positioning the trailer during dumping;
the tipper frame also having a pivot means positioned above the upper frame surface at the tipper frame back end, pivotally connecting the deck back end to the tipper frame;
elevating means operatively arranged between the deck and the tipper frame for pivotally raising and lowering the deck front end with respect to the upper frame surface;
and
a chute attached to the deck back end for guiding the dumpable material in a duping direction from the trailer past the deck back end, wherein the chute is pivotally attached to the frame back end with a pivoting chute retracting means coupling the pivoting chute to the frame for pivotally raising and lowering the pivoting chute, so as to pivot the chute from a raised position to a lowered position independent of the raising and lowering of the deck.

3 more elements

A portable tipper for dumping the contents from a trailer containing a dumpable material through a back opening of the trailer, the tipper comprising:

an elongated tipper frame having front and back ends, first and second lateral sides, an upper frame surface, a first and second portion, with the second portion inclined with respect to the first portion at a large obtuse angle, and the first portion engaging a ground surface in substantial parallel relation with the ground surface while in a dumping position, and a pivot means positioned above the upper frame surface at the tipper frame back end pivotally connecting the deck back end to the tipper frame;
a deck positioned over said frame having a first and second lateral sides, front and back ends, the deck back end being pivotally attached to the tipper frame back end, including a backstop located a first distance from the deck back end for positioning the trailer during dumping, and including a deck surface laying in an inclined relation relative to the ground surface on which the tipper rests when the deck is in a lowered position adjacent the upper frame surface, with the deck surface being inclined from the deck front end upwardly toward the deck back end;
elevating means operatively arranged between the frame and the deck for lowering the deck front end to receive the trailer, and for elevating the deck front end above the upper frame surface for dumping the trailer contents;
a chute attached to the deck back end for guiding the dumpable material from the trailer past the deck back end;
an apron detachably attached to the tipper frame back end for preventing the dumpable material from flowing under the tipper, including a pair of vertically movable back stabilizers attached to the apron operable to be lowered to engage the ground surface to stabilize the tipper, the back stabilizers being elevatable to disengage the ground surface on which the tipper rests for moving the tipper, further including a pair of wing portions, one wing portion on each outboard side extending outward from the tipper back end, wherein each portion is angled forward the tipper back end such that a rear most edge of each stabilizer is at least forward of the tipper back end, and including side skirts detachably attached to the apron and extending upward from the apron to prevent the dumpable material from flowing forwardly from the deck back end;
a pair of frame side members detachably attached to the tipper frame at a first distance from the tipper frame front end with a pair of vertically movable front stabilizers mounted to an outboard side of each frame side member operable to be lowered to engage the ground surface adjacent the tipper, the front stabilizers further operable to be raised to disengage the ground surface on which the tipper rests for moving the tipper, such as to a new dumping location at a first dumping site;
a ramp having a back end pivotally attached to the tipper frame front end so that the ramp may be pivoted upward to a raised position for moving the tipper and be pivoted adjacent the deck front end when the deck is in a lowered position;
a highway towing means detachably attached to the tipper frame front end for towing the tipper between sites;
a dragging means, including a skid plate attached to the lower frame surface and a cable assembly attached to the frame front end, for dragging the tipper to various locations at a first dumping site;
a plurality of retaining means attached to the first and second lateral sides of the deck, each extending above the trailer for retaining the trailer on the deck while dumping;
and
a power means for elevating the front and back stabilizers and the deck, comprising an engine detachably attached to the first lateral side of the tripper frame and a hydraulic reservoir detachably attached to the second lateral side of the tipper frame.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Trailer dumper

Life of this patent

Trailer dumper

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23