Method of off-loading a container from a tilt bed trailer

Abstract

A trailer winch assembly (100) is provided for loading containers (52, 53, 94, 96) onto a trailer (50). The winch assembly (100) comprises two movable winch apparatuses (102, 104) mounted on a winch transport assembly (106). A wheel assembly (200) having a rigid wheel frame (202), a wheel (206) rotatably and slidable supported in the wheel frame (202), and an attachment assembly (204) utilizes a jack (298) to raise the container onto the wheel. An off-load foot (350) including a downwardly extending leg (354) having a base (396) for engaging a ground surface (85) is utilized to off-load containers. A container lockdown mechanism (500) includes a securement member (504) attached to the trailer (50), an attachment member (502), and an extension member (506) extended between the container and the securement member (504) to hold the container (52) on the trailer (50). A bottom wheel assembly (600), an intermediate lockdown mechanism (700), a front lockdown mechanism (750), and a container foot (800) to transport the containers (52, 94, 96) with the wheel assemblies (600) and container foot (800) attached to the containers (52, 94, 96). The invention utilizes a universal mounting bracket (602) which can be used to mount a selected one of the wheel assembly (600), the container foot (800), and lockdown extensions (662, 664) which form part of the lockdown mechanisms (700, 750). The wheel assembly (600) includes three wheels (604, 606, 608) rotatably mounted on the mounting bracket (602) by a wheel axle (610) from which the lockdown extensions (662, 664) extend. The front and intermediate lockdown mechanisms (700, 750) each include a securement portion (702, 752) and a trailer attachment portion (704, 754). The container foot (800) includes a pivotally mounted platform (804), and the container foot (800) is held in a container foot receiving slot (814, 816) during transport.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.