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US 6,957,822 B2Granted
Tractor unit/trailer combination for suspended transport of equipment
AssigneeExtec Screens and Crushers Limited
InventorsPaul Douglas, Terence Bratton
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AssigneeExtec Screens and Crushers Limited
InventorsPaul Douglas, Terence Bratton
Estimating the term…
A tractor unit/trailer combination which is capable of carrying out suspended transport of a heavy duty piece of equipment, with the equipment being coupled at its forward end to the tractor unit and at its rear end to the trailer, and in such a way that the equipment remains suspended above the ground while at the same time forming an articulated connection between the tractor unit and the trailer. The tractor unit has a fifth wheel coupling to which the forward end of the piece of equipment can be coupled. The trailer has an inclined support ramp on which the rear end of the piece of equipment can be supported. A coupling plate is provided which is able to couple the forward end of the piece of equipment to the fifth wheel coupling. Upon uncoupling of the piece of equipment from the tractor unit and the trailer, when it has reached its destination, the trailer can then be coupled directly to the tractor unit so as to form a tractor unit/combination.
A tractor unit/trailer combination which is capable of carrying out suspended transport of a heavy duty piece of equipment, with the equipment being directly coupled at a forward end to the tractor unit and at a rear end to the trailer, and in such a way that the equipment remains suspended above the ground while at the same time forming an articulated connection between the tractor unit and the trailer, and comprising:
A method of loading/unloading a heavy duty piece of equipment on/off a tractor unit/trailer combination for transporting the equipment, the combination having a tractor unit provided with a fifth wheel coupling and a trailer having an inclined support ramp, and comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Disintegrating plant with or without drying of the material: transportable disintegrating plant
Vehicles adapted to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects: for carrying vehicles
Having inclinable, lowerable platforms; Lift bed trailers; Straddle trailers: inclining platforms by detachable or folding swan necks
Component parts of dredgers or soil-shifting machines, not restricted to one of the kinds covered by groups E02F3/00 - E02F7/00: devices for…
Term ended 19 Feb 2023 (estimated)
This invention relates to a tractor unit/trailer combination which is intended to transport a large piece of heavy duty equipment as a suspended load out of contact with the ground and suspended between the tractor unit and the trailer.
The invention is primarily concerned with the transport of heavy duty equipment from one site to another, and while maintaining the equipment out of contact with the ground during transport.
It is, of course, well known to transport heavy earth moving equipment on low loaders, but in cases in which the equipment is of substantial height, there can be a problem when the chosen route involves passing under a low bridge.
A preferred embodiment of tractor unit/trailer combination according to the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a side view of the tractor unit and trailer directly coupled together, ready for return to base after having transported a heavy duty piece of equipment to site as a suspended load; and
FIG. 2 is a side view, similar to FIG. 1, showing how the heavy duty piece of equipment is suspended as a load between the tractor unit and the trailer, while at the same time forming an articulated connection therebetween.
Referring now to the drawings, a tractor unit/trailer combination according to the invention is designated generally by reference 10 and comprises tractor unit 11 having a cab 12 and a fifth wheel coupling 13 mounted on a chassis 14 of the tractor unit.
FIG. 1 shows a trailer 15 directly coupled with the tractor unit 11 via a towbar 16, and this shows the tractor unit and trailer in a configuration ready for return to base after having delivered a heavy duty piece of equipment to site as a suspended load.
Referring now to FIG. 2, a typical heavy duty piece of equipment is shown by reference 17, and which, by way of example only, is a self-propelled crushing machine having a pair of endless tracks 18 which allow the machine 17 to be manoeuvred on site. The illustrated example of machine 17 is a self-propelled crusher made and sold by Extec Screens and Crushers Limited under the trade mark IMPACTOR.