Land vehicles: dumping – Plural load units – Multiple dumping vehicles connected in tandem
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-12
2001-09-04
Gordon, Stephen T. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: dumping
Plural load units
Multiple dumping vehicles connected in tandem
C298S0170SG, C298S02200C
Reexamination Certificate
active
06283554
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to systems and methods for loading, transporting, and dumping bulk materials and, more specifically, to such systems and methods adapted to transport bulk materials over roadways and load and dump these materials at desired locations.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
During construction products, bulk materials such as dirt, gravel, and the like must be removed and deposited at the construction site. For example, often dirt must be removed from a site during excavation for a foundation. Gravel is then often dumped at the site and compacted to form a stable substrate for the foundation.
Conventionally, dump trucks are used to remove the dirt and deposit the gravel at the site. Dump trucks are high capacity vehicles that have a truck bed that may be tilted to dump the contents from the bed quickly and efficiently. In the example give, a loader would commonly be used to load dirt onto the truck during the excavation process. The truck will then take the dirt to a dumping location where the excavated dirt is to be deposited. The truck will then dump the excavated dirt at the dumping location. Gravel will normally be loaded onto the truck by an overhead conveyor or hopper. The truck will then take the gravel to the construction site and dump the gravel at the desired location.
To improve efficiency, dump trucks often tow a trailer that supports what will be referred to as a trailer bed. The trailer bed allows the truck to transport approximately twice the amount of dirt or gravel as a truck without a trailer bed. Conventionally, the trailer bed is loaded while on the trailer and dumped by transferring the trailer bed to the truck bed and then tilting the truck bed as described above.
The need exists for improved dump truck systems and methods that may be easily loaded and unloaded and can carry large loads during each trip.
The term “bulk material” will be used herein to refer to any material that may be loaded onto, transported by, and dumped from a dump truck of the kind to which the present invention relates. The term “desired location” will be used to refer to the precise point at which material is to be deposited, while the term “transfer site” will be used to refer more broadly to the general area surrounding the desired location.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A dump truck system comprising a vehicle, a trailer assembly on which is mounted a trailer bed, hitch means for connecting the trailer assembly to the vehicle, and trailer dump means for pivoting the trailer bed relative to the trailer about a dump axis. The trailer dump means allows bulk material within the trailer bed to be dumped directly from the trailer without transferring the trailer bed to the dump truck bed.
Optionally, the dump truck system may comprise a tilt assembly for tilting the trailer bed relative to the trailer assembly about a tilt axis, where the tilt axis is substantially parallel to the dump axis. The tilt assembly allows the operator to stabilize the dump truck system prior to raising the trailer bed using the trailer dump means.
The trailer assembly optionally comprises a trailer frame assembly, a tube member pivotally connected to the trailer frame assembly, and a suspension assembly arranged between the tube means and the trailer frame assembly to resiliently oppose transmission of shocks from the trailer frame assembly to the vehicle. The suspension assembly helps to absorb shock that would otherwise be transmitted to the truck.
The trailer assembly may optionally comprise a trailer frame assembly, a support tube member attached to the trailer frame assembly, a slide tube member that extends through and is supported by the support tube member. In this case, the slide tube member moves relative to the support tube member between a retracted position and an extended position. This facilitates transfer of the trailer bed to the truck bed and/or the use of the trailer dump assembly.
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General Trailer Company advertising materials, 1 page, no date.
K-Line Trailers Ltd. advertising materials, 1 page, no date.
Reliance advertising materials, 1 page, Jul. 2000.
Sturdy-Weld advertising materials, 6 pages, no date.
J&J Truck Bodies advertising materials, 1 page, Jul. 2000.
Columbia Body Mfg. Co. advertising materials, 1 page, Mar. 2000.
Knight Trailers Company Inc. advertising materials, 6 pages, no date.
Gordon Stephen T.
Hughes & Schacht, PLLC
Mountain Equipment, Inc.
Schacht Michael R.
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