GB2268152A

GB2268152A - Vehicles for moving loads

Info

Publication number: GB2268152A
Application number: GB9213482A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Jonathan Berry
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-06-25
Filing date: 1992-06-25
Publication date: 1994-01-05
Anticipated expiration: 2012-06-25
Also published as: GB2268152B; GB9213482D0

Abstract

A vehicle having a forward-mounted load-bed (12), a crane (22) with which the load-bed (12) may be loaded or unloaded, a forward-facing seat (10) that is positioned behind the load-bed (12) and controls (18) that are operable from the seat (10) and are situated between the load-bed (12) and the seat( 10), so that the crane may be controlled and the vehicle may be driven. Preferably the vehicle is articulated for steering and may be used for thinning or harvesting trees. <IMAGE>

Description

VEHICLES FOR MOVING LOADS This invention relates to vehicles for moving loads.

The background to the invention will be explained in relation to forestry but, as will be apparent, the general principles of the invention are useful in other fields.

At a stage in the growth of a wood it is the usual practice to thin the trees out by felling either selectively or, in the case of a plantation, alternate rows. The thinning is carried out at a stage when the felled trees provide logs of sizes suitable for paper pulp, chipboard, stakes, bars for fencing panels, posts etc.

After felling, the logs thus require extracting from the wood. This is usually carried out by use of a forwarder. A trailer on which logs are loaded longitudinally, is towed by a tractor vehicle which may incorporate a crane for loading the logs on the trailer. In some cases the tractor vehicle is purpose built, in others it is a general purpose agricultural tractor. Such vehicles can only be used to extract logs directly, when line thinning by which alternate rows of trees are removed. The vehicle is too long and cumbersome to manoeuvre to the site of a tree which has been felled when selective thinning is carried out.

Even in line thinning, the rows of trees after thinning are too close together to allow the tractor/trailer combination to be turned round, so that the vehicle has to reverse in or reverse out, neither of which is convenient. For selective thinning, logs are skidded out using winches or tractors fitted with hydrotongs.

This practice commonly damages the standing trees since it is not often that a tree will fall in just such an orientation that it can be skidded straight out without skinning standing trees.

Against this background, the invention provides a vehicle having a forward mounted load bed; a crane by which the load bed may be loaded and unloaded; a forward facing seat mounted behind the load bed; and controls operable from the seat, and mounted between the seat and the load bed, by which the vehicle may be driven and the crane controlled.

Conveniently, the vehicle may be manufactured using dumper truck chassis to which the crane is fitted. Although for some applications the vehicle may be fitted with a tipping hopper common on conventional dumper trucks, for forestry work, a load bed is fitted suitable for carrying logs and the crane is fitted with a timber grab.

The vehicle may be shorter than an equivalent tractor and trailer arrangement. For example, I have constructed a vehicle which is capable of carrying a 1.5 ton payload and which is less than 4 metres long overall. The reduction in length enables the vehicle to be taken right to the site of a tree that has been selectively felled, where it can usually be turned. If it cannot be turned, it is much more convenient to reverse out a short vehicle which is a single unit, than a long tractor and trailer combination. In the case of line thinning, there is usually 12 or 16 feet left between the rows after thinning. The vehicle can easily be turned between the trees left standing.

In longer version of the vehicle the logs may be loaded with their lengths fore and aft. However, it is convenient, to construct the load bed with upstanding members at its forward and rearward ends so that logs may be laid across the vehicle. This facilitates a short vehicle so improving manoeuvrability. The longest logs normally extracted are 3 meters long for paper pulp. Even with the spacing between rows 12 feet after thinning, there is ample room to turn the vehicle and drive out. When the spacing is 16 feet, there is even more room.

In a preferred form the vehicle has wheels on both parts of an articulated chassis and means for positioning one chassis part relative to the other so as to steer the vehicle. This can give the vehicle very good manoeuvrability. In this form the crane is preferably mounted on the same chassis part as the load bed.

In order to reduce the length of the vehicle, the engine is preferably mounted under the seat. That would be more difficult to arrange with the load be mounted behind the seat.

In preferred forms the vehicle is less than 7 metres overall. Even more preferably the vehicle is less than 5 metres overall and most preferably less than 4 metres.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a side view of a vehicle embodying the invention.

The vehicle illustrated has an articulated chassis comprising parts 2 and 4. An engine 6 which provides the motive power and power for the vehicle's hydraulics is mounted on the chassis part 4 inside an engine cover 8.

Two wheels are mounted on each of the chassis parts 2 and 4 (only one is visible on each part in the drawing) and all four wheels are driven by the engine 6 via a transmission system (not shown).

A seat 10 for the driver is mounted on the engine cover 8 and faces forward so that the driver looks to the right as seen in the drawing over the other chassis part 2 on which is mounted a load bed 12.

The chassis parts 2 and 4 are linked by a king pin arrangement 14 and are positioned one in relation to the other by operation of a hydraulic ram 16.

Operation of the ram is controlled by a steering wheel 18 mounted with other controls on a pedestal 19 between the seat 10 and the load bed 12 so that an operator sitting on the seat can steer the vehicle. Other controls operable from the seat, so that the operator can drive the vehicle therefrom, include clutch and brake pedals 20 (only one of which is visible in the drawing).

Mounted on the chassis part 2 behind the load bed 12 and to one side so as not to obscure the operator's view forward, is a crane 22. The crane has a pedestal 24 which may be swivelled, and an articulated boom comprising members 26 and 28 which may be positioned pivotally relative to one another and to the pedestal by operation of hydraulic rams 30 and 32, all under control of control levers 34 mounted on the control pedestal 19 so as also to be operable from the seat.

At the end of the boom is mounted a timber grab 33, also operable from the control levers 34. In the drawing, the various hydraulic hoses necessary to operate the steering and the crane are omitted so as not to obscure the structure.

The load bed has an upstanding fence 34 at its rear and removable pins 34 forward (only one is visible in the drawing) so that logs may be laid across the vehicle. The vehicle is about 12 feet long overall, less than 4 metres. Even with logs laid crossways, their length of up to 3 metres leaves the vehicle highly manoeuvrable in the confines of a wood. Thus the vehicle may be easily turned between the rows left after thinning and can normally be taken to each tree to be felled during selective thinning. In the event that it is not possible to turn the vehicle, reversing it out is a much simpler job than would be the case for a longer tractor and trailer combination. Compared with the conventional combination of a tractor vehicle and a tractor, the vehicle also is able to load from or unload to a greater area. The crane is able to reach the area directly in front of the vehicle as well as the area to either side. The crane in a conventional tractor/trailer combination is not able to reach beyond the end of the trailer, so that loading and unloading can only take place from the side.

The vehicle illustrated is highly manoeuvrable and has a payload of about 1.5 tons. Although that may appear low compared with conventional forwarders, I find that the rate of extraction is substantially improved, doubled for example. In other examples, not illustrated, it may be desired to increase the payload and the vehicle may be longer overall as a result.

Thus the vehicle may be up to, say, 5 metres or 7 metres overall. In such longer examples, it may be possible to lay the logs longitudinally.

Claims

1. A vehicle having a forward mounted load bed; a crane by which the load bed may be loaded and unloaded; a forward facing seat mounted behind the load bed; and controls operable from the seat, and mounted between the seat and the load bed, by which the vehicle may be driven and the crane controlled.

2. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, having wheels on both parts of an articulated chassis and means for positioning one chassis part relative to the other so as to steer the vehicle.

3. A vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the crane is mounted on the same chassis part as the load bed.

4. A vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the engine is mounted under the seat.

5. A vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the load bed is suitable for carrying logs and the crane is fitted with a timber grab.

6. A vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein the load bed is provided with upstanding members at its forward and rearward ends so that logs may be laid across the vehicle.

7. A vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim, having an overall length less than 7 metres

8. A vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim, having an overall length less than 5 metres.

9. a vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim, having an overall length less than 4 metres.