GB2552449A

GB2552449A - Adjustable vehicle transportation apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2552449A
Application number: GB1608228.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mangnall Lee
Original assignee: Indespension Ltd
Current assignee: Indespension Ltd
Priority date: 2016-05-11
Filing date: 2016-05-11
Publication date: 2018-01-31
Also published as: GB201608228D0

Abstract

A vehicle transportation apparatus 2 (e.g. trailer) comprises wheels 12 on axle(s), a platform 11 for receiving a vehicle (e.g. a mini excavator machine), and one or more retaining means 1 (e.g. cowls) for securing a vehicle. The height and/or longitudinal position of the retaining means is adjustable relative to the platform, and/or longitudinal position of wheel axle(s) is adjustable relative to the platform. A calibrated scale (5, figures 2, 3) may allow cowls 1 to be adjusted based on known size of excavator tracks. The retaining means 1 may be provided with an end plate 13 to arrest longitudinal movement of a vehicle, a top plate 14 to restrict or prevent upward motion of excavator tracks, and a side plate 15 to prevent lateral movement. The retaining means and platform brackets (16, figure 4), 17 may comprise spaced holes (8, figure 1) and/or extending slots 3 for attachment by fasteners 4 (e.g. nuts and bolts). The wheel axles may comprise brackets 20 for wheel 12 position adjustment relative to the platform in accordance with centre of gravity of the excavator machine. The brackets 20 may be fixed at longitudinally spaced holes 19, 21 or slots on the chassis 10.

Description

(54) Title of the Invention: Adjustable vehicle transportation apparatus

Abstract Title: A vehicle transportation apparatus with adjustable retaining means and/or wheel axles (57) A vehicle transportation apparatus 2 (e.g. trailer) comprises wheels 12 on axle(s), a platform 11 for receiving a vehicle (e.g. a mini excavator machine), and one or more retaining means 1 (e.g. cowls) for securing a vehicle. The height and/or longitudinal position of the retaining means is adjustable relative to the platform, and/or longitudinal position of wheel axle(s) is adjustable relative to the platform. A calibrated scale (5, figures 2, 3) may allow cowls 1 to be adjusted based on known size of excavator tracks. The retaining means 1 may be provided with an end plate 13 to arrest longitudinal movement of a vehicle, a top plate 14 to restrict or prevent upward motion of excavator tracks, and a side plate 15 to prevent lateral movement. The retaining means and platform brackets (16, figure 4), 17 may comprise spaced holes (8, figure 1) and/or extending slots 3 for attachment by fasteners 4 (e.g. nuts and bolts). The wheel axles may comprise brackets 20 for wheel 12 position adjustment relative to the platform in accordance with centre of gravity of the excavator machine. The brackets 20 may be fixed at longitudinally spaced holes 19, 21 or slots on the chassis 10.

Fig 5.

Fig 1.

Fig 4.

Fig 7.

Fig 8.

Adjustable Vehicle Transportation Apparatus

Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to vehicle transportation apparatus such as trailers.

Background to the Invention

Transporting excavator digging machines on trailers requires that the machine is securely secured to the trailer whilst in transit, there are several methods employed currently ranging from simple webbing straps to more sophisticated covers, also referred to as “cowlings”, or “cowls” over the tracks, an on to clamping means which automatically deploy as the machine is driven onto the trailer.

Covers or cowls over the tracks are fixed to the trailer in such a way that they are at a fixed height to suit a particular machine track height. An example of this arrangement is shown in GB2510949.

Trailers are therefore tailor made for particular excavator machines. When different machines are positioned on a trailer, not only is the height of the cowl not suitable for different machines but the trailer requires to be a completely different fabrication to accommodate different excavators on a particular trailer. This is in part due to different centres of balance associated with different machines.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a vehicle 20 transportation apparatus comprising a platform for receiving a vehicle to be transported; wheels provided on one or more axle; and one or more retaining means for securing a vehicle to the vehicle transportation apparatus; wherein, (a) the height of the retaining means relative to the platform, and/or (b) the longitudinal position of the retaining means relative to the platform, and/or (c) the longitudinal position of one or more axle relative to the platform is adjustable.

Preferably features (a) and (b), features (b) and (c) or features (a) and (c) are all 5 adjustable. Most preferably features (a), (b) and (c) are all adjustable.

The retaining means is preferably one or more cowls and the preferred features below are described in such terms. However, the preferred features below apply equally to alternative retaining means.

Preferably a calibrated scale is provided which allows the height (or longitudinal 10 position) of the cowl to be adjusted based on known size of the tracks of an excavator machine. Preferably the scale is provided on a part fixed to the platform, such as the side of the trailer, and an indicator is provided on one or more cowl or vice versa.

Preferably two cowls are provided to receive two tracks of an excavator machine.

Preferably the or each cowl comprises an end plate to restrict/prevent longitudinal 15 (e.g. forward) movement of a vehicle on the transportation apparatus and a top plate to restrict/prevent upward movement of the vehicle.

Preferably the or each cowl further comprises a side plate.

Preferably the height of the or each cowl is slidably/continuously adjustable.

Slidable adjustability may be provided by providing (substantially vertically extending) 20 slots in the or each cowl and holes through a part to which the cowl is attached (such as the side of the vehicle transportation apparatus), or a bracket attached to the platform (or vice versa). Fasteners, such as nuts and bolts, may hold the or each cowl in position relative to the other part. This sliding/continuous adjustment allows for accurate adjustment of the height of the cowl, to ensure that the gap between the cowl and the vehicle being transported to be kept to a minimum.

Preferably the end plate and the side plate of the or each cowl comprises one or 5 more slots. Preferably one or more fasteners are provided to fasten the or each cowl to the platform, e.g. via a bracket, or a side of the trailer which is fixed to the platform.

Preferably a bracket is provided which is arranged to be adjustably connected to the end plate. Preferably the longitudinal position of the bracket relative to the platform is adjustable. For example, the bracket may be provided with fastening means for fastening to corresponding fastening means on the platform. The bracket may be provided with holes, which are arranged to line up with a series of longitudinally spaced holes in the platform and attached thereto with fasteners, such as nuts and bolts.

Alternatively, (substantially horizontal) longitudinally extending slots could be provided in the platform (or the bracket) to provide the longitudinal adjustability.

Longitudinally spaced holes (which provide discrete rather than continuous adjustment) may be preferable in this arrangement, because the bracket could be nudged along the slot by a vehicle driving onto the platform.

Preferably the or each axle is provided with a bracket which is adjustably fixable to the platform of the vehicle transportation apparatus, e.g. via a chassis.

Preferably the adjustability of the axle is between discrete positions for example provided by a series of longitudinally spaced fixing means. The longitudinally spaced fixing means may be holes through which fasteners can attach the axle to the platform in different longitudinal positions.

The longitudinally spaced holes may be provided on the chassis. Providing an arrangement such as this, with adjustability limited to discrete positions, rather than allowing continuous adjustment may be preferable in relation to the axle, because allowing for sliding on both sides of a transportation apparatus could lead to the wheels not being aligned with the intended direction of travel of the apparatus, which could be dangerous an increase tyre wear.

Rather than fixed holes, through which fastening means extend, integral fastening means (such as threaded members) could be provided on the brackets, the cowls, the sides of the transportation apparatus, the chassis and/or the platform to engage with holes or slots in the corresponding part.

Preferably the vehicle transportation apparatus is an excavator transportation apparatus.

Preferably the vehicle transportation apparatus is a trailer.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the longitudinal direction is typically 15 the direction in which the vehicle transportation moves fore and aft, and typically the direction in which a vehicle is driven onto the transportation apparatus (e.g. up a ramp at the back of a trailer onto the platform).

Detailed Description of the Invention

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood an embodiment 20 thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of a trailer according to the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged isometric view of a calibration tool provided at the front of a retaining means of the trailer of figure 1;

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9 is an isometric view of a calibration tool provided at the rear of a retaining means of the trailer of figure 1;

is a lateral cross sectional view of the trailer of figure 1;

is an enlarged partial cross sectional view of the trailer of figure 4;

is a top plan view of the trailer of figure 1;

is a partial top plan view of the trailer of figure 6 in the region of one of the retaining means;

is an underneath plan view of the trailer of figure 1; and is a partial underneath plan view of the trailer of figure 8 in the region of the axles of the wheels.

Referring to the drawings, a vehicle transportation apparatus in the form of a trailer 2 is shown, which includes many conventional features (such as ramps and so forth) which will not be described in detail.

The trailer 2 is of the twin-axle variety, having a platform 11 which in use supports a vehicle, in this case a mini-excavator, and four wheels 12, arranged two on each side and attached to the chassis 10 via suspension assemblies 9.

The trailer 2 is provided with a pair of vehicle retaining means in the form of cowls 1. The cowls 1 are provided on each side of the trailer 2 and arranged to receive the tracks of an excavator machine (not shown). Each cowl comprises an end plate 13 to arrest forward motion of the excavator, and a top plate 14 extending longitudinally rearwards from the end plate 13 to restrict or prevent upward motion of the tracks of an excavator and a side plate 15 depending downwardly from the outermost edges of each top plate 14.

The side plates 15 of each cowl 1 run longitudinally adjacent to side brackets 16, 5 which are provided on the sides of the trailer 2. The end plates 13 are situated immediately behind end brackets 17, which are attached to the platform 11 of the trailer

2. The height of the cowls 1 is vertically adjustable relative to the platform 11 owing to the provision of a series of vertically aligned slots 3 provided in the side plates 15 9best seen in figures 4 and 5 and end plate 13 (best seen in figures 1 and 2). The length of the slots 3 is carefully controlled to cover all popular models of excavator. The slots 3 align with holes provided in the end brackets 17 and side brackets 16 and fasteners 4 (e.g nuts and bolts) extend through the holes and the slots to allow adjustment (by slackening, moving to the correct height for a particular excavator machine and re-tightening).

Adjustment may be by lifting the cowls 1 to their uppermost position, then 15 introducing an excavator machine onto the platform 11, before lowering the cowls 1 to a suitable position just above the tracks (such that the excavator can be driven in, but excess upward movement is limited). However, to avoid this effort, in this specific embodiment, the end plate 13 is provided with a scale 5 at one side, adjacent to an indicator (in the form of an arrow) 6 such that the height of the cowling 1 above the platform 11 can be read and the cowlings 1 positioned at the correct height (based on the indicator 6 and the calibrated scale 5) for a given excavator machine. In view of the length of the cowlings 1 and the fact that unless the tolerances between the fastenings and the slot are very tight, the cowling 1 might be angled, a corresponding scale 5 is provided at the rear of each cowling 1, with an associated indicator (in the form of another arrow) 6 provided on the side bracket 16.

The longitudinal position of the cowls 1, in addition to their height, may be adjusted. This allows for the location of the end plates 13 and hence the location of the excavator machine on the trailer 2 to be adjusted for balance (improving stability and safety). In this embodiment, this adjustment is achieved by means of a series of longitudinally spaced holes 8 provided in the platform 11 (best seen in figures 6 and 7), to which the end bracket 17 may be bolted so as to adjust its longitudinal position and corresponding longitudinally spaced holes 18 in the side panels 7 of the trailer, to which the side bracket 16 is attached, to allow for the side brackets to be moved fore and aft.

In this particular embodiment three rows of holes 8 are provided for each end plate 13 so that three bolts can secure it, and just one row of longitudinally spaced holes is provided for each side bracket 16. The number and spacing can be adjusted as desired.

Of course either (or even both) the holes 8 on the platform 11 and the holes 17 on 15 the side panel 7 could be replaced with slots to provide continuous, rather than discrete adjustment.

In a further improvement over existing trailers, (best seen in figures 8 and 9) the suspension axle assemblies 9 are also adjustable longitudinally, so that the position of the wheels can be adjusted in accordance with the position of the centre of gravity of the 20 excavator machine in harmony with (or potentially in lieu of) longitudinal movement of the cowls 1. In order to achieve this, again longitudinally spaced fastening means are used to provide discrete adjustment. In particular, a series of (e.g. 5) longitudinally spaced holes 19 are provided in the chassis 10, in the region where each suspension bracket 20 is attached, and each suspension bracket 20 is itself provided with corresponding holes 21 through which nuts and bolts (not shown) fix the brackets in position. Once again, one or both sets of holes 19, 21 could be replaced by slots, if desired.

In use, depending on the size of the excavator machine intended to be used with the trailer 1, the position of the cowlings 1 on the platform 11 is set by bolting the end brackets 17 to appropriate ones of the longitudinally spaced holes 8. Similarly, the four suspension brackets (one for each wheel) are bolted to appropriate holes 19 in the chassis 10 to suit the centre of gravity of the particular excavator machine when driven such that the front of its tracks abut the end plate 13. Then, the necessary height of the cowls 1 is determined (either by consulting a lookup table, or measuring the height of the tracks), the bolts that attach the cowl 1 to the end bracket 17 and side bracket 16 are slackened and the indicator 6 is aligned with the appropriate marker on the scale 5, and the bolts are tightened to hold the cowling 1 in position. Typically, for each cowl 1, one front or rear fastening would be set first, then the other of the front or rear fastening, before additional fastenings in between are tightened to secure each cowl 1 in position.

The above embodiment is described by way of example only. Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

05 17

Claims

1. A vehicle transportation apparatus comprising a platform for receiving a vehicle to be transported; wheels provided on one or more axle; and one or more retaining means for securing a vehicle to the vehicle transportation apparatus; wherein, 5 (a) the height of the retaining means relative to the platform, and/or (b) the longitudinal position of the retaining means relative to the platform, and/or (c) the longitudinal position of one or more axle relative to the platform is adjustable.

2. A vehicle transportation apparatus according to claim 1 wherein (a) the height of the retaining means relative to the platform, and (b) the longitudinal position of

10 the retaining means relative to the platform are adjustable.

3. A vehicle transportation apparatus according to claim 1 wherein (b) the longitudinal position of the retaining means relative to the platform, and (c) the longitudinal position of one or more axle relative to the platform are adjustable.

4. A vehicle transportation apparatus according to claim 1 wherein (a) the

15 height of the retaining means relative to the platform, and (c) the longitudinal position of one or more axle relative to the platform are adjustable.

5. A vehicle transportation apparatus according to claim 1 wherein (a) the height of the retaining means relative to the platform, and (b) the longitudinal position of the retaining means relative to the platform, and (c) the longitudinal position of one or

20 more axle relative to the platform are all adjustable.

6. A vehicle transportation apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the retaining means is one or more cowls.

11 05 17

7. A vehicle transportation apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein a calibrated scale is provided which allows the height (or longitudinal position) of the retaining means to be adjusted based on known size of the tracks of an excavator machine.

5

8. A vehicle transportation apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the scale is provided on a part fixed to the platform, such as the side of the trailer, and an indicator is provided on one or more retaining means or vice versa.

9. A vehicle transportation apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein two retaining means are provided to receive two tracks of an excavator machine.

10 10. A vehicle transportation apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the or each retaining means comprises an end plate to restrict/prevent longitudinal movement of a vehicle on the transportation apparatus and a top plate to restrict/prevent upward movement of the vehicle.

11. A vehicle transportation apparatus according to any preceding claim

15 wherein the or each retaining means comprises a side plate.

12. A vehicle transportation apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the height of the or each retaining means is slidably/continuously adjustable.

13. A vehicle transportation apparatus according to claim 12 wherein slidable adjustability may be provided by providing slots in the or each retaining means and holes

20 through a part to which the retaining means is attached, or a bracket attached to the platform or vice versa.

11 05 17

14. A vehicle transportation apparatus accordingto claim 13 wherein fasteners are provided to hold the or each cowl in position relative to the other part.

15. A vehicle transportation apparatus according to claim 11 when dependent on claim 10 and any preceding claim, or according to any of claims 12 to 14 when 5 dependent on claims 10 and 11, wherein the end plate and the side plate of the or each retaining means comprises one or more slots.

16. A vehicle transportation apparatus according to claim 15 wherein one or more fasteners are provided to fasten the or each retaining means to the platform.

17. A vehicle transportation apparatus accordingto claim 14 or 16 wherein the 10 fasteners comprise nuts and bolts.

18. A vehicle transportation apparatus according to claim 10 or any claim dependent thereon, wherein a bracket is provided which is arranged to be adjustably connected to the end plate.

19. A vehicle transportation apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the 15 longitudinal position of the bracket relative to the platform is adjustable.

20. A vehicle transportation apparatus according to claim 18 or 19 wherein the bracket is provided with fastening means for fastening to corresponding fastening means on the platform.

21. A vehicle transportation apparatus according to any of claims 18 to 20 20 wherein the bracket is provided with holes, which are arranged to line up with a series of longitudinally spaced holes in the platform and attached thereto with fasteners.

11 05 17

22. A vehicle transportation apparatus according to any of claims 18 to 20 wherein longitudinally extending slots are provided in the platform or the bracket to provide the longitudinal adjustability.

23. A vehicle transportation apparatus according to claim 21 or 22 wherein the

5 fasteners are nuts and bolts.

24. A vehicle transportation apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the or each axle is provided with a bracket which is adjustably fixable to the platform of the vehicle transportation apparatus.

25. A vehicle transportation apparatus according to claim 24 wherein the 10 adjustability of the axle is between discrete positions provided by a series of longitudinally spaced fixing means.

26. A vehicle transportation apparatus according to claim 25 wherein the longitudinally spaced fixing means are holes through which fasteners can attach the axle to the platform in different longitudinal positions.

15

27. A vehicle transportation apparatus according to claim 26 wherein the longitudinally spaced holes are provided on the chassis.

28. A vehicle transportation apparatus according to any preceding claim which is an excavator transportation apparatus.

29. A vehicle transportation apparatus according to any preceding claim

20 which is a trailer.

Intellectual

Property

Office

Application No: GB1608228.1 Examiner: Mr Ilya Gribanov