AU736790B2

AU736790B2 - Adjustable width trailer

Info

Publication number: AU736790B2
Application number: AU97031/98A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Salvatore Giovanni Capri
Original assignee: BRENTWOOD TRAILERS AUSTRALIA P
Current assignee: BRENTWOOD TRAILERS AUSTRALIA Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1997-12-23
Filing date: 1998-12-10
Publication date: 2001-08-02
Anticipated expiration: 2018-12-10
Also published as: AU9703198A

Description

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AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

*0e@ o*oo* Name of Applicant: c n Au I Actual Inventor: BRENTWOOD TRAILERS AUSTRALIA PTY. LTD.

BRENTWOOD TRAILERS AUSTRALIA PTY. LTD.

ACN 003 765 839 Salvatore Giovanni CAPRI O o* Address of Service: BALDWIN SHELSTON WATERS 60 MARGARET STREET SYDNEY NSW 2000 o e* Invention Title: "ADJUSTABLE WIDTH TRAILER"

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Details of Associated Provisional Application No. PP1098 dated 23rd December 1997 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us:- -2- The invention relates to a table top chassis and in particular to an adjustable width table top chassis.

Some public road authorities restrict the overall track width of trailers that are to be used on public roads within their jurisdiction. However, many loads require support over a width greater than that track width.

It is an object of the present invention, at least in the preferred embodiment, to overcome or substantially ameliorate one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art, or *0 at least to provide a useful alternative.

C According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided an adjustable width 00 10 table top chassis including: *0 05 0 a longitudinal chassis beam; a centre table top mounted to the chassis beam; a transverse wing beam coupled to the chassis beam; 00 a wing member associated with the wing beam and moveable between a retracted 006 15 location and an extended location and having a first end captively located between the 5000 0 centre table top and the wing beam; and 000 00.0 an extension platform mounted to a second end of the wing member whereby movement of the wing member progresses the extension platform transversely toward and away from the centre table top.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided an adjustable width table top chassis including: a longitudinal chassis beam; a centre table top mounted to the chassis beam; -4- -3a transverse wing beam coupled.to the chassis beam; a wing member associated with the wing beam and moveable between a retracted location and an extended location and having a first end captively located between the centre table top and the wing beam; and an extension platform mounted to a second end of the wing member for providing an extension to the centre platform when the second end is at the extended location.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided an adjustable width table top chassis including:

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a longitudinal chassis beam; a centre table top mounted to the chassis beam; a transverse wing beam coupled to the chassis beam; °a first and second wing member associated with the wing beam, each moveable between a retracted location and an extended location and each having a first end 15 captively located between the centre table top and the wing beam; and a first and second extension platform respectively mounted to a second end of the

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****first and second wing member for providing an extension to both sides of the centre

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platform when the second ends are at the extended location.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided an adjustable width table top chassis which includes: a centre table top coupled to at least one longitudinal chassis beam; at least one transverse wing beam coupled to the at least one chassis beam and having at least one wing member, the wing member having two ends with one end captively and at least partially located between an underside of the centre table top and 4, -4the transverse wing beam while free to move between a fully retracted location and a fully extended location and the other end is coupled to a portion of a table top extension platform.

Preferably, the or each wing member slidingly moves between the fully retracted and the fully extended location. Optionally each wing member may rotationally move between the two locations wherein the captive end of each wing member is pivotally coupled to the respective wing beam.

Preferably also, each wing beam has two wing members and the table top chassis includes two table top extension platforms each of which is of substantially equal length 10 to the centre table top wherein one platformn is located on one longitudinal side of the centre table top and coupled to one of the two wing members on each wing beam and the other platform is located on the other longitudinal side and coupled to the other wing 00 member on the corresponding wing beam.

Optionally each table top extension platform may comprise of coplanar 15 longitudinal segments and in use when they are substantially in longitudinal alignment SSthey form the table top extension platform.

0 •When the wing members are in the fully retracted location preferably the corresponding extension platforms and the centre table top form a substantially continuos and flat carrying surface for the load to be carried.

Preferably when the wing members are moved from the fully retracted location the carrying surface of each corresponding extension platform and the centre table top remains substantially coplanar.

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0 Advantageously the wing members may be adjusted as required within the limited range to accommodate loads wider than overall width of the available carrying surface when each wing member is in the fully retracted location, for example when carrying wide earth moving equipment, and the wing members may be adjusted to the fully retracted location to minimise the overall trailer width when the equipment has been unloaded and the trailer is to be used on public roads.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a transverse cross sectional view of a table top chassis in accordance 10 with the invention, the chassis being in a fully retracted state; Figure 2 is a transverse cross sectional view of the chassis of Figure 1 in an extended state; Figure 3 is a side view of a trailer incorporating a table top chassis in accordance with the invention; and 15 Figure 4 is a plan view of the trailer of Figure 3 with one table top extension platform in a fully retracted state and second table top extension platform in a fully extended state.

Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2, a table top chassis 1 includes a centre table top 2 coupled to two transversely spaced apart longitudinal chassis beams 5 and 6. At least one transverse wing beam 4 is coupled to beams 5 and 6 and has a pair of wing members 3a and 3b which will be generally referred to as 3. Each member 3 has two ends, one of which is captively and at least partially located between an underside 9 of top 2 and the wing beam 4 while being free to slidingly move between a fully retracted -6location as shown in Figure 1 and a fully extended location as shown in Figure 2. The other end of each member 3 is coupled to a portion of a table top extension platform 7.

Preferably the portion of the end of the wing member 3 located between the underside 9 of the table top 2 and the wing beam 4 is provided with sliding clearances only to allow the sliding location of the wing beam 4 between the fully extended and fully retracted locations. Optionally, sliding is assisted with a bearing and or guiding arrangement (not shown).

see**: Alternatively, each wing member 3 is rotationally moved between the fully

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extended and fully retracted location wherein the captive end of each wing member 3 is 10 pivotally coupled (not shown) to the corresponding wing beam for example in a location 06 under the underside 9 of the table top 2.

Preferably the table top chassis 1 includes two extension platforms 7a and 7b each of which is of substantially equal length to the table top 2 wherein one platform 7a is located on one longitudinal side of the table top 2 and coupled to one of the two wing 15 members 3a on each wing beam 4 and the other platform 7b is located on the other longitudinal side and coupled to the other wing member 3b on each corresponding wing beam 4.

g. 0 00 Optionally each table top extension platform 7 comprises of coplanar longitudinal segments (not shown) where one segment is the portion of the extension platform 7 which is coupled to the end of the wing member 3 previously described and in use, when the segments are substantially in longitudinal alignment they form the table top extension platform 7.

-7- When the wing members 3 are in the fully retracted location preferably the corresponding extension platforms 7 and the table top 2 form a substantially continuous and flat carrying surface for the load to be carried as generally illustrated in Figure 1.

Preferably when the wing members 3 are moved from the fully retracted location the carrying surface 10 of each corresponding extension platform 7 and the carrying surface 11 of the table top 2 remain substantially coplanar as generally illustrated in Figure 2.

0 Advantageously the wing members 3 are adjusted, as required, within the limited 0" o range to accommodate loads (not shown) wider than overall width of the available 10 carrying surface when each wing member is in the fully retracted location. For example,

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when carrying wide earth moving equipment. Furthermore, the wing members are selectively adjusted to the fully retracted location to minimise the overall trailer width, as partly illustrated in Figure 4, when the equipment has been unloaded and the trailer is to S* •be used on public roads.

15 Advantageously the inventive aspects of the table top chassis 1 are incorporated in trailers of any length as generally illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 where a plurality of see* wing beams 4 are included each having its respective pair of wing members 3a and 3b.

*550 Figure 4 illustrates an embodiment using two non segmented extension platforms 7a and 7b. For illustrative purposes platform 7a is shown in the extended configuration, while platfrom 7b is shown in the retracted configuration. However, in use, both platforms 7a and 7b are equidistantly located with respect to top 2 to minimise unbalanced load distribution on the trailer 40. As can be seen in the embodiment in Figure 4 when at least some of the wing members 3 have been moved from the fully -8retracted position the portion of the overall carrying surface 10a is not continuous with the remainder of the overall carrying surface 10 Ob and 11.

In some embodiments, a fill of suitable dimensions and material (not shown) for example steel is positioned in the breaks in the overall carrying surface after the wing members 3 have been located to restore continuity in the carrying surface if required for the particular load.

Preferably the wing members are located to the required location by suitable

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*o o actuator means (not shown) for example hydraulic rams.

Although the invention has been described with reference to particular examples it 10 will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that it may be embodied in many other forms. For example, a table top chassis in accordance with the invention may be configured so that only one table top extension platform is provided on one longitudinal oside of the centre table top so that adjustable width of the overall carrying surface is C. I achieved by locating the single extension platform.

Claims

1. An adjustable width table top chassis including: a longitudinal chassis beam; a centre table top mounted to the chassis beam; a transverse wing beam coupled to the chassis beam; a wing member associated with the wing beam and moveable between a retracted location and an extended location and having a first end captively located between the centre table top and the wing beam; and b S an extension platform mounted to a second end of the wing member whereby 10 movement of the wing member progresses the extension platform transversely toward and away from the centre table top.

2. An adjustable width table top chassis including: a longitudinal chassis beam; a centre table top mounted to the chassis beam; 15 a transverse wing beam coupled to the chassis beam; a wing member associated with the wing beam and moveable between a retracted •location and an extended location and having a first end captively located between the a centre table top and the wing beam; and an extension platform mounted to a second end of the wing member for providing an extension to the centre platform when the second end is at the extended location.

3. A chassis according to claim 2 wherein the extension platform provides a transverse extension to the centre platform when the second end is at the extended location.

4. A chassis according to claim 3 wherein the extension platform is transversely spaced apart from the centre platform when the second end is at the extended location.

A chassis according to any preceding claim wherein the wing member is slidingly moveable between the retracted and extended location.

6. A chassis according to any of claims 1 to 4 where in the wing member is pivotally moveable between the retracted and extended location.

7. A chassis according to any preceding claim having a plurality of wing beams each having a corresponding associated wing member wherein the wing members collectively support the extension platform. *9

8. A chassis according to any of claims 1 to 6 having a plurality of wing beams each 0 o having a corresponding associated wing member wherein each wing member has a 10 corresponding extension platform, and in use the extension platforms collectively provide a platform extending longitudinally along the length of the centre platform.

9. An adjustable width table top chassis including: S. a longitudinal chassis beam; o. a centre table top mounted to the chassis beam; 15 a transverse wing beam coupled to the chassis beam; a first and second wing member associated with the wing beam, each moveable between a retracted location and an extended location and each having a first end captively a located between the centre table top and the wing beam; and a first and second extension platform respectively mounted to a second end of the first and second wing member for providing an extension to both sides of the centre platform when the second ends are at the extended location.

A chassis according to claim 9 wherein the first and second extension platform provide a transverse extension to both sides of the centre platform when the second ends are at the extended location. -11-

11. A chassis according to claim 10 wherein the first and second extension platforms are transversely spaced apart from the centre platform when the second ends are at the extended location.

12. A chassis according to any of claims 9 to 11 wherein the first and second wing members are slidingly moveable between the retracted and extended locations.

13. A chassis according to any of claims 9 to 11 wherein the first and second wing members are pivotally moveable between the retracted and extended locations.

14. A chassis according to any of claims 9 to 13 having a plurality of wing beams each having a corresponding associated first and second wing members, wherein the first and 10 second wing members collectively support the first and second extension platforms respectively.

A chassis according to any of claims 9 to 13 having a plurality of wing beams each 00* *a having a corresponding associated first and second wing member, wherein each wing 0@6 o• 6 S00 member has a corresponding extension platform, and in use the extension platforms 00 S 15 collectively provide a platform on each side of the centre platform extending longitudinally 0@* along the length of the centre platform. 00@ S

16. A chassis substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings. DATED this 10th Day of December, 1998 BRENTWOOD TRAILERS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD Attorney: JOHN B. REDFERN Fellow Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia of BALDWIN SHELSTON WATERS