Title of Invention

A TIPPING VEHICLE

Abstract A tipping vehicle having a body including a perimtalk frame supported for movement between a horizontal transport position and a downwardly inclined discharge position. The body further including an open top blow made of flexible material and secured long perimetal thereof to the frame so the bowl is freely suspended from the frame with a generally semi-circular cross-section. A mechanism is provided to move the perimetal frame between the transport and either one of two discharge positions as selected by the operator. Guides provided on each side of the body to engage and deflect the longitudinal wall of the bowl as it is being tipped to either side to position the wall in a generally straight downwardly inclined disposition to discharge the contents over the Lower side of the frame.
Full Text IMPROVED SIDE TIPPING VEHICLE.
The present invention relates to side tipping vehicles. Particularly but not exclusively, it relates to a tipping system incorporated in a vehicle and wherein side tipping is involved such as in a doorless side tipper vehicle. Doorless side tipping has previously been proposed to be provided in road and rail trucks, trailers and semi-trailers for bulk or mass material haulage and transport of bulk materials such as ore rocks, earth and sand and other non-liquid flowable materials.
In International Patent Application WO89/02838 a side support system for a side tipping bulk transport vehicle has been disclosed. The container body has a hinge at one side providing a low pivot point and hydraulic rams positioned on the other side. The rams are the two stage type, the first stage being single acting and the second stage double acting, with a balancing over centre valve. The body in the transport or non-tipped position is supported on feet so that the hinge and rams do not support the load. Further, on the tipping side of the vehicle, the wall of the body is downwardly and inwardly inclined to reduce the extent of tipping movement required to discharge the contents of the body over the side thereof.
The problems with the known type of constructions of side tipping bodies are that if the body is of the conventional generally rectangular cross-section, it is either necessary to provide doors on the discharge side of the body, which are outwardly opened when the body is tipped, or it is necessary for that side of the body to be inclined inwardly and downwardly from the top edge, when the body is in the normal position, in order to discharge all of the contents of the body when tipped. The provision of doors on the side of the body presents a number of difficulties, such as maintaining the required strength in the doors when closed and in the body when the door is open.
Also difficulties may be experienced in opening and closing the doors, particularly after a significant period of use when the doors and/or adjacent portion of the body may become distorted and accordingly present major difficulties in opening and closing same.

In an attempt to avoid the problems associated with doors on the side of a tipping body, it has been proposed to incline the side wall of the body inwardly and downwardly on the side to which it is tipped. This inclining of the side wall enables the body to be tilted to a less degree and still obtain discharge of the materials down the inclined wall when the body is in its maximum tipped position. This construction, however, has disadvantages in that the inclining of the side reduces the total carrying capacity of the body. Also it is necessary to effect a substantial extent of pivotal movement of the body so that the inclined side is sufficiently downwardly inclined during tipped for all of the contents to be discharged. This degree of pivotal movement can lead to instability in the vehicle during tipping due to the substantial degree of displacement of the centre of gravity of the body relative to that of the vehicle towards the tipping side.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a tipping vehicle comprising a chassis mounted on a plurality of wheels,
a container body having an upper perimetal frame and an open top elongated bowl of a generally semi-circular cross-section suspended therefrom,
support means pivotally mounted on the chassis and operably coupled to the perimetal frame to support the container body in a transport position with the perimetal frame horizontal and a laterally tilted discharge position with the perimetal frame inclined downwardly, and tilt means operable to move the perimetal frame between said transport and tilt positions,
characterised in that the bowl is made of flexible material and is secured along the opposite elongate edges defining the sides of the open top of the perimetal frame so the bowl is suspended therefrom to provide said generally semi-circular cross-section to the bowl, said tilt means being selectively operable to tilt the perimetal frame in either direction from said the transport position to a respective tilted discharge positions, and bowl shape change means are located on each of the two opposite sides of the bowl to interact with the bowl when the perimetal frame is in the tilted discharge position to the respective sides of the vehicle to vary the cross-sectional shape of the bowl so

materials carried in the bowl will gravity discharge therefrom over the lower side of the perimetal frame.
Preferably the respective bowl shape change means that interact with the bowl are arranged so that as the container body is moved into the respective discharge positions on each side of the vehicle, a marginal portion of the bowl on that side, is deflected so that the marginal portion of the bowl forms a generally upwardly inclined surface extending a substantial distance upwardly from the lowered side of the perimetal frame.
Also the tipping vehicle may be arranged so the bowl shape change means interacts with the bowl to deflect portion of the bowl upwardly and apply a lifting force to the lower regions of the bowl to promote the establishment of the upwardly inclined surface and increase the upward extent thereof.
The vehicle chassis may include a cradle providing load support to the lower part of the bowl when in the transport position. Conveniently, the cradle incorporates at the upper edge, on the or each side to which the bowl is tipped, a guide bar to form part of the bowl shape charge means to effect the deform of the body as the body is tilted to either side over the rail.
Alternatively, the body shape change means may comprise two spaced parallel guide bars extending longitudinally of the chassis, on each side thereof. The two guide bars being rigidly interconnected and pivotally mounted on the chassis to pivot together about a longitudinal axis relative to the chassis.
The guide bars and the pivot axis thereof are relatively located so that as the body is being tilted to a discharge position, on the respective sides of the vehicle, the guide bars engage that side of the bowl to deflect same to establish the desired upward inclination of the lower portion of the bowl from the lower side of the frame.
Conveniently, the perimetal frame comprises two laterally spaced ongitudinal beams and two cross members interconnecting the ends of the ongitudinal beams to form a rectangular shaped frame. The respective ends of 3ach longitudinal beam may be pivotally connected to the respective cross Tiembers so each longitudinal beam can rotate to a limited extent about its ongitudinal axis.

The present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment illustrated to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a side view of a road-trailer incorporating the preferred embodiment of the vehicle tipping system;
Figure 2 is a rear end view of the vehicle of Figure 1 with the bowl in the transport position;
Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 with the rear part of the chassis removed to expose the lifting cylinder and mechanism to select the direction of tipping of the bowl;
Figure 4 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of the bowl in the transport position;
Figure 5 is a view as in Figure 4 with the bowl in the fully tipped position;
Figures 6 and 7 are views the same as in Figures 4 and 5 of a modified form of bowl support.
Referring now to Figure 1, the vehicle shown is for road use, however, the vehicle may vary from small trailers, body trucks, or semi-trailers through to rail cars or road trains including off-road vehicles, such as those used on mine sites. For the purpose of this description, the tipping system is incorporated in a trailer, to be drawn by a truck or prime mover, but this is not its only application.
Thus references to "side", "tipping side", "end" and "rear end" may also be interpreted as "end", "rear end", "side" and "one/other side" respectively and consistently.
The tipping system is specifically adapted for vehicle mounted transporting and dumping systems for the handling of many types of loose bulk materials such as sand, soil, mineral ores, agricultural produce, chemical products and wastes materials in any situation where the material can be unloaded by gravity flow when the body is tipped.
As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle 8 is a multi-wheeled trailer having a tandem forward wheel assembly 10 and a triple rear wheel assembly 11, and a tow bar indicated at 12 for connecting the trailer to a prime mover or another trailer. The chassis 14 of the vehicle comprises respective longitudinal

structures 15 on either side of the vehicle and a plurality of transverse cradles 16 as seen more clearly in Figure 4. The upper edge of each of the longitudinal structures 15 is in the form of a guide bar 17 of circular cross-section.
As seen in Figures 1 and 3 the container body which receives the material to be transported includes an upper peripheral frame 18 having longitudinal coamings or beams 20 and end cross members 21 which will be described in more detail hereinafter. Suspended from and located within the frame 18 is a bowl 22 of a generally semi-circular cross-section with end closures 23. The respective upper longitudinal edges of the bowl are secured, such as by a plurality of bolts, or welded to the coamings 20, with the lower curved portion of the bowl 22 rests upon the complementary shaped upper face 13 of the spaced cradles 14 as seen in Figure 4.
The bowl is made of a flexible material having suitable strength and wear resistant characteristics appropriate to the material being carried and may be of steel plate or of a high density polyethylene. The thickness of the will normally vary between 18 and 25 mm if made of the polyethylene.
The material of the bowl 22 is flexible to the extent necessary to permit variation in the shape of the bowl, to facilitate unloading of the contents thereof, as previously discussed, however, the side walls and base are substantially non-stretchable under the loads the bowl is designed to carry. However, the material is resilient to the extent that it is not permanently dented or distorted by localised high loads that may arise during loading, transporting or discharging of materials of a non-uniform nature, such as rock or lump material.
In view of the changes in the cross-sectional shape of the bowl 22, as can be seen in Figures 4 and 5, the end walls 23 of the bowl may be made of a material having the required degree of stretchability and resilience to undergo such changes without folding or buckling of the bowl ends.
Alternatively the end walls 23 of the bowl may be of a rigid material such as steel with the end edges of the bowl abutting the bowl ends 23 but not secured thereto. This allows the bowl to move to change cross-sectional shape while maintaining contact with the end walls 23 and without restraint to relative movement thereby.

In the embodiment shown, stiffening plates 26 are provided at spaced intervals along the length of the bowl 22 on each of the sides of the bowl that are lowered during the tipping movement. These stiffening plates 26, being preferably made of spring steel, are shaped generally to the free shape of the
I wall of the bowl and are secured to the wall of the bowl to limit undesirable downward distortion of the contour of the flexible material of the bowl during tipping. The stiffening plates 26 are positioned on the bowl to engage the bars 17 forming part of the longitudinal structure 15 during the tipping operation and to roll thereabouts as hereinafter described. These plates are generally not
i required when the bowl is made of sheet steel.
The coaming beams 20 and cross members 21 are individually rigid, with each rigidly secured together to form the rigid peripheral frame 18 which is supported at the respective ends thereof by front and rear tipping mechanisms 30 which are of identical construction. The following description, specifically
• relates to the rear tipping mechanism as illustrated in Figure 2, applies equally to the front tipping mechanism at the opposite end of the body.
Referring now to Figure 2 and 3 of the drawings, it will be seen that the end wall 23 of the bowl is nested between the longitudinal bars 17 and with the hydraulic cylinder 33 pivotally connected to the cross beam 29 of the chassis 14. The free end of the piston rod 26 of the hydraulic cylinder 33 is pivotally connected at 37 to the lift plate 31 secured to the end wall 22.
Equally spaced to either side of the pivotal connection 37 of the hydraulic cylinder 33 to the end wall 22 of the bowl, are two pivot pins 38, each of which are rigidly anchored to the upper portion of the chassis end wall 28. The end plate 23 of the bowl is provided with two downwardly open or inverted U-shaped brackets 30, rigidly connected thereto, and positioned to embrace the respective pivot pins 38, rigidly attached to the chassis wall 28, when the bowl is in the normal centralised transport position on the chassis.
A double ended retractable pin 32 is provided to interact with each of the inverted U-shaped brackets 30, the pins being individually supported in guide blocks 39 attached to the end wall 22. The pins 32 are respectively attached to the opposite ends of the double ended piston rod 40 of a double acting

hydraulic ram 41. The double acting piston rod effects linear sliding movement of the pins 37 in the guide blocks 39 so that the respective pins 32 to either side of the end wall 22 of the body, can be engaged in the apertures ends of the arms of the U-shaped bracket 30 so that the pin 32 secured to the chassis is locked therein. The arrangement is such that only one of the guide pins 32 can be in the locked position in relation to the U-shaped brackets at any one time.
Thus, by appropriate operation of the double acting ram 41 either one of the pins 32 may be engaged with the associated U-shaped bracket 30, and when so engaged, that side of the bowl 22 is locked onto the particular pivot pin 38 on that end of the chassis. When so locked, and upon operation of the main lift cylinder 33, the bowl will pivot about the pin 38, to which the U-shaped bracket is locked, thus determining to which side the bowl 22 will be tipped.
This arrangement provides an extremely simple method of enabling the bowl 22 to be tipped to either one of the sides of the vehicle, the selection being made by operation of the double acting ram 41 to bring the appropriate locking pin 32 into engagement with the respective U-shaped brackets.
The above described structure is operable to effect the tilting of the body by the extension of the hydraulic cylinder 33. As the piston rod 26 of the hydraulic cylinder 33 extends, the bowl will pivot with respect to the chassis about which ever of the pins 38 the bowl 22 is anchored. This will cause the coaming 20 on the tipping side of the body to be lowered and the coaming on the lifting side of the body to be raised.
While the loaded bowl 22 is in the transport position with the frame 18 horizontal, the wall of the bowl will be seated on the cradle 16 and engage the guide bars 17 on each side of the chassis as seen in Figures 4 and 6. During the tilting of the bowl the weight of the contents of the bowl will maintain the flexible wall in contact with the guide bar 17, on the tipping side of the vehicle, whilst it is lifted clear of the guide bar 17 on the lifting side of the vehicle. As the lifting movement continues, the coaming on the tipping side of the vehicle will be lowered and moved outwardly with respect to the chassis 14, thus causing the wall of the bowl 22, on the tipping side, to pivot or roll about the guide bar 17, as the contents of the bowl also tend to move towards the tipping side of the bowl.

The contact maintained between the guide bar 17 and wall of the bowl 22, on the tipping side thereof, as the lifting side rises further, prevents a downward deformation of the wall of the bowl on the tipping side, as a result of the tendency of the contents of the bowl to move towards that side of the bowl.
These movements, and the resulting tensioning and reshaping of the wall of the bowl, continue as the hydraulic cylinder 33 is extended until the bowl reaches its final dumping position as shown in Figures 5 and 7. Upon reaching this position, the lower portion 55 of the wall of the bowl, extending between the guide bar 17 and the coaming on the tipping side of the bowl, is substantially " straight. Hence all of the material within the bowl will roll or slide down the straight inclined surface of the bowl to be discharged over the coaming on the tilting side of the bucket.
Referring now to Figures 6 and 7, there is shown therein diagrammatically a modification to the construction of the guide bar on the sides of the vehicle chassis which will provide additional support to the lower portion of the bowl, in the discharge position, to maintain the downwardly inclined form of the lower portion of the bowl to promote the free passage of the material down and out of the bowl.
In this modified construction, shown for convenience on only one side of the vehicle, comprises a plurality of double ended arms 58 mounted on the guide bar 17 so as to be rotatable thereon about the longitudinal axis of the guide bar 17. The arms 58 are distributed substantially evenly along the longitudinal length of the guide bar 17 and are generally symmetrical with respect to the guide bar, so that the arms project generally equally in opposite directions to either side thereof.
The arms 58 are interconnected at each of their outer ends by respective secondary guide bars 59 which are rigidly secured to the arms 58 and extend the full longitudinal length of the bowl 22.
When the bowl is in the transport position as shown in Figure 6, the arms 58 and secondary guide bars 59 do not provide significant support for the bowl 22, such support being basically provided by the cradle 16 and the coamings 20. As the bowl is being tipped to the discharge position, as shown in Figure 7,

the wall of the, bowl on the tipping side, comes into full contact with the secondary guide bars 59 and the arms 58 which rotate on the guide bar 17 as the tipping of the bowl progresses. As can be seen in Figure 7, the lower portion of the bowl is supported over a significant lateral extent by the guide bar 17, / secondary guide bars 59 and the arms 58, thereby enhancing the promotion of the discharge of the material from the bowl and preventing the formation of depressions wherein such material could be trapped and not effectively discharged.
It can be clearly seen in Figures 4 to 7 that the establishment of the f substantially straight upwardly inclined lower marginal portion of the bowl, when in the discharge position, is achieved primarily by the deformation of the cross-section of the bowl by the provision of the guide bar 17. This is particularly evident by comparing the position of the respective coamings with relation to the line 57 in Figures 4 to 7 representing the upper edge of the bowl.
While the loaded bowl is in the transport position, with the frame 18 horizontal, the wall of the bowl will be seated on the cradle 16 and engage the guide bars 17 on each side of the chassis as previously referred to in respect to Figure 4.
During the tilting operation, the coaming on the tipping side of the vehicle will be lowered and moved outwardly with respect to the chassis 14, thus causing the wall of the bowl 122 on the tipping side to pivot or roll about the guide bar 17, as the contents of the bowl also tend to move towards the tilting side of the bowl.
The contact maintained between the guide bar 17 and wall of the bowl on the tilting side thereof, as the lifting side rises, further prevents a downward deformation of the wall of the bowl on the tipping side as a result of the tendency of the contents of the bowl to move towards that side of the bowl.
These movements, and the resulting tensioning and reshaping of the wall of the bowl, continue as the hydraulic cylinder is extended until the bowl reaches its final dumping position such as shown in Figure 5 or 7. Upon reaching this position the lower portion 55 of the wall of the bowl, between the guide bar 17 and the coaming on the tipping side of the bowl, is substantially

straight so that all of the material within the bowl will roll or slide down the straight inclined surface of the bowl to be discharged over the coaming on the tilting side of the bucket.
As the bowl is being tipped to the discharge position, as shown in Figure 7, the wall of the bowl on the tipping side comes into full contact with the secondary guide bars 59 and the arms 58 which rotate on the guide bar 17 as the tipping of the bowl progresses. As can be seen in Figure 7, the lower portion of the bowl is supported over a significant length by the guide bar 17, secondary guide bars 59 and the arms 58, thereby enhancing the promotion of the discharge of the material from the bowl and preventing the formation of depressions wherein such material could be trapped and not effectively discharged.
It can be clearly seen from each of the embodiments described, and as seen in Figures 5 and 7 that the establishment of the substantially straight upwardly inclined lower marginal portion of the bowl in the discharge position is achieved primarily by the deformation of the cross-section of the bowl by the provision of the guide bar 17, and further by the stiffening plate 51 attached to the coaming. Further in regard to the modified form of the guide rail as described with reference to Figures 6 and 7, where such a construction is used, the provision of the stiffening plates 26 may be avoided.


WE CLAIM :
1. A tipping vehicle comprising a chassis (14) mounted on a plurality of wheels, a container body having an upper perimetal frame (18) and an open top elongated bowl (22) of a substantially semi-circular cross-section suspended therefrom, support means pivotally mounted on the chassis and operably coupled to the perimetal frame to support the container body in a transport position with the perimetal frame horizontal and a laterally tilted discharge position with the perimetal frame inclined downwardly, and tilt means operable to move the perimetal frame (18) between said transport and tilt positions, characterized in that the bowl (22) is made of flexible material and is secured along the opposite elongate edges defining the sides of the open top of the perimetal frame (18) so the bowl (22) is suspended therefrom to provide said substantially semi-circular cross-section to the bowl, said tilt means being selectively operable to tilt the perimetal frame (18) in either direction from said the transport position to a respective tilted discharge positions, and bowl shape change means are located on each of the two opposite sides of the bowl to interact with the bowl when the perimetal frame is in the tilted discharge position to the respective sides of the vehicle to vary the cross-sectional shape of the bowl so materials carried in the bowl will gravity discharge therefrom over the lower side of the perimetal frame (18).
2. The tipping vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the respective bowl shape change means are arranged to contact the bowl along the length thereof as the bowl is moving into the respective tilted discharge position

and to deflect the marginal portion of the bowl along the lower side of the container body, so that said marginal portion forms a upwardly inclined surface extending a substantial distance upwardly from the lowered side of the perimetal frame.
3. The tipping vehicle as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the respective bowl shaping means interact with the marginal portion of the bowl adjacent the lower side of the perimetal frame and comprise respective guide means mounted on the chassis along opposite sides thereof and extend substantially the length of the bowl intermediate the height thereof, each said guide means presenting to the respective side of the bowl a surface positioned to engage the side of the bowl and about which the side of the bowl is deflected during the movement of the container body from the transport to the discharge position so that in the discharge position the lower marginal portion of the bowl is upwardly inclined from the lower side of the frame to at least the location of the contact of the bowl with said guide means.
4. The tipping vehicle as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the bowl shape change means that interact with the marginal portion of the bowl comprises guide means mounted on each side of the chassis each extending substantially the length of the bowl intermediate the height thereof, said guide means presenting to the respective side of the bowl a surface positioned to engage the side of the bowl and about which the side of the bowl is deflected during the movement of the container body from the transport to the discharge position so that in the discharge

position the lower marginal portion of the bowl is upwardly inclined from the lower side of the permitted frame to at least the location of the contact of the bowl with the guide means.
5. The tipping vehicle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the guide means on each side of the bowl each has two spaced parallel guide bars extending longitudinally of the chassis, said guide bars being rigidly interconnected and pivotally mounted the chassis to pivot together about a longitudinal axis relative to the chassis, said guide bars and the pivot axis thereof being relatively located so that as the container body is being tilted to the discharge position on either side of the chassis the guide bars engage the side of the bowl to deflect same to establish said upward inclination of the lower portion of the bowl from the lower side of the frame.
6. The tipping vehicle as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 5, wherein two support means are provided, one mounted on the chassis at each of two opposite ends of the container body, each support means being coupled to the perimetal frame of the adjacent end of the container body so that the container body is suspended between the two support means, said respective tilt means being operatively interposed between each support means and the adjacent end of the perimetal frame, the tilt means being selectively actuated in unison to move the perimetal frame between a horizontal transport position directly above the chassis and a downwardly inclined discharge position to either side of the chassis with the lower longitudinal side of the perimetal frame disposed outwardly of the

chassis, and respective guide means mounted on each side of the chassis to deflect upwardly that marginal portion of the bowl adjacent the lower side of the perimetal frame when the perimetal frame is in said downwardly inclined position to either side of the chassis to provide a upwardly inclined portion of the bowl extending upwardly from said lower side of the perimetal frame for a distance from and for the length of the lower side of the perimetal frame.
7. The tipping vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein said tilt means at each end of the container body comprises two laterally spaced pivot connections between the chassis and the container body, and means selectively operable to release either of the laterally spaced pivot connections while the other remains operational, whereby the container body may be selectively tilted to either side of the chassis.
8. The tipping vehicle as claimed in claim 7, wherein each laterally spaced pivot connections comprises laterally spaced pins fixed relative to the chassis and two laterally spaced latches fixed relative to the container body, each latch being selectively lockable to a respective pin, the arrangement being such that when one latch is locked to the pin and the other latch is free the container body can pivot on the pin at each end thereof to tip the container to the side where the latch engages the pin.
9. The tipping vehicle as claimed in claim 6, 7 or 8, wherein the guide means comprises, a plurality of parallel lift member spaced longitudinally of the chassis and mounted on the guide means for pivotal movement

about a longitudinal axis intermediate the lift members, said lift members being arranged to engage the bowl along the length thereof as the body is tilted to said downwardly inclined position and at respective locations individually spaced from the lower side of the perimetal frame to effect upward deflection of the marginal portion of the bowl over a great extent thereof.
10. The tipping vehicle substantially as herein above described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

0416-mas-97 abstract-duplicate.pdf

0416-mas-97 abstract.pdf

0416-mas-97 claims-duplicate.pdf

0416-mas-97 claims.pdf

0416-mas-97 correspondence-others.pdf

0416-mas-97 correspondence-po.pdf

0416-mas-97 description (complete)-duplicate.pdf

0416-mas-97 description (complete).pdf

0416-mas-97 drawings-duplicate.pdf

0416-mas-97 drawings.pdf

0416-mas-97 form-2.pdf

0416-mas-97 form-26.pdf

0416-mas-97 form-4.pdf

0416-mas-97 form-6.pdf

0416-mas-97 petition.pdf


Patent Number 198412
Indian Patent Application Number 416/MAS/1997
PG Journal Number 08/2007
Publication Date 23-Feb-2007
Grant Date 19-Jan-2006
Date of Filing 28-Feb-1997
Name of Patentee M/S. UNITED OSTER MEYER ENGINEERING PTY LTD
Applicant Address LOT 1802 HARDY ROAD, BERRIMACH NT 0828,
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 BERND LOT 1802 HARDY ROAD, BERRIMACH NT 0828,
PCT International Classification Number N/A
PCT International Application Number N/A
PCT International Filing date
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 PN 8367 1996-02-28 Australia