Patent ID: 8118315
Filing Date: 2012-02-21
Classification: B60P

Abstract:
1. A trailer with a tilting bed, comprising: a bed having a front end and a rear end, said rear end having an angled tail; a pair of brackets mounted below said bed and each having an elongated slot therethrough; a pair of uprights having an upper and lower end, said lower end fixedly secured to said bed front end by a gusset; a gooseneck extending forward of said bed being pivotally attached to said upright upper end at a pivot connection; a pair of piston-and-cylinder (PC) units including a back end pivotally connected to said upright lower end and a front end pivotally connected to said gooseneck, said pair of piston-and-cylinder (PC) units units movable between a retracted position and an extended position; a wheel assembly disposed below said bed having a pair longitudinal supports mounting at least one transverse axle, said axle rotatably mounting a pair of wheels, said supports mounting a longitudinal support block, said support block mounting a transverse cross shaft, said cross shaft pivotally and slidably received within said slots of said brackets for pivoting and sliding said bed thereon between a horizontal transport configuration and a tilted front-to-rear downward sloping configuration; said supports having a front and a rear extension, said extensions mounting a fender; said bed having a wheel restraint resisting backward movement of said trailer by engaging said wheels; a hydraulic fluid reservoir mounted on said trailer fluidly connected to a control valve and a shut-off valve, said shut-off valve movable between an open and closed position and fluidly connected to an end of each one of said pair of piston-and-cylinder (PC) units by a hydraulic line, said control valve connected to an opposite end of each one of said pair of piston-and-cylinder (PC) units by a hydraulic line; said control valve having a spring-loaded check valve and a parallel needle valve threadably movable between an open and a closed position; said needle valve adjustably controlling flow of fluid and rate of change of said bed from said tilted configuration to said horizontal transport configuration; said bed movable from said tilted configuration to said horizontal transport configuration when said shut-off valve is in said open position, said needle valve is in said open position, and said pair of piston-and-cylinder (PC) units are movable from said retracted position to said extended position; said bed movable from said horizontal transport configuration to said tilted configuration when said shut-off valve is in said open position and said needle valve is in said closed position, and said pair of piston-and-cylinder (PC) units are movable from said extended position to said retracted position; and said pair of piston-and-cylinder (PC) units movement arrested when said ball valve is in said closed position.