Forward dumping truck construction

A truck comprises a generally U-shaped frame and a dump body pivotally mounted forwardly on the frame and supported on a pair of laterally spaced and parallel side beams thereof. The dump body comprises four triangularly-shaped bottom wall portions converging downwardly to form an inverse pyramidal construction. A double-acting hydraulic cylinder is pivotally interconnected between the frame and dump body to selectively raise the dump body to discharge materials forwardly of the truck. An operator's cab is mounted on a forward end of one of the side beams.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a truck of the type adapted for off-highway load 
carrying and dumping operations. 
Conventional trucks employed for off-highway construction operations 
normally comprise a frame mounted on a plurality of roadwheels and a dump 
body pivotally mounted on the frame to discharge materials rearwardly of 
the truck. Such a dumping operation normally requires a "grade spotter" to 
aid the operator in dumping a load. In addition, many such trucks comprise 
rather complex frames in the undercarriages thereof to accommodate the 
dump body in its carry position thereon. 
SUMMARY OF THIS INVENTION 
An object of this invention is to provide an improved dump truck which is 
compact in construction, exhibits a low center of gravity and 
substantially even distribution of weight therealong and which is adapted 
to expedite the cycle time required for loading and dumping operations. 
The truck comprises a frame mounted on a plurality of roadwheels and having 
a pair of laterally spaced and parallel side beams. A dump body comprises 
a pair of laterally spaced rails each normally disposed on one of the side 
beams when the dump body is maintained in its carry position on the frame. 
The dump body is preferably pivotally mounted forwardly on the frame and 
actuating means, preferably in the form of at least one double-acting 
hydraulic cylinder, is pivotally interconnected between the frame and dump 
body to selectively pivot the dump body towards the forward end of the 
truck to discharge material thereat. 
Another feature of this invention is the disposition of an operator's cab 
on a forward end of one of the side beams of the frame and in substantial 
underlying relationship relative to a portion of the material carrying 
cavity of the dump body. Still another feature of this invention is the 
inverse pyramidal construction of the bottom portion of the dump body 
whereby the center of gravity of the truck is inherently placed 
substantially low in the truck to increase the overall stability thereof. 
In addition, the dump body is preferably substantially coextensive with 
the frame and an engine is mounted rearwardly thereon whereby the weight 
of the truck is substantially evenly distributed throughout its length, 
both in its empty and loaded conditions of operation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
FIG. 1 illustrates a truck 10 comprising a main frame 11 mounted on a 
plurality of front and rear roadwheels 12 and 13, respectively. As shown 
in FIG. 2, the frame is generally U-shaped to comprise a pair of laterally 
spaced and parallel side beams 14 and a pair of cross beams 15 and 16 
secured between the side beams. The side beams are further secured 
together by a a pair of longitudinally spaced and laterally extending 
support members 17 and 18 and the forward end of the frame is open for 
purposes hereinafter explained. 
An engine 19 is suitably mounted on a rearward end of the frame and 
disposed transversely thereon, along with an aircooled radiator 20. The 
engine is suitably connected to rear roadwheels 13 by drive means, 
hereinafter described, to drive the same to propel the truck. As shown in 
FIGS. 2 and 3, each pair of rear roadwheels 13 is rotatably mounted on a 
lever member or U-shaped sub-frame 21 having its forward end universally 
connected to cross beam 16 by a ball and socket connection 22. 
The rearward ends of sub-frame 21 are secured to a rear axle housing 23. 
The axle housing is suspended beneath main frame 11 by a pair of laterally 
spaced and conventional suspension cylinders 24. The opposite end of each 
suspension cylinder is universally connected to the main frame and axle 
housing by a ball and socket connection 25 and a transversely disposed tag 
link 26 is pivotally interconnected therebetween. 
Each pair of front roadwheels 12 has a common axle housing 27 connected to 
an underside of side beam 14, for example, by a conventional suspension 
cylinder 28. The suspension cylinder further functions as a king pin in 
that it has conventional steering means associated therewith (partially 
illustrated) for selectively pivoting the roadwheels in a horizontal plane 
to steer the truck. Such steering means may be of the type disclosed in 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,565,455, assigned to the assignee of this application. 
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, an operator's cab 29 is mounted forwardly on the 
frame and preferably on the forward end and outboard side of a side beam 
14. The forward end of the side beam comprises a forward portion 30 which 
extends downwardly and forwardly to have the operator's cab mounted 
thereon. Thus, the operator is positioned to have substantially 
unobstructed visibility forwardly of the vehicle during the hereinafter 
described dumping operation of the truck. 
FIG. 5 illustrates a dump body 31 comprising a pair of laterally spaced and 
parallel support rails 32 and 33 normally disposed and supported on side 
beams 14. A rear cross-rail 34 is secured between the side rails and is 
adapted to be supported on cross-beam 15 in overlying relationship 
relative to engine 19 (FIG. 1). The main body portion of the dump body is 
constructed in an inverse pyramidal shaped configuration to provide four 
triangularly shaped bottom wall portions 35, 36, 37 and 38 which converge 
downwardly to meet at an apex 39 thereof. Edges of each pair of adjacent 
wall portions meet at diagonally disposed reinforcing ribs 40, 41, 42 or 
43. 
A plurality of longitudinally extending and parallel reinforcing ribs 44 
are secured on rear wall portion 38 to extend between support rail 34 and 
ribs 40 and 41. Sidewall portions 35 and 37 exhibit similar constructions 
wherein transversely disposed reinforcing ribs 45 and 46, respectively, 
are formed integrally therewith. Forward wall portion 36 has a plurality 
of parallel reinforcing ribs 47 formed integrally therewith and orientated 
in a slightly different manner, i.e., disposed transversely in secured 
relationship between ribs 42 and 43. 
As further shown in FIG. 5, a rectangular skirt 48, at least substantially 
covering operator's cab 29 along with a portion of a material carrying 
cavity of the dump body, is formed integrally on the upper peripheral 
edges of the dump body and reinforced by a plurality of parallel ribs 49. 
Two pairs of apertured lugs 50 and 51 are secured to the underside of the 
truck body and disposed at a forward end thereof. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 
and 4, pairs of lugs 50 and 51 are adapted to be pivotally mounted on 
brackets 52 and 53, respectively, by pins 54 (one shown). Each bracket is 
secured on portion 30 of a respective side rail to project forwardly 
therefrom whereby dump body 32 may be pivoted forwardly on the truck to 
its dump position 31', illustrated by phantom lines in FIG. 1. 
The truck body may be pivoted between its carry and dump positions on the 
frame by actuating means, preferably comprising at least one double-acting 
hydraulic cylinder 55. The cylinder may be of the telescopic type having 
its head end pivotally mounted on frame 11 by a pin 56 and its rod end 
pivotally mounted to a pair of brackets 57, secured on an underside of the 
truck body, by a pin 58. As shown in FIG. 1, a second pair of brackets 57 
are adapted for connection to a second actuating means (not shown) 
constructed and arranged in a like manner but positioned on an opposite 
side of the truck from that shown. 
Returning to FIGS. 2 and 3 for a brief description of the drive means for 
rear roadwheels 13, the housing of an electric drive motor 59 is secured 
on axle housing 23. The output shaft of the motor (not shown) is drivingly 
connected to a common drive axle 60, rotatably mounted in the axle 
housing, via standard differential gearing (not shown). Each end of the 
drive axle is drivingly connected to a wheel drive axle 61 for each pair 
of rear roadwheels by a gear train and speed reducer constituting a set of 
spur gears 62. 
The electric motor 59 is operatively connected to an electric generator 
(not shown) and engine 19 (FIG. 1) to thus selectively drive roadwheels 
13. If so desired, a standard planetary gear set 63 may be operatively 
connected in a conventional manner between each drive axle 61 and one or 
both roadwheels connected thereto to provide a further speed reduction 
therebetween. In addition, a standard brake package 64 may be suitably 
integrated in the final wheel drive for each pair of roadwheels to provide 
selective braking thereof in a conventional manner. 
Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 4, it should be noted that a portion of the 
material carrying cavity of the dump body, defined in part by skirt 48, 
extends into overlying relationship relative to operator's cab in contrast 
to conventional truck constructions. Also, an uppermost portion of the cab 
is disposed no higher in a vertical direction than an uppermost portion of 
frame 11. In addition, a substantial portion of the frame, including side 
beams 14 thereof, are vertically disposed above the roadwheels and each 
pair of the roadwheels are mounted directly beneath such side beams. 
Although the truck of this invention is particularly adapted for forward 
dumping, it should be understood that the latter features, and others 
discussed above, are also adapted for use on rearward, sideward or bottom 
dumping truck applications.