LOAD DISCHARGING MECHANISM FOR A VEHICLE

Abstract: Many of the wagon unloading devices are expensive and unreliable in operation. To overcome these drawbacks there is provided a wagon (10) having a mechanism for unloading or discharging its load operated by pneumatic piston assemblies (20, 30). The compressed air used to operate the pneumatic piston assemblies (20, 30) is obtained from a compressor (50) that is actuated by movement of the wagon and the compressed air so generated is stored in a tank (40). The compressed air is then controllably released to activate the pneumatic piston assemblies (20, 30) that cause the elevation and tensioning of a flexible net (80) producing an inclined plane that facilitates the unloading operation.

Description: I. TITLE: Load Discharging Mechanism for a Vehicle II. TECHNICAL FIELD: The present invention relates to an improved wagon, and particularly, to such wagons provided with a pneumatic load discharge mechanism. III. BACKGROUND ART: A number of hauled wagons intended for storing have been designed in the past. The following list shows the ones that th applicant herein believes to be the closest to his invention. 4,129,222 DEVICE FOR EMPTYING CONTAINERS Dan Richardsso OR SIMILAR 4,049,137 HAULING VEHICLE WITH SIDE DUMP Gustave Meyer BODY 2,573,584 LOAD DISCHARGING UNIT FOR R.G. Le Tournea VEHICLES 4,106,812 SIDE DUMPING VEHICLE Lee M. Clark 2,407,430 TRUCK UNLOADING APPARATUS W.S. MacRae 2,876,917 LOADING AND UNLOADING EQUIPMENT K.C. King 3,408,108 WAGON WITH DESCENDING FLOOR J.L. Duda, Jr. 2,739,836 UNLOADING DEVICE D.B. Kilpatrick U.S. Patent Nos. 4,129,222 and 4,049,137, issued to Richardsson and Meyer, disclose a hydraulic mechanism for facilitating the emptying of a container. These mechanisms, however, are not self-charging through the movement of the vehicle like in the present invention. Another approach is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,573,584; issued to Tourneau. Eventhough it utilizes a net, like in the present invention, the power for operating the load discharging unit is obtained from an electric winch run by current supplied by a generating unit of the prime mover. Other patents describing the closest subject matter provide for a number of more or less complicated features that fail to solve the problem in an efficient and economical way. None of these patents suggest the novel features of the present invention. IV. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION: It is the main object of the present invention to provide a load discharging mechanism for a vehicle. Another object of this invention is to provide such a mechanism that is powered by pneumatic means that are activate by the motion of the vehicle. It is another object of the present invention to obtain and store the pneumatic power to operate the load discharging mechanism from the motion of the vehicle itself when it is hauled. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a mechanism that is easy and reliable to operate, as well inexpensive, to manufacture. Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed descripti is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon. V. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS: With the above and other related objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction and combinati of parts as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 is a view, in perspective, of the wagon with a partial view of the net and associated discharge mechanism. Figure 2 represents a partial view of the side of the wagon, having the rear wheel removed so that the pulley that transmits the rotational movement to the compressor can be appreciated. Figure 3 represents a front view of the wagon showing the discharge operation, in phantom. VI. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT: Referring now to Figure 1, where the present invention, an improved wagon, is generally referred to with a numeral 10, it can be observed that it includes a wheeled wagon with side walls 11, 12, and 13, rear wall 14 and floor chassis 9. A pair of pneumatic piston assemblies 20 and 30, mounted on chassis 9, is fed by accumulator tank 40 which accumulates or stores pressurized air received from air compressor 50 which in turn is activated, through belt 65, by wheel pulley 60 (shown in Figure 2) mounted on the inner side of wheel 15. Piston assemblies 20 and 30 are controlled for operation by valve assembly 70 which i connected in series between tank 40 and piston assemblies 20 and 30. Valve assembly 70 allows the compressed air in piston assemblies 20 and 30 in one position and on the other position allows the air out of assemblies 20 and 30 thereby deactivatin them. A net 80, in substantially rectangular shape, is secured o one of its edges (one of the longest edge in the preferred embodiment) to a longitudinal member 81. Rods 21 and 31 of pis assemblies 20 and 30, respectively, are attached to the unders of member 81 so that when assemblies 20 and 30 are activated ( allowing compressed air in), member 81 is lifted vertically, carrying with it the side of net 80 secured to member 81. A longitudinal member 83 is attached to net 80, close to the bottom, and member 83 is in turn secured to U-shaped guiding members 18 and 19, on the inner side. Guiding members 18 and 1 slide over the vertical edges of wall panel 12 since they are secured to the underside of member 81 at point "Q". This way, when the wagon is being unloaded (dotted representation in Fig 3) net 80* is substantially tensioned providing an inclined pl facilitating the unloading operation. The opposite edge of net is secured to longitudinal member 82 which is mounted on the inside of wall 11. Side wall 11 is shorter than side wall 12 a the difference between the two side walls is made up with a hingedly mounted side wall 13. Longitudinal member 82 may be on of the leaves of hinge means 85 so that net 80 is sandwiched between it and wall panel 11. The position of wall 13 will be determined by the position of lever 16 which is rigidly mounted to the front end of wall 13 and extends downwardly adjacent to OMPI IPO ' the front edge of wall 11. Lever 16 pivots around point "P". Arm link 17 actuates lever 16 when member 81 is lifted thereby causing lever 16 to rotate which will, consequently, make wall 1 rotate outwardly. This will reduce the height to which member 81 needs to be lifted to discharge its load. When the wagon is in motion and tank 30 is below a minimum charge of pressurized air, compressor 50 is activated to bring the tank's pressure up above that minimum. Once above that minimum, the compressor is disconnected automatically in order t prevent wasteful expenditure of energy to overcome the resistanc of compressor 50. Compressor 50 may be implemented with Model No 3Z783, manufactured by Dayton Speedaire, which includes tank 40. It is believed the foregoing description conveys the best understanding of the objects and advantages of the present invention. Different embodiments may be made of the inventive concept of this invention. It is to be understood that all matte disclosed herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, an not in a limiting sense, except as set forth in the following claims. VII. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY. It is apparent from the previous paragraphs that an improvement of the type for such an improved wagon is quite desirable for the efficient and fast discharge of its load. OMPI

Claims: VIII. CLAIMS : What is claimed is: 1. An improved wagon, comprising, in operative combination: A. a wheeled chassis; B. a rear wall upwardly mounted on the rear end of said chassis; C. a first side wall upwardly mounted on one side of said chassis; D. a second side wall upwardly mounted on the opposite side of said chassis; E. pneumatic means upwardly mounted to said chassis, adjace and outside said first side wall, having the outer end of i piston rods perpendicularly connected to a longitudinal member; F. a flexible rectangular net secured along one of its edge to the upper end of said second side wall and the opposite edge being secured to said longitudinal member; G. means for compressing air actuated by the movement of a wheel of said chassis and mounted to said chassis; and H. means for storing compressed air received from said mean for compressing air and having valve means for controUably releasing the compressed air into and out of said pneumatic means so that it may be activated or deactivated by the use 2. The improved wagon set forth in claim 1 wherein the height o said second side wall is smaller than the height of said first side wall. 3. The improved wagon set forth in claim 2 further including: I. a third side wall hingedly mounted over said second side wall; and J. actuating means for outwardly rotating said third side wall responsive to the vertical movements of said longitudinal member. 4. The improved wagon set forth in claim 3 wherein said means f compressing air further include a pulley wheel behind a wheel o said chassis and belt means trained over it so that the wheel movement is transmitted to the compressor means. 5. The improved wagon set forth in claim 4 further including a pair of U-shaped cross section guiding members rigidly mounted t the ends of said longitudinal member so that said guiding member slidably receive the edge of said first side wall thereby preventing any non-vertical movement. OMPI

Inventors: GIRALT FERMIN, GIRALT, FERMIN
Applicants: GIRALT FERMIN, GIRALT, FERMIN
Application year: 1983
Main classification: B60P1
IPC codes: B60P1