Abstract:
An improved saddle assembly for a side-dump trailer or truck wherein the saddle assemblies have saddle supports which are located directly above the frame members of the wheeled frame of the side-dump vehicle. The saddle supports receive the pivot pins of the side-dump body with the loads imposed thereon being transferred to the frame members of the wheeled frame of the side-dump body.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to an improved saddle assembly for a side-dump trailer or truck. More particularly, a plurality of the improved saddle assemblies are secured to the frame means of the truck or trailer with each of the saddle assemblies being located directly above the longitudinally extending frame members of the truck or trailer frame means. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In recent years, side dump bodies mounted on trailers or trucks have become extremely popular. The inventor of the instant invention has obtained many patents on side dump bodies with one of the first patents being U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,214 to Ralph R. Rogers. 
     In most of Applicant&#39;s prior art patents relating to side-dump trailers and trucks and in most of the side-dump bodies of the competitors of the assignee of this invention, the side dump bodies are pivotally mounted on a truck or trailer frame in a manner so that they may be dumped to either side of the truck or trailer frame. In most cases, pivot pins are secured to the sides of the side-dump body with the pivot pins being received in saddle assemblies which are positioned outwardly of the longitudinally extending frame members of the truck or trailer in a cantilever fashion such as seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . In  FIG. 1 , which is a partial rear perspective view of the side-dump trailer in Applicant&#39;s earlier U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,214, the rear saddle assemblies  10  and  12  are supported by a frame means  14  so that the saddle assemblies  10  and  12  are positioned laterally outwardly of the frame members  16  and  18  respectively which places a great deal of stress on the outer ends of the frame means  14 . The same is also true for the saddle assemblies located at the forward end of frame members  16  and  18 . 
     In the prior art structure of  FIG. 2 , the saddle assemblies  20  and  22  are mounted on supports  24  and  26  respectively which extend laterally from frame members  28  and  30  respectively in a cantilever fashion. The structure of  FIG. 2  does perform satisfactorily, as does the structure of  FIG. 1 , but like the prior art structure of  FIG. 1 , a great deal of stress is placed on the supports  24  and  26 . 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key aspects or essential aspects of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, this Summary is not intended for use as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     An improved saddle assembly is disclosed for use with a side-dump trailer or truck. The side-dump trailer or truck includes a wheeled frame having a forward end, a rearward end, a first side and a second side. The wheeled frame includes a pair of longitudinally extending first and second frame members. 
     An elongated side-dump body is selectively pivotally movably positioned on the wheeled frame and has a forward end, a rearward end, opposite sides, and an open upper end for receiving materials to be transported. The side-dump body includes a bottom wall, a forward wall, a rearward wall, and first and second side walls which extend upwardly and outwardly from the bottom wall. First, second, third and fourth saddle assemblies are provided which include first, second, third and fourth saddle supports respectively. The first saddle assembly is supported upon the first frame member adjacent the forward end thereof so that the first saddle support thereof is positioned directly above the first frame member. The second saddle assembly is supported upon the first frame member rearwardly of the first saddle assembly so that the second saddle support thereof is positioned directly above the first frame member. The third saddle assembly is supported upon the second frame member adjacent the forward end thereof so that the third saddle support thereof is positioned directly above the second frame member. The fourth saddle assembly is supported upon the second frame member rearwardly of the third saddle assembly so that the fourth saddle support thereof is positioned directly above the second frame member. 
     A first pivot pin is secured to the side-dump body at the first side thereof adjacent the forward end thereof which is adapted to be selectively removably and pivotally received by the first saddle support. A second pivot pin is secured to the side-dump body at the first side thereof adjacent the rearward end thereof which is adapted to be selectively removably and pivotally received by the second saddle support. A third pivot pin is secured to the side-dump body at the second side thereof adjacent the forward end thereof which is adapted to be selectively removably and pivotally received by the third saddle support. A fourth pivot pin is secured to the side-dump body at the second side thereof adjacent the rearward end thereof which is adapted to be selectively removably and pivotally received by the fourth saddle support. 
     The first, second, third and fourth saddle assemblies include first, second, third and fourth locking devices respectively which are selectively movable between locked and unlocked positions for selectively maintaining the first, second, third and fourth pivot pins in the first, second, third and fourth saddle supports respectively when in their locked positions. A first power cylinder is provided at the forward end of the side-dump body and a second power cylinder is provided at the rear end of the side-dump body for pivotally moving the side-dump body between its transport and dumping positions. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the first, second, third and fourth saddle supports are located directly above the frame members and are centered with respect thereto. In the preferred embodiment, the first and third saddle supports are secured to a transversely extending cross-frame member which extends between and over the first and second frame members at their forward ends and which is secured thereto. In the preferred embodiment, the second and fourth saddle supports are secured to a transversely extending cross-frame member which extends between and over the first and second frame members at the rearward ends thereof and which is secured thereto. 
     It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide an improved saddle assembly for a side-dump trailer or truck. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide saddle assemblies for a side-dump trailer or truck wherein the saddle assemblies are located directly above the longitudinally extending frame members of the truck or trailer. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved saddle assembly which eliminates the supports thereof being positioned laterally outwardly of the frame members in a cantilever fashion thereby reducing the stress on the supporting structure for the saddle assemblies. 
     These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified. 
         FIG. 1  partially illustrates a prior art side-dump body wherein the saddle assemblies thereof are located laterally outwardly of the frame members of the truck or trailer; 
         FIG. 2  is a partial perspective view illustrating a prior art side-dump body wherein the saddle assemblies thereof are positioned outwardly of the frame members of the truck or trailer in a cantilever fashion; 
         FIG. 3  is a rear perspective view of a side-dump trailer having the saddle assemblies of this invention mounted on the longitudinally extending frame members of the trailer; 
         FIG. 4  is a partial rear perspective view illustrating first, second, third and fourth saddle assemblies secured to the longitudinally extending frame members of a trailer or truck; and 
         FIG. 5  is a rear view of the trailer of  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Embodiments are described more fully below with reference to the accompanying figures, which form a part hereof and show, by way of illustration, specific exemplary embodiments. These embodiments are disclosed in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. However, embodiments may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense in that the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims. 
     In  FIG. 3 , the numeral  32  refers to a wheeled frame which may be part of a truck or trailer. For purposes of description, the wheeled frame  32  will be described as having a left side  34 , a right side  36 , a forward end  38 , and a rearward end  40 . A conventional side-dump body such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,214 is illustrated in  FIG. 3  and is referred to generally by the reference numeral  42 . For purposes of description, side-dump body  42  will be described as having a forward end wall or bulk head  44 , a rearward end or bulk head  46 , a first side wall  48 , a second side wall  50 , and a bottom wall  52  which may be curved or flat. Bottom wall  52  may be integrally formed with side walls  48  and  50 . Wheeled frame  32  includes a first longitudinally extending frame member  52  and a second longitudinally extending frame member  54 . Frame member  52  includes a horizontally top disposed flange  56 , a bottom flange  58  and a vertically disposed web  60  extending therebetween. Frame member  54  includes a horizontally disposed top flange  62 , a horizontally disposed bottom flange  64 , and a vertically disposed web  66  extending therebetween. 
     A transversely extending cross-frame  68  is secured to frame members  52  and  54  at the forward ends thereof and extends therebetween as seen in  FIG. 4 . Cross-frame  68  has a mounting bracket  70  provided thereon at the center thereof to which the base end of the conventional forward hydraulic cylinder is attached for pivotally moving the side-dump body. The rod end of the hydraulic cylinder is pivotally secured to the forward end wall  44  in conventional fashion. 
     A transversely extending cross-frame  72  is secured to frame members  52  and  54  at the rearward ends thereof and extends therebetween as seen in  FIG. 4 . Cross-frame  72  has a mounting bracket  74  provided thereon at the center thereof to which the base end of the conventional rearward hydraulic cylinder  76  is attached for pivotally moving the side-dump body. The rod end of the hydraulic cylinder  76  is pivotally secured to the rearward end wall  46  at  78  in conventional fashion. 
     A first saddle assembly  80  is secured to the first end of cross-frame  68 . A second saddle assembly  82  is secured to the first end of cross-frame  72 . A third saddle assembly  84  is secured to the second end of cross-frame  72  and a fourth saddle assembly  86  is secured to the second end of cross-frame  72 . Saddle assemblies  80 ,  82 ,  84  and  86  include U-shaped saddle supports  88 ,  90 ,  92  and  94  respectively. Saddle supports  88  and  90  are positioned directly above frame member  52  and are centered over flange  56 . Saddle supports  92  and  94  are positioned directly above frame member  54  and are centered over flange  62 . 
     Saddle assemblies  80 ,  82 ,  84  and  86  include locking devices  96 ,  98 ,  100  and  102  respectively for locking the pivot pins therein as will be described hereinafter. Pivot pins  104  and  106  are secured to the side-dump body  42  at one side thereof which are adapted to be received in the saddle supports  88  and  90  respectively. Pivot pins  108  and  110  are secured to the other side of side-dump body  42  which are adapted to be received in the saddle supports  92  and  94  respectively. 
     The side-dump body illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 5  is operated in conventional fashion. If it is desired to move the side-dump body  42  from the transport position of  FIG. 3  to a dumping position at the left side of the wheeled frame  32 , locking devices  100  and  102  are moved to the unlocked position. The hydraulic cylinders at the forward and rearward ends of the side-dump body  42  are extended which causes the side-dump body  42  to be pivotally moved to the left side of the wheeled frame  32  with the pivot pins  104  and  106  pivotally moving with respect to the saddle supports  88  and  90  respectively. 
     If it is desired to pivot the side-dump body  42  from the transport position of  FIG. 3  to a dumping position at the right side, as viewed from the rear of the wheeled frame, the locking devices  96  and  98  are unlocked with the locking devices  84  and  86  being locked. The extension of the hydraulic cylinders at the forward and rearward ends of the side-dump body  42  then cause the side-dump body to pivotally move to the height as viewed from the rear of the vehicle with the pivot pins  106  and  110  pivotally moving in the saddle supports  92  and  94 . 
     It can be seen that at all times during the pivotal movement of the side-dump body with respect to the wheeled frame, the pivot pins are located directly above the frame members  52  and  54  and preferably centered over the top flanges  56  and  62  thereof. The fact that the pivot pins are not positioned laterally outwardly of the frame members  52  and  54  causes the loads imposed on the saddle assemblies to be supported by the frame members  52  and  54  respectively. 
     Thus it can be seen that the invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives. 
     Although the invention has been described in language that is specific to certain structures and methodological steps, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific structures and/or steps described. Rather, the specific aspects and steps are described as forms of implementing the claimed invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be practiced without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.