Abstract:
The invention in a preferred form includes a frame assembly having a load bearing surface and a hitch engagement. The hitch engagement includes a lifting bar and a hitch guide. A bogey assembly may be further attached to the frame. The bogey assembly may include a wheeled axle. The high mobility trailer includes a frame having a pair of transversely spaced rails. The frame has a forward portion and a rearward portion and includes a hitch engagement having a lifting bar selectively fixed to the forward portion of the rails. The lifting bar is selectively movable between an up-position and a down-position. The frame further includes a cross beam fixed to the rails at a position rearward from the lifting bar. The cross beam has a hitch leg guide.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention generally relates to vehicle trailers. In particular, the invention relates to heavy equipment recovery trailers having high mobility characteristics. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Heavy equipment is a central part of both civilian and military operations. Typically this equipment includes such things as bulldozers, excavators, tanks, armored personnel carriers, self-propelled artillery, cranes, dump trucks, and other equipment often weighing several tons. Generally, this heavy equipment is self-propelled and moves over the ground via such things as wheels or treads. However, the heavy equipment is typically limited to traveling at slow to medium speeds, and/or may be of a weight or configuration that operation of the equipment on conventional roadways can substantially damage the roadway. For example, steel treads are well known in their ability to deform and/or fracture asphalt and concrete roadways. Furthermore, the heavy equipment is often normally operated in locations which are remote to finished roadways. For example, both civilian and military equipment may be operated in woodland, desert, tundra, and beach environments. 
   While being operated, heavy equipment is often damaged or suffers from various system failures that require that it be transported from its operational environment to a repair facility. Heavy equipment may also be required to be moved between operational environments hundreds or thousands of miles apart. Trailer and tractor truck combinations are often utilized to transport the heavy equipment from one location to another. Conventionally, the trailers are attached by a fifth wheel hitch to the tractor truck. These conventional trailers utilize such things as ramps that allow the heavy equipment to either be driven onto the trailer or to be winched/pushed up onto the trailer. However, these conventional trailers have several drawbacks. Typically, these trailers are constructed such that they have minimal ground clearance. This minimal ground clearance severely limits their use in off road operational environments since the trailer may strike obstacles or become high-centered. 
   In addition, conventional trailers often require a complete fifth wheel hitch assembly; in particular, the hitch assembly requires all the functional components which allow it to be connected to the fifth wheel hitch of a tractor truck. This results in trailers being extremely heavy and may inhibit deployment of the trailer into, for example, military operational areas by a cargo plane. In addition, conventional trailers cannot be reconfigured efficiently, thereby requiring a specific trailer to be utilized with a specific class of heavy equipment. 
   Furthermore, these conventional trailers also present an obstacle to easily loading the heavy equipment for the simple fact that the ramps, in order to be efficiently included, are typically of a short length. The short length results in a relatively steep angle when the ramps are deployed. The steep angle of the deployed ramps is difficult for heavy equipment to negotiate in reaching the trailer transport surface. This is especially true in areas where the deployed ramps rest on soft or sandy ground since the ramps will sink into the ground during deployment and loading. 
   In addition, conventional trailers, while allowing operation on finished roadways, are typically not rugged enough to permit repeated operation in environments where heavy equipment is being operated. Typically, when heavy equipment must be moved to another location, it is operated under its own power to a location suitable for the trailer. However, when the equipment has malfunctioned, a retrieval vehicle, such as a tow truck or heavy equipment retriever, is needed to pull or push the heavy equipment to the location for trailer pick-up. This often results in long delays and high costs. 
   Furthermore, conventional trailers are often not suited for air transport. For example, conventional trailer tractor combinations typically have a ground clearance, length, weight, and/or other features which prevent the combination from being loaded into a cargo aircraft compartment, for example a C130 air transport. 
   Military operational areas additionally pose significant disadvantages and dangers to conventional trailers. For instance, military equipment is often transported through very rough terrain, and is often subjected to the effects of enemy weaponry such as mines, grenades, improvised explosives, and other ordinance. Conventional trailers generally have a deck on which the heavy equipment rests. This deck presents a substantially contiguous covering over the entire trailer surface. This type of closed deck presents a horizontal surface that encounters enormous forces from blasts and detonations. These forces may cause conventional trailers, in either their loaded or unloaded configuration, to be severely damaged and/or to be overturned. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Briefly stated, the invention in a preferred form includes a frame assembly having a load bearing surface and a hitch engagement. The hitch engagement includes a lifting bar and a hitch guide. A bogey assembly may be further attached to the frame. The bogey assembly may include a wheeled axle. 
   The high mobility trailer includes a frame having a pair of transversely spaced rails. The frame has a forward portion and a rearward portion and includes a hitch engagement having a lifting bar selectively coupled to the forward portion of the rails. The frame further includes a cross beam fixed to the rails at a position rearward from the lifting bar. The cross beam has a hitch leg guide. Depending on, for example, the load requirements the frame may be configured in various lengths. 
   An object of the present invention is to provide a recovery trailer having high mobility especially in operational areas where heavy equipment is used. 
   Another object of the invention is to provide a recovery trailer for heavy equipment which allows heavy equipment to be easily loaded. 
   A further object of the invention is to provide a recovery trailer for heavy equipment that is sufficiently rugged to withstand operation and collateral assaults associated with civilian and military environments. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other objects and advantages of the invention will be evident to one of ordinary skill in the art from the following detailed description made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIGS. 1A and 1B  are side elevational views, partly in phantom, showing a truck and trailer assembly, consistent with the present invention, in both the assembled and loading configurations respectively; 
       FIGS. 2A and 2C  are respectively top and side views, partly in phantom, of a trailer unit consistent with the present invention; 
       FIG. 2B  is a side view, partly in phantom, of a loading bar consistent with the present invention; 
       FIG. 2D  is a front view of a bogey unit consistent with the present invention; 
       FIG. 3A  is a side view, partly in phantom, of a lifting bar associated with hitch boom legs consistent with the present invention; 
       FIG. 3B  is a top view, partly in phantom, of a lifting bar consistent with the present invention; 
       FIG. 3C  is an end view, partly in phantom, of a lifting bar consistent with the present invention; 
       FIGS. 4A through 4D  respectively show a partial front view, a side view partly in phantom, a top view partly in phantom, and a partial rear view of a rear bogey assembly consistent with the present invention; 
       FIG. 5A  shows a front view, partly in phantom, of a high mobility trailer frame lifting bar mount consistent with the present invention; and 
       FIG. 5B  shows a side view, partly in phantom, of a high mobility trailer frame consistent with the present invention; 
       FIG. 5C  shows a top view, partly in phantom, of a high mobility trailer frame consistent with the present invention; 
       FIG. 5D  shows a side view from inside a perimeter of the trailer frame of a rear portion of a high mobility trailer frame consistent with the present invention; 
       FIGS. 6  shows, partly in phantom, a lifting bar, consistent with the present invention, in position; and 
       FIGS. 7A and 7B  are side elevational views, partly in phantom, showing a truck, trailer, and equipment assembly, consistent with the present invention, in both the assembled and loading configurations, respectively. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   With reference to the drawings wherein like numeral represent like components throughout the figures,  FIGS. 1A and 1B  show a tractor in association with a trailer  10  in accordance with the present invention. The trailer  10  has a rugged heavy duty construction which is principally formed from steel. The trailer  10  has a rear bogey assembly  12  and a mainframe  14  with a lifting bar  16 . The trailer  10  is configured to operatively engage with a hitch assembly  18  mounted on a tractor, for example, a tractor truck  20 . The hitch assembly  18  may be identical to the boom assemblies disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,911 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,803, both of which are fully incorporated by reference herein. 
   The trailer  10  may be disengaged from the hitch assembly  18  such that the trailer may be used as a ramp, as shown in  FIG. 1B , onto which heavy equipment may be driven or winched. For example, the trailer may present, in one embodiment of the invention, a 7 degree load angle. In its disengaged configuration, the trailer may also serve as a loading ramp for loading platform trailers. 
   When operatively engaged with the hitch assembly  18 , as shown in  FIG. 1A , the hitch may adjusted in height and length (as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,911 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,803) such that the ground clearance of the trailer is altered to allow for high mobility of the trailer. For example, the trailer may meet a Roll on/Roll off (RORO) loading ramp specification requirement of negotiating a 15 degree ramp incline without ramp support shoring and without portions of the trailer, except for such things as the trailer tires, contacting the surface of the ground, ramp, or cargo compartment floor. In addition, a minimum 1-in clearance between all components of the trailer and tractor assembly, excluding the tires, and the ground may be maintained. The trailer in one embodiment of the invention may be loaded into a C130 transport. 
   In one embodiment of the invention, and with reference to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , a lifting bar  16  is present on the frame  14 . The lifting bar  16  is attached to the mainframe  14  by a lifting bar mount  22 . The lifting bar mount  22 , as shown in  FIG. 5A , may extend from an interior surface of the mainframe  14 . For example, the lifting bar mount  22  may be present on opposing sides of the mainframe  14  such that they extend toward each other. 
   The lifting bar  16 , in one embodiment of the invention, with reference to  FIGS. 3A–3C , has a flange  26  on either side of a contact bar  32 . The flange  26  may be coupled to the mount  22  by such things as a pin. The pin (not shown) passes through a hole  30  in the lifting bar flange  26  and then through an aperture  28  (shown in  FIG. 5A ) in the lifting bar mount  22 . The flange  26  as shown in  FIGS. 3A–3C  may include a first plate  27  and a second plate  29  attached to the bar  32 . A bottom plate  31  and a top plate  40  may be welded across the span between the two plates as shown in  FIG. 3C . The lifting bar flange  26  may be constructed such that the contact bar  32  is intermediate the first plate  27  and the second plate  29  of the flange  26 . The first plate  27  and the second plate  29  may be attached to the contact bar  32  by, for example, welding. As shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the contact bar  32  may not extend the full width of the plates  27 ,  29 , thus leaving portions of the plates  27 ,  29  to extend beyond the overall length of the contact bar  32 . 
   The contact bar  32  may be configured in a square, rectangular, circular, elliptical, and/or other advantageous shape. The contact bar  32  is preferably formed of materials such as metal, and/or composite material. For example the contact bar  32  may be made of steel or steel alloys. 
   Attached to the flange  26 , for example, to the first plate  27  is a pin socket  34  which receives a fastener (not shown). The pin socket  34  may also be attached, as shown in  FIGS. 3A–3C , to an extension plate  35 . The extension plate is attached to the first plate  27 . In one embodiment of the invention, the pin socket has a fastener guide  25  which provides a surface that aids in aligning the fastener with pin socket  34 . The pin socket  34  is configured to be connected by the fastener to the hitch assembly  18  via a hitch pin socket  36  as shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B . For example, as shown in  FIG. 3C , the pin socket  34  is positioned on the extension plate  35  and first plate  27  such that a fastener passage through the pin socket  34  has a horizontal orientation. In operation, as shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , the fastener extends through the pin socket  34  and through the hitch pin socket  36 . 
   The hitch assembly  18 , in one embodiment of the invention, has a pair of engagement legs  42  that slidingly engage with the frame rails  44 . It should be noted that the overall length of the tractor/trailer combination may be adjusted by lengthening or shortening the engagement legs  42 . For example, the engagement legs  42  may slide outwardly, in a telescoping manner, as shown in  FIGS. 1A  and B and be secured with a securing device, such as a pin (not shown) fitted into one of a plurality of holes in the engagement leg  42 . The engagement legs  42  pass under the lifting bar  16  until the ends of the legs  42  reach a cross member  46  which extends between the rails  44 . The cross member  46 , in one configuration, has a pair of angled guides  48 . The angled guides  48  are advantageously positioned to make contact with engagement legs  42  as the engagement legs reach the cross member  46 . The contact of the angled guides  48  may act to provide tension on the engagement legs  42  by, for example, a camming action. As shown in  FIG. 3A , the engagement legs  42  are positioned such that they are in contact with the contact bar  32  and/or pads  50  present on the flange  26 . The engagement legs may be guided into position through contact with an edge of the extension plate  35  and a surface of guide plate  41  which is attached to the extension plate  35 . The attachment between extension plate  35  and guide plate  41  is secured with support plate  43 . The pads  50  and lifting bar  32  support the weight of the trailer when operatively engaged to the hitch assembly  18 . The engagement legs  42 , pin socket  34  and the hitch pin socket  36  may be positioned in alignment such that a pin (not shown) may be used to operatively connect the trailer  10  to the hitch assembly  18 . 
   A bogey assembly  12  can selectively attach to the rear of the mainframe  14  to provide easy transport of the trailer  10 . The bogey unit  12 , in one embodiment of the invention, has wheels  52  mounted to axles  54 . The axles may be mounted to suspension system  56 , which in turn is fixed to the bogey frame  58 . The bogey frame  58  has an attachment extension  60  having a connection structure defined by holes  62 . A pin  64  present on the mainframe  14  passes through a hole  62 . The mainframe  14  has a bogey connection cross-beam  66  which defines a pin  64 . It should be understood, that the bogey unit  12  is designed to be of a modular nature, wherein bogey units  12  having different wheel or axle configurations may be swapped out for one another. For example, a bogey unit  12  having three axles may be swapped out for a bogey unit having two axles and low ground pressure tires. 
   In one embodiment of the invention, as shown in  FIG. 5B , a plurality of attachment points are provided. For example, D-rings  67  may be fixed to various portions of the trailer  10  in order to provide attachment points for equipment securing materials such as chains, cables, ropes, strapping, and/or netting. 
   In one embodiment of the invention the trailer  10  is configured with, for example, openings  100  in order to survive and/or minimize the effects of a blast, for example, a blast produced by a high explosive such as dynamite wherein energy is released relatively instantaneously. The energy released in such a manner produces a shock wave, which may travel faster than the speed of sound. Typically explosions which produce shock waves travelling faster than the speed of sound are termed detonations, and explosions which produce slower moving shock waves are termed deflagrations. Both types of shock waves can produce extensive damage to equipment. The openings  100  in the trailer may be advantageously positioned such that the surface area coming in contact with a shock wave is minimized. 
   While the dimensions and capacities of the trailer  10  and its associated component may vary greatly depending on the intended use, in one embodiment of the present invention the trailer  10  has a capacity of about 24 tons. The height is about 30 to about 44 inches, the width is about 96 to about 104 inches, the adjustable load length is about 26 to about 46 feet. In addition, the trailer may have common components with various military trailers. For example, as shown in  FIGS. 7A and 7B , the trailer  10  can, in some configurations, transport such equipment as Bradley fighting vehicles, artillery rocket systems, interim armored vehicles, medium armored vehicles (MAVs)  200 , light armored vehicles (LAVs), and armored amphibious assault vehicles. This equipment can be coupled to the trailer  10  by binding elements such as cable  300  or chains. In addition, the trailer can, in some embodiments, be transported by a C-17 aircraft. 
   While preferred embodiments of the foregoing invention have been set forth for the purpose of illustration, the foregoing description should not be deemed a limitation of the invention herein. Accordingly, various modifications, adaptations and alternatives may occur to one of skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.