Abstract: A liner for a body such as of an off-highway truck protects the body from wear. The liner has a plate with openings through the plate arranged in a preselected pattern. The plate is of a size to fit a particular portion of the body and is typically removably fastened to the body. The openings in the plate cause material to tumble, instead of to slide, when being removed from the truck. The tumbling action, and the thickness of the plate, reduces wear on the body during material dumping.

Abstract: A guard for vehicles protects the axle housing and proximate components from falling rocks and road debris. The device has a central mount that attaches onto the differential unit portion of the axle housing. The mount partially protects the differential unit. In addition, at least two shields are hinged onto the central mount. The shields can cover the segments of the exposed axle housing and said shields can be locked into place. The shields can be unlocked and swung from the central mount to allow for inspection, maintenance, and cleanup of the axle housing and its proximate components.

Abstract: A liner for a body such as of an off-highway truck protects the body from wear. The liner has a plate with openings through the plate arranged in a preselected pattern. The plate is of a size to fit a particular portion of the body and is typically removably fastened to the body. The openings in the plate cause material to tumble, instead of to slide, when being removed from the truck. The tumbling action, and the thickness of the plate, reduces wear on the body during material dumping.

Abstract: A truck includes a chassis with a body movably mounted to the chassis behind a cab. The body is movable between a first position generally parallel to the chassis and a second generally upright position with respect to the chassis. A canopy is movably mounted to the body. The canopy is movable between an extended position and a retracted position. In the extended position, the canopy extends outwardly from the body to cover the cab when said body is in the first position. The canopy is retractable to decrease the overall height of the truck when the body is in the generally upright second position.

Abstract: A tag axle latching mechanism is disclosed that includes opposed matching engaging components wherein a first is attached to a tag axle system and a second is attached to a truck frame. The components cooperate to direct supporting forces associated with the tag axle system through the truck frame. The tag axle system is mounted on a tailgate such that the engaging components are aligned as the tailgate is operated between a closed and an open position. The tag axle system is connected to the tailgate such that it is covered by the tailgate but forces associated with support provided by the tag axle system are not transferred to the tailgate.

Abstract: An unloading gate for a dump truck body which is movably mounted on rails in the dump truck body so that it can be actuated to scrape and clean the body during unloading and which has a positive locking means for locking the unloading gate in a fixed position relative to the body.

Abstract: An ultralight yet extremely strong vessel without a circumferential support suitable for full-length, end-dumpable trailers, for railroad tank cars, highway tank trailer, refuse transportation vehicles and the like. High strength and minimum weight are achieved by arcuately stressing but light materials, by provision of longitudinal support members which may become an integral part of the vessel and, in open-top embodiments, by provision of a reinforcing member along an extended open edge of adequate horizontal moment of inertia and which may readily be pre-tensioned if desired. In the pre-tensioned embodiment, such to reinforcing member may cause the open-top vessel to bow inwardly before loading so as to compensate for the outward-tendency of such vessels constructed of elastic materials when loaded.

Abstract: The invention is a multipurpose adaptor box for a dump truck designed to fit into the dump truck box of a dump truck. The adaptor box has an exterior surface that surrounds an interior chamber so that the box defines essentially a bottom and four sides with an open top. The rear side of the adaptor box (i.e. the tailgate) includes a door means for providing access to the interior chamber. The door is swing mounted on hinges to the exterior surface of the adaptor box and has an opening passing through it that is designed to allow a leaf blower system to be attached to the adaptor box so that lawn refuse can easily be loaded into the adaptor box when desired. A removable opening cover, capable of being mounted to the door, is provided for covering the opening when it is not needed. The open top of the adaptor box is defined by the top edges of the side walls. A grate is used to cover the top opening to the adaptor box.

Abstract: A semi-end dump trailer body employs hollow rectangular rubrail along each side of the trailer body with crossmembers of U-shaped configuration with outwardly flared sidewalls welded to the inner vertical wall of the rubrails and to inward, relatively short horizontal extensions of the rubrails and to a floor sheet extending across the body between the inward horizontal extensions of the rubrails whereby to strengthen the body increase its acceptable length, height and load carrying capacity without a significant increase in weight and at little increase in cost.

Abstract: A dumping type vehicle having a body which is semicircular in cross section and wherein the body is provided with a plurality of removable floor units each of which spans the body in spaced relationship to its upper and lower portions and each of which is moveable individually from a loading end forwardly of the body with cargo placed thereon by way of a mechanical loading system.

Abstract: A working machine for use in a working system in which a pair of working machines, which are capable of traveling both on land and on a riverbed or the like, are respectively used for excavating gravel or the like on the bottom of the water and for transporting the same. The working machine is basically constructed such that an upper structure including an operator's cabin is mounted on a lower structure having a self-traveling mechanism, such as endless tracks, in such a manner that the heightwise position of the upper structure can be varied. The working machine is applied to a dredging machine for a shallow water area having an excavating mechanism juxtaposed in the vicinity of its upper structure, and to a transporting machine for a shallow water area having a load-carrying platform juxtaposed in the vicinity of its upper structure.

Abstract: A new mode of construction for vehicles having a dump body comprises a container (6) which rests on a fixed cradle (5) that serves as a chassis (1). The lower portion of the container (6) is adapted to be interfitted in the cradle due to the fact that the section of the cradle corresponds to the section of the lower portion (10) of the container of smaller dimensions, so as to permit the interfitting of the container in the cradle. The container and the cradle are constituted by volumes having substantially concentric transverse sections such that the lower portion (10) of the container precisely interfits in the cradle.

Abstract: A retractable bumper is mounted to the rear of a cotton module transport. The bumper is attached to elongated shafts which are pivoted in tubes. The tubes are mounted upon a bracket which is hinged below the bed of the transport. Before the bed is tilted to a lower position, the bumper is telescoped forward in the tubes and the tubes tilted so that the bumper is moved against the bottom of the bed.

Abstract: An environmentally sealed, EMI suppressed shock/vibration protected microcomputer workstation is provided by a sealed enclosure of stainless steel having a lower base portion for containing a dampened, spring suspension platform carrying the CPU and electronics, and an upper hood portion for housing the CRT which is removably held in place by a unique arrangement of support pins that cooperatively seat in quick release brackets affixed to the enclosure's interior walls. A front panel of the base portion mounts a stainless steel tactile dome keyboard retained and sealed about its perimeter within a stainless steel casement that in turn is welded to the stainless steel walls of the base portion.

Abstract: A car catcher apparatus is provided which is pivotally mounted to an elevated chassis, a flatbed, or other related structure which protrudes rearwardly beyond the rear wheels of a vehicle such as, for example, a truck. The car catcher includes a frame-like structure which is positioned by an actuator to a raised inoperative position and a lowered operative position. In the lowered operative position, the car catcher is in position to receive impact from automobiles, or the like, during collisions therewith. The car catcher apparatus has particular use with rearwardly-protruding truck structure which is periodically intended to be pivotally lowered to a position at or near ground level. When in the raised inoperative position, the car catcher permits complete and unrestricted downward pivoting of such structure. Furthermore, when positioned the raised inoperative position, the car catcher apparatus permits ready access to the rear wheels, axles, suspension, etc.

Abstract: Apparatus which enhances the load carrying capacity of a dump truck without interfering with dumping of the dump bed. A rigid frame which is added to the back end of the truck includes a beam carrying an axle and a pair of wheels. A hydraulic cylinder pivots the beam between a load bearings position in which the wheels travel on the roadway to bear part of the dump bed load and a raised position in which the beam extends vertically between a pair of side by side tail gates. A hinged door operates in the space between the two tail gates to prevent spillage of the load through the space while accommodating extension of the beam through the space when the dump bed is raised to dump its load. A diverter in the dump bed deflects material away from the space and toward the tail gate openings.

Abstract: Discharge of fluid and debris onto a roadway from between the closure member and the rear of a truck body is eliminated by the use of a collection trough mounted beneath the rear of the truck body and a pivotally mounted slide member which can be selectively positioned to cover the trough while functioning as an asphalt slide or to act as a retaining wall to deflect and retain water and debris within the trough.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a new type of trailer for trucks used in the construction industry. The invention discloses a combination bottom dump and tail dump trailer in a single unit and a method to build such a unit. The trailer generally comprises a cargo area, a bottom dump hatch in the cargo area, a tailgate door and lifting rams to lift the front of the trailer up to allow cargo to be dumped out the tailgate.

Abstract: A dump trailer having a chassis with ground engaging wheels under one end, a heavy duty hoist on the other end and a dump body pivoted to the chassis at the wheel supported end and adapted to be elevated by the heavy duty hoist incorporates a floor structure in the body including longitudinal and transverse frame members and provides resilient cushions on each of the transverse frame members of the body where they rest on the chassis when the body is in normal transport position.

Abstract: A bale rack comprises an elongate horizontal frame mounted on wheels for movement along the ground, and a pair of bale supports extending along opposite sides of the frame. The bale supports are pivotable relative to the frame between a raised position, in which the bale supports serve to retain bales on the frame, and a load release position, in which the bale supports are downwardly and laterally inclined from the frame to allow a bale to roll from the frame to the ground. Latch mechanisms are provided for releasably retaining the bale supports in the raised positions, and counterweights are provided for urging the bale supports from the lowered positions to the raised positions, thus avoiding the use of springs, hydraulic devices or other relatively complicated mechanisms for this purpose.

Abstract: A hydraulically controlled mechanism employed to automatically raise and lower the sideboard of a truck box includes provision for positively locking the sideboard when it is in the fully closed position such that inadvertent opening of the sideboard is prevented even in the event of the loss of hydraulic pressure.

Abstract: A dump body for a dump truck that includes a hinged cab guard combined with an actuator which serves to pivot the cab guard downwardly relative to the body portion of the dump body so as to allow full raising of the dump body when the dump truck is parked in a garage having a low ceiling.

Abstract: An apparatus for aligning and loading inserts for soil erosion prevention blocks having a rollable main frame with an insert holder frame movably coupled thereto. Secured within the insert holder frame is an aligning frame which receives the inserts and aligns them in the desired manner. The inserts are supported within the insert holder frame by a plurality of hooks affixed to movable rods, such rods preferably tied together such that the rods may be moved simultaneously, causing the hooks to release the inserts uniformly.

Abstract: A compressed air discharge system for facilitating the unloading of material from the dump bed of such as a dump truck, and which is designed for interconnection with the compressed air system of the dump truck.

Abstract: A protector for a differential gear casing of a vehicle including a pair of suspension cylinders for the differential gear casing, the protector being pivotally mounted at its upper end to a frame of the vehicle in such a way that it is pivotable about a horizontal axis at right angles with the advancing direction of the vehicle, the protector having mounted thereon a cushion pad which is urged to contact with the differential gear casing by a pair of springs provided between the lower end of the protector and the differential gear casing.

Abstract: A vehicle (10) is adapted for dual and alternative use either as a dump truck or a tow truck and readily converted from one use to the other. The vehicle includes a chassis (12), a bed (14) pivotally mounted on the chassis for locating a boom (50) and end attachment structure (84, 88 and 90) in position for connection to a disabled vehicle (48) when the bed is moved from a first position (FIG. 2) to a second position (FIG. 1). And, a two-way hydraulic cylinder (108) is connected between the chassis and bed to move the bed to the second position; and, then, using the leverage of the bed to return it while lifting the disabled vehicle to the first position. The boom is supported by a vertical support (52) and a cable (54) connected at opposite ends to the bed and boom and entrained therebetween on a wheel (104) mounted on the vertical support.

Abstract: A retractable rock guard for the dump body of a truck, comprising a protective structure which is normally in the upright position at the front of the dump body. The protective structure is pivotally connected to the dump body but ordinarily is secured in the normal upright position by detachable connectors. However, it can be readily detached and then the protective structure can be retracted by raising the dump body to a dump position in the usual manner. The upright protective structure is constructed and arranged so that its center of mass passes through a vertical plane intersecting its pivotal connection on the dump body under these circumstances and when this occurs the proctective structure moves to a horizontally disposed retracted position on the truck body.

Abstract: This invention provides a safety arrangement for a dumping vehicle which may include a bumper movable to energize a brake actuator, the bumping being retractable upon tilting of the dumping bed. Modified bumper mounting arrangements are provided for various kinds of vehicles. A latching relay may be included to cause the brake actuator to hold the brakes locked, irrespective of disengagement of the obstruction. The bumper may include a pneumatic chamber with a flexible wall, with a pressure-operated switch for operating the brake actuator. Also, an exteriorly actuated switch may be used in a two-man operation in lieu of a bumper.

Abstract: A self-dumping self-retracting cargo bin adapted for installation in a conventional pickup truck without need for tools or alteration of the truck. The bin has front and rear roller means for supporting the bin on a loading dock or the like when not in a truck. When mounted in a truck, the rear end of the bin is supported on fulcrum rollers carried by a latching sub-assembly extending crosswise of the truck body with latch means positively embracing the truck's rear stake sockets. The bin is self-dumping when its rear doors are unlocked and it is released from its travel mode merely by starting the truck forward abruptly. Energy stored in heavy duty retraction springs during the dumping cycle is effective to restore the bin toward its travel mode.

Abstract: A retractable rear bumper means for attachment to the rear of self-propelled dump trucks having boxes which overhang the rear axles and extend rearwardly thereof, with the bumper means being coupled to the frame of the box and arranged to fold upwardly upon initiation of the raising of the dump truck box to a raised dumping position. The bumper means includes a bumper bar which extends transversely across the rear of the dump truck and has a length which exceeds the inner tread width or span of the rear wheels of the truck, and linkage means are provided to retain the bumper bar in a normal stable distended disposition, and to raise the bumper bar in response to initiation of raising of the dump truck box. Linkage arms and means are provided for retaining the bumper bar in the lower disposition, and also retaining the bar in its upper retracted disposition during the dumping operation.

Abstract: A dump truck has a carrier that is placed on its body frame so as to be longitudinally movable thereon when longitudinal impact force exceeding a given value works on the truck's body. Energy absorbing means are interposed between said frame and carrier, for absorbing kinetic energy of said carrier by the use of hydraulic pressure produced by the relative displacement therebetween.

Abstract: An article of furniture or mobile trolley is provided with a two lever system mounted on the frame of the article having a pivotal liftable member which is the seat cushion or trolley base. The liftable member is movable to an inclined position in response to selective actuation of the lever system to assist a person to move from the chair or to remove goods from the trolley.