AU2013237647A1 - A Side Tipper Load Bin For A Vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A SIDE TIPPER LOAD BIN FOR A VEHICLE 5 The present invention generally relates to dumping vehicles and to an improved side loading and unloading dump truck assembly. The side tipper load bin comprising: a container body comprising a floor, a pair of opposed side walls and a pair of opposed end walls, wherein the floor is supported for pivotal displacement about a pair of pivot axes which extend adjacent with and parallel 10 to opposed edges of the floor. A door extending the length of the container body and is positioned adjacent and parallel to one of the pair of pivot axes, said door being hinged to one edge of the floor. The side tipper load bin also comprises at least one door control ram, said ram being pivoted to the chassis of the vehicle and to the door, so that in operation of the ram the door can be 15 opened and closed. At least one displacement means acting between the chassis of the vehicle and the container body for raising the container body to a discharge position in which the floor pivots about one of said pair of pivot axes in a downward direction. co rrin Ln 'C0 LMl C%"'

Description

1 A SIDE TIPPER LOAD BIN FOR A VEHICLE FIELD OF THE INVENTION 5 The present invention generally relates to dumping vehicles and, more particularly, to an improved side loading and unloading dump truck assembly. Such assemblies can be used on different types of vehicles including road and rail trucks, trailers and semi-trailers for bulk or mass material haulage and transport. 10 The invention will be described with reference to a body designed to be attached to the chassis of a vehicle, but it is to be understood that it is equally applicable to a complete vehicle. The term "vehicle" is furthermore used herein to include not only a self-propelled vehicle, but also a trailer. 15 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It should be noted that reference to the prior art herein is not to be taken as an acknowledgement that such prior art constitutes common 20 general knowledge in the art. Various types of dump trucks and similar vehicles are in current use for such activities as building and road construction, garbage hauling, mining, land clearing, etc. Transport vehicles are also commonly used for 25 transporting large volumes of bulk material and particulate materials. At the present time such materials are normally carried in vehicles having bodies which are pivotable about an axis under the control of a hydraulic ram or the like. The tipping axis may be transverse and is then normally located at the rear of the vehicle, so that, when the front end of the body is lifted by means 30 of the hydraulic ram, the material is dumped at the rear of the vehicle. Alternatively, in some cases the tipping axis is in the fore-and-aft direction, so that the material can be dumped at the side of the vehicle.

2 A side tipper vehicle can be of greater length than a vehicle tipping about the end of the vehicle, and side tipper vehicles either of the semi-trailer type or the full trailer type can be up to 9 metres in length. Thus the tip body is hinged to the chassis along one side, and hydraulic rams, preferably one at 5 each end of the tip body control the tipping action to discharge the bulk material. It is also known that the tip body of side tipper vehicles can be curved or rectangular and so shaped that the bulk material is discharged of the shaped side wall of the tip body. This however requires that the tip body be rotated to a large angle to ensure that all of the material is discharged. 10 Because of the loads applied to the container body during tipping motions and vehicle travel, elongate body runners and lateral cross members are required to be secured to the container body for support and reinforcement reasons. Therefore side tipping vehicles have a number of 15 disadvantages over the more conventional rear tipper vehicles. For example, a substantial amount of work is required to manufacture and incorporate the door and body hinges which also means the door and body hinges adds a significant weight to a side tipper system. Furthermore there are high maintenance costs due to the large number of moving parts and the required 20 body runners and cross members significantly add to the overall weight and cost of the system. There are also problems associated when heavy loads are being unloaded on uneven ground, conventional side tipping vehicles can become 25 unstable and hence, dangerous. Clearly it would be advantageous if a dumping vehicle could be devised that helped to at least ameliorate some of the shortcomings described above. In particular, it would be advantageous if a side tipper load 30 bin for a vehicle could be devised which provided a side tipper that was economical to produce and provided a better way of unloading a load from a side tipping bin.

3 STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a side tipper load bin for use in the transportation of goods mounted or mountable on a 5 load carrying vehicle comprising a chassis mounted on a plurality of wheels, said side tipper load bin comprising: a container body comprising a floor, a pair of opposed side walls and a pair of opposed end walls, wherein the floor is supported for pivotal displacement about a pair of pivot axes which extend adjacent with and parallel to opposed edges of the floor; a door extending the 10 length of the container body and positioned adjacent and parallel to one of the pair of pivot axes, said door being hinged to one edge of the floor; at least one door control ram, said ram being pivoted to the chassis of the vehicle and to the door, so that in operation of the ram the door can be opened and closed; at least one displacement means acting between the chassis of the 15 vehicle and the container body for raising the container body to a discharge position in which the floor pivots about one of said pair of pivot axes in a downward direction. Preferably, the at least one displacement means may comprise an 20 upwardly directed ram pivotally connected to one side of said chassis of the vehicle and to said container body at a point on said container body remote from said chassis, whereby initial extension of said ram raises said container body upward and away from said chassis and said floor pivots in a downward direction away from said container body, whereupon further extension of said 25 ram lifts said container upward and said floor pivots to a position such that the contents of said container slides out of said bin to effect side unloading of said container. Preferably, said ram may be connected to said container adjacent the upper end thereof. 30 Preferably, said ram may be a hydraulic ram, wherein said ram is long enough to enable said container to be raised to a position away from the floor to assure complete unloading from said container. Preferably said ram may be an electrically operated ram, or may be operated by a pressurised fluid, or said ram is a mechanically operated ram.

4 Preferably, the side tipper bin may further include a pair of upwardly directed rams, one at each end of the container body. Preferably, the side tipper bin may further comprise an internal wall 5 adjacent said end walls and attached to said floor which is displaceable simultaneously with the floor as the at least one displacement means acting between the chassis of the vehicle and the container body raises the container body to a discharge position in which the floor pivots about one of said pair of pivot axes in a downward direction. 10 One of said pair of pivot axes may extend substantially the length of one side wall and hingedly mounts said floor to said one side wall such that when the at least one displacement means acting between the chassis of the vehicle and the container body extends to raise said container body the floor 15 is pivoted to a discharge position. Preferably, said pivot which extends the substantial length of one side wall and hingedly mounts said floor to said one side wall may be a movable pivot which moves in an upward direction as the displacement means extends to raise the container body while simultaneously allowing the floor to hingedly pivot in a downward direction. 20 Preferably, said other one of said pair of pivot axes may extend substantially the length of the one side wall and hingedly mounts said floor to said door such that when the at least one door control ram extends the door is pivoted around said pivot axis to an opened position and as the 25 displacement means extends to raise said container body the floor is pivoted around said pivot axis. Preferably, said other one of said pair of pivot axes may be a fixed pivot which allows the door to pivot around said axis when the at least one door control ram extends to open and close the door and allows the floor to pivot around said pivot axis when the displacement means 30 extends to raise and lower the container body. Preferably, at least one displacement means and said at least one door control ram may be each connected at one end to a bracket mounted to said chassis.

5 Preferably, the side tipping load bin may further comprise a timing bar pivotally connected at one end to a bottom member of one of said pair of end walls and at the other end connected pivotally to the chassis of the vehicle, and at a central point along the timing bar is pivotally connected to a 5 corresponding central point of one end of the floor, wherein said timing bar controls the movement of the container body with respect to the floor. Preferably, said timing bar may be connected to said bracket mounted on the chassis. Preferably, a timing bar may be connected at corresponding locations at either end of said container. 10 Preferably, a door control ram may be located at either end of said container body, the door control ram being pivoted to the chassis of the vehicle and to the door, so that in operation of the ram the door can be opened and closed. 15 Preferably, when the displacement means is fully extended and the container body is lifted above the chassis to the discharge position, the container body may be tilted rearward at an angle of approximately 15 degrees with a vertical axis extending perpendicular to the chassis of the 20 vehicle. Preferably, when the displacement means is fully extended and the container body is lifted above the chassis to the discharge position, the floor may pivot downwardly and forms an angle of approximately 40 degrees 25 between the chassis and the floor. Preferably, when the displacement means is fully extended and the container body is lifted above the chassis to the discharge position and the door is in the fully open position the door may form an angle of approximately 30 45 degrees between a vertical axis extending below and perpendicular to the chassis of the vehicle. Preferably, the side tipping load bin may form an integral part of said load carrying vehicle.

6 Preferably, the side tipping load bin may be dismountably mountable on said load carrying vehicle and may include locking formations configured to cooperate with the complementary locking formations on the vehicle to retain the side tipping load bin releasably in position on the vehicle. 5 Preferably, the side tipping load bin is self-contained. Preferably, the load carrying vehicle may include a chassis; and any one of the features of the side tipping load bin in accordance with the 10 previous aspect of the present invention. According to a further aspect, the present invention provides a side tipper vehicle having a load bin body comprising a floor, a pair of opposed end walls and a pair of opposed side walls, said side tipper vehicle 15 comprising: a first hinge positioned and extending along one side of the floor; a second hinge positioned and extending along another side of the floor; a door extending the length of the load bin body positioned on the first hinge of the load bin; a pair of door control rams positioned one at each end of the load bin body, each of said rams being pivoted to a respective end wall of the 20 load bin body and to the door, so that in operation of the rams the door can be opened and closed; a pair of lift rams, one at each end of the load bin body, said further rams acting between the chassis of the vehicle and the load bin body opposite to the first hinge side of the load body to lift the load bin body to a discharge position; and wherein the floor is supported for 25 pivotal displacement about the first and second hinges such that when the pair of lift arms raise the load bin to a discharge position the floor pivots about the first hinge in a upward direction and about the second hinge in a downward direction. 30 According to a still further aspect, the present invention provides a vehicle tipper system comprising: a container body having a displaceable side wall located on a discharge side of the container body; at least one actuation assembly for displacing the side wall to an open position away from the rest of the container body; a displacement means for raising the container 7 body to a position in which the contents of the container can be discharged; and a floor which is adapted to pivot at a pair of pivot axes located along both sides of the floor when the displacement means raises the container to the discharge position. 5 Preferably, one of said pair of pivots may be a movable pivot which when the container body is raised the pivot moves in an upward direction and the floor pivots in a downward direction. 10 Preferably, the other one of said pair of pivots may be a fixed pivot which remains fixed to the chassis and allows the floor to pivot in an upward direction. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 15 The present invention will be understood more fully from the detailed description given hereinafter and from the accompanying drawings of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, which, however, should not be taken to be limitative to the invention, but are for explanation and 20 understanding only. Fig. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a side tipper load bin fully open and able to discharge a load from within the load bin in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 25 Fig. 2 shows an end view of the load bin of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows a side view of the load bin of Fig.1 in the fully closed position; Fig. 4 illustrates an end view of the load bin of Fig. 3 in the fully closed position; 30 Fig. 5 illustrates a perspective view of a side tipper load bin with the side door in the open position; Fig. 6 shows an end view of the side tipper load bin of Fig. 5 with the door in the open position; 8 Fig. 7 illustrates a perspective view of a side tipper load bin in an intermediate position located between a fully open and fully closed positions; Fig. 8 shows an end view of the side tipper load bin of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 shows a perspective view of the side tipper load bin of Fig 7; 5 Fig. 10 shows a detailed exploded view of the region A in Fig. 9; Fig. 11 shows a perspective view of the side tipper load bin of Fig. 7; Fig. 12 shows a detailed exploded view of the region B in Fig. 11; Fig. 13 illustrates a perspective view of a further embodiment of the side tipper load bin in accordance with the present invention; 10 Fig. 14 shows an end view of the side tipper load bin of Fig. 13; and Fig. 15 illustrates a further embodiment of the present invention shown in use on a vehicle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 15 The following description, given by way of example only, is described in order to provide a more precise understanding of the subject matter of a preferred embodiment or embodiments. 20 The following description is made with reference to a side tipping load bin system. Thus references to "side", "tipping side", may also be interpreted as, "side" and "one/other side" respectively and consistently. The load bin 10 is mounted onto a vehicle which comprises a wheeled 25 chassis, and a side tipper load bin or carrying container, generally indicated by reference numeral 10 mounted on the chassis. The vehicle further includes displacement means, generally indicated by reference numeral 20, for displacing parts of the load bin 10 between a rest or closed position (shown in Figures 3 and 4) and a discharge position (shown in Figures 1 and 30 2) as described in more detail below. The tipping system is adapted for vehicle mounted carrying and unloading systems for the handling of many types of loose bulk materials such as sand, soil, mineral ores, agricultural produce, chemical products and 9 wastes in any situation where the material can be unloaded by gravity flow when the body is tipped. While the invention is particularly designed for these types of materials it should be noted that the present invention is not limited to only these types of materials and other materials are easily capable 5 of being transported by the side tipping load bin 10 of the present invention. In Figures 1 to 12 of the drawings, reference numeral 10 refers generally to a side tipper load bin in accordance with the invention. Typically the vehicle (not shown) is for road use, however, the vehicle may vary from 10 small trailers, body trucks, or semi-trailers through to rail cars or heavy off road vehicles, such as those used on mine sites. For the purpose of this description, the side tipping system is fitted to a trailer, but this is not its only application. 15 The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 12 includes a framework comprising two vertical members 11 and 12 and two horizontal members 13 and 14, and defining the front end 15 of the body of the vehicle, and four similar members defining the rear end 16 of the body. The vehicle body also includes a first side member 17 and a floor member 19, which are 20 pivotally or hingedly connected together by a first pivot connection 30 extending parallel to the fore and aft axis of the vehicle and between the front and rear ends 15, 16 of the side tipper load bin 10. The load bin body 10 of the vehicle also includes a second side member 18 consisting of a rectangular framework. 25 The second side member 18 also extends between the front and rear ends 15, 16 of the side tipper load bin 10. However the second side member 18 only extends down the side of the bin to approximately two-thirds of the distance to which the first side member 17 extends on the opposite side. 30 The second side member 18 is not connected to the floor 19 of the load tip bin 10. The second side member 18 is met at this point by the pivoted door 50 which is pivoted or hinged to the floor 19 by second pivot 40 and closes the side of the load bin 10 to form the container. Therefore the side tipping load bin container 10 is formed by the front end 15, the rear end 16, a first 10 side member 17, a second side member 18, the floor member 19 and the door 50. The majority of the framework is integral with, or connected to, the 5 front and rear ends 15, 16 of the container or load bin 10, only the top 29 of the load bin 10 is open. It should however be appreciated that a removable top or the like could be used to close the top of the load bin 10. The load bin 10 could include a roof or cover which is displaceable between a closed position in which it covers the contents of the load bin 10, and an open 10 position in which it permits loading of the load bin 10. The container or load bin 10 is connected to the chassis of the vehicle. The connection could include welding the frame of the load bin 10 to the chassis or by any other method which provides a suitable connection 15 between the chassis and the frame of the load bin 10. For example, the load bin 10 may includes a base frame which is mounted on the vehicle chassis and which comprises transversely spaced apart parallel longitudinally extending side members. The side members may be in the form of a box section or in the form of a channel member. A plurality of transversely 20 extending guide rails may be connected to and extend transversely between the side members. Each of the guide rails comprises a length of box section. The lengths of box section are secured, e.g. by welding, to the side members and hence form part of the base frame. 25 The side tipping load bin 10 forms an integral part of said the load carrying vehicle. In this embodiment the chassis is in the form of a truck chassis. However, as noted above it is to be appreciated that the chassis could be the chassis of any other type of load carrying vehicle, for example a trailer, a railway truck or the like. In this form the load bin 10 would form an 30 integral part of the vehicle and consist of parts that when completed constitute a whole vehicle. It is to be appreciated, that the side tipping load bin 10 could be formed as an independent unit which is dismountably mountable on a 11 complementary chassis of a load carrying vehicle. The load bin 10 would then typically include locking means for cooperation with complementary locking means on the chassis whereby the load bin 10 is releasably lockable in position on the chassis of the vehicle. 5 The load bin or container 10 comprises a rectangular floor 19, a pair of side walls or members namely a first side wall 17 and a second side wall 18 which, in the load-carrying or rest position of the container extend vertically upwardly from opposed sides of the floor 19, and a pair of end walls, namely, 10 a first or front end wall 15 and a second or rear end wall 16. The floor 19 is pivotally connected at its one edge to the lower end of the first side wall 17 and at the other edge the floor 19 is pivotally connected with the door 50. The floor 19 is of composite construction and comprises a 15 rectangular floor panel to which a plurality of transversely extending channels is mounted at longitudinally spaced apart positions. The floor 18 being pivoted around first pivot 30 positioned at the junction formed between the first side wall 17 and the corresponding edge of the floor 19. The pivot 30 allows the floor 19 to pivot in a downward direction when the load bin 10 is 20 raised to a discharge position. The floor 19 is also pivoted around second pivot 40 positioned at the junction of a lower edge of the door 50 and the corresponding edge of the floor 19. The pivot 40 allows the door 50 to pivot around the pivot 40 between the open and closed positions. Also the pivot 40 allows the floor 19 to pivot in an upward direction when the load bin 10 is 25 raised to the discharge position. The side wall 17 is also of composite construction comprising a wall panel to which a plurality of channel elements is connected such that the channel elements are parallel and longitudinally spaced apart. The lower 30 ends of the channel elements are connected to the pivot 30 so that the floor 19 is pivotally connected to the first side wall 17. The front end wall 15 includes a rectangular wall panel mounted to a frame and attached to both side walls 17, 18 and the pivot 30 to form the end 12 wall 15.. Similarly, the rear end wall 16 comprises a rectangular wall panel mounted to a frame and attached to both side walls 17, 18 and the pivot 30 to form end wall 16. Both end walls 15, 16 may also include reinforcing elements which allow for the attachment of the displacement means 20 and 5 also provide the strength and/or support required when carrying heavy loads. In use, in its load-carrying condition, the floor 19, side walls 17, 18, front end wall 15 and rear end wall 16 and the door 50 together define a generally box shaped load carrying compartment within which a load can be 10 transported. In order to raise and lower the load bin 10 from its rest position to its discharge position a displacement means 20 is connected at both ends 15, 16 of the load bin 10. A pair of elongate struts or rams 23 are connected to 15 and extend between the base frame 21 or chassis of the vehicle and the end walls 15, 16, each strut being pivotally connected at its ends respectively to the base frame 21 and end walls 15, 16. One strut end is pivotally connected towards an upper edge of the front end wall 15 to a fixed mounting portion 26 of the front end wall 15 and the other strut end 24 is pivotally mounted on the 20 bracket 22 connected to the base frame or chassis 21. Likewise the strut or ram 23 located on the opposite or rear end wall 16 is mounted to corresponding portions located at the rear end wall 16. As will be described below the present invention is not limited in the 25 number of displacement means 20 which are connected to the load bin 10 to raise and lower the load bin 10 from its rest position to its discharge position. For example, the side tipper load bin 10 may only incorporate a single displacement means 20 located in a central position on the frame or chassis 21 of the vehicle. Likewise it also possible that three displacement means 30 may be used and include one displacement means 20 located in the centre of the load bin 10 and a further two displacement means 20 located one at either end 15, 16.

13 In accordance with a preferred embodiment the struts or rams 23 may be hydraulic rams provided at the front and rear ends 15, 16 of the load bin 10 to control the raising and lowering of the load bin 10. The drawings show the front ram 23 which comprises a cylinder pivotally mounted at the base 5 frame or chassis 21 to the bracket 22 at a mounting point 24, and a piston pivotally connected to a mounting point 26 on an upper portion of the end wall 15. Thus, it will be seen that, as the hydraulic rams are extended, the load 10 bin 10 is raised and pivots towards the rear of the vehicle chassis in a direction opposite to that of the door 50 of the load bin 10. Typically this creates an angle of approximately 15 degrees between an axis perpendicular to the chassis of the vehicle and the first side 17 when the load bin 10 is in the discharge position or the fully open position. As the hydraulic rams 23 15 extend the load bin 10 moves along an arcuate path until the load bin 10 is in the fully open position. Any other form of displacement means 20 may be used to move the load bin 10 from the closed position to the open or discharge position. For 20 example an electrically operated ram 23 or even a mechanically operated ram may be used in place of the hydraulic ram 23 with associated systems for each variant being installed on the vehicle. As is illustrated in Figure 1 the load bin 10 is in the fully open position 25 with the hydraulic rams 23 fully extended. In order to control the movement of the load bin 10 when moving from the fully closed position (as shown in Figures 3 and 4) to the fully open position (as shown in Figures 1 and 2) and also controlling the movement of the floor 19, a timing bar 60 is pivotally mounted at either end of the load bin 10. The timing bar 60 is pivotally 30 mounted at one end to a point 61 at the bottom of the end wall 15 and at the other end to the frame or chassis 21. Likewise a timing bar 60 is pivotally mounted at the same positions on the other end wall 16. At a point approximately in the middle of the timing bar 60 a further pivot or scissor pivot 62 is formed between the timing bar 60 and the floor 19. As such the 14 timing bar 60 controls both the rate of movement of the load bin 10 when raising and lowering the load bin 10 and also the rate of movement of the floor 19 as the floor 19 lowers to the discharge position. 5 As illustrated in Figures 9 to 12 the present invention comprises two main pivot or hinge points 30, 40. The first pivot 30 extends longitudinally along the length of the junction between the first side wall 17 and the corresponding edge of the floor 19. The first pivot 30 as shown in Figures 11 and 12 is a non-fixed pivot in the form of a pin or axle around which the floor 10 19 and first side wall 17 can turn, but the non-fixed pivot 30 is also capable of movement. As previously shown the load bin 10 moves up and down between the rest or fully closed position and a discharge of fully open position. As such, the pivot 30 moves up and down as the load bin 10 moves between the fully closed to the fully open or discharge position. The floor 19 15 is attached to the pivot 30 at the floor end 31 and the first side wall 17 is attached to the pivot 30 at the first wall end 32. Both the floor 19 and the first wall 17 are able to rotate around the pivot point 30. As illustrated in Figures 9 and 10 the second pivot 40 extends 20 longitudinally along the length of the junction formed between the door 50 and the corresponding edge of the floor 19. The second pivot 40 is a pin or axle around which the floor 19 and the door 50 can turn. The second pivot 40 is a fixed pivot which allows the door 50 and the floor 19 to rotate around the pivot axis and does not move. The floor 19 is attached to the second 25 pivot 40 at the floor end 41 and the door 50 is attached to the pivot 40 at the door end 42. Both the floor 19 and the door 50 are able to rotate around the pivot point 40. As illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 5 to 12 the door 50 is shown in the 30 open position. As illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 the door 50 is shown in the closed position. In order to open and close the door 50, door rams 51, 52 are extended and retracted to move the door 50 from a closed position to an open position. The rams 51, 52 are typically hydraulic rams but could be electrically or purely mechanically operated. The hydraulic ram 51 is located 15 adjacent to the first end wall 15 of the load bin 10. The second ram 52 is located adjacent to the second end wall 16. The rams 51, 52 are attached to the door 50 at the piston end of the ram 51, 52 at door pivot point 54 and at the other end or cylinder end of the ram 51, 52, and attached to the bracket 5 22 at pivot point 53. The door 50 extends longitudinally along and adjacent to the floor 19 and in use, in its load-carrying condition, the door 50 together with the side wall 18 form one side of the generally box shaped load carrying compartment 10 within which a load can be transported. The door 50 is therefore opened to release the contents of the load bin 10 and then closed after the load has been dispersed. Attached to the floor 19 and adjacent to either end wall 15, 16 is an 15 internal panel or wall 65. The internal panel 65 moves simultaneously with the floor 19 as the floor 19 moves up and down. Therefore the panels 65 effectively keep the product being discharged from the load bin 10 from fouling against the first and second end walls 15, 16. 20 Figures 13 and 14 show a further embodiment of the present invention in which a single displacement means (not shown) is used to raise and lower the load bin 70 between the fully closed position and the discharge and fully open position. The single displacement means is positioned at a point 71 located centrally at the rear of the first side 17. In order to show this 25 embodiment the door and chassis have been removed. However it is noted that all of the machinery involved in the first embodiment is utilised in the second embodiment with the exception that only one displacement means is required. 30 Like the previous embodiment this embodiment illustrated in Figures 13 and 14 comprises two main pivot or hinge points 30, 40. The first pivot 30 extends longitudinally along the length of the junction between the first side wall 17 and the corresponding edge of the floor 19. The first pivot 30 is a non-fixed pivot in the form of a pin or axle around which the floor 19 and first 16 side wall 17 can turn, but the non-fixed pivot 30 is also capable of movement as previously discussed for the first embodiment. Likewise the second pivot 40 extends longitudinally along the length of the junction formed between the door 50 and the corresponding edge of the floor 19. The second pivot 40 is a 5 pin or axle around which the floor 19 and the door 50 can turn. The second pivot 40 is a fixed pivot which allows the door 50 and the floor 19 to rotate around the pivot axis and does not move. In a further embodiment as illustrated in Figure 15 refer generally to a 10 side load tipping bin 80 in accordance with the invention. Typically the vehicle 81 is for road use however, the vehicle may vary from small trailers, body trucks, or semi-trailers through to rail cars or heavy off-road vehicles, such as those used on mine sites. For the purpose of this description, the side tipping system is fitted to a trailer, but this is not its only application. 15 The load bin or container 80 comprises a rectangular floor 19, a pair of side walls or members namely a first side wall 17 and a second side wall 18 which, in the load-carrying or rest position of the container extend vertically upwardly from opposed sides of the floor 19, and a pair of end walls, namely, 20 a first or front end wall 15 and a second or rear end wall 16. Like the previous embodiments this embodiment is generally similar to that of the first embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 12. This embodiment comprises mostly all of the components of the first two embodiments. For example this embodiment comprises two displacement means 20 located adjacent to 25 either end wall 15, 16. Furthermore the embodiment comprises two pivots or hinges 30, 40 which operate exactly as described above for the first two embodiments. The only difference between this embodiment and the previous 30 embodiments is the type of timing bar 82 used to control the movement of the floor and the body of the load bin 80. The timing bar 82 comprises a bar pivoted at one end to a first pivot point located on the lower end of the end wall 15 and another point 84 on the same wall 15 but spaced apart from the first pivot point. The timing bar 82 has a further pivot point 85 located at a 17 point which allows the timing bar to fold in the middle such that on either side of the pivot point 85 the timing bar 82 folds to a point which when the load bin 80 is in the closed position the timing bar 82 is substantially folded to form a V shaped timing bar 82. To control the movement and the speed of the 5 movement of the load bin 80 and the floor 19 a tension spring 83 is attached at one end to the pivot point 85 and at the opposite end of the spring 83 to a point located on the end wall 15. When the load bin 80 is opened and moved towards the discharge 10 position the spring 83 expands therefore controlling the movement of the load bin 80 and the floor 19. The spring 83 used is basically an elastic object used to store mechanical energy. The spring 83 is typically made out of spring steel or any other material which exhibits the ability to be compressed or stretched. The force it exerts is proportional to its change in length and 15 therefore the rate or spring constant of a spring is the change in the force it exerts, divided by the change in deflection of the spring. In use the side tipping load bin 10 is transported on a chassis in the form of a truck. When the truck reaches its destination and it is desired to 20 discharge the load from within the load-carrying container 10 the first step is for the door 50 to be opened by the door rams 51, 52. The door rams 51, 52 are located at either end of the door 50 and adjacent the end walls 15, 16. As the door 50 opens and the displacement means 20 begins to extend the load carried within the load bin 10 begins to discharge from the load bin 10. 25 Once the door is fully open the displacement means 20 in the form of a hydraulic lifting ram 23 located at either end of the load bin 10 continues to lift the body of the load bin 10 in an upward arcuate direction such that when the ram 23 is fully extended the first side 17 makes an angle of approximately 15 degrees with an axis extending perpendicular to the base frame or chassis 30 21 of the load bin. As the ram lifts the load bin 10 upwards the floor 19 which is pivotally connected to the first side wall 17 rotates around the moveable first pivot 30 such that the floor is moved in a downward motion around the pivot 30, while 18 the pivot 30 and the load bin 10 moves in an upwardly direction. The second pivot 40 is a fixed pivot which allows the opposite edge of the floor 19 which is located adjacent to the door 50 to rotate around the pivot 40 such the edge of the floor moves upward while the pivot 40 remains in a fixed position. The 5 door 50 is also pivoted around the pivot 40 between it open and closed positions. Basically as the first pivot 30 is a moveable pivot the floor 19 attached to this pivot 30 rotates in a way that the floor is lowered away from the body 10 of the load bin 10 while the load bin moves in an upward direction. This motion assists greatly in the discharge of the product from the load bin 10. When the displaceable components or product located within the load bin or container 10 are in their fully displaced or discharge position (shown in 15 Figure 1 and 2) with door 50 fully open and the floor 19 lowered to define a discharge opening and the hydraulic lifting rams 23 are fully extended the floor 19 and internal wall 65 which extends simultaneously with the floor 19 together with the door 50 form an inclined ramp which serves to discharge the contents of the load bin 10 therefrom and the lower edge of the door 50 20 protrudes transversely from and away from the base frame or chassis 21 to prevent any of the contents from fouling any of the mechanisms involved. All of the above components of the side tipping load bins 10, 70, 80 and in particular the body and walls are typically manufactured from high 25 tensile steel or aluminium or the like. Largely the products from which the components are manufactured are dictated by the type of load or material for which the load bin is being designed to carry. For example if carrying scrap metal the load bin components are more likely to be manufactured from high tensile steel. 30 ADVANTAGES The Applicant believes that a load-carrying vehicle or side tipping load bin 10 in accordance with the invention will be particularly suitable for use in 19 carrying wood chips, sugar cane or bagasse. The Applicant further believes that the vehicle will be suitable for transporting minerals such as coal and the like. However, it is to be appreciated that the side tipping load bin 10 with, or without modification may be used for carrying other goods. 5 The Applicant believes that an advantage of a side tipping load bin 10 in accordance with the invention is that by virtue of the fact that in its displaced or discharge position, the lower edge of the door 50 protrudes a substantial distance beyond the side of the base frame or chassis 21 and 10 hence the wheels of the chassis, any goods which are discharged well clear of the chassis and not between the wheels of the vehicle 10. In addition, the Applicant believes that by making use of the two pivots 30, 40 to displace the floor 19, and to allow the door 50 to rotate around, a 15 relatively cost effective and reliable arrangement is obtained. In the preferred embodiment the hydraulic ram 23 will be powered and controlled from the vehicles already existing systems. Therefore the side tipping load bin makes the present invention attractive for retrofitting or replacing existing components. 20 A further advantage in that the provision of the pivots 30, 40 serves both to support and guide the floor 19 and reduce the force required to displace the floor 19 from its rest to its displaced position thereby maximizing the load that can be transported. Furthermore this reduced force and loads 25 on the side tipping load bin means that the system will last longer and require less maintenance than present systems. VARIATIONS 30 It will be realized that the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example only and that all other modifications and variations as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as herein set forth. In the specification the term "comprising" shall be understood to have a broad 20 meaning similar to the term "including" and will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps. This definition also applies to variations on the term "comprising" such as 5 "comprise" and "comprises".

Claims (29)

1. A side tipper load bin for use in the transportation of goods mounted or mountable on a load carrying vehicle comprising a chassis mounted on a 5 plurality of wheels, said side tipper load bin comprising: a container body comprising a floor, a pair of opposed side walls and a pair of opposed end walls, wherein the floor is supported for pivotal displacement about a pair of pivot axes which extend adjacent with and parallel to opposed edges of the floor; 10 a door extending the length of the container body and positioned adjacent and parallel to one of the pair of pivot axes, said door being hinged to one edge of the floor; at least one door control ram, said ram being pivoted to the chassis of the vehicle and to the door, so that in operation of the ram the door can be 15 opened and closed; at least one displacement means acting between the chassis of the vehicle and the container body for raising the container body to a discharge position in which the floor pivots about one of said pair of pivot axes in a downward direction. 20

2. The side tipper load bin of claim 1, wherein the at least one displacement means comprises an upwardly directed ram pivotally connected to one side of said chassis of the vehicle and to said container body at a point on said container body remote from said chassis, whereby 25 initial extension of said ram raises said container body upward and away from said chassis and said floor pivots in a downward direction away from said container body, whereupon further extension of said ram lifts said container upward and said floor pivots to a position such that the contents of said container slides out of said bin to effect side unloading of said container. 30

3. The side tipper load bin of claim 2, wherein said ram is connected to said container adjacent the upper end thereof. 22

4. The side tipper load bin of claim 2 or claim 3, wherein said ram is a hydraulic ram, wherein said ram is long enough to enable said container to be raised to a position away from the floor to assure complete unloading from said container. 5

5. The side tipper load bin of claim 2 or claim 3, wherein said ram is an electrically operated ram, wherein said ram is long enough to enable said container to be raised to a position away from the floor to assure complete unloading from said container. 10

6. The side tipper load bin of claim 2 or claim 3, wherein said ram is operated by a pressurised fluid, wherein said ram is long enough to enable said container to be raised to a position away from the floor to assure complete unloading from said container. 15

7. The side tipper load bin of claim 2 or claim 3, wherein said ram is a mechanically operated ram, wherein said ram is long enough to enable said container to be raised to a position away from the floor to assure complete unloading from said container. 20

8. The side tipper bin as claimed in claim 2, further including a pair of upwardly directed rams, one at each end of the container body.

9. The side tipper bin of claim 1, further comprising an internal wall 25 adjacent said end walls and attached to said floor which is displaceable simultaneously with the floor as the at least one displacement means acting between the chassis of the vehicle and the container body raises the container body to a discharge position in which the floor pivots about one of said pair of pivot axes in a downward direction. 30

10. The side tipper bin of claim 1, wherein said one of said pair of pivot axes extends substantially the length of one side wall and hingedly mounts said floor to said one side wall such that when the at least one displacement means acting between the chassis of the vehicle and the container body 23 extends to raise said container body the floor is pivoted to a discharge position.

11. The side tipper load bin of claim 10, wherein said pivot which extends 5 the substantial length of one side wall and hingedly mounts said floor to said one side wall is a movable pivot which moves in an upward direction as the displacement means extends to raise the container body while simultaneously allowing the floor to hingedly pivot in a downward direction. 10

12. The side tipper load bin of claim 10, wherein said other one of said pair of pivot axes extends substantially the length of the one side wall and hingedly mounts said floor to said door such that when the at least one door control ram extends the door is pivoted around said pivot axis to an opened position and as the displacement means extends to raise said container body 15 the floor is pivoted around said pivot axis.

13. The side tipper load bin of claim 12, wherein said other one of said pair of pivot axes is a fixed pivot which allows the door to pivot around said axis when the at least one door control ram extends to open and close the 20 door and allows the floor to pivot around said pivot axis when the displacement means extends to raise and lower the container body.

14. The side tipper load bin of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one displacement means and said at least one door control ram 25 are each connected at one end to a bracket mounted to said chassis.

15. The side tipping load bin of claim 1, further comprising a timing bar pivotally connected at one end to a bottom member of one of said pair of end walls and at the other end connected pivotally to the chassis of the vehicle, 30 and at a central point along the timing bar is pivotally connected to a corresponding central point of one end of the floor, wherein said timing bar controls the movement of the container body with respect to the floor. 24

16. The side tipping load bin of claim 14 or claim 15, wherein said timing bar is connected to said bracket mounted on the chassis.

17. The side tipping load bin of claim 15 or claim 16, wherein a timing bar 5 is connected at corresponding locations at either end of said container.

18. The side tipping load bin of claim 1, wherein a door control ram is located at either end of said container body, the door control ram being pivoted to the chassis of the vehicle and to the door, so that in operation of 10 the ram the door can be opened and closed.

19. The side tipping load bin of claim 1, wherein when the displacement means is fully extended and the container body is lifted above the chassis to the discharge position, the container body is tilted rearward at an angle of 15 approximately 15 degrees with a vertical axis extending perpendicular to the chassis of the vehicle.

20. The side tipping load bin of claim 19, wherein when the displacement means is fully extended and the container body is lifted above the chassis to 20 the discharge position, the floor pivots downwardly and forms an angle of approximately 40 degrees between the chassis and the floor.

21. The side tipping load bin of claim 19, wherein when the displacement means is fully extended and the container body is lifted above the chassis to 25 the discharge position and the door is in the fully open position the door forms an angle of approximately 45 degrees between a vertical axis extending below and perpendicular to the chassis of the vehicle.

22. The side tipping load bin of any one of the preceding claims, wherein 30 the side tipping load bin forms an integral part of said load carrying vehicle.

23. The side tipping load bin of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the side tipping load bin is dismountably mountable on said load carrying vehicle and includes locking formations configured to cooperate with the 25 complementary locking formations on the vehicle to retain the side tipping load bin releasably in position on the vehicle.

24. The side tipping load bin of any one of the preceding claims, wherein 5 the side tipping load bin is self-contained.

25. A load carrying vehicle which includes a chassis; and side tipping load bin as claimed in any one of the preceding claims mounted on the vehicle chassis. 10

26. A side tipper vehicle having a load bin body comprising a floor, a pair of opposed end walls and a pair of opposed side walls, said side tipper vehicle comprising: a first hinge positioned and extending along one side of the floor; 15 a second hinge positioned and extending along another side of the floor; a door extending the length of the load bin body positioned on the first hinge of the load bin; a pair of door control rams positioned one at each end of the load bin 20 body, each of said rams being pivoted to a respective end walls of the load bin body and to the door, so that in operation of the rams the door can be opened and closed; a pair of lift rams, one at each end of the load bin body, said further rams acting between the chassis of the vehicle and the load bin body 25 opposite to the first hinge side of the load body to lift the load bin body to a discharge position; and wherein the floor is supported for pivotal displacement about the first and second hinges such that when the pair of lift arms raise the load bin to a discharge position the floor pivots about the first hinge in a upward direction 30 and about the second hinge in a downward direction.

27. A vehicle tipper system comprising: a container body having a displaceable side wall located on a discharge side of the container body; 26 at least one actuation assembly for displacing the side wall to an open position away from the rest of the container body; a displacement means for raising the container body to a position in which the contents of the container can be discharged; and 5 a floor which is adapted to pivot at a pair of pivot axes located along both sides of the floor when the displacement means raises the container to the discharge position.

28. The vehicle tipper system as claimed in claim 27, wherein one of said 10 pair of pivots is a movable pivot which when the container body is raised the pivot moves in an upward direction and the floor pivots in a downward direction.

29. The vehicle tipper system as claimed in claim 27 or claim 28, wherein 15 the other one of said pair of pivots is a fixed pivot which remains fixed to the chassis and allows the floor to pivot in an upward direction.