FR2786456A1 - Hand operated control unit and trailer drive unit for moving an unhitched road trailer - Google Patents

Abstract

The drive is designed for road trailers (R) and includes a rolling casing (1) hinged by a pivot (R1) to the trailer (R) and having a hitching shaft (2). The casing (1) has at each wheel (5), a clutch type drive system (9,11,13) for each wheel (5). The drive system (9,11,13) allows the trailer to be moved backwards or forwards or to the right or left controlled from a hand operated remote control unit (27 or 28) .

Description

DEVICE FOR FACILITATING MOVEMENTS AND
MANEUVERING VEHICLES WITH TWO STEERING WHEELS
OF THE TRAILER TYPE IN PARTICULAR.

 The object of the invention relates to the technical sector of vehicle propulsion means.

 Vehicles such as trailers and other towed mobiles are sometimes large. They therefore represent a significant mass, especially when loaded, and are difficult to maneuver when uncoupled from the towing vehicle. Several people distributed around the vehicle and in particular at the level of the drawbar drawbar, are often necessary to move these vehicles in order to couple them to the towing vehicle or to bring them manually to a precise place not always easily accessible.

 This is the case, for example, for fairgrounders whose trailers, forming stands or stores, must be placed in a space often limited and sometimes far from the towing vehicle. The maneuvers prove to be delicate, painful and do not offer all the necessary security both for those involved in these maneuvers and for those around them.

 In certain cases, provision has been made for assistance with maneuvers in the form of a small self-propelled machine, but one does not always have such a machine and this does not eliminate coupling and uncoupling maneuvers.

 One of the problems which the invention proposes to solve is to facilitate the maneuvers of these heavy and bulky trailers when they are uncoupled from the tractor vehicle, this by a new concept of this type of vehicle capable of moving on its own, by being ordered by a person without particular physical qualities.

 For this, and according to a first characteristic, the rolling box, carrying the drawbar and on which the trailer is articulated, has at each of the wheels of the carrier train, means for driving in rotation said wheels mounted disengageable way on the box; said means being arranged to ensure the forward and backward movement in a straight line or in a curve of the trailer, this by a remote control means.

 Another problem which the invention proposes to solve is to maneuver this type of vehicle safely for the worker and for the environment.

 For this, and according to other characteristics, the disengageable rotary drive means of the drawbar wheels are controlled remotely in a positive manner, that is to say that they remain in contact and in pressure against the wheels when the action on the control means is released, thus constituting an immobilization device, or else means of the parking brake type are integrated into the wheels and actuated by the remote control.

 Another problem which the invention proposes to solve is to facilitate the maneuvers of these vehicles by eliminating the jockey wheel which generally equips the drawbar and which impedes movement.

 For this, and according to other characteristics, the articulation of the drawbar to the rolling box is limited substantially at the horizontal level by a stop member thus preventing the coupling head from touching the ground.

 These characteristics and others will emerge from the description which follows.

To fix the subject of the invention without however limiting it, in the appended drawings:
Figure 1 is a schematic side view illustrating a trailer equipped with the device according to the invention.

 Figure 2 is a partial side view on a large scale showing the main equipment of the device according to the invention associated with one of the steered wheels.

 FIG. 3 is a partial top view corresponding to FIG. 2.

 FIG. 4 is a partial rear view corresponding to FIG. 2.

 FIG. 5 is a top view of the drawbar drawbar-casing-wheel assembly equipped with the device according to the invention which is shown in the disengaged position.

 Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, illustrating the device according to the invention in the engaged position for moving the trailer forward or reverse and in a straight line.

 Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing the device according to the invention in the engaged position and allowing the displacement of the trailer in curves.

 Figure 8 is a hydraulic diagram of the device according to the invention.

 Figure 9 is an electrical diagram of the device according to the invention.

 FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 respectively illustrate the control, start-up and emergency stop box, the radio control box and the remote control box of the device according to the invention.

 In order to make the object of the invention more concrete, it is now described in a nonlimiting embodiment illustrated in the figures of the drawings.

 The trailer (R) illustrated is of the long van type, the interior space of which can be arranged as required, for example in an exhibition and / or sales store, in a showcase, in a fair stand, etc. Of course, the device can also be applied to other embodiments of towed vehicles.

 The objects of the invention are mainly to be able to perform without particular efforts precise maneuvers and limited movements of the uncoupled trailer of the towing vehicle, this safely and by a single person.

 For this purpose, the trailer has at the front a carrier frame cut to allow passage to a rolling box (1) on which is articulated by a pivot (Rl) well known in the art, said trailer.

 At the front of the box is attached a drawbar (2) by means of yokes (la) in which articulate arms (2a) of the drawbar meeting at the level of the coupling head (2b) . Stops (lb) positioned under the yokes, limit downwards the articulation of the drawbar which cannot descend beyond the horizontal.

 This arrangement eliminates the jockey wheel usually mounted at the end of the drawbar, which facilitates the maneuvers of the trailer, said jockey wheel often obstructing the desired movements. On the other hand, provision is made to install the main equipment composing the device according to the invention opposite the drawbar, which makes it possible to balance the weights on either side of the axis of the casing wheel train. .

 The steering wheel assembly, shown diagrammatically in the drawings, comprises a shaft (3) secured to the front of the box by any known means and receiving suspension arms (4), the other end of which carries the wheels (5).

 At the rear of the wheels, the box carries axes (6) projecting on each side and on which articulate sleeves (7) integral with yokes (8) whose outer flange extends a little beyond the wheels . Between these yoke flanges are mounted rotating roller rollers (9) whose axes (10) are angularly wedged with the motor output shafts (11) which are of the hydraulic type in the example illustrated, without excluding d other means such as electric motors.

 The yokes (8) are connected with free articulation at (12) to the rods (13a) of double-acting cylinders (13) whose drums (13b) are also mounted with free articulation at (14) to spacers (15 ) attached to the sides of the box.

 Of course, as shown in the diagram in FIG. 8, the motors (11) and the jacks (13) are connected by any known means to an energy source (16), this by means of a distributor ( 30) and of distributors with drawers (17) ensuring the selected supply of these drive members.

 The device also comprises the members emerging from the electrical diagram of FIG. 9, namely: batteries (18) supplying a hydraulic pump (19) and a junction box (20) via a circuit breaker (21) disposed at the front of the box (FIG. 5) near a PTO (22) and a box (23) arranged with a start button (24), an emergency stop button (25) and an indicator (26), as illustrated in Figure 10.

 These drive means are positively controlled either from a remote control unit (27) connected in a known manner to said means, or from a radio control unit (28), with an antenna (29) fixed to the front of the housing.

 The remote control (27) and the radio control (28) illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12 have differentiated buttons corresponding to the movements to be carried out, as will emerge from the description of the operation below.

For this purpose, the remote control (27) comprises four buttons (A, B, C,
D) to control the movements of the trailer by action on the means (11), and two buttons (E, F) to control the jacks (13).

 After activating the circuit breaker (21) and pressing the start button (24), if you want the trailer to advance in a straight line, you first act on button (E) which effect of closing the jacks (13) therefore bringing the rollers (9) into contact with the wheels (5), then acting on the buttons (A and B), to drive the said wheels by rotation of the rollers driven by the motors (11) rotating in the same direction (FIG. 6).

 If you want the trailer to move back in a straight line, you press the buttons (C and D), after pressing the button (E), which reverses the direction of rotation of the motors (11). When you want to turn the trailer to the left, after pressing the button (E), you act on the buttons (A and D), while to turn to the right you act on the buttons (B and C), as illustrated in Figure 7. In this case, the motors (11) rotate in opposite directions to each other.

 So by alternately playing on the different buttons, you can easily maneuver the trailer. When the trailer is placed in the desired location, simply open the jacks with the button (F) to uncouple the rollers from the wheels.

 With the radio control (28) connected to the antenna (29), the procedure is the same for the start, namely: action on the circuit breaker (21) and the start button (24) then closing of the jacks by the button (L).

For the straight line advance, you press the button (H), for the straight line reverse you press the button (G), to turn right, you act on the button (I) and to turn left , we act on the button (J), thus causing the same effects, ie rotation of the motors in the same direction (forward or reverse in a straight line) or rotation of the motors in opposite direction (turn left or right). A button (K) uncouples the rollers from the wheels by opening the jacks and an indicator (28a) flashes when the radio control is in service, and a button (28b) is provided to reset when the indicator (28a) is off.

 Note that the action of pressurizing the rollers (9) on the wheels (5), by the remote control, being positive, the rollers remaining in contact with the wheels when the control is released, generates a certain inertia, but does not constitute a means of actual braking of the trailer which must be stopped by a hand brake (not shown) usually placed on the drawbar, when necessary. It is also not excluded to provide a parking brake device integrated into the wheels and actuated by radio or remote control.

 The advantages are clear from the description, it is further emphasized the ease of remote handling of heavy and bulky trailers by combined actions on the steered wheels, this safely and by a single person.

Claims (10)

 -1-Device facilitating movement and maneuvering of vehicles with two steering wheels of the trailer type (R) in particular, comprising a rolling box (1) articulated by a pivot (R1) to said trailer and having a drawbar (2 ), characterized in that the rolling box (1) has, at each of the wheels (5) of the carrier train, means (9-11-13) for driving in rotation said wheels mounted disengageably on the box; said means being arranged to ensure the forward and backward movement in a straight line or in a curve of the trailer, this by a remote control means (27 or 28). -2-Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for driving the wheels in rotation (5) are constituted by rollers (9) driven by motor members (11) and mounted on yokes (8) articulated to the box (1) by pins (6) and sleeves (7) being capable of coming into contact in pressure with the wheels when they are stressed. -3- Device according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the disengageable means for driving the wheels in rotation (5) are constituted by double-acting cylinders (13) articulated to the box (1) and to yokes (8) roller carrier, said cylinders being positively controlled so that the rollers remain in contact and in pressure against the wheels when the action on the remote control means is released. -4-Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the drive members (11) are hydraulic motors receiving their power from a hydraulic pump (19) connected to a battery (18) and a junction box (20) with a circuit breaker (21) arranged at the front of the box (1). -5- Device according to claims 2 and 3 together characterized in that the motors (11) and the cylinders (13) receive their power from an energy source (16) with the interposition of a distributor (30) and distributors with drawer (17) ensuring the selected supply of the drive means (11-13). -6- Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for rotating the wheels (5) are actuated by a radio control unit (28) associated with an antenna (29) fixed to the front of the box ( 1). -7- Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for rotating the wheels (5) are actuated by a remote control unit (27) connected in known manner to said drive means. K, L) ensuring actuation of the jacks (13) either in the closed position to bring the rollers (9) into contact with the wheels (5), or in the open position to uncouple the rollers from the wheels. -8-Device according to claims 6 and 7 together, characterized in that the radio and remote control boxes are equipped with buttons (E, F, and -9-Device according to claims 6 and 7 together, characterized in that the radio and remote control boxes are equipped with differentiated buttons (A, B, C, D and G, H, I, J) ensuring either the actuation motors (11) in the same direction of rotation to obtain the forward or backward movement in a straight line of the trailer and / or in opposite directions of rotation to turn the trailer to the right or to the left, this by the rollers ( 9) associated with said motors and in contact with the wheels.  the horizontal.  the articulation (la-2a) of the drawbar which cannot descend beyond -10-Device according to claim 1, characterized in that to remove the traditional jockey wheel of the drawbar, stop means (lb) integral with the front of the box (1) limit down