Trailer

Abstract

To provide a trailer which can unload a container from the front by a container detachment vehicle.SOLUTION: A trailer, which can load a container that has a main girder extending back and forth on a bottom and a travel roller at a bottom rear end and is towed by a cargo vehicle, comprises a chassis which has a front wheel and a rear wheel and on which the container is loaded, and a draw bar which is provided on a front part of the chassis and is connected to the cargo vehicle. The draw bar has a variable structure that is variable between a basic form for connecting to the cargo vehicle and an evacuation form in which an amount of forward projection from a front end of the chassis is smaller than the basic form.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a trailer for coupling to a cargo vehicle such as a container loading / unloading vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] In some cases, a trailer is connected to a tractor, and containers are loaded on both the tractor and the trailer to transport multiple containers. At the front of the trailer, there is a connecting member called a drawbar for connecting to the tractor. The drawbar has a length sufficient for preventing the containers loaded on the tractor and the containers loaded on the trailer from interfering with each other when the tractor and the trailer are turning. When loading containers onto a trailer using a container loading / unloading vehicle, the container loading / unloading vehicle cannot approach the deck part of the trailer from the front due to interference with the drawbar. Therefore, as described in Patent Document 1, it is common to approach the container loading / unloading vehicle to the rear of the trailer and transfer the container from the container loading / unloading vehicle to the trailer from the rear. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2011-5967 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The container loading / unloading vehicle may also serve as a tractor. When the container loading / unloading vehicle tows a trailer, the container loading / unloading vehicle faces the front of the trailer from the rear when the container loading / unloading vehicle loaded with a container is coupled to or uncoupled from the trailer. In contrast, when the container loading / unloading vehicle is used to load or unload a container onto or from the trailer, the container loading / unloading vehicle must face the rear of the trailer from the rear. In this case, the container loading / unloading vehicle must go around the trailer from the front to the rear, or from the rear to the front, and in the process of going around, the container loading / unloading vehicle must turn around and reverse, which requires a large space around the trailer to move the container loading / unloading vehicle, and this creates problems in terms of work efficiency.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a trailer that allows containers to be loaded and unloaded from the front by a container loading and unloading vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a trailer capable of carrying a container which has a main girder extending forward and backward at its bottom and which has running rollers at the rear end of the bottom and which is towed by a cargo vehicle, the trailer comprising a chassis having front and rear wheels for carrying the container, and a drawbar provided at the front of the chassis for connecting to the cargo vehicle, the drawbar having a variable structure which can be transformed into a basic form for connecting to the cargo vehicle, and a retracted form which protrudes less forward from the front end of the chassis than the basic form. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, containers can be loaded and unloaded from the front by a container loading and unloading vehicle. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which a trailer according to a first embodiment of the present invention is brought close to a container loading / unloading vehicle. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a trailer according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a left side view of a trailer according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] Rear view of the trailer according to the first embodiment of the present invention [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a deck of a trailer according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a drawbar of a trailer according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a left side view of a drawbar of a trailer according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which a container is transferred from a container loading / unloading vehicle to a trailer according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which a container is transferred from a container loading / unloading vehicle to a trailer according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which a container is transferred from a container loading / unloading vehicle to a trailer according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which a container is transferred from a container loading / unloading vehicle to a trailer according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which a container is transferred from a container loading / unloading vehicle to a trailer according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a left side view of a drawbar of a trailer according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] (First embodiment) -Container removal vehicle- Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which a trailer according to an embodiment of the present invention is brought close to a container detachable vehicle. In the following description, the left and right in Fig. 1 refer to the front and rear of the trailer and the container detachable vehicle. Note that in the following embodiment, an example will be described in which a container detachable vehicle is used as a cargo vehicle (tractor) that pulls the trailer, but the trailer according to the present invention can also be used as a trailer for cargo vehicles other than the container detachable vehicle, such as a powdered material transport vehicle or a feed transport vehicle.

[0011] 1, when approaching the rear of a container loader / unloader vehicle V, a container C is transferred from the container loader / unloader vehicle V by a container handling device Vh mounted on the container loader / unloader vehicle V, and the loaded container C is transferred to the container loader / unloader vehicle V. The trailer 1 is coupled to a cargo vehicle and towed. The container loader / unloader vehicle V is an example of a cargo vehicle.

[0012] The container loading / unloading vehicle V comprises a vehicle frame Vf, a subframe Vs, a container handling device Vh, and guide rollers Vr. The vehicle frame Vf carries and supports the subframe Vs. The subframe Vs supports the container handling device Vh. The container handling device Vh loads and unloads containers C by sliding an L-shaped arm Va back and forth and pivoting it back and forth. A pair of guide rollers Vr are provided on the left and right sides at the rear end of the subframe Vs and guide the main girders Cg of the containers C being loaded and unloaded onto the container loading / unloading vehicle V.

[0013] -container- The container C loaded on the container loading / unloading vehicle V or the trailer 1 is a box-shaped container with an open top, and the rear side is composed of a rear gate Cw. The rear gate Cw is a downward-opening type, and the lower part rotates via a hinge at the top to open and close the rear opening of the container C. A pair of left and right main girders Cg extending in the front-rear direction are provided at the bottom of the container C and protrude downward. The left and right main girders Cg are rod-shaped members with vertically long rectangular cross sections and extend in the front-rear direction parallel to each other. The main girders Cg extend over the entire length of the container C. These main girders Cg are reinforcing materials for the container C, and are supported by the guide rollers Vr of the container loading / unloading vehicle V and the support rollers 8 of the trailer 1. Therefore, the left and right spacing between the left and right main girders Cg is set to match the left and right spacing between the guide rollers Vr and the support rollers 8. The upper part of the front of the container C is provided with a bar-shaped engagement part Cb that engages with and disengages from the hook of the loading arm A. In addition, a pair of left and right support legs Cl are fixed to the front of the bottom of the container C, and a pair of left and right running rollers Cr are rotatably attached to the rear end of the bottom of the container C. Both the support legs Cl and the running rollers Cr are located on the outside in the left-right direction of the main girder Cg and protrude downward below the bottom surface of the main girder Cg. When the running rollers Cr and the support legs Cl are in contact with the horizontal surface, the container C is substantially horizontal.

[0014] -Trailer- Fig. 2 is a plan view of the trailer in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a left side view, and Fig. 4 is a rear view. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the trailer deck, Fig. 6 is a plan view of the trailer drawbar, and Fig. 7 is a left side view.

[0015] As shown in these drawings, the trailer 1 is equipped with a chassis 4 having front wheels 2 and rear wheels 3 for loading a container C, and a drawbar 5 provided at the front of the chassis 4 and connected to a cargo vehicle. The trailer 1 is capable of loading one container C.

[0016] The chassis 4 includes a trailer frame 6, a running surface 7, support rollers 8, and a roller pit 9. The trailer frame 6, the running surface 7, the support rollers 8, and the roller pit 9 are provided in pairs on the left and right sides.

[0017] The left and right trailer frames 6 are, for example, rod-shaped members made of high-strength steel material with an I-shaped cross section and extending in the front-rear direction. The left and right trailer frames 6 are connected by a plurality of cross members. A rotating body 10, also called a dolly, which can rotate freely around a vertical axis of rotation, is provided on the front underside of the trailer frame 6. The above-mentioned front wheels 2 are connected to the lower part of the rotating body 10 via a suspension, and the front wheels 2 can swing left and right relative to the trailer frame 6. In addition, the above-mentioned rear wheels 3 are connected to the rear underside of the trailer frame 6 via a suspension. The orientation of the rear wheels 3 relative to the trailer frame 6 is invariable. In this embodiment, of the front wheels 2 and the rear wheels 3, only the front wheels 2 swing left and right, but this can be appropriately changed depending on the vehicle size, etc. The upper part of the front wheels 2 is covered by a front fender 11 fixed to the side of the trailer frame 6, and the upper part of the rear wheels 3 is covered by a rear fender 12 fixed to the side of the trailer frame 6. In addition, the trailer frame 6 is provided with a side guard 13 that covers the area between the front wheels 2 and the rear wheels 3. Furthermore, a rear bumper 14 is provided at the rear end of the trailer frame 6.

[0018] A deck 15 extending in the front-rear direction is supported on the upper part of each of the left and right trailer frames 6. The thickness of the deck 15 varies depending on the position in the front-rear direction. Specifically, the lower surface of the deck 15 is flush, whereas the height of the upper surface varies depending on the position in the front-rear direction. The front part 16 of the deck 15 is thinner than the main body part 17 located behind it, and the upper surface of the front part 16 is lower in height than the upper surface of the main body part 17. The upper surface of the main body part 17 is the running surface 7. The running surface 7 constitutes a road surface on which the running rollers Cr of the container C run when loading and unloading the container C. The running surface 7 has a slope 7a at the front end that descends forward. The slope 7a is connected to the upper surface of the front part 16 of the deck 15. This slope 7a is arranged so that at least a part of it is located rearward of the leading edge 2a (FIG. 3) of the front wheel 2. In this embodiment, the entire slope 7a is located behind the front edge 2a (FIG. 3) of the front wheel 2, and most of the slope 7a (more than half) is located behind the rotation center of the front wheel 2. The running surface 7 has a slope 7b at its rear end that descends toward the roller pit 9. The running surface 7 excluding the slopes 7a and 7b is horizontal when the trailer 1 is placed on level ground. The slopes 7a and 7b are gentle slopes with an inclination angle (angle with respect to the running surface 7 excluding the slopes 7a and 7b) of 45 degrees or less (for example, about 10 degrees). Rails 7c that guide the running rollers Cr of the container C running on the running surface 7 are provided protruding upward from the inner edges of the left and right running surfaces 7 in the left and right direction.

[0019] The left and right support rollers 8 are rollers that support the main girders Cg of the container C loaded on the trailer 1. These support rollers 8 are arranged between the left and right running surfaces 7 such that their rotation axes (rotation center lines) are located forward of the leading edge of the roller pit 9. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2, all of the support rollers 8 are located forward of the leading edge of the roller pit 9, and all or a part of the support rollers 8 (a part of them in this embodiment) are located forward of the rear edges 3a of the rear wheels 3 as shown in Fig. 3.

[0020] The roller pit 9 is a space (e.g., a hole or a depression) into which the traveling rollers Cr of the container C that have traveled across the traveling surface 7 fall, and is adjacent to the rear end of the traveling surface 7, i.e., the rear side of the rear end of the slope 7b. A roller stopper 21 that serves as a stopper for the traveling rollers Cr of the container C is provided on the rear side of the roller pit 9. The roller stopper 21 is provided on the front side of the cross member 19 that connects the rear ends of the left and right trailer frames 6.

[0021] The left and right running surfaces 7 are provided at their inner left and right edges with left and right seats 18 on which the main girders Cg of the container C sit. The left seat 18 and the support roller 8 are positioned on the same straight line extending parallel to the running surface 7. Similarly, the right seat 18 and the support roller 8 are positioned on the same straight line extending parallel to the running surface 7.

[0022] Further, a pair of left and right anti-jumping claws 20 are attached to the cross member 19. These anti-jumping claws 20 have their tips extending forward and are inserted into claw holes (not shown) of the container C loaded from the front, preventing the rear of the loaded container C from jumping up. In this embodiment, a configuration in which the fixed anti-jumping claws 20 are disposed at the rear end position of the trailer frame 6 has been exemplified, but the anti-jumping claws 20 may be made movable and disposed at a middle position in the fore-aft direction of the trailer 1.

[0023] In addition, retractable stoppers 22 are provided on the outer sides in the left and right direction of the front part 16 of the deck 15. When a container C is loaded onto the trailer 1, the support legs Cl of the container C face the left and right retractable stoppers 22. A recess is provided on the side of the support leg Cl, and when the retractable stopper 22 is raised with the container C loaded onto the trailer 1, the retractable stopper 22 fits into the recess of the support leg Cl and restrains the front part of the container C. In addition, by setting the retractable stopper 22 in a retracted position, it does not interfere with the container C traveling back and forth when loading and unloading onto and from the trailer 1.

[0024] In addition, a container lock 23 that is raised and lowered by, for example, air pressure is provided between the front parts 16 of the left and right decks 15. The left and right sides of the container lock 23 are provided with claws 23a that protrude outward in the left-right direction. When a container C is loaded onto the trailer 1, the left and right claws 23a face claw holes (not shown) provided on the inner side surface of the main girder Cg of the container C. Therefore, when the container lock 23 is operated with the container C loaded onto the trailer 1, the claws 23a are inserted into the claw holes of the main girder Cg to restrain the front part of the container C. When loading or unloading the container C onto or from the trailer 1, the claws 23a are pulled out of the claw holes of the main girder Cg and tilted to a position where they do not interfere with the main girder Cg of the container C.

[0025] In addition, although not shown, the trailer 1 may be provided with a collapsible front stopper that holds down the front of the loaded container C.

[0026] -Drawbar- FIG. 6 is a plan view of the drawbar 5 provided on the trailer 1, and FIG.

[0027] The drawbar 5 is a connecting member that is connected to a connecting portion at the rear of a cargo vehicle to connect the trailer 1 to the cargo vehicle that serves as a tractor. The drawbar 5 has a variable structure that can be transformed into a basic form for connecting to a cargo vehicle and a retracted form in which the amount of forward projection from the front end of the chassis 4 (the front end of the deck 15 in this embodiment) is smaller than that of the basic form. Specifically, the drawbar 5 has a base 31 attached to the chassis 4 (specifically, the rotating body 10) and a main body 32 that is connected to the base 31 so as to be rotatable on at least one of the left and right sides. The basic form of the drawbar 5 is a form in which the main body 32 extends forward as shown in FIG. 6, and the retracted form of the drawbar 5 is a form in which the main body 32 extends to the left or right side as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 2.

[0028] The base 31 is connected to the rotating body 10 via a pin 38 extending left and right so as to be able to swing up and down, and can swing left and right together with the front wheels 2 by the turning mechanism of the rotating body 10. The vertical swing of the base 31 relative to the rotating body 10 can be locked by a stopper pin (not shown).

[0029] The main body 32 is a strong member that is long from front to rear, and its base end is connected to the base 31 via a pin 33 that extends vertically so as to be swingable left and right. The main body 32 can rotate approximately 180 degrees from a state in which the tip faces left to a state in which the tip faces right. A ring 34 is provided at the tip of the main body 32, and the trailer 1 and the cargo vehicle are connected by connecting this ring 34 to a coupling device of the cargo vehicle. Although not particularly shown, the trailer 1 is equipped with a chain, and when it is towed by a cargo vehicle, it is connected to the cargo vehicle by the chain in addition to the drawbar 5.

[0030] The base 31 and the main body 32 are fixed to each other by a lock pin 35 (the swing of the main body 32 is locked). The base 31 has three pin holes 36 (in front of, to the right of, and to the left of the pin 33) around the pin 33, and the main body 32 has one (not shown). FIG. 6 shows a state in which the lock pin 35 is passed through the pin hole 36 in front of the pin 33 in the base 31 and the pin hole 36 in the main body 32, and the main body 32 is fixed to the base 31 in the basic form. From this state, the lock pin 35 is removed, the main body 32 is rotated to the left or right, and the lock pin 35 is passed through the pin hole 36 on the left or right of the pin 33 in the base 31 and the pin hole 36 in the main body 32, whereby the main body 32 is fixed to the base 31 in the retracted form.

[0031] In the retracted form, the amount of forward projection of the drawbar 5 from the front end of the chassis 4 (the front end of the deck 15 in this embodiment) is significantly reduced (at least to half or less) compared to the basic form. In the case of this embodiment, in the retracted form, the entire main body 32 of the drawbar 5 is located rearward of the front end of the base 31, and the amount of forward projection of the drawbar 5 from the front end of the chassis 4 in the retracted form is, for example, about 1 / 4 of that in the basic form.

[0032] Although not shown in Figures 6 and 7, the drawbar 5 is equipped with a stand 37 (Figure 3) with casters. The stand 37 is normally in a position with the casters facing backwards and away from the ground, but when coupling or uncoupling the trailer 1 and the tractor, the stand 37 is erected and the handle 37a is turned to extend the stand 37, allowing the drawbar 5, which is a heavy object, to be lifted.

[0033] - Procedure for loading containers onto a trailer - 8 to 12 are diagrams showing the process of transferring a container C from the container loader V to the trailer 1. As an example, the procedure for loading a container C by the container loader V onto an empty trailer 1 that has been towed by a tractor and transported to a loading work site will be described with reference to Figs. 1 and 8 to 12.

[0034] When loading a container C onto the trailer 1, it is necessary to move the drawbar 5 of the trailer 1 to the retracted state. In this case, first, the stand 37 is erected while the drawbar 5 of the trailer 1 is still connected to the tractor, and the handle 37a is turned to raise the drawbar 5 to a position where the ring 34 can be detached from the connection part of the tractor. Once the connection between the tractor and the trailer 1 is released in this way, the tractor is moved. Once the tractor has been moved, the vertical swing of the base 31 of the drawbar 5 is locked with a stopper pin (not shown), and the stand 37 is stored in preparation for the transition of the drawbar 5 to the retracted state (in a state where it is off the ground as shown by the solid line in FIG. 3). However, if the contact surface of the casters of the stand 37 is smooth, the stand 37 may remain on the ground.

[0035] Thereafter, the lock pin 35 is removed, the main body 32 of the drawbar 5 is rotated to the left or right to move from the basic form to the retracted form, and the removed lock pin 35 is reinserted to fix the main body 32 in the retracted form.

[0036] Next, as shown in Fig. 1, the container loader V loaded with the container C is brought close to the front of the trailer 1, and the container loader V and the trailer 1 are lined up in tandem facing the same direction. The rear of the container loader V and the front of the trailer 1 face each other.

[0037] Once the container loading / unloading vehicle V and the trailer 1 are lined up in tandem as shown in Fig. 1, the arm Va of the container handling device Vh is slid backward to push the container C backward as shown in Fig. 8. The container C slides backward on the container loading / unloading vehicle V, with the main girder Cg guided by the guide rollers Vr.

[0038] After sliding the container C backward, as shown in Fig. 9, the arm Va of the container handling device Vh is rotated backward, and the container C is brought into contact with the trailer 1. The container C moves backward while being lifted up with the guide roller Vr as a fulcrum, and first the traveling roller Cr contacts the running surface 7 of the trailer 1. At that time, the traveling roller Cr of the container C first lands on the slope 7a on the front side of the running surface 7 as the arm Va starts to rotate (Fig. 9).

[0039] When the arm Va of the container handling device Vh further rotates rearward, the traveling rollers Cr of the container C travel on the traveling surface 7 of the trailer 1 and move rearward, as shown in FIG.

[0040] After that, when the traveling rollers Cr of the container C finish traveling on the traveling surface 7, they drop into the roller pit 9 (Fig. 5) as shown in Fig. 11, and at the same time, the main girder Cg of the container C is supported by the support rollers 8 of the trailer 1. The support point at the rear of the container C is changed from the traveling rollers Cr to the support rollers 8, and even if the traveling rollers Cr pass the traveling surface 7, the support point at the rear of the container C remains within the range of the traveling surface 7.

[0041] And finally, the container C reaches a state where the main girder Cg is seated on the seat 18 (FIG. 12). When the container C moves to this state, the anti-jumping claws 20 of the trailer 1 are inserted into the claw holes (not shown) of the container C, preventing the rear of the container C from floating up. Once the container C has been transferred to the trailer 1 in this way, the connection between the arm Va and the container C is released, and the container loading / unloading vehicle V is moved forward. Furthermore, the front of the container C is fixed by the collapsible stopper 22 and the claws 23a of the container lock 23, so that the container C is restrained relative to the trailer 1.

[0042] When connecting the trailer to the container loader V or other cargo vehicle, the above-mentioned steps are reversed to return the drawbar 5 to its basic configuration, and the drawbar 5 and chain are connected to the cargo vehicle.

[0043] The procedure for unloading container C from trailer 1 is essentially the reverse of the above.

[0044] -effect- (1) According to this embodiment, the drawbar 5 can be transformed from a basic form for coupling to a cargo vehicle to a retracted form (indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 2) in which the amount of forward protrusion from the front end of the chassis 4 is smaller than that of the basic form. Therefore, by putting the drawbar 5 into the retracted form, the rear part of the container detachment vehicle V can be brought sufficiently close to the front part of the trailer 1. This allows the container C to be loaded and unloaded from the front of the trailer 1 by the container detachment vehicle V. Therefore, it is no longer necessary to make the container detachment vehicle go around the front and rear of the trailer or change direction as in the conventional case, and the working space required for transferring the container C from the container detachment vehicle V to the trailer 1 can be greatly reduced. The required working space is, for example, about 10% of the conventional one. In addition, since it is no longer necessary to turn around or change direction when the container detachment vehicle V goes around, the working efficiency is also greatly improved.

[0045] (2) As described above, the chassis 4 is provided with the roller pit 9 adjacent to the rear of the running surface 7 on which the running rollers Cr of the container C run, and the support rollers 8 that support the main girders Cg of the container C are arranged so that their rotation axis is located forward of the roller pit 9. If there was no roller pit 9 and the running surface 7 continued to near the rear end of the trailer 1, the running rollers Cr running on the running surface 7 would exceed the rear wheels 3, and just before the loading of the container C was completed, the load of the container C would be concentrated at a position beyond the rear wheels 3, which could cause the front wheels 2 of the trailer 1 to lift off the ground.

[0046] In contrast, in this embodiment, as described above, before the loading of the container C is completed, the traveling rollers Cr of the container C drop into the roller pit 9, and the main girder Cg of the container C is supported by the support rollers 8 arranged forward of the roller pit 9. This prevents the support point of the container C from moving to the vicinity of the rear end of the trailer 1, and makes it possible to suppress the front wheels 2 of the trailer 1 from lifting up.

[0047] In particular, in this embodiment, the support roller 8 is positioned in a position where its front-to-rear position range overlaps with the rear wheel 3, thereby preventing the support point of the container C from moving rearward beyond the rear edge 3a of the rear wheel 3.

[0048] (3) The rear end of the traveling surface 7 has a slope 7b that descends toward the roller pit 9, so that the traveling rollers Cr of the container C descend the slope 7b when they fall into the roller pit 9, allowing the main girder Cg to smoothly land on the support rollers 8. This makes it possible to reduce the impact when the support point of the container C switches from the traveling rollers Cr to the support rollers 8.

[0049] (4) If there is no slope 7a at the front end of the running surface 7, and when a container C is transferred from the container loading / unloading vehicle V to the trailer 1, the running roller Cr may come into contact with the front end of the chassis 4 (for example, the front part 16 of the deck 15) when the arm Va of the container handling device Vh starts to rotate, the following problem may arise.

[0050] For example, when the container C is slid backward by the arm Va to transfer the container C from the container loading / unloading vehicle V to the trailer 1 (FIG. 8), if there is no difference in height between the top surfaces of the front part 16 and the main body part 17 of the deck 15, the top surface of the front part 16 may be higher than the lower edge of the running roller Cr of the container C. In that case, the roller Cr gets caught on the front end of the front part 16 of the deck 15 and cannot ride up, making it difficult to transfer the container C to the trailer 1.

[0051] Even if the container C can be loaded onto the trailer 1, if there is no difference in the height of the top surfaces of the front 16 and main body 17 of the deck 15, the support legs Cl of the container C loaded onto the trailer 1 will come into contact with the front 16 of the deck 15, and the main girders Cg of the container C will not seat on the seat 18 of the trailer 1.

[0052] In contrast, in this embodiment, the front end of the running surface 7 is provided with a slope 7a that descends forward, and at least a part of this slope 7a is located behind the front edge 2a of the front wheel 2. By providing the slope 7a in this way and lowering the upper surface of the front part 16 of the deck 15 relative to the upper surface of the main body part 17 of the deck 15 (the running surface 7 excluding the slopes 7a and 7b), the running rollers Cr are prevented from contacting the upper surface of the front part 16 of the deck 15 when the arm Va starts to turn, and the running rollers Cr are stably landed on the slope 7a and smoothly guided to the running surface 7 following the slope 7a. This allows the container C to be stably transferred from the container loading / unloading vehicle V to the trailer 1. In addition, the support legs Cl of the container C are prevented from contacting the upper surface of the front part 16 of the deck 15, and the main beam Cg of the container C can be securely supported by the seat part 18 of the trailer 1.

[0053] In addition, since the trailer 1 is heavy at the front where the drawbar 5 and the rotating body 10 are provided, when the container C is loaded from the front onto the trailer 1 as in this embodiment, the position where the traveling rollers Cr of the container C land when the container C starts to be loaded is important. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the container C is transferred to the trailer 1 while the container loading / unloading vehicle V is stopped at a predetermined position, a slope 7a on which the traveling rollers Cr of the container C first touch the ground is provided near the front wheels 2. This prevents the load of the container C from being applied to the vicinity of the front end of the trailer 1, and the transfer operation of the container C from the container loading / unloading vehicle V to the trailer 1 can be stably performed. In particular, in this embodiment, since the front part of the slope 7a is located rearward of the front edge 2a of the front wheel 2, it is possible to prevent the load of the container C from concentrating forward of the front edge 2a of the front wheel 2.

[0054] From the viewpoint of weight balance related to the landing position of the traveling rollers Cr of the container C when loading of the container C begins, it is more preferable that the slope 7a is located between the front wheels 2 and the rear wheels 3, but if the entire slope 7a is configured to be located behind the front wheels 2, the front part of the main girder Cg of the container C loaded on the trailer 1 will be in a significantly raised supported state, making it impossible to ensure the stability of the container C. Therefore, in this embodiment, the slope 7a at the front end of the traveling surface 7 is provided near the front wheels 2, thereby achieving both a good weight balance and a stable supported state when the container is loaded.

[0055] Second embodiment Fig. 13 is a left side view of a drawbar for a trailer according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 13, elements that are the same as or correspond to those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals as in the previously mentioned drawings, and description thereof will be omitted.

[0056] The present embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the drawbar 5 has an arm 41 rotatably connected downward to the base 31, and has a multi-joint bending structure in which the main body 32 is rotatably connected to the arm 41. The main body 32 of the present embodiment has a support portion 32a connected to the arm 41 and a slide portion 32b slidably supported by the support portion 32a. In the basic form, the drawbar 5 of the present embodiment takes a posture in which the arm 41 and the main body 32 extend forward, and in the retracted form, the arm 41 rotates downward and the main body 32 bends relative to the arm 41 and moves backward. In FIG. 13, both the basic form and the retracted form are illustrated.

[0057] The base end of arm 41 of drawbar 5 is connected to base 31 by pin 42 extending laterally. Pin 42 is provided on base 31. In the basic form, downward swing of arm 41 relative to base 31 is locked by stopper pin 43.

[0058] Support portion 32a of main body portion 32 in drawbar 5 is rotatably connected to the front end of arm 41 by pin 44 extending laterally.

[0059] The draw bar 5 of this embodiment is equipped with an air chamber 45. The air chamber 45 functions as an actuator that drives the draw bar 5. When air is released from the air chamber 45, the rod of the air chamber 45 contracts and the draw bar 5 descends (transitions to the retracted form), and when air is introduced into the air chamber 45, the rod of the air chamber 45 extends and the draw bar 5 rises (transitions to the basic form).

[0060] Other configurations of the trailer 1 of the present embodiment are similar to those of the trailer 1 of the first embodiment.

[0061] In this embodiment, when the drawbar 5 is moved to the retracted form, first the stopper pin (not shown) is removed, the tractor is moved backward to slide the slide portion 32b of the drawbar 5 backward (see the straight arrow in FIG. 13), a turnbuckle (not shown) for holding the drawbar is wound up to lift the drawbar 5 to a position where it can be detached from the coupling portion of the tractor, and the tractor is moved forward to release the coupling between the trailer 1 and the tractor. Then, the air is released from the air chamber 45 to move the drawbar 5 to the retracted form (see the circular arc arrow in FIG. 13).

[0062] Even in this embodiment, by transitioning the drawbar 5 to the retracted configuration, the rear of the container loading / unloading vehicle V can be brought sufficiently close to the front of the trailer 1, allowing the container C to be loaded and unloaded from the front of the trailer 1 by the container loading / unloading vehicle V.

[0063] Even if the slide mechanism of the slide portion 32b of the drawbar 5 is omitted, the drawbar 5 can be moved backward only by the multi-joint bending structure of the drawbar 5. However, by combining the slide mechanism, the amount of protrusion of the drawbar 5 from the front end of the chassis 4 can be more effectively suppressed by utilizing the space between the left and right front wheels 2.

[0064] Furthermore, other effects of the first embodiment resulting from the layout of the slopes 7a, 7b of the running surface 7, the roller pit 9, and the support rollers 8 can also be obtained in this embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 1...trailer, 2...front wheel, 2a...leading edge of front wheel, 3...rear wheel, 3a...rear edge of rear wheel, 4...chassis, 5...drawbar, 7...running surface, 8...support roller, 9...roller pit, 7a, 7b...slope, 31...base, 32...main body, 32a...support part, 32b...slide part, 41...arm, C...container, Cg...main girder, Cr...running roller, V...container detachment vehicle (cargo vehicle)

Claims

1. In a trailer capable of carrying containers and towed by a cargo vehicle, having running rollers at the rear of a main girder with the longitudinal direction of the front-to-back direction, The chassis on which the aforementioned container is loaded, The chassis is provided with a drawbar that is attached to the front of the vehicle and connected to the freight vehicle, The drawbar is provided so as to be able to change its orientation between a basic configuration for connecting to the cargo vehicle during towing and a retracted configuration in which the amount of protrusion from the front end of the chassis is smaller than that of the basic configuration when loading. A trailer characterized by the following features.

2. In the trailer according to claim 1, The aforementioned drawbar is It has a base attached to the chassis and a main body that is rotatably connected to the base in at least one of the left and right directions. In the above basic configuration, the rotation changes the posture so that the main body faces forward. In the aforementioned retraction configuration, the rotation changes the posture so that the main body faces either left or right. A trailer characterized by the following features.

3. In the trailer according to claim 1, The aforementioned drawbar is The multi-joint bending structure has a base attached to the chassis, an arm rotatably connected downward to the base, and a main body rotatably connected to the arm. In the above basic configuration, the arm is in a substantially horizontal position. In the aforementioned retraction configuration, the arm is in a downward-hanging position. A trailer characterized by the following features.

4. In the trailer according to claim 3, The arm and the main body are provided with engaging parts that maintain each other's posture. In the above basic form, the engagement state is formed by the engagement portion. In the aforementioned retraction configuration, the engagement state is released. A trailer characterized by the following features.

5. In the trailer of claim 4, The trailer is characterized in that the engaging portion in the main body is provided at the rear of the main body and is located further rear than the pivot support portion for the arm in the retracted configuration.

6. In the trailer according to claim 4, The trailer is characterized in that the main body is slidably supported by the arm.

7. In the trailer according to claim 1, The main girder is provided at the bottom of the container, The aforementioned chassis is The running surface on which the aforementioned running rollers run, Support rollers that support the main girder, The vehicle comprises a roller pit adjacent to the rear side of the aforementioned running surface, The support roller is positioned such that its axis of rotation is located in front of the roller pit. A trailer characterized by the following features.

8. In the trailer according to claim 7, The chassis is equipped with front wheels and rear wheels, The support roller is positioned such that at least a portion of it is located in front of the rear edge of the rear wheel. A trailer characterized by the following features.

9. In the trailer according to claim 7, The trailer is characterized in that the running surface has a slope that descends toward the roller pit.

10. In the trailer according to claim 8, The aforementioned running surface has a slope that slopes downwards at the front, The ramp is positioned such that at least a portion of it is located behind the leading edge of the front wheel. A trailer characterized by the following features.

11. In a trailer capable of carrying containers and towed by a cargo vehicle, having running rollers at the rear of a main girder with the longitudinal direction of the front-to-back direction, The chassis on which the aforementioned container is loaded, The chassis is provided with a drawbar that is attached to the front of the vehicle and connected to the freight vehicle, The aforementioned chassis is The running surface on which the aforementioned running rollers run, Support rollers that support the main girder, The vehicle comprises a roller pit adjacent to the rear side of the aforementioned running surface, The support roller is positioned such that its axis of rotation is located in front of the roller pit. A trailer characterized by the following features.

12. In the trailer according to claim 11, The chassis is equipped with front wheels and rear wheels, The support roller is positioned such that at least a portion of it is located in front of the rear edge of the rear wheel. A trailer characterized by the following features.

13. In the trailer according to claim 11, The trailer is characterized in that the running surface has a slope that descends toward the roller pit.

14. In the trailer according to claim 11, The chassis is equipped with front wheels and rear wheels, The aforementioned running surface has a slope that slopes downwards at the front, The ramp is positioned such that at least a portion of it is located behind the leading edge of the front wheel. A trailer characterized by the following features.

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