Portable Tractor Dolly for Front Towing Without Driveshaft Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for towing tractors are inefficient and unsafe, particularly when dealing with varying wheel base lengths and require disassembly of drive shafts, leading to potential damage and visibility issues during towing.
Innovation Solution
A portable dolly with king pins and lift mechanism that allows towing a tractor from the front without removing the drive axle, equipped with lights and brakes, and compatible with different wheel base lengths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the tractor is towed from the front with the drive shaft removed, then the transmission is protected from damage, but the brake lights are disabled and needle bearings are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The dolly serves as an intermediary device between the tow truck and the tractor. It has king pins that attach to the tractor's fifth wheel, allowing the tractor to be towed from the front without removing the drive shaft, while the dolly's structure supports the tractor's weight and maintains proper alignment during towing
2Reliability
If the drive shaft is removed to tow from the front, then the transmission is protected, but the towing process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the drive shaft removal step from the towing process by using a dolly with king pins that attach directly to the fifth wheel. This allows the transmission to be protected during towing without the need to remove, handle, or replace the drive shaft and needle bearings
Solution Approach 2:
The dolly is designed to work with the tractor's existing fifth wheel coupling system, allowing the tractor to support its own weight and maintain its own alignment during towing without requiring disassembly or modification of the drive train components
3Ease of operation
If the tow truck positions itself behind the tractor to connect, then the tractor can be towed, but it is difficult and dangerous on narrow shoulders and requires turning around
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of positioning the tow truck behind the tractor and pulling it forward, the dolly enables the tractor to be towed from the front. The tow truck positions itself in front of the tractor, and the dolly's king pins attach to the fifth wheel, reversing the traditional towing configuration to eliminate the need for dangerous positioning and turning maneuvers
4Device complexity
If standard towing methods are used, then simple equipment is required, but they cannot accommodate varying wheel base lengths of different tractors
Solution Approach 1:
The dolly is designed with universal compatibility for different tractor wheel bases. The king pins attach to the fifth wheel coupling system that is standard across various tractor models, allowing the same dolly to accommodate tractors with different wheel base lengths without requiring modification or specialized equipment
Data Source
AI summary
A portable dolly for use in towing a tractor including at least one wheel for moving the dolly, a first king pin configured for placement in a mating engagement with a fifth wheel on the tractor, a second king pin configured for placement in a mating engagement with a fifth wheel on the tractor, and a plurality of chains for connecting the dolly to the tractor, wherein the dolly is configured to assist a tow truck with towing the tractor from the tractor's front end without removing the front drive axle and drive shaft on the tractor. A lift mechanism is provided for lifting the tractor off the ground into a position that is suitable for towing.