Vehicle transport

Claim 2

A vehicle carrier adapted for transporting seven passenger cars, a mixed load of seven passenger cars and trucks, or a load of a lesser number of trucks within a length of 60 feet and a height of 13 1/2 feet, the hereinafter-mentioned passenger cars having a length of 215 to 220 inches, a roof height of about 56 to 58 inches, a hood height of about 39 inches and a rear deck height of about 37 inches comprising, a highway tractor and trailer; the tractor having a main frame with a cab at the front end thereof; a generally horizontally extending upper vehicle supporting track on the tractor extending over said cab; a lower vehicle supporting track on the tractor which inclines upwardly and rearwardly such that when a passenger car is supported on the upper track the uppermost portion of a passenger car on the lower track extends rearwardly and to a level above the rearwardmost axle of the passenger car on the upper track; said lower track being pivotally supported adjacent its rear end for pivotal movement upwardly to a position wherein the forward end of said lower track is generally horizontally aligned with the rear end of the upper track on the tractor; the tractor frame having a depending support at the rear end thereof; a fifth wheel assembly on said depending support having its horizontal pivot axis spaced below the centerline of the rear axle of the tractor; said trailer having a frame provided with a front lower portion connected with said fifth wheel assembly; said trailer having a front lower vehicle supporting track shiftable between a generally horizontally extending lowered position and an upwardly and rearwardly inclined position; said last-mentioned track having a forward end which terminates such that, when a passenger car is supported thereon in either said lowered or inclined positions with the forwardmost wheels thereof at said forward end of the last-mentioned track, the forwardmost end of said lastmentioned passenger car is located rearwardly of the vertical pivot axis of the fifth wheel assembly; said trailer having a lower track for supporting a third vehicle at the rear end thereof in a downwardly and rearwardly inclined position; said trailer also having a lower generally horizontal track intermediate the front and rear lower tracks; said intermediate track being adapted to support a passenger car with the rearwardly facing end of a passenger car on the front lower track overhanging the forwardly facing end of the car on the intermediate track and the forwardly facing end of the passenger car on the lower rear track overhanging the rearwardly facing low end of the passenger car on the intermediate track; said trailer also having an upper track for supporting sixth and seventh vehicles.

Claim 3

A vehicle carrier adapted for transporting seven passenger cars, a mixed load of seven passenger cars and trucks, or a load of a lesser number of trucks within a length of 60 feet and a height of 13 1/2 feet, the hereinafter-mentioned passenger cars having a length of 215 to 220 Inches, a roof height of about 56 to 58 inches, a hood height of about 39 inches and a rear deck height of about 37 inches comprising, a highway tractor and trailer; the tractor having a main frame with a cab at the front end thereof; a generally horizontally extending upper vehicle supporting track on the tractor extending over said cab; a lower vehicle supporting track on the tractor which inclines upwardly and rearwardly such that when a passenger car is supported on the upper track the uppermost portion of a passenger car on the lower track extends rearwardly and to a level above the rearwardmost axle of the passenger car on the upper track; the tractor frame having a depending support at the rear end thereof; a fifth wheel assembly on said depending support having its horizontal pivot axis spaced below the centerline of the rear axle of the tractor; said trailer having a frame provided with a front lower portion connected with said fifth wheel assembly; said trailer having a front lower vehicle supporting track shiftable between a generally horizontally extending lowered position and an upwardly and rearwardly inclined position; said last-mentioned track having a forward end which terminates such that, when a passenger car is supported thereon in either said lowered or inclined positions with the forwardmost wheels thereof at said forward end of the last-mentioned track, the forwardmost end of said last-mentioned passenger car is located rearwardly of the vertical pivot axis of the fifth wheel assembly; said trailer having a lower track for supporting a third vehicle at the rear end thereof in a downwardly and rearwardly inclined position; said trailer also having a lower generally horizontal track intermediate the front and rear lower tracks; said intermediate track being adapted to support a passenger car with the rearwardly facing end of a passenger car on the front lower track overhanging the forwardly facing end of the car on the intermediate track and the forwardly facing end of the passenger car on the lower rear track overhanging the rearwardly facing low end of the passenger car on the intermediate track; said trailer also having an upper track for supporting sixth and seventh vehicles; the upper track on the trailer including a front section adapted to support a vehicle; said front track section being mounted on the trailer for independent vertical movement at the opposite ends thereof so that said front track section can be disposed in a generally horizontal position, in a position inclined downwardly and rearwardly, or in a position inclined downwardly and forwardly.

Claim 4

A vehicle carrier adapted for transporting seven passenger cars, a mixed load of seven passenger cars and trucks, or a load of a lesser number of trucks within a length of 60 feet and a height of 13 1/2 feet, the hereinafter-mentioned passenger cars having a length of 215 to 220 Inches, a roof height of about 56 to 58 inches, a hood height of about 39 inches and a rear deck height of about 37 inches comprising, a highway tractor and trailer; the tractor having a main frame with a cab at the front end thereof; a generally horizontally extending upper vehicle supporting track on the tractor extending over said cab; a lower vehicle supporting track on the tractor which inclines upwardly and rearwardly such that when a passenger car is supported on the upper track the uppermost portion of a passenger car on the lower track extends rearwardly and to a level above the rearwardmost axle of the passenger car on the upper track; the tractor frame having a depending support at the rear end thereof; a fifth wheel assembly on said depending support having its horizontal pivot axis spaced below the centerline of the rear axle of the tractor; said trailer having a frame provided with a front lower portion connected with said fifth wheel assembly; said trailer having a front lower vehicle supporting track shiftable between a generally horizontally extending lowered position and an upwardly and rearwardly inclined position; said last-mentioned track having a forward end which terminates such that, when a passenger car is supported thereon in either said lowered or inclined positions with the forwardmost wheels thereof at said forward end of the last-mentioned track, the forwardmost end of said last-mentioned passenger car is located rearwardly of the vertical pivot axis of the fifth wheel assembly; said trailer having a lower track for supporting a third vehicle at the rear end thereof in a downwardly and rearwardly inclined position; said trailer also having a lower generally horizontal track intermediate the front and rear lower tracks; said intermediate track being adapted to support a passenger car with the rearwardly facing end of a passenger car on the front lower track overhanging the forwardly facing end of the car on the intermediate track and the forwardly facing end of the passenger car on the lower rear track overhanging the rearwardly facing low end of the passenger car on the intermediate track; said trailer also having an upper track for supporting sixth and seventh vehicles; the upper track on the trailer including a front section adapted to support a vehicle; said front track section being mounted on the trailer for independent vertical movement at the opposite ends thereof so that said front track section can be disposed in a generally horizontal position, in a position inclined downwardly and rearwardly, or in a position inclined downwardly and forwardly.

Claim 5

A vehicle carrier adapted for transporting seven passenger cars, a mixed load of seven passenger cars and trucks, or a load of a lesser number of trucks within a length of 60 feet and a height of 13 1/2 feet, the hereinafter-mentioned passenger cars having a length of 215 to 220 inches, a roof height of about 56 to 58 inches, a hood height of about 39 inches and a rear deck height of about 37 inches comprising, a highway tractor and trailer; the tractor having a main frame with a cab at the front end thereof; a generally horizontally extending upper vehicle supporting track on the tractor extending over said cab; a lower vehicle supporting track on the tractor which inclines upwardly and rearwardly such that when a passenger car is supported on the upper track the uppermost portion of a passenger car on the lower track extends rearwardly and to a level above to rearwardmost axle of the passenger car on the upper track; the tractor frame having a depending support at the rear end thereof; a fifth wheel assembly on said depending support having its horizontal pivot axis spaced below the centerline of the rear axle of the tractor; said trailer having a frame provided with a front lower portion connected with said fifth wheel assembly; said trailer having a front lower vehicle supporting track shiftable between a generAlly horizontally extending lowered position and an upwardly and rearwardly inclined position; said last-mentioned track having a forward end which terminates such that, when a passenger car is supported thereon in either said lowered or inclined positions with the forwardmost wheels thereof at said forward end of the last-mentioned track, the forwardmost end of said last-mentioned passenger car is located rearwardly of the vertical pivot axis of the fifth wheel assembly; said trailer having a lower track for supporting a third vehicle at the rear end thereof in a downwardly and rearwardly inclined position; said trailer also having a lower generally horizontal track intermediate the front and rear lower tracks; said intermediate track being adapted to support a passenger car with the rearwardly facing end of a passenger car on the front lower track overhanging the forwardly facing end of the car on the intermediate track and the forwardly facing end of the passenger car on the lower rear track overhanging the rearwardly facing low end of the passenger car on the intermediate track; said trailer also having an upper track for supporting sixth and seventh vehicles; said trailer being provided with a tandem rear axle disposed adjacent but forwardly of the rear end of the trailer; said trailer having wheel housings extending over said tandem axle, said lower rear track extending over said wheel housings and having a hinged portion swingable from a position extending generally horizontally in a rearward direction to a position inclined upwardly and forwardly beyond the forward portions of said wheel housings.

Claim 6

A vehicle carrier adapted for transporting seven passenger cars, a mixed load of seven passenger cars and trucks, or a load of a lesser number of trucks within a length of 60 feet and a height of 13 1/2 feet, the hereinafter-mentioned passenger cars having a length of 215 to 220 inches, a roof height of about 56 to 58 inches, a hood height of about 39 inches and a rear deck height of about 37 inches comprising, a highway tractor and trailer; the tractor having a main frame with a cab at the front end thereof; a generally horizontally extending upper vehicle supporting track on the tractor extending over said cab; a lower vehicle supporting track on the tractor which inclines upwardly and rearwardly such that when a passenger car is supported on the upper track the uppermost portion of a passenger car on the lower track extends rearwardly and to a level above to rearwardmost axle of the passenger car on the upper track; the tractor frame having a depending support at the rear end thereof; a fifth wheel assembly on said depending support having its horizontal pivot axis spaced below the centerline of the rear axle of the tractor; said trailer having a frame provided with a front lower portion connected with said fifth wheel assembly; said trailer having a front lower vehicle supporting track shiftable between a generAlly horizontally extending lowered position and an upwardly and rearwardly inclined position; said last-mentioned track having a forward end which terminates such that, when a passenger car is supported thereon in either said lowered or inclined positions with the forwardmost wheels thereof at said forward end of the last-mentioned track, the forwardmost end of said last-mentioned passenger car is located rearwardly of the vertical pivot axis of the fifth wheel assembly; said trailer having a lower track for supporting a third vehicle at the rear end thereof in a downwardly and rearwardly inclined position; said trailer also having a lower generally horizontal track intermediate the front and rear lower tracks; said intermediate track being adapted to support a passenger car with the rearwardly facing end of a passenger car on the front lower track overhanging the forwardly facing end of the car on the intermediate track and the forwardly facing end of the passenger car on the lower rear track overhanging the rearwardly facing low end of the passenger car on the intermediate track; said trailer also having an upper track for supporting sixth and seventh vehicles; said trailer being provided with a tandem rear axle disposed adjacent but forwardly of the rear end of the trailer; said trailer having wheel housings extending over said tandem axle, said lower rear track extending over said wheel housings and having a hinged portion swingable from a position extending generally horizontally in a rearward direction to a position inclined upwardly and forwardly beyond the forward portions of said wheel housings.

Claim 7

A vehicle carrier including a trailer having upper and lower vehicle supporting tracks; said trailer being provided with a tandem rear axle disposed adjacent but forwardly of the rear end of the trailer; said trailer having wheel housings extending over said tandem axle; said lower track extending over said wheel housings and having a hinged portion swingable from a position extending generally horizontally in a rearward direction to a position inclined upwardly and forwardly beyond the forward portions of said wheel housings.

Claim 8

A vehicle carrier including a trailer having upper and lower vehicle supporting tracks; said trailer being provided with a tandem rear axle disposed adjacent but forwardly of the rear end of the trailer; said trailer having wheel housings extending over said tandem axle; said lower track extending over said wheel housings and having a hinged portion swingable from a position extending generally horizontally in a rearward direction to a position inclined upwardly and forwardly beyond the forward portions of said wheel housings.

Claim 9

A vehicle carrier adapted for transporting seven passenger cars, a mixed load of seven passenger cars and trucks, or a load of a lesser number of trucks within a length of 60 feet and a height of 13 1/2 feet, the hereinafter-mentioned passenger cars having a length of about 215 to 220 inches, a roof height of about 56 to 58 inches, a hood height of about 39 inches and a rear deck height of about 37 inches; said vehicle carrier comprising, a highway tractor and trailer; the tractor having a main frame with a cab at the front end thereof and a depending support at the rear end thereof; a fifth wheel assembly on said depending support having its horizontal pivot axis spaced below the centerline of the rear axle of the trailer; an upper track on the tractor for supporting a passenger car in a generally horizontal position over the tractor cab; a lower track on the tractor inclined upwardly and rearwardly and extending beyond said horizontal pivot axis of the fifth wheel assembly so that a passenger car can be supported thereon with its rearwardly facing end extending substantially beyond said fifth wheel assembly and with its uppermost roof portion extending to a level above the rearwardmost axle of a passenger car on the upper track, said trailer having a frame provided with a front lower portion connected with said fifth wheel assembly; said trailer having a front lower vehicle supporting track shiftable between a generally lowered position and an upwardly and rearwardly inclined position; said last-mentioned track having a forward end which terminates such that, when a passenger car is supported thereon in either said lowered or inclined positions with the forwardmost wheels thereof at said forward end of the last-mentioned track, the forwardmost end of said last-mentioned passenger car is located rearwardly of the vertical pivot axis of the fifth wheel assembly; said trailer having a lower track for supporting a third vehicle at the rear end thereof in a downwardly and rearwardly inclined position; said trailer also having a lower track intermediate the front and rear lower tracks; said intermediate track being adapted to support a passenger car in a generally horizontal position with the rearwardly facing end of a passenger car on the front lower track overhanging the forwardly facing end of the car on the intermediate track and the forwardly facing end of the passenger car on the lower rear track overhanging the rearwardly facing low end of the passenger car on the intermediate track; said trailer also having an upper track for supporting sixth and seventh vehicles.

Claim 10

A vehicle carrier adapted for transporting seven passenger cars, a mixed load of seven passenger cars and trucks, or a load of a lesser number of trucks within a length of 60 feet and a height of 13 1/2 feet, the hereinafter-mentioned passenger cars having a length of about 215 to 220 inches, a roof height of about 56 to 58 inches, a hood height of about 39 inches and a rear deck height of about 37 inches; said vehicle carrier comprising, a highway tractor and trailer; the tractor having a main frame with a cab at the front end thereof and a depending support at the rear end thereof; a fifth wheel assembly on said depending support having its horizontal pivot axis spaced below the centerline of the rear axle of the trailer; an upper track on the tractor for supporting a passenger car in a generally horizontal position over the tractor cab; a lower track on the tractor inclined upwardly and rearwardly and extending beyond said horizontal pivot axis of the fifth wheel assembly so that a passenger car can be supported thereon with its rearwardly facing end extending substantially beyond said fifth wheel assembly and with its uppermost roof portion extending to a level above the rearwardmost axle of a passenger car on the upper track, said trailer having a frame provided with a front lower portion connected with said fifth wheel assembly; said trailer having a front lower vehicle supporting track shiftable between a generally lowered position and an upwardly and rearwardly inclined position; said last-mentioned track having a forward end which terminates such that, when a passenger car is supported thereon in either said lowered or inclined positions with the forwardmost wheels thereof at said forward end of the last-mentioned track, the forwardmost end of said last-mentioned passenger car is located rearwardly of the vertical pivot axis of the fifth wheel assembly; said trailer having a lower track for supporting a third vehicle at the rear end thereof in a downwardly and rearwardly inclined position; said trailer also having a lower track intermediate the front and rear lower tracks; said intermediate track being adapted to support a passenger car in a generally horizontal position with the rearwardly facing end of a passenger car on the front lower track overhanging the forwardly facing end of the car on the intermediate track and the forwardly facing end of the passenger car on the lower rear track overhanging the rearwardly facing low end of the passenger car on the intermediate track; said trailer also having an upper track for supporting sixth and seventh vehicles.

Claim 11

A vehicle carrier as called for in claim 5 wherein the lower track on said tractor is disposed such that a vehicle thereon is inclined upwardly and rearwardly at an angle of about 12* to 15* to the horizontal.

Claim 12

A vehicle carrier comprising a tractor and trailer; said tractor having an upper vehicle supporting track extending forwardly over the tractor cab and a lower track for supporting a vehicle in a position inclined downwardly and forwardly of the tractor; said lower track extending rearwardly substantially beyond the rear end of said upper track; said trailer having upper and lower vehicle supporting tracks, the lower track on the tractor having a rear section supported on the tractor adjacent the rear end of said lower track section for pivotal movement from said downwardly and forwardly inclined position to a position wherein the forward end of said lower track is aligned with the rear end of the upper track on the tractor.

Claim 13

A vehicle carrier comprising a tractor and trailer; said tractor having an upper vehicle supporting track extending forwardly over the tractor cab and a lower track for supporting a vehicle in a position inclined downwardly and forwardly of the tractor; said lower track extending rearwardly substantially beyond the rear end of said upper track; said trailer having upper and lower vehicle supporting tracks, the lower track on the tractor having a rear section supported on the tractor adjacent the rear end of said lower track section for pivotal movement from said downwardly and forwardly inclined position to a position wherein the forward end of said lower track is aligned with the rear end of the upper track on the tractor.

Claim 14

The combination called for in claim 7 including track means for interconnecting the rear end portion of the lower track on the tractor with the front end portion of the upper track on the trailer to permit loading of the upper track on the tractor by driving a vehicle over the upper track on the trailer.

Claim 15

The combination called for in claim 8 including means for shifting the front end portion of the upper track on the trailer vertically to align said forward end portion of the track on the trailer generally horizontally with the rear end portion of the lower track on the tractor.

Claim 16

A vehicle carrier having a generally flat bed with track structure thereon for supporting vehicles; means forming a hump in said bed adjacent the rear portion thereof and over which the wheels of a vehicle must pass for loading on the carrier; said track structure including means forming a first vehicle track extending forwardly over said hump with the front end thereof terminating at a level substantially above the bed of the carrier; a second track spaced forwardly of the first track for supporting a vehicle in a position inclined downwardly and forwardly of the carrier; a third track extending below and rearwardly of the second track and terminating at its rear end adjacent said hump; means supporting the front end portion of the third track for fore and aft movement in a generally horizontal plane; means connected with the third track for shifting the rear end portion thereof along a path which inclines downwardly and forwardly so that in one position of the third track it is generally horizontally disposed at a level below said hump and in another position of the third track it inclines downwardly and forwardly from said hump; means for supporting said third track in said two positions whereby, when a vehicle is supported on the third track with the third track in said inclined position and the rear portion thereof is shifted downwardly along said path, the vehicle on said third track is simultaneously shifted forwardly and pivoted downwardly to a generally horizontal position with the forward portion thereof nested beneath the rear portion of a vehicle on the second track.

Claim 17

A vehicle carrier having a generally flat bed with track structure thereon for supporting vehicles; means forming a hump in said bed adjacent the rear portion thereof and over which the wheels of a vehicle must pass for loading on the carrier; said track structure including means forming a first vehicle track extending forwardly over said hump with the front end thereof terminating at a level substantially above the bed of the carrier; a second track spaced forwardly of the first track for supporting a vehicle in a position inclined downwardly and forwardly of the carrier; a third track extending below and rearwardly of the second track and terminating at its rear end adjacent said hump; means supporting the front end portion of the third track for fore and aft movement in a generally horizontal plane; means connected with the third track for shifting the rear end portion thereof along a path which inclines downwardly and forwardly so that in one position of the third track it is generally horizontally disposed at a level below said hump and in another position of the third track it inclines downwardly and forwardly from said hump; means for supporting said third track in said two positions whereby, when a vehicle is supported on the third track with the third track in said inclined position and the rear portion thereof is shifted downwardly along said path, the vehicle on said third track is simultaneously shifted forwardly and pivoted downwardly to a generally horizontal position with the forward portion thereof nested beneath the rear portion of a vehicle on the second track.

Claim 18

A vehicle carrier as called for in claim 10 wherEin said hump forming means comprises rear wheel housings at opposite sides of the carrier.

Claim 19

A vehicle carrier as called for in claim 10 wherein said third track has a length less than the length of a full-size passenger vehicle such that when a full-size passenger vehicle is supported on the third track with the rear end thereof just forwardly of said hump the forwardmost wheels of the last-mentioned vehicle are located forwardly beyond the forward end of the third track.

Claim 20

A vehicle carrier as called for in claim 10 wherein said means for shifting the third track between said inclined position and said lowered position includes a hydraulic piston-cylinder assembly.

Claim 21

A vehicle carrier as called for in claim 13 including means for limiting the extent to which the rear end portion of said third track can be moved vertically upwardly; said piston-cylinder assembly being connected with said third track to pivot the forward end of said third track upwardly when the rear end of the third track has reached the upper limit of its vertical movement.

Claim 22

A vehicle carrier as called for in claim 10 wherein said means for shifting said third track includes means forming a guideway on the carrier extending downwardly and forwardly and means interconnecting said track and guideway.

Claim 23

A vehicle carrier as called for in claim 15 wherein said guideway forming means comprise a pair of short guide tracks, one at each side of the trailer and extending rearwardly and upwardly from the bed of the trailer to adjacent the upper portion of said hump.

Claim 24

A vehicle carrier as called for in claim 16 wherein said interconnecting means comprises a pair of followers projecting outwardly from opposite sides of the third track and interengaging said short guide tracks.

Claim 25

A vehicle carrier as called for in claim 16 wherein the front end of the third track is slideably supported on the bed of the trailer.