Power system for loading an empty trailer onto a tractor or for loading pre-loaded trailers onto a fifth wheel of the tractor

Claim 1

A system for loading and unloading a trailer, releasably connected to a fifth wheel, onto the rear of a tractor, comprising; a tractor having a rearwardly disposed frame, a lift arm pivotally secured to the frame of the tractor about a first axis extending through the lower end of the lift arm, a bell crank pivotally attached intermediate its ends to the lift arm about a second axis extending through the upper end thereof, a fifth wheel pivotally secured to one end of the bell crank, the fifth wheel supported in lowered position on the frame of the tractor, And power means operatively connected to the other end of the bell crank to rotate the bell crank about its pivotal connection to the lift arm for initially raising the fifth wheel substantially vertically and then moving the fifth wheel, lift arm and trailer connected to the fifth wheel upward and forward onto the rear of the tractor.

Claim 2

A system for loading and unloading a trailer, releasably connected to a fifth wheel, onto the rear of a tractor, comprising; a tractor having a rearwardly disposed frame, a lift arm pivotally secured to the frame of the tractor about a first axis extending through the lower end of the lift arm, a bell crank pivotally attached intermediate its ends to the lift arm about a second axis extending through the upper end thereof, a fifth wheel pivotally secured to one end of the bell crank, the fifth wheel supported in lowered position on the frame of the tractor, And power means operatively connected to the other end of the bell crank to rotate the bell crank about its pivotal connection to the lift arm for initially raising the fifth wheel substantially vertically and then moving the fifth wheel, lift arm and trailer connected to the fifth wheel upward and forward onto the rear of the tractor.

Claim 6

A system for loading and unloading a trailer releasably connected to a fifth wheel onto a rear of a tractor comprising; a lift arm pivotally secured to the frame of the tractor about a first axis extending through the lower end of the arm for movement between a raised, forward position wherein a trailer is raised and moved forwardly onto the rear of the tractor, and a lowered position wherein the trailer is in ground position, a pin carried by the lift arm, a bell crank pivotally attached between its ends to the lift arm about a second axis extending through the upper end of the lift arm, the bell crank carrying a hook member which, on rotation of the bell crank about the second axis, engages the pin to lock the bell crank in a fixed position with respect to the lift arm, retaining means to retain the bell crank and lift arm in locked position, a fifth wheel releasably carrying the forward end of a trailer pivotally secured to one end of the bell crank, the fifth wheel supported on the frame of the tractor when the trailer is in ground position, fluid motor means including a cylinder and piston, the piston pivotally connected to the end of the bell crank opposite the fifth wheel operative, on extension of the piston, to cause rotation of the bell crank about the second axis to raise the fifth wheel vertically and engage the hook member of the bell crank with the pin carried by the lift arm to lock the bell crank in a fixed position with respect to the lift arm, and operative, on retraction of the piston to raise the lift arm, bell crank, fifth wheel and trailer upward and forward causing the trailer to be drawn onto the rear of the tractor.

Claim 7

A system for loading and unloading a trailer releasably connected to a fifth wheel onto a rear of a tractor comprising; a lift arm pivotally secured to the frame of the tractor about a first axis extending through the lower end of the arm for movement between a raised, forward position wherein a trailer is raised and moved forwardly onto the rear of the tractor, and a lowered position wherein the trailer is in ground position, a pin carried by the lift arm, a bell crank pivotally attached between its ends to the lift arm about a second axis extending through the upper end of the lift arm, the bell crank carrying a hook member which, on rotation of the bell crank about the second axis, engages the pin to lock the bell crank in a fixed position with respect to the lift arm, retaining means to retain the bell crank and lift arm in locked position, a fifth wheel releasably carrying the forward end of a trailer pivotally secured to one end of the bell crank, the fifth wheel supported on the frame of the tractor when the trailer is in ground position, fluid motor means including a cylinder and piston, the piston pivotally connected to the end of the bell crank opposite the fifth wheel operative, on extension of the piston, to cause rotation of the bell crank about the second axis to raise the fifth wheel vertically and engage the hook member of the bell crank with the pin carried by the lift arm to lock the bell crank in a fixed position with respect to the lift arm, and operative, on retraction of the piston to raise the lift arm, bell crank, fifth wheel and trailer upward and forward causing the trailer to be drawn onto the rear of the tractor.

Claim 11

A system for unloading and loading a log trailer releasably connected with a pin to a fifth wheel onto the rear of a logging truck, comprising, a tractor including a frame disposed rearwardly of the tractor, a pair of lift arms interconnected at spaced intervals along their lenGth pivotally secured to the frame of the tractor about a first horizontal axis extending through the lower end of the lift arms, the lift arms rotatable between a lowered position wherein the log trailer is in ground position and a raised, forward position wherein the log trailer is disposed over the frame of the truck in carry position, a pin depending from the lift arms, a bell crank pivotally attached between its ends to about a shaft extending through the upper ends of the lift arms, the bell crank including an integral hook member which, on rotation of the bell crank about its pivotal connection to the lift arms, engages the pin depending from the lift arms to lock the bell crank and lift arms in fixed position relative to each other, retaining means to retain hook member in engagement about the pin, a double-acting fluid motor means including a cylinder and piston, the cylinder pivotally connected to the tractor frame and the piston pivotally connected to the bell crank, extension of the piston of the fluid motor means operating to rotate the bell crank about its pivotal connection to the lift arms to raise the fifth wheel vertically and engage the hook member carried by the bell crank about the pin carried by the lift arms, on movement of the retaining means locking the hook member in engagement with the pin, and retraction of the piston operative to raise and move the lift arms, bell crank, and fifth wheel up over the tractor frame.

Claim 12

A system for unloading and loading a log trailer releasably connected with a pin to a fifth wheel onto the rear of a logging truck, comprising, a tractor including a frame disposed rearwardly of the tractor, a pair of lift arms interconnected at spaced intervals along their lenGth pivotally secured to the frame of the tractor about a first horizontal axis extending through the lower end of the lift arms, the lift arms rotatable between a lowered position wherein the log trailer is in ground position and a raised, forward position wherein the log trailer is disposed over the frame of the truck in carry position, a pin depending from the lift arms, a bell crank pivotally attached between its ends to about a shaft extending through the upper ends of the lift arms, the bell crank including an integral hook member which, on rotation of the bell crank about its pivotal connection to the lift arms, engages the pin depending from the lift arms to lock the bell crank and lift arms in fixed position relative to each other, retaining means to retain hook member in engagement about the pin, a double-acting fluid motor means including a cylinder and piston, the cylinder pivotally connected to the tractor frame and the piston pivotally connected to the bell crank, extension of the piston of the fluid motor means operating to rotate the bell crank about its pivotal connection to the lift arms to raise the fifth wheel vertically and engage the hook member carried by the bell crank about the pin carried by the lift arms, on movement of the retaining means locking the hook member in engagement with the pin, and retraction of the piston operative to raise and move the lift arms, bell crank, and fifth wheel up over the tractor frame.

Claim 15

A method of loading and unloading a trailer onto the rear of a tractor, the trailer supported by its forward end on a fifth wheel which is supported in lowered position on the rear frame of the tractor and connected to a power mechanism operable to raise and lower the fifth wheel vertically a predetermined distance and to move the fifth wheel and tractor upward and forward over the rear of the tractor, the power mechanism including a lift arm pivotally secured to the frame of the tractor about a first axis extending through the lower end of the frame for movement between a raised, forward position wherein a trailer is raised and moved forwardly onto the rear of a tractor, and a lowered position wherein the trailer is in ground position, a pin carried by the lift arm, a bell crank pivotally attached between its ends to the lift arm about a second axis extending through the upper end of the lift arm, the bell crank carrying a hook member which, on rotation of the bell crank around about the second axis, engages the pin to lock the bell crank in a fixed position with respect to the lift arm, retaining means to retain the bell crank and lift arm in locked position, a fifth wheel releasably carrying the forward end of the trialer pivotally secured to one end of the bell crank and resting on the frame of the tractor when the trailer is in ground position, and power means connected to the bell crank operative to cause rotation of the bell crank about the second axis to raise the fifth wheel vertically and lock the bell crank in fixed position with respect to the lift frame and then operative to raise the locked together lift arm, bell cranK, fifth wheel and trailer upward and forward causing the trailer to be drawn onto the rear of the tractor comprising; rotating the bell crank about the second axis to raise the fifth wheel vertically and engage the hook member carried by the bell crank about the pin carried by the lift arm, moving the retaining means into position to retain the hook member in engagement about the pin and thereby lock the bell crank in fixed position relative to the lift arm, and raising the locked together lift arm, bell crank, fifth wheel and trailer supported thereon upward and forward causing the trailer to be drawn onto the rear of the tractor.

Claim 16

A method of loading and unloading a trailer onto the rear of a tractor, the trailer supported by its forward end on a fifth wheel which is supported in lowered position on the rear frame of the tractor and connected to a power mechanism operable to raise and lower the fifth wheel vertically a predetermined distance and to move the fifth wheel and tractor upward and forward over the rear of the tractor, the power mechanism including a lift arm pivotally secured to the frame of the tractor about a first axis extending through the lower end of the frame for movement between a raised, forward position wherein a trailer is raised and moved forwardly onto the rear of a tractor, and a lowered position wherein the trailer is in ground position, a pin carried by the lift arm, a bell crank pivotally attached between its ends to the lift arm about a second axis extending through the upper end of the lift arm, the bell crank carrying a hook member which, on rotation of the bell crank around about the second axis, engages the pin to lock the bell crank in a fixed position with respect to the lift arm, retaining means to retain the bell crank and lift arm in locked position, a fifth wheel releasably carrying the forward end of the trialer pivotally secured to one end of the bell crank and resting on the frame of the tractor when the trailer is in ground position, and power means connected to the bell crank operative to cause rotation of the bell crank about the second axis to raise the fifth wheel vertically and lock the bell crank in fixed position with respect to the lift frame and then operative to raise the locked together lift arm, bell cranK, fifth wheel and trailer upward and forward causing the trailer to be drawn onto the rear of the tractor comprising; rotating the bell crank about the second axis to raise the fifth wheel vertically and engage the hook member carried by the bell crank about the pin carried by the lift arm, moving the retaining means into position to retain the hook member in engagement about the pin and thereby lock the bell crank in fixed position relative to the lift arm, and raising the locked together lift arm, bell crank, fifth wheel and trailer supported thereon upward and forward causing the trailer to be drawn onto the rear of the tractor.