Method and apparatus for varying a vehicle wheelbase

Claim 2

A vehicle for use with a support device, comprising: a rigid frame having a forward end and a dumping end, the forward end being supported by the support device; a trailer body; means for supporting said trailer body on said rigid frame proximate said dumping end for pivotal motion relative said rigid frame between a horizontal traveling position and a tilted dumping position; means positioned between said rigid frame and said trailer body spaced from the dumping end to move the trailer body between the traveling and dumping positions; a pedestal for supporting at least one axle; means for supporting said pedestal on said rigid frame for slidable motion of said pedestal along said rigid frame between a forward position and a rearward position; pedestal mounted wedge stucture; rigid frame mounted wedge structure, the pedestal mounted wedge structure and frame mounted wedge structure moving into a wedging postion when the pedestal is in the forward and rearward positions to wedge the pedestal to the frame in the forward and rearward position for vehicle operation; locking means for urging the pedestal mounted wedging structure and frame mounted wedging structure into the wedging position when the pedestal is in the forward and rearward positions; and the forward position of the pedestal permitting dumping of the trailer body payload while the rearward position of the pedestal is employed for trailering, at least one of said axles being positioned rearward of the frame when the pedestal is in the rearward position.

Claim 3

The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said locking means comprises locking wedge structure.

Claim 4

The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said locking means are controlled by air pressure so that the vehicle operator can operate the locking means from a remote location.

Claim 5

The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said support device comprises a power unit.

Claim 6

A vehicle for use with a support device, comprising: an integral trailer body and frame having a dumping end and a forward end; means for supporting said integral trailer body and frame on the support device and including at least one rigid member pivoted at one end to the integral trailer body and frame and at the opposite end proximate the support device and an extendable member pivoted at one end to the integral trailer body and frame spaced from the dumping end and at the opposite end proximate the support device, said extendable member being variable in length from a contracted state to an extended state, the integral trailer body and frame being horizontal for traveling when the extendable member is in the contracted state and being tilted for dumping when the extendable member is in the extended state; a pedestal for supporting at least one axle; means for supporting said pedestal on said integral trailer body and frame for slidable motion of said pedestal along said integral trailer body and frame between a forward position and a rearward position; pedestal mounted wedge structure; frame mounted wedge structure, the pedestal mounted wedge structure and frame mounted wedge structure moving into a wedging position when the pedestal is in the forward and rearward position to wedge the pedestal to the frame in the forward and rearward position for vehicle operation; locking means for urging the pedestal mounted wedging structure and frame mounted wedging structure into the wedging position when the pedestal is in the rearward position; and the forward position of the pedestal permitting dumping of the integral trailer body and frame payload while the rearward position of the pedestal is employed for trailering, at least one of said axles being positioned rearward of the frame when the pedestal is in the rearward position.

Claim 7

A vehicle for use with a support device, comprising: an integral trailer body and frame having a dumping end and a forward end; means for supporting said integral trailer body and frame on the support device and including at least one rigid member pivoted at one end to the integral trailer body and frame and at the opposite end proximate the support device and an extendable member pivoted at one end to the integral trailer body and frame spaced from the dumping end and at the opposite end proximate the support device, said extendable member being variable in length from a contracted state to an extended state, the integral trailer body and frame being horizontal for traveling when the extendable member is in the contracted state and being tilted for dumping when the extendable member is in the extended state; a pedestal for supporting at least one axle; means for supporting said pedestal on said integral trailer body and frame for slidable motion of said pedestal along said integral trailer body and frame between a forward position and a rearward position; pedestal mounted wedge structure; frame mounted wedge structure, the pedestal mounted wedge structure and frame mounted wedge structure moving into a wedging position when the pedestal is in the forward and rearward position to wedge the pedestal to the frame in the forward and rearward position for vehicle operation; locking means for urging the pedestal mounted wedging structure and frame mounted wedging structure into the wedging position when the pedestal is in the rearward position; and the forward position of the pedestal permitting dumping of the integral trailer body and frame payload while the rearward position of the pedestal is employed for trailering, at least one of said axles being positioned rearward of the frame when the pedestal is in the rearward position.

Claim 8

The vehicle of claim 5 wherein said locking means comprises locking wedge structure.

Claim 9

The vehicle of claim 5 wherein said locking means are controlled by air pressure so that the vehicle operator can operate the locking means from a remote location.

Claim 10

The vehicle of claim 5 wherein said support device is a power unit.

Claim 11

A vehicle for use with a support device, comprising: a tilting frame having a dumping end and a forward end, the tilting frame defining a load bearing surface for carrying a roll off container; means for supporting said tilting frame on the support device and including at least one rigid member pivoted at one end to the tilting frame and at the opposite end proximate the support device and an extendable member pivoted at one end to the tilting frame spaced from the dumping end and at the opposite end proximate the support device, said extendable member being variable in length from a contracted state to an extended state, the extendable member in the contracted state moving the tilting frame to the horizontal for traveling, the extendable member in the extended state tilting the tilting frame upward for mounting and demounting a roll off container thereon; a pedestal for supporting at least one axle; means for supporting said pedestal on said frame proximate the dumping end for slidable motion of said pedestal along said frame between a forward position and a rearward position; pedestal mounted wedge structure; frame mounted wedge structure, the pedestal mounted wedge structure and frame mounted wedge structure moving into a wedging position when the pedestal is in the forward and rearward positions to wedge the pedestal to the frame in the forward and rearward positions for vehicle operations; locking means for urging the pedestal mounted wedging structure and frame mounted wedging structure into the wedging position when the pedestal is in the rearward position; and the forward position of the pedestal permitting the tilting frame to be tilted for selectively mounting and dumping the roll off container on the tilting frame, while the rearward position of the pedestal is employed for trailering, at least one of said axles being positioned rearward of the frame when the pedestal is in the rearward position.

Claim 12

A vehicle for use with a support device, comprising: a tilting frame having a dumping end and a forward end, the tilting frame defining a load bearing surface for carrying a roll off container; means for supporting said tilting frame on the support device and including at least one rigid member pivoted at one end to the tilting frame and at the opposite end proximate the support device and an extendable member pivoted at one end to the tilting frame spaced from the dumping end and at the opposite end proximate the support device, said extendable member being variable in length from a contracted state to an extended state, the extendable member in the contracted state moving the tilting frame to the horizontal for traveling, the extendable member in the extended state tilting the tilting frame upward for mounting and demounting a roll off container thereon; a pedestal for supporting at least one axle; means for supporting said pedestal on said frame proximate the dumping end for slidable motion of said pedestal along said frame between a forward position and a rearward position; pedestal mounted wedge structure; frame mounted wedge structure, the pedestal mounted wedge structure and frame mounted wedge structure moving into a wedging position when the pedestal is in the forward and rearward positions to wedge the pedestal to the frame in the forward and rearward positions for vehicle operations; locking means for urging the pedestal mounted wedging structure and frame mounted wedging structure into the wedging position when the pedestal is in the rearward position; and the forward position of the pedestal permitting the tilting frame to be tilted for selectively mounting and dumping the roll off container on the tilting frame, while the rearward position of the pedestal is employed for trailering, at least one of said axles being positioned rearward of the frame when the pedestal is in the rearward position.

Claim 13

The vehicle of claim 9 wherein said locking means comprises locking wedge structure.

Claim 14

The vehicle of claim 9 wherein said locking means are controlled by air pressure so that the vehicle operator can operate the locking means from a remote location.

Claim 15

The vehicle of claim 9 wherein said support device comprises a power unit.

Claim 16

A helper lifter assembly for a trailer having a base and a tilting member, the trailer further having means for acting between the base and tilting member to tilt the member from a horizontal position to a tilted position, comprising: a cylinder having a piston, the piston being movable within the cylinder from a retracted position to an extended position and having a bearing surface; means for pivotally mounting the cylinder on the base; means for supporting the cylinder in a generally vertical orientation for limited pivotal motion about said pivot means; frame means mounted on said tilting member and defining a bearing surface, the bearing surface of the piston bearing against the bearing surface of said frame means to assist the tilting of the tilting member from the horizontal position as the piston is moved from the retracted position to the extended position.

Claim 17

A helper lifter assembly for a trailer having a base and a tilting member, the trailer further having means for acting between the base and tilting member to tilt the member from a horizontal position to a tilted position, comprising: a cylinder having a piston, the piston being movable within the cylinder from a retracted position to an extended position and having a bearing surface; means for pivotally mounting the cylinder on the base; means for supporting the cylinder in a generally vertical orientation for limited pivotal motion about said pivot means; frame means mounted on said tilting member and defining a bearing surface, the bearing surface of the piston bearing against the bearing surface of said frame means to assist the tilting of the tilting member from the horizontal position as the piston is moved from the retracted position to the extended position.

Claim 18

The assembly of claim 13 wherein said frame means defines a generally triangular shaped member which acts to guide the guide surface on the piston into contact with the guide surface on the frame means as the tilting member returns to the horizontal position.