Conveyor-trailer for transporting an agricultural commodity

Abstract

A conveyor-trailer for transporting cotton, which is mounted on a long-bed truck trailer. The conveyor-trailer is pivotally mounted on the bed of the truck trailer and hydraulic means moves the conveyor-trailer between a horizontal position and a position inclined upwardly toward the forward end of the truck trailer. Mounted on the conveyor-trailer is a servo mechanism which engages automatically a wheel on the truck trailer when the conveyor-trailer is in the inclined position and disengages automatically the wheel on the truck trailer when the conveyor is in the horizontal position. An hydraulic drive motor is connected to the conveyor of the conveyor-trailer to impart movement thereto under the control of the servo mechanism. When the servo mechanism is spaced from the wheel of the truck trailer, the conveyor of the conveyor-trailer is idle. When the servo mechanism engages the wheel of the truck trailer, the conveyor of the conveyor-trailer is driven by the hydraulic drive motor at a speed commensurate with and synchronous with the rotation of the wheel of the truck trailer.

We claim: 
     
       1. Means for transporting agricultural commodities comprising: (a) a first frame;   (b) a wheel for supporting said first frame for movement along a surface;   (c) a conveyor frame supported by said first frame for pivotal movement;   (d) means interconnecting said first frame and said conveyor frame for moving said conveyor frame between a horizontal position and an inclined position;   (e) conveyor means carried by said conveyor frame for movement therewith and journalled by said conveyor frame for advancement relative to said conveyor frame;   (f) independent power drive means for said conveyor means supported by said conveyor frame for movement therewith and connected to said conveyor means for advancing said conveyor means relative to said conveyor frame; and   (g) a servo mechanism mounted on said conveyor frame for movement therewith and coupled to said independent power drive means for controlling the speed at which the independent drive means operates said conveyor means, said servo mechanism including a servo roller spaced from said wheel when said conveyor frame is in the horizontal position and disposed in engagement with said wheel to be rotated thereby when said conveyor frame is in the inclined position, said servo mechanism being responsive to the rotation of said servo roller for controlling the speed of operation of said independent power drive means to idle said conveyor means when said servo roller is spaced from said first wheel and to advance said conveyor means at a rate commensurate with and synchronous with the rotation of said wheel when said servo roller engages said wheel.   
     
     
       2. Means as claimed in claim 1 wherein said servo roller is disposed in and out of engagement with said wheel in response to said means moving said conveyor frame between the horizontal and inclined positions. 
     
     
       3. Means as claimed in claim 2 wherein said independent power drive means includes an hydraulic drive motor and said servo mechanism is in the form of an hydraulic servo mechanism. 
     
     
       4. .[.A vehicle.]. .Iadd.Means .Iaddend.as claimed in claim 3 wherein said conveyor means includes a plurality of longitudinally extending, transversely spaced endless drive chains. 
     
     
       5. .[.A vehicle.]. .Iadd.Means .Iaddend.as claimed in claim 4 wherein the rear end of said conveyor frame approaches ground level when said conveyor frame is in the inclined position and comprising a plurality of ground engaging means mounted on said conveyor frame in transversely spaced relation below the rear end of said conveyor chains respectively. 
     
     
       6. .[.A vehicle.]. .Iadd.Means .Iaddend.as claimed in claim 5 wherein each of said conveyor chains includes an upper flight and a lower flight, and wherein said conveyor frame comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending, transversely spaced, hollow support members for supporting said conveyor chains respectively, each of said support members being arranged to guide the associated upper flight within and around an open channel and to guide the associated lower flight within an enclosed channel. 
     
     
       7. .[.A vehicle.]. .Iadd.Means .Iaddend.as claimed in claim 6 wherein said means interconnecting said first frame and said conveyor frame comprises an hydraulic cylinder fixed to said first frame with a piston projecting from said hydraulic cylinder and linkage connected to said conveyor frame actuated by the movement of said piston for moving said conveyor frame between the horizontal position and the inclined position. .Iadd. 8. Means for transporting agricultural commodities comprising: (a) a first frame;   (b) means for supporting said frame for movement along a surface;   (c) a conveyor frame supported by said first frame for pivotal movement;   (d) means interconnecting said first frame and said conveyor frame for moving said conveyor frame between a horizontal position and an inclined position;   (e) conveyor means carried by said conveyor frame for movement therewith and journalled by said conveyor frame for advancement relative to said conveyor frame;   (f) independent power drive means for said conveyor means supported by said conveyor frame for movement therewith and connected to said conveyor means for advancing said conveyor means relative to said conveyor frame;   (g) a servo mechanism mounted on said conveyor frame for movement therewith and coupled to said independent power drive means for controlling the speed at which said independent power drive means operates said conveyor means, said servo mechanism including means having a rotatable member idled when said conveyor frame is in the horizontal position and rotated when said conveyor frame is in the inclined position at a speed commensurate with the speed of movement of said first frame along the surface, said servo mechanism being responsive to the rotation of said rotatable member for controlling the operation of said independent power drive means to idle said conveyor means when said rotatable member is idle and to advance said conveyor means at a rate related to the rotation of said rotatable member, when said rotatable member is rotated; and   (h) means for rotating said rotatable member at a speed commensurate with the speed of movement of said first frame along the surface when said   
     
     
        conveyor frame is in the inclined position. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 9.  Means as claimed in claim 8 wherein said independent power drive means includes an hydraulic drive motor and said servo mechanism is in the form of an hydraulic servo mechanism. .Iaddend..Iadd. 10. Means as claimed in claim 9 wherein said conveyor means includes a plurality of longitudinally extending, transversely spaced endless drive chains. .Iaddend..Iadd. 11. Means as claimed in claim 10 wherein the rear end of said conveyor frame approaches ground level when said conveyor frame is in the inclined position and comprising a plurality of ground engaging means mounted on said conveyor frame in transversely spaced relation below the rear end of said conveyor chains respectively. .Iaddend..Iadd. 12. Means as claimed in claim 11 wherein each of said conveyor chains includes an upper flight and a lower flight, and wherein said conveyor frame comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending, transversely spaced, hollow support members for supporting said conveyor chains respectively, each of said support members being arranged to guide the associated upper flight within and around an open channel and to guide the associated lower flight within an enclosed channel. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 13. Means as claimed in claim 11 wherein said means interconnecting said first frame and said conveyor frame comprises an hydraulic cylinder fixed to said first frame with a piston projecting from said hydraulic cylinder and linkage connected to said conveyor frame actuated by the movement of said piston for moving said conveyor frame between the horizontal position and the inclined position. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 14. Means as claimed in claim 8 wherein said independent drive means includes an hydraulic drive motor and said servo mechanism is in the form of an hydraulic servo mechanism. .Iaddend..Iadd. 15. Means as claimed in claim 9 wherein said conveyor means includes a plurality of longitudinally extending, transversely spaced endless drive chains. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 16. Means as claimed in claim 10 wherein the rear end of said conveyor frame approaches ground level when said conveyor frame is in the inclined position and comprising a plurality of ground engaging means mounted on said conveyor frame in transversely spaced relation below the rear end of said conveyor chains respectively. .Iaddend..Iadd. 17. Means as claimed in claim 11 wherein each of said conveyor chains includes an upper flight and a lower flight, and wherein said conveyor frame comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending, transversely spaced, hollow support members for supporting said conveyor chains respectively, each of said support members being arranged to guide the associated upper flight within and around an open channel and to guide the associated lower flight within an enclosed channel. .Iaddend..Iadd. 18. Means as claimed in claim 11 wherein said means interconnecting said first frame and said conveyor frame comprises an hydraulic cylinder fixed to said first frame with a piston projecting from said hydraulic cylinder and linkage connected to said conveyor frame actuated by the movement of said piston for moving said conveyor frame between the horizontal position and the inclined position. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 19. Means for transporting modules comprising: (a) a first frame;   (b) means for supporting said first frame for movement along a surface;   (c) a conveyor frame supported by said first frame for pivotal movement;   (d) means interconnecting said first frame and said conveyor frame for moving said conveyor frame between a horizontal position and an inclined position;   (e) conveyor means carried by said conveyor frame for movement therewith and journalled by said conveyor frame for advancement relative to said conveyor frame;   (f) independent drive means for said conveyor means supported by said conveyor frame for movement therewith and connected to said conveyor means for advancing said conveyor means relative to said conveyor frame;   (g) a servo mechanism mounted on said conveyor frame for movement therewith and coupled to said independent drive means for controlling the speed at which said independent drive means operates said conveyor means, said servo mechanism including means having a rotatable member idled when said conveyor frame is in the horizontal position and rotated when said conveyor frame is in the inclined position at a speed commensurate with the speed of movement of said first frame along the surface, said servo mechanism being responsive to the rotation of said rotatable member for controlling the operation of said independent drive means to idle said conveyor means when said rotatable member is idle and to advance said conveyor means at a rate related to the rotation of said rotatable member, when said rotatable member is rotated; and   (h) means for rotating said rotatable member at a speed commensurate with the speed of movement of said first frame along the surface when said conveyor frame is in the inclined position. .Iaddend.