Omni-directional vehicle with trailer mule hitch assembly for moving semi-trailers

{
  "publication_number": "US2006037787A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Omni-directional vehicle with trailer mule hitch assembly for moving semi-trailers",
  "abstract": "An omni direction vehicle (ODV) with a frame having a round surface about its perimeter rotatably coupled to a trailer mule hitch assembly having an axle, wheels and a fifth wheel plate located generally above the axle. Two independent drive wheels located on an axis through the center of the ODV frame are mounted at the same distance from a central vertical axis through the frame. Each wheel is powered independently of the other and can rotate at variable speeds in either direction. The ODV is capable of movement in any direction by rotating the axis of the drive wheels to a position which is perpendicular to the desired direction of travel. The ODV can spin about its vertical axis such that the axis of the drive wheels can be oriented at any direction without changing the original footprint of the space that the frame occupies over the ground. Thus, the combined ODV/trailer mule hitch assembly can rotate about the center of the fifth wheel plate. The fifth wheel plate is mounted on an articulated arm which raises and lowers the fifth wheel plate for rapid coupling to and transportation of a semi-trailer without the need for retracting the semi-trailer's landing gear.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A trailer mule vehicle (150) comprising, an omni-directional vehicle (100), said omni-directional vehicle characterized by having first and second drive wheels (2) disposed along a horizontal axis (20) and designed and arranged to rotate 360 degrees about a central vertical axis (10) which intersects said horizontal axis between said first and second drive wheels, and a hitch assembly (200) having an axle (52) with at least two trailer mule wheels (50) rotatably attached thereto and a trailer hitch (60, 66), said hitch assembly (200) coupled to said omni-directional vehicle by a trolley assembly (9) designed and arranged so that said omni-directional vehicle (100) can rotate about said central vertical axis (10) while said hitch assembly (200) remains stationary.",
    "2. A powered vehicle (150) comprising, a frame (1) having a shape of a circular disk with a vertical axis (10) defined at the center of said circular disk, first and second drive wheels (2) coupled to said frame, each of said drive wheels capable of powered rotation about a horizontal axis (20) disposed through said vertical axis, each of said drive wheels capable of forward and rearward rotation about said horizontal axis, control mechanism (7) arranged and designed to control the direction of rotation and the speed of said first and second drive wheels, a trolley (9) rotatably coupled to an outer perimeter of said frame, and a hitch assembly (200) coupled to said trolley, said hitch assembly including a hitch assembly frame (48), an axle (52), at least two wheels (50) rotatably coupled to said axle, and a fifth wheel plate (60) designed and arranged to mate with a semi-trailer and carried by said hitch assembly frame.",
    "3. The vehicle of claim 2 further comprising, a circular rail (8) disposed about the outer perimeter of said frame, and said trolley (9) is rotatably mounted on said rail.",
    "4. The vehicle of claim 2 further comprising an articulating arm (62) coupled between said fifth wheel plate (60) and said hitch assembly frame (48) said arm (62) designed and arranged to allow said fifth wheel plate to be raised and lowered, and an actuator (64) coupled between said fifth wheel plate (60) and said hitch assembly frame (48) and designed and arranged to raise and lower said fifth wheel plate (60).",
    "5. The vehicle of claim 2 further comprising an operator seat (13) mounted on said frame (1) at a position intersected by said vertical axis (10) and between said first and second drive wheels (2).",
    "6. The vehicle of claim 5 further comprising a first control lever (7) positioned on a first side of said operator seat, said first control lever operatively coupled to a first power source (6) for controlling the speed and direction of rotation of a first drive wheel (2), and a second control lever (7) positioned on a second side of said operator seat, said second control lever operatively coupled to a second power source (6) for controlling the speed and direction of rotation of a second drive wheel (2), wherein each of said first and second drive wheels are controlled independently of each other.",
    "7. The vehicle of claim 2 further comprising a first outrigger (92) having near and distal ends, said near end of said first outrigger coupled to said hitch assembly frame (48) and said distal end of said first outrigger rotatably coupled to a first outrigger wheel (94), and a second outrigger (92) having near and distal ends, said near end of said second outrigger coupled to said hitch assembly frame (48) and said distal end of said second outrigger rotatably coupled to a second outrigger wheel (94).",
    "8. The vehicle of claim 7 wherein, said first outrigger wheel (94) and said second outrigger wheel (94) are designed and arranged to swivel about first and second outrigger vertical axes, respectively.",
    "9. The vehicle of claim 5 further comprising, a cab (80) coupled to said frame (1) and enclosing said seat (13).",
    "10. The vehicle of claim 9 wherein, a front portion (82) of said cab (80) has an opening sized to allow an operator to pass through.",
    "11. The vehicle of claim 2 further comprising, a supply of air (12) fluidly coupled to an air hose (72) for coupling to said semi-trailer.",
    "12. The vehicle of claim 11 further comprising, a fluid swivel coupled between said supply of air (12) and said air hose (72).",
    "13. The vehicle of claim 2 further comprising, a pintle hitch (66).",
    "14. The vehicle of claim 4 further comprising, an operator seat (13) mounted on said frame (1) at a position intersected by said vertical axis (10) and between said first and second drive wheels (2), wherein said fifth wheel plate is designed and arranged to be raised to a height and said operator seat is disposed at an elevation sufficient for an operator (400) seated in said operator seat and facing said raised fifth wheel plate has a generally horizontal line of sight (42) which passes underneath a trailer (300) which is hitched to said fifth wheel plate, said line of sight extending to the distal end of said trailer."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "1. Field of the Invention\n\nThis invention relates generally to a wheeled vehicle designed to turn about a central vertical axis. In particular, the invention relates to powered utility riding vehicles of the type useful for moving trailers about a trailer terminal, truck yard, or warehouse where rotation-in-place steering is advantageous.\n\n2. Description of Prior Art\n\nWithin the transportation industry, semi-trailers are often routed through trailer distribution terminals or trailer yards. Space is normally at a premium resulting in limited maneuvering space within the yards. The trailers must often be shuttled about the yards and are typically moved using terminal tractors. Conventional terminal tractors, also known as trailer jockies or yard mules, typically resemble shortened road tractors. They are configured with two axles, one in front, the other in the rear. The rear axle is fixed to the frame of the vehicle and provides motive force via a pair of dual wheels. The front axle provides for vehicle steering via two steerable wheels which simultaneously pivot with a limited angular range.\n\nA semi-trailer is pivotably coupled by a standard fifth wheel plate hitch located above the rear axle. Since there is a fixed distance between the fixed rear drive axle and the front steerable axle, a turning radius is required that far exceeds the space actually occupied by the vehicle itself. The longer the distance between front and rear axles, the larger the turning radius that is required to change directions of the vehicle. A large turning radius makes maneuvering around tight areas difficult and often dangerous.",
  "cpc": [
    "B62D 53/08",
    "B62D 53/00",
    "B62D 53/06"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B62D 53/06",
    "B62D 11/02"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Carl L. Hammonds"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2004-08-23",
  "publication_date": "2006-02-23",
  "priority_date": "2004-08-23",
  "application_number": "US-92412004-A",
  "family_id": "35908597",
  "cited_by_count": 24,
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}