摘要 |
This invention relates to an auxiliary load-carrying apparatus for use with such load-carrying vehicles as self-transit concrete mixer trucks. The apparatus consists of two power-actuated devices having ground-engageable wheels which are selectively movable between raised-transport position and lowered ground-engaging position in which a portion of the load of the vehicle is transferred onto the ground engaging wheels of the auxiliary load-carrying apparatus. A load-carryng device is located one at each side of the vehicle and is articulated so that the wheels of the load-carrying device can move relatively freely in any one of three dimensions of movement so as to conform to the surface of the highway, or ground, by which vertical support is provided the vehicle. The auxiliary load-carrying device which shares a significant portion of the vehicle load, is connected through a king pin and swivel connection to the vehicle in such a manner that the auxiliary load-carrying apparatus imparts no instability-creating forces on the vehicle because of failure to track with the turning movements of the vehicle. The auxiliary load-carrying apparatus functions distinctly but complimentarily with the vehicle in that it receives an operator-selected proportion of ground load, sustains such load notwithstanding changes of terrain, but imparts no instability-creating extraneous forces to the vehicle interferring with the vehicle's normal steering and operating functions.
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