Todd Walke wrote:
>
> Jon wrote:
>
> >Anytime you try to make a center of gravity dump, you have the bugaboo of
> >not knowing where the CG will be any time the trailer is loaded. The CG
> >could be so far off that you can't even pull the hitch pin, or if you are
> >dealing with sticky stuff, you may get in a position where you can't
> >rotate the body back up by hand to engage the pin. All this can be
> >dangerous to life and limb if you don't know how fast the energy of the
> >load will be discharged.
> >
> >If the tank has a round cross section, you could weld up a tire and axle
> >that rolls against the outer shell, then figure out a way to couple and
> >uncouple the trailer axle to the shell tire. Then backing the tractor will
> >tip the shell and going forward will return it to upright.
> >
> >Or you could weld a wheel and tire right on the shell axle in plane with
> >the trailer tire. Then have a third, freewheeling tire on a swing arm that
> >would you wedge between the two axle tires to transmit force.
>
> It seems that the tire would have to be pressed quite hard against
> both the trailer tire and tank in order to prevent slippage - especially
> heavily loaded.
> How about a winch (electric or hand cranked)? Mount the winch at
> the front of the trailer with the cable running back to the front center of
> the tank. A safety pin locks the tank in the normal position. Pull the
> safety pin. Let out the cable slowly and the tank dumps in a nice
> controlled manner. Crank it back, insert the pin.
I like that! Safe and controlled.
Jon
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