[ad_1]
Trailers are an uncomplicated means to offer extra payloads for any of the autos within the earlier sections, crewed or uncrewed, wheeled or tracked.
This put up will have a look at typical trailers first, after which study choices for a barely completely different method that sees tractor/trailer mixtures like we do with typical logistics i.e. a small prime mover with little or no carrying capability, however with the power to tow a bigger and heavier trailer.
I may also have a look at extending this idea to the carriage of personnel!
Trailer Geometry
Conventional articulated autos aren’t typically thought-about for inside helicopter carriage for a number of causes, certainly one of them being break-over angles.
The longer the trailer and the nearer to the interior top of the plane, the extra potential for grounding on the ramp pivot level throughout loading and unloading, particularly for Merlin which has a steep ramp angle in comparison with Chinook.
Geometry turns into vital.
There are design approaches that may mitigate this however we’re within the realms of great modification and bespoke designs. Trailers could be unhitched and loaded and unloaded manually however for bigger and heavier trailers, this may be unsafe and even impractical.
As an instance this, a car that solves the issue, albeit on a bigger scale.
The Italian Aris Airlift World Provider (AGC) approaches the break-over angle downside by utilizing a gooseneck trailer with a hydraulically actuated coupling.
As could be seen from the diagram beneath, the payload is stored degree by elevating the coupling because the tractor unit exits the plane. When the tractor unit is off the ramp, however the trailer wheels aren’t but on the ramp, the coupling is lowered and the car as a complete clears the plane.
Loading is similar however in reverse.
That is very intelligent engineering that additionally retains the load degree throughout loading and unloading, permits the load to maximise obtainable area within the plane and negates the necessity for any loading tools.
A container dolly wheel and flat load mattress are additionally obtainable.
Would we need to repeat this on a smaller scale for helicopter transportable trailers, maybe not, but it surely exhibits that the problem could be addressed.
Wheeled Trailers
The in-service Logic SMT 171/172 trailers are a well-developed design.
They’ve many options particularly for navy use equivalent to fold-down brackets for brief hole crossing ramps, fold-up hitch and mountings for a single stretcher.
Longer and better capability trailers may very well be used, single or twin axle, aluminium or MDPE physique, tipping or fastened, wheels inboard or out.
An analogous trailer design can be utilized as a devoted stretcher service.
Though going considerably towards the precept of every thing having a number of makes use of, the ATR Trailer from All Terrain Res-Q within the US does look efficient.
Flatbed trailers can be utilized to hold quite a lot of small engineering plant, there are quite a few designs generally obtainable off the shelf.
Tipping and hooklift (DROPS fashion) trailers may also be helpful and may very well be used for recovering unserviceable quads and rapidly dropping off shops, with out handbook dealing with.
The MRZR trailer is succesful and suitable with quad ATVs
Bigger trailers can be pulled, and different third-party options are value .
Argo makes an amphibious trailer in two or four-axle variations, the latter having a capability of 635kg and the previous, 275kg.
The Supacat ATMP had an ingenious self-loading pallet trailer, principally used for artillery ammunition.
Though there are variations, the fundamental trailer had a hydraulic tipping mechanism and pallet forks. The driving force would tilt the trailer into the down place, reverse onto the pallet, tilt the trailer again up, and drive away.
The utmost payload for the ‘flipit’ trailer was 1,400kg and it may be transformed to hold three stretchers. Demountable nook posts may be used to kind sides for unfastened hundreds, with ratchet straps used to safe the load, and a water carriage pack turned the trailer right into a water bowser.
Pallet bins may very well be used for unfastened gadgets.
This brings me to a different resolution from the agricultural trade, particularly the half that issues itself with grapes and apples; orchard bins and trailers
Orchard bin trailers use tilting load beds, chain drives, and both PTO-driven hydraulic pumps or a hydraulic take-off from the tractor unit to energise chain drives and tilting mechanisms to rapidly load and unload the bins.
Orchard bins are pallet containers by one other title.
A easy bin trailer is proven beneath, the trailer is reversed onto the pallet, secured after which the car drives away.
Bigger pallet containers equivalent to the two.16m x 1.0m, 1,120-litre Dolav ACE SL2160 are proven beneath.
Pallet containers can be found in varied sizes, and with lids, drain plugs, dividers and in varied colors (fortunately). Disposable liners are used to move liquids equivalent to fruit syrups and chemical compounds, but additionally gasoline and water. The US Military used the same just a few years in the past for air despatch, known as the Lifeliner CUBE.
There are bigger and extra refined orchard bin trailers.
One different is to exchange the rollers with forklift tines. Operation is similar to the ATMP trailer, it’s reversed onto a pallet after which the tines are hydraulically raised for transport.
Some have the next elevate journey to allow them to even be used for stacking unstacking and carrying multiple degree of pallet containers.
One other alternative is to revert to tilt beds and rollers however use a series drive to load and unload the pallet containers. The chain drives are typically hydraulically pushed, with the hydraulic feed both PTO pushed or direct from the tractor unit if obtainable.
4 bin trailers are normally roughly 7m lengthy, too lengthy for a Merlin and leaving solely a few meters for a tractor unit in a Chinook however by utilizing a double stack of lowered top pallet containers or just a bespoke plastic field, good packing density could be achieved.
Such a pallet trailer is arguably slightly lengthy for helicopter carriage however the factor about trailers is they’re easy, low cost, and simply customised by their producers.
It might be simple to specify a three-bin trailer utilizing the identical design, with the bins being 1.2m x 1.2m and any top wanted, I don’t count on it might break the financial institution.
Again to defence
The LV-TEH Fight Assist Platform from Latvia appears to be like attention-grabbing.
Initially meant as a 6×6 ATV towed mobility platform for weapons just like the 12.7mm HMG and 40mm GMG, they’ve advanced the idea to incorporate a number of ‘modules’
All attention-grabbing.
Personnel Carrying Trailers
Along with these above is a personnel service model, geared up with 4 seats.
A single Merlin might carry certainly one of these trailers and a Can-Am 6×6 Outlander, 6 seats in whole and a flat load mattress with over 300kg of payload.
Though I’m not going to go so far as suggesting a golf trolley tag-along trailer, there are producers of ATVs and tractor-trailers designed for carrying folks at low speeds, Entry Trailers within the UK for instance.
The smaller fashions are mild and have bench seats for between 4 and 6 folks. A removable ROPS may very well be fitted.
Bigger fashions are used for rescuing folks from flooded areas, taking pictures sports activities, countryside excursions and property administration.
Rated at 3.5 tonnes they’re appropriate for UTV towing and fewer than 1.6m in width, with seating as much as 14 individuals, 3m physique size.
Bigger fashions for bigger autos…
There are quite a few different mixtures.
Each VSS and Protek within the UK make ROPS modules that may very well be fitted to a trailer to enhance security.
These can be for easy A to B strikes at comparatively low speeds and on comparatively good surfaces.
Pushed Axle Trailers
All of the trailers above have undriven axles, pushed axle fashions can enhance traction and mobility, particularly in poor floor situations.
Axles could be pushed straight from a Energy Take Off (if the driving car has a PTO), through an onboard hydraulic pump, utilizing the towing car’s hydraulic provide (if it has hydraulics), and extra not too long ago, electrical drive.
An instance PTO-driven trailer is proven beneath.
An ideal article at this LINK describes how a PTO-driven trailer was used on the Land Rover Ahead Management autos.
The video beneath exhibits a PTO forestry trailer from Proengil in Poland.
With an unloaded weight of roughly 1,500kg (with out crane), it has a payload of 8 tonnes. The crane would must be eliminated (it wouldn’t match) and the log stakes changed with a normal load mattress. 2.5 tonnes for the tractor, 1.5 tonnes for the trailer, leaving about 6 tonnes for payload if utilizing a Chinook, about 700 81mm mortar bombs of their packaging.
HM Trailers within the UK make a spread of comparable trailers, as do Pfanzelt. Black Bruin in Finland and BPW in Germany the driving car hydraulic system which offers the operator with far more management for the Agro Drive, at a bigger scale.
As a part of a broader methods method, this may very well be a helpful characteristic (extra on engineering plant later)
Tracked and Ski Trailers
To enrich the tracked autos within the earlier a part of this collection, and to be used in deep snow, tracked and ski trailers can be utilized.
For skis, the only of choices is to only connect them to the wheels of the trailer, it is so simple as that, as this video from Iron Baltic exhibits.
On snow, specialist ski trailers can considerably enhance load carriage.
Matched to their Sherpa designs, Alpina manufactures a trailer system known as the Transalp that may be figured with seating or a flat load mattress.
The upper energy fashions can simply tandem tow a number of models.
Tracked trailers could be pushed or undriven, each are typically used for bigger trailers however are nonetheless relevant.
The Sno Cat Two Observe Trailer is accessible in two fashions. At just below 2m large and 4.3m lengthy, weighing 590kg, the Two Observe Gentle has a payload of 1,100 kg.
The PTO-driven tracked from Loglogic is proven within the picture beneath, with a weight of 1.3 tonnes, it may carry 2.5 tonnes.
With 600mm tracks, it’s too large, however change them with 400mm tracks (as per the producer’s choices listing) and 100mm is faraway from all sides, bringing it inside limits.
It’s too lengthy to suit inside a Merlin however with a towing car of lower than 3m lengthy, it would slot in a Chinook.
Two Wheeled Tractors
Bear with me on this.
The strolling, or two-wheel tractor, isn’t a typical sight within the UK however they’re fairly widespread elsewhere.
That is what 5.6 tonnes of rice appears to be like like, an unbelievable payload for such a small unit, though I doubt it will likely be profitable any pace trials any time quickly and I count on a kerb would give it bother.
That is the purpose of two-wheel tractors, they don’t seem to be quick, however they’re extremely low cost and constructed for shifting weights.
They’ve a Energy Take-off for implements and reversible handlebars to allow pushing or pulling., and the extra refined fashions additionally embrace choices for distant management and battery energy.
In our use case, each cubic metre counts and if we will use that engine and PTO for different issues, we’re maximising volumetric effectivity, nevertheless foolish one may really feel driving one.
They are often purchased from a number of UK, US and European producers, one doesn’t have to go too far to search out them.
Instance producers embrace Casarzo, Koeppl, Lampacrescia, Bertolina, BCS, Grillo, Ginko, Fast Tractors and Barbieri
Most pace tends to be not more than 10-15kph, some can be found with zero-turn digital steering and in energy ranges between 8hp and 40hp, diesel or petrol.
Weights sometimes vary from 150kg to 250kg.
Beneath is an instance from BCS, their largest mannequin, the 570mm large 780 HY Stargate, as could be seen, the handlebars have a large diploma of articulation.
Smaller fashions can be found however I wished to make use of this for instance of how a quad bike different, while a lot slower, can present a wise choice when area is constrained.
Now clearly, mobility isn’t good, and pace actually gained’t be, however that is the character of buying and selling payload for pace.
In contrast to quad bike ATV trailers, two-wheel tractors require a seat, however once more, there may be a variety of producers that may present an equally big selection of trailer choices, the one beneath prices 600 quid.
Due to their configuration when connected to a trailer, carriage density isn’t good.
In contrast to quad bike ATVs, two-wheel tractors typically have a Energy Take Off (PTO) which implies a powered trailer (the one beneath is from Errepi ) can be utilized to create a 4×4 system.
Two-wheel tractors are hardly a press release of battle, they’re sluggish and could be noisy, but when the low pace and comedic visuals could be accepted, they’re an affordable strategy to shift a good quantity of equipment faster than on foot.
Compact Wheeled Tractors
ATV qualities are well-known, but when they’re getting used as a first-rate mover (tractor unit) for a trailer, then additionally it is value precise tractors.
If expanded trailer utilization have been acceptable, particularly for personnel carriage, the tractor unit may very well be one thing apart from an ATV. These ‘prime movers’ may very well be wheeled or tracked, however optimised for towing capability and permitting the usage of bigger trailers.
Antonio Cararro Protector 100
Orchard and winery tractors are a specialist car sort however their slender widths and low heights lend themselves effectively to the interior carriage requirement.
The 40kph Antonio Cararro Protector 100 orchard tractor is an efficient instance of this kind.
With a totally enclosed (and pressurised) cab, it’s 1.74m excessive and even with the widest excessive floatation tyres, only one.5m large, no issues for both Merlin or Chinook. It might probably additionally use a folding roll bar which reduces the peak to 1.2m when stowed however it’s simply low sufficient with a totally weather-protected cab.
As a result of it’s a tractor, it has no payload of passenger capability itself however it’s extremely cellular, weighs lower than 2.5 tonnes and may function at speeds as much as 40kph.
It might probably tow a big and heavy trailer, together with these with PTO or hydraulically pushed axles.
They are typically about 3.5m lengthy, leaving area in a Merlin for a comparatively quick trailer, however in a Chinook, for much longer.
Though pallets are much less possible for this utility.
Extra typical compact small tractors are made by Pazagilla, John Deere, Farmtrac, Branson Tractors, Claas, Landini, LS Tractors, Zetor, Unhealthy Boy, Star Tractors, Shibaura, New Holland, Tym, Kioti, Kubota, Captain, Massey Ferguson, Solis, Iseki, and BCS
Tracked Tractors
From the small to the massive, tracked tractors ship further traction in poor terrain.
Micro Tractors
There’s a group of tracked micro tractors and crawler models that may not have a lot utility for longer strikes however may be helpful for manipulating trailers while loading and unloading helicopters, transferring small hundreds regionally, or crossover duties with a few of the engineering plant described later on this collection.
A small crawler monitor unit like this from Agrrizeta in Italy.
Sure, it is a mower, but it surely has a PTO that can be utilized with a sit-on trailer.
Extra typical micro-tracked tractors equivalent to this 1.8m lengthy instance from Mira in Italy would supply slightly extra consolation for the operator.
A bigger tracked sub-compact tractor than above is the Fort-IT Horizon
The Observe-O Cross-Nation is an electrically powered teleoperated tracked service with a flat prime.
It has a run time of solely 2.5 hours however can carry 1,039kg on a flat floor, weighs 750kg, its size is 1.84m, width is 0.76m, and top is 1.27m.
Carrying capability is spectacular.
With an acceptable gooseneck or fifth wheel sort attachment, it may be used for short-distance trailer strikes.
This brings me to devoted trailer dollys, additionally used for transferring trailers quick distances and with management and security in thoughts, the type of qualities wanted when loading and unloading helicopters.
That is the Trax Trailer Dolly.
As could be seen by the video, the trailer hitch sits over the centre of the car and could be electrically raised and lowered. It’s 1.2m lengthy, 0.74m large, and 0.35m excessive. It weighs 150kg however can transfer a 6-tonne trailer. It might must be fitted with a NATO commonplace hitch.
One of many points with lengthy trailers is the ramp break-over angle, a levelling service platform may very well be used if fitted with a towing meeting. The Movex carriers could be fitted with a 45-degree lifting gadget that might allow the trailer coupling to stay degree because the service strikes down the helicopter ramp.
The Alma Levelling Crawlers are designed for transferring heavy hundreds in tight areas with levelling platforms that work as much as 40 levels.
Mattro Ziesel
The Mattro Ziesel was initially developed as an offroad wheelchair but it surely has been developed by some associate organisations to develop utilization in agriculture, such because the Aebi EC-170 which has a front-mounted PTO.
With a 60-degree facet slope, low floor stress, and a prime pace of 35kph, they’re extra cellular over excessive terrain than a quad bike ATV.
With a low centre of gravity, integral folding roll bar and four-point harness, they’re more likely to be a lot safer than a quad bike ATV and there may be even a road-legal model.
Their towing capability is equally spectacular, over 500kg.
The car is 1.32m lengthy (plus 77mm for the tow coupling) and 1.22m large, top to the highest of the ROPS is 1.62m.
Like all electrical designs, battery life is a key limiting issue to employment, 3 hours for this one.
Hawe Mattro has developed a extra compact model as a base platform for UGV builders, together with Dhiel, as a part of the Built-in Modular Unmanned Floor System (IMUGS) demonstration.
Though it solely has three hours of endurance, and is thus not fully sensible, it’s shorter than a quad and may tow extra in additional demanding terrain.
Howe and Howe did make the diesel-powered Ripchair just a few years in the past but it surely appears not obtainable or listed, which is a disgrace, that might have been attention-grabbing as a quad ATV alternative.
Nonetheless electrical, take a look at Motion Trackchair
Yanmar AC21
Am not 100% certain if Yanmar make these any longer however the diesel AC21 (and related fashions) was a succesful and compact machine
Weighing 830kg, it was 2.33m lengthy, 1.25m large, and 1.82m excessive to ROPS.
It has a rear-mounted PTO so might doubtlessly be used with a few of the PTO-driven trailers described above.
Loglogic Tooltrak
The Loglogic Tooltrak is a compact tracked tractor and power service
What makes the Tooltrak attention-grabbing is its quick size, 2.48m together with the entrance linkage. It has sufficient energy to tow a 105mm Gentle Gun and is brief sufficient that it and the gun may very well be carried inside a Merlin.
At 2.149m excessive, it might be too excessive for inside carriage except the cab was changed with a folding ROPS. It weights 1.3 tonnes and the width over the tracks is 1.64m
The RNLI use them for lifeboat launch and restoration.
Landini Trekker 3 Compact
The Trekker 3 is a typical slender crawler tractor designed for hill farming and the place low soil compaction is fascinating.
Its size is 3.05m, width is 1.28m and weighs 3.2 tonnes, not leaving a substantial amount of payload when flying inside a Merlin.
Chinook carriage can be extra smart, with a towed trailer taking over the obtainable area and payload. With a slight modification to the trailer deck, the LogLogic PTO-driven tracked trailer above would nearly match.
Mach 4R
The quad-track Mach 4R has related dimensions to compact wheeled tractors however has a lot better mobility.
Weight rises to three.2 tonnes, however the towing capability is bigger than 10 tonnes (greater than the helicopter payload).
Efficiency on slopes and in comfortable floor is superb, and higher on-road than may be imagined.
One plus a big loaded trailer would max out a Merlin payload however the distinction between certainly one of these and a trailer and an ATV with a trailer is pulling energy in poor terrain and the power to make use of outsized trailers, a plant or tipping trailer for instance.
A 105mm Gentle Gun (in travelling configuration) and Mach 4R would comfortably match inside a Chinook which might make for an attention-grabbing gun raid.
MTT
I wrote about this some time in the past, and assume it’s fairly an attention-grabbing and well-designed idea that sits someplace between a tracked utility car and a tractor unit, so in a piece of its personal on this put up.
The MTT-154 is an electrical all-terrain tracked ‘tug unit’ that can be utilized singly or related, and operated as a ride-on or through distant controls, used to push, pull or carry hundreds and trailers.
One of many extra attention-grabbing facets of the design is the power to attach a number of models for a better payload. They are often related inline (like a snake), facet by facet, or in a quad configuration.
The side-by-side configuration also can have a load mattress platform between them, not in contrast to the Milrem Themis. The distinction between this and the Milrem unit is that the centre isn’t fastened.
As a result of they’re solely just below 600mm large, three might simply be carried abreast in both Merlin or Chinook and since they’re solely 650mm excessive, three can be stacked.
At 2.25m lengthy, and triple-stacked, a Merlin might carry 18, maxing out the payload. One row, triple-stacked would depart a few tonnes of payload and sufficient area for a 4m lengthy trailer.
A Chinook might carry 27 models, with a few tonnes of payload margin, or mixtures that embrace trailers.
When organized down the centre of the cargo space as a stack of three, on both helicopter, it might go away sufficient room for seated personnel on the seats, 6 in a Merlin and 9 in a Chinook.
The unit is a single-track gadget, powered by lithium-ion battery packs. 1 battery offers as much as 4 hours (35km) of runtime, with three permitting as much as 12 hours of runtime or a 105km vary.
With three batteries fitted, a single unit weighs 290kg.
The system can be used to produce export energy for energy instruments or different battery charging.
Batteries could be rapidly swapped, and in contrast to the two-wheel tractor, can’t be heard from 3 weeks away, prime pace can also be a extra respectable 24kph.
A single unit can carry as much as 250kg on the load mattress and tow 1.4 tonnes on a flat floor, lowered to 450 kg in excessive terrain.
The video beneath exhibits a double unit towing a ski trailer, the trailer may very well be used for seating or shops. This configuration can be snug for a Merlin.
No information tables and cargo diagrams on this one however will have a look at the mixtures later within the collection.
Associated
[ad_2]
Source link
