An add-on wheel/axle assembly for truck-type vehicles for reducing the effective axle load of the vehicle allowing the carrying of greater payloads without violating Governmentally imposed road restrictions. The assembly includes a hydraulically actuatable articulated arm assembly where one end of a first arm link is pivotally joined to opposed sides of the truck frame proximate its rear end and with wheels mounted on stub axles affixed to the other ends of said arm assemblies. A cross-member of...

An add-on wheel/axle assembly for truck-type vehicles for reducing the effective axle load of the vehicle allowing the carrying of greater payloads without violating governmentally imposed road restrictions. The assembly includes a hydraulically actuatable articulated arm assembly where one end of a first arm link is pivotally joined to opposed sides of the truck frame proximate its rear end and with wheels mounted on stub axles affixed to the other ends of said arm assemblies. A cross-member of...

A tag axle assembly and means for mounting it to a transit concrete mixing truck are disclosed. The assembly includes a tag axle frame having a forward, longitudinally extended stem and two rearwardly extending and diverging legs. The stem is mounted to a support frame by a pivot axle to pivot about a horizontal transverse axis. The support frame in turn is attached to the truck chassis. A flexible sleeve, connected between the pivot axle and stem, allows limited stem rotation about a longitudin...

An apparatus is disclosed for automatically welding sheet metal panels to form part of a revolving drum for concrete transit mixers. The apparatus includes a fixture having an annular central core, linear and generally longitudinal ribs extended away from the core, and circumferential ribs extended radially outwardly of the core. The ribs intersect to define compartments in the fixture which are closed when the sheet metal panels are placed on the fixture. The compartments are then evacuated, cr...

An auxiliary tag axle assembly for a work vehicle such as a ready-mix concrete truck which is positionable via actuation of a linear actuator to extend the wheel assembly from the rear end of the vehicle's frame to a ground engaging disposition and retractable to a stowed position where the wheels straddle the rear end of the frame and with the auxiliary axle elevated to a position above the level of the bottom of the frame. The need for plural actuators is obviated by utilizing a flexible cable...

A concrete mixing vehicle having a retractable tag axle assembly and a distribution chute is disclosed. To ensure that the tag axle assembly does not come into contact with the distribution chute as the tag axle assembly as it moves between a first ground engaging position and a second elevated position, a limit switch is provided in the control circuit for the tag axle assembly. The limit switch only permits movement of the tag axle assembly when the distribution chute is outside of the tag axl...

The specification discloses linkage assemblies (16, 59) for effecting selective pivotal movement of hinged structures. The invention is particularly adapted for use with sectional chute assemblies of concrete mixers, either for moving adjacent chute sections between extended and retracted positions, or for swinging the entire chute assembly.

Loading mechanisms for front loading refuse trucks provided with fluid cylinder operated lift arms and associated fluid cylinder operated lift forks are provided with an improved operating system which allows the lift forks to attain one working position limit for tipping containers and an additional stowage position limit allowing the truck to travel with the arms fully raised.

A refuse collection apparatus including a container lifting and emptying apparatus connected to a collection receptacle which is dumped into a refuse hauling vehicle. The container lifting and emptying apparatus includes a container manipulator attached to a support arm which is connected to an extensible boom which is, in turn, connected to the collection receptacle. The container manipulator engages a container of interest and the support arm pivots the engaged container between a lowered posi...

A multi-compartment refuse and/or collection vehicle having an automated container handling mechanism that may automatically lift and dump a container into a preselected corresponding charging hopper of the vehicle. A microprocessor controls the extension, lift and lateral position of the container handling mechanism and analyzes the output voltage of potentiometers coupled to the container handling mechanism to thereby coordinate actuation of the container handling mechanism and smoothly pick u...