Transporter with a double life
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• Seen here in off-road form is a new on/off-road lowloader unit designed by King Truck Equipment Ltd. in conjunction with County Commercial Cars Ltd. It is used for pylon construction work by J. L Eve Construction Ltd.. Plough Lane. Wimbledon.
Known as the King Nomad Three oscillating-kingpin trailer (patents pending) it has been operating in prototype form for three months. The unit is based on a County 654 forward-control four-wheel-drive industrial tractor and a standard articulated low-loading trailer. The two are linked by an SAE fifth-wheel coupling and standard 2in. kingpin.
For normal road work the motive unit is a standard tractive unit which will accept the trailer without any modification. When coupled to the County tractor for cross-country work the kingpin is allowed to oscillate as the fifth-wheel plate is held rigid. On transferring to the road the fore and aft movement of the kingpin is locked.
Running gear of the trailer consists of two short oscillating axles suspended by rubber blocks. The prototype is designed to carry payloads of up to 10 tons and has a 10ft by 8ft deck with provision for side and front loading.