A Trailer of Varying Overall Length
Page 73
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pOLES, pipes or timber baulks are best carried upon a trailer which can be varied in overall length to suit the needs of the job in hand. In this country the general principle adopted is to locate the rear-wheel carriage at different points along the main longitudinal member of the trailer frame. A different idea was recently illustrated in our German contemporary, Motor. This trailerprovides a choice of two overall lengths, the wheelbase remaining constant.
As will be seen in the illustration which we reproduce, the rear wheels are carried by a turntable. In the normal course of events, when the extension is not required, the ,turntable is so fixed that the tail portion points in a forward direction, lying under the trailer chassis frame.
When extra long loads have to be carried the lock is released, the turntable revolved through 180 degrees and again locked. When the full-length trailer is being loaded a supporting jack is lowered to take the weight of the extreme end of the extension. So soon as the burden rests upon the trailer, however, part of the load is automatically taken by the turntable and the tail of the extension rises to its normal travelling level ; the jack is then stowed away.
Another point is that the trailer is very easily manceuvred by hand in timber yards, as, by releasing the lock of the rear turntable, both sets of wheels can be steered independently. •