Independent demountable body
Page 21
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• One-man operation without the need for any hydraulic or pto drive is the main feature of the Bussing Locknee independent demountable body system recently demonstrated by Blox Services, Tooting, who are at present making a detailed cost study into this system with a view to marketing it in this country.
The body has four legs, two on each side approximately 3ft from each corner -that can be withdrawn outwards. Each leg — stowed in the down position — has within it a further leg, pivoted at top, which can be extended downwards and rearwards to meet the ground at a given angle depending on the leg extension. Two types of shoe are available for fitment to the legs — the ones fitted to the demonstration vehicle were spiked shoes intended for winter surfaces.
At the corners of the chassis are twistlocks (position of the twistlocks enables a 20ft ISO container to be carried) which secure the body to the chassis, and these have to be released. When all four legs have been extended to the required length, and all the twistlocks removed, the vehicle is then reversed. This causes the body to mount the four legs — the legs becoming automatically locked in a vertical position.
The body is then in a raised position and the chassis can be driven away. CM was told by Blox engineers that easier mounting and dismounting was obtained by having the front of the body lifted higher than the rear. The operation was completed in under 5min by one man.
To mount the body the chassis is reversed beneath it, one twistlock is secured and the locking mechanism on each leg is released. The vehicle is then driven forward, pulling the body off its legs onto the chassis. Each twistlock is then secured and each leg stowed.
Mr H. J. Proctor, of Blox Services, envisaged marketing demountable bodies capable of 2-ton payload and upward, including the body, on this vehicle suitable for operation at 16 tons gross.