Gooseneck trailer with electric brakes
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• A 6-ton gvw gooseneck trailer with electrically operated brakes was demonstrated last week by the maker, Guttridge Traders Ltd, of Spalding, Lincs. Of the platform type, it can carry a payload of 4; tons, has a deck area of 140 sq ft and is designed for hitching to a Land-Rover or a suitable pick-up such as a Ford Transit.
Officially classified as a trailer, as distinct from a semi-trailer, because less than 20 per cent of the gross trailer weight is imposed on the tractive unit, the vehicle was designed with agricultural use in mind but is, also suitable for conventional road haulage applications, notably for distributing the larger loads of trunking vehicles. The outfit can articulate through a total angle of 220deg and it is claimed the turning circle is no greater than that of the tractive unit.
Of special importance in some applications. a Guttridge trailer that is hauled by a tractive unit with an unladen weight of less than 30cwt, and having a correctly distributed load, is not subject to hgv legislation and the unit can be driven by anyone with a car driver's licence.
In this connection a spokesman of the MoT states that if the towing vehicle weighed more than I5cwt and the imposed portion of the gross trailer weight exceeded 20 per cent the driver would have to hold an hgv driving licence.
The Land-Rover and the majority of pick-ups are in the "exempted" category and it is notable that conversion is simple and does not prevent the vehicle being used for personal transport or to carry its normal load without the trailer. The tandem axles are based on a four-spring rocking-beam suspension and the vehicle has good off-the-road capabilities.
The coupling is of the peg-and-tube type, the base being bolted to the body floor. It can easily be removed to leave a flat floor or a false floor can be fitted. The tube is part of the trailer and is located over the peg by manipulation of the jacking legs. Overall cost is £850 and this includes fitting the coupling to the tractive unit. Other types of gooseneck trailer will be available in due course including dropsided and tipper versions.
An hydraulically operated rheostat is incorporated in the hydraulic brake line of the tractive unit and the current to the electric brakes in the four 14in drums of the trailer is varied in proportion to the hydraulic pressure of the unit. The rheostat mechanism can be adjusted to accord with pedal travel or to limit the maximum force that is applied to the trailer brakes.
Produced by the Lockheed Brake Company the brakes are of the self-energizing type and are engaged
independently by electro-magnets tha consume very little current. They can als be operated progressively by a lever in th cab or by a switch on the dashboard tha gives maximum retardation. A handbrake i fitted to the trailer and if required this coul be connected to the tractive unit with a vvir that would apply the brake in the event of break-away. In tests of a Land Rover /Guttridge outfit at 30 mph on MIR proving ground application of the footbrak produced a peak retardation of 0.8 g. whil the trailer brakes alone gave 0.4 g.