FIELD OF THE INVENTION:
The present disclosure provides a truck tippler system and method thereof. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a system and method of truck tippler that facilitates unloading of sugar cane or other materials from the truck and prevent overturning of the truck by clamping the truck to the tippler platform prior to tilting the truck. The present disclosure provides an automatic locking mechanism of the truck front axle and also main cylinder mounting configuration for making the cylinder rod in tension.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:
Agricultural products, such as sugarcane, after being harvested required to be transported to mills, granaries and refineries, where these agricultural products are stored, processed and refined. Usually, the transportation of these products is carried out using transport vehicles, such as dumpers. However, using of dumper for transportation involves high cost.
Trolleys or wagons are economical and therefore easily affordable. Usually, the sugarcane is loaded on these trolleys or wagons via cranes or manually, and these trolleys or wagons are attached to a pulling tractor, car, mini truck and the like, for transporting the produces to plant sites. Though loading of these agricultural products is easily done in this manner, unloading of such produces at plant sites is very difficult. Sugarcane mills operate 24 * 7 and require continuous supply of raw materials. Any delay in unloading the raw sugarcane is detrimental to the overall efficiency of the plant, and therefore, plant operators use cranes and employ large number of workers to unload the raw sugarcane from trolleys or wagons. This process, however, is time consuming, expensive and requires a lot of labor.
During the dumping process, the difficulties arise in setting up these trolleys or wagons in precise alignment with the tippling platforms due to the rigid nature of shafts. Specific difficulties arise when the alignment requires a precise reversing of the trolleys or wagons to align them with respect to the tippling platform and the pit or conveyor belt, in which the sugarcane is required to be dumped. Therefore, there is a need to solve this problem of dumping sugarcane in sugar mills. To improve the efficiency of the unloading process, tools such as tippler platforms have been conventionally employed. Such platforms include a tippling deck on which the transporting vehicles, such as trucks, are loaded and secured, and the platforms are controllably tippled to unload the sugarcane. This process though saves time and effort, but, activity of clamping and unclamping the truck axle is done manually by handpicking the hook and putting in on truck axle. Furthermore, in conventional tippler systems, all the cylinder configuration for the longitudinal type of truck tippler, brings the cylinder rod in compression and bending, whether the cylinder is mounted vertically upwards or downwards.

US 5742228 A titled “System for preventing tipper truck overturning” relates a system for preventing the overturning of the bin of a tipper truck during the raising of the bin for purposes of unloading includes a lateral level sensor to sense the lateral orientation of the tipper truck, and a longitudinal level sensor for sensing the longitudinal inclination of the bin.
US 7810887 B2 titled “Method and an arrangement for preventing overturning a dump vehicle” relates to a method for preventing overturning a dump vehicle, the vehicle including a forward vehicle section with a forward frame and a wheel axle supported by the frame.
US 20150051798 A1 titled “Method for tipping a load and a tipping device” relates to a method for tipping a load by a working machine is provided. The working machine includes a load carrier and at least one lift cylinder adapted to raise the load carrier for tipping the load.
WO 2016142196 titled “Method and system for operating a tipper vehicle” relates to a method of operating a tipper vehicle, the tipper vehicle comprising a tipper body pivotably moveable with respect to a frame with a hydraulic cylinder disposed there between and actuatable to pivot the tipper body.
However, all the above mentioned documents use dumpers for unloading. Also, sensors and/or microprocessors have been used for controlling the movement, therefore, these systems are costly and complex.

Further, the following documents relates to truck tippler/tilting platform using the hydraulic cylinder:-
CN 103496600 B relates to a hydraulic lifting vehicle fixing device comprising a foundation platform and a lifting platform. The bottom of the lifting platform is provided with a supporting barrel, a lower sliding groove is arranged in the foundation platform, the lower portion of the supporting barrel is in clearance fit with the lower sliding groove, a hydraulic oil cylinder is arranged inside the supporting barrel, the cylinder body of the hydraulic oil cylinder is fixedly connected with the foundation platform, and a piston rod of the hydraulic oil cylinder is fixedly connected with the supporting barrel. The hydraulic lifting vehicle fixing device is firm and reliable in fixation and good in safety performance; the lifting height of the lifting platform can be adjusted within a certain range at will, and then unloading requirements of vehicles of various types can be met.

A non-patent document is provided in the following link, which relates to a truck tippler loading and unloading system used for loading or unloading of Limestone, Coal, Silica, Sugarcane, etc.
http://eagleweighbridges.com/Truck-Tippler-Loading-and-Unloading-system-is-a-materials-handling-device-used-for-projects-needing-loading-or-unloading-of-Limestone-Coal-Silica-Suga/b27
This Truck Tippler Loading and Unloading system is erected permanently along the hopper or carrier. Loaded truck is brought on to Tippler platform first and then, truck is hydraulically hooked to front wheels. Rear Stopper of the truck tippler supports truck’s rear wheels hydraulically. It is then tilted hydraulically to max angle of nearly 55 degree. The materials slide down to hopper or carrier.

Another non-patent document is provided in the following link:-
http://suppliers.jimtrade.com/31/30314/seed_processing_truck_tippler.htm
This document shows Seed Processing Truck Tippler used for efficient unloading at delivery point by tilting the entire truck chassis by pivoting near the rear wheel axis and rotating by about 50 degrees horizontally. KE Material Handling Pvt. Ltd offers Seed Processing Truck Tippler. The Seed Processing Truck Tippler operates on dual hydraulic cylinder jack mechanism ensuring a smooth and fail safe operation with low maintenance need.

However, the tipplers taught in the above mentioned documents suffer from drawbacks of buckling effect of the piston rod, as it encounters compressive forces and therefore have less seal reliability.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION:
An object of the present disclosure is to provide a cost effective truck tippler system with automatic locking mechanism.

Another object of the present disclosure is to mechanize the process of unloading the truck by minimizing the man hours involved in unloading sugarcane in the mills and thereby improving the turnaround time and efficiency of the unloading process.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a main hydraulic cylinder rod in “tension” configuration while lifting the truck.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:

An aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a truck tippler system comprising: a hook fastened to a carrier, the carrier pivotally connected to a piston rod of a clamping hydraulic cylinder, the clamping hydraulic cylinder being pivotally mounted on a tippler frame; the hook adapted to be disposed below a deck plate mounted on the tippler frame in normal storage position to allow a truck to get parked on the deck plate, the piston rod being in stroke-out position; a tippling mechanism adapted to tilt the deck plate mounted on the tippler frame; characterized in that the hook is adapted to be engaged with a front axle of the truck when the piston rod is in retracted position to lock the front axle in the tilted position of the deck plate to prevent the truck from sliding backwards.

An embodiment of the present disclosure provides that the carrier is provided with a plurality of track wheels which are adapted to move along the guiding track.

Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides that the axle clamping hydraulic cylinder is pivotally connected to the piston rod through a trunnion mounted in the rear portion of the main hydraulic cylinder.
Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides that the tippling mechanism comprises an inverted main hydraulic cylinder having a piston rod, the main hydraulic cylinder being pivotally mounted on an elevated structure, the piston rod pivotally connected with the tippler frame, the piston rod being configured to be in retracted position for tippling the tippler frame and in stroke-out position for keeping the tippler frame in horizontal position.

Still another embodiment of the present disclosure provides that the cylinder is pivotally mounted with the elevated structure through a trunnion assembly.

Yet another embodiment of the present disclosure provides that the piston rod pivotally connected with the tippler frame through a trunnion assembly.

Another aspect of the present disclosure provides that the method for facilitating the unloading of sugarcane from the truck using truck tippler system, the method comprising the steps of: parking the truck on the deck plate mounted on the tippler frame of the platform; retracting the piston rod of the axle clamping cylinder, from the stroke out position to retracted position, thereby moving the hook from a position under the deck plate up the guiding track to a position for engaging with the front axle and locking the front axle of the truck; and tippling the truck to unload the sugarcane from the truck.

Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides that after unloading the speed of descent is limited by a bore side of the hydraulic cylinder of the tippling mechanism.

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present subject matter will become better understood with reference to the following description. This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS:-

The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention, when taken in conjugation with the accompanying drawings, which respectively show:

Figure 1: illustrates an isometric schematic view of the truck tippler system;
Figure 2: illustrates truck in unhooked position;
Figure 3: illustrates truck axle getting hooked;
Figure 4: illustrates locking hook;
Figure 5: illustrates track wheel arrangement;
Figure 6: illustrates main lifting cylinder in rod out position;
Figure 7: illustrates main lifting cylinder in rod in position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION:

The advantages and features of the present disclosure become better understood with reference to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which provides a truck tippler system and method thereof which mechanize the process of unloading by minimizing the man hours involved in unloading sugarcane, and thereby improving the turnaround time and efficiency of the unloading process. Further, the present disclosure provides an automatic front axle locking mechanism for truck tippler and a buckle-free piston rod configuration for hydraulic cylinder of truck tippler.

An automatic locking of the truck front axle, greatly improves the efficiency of the truck tippler operation as well as safety to the operator as they have not to climb over the tippler and work underneath the truck to lock its front axle. The truck is brought on the tippler platform and its front axle is locked automatically by hydraulic cylinder operation. The locking hook running on a pre-defined path, attached to the carrier which in turn is clamped with hydraulic cylinder, ascends the tippler base to lock the axle prior to tilting the truck and descends the tippler base to unlock the axle after the tippler base returns to the horizontal position.

Further, the main lifting hydraulic cylinder is mounted in an upside down position on a separate frame. This configuration makes the cylinder rod always in a tension mode, thereby improving the cylinder seal reliability. In this configuration, the cylinder rod is not subjected to compressive force and thereby to any kind of bending force, the reaction of which are ultimately borne by the cylinder seals, thus the reliability of the main lifting cylinder seals increases.

Automatic locking mechanism of truck front axle:
Referring to figure 1 , which shows a truck tippler system comprising a hook (01), fastened to a carrier which is running on guided track (02). The carrier is provided with track wheels (03). The carrier is connected to a clamping hydraulic cylinder (04) i.e. rear trunnion type hydraulic cylinder pivotally mounted on the tippler frame (05) of the truck tippler. In normal position, the cylinder rod / piston rod is in stroke out position. The hook is below the deck plate so as to allow the truck to pass over it and get parked on the tippler platform as shown in figure 2. As the cylinder starts retracting, the hook moves up the guided track so as to ascend above the deck plate and engage with the truck / vehicle axle (07) as shown in figure 3. The hydraulic cylinder keeps the hook butted against the axle and supports the truck front axle in tilted position of the truck. The linkage system prevents bending load on the cylinder, in case the truck tends to topple across its rear axle due to tilting. For releasing the truck axle (07), the cylinder rod extends outward, disengaging the hook from axle. As the hook moves along the guided track, it goes underneath the deck plate thus clearing the way for the truck to move out.

Main Hydraulic Cylinder mounting configuration:
Referring to figure 6 and 7, the main lifting hydraulic cylinder (08) is mounted on its front trunnion in upside down position on the elevated structure (09). When the tippler frame (05) is in down position, the cylinder is always in rod out condition. When the truck is loaded on the tippler frame (05), the cylinder rod retracts and lifts the complete truck. The annulus area of the cylinder is used for lifting. The downwards movement of the truck is achieved by the gravity, while after loading bore side of the cylinder is used to limit the speed of descent.

ADVANTAGES:
• Automatic locking mechanism of the truck front axle;
• Main cylinder mounting configuration for making the cylinder rod in tension;
• Improve turnaround time and efficiency of the unloading process;
• Eliminate buckling effect of the piston rod;
• Increase seal reliability.

Although the subject matter has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible. As such, the scope of the disclosure should not be limited to the description of the preferred embodiment contained therein.

We claim:

1. A truck tippler system comprising:
a hook (1) fastened to a carrier, the carrier pivotally connected to a piston rod of a clamping hydraulic cylinder (4), the clamping hydraulic cylinder being pivotally mounted on a tippler frame (5);

the hook adapted to be disposed below a deck plate (6) mounted on the tippler frame in normal storage position to allow a truck to get parked on the deck plate, the piston rod being in stroke-out position;

a tippling mechanism adapted to tilt the deck plate mounted on the tippler frame;

characterized in that
the hook is adapted to be engaged with a front axle (7) of the truck when the piston rod is in retracted position to lock the front axle in the tilted position of the deck plate to prevent the truck from sliding backwards.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier is provided with a plurality of track wheels (3) which are adapted to move along the guiding track.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the axle clamping hydraulic cylinder (4) is pivotally connected to the piston rod through a trunnion mounted in the rear portion of the main hydraulic cylinder (8).

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tippling mechanism comprises an inverted main hydraulic cylinder having a piston rod, the main hydraulic cylinder (8) being pivotally mounted on an elevated structure (9), the piston rod pivotally connected with the tippler frame, the piston rod being configured to be in retracted position for tippling the tippler frame and in stroke-out position for keeping the tippler frame in horizontal position.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein cylinder is pivotally mounted with the elevated structure through a trunnion assembly.

6. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the piston rod pivotally connected with the tippler frame through a trunnion assembly.

7. A method for facilitating the unloading of sugarcane from the truck using truck tippler system as claimed in claim 1, the method comprising the steps of:
parking the truck on the deck plate mounted on the tippler frame (5) of the platform;
retracting the piston rod of the axle clamping cylinder (4), from the stroke out position to retracted position, thereby moving the hook from a position under the deck plate up the guiding track to a position for engaging with the front axle and locking the front axle of the truck; and
tippling the truck to unload the sugarcane from the truck.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein after unloading the speed of descent is limited by a bore side of the hydraulic cylinder of the tippling mechanism.