FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a dump container for containing bulk material. More specifically, the invention relates to a dump container for use with a dump truck.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

It is known to transport material such as soil by disposing the material in a dump container of a dump truck. When dispensing the material from the dump container, the container is tipped pivotally up, to the rear of the truck and away therefrom in order for material to be discharged gravitationally.

A standard dump truck includes a truck chassis with a dump container mounted to a frame. The dump container is raised by a hydraulic ram mounted forward of the front bulkhead, between the truck cab and the dump body. The tailgate can be configured to swing on hinges or it can be configured in a so called 'high lift tailgate' format wherein pneumatic rams lift the gate open and up above the dump body.

USA patent 3,626,489 discloses a tilt dump vehicle with load ejecting means comprising a closed body having an open rear end. When the front end of the body is raised, a cargo ejecting bar is pulled rearwardly inside the body to assist the discharge of the contents.

USA patent 4,034,880 discloses an instant load release system comprising a sealed, roll-off container of compacted waste provided with a transversely extending, angle iron, ejection bar. The ejection bar is progressively pulled rearwardly along the floor of the container by a cable attached to the frame of a tilt-bed vehicle, as the tilt-bed is lifted to discharge the compacted load through a rear opening. A pair of extension cables are normally looped around the front end of the load and pressed against the inside wall surfaces of the container by the force of compaction. These cables compress the front of the load to free it from adherence to the walls immediately upon tilt.

A first disadvantage of the above known methods and apparatus is that they are relatively complex systems. A second disadvantage of a conventional dump container is that the container needs to be lifted relatively high at a large angle in order for the material to be discharged.

A further disadvantage of a conventional dump container is that the surface of the container tends to wear off owing to the material frictionally engaging the surface. Such actions add unnecessary stress and wear to the containers as well as the hydraulic lifts used to pivot them, adding to the cost to repair any damage and potentially reduce the useful life of the containers and/or hydraulic lifts. To address the issue of friction between the load and truck box, some users may coat the interior of the truck box with a release agent, such as diesel fuel, that assist in removal of the load during dumping. That practice can cause undesirable environmental contamination as the materials unloaded from the container invariably carry with them some of the diesel fuel or other release agent.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a dump container, which is an improvement, and/or useful alternative to the above described dump containers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a dump container comprising: a base having sides, a base front end and a base rear end; - opposed and spaced apart side walls extending upwardly from the sides of the base, each having a wall front end and a wall rear end; and a rear wall extending upwardly from the base rear end and between the wall rear ends, the invention being characterised in that the base of the container includes a ridge formation extending at least partially longitudinally between the sides of the base.

The ridge formation may extend along the entire length of the container from the base rear end to the base front end.

Alternatively, the ridge formation may extend along a portion of the length of the container, stopping short of the base front end or the base rear end or from both the base front end and base rear end.

Two channel formations may be defined on opposite sides of the ridge formation, between said ridge formation and the respective side walls of the container.

The container may include a plurality of reinforcing ribs located on outside surfaces thereof.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a dump truck provided with a dump container according to the first aspect of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described further by way of a non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

figure 1 is a perspective view from above of a dump container according to the invention;

figure 2 is a front view of the container of figure 1 ; and

figure 3 is a side view of the container of figures 1 and 2.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings, a dump container according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is generally designated by reference numeral 10.

The dump container 10 is suitable for use with a dump truck (not shown), to contain bulk material to be transported by the dump truck, such as coal. The dump container 10 is connected to a frame (also not shown) of the dump truck towards a rear end thereof, generally referred to by numeral 12, by two hydraulic arms (not shown) at a first set of connection members 16. The container 10 is also connected to the dump truck towards a front end thereof, generally referred to by numeral 14, by two pivot members, at a second set of connection members 18, as is known in the art.

The dump container 10 is made of metal and includes a base 20 having sides 20.1 , a base front end 20.2 and a base rear end 20.3; opposed and spaced apart side walls 22 extending upwardly from the sides 20.1 of the base 20, each having a wall front end 22.1 and a wall rear end 22.2; and a rear wall 24 extending upwardly from the base rear end 20.3 and between the wall rear ends 22.2. The base 20 of the container 10 includes a ridge formation 26 extending longitudinally between the sides 20.1 of the base 20.

Two channel formations 28 are defined on opposite sides of the ridge formation 26, between said ridge formation 26 and the respective side walls 22 of the container 10.

The container 10 further includes a plurality of reinforcing ribs 30 located on the outside surfaces thereof in order to strengthen the container 10. The container 10 further includes a canopy 32 located above a cab of the dump truck. The canopy also includes a ridge formation 34, to strengthen the canopy 32.

In use, when discharging the material located in the dump conatiner 10, the dump container 10 is raised by the hydraulic arms connected to the first set of connection members 16. It is foreseen that the material located in the dump container 10 is relatively easier discharged than in the case of conventional dump containers, owing to the presence of the ridge formation 26. It is further foreseen that when the dump container 10 is raised to discharge the material located in the dump container 10, the material would first fall to the sides of the ridge formation 26 and then towards the front end 14 of the container 10 to be discharged from the container. Material thus also discharges faster from the dump container 10.

Furthermore, it is foreseen that the wear on the container 10 is relatively less than on conventional dump containers, since, when loading material into the container, the material is dropped onto the ridge formation 26 and then falls into the channel formations 28 on the respective sides of said ridge formation 26, to fill the container 10. Even further, the reinforcing ribs 30 strengthen the container 10. In light of the above, the container 10 lasts relatively longer than conventional dump containers and is more durable.

It will be appreciated that variations in detail are possible with a dump container according to the invention without departing from the scope of the appended claims. For example, the ridge formation could extend along the entire length of the container from the base front end to the base rear, terminating at the rear wall of the container. Alternatively, the ridge formation could extend along a portion of the length of the container, stopping short of the base front end or the base rear end or from both the base front end and base rear end.