초록 ▼

A pneumatic tank trailer includes a carriage and a tank supported on the trailer that can selectively discharge fluidizable material through hoppers of the tank. A nose portion of the trailer has a generally conical shape. The nose portion has a top that slopes downward and sides that taper inward a

A pneumatic tank trailer includes a carriage and a tank supported on the trailer that can selectively discharge fluidizable material through hoppers of the tank. A nose portion of the trailer has a generally conical shape. The nose portion has a top that slopes downward and sides that taper inward as it extends forward. A cross-sectional center point of a front end of the nose portion is lower than a cross-sectional center point of a rear end of the nose portion along the height of the trailer. The length of the nose portion is at least 15% of the length of the trailer. Adjacent hoppers intersect at hopper crotches. The hopper crotches have short heights and the hoppers are arranged relatively close together.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A pneumatic tank trailer having a front end, a rear end, and a length extending between the front end and the rear end along a longitudinal axis of the trailer, the trailer comprising: a carriage for movement over a road;a tank defining a tank interior and including at least one hopper in fluid c

1. A pneumatic tank trailer having a front end, a rear end, and a length extending between the front end and the rear end along a longitudinal axis of the trailer, the trailer comprising: a carriage for movement over a road;a tank defining a tank interior and including at least one hopper in fluid communication with the tank interior, the tank being configured to receive a fluidizable material in the interior and to selectively discharge the fluidizable material through the at least one hopper below the tank; anda nose portion having a rear end, a front end, a length extending between the rear and front ends along the longitudinal axis of the trailer, a top, and a width, the top of the nose portion having a continuous, arcuate surface, the width of the nose portion tapering inward as the nose portion extends from the rear end to the front end,the top of the nose portion sloping downward from the rear end at a skew angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the trailer,the rear end of the nose portion having a cross-sectional center point and the front end of the nose portion having a cross-sectional center point, the cross-sectional center point of the front end being located below the cross-sectional center point of the rear end, andthe length of the nose portion being at least about 15% of the length of the trailer;wherein the nose portion includes at least a front end segment having a maximum width along a length of the front end segment that generally lies in a maximum width plane oriented at a skew angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the trailer; andwherein the nose portion is free of external reinforcement. 2. A pneumatic tank trailer as set forth in claim 1 wherein the nose portion has a top surface that makes an angle with respect to a top surface of the trailer of from about 20° to about 25°. 3. A pneumatic tank trailer as set forth in claim 1 wherein the skew angle between the maximum width plane and the longitudinal axis of the trailer is from about 4° to about 10°. 4. A pneumatic tank trailer as set forth in claim 1 wherein the maximum width plane is oriented at a skew angle with respect to the top of the nose portion. 5. A pneumatic tank trailer as set forth in claim 4 wherein the skew angle between the maximum width plane and the top of the nose portion is from about 10° to about 18°. 6. A pneumatic tank trailer as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tank includes a front end portion which forms a rear segment of the nose portion. 7. A pneumatic tank trailer as set forth in claim 6 further comprising a nose covering separately attached to the front end portion of the tank and forming a front segment of the nose portion. 8. A pneumatic tank trailer as set forth in claim 7 wherein the front end portion of the tank is partially received in the nose covering. 9. A pneumatic tank trailer as set forth in claim 7 further comprising an unloading system, one or more components of the unloading system being received in the nose covering. 10. A pneumatic tank trailer as set forth in claim 9 wherein at least one control actuator that is operatively connected to the unloading system to control one or more aspects of the unloading system extends through a side of the nose covering. 11. A pneumatic tank trailer as set forth in claim 10 wherein the control actuator is accessible from an exterior of the trailer to selectively actuate said one or more aspects of the unloading system. 12. A pneumatic tank trailer as set forth in claim 1 wherein the nose portion includes an end cap defining the front end of the nose portion and the front end of the trailer. 13. A pneumatic tank trailer as set forth in claim 12 wherein the end cap is dome-shaped. 14. A pneumatic tank trailer as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a rear end portion having a front end, a rear end, a length extending between the front and rear ends along the longitudinal axis of the trailer, and a top. 15. A pneumatic tank trailer as set forth in claim 14 wherein the top of the rear end portion slopes generally down from the front at an angle of from about 5° to about 15° relative to the longitudinal axis of the trailer. 16. A pneumatic tank trailer as set forth in claim 14 wherein the rear end portion further comprises sides, the sides extending inward at an angle of from about 5° to about 15° relative to the longitudinal axis of the trailer. 17. A pneumatic tank trailer having a front end, a rear end, and a length extending between the front end and the rear end along a longitudinal axis of the trailer, the trailer comprising: a carriage for movement over a road;a tank defining a tank interior and including at least one hopper in fluid communication with the tank interior, the tank being configured to receive a fluidizable material in the interior and to selectively discharge the fluidizable material through the at least one hopper below the tank; anda nose portion having a generally arcuate cross-sectional shape, a rear end, a front end, a length extending between the rear and front ends along the longitudinal axis of the trailer, a top, and a width, the width of the nose portion tapering inward as the nose portion extends from the rear end to the front end,the top of the nose portion sloping downward from the rear end at a skew angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the trailer,the rear end of the nose portion having a cross-sectional center point and the front end of the nose portion having a cross-sectional center point, the cross-sectional center point of the front end being located below the cross-sectional center point of the rear end, andthe length of the nose portion being at least about 15% of the length of the trailer;wherein the nose portion includes at least a front end segment having a maximum width along a length of the front end segment that generally lies in a maximum width plane oriented at a skew angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the trailer and oriented at a skew angle with respect to the top of the nose portion; andwherein the skew angle between the maximum width plane and the top of the nose portion is from about 10° to about 18°. 18. A pneumatic tank trailer having a front end, a rear end, and a length extending between the front end and the rear end along a longitudinal axis of the trailer, the trailer comprising: a carriage for movement over a road;a tank defining a tank interior and including at least one hopper in fluid communication with the tank interior, the tank being configured to receive a fluidizable material in the interior and to selectively discharge the fluidizable material through the at least one hopper below the tank; anda nose portion having a generally arcuate cross-sectional shape, a rear end, a front end, a length extending between the rear and front ends along the longitudinal axis of the trailer, a top, and a width, the width of the nose portion tapering inward as the nose portion extends from the rear end to the front end,the top of the nose portion sloping downward from the rear end at a skew angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the trailer,the rear end of the nose portion having a cross-sectional center point and the front end of the nose portion having a cross-sectional center point, the cross-sectional center point of the front end being located below the cross-sectional center point of the rear end, andthe length of the nose portion being at least about 15% of the length of the trailer;wherein the tank includes a front end portion which forms a rear segment of the nose portion.