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Cd · 04-04-2008, 01:19 AM

A couple of months ago, I was on my way to work at approximately 3:15 -3:340 A.M.
My route takes me through an industrial part of town ( Austin, Texas ).
In the lane beside me I saw a semi that had a trailer with a full Kamm back, as well as wheel covers.
( This design actually had the trailer with a sloping roofline, unlike some designs that have what looks like a rounded 'hottub' strapped to the back of the trailer. )
Of coarse I did not have a camera with me, and I was running late for work.
I have to wonder if they were testing some new prototype. I truly hope so.
My jaw dropped when I saw it and I almost ran off the road.
I work in shipping unloading trucks, and so I know how that some ideas will not work because they would not be practical.
I wonder how that the Kamm back design that i saw works in real life, since you must drive a forklift in the trailer.
I see a lot of semis that are driving back to their RDC center without a trailer, and I have to wonder how hard that it would be to rig up some sort of accordian type of Kamm back that could be pulled out from the back of the cab.
Once the rig had to dock with the trailer, all the trucker would have to do would be to pull back the thing ( or if he's feeling lazy just back into the trailer and the thing would fold itself up.
Not only could it be inexpensive and easy to set up, but it would pay for itself many times over , not to mention the fact that it would not obstruct the truckers vision or add practically any weight.
Also the Kamm back could extendd back to the trailer and fill in the gap between the cab and the trailer. In a corner, the assembly would flex since it would be like an accordian.
The city of Dallas already has stretch busses with this feature. ( The bus has an accordian like structure in the center portion of the bus which flexes when the bus goes into a corner.

04-04-2008, 01:19 AM	#11 (permalink)
Cd Ultimate Fail Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Austin,Texas Posts: 3,585 Thanks: 2,872 Thanked 1,121 Times in 679 Posts	A couple of months ago, I was on my way to work at approximately 3:15 -3:340 A.M. My route takes me through an industrial part of town ( Austin, Texas ). In the lane beside me I saw a semi that had a trailer with a full Kamm back, as well as wheel covers. ( This design actually had the trailer with a sloping roofline, unlike some designs that have what looks like a rounded 'hottub' strapped to the back of the trailer. ) Of coarse I did not have a camera with me, and I was running late for work. I have to wonder if they were testing some new prototype. I truly hope so. My jaw dropped when I saw it and I almost ran off the road. I work in shipping unloading trucks, and so I know how that some ideas will not work because they would not be practical. I wonder how that the Kamm back design that i saw works in real life, since you must drive a forklift in the trailer. I see a lot of semis that are driving back to their RDC center without a trailer, and I have to wonder how hard that it would be to rig up some sort of accordian type of Kamm back that could be pulled out from the back of the cab. Once the rig had to dock with the trailer, all the trucker would have to do would be to pull back the thing ( or if he's feeling lazy just back into the trailer and the thing would fold itself up. Not only could it be inexpensive and easy to set up, but it would pay for itself many times over , not to mention the fact that it would not obstruct the truckers vision or add practically any weight. Also the Kamm back could extendd back to the trailer and fill in the gap between the cab and the trailer. In a corner, the assembly would flex since it would be like an accordian. The city of Dallas already has stretch busses with this feature. ( The bus has an accordian like structure in the center portion of the bus which flexes when the bus goes into a corner.