AU1010900A - Improved hanger arrangements - Google Patents

Description

r-1uu1% a I zVW Regulation 3.2(2)

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT too..

0-00.6 Application Number: Lodged: Invention Title: IMPROVED HANGER ARRANGEMENTS

S

The following statement Is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us IMPROVED HANGER ARRANGEMENTS The present invention relates to improved hanger arrangements for transport vehicles and particularly hanger arrangements for carrying meat in refrigerated load carrying compartments of transport vehicles. The following description will be given with particular reference to meat carrying hanger arrangements but it will be apparent that the present invention is not restricted to this application.

Conventionally meat is supported from hooks either fixed to or supported by hanger rails. Typically such hanger rails extend transversely of the load carrying compartment and are spaced apart in a longitudinal direction by a distance sufficient to ensure a relatively close packing of the meat product to be transported. Such arrangements have a practical difficulty in that it is difficult to automate the loading and unloading processes which require a large degree of manual labour. Furthermore, such transverse rails are often either fixed thereby adversely affecting the possible load carrying capacity if the compartment is intended to also carry some other product than meat (or similar), or they are removable from otherwise fixed locations thus providing an added disadvantage *.of either having to store same on board the vehicle or externally of the vehicle.

In one further known arrangement meat hanging rails have been disposed 20 extending longitudinally of the load carrying compartment which are supported via hanger members from the roof or ceiling of the compartment. The hanger members are pivoted to enable a swinging movement about transverse axes to ::thereby raise the rails to a storage position when desired, however, the upwards movement of the rails is limited thereby limiting the possible increase in alternative load carrying volume and moreover, automated loading and unloading remains difficult to achieve.

The objective therefore of the present invention is to provide an improved hanger arrangement for use in load carrying compartments of the aforementioned kind, the hanger arrangement being effective when used to hang product such as meat during transport but also being movable to an on board stored position which substantially frees the load carrying volume of the compartment for alternate product transport stacked on the floor of the 2 compartment or the like) when desired. A preferred objective of the present invention is to provide an improved hanger arrangement which will assist with automated loading and unloading of the hanger arrangement with a minimum of manual labour being required.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a hanger arrangement for a load carrying compartment of a transport vehicle said hanger arrangement comprising a plurality of rail means extending longitudinally of the compartment spaced transversely from one another and spaced from side walls of the compartment, each of said rail means being supported by hanger members arranged for pivoting movement about longitudinally extending axes whereby in a first operational position said hanger members are disposed in an upright configuration and in a second storage position said hanger members are disposed in a lateral direction to locate said rail means adjacent an upper extremity of said load carrying compartment.

In one preferred embodiment at least some of the hanger members are adjustable in length whereby the rail means supported thereby are moved upwardly by reducing the length of the hanger members prior to swinging said hanger members about said longitudinally extending axes when moving to said second storage position. Conveniently at least one of said rail means located 20 adjacent a side wall of the load carrying compartment is supported by said adjustable hanger members.

In a further preferred embodiment, all the rail means are swung in the same direction towards one of said side walls of the load carrying compartment when being moved to said second storage position, and at least the rail means adjacent said one side wall being supported by said adjustable hanger members. In a possible alternative embodiment at least the two outermost said rail means are adapted to be swung inwardly of said load carrying compartment away from the adjacent said side walls when said rail means are moved towards said second storage position.

Preferably, the rail means have a first zone where they are disposed substantially parallel to one another and a second zone adjacent a rear loading unloading access means where the rail means converge. In one embodiment the rail means in said first zone are separable from the rail means in said second zone prior to moving said rail means to the second storage position. In another possible embodiment the rail means in said second zone are pivoted relative to a respective said rail means in the first zone whereby in one position the rail means in said first and second zones are aligned and in a second position the rail means in said second zone converge, the rail means in said second zone being arranged in said one aligned position before being swung to said second storage position. The aforesaid arrangements having converging end rail sections adjacent the loading unloading access door or the like facilitate automated loading and unloading from a single conveyor means.

In a still further preferred arrangement, releasable retaining means are provided to hold the rail means in said second storage position until it is desired to release same to allow the rail means to swing down to the first operational position.

In yet another preferred embodiment, the hanger arrangement may further include one or more adjustable brace members adapted in a first position to extend transversely to hold the rail means spaced apart by a •***.predetermined distance when the hanger members are disposed in the upright configuration, said brace member or members being movable to a longitudinally 20 extending position when said hanger members are disposed in the second oo o storage position. Conveniently, the hanger arrangement may further include at least one further brace brace member extendable between a lower region of a hanger member and rail assembly having a plurality of said hanger members and a said rail means, and either an upper region of an adjacent hanger member and rail assembly having a plurality of said hanger members and a said rail means, or the upper extremity of said load carrying compartment, said at least one further brace member being repositionable to a longitudinally extending location when the hanger members are disposed in said second storage position.

The present invention of course anticipates providing a vehicle having a load carrying compartment with hanging arrangements as set out in the preceding paragraphs.

Several preferred embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a schematic layout plan view of a hanging arrangement in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a detailed plan view of the rear end of the hanging arrangement shown in Figure 1; Figures 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are partial cross-sectional views taken along lines A-A, B-B, C-C, E-E and D-D of Figures 1 and 2; Figure 8 is a schematic layout plan view of a hanging arrangement in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 is a detailed plan view of the rear end of the hanging arrangement shown in Figure 8; Figures 10, 11, 12 and 13 are partial cross-sectional views taken along lines A-A, B-B, C-C and D-D of Figures 8 and 9; Figures 14, 15 and 16 are detailed views of the areas marked E, F and E-E in Figures 8 and 9; Figures 17 and 18 are end sectional views showing a means for stabilising the hanger rails in their operational position and secondly, how the Shanger rails may be swung to their elevated storage position; 20 Figures 19 and 20 are detailed views of the areas marked A-A and G in Figure 17; SFigures 21, 22 and 23 are respectively elevation, side and plan views of one preferred form of hanger member; Figures 24, 25 and 26 are respectively elevation, side and plan views of a second preferred form of hanger member; •Figures 27 and 28 are plan and side views of one possible form of retaining means for holding the rail means in the elevated storage position; and Figures 29, 30 and 31 are respectively elevation side views of a means for repositioning rear end zones of the rail means in the embodiment illustrates in Figures 8 and 9.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 7, a first embodiment is illustrated comprising a plurality of hanger rails 10, extending in a longitudinal direction of a load carrying compartment 11 having a front wall 12, a pair of opposed side walls 13, 14, a rear wall 15 having an access door or the like, ceiling or roof 16 and a floor (not illustrated). The rails 10, in a first zone 17, extend generally parallel to one another and are laterally spaced apart from one another and from the side walls 13, 14. In a second zone 18 adjacent the rear wall 15, the rails 10 are arranged to converge to an imaginary point to facilitate automated or semi-automated loading of the rails 10 from a single supply conveyor or delivery rail. Unloading may also be achieved by such an automated or semiautomated system.

The rails 10 are supported by a plurality of longitudinally spaced hanger members 19 (shown in greater detail in Figures 21 to 26) each of which, at a lower end 20, are rigidly connected to a said rail 10, and at an upper end 21 are pivotally connected to the roof or ceiling 16 of the load carrying compartment 11. The pivotal connection conveniently consists of an upper rectangular ring formation 22 secured to the main leg portion 23 of the hanger member 19, the upper leg 24 of said ring formation 22 being pivotally retained in a partial bore formation of a retainer plate 25 bolted to the ceiling or roof 16. The fixing of the S-retainer plates 25 and hanger members 19 are such that each hanger member 19 can be swung about a longitudinally extending axis 29 generally parallel to 20 the rail Figures 21 to 23 show one embodiment of a hanger member 19 where the main leg portion 23 of the hanger member is rigidly formed conveniently in one piece.

Figures 24 to 26 show a possible alternative hanger member 19 where the main leg portion 23 is split into two sections 26, 27 with the lower section 26 being slidable through a sleeve 28 attached to a lower end region of the upper section 27 to enable adjustment of the overall length of the main leg portion 23.

In this manner, the rail 10 may be raised towards the retainer plate 25 (or roof *ceiling) prior to being swung about the pivot axes 29, if desired.

The rails 10 may be divided at spaced longitudinal positions such that separate longitudinal sections can be lowered into a first operational position (Figures 3, 4 or 6) with the hanger members 19 arranged substantially upright, or raised into a second or elevated position where the rails 10 are located adjacent the roof or ceiling 16 and the hanger members 19 extend generally transversely across the compartment 11 also adjacent to the roof or ceiling 16 (Figures 5 and As shown in Figure 5, in the second elevated storage position, the two outermost rails 10 and 10' are pivoted inwardly away from the side walls 13, 14. Conveniently the inner rails 10 are pivoted in the same direction as the outermost rail 10 adjacent the side wall 14.

Within the zone 18, the converging rails 10 are conveniently separable from the rails 10 in the zone 17 when it is desired to place the rails 10 in the second elevated storage position. Moreover, in this zone 18 the pivot axes 29' of the hanger members 19 also converge parallel to the rails 10, 10' within the zone 18 so that these rear rail sections can be separately folded or swung up to the elevated storage position. The hanger members 19 within the zone 18 may conveniently be constructed as shown in Figures 24 to 26.

Figures 8 to 16 illustrate another alternative preferred embodiment of this invention which is generally similar to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 7 except as described below. In this embodiment, within the end zone 18, the rails 10, at least in a number of instances remain connected to the associated o*oo :•rails 10 in the zone 17 and are capable of relative pivotal movement from the 20 operation configuration shown in Figure 1 to the storage position shown in lol* Figure 2. In other instances the rail sections 10 in the zone 18 are separable from the associated rails 10 in the zone 17 as shown in Figure 2. In each instance only one hanger member 19 supports the rail section 10 in the zone 18 and the pivot or swinging axis 29 of this hanger member is repositionable to an axis 29' as shown in Figures 29 to 31. In each case the axis 29' is parallel to the rail section 10 in the converging operational position shown in Figure 8 while when it is desired to place the rails 10 into the elevated storage position the :..:hanger member 19 in the zone 18 is moved to a position where the pivot axis 29 is coincident with or parallel to the axes 29 in the zone 17. One preferred form of repositioning system is illustrated in Figures 29 to 31 including two separate pivot connections 30, 31 defining pivot axes 29, 29' with a releasable pivot pin 32 locatable in one of the two pivot connections 30, 31. The pivot connections 30, 31 are secured to a mounting plate 33 fixable to the roof or ceiling 16. When the rails 10 are to be retained in the second elevated storage position, a series of rotatable catch members 34 are provided (detailed in Figures 27 and 29) connected as required to certain of the plates 25 modified as shown in Figures 27, 28 to engage under and retain at least some of the hanger members 19 when they are swung to the storage position.

Figures 17 to 20 illustrate an arrangement permitting lateral stability of the hanging rails 10 when located in the lowered operational position (Figure 17). In this proposal, a pair of sleeves 35, 36 are attached to each hanger member 19 in at least some transverse rows of same whereby a cross brace 37 with down turned ends 38, 39 can be positioned with the ends 38, 39 engaging in the sleeves 35, 36. One end 39 is longer than the other permitting the end 38 to be released from its sleeve 35 without disengaging the end 39 from its sleeve 36 thereby enabling the cross braces 37 to be retained with the hanger assembly. Finally, a diagonal brace member 40 is provided to ensure the hanger arrangement in the operational position (Figure 17) remains correctly configured when loaded.

a o• SoS

*SSS

Claims (8)

1. A hanger arrangement for a load carrying compartment of a transport vehicle said hanger arrangement including a plurality of rail means extending longitudinally of the compartment spaced transversely from one another and spaced from side walls of the compartment, each of said rail means being supported by hanger members arranged for pivoting movement about longitudinally extending axes whereby in a first operational position said hanger members are disposed in an upright configuration and in a second storage position said hanger members are disposed in a lateral direction to locate said rail means adjacent an upper extremity of said load carrying compartment.

2. A hanger arrangement according to Claim 1, wherein at least some of said hanger members are adjustable in length whereby the rail means supported thereby are moved upwardly by reducing the length of the hanger members prior to swinging said hanger members about said longitudinally extending axes when moving to said second storage position. 4o A hanger arrangement according to Claim 2, wherein at least one of said ooo* rail means located adjacent a side wall of the load carrying compartment is supported by said adjustable hanger members.

4. A hanger arrangement according to Claim 2, wherein all said rail means are swung in the same direction towards one of said side walls of the load S-carrying compartment when being moved to said second storage position, and e at least the rail means adjacent said one side wall being supported by said adjustable hanger members. seer. 9 A hanger arrangement according to Claim 1, wherein at least the two outermost said rail means are adapted to be swung inwardly of said load carrying compartment away from the adjacent said side walls when said rail means are moved towards said second storage position.

6. A hanger arrangement according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the rail means have a first zone where they are disposed substantially parallel to one another and a second zone adjacent a rear loading unloading access means where the rail means converge.

7. A hanger arrangement according to Claim 6, wherein at least some of the rail means in said first zone are separable from the rail means in said second zone prior to moving said rail means to the second storage position.

8. A hanger arrangement according to Claim 6 or Claim 7, wherein at least some of the rail means in said second zone are pivoted relative to a respective said rail means in the first zone whereby in one position the rail means in said first and second zones are aligned and in a second position the rail means in said second zone converge, the rail means in said second zone being arranged o* •in said one aligned position before being swung to said second storage position. A hanger arrangement according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, further •including releasable retaining means to hold said rail means in said second storage position. A hanger arrangement according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, further including one or more adjustable brace members adapted in a first position to extend transversely to hold the rail means spaced apart by a predetermined distance when the hanger members are disposed in the upright configuration, said brace member or members being movable to a longitudinally extending position when said hanger members are disposed in the second storage position.

11. A hanger arrangement according to Claim 10, further including at least one further brace member extendable between a lower region of a hanger member and rail assembly having a plurality of said hanger members and a said rail means, and either an upper region of an adjacent hanger member and rail assembly having a plurality of said hanger members and a said rail means, or the upper extremity of said load carrying compartment, said at least one further brace member being repositionable to a longitudinally extending location when the hanger members are disposed in said second storage position.

12. A vehicle having a load carrying compartment with a hanging arrangement according to any one of Claims 1 to 11. DATED THIS 29TH DAY OF DECEMBER, 1999 FIBREGLASS TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT PTY. LTD. WATERMARK PATENT TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS 290 BURWOOD ROAD HAWTHORN VICTORIA 3122 o AUSTRALIA SKP:JC P15572AU00 oooo °ooo°