AU2003100675A4 - Equipment modification for freighting - Google Patents

Description

Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: DUNSTAN FARMERS ENGINEERING PTY. LTD.

JOHN ROBERT DUNSTAN SANDERCOCK COWIE ASSOCIATES 69 ROBINSON STREET DANDENONG VIC 3175 EQUIPMENT MODIFICATION FOR FREIGHTING -1- 2003-0l- 1.AA6Idum~l m.fie.wpdL -la- TITLE: EQUIPMENT MODIFICATION FOR FREIGHTING FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention concerns the construction of equipment and vehicles intended for delivery to a customer via freight containers especially ISO containers carried by ships.

The invention will be described in relation to agricultural equipment, but those skilled in the art will appreciate that it is applicable to other equipment which is in its assembled form larger than the capacity of an ISO container. It is common for vehicles to be loaded onto a ship at the wharf and secured side by side in a cargo space. A consignment of 2003-08. I SA:\U25dwuiatmnp twpd, -2headers may be sent out of the country of manufacture to an overseas destination, occupying a special allocated space in the hold because they will not fit into a container.

Accordingly, the shipping rate at which they travel are costly. This invention addresses this disadvantage.

SUMMARY OF THlE INVENTION The method aspect of this invention provides a method of constructing an item of equipment intended for transport in a freight container, such equipment being an assembly of components, comprising selecting dimensions for components of equipment which lie within the available internal dimensions ofthe freight container and making the equipment from components which disassemble to allow accommodation in a freight container.

The method requires a revised approach to equipment design. The main revision is usually to meet the height restriction of 2400mm imposed by the container. Common types of agricultural equipment incorporate a bin for grains, fertilizer or the like and the bin volume required causes the equipment to exceed a height of 2400mm. Similarly, an individual component, such as an elevator, will raise the height of the equipment.

Division of the equipment into components which bolt together rather than being welded together by the manufacturer enables a kit of parts to be supplied instead of an assembled piece of equipment.

Clearly, components which include or contain moving parts are best arranged to be built in one piece, for example an auger tunnel or an elevator, but the feed surfaces for these parts may be detachable in order to be packed into a single container.

The apparatus aspect of the invention provides an item of equipment intended for transport in a freight container, such equipment being an assembly of components, wherein the components each fit into the available space inside a freight container and are capable of assembly into an item which is too large when assembled to fit into a container.

2003-OS- It.AM24wffunpetWpd2 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS One embodiment of the invention is now illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an exploded view of the bin from the front.

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the bin with the bin sides, chassis box and one side extension removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH RESPECT TO THE DRAWINGS The drawings illustrate a mobile grain bin which receives grain from a header.

The body panels are CNG plasma cut from 3mm sheet steel. Bolt holes for connecting the panels together at their edges are cut at the same time. A bender is used to create flanges at the edges of the panels. Nuts and bolts are supplied separately to assemble the kit.

Referring now to the drawings, the lowest part of the bin 2 is the sweep auger tunnel 4.

Sloping sides of the attached part of the bin are braced by chassis box 6. The wheels are bolted on to axle assembly 8. This wheel unit fits into an ISO container by design. The mouth of the lower bin has a continuous horizontal flange around it. Likewise, the two bin ends 10, the two bin extensions 12 and the single bin lid 14 all have flanges on mutually connecting edges. -The bolt holes lie at 100mm centres. The wheels are detachable from the axle assembly 8 which is in turn detachable from the chassis.

Likewise, the vertical discharge auger chute 16 is made from two hinged halves. The mating ends of the chute have continuous perimeter flanges 18, In a variant, the LW and RH bin extensions of the upper part of the bin are preassemb led and inverted on the lower bin and the lid rested on the upper part of the bin to give a useful reduction in height.

2003-08. 18.A;\ZdtinpatwpdJ3 -4- The vehicle is lifted by crane and lowered through the open top of a tarpaulin covered ISO container. The ancillary parts are stowed beside it, eg. the axle beam and wheels.

We have found the advantages of the above embodiment to be:- I. Worthwhile savings in freight costs.

2. Cheaper repairs.

It is to be understood that the word "comprising" as used throughout the specification is to be interpreted in its inclusive form, ie. use of the word "comprising" does not exclude the addition of other elements.

It is to be understood that various modifications of and/or additions to the invention can be made without departing from the basic nature of the invention. These modifications and/or additions are therefore considered to fall within the scope of the invention.

2003.OS.ItA\4Zzmn incpawpd.4

Claims (3)

1. An item of equipment intended for transporting a freight container, such equipment being an assembly of components, wherein the components each fit into the available space inside a freight container and are capable of assembly into an item which is too large when assembled to fit into a container.

2. An item of equipment as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the item is a vehicle and the core of the item is a chassis which mounts moving parts and the wheels and axle are separable from the chassis.

3. An item of equipment as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein some of the components have edge flanges which have apertures for fasteners which register with apertures on adjacent flanges for kit assembly. Dated this 1 8 th day of August, 2003. SANDERCOCK COWIE PATENT ATTORNEYS FOR DUNSTAN FARMERS ENGINEERING PTY. LTD. 200348l-tAMZu&annm.inpawpd.5