AU2003231692A1 - Bin handling vehicle - Google Patents

Description

54172 GEH:PAB:PFB P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant: TREVOR M SCHEER Name of inventor: TREVOR M SCHEER Address for Service: COLLISON CO.,117 King William Street, Adelaide, S.A. 5000 Invention Title: BIN HANDLING VEHICLE The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: This invention relates to a vehicle for handling bins of produce carried by the vehicle.

Vehicles are commonly used for the collection of produce, materials or rubbish. One common form is for the vehicle to carry a bin which can be removed from the vehicle and placed on the ground for the user to fill the bin.

After filling the bin, the vehicle then returns at a later time and collects the bin.

Various forms of this type of collection of material are shown in for example US 3,701,443, European Patent No. 0080524, US 3,731,829 and many others showing the concept of removing a bin from a vehicle and placing the bin on the surface level of the vehicle or emptying the bin onto the surface level on which the vehicle is standing.

Thus as far as the inventor is aware, all of the prior known material handling systems are directed to the handling of a bin from the level of a vehicle to transport the bin to the level of the surface on which the vehicle is then standing. Thus the mechanism for handling the bin can only handle the bin between two heights, ie, between the height of the bin whilst on the vehicle and the surface on which the vehicle is at that time positioned.

While this is all that is required in a large number of bin handling situations, there are situations where a bin may be required to be transported on a second vehicle, having a load carrying platform or other bin carrying area at a height greater than the first vehicle.

Thus in the wine industry often bins into which the grapes are harvested are transported by trailers drawn by towing vehicle such as a farm tractor from the vineyard to the winery. The trailer has hydraulically operated lifting arms to lift the full bin from the trailer onto the surface on which the trailer is positioned and to lift an empty bin onto the trailer for refilling.

However with the advent of machine harvesting where the tractor pulls a trailer with a bin alongside the grape harvesting machine, the bin can be filled rather quicker than if the bin is filled by manual grape pickers. Hence there is the necessity to handle the filled bins in an efficient way.

It is an object of this invention to provide a bin handling vehicle to lift and position a bin to and from more than two levels of elevation.

Thus there is provided a transport vehicle having arms to lift and position a load carrying bin between three levels of height or elevation, between the surface on which the trailer rests, the carrying area of the trailer and an elevated surface such as the load carrying area of another vehicle such as a road vehicle or a storage area.

In order to more fully describe the invention reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which; Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention with a bin positioned on a trailer, Figure 2 is a similar view of the bin positioned on the ground, Figure 3 is a view of the bin being positioned on a road transport vehicle, Figure 4 is a detail side elevation of the lifting frame prior to engaging the bin, according to the second embodiment, Figure 5 is a detail side elevation of the lifting frame engaging the bin, according to the second embodiment, Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the lifting frame engaging the bin, Figure 7 is a side elevation of the invention with a bin positioned on a trailer, according to the third embodiment, Figure 8 is a detail side elevation of the articulated drawbar, according to the third embodiment, Figure 9 is a detail top elevation of the articulated drawbar illustrated in the straight-ahead position, according to the third embodiment, and Figure 10 is a detail top elevation of the articulated drawbar illustrated in an articulated position, according to the third embodiment.

Referring to the drawings the trailer 1 is in this instance towed by a farm tractor 2. It is to be realised however, that the lifting vehicle could be a truck with a suitably sized flat bed, or any other vehicle with a similar load carrying capacity. The trailer has a chassis 3 and wheels 4. The trailer is adapted to carry a bin 5 such as a grape bin to collect the grapes harvested by a grape harvester, the bin 5 being carried and supported on the trailer. As shown the trailer has its wheels positioned toward the rear end of the trailer with a large proportion of the load being supported by the rear wheels of the tractor. Thus the bin is positioned on the trailer with only a small portion of the bin being positioned rearwardly of the wheels of the trailer.

The bin handling mechanism includes a main lifting arm 6 hinged at one end by a hinge pin 7 to the rear of the trailer 8. A main hydraulic ram 9 is connected by pivot 10 to the chassis 3 toward the front of the chassis and by pin 11 to the main lifting arm 6 at a position about 1/3 of the length of the arm from the hinge pin 7. A second arm 12 is hinged by pin 13 to a bracket 14 attached to the other or upper end 15 of the main lifting arm 6. A second hydraulic ram 16 is connected between the main lifting arm 6 and the second arm 12. The ram 16 is connected by a pin 17 and bracket 18 to generally the mid point of the main lifting arm 6 and by pin 19 and bracket 20 to the second arm 12 generally intermediate the length of the arm 12.

The end 21 of the arm 12 has a bracket 22 to which sling chains 23 are attached.

The rear end 8 of the trailer has extendable legs 24 which can be lowered and locked in the lower position to support the rear end of the trailer, when a loaded bin is suspended over and behind the rear end of the trailer.

Figure 1 shows the position of the bin 5 on the trailer, and Figure 2 shows the bin being positioned on the ground behind the trailer. To lift the bin from the trailer the second arm is raised to lift the bin from the trailer and then the main lifting arm swings to move the bin rearwardly to a position behind the trailer and deposit the bin on the ground, both the rams being operated to complete this movement. Reverse movements of the main lifting arm and the second arm can lift a bin, either loaded or empty onto the trailer.

Figure 3 shows the bin being positioned on a load carrying area of a road transport vehicle or truck. In this instance the truck is positioned adjacent the rear of the trailer and by operation of the two rams the bin can be raised to a height sufficient that it can be positioned on the load carrying area of the truck.

Thus it can be seen that the second arm 12 provides the additional elevation to lift the bin to the required height to place or remove a bin from the load carrying area of a road vehicle truck. Hence it can be seen that there is provided by the invention a trailer having a bin lifting mechanism to position the bin between three levels of elevation.

The chains can be attached to the bin by any suitable attachment, either by hooks, spring latched hooks or the like, one being positioned at each corner of the bin.

Alternately the bin can be fitted with a flange onto which hooks on the chains can engage. As such, in a further embodiment of the invention, there is a lift frame 25 adapted to seat on the upper perimeter 31 of the bin 32, and lift the bin by engaging such a flange.

Pivotally attached to the frame are a plurality of arms 26 positioned at each corner of the bin, each arm having a hook 27 at one end, and a hole 28 at the other end, such that the means for pivotal attachment 29 to the frame is proximate to the centre of the arm 26.

The sling chains 23 are attached to the lift frame via the holes in the arms, such that if the end of the lift arm 21 is raised, the chains are brought under tension and the hook of the arm will swing down so as to engage the flange of the bin.

The lift frame includes locking means provided to secure the hooks in a 'hook up' orientation such that the frame can be positioned on a bin without interference from the hooks. Said locking means includes removable pins positioned above the arms, and on the hole side of the pivotal attachment, wherein insertion and removal of said pins can be automatically actuated, by electric actuators 31.

The electric actuator 31, is connected directly to the locking pins 30, and the assembly is retained by, but free to float relative to the lift frame 25. When activated, the actuator drives one pin until it reaches its final position, and then it drives the other.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the trailer is fitted with an articulated drawbar 40. Said articulated drawbar includes a yoke 41 attached to the frame of the trailer, which pivotally retains a collar 42 having first and second flanges attached thereto. Said first flange 43, having first and second ends, the flange lying in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the drawbar collar, and substantially parallel with the surface on which the trailer rests itself. Said second flange 44 projecting normal to the first flange, its plane lying substantially parallel to that of the axis of rotation of the collar. Said second flange having a downward projection portion 45 with pivotal attachment means for a first end of a hydraulic cylinder 46. The second end of the hydraulic cylinder being pivotally attached to the frame of the trailer 48.

The first flange 43 has at its second end a hole 47 passing there through, the axis of rotation of this hole being substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the drawbar collar. The tractor is pivotally attached to the trailer via this hole.

The hydraulic cylinder is used to rotate the collar about its axis of rotation thereby increasing the angle of the first flange relative to the direction of the tyres of the trailer. This has the effect of exaggerating steering inputs transferred from the tractor to the trailer, thereby allowing the trailer to be turned in a relatively small circle for a trailer of this size. This feature offers the further advantage of increasing control when reversing the trailer, such as in situations where the trailer must be backed into position for loading or unloading operations.

While various features are described in detail, it is to be realised the invention is not limited to such detail the positions of the acting points of the rams can be varied as desired as well as the lengths and proportions of the two arms.

Thus the features of mechanism for lifting and handling of the bin can be varied while still falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (13)

1. A transport vehicle having arms to lift and position a load carrying bin between three levels of height or elevation, between the surface on which the trailer rests, the carrying area of the trailer and an elevated surface such as the load carrying area of another vehicle such as a road vehicle or a storage area.

2. The transport vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a trailer including: a rigid support structure providing a bin carrying area; a pair of lifting arms pivotally connected to the rigid support structure on opposing sides of the bin carrying area of the trailer; linear actuation means for the lifting arms, and power supply means for the linear actuators; and releasable bin engagement means connected to the lifting arms via suspension means; wherein in use, the trailer is adapted to be loaded and unloaded from the rear, via the lifting arms.

3. The transport trailer of claim 2, wherein the trailer includes articulated drawbar means.

4. The transport trailer of claim 2, wherein each lifting arm includes at least two portions that are pivotally connected, so as to provide a two stage lifting capability, wherein a primary lifting arm can be actuated to effect a first lifting stage, and a secondary lifting arm can be actuated to effect a second lifting stage, for additional reach and positional accuracy.

The transport trailer of claim 4, wherein the primary lifting arm is pivotally connected at a first end to the rigid support structure of the trailer proximate its rear, and the secondary lifting arm is pivotally connected to a second end of the primary lifting arm, such that when in a retracted position, the secondary arms lay atop of the primary arms.

6. The transport trailer of claim 3, wherein the load engagement means includes: suspension means connected to a second end of the secondary lifting arm; a bin lifting frame suspended from the suspension means via engagement means, and adapted to nest on the rim of the bin; releasable bin engagement means connected to the lifting frame, the bin engagement means being adapted to securely, and releasably retain the bin.

7. The transport trailer of claim 6, wherein the suspension means is a chain.

8. The transport trailer of claim 7, wherein the bin engagement means includes: a plurality of arms, pivotally attached to the bin lifting frame, each arm having a hook at a first end, an attachment point for the chains at a second end, and means for pivotal attachment to the frame, proximate to the centre of the arm; and releasable hook locking means; wherein in use, when the chain is brought under tension, thereby pulling one end of the arm up, and causing the hook at the opposing end of the arm to swing down, engaging the bin.

9. The transport trailer of claim 8, wherein the releasable locking means includes removable pins positioned above the arms, on the chain attachment point side of the attachment arm; and hook lock actuating means connected to the lift frame; wherein in use, insertion of the locking pin via a lock actuating means, locks the connection point of the arm in a downward position, and the hook end of the arm in an up, or open position, allowing the lift frame to be lifted or lowered with the hooks in an up, or open, bin receiving position.

The transport trailer of claim 3, wherein the articulated drawbar exaggerates steering inputs transferred from the tractor to the trailer, thereby allowing the trailer to be turned in tighter arcs than would otherwise be possible.

11. The transport trailer of claim 10, wherein the articulated drawbar includes: a yoke attached to the rigid support structure, which pivotally retains a collar having first and second flanges attached thereto via their respective first ends; the first flange lying in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the drawbar collar; and wherein the second end of the first flange is adapted for pivotable attachment to a tractor vehicle; the second flange lying in a plane substantially parallel to that of the axis of 1 0 rotation of the collar; the second flange having a downward projecting portion with pivotal attachment means to the first end of a linear actuator, the other end of which id pivotably attached to the rigid support structure of the trailer; wherein in use the linear actuator rotates the collar about its axis of rotation increasing the angle of the first flange relative to the direction of the tires of the trailer.

12. The transport trailer as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the linear actuation means are hydraulic cylinders.

13. The transport trailer substantially as described in the specification with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying illustrations. Dated this 1 1 th day of August 2003 TREVOR M SCHEER By his Patent Attorneys COLLISON CO