AU2008229867A1 - Improved transfer deck for car carriers - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: Improved transfer deck for car carriers Applicant: Smith Resources International Pty Ltd The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing known to us: 2 FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an apparatus and method for arranging loads on a trailer. In particular, the invention relates to an improved car carrying trailer and a method for configuring the trailer to increase the number of cars which can be carried by the trailer 5 and to enable those cars to be loaded safely onto the trailer. BACKGROUND ART [Mere reference to background art herein should not be construed as an admission that such art constitutes common general knowledge in relation to the invention.] 10 Vehicle transporters, or car carriers, come in a variety of different configurations and arrangements. Typically, they comprise a car carrying trailer adapted to be towed by a prime mover, with the trailer having an upper and a lower deck. Known car carriers normally carry the vehicles on two decks only, i.e. a maximum of two vehicles stacked vertically, as additional stacking would increase the load height above allowable limits. 15 The lower deck may have a recessed portion or well at its centre. It is a known to position an intermediate deck or platform above a vehicle positioned in the well portion, to accommodate an extra vehicle between the vehicle in the well portion and the upper deck. This intermediate deck or platform is positioned empty, and the vehicle is driven 20 up on to it and secured. However, a disadvantage of this arrangement is that the intermediate deck or platform is at an elevated position. The driver must exit, and secure the vehicle at this elevated position. Increasingly stringent health and safety regulations require that if workers are 25 operating above certain heights, physical restraints and/or fall prevention measures must be provided, such as handrails or safety fences. This adds to the time and cost of loading the vehicles, and reduces loading and unloading efficiency. Moreover, such handrails, fences and other restraints restrict the area in which the operators can work, and can easily damage the vehicles to be transported. Furthermore, if the handrails, fences and 30 other restraints are permanently mounted on the trailer itself, they add extra weight and drag to the trailer, resulting in a decrease in operating efficiency to the car carrier.

3 In many cases, the size and shape of the vehicles to be carried are not consistent. Some known car carriers are not sufficiently versatile or adaptable to accommodate vehicles of varying size and shape, and consequently may only be able to carry less than the number of vehicles they were designed to carry, and/or may require excessive loading/unloading 5 times for the vehicles. In particular, known car carriers may not be able to accommodate a 'non standard' vehicle in the space between the vehicle in the well portion and the upper deck. It is known to place a vehicle on a movable transfer deck on a car carrier, and then move 10 the deck to position the vehicle. One common problem which occurs when a transfer deck is moved from one support frame to another is misalignment of corresponding parts as the transfer deck moves clear of the source support frame to the destination support frame. It is often necessary to provide guides to capture the relevant part(s) of the transfer deck, adding to the cost and weight of the car carrier. 15 Moreover, corrosion and road debris build-up on decks cause an increase in friction, with a resultant need to increase motor capacity to drive the decks Due to the long haul nature of freight movement, pick-ups and deliveries can sometimes 20 take place at night. Some loading/unloading mechanisms are noisy, leading to complaints from sleeping neighbours and banning of deliveries outside of business hours. Trailers are often subject to rough treatment from drivers and road conditions, and loading/unloading mechanisms with engaging or moving parts may be damaged as a 25 consequence. It is an aim of the present invention to provide an improved car carrier which overcomes or ameliorates one or more of the above described problems, or which at least provides consumers with a useful or commercial choice. 30 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a trailer having an upper and a lower deck for carrying a plurality of vehicles, comprising: 4 a movable platform that can be moved and raised from a loading position adjacent the rear of the lower deck, to a travel position that is adjustably located between the lower deck and the upper deck. 5 According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of positioning a vehicle on a trailer having upper and lower decks, including the steps of: loading the vehicle onto a movable platform in a loading position adjacent the rear of the lower deck, moving the platform forward to a travel position that is adjustably located 10 between the lower deck and the upper deck. Preferably, the loading position is close to the rear deck and does not extend much higher than the wheel arch of the lower deck. At this loading position, the vehicle can be secured to the movable platform by a person at ground level. i5 Typically, the travel position is between another vehicle carried in a well portion in the middle of the lower deck and the upper deck. In a preferred embodiment, the movable platform is an open frame which is supported 20 upon, and can move along, a support platform. The support platform includes a pair of inclined rails on either side of the trailer. The movable platform can move forward and upward along the rails to its travel position above the vehicle carried in the well portion, without interference from that vehicle. 25 Preferably, the movable platform has its own drive system. This may comprise hydraulically driven drive sprockets which engage with chains in the rails of the support platform. Preferably, the rails of the support platform are adjustably mounted at either end thereof, 30 so that when the movable platform is in its travel position, fine control of its final position can be achieved by adjusting the height of either end of the support platform on which its rests. This fine positioning enables the vehicle carried on the movable platform 5 to be accurately and closely positioned between the vehicle carried in a well portion on the lower deck and the upper deck. In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practice, one or 5 more embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a side view of a loaded car carrying trailer and prime mover according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 10 Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the (unloaded) car carrying trailer of figure 1 with its movable platform in a first configuration. Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the (unloaded) car carrying trailer of figure 15 1 with its movable platform in a second configuration. Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the front wheel rests of the movable platform as shown in Figure 2. 20 Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the rear wheel rests of the movable platform as shown in Figure 2. Figure 6 is a perspective view of a car carrying trailer according to another embodiment of the invention. 25 Figure 7 is a side view of the car carrying trailer of figure 6. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Figure 1 illustrates a side view of a loaded car carrying trailer 10 and prime mover 11 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The car carrying trailer has a 30 lower deck 12 mounted on rear wheels 14, and an upper deck 13. A support structure is provided on the lower deck to support the upper deck. This support structure includes a pair of support pillars 40 on opposite sides of the deck.

6 A support structure 19 is provided over the prime mover 11. The support structure 19 over the prime mover 11 is adapted to carry a vehicle. 5 The upper deck 13 can carry three vehicles. The lower deck 12 has additional car carrying portions, including a portion above the trailer's point of articulation with a prime mover 15 for carrying a fifth vehicle, and a well portion 16 for carrying a sixth vehicle. The lower deck 12 also has a movable platform 18 that can carry a seventh vehicle in the space between the sixth vehicle and the upper deck, Finally, the lower deck 10 has a portion above the rear wheels 14 of the trailer 17 to carry an eighth vehicle. Thus, a total of eight vehicles (labelled 20 to 27) can be loaded and transported in the illustrated configuration. When loading the vehicles onto the car carrier, vehicles 24 to 27 are loaded first in the 15 appropriate order. Vehicle 24 is loaded on the support structure 19 as described in Australian patent application no. 2006203239, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. As explained in that patent application, the vehicle can be secured to a platform by an operator on the ground, and the platform is then raised and moved forward over the prime mover. 20 Vehicles 25 to 27 are driven onto, and secured to, the upper deck while it is in a lowered position. In this manner, they can also be secured by an operator on the ground. The upper deck is then raised to permit the lower deck to be loaded. 25 Vehicle 20 is driven by an operator from the rear of the trailer to a position above the trailer's point of articulation 15, and secured from ground level. In order for vehicle 20 to drive across the well 16, a raiseable platform and/or ramps (not shown) are provided. Additionally, movable platform 18 is lowered to a loading position adjacent the portion of the lower deck above the rear wheels 17 (as seen in figure 3). 30 The sixth vehicle 21 is loaded by driving along the lower deck 12 to a raiseable platform (only shown in the lowered position) in the well 16 and in line with the height of the portion of the lower deck above the rear wheels 17 at a height of approximately 1.2 7 metres from the ground level. The operator then exits vehicle 21 and it is secured from a ground level. The platform is then lowered into the well. The seventh vehicle 22 is loaded by driving onto the movable platform 18 when it is in a 5 loading position juxtaposed with the portion of the lower deck above the rear wheels 17 (as seen in figure 3). This is known as the beaver tail position. The movable platform 18 has front wheel rests 30 (shown more clearly in figure 4) and rear wheel rests 31 (shown more clearly in figure 5). The seventh vehicle 22 is positioned with its front wheels on the front wheel rests 30 and its rear wheels on the rear wheel rests 31. The rear wheel 10 rests 31 are elongated to accommodate a variety of vehicle wheelbases. Once vehicle 22 is positioned on the movable platform 18, the operator exits the vehicle, and it is secured from a ground level. The movable platform 18 is then moved forward and raised from its loading position to a 15 travelling position (as seen in figures 1 and 2), by means which will be described hereafter in more detail. The final travelling position of movable platform 18 is above vehicle 21 in the well 16 of the trailer but below the ceiling of the upper deck 13. Finally, the eighth vehicle 23 is loaded by driving it onto the beaver tail portion of the 20 lower deck above the rear wheels 17. The operator then exits the vehicle and it is secured from a ground level. All decks above the chassis are then lowered to take up any space and bring the trailer into compliance with road height limitations. As described above, the vehicles can be loaded and secured in a safe manner from 25 ground level, thereby avoiding the need for safety rails, harnesses or other equipment. In particular, all of the vehicles can be loaded and secured without an operator having to go above approximately 1.6 metres above ground level. At least some of the vehicles may be placed in a direction facing away from the prime 30 mover 11 by reversing them into position. In particular, vehicle 21 may be reversed into place to face away from the prime mover 11 (as shown in figure 1). The direction the vehicles face is usually determined by their physical shape and the optimum loading configuration.

8 Turning now to figure 2, the movable platform 18 is shown in the process of being moved forward and upward to its travelling position shown in Fig. 1 (with the upper deck and prime mover removed from fig. 2 for clarity). 5 The movable platform 18 is in the form of an open frame 32 with a pair of front wheel rests 30 and a pair of rear wheel rests 31. As the open frame 32 does not have longitudinal tread portions, vehicles may only be loaded and unloaded from the movable platform 18 when it is in the loading position, as the seventh vehicle travels upon the 10 tread plates on the beaver tail portion of the lower deck on which the movable platform is superimposed. The movable platform 18 is mounted on a support frame which comprises a pair of rails 33 on opposite sides of the trailer (only one of which is shown in drawings for clarity). 15 Each rail 33 extends between a respective support pillar 40 and a portion of the lower deck adjacent the wheels 14. Each rail 33 comprises a channel (not shown) housing a high strength chrome link chain. The front end of each rail 33 is connected to a raising and lowering means 41 on a 20 respective support pillar 40. The raising and lowering means 41 may take any suitable form, such as a hydraulic piston, or a rack and pinion system, and no limitation is meant thereby. The front end of the rail 33 can therefore be raised and lowered. The rear end of each rail 33 is connected to a vertically movable support 18 on a 25 respective side of the lower deck 12 (see point 34 in figure 2). The rear end of the rail 33 can therefore be raised and lowered also. Thus, each end of the support frame can move vertically, independent of the other. At each of its opposed front ends, the movable platform 18 is provided with a hydraulic 30 motor driving a drive sprocket. Each drive sprocket engages a chain in a respective rail 33. As the hydraulic motors rotate their respective drive sprockets, the front end of the movable platform 18 moves along the rails 33. This mechanism, coupled with the raising 9 and lowering means 41 on the support pillars 40, enables the movable platform to move both vertically and horizontally. The sprocket and high strength chrome link chain provide a low friction mechanism 5 which results in overall reduction in wear and tear, as well as reducing power and noise levels. Furthermore, the movement of the movable platform 18 within the channel on each rail 33 is limited, so that contact point 35 will always remain in contact with the chain set and cannot inadvertently be de-railed by the operator. 10 The movable platform 18 has laterally extending bearing portions 36 on opposite sides thereof which rest upon rails at the sides of the wheel arches when the movable platform 18 is retracted over the trailer wheels in the loading position. The bearing portions 36 are typically hardened roller bearings or cam followers, which move along the rails at the sides of the wheel arches and onto the rails 33 as the movable platform 18 climbs the 15 rails 33 to its travel position. At least one recess, or mounting slot, is provided in each rail 33 for the bearing portions 36 to lock into when the movable platform 18 reaches the travel position. This ensures the movable platform 18 is secured on the rails 33 before undergoing the forces of transport. Additionally, the bearing portions 36 guide the movable platform 18 when it is moved from the travel position to the loading position. 20 When the movable platform 18 is in the travel position, fine control of its final position can be achieved by adjusting the height of either end of the support platform on which its rests, as described above. Moreover, this fine positioning can be carried out while the movable platform is in the process of moving between its loading and travel positions, to 25 achieve accurate positioning of the seventh vehicle 22 between the sixth vehicle. The position of the support platform can be locked in any position enabling it to cater for different sized vehicles. A slightly modified embodiment of the invention is illustrated in figs. 6 and 7. 30 The above described embodiments of the invention include the following advantages: * The seventh vehicle deck is loaded at a safe maximum height of 1.6 meters, and hence the operator can stand on the ground while securing the vehicle. This 10 significantly reduces the risk of injury that would occur during a fall from height incident, and avoids or minimizes the need for safety equipment. " The unique design of the movable deck and support frame or rails permits 5 multiple axial adjustments to cater for the variation in model size and shape encountered in the modem vehicle transport industry. " Avoidance of common problems of misalignment of independent transfer decks on vehicle carriers or other containerized freight trailers when moved 10 independently from one support position to another. * Low friction engagement between the movable deck and its support deck reduces power requirements. 15 e Low noise emission from the movement of the movable deck on its support deck enables round the clock deliveries in populated areas. " Heavy duty construction optimises strength to weight ratio, and withstands normal transport industry working conditions. 20 The foregoing embodiments are intended to be illustrative of the invention, without limiting the scope thereof. The invention is capable of being practised with various modifications and additions as will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Although the invention has been described with respect a car carrier, no limitation is meant thereby and 25 the movable platform and method of loading could also be utilised for other forms of cargo. Throughout this specification, including the claims, where the context permits, the term "comprise" and variants thereof such as "comprises" or "comprising" are to be 30 interpreted as including the stated integer or integers without necessarily excluding any other integers.

Claims (18)

1. A trailer for carrying a plurality of vehicles, comprising: a lower deck, 5 an upper deck, and a movable platform movable from a loading position adjacent the rear of the lower deck, to an elevated travel position located between the lower deck and the upper deck.

2. The trailer of claim 1, wherein the loading position is close to the rear deck 10 and does not extend much higher than a wheel arch of the lower deck, such that the vehicle can be secured to the movable platform by a person at ground level.

3. The trailer of claim 1 or 2, wherein the travel position is between another vehicle carried in a well portion in the middle of the lower deck, and the upper deck. 15

4. The trailer of any preceding claim, wherein the movable platform is an open frame which is supported upon, and can move along, a support platform.

5. The trailer of claim 4, wherein the support platform comprises a pair of 20 inclined rails on opposite sides of the trailer, and wherein the movable platform can move forward and upward along the rails to its elevated travel position.

6. The trailer of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a power drive system for moving the movable platform. 25

7. The trailer of claim 6 when appended to claim 5, wherein the drive system comprises hydraulically driven drive sprockets on the movable platform which engage with chains in the rails of the support platform. 30

8. The trailer of any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the rails of the support platform are adjustably mounted at either or both end(s) thereof. - 12

9. A method of positioning a vehicle on a trailer having an upper deck and a lower deck, comprising the steps of: loading the vehicle onto a movable platform in a loading position adjacent the rear of the lower deck, and 5 moving the platform to an elevated travel position located between the lower deck and the upper deck.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the loading position is close to the rear deck and does not extend much higher than a wheel arch of the lower deck, such that the 10 vehicle can be secured to the movable platform by a person at ground level.

11. The method of claims 9 or 10, further comprising the step of manually securing the vehicle to the movable platform from ground level before moving the platform to the travel position. 15

12. The method of any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the step of moving the platform further comprises moving the platform along a support platform.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the support platform comprises a pair of 20 inclined rails on either side of the trailer, and the step of moving and raising the platform further comprises moving the platform forward and upward along the rails above a vehicle carried in a well portion in the middle of the lower deck, to the travel position, without interference from the vehicle carried in the well. 25

14. The method of any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the step of moving the platform further comprises using a drive system in connection with the platform.

15. The method of claims 13 or 14, further comprising the step of adjusting the position of either or both end(s) of the rails of the support platform. 30

16. A trailer for carrying a plurality of vehicles, comprising: - 13 a lower deck having a middle section with a recessed portion therein for receiving a first vehicle in use, an upper deck mounted above the lower deck and spaced therefrom, and a movable platform for supporting a second vehicle in use, the movable platform 5 being movable from a loading position adjacent the rear of the lower deck at which the second vehicle can be secured to the movable platform by a person at ground level, to an elevated travel position located between the first vehicle in the recessed portion in the lower deck and the upper deck. 10

17. A trailer substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.

18. A method of positioning a vehicle on a trailer, the method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings. 15