AU676761B2

AU676761B2 - Trolley assembly

Info

Publication number: AU676761B2
Application number: AU74365/94A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Boyd William Chapman
Original assignee: SLIDE A WAY SYSTEMS Pty Ltd
Current assignee: SLIDE-A-WAY SYSTEMS Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1993-10-04
Filing date: 1994-09-30
Publication date: 1997-03-20
Anticipated expiration: 2014-09-30
Also published as: AU7436594A

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

Application Number: Lodged: Class Int. Class Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority Related Art: Applicant(s): SLIDE-A-WAY SYSTEMS PTY LTD 2 Simpson Street Moorabbin Victoria 3189, Australia Address for Service is: PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys 367 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 AUSTRALIA Complete Specification for the invention entitled: "TROLLEY ASSEMBLY" Our Ref: IRN 343307 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to applicant(s): 1 1A- TROLLEY ASSEMBLY This invention relates to a trolley assembly for use in suspending a folding closure from a trolley guide. The invention also extends to a closure assembly including a plurality of such trolley assemblies.

The invention will be described with reference to the example application of a trolley assembly especially adapted to form part of a closure assembly which is a sider or flexible wall of a goods carrying container. It is however to be appreciated that the invention is capable of broader application.

'A sider is a curtain-like flexible wall extending along the side of a contah -r for goods and which can be squashed up concertina-like to provide an opening through which Id goods can be loaded onto or removed from the container.

The applicant is aware of trolley assemblies having one or more wheels with a rigid load carrying member suspended therefrom. When a force component which is not purely vertical, e.g. rotational, is applied to the member such as occurs when a folding closure is moved from a drawn position to an open position, it has a tendency to urge the assembly outwardly or inwardly, that is laterally relative to the direction of movement of the trolley assembly. Because of the rigidity of the body this lateral force is transmitted directly through to the wheels of the trolley assembly causing the wheels to frictionally engage the wall of the guide within which the assembly is received. Naturally this makes movement of the trolley assembly along the guide channel more difficult, especially where several trolley assemblies need to be moved simultaneously. The problem described above, which is experienced generally with all trolley assemblies, is exacerbated where the troley assemblies are used to support the heavy flexible curtains or siders described above. Siders are heavy duty robust articles and are capable of causing R,1zlateral forces of substantial magnitude to be transmitted through to the wheels of a trolley 4. 0^ 2assembly.

It is an object of this invention to provide a trolley assembly which overcomes these disadvantages by reducing the extent to which these lateral forces are transmitted through to the wheel/s thereof thereby to reduce the level of frictional engagement and/or jamming of the wheels with the guide channel.

According to a first aspect of this invention there is provided a trolley assembly for use in suspending a folding closure from a trolley guide, including: a support member; at least one wheel rotatably mounted to the support member for running i: along the guide; a load carrying member suspended from said support member, the load carrying mejnber being rotatable relative to the support member about an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the guide and the rotational axis of said at least one wheel, and the load carrying member being pivotable about an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the load carrying member.

"Typically said axis of rotation of said load carrying member is substantially vertical.

Preferably said load carrying member is attached to said support member by means of a rotational screw threaded engagement so as to facilitate said rotation relative thereto. In a preferred form the support member includes a spigot having an external screw thread and the load carrying member defines a complementary bore with an internal screw thread.

Preferably the load carrying member includes two elements pivotably coupled RAL,4together so as to facilitate said pivoting of the load carrying member about an axis A/F Q 3perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the load carrying member. Typically the two elements are pivotable about a horizontally extending axis.

Alternatively the load carrying member may be suspended from said support member by a joint which permits both rotation and pivoting, for example a ball and socket joint. In a preferred form the ball and socket joint is configured so as to limit the extent of pivoting of said load carrying member to an angle of 15° relative to the vertical axis.

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Advantageously the trolley assembly has two said whczls which are axially spaced apart in the direction of travel of the trolley assembly.

In one particular form, each said wheel includes a pair of side-by-side wheel portions, one wheel portion having a spigot formation and the other wheel portion having a complementary socket formation, the two portions engaging with a friction fit.

Further advantageously, the support member has stop formations at each axial end thereof to prevent adjacent support members from interfering with each other.

According to a second aspect of this invention there is provided a closure assembly, including: a trolley guide; a plurality of trolley assemblies as described above with respect to the first aspect of the invention, which run in the trolley guide; and a folding closure suspended from said plurality of trolley assemblies, the closure being movable between a drawn position and an open position.

The trolley assemblies may include any one or more of the optional features described above with respect to the first aspect, of the invention.

In one embodiment the closure assembly is a sider for removably covering one lside of a goods carrying container.

'1 4- According to a third aspecl of this invention there is provided a road or rail vehicle having a goods carrying compartment, a portion of which is closed off by a closure assembly as described above.

Preferably the closure assembly is a sider having any one or more of the optional features described above.

A trolley assembly and a closure assembly according to the invention may take any one of a variety of forms. It will be convenient to hereinafter describe the invention in greater ddtail with reference to the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.

The particularity of these drawings is not to be understood as superseding the generality of the preceding description. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a closure assembly in accordance with the invention in use, with some detail omitted for clarity; Figure 2 is an end view of the closure assembly of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an exploded front view of part of the trolley assembly of the i closure assembly of Figure 1; Figure 4 is an assembled front view of the prirt of the trolley assembly Sshown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is an exploded end view of a wheel for the trolley assembly of Figure 3; Figure 6 is a front view of a trolley assembly in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 7 is an end view of a trolley assembly in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention mounted in a trolley guide; Figure 8 is a front view of the trolley assembly of Figure 7; and I, Figure 9 is a top plan view of the trolley assembly of Figures 7 and 8.

f~ K-y 2 In Figures 1 to 5, which illustrate part of a closure assembly which is a sider, reference numeral 1 refers generally to a trolley assembly forming part of the closure assembly. The trolley assembly 1 comprises generally two longitudinally spaced wheels 2 and 3 mounted on a support member which is a chassis 5, and a load carrying member 4 suspended from the chassis 5. A flexible closure or curtain is in turn suspended from the load carrying member 4.

In the illustrated embodiment, the chassis 5 comprises a single suitably deformed piece of rod or bar. The rod or bar is deformed such that it extends circumferentially around each of wheels 2 and 3. One end of the rod or bar 5 projects downwardly 2o05: towards the load carrying member 4. An opposed end of the bar 5 is butt welded to an intermediate point of the bar in the manner illustrated in the drawings to provide additional strength. It is to be appreciated that other configurations of rod or bar performing the same structural function may be equally suitable.

In the embodiments illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, the load carrying member 4 comprises two elements or portions 6 and 7 which are pivotally coupled to each other so as to be pivotal about a horizontally extending axis 9. The element 6 comprises a D-ring formed from a suitably deformed piece of rod or bar which is passed with clearance through an opening 10 in the element 7. Optionally the D-ring may be strengthened by a s ot weld at the two free ends thereof although the D-ring illustrated in the drawings is not so strengthened.

The element 7 is a collar which is rotationally attached to the downwardly projecting end of the bar 5, so as to permit rotation about a vertical axis 8. The collar 7 defines a bore 11 having a screw thread which receives the downwardly projecting end of the bar 5 which has a complementary screw thread. This screw threaded engagement /4 .permits rotation of the collar 7 relative to the chassis 5 about the vertical axis 8. The Z N 6feature of rotation of the collar 7 is very important as it enables rotational components of load on the trolley assembly 1 to be absorbed so that they are not transmitted through to the wheels 2 and 3 of the trolley assembly 1. It is to be appreciated that other arrangements for achieving rotation of these components relative to each other could equally be used.

Thus in summary, passage of the D-ring 6 through the opeiag 10 permits rotation about the horizontal axis and the screw thread attachment of the collar 7 to the rod permits rotation about the vertical axis.

Stop formations 14 are mounted on the chassis 5 at each end of the assembly 1.

These formations 14 are located outwardly of the wheels 2 and 3 and assist in preventing S. adjacent trolleys 1 from interfering with each other in use.

Each wheel 2, 3 comprises a pair of laterally spaced wheel portions 15 and 16 as shown in Figure 3. Each portion .15, 16 is adapted to run along a horizontally inwardly projecting flange 17, 18 of an inverted U-shaped guide channel 19 as shown in Figure 1.

:19i The load-carrying member 4 is suspended form the curved recess 20 defined between the char ro:l engaging surfaces of the wheel portions 15, 16 and it hangs down between the spaced ends of the inwardly projecting flanges 17, 18 of the channel 19.

In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the wheel portions 15 and 16 are discrete articles having complementary male-female engaging formations which engage each other by means of a spigot-socket connection to form the wheel 2 or 3. The configuration of the male-female formations or spigot-socket connection 21, 22 is such as to transmit load in a vertical direction from one wheel portion 15 directly to the other wheel portion 16. The spigot 21 thus acts as a shear lug. The two wheel portions 15, 16 are held cornnected to each other by a rivet (not shown) which is passed through both Aheel portions 15 and 16. The heads of the rivet are countersunk into the trolley wheels 7- 2, 3. However, the connecting rivet does not perform any vertical load bearing function and simply prevents the two portions 15, 16 being pulled apart from each other. The trolley wheels 2, e typically of constant diameter across their width.

The trolley wheels 2, 3 are typically made of plastic and can be formed either by machining or injection moulding. However it is to be appreciated that the wheels could equally be made of other materials, for example metallic materials.

In use, as shc:rn in Figures 1 and 2, the trolley assembly 1 is mounted in an invented U-shaped guide channel 19 and has a load which is a folding closure or curtain suspended therefrom. The curtain has loops or straps of webbing 26 which are passed through the D-rings 6 to suspend the curtain from the trolley assembly 1. When the S curtain 27 is squashed up concertina-like as shown in Figure 1, the top edge thereof tends to orientate perpendicularly to the direction of travel of the trolley assembly 1. This is thus displaced through about 90' from the orientation when the curtain 27 is fully drawn.

V The rotatable collar 7 permits the load engaging member 4 to rotate freely relative to the 0 chassis 5 and wheels 2 and 3, to accommodate this change in orientation. In this way rotational force applied by the curtain 27 to the trolley assembly 1 is accommodated or absorbed by the trolley assembly 1 rather than transmitted to the wheels 2 and 3 of the assembly, and frictional engagement and jamming of the wheels against the walls of the guide channel 19 is substantially reduced. Naturally the result of this feature is a far greater level of freedom of travel of the assembly 1. Further the D-ring 6 is able to pivot to accommodate any alteration in height or elevation of the upper edge of the sider.

Figure 6 shows a second embodiment of a trolley assembl, in accordance with this invention. Unless otherwise indicated, the same reference numerals have been used to refer to the same components as in Figures 1 to 5. The major difference between the second embodiment and the first embodiment is that the second embodiment has only one ~Nr O 8 wheel 2. Otherwise the structure and functioning is the same as that for the first embodiment.

Figures 7 to 9 show a third embodiment of a trolley assembly in accordance with the invention. Unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals have been used in these drawings as those illustrating the corresponding components in Figures 1 to 5. The structure and functioning of the third embodiment is similar to that for the first embodiment. The major difference resides in the attac.-.nent of the load carrying member 4 to the chas'sis 5 so as to permit both horizontal and vertical rotation of the load carrying member 4 about the chassis 5. In this embodiment the arrangement comprises a ball and W socket joint 30 connecting the load carrying member 4 to the chassis 5. The ball and socket joint 30 comprises a ball 31 at the upper end of the load carrying member 4 received in a complementary socket 32 formed or defined by the chassis The ball joint 30 facilitates rotation of the load carrying member 4 relative to the wheels 2 and 3 through a full 3600 about a vertically extending axis. Further the load carrying member 4 is pivotable relative to the chassis 5 in all directions. The socket 32 is however configured so as to restrict pivoting of the load carrying member 4 away from the axis 8 to a maximum of 150. One particularly efficacious manner of achieving this restriction is appropriate shaping of the socket as illustrated in the drawings. It must however be appreciated that other methods of achieving the same result may equally be used.

It is an advantage of a trolley assembly in accordance with this invention that it is less susceptible to frictional engagement and jamming in the guide channel than known assemblies, thus easing operational use thereof. A further advantage is that its structure is relatively simple and it can easily be manufactured at reasonable cost.

It is to be understood that various alterations, modifications, and/or additions may ~T C,/ 9 be introduced into the constructions and arrangements of parts previously described without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention. CrrwzJe.352) a a a a

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Claims

1. A trolley assembly for use in suspending a folding closure from a trolley guide, including: a support member; at least one wheel rotatably mounted to the support member for running along the guide; a load carrying member suspended from said support member, the load carrying member being rotatable relative to the support member about an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the guide and the rotational axis of said at least one wheel, and the load carrying member being pivotable about an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the load carrying member.

2. A trolley assembly according to claim 1, wherein said axis of rotation of said load carrying member is substantially vertical.

3. A trolley assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said load carrying member is attached to said support member by means of a rotational screw threaded attachment so as to facilitate said rotation relative thereto.

4. A trolley assembly according to claim 3, wherein the support member defines a spigot having an external screw thread and the load carrying member defines a complementary bore with an internal screw thread.

5. A trolley assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the load carrying member includes two elements pivotably coupled together so as to facilitate the pivoting of the load carrying member about an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the load carrying member. 11

6. A trolley assembly according to claim 5, wherein said two elements are pivotable about a substantially horizontally extending axis.

7. A trolley assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said load carrying member is suspended from said support member by a joint which permits both rotation and pivoting.

8. A trolley assembly according to claim 7, wherein said joint is a ball and socket joint.

9. A trolley assembly according to claim 8, wherein said ball and socket joint i3 configured so as to limit the extent of pivoting of said load engaging member to an angle of 15 degrees.

10. A trolley assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 9, which has two said wheels which are axially spaced apart in the direction of travel of the trolley assembly.

11. A trolley assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein each said wheel includes a pair of side-by-side wheel portions.

12. A trolley assembly according to claim 11, wherein one said wheel portion has a spigot formation and the other wheel portion has a complemertary socket formation which receives said spigot formation in a spigot-socket connection.

13. A trolley assembly according to claim 12, wherein said spigot is held within said socket by means of a friction fit.

14. A trolley assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the support member has stop formations at each axial end thereof.

A closure assembly, including: a trolley guide; /1 C' i 12- a plurality of trolley assemblies in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 14 running in the trolley guide; and a folding closure suspended from the trolley assemblies, the closure being movable between a drawn position and an open position.

16. A closure assembly according to claim 15 which is a sider.

17. A road or rail vehicle having a goods carrying compartment, at least a portion of which is closed off by a closure assembly in accordance with claim 16.

18. A trol'ey assembly substantially as herein described with respect to any one of the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. S6:

19 A closure assembly for closing at least part of one side of a goods carrying container substantially is herein described with respect to any one of the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. CrroUy.335) DATED: 22 January 1997 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Attorneys for: SLIDE-A-WAY SYSTEMS PTY LTD o ABSTRAC' A trolley assembly 1 adapted to absorb non-vertical components of a load being carried by the trolley assembly is disclosed. The trolley assembly 1 includes two wheels 2, 3 spaced apart in the direction of travel of the trolley assembly 1, and a load carrying member 4 suspended fro the wheels 2, 3. The load carrying member 4 includes a wheel engaging element 5 and a load engaging element 6 which are rotatable relative to each other. In a preferred form, the elements 5 and 6 are rotatable relative to each other about a vertical axis 8 and a horizontal axis 9. A sider incorporating a trolley assembly 1 as described above is also disclosed.