AU721282B3 - Ramp for vehicle - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A PETTY PATENT RAMP FOR VEHICLE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT IS A FULL DESCRIPTION OF THIS INVENTION, INCLUDING THE BEST METHOD OF PERFORMING IT KNOWN TO ME:- The present invention relates to a ramp for a loading dock, a truck or trailer body and in particular to an hydraulically operated ramp for a truck or trailer body.

In order to load a truck or a trailer it is necessary to do one of the following: lift the item to be carried from the ground by some means such as a forklift, position the truck such as at a loading bay whereby the tray body is made level with the item to be loaded, or to provide the truck body with means for the tray to be lowered. In the first mentioned situation a forklift or similar lifting device may be used either attached to the trailer or truck body or autonomous of the truck or trailer. In the second type of situation the loading or unloading of the cargo is constrained by there being the same facilities at each end of the journey. In the third situation, a complicated mechanism is involved, for example, whereby the tray is pivoted to provide a ramp and the load is winched onto the tray. Motor vehicle carriage, for example after an accident, is often of this latter form.

Each of these type of portage involves difficulties. In the first type of situation, a complicated and often cumbersome device is attached to the vehicle either occupying otherwise usable space on the tray or overhanging the tray increasing the length of the truck or trailer with possible difficulties in its registration, ormanoeverability. In the second type of situation the loading or unloading of the cargo is constrained to there being the appropriate loading docks at either end of the cargo's travel and in some Sinstances a complicated mechanism may be employed to raise or lower the loading dock as necessary adding to the cost of installation and maintenance of a facility. In the third type, the mechanism involves the need for a sufficiently powerful mechanism to pivot the tray and strengthening of associated parts of the truck or trailer body to allow the tray to so pivot and for the pivot mechanism to bear the load while the load is winched or driven onto the tray in the inclined position.

The present invention seeks to overcome these disadvantages in the prior art devices or at least to provide an alternative thereto.

According to the invention there is provided a ramp for gaining access to a substantially flat surface including a loading dock, a trailer or a truck body, said ramp including a ramp means attached to a free end of said substantially flat surface of said loading dock, said trailer or truck body, said ramp means having a first section and a second section joined by pivot means, said ramp means having a resting position and an operative position, said ramp in said resting position being folded upon itself about "aid pivot means, and said ramp in said operative position being unfolded to form a ramp between said substantially flat surface of the loading dock, the trailer or truck body and the ground and mechanical means for moving said ramp means between said operative position and said resting position and vice versa, wherein the ramp is made in two approximately equally long sections with the first section fixed to the end of the trailer or truck body and directed downwardly at a prescribed angle to the horizontal, and the second section is joined to the first section by said pivot means, the second section rotating about the pivot means to fold upon the first section when not in use and to unfold to form a surface substantially planar with said first section, the second section including a fixed substantially triangular structure for supporting said second section when engaging the ground. Preferably, the ramp is operated by an hydraulic or pneumatic actuator and when engaging the ground is self supporting.

The sections may be each made in two separate components each component wide enough to accommodate the tread of a vehicle, and leaving a gap therebetween sufficient in width to accommodate an hydraulic or pneumatic actuator.

Alternatively, the sections may be continuous across the width of the truck or trailer with the hydraulic actuator accommodated underneath or at the sides of the sections rather than being accommodated between the track components.

Although the preferred embodiments will be described with respect to a ramp for a truck or trailer body, it is to be understood that the invention is equally applicable to any substantially flat surface including a loading dock.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will be now described with respect to the drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a ramp according to a first-aspect of the invention; Figure 2 shows the ramp of Figure 1 in various stages of deployment; Figure 3 shows a ramp according to a second aspect of the invention in a perspective view; and Figure 4 shows the ramp of Figure 3 in various stages of deployment.

Referring to Figure 1, the rear of the tray 10 of the truck is shown to which is attached a ramp 12, having a fixed section 14 and a movable section 16 which is joined to the fixed section by a pivot means 18.

The sections 14,16 are in turn comprised of two separate track components 20, 22 and 24, 26 respectfully. The track components 20, 22, 24 and 26 are wide enough to accommodate the tracks of a vehicle to be driven or winched up the ramp 12 onto the tray 10. The gap 30 provided between the track components 20 and 22, and 24 and 26 provides a space for accommodating an hydraulic actuator 32, which is fixed at one end 34 to a spacing member 36 at the flat tray end 10 of the vehicle.

The component tracks 20, 22, 24 and 26 are spaced and reinforced by members 36, 38, 40 and 42. Member 38 is slit so as to accommodate the ram rod 44 which is Spivotally fixed at 46 to a flange 48 rigidly fixed to the member 40 joining track components 24,26. As the ram rod 44 moves in the directions of the arrows 50 the second section of the ramp 16 comprising the component tracks 24 and 26 rotates about the pivot means 18 to fold upon the section 14 or to unfold from that configuration as shown more clearly in Figure 2.

The second section 16, in order to support the weight of a vehicle moving up the ramp 12, is made of a structure which is substantially a triangular frame having a base 52, a rear surface 54 and an incline surface 56, the latter corresponding to the track component 24 or 26. In the case of the vertical rear beam 54 this extends the width of the section 16 to provide a common reinforcing for both track components 24 and 26.

This structure when the second section 16 is disposed in its operative position, as shown as position 60 of Figure 2, provides support for the movement of the vehicle up the ramp 12.

The pivot means 18 comprises a number of hinge elements 70, 72, 74 and 76 fixed at adjoining ends of the track components 22 and 24, and 20 and 26 respectively in pairs.

The ramp is deployed or retracted under the influence of the ram rod 44 moving in the directions of the arrows 50. When the ram rod 44 moves in the direction towards the truck tray 10 the ramp retracts or folds and when the ram rod 44 moves in the opposite sense the ramp unfolds into its operative position 60. Various sequential stages in this deployment are shown in Figure 2 schematically as respective views 68, 66, 64, 62 and The fixed section 14 of the ramp extends from the rear of the flat tray 10 at an angle to the horizontal equal to the angle 82 of the ramp section 16. The fixed section 14 of the ramp 12 can be formed in one form of the invention as shown in Figures 1 and 2 by a trailer or semi-trailer having a beaver tail and, in that case, the beaver tail.is modified to be made in two parts to accommodate the hydraulic actuator 32 while the pivot means 18 and the folding section 16 are added to form the full ramp 12. In other embodiments of the invention, the fixed section 14 may be added to the flat tray 10 of a truck or trailer body by being welded, bolted or otherwise secured to the trailer or truck body at the prescribed angle.

A second embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 3 and 4. Referring to Figure 3, the rear of the tray 110 of car trailer is shown to which is attached'a ramp 112, having a fixed section 114 and a movable section 116 which is joined to the fixed section by a pivot means 118.

First and second sections 114, 116 each include a pair of track components 120, 122 and 124, 126 respectively. The pivot means 118 comprises four rods 170, 172, 174, 176, the innermost of the pair 172, 174 being affixed near the upper parts of track components 120, 122, 124, 126 and the outermost of the pair being affixed near the lower parts of these track components. Each end of the four rods is fixed to adjoining track components by pins 178 allowing the track components to pivot with respect to each other. A bar 140 joins the track components 124, 126 of the section 116. The hydraulic actuator 130 is fixed pivotally to post 132, which is fixed to track component 120. The ram rod 144 of actuator 130 is fixed pivotally to bar 140.

The track components 120, 122 of section 116 are each made up two parts, 180, 182.

The first and larger part 180 is of a truncated triangular shape-and is joined to a planar part 182 the latter being fixed to the tray 110 of the trailer or truck body. A cross beam 184 supports and joins these parts 180,182 together.

As the ram rod 144 extends in the direction of arrow 190 the ramp is deployed. As the ram rod 144 retracts in the direction of arrow 192 the track components 124, 126 of section 116 move as shown in Fig 4 into the successive positions 168, 166, 164, 162 so that in position 162, the section 116 rests upon the section 114.

While Fig 3 shows a car trailer body it is to be understood that other types of truck or trailer body are contemplated for application of the invention thereto.

The ramp according to the invention can be made with its parts clear of any restriction, that is there are no hinges or other parts above the ramp area when it is folded. This allows the ramp to be used with vehicles of low clearance and allows maximum usage of legal widths for trailers.

Although the invention has been described above with respect to preferred embodiments other variations are possible within the knowledge of a person skilled in the art. For example, the ramp sections 14, 114 and 16, 116 may be continuous across the width of the truck or trailer with the hydraulic actuator accommodated underneath or at the sides of the ramp structures rather than being accommodated between the track components 20, 22, 24 and 26 or 120, 122, 124, 126 as in the preferred embodiments described above. The tray 10, 110 may be replaced by a loading platform or other elevated site at a location. Equally, in place of an hydraulic actuator the movement of the ramp sections may be effected by a pneumatic actuator or an electric motor and suitable gearing, pulley or belt drive, if required, or by manual action such as by a ratchet mechanism.

Claims (3)

1. A ramp for gaining access to a substantially flat surface including a loading dock, trailer or a truck body, said ramp including a ramp means attached to a free end of said substantially flat surface of said loading dock, trailer or truck body, said ramp means having a first section and a second section joined by pivot means, said ramp means having a resting position and an operative position, said ramp in said resting position being folded upon itself about said pivot means, and said ramp in said operative position being unfolded to form a ramp between said substantially flat surface of said loading dock, trailer or truck body and the ground; and mechanical means for moving said ramp means between said operative position and said resting position and vice versa, wherein said sections of said ramp are equally long sections with said first section fixed to said free end of said substantially .flat surface and directed downwardly at a prescribed angle to said substantially flat surface with said second section joined to said first section by said pivot means, said second section rotating about said pivot means to fold upon said first section when not in use and to unfold to form a surface substantially planar with said first section, said second section including a fixed substantially triangular structure for supporting said second section when engaging the ground.

2. A ramp as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ramp is moved between said operative position and said resting position and vice versa by an hydraulic actuator, and each of said sections is made in two separate components each component wide enough to accommodate the tread of a vehicle, and spaced apart to form a gap sufficient in width to accommodate said hydraulic actuator therebetween. 8

3. A ramp as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to or as shown in the accompanying drawings. Dated this 6th day of January 2000 SELF LOADERS PTY LIMITED Patent Attorneys for the Applicants HALFORD CO