EP0799789A1 - Device for fixation of a fork-lift truck on a lorry, support chassis and lorry therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

A support chassis (11) for a forklift truck comprises two upper beams (12a,12b) and two lower beams (12c,12d) connected by uprights and cross members. There are retractable supports (13a) for the fork lift truck. The chassis is equipped with anchoring (14a,14b) and fixing (15a,15b) points which engage positioners (20,21) for fixing to the chassis. The anchoring points comprise corner iron sections (14a,14b) and the fixings comprise quick quarter turn fasteners (15a,15b). The corner iron and fastener fix the chassis onto the lorry platform and the second fix the chassis under the platform.

Description

The invention relates to a device for securing a handling trolley capable of being loaded onto a truck or similar carrier vehicle, to a support chassis comprising means for supporting a handling trolley capable of being loaded onto a truck, as well as a truck capable of transporting an on-board handling cart.

Document FR 2,298,454 describes a truck with a forklift truck. The rear of this truck is provided with box beams, which are open at their rear end and which extend in the longitudinal direction of the truck, and in which the arms of the fork of the carriage are adapted. At a certain distance under said box beams, the truck is provided with two boxes also extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and in each of which a sliding beam is arranged. These beams can, in their extreme remote position, be blocked and constitute a support surface for the chassis of the carriage when the latter rests by the branches of its fork in the box beams. The arrangement is such that the carriage chassis is pressed down on the beams by lifting the arms of the fork.

This carried forklift truck of the prior art has several drawbacks: firstly, due to the overshoot of the truck at the rear of the truck, the total rolling length of the truck is increased and the signal lights of the truck are partially masked by the truck mounted on the back of the truck; secondly, the cantilevered position of the truck mounted on the back of the truck significantly changes the load transfer on the truck's axles, generally causing overloads on the rear axle and underload on the front steering axle, especially when the truck is running empty.

The object of the invention is to remedy these drawbacks by improving the distribution of the loads on the axles when the truck is running empty or partially loaded and by retaining the total loading volume of the truck bed when the truck is fully loaded.

The subject of the invention is a device for securing a handling trolley capable of being loaded onto a truck or similar carrier vehicle, of the type comprising in combination: on the one hand, positioning means on the platform of the truck or vehicle similar and on the other hand, means for anchoring and fixing a support frame, said support frame being equipped with first anchoring and fixing means able to cooperate with first positioning means for fixing said frame on said plate as well as second anchoring and fixing means able to cooperate with second positioning means for fixing said frame under said plate.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the means for anchoring the chassis comprise at least one section in the form of an angle iron and the means for fixing the chassis comprise at least one member for quick fixing by quarter turn.

The invention also relates to a support frame comprising means for supporting a handling trolley capable of being loaded onto a truck, equipped with first and second anchoring and fixing means respectively on and under the platform. a truck or similar vehicle.

• ce châssis présente sensiblement la conformation d'une chaise dont le dossier est apte à être solidarisé au tablier d'un chariot de manutention apte à être embarqué sur un camion.
• lesdits moyens de fixation sont des moyens de fixation rapide à quart de tour.
• les moyens de support comprennent des moyens de support télescopiques, aptes à coulisser entre une position d'escamotage, intérieurement au châssis, et une position de support, extérieurement au châssis.

According to other characteristics of the invention:

• this chassis has substantially the conformation of a chair whose backrest is capable of being secured to the deck of a handling cart capable of being loaded onto a truck.
• said fixing means are quick quarter-turn fixing means.
• the support means comprise telescopic support means, capable of sliding between a retracting position, inside the chassis, and a support position, outside the chassis.

The invention finally relates to a truck capable of transporting an on-board handling truck, of the type comprising a loading platform provided with first and second positioning means.

• lesdits moyens de positionnement comportent au moins une traverses présentant un rebord d'ancrage et au moins un logement pour un organe de fixation rapide dudit châssis.
• le plateau de chargement du camion comporte au moins une partie escamotable pour le passage d'au moins une roue du chariot à embarquer.
• chaque partie escamotable est rabattable autour d'une charnière d'articulation et apte à être supportée par un support escamotable.

According to other characteristics of the invention:

• said positioning means comprise at least one cross member having an anchoring flange and at least one housing for a member for rapid fixing of said chassis.
• the truck loading platform includes at least one retractable part for the passage of at least one wheel of the truck to be loaded.
• each retractable part is foldable around a hinge and able to be supported by a retractable support.

The invention will be better understood thanks to the description which follows given by way of nonlimiting example with reference to the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 schematically represents a side elevation view of the rear of the loading platform of a truck on which a handling trolley is fixed in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 schematically represents an enlarged partial view corresponding to the reference II of FIG. 1, and in partial section.

Figure 3 schematically shows a side elevational view in partial section of a support frame according to the invention fixed on the platform of a truck according to the invention.

Figure 4 schematically shows a side elevational view in partial section of a support frame according to the invention fixed to the rear end and under the platform of a truck according to the invention.

FIG. 5 schematically represents a top view along arrow V of FIG. 3 of a support frame according to the invention fixed on the platform of a truck according to the invention.

FIGS. 6 to 11 describe the successive stages of mounting and positioning on the platform of a truck according to the invention of a handling cart on board the platform of a truck according to the invention.

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, the identical reference numbers describe identical or functionally equivalent elements.

In FIG. 1, a motorized handling trolley 1 is secured to a truck 2, the plate 3 of which is partially loaded with palletized loads 4.

The carriage 1 is preferably a carriage of the type comprising a chassis having a U-shaped configuration open towards the front equipped with two front wheels and a rear steering wheel. A trolley of this type is described in the document FR 2 724 374 in the name of the applicant for this application: it is a motorized handling trolley, capable of being carried on the back of a carrier vehicle of the kind comprising a chassis having a U-shaped configuration equipped with front wheels 5 and a rear wheel 6 which is steerable, a driving position 7 forming a protective cabin, and lifting means comprising a telescopic arm 8 pivotally mounted under the action of a lifting cylinder around a substantially horizontal axis 9 located at the rear of the carriage substantially above the rear steering wheel 6.

The front end of the telescopic arm 8 carries a fork carriage 10 which can be tilted under the action of a tilt cylinder and the carriage 10 may or may not carry its two forks, when the support frame 11 corresponding to the attachment to the platform 3 of the truck 2 is secured to the deck 10 forming the coupling head.

The support frame 11 according to the invention comprises two upper beams 12 a and 12b and two lower beams 12c, 12d connected by uprights and appropriate crosspieces, as well as means 13a, 13b for the retractable support of the industrial truck. The support frame 11 is equipped with first anchoring means 14a and first fixing means 15a, as well as second anchoring means 14b and second fixing means 15b. The first anchoring and fixing means 14a, 15a are able to cooperate with means for positioning the plate to fix the frame 11 on the plate 3. The frame 11 has substantially the conformation of a chair whose backrest 16 is suitable to be secured to the deck 10 supporting the forks of the handling truck 1. To this end, the backrest 16 comprises a first conformation 17 for engaging the fork carriage 10 and second conformations 18a, 18b forming retaining notches for the fork carriage 10. After engaging the fork carriage 10 from the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2 to the position, the carriage 10 is locked on the medium air folder 16 of the lock 19 which thus ensures rigid attachment of the fork carriage 10 and of the backrest 16. Thanks to this rigid connection, the handling trolley 1 can be used for the positioning of the chassis 11 on the plate, as shown in FIG. 3, or under the plate, as shown in FIG. 4.

Preferably, the fixing means 15a and 15b are quick quarter-turn fixing means. Such quick-release quarter-turn fasteners are advantageously constituted by retractable locks, of the container lock type.

With reference to FIGS. 3 to 5, the identical reference numerals designate identical or functionally equivalent elements.

The platform 3 of the truck is provided with first positioning means constituted by two rectangular orifices 20 formed in a cross-member of the chassis of the U-shaped platform and by the flange 21 for anchoring a cross in the form of an H. These first means positioning cooperate with the anchoring means 14a and the fixing means 15a for fixing the chassis 11 to the platform 3. The truck also includes a U-shaped lower cross member in which two rectangular orifices 22 similar to the aforementioned orifices 20 are made, and an H-shaped cross member having a flange d anchoring 23. the rectangular holes 22 and the rim 23 constitute second positioning means capable of cooperating with the second anchoring 14b and fixing means 15b for fixing the chassis 11 under the tray in a position allowing the carriage to board 1 handling at the back of the truck. In this position, the carriage is lifted by its lifting means to allow the output of the support means 13a, 13b in the direction of the arrow 24 in FIG. 4 to a position shown in dotted lines allowing the support of the chassis of the carriage 1.

In FIG. 5, the truck according to the invention advantageously comprises a retractable part for the passage of at least one wheel of the carriage to be loaded. The plate 3 preferably comprises two flaps 25, 26 which can be folded down around articulation hinges 25a, 26a and able to be supported in the position shown in dotted lines by telescopic supports 27, 28 retractable between a support position for the flaps 25, 26 shown in solid lines and a position retracted towards the middle of the tray shown in dotted lines.

With reference to FIGS. 6 to 11, the loading of a handling trolley 1 onto the platform 3 of a truck is carried out as described below.

In FIG. 6, after having secured the coupling head to the fork support apron 10 as described in FIG. 2 in the backrest 16 of the chassis 11 according to the invention, the pivoting flaps 25 are folded down, if necessary 26 around their hinges 25a, 26a of articulation and the sliding supports 27, 28 are returned to their most retracted position towards the inside of the plate 3. This folding is only necessary in the case where the track, that is to say the spacing between the front wheels 5 of the handling trolley 1, is less than the width of the plate 3. The invention also covers all variants in which the truck does not have plates with retractable flaps and in which the spacing of the wheels 5 of the trolley does not constitute an obstacle to the loading of the trolley on the plate 3: in particular, the invention covers the variant in which the telescopic arm 8 of the trolley has a sufficient length for bypass the back of tray 3 during loading.

In FIG. 7, by actuating the lifting cylinder of the carriage 1 in the direction normally corresponding to the lowering of a load, the carriage 1 is raised due to the fact that the coupling head or deck 10 is secured to the chassis of support 11 fixed on the plate 3. Due to the retraction of the flaps 25, 26 and the sliding supports 27, 28, the wheels 5 pass in the interval released by the retraction of the members 25 to 28 and the chassis of the carriage 1 frames the rear of the plate 3 when the carriage 1 is mounted.

In FIG. 8, by continuing the ascent by actuation of the lifting cylinder of the telescopic arm, the carriage I remains substantially horizontal and reaches a highest vertical ascent position. In this highest position, the carriage 1 does not exceed the height of the authorized loading, which authorizes the loading of the carriage 1 on the plate 3 inside industrial buildings.

In FIG. 9, the retraction of the telescopic arm 8 is carried out using a telescoping jack, which causes the carriage 1 to descend on the platform. In particular, the front wheels 5 are located above the floor of the plate 3, on either side of the sliding supports 13a, 13b.

In FIG. 10, the descent is continued by pivoting down the front wheels 5 by using the tilt cylinder placed on the coupling head or apron 10. This pivoting causes the wheels 5 to descend in order to make them rest on the plate 3.

In FIG. 11, the rear steering wheel 6 is rotated 90 ° relative to the front wheels 5, so as to rest on the folded flaps 25 and 26, to maintain these two flaps in position and to have no member extending beyond the back of tray 3.

The transport position shown in FIG. 1 is thus obtained, position in which the handling trolley 1 rests entirely on the plate 3 by its three wheels and remains fixed by its coupling head 10 or support frame 11, even in the event hydraulic leakage, due to the stable mechanical balance thus achieved.

The invention described with reference to particular embodiments is in no way limited thereto, but on the contrary covers any modification of form and all variant embodiments within the scope and spirit of the invention defined by the appended claims.

Claims (10)

Device for securing a handling trolley capable of being loaded onto a truck or similar carrier vehicle, of the type comprising in combination: on the one hand, positioning means on the platform of the truck or similar vehicle and on the other hand, means for anchoring and fixing a support chassis, characterized in that said support chassis (11) is equipped with first anchoring (14a) and fixing (15a) means capable of cooperating with first means positioning (20, 21) for fixing said frame (11) on said plate (3), as well as second anchoring (14b) and fixing (15b) means capable of cooperating with second positioning means (20, 21) to fix said frame (11) under said plate (3). Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the chassis anchoring means (11) comprise at least one profile (14a, 14b) in the form of an angle iron and in that the chassis fixing means comprise at least one member ( 15a, 15b) quick fixing by quarter turn. Support frame comprising means (13a, 13b) for supporting a handling trolley (1) capable of being loaded onto a truck, equipped with first and second anchoring (14a, 14b) and fixing (15a, 15b) respectively on and under the platform (3) of a truck or similar vehicle. Support frame according to claim 3, characterized in that it has substantially the shape of a chair whose back (16) is capable of being secured to the deck (10) supporting the forks of a handling cart (1) suitable for being loaded onto a truck. Support frame according to claim 3 or claim 4, characterized in that said means for fixing (15a, 15b) are quick quarter-turn fixing means. Support frame according to any one of Claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the support means comprise telescopic support means capable of sliding between a retracting position, inside the frame, and a support position, outside the frame. Truck capable of transporting an on-board handling cart (1), of the type comprising a loading platform (3) provided with first and second positioning means (20-23) disposed respectively on the upper side and on the lower side of said platform (3) for anchoring and fixing a chassis (11) for supporting said carriage respectively on and under said plate. Truck according to claim 7, characterized in that said positioning means (20-23) comprise at least one cross member having an anchoring flange (21, 23) and at least one housing (20, 22) for a fixing member (15a, 15b) rapid of said chassis (11). Truck according to claim 8 or claim 9, characterized in that the truck loading plate (3) comprises at least one retractable part (25, 26) for the passage of at least one wheel (5) of the carriage (1 ) to embark. Truck according to claim 9, characterized in that each retractable part (25, 26) is foldable around a hinge (25a, 26a) and able to be supported by a retractable support (27, 28).

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