EP1212210A1

EP1212210A1 - Device for a vehicle for loading a container and for coupling a trailer

Info

Publication number: EP1212210A1
Application number: EP00958047A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Carlos Gustaaf Arthur Van Lierde
Original assignee: Dtm International NV
Current assignee: Dtm International NV
Priority date: 1999-08-31
Filing date: 2000-08-31
Publication date: 2002-06-12
Also published as: BE1012872A6; AU6973700A; WO2001015932A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a device which is to be fixed on a vehicle, in particular a lorry, and which, on the one hand, contains a supporting frame (1) with a lifting arm (4) which can rotate at least in relation to said supporting frame (1), which works in conjunction with a buckling arm (5), and which can be moved between a lifting position and a loading position so as to load or unload a container (36) on the device, whereby a coupling dish (15) is provided on the other hand which makes it possible to couple a trailer onto the device, whereby the coupling dish (15) is mounted such that, when said container (36) rests on the device, it rests in a surface (3) which is situated at least partly above the upper surface (18) of the coupling dish (15) or which coincides with it.

Description

Device for a vehicle for loading a container and for coupling a trailer

The invention concerns a device which is to be mounted on a vehicle, in particular a lorry, and which, on the one hand, contains a supporting frame with a lifting arm which can rotate at least in relation to said supporting frame, which works in conjunction with a buckling arm, and which can be moved between a lifting position and a loading position so as to load or unload a container on the device, whereby a coupling dish is provided on the other hand which makes it possible to couple a trailer onto the device.

With such devices which are provided on a vehicle, in particular a lorry, the upper surface of the coupling dish is situated at practically the same height as the top side of the above-mentioned lifting arm. Longitudinal runners which are provided on the bottom surface of a container resting on the device extend on either side of the coupling dish, such that the diameter of the coupling dish is restricted to the distance between both longitudinal runners.

This technique is disadvantageous in that, when a trailer is coupled to a device mounted on a vehicle, the front end of the trailer can make contact with the above- mentioned lifting arm and may damage it. This occurs when the vehicle rides through a valley with the trailer. At a given moment, the rear wheels of the trailer and the front wheels of the vehicle will not be situated in the same plane as the rear wheels of the lorry, such that the front part of the trailer goes into the direction of the lifting arm and makes contact with it, which causes damage.

Further, according to the state of the art, only coupling dishes with a small diameter can be used in this device, so that the maximum loading capacity of the lorry cannot be used.

The invention aims to remedy these disadvantages by proposing a device which makes it possible to couple trailers with a tonnage which is just as large as in the case of conventional lorries, whereby the full dead-weight capacity of a lorry can be used without a trailer making contact with the above-mentioned lifting arm. To this end, the coupling dish is mounted such that, when the above- mentioned container rests on the device, it will rest in a plane which is situated at least partly above the upper surface of the coupling dish or which coincides with it.

Practically, the dimension of the coupling dish, crosswise to the direction of movement of the above-mentioned vehicle, will be larger than the distance between two longitudinal runners provided on the bottom of the container upon which the latter rests. The coupling dish is mounted such that the above-mentioned longitudinal runners are situated at least partially above it when the container rests on the device.

In particular, the above-mentioned lifting arm is mounted such that, when it is situated in said loading position, it will be situated at least partially lower than the upper surface of the coupling dish in order to avoid that a trailer coupled to the device makes contact with it.

In an advantageous manner, the lifting arm, when it is situated in said loading position, will be situated lower than the upper surface of the coupling dish, at least inside the turning circle of the swan-neck of the lorry. This turning circle has a radius between 1,600 mm and 2,000 mm.

According to a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, said buckling arm is mounted in a rotating manner in relation to the lifting arm.

According to a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, it contains an auxiliary cylinder which is mounted on the supporting frame and which works in conjunction with the above-mentioned lifting arm in order to put it from said loading position into a starting position, such that at least one tilting cylinder, provided to the supporting frame to this end, which also works in conjunction with the lifting arm, can move the latter further into the lifting position. According to a specific embodiment of the device according to the invention, the above-mentioned coupling dish is mounted on a tilting frame which is mounted in a rotating manner in relation to the supporting frame, such that a container resting on the device can be moved between a rest position and a tilting position, whereby said lifting arm is mounted in a rotating manner in relation to this tilting frame. Other particularities and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following description of some particular embodiments of the device according to the invention; the description is given as an example only and does not limit the scope of the claimed protection in any way; the following reference figures refer to the accompanying drawings

Figure 1 is a schematic view in perspective of the device according to the invention, with the lifting arm in loading position. Figure 2 is schematic longitudinal section of the device according to the invention, with the lifting arm in the lifting position.

Figure 3 is a schematic view in perspective of the device according to the invention with the tilting frame in the tilting position.

Figure 4 is a schematic longitudinal section of the device according to the invention.

Figure 5 is a schematic side view of the device according to the invention with a container resting on it.

Figure 6 is a schematic, detailed representation of the auxiliary cylinder according to the invention. Figure 7 is a schematic view in perspective of the device according to the invention, provided with supports for a container.

Figure 8 is a schematic side view of the device according to the invention, whereby the coupling dish is situated in a forward shifted position.

In the different figures, the same reference figures refer to the same or analogous elements.

De embodiment of the device according to the invention represented in figure 1 contains a supporting frame 1, a tilting frame 2, a lifting arm 4 and a buckling arm 5. This device is preferably mounted on a vehicle such as a lorry or a truck, not represented in the figures, whereby the lifting arm 4 and the buckling arm 5 are situated on the front side thereof.

The buckling arm 5 can be moved in relation to the lifting arm 4. The latter is mounted such that it can rotate in relation to the tilting frame 2 via a lifting spindle 6 which stands diagonally in relation to the direction of movement of the vehicle. In order to drive this lifting arm 4 and make it rotate around the lifting spindle 6, two parallel hydraulic pistons, in particular tilting cylinders 7, are provided. Thus, with the help of these tilting cylinders 7, the lifting arm 4 can be moved from what is called a loading position, whereby the lifting arm 4 rests on the supporting frame 1, as represented in figure 1, around the lifting spindle 6, into what is called a lifting position, as represented in figure 2.

In this lifting position, a hook 8 which is provided at the far end of the buckling arm 5, extends behind the supporting frame 1 and the tilting frame 2, such that this hook 8 can mesh with an element provided to this end on a container which is not represented in this figure. As soon as the hook 8 has got a grip on the container, the lifting arm 4 is put back into said loading position, as represented in figure 5, whereby the container 36 is lifted on the supporting frame 1 and rolls with two parallel longitudinal runners 37, provided at the bottom of the container 36, over capstans 11 mounted on the back of the supporting frame 1. The container 36 can then possibly be moved on the device with the buckling arm 5, so as to obtain an axle load which is ideal for the lorry.

When the container 36 is situated in the loading position on the device, it will rest on the capstans 11 with said longitudinal runners 37 and on supports 12, 13 and 14 provided to this end, which are represented in figures 4, 5 and 7. Thus, the container 36 rests in a surface 3 which is formed by the supports 12, 13 and 14 and the capstans 11.

The container 36 can then be interlocked with the tilting frame 2 by means of locking elements 16 and 17 provided on the latter. A few embodiments of such locking elements 16 and 17 are described in patent No. BE 09900589.

Further, the tilting frame 2 is mounted on the supporting frame 1 via a tip beam 9, which is parallel to the above-mentioned lifting spindle 6, as a result of which the tilting frame 2 can be rotated in relation to the supporting frame 1 between a rest position and a tilting position. In the rest position, as represented in figures 1 and 2, the tilting frame 2 rests on the supporting frame 1.

Figure 3 represents the tilting frame 2 in the tilting position. By bringing the tilting frame 2 from the rest position into the tilting position by means of the tilting cylinders 7, a container which is situated on the device is tilted and emptied.

In order to prevent, during the movement of the tilting frame 2 from said rest position into the tilting position, the lifting arm 4 from moving around the lifting spindle 6 in relation to the tilting frame 2, due to the weight of a container resting on the device, the device according to the invention has locking means 10 which make it possible to tightly fix the lifting arm 4 to the tilting frame 2. Such locking means are described in patent No. BE 2000/0199 These locking means 10 also make it possible to secure the tilting frame 2 with the supporting frame 1 when loading or unloading a container, whereby the lifting arm 4 is moved between a loading position and a lifting position. Thus can be guaranteed that the tilting frame 2 is situated in said rest position when a container is loaded or unloaded by means of the lifting arm 4.

Further, the device according to the invention contains a coupling dish 15 which is mounted on the tilting frame 2. This coupling dish 15 can take up different positions between a backward position, whereby the lifting arm 4 can be moved unhindered between the lifting position and the loading position, as represented in figures 1 and 2, and a forward position, as represented in figure 7, whereby a trailer can be coupled to the device.

As is clearly represented in figure 5, a container 36, resting on the device, is supported via the longitudinal runners 37 in the surface 3 on the coupling dish 15. The coupling dish 15 is put in the backward position in this figure. Preferably, however, the longitudinal runners 37 are situated some 5 mm above the upper surface 18 of the coupling dish 15, such that the latter cannot be damaged by the longitudinal runners 37.

In order to convert the device from what is called a container system, whereby a container 36 can be loaded or unloaded, into what is called a hauling system, whereby a trailer can be hauled, the above-mentioned wheels 11 are first moved down around the above-mentioned tip beam 9 in a manner known as such, such that the vehicle, in particular the lorry, upon which the device is mounted, can move together with the coupling dish 15 under a corresponding hauling pin of a trailer, without being hindered by these wheels 10. Thus said hauling pin meshes with the coupling dish 15, and when the lorry is moved backward, the coupling dish 15, as a result of the action of the trailer, will move into the forward position, as represented in figure 7. When the coupling dish 15 gets in this position, the trailer will be connected to the lorry via the coupling dish 15.

When the coupling dish 15 is already situated in this forward position, it is possible to immediately couple a trailer without first bringing the coupling dish 15 into the backward position. This forward position of the coupling dish 15 makes sure that the load of the trailer is spread over both the front wheels and the back wheels of the accompanying lorry. In this position, the point of action of the coupling dish 15, which works in conjunction with a hauling pin of a trailer, is situated at some 150 to 500 mm in front of the middle of the two back wheels of the lorry according to the invention.

In order to optimally adjust the device as a function of the type of trailer or the type of vehicle upon which the device is mounted, and in order to meet the regulations of a specific country, the device is made such that the coupling dish 15 can take up several positions.

In order to make it possible for the coupling dish 15 to move over the locking elements 16 and 17, means are provided such that they can be put in a lower, free position, such that any contact between the locking elements 16 and 17 and the coupling dish 15 is excluded. This is described in detail in patent No. BE 09900589.

Further, the supports 12 are collapsible, such that the coupling dish 15 can be freely moved over it.

In order to be able to couple standard trailers, the coupling dish 15 should be mounted as low as possible on the tilting frame 2. Thus, the coupling dish 15 is mounted for example 5 to 10 cm lower than in the case of conventional devices containing a coupling dish mounted on a tilting frame.

In order to be able to couple these standard trailers, the size of the coupling dish 15, crosswise to the direction of movement of the lorry, is larger than the distance between the above-mentioned longitudinal runners of a container. Thus, the coupling dish

15 is mounted such that the longitudinal runners of a container resting on the device are situated at least partly above the coupling dish.

In order to prevent what is called the swan-neck of a trailer, which is coupled via the coupling dish 15, from making contact with the lifting arm 4, it is lowered. Thus, the lifting arm 4, in said loading position, is situated some 10 to 200 mm, preferably 65 to 100 mm, under the upper surface 18 of the coupling dish 15. According to a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, the vertical distance between the upper surface 18 and the lifting arm 4, when it is in rest position, is 80 mm.

The swan-neck of a trailer is formed of the front part thereof, which is provided with a hauling pin working in conjunction with the coupling dish 15.

Due to its construction, the lifting arm which is used according to the state of the art, cannot be lowered and cannot be combined with a coupling dish which is wider than the distance between the longitudinal runners of a container. In the device, according to the state of the art, the above-mentioned buckling arm consists of a sliding arm which can be telescopically moved in relation to the lifting arm, whereby a hydraulic piston is provided in the lifting arm which works in conjunction with the sliding arm. This makes it possible to reduce the total length of the sliding arm and the lifting arm when it is put into the lifting position in order to grasp a container.

In the device according to the invention, the above-mentioned buckling arm 5 is hinge-mounted to the lifting arm 4 via a shaft 19 which is situated at a certain distance from the front end of the lifting arm 4. Further, the buckling arm 5 has a buckle 22 which divides it in a sloping part 20 and a hook part 21. This sloping part 20 is thus hinge-mounted to the lifting arm 4 via said shaft 19. Further, a hydraulic piston 23 is provided which extends between the front end of the lifting arm 4 and the hook part 21 , such that the buckling arm 5 can be moved in relation to the lifting arm 4 by means of this piston 23. Since, in the device according to the invention, the lifting arm 4 is not telescopically connected to the buckling arm 5, and consequently no hydraulic piston must be provided in the lifting arm 4, it can be made much simpler and with a lower height. Thus, the lifting arm 4 is mounted such in the device according to the invention, that the part thereof which is situated under a trailer, when the latter is coupled to the device, is lower than the upper surface 18 of the coupling dish 15.

As the lifting arm 4 has a shorter height and is mounted lower, the moment of force which the above-mentioned tilting cylinders 7 can exert is too small to be practically useful. For the perpendicular distance A, as represented in figure 4, between the lifting spindle 6 and the line of action 25 of the tilting cylinder 7 is too small to bring the lifting arm 4, together with a heavy container, from the loading condition into the lifting condition.

Further, the perpendicular distance B, as indicated in figure 4, between the tip beam 9 and the line of action 25 of the tilting cylinder 7 is also too small to bring the lifting arm 4, together with a heavy container, from the loading condition into the tilting condition.

In order to remedy this, the device according to the invention is provided with a pneumatic or hydraulic auxiliary cylinder 26 at the front, on the supporting frame 1. This auxiliary cylinder 26 makes sure that an additional force is exerted on the lifting arm 4 in order to move it around the lifting spindle 6, the tip beam 9 respectively, from the loading position into a starting position, whereby said distance A, B respectively, is sufficiently large, and the tilting cylinders 7 can move the lifting arm 4 autonomously. To this end, the auxiliary cylinder 26 has a rod-shaped support 27 crosswise on its longitudinal axis and parallel to the lifting spindle 6. This support 27 works in conjunction with a wedge-shaped recess 28 which is provided at the front end 24 of the lifting arm 4. When the auxiliary cylinder 26 is excited, the support 27 is moved upward, whereby it makes contact with the lifting arm 4 in said recess 28, and thus moves it from the loading position into said starting position. In order to reach said starting position from the loading position, the support 27 has to be moved over a distance in the order of magnitude of 50 cm by the auxiliary cylinder 26.

Since the recess 28 follows another arc in case of the movement towards the starting position around the lifting spindle 6 than around the tip beam 9, the auxiliary cylinder 26 is hinge-mounted in relation to the tilting frame 1. This makes sure that, when the lifting arm 4 freely rests on the support 27 via the recess 28, the longitudinal axis of the auxiliary cylinder 26 always roughly touches the arc concerned.

When the starting position is reached by means of the auxiliary cylinder 26, the perpendicular distance A, B respectively, between the lifting spindle 6, the tip beam 9 respectively, and the line of action of the tilting pistons 7 is sufficiently large, such that they can bring the lifting arm 4 further into the lifting position, the tilting position respectively, without any further help of the auxiliary cylinder 26. When this starting position is transgressed, the contact between the support 27 and the lifting arm 4 is interrupted. When the lifting arm 4 is moved back into the loading position, the lifting arm 4 makes contact with the support 27 as soon as the starting position is reached. As the recess 28 is made wedge-shaped, the support 27 is always guided towards the middle 29 of the recess 28.

In order to make sure that the auxiliary cylinder 26 always takes up a position in which the support 27 is guided towards the middle 29 of the wedge-shaped recess 28 when the lifting arm 4 is moved into the loading position, it is provided with a rod-shaped protrusion 30. This protrusion 30 can be moved between two positions in a recess 31 provided in the supporting frame 1. In a first position, the auxiliary cylinder 26 is vertical, whereas in a second position, the auxiliary cylinder 26 is inclined such that, in said starting position of the lifting arm 4, the support 27 supports the middle 29 of the recess 28. Further, a spring is provided, which is not represented in the figures, which puts the auxiliary cylinder 26 in said second position when the support 27 does not make any contact with the lifting arm 4.

In order to utilise the loading capacity of the lorry as much as possible, the coupling dish 15 must be placed as far as possible towards the front in order to obtain a sufficient load on the front wheels of the lorry when a trailer is coupled, as has already been mentioned before.

To this end, the tilting frame 2 is made as long as possible. This has for a result, however, that the lifting arm 4 has a relatively short length. In order to nevertheless be able to provide sufficiently large tilting cylinders 7 between the supporting frame 1 and the lifting arm 3, these tilting cylinders are mounted on a cross beam 32 which is provided at the front end 33 of the supporting frame 1.

This cross beam 32 is parallel to the lifting spindle 6 and rises above the surface which is formed of the two parallel cross beams 33 and 34 which extend according to the longitudinal direction of the supporting frame 1, and via which the latter is mounted on the lorry. Thus, a recess is formed between these supporting beams 33 and 34 and under the cross beam 32. Thanks to the presence of this recess, it is possible to mount the device according to the invention in a lower position on a lorry than in the case of a conventional device which combines a coupling dish with a lifting arm for a container. When mounting the device according to the invention on a lorry, it is thus made sure that the hydraulic unit of the lorry, which drives the different pistons or cylinders, fits in this recess.

Said auxiliary cylinder 26 is also fixed on the cross beam 32. The lifting arm 4 further has a buckle 35 at the front end where the lifting spindle 6 is situated, such that, when the lifting arm 3 is situated in the above-mentioned loading position, the part of the lifting arm 4 between the front end 24 thereof and the buckle 35 raises in relation to the other part of the lifting arm 4. This makes sure that a free space is created under this part of the lifting arm 4, where the above-mentioned pneumatic unit can be situated.

To sum up, the device according to the invention, as described above and as represented in the accompanying drawings, is provided with such a large coupling dish that the maximum loading capacity of a vehicle, such as a lorry, upon which it is mounted can be used. The device is further designed such that it can be mounted sufficiently low on a vehicle, which makes it possible for all common trailers to be coupled. As the lifting arm is mounted lower than the upper surface of the coupling dish, an arc having a radius between 1,600 and 2,000 mm can be followed by the trailer, as of the hauling pin, without the device being damaged.

Naturally, the invention is not restricted to the embodiment of the device according to the invention described above and represented in the accompanying drawings. Thus, for example, according to a specific embodiment of the device, the tilting frame 2 can form a whole with the supporting frame 1 , such that it is not possible to tilt a container situated on the device. Also the thickness of the lifting arm 4 may vary as a function of the moment of force to which it is subject. Possibly, the height of the lifting arm can thus gradually decrease as of the coupling dish up to the front end thereof.

Claims

1. Device which is to be fixed on a vehicle, in particular a lorry, and which, on the one hand, contains a supporting frame (1) with a lifting arm (4) which can rotate at least in relation to said supporting frame (1), which works in conjunction with a buckling arm (5), and which can be moved between a lifting position and a loading position so as to load or unload a container (36) on the device, whereby a coupling dish (15) is provided on the other hand which makes it possible to couple a trailer onto the device, characterised in that the coupling dish (15) is mounted such that, when said container (36) rests on the device, it rests in a surface (3) which is situated at least partly above the upper surface (18) of the coupling dish (15) or which coincides with it.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the coupling dish (15) is mounted such that, when said container (36) rests on the device, it rests in a surface (3) which is situated above the upper surface (18) of the coupling dish (15) or which coincides with it.

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the dimension of the coupling dish (15), crosswise to the direction of movement of the above-mentioned vehicle, is larger than the distance between two longitudinal runners (37) provided on the bottom of the container (36) upon which the latter rests.

4. Device according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that said lifting arm (4) is mounted such that, when it is situated in the above-mentioned loading position, it is situated at least partially lower than the upper surface (18) of the coupling dish (15) in order to avoid that a trailer coupled to the device makes contact with the lifting arm (4).

5. Device according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that, at least under the turning circle of the swan-neck of the trailer, is provided a headroom of at least some 80 mm.

6. Device according to claim 5, characterised in that the radius of this turning circle is at least 1,600 mm, and in particular 2,000 mm.

7. Device according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that said lifting arm (4) is 10 to 180 mm, in particular 65 to 100 mm, and in particular 80 mm lower than the upper surface (18) of the coupling dish (15).

8. Device according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the above-mentioned buckling arm (5) is mounted such that it can rotate in relation to the lifting arm (4).

9. Device according to any of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that it contains an auxiliary cylinder (26) which is mounted on the supporting frame (1) and which works in conjunction with the above-mentioned lifting arm (4) so as to bring it from said loading position into a starting position, so that at least one tilting cylinder (7) provided to this end on the supporting frame (1), which also works in conjunction with the lifting arm (4), can move the latter further into the lifting position.

10. Device according to claim 9, characterised in that said tilting cylinder (7) is mounted almost at the front end of the supporting frame (1).

11. Device according to claim 10, characterised in that the above- mentioned auxiliary cylinder (26) is mounted such that it can rotate in relation to the supporting frame (1) in order to make sure that, when the lifting arm (4) is moved by means of this auxiliary cylinder (26), the longitudinal axis of the latter always touches the arc which is followed by the lifting arm (4).

12. Device according to claim 10 or 11, characterised in that said auxiliary cylinder (26) has a support (27) which makes contact with the lifting arm (4) in order to move it, whereby this support (27) of the lifting arm (4) comes off as soon as said starting position is transgressed by the lifting arm (4).

13. Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the above-mentioned coupling dish (15) is mounted on a tilting frame (2) which is mounted such that it can rotate in relation to the supporting frame (1), such that a container (36) which rests on the device can be moved between a rest position and a tilting position, whereby the above-mentioned lifting arm (4) is mounted such that it can rotate in relation to this tilting frame (2).

14. Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the above-mentioned container (36), when resting on the device in rest condition or in loading condition, leans on the above-mentioned coupling dish (15).

15. Vehicle such as a lorry, equipped with the device according to any of the preceding claims.