Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
  • B66F—HOISTING, LIFTING, HAULING OR PUSHING, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. DEVICES WHICH APPLY A LIFTING OR PUSHING FORCE DIRECTLY TO THE SURFACE OF A LOAD
  • B66F9/00—Devices for lifting or lowering bulky or heavy goods for loading or unloading purposes
  • B66F9/06—Devices for lifting or lowering bulky or heavy goods for loading or unloading purposes movable, with their loads, on wheels or the like, e.g. fork-lift trucks
  • B66F9/075—Constructional features or details
  • B66F9/07563—Fork-lift trucks adapted to be carried by transport vehicles
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
  • B66F—HOISTING, LIFTING, HAULING OR PUSHING, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. DEVICES WHICH APPLY A LIFTING OR PUSHING FORCE DIRECTLY TO THE SURFACE OF A LOAD
  • B66F9/00—Devices for lifting or lowering bulky or heavy goods for loading or unloading purposes
  • B66F9/06—Devices for lifting or lowering bulky or heavy goods for loading or unloading purposes movable, with their loads, on wheels or the like, e.g. fork-lift trucks
  • B66F9/075—Constructional features or details
  • B66F9/12—Platforms; Forks; Other load supporting or gripping members
  • B66F9/122—Platforms; Forks; Other load supporting or gripping members longitudinally movable

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a transporter for transporting materials between a material carrier and a material destination on a freight carrier such as a truck, comprising such a transporter, and to a method for delivering goods at a busy destination difficult to access, such as a busy shopping street.
• An object of the present invention is to alleviate this problem.
• a first aspect of the present invention provides a material carrier including a transporter for transporting material between said material carrier, such as a truck, and a material destination for instance a shop situated at a busy location which is difficult to access, wherein the transporter comprises:
• a device according to the present invention offers optimised loading space of the material carrier.
• a truck provided with a transporter according to the present invention thus need no longer stand in front of the door of a shop with difficult access during loading and unloading which, in addition to the problem of reaching the shop and finding a parking space, often causes traffic jams.
• the truck can now park in a general parking area, whereafter the transporter can be loaded with goods and then disconnected from the truck and the goods can be taken to the final destination on the transporter itself.
• the platform of the transporter is preferably provided with one or more wheels, which wheels are mounted on the transporter so as to be foldable between a storage, non-use position and a position of use.
• the platform is provided with wheels, it is easy to manage and operate.
• the platform preferably has a form such that it can fit in a recess of a floor of a larger material carrier such as a truck, wherein the platform can serve as a part of the floor of the carrier when fixed thereto.
• the platform can serve as a part of the floor of a truck, it is very easy to carry goods from the truck onto the platform.
• the support platform can take a form such that it can fit into and be removed from a pallet opening, whereby loading and unloading of the goods placed on the pallet is facilitated.
• a second aspect of the present invention relates to a freight carrier comprising the above stated transporter, as according to claims 13-15.
• a third aspect of the present invention relates to a method for delivering goods using the above stated freight carrier, comprising the steps of driving the freight carrier to a parking area suitable for the purpose, placing the goods to be unloaded on the platform of the transporter, displacing the fork elements of the transporter downward until they come into contact with the ground, removing the transporter from the carrier opening, displacing the transporter platform downward and folding out the wheels thereof to their position of use, whereafter the transporter and the goods can be displaced to the desired location.
• a further aspect of the present invention relates to a method of transporting involving a material carrier such as a truck, a transporter as described and a third means of transport, such as a hand pallet truck, wherein cargo is driven out of a loading space of the carrier onto the platform of the transporter, whereafter the transporter with the cargo and the third means of transport are displaced, whereafter the cargo is driven off the platform with the third means of transport, and vice versa.
• a material carrier such as a truck
• a transporter as described and a third means of transport such as a hand pallet truck
• the third means of transport and/or the transporter can further be provided with securing means.
• the third means of transport can be used to enclose the cargo at the rear side of the platform, so that during use of the transporter the cargo cannot fall off at the rear.
• a transporter comprises a frame part 2, a housing 4 in which a motor (not shown) is housed, an upright displaceable carrier 6, a support platform 8 which is mounted on the carrier, two forks 10 extending from housing 4, which forks 10 are provided with rollers 12 at the front end thereof, two rear wheels 14 and a steering column 16.
• Platform 8 is provided on a front end with a pivotable flap 18. Platform 8 is also provided with two fold-away wheels 20 which are mounted in wheel suspensions 22 which are in turn arranged pivotally in two length profiles 24 under platform 8.
• a hydraulic piston rod mechanism 26 extends from beneath platform 8 and is arranged on a front end thereof below flap 18.
• Carrier 6 is displaceable up and downward in frame part 2 whereby platform 8 is also displaceable up and downward.
• the platform 8 makes contact with the surface of forks 10 (see figure 3). In this position the platform wheels 20 are folded away. If the piston rod is retracted, as in figure 3, the front end of flap 18 can touch the ground, in order to provide an easy transition between the ground and platform 8.
• platform wheels 20 can come into contact with the ground in their folded-down position when the platform is in its lowered position, wherein wheels 20 serve as front wheels of transporter 1. In this situation the rollers 12 of forks 10 are no longer in contact with the ground.
• Platform 8 and front flap 18 have a profile which fits into a recess 26 of floor 28 of the container space 30 of a truck 32 (see figures 2 and 4).
• Transporter 1 can be fixed to the rear side of truck 32 by means of fixing means (not shown). In this fixed position the platform 8 and forks 10 engage the rear side 34 of truck 32. In this fixed state (figure 6) the transporter 1 is displaceable by means of the truck.
• the container opening of the truck can be closed in this situation (see figure 6).
• the truck and transporter can be driven to a parking area.
• the rear side of the truck can then be opened, whereafter forks 10, rear wheels 14, housing 4, steering column 16 and frame part 2 of transporter 1 are lowered so that rear wheels 14 and front rollers 12 of forks 10 come into contact with the ground (see figure 4).
• a pallet truck 38 situated in the container space 30 of truck 32 can then be driven onto the platform 8 of the transporter.
• Transporter 1 can then be manoeuvred away from truck 32 (see figure 5), whereafter wheels 20 of platform 8 can be folded down, platform 8 can be lowered and the transporter plus pallet truck 38 can be taken to their destination.
• the embodiment shown in figure 7 has two upper forks 50 which are separated. A pallet can thus be directly loaded herewith.
• the pivotable wheels are here mounted on forks 50, wherein a platform is pushed over the fork parts (and hooked on or otherwise fixed) as if it were a pallet.
• the platform can be used to cover the recess in the loading floor of the truck at floor level, even if the transporter is not being transported or if the transporter delivers a pallet directly on the forks.
• the transporter with upper forks can be detached from the truck while the platform remains in the recess of the cargo container.
• the lower forks it is possible for the lower forks to be wider than the platform or the upper forks (and therefore not to be situated precisely under the platform).
• the platform prefferably has about the same width as the internal width of the truck.
• one or more of the pivotable wheels can be directed transversely of the forks. During disconnection from the truck the transporter can then travel backward on the rollers and sideward on the pivotable wheels mounted on the platform.
• the pivotable wheels can be folded away or folded down while the platform is loaded.
• the object of the fold-down wheels is to save space in combination with providing the option of being able to carry the cargo on the platform closer to the ground in respect of driving on and off for instance a hand pallet truck.
• the whole transporter (including frame part) to be fixed in a recess in the contour of the cargo container, so that the transporter does not protrude at all outside the contour of the cargo container.
• the transporter lies wholly within the closed loading space in this embodiment and is protected against rain, theft and damage.
• the platform prefferably provided with (removable) (side) walls.
• the ramp (18) is possible for the ramp (18) to be lockable in vertical position. This is to limit the dimension during use as transporter and/or to enclose the cargo.
• the recess in the loading floor of the truck can be closed on the underside.
• top side of the platform or upper forks preferably has a substantially flush connection to the surface of the cargo container of the material carrier.
• the whole transporter can fit into a recess of the (closed) loading space, even at the side of the loading space of the truck (see figures 8 and 9).
• the lower forks 110 are displaceable up and downward in frame part 112 by means of a piston rod mechanism 114, which piston rod 114 is mounted on the lower side thereof on a bottom cross beam 115 of frame 112 and on the upper side thereof on a lying transverse upper part 116 of lower forks 110.
• Upper forks 124 which are also provided with front wheels (not shown), extend from a cross beam 118 which is displaceable up and downward.
• Cross beam 118 is provided on the end thereof with two upright sleeves 122 which are displaceable up and downward over two side arms 126 of frame 112.
• a transverse frame beam 128 extends between the upper ends of side arms 126.
• a piston rod assembly 130 is fixed at an upper end thereof to frame beam 128 and at a bottom end thereof to the cross beam 118 of upper forks 124.
• Upper forks 124 are in this way displaceable up and downward over frame 112.
• Two recesses 132 corresponding with upper forks 124 can be found in the floor 136 of the truck.
• upper forks 124 The innermost end of upper forks 124 is provided with holes or slots 140 (see also figure 11).
• the locking mechanism 142 is mounted between the recesses 132 in floor 136 of the truck.
• Locking mechanism 142 has two opposite arms 144 which are provided with nose portions 146.
• a spring 148 extends between the two arms 144.
• Arms 144 are mounted pivotally on a rectangular body 150 which is provided on the front thereof with a rod 152, which rod 152 is mounted displaceably in a fixed block 154.
• This block 154 is fixed to the floor of the truck.
• Each arm 144 is provided on the upper end thereof with two cables 156, which two cables 156 are guided through a triangular part 158 so as to come together as one cable 160 at the top of triangle 158. If cable 160 is pulled taut, the two cable 156 are also pulled taut and nose portions 146 of arms 144 are pulled inward, whereby these noses 146 are no longer found in the holes 140 of upper forks 124, whereafter the upper forks 124 can be detached.
• the body 150 of locking mechanism 142 can be placed further forward relative to the truck floor recess, whereby the transporter is pulled further into the floor in order to effect a good positioning.
• Transporter 100 can be locked to and released from the truck as follows:
• the transporter can approach the container of the truck, so that upper forks 124 come roughly into line with recesses 132 of the floor of the truck.
• the own weight of the transporter assists in finding the correct point of engagement in the floor recesses 132.
• the point of support of the transporter can be displaced, during coupling and loading onto the truck, from the support at the front end of lower forks 110 to a point of support at the front ends of upper forks 124.
• the point of support at the front end of lower forks 110 is thus transferred during loading to the point of support at the front end of upper forks 124. It is thus impossible for the transporter to become suspended from the truck when they are locked to each other.
• the transporter is then displaced forward until the upper forks are locked in the floor of the truck in the manner described above.
• the transporter can only be released if the body 150 of coupling mechanism 142 is moved back (as shown in figure 12), and cables 156 and 160 are tightened.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Geology (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Handcart (AREA)
• Loading Or Unloading Of Vehicles (AREA)
• Forklifts And Lifting Vehicles (AREA)
• Vending Machines For Individual Products (AREA)
• Auxiliary Devices For And Details Of Packaging Control (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=19769914

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (9)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 1999
  • 1999-09-22 NL NL1013108A patent/NL1013108C2/nl not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2000
  • 2000-09-22 AU AU79704/00A patent/AU7970400A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2000-09-22 EP EP00970303A patent/EP1218282B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-09-22 DE DE60017160T patent/DE60017160T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2000-09-22 AT AT00970303T patent/ATE285983T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2000-09-22 WO PCT/NL2000/000682 patent/WO2001021523A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 2000-09-22 JP JP2001524910A patent/JP2003509315A/ja active Pending
  • 2000-09-22 ES ES00970303T patent/ES2233463T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime

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