GB2060550A

GB2060550A - Loading level

Info

Publication number: GB2060550A
Application number: GB8030240A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1979-10-23
Filing date: 1980-09-18
Publication date: 1981-05-07
Also published as: GB2060550B

Abstract

A loading level for use in loading trailers whereby a tractor vehicle transports the trailer to a loading bay 1 so that a platform of the level 5 in two parts 6, 7 extends through the trailer doors and, after loading, the platform can be removed from the trailer by means of its pivotal connection 4 to the bay and a pivotal connection 8 intermediate its ends, so that the trailer doors may be closed without the need for the tractor vehicle to be present. The pivoting action is effected by rams 9, 10. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A loading level This invention relates to a loading level.

In the container industry it has previously been a problem to maximise the use of lorries and containers so as to achieve an efficient loading and unloading procedure. Common practice was to position the container on the lorry at a loading bay, the lorry being reversed up to the bay so that a loading ramp at the bay extended into the container through its rear doors. The container was loaded along the ramp until full, and the lorry was then driven away with the full container.

A disadvantage of this system was that the lorry had to be at the bay during loading so that when the container was full it could be moved away from the ramp to allow the container doors to be closed. This meant that the lorry was lying idle during the loading operation.

An object of this invention is to obviate or mitigate this disadvantage and provide an efficient method of using available equipment.

According to the present invention there is provided a loading level having a base, a cantilevered platform extending from the base, the platform having a first portion pivotally connected to the base and a second portion pivotally connected to the first portion, and drive means for causing the pivotal movement of the first and second portions of the platform.

Preferably, the drive means is a pair of hydraulic rams connected one between the base and the first portion of the platform and one between the first and second portions of the platform.

The platform may be movable between an inuse position in which the first and second portions are co-planar and present a continuous surface and an out-of-use position in which the first and second portions are at an angle to one another and the first portion is pivoted about its connection to the base. The platform can be horizontal in its in-use position.

The platforms pivotal connections allow it to be collpasible so that in its out-of-use position it extends outwardly of the base to a lesser extent than in its in-use position. For this purpose the first portion may pivot on the base from its in-use position in a direction opposite to that in which the second portion pivots on the first portion.

Further, according to the invention there is provided a method of loading a doored container, comprising transporting a container to a loading bay, opening the container door, extending a platform from a base on the bay into the container along the platform, withdrawing the platform from the container by pivoting an outer portion of the platform in a first direction about a hinge connection with an inner portion and pivoting the inner portion at an opposite direction about a hinge connection with the base, and closing the container door.

Preferably a series of such platforms are provided in side-by-side relationship for simultaneous use.

The pivotal mounting of the platform is preferably actuated by hydraulic means, as is the hinged connection between the platform ends.

The level of the present invention, with its double pivoting action, can be used in a horizontal attitude for loading a container, and can then be withdrawn from the container to allow the container doors to be closed. An advantage in this is that the container need not be moved away from the loading bay to allow the doors to be closed, as was the case with prior art arrangements.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a side view of a loading level of the invention located at a loading bay; and Fig. 2 is a schematic illustration of the operational circuitry of the level.

Referring to the drawings, a container loading bay 1 is fitted with a loading level mounted on a concrete base 2, the base being of a height to suit the height of the bay 1. On the base 2 is a triangular framework 3 having at its apex a hinge 4 through which it is connected to a platform 5.

The platform 5 has a main section 6 and an end section 7, the sections being interconnected through a hinge 8.

A first hydraulic ram and cylinder 9 is located between brackets on the base of the framework 3 and the main section 6 of the platform 5, and a second ram and cylinder 10 is located between brackets on the main and end sections 6, 7 of the platform 5.

In use, a lorry with a container box is reversed towards the loading bay 1 until the loading level's platform 5 extends into the container box through its open doors. The lorry can then be disconnected and freed for other duties. The container box is loaded from the loading bay 1 by moving goods along the horizontal platform 5.

Once the box has been fully loaded the first hydraulic ram 9 is actuated to pivot the platform 5 upwards about the hinge 4 until the ram 9 is fully extended. The end section 7 can then be pivoted downwards about the hinge 8 by retracting the second ram 10 within its cylinder, as the platform is then clear of the container box floor. The end section 7 in this operation adopts a position at an angle of less then 900 to the main section, thus reducing the overall length of the platform 5. The first ram 9 is then retracted to lower the platform 5 to its lowest extent, and this operation takes the platform 5 clear of the container box doors.

The doors can then be closed without the need to move the container box itself away from the loading bay. If the container box has a freezer unit this can be immediately started up pending collection of the box by a lorry.

In this way lorries can be used to their maximum extent and need not stand idly at a loading bay until a container box is loaded in order to move the loaded box from the bay. During and after loading the lorry can be used for other jobs as the box doors can be closed in the absence of the lorry by virtue of the "retractable" nature of the loading level.

If used in banks of four units, for example, the loading level can be used to load four boxes which can be serviced by a single lorry. Thus a full box is delivered to its destination while an empty one is being filled, and at each visit to the loading bay the lorry replaces a full box with an empty one for loading.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the rams 9 and 10 are actuated by hydraulic fluid from a reservoir 11.

The fluid passes from the reservoir 11 through a fluid line 12 to a filter 13, and thence to a pump 14. The pump 14 urges the fluid along a line 1 5 to a first spool valve 1 6 which can be set selectively to distribute the fluid to either side of a piston 17 of the ram 9 or along the line 18 to a second spool valve 19. The valve 19 can be set selectively to distribute the fluid to either side of a piston 20 of the ram 10 or along a line 21 for circulation.

A relief valve 22 and one-way valves 23 are also provided in the fluid lines to ensure correct flow of the hydraulic fluid.

Modifications and improvements may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A loading level having a base, a cantilevered platform extending from the base, the platform having a first portion pivotally connected to the base and a second portion pivotally connected to the first portion, and drive means for causing the pivotal movement of the first and second portions of the platform.

2. A loading level according to Claim 1, wherein the drive means is a pair of hydraulic rams connected one between the base and the first portion of the platform and one between the first and second portions of the platform.

3. A loading level according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the platform is movable between an inuse position in which the first and second portions are co-planar and present a continuous surface and an out-of-use position in which the first and second portions are at an angle to one another and the first portion is pivoted about its connection to the base.

4. A loading level according to Claim 3, wherein the first portion pivots on the base from its in-use position in a direction opposite to that in which the second portion pivots on the first portion.

5. A loading level substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

6. A loading bay having a loading level as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

7. A method of loading a doored container, comprising transporting a container to a loading bay, opening the container door, extending a platform from a base on the bay into the container along the platform, withdrawing the platform from the container by pivoting an outer portion of the platform in a first direction about a hinge connection with an inner portion and pivoting the inner portion an an opposite direction about a hinge connection with the base, and closing the container door.

8. A method of loading a doored container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.