GB2061229A - Loading apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The loading apparatus of the invention uses a telescopic mast 14 mounted for limited rotation about a horizontal axis 24. A lifting hook 32 is supported on a carriage 28 connected with the mast by endless chains in such a way that expansion of the mast draws the carriage up from the pivot end of the mast to its distal end. During the loading process, the mast is pivoted so that it assumes the same orientation as the partially supported load. The unloading process is substantially the reverse of the loading process. Other embodiments and loading and unloading procedures are also described. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Loading apparatus The present invention relates to loading apparatus i.e. to apparatus for moving a body from a location adjacent the apparatus to a support surface for the body.

Apparatus for loading a body on to a vehicle providing the support surface are already known.

In one example, the body is attached by suspension chains to a pair of arms, one on either side of the vehicle, which can then be swung to carry the body over the rear of the vehicle and deposit it on the support surface. In an alternative design, the body is loaded instead buy a hook supported on a centrally-located arm movable about a transverse pivot axis at the rear of the vehicle. In another example, the body is moved into place by the ratchet action of a reciprocating hook member mounted for movement along a tilting frame which in its horizontal position will provide the support surfaces for the load.In a further design, the body is winched into place up inclined support surfaces and in a fifth version, the body is supported on telescopic legs and can be loaded on to the vehicle simply by reversing the vehicle underneath the body and then collapsing the legs.

In practice, all these prior designs have their disadvantages for example the need to strengthen the body beyond normal handling requirements or the need for the driver to leave his cab to connect the body with the loading apparatus priorto lifting.

According to the present invention, loading apparatus for moving a body from a first location to a second location comprises a telescopic support assembly mounted for limited rotation about at least one horizontal axis, a lifting means for engagement or connection with the body to be moved and.

arranged for longitudinal movement along the support assembly, and drive means for moving the lifting means and the support assembly as above described and for extending or contracting the support assembly.

For convenience, the terms "vertical" and "horizontal", etc. have been used through this specification to define and describe the apparatus of the present invention as it would be when supported on a flat horizontal surface. The support assembly is designed to telescope in vertical planes lying perpendicularly to the rotation axis of the support assembly and the term "longitudinally" as used above and below refers to bodily motion of the lifting means (relative to the support assembly) in these planes.

Conveniently, the drive means comprises a double-acting ram.

Conveniently, the lifting means is secured to or forms part of a carriage arranged to move longitudinally along the support assembly.

This movement of the carrier may be either independent of any extension or contraction of the support assembly or in response thereto.

Conveniently, the drive means is operable to move the carriage and/or the lifting means independently of any telescopic extension or contraction of the support assembly.

In one embodiment of the invention, the drive means comprises a three-part ram, movement of one part of the three-part ram being used to bring the lifting means into a satisfactory lifting relationship with the body to be moved and at a later stage to disengage the lifting means from said body, and relative movement between the other two parts of the three-part ram being used to move the support assembly towards its fully extended or fully retracted state.

The carriage may be linked, by a chain system, for example, to the support assembly. In one such embodiment, for example, movement of the support assembly from its fully contracted to its fully extended position results in a corresponding moive- ment of the carriage from the pivoted end of the support assembly (when the assembly is contracted) to the distal end of the support assembly (when the assembly is extended), and movement of the support assembly back to its fully contracted position results in the return of the carriage (preferably in a manner not dependent on gravity) to the pivoted end of the support.

Conveniently, the lifting means comprises a jaw member attached to the carriage referred to earlier by one or more arms mounted for controlled movement of the jaw member into a support orientation in which the mouth of the jaw member is directed towards a distal end of the support assembly.

Conveniently, a latching mechanism is provided to lock the jaw member in its support orientation. If desired this latching mechanism may be automatically released by the carriage as it reaches a preselected position on its way towards the pivoted end of the support assembly.

Where the lifting means is attached to the carriage by one or more arms, the controlled movement of the jaw member is conveniently achieved by means of one or more hydraulic rams or by having the one or more arms, or something secured to the one or more arms, form part of a cam arrangement of which the other part is provided by the support assembly or by a mounting structure for the support assembly. As an alternative, the controlled movement of the jaw member may be effected by means of one or more hydraulic rams acting on the one or more arms.

Conveniently, movement of the jaw member to its support orientation is delayed until the support assembly is inclined at an angle no steeper than 45 to the horizontal, holding means being provided to close off the mouth of the jaw member at least until the jaw member has moved into its support orientation.

Conveniently, the lifting means comprises a single part of a multi-component attachment mechanism designed to locate and constrain a co-operating attachment part provided on or by the body.

Alternatively, the attachment part may be provided by the lifting means, with the single-part or multi-component attachment mechanism provided on or by the body.

Conveniently, the attachment part is in the form of a bar or ring.

The attachment mechanism, on the other hand, conveniently, comprises a jaw member on the end of a pivoting support arm which jaw member, in its lowered position, is open towards the attachment part to facilitate engagement therewith.

Conveniently, the jaw member is fitted with a pivoted hook arranged to secure the attachment part within the jaw member either as soon as the attachment part has entered the jaw member or as lifting proceeds.

Alternatively, the jaw member may be designed to remain open until its support arm has been pivoted upwardly towards a closure member adapted to close the jaw member sufficie-ntly to constrain the attachment part. Thus according to another feature of the invention the apparatus is provided with a closure member towards which the upwardly directed jaw member is displaced during operation of the apparatus to close off the mouth of the jaw member.

In some embodiments, a latching mechanism is provided to lock the jaw member in its support orientation.

Conveniently, in those cases where the carriage is also present, the latching mechanism is automatically released by the carriage as it reaches a preselected position on its way towards a pivoted end of the support assembly.

The attachment mechanism is preferably so shaped as to provide a lead-in for the attachment part of the body, thereby to increase tolerance during the positioning of the attachment mechanism in preparation for engagement with the attachment part and in variations of these arrangements, a pivoted hook is provided to add security during lifting.

In an alternative design,the attachment mechanism comprises an element arranged for movement transversely of the support assembly to engage the element with the attachment part.

Conveniently, the drive means take or each take the form of one or more hydraulic means. As already indicated, double-acting rams will usually be preferred but single-acting rams relying on gravity or spring return of the moved parts could be used instead if desired. Alternatively, other means, such as powered screws and nuts could be employed.

Conveniently, the support assembly is arranged for pivotal movement to an orientation at which any movement ofthe lifting means along the support assembly will be vertical or substantially vertical enabling the apparatus to be used as a fork lift device.

It is preferred that, in operation ofthe apparatus, the lifting means, at its lowest position, should be at, or close to, ground level. This may be facilitated by having the lifting means attached to a carrier as referred to earlier by one or more arms mounted for limited rotational movement about a horizontal axis.

In a preferred application of the invention, the support assembly is mounted on a vehicle chassis, preferably at the rear of the vehicle, by means afan intermediate assembly which in a first mode of operation is locked to the support assembly and is pivotally connected to the vehicle chassis for pivotal movement of the support assembly about a first axis and in a second mode of operation is locked to the vehicle chassis and is pivotally connected to the support assembly for pivotal movement of the support assembly about a second axis parallel to the first axis but at a higher level than, and conveniently also to the rear of, the first axis. The vehicle may be of the self-propelled or towed type.

In alternative applications, the apparatus is mounted on a static or other non-vehicular base, e.g.

for use in handling and/or tipping bodies.

The invention further comprises the combination of the apparatus of the present invention with the body to be moved and/or with- a support vehicle or non-vehicular base for the apparatus.

In such combinations, the body is conveniently provided with an attachment part at both ends so that it may be approached and handled from whichever end is most convenient or desirable.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a loading apparatus according to the present invention; Figure 2 is an elevation of the loading apparatus (when in the position shown in Figure 1) viewed from the rear of a vehicle on which it is mounted; Figures 3(a), 3rub) and 3(c) schematically illustrate different positions of the support assembly; Figure 4 shows, in end view, a particular design of attachment mechanism for use in the apparatus of the present invention; Figure 5 illustrates diagrammatically in side view how the apparatus can be used to transfer material from one container to another;; Figure Gshows diagrammatically in side view how the apparatus can be adapted to provide a fork-lift attachment; Figure 7shows diagrammatically in side view how the apparatus can be used to stand a body on one end; Figure 8 shows, in side view, how an intermediate assembly can be used to provide different pivot axes for the support assembly; Figure 9 is a side view of the lower part of another loading apparatus according to the present invention; Figure 13 is a back view (in the direction of arrow A).

Figure 10 shows, on an enlarged scale, a threepart ram for use in the apparatus of Figure 9; Figure 11 is a vertical section showing the lifting means of the same apparatus at a different part of its operation cycle to that illustrated in Figure 9; and Figures 12(a)- 12(d) are diagrammatic side views of another embodiment of the invention illustrating successive stages in loading cycle.

Thus referring first to Figure 1, a loading apparatus 10 according to the present invention is mounted on a vehicle of which only the rear portion with its support wheels 12 is shown in the Figure.

The support assembly of apparatus 10 is provided by a telescopic mast 14 comprising an inner section 16 nested within an outer section 18. Extension and contraction of the mast is effected by a double-acting hydraulic ram or rams 20 (Figure 2).

The outer section of the mast is pivotally mounted on the vehicle chassis 22 for limited rotation, about a pivot pin 24, under the control of a hydraulic ram 26.

The inner section of the mast is arranged to slide within the outer section from a fully retracted position shown in Figure 3(a) to a fully extended position shown in Figure 3(c). A carriage 28 is supported on rollers 42 and 44 for movement along guide rails (not shown) forming part of the inner section 16.

At its lower end the carriage carries a pair of pivoted arms arms 30 supporting a jaw member 32.

In the situation illustrated in Figure 1, the jaw member 32 is shown engaging an attachment bar 34 of a body 36 which is to be lifted by the apparatus from a first ground location 38 to a load-supporting location 40 on the vehicle.

The drive for the carriage 28 comprises endless chains (102) passing around sprockets or pulleys 100, 101 at the end of inner section 16, one run of the chain being connected to the carriage by attachment 103, and the other to the outer mast section at 104.

The result is that as the mast is extended or contracted by the double-acting hydraulic ram 20, the carriage will move along inner section 16 by an amount equal to the displacement of that section relative to the outer section 18. It follows that if, when the mast is in the fully contracted position shown in Figure 1 and 3(a), the carriage is at the bottom end of the mast 14, it will be at the top end of the mast when this latter is in the fully extended position shown in Figure 3(c).

During normal travel of the vehicle, the ram 26 will of course be in its contracted position so as to hold the mast 14 in the horizontal disposition indicated at 46 in Figure 1.

To load the body 36 on to the vehicle from the location 38 shown in Figure 1,the mast 14 is tilted to the vertical position (shown in full lines) following which the carriage 28 is moved (if necessary) to bring the jaw member 32 close to the ground. The vehicle is then reversed so that the jaw member engages the lifting bar 34 as shown in the Figure.

Sighting lines on the mast and on the body enable this to be done without the driver leaving his seat.

The ram 20 is now operated to extend the mast and thereby cause the carriage 28 to move upwardly along section 16 under the influence of the chain drive as already described. To avoid dragging the rear of the body along the ground, the vehicle may be allowed to move backwards during this process.

When the jaw member has been raised to about the height of the pivot 24, the mast may conveniently be tilted by ram 26 until the body and the mast lie at substantially the same inclination.

Movement of the carriage is now continued to draw the body further up the mast which is pivoted so that its inclination will at all times remain substantially the same as that of the body.

When the body has reached some preselected "maximum" inclination e.g. typically 25 for a body of about 4 metres length, the ram 26 is actuated to return the mast to its horizontal position.

Further movement of carriage 28 along the mast will then be effective to move the body horizontally into place on the load-supporting location 40.

As indicated in the introductory portions of the specification, the lifting means can be one of a number of different designs.

One such design is depicted in Figures 3(a) to 3(c) which show in more detail the jaw member illustrated in simplified form in Figure 1.

Thus referring first to Figure 3(a), it will be seen that the arms 30 on which the jaw member 32 is supported extend forwardly of the mast to support a cam follower or followers 48. This co-operates with a cam 50 attached to the inner section 16 of the mast.

At their other ends, the arms carry a lug or bar member 52 and as the carriage 28 is moved along the mast from the position shown in Figure 3(a), the cam follower 48 will ride up over cam 50 to change the inclination of the arms to a position (shown in Figure 3(b)) in which the member 52 will have passed over a latch member 54 pivotally attached to the middle of the carriage to hold the jaw member in place adjacent the under surface of a closure member 56 also mounted on the carriage.

This situation is maintained either until the latch is manually released, e.g. following location of the body on the vehicle, or, alternatively, until the mast is contracted, e.g. from fully extended position of Figure 3(c), to a position at which an appropriately placed striker (or an equivalent cam surface), indicated diagrammatically at 58 and fixed relative to the inner section 16, is engaged by the end 60 of the latch member to release the latch and free the arms 30 for their return to the position shown in Figure 3(a). This will happen shortly after the cam follower 48 has re-engaged cam 50.

Instead of relying upon gravity to swing the arms down to their initial positions, a spring (not shown) may be fitted forthis purpose if desired.

For convenience as shown in Figure 2, the striker 58 may be fitted to the ram cylinder. However if, as suggested above, the cam 50 is secured to the outer mast section instead of to the inner, then the cam 50 could also be secured to that part if desired.

In a variation (not shown) of the illustrated design where a body engagement member is used on the jaw member, the arms 30 carry a link which is operated by a cam or striker secured to the inner or outer section of the mast to open or close the body engagement member as the case may be.

Although the mast has been shown as being vertical in Figures 3(a) to 3(c), this is as a matter of convenience only and generally, as will have been appreciated from the foregoing description, the mast will be inclined to the vertical by varying amounts.

Another type of lifting means altogether is shown in Figure 4 in which a swinging bolt 62 carried by the carriage 28 is used for attachment to a ring or eye member 64 provided by the body 36 in place of the attachment bar 34 of the earlier embodiment.

In the embodiment described above with reference to Figures 3(a) to 3(c), during the first part of the extension until arms 30 are latched, i.e. from Figure 3a to Figure 3b, the load on the lift chains and the hydraulic ram is approximately double that during the rest of the extension.

This double loading effect may be avoided in other embodiments of the invention by employing separate hydraulic rams to move the carriage and/orthe arms independently of the extension of the mast. An alternative way of doing this is shown in the embodiment of Figure 9 to 11 and 13 which differs from the previously illustrated embodiments in employing a different sequence of movement of the carriage relative to the two parts of the mast to extend and contract the mast and in using a different design of catch mechanism 111 (Figures 9, 13 and 10).

Thus referring first to Figures 9, 13 and 10, it is to be understood that the interrelationship between the carriage 112, the endless-chain drive 114, the inner and outer mass sections and the piston 119 and cylinder 122 of the hydraulic ram 110 is essentially the same as in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3.

Hence it will not be described again in detail here.

As already indicated, however, the ram 110 of Figure 10 differs from the earlier described ram by having a third part which is in the form of a sleeve 120 which surrounds the lower part of the cylinder 122 producing a two-stage double-acting ram. Reference numeral 124 indicates an annular piston and fluid tight seal assembly secured to the cylinder 122, and reference numeral 125 indicates a cap secured to the sleeve 120 and fitted with a fluid tight seal acting on the cylinder 122. The sleeve 120 is closed at its base whereas the cylinder 122 is open at its lower end.

When fluid is introduced through the pipe 158 and fluid is permitted to flow from pipe 128, the ram will extend in a particular sequence as will be explained below.

The sleeve 120 is attached to the outer part of the mast, e.g. by means of the members which carry the cam 141, and the piston rod 162 is attached to the top of the inner mast. One strand of the lift chains is attached to a member 161 secured to the cylinder 122.

Referring now to Figures 9,13 and 10, the catch mechanism 111 comprises a pair of hook members 130, joined by a cross-bar 131, mounted one on each side of the carriage 112 by a first common pivot 132, and a latch member 134 similarly mounted on one side of the carriage by a second pivot 136.

With the carriage at its lowermost point of travel and the mast vertical and fully contracted, the hook and latch members will assume the attitudes shown in Figure 9 with their jaw portions 139, 138 lowermost and with their other roller-carrying ends positioned below but in line with respective cam surfaces 141, 142 carried by the outer mast section (144).

To adjust the height of the jaw portions of hook members 130 and to engage them in the lifting bar of the body to be raised, pressurised fluid is introduced into space 146 through pipe 158 to raise the cylinder 122 and with it the piston 119 and its rod 162 and the inner mast to which the rod 162 is attached. Because there is no relative movement between the attachment point of the lift chains and the cylinder, the carriage remains at the bottom of the inner mast and the chains remain free from load. During this stage of the movement the roller (148) of hook member 130 will roll over cam surface 141 to change the inclination of the hook member 130 so that the jaw portion of this member can raise the lifting bar of the body to move it to the position 150 shown in Figure 11.

During the middle part of this movement, the latch roller (152) will have engaged the lower and central parts of cam surface 142 to deflect the latch member out of the way of an upwardly moving latching surfaces 154 of hook members 130. However, as the inner mast and the carriage continue their upward motion with ram sleeve 122, engagement of roller 152 with the upper sloping part of surface 142 will allow a tension spring 156 (shown only in Figure 11) to return the latch member to the waiting position in which it will have the same orientation as that illustrated in Figure 9.Further upward movement of the inner mast and cariage will result in the hook roller 148 moving over the upper sloping part ofthe cam surface 141 to allow the hook member to move in a clockwise direction (as viewed in Figure 11) until the latching surface 154 moves into engagement with the jaw portion 138 of the waiting latch member 134 to lock the jaw member in place. Conveniently in this position the mouth of jaw portion 139 will be closed off by a closure member (not shown) corresponding to member 56 in the first embodiment.

The cylinder 122, at this point, will have reached the limit of its upward movement and additional pressurisedfluid introduced (through pipe 158) into the space below the piston 119 will force the piston upwards so as to move the inner mast relative to the cylinder. Due to the attachment of the chains 114 through part 161 to the cylinder, the carriage will now rise relative to the inner mast by an equal amount as in embodiments of Figures 1 to 3.

The desired sequence of the movement of the cylinder followed by the piston is achieved by arranging that the ratio of the annular area defined by the bore of the sleeve and the bore of the cylinder to the cross sectional area of the piston is greater than that of the forces resisting the upward movement of the cylinder and the movement of the piston relative to the cylinder.

The controlled contraction of the mast and the eventual release of the lifting bar 150 will be accomplished by introducing oil through pipe 128 to flow first into the annular space above the piston and subsequently also into the annular space 127 causing the reverse sequence of operations to those above described. Oil is dispelled through pipe 158 during this process. This reverse sequence may be arranged by suitably proportioning the annular areas or preferably by the use of a flow control valve - fitted between the space 127 and the pipe 128.

At the beginning of the second stage of the reverse operation when oil begins to flow into space 127, latch member 134 is relieved of the load of hook members 130 by the small anticlockwise rotation of members 130 caused by the action of roller 148 coming into contact with the upper part of cam surface 141.

Continued downwards movement of the carriage brings latch roller 152 into contact with cam surface 142 causing member 134 to rotate clockwise into the position shown in Figure 11. On further downwards movement of the carriage, roller 148 follows the lowerpart of cam surface 141 causing the hook member 130 to swing to the position shown in Figure 9. In the illustrated em bodiment this motion of roller 148 is controlled by guide surface 160 (shown in Figure 11).

In an alternative version (not shown) the lower part of cam surface 142 is omitted and the necessary clockwise rotation of latch member 134 during the upwards movement of the carriage is provided instead by engagement of hook members 130 with jaw portions portions 138.

If it is required to have a mast with a shorter closed length, for example in order to operate in low buildings or to place a succession of short bodies on the vehicle, a mast having more than two sections may be employed as in known practice with some fork lift trucks.

Variations in the loading cycle are also possible.

For example, after engaging the jaw member with the attachment part of a body resting on the ground, the mast could be tilted to a position where it is at the same angle as the body before the carriage is moved to start drawing the body on to the vehicle.

This may obviate the need for the jaw member to pivot or otherwise clasp the attachment part.

It will also be appreciated that the body to be loaded need not be as long as the body shown (in broken line) in Figure 1. A shorter body or piece of equipment may for example be loaded on to the front of the vehicle's support surface enabling a second body to be loaded (and subsequently unloaded if desired) without disturbing the first body.

Alternatively, the second body could be moved forwards on the inclined mast so that, as shown in Figure 5, the contents of this body (66) can be discharged by gravity into the first body (68). For the same amount of liftfrom a ground location, however, a long container will be inclined through a smaller angle to the horizontal than a shorter container, and this may be advantageous in some circumstances.

Where a low loading inclination is especially important, e.g. for animal transport, the rear end of the container may be provided with fixed or retractable legs so that initially the container is inclined oppositely to its loading inclination. This will result in a corresponding reduction in the loading inclination when the front end of the container is raised into place.

When the mast is in the substantially vertical position shown in Figure 1, the carriage 28 may, if desired, be fitted with a crane arm or forks (e.g. forks 70 shown in Figure 6) so as to act as a hydraulic crane or fork lift. This could be used, for example, to handle unit loads into or from a body resting on the ground or for other materials handling duties.

Figure 7 shows how a hopper-bottomed silo 72 or other load can be transported in the position parallel to the vehicle's support surface and then placed in a vertical position 74 on the ground.

Where the body carried by the apparatus 10 is a container, the contents for the container may be discharged by gravity (generally through an open tailgate at the rear) by extending the ram 26 to tilt the mast and the attached body about pin 24. However in some cases this may provide an inconveniently low discharge point and in a modification shown in Figure 8 greater flexibility is obtained by connecting the outer mast section 18 to pin 24 by a generally triangular member 78. When the sliding bolt 80 and the pivot pin 82 are in position to lock mast section 18 to member 78, the mast will pivot about pin 24 in the normal way. However when the bolt 80 is moved to connect the member 78 to an extension 84 of the vehicle chassis 22 and release the mast, then the latter will pivot about pin 82 when the ram 26 is actuated, so giving a higher discharge point.

Whichever axis is chosen for tipping purposes, or if, as will be the case with the earlier embodiments, only one axis is used, a more gentle discharge will be obtained by moving the vehicle slowly forward during the discharge operation. Alternatively the body 36 may first be moved rearwards (or downwards, depending on whether or not the body has been tipped) and then raised slowly as material is discharged from the tipped body.

As has been explained, the use of a three part hydraulic ram in the embodiment of Figures 9 to 11 enables the inner mast and the carriage carrying the hook members 130 to move together during the first stage of the loading cycle when the hook members swing from the position shown in Figure 9 to that in Figure 11 and are held in this position by the latch member 134. This relieves the lift chains of the higher loads to which they would otherwise be subjected during this stage. However a similar reduction in the maximum loading in the lift chains and the hydraulic rams, or other actuating means, may be achieved in a modification (not shown) of the first embodiment, in which the cam 50 in Figures 3(a) to 3(c) has been repositioned so as to be engaged by the follower 48 only when the carriage has moved to a zone which is part way along the mast.This enables the movement of the hook members from the position where they are inclined down towards the bottom of the mast to the position where they are inclined up towards the top of the mast to be delayed until the mast has been inclined at an angle no steeper than 45 (and preferably no steeper than 30 ) to the horizontal so that the work done during this stage in drawing the body forwards along the mast onto the vehicle or other base unit is substantially reduced. In this latter embodiment, holding means are preferably provided to close off the mouth of the jaw member at least until the jaw member has moved to its support orientation and preferably until it is desired to unload the body from the mast. Suitable holding means are currently available as proprietary items e.g. coupling hooks for a tractor quick hitch arrangement.In the context of the present invention, one such device for example might comprise an elongate locking element pivotally connected at its centre to the respective hook member and movable between a first position in which a first end of the element closes off the mouth of the hook member and another position in which this mouth is exposed. In operation, the locking element can be locked in its first position by a paw pivotally connected with the second end of the locking element and spring biassed into one of two over-dead-centre positions. The locking element can be moved away from the mouth of the hook member by moving the pawl (against the restraining action of the biassing spring) to a second over-dead position in which the biassing spring again operates to hold the pawl in position.

A typical loading sequence of movements for this embodiment is shown diagrammatically in Figure 12(a) to 12(d). In the reverse sequence the hook members are arranged to swing from their upward to downward (forward to rearward) attitudes before the mast is inclined sufficiently to the vertical position to subject the operating components to substantial forces. The actuation of the hook mem bers is preferably by a cam surface or surfaces similarto that shown at 141 in Figure 9 with the hook members preferably latched in both their up and down positions by latches similar to those shown at 134 in Figure 9. Alternatively the cam followers of the hook members and the latches could be arranged to engage with cam surfaces similar to 141 and 142 respectively moved into their working positions by a small hydraulic or other actuator.This would enable the hook members to be swung or not during the passage of the carriage up or down the mast according to the requirements of the operation.

For example it could be advantageous if the mast were being used with a fork lift or scoop attachment.

Advantages of preferred embodiments of the invention over prior art devices discussed in the introductory portion of the specification include the following: (i) in the upright position, the closed height of the mast is acceptable at about 8'6" for a 12' body, so making it suitable forfork lift work in buildings and through doorways; (ii) the mast can be withdrawn from beneath a short body (such as a sprayer) which it has loaded on to the front of the body space and can then be used to load something else, e.g. a water tank.In this case either the closure member 56 (Figures 3(a) to 3(c)) would be moved out of position manually so that the mast could contact, or the attachment point for such a body could be moveable; or, with the first short body supported by the vehicle structure 22, the latch member 54 may be released manually so that the mast may be tilted further (below the horizontal if necessary) so that it may be contracted leaving the first body in position; (iii) the second pivot pin 82 (in the embodiment of Figure 8) may be useful when tipping a load; (iv) the pivoted arms 30 carrying the jaw member 32 increase the effective length of the mast and this means that in the transport position, the distal end of the mast need not protrude very far beyond the front of a body being carried on the vehicle. It also provides a way of securing the body attachment member against closure member 56.

It will be appreciated that, in all cases, the body to be loaded may for example take the form of a base frame for attachment to various proprietary equip ment e.g. sprayers etc.

Claims (22)

1. For moving a body from a first location to a second location, a loading apparatus comprising a telescopic support assembly mounted for limited rotation about at least one horizontal axis, a lifting means for engagement or connection with the body to be moved and arranged for longitudinal move ment along the support assembly, and drive means for moving the lifting means and the support assembly as above described and for extending or contracting the support assembly.

2. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 in which the drive means comprises a double-acting ram.

3. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which the lifting means is secured to or forms part of a carriage arranged to move longitudinally along the support assembly.

4. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 3 in which the drive means is operable to move the carriage and/orthe lifting means independently of any telescopic extension on contraction of the support assembly.

5. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 4 in which the drive means comprises a three-part ram, movement of one part of the three-part ram being used to bring the lifting means into a satisfactory lifting relationship with the body to be moved and at a later stage to disengage the lifting means from said body, and relative movement between the other two parts of the three-part ram being used to move the support assembly towards its fully extended or fully retracted state.

6. An apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 3 to 5 in which the carriage is linked to the support assembly by a chain system.

7. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 6 in which movement of the support assembly from its fully conracted to its fully extended position results in a corresponding movement of the carriage from the pivoted end of the support assembly, when the assembly is contracted, to the distal end of the support assembly, when the assembly is extended, and movement of the support assembly back to its fully retracted position results in the return of the carriage to the pivoted end of the support.

8. An apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 3 to 7 in which the lifting means comprises a jaw member attached to the carriage by one or more arms mounted for controlled movement of the jaw member into a support orientation in which the mouth of the jaw member is directed towards the distal end of the support assembly upwardly directed.

9. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 8 in which a latching mechanism is provided to lock the jaw member in its upwards position.

10. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 9 in which the latching mechanism is automatically released by the carriage as it reaches a preselected position on its way towards the pivoted end of the support assembly.

11. An apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 8 to 10 in which the controlled movement of the jaw member is achieved by having the one or more arms, or something secured to the one or more arms, form part of a cam arrangement of which the other part is provided by the support assembly or by a mounting structure for the support assembly.

12. An apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 8 to 10 in which the controlled movement of the jaw member is effected by means of one or more hydraulic rams acting on the one or more arms.

13. An apparatus as claimed in Claims 8 to 12 in which movement of the jaw member to its support orientation is delayed until the support assembly is inclined at an angle no steeper than 45 to the horizontal, holding means being provided to close off the mouth of the jaw member at least until the jaw member has moved to its support orientation.

14. An apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 8 to 13 including a closure member towards which the upwardly directed jaw member is displaced during operation of the apparatus to close off the mouth of the jaw member.

15. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the support assembly is arranged for pivotal movement to an orientation at which any movement of the lifting means along the support assembly will be vertical or substantially vertical enabling the apparatus to be used as a fork lift device.

16. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim adapted so that in operation of the apparatus, the lifting means, at its lowest position, is at, or close to, ground level.

17. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the support assembly is mounted on a vehicle chassis by means of an intermediate assembly which is a first mode of operation is locked to the support assembly and is pivotally connected to the vehicle chassis for pivotal movement of the support assembly about a first axis and is pivotally connected to the support assembly for pivotal movement of the support assembly about a second axis parallel to the first axis but at a higher level than the first axis.

18. An assembly comprising the combination of an apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 17 with the body to be moved and/or with a support vehicle or non-vehicular base for the apparatus.

19. An apparatus or assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figures 1, 2, 3(a), 3(b) or 3(c) of the accompanying drawings.

20. An apparatus or assembly substantially herein before described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figure 4 or Figure 5 or Figure 6 or Figure 7 or Figure 8 of the accompanying drawings.

21. An apparatus or assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figures 9 to 11 of the accompanying drawings.

22. An apparatus or assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figures 12(a) to 12(d) of the accompanying drawings.