GB2105296A

GB2105296A - Vehicle load handling apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2105296A
Application number: GB08221516A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alasdair John Southall
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-07-25
Filing date: 1982-07-26
Publication date: 1983-03-23
Also published as: GB2105296B

Abstract

A load-handling apparatus for use in a load-carrying vehicle consisting of guide rails 14 secured to the vehicle and a platform 10 which is slidably mounted on the guide rails and capable of sliding movement relatively thereto. The platform is arranged to move longitudinally of the vehicle from a position adjacent to or extending from one end of the vehicle to a retracted position remote from said one end. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION An improved load-handling apparatus This invention relates to load-handling apparatus and more particularly, but not exclusively, to load-handling apparatus for use in a loadcarrying vehicle.

When a load-carrying vehicle such as a van is to be loaded, it is often found to be difficult to insert the load to be carried in the most suitable position on the vehicle's load-carrying platform. Furthermore, even when a load has been inserted into the vehicle, considerable difficulties arise in manoeuvering the load on the vehicle's load-carrying platform and this often results in poor utilisation of the space within a vehicle.

The object of this invention is to provide a load-handling apparatus which alleviates the above difficulties.

According to this invention, a load-handling apparatus for use in a load-carrying vehicle or in other load-carrying equipment comprises guide means adapted to be secured to the vehicle or equipment and a platform which is slidably movable on the guide means relatively to the vehicle or equipment.

Preferably, the platform is slidably movable between a first position in which the platform is disposed wholly within the confines of the vehicle or equipment and a second position in which at least part of the platform extends from the vehicle or equipment.

Preferably, also, the guide means comprises two spaced-apart guide rails extending along at least part of the length of the vehicle or equipment and the platform may be mounted between the guide rails for sliding movement relatively thereto.

Preferably, each guide rail comprises an upper and a lower substantially horizontally extending flange and one or more sliding blocks or rollers which are connected to the platform, are disposed therebetween.

Stop means is, preferably, provided for limiting movement of the platform beyond the first and/or the second position. The stop means may be manually overriden or rendered inoperative to enable the platform to be completely removed from the vehicle or equipment.

Preferably, location means is provided for positively locating the platform relatively to the guide means in one or more pre-selected positions.

Preferably, also, power-operated driving means is provided for moving the platform relatively to the guide means.

A preferred embodiment of this invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a load-handling apparatus in a first non-extended position with parts omitted for the sake of clarity; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic end elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the apparatus in a second extended position; Figure 4 is a diagrammatic sectional end elevation of part of the apparatus to an enlarged scale; and Figure 5 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a power-operated version of the load-handling apparatus.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings, a load-handling apparatus for use in a load-carrying vehicle or other load-carrying equipment comprises a platform 10 which is mounted on a sub-frame 1 2. The sub-frame 1 2 is disposed between two spaced-apart guide rails 1 4 and the edge portions of the platform 10 are arranged to extend over the guide rails 14.

Each guide rail 14 is secured to the loadcarrying platform of the vehicle by three spaced-apart mounting brackets 1 6 and extends along the length of said platform. The guide rails 14 comprise upper and lower substantially horizontally extending flanges 1 8 and 20 which receive therebetween rollers 22 which are rotatably mounted in bearings on the side edges of the sub-frame 1 2.

Referring particularly to Fig. 3 of the drawings, each side of the sub-frame 1 2 is provided with three spaced-apart rollers 22 which run upon the lower face of the upper flange 1 8 of each guide rail 14 and with seven spaced-apart rollers 22 which run upon the upper face of the lower flange 20 of the guide rails 14.In this particular embodiment, where the platform 10 is arranged to move from a first non-extended position in which the platform 10 is disposed wholly within the confines of the vehicle to a second position in which approximately two thirds of the length of the platform 10 extend from the vehicle, the three rollers 22 which run upon the lower surface of the upper flange 1 8 of the guide rails 14 are spaced-apart along approximately the innermost one third of the length of the sub-frame 1 2 to provide support for the platform 10 in its extended position.

A stop 24 is mounted upon the lower surface of the upper flange 1 8 of each guide rail 14 and the position of the stop 24 is arranged so that when the platform 10 reaches the fully extended position, the stop 24 is engaged by the one of the rollers 22 which run upon the lower surface of the upper flange 18 which is nearest to the free projecting end of the sub-frame 1 2. The stops 24 are either releasably secured to the guide rails 1 8 so as to be capable of removal therefrom or the stops 24 are provided with manuallyoperable means which enable said stops 24 to be temporarily removed from a position ill which they would be engaged by the rollers 22.It will be appreciated that if the stops 24 are removed or are manually displaced, the platform 10 and the sub-frame 1 2 can be removed completely from the vehicle.

Additional stops (not shown) are provided on the guide rails 14 to limit inward movement of the platform 10 so that said platform 10 can not move beyond the first unextended position.

Each side edge of the platform 10 is provided with location means for positively locating the platform 10 relative to the guide rails 14 in three pre-selected positions. The location means comprises three spaced-apart cylindrical guides 26 secured in spaced-apart relationship along each side edge portion of the platform 10. A locating hole (not shown) is formed in the upper flange 1 8 of each guide rail 1 4 at a point adjacent to the rear of the vehicle and a location pin (not shown) is also provided which is adapted to be inserted through the cylindrical guide 26 and engage in the hole (not shown) in the upper flange 1 8 of the guide rails 1 4 to positively locate the platform 10 in any one of the three preselected positions.These positions may conve nientty be the first non-extended position of the platform 10, the second fully extended position of the platform 10 and an intermediate extended position of the platform 1 0.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 5 of the drawings, a power-operated version of the load-handling apparatus is shown in diagrammatic form and the component parts thereof which are identical to the manually-operated version described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings are identified by the same reference numerals. A power-operated driving means comprises a reversible electric motor 30 which is drivably connected by a toothed belt 32 to a threaded shaft 34.The inner end of the shaft 34 is rotatably mounted and secured against longitudinal movement in a bearing 36 secured to a cross member 38 extending between the inner ends of the guide rails 1 4. The shaft 34 extends parallel to the guide rails 1 4 through a self-lubricating nut 40 secured against rotation in a centre tube 42 of the sub-frame 1 2.

Rotation of the shaft 34 by the electric motor 30 screws the shaft 34 through the nut either into or out of the centre tube 42 according to the direction of rotation of the motor 30 so as to effect power-operated sliding movement of the platform 10 and the sub-frame 1 2 relatively to the guide rails 14 between the first non-extended position of the platform 10 and the fully extended second position thereof. It will be appreciated that this power-operated driving means is particularly necessary where heavy loads are to be carried by the platform 10 which would make it difficult to manually slide the platform 10 between the extended and non-extended positions thereof.In operation, of both the manual and power-operated versions of the load-handling apparatus, when a load is to be inserted into a vehicle, the platform 10 is extended to the second position which enables loads to be positioned directly onto a major portion of the length of the platform 10 by utilising, for example, a conventional forklift truck. The facility to move the platform 10 to this extended position facilitates the loading of the vehicle and optimises utilisaton of the available space therein. Once the platform 10 has been loaded, it is then retracted to its nonextended position in the vehicle.

It will also be appreciated that a platform of shorter length than the load-carrying portion of the vehicle could be provided and the platform arranged to slide between positions which are wholly within the confines of the vehicle. Such an arrangement would enable the shorter length platform to be disposed adjacent to the end of the load-carrying portion of the vehicle where goods are normally inserted thereby enabling the shorter length platform to be loaded with goods. The shorter length platform is then retracted into the vehicle and the remaining portion of the loadcarrying platform of the vehicle can then be loaded with additional goods.

In addition, where the platform 10 can be completely removed from the vehicle, it is possible to fully load the entire platform which is then utilised as a pallet and the loaded platform 10 can then be inserted as a unitary load into the vehicle when the goods are to be transported thereby.

In a modification, the rollers 22 are replaced by sliding blocks which are coated with a material having a low coefficient of friction such as, for example, P.T.F.E. and a similar coating of material having a low coefficient of friction is incorporated onto the bearing surfaces of the upper and lower flanges 1 8 and 20 of the guide rails 1 4.

In a further modification, the guide rails 14 are mounted onto the chassis of the loadcarrying vehicle or load-carrying equipment. It will thus be appreciated that the load-carrying platform of said vehicle or equipment can be dispensed with.

In another modification of the power-operated version of the load-handling apparatus, the power-operated driving means consists of a hydraulic or pneumatically operated mechanism in the form of a piston and cylinder device which replaces the electric motor 30, toothed belt 32 and threaded shaft 34.

Claims

1. A load-handling apparatus for use in a load-carrying vehicle or in other load-carrying equipment comprises guide means adapted to be secured to the vehicle or equipment and a platform which is slidably movable on the guide means relatively to the vehicle or equipment.

2. A load-handling apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the platform is slidably movable between a first position in which the platform is disposed wholly within the confines of the vehicle or equipment and a second position in which at least part of the platform extends from the vehicle or equipment.

3. A load-handling apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the guide means comprises two spaced-apart guide rails extending along at least part of the length of the vehicle or equipment.

4. A load-handling apparatus according to Claim 3 wherein the platform is mounted between the guide rails for sliding movement relatively thereto.

5. A load-handling apparatus according to Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein each guide rail comprises an upper and a lower substantially horizontally extending flange and one or more sliding blocks or rollers which are connected to the platform are disposed therebetween.

6. A load-handling apparatus according to Claim 2 or Claim 2 and any one of Claims 3 to 5, wherein stop means is provided for limiting movement of the platform between the first and/or the second position.

7. A load-handling apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein the stop means are adapted to be manually overridden or rendered inopertive to enable the platform to be completely removed from the vehicle or equipment.

8. A load-handling apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein location means is provided for positively locating the platform relatively to the guide means in one or more pre-selected positions.

9. A load-handling apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein power-operated driving means is provided for moving the platform relatively to the guide means.

10. A load-handling apparatus construced, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by, the accompanying drawings.