GB2172248A

GB2172248A - A freight transport vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2172248A
Application number: GB08506900A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Rimmington
Original assignee: ABLE DEMOUNTABLE SYSTEMS LIMIT
Current assignee: ABLE DEMOUNTABLE SYSTEMS LIMIT
Priority date: 1985-03-16
Filing date: 1985-03-16
Publication date: 1986-09-17
Also published as: GB2172248B; GB8506900D0

Abstract

A freight vehicle which is capable of being loaded with containers 2 by an overhead gantry crane, the containers being loaded in two tiers 3,4. The upper tier 3 of containers 2 is supported by two longitudinal rails 12 which are pivotally mounted at the top of support posts 10 to allow the rails to be swung outward of the vehicle, Fig. 4, when the upper tier 3 is empty. This allows a greater plan area into which to lower the bottom tier of containers 2 during loading. Containers of greater width than that between the support posts 10 for the pivotal connections 19 to the rails 12 can be loaded into the lower tier. This allows the support posts 10 to restrain longitudinal movement of these containers. The rails 12 are then swung back to their inboard position and the upper tier loaded. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A freight transport vehicle This invention relates to a freight transport vehicle, in particular to a freight transport vehicle for carrying two tiers of containers.

The vehicle may be self-propelled or it may be a trailer.

The object of the invention is to provide a freight transport vehicle in which two layers of box-like containers are carried and to facilitate the loading and unloading of the vehicle.

According to the invention a freight transport vehicle comprises a two-tier framework for carrying containers of a box structure in an upper and a lower tier, the framework comprising at least one longitudinal support rail which in a loaded condition of the vehicle provides support for the containers in the upper tier and is positioned above the containers in the lower tier, overlapping with the plan areas of the lower tier containers, the support rail being so connected to the remainder of the framework as to enable the rail to be displaced, when the upper tier of containers is absent, from an inboard position it occupies when supporting the upper tier of containers, to an outboard position in which the rail lies outside of the plan areas of the containers in the lower tier, the arrangement being such that with the rail in the outboard position the containers of the lower tier can be removed from the vehicle by raising them vertically.

Preferably the rail is pivotally connected to the remainder of the framework about an axis which is substantially parallel to the rail, to enable the rail to be pivoted from the inboard position to the outboard position.

The rail is preferably carried by longitudinally spaced support members which are pivotally connected on said axis to the remainder of the framework.

Preferably the framework comprises two such pivoted longitudinal rails which in the loaded condition of the vehicle provide support for the containers in the upper tier and are positioned above the containers in the lower tier, both overlapping with the plan areas of the lower tier containers when in the inboard condition.

In one embodiment of the invention the longitudinally spaced support members each take the form of a bell-crank pivoted at its lower outward corner, the support rail being carried by the upper corner, and the inner, right angle corner being provided with an abutment surface which, in the load carrying condition of the framework, engages with a corresponding second abutment surface provided on the remainder of the frame.

The support members cach preferably carry one component of a pivot at their lower end, the other component of the pivot being carried towards the top of substantially vertical pivot support posts of the framework.

Preferably the lateral width of the containers is greater than the lateral spacing of the sup port posts, the support posts limiting any longitudinal sliding of the lower layer of containers.

Preferably the posts are provided in pairs symmetric about the central vertical longitudinal plane of the vehicle.

In a particularly advantageous arrangement the support posts are positioned in lateral pairs on either side of the central longitudinal axis at a distance which is less than that to which the containers extend laterally, thereby preventing any substantial displacement of the containers of the lower tier in a forward or backward direction.

Each post may be provided with a lug towards its upper end, the lugs carrying the other component of the pivot. Preferably the lugs extend upwardly and outwardly from vertical posts of the framework.

A transverse beam, or beams, may connect each pair of pivot support posts, preferably extending between their upper ends.

Each horizontal transverse beam may be provided with the second abutment surfaces and also conveniently provides a suitable site of attachment for an actuator, suitably a pneumatic/hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly, or an electric linear actuator.

The box containers may be adapted for positive actuators location with respect to their supporting surfaces. The means of positive location may comprise a rim or shoulder depending from the base of each container.

It will be appreciated that the pivoted arrangement of the support rails allows containers of the lower tier of greater width than would otherwise bc possible to be vertically loaded and unloaded from the framework. In particular in the preferred embodiment it is possible to load containers of greater width than the separation of the support rails into the lower tier. This allows support of the upper tier containers further toward the centre and so reduces the risk of the container falling sideways from the vehicle.

In one typical arrangement substantially all the box containers are equal in base area, but may be of different heights. All the box containers may be arranged with their main longitudinal axes transverse to the longitudinal axis of the freight vehicle. Alternatively, at least some of the box containers in the lower tier may be arranged with their main longitudinal axes parallel to or aligned with the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

The framework may be permanently attached to the deck of the freight vehicle.

However, when the freight vehicle is of the kind adapted for use with demountable swap bodies, the framework may be upstanding from the deck of a swap buddy, being demountable therewith. This enables the vehicle to be used to transport another body after first demounting the deck with the frame in situ.

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 freight transport vehicle which has a portal frame assembly in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a side view of a trailer for a freight transport vehicle, the trailer being provided with a portal frame assembly in accordance with the invention; Figure 3 is an end view of the portal frame assembly in accordance with the invention, the assembly being shown in its normal load-supporting condition; and Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing the frame assembly in its opened condition.

The freight transport vehicle of Figure 1 is in most respects of standard construction, the distinctive feature being the provision of a two-tier hinged portal frame assembly 1.

The portal frame assembly 1 is arranged and constructed so as to accommodate box containers 2 in an upper and a lower layer, 3 and 4 respectively. The assembly 1 is also designed to facilitate access to the lower layer of box containers during transfer of the containers 2 between the freight transport vehicle and another location, for example a storage site or another vehicle.

The freight transport vehicle has a main chassis comprising two parallel longitudinal main chassis members 5 which support a cab 6, auxiliary lift means 7, compressed air reservoir 8 and the two-tier hinged portal frame assembly 1.

The auxiliary lift means 7, which form no part of the present invention, is of a standard form for use in demountable body vehicles, comprising bellows and legs rotatable about, and extendable along, a lateral axis. It is used if it is desired to demount the body of the vehicle with the portal frame assembly 1 in situ and leave it free-standing whilst the vehicle chassis is used to transport another body. The compressed air reservoir 8 supplies pneumatic power to the bellows of the auxiliary lift means 7 and to actuating pistons, each of which pivots a support leg 9.

The assembly 1 comprises two rows of three substantially vertical support pillars 10, the rows being positioned respectively above the main chassis members 5. Each support pillar 10 is connected to a pivotal support leg 9 at respective pivots 11. The axes of the pivots 11 of each row are directed longitudinally of the vehicle and parallel to the respective chassis member 5. Each leg 9 is welded to a load bearing rail 12 which extends parallel to the main chassis member 5.

In the normal, load supporting, condition the legs 9 are directed vertically, as shown in Figure 1. Box containers 2 are supported in a first tier by load base 13 and in a second tier by the load rails 12. The box containers 2 are of a standard form in that they are of an appropriate width to be stable upon their supporting rails, extending laterally beyond the rails 12. The lower containers are also arranged to be longitudinally located between suport pillars 10.

All the containers are equal in base area, with the containers in the lower tier arranged with their main axes extending longitudinally, and those in the upper tier with their main axes extending transversely. The upper containers are of greater height than the lower containers.

The containers of the lower tier are adapted to lie each within a framed recess so as not to bear any load.

The rails 12 can be pivoted outwardly about the axes of pivots 11 by pneumatic cylinders 21 after the containers in the upper tier have been removed.

Figure 2 shows an application of the invention to a trailer 14. Parts corresponding to those described with reference to Figure 1 are labelled with corresponding numbers. The main difference between the arrangement for a trailer and the vehicle shown in Figure 1 is that the supporting base is now a stepped load platform 15 rather than two parallel main chassis rails.

The provision of the downward step in the central portion of the platform 15 increases the volume of containers which may be held in the lower tier 4 but necessitates in this region the use of support pillars 10' of greater length in order to maintain an operating line of pivots.

The deck of the vehicle of Figure 1 may also be stepped in a similar manner to that of the deck of Figure 2.

Loading of the box containers 2 onto the transport vehicle can be accomplished by an overhead gantry crane or any other suitable lifting device. The load rails 12 are anguiarly moved about pivots 11 into their open condition. This permits the box containers to be lowered vertically down into open frame compartments formed by the longitudinally spaced pairs of support pillars 10. Once the lower tier 4 has been loaded then the support legs 9 of each rail 12 are rotated about the longitudinal line of pivots to place the load rails 12 in their normal, load carrying, condition. The containers of the upper tier 3 can now be lowered onto load rails 12. Lower tier 4 of box container 2 is not load bearing and can be vertically loaded and unloaded due to the provision of pivoted portal frame 1.

Specifically as shown in Figures 3 and 4 each of the main chassis rails 5 supports a substantially vertical support pillar 10 by means of a foot 16.

The support pillar 10 extends upwardly for a major portion of the height of the box container 2 and is rigidly connected at its upper end with both an inward horizontal transverse beam 17 and an upwardly and outwardly extending pivot support 18. Thus, a pair of pillars 10 together with the respective beam 17 provide a portal. The transverse beam 17 connects a support pillar 10 above one main chassis member 5 with the equivalent support pillar provided above the other main chassis member 5 to form a portal, and diagonal bracing is provided between opposed pairs of pillars 10.

The pivot supports 18 are provided at each junction of support pillars 10 and transverse beams 17. They each carry pivot 19 at the furthest extent of their outwardly projecting ends. The pivots 19 lie in a line parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and are arranged to be laterally disposed outside of the portal. First actuator cylinder attachment lugs 20 are provided on the upper surface of each transverse beam 17 at two positions symmetrically disposed either side of the vertical plane of the central longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The lugs 20 are located towards the centre of the beam 17.

Two pivoted load rails 12 are provided, each extending parallel to and symmetrically disposed about the longitudinal central vertical plane of the vehicle. They are each separately able to pivot outwardly so as to facilitate vertical loading and unloading of the lower tier of containers 4.

Pivotal bell-crank plates 21 are provided in pairs, similarly symmetrically disposed about the central vertical longitudinal plane of the vehicle. The plates 21 are each supported by, and pivot at, their respective pivots 19. Each plate 21 is of a generally right angled triangular form and is orientated such that its hypothenuse extends from the pivot at a first corner of the triangle to the laterally outer side of load rail 12 which is at a second corner of the triangle. Load rail 12 is of generally square section and is supported by its co-operating engagement with right-angled recesses 22, formed at the second corner of each plate 21.

Each plate 21 is provided with a triangular extension 23 at the laterally inner portion of its base, where the third corner would be if it were not for the extension 23, to form an abutment face 24. Abutment face 24 is capable of engaging a respective abutment pad 24' provided on the upper surface of transverse beam 17. Each plate 21 is also provided with a second actuator piston attachment 20' situated on attachment face 25 opposite the pivot 19. Two pneumatic actuator cylinder assemblies 26 are located above each transverse beam 17, and are connected between the respective pairs of attachments 20, 20'.

Upon extension of the actuator cylinders 26 the load rails 12 are swung outwardly beyond the sidewalls, as projected vertically, of the lower box containers 4, so allowing them to be lifted out. It will be appreciated that this facilitates the transport of containers of maximum width.

Plates 2 are so arranged that in conjunction with actuating cylinders 26 they have two stable positions. In normal, load carrying position attachment face 24 is substantially vertical, as shown in Figure 3, with rails 12 in an inboard position.

In the load carrying stable position the centre of gravity of a load rail 12 and its plate 21 is inside the pivot 19 to urge abutment face 24 further into engagement with the corresponding abutment pad 24'. Loading of box containers 2 onto the load rail 12 to form an upper layer of containers 3 increases the pressure between abutment surfaces and so increases the stability of the portal frame.

In an open second stable position, Figure 4, the centre of gravity of the load rail and its plates 21 is outside of the pivot and it is the limit of extension of actuating cylinders 26 which determines how far apart the load rails move. This is the outboard position of the rails.

The arrangement of the hinge pivot 19 close to the top of the support pillar 10 reduces the mass of the pivotal member 21 and so reduces the force that the actuating cylinders 26 need to apply in order to pivot load rails 12.

The features described enable two tiers of box containers to be carried by what is otherwise a standard vehicle, and enable the vehicle to be loaded by a standard overhead crane.

The containers may be adapted for positive location with respect to the load rail 12, for example by the use of a depending rim or shoulder 27 which in use extends between, and co-operates, with the load rails 12. Alternatively a depending rim to the outside of the load rails may be provided on the container to improve their stability.

A description of the operation of the invention now follows: a lifting device of some kind, for example a portal crane, is used to unload a laden vehicle. The box containers 2 of the upper tier, which are generally identical, are first removed. After the upper tier of boxes has been removed from the load rails 12 the actuator cylinders 26 are extended to pivot rails 12 from the first stable position to the second stable position. Preferably all of the box containers are interchangeable. However, the lower tier of boxes 4 may not be of the same shape as the upper tier 3, nor may they be interchangeable with each other. The box containers of the lower tier 4 are so dimensioned as to enable them to be lifted vertically away from the vehicle without obstruction from either the transverse beams 17 or the load rails 12 in their outboard positions.

Loading of the vehicle follows a complementary procedure, the load rails 12 being swung up into the first stable position after the lower tier 4 has been stacked.

It is possible to load only the upper or lower tier if desired.

In a modification, the cylinders 26 may be arranged to permit the plates 21 to hinge down below the level of the beam 17 to facilitate renewal and replacement of the boxes of the upper tier.

In another construction the load rails 12 could be slidably arranged for transverse sliding movement with respect to the pillars 10, or carried by a four-bar chain linkage arranged to provide simultaneous transverse outwards and vertical movement in a downwards direction.

Claims

1. A freight transport vehicle comprising a two-tier framework for carrying containers in an upper and a lower tier, the framework comprising at least one longitudinal support rail which in a loaded condition of the vehicle provides support for the containers in the upper tier and is positioned above the containers in the lower tier, overlapping with the plan areas of the lower tier containers, the support rail being so connected to the remainder of the framework as to enable the rail to be displaced, when the upper tier of containers is absent, from an inboard position it occupies when supporting the upper tier of containers, to an outboard position in which the rail lies outside of the plan areas of the containers in the lower tier, the arrangement being such that with the rail in the outboard position the containers of the lower tier can be removed from the vehicle by raising them vertically.

2. A freight transport vehicle according to claim 1 in which the or each rail is pivotally connected to the remainder of the framework about an axis which is substantially parallel to the rail, to enable the rail to be pivoted from the inboard position to the outboard position.

3. A freight transport vehicle according to claim 2 in which the pivotal connection of the or each longitudinal support rail to the remainder of the framework is arranged such that when the rail is in the inboard position the centre of gravity of the rail and its pivotal connection to the remainder of the framework is such that the rail is urged inwardly of the longitudinal axis of the rail, and when the rail is in the outboard position the centre of gravity of the rail and its pivotal connection to the remainder of the frame is such that the rail is urged outwardly of the longitudinal axis of the rail.

4. A freight transport vehicle according to any preceding claim in which the framework comprises two such pivoted longitudinal rails which in the loaded condition of the vehicle provide support for the containers in the upper tier and are positioned above the containers in the lower tier, both overlapping with the plan areas of the lower tier containers when in the inboard condition.

5. A freight transport vehicle according to claim 4 in which the pivoted longitudinal rails are substantially parallel.

6. A freight transport vehicle according to claim 4 or 5 in which the longitudinal rails are, when in the inboard position, at substantially the same vertical level.

7. A freight transport vehicle according to any of claims 2 to 6 in which the or each rail is carried by longitudinally spaced support members which are pivotally connected on said axis to the remainder of the framework.

8. A freight transport vehicle according to claim 7 in which the support members each carry one component of the pivot at their lower end, the other component of the pivot being carried towards the top of substantially vertical pivot support posts of the framework.

9. A freight transport vehicle according to claim 8 in which the posts are provided in pairs symmetrical about the central vertical longitudinal plane of the vehicle.

10. A freight transport vehicle according to claim 8 or claim 9 in which the lateral spacing of the support posts is less than the lateral width of the containers, the support posts limiting any longitudinal sliding of the lower layer of containers.

11. A freight transport vehicle according to any of claims 8 to 10 in which each post is provided with a lug towards its upper end, the lugs carrying the other component of the pivot.

12. A freight transport vehicle according to claim 11 in which the lugs extend upwardly and outwardly from the vertical posts.

13. A freight transport vehicle according to any of claims 9 to 12 in which at least one transverse beam connects each pair of pivot support posts.

14. A freight transport vehicle according to claim 13 in which there is a transverse beam extending between the upper ends of each pair of pivot support posts.

15. A freight transport vehicle according to claim 14 in which the transverse beam that extends between the upper ends of each pair of pivot support posts is substantially horizontal.

16. A freight transport vehicle according to any of claims 7 to 15 in which the longitudinally spaced support members each take the form of a bell-crank pivoted at its lower outward corner, the support rail being carried by the upper corner, and the inner, right angle, corner being provided with an abutment surface which, in the load carrying condition of the framework, engages with a corresponding second abutment surface provided on the remainder of the frame.

17. A freight transport vehicle according to claim 16 as dependent from any of claims 13 to 15 in which at least one transverse beam is provided with said second abutment surface for engagement with the first abutment surface of the bell-crank.

18. A freight transport vehicle according to any of claims 13 to 17 in which a transverse beam between a pair of support posts provides a site of attachment for an actuator.

19. A freight transport vehicle substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.