GB2182643A

GB2182643A - Method of and apparatus for mounting and/or demounting goods-carrying containers

Info

Publication number: GB2182643A
Application number: GB08615473A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Barry Chapman
Original assignee: CHAPMAN DEMOUNT SYSTEMS LIMITE
Current assignee: CHAPMAN DEMOUNT SYSTEMS LIMITE
Priority date: 1985-10-08
Filing date: 1986-06-25
Publication date: 1987-05-20
Also published as: GB8615473D0; GB8524800D0

Abstract

Method and apparatus for mounting and/or demounting a goods container onto and/or off a vehicle is disclosed, comprising a ramped platform structure into which a vehicle (20) can be reversed to cause a container (12) thereon to be transferred to the platforms ready to be picked up again, e.g. by another vehicle. The container (12) has laterally projecting wheels (16), capable of retraction when not in use, which engage the ramps (18) of a pair of spaced platforms (22) to cause the container to be lifted, one end first, and finally to be lifted clear of the vehicle deck. A latching arrangement, which may in part be coupled with wheel retraction, enables the container to be latched in position to the vehicle and platform structure, as necessary. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Method of and apparatus for mounting and/or demounting goods-carrying containers Description Field of the invention This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for mounting and/or demounting goodscarrying containers onto and/or from a vehicle deck, more especiallythe deck of a container-carrying lorry.

The invention According to one aspect ofthe invention, there is provided a method of mounting and/or demounting a goods-carrying container onto and/or from a vehicle deck, according to which,fordemounting,acon- tainercarrying vehicle is driven between a pair of parallel ramped platforms to cause laterally projecting wheels on the container to engage and then run up the parallel ramps on to the parallel platforms in order to ra ise the container clear of the veh icle deck, whereafter the vehicle is driven away free ofthe containerand,formounting, an emptyvehicle is driven between the parallel platforms supporting a container, the container is attached to the vehicle and the vehicle is driven to causethe container wheels to run offthe platform and down the ramps in orderto lower the container onto the vehicle deck, whereafter the loaded vehicle is driven away.

Preferably, a container-carrying vehicle will be reversed between the ramped platforms to off-load and/or load the container, and be driven away forwardly.

The container is preferably latched to the vehicle deck whilst mounted thereon, the latch being released during demounting, and latched to the platforms whilst supported thereon, the latch being completed prior to driving away an empty vehicle and red leased priorto loading. The step of attaching the con- tainertothevehicleduring loading may be combined with the step of releasing the platforms latch.

It is self-evident that the ramped platforms are at a height and spacing to receive the wheels of the wheeled container to effect a lift sufficient to raisethe container clear of the vehicle deck as the vehicle pushes the container up the ramps. The lift effected is, however, preferably the minimum necessary to free the container from the vehicle, allowing forthe fact that the vehicle deck will itself tend to rise as the weight ofthe container is removed from the vehicle suspension system.

Tilting ofthe container will occur during transfer between the vehicle and the platforms, and the container istherefore supported on the vehicledeckwith clearance behind the vehicle cab, which is desirably reinforced at the back sine reliance is placed thereon for pushing the container up the ramps on to the platforms during off-loading.

According to another aspect ofthe invention, there is provided apparatus for mounting and/or demounting a goods-carrying container onto and from a vehicle deck, comprising a pair of laterally spaced parallel ramped platforms and a container equipped with wheels which project or are able to project late rally atthe underside of the container,the arrange- ment being such that the container can be transferred between the vehicle deck and the platforms by engagement ofthe wheels with the ramped platforms.

The ramps are preferably provided at one end only of the platforms, the vehicle being reversed between them for loading and/or unloading and being driven out forwardly.

A preferred container has wheels at least at both ends, and the mounting means therefor may be such that the wheels are retractable to a position at least flush with the container sides when the container is in normal transit on the vehicle. The preferred container also has runners to enable sliding thereof on the vehicle deck.

In one arrangement, a means for retracting the wheels may also set to automatically cause latching of the container to the vehicle deck.

A reinforced thrust structure is preferably provided at the rear of the vehicle cab, and this added thrust structure may include a stop member with which engages a part carried by the container runners in order to ensure that the fully loaded container is spaced from the thrust surface. The clearance thus created ensures that the container is able to tilt to the extent necessary during movement along the ramps. When fully tilted, the relevant end wall of the container is tilted into engagement with the thrust surface ofthe reinforced thrust structure.

The ramps are preferably provided with flared guide walls which "line up" the containerwith the ramped platforms during off-loading. Preferably,the vehicle is equipped with analogous guides which en surethatthe container "lines up" with the vehicle during loading.

Most preferably, a latch means is provided for releasably latching the container to the vehicle deck and/orto the ramped platforms. In a preferred arrangement, this latch means is combined with the meansforconnectingthecontainertothevehicleso that the container is drawn off the platforms during loading.

Thus, a preferred latch means comprises a laterally orvertically movable latching part at the underside of the container, and a static latching part at leastonthe ramped platforms, and possibly also on the vehicle deck. In addition, the vehicle deck is equipped with a thrust member. The laterally movable latching part on the container, operable by a pivotal linkage connection having a handle, in one position engages with the static latching part on the platforms, and in another position is engageable by the thrust member.

Whilst latching ofthecontainertothevehiclemay be effected by use of the same movable latching part on the underside of the container, it is alternatively possible, as previously mentioned, to combine retraction ofthe wheels with container/vehicle latching.

The ramped platforms may constitute a "permanent" or a "temporary" structure. In the latter case, the ramped platforms form part an integrated plat form structure which includes ground plates which the vehicle wheels run on when the vehicle is driven between the ramped platforms. In this way, the veh icleitselfassistsin keeping the platform structure static and stationary during loading and unloading.

Alternatively, of course, the ramped platforms may be permanently built on and anchored to the ground.

Theinventionthusalso extendsto a rampedplat- form structure as aforesaid. According to this aspect ofthe invention,there is provided a platform structure which comprises ground plate means over which will run the ground wheels of a containercarrying vehicle, and integrally formed with said ground plate means a pair of laterally spaced ramped platforms with which can engage the wheels of a wheeled container on the vehicle when the latter is driven over the ground plate means.

According to a still further aspect of the invention, there is provided a goods-carrying container having beneath its goods space means supporting wheels which project or can be caused to project laterally beyond the width ofthe container, the latter also being equipped on its underside with runners for sliding on the vehicle deck and with one part ofa latch means by which the container can be latched eitherto the vehicle deck orto a platform on which the container is supported on its wheels.

Description ofdrawings The method and apparatus of the invention will now be exemplified with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures la to 7e diagrammatically illustrate stages in the method in accordance with the invention; Figure2 diagrammatically illustrates the tilting of thecontainerwhich occurs during mounting and demounting; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a ramped platform structure in accordance with the invention; Figure4shows the underpart of a container equipped with wheel mounts; Figure 5shows detail of a locking means for the wheel mounts;; Figures 6to 8show details of a latching and connecting means provided on the container, the vehicle deck and the ramp, respectively in transverse crosssection, longitudinal cross-section and elevation transverse at right angles to the plane ofthe cross- section of Figure 6; Figures 9 and 10 showthe reinforced thrust structure and guide provided on the vehicle; and Figures 11 and 12 show an alternative means for wheel retraction combined with a container/vehicle latching device.

Description ofembodiment Referring firstto Figure 1, in diagram a) a vehicle 10 from which a container 12 is to be demounted or offloaded is being reversed towards a platform structure 14comprising laterally spaced ramped platforms. In diagram 1 b), rearwheels 16 on the con tainerhaveengagedtheramps 18 andthe container 12 istilted backto engage the backofthecabstruc ture20. In diagram 1c),the container has risen upthe ramps 18 on to the platforms 22, so as to be lifted clear of the vehicle deck. The container may now be latched to the platform structure and the vehicle driven away forwardly.

Figure 1 d) shows an empty vehicle being reversed into the platform structure to pick up the container 12. Finally, Figure 1 e) shows the vehicle being driven forwardly out ofthe platform structure, in process of picking up the container 12 in course of its final movement. This has entailed release ofthe latch and connection ofthe container to the vehicle to cause the container to be drawn off the platform on to the vehicle as the vehicle moves forward.

Figure 2 shows the end-to-endtilting of the con tainerwhich occurs during loading and off-loading.

During off-loading,the end wall ofthe container engages the back of the cab structure, which is suitably reinforced with a thrust structure, so as to be pushed up the ramps on to the platforms.

Figure 3 shows a preferred basic platform structure 14. This comprises an integrated steel structure incorporating the ramped platforms 24, 24A atthe upper ends of the ramps 26, 26A, together with ground plates 28 on which the wheels of the vehicle run when it is driven between the ramped platforms.

A cross-structure 30 connects the ramped platforms at the end of the platforms remote from the ramps.

The ramped platforms are provided with guide walls 32, flared atthe leading end 34to facilitate lining up the container with the platform during off-loading.

Figures4and 5 showthewheel mounts on the underside ofthe container. The container goods space is referenced 36, and it can be seen that the wheels, exemplified by the wheel 38, project laterally beyond the sidewall of the container, thereby to enable engagement ofthe wheels with the ramped platforms while the understructure of the container, which in cludes runners 40 for sliding on the vehicle deck, passes between said platforms.

The wheel mount comprises a fixed squaresectioned guide sleeve 42 within which is a slidable squaretube 44 carrying a stub axle 46 on which the wheel 38 is freely rotatable. A cut-out 45 in the tube 44 provides for engagement by a suitable tool to enable lateral retraction and projection of the wheel 38.

Figure5 shows a spring-loaded locking plunger 48 which is manually releasable and which in its nonreleased position locks the wheel tube 44 in its projected or its retracted position.

Referring now to Figures 6 to 8, there are shown details of a latching and connecting means. This latch includes a movable part 50, which is conveniently carried by an outer sleeve 52 on the square wheel sleeve 42, the outer sleeve 52 being movable between laterally spaced positions along the wheel sleeve by means of a pivotal linkage 54 having a handle 56. When said outer sleeve 52 is moved, it carrieswith itthe latch part50,which in one lateral position cooperates with a fixed latch part 58 on the platform structure 14to avoid risk of the container being shifted, i.e. partially puiledforward along the ramped platforms, when an empty vehicle is being driven away, In this same lateral position, the latch part 50 alternatively cooperates with a fixed latch part 60 on the vehicle deck, therebyto prevent longitudinal movement of the container when it is in transit on the vehicle, supported by its runner40 on the vehicle deck.

During loading and off-loading, the latch is moved to its second position to enable the containerto be transferred between the platform structure and the vehicle, in which second position the latch part 50 is not longitudinally aligned with the parts 58 and 60. In said second position, however, the latch part 50 is longitudinally aligned with a thrust member 62 on the vehicle chassis, whereby, during loading, the member 62 engages the latch part as the vehicle starts forward, causing the wheeled container to be pushed forward along the platforms and down the ramps on to the vehicle deck as the forward move ment of the vehicle out ofthe platform structure is continued.

Finally, Figures 9 and l0showthe structure ofthe vehicle at the region of the back of the cab. The back ofthe cab is reinforced by a thrust structure which includes two upright posts 70, one on each side, angled at the top 72 to provide a rest for a tilted con tainerduring loading and off-loading. Adjacentthe bottom of each post 70 is a cross member 74, which provides a stop for the runners 40 on the underside of the container. Said stops define the fully loaded position of the container, wherein a clearance 76 is left between the thrust structure 70 and the container to allowtilting ofthe latterto take place.

These figures also show angled guides 78 provided on the vehicle chassis at the front end thereof in orderto assist in lining upthe containerwiththeveh icledeckduring loading.Asimilar guide is preferably providedatthe rearofthevehicledeck.

Figures 11 and 12 showy modified arrangement which enables retraction of the wheels to be combined with container/vehicle latching in a manner which also facilitates the incorporation of lateral guides on the vehicle deck.

In this modification, the containerwheels or rollers, exemplified by wheel 80, are carried by axles 82, being secured thereon by circlips 84. The axles 82 are slidable through relatively short circular section supporttubes 86 (pairs of which, one on each side, replace the single rave-to-rave square tube 42 of the preceding embodiment). At the end remote from the wheel 80, the axle 82 is fitted with a taper pin 88, retained buy a spring peg 90. Spring-loaded plunger 92, operable by an over-centre handle 94, locates into holes in thewheel axle in the inboard andtheout- board positions ofthe latter. It is to be noted that peg 96 engaging a hole in the axle prevents rotation of the axle during transition.

Bolted to the vehicle chassis on each side thereof are top and bottom plates 100,102 and bolted to these plates is an angle bracket 1 04which is apertured at its upper end, at 106, to receive the taper pin 88 ofthewheel axle, in the inboard position indicated in broken line in Figure 11.

The mounting arrangement is versatile in permitting lateral adjustment of the top and bottom plates 100, 102 to suit different chassis/body widths and to accommodate differing chassis types whilst angle bracket 104 is vertically adjustable to suite differing main runnerand crossbearerdimensions. In Figure 1 1,the main runner is referenced 108 and the crossbearer 110, whilst reference 112 denotes a con necting angle member.

Welded to the top plate 100 is a guide member 114 whichtraverselyalignsthemain runners, during loading or remounting of the containerto the chas sis, by cooperation with the connecting angle member 1 l2tothecrossbearer 110.

It can thus be seen that the modified arrangement provides for automatic latching and unlatching between the container and the vehicle, when mounting and demounting, responsively to the action of extending or retracting the wheels, and also provides a ready means for lateral guidance of the container during mounting.

It will be appreciated that the drawings illustrate one practical embodiment for practising the invention and that various modifications thereof are possible within the scope of the invention as hereinbefore defined.

Claims

1. Amethodofmounting and/ordemountinga goods-carrying container onto and/orfrom a vehicle deck, according to which, for demounting, a container carrying vehicle is driven between a pair of parallel ramped platforms to causee laterally projecting wheels on the containerto engage and then run up the parallel ramps on to the parallel platforms in order to raise the container clear of the vehicle deck, whereafterthe vehicle is driven away free of the con tainerand,for mounting, an empty vehicle is driven between the parallel platforms supporting a container, the container is attached to the vehicle and the vehicle is driven to cause the container wheels to run off the platform and down the ramps in orderto lower the container onto the vehicle deck, whereafter the loaded vehicle is driven away.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the container-carrying vehicle is reversed between the ramped platforms to off-load and/or load the con- tainer, and is driven awayforwardly.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the container is latched to the vehicle deck whilst mounted thereon.

4. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the laterally projecting wheels on the container are retracted to a position at lest flush with the container sides after loading the container on to the vehicle deckfrom the ramped platforms.

5. Amethod accordingtoclaim4when appendantto claim 3, wherein the step of projecting or retracting the wheels automatically effects unlatching or latching of the container and the vehicle deck.

6. A method according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the container is latched to the ramped platforms whilst supported thereon, the latch being completed prior to driving away an empty vehicle and being reieased prior to loading.

7. A method according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the vehicle deck is equipped with a thrust memberacting on the container during loading from the platforms on to the vehicle deck.

8. A method according to claim 7 when appendant to claim 6, wherein the step of releasing the plat forms latch prior to loading automatically bringsthe thrust member into effect.

9. A method according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the lift produced bythe ramped platforms to free the container from the vehicle deck is the minimum necessary, allowing for elevation of the vehicle deck due to removal of the weight of the container from the vehicle suspension system.

10. A method according to any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the container is supported on the vehicle deckwith sufficient clearance behind the vehicle cab to allowfortilting ofthe container during loading and off-loading.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the back of the vehicle cab is reinforced, thereby to act as a thrust structure during off-loading.

12. A method of mounting and/or demounting a containeronand/orfrom a vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. Apparatus for mounting and/or demounting a goods-carrying container onto and from a vehicle deck, comprising a pair of laterally spaced parallel ramped platforms and a container equipped with wheels which project or are able to project laterally at the underside of the container, the arrangement being such thatthe container can be transferred between the vehicle deck and the platforms by engagement ofthe wheels with the ramped platforms.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13, having platforms witch ramps at one end only.

15. Apparatus according to claim 13 orclaim 14, wherein the container has wheels at or adjacent both ends, the wheels being mounted for retraction at least to a postion flush with the sides ofthe container.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15, including means for locking the wheels both in the projected and the retracted positions.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16, including means for displacing the wheels between the projec ted and retracted positions, and means for latching the container to the vehicle deck, said latching means being operated responsively to operation of the displacing means.

18. Apparatus according to any of claims 13 to 17, including means for latching the container to the ramped platforms, the said latching means being releasable for loading and/or off-loading.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18,wherein the said latching means includes a movable first latching part on the container and fixed second latching part on the ramped platforms.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the first latching part is movablevertically or horizontally to align with the second latching part in the direction of container movement.

21. Apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the first latching part, in a displaced position in which it is not aligned with the second latching part, aligns instead with a thrust member on the vehicle for enabling the vehicle to drawthe container off the platforms on to the vehicle deck.

22. Apparatus according to any of claims 13 to 21, including a reinforced thrust structure at the back of the driving cab of the vehicle.

23. Apparatus according to any of claims 13 to 22, including a stop on the vehicle body for acting during loading,to limit the loaded position ofthecontainer to a position in which the container is spaced from the driving cab.

24. Apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the stop engages runners on the underside of the container, which runners slide on the vehicle deck.

25. Apparatus according to any of claims 13 to 24, including guides on the ramped platforms and/or vehicle deck for guiding the container into its loaded position on said platforms and/or its loaded position on the deck.

26. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the guides on the platforms are constituted by flared guide walls on the ramps.

27. Apparatus according to any of claims 13 to 26, wherein the ramped platforms form part of a portable structure which includes ground plates which the vehicle wheels run on when the vehicle is driven between the ramped platforms.

28. Apparatus for mounting and/or demounting a container onto or from a vehicle, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

29. A platform structure which comprises ground plate means overwhich will run the ground wheels of a container-carrying vehicle, and integrally formed with said ground plate means a pairof laterallyspaced ramped platforms with which can engagethe wheels of a wheeled container on the vehicle when the latter is driven over the ground plate means.

30. A platform structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 3 ofthe accompanying drawings.

31. A goods-carrying container having beneath its goods space means supporting wheels which project or can be caused to project laterally beyond the width of the container, the latter also being equipped on its underside with runners for sliding on the vehicle deck and with one part ofa latch means by which the container can be latched either to the vehicle deck orto a platform on which the container is supported on its wheels.

32. A goods-carrying container substantially as herein before described with reference to Figures 4,5, 11 and 12 of the accompanying drawings.