GB2245243A

GB2245243A - Loading or unloading vehicles

Info

Publication number: GB2245243A
Application number: GB9010220A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Glynne Boston; John Eaves
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-05-05
Filing date: 1990-05-05
Publication date: 1992-01-02
Anticipated expiration: 2010-05-05
Also published as: GB2245243B; GB9010220D0

Abstract

A vehicle or trailer (1) having a hoist (6) for loading or unloading a load on to the vehicle or trailer (1), and tracks (5) on which the hoist is movable, e.g. by a winch 15, when loading or unloading is to be effected, has pivotal track portions (7) for extending the distance the hoist (6) can move along the tracks (5) so that the hoist (6) can lift or lower the load vertically when loading or unloading of the vehicle or trailer (1) is effected. The pivotal portions (7) of the tracks (5) are preferably pivotal about a horizontal axis substantially in the vertical plane coincident with the rear of the vehicle or trailer (1). When extended, the tracks (5) are preferably maintained in a substantially horizontal plane by supports (16 and 17). The hoist may be arranged to pivot down about its base to a stowed position. <IMAGE>

Description

VEHICLE AND TRAILER LOADING AND UNLOADING This invention relates to the loading and unloading of vehicles and trailers.

Various devices have been proposed hitherto for the loading and unloading vehicles and trailers, and such devices can be separate from, or integral with, the vehicles or trailers.

Although separate devices, for example fork lift trucks, are convenient to use at locations where many vehicles are to be loaded and unloaded, they are often not available where they are needed, particularly for light industrial or non-commercial use.

In order to overcome this problem with separate loading and unloading devices it has been proposed hitherto to provide vehicles and trailers with integral lifting devices which can be used to lift loads onto the vehicles and trailers themselves. British Patent Specification 535357, for example, proposes providing a vehicle or trailer with a mobile crane which runs on two parallel girders which act as rails on which the crane can be moved outwardly from the rear of the vehicle or trailer when a load is to be lifted. This arrangement has the disadvantage that the parallel girders have to be long in order to allow the crane to travel far enough along them to enable a load to be lifted vertically, and this makes the vehicle or trailer itself excessively long and unwieldy.

This problem of an excessively long track is addressed in British Patent Specification 862887 which proposes providing a lorry or truck with a hoist which runs on a track which extends down to length of the truck platform and has removable track extensions which project on either side beyond the end of the truck platform to allow the hoist to move beyond the end of the truck platform to effect a vertical lift. The removable track extensions are located on the rear of the truck platform by sliding them on to a specially shaped vertical "C"-section member on the track extension around a vertical "T"-section member on the rear of the lorry.The problem with these removable track extensions is that they themselves are heavy if they are to be capable of carrying even moderate loads, and if the interlocking members suffer accidental damage they can become difficult if not impossible to lock on to the rear of the truck.

Furthermore, removable items such as these track extensions are easily lost, for example when the lorry is in transit.

British Patent Specification 2202510 describes extensible tracks for a hoist on a vehicle, the tracks being suspended from the roof 6f the vehicle. In many cases a suspended track is undesirable as it imposes a particular height for the tracks in order for them to be able to lift a variety of loads. Furthermore, the tracks of British Patent Specification 2202510 are unsuitable for use at vehicle platform level as they extend telescopically, a track extension on each track being slidable relative to the associated fixed track section using runners to cause the track to extend.

According to the present invention there is provided a vehicle or trailer comprising load lifting and lowering means for loading or unloading a load on to the vehicle cr trailer, and track means on which the load lifting or lowering means is movable when loading or unloading is to be effected, the track means including pivotal portions for extending the distance the load lifting and lowering means can move along the track means so that the load lifting and lowering means can lift or lower the load vertically when loading or unloading of the vehicle or trailer is effected.

The pivotal portions of the track means are preferably pivotal about a horizontal axis substantially in the vertical plane coincident with the rear of the vehicle or trailer.

The track means preferably comprises two substantially parallel track members, and the track means will usually include supports means for supporting the pivotal portions of the tracks when the tracks have been extended, this preferably being such that the track can be maintained in a substantially horizontal plane.

Vehicles and trailers of the present invention preferably include supports for supporting the rear of the vehicles or trailers themselves.

Load lifting and lowering is preferably effected using a crane or hoist which forms a part of the vehicles or trailers. A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a hoist which is pivotal so that the hoist to be louvered from a working position in which a load can be loaded or unloaded to a stowed position for transit.

It is particularly preferred for the load lifting and lowering device to be movable along the track, for example using a winch.

An embodiment of trailer in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the embodiment with its tracks extended and its road wheels removed; Figure 2 is a side view corresponding to Figure 1 but with the load lifting and lowering device moved away from the pivotal portions of the tracks; Figure 3 is a side view of the embodiment of Figure 1 with the tracks pivoted to their position for transit; and Figure 4 shows a modification of the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3 with the load lifting and lowering device pivoted to a stowed position.

Referring to Figure 1, the trailer has two longitudinal members 1 with cross members 2 therebetween, the flooring of the trailer having been removed from the drawing to enable the construction of the trailer framework to be seen more readily. The trailer has four road wheels 3 mounted in conventional manner, the wheels being omitted from Figure 1 for greater clarity. A tow bar 4 enables the trailer to be towed by a variety of vehicles, the towing vehicle not forming any part of the present invention.

Mounted on top of each of the side members 1 is a track 5 for a hoist 6. Each track 5 includes a portion 7 which is pivotal about pivots 8, the pivots 8 each consisting of two links 9 which are themselves pivotal about pivot pins 10.

This form of construction allows the portions 7 of the tracks 5 to be moved to a position where they rest on the fixed portions of the tracks 5, as shown in Figure 3.

The hoist 6 includes two carriages 11 which each have wheels 12 which enable the hoist to be moved along the track 5. The means by which a load is raised or lowered is not shown as conventional mechanisms can be used for the purpose, for example manual, mechanical, electrical or hydraulic means can be used for the purpose. Furthermore, the means by which a load is raised or lowered can be arranged to be movable on the hoist 6 across the width of the trailer.

Attached to each carriage 12 are the ends of a cable 13, each cable 13 passing around an idler pulley 14 and a winch 15.

Further idler pulleys (not shown) enable the cable 13 to be kept under tension when the portion of the pivotal portion 7 is pivoted from the position shown in Figures 1 and 2 to that shown in Figure 3. Cables 13 can be replaced by chains which have the advantage of reducing the risk of the hoist 6 twisting on the tracks as it is moved along the tracks.

Support jacks 16, 17 are provided at end portions of the trailer and the pivotal portion 7 of the track 5, respectively. As shown, the jacks 16, 17 will usually be adjusted so that the pivotal and fixed portions of the track 5 are substantially in line. The jacks 16 and 17 can be adjusted in known manner, for example electrically, hydraulically or purely mechanically, for example using screwed threads.

In use, the trailer in the configuration shown in Figure 3 is positioned with its rear near to the load which is to be transported. The pivotal portions 7 of the tracks 5 are then unfolded so that they are positioned either side of the load.

The jacks 16, 17 are adjusted to support the rear of the trailer and the pivotal portion 7 of the track 5, and the winch 15 is operated to move the hoist 6 along the track 5 from its fixed portion to the pivotal portion 7 so- that the hoist 6 is able to lift the load substantially vertically upwardly. The hoist 6 is then operated to lift the load sufficiently high that it will clear the flooring of the trailer when the hoist is moved from the pivotal portion 7 of the track 5 to the fixed portion. The hoist 6 is then moved with the aid of the winch 15, and in combination with the hoist 6 the load is positioned where desired on the floor of the trailer. The jacks 16, 17 are raised, and the pivotal portions 7 of the tracks 5 are moved as shown by the arrow A shown in Figure 2 into the position shown in Figure 3.The trailer and its load can then be transported where desired, and the load can be unloaded by reversing the procedure described above.

In alternative embodiments of the present invention, the hoist 6 can be moved along the tracks 5 by other means, for example by -physically pushing the hoist or using electrical or hydraulic power, or even other mechanical means.

The modification of this embodiment illustrated in Figure 4 includes a mechanism for allowing the hoist 6 to be rotated in the sense of arrow B while holding the hoist 6 captive on the track 5. A support 18 supports the hoist 6 in a stowed position which will usually be used when a load is not being carried by the trailer.

The present invention enables various loads ranging from light to relatively heavy weights to be lifted, transported and deposited at remote sites without the necessity for separate lifting equipment.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the present invention can be applied to a wide variety of vehicles and trailers, and the necessary equipment can be installed on conventional vehicles and trailers to render them in accordance with the present invention.

If desired, vehicles and trailers in accordance with the invention can be provided with weather protection, for example in the form of a framework with canvas or other suitable material. More rigid structures of stronger materials can also be used to advantage, for example to provide a cover over the vehicle or trailer platform, and more particularly the load thereon.

Claims

1. A vehicle or trailer comprising load lifting and lowering means for loading or unloading a load on to the vehicle or trailer, and track means on which the load lifting or lowering means is movable when loading or unloading is to be effected, the track means including pivotal portions for extending the distance the load lifting and lowering means can move along the track means so that the load lifting and lowering means can lift or lower the load vertically when loading or unloading of the vehicle or trailer is effected.

2. A vehicle or trailer according to claim 1, wherein the pivotal portions of the track means are pivotal about a horizontal axis substantially in the vertical plane coincident with the rear of the vehicle or trailer.

3. A vehicle or trailer according to either of the preceding claims, wherein the track means comprises two substantially parallel track members.

4. A vehicle or trailer according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the track means includes support means for supporting the pivotal portions when the track means have been extended.

5. A vehicle or trailer according to claim 4, wherein the support means enable the track of the track means to be maintained in a substantially horizontal plane.

6. A vehicle or trailer according to any of the preceding claims, including support means for supporting the rear of the vehicle or trailer.

7. A vehicle or trailer according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the load lifting and lowering means comprises a crane or hoist.

8. A vehicle or trailer according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the load lifting and lowering means comprises a hoist which is pivotal to enable the hoist to be lowered from a working position in which a load is to be loaded or unloaded to a stowed position for transit.

9. A vehicle or trailer according to any of the preceding claims, including means for moving the load lifting and lowering means along the track means.