GB2274645A

GB2274645A - Equipment for handling a loading platform

Info

Publication number: GB2274645A
Application number: GB9401162A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Esa Myllari; Heikki Laitinen; Leif-Goran Nyback
Original assignee: Cargotec UK Ltd
Current assignee: Cargotec UK Ltd
Priority date: 1993-01-29
Filing date: 1994-01-21
Publication date: 1994-08-03
Anticipated expiration: 2014-01-21
Also published as: GB9401162D0; FI930391A0; FI96404B; GB2274645B; FI96404C; FI930391A

Abstract

A system for loading a loading platform (15) onto a vehicle and for transferring it off the vehicle is disclosed. It includes a connection means or adaptor (14), for fitting between the loading equipment (7 - 10) and the loading platform. The loading equipment comprises an L-shaped member (7, 8) and is fitted on the vehicle. At the upper end of the vertical portion (7) of the member (7, 8) there is a first gripping member (13). The member (7, 8) may be turned around a shaft (9) located at the rear end of its horizontal portion (8). The connection means (14) has extending and supporting members (19), which at one end of the loading platform (15) may befitted below the lower surface of the platform, as well as locking members (20) for locking the connection means to the loading platform, and a gripping arch (17), into which a hook or the like (13) of the loading equipment may be fitted. Preferably the L-shaped member is rigid and its actuating ram (10) is mounted between the member and the rear of the vehicle. Preferably the vehicle has a tiltable subframe (2, Fig 2, not shown). <IMAGE>

Description

EQUIPMENT FOR HANDLING A LOADING PLATFORM This invention relates to a system and equipment for loading a loading platform onto a vehicle and for transferring it off the vehicle.

Loading equipment is fitted on the vehicle and comprises an Lshaped pivotable member. A first gripping member is provided at the free end of the pivotable member, the latter being pivotable by means of a hydraulic cylinder around a transverse shaft. An example of equipment of this kind is seen in European (UK) Patent No. 107892.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for loading or unloading a loading platform onto or off a vehicle, the system including loading equipment fitted on the vehicle and comprising an L-shaped pivotable member, a first hook or the like being provided at the free end of the member, the latter being pivotable by means of a hydraulic cylinder around a transverse shaft which connects the member to the vehicle, the system also including a connection means having a gripping member into which the hook or the like can be fitted when it is desired to lift the connection means and the platform together onto the vehicle or to lower them off the vehicle; in which the loading platform has support means located below the platform; and in which the connection means has extending members which are engageable with the loading platform and which are capable of supporting the full load of a front end of the platform, there being means for rigidly locking the said extending members to the loading platform.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a connection means which is intended to be fitted between loading equipment fitted on a vehicle and a loading platform, comprising a support means capable of being located in recesses under the platform, and locking members for locking the connection means rigidly to the loading platform, said support means including two extending members which during lifting and lowering interengage with and are capable of supporting the full load of the front end of the loading platform.

Various loading apparatus are known, in which there is an Lshaped member and a hook for gripping the hook bar (gripping link) of the exchange container or platform at the upper end of a vertical portion thereof. One such apparatus is described e.g. in Finnish Patent Publication 63350. An L-shaped angular piece is fixed at its rear end pivotably, and it may be turned by means of a hydraulic cylinder fitted therebeneath.

These known hooking devices grip a gripping arch (hook bar) located at the upper part of the front end of the loading platform.

If it is desired to handle a low loading platform, wherein also the gripping arch is located lower, it has been necessary to use an apparatus, wherein the vertical arm of the L-shaped member has been made in two parts so that the upper part can pivot backwards. In this way, the gripping hook may be extended also in the transport position further down, so as to reach a low loading platform. Such a device has been described e.g. in Finnish Patent Publication 75121.

It would be desirable if there were available a system, by means of which also low platforms may be handled by a hook device having a rigid vertical arm.

By means of the system of the invention, it is possible to use a conventional hook device also for handling low loading platforms. The connection means can be locked rigidly to the loading platform, below the level of the loading surface, so that it transfers the lifting force and force moment. By means of the arrangement, when the connection means is rigidly fixed to the loading platform, the gripping point of the hook device is also arranged above the gravity centre of the load, which improves the stability of the supporting.

The invention and its advantages are described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows a side view of a loading system to be used in the system of the invention, in two different positions, and a means for connecting the loading platform to the gripping hook of the loading equipment, as well as a rear wagon to be fixed behind a driving vehicle; Fig. 2 shows two other positions of the same assembly; Fig. 3 shows in a larger scale a side view of a means to be used in the system for connecting the loading platform to a gripping hook of the loading equipment; Fig. 4 shows a front view of the connecting means, also called an A-frame herein; Figs. 5 and 6 show the means of Figs. 3 and 4 as well as part of the loading platform;; Fig. 7 shows a locking member of the connecting means in an open position and half of the middle section of the loading platform, seen from the rear end of the loading platform; and Fig. 8 shows the same in a locking position.

The loading equipment of the invention is fitted on a rear wagon 1 of a caterpillar motor vehicle, which wagon is also provided with caterpillar tracks. The equipment has an auxiliary frame 2 formed by two longitudinal side beams, which frame 2 is fixed at its front end to the chassis of the rear wagon pivotably around a transverse shaft 3. Between the rear end of the auxiliary frame and the chassis of the rear wagon there are fitted two hydraulic lifting cylinders 4, whose ends have pivots 5 and 6. At the rear end of the side beams of the auxiliary frame there are located supports 22 provided with locking members. Fig. 1 shows the auxiliary frame 2 at its lower position and the lifting cylinders 4 are retracted; Fig. 2 shows the auxiliary frame 2 at its upper position, when the lifting cylinders are extended.

On top of the auxiliary frame there is located an L-shaped member ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ which is comprised of a vertical arm 7 and of a horizontal arm 8. The rear end of the horizontal arm is fixed to the middle portion of the auxiliary frame turnably around a transverse shaft 9. A main cylinder 10 is fixed by means of pivots 11 and 12 located at its ends, between the hook frame and the auxiliary frame so that the pivot 11 is located at the rear end of the auxiliary frame and the pivot 12 is a short distance forwards from the turning pivot 9 of the hook frame. When the main cylinder is extended, the hook frame is located between the side beams of the auxiliary frame and when the main cylinder is retracted, the hook frame has turned backwards.

There is a gripping hook 13 at the upper end of the vertical arm 7 of the hook frame. At the lower end of the vertical arm there is located an extension 23 extending backwards and provided with a locking member.

A connection means, or an adapter 14, which is desirably an A-frame, to be used in the - system of the invention, is intended to be fitted at one end of a loading platform 15. The adapter has two vertical beams 16, whose upper ends join a gripping arch 17 and whose lower ends are joined by means of a transverse beam 18. From the ends of the transverse beam two forks 19 extend backwards. In addition, the connection means includes two locking members 20.

The loading platform 15 is symmetric relative to its transverse middle line, i.e its front and read ends are similar.

There are no side walls on the platform. Both ends have two adjacent truck pockets 21, into-which the adapter forks 19 as well as the locking members 20 fit. The truck pockets are open at their both ends, so that the platform can be handled also by means of a conventional fork truck, which has longer forks.

The adapter shown in Figs. 5-8 somewhat deviates from that of Figs. 1 and 2 in respect of the locking elements. A locking element 20 is fixed at the outer end of the fork 19 onto a turnable shaft 24 parallel to the fork, which shaft runs inside the fork. At the front end of the shaft 24 there is a handle 26 provided with a catch 25. To the turnable locking element there is fixed also a similarly turnable support portion 27. The lower surface of the fork is slanted in such a manner that the fork tapers towards its tip.

In Figs. 3-6, the open position of the locking device is shown by means of dash-and-dot lines.

The system of the invention is used as follows.

Fig. 1 shows the loading platform 15 located on the ground, which platform has to be transferred on top of the rear wagon 1. The adapter 14 of the invention is suspended on the gripping hook 13 of the hook frame. The forks 19 of the adapter are pushed into the truck pockets 21 at the front end of the platform and locked in position by means of the locking members 20.

The hook frame is turned backwards around the shaft 9 by retracting the main cylinder 10. The gripping hook 13 grips the gripping arch 17 of the adapter, and the the platform is drawn onto the rear wagon by pushing the main cylinder 10 out, whereby the hook frame turns to the front, between the side beams of the auxiliary frame. The extension 23 of the hook frame guides the front end of the platform into position. In the transport position, the front end of the platform rests against the extension 23 of the hook frame and the rear end rests against the supports 22. The locking members of the supports 22 are pushed from the front into the truck pockets 21 of the front end of the platform.

The main cylinder of the loading equipment is located above the hook frame so that it, when lifting the platform from the ground, is pushed upwards. The force of the pressure side of the cylinder is thus effectively utilized. Also the geometry and the force moments of the equipment may be optimized.

The transferring of the platform back onto the ground occurs in a reverse order. By means of the loading equipment of the invention, it is possible to transfer the platform from the rear wagon also to a higher level, e.g onto a truck platform.

In that case, the rear end of the auxiliary frame 2 is first turned up by means of the lifting cylinders 3 in the manner shown in Fig. 2. The hook frame is then turned backwards so that it pushes the platform into a position shown on the right in Fig. 2.

When the vehicle transports an empty adapter without a loading platform, the adapter is locked in position by means of the locking member in the extension 23.

The locking device shown in Figs. 5-7 operates as follows.

The forks 19 of the adapter are pushed into the truck pockets 21, as the locking members 20 are in the open position. The locking members are then turned by means of handles 26 transversely behind the support portion 28 located in the middle portion of the end of an exchangable platform. At the same time, the support portions 27 turn downwards against the lower surface of the truck surface. The catches 25 are clo sed. In this way, the locking members fasten the adapter to the platform at the same time as the supports 27 support the tips of the forks 19 from below.

In this specification, a vehicle also means a rear wagon to be fastened to the rear end of a driving vehicle and without its own driving mechanism. Both in the above and in the following claims words "front end/rear end", "upper end/lower end" as well as "vertical end/horizontal end" are used. These refer to the position of said parts in the transport position of the loading equipment, i.e. the position of the L-shaped piece shown in the extreme left of Fig. 1.

In the above, the invention has been described in connection with a rear wagon provided with caterpillar tracks, but it may naturally be applied also to any kind of self-propelled or towable vehicle. The caterpillar bands are of course not essential from the point of view of the invention.

Instead of hollow-like truck pockets, the loading platform 15 may also have at its end a mere support portion 28, which lifts the lower surface of the loading platform off the base.

A support portion 28 in one piece may also be replaced by two separate support legs.

Claims

l. A system for loading or unloading a loading platform onto or off a vehicle, the system including loading equipment fitted on the vehicle and comprising an L-shaped pivotable member, a first hook or the like being provided at the free end of the member, the latter being pivotable by means of a hydraulic cylinder around a transverse shaft which connects the member to the vehicle, the system also including a connection means having a gripping member into which the hook or the like can be fitted when it is desired to lift the connection means and the platform together onto the vehicle or to lower them off the vehicle; in which the loading platform has support means located below the platform; and in which the connection means has extending members which are engageable with the loading platform and which are capable of supporting the full load of a front end of the platform, there being means for rigidly locking the said extending members to the loading platform.
2. A system according to claim 1, characterised in that the gripping point between the hook or the like and the gripping member of the connection means is located above the center of gravity of the loading platform which is to be handled by means of the loading equipment.
3. A connection means which is intended to be fitted between loading equipment fitted on a vehicle and a loading platform, comprising a support means capable of being located in recesses under the platform, and locking members for locking the connection means rigidly to the loading platform, said support means including two extending members which during lifting and lowering interengage with and are capable of supporting the full load of the front end of the loading platform.
4. A connection means according to claim 3, characterised in that the locking members are fitted at the outermost ends of the extending members and can be pivoted around a shaft which is parallel to the extending members into and away from a locking position.
5. A connection means according to claim 3 or 4, characterised in that the extent of the locking members in the longitudinal direction of the loading platform corresponds substantially to the length of a support portion of the platform which is located at one end of the platform.
6. A loading equipment, which is fitted on a vehicle (1) and comprises an L-shaped angular piece (7,8), whereby at the upper end of the vertical portion (7) of the angular piece there is a gripping member (13), and the angular piece is turnable by means of a hydraulic cylinder (10) around a transverse shaft (9) located at the rear end of its horizontal portion (8), whereby the first end (12) of the hydraulic cylinder is turnably fixed to the horizontal portion (8) of the angular piece, characterised in that the other end (11) of the hydraulic cylinder (10) is turnably fixed to a fixing point located behind the turning shaft (9) of the angular piece (7,8).
7. A loading equipment according to claim 6, wherein the turning shaft (9) of the angular piece (7,8) is fitted to an auxiliary frame (2), which is turnable by means of a hydraulic cylinder (4) around the transverse shaft (3), characterised in that the turning shaft i3' of the auxiliary frame (2) is located at the front end of the auxiliary frame and that the rear end of the auxiliary frame may be lifted up by means of the hydraulic cylinder t) turning the auxiliary frame.
8. h combination means according to claim 3 or any claim dependent thereon, in which the support means includes an A-frame.
9. A system for loading or unloading a loading platform onto or off a vehicle, substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
10. A connection means, e.g. an A-frame, substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
11. Any novel combination or sub-combination of features disclosed and/or illustrated herein.