GB2296231A

GB2296231A - Ramp Device

Info

Publication number: GB2296231A
Application number: GB9525292A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Meale
Original assignee: THOR WORLD IND Ltd
Current assignee: THOR WORLD IND Ltd
Priority date: 1995-10-06
Filing date: 1995-12-11
Publication date: 1996-06-26
Anticipated expiration: 2015-12-11
Also published as: GB9525292D0; GB2296231B; GB9520413D0

Abstract

A ramp device (12) for temporarily bridging the gap between the edge (5) of a railway platform (1) or elevated dock and the floor (9) of a rail van (8) for mail, parcels or other goods, comprises a frame (14) adapted to be located, in 5 use, in an upright manner adjacent the edge a carriage (29) mounted on the frame (14) and adapted to be displaceable with respect to the frame (14) between a lower position, and an upper position, a ramp plate (35) pivotally attached to the upper end of the carriage (29) and, when sufficiently elevated by carriage displacement, being pivotable through approximately 90 DEG between a storage position in which the plane of the ramp plate (35) is vertical, or generally so, an operational position in which the plane of the ramp plate (35) is horizontal, or generally so, and running wheels (20, 23) carried by the frame (14) and adapted, in use, to be engaged on at least one support and guidance rail (21, 25) so as to allow lateral movement of the frame and ramp to coincide with the rail waggon position. Preferably an upper rail (21) carries a V-shaped wheel (20) captive therein and a lower, section shaped rail (25) supports the lower wheel (23). Preferably the carriage (29) moves on wheels (27, 28) and is raised by handle(s) (43, Fig 5) having lost motion connection with the carriage. Counterbalancing such as weights (50) is preferably provided for the carriage. <IMAGE>

Description

RAMP DEVICE This invention relates to a ramp device for temporarily bridging the gap between the edge of a railway platform and the floor of a mail or parcel van whereby wheeled containers etc., may load goods into and out of the van.

Various forms of ramp device are known for use in the loading and unloading of road vehicles from the elevated loading surface of a dock which surface approximates to the height of a lorry deck or interior. It is not uncommon however for ramp devices to become detached from the elevated dock and to fall to the roadway, and although inconvenient such disruption is of little consequence. However, in the course of rail van loading and unloading the inadvertent detachment of a largely metal ramp device falling onto electrified track work is particularly unwelcome.

According to the present invention there is provided a ramp device for temporarily bridging the gap between the edge of a railway platform or elevated dock and the floor of a rail van for mail, parcels or other goods, comprising: (i) a frame adapted to be located, in use, in an upright manner adjacent an edge of a railway platform or dock in a space envelope between that edge and an adjacent rail van, with an upper end of the frame not protruding above the upper surface of the platform or dock; (ii) a carriage mounted on the frame and adapted to be displaceable with respect to the frame between a lower position not protruding above the upper surface of the platform or dock, and an upper position;; (iii) a ramp plate pivotally attached to the upper end of the carriage and when sufficiently elevated by carriage displacement being 0 pivotable through approximately 90 between a storage position, in which the plane of the ramp plate is vertical, or generally so, and an operational position, in which the plane of the ramp plate is horizontal, or generally so, and (iv) running wheels carried by the frame and adapted, in use, to be engaged on at least one support and guidance rail extending horizontally, or generally so, whereby the entire device may be displaced along the guidance rail(s) longitudinally of the platform or dock.

Thus, the device in accordance with the invention provides a system in which the ramp plate is, when not in use, safely stored in an upright position also located in close proximity to the edge of the platform or dock within the available space envelope that exists between the edge of the platform and the adjacent edge of the rail van, with the ramp plate, when not in use, preventing no obstruction to, or interruption of, the surface of the platform or dock, with the upper portion of the carriage being temporarily and sufficiently raised to its upper position to expose the ramp plate to permit 900 rotation of the ramp plate, followed by return movement of the carriage to its lower position, until the underside of the ramp plate abuts both the upper surface of the platform and the floor of the adjacent rail car.It follows that, after use, to return the device to its storage position, the carriage is firstly elevated, and with it the ramp plate, to permit again rotation of the ramp plate through 900 from its horizontal, operational position to its vertical, storage position, when the carriage is then returned to its lower position.

Preferably, opposite edges of the ramp plate are angled or chamfered to assist passage of a wheeled container onto and from the ramp plate.

Preferably, the carriage is displaceable manually between its lower and upper positions, in which case it is preferable to provide the carriage with some weight minimising means such as a counter-balance weight, a hydraulic ram, gas springs etc. Alternatively, the carriage may be displaceable solely by power means such as a hydraulic ram(s). In order to permit raising of the carriage from its lower position, a lifting handle is preferably provided at each end of the carriage, such that the carriage can be lifted from either end, whichever is more convenient to the operator.

Furthermore, it is preferred if the or each handle prevents no obstruction or projection when not in use by having a "park" or "down" position beneath the upper end of the carriage. It is also preferred for each handle to incorporate a lost motion portion whereby the handle may be pulled a minimum distance from the carriage (at least 130 cm) before the weight, e.g. 7 - 8 kg, of the carriage and ramp plate are engaged by the handle.

To permit ready displacement of the carriage with respect to the frame, the latter may be provided with a pair of parallel, spaced-apart, upright guide rails engageable by an upper pair, and a lower pair, of guide wheels mounted on the carriage. It is also preferred for the guide rails to have a "V" rib and to provide the guide wheels with a "V" groove engaging the rib. Stops e.g. in the form of rubber buffers, may be provided to fix the uppermost position of the carriage. Also, the carriage is preferably provided with an upright, toe protection plate that becomes exposed when the carriage is lifted to its upper position.

As it is difficult to halt an access door of a rail van with precision opposite a statically positioned ramp device, then in accordance with a further feature, the ramp device of the invention is preferably supported so as to be longitudinally displaceable, withinlimits, for movement along the edge of the platform, for accurate alignment with an access door of a halted mail van. Furthermore, modern railway platforms are constructed with a overhang to provide an escape refuge for any workman etc., at rail track level and consequently this provides a convenient location for installation of running rails for engagement by running wheels of the frame.In detail, from an inner surface of the frame adjacent the platform may extend, at each end of the frame, an upper and a lower, inwardly directed, structural arm terminating in running wheels engaged with preferably upper and lower, horizontally extending running rails. Upper running wheels may have a "V" profile to engage a "V" projection of a running rail whereby those wheels and hence the frame are not only longitudinally guided by, but are trapped to, the upper running track. The lower rail may be constituted by an angle section, with the upper limb thereof engaged by a roller serving basically to maintain the upright disposition of the frame.With the above mentioned arrangement of structural arms, the upper arms may be provided with support cleats for a pulley or sprocket around which is wrapped a rope or chain attached at one end to a counterbalance weight and at the other end to the lower end of the carriage. Alternatively, the carriage may be displaceable by power means such as a hydraulic ram arrangement.

One example of device in accordance with the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation showing the ramp device in its non-active position; Figure 2 corresponds to Figure 1 but shows the device with the upper end of the carriage lifted from the frame and the ramp plate rotated through approximately 900 before reinsertion of the upper end into the frame; Figures 3 and 4 show two possibilities of ramp plate engagement between the platform and loading surface of a rail van after re-insertion of the upper end of the carriage; and Figure 5 is a front elevation of Figures 1 and 2 showing in particular the operating handles.

In the drawings is illustrated a railway platform 1 having an overhang 2 beneath which is defined a refuge 3 while an innermost rail of a rail track is indicated at 4. The platform 1 has an edge 5 with a metallic capping 6 and an upper surface 7, whilst an adjacent mail van 8 has a floor 9, with a gap 10 between the edge 5 of the platform 1 and edge 11 of the floor 9.

A ramp device 12 in accordance with the first aspect of the invention is adapted to form a temporary bridge between the upper surface 7 of the platform 1 and the floor 9 of the mail van 8 when it is required to load or unload the mail van 8 by wheeled containers (not shown).

The ramp device 12 is located in an available space envelope 13, typically of 100 mm, and comprises a frame 14 fabricated from rectangular hollow section and comprising a pair of spaced-apart, parallel uprights 15 interconnected by a pair of spaced-apart, parallel horizontal beams 16. Each upright 15 has an upper end 17 flush with, or below, the platform surface 7. Furthermore, each upright 14 is provided with an upper arm 18 and a lower arm 19 both directed inwardly, beneath the overhang 2. Each upper arm 18 terminates in a "V"-profile running wheel 20 trapped in an upper running rail 21 having a "V"-projection 22, while each lower arm 19 terminates in a wheel or roller 23 to engage an upper limb 24 of an angle section, lower rail 25. Both rails 21 and 25 are parallel and are secured horizontally by means not illustrated.

Each upright 15 has a similar, longitudinally extending "V"-projection 26 engaged by an upper, "V"-profile guide wheel 27 and a lower, "V"-profile guide wheel 28 of a carriage 29 which is manually displaceable from a lower position, illustrated in Figures 1 and 5, to an upper position, illustrated in Figure 2. In detail, the carriage 29 is also fabricated from rectangular hollow section and comprises a pair of parallel uprights 30, each of which carries the wheels 27, 28, and each of which are secured together by a common interconnecting beam 31. At their upper ends, the uprights 30 are provided with an inwardly directed bearing stub 32 for co-axial pivot pins 33 on an axis adjacent a central axis 34 of a ramp plate 35 having an operational surface 36, and an undersurface 37.

As best seen in Figures 2, 3 and 4, the ramp plate 35 is bent at a shallow angle at its central axis 34 to define, as best seen in Figures 3 and 4, a platform-side ramp portion 38, and a mail van-side ramp portion 39, each provided with a chamfered edge 40. To each upright 30 is secured a guide tube 41 through which slidably passes a tube 42 of a handle 43, a lower portion 44 pf the tube 42 passing below lower end 45 of the guide tube 41 and terminating in an enlarged abutment 46, as illustrated at the left-hand side of Figure 5, with the abutment 46 illustrated engaged with the lower end 45 of the guide tube 41 illustrated to the righthand side of Figure 5.

The upper end of the carriage 29 is closed off on its side adjacent the platform edge 5 by a toe plate 47, whilst to each end of the lower edge of the carriage is attached a rope 48 passing over a pulley 49 attached to each upper arm 18 and terminating in a counter-balance weight 50 shown in its upper position in Figure 1, and in its lower position in Figure 2.

In use, with a mail van 8 halted, the ramp device 12 is positionally adjusted by longitudinal movement along the running rails 21 and 25 until the ramp device 12 is accurately positoned opposite a loading door (not shown) of the mail van 8. The operator then grasps one or other of the "D"-handles 43 and pulls upwardly from the position illustrated at the left-hand side of Figure 5, to the position illustrated at the right-hand side of Figure 5.When this last mentioned position has been reached, continued upward pulling on the "D"-handle 43 begins to raise the carriage 29 from its lower position illustrated in Figures 1 and 5 to its upper position illustrated in Figure 2, whereupon the operator, with a free hand, or with a foot, is able to rotate the ramp plate 35 from the generally vertical position at which it emerges above the platform surface 7 from the gap 10, through 900 or so, to the generally horizontal position also illustrated in Figure 2.

The operator then pushes down on the "D"-handle 43 and/or carriage 29 so that the carriage 29, and with it the generally horizontally disposed ramp plate 35 is lowered until the under surface 37 of the ramp portion 38 engages the platform surface 5 and the under surface of the ramp portion 39 engage the van floor 9 either as illustrated in Figure 3, with the van floor 9 slightly above the platform surface 5, or as illustrated in Figure 4, with the van floor 9 slightly below the platform surface 5, or at some intermediate position between Figures 3 and 4, the ramp plate 35 finding its own generally horizontal position.

The ramp device 12 is then ready for use. After loading/unloading operations have been completed, the sequence of deployment of the ramp plate 35 are reversed, so that the ramp plate 35 and carriage 29 are returned to the lower, nonactive position illustrated in Figure 1.

Claims

1. A ramp device for temporarily bridging the gap between the edge of a railway platform or elevated dock and the floor of a rail van for mail, parcels or other goods, comprising: (i) a frame adapted to be located, in use, in an upright manner adjacent an edge of a railway platform or dock in a space envelope between that edge and an adjacent rail van, with an upper end of the frame not protruding above the upper surface of the platform or dock; (ii) a carriage mounted on the frame and adapted to be displaceable with respect to the frame between a lower position not protruding above the upper surface of the platform or dock, and an upper position;; (iii) a ramp plate pivotally attached to the upper end of the carriage and when sufficiently elevated by carriage displacement being 0 pivotable through approximately 90 between a storage position, in which the plane of the ramp plate is vertical, or generally so, and an operational position, in which the plane of the ramp plate is horizontal, or generally so, and (iv) running wheels carried by the frame and adapted, in use, to be engaged on at least one support and guidance rail extending horizontally, or generally so, whereby the entire device may be displaced along the guidance rail(s) longitudinally of the platform or dock.

2. A ramp device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein opposite edges of the ramp plate are angled or chamfered.

3. A ramp device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the carriage is displaceable manually between its lower and upper positions.

4. A ramp device as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the carriage is provided with some weight minimising means such as a counter-balance weight, a hydraulic ram, gas springs etc.

5. A ramp device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the carriage is displaceable solely by power means such as a hydraulic ram(s).

6. A ramp device as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein in order to permit raising of the carriage from its lower position, a lifting handle is provided.

7. A ramp device as claimed in Claim 6, wherein a lifting handle is provided at each end of the carriage.

8. A ramp device as claimed in Claim 6 or 7, wherein the or each handle prevents no obstruction or projection when not in use by having a "park" or "down" position beneath the upper end of the carriage.

9. A ramp device as claimed in any one of Claims 6 to 8, wherein the or each handle incorporates a lost motion portion.

10. A ramp device as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the frame is provided with a pair of parallel, spaced-apart, upright guide rails engageable by an upper pair, and a lower pair, of guide wheels mounted on the carriage.

11. A ramp device as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the guide rails have a "V" rib and to provide the guide wheels with a "V" groove engaging the rib.

12. A ramp device as claimed in Claim 10 or 11, comprising stops to fix the uppermost position of the carriage.

13. A ramp device as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the carriage is provided with an upright, toe protection plate that becomes exposed when the carriage is lifted to its upper position.

14. A ramp device as claimed in any preceding Claim, supported so as to be longitudinally displaceable, within limites, for movement along the edge of the platform.

15. A ramp device as claimed in Claim 14, wherein from an inner surface of the frame adjacent the platform extends at each end of the frame, an upper and a lower, inwardly directed, structural arm terminating in running wheels engaged with preferably upper and lower, horizontally extending running rails.

16. A ramp device as claimed in Claim 15, wehrein upper running wheels have a "V" profile to engage a "V" projection of a running rail.

17. A ramp device as claimed in any one of Claims 14 to 16, wherein the lower rail is constituted by an angle section, with the upper limb thereof engaged by a roller serving basically to maintain the upright disposition of the frame.

18. A ramp device as claimed in Claim 15 and any Claim appendant thereto, wherein the upper arms are provided with support cleats for a pulley or sprocket around which is wrapped a rope or chain attached at one end to a counterbalance weight and at the other end to the lower end of the carriage.

19. A railway platform or elevated dock, provided with a ramp device as claimed in any preceding Claim.

19. A ramp device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

20. A railway platform or elevated dock, provided with a ramp device as claimed in any preceding Claim.

21. A railway platform substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows CLAIMS

1. A ramp device for temporarily bridging the gap between the edge of a railway platform or elevated dock and the floor of a rail van for mail, parcels or other goods, comprising: (i) a frame adapted to be located, in use, in an upright manner adjacent an edge of a railway platform or dock in a space envelope between that edge and an adjacent rail van, with an upper end of the frame not protruding above the upper surface of the platform or dock; (ii) a carriage mounted on the frame and adapted to be displaceable with respect to the frame between a lower position not protruding above the upper surface of the platform or dock, and an upper position;; (iii) a ramp plate pivotally attached to the upper end of the carriage and, when sufficiently elevated by carriage displacement, being 0 pivotable through approximately 90 between a storage position, in which the plane of the ramp plate is vertical, or generally sd, and an operational position, in which the: plane of the ramp plate is horizontal, or genera1fYsb,' and (iv) running wheels carried by support structure of the frame projecting, in use, inwardly of the frame, away from a rail van, and beneath an overhang of the platform or dock and hence inboard of the space envelope, the running wheels being adapted, in use, to be engaged on at least one support and guidance rail extending horizontally, or generally so, whereby the entire device may be displaced along the guidance rail(s) longitudinally of the platform or dock.

8. A ramp device as claimed in Claim 6 or 7, wherein each handle presents no obstruction or projection when not in use by having a "park" or "down" position beneath the upper end of the carriage.

11. A ramp device as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the guide rails have a "V" rib and the guide wheels a "V" groove engaging the rib.

14. A ramp device as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the running wheel support structure extends from an inner surface of the frame adjacent the platform at each end of the frame, and is constituted by an upper and a lower, inwardly directed, structural arm each terminating in one of said running wheels which wheels are engaged with preferably upper and lower, horizontally extending running rails.

15. A ramp device as claimed in Claim 14, wherein upper running wheels have a "V" profile to engage a "V" projection of a running rail.

16. A ramp device as claimed in any one of Claims 14 or 15, wherein the lower rail is constituted by an angle section, with the upper limb thereof engaged by a roller serving basically to maintain the upright disposition of the frame.

17. A ramp device as claimed in Claim 14 and any Claim appendant thereto, wherein the upper arms are provided with support cleats for a pulley or sprocket around which is wrapped a rope or chain attached at one end to a counterbalance weight and at the other end to the lower end of the carriage.

18. A ramp device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.