GB2442526A

GB2442526A - Extensible flatrack for an ISO container

Info

Publication number: GB2442526A
Application number: GB0619496A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony John Lacey
Original assignee: GHL LIFTRUCKS Ltd
Current assignee: GHL LIFTRUCKS Ltd
Priority date: 2006-10-03
Filing date: 2006-10-03
Publication date: 2008-04-09
Anticipated expiration: 2026-10-03
Also published as: GB0619496D0; GB2442526B

Abstract

A flatrack loading platform 10 includes haulage means such as an A frame 15 at one shorter end, a first pair of container retention mechanisms 16 for an ISO container, preferably twistlocks, on said platform adjacent to the haulage means, a second pair of container retention mechanisms 18, preferably twistlocks, mounted on a pair of laterally spaced telescoping units 20 extensible parallel to one another and in line with the first pair of container retention means, e.g. parallel to the longer side edges of the loading platform. The first and/or second par of retention mechanisms may be retractable between an operative condition and a retracted condition below the upper surface of the platform. The twistlocks may be operable manually, semi-automatically or automatically.

Description

LOAD PLATFORMS

DESCRiPTiON

Technical Field

This invention relates to load platforms, particularly load platforms of the kind known as "flatrack" which comprise a generally rectangular platform of shallow height to suit carriage of cargo in ships, aeroplanes and like vehicles where a maximum load height capacity is needed.

Background Art

Flatrack load platforms of this kind originally suited cargo stacked up upon the platform and retained in position by strapping or webbing attached to and/or through attachment anchorages at the platform sides. Haulage means, conventionally in the form of an A-frame, was mounted at one shorter side edge of the rectangular platform to provide a point of attachment for a winch or crane. As a generality, these A-frame flatrack load platforms have not been able to support and retain an ISO container.

The present invention aims to overcome this and/or other difficulty.

Summary of the Invention

According to one aspect of this invention there is provided a method of converting a flatrack loading platform having haulage means at one shorter end into a tiatrack loading platform suited for the carriage of an ISO container, said method comprising the steps of mounting a first pair of container retention mechanisms, preferably twistlocks, on said platform adjacent to the haulage means, and attaching to the distal end of the loading platform, a pair of laterally spaced telescoping units serving as mounts for a second pair of container retention mechanisms, preferably twistlocks, the laterally spaced telescoping units being extensible parallel to one another and in line with the first pair of container retention means, e.g. parallel to the longer side edges of the loading platform.

The first pair of twistlocks may be manually operable, semi-automatic or fully automatic.

The second pair of twistlocks may be manually operable, semi-automatic or fully automatic.

According to another aspect of this invention there is provided a flatrack loading platform having haulage means at one shorter end, a first pair of retention means, e.g. twistlocks, for an ISO container adjacent the haulage means, and -distal from the haulage means and adjacent the opposite shorter end of the load platform -a second pair of retention means, e.g. twistlocks, for the ISO container, said second pair of retention means being mounted respectively on a pair of laterally spaced telescoping units attached to the platform and extensible parallel to one another in line with the first pair of retention means.

Preferably the first pair and/or the second pair of container retention means are mounted for movement between an upwardly protruding operative condition -in which they can be used for retention of an ISO container -to a retracted inoperative condition in which they do not project above the level of the upper surface of the load platform.

Brief Description of the Drawings

By way of example one embodiment of this invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a flatrack loan platform according to this invention, Figure 2 is a side view of the flatrack loan platform of Fig 1, Figure 3 is an end view in the direction of arrow III of Fig 2, Figure 4 is an opposite end view in the direction of arrow IV of Fig 2, Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view of part of the platform shown in plan in Fig I, Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view of part of the platform shown in side view in Figure 2, Figure 7 is an enlarged detail view of part of the platform shown in end view in Figure 4, Figure 8 is an enhanced, more detailed, view of parts shown in Fig 7, and Figure 9 is a transverse sectional view along the me IX-IX of Fig 6.

Description of Illustrated Embodiment

The illustrated flatrack load platform 10, shown best in Figs I and 2, comprises a grid of elongate metal members 11 (of steel or aluminium) of 100mm box section with rectangular wooden plates 13 supported between them. At the corners of the platform, four shallow height box-section feet 1 1, are provided to support the platform 10. This platform 10 is of the kind originally suited for supporting cargo stacked up upon the platform and retained in position by strapping or webbing attached to and/or through attachment anchorages (not shown) at the platform sides 14. Haulage means 15 in the form of an A-frame (Fig 3) is mounted at one shorter side edge 12 of the platform to provide a point of attachment for a winch or crane. Due to the space occupied by the A-frame 15, the length therefrom to the opposite edge I 2 of the load platform is too short to accommodate and retain in position a connventional sized 20' ISO container.

However to enable this known A-frame flatrack load platform into a flatrack load platform 10 to be converted into a flatrack load platform suited for alternatively carrying securely an ISO container, the following conversion steps are actioned.

A first pair of container retention mechanisms, preferably twistlocks 16, are mounted retractably on platform 10 adjacent to the A-frame 15. A pair of laterally spaced telescoping units 20 are attached to the distal end of the loading platform 10, the inner section 22 of these telescoping units serving to mount retractably thereon a second pair of container retention mechanisms, preferably twistlocks 18. The telescoping units 20 are of generally box-section of 120mm side and replace a rearward length of the load platform's side members 14. The telescoping units 20 are extensible parallel to one another, in line with the first pair of container retention means 16, and parallel to the longer side edges 14 of the loading platform 10. The stroke of extension is defined by S the length of a longitudinally extending slot 21 in the inner section 22 of the unit 20 (preferably its underneath surface), bolts 23 secured to the outer section 24 entering the slot 21 (see Fig 9). The stroke of the extension in the illustrated embodiment is 230mm to provide, when extended, a distance of 5853mm between the twistlocks 16 and 18, and suiting the converted load platform 10 for the support and twistlock retention of a conventional 20ft ISO container.

The twistlocks 16,18 are mounted retractably to provide for movement between an upwardly protruding operative condition and a retracted inoperative condition. In their upwardly protruding operative condition -shown at the extreme right hand side of Figs 2 and 6 -they can be used for retention of a conventional ISO container. In their retracted inoperative or stowed condition they do not project above the level of the upper surface of the load platform 10 and thus cannot interfere with manouevering and passage of goods or cargo or become damaged by such movement of goods or cargo.

Movement of each of the two twistlocks 18 to and from its stowed/retracted position and its protruding operative position is effected by a plate 27 (omitted from Fig 7) serving as a handgrip that is manually operable to extend and close the twistlock and slide the telescoping unit 20 inwardly and outwardly. When the twistlocks 18 are in their raised operative positions they abut an end edge of the outer section 24 of the extended telescoping unit 20 and thus prevent the inner section 22 contracting into the outer section 24. A retaining latch 28 having an open position (shown by broken lines in Fig 8) and a locking position (shown in full lines in Fig 8) is mounted pivotally on a horizontal pivot pin 29. A like manually operable plate such as 27 may be provided in association with each of the two twistlocks 16 to move those twistlocks to and from a stowed/retracted position and a protruding operative position.

It will be appreciated that the first pair and/or the second pair of twistlocks 16/18 may be manually operable, semi-automatic or fully automatic. However the illustrated twistlocks 16/18 are manually operable by means of a lever 17 serving to rotate the head of the respective twistlock about a vertical axis. This twistlock head 19 is substantially rectangular in plan view and has a top part of substantially mushroom' or conical vertical section such as, in a first angular disposition, to be capable of passing through a locating aperture in the underside of the ISO container, and in a second angular disposition, at 90 to the first, to be unable to do so. Thus, in use, the container is disposed on the platform 10 with its apertured corners overlying the twistlocks 16 and 18 in their first disposition, and once the twistlock heads have entered upwardly into and through these apertures, these twistlocks 16,18 are all rotated to their second disposition to prevent twistlock from disengagement from the apertures and thereby lockingly hold the ISO container firmly attached to platform 10.

It will be apparent that the above described a conversion process can result in the production of a flatrack loading platform 10 having haulage means 15 at one shorter end 12a, a first pair of retention means, e.g. twistlocks 16, for an ISO container adjacent the haulage means 15, and -distal from the haulage means 15 and adjacent the opposite shorter end 12 of the load platform 10 -a second pair of retention means, e.g. twistlocks 18, for the ISO container, said second pair of retention means 18 being mounted respectively on a pair of laterally spaced telescoping units 20 attached to the platform 10 and extensible parallel to one another in line with the first pair of retention means 16.

Other modifications and embodiments of the invention, which will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art, are to be deemed within the ambit and scope of the invention (to be) claimed, In other words, the particular embodiment(s) hereinbefore described and/or illustrated may be varied in construction and detail, e.g. interchanging (where appropriate or desired) different features of each, without departing from the scope of the patent monopoly hereby sought.

Claims

1. A method of converting a flatrack loading platform having haulage means at one shorter end into a flatrack loading platform suited for the carriage of an ISO container, said method comprising the steps of mounting a first pair of container retention mechanisms on said platform adjacent to the haulage means, and attaching to the distal end of the loading platform, a pair of laterally spaced telescoping units serving as mounts for a second pair of container retention mechanisms, the laterally spaced telescoping units being extensible parallel to one another and in line with the first pair of container retention means.

2. A method according to Claim I wherein the laterally spaced telescoping units are extensible parallel to one another and along, or parallel to, the longer side edges of the loading platform.

3. A method according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the first pair of container retention mechanisms comprise twistlocks,

4. A method according to Claim 3 wherein the first pair of twistlocks are manually operable, semi-automatic or fully automatic.

5. A method according to any preceding Claim wherein the second pair of container retention mechanisms comprise twistlocks,

6. A method according to Claim 5 wherein the second pair of twistlocks are manually operable, semi-automatic or fully automatic.

7. A method according to Claim I and substantially as herein described with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

8. A flatrack loading platform produced by a method according to any one of Claims I to 7.

9. A flatrack loading platform having haulage means at one shorter end, a first pair of retention means for an ISO container adjacent the haulage means, and -distal from the haulage means and adjacent the opposite shorter end of the load platform -a second pair of retention means for the ISO container, said second pair of retention means being mounted respectively on a pair of laterally spaced telescoping units attached to the platform and extensible parallel to one another in line with the first pair of retention means.

10. A flatrack loading platform according to Claim 9 wherein each of the first pair and/or each of the second pair of container retention means is mounted for movement between an upwardly protruding operative condition -in which it can be used for retention of an ISO container -to a retracted inoperative condition in it does not project above the level of the upper surface of the load platform.

11. A flatrack loading platform according to Claim 9 or Claim 10, wherein the first pair of retention means comprises twistlocks.

12. A flatrack loading platform substantially as herein described with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

*. S*S * S S. * * .. * *5

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12. A flatrack loading platform according to any one of Claims 9 to 11, wherein the second pair of retention means comprises twistlocks.

13. A flatrack loading platform substantially as herein described with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows

1. A method of converting a flatrack loading platform having haulage means at one shorter end into a flatrack loading platform suited for the carriage of an ISO container, said method comprising the steps of mounting a first pair of container retention mechanisms on said platform adjacent to the haulage means, and attaching to the distal end of the loading platform, a pair of laterally spaced telescoping units serving as mounts for a second pair of container retention mechanisms, the laterally spaced telescoping units being extensible parallel to one another and along, or parallel to, the longer side edges of the loading platform and such as to move during extension and retraction in line with the first pair of container retention means.

2. A method according to Claim 1, wherein the first pair of container retention mechanisms comprise twistlocks, 3. A method according to Claim 2 wherein the first pair of twistlocks are manually operable, semi-automatic or fully automatic.

* ,, 4. A method according to any preceding Claim wherein the second pair of : ;: 20 container retention mechanisms comprise twistlocks, * 5. A method according to Claim 4 wherein the second pair of twistlocks are * * manually operable, semi-automatic or fully automatic.

I

I. 11.1 6. A method according to Claim I and substantially as herein described with * 1 reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

7. A flatrack loading platform produced by a method according to any one of Claims 1 to 6.

GIflhIO1.,"k0212008 8. A flatrack loading platform having haulage means at one shorter end, a first pair of retention means for an ISO container adjacent the haulage means, and -distal from the haulage means and adjacent the opposite shorter end of the load platform -a second pair of retention means for the ISO container, said second pair of retention means being mounted respectively on a pair of laterally spaced telescoping units attached to the platform and extensible parallel to one another along, or parallel to, the longer side edges of the loading platform and such as to move during extension and retraction in line with the first pair of container retention means.

9. A flatrack loading platform according to Claim 8 wherein each of the first pair and/or each of the second pair of container retention means is mounted for movement between an upwardly protruding operative condition -in which it can be used for retention of an ISO container -to a retracted inoperative condition in which it does not project above the level of the upper surface of the load platform.

10. A flatrack loading platform according to Claim 8 or Claim 9, wherein the first pair of retention means comprises twistlocks.

* ** ii. A flatrack loading platform according to any one of Claims 8 to 10, wherein the :::::: 20 second pair of retention means comprises twistlocks. **S.