GB2459868A

GB2459868A - Roll cage

Info

Publication number: GB2459868A
Application number: GB0808307A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Shaun Anthony Ingram; Abigail Louise Duthie; Hongmin Sarfas; Patrick Anthony Booden
Original assignee: QUBE TRANSP SUPPLIES Ltd
Current assignee: QUBE TRANSP SUPPLIES Ltd
Priority date: 2008-05-07
Filing date: 2008-05-07
Publication date: 2009-11-11
Anticipated expiration: 2028-05-07
Also published as: GB0808307D0; GB2459868B

Abstract

A roll cage comprises a first wheeled cage assembly including a first base 1 and a first cage 3 extending upwardly from the first base, and a second wheeled cage assembly slidably engaging the first assembly, the second wheeled cage assembly including a second base 2 and a second cage 4 extending upwardly from the second base. The first and second cages together define an interior load carrying space, the volume of which is adjustable by sliding the second wheeled cage assembly relative to the first wheeled cage assembly. The first and second wheeled cage assemblies are lockable in a plurality of positions providing different volumes of load carrying space of the roll cage.

Description

Roll cage This invention relates to a roll cage.

A roll cage commonly comprises a wheeled base, usually of rectangular shape when viewed in plan, and a cage extending upwardly from the base. The cage is commonly of a mesh construction and may have four sides but may also have one or more sides open. -Roll cages are used in a wide variety of applications for temporarily storing and/or transporting goods. In different situations different sizes of roll cage are used.

A difficulty can arise, however, when the size of roll cage required is not known in advance. In that case it may be necessary to use a relatively large roll cage to ensure sufficient capacity, but if that capacity proves not to be required then undue space is occupied by the roll cage carrying the goods with the roll cage only partly full.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved roll cage.

According to the invention there is provided a roll cage comprising a first wheeled cage assembly including a first base and a first cage extending upwardly from the first base, and a second wheeled cage assembly slidably engaging the first assembly, the second wheeled cage assembly including a second base and a second cage extending upwardly from the second base, the first and second cages together defining an interior load carrying space, the volume of which is adjustable by sliding the second wheeled cage assembly relative to the first wheeled cage assembly, the first and second wheeled cage assemblies being lockable in a plurality of positions providing different volumes of load carrying space of the roll cage.

By providing a roll cage with first and second cage assemblies that slidably engage and are lockable in a plurality of positions providing different volumes of load carrying space, it becomes possible to adjust the interior volume of the roll cage according to the load to be carried, so that the space occupied by the roll cage need never be excessive for the load carried.

Whilst the slidable engagement of the second wheeled cage assembly with the first wheeled cage assembly may be provided in a wide variety of ways and for example the second cage may be slidably mounted on the first cage, it is preferred that the second base slidably engages the first base.

Preferably the first and second bases include load carrying platforms, the load carrying platform of the second base being received at least partly below the load carrying platform of the first base. With such an arrangement the load carrying platform can at first be received mainly or wholly beneath the first base and can then be slid out front under the first base as the volume of the roll cage needs to be increased. The first base may have downwardly extending walls along opposite sides and the second base may be slidably mounted on the inwardly directed faces of the walls. Appropriate slide runners may be provided at the interface between the first and second bases.

The l!wheelslv of the first and second bases may be of any suitable form including, but not limited to, wheels pivotally mounted about a vertical axis or balls. The first base is preferably supported at at least three locations so that it does not have to rely upon the second base for any support. The first base preferably includes at least three wheels, and usually is of generally rectangular shape with a wheel in the region of each corner.

Preferably the arrangement is as follows: (i) the second base has an inner end portion and an outer end portion; (ii) when the first and second wheeled cage assemblies are slid to a position providing a maximum volume of load carrying space, the inner end portion of the second base is in the region of the first base and the outer end portion of the second base is in a region spaced from the first base; and (iii) one or more wheels are provided in the region of the outer end portion of the second base. Usually the second base is of generally rectangular shape with a wheel in the region of each corner of the outer end portion. There may be no wheels on the second base other than in the region of its outer end.

More preferably, when the first and second wheeled cage assemblies are slid to a position providing a maximum volume of load carrying space, the outer end portion of the second base is supported on the one or more wheels provided in that region and the inner end portion of the second base is supported by the first base. Also, when the first and second wheeled cage assemblies are slid to a position providing a minimum volume of load carrying space, the outer and inner end portions of the second base are supported by the first base with the one or more wheels provided in the region of the outer end portion of the second base clear of the ground. In that case, when the cage is in its most compact form, it is supported only by wheels on the first base, but, when it is in its most voluminous form, it is supported by wheels on both bases, preferably in the regions of the corners of the frame.

The first and second cage assemblies may be lockable in any of a wide variety of ways. For example, a sliding mechanism between the bases may be lockable. It is, however, preferred that the first and second cages are lockable in a plurality of positions providing different volumes of load carrying space of the roll cage. The cage assemblies may be lockable in any of a continuous range of infinite positions but preferably they are lockable in a plurality of different discrete positions. Preferably the roll cage further includes at least one locking member mounted on the first or second cage and movable between a first locking position in which relative movement of the first and second cages is prevented and a second released position in which relative movement of the first and second cages is not prevented. The at least one locking member is preferably rotatable between the first locking position and . the second released position. The at least one locking member may be arranged to rotate about an angle of about three quarters of a revolution between the locking and released positions. The locking member may be mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis and may be biased into one or both of the locking and released positions by gravity.

Locking may be achieved by a locking part of the locking member mounted on one cage engaging between vertical members on the other cage. A pair of locking members may be provided on opposite sides of the roll cage. The or each locking member may be positioned in a mid-height region of the cage.

It will be understood that where reference is made in this specification to I!locking that is not to be taken to mean that any key or other security device is necessarily involved, but is to be understood as simply indicating a fastening together. Whilst it is within the scope of the invention for there to be a key or other security device, in most applications it will be preferred not to have any such device.

Each of the first and second cages preferably includes a pair of opposing side walls, the first cage preferably includes a first end wall and the second cage preferably includes a second end wall opposite the first end wall. The walls of the cages may be in any suitable form for whatever load the cage is intended to carry. Typically, the sides may comprise a a set of parallel bars intersecting another set of parallel bars perpendicular thereto. One set of bars may be horizontal and the other set may be vertical.

The bars may be somewhat flexible and interwoven but more commonly they are more rigid, do not interweave and may be spot welded at at least some of their intersections. The bars may be made of a variety of materials, including plastics materials, but preferably they are made of steel.

Preferably the opposing side walls of the second cage are located on the outside of the opposing side walls of the first cage.

The invention may be applied to roll cages of a wide variety of sizes and is not limited to any particular size of cage. Typically, however, the roll cage will have an interior volume of more than one cubic metre when slidably adjusted to provide maximum storage volume and indeed it will usually have a volume greater than this even when adjusted to provide minimum storage volume.

By way of example a roll cage embodying the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Fig. 1 is a side view of the roll cage in its unextended state; Fig. 2 is a side view of the roll cage in its fully extended state; Fig. 3 is a front view of the roll cage in its unextended state; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the roll cage in its unextended state; Fig. 5A is view from the side of a locking member mounted on a cage; and Fig. 5B is an end view of the locking member mounted on the cage.

The roll cage shown in the drawings generally includes a first wheeled cage assembly comprising a first base 1 and a first cage 3 extending upwardly from the first base, a second wheeled cage assembly comprising a seciond base 2 and a second cage 4 extending upwardly from the second base.

The first base 1 comprises a rectangular load carrying platform 5 supported on four wheels 6 located in each of the corner regions of the base 1 and has a pair of side walls 7 extending downwardly from the platform 5 on opposite sides of the platform 5. The second base 2 is slidably mounted on the first base 1 and is movable between a fully retracted position shown in Fig. 1 and a fully extended position shown in Fig. 2. The second base 2 includes a rectangular load carrying platform B which in the retracted position is accommodated substantially entirely below the platform 5, but which in the fully extended position shown in Fig. 2 extends outwardly (to the left as seen in Fig. 2) from below the platform 5, with only an inner end portion of the platform 8 below the platform 5. The outer end portion of the platform 8 is supported, when in the position shown in Fig. 2, by a pair of wheels 9 located in each of the corner regions of the outer end portion of the second base 2. In the particular embodiment described, the wheels 6 and 9 are substantially identical and of a kind known per Se, each comprising a wheel rotatable about a horizontal axis and able to swivel about a vertical axis offset from the centre of the wheel.

The sides of the platform 8 are slidably connected to the inner faces of the side walls 7 of the first base 1 and an industrial slide runner of a kind known per se is provided at each interface to provide a smooth slide mounting of the platform 8 on the base 1 and to accommodate the vertical loads from the platform 8 that are not taken by the wheels 9.

As can be seen from Fig. 1, the sliding engagement of the bases 1 and 2 is such that, when the base 2 is in its fully retracted position, the wheels 9 are just clear of the ground so that the roll cage can be handled as if it were a conventional four-wheeled cage. AS the base 2 is extended the wheels 9 move into engagement with the ground by virtue of slight play in the sliding connection between the bases 1 and 2 and the platforms 5 and 8 are then supported by all six wheels. The wheels 9 engage the ground before the base 2 is extended halfway to its fully extended position shown in Fig. 2.

The first cage 3 generally comprises a pair of opposite side walls 10 and one end wall 11, being the side on which the base 2 is able to be extended open.

Similarly, the second cage 4 generally comprises a pair of opposite side walls 12 and one end wall 13, opposite the end wall 11. The side walls 12 overlap the side walls 10 and are on the outside of the side walls 10.

Each of the walls 10 to 13 comprises a network of vertical and horizontal steel bars which are spot welded at their intersections to provide relatively strong and rigid walls whilst allowing good visibility of the interior of the cage. A respective locking member 15 is mounted on each of the side walls 12 of the second cage 4 about midway up the cage and at the inner ends of the side walls 12.

The side walls 10 of the first cage 3 are provided with extra vertical bars 16 immediately above a horizontal bar 17 and at the height of the locking member 15 and the locking member shown in Figs. 5A and 5B is rotatable between a retracted, released, position in which it is clear of the bars 16 and locking position in which it projects between two adjacent bars 16 and rests on the horizontal bar 17. As will be understood, with the locking members 15 in their retracted positions, the adjacent side walls 10 and 12 are free to move relative to one another allowing the bases 1 and 2 to slide relative to one another, but when the locking members 15 are in their extended positions their engagement with the bars 16 prevent such relative sliding movement. In the particular example of the invention shown in the drawings there are more than ten discrete positions in which the side walls can be locked to one another.

The end wall 11 is shaped towards its upper end to provide a pair of handles 18 (Fig. 3) which facilitate gripping of the second cage 4.

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In use of the cage, one option is to have the cage initially locked in the condition shown in Fig. 1, in which the interior volume of the cage is at a minimum and the space occupied by the cage is also at a minimum. The cage may then be filled with whatever goods are to be carried, which may be any of a wide variety of kinds but in this particular example are vehicle parts.

If the cage once becomes full before all the goods have been accommodated, or if a user otherwise becomes aware that the cage will need to be bigger, then the locking members 15 can be retracted and the second cage 4 pulled away from the first cage 3 by a user gripping the handles 18. Since the platform 8 is below the platform 5 and the side walls 12 are outside the side walls 10, any goods already in the cage do not obstruct this expansion of the cage. The user can choose how far to expand the cage and, having slid the base 2 outwardly to the desired location, can then rotate the locking members 15 back into the locking positions between bars 16. The user can then add further goods to the now enlarged interior space in the cage. If desired this process can be repeated until the roll cage is in its fully extended state shown in Fig. 2.

Accordingly, it is possible for the user to adapt the size of the cage to one that is appropriate for the volume of goods to be carried and the cage need not be made any larger than necessary.

Whilst in the description above, one particular

example of the invention has been described, it will be -11 -understood that many modifications may be made to that example without departing from the present invention. For example, although in the described embodiment, the cage is provided with walls on all sides, it is possible for one of the sides of the cage to be fully or partly open.

Claims

-12 -Claims: 1. A roll cage comprising a first wheeled cage assembly including a first base and a first cage extending upwardly from the first base, and a second wheeled cage assembly slidably engaging the first assembly, the second wheeled cage assembly including a second base and a second cage extending upwardly from the second base, the first and second cages together defining an interior load carrying space, the volume of which is adjustable by sliding the second wheeled cage assembly relative to the first wheeled cage assembly, the first and secondwheeled cage assemblies being lockable in a plurality of positions providing different volumes of load carrying space of the roll cage.
2. A roll cage according to claim 1, in which the second base slidably engages the first base.
3. A roll cage according to claim 1 or 2, in which the first and second bases include load carrying platforms, the load carrying platform of the second base being received at least partly below the load carrying platform of the first base.
4. A roll cage according to any preceding claim, in which the first base includes at least three wheels.
5. A roll cage according to any preceding claim, in which the second base has an inner end portion and an outer end portion, in which, when the first and second wheeled cage assemblies are slid to a position providing a maximum volume of load carrying space, the inner end portion of the second base is in the region of the first base and theS-13 -outer end portion of the second base is in a region spaced from the first base, and in which one or more wheels are provided in the region of the outer end portion of the second base.
6. A roll cage according to claim 5, in which, when the first and second wheeled cage assemblies are slid to a position providing a maximum volume of load carrying space, the outer end portion of the second base is supported on the one or more wheels provided in that region and the inner end portion of the second base is supported by the first base.
7. A roll cage according to claim 5 or 6, in which, when the first and second wheeled cage assemblies are slid to a position providing a minimum volume of load carrying space, the outer and inner end portions of the second base are supported by the first base with the one or more wheels provided in the region of the outer end portion of the second base clear of the ground.
8. A roll cage according to any preceding claim in which first and second cages are lockable in a plurality of positions providing different volumes of load carrying space of the roll cage.
9. A roll cage according to any preceding claim, further including at least one locking member mounted on the first or second cage and movable between a first locking position in which relative movement of the first and second cages is prevented and a second released position in which relative movement of the first and second cages is not prevented.

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10. A roll cage according to claim 9, in which the at least one locking member is rotatable between the first locking position and the second released position
11. A roll cage according to any preceding claim, in which each of the first and second cages includes a pair of opposing side walls, in which the first cage includes a second end wall and the second cage includes a second end wall opposite the first end wall.
12. A roll cage according to any preceding claim, in which the opposing side walls of the second cage are located on the outside of the opposing side walls of the first cage.
13. A roll cage substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.