GB2519064A

GB2519064A - Twin container box van

Info

Publication number: GB2519064A
Application number: GB1314910.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stuart Gerald English; Nigel Shields
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-08-21
Filing date: 2013-08-21
Publication date: 2015-04-15
Also published as: GB201314910D0

Abstract

A box van for transporting two standard size indoor warehouse storage containers 1, 2 in an upright orientation where the height of the floor of the container 7 when loaded onto the van is not higher than the top of the rear wheels 6 of the vehicle. Each container 1, 2 can be loaded onto the van and unloaded independently, one from the side of the van and one from the rear and each of the two containers 1, 2 can be accessed independently, one 1 from the rear of the vehicle and one 2 from the side. Preferably the two container are arranged perpendicularly and the rear container 1 is held laterally by the rear wheel arches of the vehicle. The front container 2 may be prevented from moving backwards by the rear container 1 and from moving forward by the vehicle cab (12, Figure 1).

Description

TWIN CONTAINER BOX VAN

This invention relates to a box van for transporting two standard size indoor warehouse storage containers in an upright orientation.

Warehouse containers are in common use in the storage and removals industry. A particular type of standard container is used for transport and indoor storage. This type of standard container measures 2184mm long x 1575mm wide x 2438mm high and is constructed incorporating a palette at its base so that it can be easily moved and stacked using a fork lift truck. Such containers are commonly used to store household and domestic effects such as furniture and other house contents.

It is common in the removals and storage industry that such containers are transported on the back of a container lorry. Such lorries generally carry 3 to 5 containers and are of a weight of or in excess of 7.5 tonnes. Because of this drivers are required to possess a category Cl or a heavy goods vehicle driving license, and also require a tachograph and operators licence.

Box vans (sometimes referred to as Luton vans) are the largest van type that can be driven on a standard car licence (Category B) without tachograph or operators licence and are therefore commonly used for public hire in the self-drive market.

Box vans are not typically used to transport and load storage containers of the type described above because the floor of the box van is too high above the ground to make loading of the container easy, in this configuration a ramp or tail lift would be required and this would add both weight and cost. Some box vans provide a lowered floor between the wheel arches of the rear wheels but because of the vehicle design this is not wide enough to accommodate a storage container in between the wheel arches. No existing 3.5 tonne box van can accommodate two upright standard size storage containers at a low enough height to be able to comfortably step into to allow easy loading of storage containers.

According to the present invention there is provided a means of transporting two upright storage containers of standard dimensions within a 3.5 tonne box van, where the height of the floor of the container when loaded onto the van is not higher than the top of the rear wheels of the van. The innovation provides the combined benefit that: 1) The van can be driven on a standard drivers license and can therefore be operated as a self-drive hire vehicle.

2) No powered tail lift is required because when loaded onto the van, the floor of each container is low enough to step into. This makes it much easier to load the container on the van as no ramp or powered tail lift is required.

3) Each of the two containers can be accessed independently, by double barn-type doors, one from the rear of the van body and one from the side.

4) Each container can be loaded onto the van and unloaded independently, one from the side of the van and one from the rear.

5) When in transit both containers are held in position and cannot slide either side to side or forwards and backwards.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a cut away perspective view of a box van with two containers loaded and showing access to both containers, one from the rear of the van and one from the side.

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a box van with the front and rear containers being loaded.

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a box van with loading doors to back and side.

Figure 4 is a cross section view through the side of the van body Figure 5 is a cross section through a vertical plane through the back of the van, the rear axel and the rear container.

Figure 6 is a cross section through the top of the van body showing both containers loaded.

A box van body (10) for transporting 2 identical standard size storage containers (1) and (2) in an upright position so that the container (1) can be loaded and removed by fork lift truck or other means from the rear of the vehicle and container (2) can be loaded and removed from the side of the vehicle. The doors (3) of container (1) can be opened to the rear through doors (13) in the van body (10) and the doors (4) of container (2) can be opened to the side through doors (14) in the van body (10).

The rear axel (5) of the van is of a length sufficient to hold the rear wheels (6) far enough apart for container (1) to be placed on top of the axel and between the s wheels (6) so that the floor (7) of the container (1) is below the top of the rear wheels (6). This means that any lateral movement of the container (1) is restricted by the wheel arches (11) of the van. Any movement of container (1) forward is restricted by container (2). Container (1) is loaded through the doors (13) at the back of the van body, which when closed prevent container (2) from moving backwards, hence when the rear doors of the van body are closed container (1) is contained so that it cannot move either side to side or forward and backwards.

Container (2) is loaded and unloaded from the side of the vehicle through another set of doors (14). Container (2) is held between the cab of the van (12) in front and by container (1) behind, thus preventing any forwards and backwards movement.

is The wall of the van body (15) and the side doors (14) when closed restrict sideways movement.

Claims

Claims 1. A van body containing two removable standard size containers where the height above the ground of the floor of both containers is less than the s diameter of the rear wheels of the van.
2. A van body as claimed in claim 1 where the front storage container is held in place between the rear container and the van cab and the van body wall and the side doors and the rear container is held in place between the rear wheel arches of the van and the front storage container and the rear doors.
3. A van body as claimed in claims 1 and 2 where the size of the containers is 2184mm long plus or minus 20mm by 1575mm width plus or minus 20mm by 2438mm high plus or minus 20mm.
4. As claimed in claims 1 and 2 where the width between the two rear wheels of the van is greater than 1600mm.
5. As claimed in claims 1 and 2 where the two containers are arranged at 90 degrees to each other.
6. As claimed in claims 1 and 2 where the rear container can be removed from the back of the van body and the front container can be removed from the side of the van body.
7. As claimed in claim 1 where the rear container is held in place laterally by the rear wheel arches of the vehicle.
8. As claimed in claim 1 where the front container is prevented from moving backwards by the rear container and prevented from moving forwards by the van cab.
9. A van body as claimed in claims 1 and 2 incorporating one set of access doors on the back and one set of access doors on the side of the van body forward of the rear wheels of the van.
1O.As claimed in claim 2 where the side doors in the van body are on the passenger side of the vehicle.
11.As claimed in claim 1 where the van has one or more rear axels.
12.As claimed in any preceding claim where the van can be driven on a standard s category B car drivers license.