GB2572602A

GB2572602A - Load system

Info

Publication number: GB2572602A
Application number: GB1805607.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kilham Toby
Original assignee: Fentech Ltd
Current assignee: Fentech Ltd
Priority date: 2018-04-05
Filing date: 2018-04-05
Publication date: 2019-10-09
Anticipated expiration: 2038-04-05
Also published as: GB2572602B; GB201805607D0

Abstract

A load system (1, see fig. 1) comprising one or more guides 3 arranged to be fixed in the load space of a vehicle 4 and a trolley 6 , the trolley 6 comprising a platform 2 and a set of wheels 5 arranged to carry the platform when away from the vehicle, the platform and one or more guides being arranged to releasably engage with each other to permit the one or more guides to support the platform when in the vehicle and to permit the platform to slide between a retracted position above the one or more guides, so that the platform may be retracted into the vehicle and an extended position where the platform overhangs the one or more guides, so that the platform may extend out of the vehicle and be cantilevered by the one or more guides, the load system being arranged such that when fixed to a load space in a vehicle, the one or more guides may permit the platform to slide to the extended position where it may overhang the rear of the vehicle sufficiently to permit the wheels of the trolley to be deployed, so that they may support the platform, with the load system being further arranged to permit the platform to then be released from the one or more guides to permit the trolley to be moved away from the vehicle.

Description

Load System

The present invention relates to a load system for a vehicle and particularly to a van or other enclosed vehicle.

Load systems are known, for example from European Patent Application No. EP 1026063 A1, which employ a trolley with foldable wheels and a mechanism located at an entry point to a vehicle, which mechanism is arranged to accept the trolley into the vehicle by folding, collapsing or removing the wheels of the trolley, to permit a platform of the trolley to then be accepted into the vehicle together with any load carried by the platform of the trolley. Such known systems also permit a load in the vehicle, on the platform of the trolley, to be withdrawn from the vehicle and the wheels of the trolley to then be deployed such that they may subsequently carry the platform of the trolley, permitting a load on the platform to be transferred from a load space of the vehicle onto the wheels of the trolley.

Such known systems are primary designed to permit goods carried by the vehicle to be subsequently carried by the trolley, without the need to unload the goods from the vehicle to the trolley. The trolley then permits the goods on the trolley to be manoeuvred, for example through a building, to their ultimate destination. Similarly, such a system permits a load for a vehicle to be collected from within a building, or the like and transferred to the vehicle without the requirement to unload the trolley onto the vehicle.

A vehicle load system as described above normally works in a satisfactory manner, but it will typically require the vehicle to be on firm level ground in order to permit the platform of the trolley to be transferred either on to the wheels of the trolley, or from the wheels of the trolley onto the load floor of the vehicle.

In addition to the above type of systems, vehicle load systems are also known which employ a platform, or similar, mounted to the load space of a vehicle in a manner which permits the platform to be pulled out from the vehicle in a cantilevered manner. Such systems find particular application in pickup trucks, where tools or other equipment may be stored on a platform under a Tonneau cover, with access then gained to the tools or other items by opening the tailgate of the pickup truck and pulling the platform out from the under the Tonneau cover, until it is cantilevered out from the back of the truck to enable access to be gained to the items on or in the platform.

The term platform as used above and throughout the present specification, including the claims, is to be interpreted not only to cover any substantially flat surface, but is also to include any other type of receptacle, which may for example be in the form of tool cabinets fixed to a flat platform, or forming a platform, or any cage, rack or other type of system or framework capable of containing, holding or storing any form of goods, tools or components for transportation.

According to the present invention there is provided a load system for a vehicle, the load system comprising one or more guides arranged to be fixed in the load space of a vehicle and a trolley, the trolley comprising a platform and a set of wheels arranged to carry the platform when away from the vehicle, the platform and one or more guides being arranged to releasably engage with each other to permit the one or more guides to support the platform when in the vehicle and to permit the platform to slide between a retracted position above the one or more guides, so that the platform may be retracted into the vehicle and an extended position where the platform overhangs the one or more guides so that the platform may extend out of the vehicle and be cantilevered by the one or more guides, the load system being arranged such that when fixed to a load space in a vehicle, the one or more guides may permit the platform to slide to the extended position where it may overhang the rear of the vehicle sufficiently to permit the wheels of the trolley to be deployed, so that they may support the platform, with the load system being further arranged to permit the platform to then be released from the one or more guides to permit the trolley to be moved away from the vehicle.

The present invention may be particularly applicable to load system for carrying tools, replacement parts or components to be used by an engineer or the like on site and particularly if sometimes this has to be away from the vehicle. It may also be particularly advantageous where it is desired to carry large pieces of equipment which may be used on site, for example generators, jet washers, blacksmiths forges, welding equipment or the like for, where the vehicle can gain access to a desired location, the present invention may permit relatively easy access to a heavy item on the platform, without the requirement to remove the platform or item from the vehicle. This may be achieved by simply pulling the platform out of the vehicle into the cantilevered position, greatly increasing access to the platform and any item on it.

The option of being able to optionally additionally deploy the wheels below the platform, to form the trolley, then enables tools, service components or any other item to be removed from the vehicle simply by removing the trolley. This permits the trolley and items on the trolley to be manoeuvred away from the vehicle to areas where vehicle access is not possible, for example into a building.

The above feature is not only convenient in permitting a collection of items to be removed as a single unit, without the need to unload the items from the vehicle to the trolley, but it may also permit a heavy item to be transferred single handed from the vehicle to the trolley, which may not have been possible had the item had to have been lifted manually from the vehicle to the trolley.

The feature of the platform being removable from the vehicle may also be convenient when working on large items of equipment, such as for example a combine harvester in a barn, where the trolley enables items on the trolley to keep being repositioned collectively, easily and conveniently.

Another significant advantage of the present invention is that it also permits tools, components or any item carried on or in the platform to be easily removed in their entirety from the vehicle each night, by simply carrying them on the trolley to a secure location remote from the vehicle and without the need to offload them from platform.

The trolley preferably has four wheels, two wheels mounted to either side of a longitudinal midpoint of the trolley. In this manner, the load system may be arranged such that the platform may be sufficiently withdrawn from the vehicle, to its cantilevered position, for the wheels to be deployed, either by being folded down or attached below the cantilevered platform, so that the weight may be transferred to the wheels of the trolley prior to the platform being released from the vehicle.

Preferably, the load system comprises a plurality of platforms to any one of which a common set of wheels may be attached. In this manner, a common set of wheels may be used with multiple platforms, enabling a common set of wheels to be carried by the vehicle, avoiding the need for each platform to have its own set of wheels.

Advantageously, the wheels may be raised or lowered vertically relative to the platform, so that they may be lowered into contact with the ground when the platform is cantilevered from a vehicle, in order to support the platform prior to its release from the one or more guides. This feature enables the platform to be easily loaded on to, or off from, the vehicle and particularly it permits a platform to be raised to an appropriate level to be attached to the vehicle and subsequently cantilevered from the vehicle, prior to being retracted into the vehicle.

Advantageously, each wheel is independently adjustable so that each wheel may properly support the platform when the platform is cantilevered from the vehicle, even when the ground is uneven.

The system may comprise a plurality of platforms and a racking system comprising one or more guides, mounted at approximately the same level as the one or more guides are mounted in a vehicle. This permits the one or more guides on the rack to receive a platform and for the platform to slide on the one or more guides until the platform is above the rack. The rack may then receive multiple platforms for storage together with their contents. Such a system has many advantages, for example it may permit goods to be unloaded quickly by simply transferring a platform to a rack, from which rack the goods on the platform can subsequently be removed, without the need for the vehicle to still be present during this process. Alternatively, it may permit a first set of tools, and/or other items, suitable for a first type of job to be stored on a first platform and a second set of tools, and/or other items, suitable for a second type of job to be stored on a separate second platform, whereby an appropriate platform may then be selected from a rack, depending on the task to be performed by an operator or crew of a vehicle.

The, or each, platform is preferably arranged to be locked in the retracted position in the one or more guides, such that the one or more guides may lock the platform in the retracted position in the vehicle. This enables tools or components secured on a platform to be secured to the vehicle by virtue of the platform being secured to the vehicle.

The system preferably comprises at least two guides to be attached to the vehicle in the form of tracks arranged to receive rollers attached to the platform, or vice versa, for this enables the tracks to support the platform in a cantilevered manner by the rollers engaging with the two tracks.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a vehicle comprising a load system as described above.

One example of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures, in which like numerals are used to indicate like parts and of which:

Figure 1 illustrates generally a load system in accordance with the present invention and a vehicle incorporating part of that load system;

Figure 2A is a perspective view of the vehicle with a load system installed and shown in a fully retracted position within the vehicle;

Figure 2B is a cross-section through the vehicle of Figure 2A, taken along the line A-A of Figure 2C;

Figure 2C is a rear elevation of the vehicle illustrated in Figures 2A to 2B;

Figures 3A to 3C correspond to Figures 2A to 2C, but show the vehicle load system in a withdrawn, cantilevered, state;

Figures 4A to 4C correspond to Figures 3A to 3C, but show wheels attached to a platform of the loading system to form a trolley;

Figure 5A is a plan view with the components of the loading system illustrated in Figures 3A to 3C, shown removed from the vehicle;

Figure 5B is a side elevation of the components of the loading system shown in Figure 5A;

Figure 5C is a cross-section along the line C-C of Figure 5B;

Figure 5D is an enlarged view of inset D of Figure 5C;

Figure 6 shows the components of the loading system of Figure 5A, but in a retracted state and with a top loading surface removed;

Figure 7A is a side elevation of the trolley of Figures 4A to 4C, once removed from the vehicle;

Figure 7B is a cross-section along the line E-E of Figure 7A;

Figure 7C shows to an enlarged scale the inset C of Figure 7B;

Figures 8A to 8C corresponding to Figures 2A to 2C, but show an alternative loading system where the wheels are permanently attached to the platform, which is shown in the retracted state within the vehicle;

Figures 9A to 9C correspond to Figures 8A to 8C, but show the platform in a withdrawn, cantilevered, state;

Figures 10A to 10C correspond to Figures 9A to 9C, but shows the wheels attached to the platform folded down;

Figure 11A is a plan view of the trolley, with the wheels folded up and the upper surface removed to reveal the locking mechanism;

Figure 11B is a side elevation of the trolley of Figures 10A to Figure 10C, but shows the trolley detached from the vehicle; and

Figure 11C is a cross-section along the line E-E of Figure 11B.

Referring now to Figure 1, a load system for a vehicle is indicated generally as 1 and comprises a platform 2 secured to guides 3 (not seen in Figure 1) within a vehicle 4. A set of four wheels 5 may be attached to the platform 2 to form a trolley 6 to carry goods or other items such as tool cabinet 7. The system may additionally comprise a rack 8 comprising a plurality of additional pairs of guides 3, for receiving respective platforms 2 for storage.

Referring to Figures 2A to 2C, these show the vehicle 4 with the platform 2 fully retracted within the vehicle 4 on a pair of guides 3. The platform 2 can be withdrawn from the vehicle 4 to the position shown in Figures 3A to 3C, where the platform 2 is cantilevered by its engagement with the pair of guides 3. The cantilevered platform 2 enables easy access to either side of the platform 2 and this may be particularly advantageous if the platform 2 is in the form of a tool cabinet or rack with side opening draws or receptacles.

Although the platform 2 is shown extending out of the rear of the vehicle, it will be appreciated that the guides 3 and platform 2 could equally be transversely mounted in the vehicle and extend outwards through a side doorway 9 of the vehicle 4.

Where it is desirable that the platform 2, together with any item or items carried by the platform 2, be removed from the vehicle 4, then in the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 7C, a set of four wheels 5 may be mounted to the platform 2 to form a trolley 6. As will be described later, each of the wheels 5 is height adjustable so that each of the wheels 5 may be attached to the platform 2 and the wheel 5 wound down until it engages with the ground and supports the platform 2, to then enable the platform 2 to be released from the guides 3 (see the description below of Figure 6) permitting the trolley 6 to be removed from the vehicle 4, as per the trolley 6 shown in Figure 1.

Similarly, the above method may be reversed, to enable the platform 2 of the trolley 6 to reengage with guides 3 within the vehicle 4, to enable the platform 2 and any item or items on the platform 2 to be loaded into the vehicle 4, (or alternatively to load the platform 2 and any load on the platform 2 onto a rack 8 for storage, such as the rack 8 illustrated in Figure 1).

The system 1 described above may comprise multiple platforms 2 and either a single set of wheels 5 or multiple sets of wheels 5, to permit multiple platforms 2 to be stored remotely from the vehicle 4, either on multiple sets of wheels 5, or on a rack 8, such as that illustrated in Figure 1.

Referring now to Figure 5A, this shows a pair of guides 3 joined by cross members 10, which are secured either to the floor of the vehicle 4 or to the top of the rack 8 of Figure 1. The guides 3, as can be seen from the cross-section of Figure 5B, engage with runners 11 secured to the base of the platform 2.

Figure 5C is a cross-section along the line C-C of Figure 5B and the inset D, shown to an enlarged scale in Figure 5D, shows a guide 3 with an associated roller 12 running in a runner 11 of the platform 2. Figure 5D also shows one of a pair of locking pins 13 mounted to each side at the front of the platform 2 which lock the platform 2 in the retracted position within the vehicle 4. These both require to be released to enable the platform 2 to be drawn forward out of the vehicle 4, to the position shown in Figures 3A to 3C.

Referring now to Figure 6, this shows in plan view the chassis, indicated generally as 14, of the platform 2, with the upper load surface of the platform 2 removed and with the chassis 14 shown in the retracted position over the guides 3, and the cross members 10 which are to be secured to the floor of the vehicle 4. The chassis 14 comprises the two runners 11, chassis cross members 15 and a front cross member 16 to which there is secured a handle 17, for pulling and pushing the platform 2 in and out of the vehicle 4 and for pulling the trolley 6, when the platform 2 is removed from the vehicle 4 and is on its wheels 5. Located behind the handle 17 is a release handle 18, attached by a rod 19 to a pair of release bars 20. The release bars 20 pass through apertures in the runners 11 of the chassis 14 and also pass through respective pairs of apertures located along the length of the guides 3, so that they may lock the platform 2 at any one of a number of positions relative the guides 3. Particularly they may lock the platform 2 in the fully extended, cantilevered, position as shown in Figures 3A to 3C. This enables the platform 2 to be locked in the cantilevered position, shown in Figures 3A to 3C, while the wheels are fitted to the platform 2 to form the trolley 6, with the release handle 18 then being operated to release the trolley 6 from the vehicle 4.

Referring now to Figure 7A, this shows in side elevation the trolley 6 of Figure 1, comprising the platform 2 mounted on the four wheels 5, only three of which can be seen in Figure 7A.

Figure 7B is a cross-section along the line E-E of Figure 7A, in which the locking bars, previously described with reference to Figure 6, can be seen. The inset C of Figure 7B is shown to an enlarged scale in Figure 7C and this shows how a removable leg 21 of one of the wheels 5 is clamped by knob 22 and associated threaded shaft 23 to the runner 11 of the platform 2. Figure 7C also shows a shaft 24 to which an appropriate jacking handle (not shown) is attached to permit the wheel 5 to be raised or lowered.

Referring now to Figures 8A to 10C, these correspond to Figures 2A to 4C, but show an embodiment where a set of wheels 25 are permanently attached to the platform 2 whereby, when the platform 2 is in the extended position, as shown in Figures 9A to 9C, the wheels 25 can simply be folded down to the positions illustrated in Figures 10A to 10C and then height adjusted, in the same manner as the wheels 5, to support the platform 2 prior to the platform 2 being detached from the vehicle 4. The wheels 25, being permanently attached, simplifies removal of the platform 2 from the vehicle 4, but the guides 3 then have to be raised in the vehicle, reducing the height of the load space in order for the wheels 25 to be accommodated under the platform 2. In all other respects, the function of platform is identical to that shown in the previous embodiment and it can be seen from a comparison of Figures 11A to 11C, illustrating the platform 2 with the foldable wheels 25, relative to Figures 6, 7A and 7B, illustrating the platform 2 with the detachable wheels 5, that the platforms 2 of the two embodiments are identical except insofar as in that, in the first embodiment of Figures 6, 7A and 7B, the wheels 25 clamp onto the platform 2 and in the embodiment of Figures 11A to 11C the wheels 25 are hinged to the platform 2.

The present invention has been described above by way of example only and it will be appreciated that many modification may be made to the specific embodiments illustrated without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined by the following claims. Particularly the guides 3 may simply comprise a plurality of rollers or similar items and may not be in the form of the linear track like items illustrated. Also the guides 3 could equally be mounted to a platform 2 with the runners 11 mounted to the vehicle, but these are again only examples of many possible alternatives. Also the terminology used in the above specific description of the drawings is to have no bearing on the interpretation of the claims. For example, what is termed a runner 11 can equally be termed a guide as it functions as a guide.

Claims

1. A load system for a vehicle, the load system comprising one or more guides arranged to be fixed in the load space of a vehicle and a trolley, the trolley comprising a platform and a set of wheels arranged to carry the platform when away from the vehicle, the platform and one or more guides being arranged to releasably engage with each other to permit the one or more guides to support the platform when in the vehicle and to permit the platform to slide between a retracted position above the one or more guides, so that the platform may be retracted into the vehicle and an extended position where the platform overhangs the one or more guides so that the platform may extend out of the vehicle and be cantilevered by the one or more guides, the load system being arranged such that when fixed to a load space in a vehicle, the one or more guides may permit the platform to slide to the extended position where it may overhang the rear of the vehicle sufficiently to permit the wheels of the trolley to be deployed, so that they may support the platform, with the load system being further arranged to permit the platform to then be released from the one or more guides to permit the trolley to be moved away from the vehicle.

2. A system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the trolley has four wheels with two wheels mounted to either side of a longitudinal midpoint of the trolley.

3. A system as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the wheels are attached to the trolley and are arranged to be deployed by the wheels being folded down from a storage position adjacent to the platform.

4. A system as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the wheels are detachable from the platform and are arranged to be deployed by being attached to the platform.

5. A system as claimed in Claim 4, comprising a plurality of platforms to any one of which a common set of wheels may be attached.

6. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the wheels may be raised or lowered vertically relative to the platform so that they may be lowered into contact with the ground when the platform is cantilevered from a vehicle, in order to support the platform prior to its release from the one or more guides.

7. A system as claimed in Claim 6, wherein each wheel is independently adjustable so that each wheel may properly support the platform when the platform is cantilevered from the vehicle, even when the ground is uneven.

8. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising a plurality of platforms and a racking system comprising one or more guides mounted at approximately the same the level as the one or more guides are to be mounted in a vehicle, in order to permit the platforms of the trolleys to be received by the one or more guides on the rack and to then slide on the one or more guides until the platform is above the rack, to permit a plurality of platforms to be stored simultaneously at different locations on the rack.

9. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the platform is arranged to be locked in the retracted position in one or more guides such that the one or more guides may lock the platform in the retracted position in the vehicle.

10. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising at least two guides in the form of tracks arranged to receive rollers attached to the platform.

11. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the platform is in the form of a flat pallet-like structure.

12. A system as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 9, wherein the platform is in the form of a cabinet or other type of receptacle.

13. A system as claimed in any preceding claim comprising a plurality of identical platforms.

14. A vehicle comprising a load system as claimed in any preceding claim.