NL2007798C2 - VEHICLE FOR TRANSPORT OF COMPRESSED LOAD, AND METHOD OF LOADING AND DISCHARGING. - Google Patents

Description

P96602NL00

Title: Vehicle for transporting compressed cargo, and method of loading and unloading

The invention relates to a press vehicle, that is to say a vehicle, such as a trailer, for transporting compressed cargo, wherein the press vehicle is adapted to bring the cargo into a compressed state when loaded. The invention also relates to a method for loading a press vehicle. The load may, for example, consist of foam blocks.

With a press vehicle a load can be transported which when loaded is initially higher than the height of the roof of the vehicle during transport. The roof can be used to compress the load. To that end, the pressing vehicle is provided with pressing units with which the roof can be raised above the highest point of the walls, and subsequently pulled to the subfloor. The load is introduced when the roof is in its high position, and compressed by the downward movement of the roof.

The stroke of the roof (the achievable height above the top of the walls of the vehicle) is a limiting factor for the achievable height of the load. But by also using an intermediate floor, the total height of the load can be increased without the stroke of the roof having to be increased. In a vehicle with such an intermediate floor, press units can lift the intermediate floor and then pull it to the subfloor. Part of the load is introduced between the subfloor and the intermediate floor, while the intermediate floor is in a raised position and compressed by the downward movement of the intermediate floor. Subsequently, the rest of the load can be introduced between the intermediate floor and the roof, while the roof is in an elevated position and subsequently compressed by the downward movement of the roof. The total height of the load is thus increased in that a portion of the load is already compressed before the upper portion of the load is loaded. As a result, the maximum height of the load during loading is lower than if all the load were to be compressed at once. In principle, the total height of the load can be increased even further by comparable use of several intermediate floors, with which each time a part of the load is compressed.

When one or more intermediate floors are used, the number of pressing units can be limited by temporarily connecting the intermediate floor to the roof with pressing rods, which transfer the movement of the roof to the intermediate floor. In this way, it is sufficient to press units that drive the roof. By coupling the intermediate floor with latches to the pressing rods, the intermediate floor can be brought into the raised position by moving the roof and moved downwards for compressing. The intermediate floor can then be locked to the wall and disconnected from the pressing rods, so that with the same pressing units the roof can be lifted up with respect to the intermediate floor and load can be pressed between the roof and the intermediate floor.

However, the maximum height of the roof is a limiting factor. This height is limited by the maximum height that can be achieved with the pressing units. Because the pressing units are mounted on the vehicle, for example in the walls, and have to fit under the low position of the roof during transport, the height of the pressing units is limited. Part of the available height can also be lost because extra space under the roof is required to load the vehicle. It is true that the vehicle can be provided with conveyor belts to further transport the load from the rear portal, but extra space is required for the rear portal.

Extra space can be provided in a trailer by giving the press units outside the gooseneck (the front part of the trailer above the tractor coupling plate; (English: goose neck)) a larger stroke, for which there is room because the walls there be higher. Due to the larger stroke, the roof can be raised above the rear portal than above the gooseneck, so sloping forwards. This creates a wedge-shaped space between the roof and the loading floor, which gives more space for loading at the rear portal.

The press units can for instance be provided with a series of several hydraulic cylinder piston combinations that are mechanically connected in series, in order to telescopically combine a maximum height in the extended state with the limited height in the wall in the retracted state. However, the height of the wall also limits the length of the pressing rod with which the pressing force is transferred from the roof to the intermediate floor. It is desirable that the pressing rod, when pressed with the intermediate floor, runs in a guide in the wall of the trailer, to absorb transverse forces. This can also limit the height.

However, it appears to be possible to increase the workable height by lifting the roof so high that the pressing rod is completely out of the wall at the start of the pressing. The pressing force during pressing gradually increases as the load is compressed. At the start of the pressing, the transverse forces are therefore still small and the pressing rod does not yet have to run through the guide in the wall. The pressing rod can be provided with a take-over beam which ensures that the pressing rod is guided back to the guide in the wall during the pressing for the part of the path where the greatest pressing force is used. This can be done, for example, when compressing between the intermediate floor and the subfloor and / or when compressing between the roof and the intermediate floor, whereby more height becomes available.

The vehicle can be provided with a conveyor belt in the subfloor to transport the load from the rear portal forward without loss of height. However, this has the disadvantage that the vehicle cannot be used for transporting cargo, such as a pallet, which could damage the conveyor belt. In order to make such transport possible, the conveyor belt is preferably designed in such a way that it can be rolled completely into the subfloor.

5 Brief description of the figures

These and other objects and advantageous aspects of the trailer are illustrated on the basis of a description of examples of embodiments, with reference to the following figures: Figures 1a, b show schematic views of a trailer

Figure 2a illustrates the stroke of different press units Figure 2b illustrates a wedge-shaped loading opening Figures 3-8 illustrate a pressing cycle Figures 9 and 10 show a press unit 15 Figures 11 and 12 show a takeover bar coupled to the press rod

Figure 13 shows the draw shaft in 2 positions

Figures 14 and 15 show the conveyor belt at the rear portal of the trailer.

Figure 16 shows the rear portal with the flap removed

Detailed description of embodiments

Figure 1a shows a rear view of a trailer, with a lower loading floor 10, an intermediate floor 12, a roof 14, walls 16, first latches 17, second latches 18 and press rods 20. The first and second latches 17, 18 serve for locking of intermediate floor 12 on press rods 20 and walls 16, respectively. The first and second latches 17, 18 are formed, for example, by extendable pins, which can be slid into corresponding openings in the sides of intermediate floor 12. First latches 17 are coupled to press rods 20. Second latches 18 are coupled to walls 16, lower than the top of walls 16, for example, halfway the top of walls 16 and lower loading floor 10. Press rods 20 are attached to roof 14 and extend 5 downwards.

Figure 1b shows a side view of the trailer. In the walls 16, pressing units 19 are provided which are coupled to roof 14. The coupling is indicated schematically with lines 22. Press units 19 are, for example, hydraulically driven press units. Press units 19 are shown in the extended state, roof 14 being above the top of walls 16. The trailer can further be provided with telescopic rods (not shown) between the roof 14 and walls 16. In one embodiment, three pressing units 19 per wall 16 are used, built into the wall 16. The walls on either side of the trailer can each have three press units 19 15 are provided. However, more or fewer press units can also be used, depending on the length of the trailer.

Figure 2a shows the used stroke of press units at different positions in an embodiment of the trailer. As shown in Figure 2a, the press units at the middle position have a nominal stroke, the rear press units have a larger stroke and the press units at the front position have a smaller stroke. Figure 2b illustrates that a wedge-shaped space can thus be created. As a result, more space is made at the rear for inserting the blocks, while in the front a press unit can be used that is less high, and therefore easier to fit in above the coupling plate with which the trailer can be coupled to a tractor. Instead of three press units, more or fewer press units can be used, for example two in which the front one has a smaller stroke than the rear one.

6

General description of the process

A so-called "press trailer" is designed to transport blocks of polyether foam. To get as many blocks as possible in the available volume, the blocks are compressed in height direction. The forces to compress the blocks increase to the density of the foam. The further the foam is pressed together, the more pressing force is needed to further compress the blocks. The blocks are compressed in height direction. The roof of the trailer is hydraulically raised, the blocks of 1.2 m are loaded in blocks of 4 or 5 high stacked onto the loading floor and pulled into the trailer with a conveyor belt system. Compressing the 9 blocks high is done in 2 steps. First, 5 blocks 15 are compressed, which are placed on the subfloor by means of an intermediate floor, then a load of 4 blocks high is then loaded onto this intermediate floor and then compressed with the roof.

The vertical drive or movement of the intermediate floor is entirely achieved by the cylinders that also move the roof. No additional set of cylinders is needed to realize the larger stroke that the intermediate floor must make.

When pressing 9 blocks high, the original height of 9 blocks (9x1.2 m) is pressed back 10.80 m to 2.76 m, approximately 25% of the original volume. The construction of walls, roof and intermediate floor 25 offers sufficient rigidity to be able to transfer the required pressing force to the foam. The cylinder of press units built into the walls is designed to provide the required pressing force.

The pressing is done in 2 steps, first a layer of 5 blocks, so 6 m high, is pressed back to 1.4 m through the intermediate floor.

Subsequently a layer of 4 blocks of 4.8 m high up to a height of 1.36 7 m. A height of 6.27 m is created between the loading floor and the underside of the intermediate floor to allow the 5 blocks to be easily inserted and between the intermediate floor. and roof (if lower layer is pressed) a space of 5.0 m between the blocks to easily insert.

5 To achieve this, the roof must make a turn of 3.53 m at the rear. The intermediate floor even has to make a total stroke of 4.87 m to create the spaces for the insertion of the foam blocks. In the trailer, all the movements of the roof and the intermediate floor are tracked with 1 cüinder set. The intermediate floor can be connected to the roof with bolts at different positions (distances), so that the entire required stroke of the intermediate floor can be made with the pressing units via the roof. The two coupling positions are shown in Figures 4 and 5. Firstly, the coupling position of the intermediate floor against the roof (Figure 4). Secondly the coupling position intermediate floor at a distance of 1.36 m from the bottom of the roof (Figure 5). In this second position, the foam can be pressed to the lowest position, 1.4 m from the subfloor.

Figures 3-8 illustrate the pressing cycle with reference to the rear view of the trailer in a plane parallel to the axle direction of the trailer.

1) In a first step (figure 3) the roof and intermediate floor are coupled to each other and moved to a highest position by pressing units 19. Foam blocks are loaded 5 floors high on subfloor. 5 columns of 5 blocks high are pulled into the trailer one by one with a conveyor belt lying on the subfloor.

2) When the bottom layer is completely filled, in a second step (figure 4) the roof is lowered by pressing units 19, the intermediate floor being included in the movement. The roof is lowered at least to the top of the walls. The roof closes to the walls. The intermediate floor can be locked to the walls with a third set of latches (not shown) at the top of walls 16, and disconnected from the roof.

3) In a third step (Figure 5), the roof is now again moved upwards by pressing units 19 only to a coupling position. Arrived at that position 5, intermediate floor 12 with first latches 17 is coupled via press rods 20 to roof 14 and subsequently the possible locking of the intermediate floor is released to the walls. The intermediate floor is now linked to the roof again, but at a distance of 1.36 from the underside of the roof.

4) In a fourth step (Figure 6). the roof is pressed down by pressing units 19, as a result of which the intermediate floor between the walls moves with it. The roof moves until it reaches the top of the walls and the intermediate floor reaches a desired position at the level of second bolts 18. In this position the intermediate floor can be locked again in the walls, now with second latches 18. The roof is then disconnected from the intermediate floor.

5) In a fifth step (Figure 7), the roof is brought back to maximum height, for loading the 2nd layer. The blocks are now loaded in layers of 4 high on the intermediate floor. The columns are moved forward one by one with the belt conveyor system on the intermediate floor until the entire intermediate floor is filled with 20 blocks at these dimensions.

6) In a sixth step (Figure 8), the top layer is completely compressed with the roof until the roof has returned to the walls. The charging cycle is now complete. The roof can be locked at the top of the walls to prevent it from rising during the ride due to the tension in the foam blocks.

Unloading is done in the same way but in the reverse order.

9

The press system

The pressing system uses one cylinder movement to realize a stroke of 3.53 m from the roof and a stroke of 4.87 m from the intermediate floor, built into a built-in height of 3.07 m (this is roof height during transport minus dish height). With the cylinder movement, a force can be supplied that is sufficient to compress the foam back to 25% of the original volume.

Figures 9 and 10 show a pressing unit in the retracted and extended state respectively. The press unit is built into the wall and does not protrude outside the wall in the retracted state. In one embodiment, three such press units can be included per wall.

The press unit comprises a first, second and third hydraulic cylinder-piston combination 1, 2, 3 which are telescopically coupled to each other, the press rod and a guide of the press rod. The end of the telescopically coupled cylinder-piston combinations is attached to the roof (not shown). In order to achieve the required stroke from the available space of 3.07 m, a cylinder is used which comprises three cylinders that are mutually coupled to each other. In order to achieve a uniform movement, the volume of cylinder 1 plus 2 is preferably equal to that of cylinder 3.

The pressing rod is fixedly connected to the roof and serves to transfer the force for the vertical movements of the roof to the intermediate floor. When the roof is moved up or down with the cylinders, the pressing rod moves with it. As long as the lowest end of the pressing rod remains below the level of the top of the wall, this end runs through the guide in the pressing unit. This absorbs transverse forces on the press rod.

10

Figures 11 and 12 show a takeover bar coupled to the press rod. Due to the stroke and the available space, the lower end of the pressing rod moves to a height above the wall of the trailer at the highest position of the roof and therefore also from conductor to the wall. A take-over beam is fitted in the trailer, which is automatically taken by the press rod when the roof rises. The take-over beam brings the press rod back into the guide in the press unit when the press rod is moved downwards.

In the embodiment shown, the pressing rod comprises grooves and the transfer beam is provided with a carrier which can slide through the press rod in the grooves. The press rod contains stops that hold the driver inside the press rod. The takeover bar runs inside the wall of the trailer in the guide of the press unit.

In use, the press rod is pushed up with the roof.

In this case, the carrier can initially run down through the grooves relative to the pressing rod, until the carrier encounters the stop. The press rod then pulls the transfer beam up, so that the end of the transfer beam is pulled above the top of the wall. When the roof is lowered again, the pressing rod presses the take-over beam back to the guide, so that ultimately the guide is also returned to the guide. During pressing, the required pressing force gradually increases as the pressing rod is lowered and the load is compressed. The greatest forces occur when the end of the pressing rod runs into the guide 25 of the pressing unit, so that transverse forces can then be absorbed. The forces are smaller when the end of the pressing rod is outside the guide, so that no collection is required at that stage.

11

The loading floor free for return transport

The foam blocks are placed on the subfloor 5 in layers of 5 high. A conveyor system pulls the layers of 5 blocks into the trailer one by one. Because this drawbar system is in the trailer, the trailer can hardly be used for return cargo. If a pallet truck is driven over the tire, irreparable damage can occur. An embodiment is arranged to fully retract the tire semi-automatically into the loading floor. This way, the original loading floor becomes completely free and can be driven over it with a pallet truck.

Figure 13 shows a side view of the transport device. The device is arranged to retract the tire. The device is mounted in the floor at the rear portal of the trailer. The device 15 comprises a pull cable or cables, a round draw shaft, a conveyor belt, a tensioning roller, a collection roller and a valve (cover plate). For the sake of explanation, the same trailing axle is shown at two positions corresponding to different stages of use; this does not mean that there must be two draw shafts. The conveyor belt is attached at one end to the draw shaft and at the other end to the collecting roller. The top of the tensioning roller is at the level of the transport surface of the conveyor belt during normal transport. The conveyor belt runs via the tensioner roller to the collection roller. The traction cable or cables are attached to the traction axle. In the embodiment shown, a round draw shaft is used that can rotate at the attachment points, instead of a conventional draw beam that cannot rotate. In the rear portal of the trailer, the valve is constructed in the rear beam so that the valve can be removed.

In normal operation, the conveyor belt is gradually pulled from the collecting roller with the aid of the drawbar axle during loading in order to transport the foam blocks into the trailer. Upon unloading, the 12 conveyor belt is rotated on the collection roller to transport the foam blocks out of the trailer. The trailing axle stops at an end point for the rear beam of the trailer. In one embodiment the trailer is for this purpose provided with a mechanism (not shown) which is coupled to the drive (not shown) of the collecting roller, for switching off the drive in response to detection of arrival of the draw roller at the end point.

When the trailer is used for transport without a conveyor belt (for example for transporting pallets), the cover plate 10 is first removed and the drawbar axle on the conveyor belt is then pulled all the way beyond the tension roller. The trailing axle disappears completely into the floor. The cover plate can then be mounted again and so that the floor is ready for loading with pallets. When the trailer is used again for pressing transport, the drawbar axle is again pulled over the tensioning roller 15.

Figures 14 and 15 show the conveyor belt at the rear portal of the trailer. In normal operation, the conveyor belt always stops automatically 30 cm in front of the rear beam of the trailer.

Figure 16 shows the rear portal with the flap removed. If the valve is removed, a hole is created in which the traction axle can disappear completely. A sensor has also been activated by removing the valve so that the tire no longer automatically stops 30 cm before the end, but only when it has disappeared into the floor.

13

Reference list of figures 2a-2b and 10 to 14

FIG. 2a - ref. 2a. 1 = Stroke 40 mm reduced 5 - ref. 2a.2 = Normal stroke - ref. 2a.3 = Stroke 40 mm enlarged

FIG. 2b - ref. 2b. 1 = Increased input space due to wedge shape 10 FIG. 10 - ref. 10.1 = Press rod - ref. 10.2 = Space that press rod comes out of guide - ref. 10.3 = Press rod guidance

FIG. 11 ref. 11.1 = Press rod 15 ref. 11.2 = Transfer bar

FIG. 12 - ref. 12.1 = Carrier Takeover blak - ref. 12.2 = Transfer beam 20 Fig. 13 - ref. 13.1 = Round draw shaft with rotating attachment - ref. 13.2 = Normal stop position 30 cm before end - ref. 13.3 = Cover open - ref. 13.4 = Round draw shaft moves around tensioner roller - ref. 13.5 = Tensioner roll 25

FIG. 14 - ref. 14.1 = Upper conveyor belt - ref. 14.2 = Lower conveyor

Claims (15)

A vehicle for transporting compressed cargo, wherein the vehicle is provided with - a first and second side wall, a subfloor, an intermediate floor and a roof; - at least one pressing unit in the first side wall, coupled to the roof, and adapted to move the roof vertically between a position at the top of the side walls and a position above the top of the side walls; - press rods attached to the roof protruding downwards from the roof; guides in the side walls for guiding vertical movement of the pressing rods; - first latches in the press rods and second latches coupled to the side walls below a level of the top of the side walls, for locking the intermediate floor to the press rods and the side walls, respectively. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the pressing unit has a stroke that allows a highest position of the roof in which lower ends of the pressing rods are located above the top of the side walls, outside the guides. 3. A vehicle according to claim 2, provided with extendable take-over beams, arranged conductively in the side walls and slidably coupled to the press rods, for guiding the press rods to the guides in the side walls at the start of a downward movement of the roof. 4. A vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pressing unit comprises a plurality of telescopically coupled hydraulic cylinders. A vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, provided with a first and second pressing unit, the first pressing unit of which is closer to a rear portal of the vehicle than the second pressing unit and the first pressing unit has a greater stroke than the second pressing unit, so that the roof in a 5 highest position, sloping from the rear portal to the front of the vehicle. A vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle is a trailer. A vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the trailer has a gooseneck 10 and the vehicle is provided with a first and second pressing unit, the first pressing unit of which is located behind the gooseneck in a part of the trailer and the second pressing unit at the level of the gooseneck in the first side wall, and the first press unit has a larger stroke than the second press unit. A vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the subfloor is provided with a conveyor belt, and a mechanism for retracting the conveyor belt in its entirety under the conveyor belt. 9. A vehicle as claimed in claim 8, wherein the mechanism for retracting the conveyor belt comprises a draw shaft, a tensioning roller and a collecting roller, wherein the conveyor belt runs from the draw shaft via the tensioning roller to the collecting roller, and a top of the tensioning roller determines a height of a conveying surface of the conveyor belt, wherein the subfloor is provided next to the tensioning roller with an opening with a size that allows to pull the tensioning roller in the subfloor and in which the tensioning axis is round, whereby it is pulled over the tensioning roller can become. A method for loading a vehicle for transporting compressed cargo, which method comprises the steps of - loading a first part of the cargo between a subfloor and intermediate floor of the vehicle; - compressing the first part of the load between the intermediate floor and the subfloor, by pressing down the intermediate floor with the aid of pressing force which is transferred via pressing rods from a roof of the vehicle to the intermediate floor; 5. coupling the intermediate floor to the side walls of the vehicle after compressing the first part of the load and uncoupling the intermediate floor from the pressing rods; - loading a second part of the load between the roof of the vehicle and the intermediate floor; 10. Compress the second part of the load directly with the roof. 11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the roof for loading the first part of the load is raised so high that lower ends of the press rods are raised above the top of the side walls, and wherein the lower ends of the press rods The first phase of compressing the first part of the load into conductors is introduced into the side walls through which the pressing rods are guided in a second phase of compressing the first part of the load. 12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the pressing rods in the first phase are guided with a take-over beam to the guides in the side wall. A method according to claim 10, 11 or 12, wherein at least a part of the loading the roof is brought into a sloping position from the rear portal to a front side of the vehicle. A method as claimed in any one of claims 10-13, wherein the subfloor is provided with a conveyor belt with an end coupled to a draw axle which is stored in an opening in the subfloor, and wherein the draw axle for loading the subfloor from the opening being pulled. 15. A method for unloading a vehicle for transporting compressed cargo, which method comprises the steps of - causing a first compressed part of a load to expand between a roof and an intermediate floor of the vehicle through a roof of the vehicle to move. - unload the first part of a load after expansion; - locking the intermediate floor to pressing rods that are attached to the roof, and disconnecting the intermediate floor from side walls of the vehicle; - allowing a second compressed part of a load to expand between the intermediate floor and a subfloor of the vehicle by lifting the intermediate floor by having the roof move upwards - unloading the second part of a load after expanding.