NL2022832B1

NL2022832B1 - Connecting apparatus to connect a lift transport wagon or corresponding to a draw apparatus

Info

Publication number: NL2022832B1
Application number: NL2022832A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Kukkola Hannu; Karppelin Seppo
Original assignee: Movella Oy
Priority date: 2018-03-28
Filing date: 2019-03-28
Publication date: 2020-02-17
Also published as: BE1026215A1; FI128125B; DE102019107914A1; BE1026215B1; FI20185287A1; NL2022832A

Abstract

The object of this invention is a connect organ (50) to connect a lift transport wagon (200) and a draw apparatus (100) and it consists of a body (1) that has been fixed permanently to the front 5 (201) of the lift transport wagon, a shaft (2) to the end (2.1) of which there has been fixed a con- nect organ and which shaft has been fixed to the body (1) with the help of the first link (a) so that it can be turned vertically around the mentioned link in relation to the body (1), a function organ (3) fixed to the body (1) and the shaft (2) with the second and third links (b, c) that has been adopted to turn the shaft around the first link or alternatively a steady bar (4). The first link (a) 10 that connects the shaft (2) directly to the body (1) or the function organ (3) or bar (4) that con- nects the shaft to the body Via the second link (b) have been installed at different high positions. The lines that connect the mentioned links (a, b, c) form a triangle and the shaft (2) has been in- stalled so that it can be changed by loosening it from the first and the third links (a, c) or from the first and the second links (a, b) and by replacing it with another shaft (2) together with the func- 15 tion organ (3) or the bar (4) or without it.

Description

CONNECTING APPARATUS TO CONNECT A LIFT TRANSPORT WAGON OR CORRESPONDING TO A DRAW APPARATUS

The object of this invention is a connecting apparatus to connect a lift transport wagon or corresponding to a draw apparatus and this connect apparatus consists of a body that has been attached permanently to the front part of the lift transport wagon and such a shaft to the end of which there has been attached a connect organ and which shaft has been attached to the body with the help of a link in such a way that it can be bent into an upright position in relation to the mentioned body around the mentioned link and a function organ between the body and the shaft that is capable of turning the shaft around the mentioned link or a bar that connects the body and the shaft or a corresponding support part.

The usages of the invention are the lift transport wagons and corresponding apparatuses. The lift transport wagons are used for instance in the terminals and in the factory premises to transport things.

The lift transport wagons and corresponding are connected to the draw apparatus like for instance the terminal tractor that either draws or pushes the lift transport wagon empty or loaded from a place into another.

The connecting of the lift transport wagon to the draw apparatus can be done using the known technology using different connection organs that have been joined to the lift transport wagons with a shaft. One generally known method is to use a so called goose neck that has a certain shape and the body of which is fastened permanently to the lift transport wagon and the shaft of which has a connect organ that is compatible with the transport apparatus to connect it to the transport wagon. This kind of connecting organs that are in the market are connected to the lift transport wagons either with a stiff (goose neck without a lift) construction or that the shaft of the connect part can be turned into an upright position in relation to the body of the apparatus with the help of a function equipment, like for instance a hydraulic cylinder.

There are many different connecting parts with different shafts in the market. Many of them are only suitable for a certain draw apparatus where there is a suitable connect nest for the shaft shape. The shafts of these connect organs cannot as known be changed when their shapes are not suitable into a connect nest of another connect draw apparatus. Additionally, among the known shaft models in stiff model shafts there are in use two different ones: a small one that is used with the small terminal tractors, and a big one that is used with the big terminal tractors.

It is known that there is a joint between the draw apparatus and the connect organ the compatible rotation surfaces of which allow the turning of the draw apparatus and the lift transport wagon to turn horizontally in relation to each other. This makes possible to drive the wagon to a desired location following a certain way. This joint can be made in the connect point of the connect organ and the draw apparatus, in a connect nest or above it for example in the shaft near the connect nest.

One connect organ in the market having a function organ is together with a lift transport w'agon with the product name of SafeRoll known combination. To use this combination, only the tractor Terberg RT283 with the Safeneck connection is suitable. This combination cannot be moved using any other than the mentioned draw apparatus. The mentioned Safeneck equipment is knowingly used also to move the ferry wagons in the harbours.

It is possible to change the connect organ upon the shafts with the connect organs in the market and thus they become compatible with many different kinds of connect nests of the draw apparatuses but the actual problems are the shape and the construction of the connect organ shafts, a certain shape shaft is suitable only in a certain way to the connect organs installed connect nests.

SafeRoll compatible connect apparatuses are produced in Finland by the company called NT Liftec Oy.

The greatest drawbacks of the known technology are the lacks of the compatibility of the different connect organs and the draw apparatuses causing substantial costs in purchase of the equipments. The users of the lift transport wagons have to do big far reaching decisions when choosing the wagons the connecting organs of which are only compatible with a certain draw apparatus. The negative effects of this kind of decision are greatest in case when moving of the lift transport wagons is possible only with one draw apparatus model. The operator who has made this kind of decision is dependent only of one and maybe for a very long time. For instance retaining the advantage of the competition is very unlikely in this kind of situation.

The intention of this invention is to achieve such a connect organ to connect a lift transport wagon or corresponding to a draw apparatus that disadvantages of the known technology can be avoided. It is characteristic for the solution according to the invention what has been presented in the characterizing part of the claim 1.

The most important advantage of the invention in relation to the known technology is that one according it made connect organ can be used to connect a lift transport wagon or corresponding into the connect nest of many different draw apparatuses. It is not necessary to use the invention with a certain terminal tractor or a certain other draw apparatus. This brings a remarkable economical advantage because there is no need to be bound with a certain one supplier and on the other hand because the amount of the equipment investments gets smaller.

In this document, the term “drawing apparatus” means also the apparatus that pushes.

The known technology and the invention are described more precisely in the enclosed drawings, where fig 1 presents the known tractor Terberg RT283 equipped with Safeneck fig 2a presents one certain lift transport wagon seen directly from side, fig 2b presents the before mentioned wagon seen directly from front, fig 2c presents the detail A in the fig 2a, fig 3 presents the before mentioned draw apparatus and the lift transport wagon connected, fig 4 presents the combination where the lift transport wagon has been connected to the tractor Terberg RT283 with an invention connect organ, fig 5 presents more closely the detail B of the fig 4, fig 6 presents a combination where the lift transport wagon has been connected into another kind of draw apparatus with another solution of the connect organ of the invention, fig 7 presents more precisely the detail C of the fig 6, fig 8 presents the combination where the lift transport wagon has been connected to the draw apparatus with a third solution of the connect organ according to the invention.

fig 9 presents the detail D of the fig 8, fig 10 presents an invention solution that is different from before described ones.

Now follows a description of the known technology referring to the figs 1-3:

The draw apparatus 100 has been shown in the figure 1 that is a Terberg RT283 terminal tractor with Sefeneck equipment. It consists of a draw table lift shaft 101, the draw table 102 and the connect nest 103 in the mentioned lift shaft before the draw table. This setting is compatible with the before mentioned combination SafeRoll.

The lift transport wagon 200 has been presented directly from a side in the fig 2a and directly from front in the fig 2b where a connect organ 300 of the known technology compatible with the model SafeRoll has been attached in the front 201. It can be seen more precisely in the fig 2c how the mentioned connect organ consists of an upright position permanently fixed body 1 to the lift transport wagon 200 to the body with the first link a fixed hook like shaft 2 and to the down part of the shaft with the third link c fixed function organ 3, that in this case is a hydraulic cylinder. The function organ 3 has been connected with the second link b to the body of the lift transport wagon and it enables the shaft 2 to be turned in the upright position in relation to the first link a. At the end 2.1 (fig 3) of the shaft 2 of the connect organ 300 there is a connect organ 301 that is compatible with the connect nest 103 in order to connect the lift transport wagon 200 with the help of the connect organ to the mentioned draw apparatus.

In fig 3 there has been described the draw apparatus 100 of Terberg RT283 model equipped with Safenect and the lift transport wagon 200 connected together with the known SafeRoll model connect organ 300.

The before described connect organ 300 is compatible only with the before described draw apparatuses of all the apparatuses in the market.

Now there will be described the construction of some favourable solutions of the invention and their functioning by referring to the figs 4- 10.

In fig 4, there has been described a combination where a Safeneck equipped Terberg RT283 tractor has been connected to the draw apparatus with an invention like connect organ 50 and to a lift transport wagon 200. The mentioned connect organ and its connection to the mentioned draw apparatus has been described more precisely in fig 5.

The connect organ 50 that has been presented in fig 5 consists permanently to the front 201 of the lift transport wagon 200 horizontally in its middle C (shown in fig 2b) fixed essentially upright body 1, a shaft 2 that operates transversally with the first link to the body 1 joined and that can be turned vertically in relation to the mentioned link, and a function organ 3 that has been connected with a second link b in the direction of the link a from its first end 3.1 to the top 1.1 of the body and with a third link c from its other end 3.2 to the middle of the shaft 2. The shaft 2 has been formed to reach to the connect nest 103 over the draw table 102 of the tractor Terberg RT283 with the Safeneck equipment and there is a connect organ 301 that is compatible with the mentioned connect nest. The mentioned connect nest 103 and the connect organ have been joined and locked to each other. In this example, the top part 1.1 of the body has been bend slantwise for ward to regulate the distance of the second and the third links b, c favourable from the point of view of the function organ 3. The function organ 3 is in this example a hydraulic cylinder.

The before described connect organ 50 according to the invention functions so that when the available draw apparatus 100 is Safenect equipped Terberg RT283 tractor, there will be installed a fig 5 shaft 2 that is compatible with the draw apparatus to the connect organ 50 at the end of which shaft there is a connect organ 301. The shaft 2 is fixed and locked to its place to the first link a by its base 2.2. The first end 3.1 of the function organ has been fixed above the first link a situated second link b in the body and its second end 3.2 will be fixed in the shaft between its end 2.1 and the first link a situated third link c. In order to install the connect organ 301 to the draw apparatus connect nest 103 it is possible to use the movement of the draw apparatus, lift/down movement of the lift shaft 101 and/or the back and forth movement of the function organ 3.

In figs 6 and 7 there has been described another realization example of the usage of the connect organ 50. The shaft 2 has been changed to the connect apparatus by fixing it to the first and the third link a, c (link pivots). The shaft 2 is in this application more straight than in the previous example because in reaching the connect nest of the draw apparatus it does not require a hook like construction going round the draw table 102. In this example, the draw apparatus 100 is a trailer lorry drive part that has a fixed draw table 102 and the shaft 2 has been fixed by its end situated connect organ 302 to the connect nest 104 in the mentioned draw table. When adapting the connect organ 302 into the draw apparatus draw table connect nest 104 it is possible to get help from the movement of the draw apparatus and/or function organ back and forth movement.

In figs 8 and 9 there has been described a third application of the usage of the connect organ 50 of the invention. In this application, the function organ 3 has been changed into a solid bar 4 by fixing the bar to its place by its first and second ends 4.1, 4,2 to the first and the third linies b, c. This application of the invention can be used with any ordinary model terminal tractor that has a lifting draw table 102.

In the before mentioned solution it is also possible to use different kind of shafts 2 like shown in figs 8 and 9. When adapting the connect organ 302 into the draw table connect nest of the draw apparatus the movement of the draw apparatus can be used for help, the lift shaft 101 up and down movement, the turn movement of the draw table but not the function organ 3 back and forth movement.

It is essential from the point of view of the invention that:

the first link a that joins the shaft 2 to the body 1 directly and the second link b that joins the shaft 2 via the function organ 3, bar 4 or shaft support part 4’ to the shaft connecting second link b are at different height positions, the mentioned links’ a, b, c connecting lines always form an triangular, and that the shaft 2 of the connect organ 50 that has been fixed to the lift transport wagon 200 can be changed depending on to where situated and what kind of connect nest draw apparatus connect nest 103, 104 the mentioned connect organ is connected.

The before mentioned characteristics of the invention make the invention come true regardless of how the links a, b, c are situated in the before mentioned setting in relation to each other. The invention can thus be applied to different connect apparatus concepts in the market.

On the other hand, it is characteristic for the invention that it is possible to install either function organ 3 or a solid bar 4 or a corresponding support part to it, as needed.

Instead of the bar 4 the corresponding construction can be made in the way shown in the drawing 10 so that the shaft 2 consists of a support part 4’ replacing the bar 4.

The most favourable way to realize the invention is such a connect organ 50 where the third link c has been adapted essentially in front of the first link a (in the draw apparatus side). In this case, the shaft 2 can be made as short and light as possible and its shape can be kept as simple as possible and then it is easy and favourable to change.

The different model shafts 2 of the connect organ 50 according to the invention can be made both to the small and big draw apparatuses 100 e.g. terminal tractors.

It is possible to get a sufficient amount of shafts 2 of different shapes equipped with different connect organs 301, 302.

In the figs 4- 9 presented connect organ 50 characteristic features are realized so that the base 2.2 of the shaft 2 is fixed to the body with the first link a, and the function organ 3 or the bar 4 is fixed of its first end 3.1, 4.1 by the link b to the shaft above the first link a and of the other end 3.2, 4.2 by the third link c to the shaft 2 between its end 2.1 and the first link a. The location of the first link a in the body 1 and the location of the third link c between the end of the shaft 2.1 and the first link a can be selected case by case favourably. Likewise the distance of the second link b and the direction from the first link a. The before mentioned setting brings the end result that the line v from the first link a to the connect organ 301, 302 is always essentially forwards.

In addition to the before mentioned, the invention has numerous usages that can be realized with the different applications of the connect organ 50 according to the invention and with closely to it related equipments. Following, these applications will be treated.

The body 1 can also be inclined in relation to the vertical line but most favourably made it is essentially vertical.

The shaft 2 can be formed in many different ways according to its usage.

The function organ 3 can be hydraulic, gas or screw operated it can function in some other known way.

The connect organ 302 can be made to be compatible with any connect nest 104 of the draw apparatus in the market.

The draw apparatus 100 can be a terminal tractor, a tractor, a trailer lorry drive part and so on.

The connect nest 104 is knowingly often by its shape a hollow but it can also be realized as a tumbler.

The bar can be made suitably in each case with a certain length and shape and the material can be for instance steel.

The links a, b, c can be made so that changing the shaft quickly and safely is possible. As an example, the removable and in place with a lock organ lockable link pins and bodies 1 with suitable holes, shafts 2, and function organs 3 or bars 4 can be mentioned. When changing a shaft 2 it is possible to change also the function organ 3 or the bar 4 at the same time

It is known that the lift transport wagons are equipped with wheels 202, and that the back of the wagon can be lifted and lowed with their function organs at the same time as the front of the wagon is lifted or lowered. Thus the loading level 203 of the wagon can be kept essentially horizontal.

It should be noticed that even though this description sticks to only one type of for the invention favourable realization example this does not want to limit the usage of the invention to concern only this kind of example, but instead, many variations are possible in the scope of the invention idea defined in the claims.

Clauses:

1. A connect organ to connect a lift transport wagon (200) or corresponding to a draw apparatus (100) which connect organ consists of:

a. a fixed body (1) adapted to the front of the lift transport wagon,

b. a shaft (2) at the end (2.1) of which there has been fixed a connect organ and which shaft has been fixed to the body (1) via a first link (a) so that it can be turned into an upright position in relation to the mentioned body around the mentioned link,

c. a function organ (3) that has been fixed between the body (1) and the shaft (2) via the second and the third links (b, c) which function organ has been adapted to turn the shaft around the first link (a) or in the place of the function organ installed fixed bar (4) or a support part (4’) that has been installed between the body and the shaft so that it has been installed fixed to the shaft and to the body via the second link (b), and where;

d. the first link (a) that connects directly the shaft (2) to the body (1) and the second link (b) that connects the shaft to the body via the function organ (3), bar (4) or the support part (4’) have been placed at different height positions,

e. the lines that connect the mentioned links (a, b, c) form a triangle, characterized thereof that

f. the body (1) is one part and it has been placed essentially widthwise in the middle level (C) of the lift transport wagon and of its position steady for the whole operation time of the connect organ,

g. the shaft (2) is adapted to be removable by loosening it in the first and the third links (a, c) or in the first and the second links (a, b) and by putting instead of it such a shaft (2) together with function organ (3) or bar (4) or without it that can be adapted into a different kind of draw organ connect nest (103, 104) or into a connect nest in a different location of the draw wagon than the mentioned removable shaft.

2. The connect organ (50) according to the claim 1 characterized thereof that the third link (c) that connects the function organ (3) or bar (4) to the shaft (2) has been placed essentially in front of the first link (a).

3. The connect organ (50) according to the claim 2 characterized thereof that the line (v) from the first link (a) to the end (2.1) of the shaft has been placed to reach forward, that is to the direction of the draw apparatus (100).

4. The connect organ (50) according to some of the claims 1- 3 characterized thereof that the shape of the shaft (2) is compatible with the draw table (102) of the draw apparatus (100) or to the shaft (100) of the draw table installed connect nest (103, 104) and the connect organ (301, 302) at the end (2.1) of the shaft (2) is compatible with the connect nest.

5. The connect organ (50) according to some of the claims 1- 4 characterized thereof that the function organ (3) is hydraulic, gas driven or a screw.

6. The connect organ (50) according to some of the claims 1-5 characterized thereof that its body (1) is essentially upright.

7. The connect organ (50) according to some of the claims 1-6 characterized thereof that the support part (4’) of the shaft is a fixed part of the shaft (2).

8. The connect organ (50) according to some of the claims 1- 7 characterized thereof that the mentioned links (a, b, c) are composed of the holes in the body (1), the shaft (2), the function organ (3), or the bar (4), and the pivots adapted to them and the mentioned link pivots to their places locking lock organs.

9. The connect organ (50) according to some of the claims 1-8 characterized thereof that it has been adapted essentially to the widthwise middle level (C) of the lift transport wagon.

10. The connect organ 50 according to some of the claims 1-9 characterized thereof that it has been adopted to be connected to a terminal tractor, a tractor or to a trail lorry drive part.

Claims

CONCLUSIONS

A connector for connecting a lift truck (200) or corresponding vehicle to a towing device (100) which connector comprises:

a. a solid body (1), which is adapted to the front of the lift truck;

b. a shaft (2), at the end (2.1) of which a connecting member is attached and wherein the shaft is attached to the body (1) via a first coupling (a) so that it can be rotated around said coupling into an upright position in relation to said body;

c. a function member (3) mounted via the second and third couplings (b, c) between the body (1) and the shaft (2), which function member is adapted to rotate the shaft around the first coupling (a) or, instead of the function member, an installed fixed rod (4) or support (4 ') installed between the body and the shaft so that it is fixed to the shaft via the second coupling (b) and is attached to the body, and in which:

d. the first coupling (a) connecting the shaft (2) directly to the body (1) and the second coupling (b) connecting the shaft to the body via the function member (3), rod (4) or support ( 4 '), are placed at different height positions;

e. the lines connecting the links (a, b, c) form a triangle;

characterized by that

f. the body (e) is in one piece and is placed substantially widthwise at the center level (C) of the lift truck and its position is stable throughout the operation of the connector;

g. the shaft (2) is adapted to be removable by loosening it in the first and third clutches (a, c) or in the first and second clutches (a, b) and by a shaft (2) instead, either together with the function member (3) or the rod (4) or without inserting it, the one with a different type of puller connecting nest (103, 104) or with a connecting nest in a different location of the towing vehicle than the aforementioned removable shaft, can be connected.

Connecting member (50) according to claim 1, characterized in that the third coupling (c) connecting the function member (3) or rod (4) to the shaft (2) substantially for the first coupling (a) is placed.

Connecting member (50) according to claim 2, characterized in that the line (v) is placed from the first coupling (a) to the end (2.1) of the shaft to extend outwards, i.e. in the direction of the pulling device (100).

Connecting element (50) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the shape of the shaft (2) is compatible with the pulling table (102) of the pulling device (100) or with the shaft (100) of the drawtable installed connecting nest (103, 104) and the connecting member (301, 302) at the end (2.1) of the shaft (2) is compatible with the connecting nest.

Connecting element (50) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the function element (3) is hydraulic, gas-driven or screw-driven.

Connecting element (50) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the body (1) is substantially upright.

Connecting element (50) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the shaft support (4 ') is a fixed part of the shaft (2).

Connecting element (50) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said couplings (a, b, c) are built up from the openings in the body (1), the shaft (2), the function member (3) or the rod (4) and from the hinges adapted thereto, and said connecting hinges being locked by locking members.

Connecting element (50) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it is substantially adapted to the widthwise middle level (C) of the lifting transport trolley.

Connecting element (50) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it is adapted to be connected to a terminal tractor, a tractor or to a trail lorry drive part.