247986 CO <2.\ * eS 1 L -n .4 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION AFTER PROVISIONAL NO: 247986 DATED: 24 June 1993 IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO LIFTING MEANS I, RICHARD GEORGE MORROW, a citizen of New Zealand of 33 Mack Place, Papakura, Auckland, New Zealand hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: 247 986 - 2 - — The present invention relates to improvements in lifting apparatus. More particularly but not exclusively, the lifting apparatus may be of a fixed type which is attached to the deck of a vehicle and may be used to lift containers off and onto vehicles.

To the present time various lifting apparatus, mounted on vehicles have been used to lift containers off and onto vehicles for transportation. However, many known lifting apparatus suffer limitations, such as the reach of the lifting apparatus being unable to cater for certain situations, for example where the container is lowered onto a surface, lower than the surface on which the vehicle is located. In such situations a lifting chain if used, may require extending, in order to provide sufficient reach.

Also, with many of the known lifting apparatus it is not possible to load more than one container onto the deck of the vehicle whether in a side by side fashion, or stacked, due to the constraints imposed by known lifting apparatus.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a lifting apparatus which 247 986 attempts to obviate the disadvantages mentioned earlier or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.

According to a still further aspect of the present invention there is provided a vehicle having a lifting means for the transfer of containers to and from a support deck of said vehicle wherein said lifting means comprises a pair of lifting arms provided at or adjacent rear corners of said support deck and wherein each lifting arm comprises: a primary arm pivotally mounted with respect to said support deck adjacent a first end of said primary arm and said primary arm also having a distal end from said first end; a secondary arm pivotally connected to said primary arm at or adjacent a first end of said secondary arm and said distal end of said primary arm; engagement means provided on and towards a distal end of said secondary arm for engagement of a container; a first hydraulic ram acting between said support deck and said primary arm and connected to said primary arm closer to said first end than said distal end of said primary IN.Z PATENT OFFICE 12 JUL 1998 RECEIVED 247 9 8 6 - 3A - arm to rotate said primary arm about said pivotal mounting; and a second hydraulic ram connected to and acting between said primary and secondary arms to rotate said secondary arm with respect to said primary arm Other aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description which reference is made to the following Figures: N.Z. PATENT OFFICE 12 JUL 1996 RECEIVED 247 986 Figure 1: Shows diagrammatically a representation of a lifting means as seen side on, in operation, according to one possible embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2: Is a diagrammatic representation of the embodiment as depicted in Figure 1, with the lifting means positioned over the deck of a vehicle.

Figure 3: Shows a diagrammatic representation of a lifting apparatus, in operation according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4; Is a diagrammatic representation of the embodiment as illustrated in Figure 3, with the lifting means positioned over the deck of a vehicle.

The invention will now be described by way of example of several embodiments of the present invention. In Figure 1, an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The lifting means referenced generally as 1, is shown mounted to the deck 2 of a vehicle, which in this example is a truck. At first arm 3 may be pivotally connected to the deck 2 of the vehicle, with the pivotable connection 4, enabling the arm 3 to swing in an arc. Located towards a distil end of the arm 3 may be at least one jib or second arm 5. The jib arm 5 may be 24798# operated by an hydraulic ram means 6 or alternative drive means to drive and control rotation of the arm 5. The hydraulic ram means 6 at one end may be connected to the arm 3. The arm 3 may also be provided with an hydraulic ram means or alternative drive means 7 to raise and lower the arm 3 in relation to the deck 2 of the vehicle. This hydraulic ram means 7 may be attached at its opposite end to the deck 2 of the vehicle.

In Figure 1 the interrupted outline of the jib arm 5 depicts another possible position of the jib arm 5. The swing of powered movement of the jib arm 5 is dependent on the relationship of the hydraulic ram means 6 with the jib arm 5. The provision of the jib arm 5 enables the reach of the lifting apparatus to be extended. The provision of the jib arm 5 also increases the amplitude of movement, with the jib arm 5 being able to travel through various arcs, which may vary for example between arcs A and B, depicted in Figure 1. Whereas, if reliant on the arm 3, with the jib arm 5 absent, then the lifting apparatus would only be able to travel through the arc C.

When the arm 3 has travelled to either extremes of its sweep, the jib arm 5 may then be operated and or the lift chains 8 or other means 247986 adjusted, to lift or lower a container 9 or other article onto a truck or other surface. The lifting apparatus may thus be operated, so that a plurality of containers 9 may be lifted onto the deck 2 of a vehicle and stacked or positioned side by side.

The jib arm 5 may also be used to raise or lower a container 9, from a surface which is lower than that on which the vehicle mounted lifting apparatus is located.

A further embodiment is illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, where an additional or further arm 10 and an associated hydraulic ram means or drive means 11 may be provided. The additional arm 10 is pivotally attached to the deck 2 of the lifting apparatus and further serves to increase the reach and arc of travel of the lifting apparatus. The pivot point 12 between the arm 3 and additional arm 10 increases the range of movement capable of the lifting apparatus. In this embodiment the additional arm 10 has an hydraulic ram means 11 connected to the vehicle as well as providing a mounting for the hydraulic ram 7.

In use a lift chain 8 may be suspended from the jib arm 5 and attached to a container 9 to be lifted on or off the vehicle. The lift chain 8 used 247986 may be of a fixed length, since the jib arm 5 may be adjusted to provide the required reach.

The interrupted lines in Figure 1 illustrate that the jib arm 5 may for example, rotate up to approximately 160 degrees. This is also possible for the second embodiment, illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. However, by altering the mounting of the hydraulic ram means on the arm adjoining the jib arm 5, it may be possible to increase the degree of rotation of the jib arm 5. The hydraulic ram means 6 may for example be mounted so that its point of attachment on the arm 3 is mobile.

When a container 9 is being lifted onto the deck 2 of a truck, the jib arm 5 may be outwardly extending, as in Figures 1 and 3, for the two embodiments. The arm 3 may then pivot so that the container 9 is lifted onto the deck 2 of the truck, through the retraction of the hydraulic ram means 7.

Where in the foregoing description reference has been made to specific components or integers of the invention having known equivalents then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth. 247 9 8 6 Although this invention has been described by way of example and with reference to possible embodiments thereof it is to be understood that modifications or improvements may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.

N.Z. PATENT OFFICE 12 JUL 1996 247 9 8 6