WO2004099013A1

WO2004099013A1 - Load carrier and method of strengthening it

Info

Publication number: WO2004099013A1
Application number: PCT/ZA2004/000049
Authority: WO
Inventors: Berend Jan Werkman
Original assignee: Berend Jan Werkman
Priority date: 2003-05-12
Filing date: 2004-05-12
Publication date: 2004-11-18
Also published as: WO2004099014A1

Abstract

A load transporting carrier in the form of a mining skip 10 comprises a carrier body in the form of a skip body 12 of generally rectangular end profile encompassing a loading zone 14 with the skip body 12 being formed with planar side walls 16 extending between curved skip body corners 18. The body 12 is strengthened against outward urging once exposed to a load by a carrier body sidewall outward displacement limiting and strenghtening rib formation layout in the form of a plurality of rib formations 20 non-integrally and also releasably secured to the inside wall of the body 12.

Description

(1) TITLE OF THE INVENTION

LOAD CARRIER AND METHOD OF STRENGTHENING IT

(2) BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Mining skips or other similar equipment are used along areas of lateral limited spacing as defined by the shaft along which they move. It is obviously of great importance to optimise the ability of such skips to handle material transported along. Of particular importance is the ability to safely lift as much material as possible per charge. To this end it is thus important to reduce the weight of the skip to as low as possible without compromising its strength inclusive of making optimum use of the cross sectional area of a shaft. It is also useful to be able to replace the wearing parts of the skip.

(3) FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a load transporting carrier employable for transferring a load that has the effect of exerting an outward force on the side walls of the carrier body during its operative use and to a method of at least strengthening a load transporting carrier conventionally being formed with planar side walls that are so exposed to outwardly urging load forces during operative use. Although not so limited the invention finds useful application in the field of mining skips.

(4) PRIOR ART DESCRIPTION

Mining and other types of skips displaceable along shafts are commonly known in the art. Conventionally the overall thickeness of the walls of such skips are manufactured to be substantial to ensure a body of adequate strength to enable the safe transport of material.

The construction of the conventional skip thus reduces the optimum use of the cross sectional area of a shaft or the like. This factor, amongst others, limit the capability of the skip to transport an optimum charge of material as the cross sectional area of the skip is limited by the size of a shaft in which it operates. Once conventional skips are worn they have to be comprehensively overhauled. It is, amongst others, an object of this invention to address these situations. (5) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The invention is now described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings

Figure 1 shows a load transporting carrier, according to the invention, in the form of a mining skip in partly cut away side elevation,

Figure 2 shows the skip in end elevation,

Figure 3 shows the core part of the skip in more detailed open sided view,

Figure 4 shows the skip along section line A-A in figure 1 though omitting the detail of the bottom end of the skip, Figure 5 shows a detail of the part of the wall of the skip as appropriately strengthened, in plan view,

Figure 6 shows the detail of figure 5 along section line B-B,

Figure 7 shows the detail of figure 5 along section line C-C,

Figure 8 shows in detailed overhead view the layout of the charge aperture of the skip, and Figure 9 diagrammatically shows the opening and closing mechanism of and steps for opening and closing the discharge door of the skip.

(6) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to figures 1 to 4 of the drawings a load transporting carrier, according to the invention, in the form of a mining skip is generally indicated by reference numeral 10. The skip 10 comprises a carrier body in the form of skip body 12 of generally rectangular end profile encompassing a loading zone 14 with the skip body 12 being formed with planar side walls 16 extending between curved skip body corners 18 and being strengthened against outward urging once exposed to a load by a carrier body sidewall outward displacement limiting and strengthening rib formation layout in the form of a plurality of rib formations 20 non-integrally and also releasably secured to the inside wall of the body 12 as discussed in more detail below, to circumferentially extend in planes that extend transverse to the axis of displacement 22 of the skip 10.

The skip 10 is fitted with an overhead charging opening 24 while its discharge opening 26 is reopenably closable by a hingedly mounted door 28 of which the opening and closure mechanism is discussed in more detail below. The skip 10 is naturally also fitted with conventional connection means inclusive of a connecting assembly 29 that is connected via a cross member 30 to a bridle 32 surrounded by the skip body 12. The skip 10 is thus operatively installable via conventional winder ropes (not shown) found along a shaft and used for its displacement. As more clearly shown in figure 4 the skip body 12 is constituted from panels 34 integrally secured by way of seam welds (not shown) to curvedly formed skip body corner formations 38. The welds consequently extend in the direction of the axis 22. To limit the exertion of stress along locations of reduced skip body strength once the skip 10 is used under load conditions, as found along such welds, the corner formations 38 and the panels 34 are dimensioned to result in the welds extending in the regions of contra flexure of the wall of the body 12. These are thus the positions where the flexing of the side walls 16 become inverted causing regions of reduced bending stress along the body 12. These regions are typically found at locations in the order of a distance of 20% of the full width of a side wall 16 from the corners of the skip body 12 at least when of rectangular end profile. Referring also to figures 5 to 7 the rib formations 20 thus extend circumferentially along the inside of the side walls 16 and through the corners sections 18 of the body 12. The formations 20 are secured to the skip body 12 by way of securers in the forms of bolts 37 (as only shown in figures 5 and 6) passing along matching apertures in the rib formations 20 and the skip body 12. As the bolting apertures in the skip body 12 are spaced from one another they do not affect its endurance.

Each rib formation 20 is constituted from four arcuately formed corner and linear sections 40 and 42 respectively each welded to a carrier base in the form of a carrier plate 39. The plates 39 combine into forming a skip body liner 41 serving as additional protection for inner wall 16 of the skip body 12. The inside areas of the formations 40, 42 are closed off by a continuous protection strip 33.

The adjacent ends of the sections 40, 42 lie against one another at the locations of intersection-contiguity 43. The sections 40, 42 are channel shaped while the corner sections 40 naturally following the curvature of the corner of the body portion 12. The corner sections 40, as thus curved to snugly fit into the curved corner formations 38 of the skip body 12, each extend by way of linear portion 44 some distance along the side walls of the body 12. The lengths of the portions 44 are suitably selected to result in the locations of inter-section- contiguity 43 lying adjacent the positions of contra flexure of the side walls of the body 12. To limit the possibility of relative displacement between adjacent sections 40, 42 over their common location of inter-section-contiguity 43 once the skip 10 is in use, the contiguous ends 45 of the sections 40, 42 are bevelled causing the sections 42 to exert a wedging effect on the sections 40 in urging them via their plates 39 against the skip body 12. The bevelling also promotes the ease of release of the sections 40, 42 once desired to be removed as the linear sections 42, once their skip body securing bolts 37 are released, are simply lifted away without any inter section end-on interference.

To even further promote firm locations of inter-section-contiguity 43, adjacent sections 40, 42 are formed to overlap one another by way of section end-on extending lips 47 and 49 extending, on the one hand, leadingly from the outer faces of the sections 40 and, on the ^' other hand, leadingly from the inner faces of the sections 42, as more specifically shown in figure 5. The lips 47, 49, as thus bridge the locations of inter section contiguity 43, are accommodated by matchingly formed recessed 51 , 53 extending rearward from end on facing sections 42, 40 respectively. The recesses are formed by an appropriate reduction in width of the end regions of sections 40, 42. As clearly shown in figure 5 any relative displacement across locations of inter-section contiguity 43 in the direction of axis of displacement 22 between the sections 40, 42 is counteracted by the positioning of bolts 37.1 in close vicinity on both sides of each of the locations of inter-section-contiguity 43. The bolts 37.1 thus pass through registering apertures in both sections 40, 42 consequently securing them to one another across the locations of inter-section-contiguity 43. Each section 40, 42 are also at other locations secured to skip body 12, as also shown in figure 6.

As again more clearly shown in figure 6 the linear sections 42 each consists of longitudinal side flanges 42.1 connected by a web 42.2. In referring also to figure 7, the end profiles of the corner sections 40 match that of the linear sections 42 though each naturally extending through a curve. In addition to the opposite side flanges 40.1 the corner sections 40 are also formed with intermediate strengthening ribs 40.2 that extend between the web 40.3 of each section 40 and the inner face of the plate 39 to which they are welded. To further strengthen the corner sections 40, as they are subject to large bending stresses during use of the skip 10, and referring particularly to figure 5 their inner radii 50 are of generally the same magnitude as the outer radii 52. The radii 50 and 52 being so similar has the effect that the depth 54 of each corner section 40 progressively increases from the opposite locations of commencement of curvature formation 56 towards its centre position 58. As a useful design parameter the outer radius 52 of each corner section 40 is in the order of ten times the thickness of the wall of the skip body 12.

In specifically referring to figures 6 and 7 the various parts of the rib formations 20 are formed with oblique overhead sections in the form of deflecting strips 60 that slant inward and downward to counteract blocking of material within the loading zone 14 once the skip 10 is in use. The outer edges 60.1 of the strips 60 lie against the skip body liner 41 while the strips 60 are bolted to the skip body 12. While the rib formations 20 are naturally exposed to large abrasion effects during use of the skip 10, it is useful to protect the strips 60 and the webs 40.3, 42.2 there against. To this end the strips 60 are clad with liners 62 that are usefully replaceable fitted to the strip 60 by being bolted via the sidewall 16 of the skip 10 to the strips 60. The lower end lips 62.1 of the liners 62 can conveniently overhang the strips 60 further protecting the webs 40.3 and 42.2.

Referring in particular again to figures 1 and 3 it is clear that the disposition of the charging opening 24 of the skip 10 relative to the loading zone 14 has the result that the linear sections 42.3 situated along the opposite wall of the skip body 12 are exposed to extensive impact during charging of the skip 10. As an additional protection while also in particular referring to figure 6 these linear sections can be fitted with resilient impact absorbing buffers 64 that overhang the liners 62. The buffers 64 are typically in the form of resilient layer material 64.1 sandwiched between inner and outer protecting liners 64.2. The buffers 64 are conveniently bolted to the skip body 16 enabling their replacement.

Referring more particularly to figure 3 the skip 10 is formed with a discharge zone 66 of reduced cross sectional area. This is achieved by causing an extension of the webs 40.3, 42.2 of the second lowest rib formation 20.1 to form the wall of the bottom section 16.1 of the skip body 16. Such narrowing of only the bottom has the advantage that the discharge door 28 which has to be larger than the discharge opening 26 promoting a spillage free discharge of the skip 10 when is use. This promotes utilising the skip 10 to its maximum capacity along its constricted zone of displacement such as a mining shaft.

Referring again to figure 1 and also to figure 8 the charging opening 24 is dimensioned to be narrower than the side walls while its lower section is formed with funnel defining flanges 68. This directs the charging effect towards the centre of the loading zone 14 that in turn reduces stiffener wear.

Referring also to figure 9 the opening and closing mechanism of the discharge door 28 of the skip is generally indicated by reference numeral 70. The mechanism 70 involves guide assembly engaging means in the form of displacement rollers 72 for the lateral displacement of the skip 10 as such and a cam and follower arrangement 74 for the opening and closure of the door 28. Use of the mechanism 70 involves the pendulous displacement of the skip 10 in the direction of arrow 76. It is consequently suspended from the cross member 30 forming part of the bridle 32. The skip 10 is thus formed with a longitudinal hollow (not shown in detail) along which the bridle 32 extends when normally hanging from the cross member 30. Displacement of the skip 10 in the outward direction of arrow 76 is achieved in response to the rollers 72 coming in guiding engagement with a guide formation 78 forming a fixture at the skip discharge zone. This is normally at the upper end of a shaft along which the skip is displaceable. The formation 78 is thus engaged from below by the rollers 72 on the skip reaching the discharge zone along the shaft. The formation 78 is formed with a gradual outward curve 78.1 in the direction of causing skip pendulous displacement (the outward direction of arrow 76) thus causing such displacement once the skip rollers 72 pass into the curved section of the guide formation 78. The operation of the cam and follower arrangement 74 in opening and closing the door 28 ties in with the pendulous swivelling of the skip 10. To this end the door 28 is swivellably mounted along its one side via a hinge 80. The cam and follower arrangement 74 comprises a cam pair 82 fitted to the bottom end of the bridle 32 that runs upward and inward from outer lips 82.1 while the upper end of each cam path ends in a cam saddle 84 accessible along a cam knob 86 that limits undesired escape of a follower from the cam saddle 84 except when positively so urged. The arrangement 74 thus also comprises a cam follower for each cam 82 in the form of a cam roller 88 fitted at a suitable position below the door 28 to cause its opening and closing swivelling in response to roller to cam engagement. Firm closure of the door 28 is maintained (as shown in figure 10(a)) once the rollers 88 have moved into their cam saddles 84 while undesired opening of the door 28 is counteracted owing to the cam knobs 86 limiting escape of the rollers 88.

Once the rollers 72 commence engagement with the guide formation 78 on upward displacement of the skip 10, it is gradually urged to pendulously swivel in the outward direction of arrow 76. This has the effect of urging each roller 88 from its saddle 84 past the knob 86 along the downward part of its cam path 82 causing the progressive opening of the door 28. Although the skip 10 is in upward motion at such time the cam paths 82 extend at suitable slopes to achieve such door opening effect. Once the guide engaging rollers 72 have been guided past the outward curve 78.1 along the guide formation 78 the door 28 is swivelled to its fully open condition as shown in figure 10(c). In this position the cam rollers 88 are just short of their cam lips 82.1. Closure of the door 28 naturally involves a reverse of the opening procedure.

It will be appreciated that the skip 10 need not be fitted with the opening and closing mechanism 70. Manufacturing of the skip naturally commences with manufacturing of the skip body 12. The rib formations 20 are subsequently bolted to the body 12 by first bolting the corner sections 40 in position and thus the linear sections 42. The liners 62, when so arranged, and the buffers 64 are naturally bolted to the skip body 12 once the rib formations 20 are operatively installed. It is an advantage of the invention as specifically described that the locations of inter-section- contiguity 43 are situated adjacent the flexing plane of the skip body side wall thereby limiting inter-section relative movement.

A particularly useful advantage is found in the rib formations 20 being removably secured to the skip body 12 in a way that does not detrimentally affect the strength of the skip 10 while enabling their uncomplicated replacement once worn.

Yet a further advantage is that the location of the rib formations along the inner wall of the skip body has the effect of more effectively using the cross sectional area of a shaft. It will, however, be appreciated that the invention also extends to a skip of which the strengthening formations are situated along the outside wall if the skip body.

Claims

(5) CLAIMS

(1 ) A method of strengthening an enclosed load carrier (10) conventionally being formed with planar side walls that are exposed to outwardly urging load forces during operative use of the carrier and presenting a high elevational load charging opening (24) and an appropriately re- openably closable low elevational discharge opening (26) while being fitted to be conventionally displaced and in use being constrained to be displaced along a vertical guide path of complementary cross sectional area as thus determining the shape of the carrier comprising fitting the body (12) of the carrier with a carrier body sidewall outward displacement limiting and strengthening rib formation layout comprising at least one rib formation (20); characterised in that the at least one rib formation (20) is secured to extend circumferentially through the corners and along the side walls of the body (12) of the carrier about its central axis (22) as regards its direction of travel once in use, once secured, and in a way that results in its becoming non-integrally secured to the wall of the carrier.

(2) A method as claimed in claim 1 that comprises fitting a plurality of adjacent rib formations (20) in a way that causes each to extend in a plane at least substantially transverse to the central axis (22) of the carrier.

(3) A method as claimed in claim 2 that comprises fitting the formations (20) to the body (12) by way of a discrete securing technique and thus at spaced intervals.

(4) A method as claimed in claim that comprises fitting the formations (20) to the body (12) by way of a releasable securing technique.

(5) A method as claimed in claim 4 that comprises fitting the formations to the body (12) by bolting them thereto.

(6) A method as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5 that comprises forming the rib formations (20), as each constituted from a number of corner sections (40) equal to the number of corners formed between the side walls of the carrier with each corner section being formed to snugly fit and extend around a carrier body corner, and a number of linear sections (42) by independently securing the corner sections (40) and the linear sections (42) in a section end on contiguous relationship to the carrier body (12) with each rib formation (20) at the latest becoming fully formed once the sections (40, 42) are operatively secured, the linear sections (42) being lengthwise dimensioned and the corner sections formed to extend to an adequate extent along adjacent side walls of the^' carrier body to result in their locations of inter- contiguity (43) being situated in the vicinity of the zones of contra flexure of the side walls of the carrier body once the rib formations (20) are so operatively secured.

(7) A method as claimed in claim 6 that comprises securing the sections (40, 42) of each rib formation (20) in such a way to the body (12) to result in locations of securing at least being found in close vicinity on both sides of each of the locations of inter-section contiguity (43).

(8) A method as claimed in claim 7 that comprises securing the sections (40, 42) of each rib formation (20) at the locations found in close vicinity on both sides of each of the locations of inter-section contiguity (43) in a way that secures both sections, as thus appropriately overlappingly formed, at each of the opposite sides.

(9) A method as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 8 that comprises securing at least the majority of the rib formations (20) along the inside wall of the carrier body.

(10) A method as claimed in claim 9 that comprises forming the rib formations (20) with oblique overhead sections (60) that slant inward and downward once the rib formations are installed to promote the unobstructed flow of particulate material within the carrier (10) once in use.

(11 ) A method as claimed in claim 10 that at the latest during final installation of the rib formations (20) comprises lining their oblique overhead sections to protect them against abrasion.

(12) A method as claimed in claim 11 that comprises covering at least those parts of the rib formations that are exposed to extensive charging impact on charging of the carrier with resilient buffers (64).

(13) An enclosed load transporting carrier (10) employable for transferring a load that has the effect of exerting an outward force on the side walls of the carrier during its operative use comprising a carrier body (12) that is formed with planar side walls (16) extending between carrier body corners (18) that are not necessarily discontinuously formed and that in conjunction with overhead and floor walls define a loading zone (14) extending between a high elevational load charging opening (24) and an appropriately re-openably closable low elevational discharge opening (26) with the carrier body being fitted to be connected for conventional displacement along a vertical guide path extending between generally planar side walls to which the end profile of carrier body is matched, and a carrier body sidewall outward displacement limiting and strengthening rib formation layout comprising at least one rib formation (20); characterised in that the at least one rib formation (20) extends circumferentially through the corners and along the side walls of the body (12) of the carrier about its central axis (22) as regards its direction of travel once in use, while being in a non-integral way secured to the walls of the carrier.

(14) A load transporting carrier as claimed in claim 13 in which the carrier body (12) is constituted from panels (34) and corner formations (38) as integrally secured to one another at positions spaced from the corner axes of the carrier body to limit carrier body corner stresses once operatively used under conditions of load.

(15) A load transporting carrier as claimed in claim 14 in which the panels and corner formations (34, 38) are dimensioned to cause their locations of inter-securing to lie in the region of the zones of contra flexure of the walls of the carrier body.

(16) A load transporting carrier as claimed in claim 14 or claim 15 in which the radii of the carrier corner formations, in the case of being arcuately formed, are each in the order of ten times the thickness of the wall of the carrier body.

(17) A load transporting carrier as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 16 in which the rib formation layout is in the form of a plurality of non-integrally secured rib formations (20) that extend adjacent one another with each extending in a plane at least substantially transverse to the central axis (22) of the carrier body.

(18) A load transporting carrier as claimed in claim 17 in which the formations (20) are secured to the body (12) by way of a discrete securing technique and thus at spaced intervals there along by individual securers (37).

(19) A load transporting carrier as claimed in claim 18 in which securers are of a kind that releasably secure the formations (20) to the body (12).

(20) A load transporting carrier as claimed in claim 19 in which the formations (20) are secured to the body (12) by way of bolts (37).

(21 ) A load transporting carrier as claimed in any one of claims 18 to 20 in which each rib formation (20) is constituted from a number of corner sections (40) equal to the number of corners formed between the side walls of the carrier with each snugly fitting and extending around a carrier body corner while end on contiguously lying against adjacent linear sections (42) extending along the side walls (16) of the body (12) with the sections (40, 42) being independently secured to the body (12) by way of the securers (37), the linear sections (42) being lengthwise dimensioned and the corner sections (40) formed to extend to an adequate extent along adjacent side walls of the carrier body to result in their locations of inter-section- contiguity (43) being situated in the vicinity of the zones of contra flexure of the side walls (16) of the carrier body (12).

(22) A load transporting carrier as claimed in claim 21 in which the sections (40, 42) of each rib formation (20) are at least secured to the body (12) by securers (37) at locations of securing lying in close vicinity on both sides of each of the locations of inter-section-contiguity (43) between adjacent sections (40, 42).

(23) A load transporting carrier as claimed in claim 22 in which the sections (40, 42) form a matching bevelled contiguous relationship (45) at their locations of inter-section-contiguity (43) thus limiting the possibility of relative displacement between adjacent sections (40, 42) once the carrier is under load owing to a wedging effect being brought about by the bevelling.

(24) A load transporting carrier as claimed in claim 22 or claim 23 in which the sections (40, 42) overlap one another at their locations of inter-section-contiguity (43) to the extent of the securers (37) situated at the locations of securing lying in close vicinity on both sides of each of the locations of inter-section-contiguity each engaging both sections (40, 42).

(25) A load transporting carrier as claimed in any one of claim 21 to 24 in which the corner and linear sections (40, 42) extend in the form of matchingly end profiled cavitateous interior defining formations each encompassing in conjunction with the carrier wall a hollow zone extending between corner and linear section ends respectively.

(26) A load transporting carrier as claimed in any one of claim 25 in which the sections 40, 42 are secured to base plates (39) that in combination form an inner liner (41 ) to the carrier body.

(27) A load transporting carrier as claimed in claim 26 in which each corner section (40) also incorporates at least one strengthening rib (40.2) extending intermediate its parallel opposite edges while being secured to the corner section base plate (39).

(28) A load transporting carrier as claimed in any one of claims 25 to 27 in which the linear sections and the corner sections (42, 40) are channel shaped with the latter extending through the corners of the carrier wall, overlapping in the case of the formations being so constituted being achieved by section end-on extending lips (47, 49) extending parallel to the central axis across the locations of inter-section-contiguity (43) being received in matchingly formed recessed (51, 53) extending rearward from the end on facing sections.

(29) A load transporting carrier as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 28 in which the corners of the carrier body are arcuately formed with the corner sections (40) being complementary arcuately formed to the effect of snugly fitting the corners of the carrier body (12), the at least one strengthening rib (40.2) of each corner section (40), when so fitted and consequently presenting a hollow interior zone, thus following the curvature of its corner section (40).

(30) A load transporting carrier as claimed in claim 29 in which the inner radius (52) of each corner section (40), when channel shaped, is at least generally of the same order of magnitude as its outer radius (50) causing the depth (54) of the corner sections to progressively increase in the direction of their transverse centre lines.

(31 ) A load transporting carrier as claimed in any one of claims 17 to 30 in which at least the majority of rib formations (20) are secured along the inside of the carrier body (12).

(32) A load transporting carrier as claimed in any one of claims 17 to 31 in which the rib formations (20) in the case of being prone to obstruct the flow of particulate material charged to the carrier, are fitted with oblique overhead deflectors (60) that slant inward and downward to limit such blocking effect once the carrier as operatively installed is in use.

(33) A load transporting carrier as claimed in 32 in which the oblique overhead deflectors (60) are lined to protect them against abrasion.

(34) A load transporting carrier as claimed in claim 33 in which at least the parts of the rib formations that are exposed to extensive carrier charging impact are fitted with resilient impact absorbing buffers (64) that overhang the oblique overhead deflectors (60).

(35) A load transporting carrier as claimed in anyone of claims 13 to 34 that is generally rectangular in cross section for snugly fitting a rectangular guide path.

(36) A load transporting carrier as claimed in anyone of claims 13 to 35 that is in the form of a mining skip for use along a mining shaft.

(37) A load transporting carrier as claimed in anyone of claims 13 to 36 in which the re- openably closable low elevational discharge opening (26) is reopenably closable by a downwardly openable door (28) hinged along one side and that is operable by a opening and closing mechanism (70) that promotes the smooth opening of the door (28) in response to pendulous sideward displacement of the carrier body (12) as appropriate suspended and vice versa while limiting the possibility of inadvertent door opening once in its closed condition.

(38) A load transporting carrier as claimed in claim 37 in which the opening and closing mechanism (70) incorporates a cam and follower layout (74) associated, on the one hand, with the door (28) and, on the other hand, with a non-sideward displaceable carrier body support (32) with the cam (82) of the layout being formed with a saddle (84) into which the follower (88) becomes positioned once the door (28) is closed while release from the saddle (84) requires the exertion of force as brought about by the commencement of sideward displacement of the carrier body during operative Use of the carrier (10), progression of which sideward displacement having the effect of the cam (82) moving along the follower (88) in a way that causes progressive opening of the door (28).

(39) A load transporting carrier as claimed in claim 38 in which the cam (82), as secured to the non-sideward displaceable carrier body support (32), runs downward at a suitable slope past a hump (86) from the high elevation cam saddle (84) while the follower (88) is suitably associated with the door (28), sideward displacement of the carrier body (12) thus urging the follower (88) from the saddle (84) and past the hump (86) with displacement down the cam (82) causing the progressive opening of the door(28).

(40) A load transporting carrier as claimed in claim 39 in which the carrier body (12) is fitted with a guide path coupler (72) that comes into engagement with guide path defining means (78), not forming part of the carrier, that is appropriately situated at the location of carrier discharge along its path of displacement and formed to cause progressive pendulous sideward swivelling of the carrier body (12) on engagement of the coupler (72) with the guide path defining means (78) during operative use of the carrier.