GB2257123A

GB2257123A - Swop body container jacking system.

Info

Publication number: GB2257123A
Application number: GB9105784A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Joseph Brockbank
Original assignee: ADAMSON MODULAR SYSTEMS LIMITE
Current assignee: ADAMSON MODULAR SYSTEMS LIMITE
Priority date: 1991-03-19
Filing date: 1991-03-19
Publication date: 1993-01-06
Also published as: GB9105784D0

Abstract

A swap body container (11) incorporating as part of the container structure a jacking system (12) capable of elevating the container to permit passage of a vehicle platform thereunder and capable of lowering the container onto a platform placed thereunder. The jacking system is preferably detachably mounted and is pivotable alongside the container when not in use. It preferably has upper and lower legs mechanically lockable together and hydraulic rams for extension and retraction. A support strut (18) can be provided. <IMAGE>

Description

TRANSPORT CONTAINERS This invention relates to containers for transporting cargo and relates especially but not exclusively to such containers generally described as swap body containers.

Such swap body containers are those which are transferable from the platform of a road vehicle (self propelled or trailer) to an intermediate freestanding station and thence to a flat railway wagon, and vice versa, during transport between different locations.

Such swap body containers are generally mounted on leg structures so that they are supported above ground level when not mounted on a road vehicle or a railway wagon for transport purposes.

In continental Europe, road vehicles are equipped with suspension adjustment so that the vehicle platform can be lowered, driven under the leg-supported swap body container, and then elevated into supporting relationship with the container bottom. The leg structures, which are removable from the container for maintenance, repair or replacement, are then collapsed vertically and pivoted up into a stowed position within the base of the container.

In the United Kingdom, the transport infrastructure is such that generally road vehicles are not equipped with the aforesaid suspension adjustment facilities and containers have to be hoisted on to the vehicle or railway wagon platforms.

This procedure is clearly more laborious and time consuming than the container used in continental Europe and further requires the provision of a lifting crane or hoist at the initial container mounting location, the container transfer location and the container demounting location.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a container, especially but not exclusively a swap body container, which simplifies and accelerates and simplifies the aforesaid United Kingdom vehicle mounting and demounting procedure.

According to the present invention there is provided a swap body container incorporating as part of the container structure a jacking means whereby the container can be elevated to permit passage of a vehicle platform thereunder and thereafter lowered onto the platform.

It is to be clearly understood that references to swap body containers used herein are to be construed as meaning containers generally.

Preferably, the swap body container is provided with at least two longitudinally - spaced height adjustment leg structures adapted to support the container above ground level with the jacking means being incorporated in the leg structures.

Preferably the jacking means is controllable (a) to increase the height of the leg structures to permit a vehicle platform to be driven under the container (b), to reduce the height of the leg structures to permit the container to be rested on the vehicle platform, and (c) possibly to reduce the height of the leg structures still further to raise them clear of the ground prior to transport of the container.

The further height reduction of the leg structures may simply be effected manually by, for example, releasing a mechanical lock between leg parts and pushing a lower leg part up relative to an upper leg part and mechanically re-locking them together.

It will be manifest that release of the aforesaid mechanical lock will be necessary to permit the hydraulic elevation of the container for vehicle platform disposal under the container.

Preferably the leg structures, when clear of the ground, are pivoted upwardly into a stowed position alongside the container.

Preferably the leg structures are removable for maintenance, repair or replacement purposes.

The jacking means may be powered electrically, hydraulically, mechanically, pneumatically or by a combination thereof.

Preferably the jacking means comprises hydraulic ram means powered by an electro-hydraulic power pack.

In an alternative arrangement the jacking means is not incorporated within the leg structures.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively a side view and a rear view of a known swap body container; Figs. 3A to 3C are fragmentary diagrammatic views illustrating the mounting of the container of Figs. 1 and 2 on a road vehicle platform; Fig. 4 is an illustrative diagram of one form of jacking means Referring to Figs 1 to 4, the swap body container 10 comprises, as is usual, a cargo-containing rectangular body 11 having rear entry doors (not shown).

The body 11 is, when the container 10 is not in transport, e.g. in a storage mode or in a cargo loading or discharging mode, supported above ground level on two leg structures 12. There may be three or more leg structures dependent upon the container length.

Each leg structure 12 comprises two separate legs 12A and 12B which are identical and telescopic. Each leg 12A and 12B comprises a bottom inner leg portion 13 and an upper outer leg portion 14 within which the former is slideably received.

The upper leg portion 14 is of inverted L-shape with the horizontal limb 14A thereof rotatably supported in a bracket or sleeve 15 under the container body 11. The bracket or sleeve 15 incorporates a securing device generally indicated at 16 operable to secure the leg structure 12 in a vertical container - supporting position (see right hand side of Fig. 1 and Fig. 2) or in a horizontal stowed position (see left hand side of Fig. 1), or to free the upper leg portions 14 for rotation, or to permit removal of the horizontal leg limbs 14A from the bracket 15 so that the leg structures 12 can be removed for maintenance, repair or replacement.

The upper inner and lower outer leg portions 13 and 14 are apertured as indicated at 17 to receive a releasable locking pin (not shown). The inner leg portion 13 has two (or more) apertures 17 to permit it to be slid into the outer leg portion 14 and to be pin-secured in such telescoped position.

An angled extensible strut 18, which may be powered electrically, hydraulically, mechanically, pneumatically, manually, or by a combination thereof, is connected between the outer leg portion 14 of each leg structure 12 and the bottom side edge of the container body 11. These struts 18 may be omitted.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention the leg structures 12 are hydraulically extensible to facilitate mounting of the container 10 on a vehicle platform 19 (see Figs. 3A to 3C).

Each leg structure 12 incorporates a hydraulic jack or ram 20 as diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 4. The hydraulic jacks or rams 20 form part of a hydraulic jacking system (not shown) mounted on the container body 11 for example, and are controlled by an electro-hydraulic power pack (also not shown).

The hydraulic jacks or rams 20 are controlled to operate synchronously and are coupled by hosing to a valve-controlled hydraulic supply of the power pack.

Each jack or ram 20 comprises a cylinder in the lower leg portion 13 (the lower leg portion 13 may, in fact, constitute the cylinder) housing a piston 21 whereof the piston rod 22 is secured to a reaction plate 23 in the upper leg portion 14.

Fig. 3A shows the rear end of the container body 11 and the vehicle platform 19 on which it is desired to mount the container 10 for transport.

As can be seen this is not possible due to the lower level of the container bottom.

If the container 10 had just been disembarked from, say, a road vehicle for immediate transfer to a railway wagon, or vice versa, i.e. not placed temporarily on hold awaiting arrival of a railway wagon or a road vehicle, then the leg structures 12 would be extended as shown in Fig. 3B.

In Fig. 3B, the leg structures 12 have been hydraulically elevated after release of the mechanical lock between the leg portions 13 and 14 with simultaneous hydraulic support established therebetween so that the container body 11 is at a higher level than the vehicle platform 19 which can, therefore, now be driven underneath the container 10.

In Fig 3C, the container 10 is shown as having been lowered onto the vehicle platform 19, the leg structures 12 now being telescoped to clear their contact with the ground.

The jacks or rams 20 can now be rendered hydraulically inactive and the leg structures 12 with the mechanical lock between leg portions 13 and 14 still broken pivoted from the vertical position to the horizontal stowed position, brackets and/or clips 24A, 24B being provided for this purpose.

The above procedure is reversed to demount the container 10 from the vehicle platform 19.

If a third and intermediate leg structure is provided due to the length of the container, it is to be noted that this need not be, as with the foreand-aft leg structures, outboard of the container.

It can be within the container width and be folded up underneath the container and housed within the customary bottom space provided in containers prior to the vehicle platform being driven under the container.

Power-driven, preferably hydraulically driven, lifting pads may be provided on the bottom of the container to permit initial elevation above the vehicle platform prior to lowering of the leg structures and support and elevation of the container by the leg structures.

Alternatively, simple jacking points may be provided under the container to permit it to be raised off the vehicle platform prior to vehicle withdrawal from thereunder using separate jacks.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A swap body container incorporating as part of the container structure a jacking means whereby the container can be elevated to permit passage of a vehicle platform thereunder and thereafter lowered onto the platform.

2. A swap body container according to claim 1, provided with at least two longitudinally - spaced height adjustment leg structures adapted to support the container above ground level with the jacking means being incorporated in the leg structures.

3. A swap body container according to claim 2, wherein the jacking means is controllable to increase the height of the leg structures to permit a vehicle platform to be driven under the container, to reduce the height of the leg structures to permit the container to be rested on the vehicle platform, and to reduce the height of the leg structures still further to raise them clear of the ground prior to transport of the container.

4. A swap body container according to claim 3, wherein the said further height reduction of the leg structures is achievable by releasing a mechanical lock between upper and lower leg parts and pushing the lower leg part up relative to the upper leg part and mechanically re-locking the leg parts together.

5. A swap body container according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the leg structures are pivotable upwardly into a stowed position alongside the container.

6. A swap body according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the leg structures are removable.

7. A swap body according to any preceding claim, wherein the jacking means comprises hydraulic ram means powered by an electrohydraulic power pack.

8. A swap body container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings