TRANSPORT PLATFORM

Abstract

Transport platform comprising an elevating mechanism where two longitudinal beams (5 and 6) are mounted being positioned at the same height, between which at least a tilting flat structure (8) is mounted, consisting of a telescopic frame formed by two U-shaped rims (16) having the side branches (17) thereof aligned and telescopically related.

Claims

1. Transport platform, comprising at least two upper longitudinal beams arranged at the same level or height, which are mounted on an elevating mechanism, a plurality of tilting flat structure which are mounted between the two longitudinal beams of the same level, by means of cross-sectional aligned rotation shafts, each of the flat structures are related to said beams by means of an actuator capable of adjusting and fixing the inclination of said flat structures, and carriages arranged on the longitudinal beams in which the shafts are mounted for displacing the tilting flat structures along the longitudinal beams.

2. Transport platform according to claim 1, wherein the elevating mechanism is provided with vertical elevating columns consisting of vertical spindles which can rotate over themselves, in each of which at least a threaded element is mounted, being each longitudinal beam mounted between at least two threaded elements of the spindles forming the elevating columns of the same side of the platform.

3. Platform according to claim 1, wherein between the longitudinal beams from the same level the plurality of tilting flat structures are mounted therein.

4. Platform according to claim 1, wherein the tilting flat structures consisting of a telescopic frame, in a direction being parallel to the longitudinal beams, further comprises two U-shaped rims having side branches thereof aligned and related by means of a connecting telescopic mechanism and provided with cavities for fitting the wheels of the vehicles to be transported.

5. Platform according to claim 4, wherein the cavities for fitting the wheels of the vehicles to be, are provided with at least an adjustable position bar.

6. Platform according to claim 4, wherein the telescopic connecting mechanism comprises, at each side, a tubular profile through which the aligned side branches of the tilting flat structures go, and an actuator; the tubular profile is mounted on the longitudinal beams through the rotation shaft, and the actuator relates the side branches to the tubular profile.

7. (canceled)

8. Platform according to claim 1, wherein the rotation shafts and an end of the actuator is mounted onto the carriages, said carriages being connected to an actuator for displacement thereof along said beams.

9. Platform according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal beams are provided with intermediate horizontal passages aligned in both beams, with the cross-sectional rotation shafts being mounted between two of said aligned passages through which the plurality of tilting flat structures are mounted in said beams.

10. Platform according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of tilting flat structures and the beams an arc is arranged for limiting the maximum tilting angle of said plurality of tilting flat structures.

11. Platform according to claim 1, further comprising two upper longitudinal beams which are coupled by means of at least four threaded elements in the elevating mechanism, being provided with spindles in columns, and other two lower longitudinal beams which are coupled by means of at least other four threaded elements mounted in the spindles forming a second set of columns, independent from columns.

12. Platform according to claim 1, wherein the elevating mechanism is provided with spindles forming columns between which longitudinal beams from the same level are mounted being actuated synchronized manner.

13. Platform according to claim 12, wherein the intermediate columns are positioned at both sides of the platform in opposing positions.

14. Platform, according to claim 1 wherein the rotation shaft is arranged in the vicinity of the middle of the tilting flat structure.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The attached drawings show a non-limiting embodiment, wherein they show:

[0025] FIG. 1 a perspective view of a platform constituted according to the invention.

[0026] FIG. 2 a partial perspective view of the platform in FIG. 1, at a bigger scale.

[0027] FIG. 3 a perspective view of possible vehicles comprising the platform of the invention.

[0028] FIG. 4 shows a side elevation view of the truck in FIG. 3 at a bigger scale.

[0029] FIG. 5 a perspective view of a transport platform being retracted.

[0030] FIG. 6 shows a central schematic view of a non-opposing position of the intermediate spindles.

[0031] FIG. 7 a similar view to that of FIG. 2, showing a possible embodiment variant.

[0032] FIG. 7A shows a detail of a possible embodiment variant similar to that of FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

[0033] FIG. 3 shows two cargo platforms (1 and 2) constituted according to the invention, the first of them being part of a truck (3), while the second belongs to a trailer (4).

[0034] The platform (1), FIGS. 1 and 3, comprises two longitudinal beams (5 and 6) being parallel and located at the same height, which are mounted on an elevating mechanism that, in this case, comprises two vertical elevation columns (7). Two tilting flat structures (8) are mounted between every two beams (5 and 6) located at the same height.

[0035] The platform (2), FIG. 3, includes two upper longitudinal beams (5 and 6), located at the same height, between which two tilting flat structures (8) are mounted, and two lower longitudinal beams (5 and 6) also located at the same height, between which a single tilting flat structure (8) is mounted.

[0036] The elevating vertical columns (7) are arranged to match with the ends of the longitudinal beams (5 and 6) and are as high as the truck or trailer which they are part of.

[0037] The platform may include, if necessary, one or more intermediate vertical elevating columns (7), FIG. 6. In case there are intermediate vertical elevating columns (7) and in order to avoid losing cargo net width in the truck, a possibility is provided for these columns not to be in an opposing arrangement in the truck, but instead being located in non-opposing positions at both sides, as it can be seen in FIG. 6.

[0038] As it can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, each tilting flat platform (8) is mounted between two beams (5 and 6) by means of two aligned cross-sectional shafts (9) and is also related to said beams by means of an actuator (10), for example, of an hydraulic type. Activation of this actuator causes tilting of the tilting flat structure (8) until reaching the desired position in each case.

[0039] In FIG. 3, in the trailer (4) it can be seen that the actuator (10) that fixes the tilting flat structure (8) allows fixing said inclination by rotating said structure (8) both clockwise and anti-clockwise, so as to adjust to the different nature of the cargo and the different dimensions of the vehicles in each case.

[0040] The elevating vertical columns (7) consist of, in the depicted example, vertical spindles, FIGS. 1 and 2, where threaded elements (11) are mounted. Rotation of the spindles of the columns (7) over themselves will cause the threaded elements (11) to go up or down. In the platform (2), FIG. 3, the upper longitudinal beams (5 and 6) are coupled, by means of at least four threaded elements (11), to the spindles of the columns (7) and the other lower longitudinal beams (5 and 6) are also coupled, by means of at least other four threaded elements (11), to the spindles of another independent set of columns (7) and being parallel to columns (7) of the upper platform.

[0041] As safety means, between each tilting flat structure (8) and the longitudinal beams (5 and 6), an arc (12) can be arranged, FIG. 2, limiting the maximum tilting angle of said structures.

[0042] The threaded elements displacement (11) supporting the beams (5-6) located at the same height will be synchronized, for example, by means of the action of a single motor (13), FIGS. 2 and 7, situated under the transport platform so as not to take cargo capacity away, FIG. 1. Through the transmission bars (14) a mechanical coupling can be achieved causing rotation of all the spindles over themselves at the same time.

[0043] The tilting flat structures (8) are constituted, FIG. 2, by a frame configured as a telescopic frame comprising two U-shaped rims (16) having the side branches (17) thereof aligned and connected by means of a telescopic mechanism consisting of, for example, an intermediate tubular profile (18), through which the aligned side branches (17) go, and an actuator, for example, of the hydraulic type. The tubular profile (18) is mounted on the longitudinal beams (5-6) through the shaft (9) holding the tubular profile (18) at the outer area thereof, so as to allow the branches (17) slide along said tubular profile by means of an actuator (19), for example of the hydraulic type, in order to longitudinally displace the flat structures, with respect to the longitudinal beams (5-6). The rims (16) are provided with cavities (20) for fitting the wheels of the vehicles to be transported, said cavities which may include at least a bar (21) featuring an adjustable position, FIG. 2, that will be fixed in the required position so as to adapt to the different wheel dimensions of the different cars.

[0044] Side telescopic branches (17) will adapt, manually or automatically, to the distance between the axles of the vehicle to be supported. Once the vehicle is placed therein, it will be fixed by means of a bolt (22), FIG. 2, to fix the telescopic movement of the side branches (17).

[0045] Once the telescopic movement of the side branches (17) is fixed, the actuator (19) acts by driving the side branches (17) so as to slide along the tubular profile (18) which is fixed to the longitudinal beams (5 and 6) through the shaft (9), so the platform is longitudinally relocated in the truck forwardly or backwardly up to the limit reaching the length of the actuator (19). Finally, by means of the actuator (10) and arc (12), FIG. 2, the angular position of the flat structures is fixed.

[0046] As it can be seen in FIG. 2, the longitudinal beams (5 and 6) are provided with several orifices (23), FIG. 2, with the object of obtaining an additional adjustment of the longitudinal position of the platforms (8). These orifices (23) are aligned in both beams and between two of them, aligned, the cross-sectional shafts (9) are mounted, allowing re-location of the shaft (9) of the platforms (8) along the longitudinal beams (5 and 6) depending on the dimensions of the vehicles to be transported. Changing the orifice (23) of the tilting flat structure (8) must be done manually in this case when the platforms are at the truck base before the vehicle loading process.

[0047] In order to perform this movement along the longitudinal beams (5 and 6) automatically, a carriage (25) having bearings has been provided which works as a displacement means for the rotation shaft (9) of at least one of the tilting structures. The shaft (9) and an end of the actuator (10) are mounted onto said carriage (25), as it is shown in FIG. 7. This carriage (25) with bearings would displace along the longitudinal beams (5 and 6) being driven by an actuator (26) which could be of the hydraulic type, this detail being seen in further detail in FIG. 7A. Concretely, FIG. 7A shows a carriage (25) being provided with a number of bearings in order to allow displacement of the carriage (25) and therefore displacement of the cross-sectional shaft (9), in different positions along the longitudinal beam (5). In a particularly preferred embodiment, the cross-sectional shaft (9) is in the vicinity of middle of the tilting structure of the platform, that is, away from the ends. Additionally, blocking the carriage (25) movement can be achieved by means of bolting as it can be seen in FIG. 7, or by blocking the actuator (26) in a fixed position.

[0048] The space delimited between every two U-shaped rims (16) of the tilting flat structures will allow a maximum proximity of the vehicles to be transported, thus allowing approximating the roof top of a vehicle to the bottom of the one being on top, and thus reducing the height at a maximum grade and transporting two rows of vehicles in a cargo truck as it is depicted in the embodiment of FIG. 4.

[0049] When it is not necessary to adjust or vary the length of the tilting flat structures (8), said structures can be constituted by a fixed rectangular frame.

[0050] Through the platform of the invention, for use thereof in cargo transportation, the longitudinal beams (5 and 6) and the tilting flat structures (8) are displaced until reaching its highest position and are located in a totally horizontal position so as to occupy the minimum space, with the platform thus becoming free for rear or side loading thereof, as it is shown in FIG. 5. Also, the longitudinal beams (5 and 6) and the tilting flat structures (8) can be displaced up to the platform surface and by means of coverings can create a continuous load surface.

[0051] When the platform is used for the transport of vehicles, at the moment these are loaded, the platform is presented having the flat structures on said platform floor by displaying ramps, at the rear part of said platform, allowing lifting the vehicles.

[0052] The length of each flat structure is adjusted to the distance between the car axles, and once said length is adjusted bolts (22) are provided, FIG. 2, so as to secure the selected length and then the loading of vehicles is carried out with, after which the wheels are fastened with slings.

[0053] Then, the vehicles loaded in the upper level structures are lifted, so that the vehicles of the lower deck can be loaded. In order to elevate the vehicles of the upper deck and for them not to touch the roof top, the roofs will have to be provided with independent telescopic mechanisms which allow said action. Once the cars from the lower area are positioned and fastened with slings, the height of the upper level is adjusted, as well as the angle of the tilting flat structures by actuating the actuator (10) and adjusting the longitudinal position by means of the actuator (19), and the selected positions are fixed by means of pins (24) and the arc (12), FIG. 2.

[0054] For unloading the cars these operations are carried out inversely.

[0055] For a maximum use of the space, both the roof tops and the front and rear doors of the trucks, trailers or swap bodies are intended so that they can be eventually made of canvas which can be rolled up so that the transport can take place having one of these parts open and thus being able to take the cars up to the end of the means of transport with the purpose of maximizing both the net height and length.