VEHICLE SUPERSTRUCTURE

Abstract: A superstructure (3) of vehicles (1) enabling option between transport of fluids, bulk and part loads. The vehicle superstructure (3) comprises a container (9) of liquid and/or bulk material and the vehicle (1) has a loading surface (2) for part loads. The container (9) is pivotably arranged around a substantially horizontal axle (13) between a position of use (dashed line in Fig. 1) and a position of repose (dash and dot line in Fig. 1). When the container (9) is located in its position of repose it is swung away from at least part of the loading surface (2) which can then support part loads. The vehicle superstructure (3) comprises walls (5-7) and a roof (8), which can be opened, and the container (9) is located inside a space defined by the loading surface (2), walls (4-7) and roof (8). An improved transport economy is made possible by means of the vehicle superstructure according to the invention due to the fact that the option is increased in view of return loads, and at the transport a very favourable placement of the load relative to the axles and wheels of the vehicle is always obtained.

Description: ? Vehicle superstructure This invention relates to a vehicle superstructure enabling option at transport of fluids, bulk and general loads, the vehicle superstructure comprising at least one container for fluids and/or bulk material and the vehicle having a loading surface for mixed goods. For reasons of transport economy it is desired to be able to alternately carry out transports of fluids, bulk and general loads with a minimum of rearrangement meas¬ ures. This makes possible increased option at return 0 loads, which is of a great importance in view of profit¬ ability. It is the object of this invention to provide a vehicle superstructure which simply makes possible op¬ tion between transports of fluids, bulk and mixed loads 5 with a minimum of rearrangement measures, and this object is achieved in that the vehicle superstructure has been given the characteristic features defined in the claims. One advantage of the invention in comparison with previously known alternative solutions is that a vehicle 0 superstructure according to the invention has no limita¬ tions as regards e.g. loading and unloading directions on the vehicle, and it is possible to carry out loading as- well as discharge from above by means of a crane, an overhead crane or the like as well as loading and 5 discharge from the side by means of e.g. a goods vehicle in the form of a fork lift truck or the like. There are no limitations as to available height of loading space at transport of part loads beyond what is controlled by vehicle rules and the like, i.e. liquid or bulk contai- 0 ners on the vehicle do not limit the loading height of the miscellaneous goods in their upturned position of non-use. The inventive vehicle superstructure also en¬ ables that at transport of the various types of materi¬ als the load can always be placed very favourably in re- lation to the axles and wheels of the vehicles, i.e. an advantageous axle pressure distribution is obtained. Fur-?; thermore, at transport of liquid and bulk loads a low centre of gravity of the load is obtained, which is of an extremely great importance at such loads. Illustrative examples of the invention will be de¬ scribed in greater detail in the following with refer¬ ence to the enclosed drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a schematic lateral view of a truck supporting a vehicle superstructure according to the invention. Fig. 2 is a schematic top plan view of the vehicle superstructure according to Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a schematic lateral view of a trailer vehicle also supporting a vehicle super¬ structure according to the invention, and Fig. 4 is a schematic top plan view of the vehicle superstructure according to Fig. 3. Fig. 1 shows a vehicle in the form of a truck 1 which supports on its platform surface 2 a vehicle super¬ structure 3 according to the invention. The vehicle su- perstructure 3 comprises walls 4-7 and/or a roof 8. The walls 5-7 can preferably be opened, and the same applies to the roof 8, as i.a. the greatest possible option is obtained in this way in respect of loading and unload¬ ing directions at loading and discharge of part loads. The vehicle superstructure 3 according to the invention also comprises a container 9 for liquid or bulk loads, which container is shown in Fig. 1 with dashed lines in a let-down position of use and in the same figure with dash and dot lines in an upturned position of non-use or repose. There is also a possibility of providing the wall 4 with a bulge 11 above the driver's cab 10 of the truck 1, which enables that the container 9, if desired, can also be made with a corresponding bulge 12. The con¬ tainer 8 is pivotally arranged between its position of use and position of repose about an axle 13. Pivotal operation between said positions can be carried out by the aid of a hoist means (not shown) or some other de- vice suitable for this. The container 9 is shown in Fig. 2 in its upturned position of repose, and- it is realized -- from this figure that part loads can be placed on the floor surface 2 in a space defined by the underside 14, 5 walls 5-7 and roof 8 of the container 9. A vehicle superstructure 22 according to the inven¬ tion is shown in Fig. 3 as arranged on the platform sur¬ face 21 of a trailer vehicle 20. The vehicle superstruc¬ ture 22 comprises walls 23-26 and/or a roof 27. The walls 10 24, 25 and the roof 27 are preferably arranged so that they can be opened in order to obtain the best loading and unloading posibilities. Two containers 28, 29 for liquid or bulk transport are arranged within the space defined by the floor surface 21 , walls 23-26 and roof 15 27. The containers 28, 29 are shown in Fig. 3 by means of dashed lines in their position of use and by means of dash and dot lines in their upturned position of re¬ pose. In said position of repose they are placed furthest to the front and rearwards, respectively, in the space 20 defined by the walls 23-26 and the roof 27. The con¬ tainers 28, 29 are pivotable between their positions of use and repose about their axles 30 and 31 , respectively. Moreover, it is apparent from Fig. 3 that the configura¬ tion of the containers can be adapted to possible ir- 25 regularities on the floor surface 21 of the trailer ve¬ hicle 20. The available loading space at transport of part loads is defined by the undersides 32 and 33, res¬ pectively, the floor surface 21, the walls 24, 25 and the roof 27 of the containers 28, 29, which is best ap- 30 parent from Fig. 4 showing the containers 28, 29 in up¬ turned position of repose. Also in this embodiment it is suitable to swing the containers 28, 29 between the positions of use and repose by means of a hoist device (not shown) or some other manoeuvering device suitable 35 for this. It will be appreciated that other placing possibili¬ ties of the containers than those shown here are possible within the scope of the invention. The truck according to Fig. 1 can for instance support two containers, which in upturned position of repose are furthest to the front and rearwards on the platform surface of the vehicle. It is also possible to arrange on the truck only one con¬ tainer which is furthest to the back side of the plat¬ form surface of the vehicle in upturned position. A se¬ ries of variations are of course possible as regards the number of containers and their design and placement on the vehicle. It has been presupposed here that the vehicles are provided with a loading surface of some kind capable of supporting part loads, containers and superstructure, but the loading surface can of course also be included as part of the vehicle superstructure. Thus, the invention is not restricted to what has been shown and described, but amendments and modifica¬ tions thereof are possible within the scope of the ap¬ pended claims.

Claims: Patent claims 1. Superstructure (3; 22) of vehicles (1, 20) en¬ abling option between transport of fluids, bulk and part loads, said vehicle superstructure comprising at least one container (9; 28, 29) for liquid and/or bulk material and the vehicle (1; 20) having a loading surface (2; 21) for part loads, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the container (9, 28, 29) is pivotally arranged about a substantially horisontal axle (13; 30, 31) between a position of use and a position of repose so that the centre of gravity of the container, when it is pivotally operated, is moved lengthwise of the vehicle and that when the container is placed in its position of use it is swung away from at least part of the loading surface {2} 21) which is then capable of supporting a part load. 2. Vehicle superstructure according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the container (9) in its position of repose is located at the front or rear portion of the loading surface (2) of the vehicle (1) calculated in the normal moving direction of said vehicle. 3. Vehicle superstructure according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that there are two containers (28, 29), that one container (28) in its position of repose is located at the front portion of the vehicle (20) calculated in the normal moving direc¬ tion thereof, that the other container (29) in its po¬ sition of repose is located at the rear portion of the vehicle (20) calculated in the normal moving direction thereof, and that the containers (28, 29) are pivotally arranged about each their axle (30, 31) in order to get more closely to each other in their positions of use and at least partly cover a loading surface (21) inten¬ ded for a part load. 4. Vehicle superstructure according to any one of claims 1-3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that it comprises walls (4-7; 23-26) and/or a roof (8; 27), and that at least one wall can be opened and/or that the roof can be opened. 5. Vehicle superstructure according to claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i-z e d in that the container (9) or containers (28, 29) are located inside a space de¬ fined by the loading surface (2; 21), walls (4-7; 23-26) and/or roof (8; 27).

Inventors: WESTLING CURT, WESTLING, CURT
Applicants: ENERGITRANSPORTER I PITEAO AB
Application year: 1985
Main classification: B60P3
IPC codes: B60P3