TRANSPORTER

Abstract: The transporter comprises a wheeled chassis 1 including a lower deck 2. An upper deck 8 is supported from the chassis 1 by front and rear pairs of columns 6 and 7 respectively, and both ends of the deck can be raised and lowered independently by rams 9, 10 mounted with their cylinders uppermost. A middle deck 16 is suspended from the upper deck 8 by wire ropes 17. The ropes are connected to rams enabling both ends of the deck to be raised and lowered independently. The front of the middle deck is guided vertically by supports 23 depending from the top deck, and the rear is guided by columns 7. The height of the lower deck 2 is reduced by dividing the deck to receive the wheel axles of the bogie 4 such that the axles form part of the deck.

Description: Car transporters carrying anything up to seven average size family saloons are familiar vehicles on our roads, but with rising fuel and maintenance costs there is a need for a transporter capable of carrying additional payloads. Previous attempts at solving this problem have always taken a penalty with height and loading times. According to the present invention, the solution lies in a transporter comprising a wheeled chassis including a lower deck, and an upper deck supported from the chassis and arranged such that its rear end can be lowered for loading and unloading, characterised by a middle deck which is located between the upper and lower decks and is adjustable in height. The invention also provides a transporter in which the lower deck is divided to receive the wheel axle/s of the transporter such that the axle/s form/s part of the deck. The invention will now be exemplified with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of the trailer section of an articulated transporter in accordance with the invention with the decks in their normal travelling positions, Figure 2 is a similar view of the trailer showing the decks in their loading and unloading positions, Figure 3 shows a locking arrangement of the decks, Figure 4 shows the arrangement for raising and lowering the middle deck, and Figure 5 is a sectional detail of the bogie arrangement employed in the transporter. The trailer comprises a chassis 1 including a lower deck 2 and a front deck 3 located over a tractor (not shown). The chassis has a rear bogie 4 and auxiliary wheels 5 which can be lowered to support the front of the chassis. The chassis carries a pair of front columns 6 and a pair of rear columns 7 which vertically guide and longitudinally locate a top deck 8. The top deck can be raised and lowered at both ends of the trailer by front rams 9 and rear rams 10 pivotally coupled to the top deck and the chassis. The rams are mounted upside down (cylinders uppermost) so that rainwater tends to run out of the outer sections reducing the risk of corrosion. Each front ram 9 is provided with a threaded extension which projects through a top wall of the respective column 6 and carries a locking nut 11. The nut can be tightened down to lock the upper deck when travelling. Each rear column 7 carries a ratchet 12 (Fig. 3) which is co-operable with a pawl 13 pivoted to the upper deck 8. The pawl is loaded into engagement with the ratchet by a spring 14, and a ram 15 allows the pawl to be disengaged. The pawl therefore allows the rear of the deck to be raised but it can only be lowered on actuation of ram 15. A middle deck 16 is suspended from the top deck 8 by front and rear pairs of wire ropes 17. As shown in Fig. 4, each pair of ropes are joined to the middle deck at 18 and travel over pulleys 19, 20 to the centre of the upper deck where they travel longitudinally to a common block 21 connected to a ram 22. A similar arrangement is provided for both the front and rear pairs of ropes so that the front and rear of the deck can be raised and lowered independently. The middle deck is vertically guided and longitudinally located at the front by a pair of supports 23 extending downwardly from the top deck and at the rear by rear columns 7. The rear of middle deck 16 is lockable by a further hydraulically releasable spring loaded pawl, again co-operating with the ratchet 12. The front can be locked by tightening screws 24 into contact with the deck. Ramps 25, which are usually stowed in the chassis, are provided for loading and unloading. The bogie 4 has twin axles 26, 27 (Fig. 5). The lower deck 2 is divided into sections 2 a - c and the axles are mounted in gaps 28, 29 between the deck sections so that the upper surface of the axles forms part of the deck. The portion of the lower deck in the region of the bogie can therefore be substantially reduced in height. To load the trailer the middle deck is first raised to the underside of the top deck. Top deck pawls 13 are released and rear rams 10 are retracted to lower the rear of the top deck (Fig. 2). Ramps 25 are connected and the top deck is loaded. The top deck is then raised and the height of the middle deck is adjusted by rams 22 to first load the front deck 3 and then the middle deck itself, again using the ramps 25. The top and middle decks are then raised fully and the ramps are connected to the bottom deck so that this too can be loaded. The ramps are then stowed inside the chassis. The top and middle decks can now be lowered with the pawls released to achieve the lowest possible travelling height. The pawls are then re-engaged and nuts 11 and screws 24 tightened to lock the decks for travelling. The trailer is unloaded in the reverse sequence. The middle deck could be raised up to the top deck so that the trailer could be used as a conventional two deck transporter.

Claims: 1. A transporter comprising a wheeled chassis (1) including a lower deck (2), and an upper deck (8) supported from the chassis and arranged such that its rear end can be lowered for loading and unloading, characterised by a middle deck (16) which is located between the upper and lower decks and is adjustable in height. 2. A transporter according to Claim 1, in which the middle deck (16) is suspended from the upper deck (8). 3. A transporter according to Claim 2, in which the middle deck (16) is suspended by flexible elements (17) operated by rams (22). 4. A transporter according to any preceding claim, in which the upper deck (8) can be raised and lowered at both ends. 5. A transporter according to Claim 4, in which the upper deck (8) is raised and lowered by rams (9, 10) coupled between the upper deck and the chassis (1) and mounted with their cylinders uppermost. 6. A transporter according to any preceding claim, in which the upper deck (8) is supported from the chassis (1) by front and rear pairs of columns (6, 7) upstanding from the chassis and the middle deck (16) is guided for raising and lowering and located in a fore and aft direction rearwardly by the rear pair of columns (7) and forwardly by a pair of supports (23) extending downwardly from the upper deck (8). 7. A transporter according to Claim 6, in which the rear columns (7) each carry a ratchet formation (12) and the upper deck (8) is provided with pawls (13) arranged to co-operate with the ratchet formations such that they permit the upper deck (8) to be moved in an upward direction only. 8. A transporter according to Claim 7, in which the middle deck (16) is also provided with pawls (13) which co-operate with the ratchet formations (12) to permit the middle deck to be moved in an upward direction only. 9. A transporter according to Claim 7 or 8, including devices (15) for moving the pawls (13) of the respective deck out of engagement with the ratchet formations (12) to permit that deck to be lowered. 10. A transporter which may be in accordance with any preceding claim, in which the lower deck (2) is divided to receive the wheel axle/s (26, 27) of the transporter such that the axle/s form/s part of the deck.

Inventors: PRESTAGE, ANTHONY JOHN
Applicants: WALKER TRIDEX LIMITED
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B60P3
IPC codes: B60P3