PLATFORM FOR MOVING THE LOAD HORIZONTALLY PROVIDED WITH SLIDING ELEMENTS TRANSLATING VERTICALLY

Abstract: The invention is a new loading platform with modular element for moving the load horizontally in any direction, each modular element consists of a lower plane (1) with parallel ways (1.1), some listels (2) with upper surface undulated (2.1) sliding in the ways of the lower plane, some cylindrical or parallelepiped sliding elements (3) whose ends are provided with spheres (3.1) of which the lower one rests on the undulated upper surfaces of the listels, an upper plane (4) provided with holes (4.1) in which said sliding elements slide vertically. When the sliding elements are lifted, that is they rest on the higher point of the undulated surface of the listels, their upper sphere protrudes over the upper surface of the upper plane and when the sliding elements are lowered, that is they rest on the lower point of the undulated surface of the listels, their upper sphere is lower than the upper surface of the upper plane. Some ending elements (5) are applied on the edges of the ending modular elements and some actuators (6), which translate the sliding listels, are housed into said ending elements. The new loading platform is particularly used in the vehicles which transport goods, in the storehouse and in the stores.

Description: TITLE PLATFORM FOR MOVING THE LOAD HORIZONTALLY PROVIDED WITH SLIDING ELEMENTS TRANSLATING VERTICALLY DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to the field of goods handling and particularly concerns a new loading platform with sliding elements translating vertically in order to move the load horizontally. Plants, warehouses, premises for stocking goods have a loading platform with a smooth bottom in which the handling operations are carried out by means of conveyor belts, forklift trunks, and by pushing the packages manually in case of less accessible positions. The transport by means of forklift trucks requires wide rooms for manoeuvre, the transport by means of conveyor belts implies limitations due to the dimensions of such systems and, at last, the manual transport can be carried out only in case of few and small packages. The vehicles which transport parcels, pallets, boxes, packages in general are provided with a loading platform with a smooth bottom. The operations of loading and unloading on such loading platforms are carried out by means of forklift trucks and by pushing manually the packages in the less accessible positions. The manual loading is quite expensive and slow owing to the friction between the packages and the loading platform, whereas the loading by means of forklift trucks is more comfortable and quicker. The space around the loading platform is reduced and the movement of any forklift trucks is consequently limited. Some vehicles are provided with loading platform with sliding longitudinal staves. Such staves are being translated from the bottom towards the opening of the loading room independently the one from the other and just for a few tens of centimetres. Translating alternatively a single stove or a couple of stoves it is possible to carry a row of packages from the bottom of the loading room towards the opening and vice versa. These loading platforms are comfortable during the loading and unloading operations but there is the drawback that the all row of packages is being moved and the packages have to be moved sideways in another way, usually by hand. In order to overcome the above cited drawbacks, a new platform has been designated and carried out which is provided with sliding elements translating vertically to move the load in every horizontal direction. The new loading platform is comprised mainly of parallelepiped modular elements provided with sliding elements translating vertically in a controlled way, and of terminal elements with actuators. Each modular element consists of a lower plane provided with a series of parallel ways, some intermediate listels placed on said ways with the upper surface undulated, some vertical sliding elements resting on these undulated surfaces ending at the extremities with a sphere and a upper plane provided with holes. The lower plane forms the bottom of the modular element. On its upper surface there are the parallel ways which are preferably equidistant. Near the edge there is a further horizontal groove which is perpendicular to the ways. The listels consist of some metallic bars whose width is equal to the width of the ways of the lower plane, and whose length is greater than the lower plan. The upper surface of the listels is undulated that is it shows alternate concavity and convexity. The ends of each listel can be connected, that is each listel can be coupled with another aligned listel of the modular element placed side by side so as to maintain the continuity of the upper concavity and convexity of the two listels. Each sliding element consists of a body preferably cylindrical having a sphere at each upper end, such sphere is held by the sliding element but it is free to rotate around its centre. The diameter of each sliding element is indicatively equal to the width of a listel with undulated upper surface. The upper plane forms the upper surface of the modular element and is provided with a series of through holes arranged in lines which are parallel to the edges of the upper plane. Each hole of the upper plane has a diameter equal to the diameter of a sliding element so as to contain and allow the vertical sliding of the sliding elements. The distance between the various rows of holes is preferably equal, in a direction, to the pace between the ways of the lower plane and, in the other direction, to the pace between the convexity and the concavity of the undulated surface of the listels. On the lower edge of the upper plane there is a projection which allows the correct coupling between the upper plane and the lower one. The various parts described till now are coupled so that: the upper plane and the lower one are coupled through the lower projection of the upper plane in the groove of the lower plane; the listels with undulated upper surface are housed and slide in the ways of the lower plane; the sliding elements house perfectly in the holes of the upper plane and their lower sphere rolls on the undulated upper surface of the listels. In this way, the sliding elements translate vertically according to the position of the listels: they are lifted when the higher parts (convexities) of the undulated surface of the listels match the holes of the upper plane (and of the sliding elements) and are lowered when the lower parts (concavities) of the undulated surface of the listels match the holes of the upper plane. The thickness and the height of the various parts described above are such that when the sliding elements are lifted their upper sphere protrudes over the upper surface of the upper plane and when the sliding elements are lowered their upper sphere is lower than the upper surface of the upper plane. Each modular element so formed can be positioned side by side and connected with other modular elements constraining mutually the listels with the undulated surface of the various modular elements: all the listels lined up and connected form a single listel and the translation of the first listel of the modular element implies the translation of all the other connected listels. The ending elements with actuators are formed by an edge with a rectangular section shape, such edge is as long as the side of the modular element which shows all the ends of the listels with undulated surface. Such ending elements have the same thickness of the modular elements so as to have continuity of the upper surface of the loading plane. Inside the ending elements there are so many actuators as the listels protruding from the modular element; each actuator is so as to be constrain to the protruding end of a listel and to control the translation along the way in which it is housed. The actuators can be of mechanical, electromechanical, hydraulic type or of other proper type and they are controlled singularly or in group by means of switch- valves which are hand-operated or interlocked by a gearcase. The new loading platform is being formed placing side by side and connecting some modular elements so as to cover preferably all the surface of the loading plane; the modular elements are preferably positioned so that the listels with undulated surface are facing the direction of the length or the direction of the greater dimension of the loading room, the ending elements are positioned preferably at the end of the listels which are connected in correspondence of a head of the loading room. The new loading platform formed in this way, has the advantage of making the transport of each package in any direction easy and comfortable. Actually, when it is necessary to load or move some packages on the loading platform is enough to activate the actuators which operate a translation of the listels with the consequence that the sliding elements are lifted and project their upper spheres over the surface of the loading plane. Thus, the packages can be moved easily since, instead of rubbing on the surface of the loading plane, they slide nearly without friction on the spheres of the sliding elements. Once the loading, the unloading and/or the movement of the packages are finished, the actuators are operated in the opposite direction translating the listels in the opposite direction as well with the consequence that the sliding element are lowered and the packages are laid on the loading plane. Such modular elements are preferably positioned horizontally but they can be positioned also with other proper inclinations and/or on movable planes (lifts). The plane described above can be easily used in the storage systems and in the handling with overlapped planes which are not accessible by loading machinery such as crabs, forklift trucks, conveyor belts, etc. The description of the new loading platform is now given with reference to the drawings shown in the enclosed tables which are an example without limitation of the innovative concept. Figure 1 shows the separated parts which form the modular element of the new loading platform: the lower plate (1) with ways (1.1) and groove (1.2), the listels (2) with the upper surface undulated (2.1) and the male - female ends (2.2) for the connection with the other listels (2) of the modular elements placed side by side, the vertical sliding elements (3), the upper plane (4) with holes (4.1) and lower projection (4.2), the ending element (5) with the actuators (6). In the figures 2a and 2b two vertical sections of the two sliding elements (3) are shown: the first (fig. 2a) shows a sphere (3.1) in both the ends while the second (fig. 2b) shows a sphere (3.1) at the upper end and a roller (3.2) at the lower end. Figures 3 a and 3b show a vertical section of the new modular element of the new loading platform in which it is possible to see the two extreme positions of the listels (2) in which the sliding elements (3) are being positioned completely beneath the upper surface of the upper plane (4) or are being lowered where a part of their upper sphere (3.1) is over the upper surface of the upper plane (4). Therefore, with reference to the above description and to the enclosed tables, the following claims are put forth.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Loading platform for moving the load horizontally characterised in that it comprises some modular elements wherein each modular element consists of a lower plane with parallel ways, some listels with the upper surface undulated which slide in the ways of the lower plane, some cylindrical or parallelepiped sliding elements whose ends are provided with spheres of which the lower sphere lays on the upper undulated surfaces of the listels, an upper plane provided with holes in which such sliding elements slide vertically. 2. Loading platform for moving the load horizontally according to claim 1, characterised in that the various thickness and height of the various parts are such that when the sliding elements are lifted that is they rest on the higher point of the undulated surface of the listels their upper sphere protrudes over the upper surface of the upper plane and when the sliding elements are lowered that is they rest on the lower point of the undulated surface of the listels their upper sphere is lower than the upper surface of the upper plane. 3. Loading platform for moving the load horizontally, according to claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the sliding elements are not provided with a sphere but with a rotating roller in their lower part. 4. Loading platform for moving the load horizontally, according to claims 1, 2 and 3, characterised in that the listels are provided with shaped ends such as to be connected to the other aligned listels of the modular elements placed side by side maintaining the continuity of the upper undulated surface. 5. Loading platform for moving the load horizontally, according to claims 1, 2, 3 and 4, characterised in that it is provided with ending elements applied on the edges of the modular elements from which protrude the ends of the sliding listels and wherein the ending elements house the actuators which translate the sliding listels. 6. Loading platform for moving the load horizontally, according to claims 1, 2, 3, 4 characterised in that it is provided with a gearcase operating and checking said actuators which translate the sliding listels

Inventors: FAGGIOTTO ELBERINO, FAGGIOTTO, ELBERINO
Applicants: FAGGIOTTO ELBERINO, SPI SRL, FAGGIOTTO, ELBERINO
Application year: 2001
Main classification: B65G39
IPC codes: B65G7, B65G13, B65G39