Abstract:
To decrease the off-load turn-around time of HGVs, the invention involves inter alia a system including vehicle outrigger and landing gear apparatus adapted to be completely separable from a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) vehicle it is intended to be supported on, including a goods supportable frame mountable to a HGV; and a plurality of moveable outrigger arms fitted to the frame, each outrigger arm further including a landing leg fitted thereto, each outrigger arm being moveable from a stowed to a deployed position enabling the frame to be supported on the landing legs in the deployed position; wherein movement of each outrigger arm from its stowed to its deployed position involves both translation and rotation of the arm relative to the frame; and a HGV.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to Singapore Patent Application No. 10201602197V, filed Mar. 21, 2016, incorporated by reference herein. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to an improved outrigger and landing gear apparatus in particular to an improved rotating outrigger and landing gear apparatus, and systems and methods for operating the same. 
       BACKGROUND ART KNOWN TO THE APPLICANT 
       [0003]    The turn-around time associated with the loading and unloading of medium-to-heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) such as walled semis or flat-bed trailers or loaded truck chassis and cabs is one of the largest costs associated with the transport industry as it is inefficient to have a HGV operator idle for long periods and ways and means to cut down this turnaround time are always being sought by the industry. For example, a loading and unloading evolution in the Takkyubin (Japanese National Delivery Service provided by such companies as Kuroneko Yamato and Sagawa Kyubin) service can take approximately two hours (or more) per 9.2 metre (Giga type) HGV Body. 
         [0004]    Detachable truck bodies have been in service incorporating outrigger landing gears 1980&#39;s, the leg systems typified by CA 1060924A1, where a pivoting leg system comprising one pair of legs is attached to the underside of the truck bed and pivot out and downward and are locked in place allowing the detachable truck bed to stand in place while the truck body (chassis and cab) can drive off. 
         [0005]    Other systems include hydraulically or electrically operated landing legs which require either an electrical hook-up to power lifting motors or hydraulic pumps to deploy and or lift the truck bed. These are expensive and typically do not have manual operations in the event of equipment failure. Fully manual systems also take a longer time to deploy and may be difficult for a single person to operate. 
         [0006]    Variants of such landing gear systems do however offer some additional benefits, as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,550. This will allow the system to be deployed on uneven ground however operators need to ensure that the leg length be returned to original length each time and it is still a manual system. The manual deployment action in addition, may prove to be an injury hazard as the legs are freely moveable around the horizontal and lateral axes if the operator loses grip or slips. 
         [0007]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to try and alleviate at least some of the aforementioned problems. 
         [0008]    For the avoidance of doubt, in this specification the term ‘heavy goods vehicle’ or ‘HGV’ includes those of the type known generally as an ‘empty truck chassis and cab’. 
       STATEMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    With the foregoing in view, the invention, although embodied in several different aspects, is so linked as to form part of a single general inventive concept. 
         [0010]    Accordingly, the invention in one aspect resides broadly in a vehicle outrigger and landing gear apparatus adapted to be completely separable from a vehicle it is intended to be supported on including:
       a goods supportable frame mountable to a heavy goods vehicle (HGV); and   a plurality of moveable outrigger arms fitted to the frame, each outrigger arm further including a landing leg fitted thereto, each outrigger arm being moveable from a stowed to a deployed position enabling the frame to be supported on the landing legs in the deployed position;
 
wherein movement of each outrigger arm from its stowed to its deployed position involves both translation and rotation of the arm relative to the frame.
       
 
         [0013]    When such a piece of apparatus is carried or fitted to a HGV, the deployment of the apparatus (which can be relatively rapid and controlled) when it is carrying a filled transport container, detachable HGV body, or goods, means that the HGV can simply drive away from the transport container or goods now supported on the deployed free-standing apparatus, to pick up another container or goods laden apparatus. Furthermore, when the apparatus is in its fully deployed position the legs are standing at a distance from a vehicle able to carry the apparatus which assist the driver of the vehicle to drive off relatively rapidly as the driver need not worry about hitting the legs if he does not drive off in a perfectly straight manner. 
         [0014]    In another aspect, the invention resides broadly in a system to enable a HGV to rapidly off-load the goods it is carrying including:
       a vehicle outrigger and landing gear apparatus adapted to support a load, the apparatus including;   a goods supportable frame mountable to a heavy goods vehicle (HGV);   a plurality of moveable outrigger arms fitted to the frame, each outrigger arm further including a landing leg fitted thereto, each outrigger arm being moveable from a stowed to a deployed position enabling the frame to be supported on the landing legs in the deployed position;
 
and wherein movement of each outrigger arm from its stowed to its deployed position involves both translation and rotation of the outrigger arm relative to the frame; and
   a HGV adapted to support the vehicle outrigger and landing gear apparatus.       
 
         [0019]    Providing both the apparatus and the HGV together as part of a system means that the HGV operator can operate the apparatus and this will enable a HGV to off-load it&#39;s load carried on the vehicle outrigger and landing gear apparatus and subsequently drive off to pick up for example another load or a non-load supporting apparatus far more rapidly. 
         [0020]    Preferably, one or more of the outrigger arms are pneumatically operable and the HGV includes means to connect the vehicle&#39;s pneumatic suspension system to the or each pneumatically operable outrigger arm of the vehicle outrigger and landing gear apparatus. 
         [0021]    In either the apparatus or the system, preferably at least some of the pneumatically operable outrigger arms are independently operable from the rest. In such form, there are six pneumatically operable outrigger arms, of which two are independently operable from the other four. 
         [0022]    In either the apparatus or the system, preferably, rotational and translational movement of each outrigger arm occurs simultaneously. 
         [0023]    In either the apparatus or the system, preferably, wherein each outrigger arm is surrounded by one or more fixed collars, the outrigger arm and one or more of its respective collars being provided with one or more pairs of cooperating guide members adapted to cause the rotational movement of the outrigger arm when the outrigger arm moves relative to the collar from its stowed to its deployed position. In such form, the cooperating guide members are respective tongue and groove components. 
         [0024]    In either the apparatus or the system, preferably, the, or each collar is a closed collar. 
         [0025]    In either the apparatus or the system, preferably, the, or each collar is concentric with the outrigger arm. 
         [0026]    In either the apparatus or the system, preferably, the or each collar is a polygonal tube. In such form, at least a portion of the outrigger arm is so sized and mutually polygonally shaped as to cooperatively engage with the polygonal tube. Such an arrangement will serve to trap the outrigger arm in a particular position when the polygonal tube overlies the polygonally shaped portion of the outrigger arm. 
         [0027]    In either the apparatus or the system, preferably, the polygonal tube is a square tube. 
         [0028]    In either the apparatus or the system, preferably, one or more locking bolts is/are provided to lock each of the outrigger arms in either their stowed or deployed position, the or each locking bolt being moveable between a locked and an unlocked position, wherein the or each locking bolt is located on the polygonal tube. With such an arrangement, as any form of load e.g. a filled (or empty) transport container supported on the frame of the deployed apparatus acts through the legs in a cantilever action in the vertical plane, the larger the number of locking bolts in the outrigger arms the better, as it helps to split the load (be it a filled transport container, detachable HGV body, or goods on flat beds without enclosing structure), between them. By contrast the load in the legs acts vertically through the leg which requires no locking bolts. Accordingly, although, they could be extendible, in either the apparatus or the system, preferably, each landing leg is non-extendible. 
         [0029]    As the legs are not extendible, it is particularly preferred if the apparatus is adapted to be pneumatically operable as then, the apparatus could, in principle be so arranged as to be connectable to the pneumatic suspension system of a HGV. This is advantageous as when the vehicle raises and lowers itself through its own pneumatics, the landing legs which themselves, do not possess any lifting capability on their own, (the pneumatic cylinders of the outrigger arms only used for deployment and retraction) are only required to support the frame during deployment. The vehicle simply continues to lower when the landing legs become ground contacting. In such form, the pneumatically actuable vehicle outrigger and landing gear apparatus is actuated by a pair of control boxes. 
         [0030]    Although several ways might be envisioned by which the HGV pneumatic suspension system could be connected to the pneumatic systems of the apparatus, in either the apparatus or the system, preferably the pair of control boxes are adapted to control both the locking bolts, and the pneumatically operable outrigger arms. 
         [0031]    A typical pneumatic suspension of a HGV is meant to be able to lift up to 24 tons based on the vehicle type, and consequently they possess huge pneumatic air bags to be able to do that as part of the vehicle&#39;s pneumatic suspension system. With such an air bag, initially raising the fully laden HGV using the vehicle&#39;s own pneumatic suspension system and subsequently deploying the vehicle outrigger and leg apparatus using the same pneumatic suspension system simply is more practical than designing a separate system. 
         [0032]    The goods supportable frame mountable to a HGV could be mounted to a flat-bed (without enclosing structure or cargo pod) trailer of a HGV but preferably, it is mounted to the chassis of a HGV. 
         [0033]    In either the apparatus or the system, preferably, the apparatus further includes means to engage and disengage the frame from a chassis of a HGV. This has the advantage of enabling the frame to be securely engaged to the vehicle during transportation. 
         [0034]    The invention includes within its scope a HGV incorporating the apparatus as specified hereinabove. 
         [0035]    The invention further includes within its scope a HGV incorporating the apparatus as specified hereinabove, carrying a filled transport container, detachable HGV body, or goods. 
         [0036]    The invention in yet another aspect resides broadly in a method of unloading a HGV including:
       providing a HGV containing a filled transport container, detachable HGV body, or goods on a leg containing goods supportable frame;   raising the frame and separating it from the vehicle such that the frame legs in the raised state are ground contacting; and   allowing the vehicle to move off leaving the goods to be unloaded from the frame.       
 
         [0040]    Such a method would greatly decrease the turnaround time for vehicle operators as the rapid off-loading of the transported goods (enabling it to be unloaded at a different time) yet allowing the HGV operator to move off after off-loading is a far faster arrangement than waiting for the goods that have been transported, to be unloaded. 
         [0041]    Preferably, the leg containing goods supportable frame is the apparatus as specified herein. 
         [0042]    Preferably, the method further includes the step of unlocking the goods supportable frame from the chassis; 
         [0043]    Preferably, separation of the apparatus from the vehicle occurs when the outrigger arms are in their deployed position and as the vehicle lowers. 
         [0044]    As it is envisioned that a raised unloading area (loading bay) will be present in the unloading area and the filled transport container, detachable HGV body, or goods are off-loaded adjacent this area, preferably, the frame remains in its deployed state during unloading and, if required subsequent reloading. 
         [0045]    During recovery of the frame, a HGV positions it&#39;s chassis underneath the frame which is standing on its legs. The vehicle then pneumatically raises itself on its pneumatic suspension such that the chassis contacts the underside of the frame lifting it slightly such that the legs are no longer in contact with the ground. (In the case where the HGV does not possess a pneumatic suspension system to raise the frame, the lifting force could be provided by a variety of existing lifting systems such as hydraulic or electric jack systems.) The frame is then secured to the chassis and reconnected to the pneumatic system of the vehicle and the legs and outriggers (in the case of the present apparatus) are retracted and the vehicle then lowers back to its normal driving position height and the vehicle is now able to drive off. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0046]    In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings wherein: 
           [0047]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view from above of a vehicle outrigger and leg apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention and shows the apparatus in a four-outrigger arms deployed configuration with two outrigger arms stowed; 
           [0048]      FIG. 2  comprises three views of an outrigger arm in isometric view from above of an outrigger arm and locking bolt of apparatus illustrated in  FIG. 1  in both their retracted and stowed ( FIG. 2.1 ) and deployed and locked state ( FIG. 2.3 ).  FIG. 2.2  is an exploded view of the major components to demonstrate how everything connects together; 
           [0049]      FIG. 3  shows the side elevation and the isometric view of an outrigger arm shaft with square and circular cross-section sections. The figure also shows inter alia a pair of milled key slots in the outrigger shaft body—totally four slots on each shaft body to induce a 90° rotation as the shaft extends, and reversing the rotation as the shaft retracts; 
           [0050]      FIG. 4  illustrates isometric ( 4 . 1 ), side ( 4 . 2 ), and end elevations ( 4 . 2 ) of a square collar, and a guide key bolt ( 4 . 4 ) which engages the milled key slots on the outrigger shaft body shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0051]      FIG. 5  illustrates how the outrigger arm extends and rotates through 90° to move the leg part from its stowed horizontal position to a deployed vertical position and away from the stowed position, and the effect of the lock bolt to secure the entire system from lateral movement; 
           [0052]      FIGS. 6-8  illustrate a pictorial representation of how the apparatus, when operatively connected to a heavy goods vehicle to form a system, deploys from its stowed to its deployed position: 
           [0053]      FIG. 9  illustrates a pictorial representation of the front face of the Master control box and Sub control box which serve to connect the pneumatic system of an HGV to the pneumatic components of the rotating outrigger and landing gear apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0054]      FIG. 10  is an isometric view of the apparatus in its stowed position ( FIG. 10.1 ) and deployed positions (extending outward and rotating the legs downwards) in a six-leg configuration ( FIG. 10.2 ) and in a four-legs deployed configuration ( FIG. 10.3 ), with control boxes and pneumatic air line connections (dashed lines); and 
           [0055]      FIG. 11  is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of the outrigger arm, and shows a counterbalancing weight fitted to the leg part of an outrigger arm. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0056]      FIG. 1  shows a rotating outrigger and landing gear apparatus of the present invention generally referenced  10 , which is adapted to be completely separable from a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) to which it is intended to be carried on, and operatively connected to. 
         [0057]    In addition, the apparatus  10  will allow a filled transport container, detachable HGV body, or goods, carried by the HGV and mounted on top of the goods supportable rectangular frame  11 , to freely stand on the apparatus  10 , when the apparatus  10  is in its fully deployed position. 
         [0058]    The frame  11  is mounted to the proximal end of six (in some configurations—typically smaller vehicles, only four are needed), elongate, pneumatically moveable outrigger arms  12  which are able to slide from a stowed to a deployed position. During the translational sliding motion, they are also able to rotate through 90°, rotation occurring only when translational movement occurs. A ground contactable leg  13  forming part of the outrigger arm  12  is connected to the distal end of each of the outrigger arms  12 , and during the 90° rotation, the leg  13  moves from a horizontal position with its primary axis parallel with the primary axis of the frame, to a vertical position with its primary axis orthogonal to the primary axis of the frame. In this way, the outrigger arms  12  are moveable between a stowed and a deployed position to support the frame  10  via the legs  13  above the ground in the deployed position. The apparatus  10  also contains a locking bolt  14  per outrigger arm  12 . Each of the locking bolts  14  is adapted to be moveable (see later) between a locked and an unlocked position so as to lock each of the arms  12  and legs  13  in either their stowed or deployed position. 
         [0059]    The arrangement of the aforementioned component parts of the apparatus  10  are such that when the apparatus  10  in its fully deployed position, on account of both the horizontal telescopic extension and 90° rotation of the leg into a vertical position, the entire apparatus  10  is located at a distance from a vehicle able to carry the apparatus  10 . 
         [0060]    Each outrigger arm  12  includes the following major components: 
         [0000]    a hollow shaft  15  with alternating circular  31  and square  32  cross sections, and four milled guide key slots  33 ;
 
a pneumatic cylinder  22  having a pneumatic rod, and means of securing the pneumatic rod of pneumatic cylinder  22  located within the shaft  15  which, when in the stowed position, the pneumatic cylinder  22  rests inside the hollow portion of the shaft  15 ;
 
a leg  13  of hollow square cross section;
 
a solid circular section leg-mounting shaft  34  located at the distal end of the hollow shaft  15  which the leg  13  is welded to;
 
         [0061]    The upper face of a mounting plate  20  which, at its proximal end is mounted to a right angled mounting bracket  21  (which secures the fixed end of the outrigger arm&#39;s pneumatic deployment piston  21 ,  22 ) is welded to the underside of the frame; and two hollow square collars  23 , also secured to the lower face of mounting plate  20 . 
         [0062]    Together these two hollow square collars  23  each have two location holes  25  for guide key bolts  24 . These guide key bolts  24  directly fit into and cooperate with the guide key slots  33  milled into the outrigger arm shaft  15  and cause the outrigger arm to rotate through 90° as it slides longitudinally by force of the pneumatic piston  22 . Four lock bolt mounting holes  26  together with a lock bolt hole  27  are located on one face of each square collar  23  to accommodate a lock-bolt mechanism  14 , the lock bolt of which is return spring biased towards and adapted to pass through the lock bolt hole  27  to secure the outrigger arm  12  either its stowed or deployed position. A pull ring  28  is provided for use in manual operation. 
         [0063]    Each square collar  23  is so dimensioned as to provide a clearance sliding fit for the square cross-section  32  of shaft  15 , and thus snugly fits the square cross section  32  portion of the shaft  15  to prevent any further rotation of the outrigger arm, once this cross-sectional portion  32  of shaft  15  has entered the collar  23 . 
         [0064]      FIG. 11  shows an alternative embodiment of the present invention. The weight of the ground contactable leg  13  forming part of the outrigger arm  12  is relatively heavy and in order to ensure that pneumatic operation of the outrigger arm  12 , it may be necessary to provide the leg  13  with a counterbalance weight  60  at its non-ground-contacting end as indicated here. This ensures that a relatively small pneumatic pump in the outrigger arm is capable of lifting/rotating the leg  13  as the counter-balance weight  60  on the other side of the pivot point  34  assists in the ‘lift/rotation’ of the leg during movement especially from its deployed to its stowed position. 
         [0065]    A main control box  50  and sub-control box  51  is also provided (intended to be located away from moving parts for safety reasons) which serves as a means of:
       a) conveniently linking the pneumatic system of the HGV to the pneumatic systems  22 ,  28  of the apparatus  10 ; and   b) actuation for the combined apparatus and HGV system which will enable the HGV to rapidly off-load the goods it is carrying.       
 
         [0068]    The main control box  50  includes a pair of mechanical valves  52 ,  53 :
       i) the first valve  52 , for the simultaneous release of lock bolts; and   ii) the second valve  53 , for the simultaneous control, deployment and return of all of the outrigger arms  12 .       
 
         [0071]    The main control box  50  also contains the two additional selector rotary switches  54 ,  55 
       i) the first rotary switch  54  allows the operator to select either 4-leg or 6-leg operations depending on the load. In the case where the apparatus only has 4 legs (typically for smaller or lighter HGVs) the rotary switch  53  is deleted, and   ii) the second rotary switch  55  is the Air-Master ON/OFF switch which provides or shuts off air to the pneumatic systems within the apparatus prior to the HGV moving between locations, or when the apparatus is static—i.e. not moving       
 
         [0074]    Essentially a 10 mm hose  56  connected to the HGVs pneumatic system enters the main control box  50  and a bundle of hoses  57  exit the control box  50 . The hoses  57  employed throughout are colour coded to aid identification if there is a problem. 
         [0075]      FIGS. 6-8  illustrate the apparatus  10  described above mounted to and operatively connected to a HGV to form a system which acts together. The system illustrated includes an empty truck chassis and cab fitted with the apparatus and a detachable HGV Body, and when fully deployed will enable the chassis unit to drive away while the HGV Body remains standing on the legs  13  of the apparatus  10 . 
         [0076]    The system is primarily employed where it is desirable to allow the HGV Body to be loaded and unloaded at a raised loading bay platform while standing directly on the deployed apparatus  10 . The HGV chassis unit now detached can be driven to pick up a different HGV Body which is ready for delivery. A HGV Body type system will allow the chassis to switch out and pick up a different HGV Body and increase the efficiency of the truck use and lower overall costs. 
         [0077]    A method of operating the system is also shown in  FIGS. 6-8  and is summarized below. 
       Deployment Operation 
       [0078]    The HGV comes to a complete stop on flat ground—typically backed up to a loading bay. While the cargo pod  40  is still resting firmly on the frame  11  detachably mounted to the chassis  41 , the securing devices or lock that secures the frame to the chassis are disengaged. The HGV is then raised on its pneumatic suspension system to its highest possible level (or a height determined by the operator depending on conditions) and locked in place, with the engine still running. This provides compressed air for operation of the pneumatic system. The operator first ensures that the master switch  55  is in the “ON” position and supplies compressed air to the pneumatic system to the apparatus. The operator then pushes and holds down lock-bolt valve actuator  52  to disengage the lock bolt mechanisms  14  and move them from their locked to their unlocked position. 
         [0079]    The operator then rotates the outrigger arm deployment switch  53  to the deploy which causes the outrigger shafts  15  to slidably extend relative to the collars  23  to their fully extended position at the same time rotate through 90° so that the legs  13  move from their stowed position along the horizontal plane to their deployed position in the vertical plane. 
         [0080]    The operator then releases valve actuator  52  causing the locking bolt mechanisms  14  to move from their from their unlocked to their locked position. The operator then rotates the master switch  55  to its “OFF” position and then disconnects the 10 mm hose connector  58  form the HGV chassis. The operator finally pneumatically lowers the suspension of the chassis of the HGV to its lowest point and is then able to safely drive the chassis away now that the HGV Body is free standing on the apparatus  10 . 
       Stowing Operation 
       [0081]    The operator pneumatically lowers the chassis to its lowest position, and positions the chassis directly below the apparatus  10  supporting a HGV Body, and aligned correctly. Subsequently the operator pneumatically raises the chassis to its highest position and secures the chassis to the frame of the apparatus  10  by means of their locking system and connects the 10 mm hose connector  58  to the apparatus  10 , followed by turning the master switch  55  into the “ON” position. The operator then presses and holds down valve actuator  52 , to release the lock bolt mechanisms  14  from their locked position. 
         [0082]    The operator then rotates the outrigger arm deployment selector switch  53  to the “Retract” position which will cause the legs  13  of the outrigger arms  12  to rotate up from the vertical plane through 90° to the horizontal plane as the shaft IS retract inwards and both of the square cross sections  32  re-engage their respective stowed collars  23 . The operator then releases valve actuator  52  causing the locking bolt mechanisms  14  to move from their unlocked to their locked position, preventing the shaft  15  from potentially sliding/deploying. The operator then rotates the master switch  55  to its “OFF” position. The operator is then in a position to secure or lock the frame I to the chassis and lower the chassis to the normal driving position before driving away. 
         [0083]    The system can be operated by a single person and (excluding chassis raising and lowering) has a cycle time of less than 30 seconds which greatly reduces the turn-around time for both loading and unloading an HGV and can be used with the chassis of a single (rigid) HGV or the chassis of an articulated HGV. 
         [0084]    This stowing operation can be used not only to connect an empty (non-loaded HGV body) apparatus, but one supporting a loaded HGV body. 
         [0085]    The system is so adapted to be able to carry a static load of 4 tons per leg, which when combined typically exceeds the maximum cargo weight of a HGV by at least two times. A manual override system is also in place enabling deployment of the outriggers arms from their stowed to their deployed positions to be possible in case the pneumatic system fails.