Abstract:
A trailer-train trailer having a carrying frame for accommodating at least one material transport cart carried along in a trailer train, the carrying frame including a centrally arranged chassis having an axle, two wheels laterally supported on said axle, and an arrangement, for accommodating the material transport cart, is provided in front of and behind the chassis in a direction of travel. The arrangement for accommodating the material transport cart includes ascending and descending ramps for supporting the swiveling and/or fixed rollers of the trolley at least one material transport cart. A height-adjustable arrangement for locking the material transport cart may be arranged at the two lateral ends of the housing transversely to the direction of travel.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a United States national phase of International Application No. PCT/EP2014/078772, filed Dec. 19, 2014, which claims the benefit of German Utility Patent Application No. DE 20 2014 101 510.8, filed Mar. 31, 2014. The disclosure of each of these documents is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    This invention relates to a trailer-train trailer with a carrying frame to accommodate at least one towed material transport cart (trolley). 
         [0004]    Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    The subject matter of EP 1 986 883 B1 is a handling device. The purpose of this device is to pull a load, such as a trolley, for example, laterally onto a trailer-train trailer. At the beginning of the loading movement, by means of curved skids, the trolley comes into the vicinity of two parallel chains on which the skids are supported as the trolley is pulled onto the trailer-train trailer. The chains, which follow a trapezoidal track, are thereby required to pick up the entire load of the trolley. To ensure that the steering and fixed rollers of the trolley are no longer in contact with the ground in its semi-mounted position, the trolley must be lifted very high by means of the ascending traction strand of the chain so that it can also be moved over the two tow bars of the trailer. 
         [0006]    DE 20 2013 102 199.7 describes a trailer-train trailer with a carrying frame which, in an overhead view, is in the shape of an E, on the center carrier of which there is a gripper unit in the form of a circulating chain that holds the load. In this arrangement the two chains are installed in a housing that can be extended telescopically relative to the central carrier to grasp the trolley and pull it into the support frame. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The object of the invention is to make available a trailer train-trailer with a carrying frame for a trolley in which the means to hold the material transport trolley are supported by a device that relieves the weight in any position of the trolley. The solution to this task is described in the following disclosure. 
         [0008]    The two ramps that extend the carrying frame of the trailer-train trailer toward the front and toward the rear in its longitudinal direction, accommodate its entire load in any position of the trolley as it is being slid on, during transport in the trailer train and during unloading of the trolley, because the steering and/or fixed rollers are supported on the two ramps. 
         [0009]    In one development of the invention, the curved ramps each project from a side wall of a housing that covers the chassis, is open on the bottom, and has a roof that connects the two parallel side walls, whereby between the roof and the axle of the chassis there is a lifting device to adjust the height of the carrying frame. 
         [0010]    The lifting device ensures that the two ramps are lifted up off the ground for transport in the trailer train. During the loading and unloading of the trolley, the lifting device lowers the housing with the two ramps until it is once again in contact with the ground, so that the respective trolley can be easily added to or released from the trailer train. This can be done easily so that the loading and unloading can be performed by hand. 
         [0011]    It is particularly advantageous if on the two free ends of the housing, transverse to the direction of travel, there are means or an arrangement, the height of which can be adjusted, for the interlocking of the trolley that secures it in the semi-mounted position on the carrying frame and serves as a terminal stop as it is pulled onto the trailer train. 
         [0012]    The means for the interlocking on each of the two lateral ends of the housing can include two pawls that can pivot around fixed hinge pins and are opposite each other on the lateral end in the direction of travel, whereby on the axle, in addition to one of the two pawls, a latch parallel to it is mounted so that it can move longitudinally relative to the pawl and is in an operative connection by means of a connecting rod with the opposite pawl on the other end. 
         [0013]    According to an additional feature of the invention, means to pull the trolley on board as well as a gripper unit with a circulating chain are provided to make it unnecessary to manually push the trolley onto the trailer train. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    The invention is explained below with reference to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view, from diagonally above, of a trailer-train trailer at the beginning of the process of loading a trolley; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view corresponding to  FIG. 1  during the manual insertion of the trolley; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  shows the trolley during insertion toward the center position; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  shows the trailer-train trailer with a mounted trolley in the central position; 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  shows the trolley being pulled out of the trailer-train trailer; 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  shows the trailer-train trailer after it has been pulled out of the trolley; 
           [0021]      FIGS. 7-14  are side views of the trailer-train trailer during insertion and the ejection of the trolley from the other side; 
           [0022]      FIG. 15  is a side view of the trailer-train trailer in the raised position of the carrying frame; 
           [0023]      FIG. 16  is a sectional view of the trolley in the lowered position; 
           [0024]      FIG. 17  is a view of one variant of the trailer-train trailer with the chain gripper unit during the engagement of a trolley in front of it and to the left; 
           [0025]      FIG. 18  shows the trailer-train trailer in  FIG. 17  in the mounted position of the trolley; 
           [0026]      FIGS. 19 and 20  show the ejection positions of the trolley from left to right, 
           [0027]      FIGS. 21-24  are side views of the trailer-train trailer in the positions illustrated in  FIGS. 17-20  but during insertion from right to left; 
           [0028]      FIG. 25  is a view in perspective of the interlocking means in the closed position (trolley mounted); 
           [0029]      FIG. 26  shows the initial position of the interlocking means; 
           [0030]      FIG. 27  shows the interlocking means in the opened position on the right side; and 
           [0031]      FIGS. 28-30  show the interlocking means in the positions illustrated in  FIGS. 25-27 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0032]      FIGS. 1-6  show a single-axle trailer-train trailer  10  with a carrying frame  12  to hold at least one trolley  14  carried in a trailer train. The trolley  14  includes a rectangular frame  16  with two parallel longitudinal spars  18  and transverse spars  20  connecting them. Steering and/or fixed rollers  22  are attached to both longitudinal spars  18  to allow the trolley  14  to travel. The frame  16  holds loads, such as pallets or wire mesh boxes, which are not shown here. 
         [0033]    The carrying frame  12  of the trailer-train trailer  10 , as known from EP 2 161 182 B1, has a centrally located chassis  24  with an axle  26  oriented transverse to the direction of travel, on both ends of which a freely rotatable wheel  28  is mounted (see also  FIGS. 15 and 16 ). The chassis  24  is covered by a housing  30  that is open on the bottom and has a flat roof  32  oriented transverse to the direction of travel corresponding to the axle  26 , wherein a side wall  34  projects downward from each of the two longitudinal sides of the flat roof  32  that run parallel to the axle  26 . 
         [0034]    The invention teaches that an ascending and descending ramp  42  is permanently attached to the carrier frame  12  in front of and behind the chassis  24  in the direction of travel f on the lower edge of the respective side wall  34  of the housing  30 , which extends the housing  30  toward the front and toward the rear in the direction of travel f. Each ramp  42 , in a plane parallel to the axle  26 , has a cross-section in the form of a segmental arch, which makes it possible to manually push the trolley on board on both sides with the application of a small amount of force. 
         [0035]    On the front and rear end of the ramps  42  in the direction of travel f, there is a yoke  44  that makes it possible to couple the trailer-train trailer  10  with an additional trailer  10  or a tractor vehicle. 
         [0036]    Each ramp  42 , on its free end  52  pointing away from the chassis  24  and parallel to it, has a guide rail  54  in the manner of a railing which, with the opposite guide rail  54  in the direction of travel f, forms a divergent opening on its free end  56 , as a result of which a beveled insertion channel is formed that facilitates the correct insertion of the trolley  14  transverse to the direction of travel f. 
         [0037]    As shown in  FIGS. 15 and 16 , between the roof  32  of the housing  30  and the axle  26  of the chassis  24  there is a lifting device  50 , known from EP 2 161 182, with a hydraulically, pneumatically or electrically operated piston rod  48  which is supported on the underside of the roof  32 . By means of this lifting device  50 , the entire carrying frame  12 , together with the trolley  14 , the rollers  22  of which sit on the ramps  42 , can be lifted above the floor (see  FIGS. 4, 11 and 15 ). In this raised position, the trailer-train trailer  10  can be moved in the train set. 
         [0038]    In the vicinity of the two lateral ends  58  of the housing  30 , transverse to the direction of travel f, there are adjustable means  60  (also referred to as an adjustable arrangement) for the interlocking of the trolley  14  on the carrying frame  12 . These means, as illustrated in  FIGS. 7-16 and 25-30 , include pivoting pawls  64  in the form of stable, triangular plates that can pivot around fixed swivel pins  62  and face one another in pairs on the two lateral ends  58  in the direction of travel f. The swivel pins  62  run in the direction of travel f and are engaged in associated bearing plates  104  ( FIGS. 25-27 ) that are fastened to the underside of the roof  32  of the housing  30 . Next to each pawl  64  there is a latch  66  parallel to it having the same triangular shape or opposite it a latch  166 . Because these latches  66  and latches  166  do not have to absorb any load, they have a lower thickness than the pawls  64  at which the trolley abuts. Each latch  66  and latch  166  has a slot  70  that can be movably mounted on the stationary swivel pin  62  of the associated pawl  64 , as well as a slot boring  76  into which the guide pins  74  projecting from the pawls  64  are engaged. In this manner the latches  66  and the latches  166  are movably guided in their longitudinal direction relative to the associated pawls  64  which can only rotate around the fixed swivel pins  62 . 
         [0039]    As shown in  FIGS. 25-27 , the two latches  66  are located on the outward facing side of the associated pawls  64  and are connected by means of a hinge pin  86  with a connecting rod  68  that extends transverse to the direction of travel f and is located in the housing  30  adjacent to each side wall  34  parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the housing  30 . The two connecting rods  68  are each mounted in borings in two respective retaining plates  88  fastened in the housing  30  so that they can move longitudinally against the force of return springs  78  that are in the form of coil springs. They are placed on the connecting rods  68  and are supported on one hand on the retaining plates  88  and on the other hand on a supporting ring  90  which is permanently connected with the connecting rod  68 . 
         [0040]    The free end  84  of the connecting rod  68  that is not connected by means of the hinge pin  86  with the latch  66 , is engaged in a snap-fit mounting  80  of the facing pawl  64 , to hold it in the pivoted release position ( FIGS. 22 and 29 ). Because one pawl  64  of each pair lies in the vertical plane of the facing latch  66 , in the pair of pawls on the opposite lateral end  58 , on account of the crossover arrangement, the position of the pawl  64  and latch  66  or latch  166  is reversed. When the two latches  66  located diagonally opposite each other move longitudinally, they pull the free end  84  of the connected connecting rod  68  out of the snap-fit mounting  80  of the facing pawl  64 , so that the pawls  64  and latches  66 ,  166  can move into their locking position as a result of the force of a tension spring  82  ( FIGS. 25, 26 and 28, 29 ). 
         [0041]    On the inside of each side wall  34  of the housing  30 , there are two rocker plates  94 ,  96  (shown in  FIGS. 25-30 ) with angle-shaped guide slots  98  and  100  respectively, into each of which a pin  102  that projects from the neighboring latch  66 ,  166  is engaged. Each guide slot  98 ,  100  includes a downward pointing section that transitions into a horizontal section parallel to the axle  26 , which is bent toward the lateral end  58 , so that during a horizontal movement of the latch  66  into the position illustrated in the right portion of  FIG. 28 , it prevents a tipping movement of the pawls  64 , around the fixed swivel pin  62 , as long as the pin  102  is engaged in the horizontal section of the guide slot  98  or  100 . As noted above, each latch  66 ,  166  is connected with the associated pawl  64  by a guide pin  74  that can move in the slot boring  76  that acts as a guide slot of the latch  66  or  166  in the longitudinal direction of the connecting rod  68 , so that both pawls and latches  64 ,  66  and  64 ,  166  respectively can be dynamically coupled with each other in terms of movement. 
         [0042]    The two latches  166  are oriented parallel to the two latches  66  and, when the trolley executes a pushing movement, are pushed into the locking position illustrated in  FIG. 28 , in which the pin  102  is engaged in the horizontal section of the guide slot  98 , and on this side X prevents a descent of the pawls  64  and latches  66 ,  166 . The latches  166  are pulled by two tension springs  106  into their initial position ( FIGS. 26 and 29 ), in which they project beyond the pawls  64  and in which their pin  102  is engaged in the horizontal segment of the guide slot  98 . Therefore, from this initial position, the foot pedal  92  can be pushed alternately to both sides X and Y or a trolley can be pushed onto one of the two sides X, Y (see  FIGS. 27 and 30 ). 
         [0043]    In the situation illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a trolley  14  is placed next to the carrying frame  12  of the trailer-train trailer  10 , whereby on the left insertion side X, the pawls  64  and the latch  66  or latch  166  are extended; on the opposite side Y, the pawls  64  and the latches  66 ,  166  are retracted, i.e. tipped downward around the swivel pin  62 , which corresponds to the position illustrated in  FIGS. 27 and 30 . 
         [0044]    As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 8 , as soon as the longitudinal spar  18  of the trolley  14  moves over the pawls  64  on the entry side X, these pawls  64  are pressed downward, which is possible in the initial position illustrated in  FIG. 26 , because the pin  102  can “descend” downward into the vertical section of the guide slot  98 , as a result of which the connecting rod  68  simultaneously moves the two facing pawl pairs  64 ,  66  or  166  opposite on the side Y out of the release position illustrated in  FIG. 7  into the locking position in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . Then, in the position illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 10 , if the forward longitudinal spar  18  in the insertion direction of the trolley  14  and the facing side Y comes into contact against the two latches  66 ,  166  that project beyond the pawls  64 , the pin  102  in the horizontal section of the guide slot  98  or  100  is pushed so that it cannot descend into its vertical section. The latch  66  projecting laterally toward the insertion side X beyond the pawl  64  thereby pulls the connecting rod  68  and with it the pawl  64  on the insertion side into their locked position described above ( FIGS. 25 and 26 ), so that the trolley  14 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 10 , is secured in its central position on the carrying frame  12 . 
         [0045]    To release the trolley  14  for unloading, on the selected exit side Y, by means of the actuation of the foot pedal  92  located there, the corresponding pawls  64  and latch  66  or latch  166  are lowered (see  FIG. 12 , left side, and  FIG. 24 ). The facing pawls  64  and latches  66 ,  166  thereby remain in their extended locked position. In this position the free end  84  of the connecting rod  68  locks the pawl  64  in the facing snap-fit mounting  80  and interlocks it in the opened position in which it is tipped downward around the swivel pin  62  ( FIG. 27 ). 
         [0046]    In this position, as shown in  FIGS. 7-10 , a trolley  14  can be pushed in until its forward end in the insertion direction comes into contact with the longitudinal spar  18  present there against the facing pawl  64  or latch  66 ,  166  that projects beyond the pawl  64 . The free end  84  of the connecting rod  68  is thereby pulled out of the snap-fit mounting  80  on the other side ( FIGS. 25 and 26 , as well as  FIGS. 28 and 29 ), so that as a result of the force of the tension spring  82  suspended in the pawl  64 , this pawl  64  as well as the latch  66  or  166  coupled with it are pivoted upward parallel to one another into their closed position ( FIGS. 25 and 26 , as well as  FIGS. 28 and 29 ). The trolley  14  is thereby secured for transport. 
         [0047]    So that the trolley  14  can be pulled out again toward the other side (in  FIG. 12  toward the Y side) by means of the foot pedal  92  on this side, the latches  66 ,  166  and pawl  64  are pivoted downward (analogous to  FIG. 30 , right), so that on this side the return pressure spring  78  pushes the connecting rod  68  with its free end  84  into the snap-fit mounting  80 , and on this side all the pawls  64  and latches  66 ,  166  that are coupled to one another by means of the foot pedal  92  remain in their open position while the trolley  14  is pushed out. The four pawls  64  and latches  66 ,  166  on this side snap the free end  84  of the connecting rod  68  into its snap-fit mounting  80  to ensure that all the pawls  64 , and latches  66 ,  166  remain in their open position while the trolley  14  is pushed out. 
         [0048]    If, instead, the four pawls  64 , and latches  66 ,  166  on the other side X are to be placed in the release position, they are actuated by pushing down on the foot pedal  92  analogously by means of the opposite connecting rod  68 . 
         [0049]    The hinge pin  86  between the connecting rod  68  and the pawl  64  ensures that the pivoting motion of the pawls  64  is transformed into a linear movement of the connecting rod  68 . 
         [0050]    The preceding description shows that on account of the location of the adjustable means  60  on both lateral ends  58  of the housing  30 , the invention ensures that the pawls  64  on at least one of the two ends  58  are always pivoted outward and upward so that the trolley  14 , at the end of its insertion travel, can be held. Even if it is inserted with a great deal of momentum, the trolley  14  cannot roll out via the exit ramp  42 . The locking latches  166  have the task of preventing or making possible a descent of the latches  66 , depending on the position of the pin  102 . 
         [0051]    In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 17-24 , a gripper unit  47  equipped with two parallel chains  38  is provided to assist the pulling-in of the trolley  14 . Drive or pulley rollers  36  that are connected with a motor (not shown) for an endless circulating chain  38  are mounted on each of the two parallel side walls  34  of the housing  30 , whereby the lower guide roller  36 ′ lies higher than the two outer drive or guide rollers  36 . In this manner, the upper strand  40  of the chain  38  has a hemispherical-shaped path that corresponds to the curved shape of the ramp  42  located underneath it. 
         [0052]    Projecting from each chain  38  are gripping fingers  46 , the purpose of which, as the trolley  14  is pulled on, is to grab a longitudinal spar  18  of the frame  16  (see  FIG. 17 ). Because the gripping fingers  46  are arranged in pairs, they grip the longitudinal spar  18  from both sides and therefore provide a good hold on the two parallel chains  38  which are driven synchronously. 
         [0053]      FIGS. 17 and 21  show the position of a trailer-train trailer  10  with the trolley  14  located laterally next to it shortly before two of the gripping fingers  46  of the chain  38  grip the longitudinal spar  18  of the trolley  14 , to then pull it as illustrated in  FIGS. 18 and 22  with the two forward rollers  22  in the direction of movement onto the two ascending ramps  42  in the shape of a segmented arch. In  FIGS. 18 and 23 , the trolley  14  has reached its center position, so that then, as illustrated in  FIG. 15 , the carrying frame  12  together with the trolley  14  can be lifted by means of the lifting device  50 . When the trailer-train trailer  10  has reached its intended position, as illustrated in  FIG. 16 , the carrier frame  12  is once again lowered so that the trolley  14  can be removed by means of the chain  38  via its rollers  22  to one or the other side of the trailer-train trailer  10 . 
         [0054]    The chain drive, on each side, has two sensors (not shown), such as photoelectric sensors, for example, by means of which the parallelism of the trolley  14  can be checked. Once this check has been performed, a release signal for the chain drive is generated, as a result of which is ensured that the two chains  38  pull the trolley  14  onto the carrier frame  12  in the correct, properly aligned position.