Patent Document

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/279,965, filed Oct. 25, 2002, now abandoned which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/169,361 filed Oct. 23, 2002, now U.S. Pat No. 7,033,125 which is a 371 of PCT/DK01/00012, filed Jan. 10, 2001, which is based on Application No. PA 2000 00031, filed on Jan. 11, 2000, in Denmark, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. 

   TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The invention relates to an apparatus for loading and unloading aircrafts, where said apparatus comprises a tiltable first conveyor part adjustable in height and comprising a conveyor path advancing and removing luggage, such as suitcases, parcels and the like cargo items, to and from a second conveyor part connected to and being extend able from said first conveyor part, where said second conveyor part is adapted to be extended into the aircraft through an opening therein and into the cargo compartment of said aircraft, and where said second conveyor part comprises a conveyor path advancing and removing the luggage to or from the storing site inside the cargo compartment. 
   In connection with the loading and unloading of small aircrafts, such as DC 9, MD 80&#39;ies and Boeing 737 etc., viz. the so-called narrow body aircrafts, it is common knowledge that the work involved is very stressful to the persons involved. The latter is due to the facts that the time available is often very short and that the cargo compartment is of such a small size that the person in question must lie on his knees or sit down inside said cargo compartment while handling the luggage. Accordingly, a relatively high risk of physical damages applies. 
   Several suggestions have been made to facilitate the work in question. The use of any kind of auxiliary equipment is usually conditioned by said equipment being removed from the aircraft once the loading and unloading operations have been terminated because the weight of said auxiliary equipment has the effect that it cannot be left in the aircraft. In addition, the auxiliary equipment must be movable into and out of the aircraft in a relatively quick manner due to the rather short period available. 
   WO 98/54073 discloses an apparatus for a manual loading and unloading of aircrafts. 
   This known apparatus comprises a telescopic conveyor being moved into the cargo compartment and being provided at the end with a table adjustable in height, said table being placed inside the cargo compartment so as to allow a piling of the cargo items therefrom. A conveyor belt is arranged outside the aircraft, said conveyor belt advancing the cargo items to the telescopic conveyor part. 
   DK-PS No. 170863 discloses a conveyor with a plurality of linked units, where each unit on the upper face comprises a plurality of carrier rollers. These carrier rollers are in turn carried by transverse shafts and are provided with wheels on the bottom side, said wheels allowing the units to roll on a base. A plurality of these linked units is pulled into the cargo compartment of the aircraft from a storing compartment below a belt conveyor arranged outside said aircraft. 
   BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus, which presents a relatively simple structure, and which allows a relatively easy advancing and removal of cargo items into and out of the cargo compartment of an aircraft while ensuring an easy and continuous movement of said cargo items. 
   This object is achieved by the apparatus described above being characterised in that the second conveyor part comprises a plurality of pivotally interconnected conveyor units with their respective activatable conveyor paths and their respective sets of wheels. 
   As a result it is relatively easy to handle the extendable second conveyor while simultaneously allowing an easy and continuous movement of the cargo items because the individual conveyor units roll on the floor of the cargo compartment towards and away from the loading site in question inside said cargo compartment and because said conveyor units are adapted to assist in the movement of said cargo items by means of their own driving means. 
   According to the invention the conveyor paths of the first and the second conveyor part, respectively, may extend end to end, and the pivotally interconnected conveyor units may at least partially form part of the conveyor paths of both conveyor units because they continue directly into one another from the first to the second conveyor part during the extension and the retraction of the second conveyor part. The resulting total conveyor path of the apparatus is relatively uninterrupted and plane. 
   According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the first conveyor part may comprise a continuous conveyor belt, where the conveyor path of said conveyor belt is adjustable in length in response to the extension or retraction of the conveyor units. 
   Furthermore, the apparatus according to the invention may comprise a bridge member, by means of which the conveyor units of the second conveyor part are transferred between the apparatus and the aircraft. This bridge member ensures an even transition between the apparatus and the aircraft. 
   According to the invention it is particularly advantageous when the continuous conveyor belt of the first conveyor part extends between a front turning member placeable adjacent the aircraft and a rearmost turning member, where said first conveyor part in addition comprises an intermediate redirecting member reciprocating in the conveying direction and directing the conveyor belt from a rectilinear upper path between the rearmost turning member and the redirecting member to an intermediate path parallel to the upper path, but on a level below said upper path between the redirecting member and the front turning member, whereby the conveyor belt between the front turning member and the rearmost turning member extends below the upper and the intermediate paths, and whereby the upper path forms at least part of the conveyor path of the first conveyor part, and whereby the rear end of the number of conveyor units is connected to the redirecting member of the first conveyor part and accordingly adapted to follow the reciprocating movement thereof, said conveyor units being moved above the intermediate path of the first conveyor part while positioned outside the aircraft. As a result the conveyor paths of the first and the second conveyor part, respectively, can in a simple manner-continue substantially uninterruptedly into one another while it is simultaneously ensured that room is provided for the number of conveyor units or the rearmost portion thereof when all conveyor units or the rearmost portion thereof are not positioned inside the aircraft. 
   The apparatus may according to the invention advantageously comprise a supporting means supporting the endless conveyor belt of the first conveyor part during its movement within the upper path. 
   According to the invention it is particularly advantageous when the conveyor paths of both conveyor parts are formed by means of the conveyor units across their entire length. Furthermore, the apparatus may according to the invention comprise a compartment for receiving the rearmost end of the number of conveyor units, said conveyor units in sequence being adapted to be moved out of or into said compartment in response to the distance which the front end must be moved into the aircraft. In this manner it is easy to adapt the number of conveyor units to the length of the cargo compartment of the aircraft in question. 
   Moreover, the first conveyor part may comprise an endless conveyor belt and be arranged above the path of the conveyor units to an area adjacent the bridge member with the result that it is possible to limit the number of conveyor units and consequently the associated compartment capacity of the apparatus. 
   The front conveyor unit may according to the invention comprise a conveyor flap pivotally journalled at the back and which can be arranged with a desired inclination relative to the operating plane of the remaining conveyor units by means of driving means. As a result the operator can place the front end of the conveyor flap at a desired level opposite the stack of cargo items being handled at the specific time inside the aircraft. 
   In this connection the conveyor flap may according to the invention at the front end farthest away from the pivoting location be provided with a conveyor front member also being hingedly journalled, and which can be set with a desired inclination relative to the advancing plane of the conveyor flap by means of its own driving means. 
   As a result the operator can place the front member in a plane suited for the most advantageous path in and out of a stack of the cargo item in question. 
   According to the invention each conveyor unit may comprise an endless conveyor belt driven by a driving roller and one or more additional rollers, which are all carried by a frame, said frame in turn being supported by a wheel-carrying support member. The resulting conveyor unit is particularly simple. 
   The conveyor flap of the front conveyor unit may according to the invention, be formed by the frame and the associated conveyor belt and be pivotally journalled on the wheel-carrying support member, and the driving means thereof may be a plurality of electrically driven actuators. As a result, the front conveyor unit can in a simple manner be moved forwards and backwards inside a cargo compartment although the conveyor flap is arranged with an inclination relative to the floor of said cargo compartment. 
   Moreover, the conveyor flap may according to the invention project a distance beyond the associated support member when seen in the conveying direction of the second conveyor part during the loading, and according to the invention the conveyor flap may at its front end or the conveyor front member be provided with wheels for supporting said conveyor flap and said conveyor front member when they are in the flapped down position. As a result, an operator can easily find room below the conveyor flap for his legs when said conveyor flap is placed in an inclined position. 
   However, when the conveyor front member is flapped down the wheels of said conveyor front member ensure that the flap is supported and can be easily handled together with the remaining conveyor units. 
   It is according to the invention particularly advantageous when the front end of the second conveyor part is provided with a control means connected to all the driving means of the apparatus in such a manner that an operator present inside the aircraft can guide said means by activating said control means. As a result the operator has an efficient control of both conveyor parts. 
   The conveyor units may according to the invention be interconnected by means of releasable coupling means with the result that the conveyor units are easily replaced and it is possible, if desired, to adjust the number thereof to the prevailing requirements. 
   Furthermore, the bridge member may according to the invention comprise guiding means for guiding the second conveyor part while it is moved inwards and outwards of the cargo compartment of the aircraft. The resulting movement can be performed in a relatively easy manner. 
   Moreover, at least some of the coupling means of the conveyor units may according to the invention be such that adjacent conveyor units can be mutually displaced transverse to the conveying direction with the result that they are very easily adjusted to the dimensions of the cargo compartment. 
   According to the invention it is particularly advantageous when the conveyor front member on the front conveyor unit comprises an endless conveyor belt with its own driving means. 
   Finally, the apparatus may according to the invention suitably be arranged on a vehicle. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which 
       FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic side view of a first embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, whereby parts have been removed for the sake of clarity, 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of a first and a second conveyor part of  FIG. 1 , where the second conveyor part is arranged in the completely extended state, 
       FIG. 3  corresponds to  FIG. 1 , but where the second conveyor part is arranged in the partly extended state, 
       FIG. 4  corresponds to  FIG. 2 , but where the second conveyor part is completely retracted relative to the first conveyor part, 
       FIG. 5  is a top view of the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , 
       FIG. 6  is a top view on a larger scale of the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , but where parts have been removed for the sake of clarity, 
       FIG. 7  is a side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 6 , 
       FIGS. 8 to 11  are diagrammatic top views of various steps of the apparatus during the moving of the second conveyor part into the cargo compartment of an aircraft, 
       FIG. 12  is a diagrammatic view of the apparatus with a bridge member extending through the opening into the cargo compartment of an aircraft, but where the conveyor parts have been removed for the sake of clarity, 
       FIGS. 13 and 14  are a top and a side view, respectively, of the various steps of the front end of the second conveyor part, 
       FIG. 15  is a diagrammatic, perspective view of a conveyor unit forming part of the second conveyor part, whereby parts have been shown separately for the sake of clarity, 
       FIGS. 16 and 17  are diagrammatic views of the front end of the second conveyor part during the loading and the unloading, respectively, 
       FIGS. 18 and 19  are diagrammatic views of a second embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, where both the first and the second conveyor part are formed by a coherent row of conveyor units shown in the extended and the retracted state, respectively, 
       FIG. 20  illustrates an apparatus according to the invention with a tiltable bridge member, 
       FIG. 21  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a conveyor unit forming part of the second conveyor part, where the individual parts have been separated for the sake of clarity, 
       FIG. 22  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the front conveyor unit of the second conveyor part, 
       FIG. 23  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a bridge member, and 
       FIG. 24  illustrates a third embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, where the first conveyor part is formed by an endless conveyor belt arranged above the row of conveyor units of the first conveyor part within the path of said conveyor units from a storing compartment to the bridge member. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The apparatus of  FIG. 1  comprises a vehicle designated the general reference numeral  1  and provided with a cab  2  and a platform  3 . The cab  2  is of a width corresponding to approximately half the width of the platform  3 . Next to the cab  2 , the vehicle  1  is provided with a ramp  4  tiltably arranged in a manner not described in greater detail. This ramp  4  can be positioned with a suitable inclination relative to the platform  3  of the vehicle  1  by means of an actuator  5 . The ramp  4  extends substantially across the entire length of the vehicle  1 , the front end  6  of said ramp being positioned in the area around the front side of the cab  2 . 
   The ramp  4  carries a first conveyor part designated the general reference numeral  7 , and a second conveyor part designated the general reference numeral  8 . The first conveyor part  7  comprises an endless conveyor belt  9  shown in detail in  FIGS. 1 to 4  where parts of the four sides of the ramp have been removed for the sake of clarity. At the rear end of the ramp  4 , this endless conveyor belt  9  runs from a lower path  10  to an upper path  11  or vice versa through a rear turning member  12  which is provided with a plurality of rollers  13 ,  14  and  15 . At its front end, the upper path  11  ends at a redirecting member designated the general reference numeral  16 , cf. also  FIGS. 6 and 7 . The redirecting member  16  comprises two interconnected rollers  17  and  18  redirecting the conveyor belt  9  to an intermediate path  19  continuing forwards towards the front end  6  of the ramp parallel to the upper path  11 , but on a level there below. This intermediate path  19  ends at a front turning member designated the general reference numeral  20  and comprising a single roller  21 . The conveyor belt  9  returns to the lower path  10  through the latter single roller  21 , said lower path  10  extending parallel to the upper path  11  and the intermediate path  19 . 
   As shown in particular in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the redirecting member  16  is by means of a U-shaped bracket  22  connected to the rear end of the second conveyor part  8  when seen in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle  1 . As the bracket  22  simultaneously engages suitable guides not shown in greater detail along the sides  23  and  24  of the ramp  4 , cf.  FIG. 6 , the reciprocating movement of the second conveyor part  8  relative to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle  1  implies that the redirecting member  16  follows said movement in such a manner that the upper conveyor path  11  of the first conveyor part  7  is of an increasing or decreasing length in response to the position of the rear end of the second conveyor part  8 . Within the intermediate path  19 , the conveyor belt  9  is supported by a supporting plate  25 , cf.  FIG. 7 , through suitable means (not shown) for reducing the friction. 
   Within the upper path  11 , the conveyor belt  9  is supported by a supporting means  26  comprising a high number of interconnected lamellas  27 , said lamellas being hingedly interconnected along the longitudinal side farthest away from the conveyor belt  9 . 
   At one end, this supporting means  26  is connected to the redirecting member  16  in such a manner that it follows the movement of said redirecting member  16 . In addition, the supporting means is adapted to move from a position immediately adjacent the lower path  10  to a position below the upper path  11  through the rear end adjacent the turning member  12  of said supporting plate  25  in such a manner that the number of lamellas in the supporting state below the upper path  11  corresponds substantially to the entire length of the upper path  11 . If necessary, the movement from one side to the opposite side of the supporting plate can be facilitated by means of guides not shown in greater detail. In addition, the end of the supporting means  26  farthest away from the redirecting member  16  can also be connected to said redirecting member through conventionally known means in such a manner that the end in question is subjected to a tractive force when the redirecting member  16  is moved downwards towards the rearmost turning member  12 . The second conveyor part  8  comprises a plurality of conveyor units  30 , which all are substantially identical apart from the front conveyor unit  31 . All the conveyor units  30  comprise a continuous belt  32 , cf.  FIG. 15 , driven around suitable rollers  33 ,  34  and  35 . These rollers are journalled in a frame  36  arranged on a support member  37 . 
   The support member  37  is arranged on rollers  44 . The conveyor units  30 ,  31  are interconnected by means of flexible coupling means which allow said conveyor units to be mutually turned both in the horizontal and in the vertical direction and be mutually displaced a short distance in the same directions. The coupling means are surrounded by bellow-shaped tubes of rectangular cross sections and with circumferential waves. The frames  36  and the support members  37  are made of a suitable plastic material. The coupling means are furthermore adapted in a manner not described in greater detail to releasably couple the conveyor units  30 ,  31  together in such a manner that said conveyor units are easily replaceable. In addition, the bellow-shaped tube surrounding the coupling means provides an easy access to passage of a main distributing system with associated coupling equipment with the result that the individual conveyor units  30 ,  31  can be supplied with the desired energy, such as electric current in an easy manner. As mentioned above, the rearmost conveyor unit  30  is connected to the redirecting member  16  of the first conveyor part. The conveyor units are further provided with such a height that the conveying plane thereof, i. e. the upper side of the conveyor belts  32 , is flush with the upper path  11  of the endless conveyor belt  9 , cf.  FIG. 7 . 
   The front conveyor unit  31  comprises a rearwardly journalled conveyor flap  39 , cf. in particular  FIGS. 13 and 14 . In  FIG. 13 , the conveyor flap  39  is shown in two possible positions and in  FIG. 14  three possible positions are shown. This conveyor flap  39  comprises an endless conveyor belt  40  received in a manner not described in greater detail in a frame  41 . At the back, the frame  41  is pivotally journalled in a manner not described in greater detail in a support member  42  also arranged on wheels  44 , cf.  FIG. 1 . Jacks  43  are arranged between the frame  41  and the support member  42 , said jacks allowing an adjustment of the conveyor flap  39  in a position with a desired inclination. 
   At the front, the conveyor flap  39  is provided with a pivotally journalled conveyor front member  45 . When seen from the side, this conveyor front member  45  is of a triangular cross section and also associated with an endless conveyor belt  46 . This conveyor front member  45  can be set with a desired inclination relative to the conveyor flap  39  by means of members not shown in greater detail. The upper side of the conveyor belt  46  of the conveyor front member  45  is mainly positioned in a horizontal plane when the conveyor flap  39  is arranged with a predetermined inclination relative to the conveying direction of the remaining conveyor units. 
   The conveyor front member  45  may also include wheels  44 ′ associated with said conveyor front member  45  to support the projecting conveyor flap  39  together with the support member  42 . 
   Handles  47  and  48  are accommodated on the side of the frame  41  of the conveyor flap  39 . These handles  47  and  48  allow an operator to manoeuvre the second conveyor part  8 . These handles  47  and  48  are in addition adapted to be used as control means such a manner that by a suitable turning of said handles the operator can activate or actuate the various driving means not shown of the first and the second conveyor parts  7 ,  8 . 
   An extendable bridge member  50  is mounted in connection with the front end of the ramp, cf.  FIGS. 8 to 12  and  20 . This bridge member  50  is tiltable, cf.  FIG. 20 , and adapted to be arranged in a substantially horizontal position by means of an actuator  28  so as to be moved through an opening  51  into a cargo compartment  52  of an aircraft  53 . In  FIGS. 8 to 12 , the door usually closing the opening to a cargo compartment  52  has been removed. Then the bridge member forms a bridge between the ramp  4  and the floor  54  of the cargo compartment  52  directly inside the opening  51 . 
   As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the bridge member  50  is positioned directly below the front conveyor unit  31  when said conveyor unit is in the retracted state on the ramp. As illustrated in  FIG. 9 , the bridge member is moved forwards and through the opening  51  together with the front conveyor unit  31 . This inward movement is carried out at the same time as the inclination of the ramp  4  is adjusted so as to place the bridge member  50  at about the same level as, and on the floor  54  of the cargo compartment  52 . When the bridge member has been positioned so as to rest on the floor  54  inside the cargo compartment  52 , the front conveyor unit is lifted outwards to one side or the opposite side of said bridge member  50  in such a manner that from this position it can be pulled backwards or pushed forwards inside said cargo compartment together with the subsequent conveyor units  30 . Such a control or guiding of the front conveyor unit  31  and the succeeding conveyor units  30  is enhanced by a raised platform  55  with suitably shaped guiding sides  56  and  57 , said conveyor units  30  and  31  sliding against said guiding sides during their movement. 
   Suitable means not shown couple and uncouple the bridge member to and from the front conveyor unit  31  in such a manner that together with said conveyor unit  31  the bridge member can be moved into and out of the opening  51  of the cargo compartment  52 . 
   During the use of the apparatus according to the invention, the second conveyor part is pushed and moved into the cargo compartment in question, cf.  FIGS. 10 and 11 , where an operator can use said second conveyor part for the loading and unloading, respectively, cf.  FIGS. 16 and 17 . As illustrated in  FIG. 16 , the operator can let the luggage  59  be pulled upwards over his legs by means of the conveyor flap  39  and subsequently by means of the conveyor front member  45  directly on top of a stack  60  of cargo items. During the unloading, the cargo items are pulled out of the stack  60  and placed on the front conveyor unit  31  and subsequently moved further out of the cargo compartment. During the use of the apparatus, the operator can, of course, position and use the conveyor flap  39  as he wishes. All the movements and stops as well as the adjustment of the length of the second conveyor part  8  inside the cargo compartment in question can by means of the handles  47  be controlled by the operator according to the prevailing circumstances inside said cargo compartment. 
     FIGS. 18 and 19  illustrate a second embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention. Here the conveyor paths of both the first and the second conveyor parts  7  and  8  are formed by a coherent row of conveyor units  30  and front conveyor  31 . The rear end of this row of conveyor units is received in a compartment  65  below the platform  3  of the vehicle  1 , and from this position it is moved through the rear end of the vehicle upwards onto the ramp as the front end of the row is moved into the cargo compartment  52  of the aircraft  53 . This embodiment is particularly suited for use in connection with particularly long cargo compartments  52  requiring a relatively high number of conveyor units. In the second embodiment, the length of the row of conveyor units  30  is such that it may be stored in a folded configuration wherein at least one portion of said conveyor is positioned over at least one other portion of said conveyor when the succession of conveyor units is in a retracted position. An exemplary folded configuration is depicted in  FIGS. 18 ,  19 , and  24  where the connected succession of conveyor units are configured, when in the retracted position, such that the total length of the connected succession of conveyor units is significantly longer that the apparatus that stores it. 
   The individual members, and especially the conveyor units of the second conveyor part  8  are made mainly of plastic materials in response to the desired strength. Furthermore, additional conveyors  61  and  62  can be mounted at the rear end of the apparatus so as to facilitate the transition between the equipment for the advancing and removal of luggage and the rear end of the first conveyor part  7 . All driving means are connected to power sources in the vehicle  1  in a manner not described in greater detail. 
     FIG. 21  illustrates a second embodiment of a conveyor unit with a continuous belt  71  supported by rollers  72  and  73 , where the first roller  72  is a driving roller supplied with electric energy as indicated through a conduit  116 . The rollers  72  and  73  are journalled in a frame  75  by means of brackets  74  and  75 . The frame  75  is at both sides provided with a pair of wheels  76  which are protected by means of screens  77  and  78 , respectively, in such a manner that they are uncovered both at the top and at the bottom whereby the conveyor units can roll on suitable guides both in a position in which the conveyor belt  71  faces upwards and in a position in which said conveyor belt faces downwards, cf.  FIG. 24 . Screens  79  and  80  are mounted on the frame  75  along the sides of the conveyor belt  71 . 
   The conveyor units are joined by means of coupling members  81  and  82  preferably made of die-cast aluminium. These coupling members  81  and  82  are pivotally journalled about axes  83  and  84  in two abutting conveyor units and mutually pivotally journalled about an axis  85 , a rubber unit  86  being placed between said coupling members. This rubber unit  86  ensures both a straightening of the conveyor units when said conveyor units are not subjected to a mutually turning load, and provides a protected passage of electric conduits between the conveyor units through suitable channels  87  and  88 . The conveyor units carry members  115  co-operating with the coupling members  81  and  82  in such a manner that they can only turn in one direction about the axes  83  and  84  away from a common plane through the conveyor units parallel to their conveyor paths. 
     FIG. 22  illustrates a second embodiment of the front conveyor unit. This conveyor unit is designated the general reference numeral  90  and comprises a conveyor segment  91 . At the front, the conveyor segment  91  forms a bend in such a manner that the front conveyor unit comprises a front member  92  permanently connected to the remaining portion of the segment  91 . The front conveyor unit  90  comprises an endless conveyor belt  93  extending over the front member through suitable rollers. In front of the continuous belt  93 , a pair of loosely journalled rollers  94  and  95  are provided. The conveyor segment  91  comprises a frame  96  which at the back is pivotally journalled in a support member  97 . This support member  97  carries jacks  98  and supporting means  99  and  100  which are hingedly mounted on the support member  97  and displaceably mounted on the frame  96 . The support member  97  comprises wheels  101  rotatably arranged about shafts which extend perpendicular to the plane of the support member  97 . In addition, one or more wheels  102 , cf.  FIG. 24 , are provided below the front member  92  of the flap  91 , said wheels being of the same type as the wheels  101 . 
     FIG. 23  illustrates a telescoping bridge member  105  comprising guide means  106  and  107 . These guide means  106  and  107  allow a guiding of the row of conveyor units in the desired direction into the cargo compartment of an aircraft. The front guide means  107  of the two guide means is arranged on a rotatable disc  108  which allows a setting of said guide means  107  in the desired direction. The guide means  106  and  107  are adapted to co-operate with suitable guide members not shown on the bottom side of the conveyor units. 
     FIG. 24  illustrates a third embodiment of the invention. Here the conveyor path of the first conveyor part  7  is formed by a first endless conveyor belt  110  mounted above the path of the conveyor units  70  between a compartment  111  and the bridge member  105 . The first conveyor part  7  comprises furthermore a front conveying means with a second continuous belt  112 , and which in front tapers in such a manner that the cargo items being handled pass in a relatively easy manner to and from the endless conveyor belt of the first conveyor part  7 . A s indicated in  FIG. 24 , rails  113  are provided in the compartment  111 , and the conveyor units  70  can run on said rails by means of the wheels  76  while the endless conveyor belts face downwards. In the third embodiment, the length of the row of conveyor units  70  is greater than the length of the conveyor units above it. As here embodied, the length of the row of conveyor units  70  exceeds the length of the upper conveyor units  112  and  7  such that at least a portion of the row of conveyor units  70  are located below the portion of the row of conveyor units lying just beneath and adjacent the upper conveyors when the row of conveyor units are in the fully retracted position. In  FIG. 24 , a major portion of the row of conveyor units  70  are beneath the row of conveyor units  70  just below the first conveyor part  7 . In such a manner, the length of the row of conveyor units  70  can be stored in a folded configuration and significantly exceed the length of the upper conveyor  7 . 
   The moving of the conveyor units  70  to and from the compartment is carried out by means of a driving, endless conveyor belt  114  which co-operates with the bottom side of the conveyor units  70  in a suitable manner, such as by way of friction. 
   The invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments. Many modifications can be carried out without thereby deviating from the scope of the invention. The first and the second conveyor parts  7  and  8  and the associated ramp  4  can for instance be mounted on another equipment than the vehicle. In this connection the vital factor is that an adjustment can be performed to the positioning of the opening into the cargo compartment in question. 
   The invention has been described for use in connection with an aircraft but can, of course, also be used in other situations where similar circumstances apply. 
   Instead of lamellas  27 , the supporting means  26  can also be provided with rollers, and the conveyor units  30 ,  31  can be adapted to slide in suitable guides on the sides of the ramp  4  instead of resting on their own wheels as long as they are positioned on said ramp  4 .

Technology Category: 7