Transport apparatus

Abstract

The invention provides transport apparatus for transporting a plurality of cars. The apparatus comprises a container (1) and a plurality of removable lifting trays (34). The container (1) has corrugated side walls (2,4). The apparatus includes a plurality of reinforced side regions (22) at or adjacent the side walls (2,4), the reinforced regions (22) include a plurality of mounting means (30). The apparatus also comprises at least two removable lifting trays (34) for supporting a car thereon, each tray being suitable for supporting either front or rear wheels of a car. Each tray (34) includes locating means (40) on opposite sides thereof. The reinforced side regions (22) and trays (34) are arranged such the trays can be secured between reinforced side regions using by engaging the locating means (40) and mounting means (30) of the reinforced regions (22) to secure the tray (34) relative to the container (1) such that a car supported on said trays may be suspended off the floor during transport of said container.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to freight containers, particularly to containers adapted to transport cars and other goods long distances, especially by cargo ship. The invention extends to a method of supporting cars in a freight container. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART [0002] Goods for import or export are often loaded into containers or trailers for long distance transport. Containers are typically enclosed boxes that may be transported by road on the back of a lorry, stacked for storage or transport in the hold of a cargo ship, barge or train. A container may be a side load container, typically having a curtain along one side of the container that may be opened to load the container from the side. A container may alternatively be an end load container with doors at an end of the container that may be opened. Typically end load containers have solid side walls and provide greater security than a side load container. Trailers are similar in ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0023] The transport apparatus may also include moving apparatus adapted for use with a container including such channels. The moving apparatus may be located substantially within the channels with a top surface below the floor of the container. This allows the moving apparatus to be positioned below a pallet resting on the floor. The moving apparatus is preferably adapted such that a top surface may be raised above the floor to raise the pallet off the floor as this facilitates moving the pallet. Suitable apparatus is available for use with the Joloda™ system. Some loading bays also include such channels and this allows cargo to be loaded onto pallets outside a container, moving means inserted under the pallet and the pallet moved along the channels into the container.

[0024] The provision of such channels facilitates the loading of large or bulky cargos. Contact between the cargo and container may damage the container or the cargo and is likely to cause expensive cosmetic and / or structural damage to some cargos, for example cars. The channels ensure that the cargo travels along a predetermined path within the container thereby reducing the likelihood of contact between cargo and walls.

Problems solved by technology

Containers are often specialised to the extent that they cannot be easily used to transport goods other than those for which the container is adapted and this limits the nature of the cargo that can be carried on a return journey.

Some specialised systems of dedicated ramps do exist, but these are generally cumbersome, time consuming to erect and dismantle and are generally unsatisfactory.

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