Trailer

Abstract

To enable loading-unloading of a container to and from a trailer from the front without interfering with a travel roller by a container desorption vehicle, and enable a front part of the container to firmly fasten a front part of the container.SOLUTION: There is provided a trailer attracted by a cargo vehicle and capable of loading from the front a container having a travel roller in a bottom part rear side part having a main girder extending longitudinally in a bottom part, and having a chassis loading the container having a front wheel and a rear wheel and a movable stopper regulating a longitudinal movement of the container by engaging with the container positioned in a front part of the chassis and loaded on the chassis, and the movable stopper being displaceably constituted in an engagement position engaging with the container and a release position releasing engagement with the container.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a trailer for coupling to a cargo vehicle such as a container loading / unloading vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] In some cases, a trailer is connected to a tractor, and containers are loaded on both the tractor and the trailer to transport multiple containers. At the front of the trailer, there is a connecting member called a drawbar for connecting to the tractor. The drawbar has a length sufficient for preventing the containers loaded on the tractor and the containers loaded on the trailer from interfering with each other when the tractor and the trailer are turning. When loading containers onto a trailer using a container loading / unloading vehicle, the container loading / unloading vehicle cannot approach the deck part of the trailer from the front due to interference with the drawbar. Therefore, as described in Patent Document 1, it is common to approach the container loading / unloading vehicle to the rear of the trailer and transfer the container from the container loading / unloading vehicle to the trailer from the rear. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2011-5967 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In Patent Document 1, when loading a container onto a trailer, the container loading / unloading vehicle and the trailer are placed back to back, and the container is translated toward the trailer by the sliding function of the arm of the container loading / unloading vehicle, so that the rear part of the container protrudes toward the trailer. Next, in this state, the arm is rotated to lift the front part of the container and send the container onto the trailer. The container travels on the left and right running surfaces (vertical frame 111) of the trailer by the left and right running rollers provided at the rear end until it is lowered onto the trailer. At that time, the container moves backward (to the front of the trailer), so that the jump prevention piece (120) of the trailer is inserted into the rear part of the container. Also, when the container is lowered onto the trailer, an upward protrusion (protrusion 125) provided on the trailer fits into the front part of the container. This protrusion and the container are fixed with a pin (pin 126), so that the jump prevention piece and the protrusion secure the container to the trailer.

[0005] The left and right running surfaces of the trailer in Patent Document 1 are bent downward from the protrusions at their rear portions to form a slope (inclined surface 114). On this slope, rear end portions (117r) of left and right guides (guide rails 117) that guide the container's running rollers are provided so that the spacing between them increases toward the front. Therefore, when a container is loaded onto the trailer, as the container moves in parallel toward the trailer and the running surfaces approach the running rollers from below, the rear end portions of the guides smoothly guide the insides of the left and right running rollers, and the left and right running rollers of the container are aligned with the left and right running surfaces.

[0006] Here, the container loading / unloading vehicle may also serve as a tractor. When the container loading / unloading vehicle tows a trailer, the container loading / unloading vehicle faces the front of the trailer from the rear when the container loading / unloading vehicle loaded with a container is coupled to or uncoupled from the trailer. In contrast, when the container loading / unloading vehicle loads or unloads a container onto the trailer, the container loading / unloading vehicle must face the rear of the trailer from the rear. In this case, the container loading / unloading vehicle must go around the trailer from the front to the rear, or from the rear to the front, and the container loading / unloading vehicle must turn around and reverse during the process of going around, which requires a large space around the trailer to move the container loading / unloading vehicle, and there is also a problem in terms of work efficiency. From this perspective, there is room to consider a trailer that allows the container loading / unloading vehicle to load and unload containers from the front.

[0007] When loading and unloading a container from the front onto a trailer, the front-to-back orientation of the container relative to the trailer is reversed from conventional methods, but a mechanism for securely fastening the container to the trailer is still required. Unlike conventional methods, the anti-jumping piece faces the front of the trailer, so the large inertial force acting on the container during braking acts in a direction that pulls the anti-jumping piece out of the container. Therefore, a fastening mechanism that engages with the front of the container and restricts the forward movement of the container during braking is essential.

[0008] However, unlike the rear of a trailer (e.g., a rear overhang) where there is ample space, the front of the trailer is crowded with the swivel mechanism of the front wheel axle and the above-mentioned drawbar. Therefore, when considering a trailer that loads and unloads containers from the front, it is difficult to repurpose the configuration of bending the rear part of the running surface downward as adopted in the trailer of Patent Document 1 and bending the front part of the running surface downward by a necessary and sufficient length. In this case, it is difficult to guide the running rollers with a guide in the process of translating the container toward the trailer as in the same document. Therefore, when the container is translated, the left and right positions of the running rollers vary, and there is a possibility that the container will interfere with the fastening mechanism at the front of the trailer in the process of transferring the container from the container loading / unloading vehicle to the trailer.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide a trailer that allows a container to be loaded and unloaded from the front by a container loading and unloading vehicle without interfering with the traveling rollers, and that can securely fasten the front of the container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to achieve the above-mentioned objective, the present invention provides a trailer that can be towed by a freight vehicle and can carry a container from the front, the container having a main girder at the bottom that extends forward and backward and has running rollers at the rear part of the bottom, the trailer comprising a chassis having front and rear wheels and carrying the container, and a movable stopper located at the front of the chassis that engages with the container loaded on the chassis and restricts the forward and backward movement of the container, the movable stopper being configured to be displaceable between an engagement position where it engages with the container and a release position where it releases the engagement with the container. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, a container can be loaded and unloaded from the front onto a trailer by a container loading / unloading vehicle without interfering with the traveling rollers, and the front of the container can be securely fastened. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which a trailer according to an embodiment of the present invention is brought close to a container loading / unloading vehicle. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a trailer according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a left side view of a trailer according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] 1 is a rear view of a trailer according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a deck of a trailer according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a drawbar of a trailer according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a left side view of a drawbar of a trailer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a container lock provided on a trailer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a front view of a container lock provided on a trailer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] Cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 8. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a container is being loaded and unloaded from a movable stopper provided on a trailer according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which the movable stopper provided on the trailer according to an embodiment of the present invention is disengaged from the container; [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a movable stopper of a trailer engaged with a container according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 14] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which a container is transferred from a container loading / unloading vehicle to a trailer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which a container is transferred from a container loading / unloading vehicle to a trailer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which a container is transferred from a container loading / unloading vehicle to a trailer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which a container is transferred from a container loading / unloading vehicle to a trailer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which a container is transferred from a container loading / unloading vehicle to a trailer according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0014] -Container removal vehicle- Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which a trailer according to one embodiment of the present invention is brought close to a container loading / unloading vehicle. In the following description of the embodiment, the left and right in Fig. 1 refer to the front and rear of the trailer, the container loading / unloading vehicle, and the container, respectively. Note that in this embodiment, an example will be described in which a container loading / unloading vehicle is used as a cargo vehicle (tractor) that pulls the trailer.

[0015] 1, when approaching the rear of a container loader / unloader vehicle V, a container C is transferred from the container loader / unloader vehicle V by a container handling device Vh mounted on the container loader / unloader vehicle V, and the loaded container C is transferred to the container loader / unloader vehicle V. The trailer 1 is coupled to a cargo vehicle and towed. The container loader / unloader vehicle V is an example of a cargo vehicle.

[0016] The container loading / unloading vehicle V is equipped with a vehicle frame Vf, a subframe Vs, a container handling device Vh, and guide rollers Vr. The vehicle frame Vf carries and supports the subframe Vs. The subframe Vs supports the container handling device Vh. The container handling device Vh loads and unloads containers C by sliding an L-shaped arm Va back and forth and pivoting it back and forth. A pair of guide rollers Vr, one on the left and one on the right, are provided at the rear end of the subframe Vs and guide the main girder Cg of the container C being loaded and unloaded onto the container loading / unloading vehicle V.

[0017] -container- The container C loaded on the container loading / unloading vehicle V or the trailer 1 is a box-shaped container with an open top, and the rear side is composed of a rear gate Cw. The rear gate Cw is a downward-opening type, and the lower part rotates via a hinge at the top to open and close the rear opening of the container C. A pair of left and right main girders Cg extending in the front-rear direction are provided at the bottom of the container C and protrude downward. The left and right main girders Cg are rod-shaped members with vertically long rectangular cross sections, and extend in the front-rear direction parallel to each other. The main girders Cg extend over the entire length of the container C. These main girders Cg are reinforcing materials for the container C, and are supported by the guide rollers Vr of the container loading / unloading vehicle V and the support rollers 8 of the trailer 1. Therefore, the left and right distance between the left and right main girders Cg is set to match the left and right distance between the guide rollers Vr and the support rollers 8.

[0018] The upper front surface of the container C is provided with a bar-shaped engagement portion Cb that engages with and disengages from the hook of the arm Va. A pair of left and right support legs Cl are fixed to the front of the bottom of the container C, and a pair of left and right running rollers Cr are rotatably attached to the rear portion (rear end or near the rear end) of the bottom of the container C. The support legs Cl and running rollers Cr are both located on the outside in the left-right direction with respect to the main girder Cg, and protrude below the underside of the main girder Cg. When the running rollers Cr and support legs Cl are in contact with a horizontal surface, the container C is substantially horizontal.

[0019] -Trailer- Fig. 2 is a plan view of the trailer in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a left side view, and Fig. 4 is a rear view. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the trailer deck, Fig. 6 is a plan view of the trailer drawbar, and Fig. 7 is a left side view.

[0020] As shown in these drawings, the trailer 1 is equipped with a chassis 4 having front wheels 2 and rear wheels 3 for loading a container C, and a drawbar 5 provided at the front of the chassis 4 and connected to a cargo vehicle. One container C can be loaded onto the trailer 1 from the front.

[0021] The chassis 4 includes a trailer frame 6, a running surface 7, support rollers 8, and a roller pit 9. The trailer frame 6, the running surface 7, the support rollers 8, and the roller pit 9 are provided in pairs on the left and right sides.

[0022] The left and right trailer frames 6 are, for example, rod-shaped members made of high-strength steel material with an I-shaped cross section and extending in the front-rear direction. The left and right trailer frames 6 are connected by a plurality of cross members 6a arranged at intervals in the front-rear direction.

[0023] A swivel mechanism 10, which is called a turntable or dolly that can rotate freely around a vertical axis, is provided on the underside of the front part of the trailer frame 6. The front wheels 2 are connected to the lower part of this swivel mechanism 10 via a suspension, and the front wheels 2 can swing left and right relative to the trailer frame 6.

[0024] The rear wheels 3 are connected via a suspension to the underside of the rear part of the trailer frame 6. The orientation of the rear wheels 3 relative to the trailer frame 6 remains unchanged.

[0025] The upper part of the front wheels 2 is covered by a front fender 11 fixed to the side of the trailer frame 6, and the upper part of the rear wheels 3 is covered by a rear fender 12 fixed to the side of the trailer frame 6. In addition, the trailer frame 6 is provided with a side guard 13 that covers the space between the front wheels 2 and the rear wheels 3. Furthermore, a rear bumper 14 is provided at the rear end of the trailer frame 6.

[0026] A deck 15 extending in the front-rear direction is supported on the upper part of each of the left and right trailer frames 6. The thickness of the deck 15 varies depending on the position in the front-rear direction. Specifically, the lower surface of the deck 15 is flush, whereas the height of the upper surface varies depending on the position in the front-rear direction. A front portion 16 of the deck 15 is thinner in the up-down direction than a main body portion 17 located behind it, and the upper surface of the front portion 16 is lower in height than the upper surface of the main body portion 17.

[0027] The upper surface of the main body 17 of the deck 15 is the running surface 7 described above. This running surface 7 constitutes a road surface on which the running rollers Cr of the container C run when loading and unloading the container C. The running surface 7 also has a slope 7a at its front end that descends forward. This slope 7a is connected to the upper surface of the front part 16 of the deck 15. The slope 7a is located rearward of the claws 23j of the container lock 23 and the movable stopper 22 described later, and is arranged so that at least a part of the slope 7a is located rearward of the front edge 2a (FIG. 3) of the front wheel 2. In this embodiment, the entire slope 7a is located rearward of the front edge 2a (FIG. 3) of the front wheel 2, and most (more than half) of the slope 7a is located rearward of the rotation center of the front wheel 2. The running surface 7 also has a slope 7b at its rear end that descends toward the roller pit 9. The slopes 7a and 7b are gentle slopes with an inclination angle (the angle formed with respect to the running surface 7 excluding the slopes 7a and 7b) of 45 degrees or less (for example, about 10 degrees). The running surface 7 excluding the slopes 7a and 7b is horizontal when the trailer 1 is placed on level ground. Rails 7c that guide the running rollers Cr of the container C running on the running surface 7 protrude upward from the inner edges in the lateral direction of the left and right running surfaces 7.

[0028] The left and right support rollers 8 are rollers that support the main girders Cg of the container C loaded on the trailer 1. These support rollers 8 are arranged between the left and right running surfaces 7 such that their rotation axes (rotation center lines) are located forward of the front edge of the roller pit 9. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2, all of the support rollers 8 are located forward of the front edge of the roller pit 9, and all or a part of the support rollers 8 (a part in this embodiment) are located forward of the rear edges 3a of the rear wheels 3, as shown in Fig. 3.

[0029] The roller pit 9 is a space (e.g., a hole or a depression) into which the traveling rollers Cr of the container C that have traveled across the traveling surface 7 fall, and is adjacent to the rear end of the traveling surface 7, i.e., the rear side of the rear end of the slope 7b. A roller stopper 21 that serves as a stopper for the traveling rollers Cr of the container C is provided on the rear side of the roller pit 9. The roller stopper 21 is provided on the front side of the cross member 19 that connects the rear ends of the left and right trailer frames 6.

[0030] The left and right running surfaces 7 are provided at their inner lateral edges with left and right seats 18 on which the main girders Cg of the container C sit. The left seat 18 and the left support roller 8 are positioned on the same straight line extending parallel to the running surface 7. Similarly, the right seat 18 and the right support roller 8 are positioned on the same straight line extending parallel to the running surface 7.

[0031] In addition, a pair of left and right anti-jumping pieces 20 are attached to the cross member 19. These anti-jumping pieces 20 have tips that extend forward and are inserted into claw holes (not shown) of a container C loaded onto the chassis 4 from the front, restricting the up, down, left and right movement of the loaded container C and preventing the rear of the container C from jumping up. In this embodiment, a configuration in which the fixed anti-jumping pieces 20 are disposed at the rear end position of the trailer frame 6 has been exemplified, but the anti-jumping pieces 20 may be made movable and provided at a middle position in the fore-aft direction of the trailer 1.

[0032] In addition, a movable stopper 22 is provided on the outer side in the left-right direction of the front portion 16 of the deck 15. In addition, a container lock 23 that is driven, for example, by air pressure is provided between the front portions 16 of the left and right decks 15. The detailed configurations of the movable stopper 22 and the container lock 23 will be described later.

[0033] In addition, although not shown, the trailer 1 may be provided with a movable front stopper that holds down the front of the loaded container C.

[0034] -Drawbar- FIG. 6 is a plan view of the drawbar 5 provided on the trailer 1, and FIG.

[0035] The drawbar 5 is a connecting member that is connected to a connecting portion at the rear of a cargo vehicle to connect the trailer 1 to the cargo vehicle that serves as a tractor. The drawbar 5 has a variable structure that can be transformed into a basic form for connecting to a cargo vehicle and a retracted form in which the amount of forward projection from the front end of the chassis 4 (the front end of the deck 15 in this embodiment) is smaller than that of the basic form. Specifically, the drawbar 5 has a base 31 attached to the chassis 4 (specifically, the turning mechanism 10) and a main body 32 turnably connected to at least one of the left and right sides of the base 31. The basic form of the drawbar 5 is a form in which the main body 32 extends forward as shown in FIG. 6, and the retracted form of the drawbar 5 is a form in which the main body 32 extends to the left or right as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 2.

[0036] The base 31 of the drawbar 5 is connected to the turning mechanism 10 via a pin 38 extending left and right so as to be able to swing up and down, and can swing left and right together with the front wheels 2 by the turning mechanism 10. The vertical swing of the base 31 relative to the turning mechanism 10 can be locked by a stopper pin (not shown).

[0037] The main body 32 of the drawbar 5 is a strong member that is long in the front-rear direction, and its base end is connected to the base 31 via a pin 33 that extends up and down so as to be swingable left and right. This main body 32 can rotate approximately 180 degrees from a state in which the tip faces left to a state in which the tip faces right. In addition, a ring 34 is provided at the tip of the main body 32, and the trailer 1 and the cargo vehicle are connected by connecting this ring 34 to a coupling device of the cargo vehicle. Although not particularly shown, the trailer 1 is equipped with a chain, and when it is towed by a cargo vehicle, it is connected to the cargo vehicle by the chain in addition to the drawbar 5.

[0038] The base 31 and the main body 32 of the drawbar 5 are fixed to each other by a lock pin 35 (the swing of the main body 32 is locked). The base 31 has three pin holes 36 (in front of, to the right of, and to the left of the pin 33) centered around the pin 33, and the main body 32 has one (not shown). FIG. 6 shows a state in which the lock pin 35 is passed through the pin hole 36 in front of the pin 33 in the base 31 and the pin hole 36 in the main body 32, and the main body 32 is fixed to the base 31 in the basic form. From this state, the lock pin 35 is removed, the main body 32 is rotated to the left or right, and the lock pin 35 is passed through the pin hole 36 on the left or right of the pin 33 in the base 31 and the pin hole 36 in the main body 32, whereby the main body 32 is fixed to the base 31 in the retracted form.

[0039] In the retracted configuration, the amount of forward projection of the drawbar 5 from the front end of the chassis 4 (the front end of the deck 15 in this embodiment) is significantly reduced (at least to half or less) compared to the basic configuration. In the case of this embodiment, in the retracted configuration, the entire main body 32 of the drawbar 5 is located rearward of the front end of the base 31 of the drawbar 5, and the amount of forward projection of the drawbar 5 from the front end of the chassis 4 in the retracted configuration is, for example, about 1 / 4 of that in the basic configuration.

[0040] Although not shown in Figures 6 and 7, the drawbar 5 is equipped with a stand 37 (Figure 3) with casters. The stand 37 is normally in a position with the casters facing backwards and away from the ground, but when coupling or uncoupling the trailer 1 and the tractor, the stand 37 is erected and the handle 37a is turned to extend the stand 37, allowing the drawbar 5, which is a heavy object, to be lifted.

[0041] -Container Lock- Fig. 8 is a plan view of the container lock 23 described above, Fig. 9 is a front view of the container lock 23 as viewed from below in Fig. 8, and Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 8. The left-right direction in Fig. 8 to Fig. 10 corresponds to the left-right direction of the trailer 1, the container loading / unloading vehicle V, and the container C, and corresponds to the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in Fig. 1. In Fig. 8 to Fig. 10, the container lock 23 is illustrated with its exterior cover seen through.

[0042] The container lock 23 is located between the front parts 16 of the left and right decks 15 of the chassis 4, and regulates the vertical movement of the container C. The container lock 23 includes a base 23a, a cylinder 23b, a bell crank 23c, a first shaft 23d, a bell crank 23e, an arm 23f, a bell crank 23g, a second shaft 23h, a link 23i, and a claw 23j.

[0043] The base 23a is supported by a cross member 6a located at the front of the trailer 1. The cylinder 23b is a pneumatic cylinder, and one end of the cylinder 23b is connected to the base 23a via a bracket 23k so as to be rotatable up and down in an orientation extending left and right. A hydraulic cylinder may also be used for the cylinder 23b. The other end of the cylinder 23b is connected via a bell crank 23c to a first shaft 23d that is rotatably supported on the base 23a. The first shaft 23d rotates as the cylinder 23b expands and contracts.

[0044] Also, arm 23f, also called a sickle neck, partially formed in a U-shape, is connected to first shaft 23d via bell crank 23e. The tip of bell crank 23e is rotatably connected to one end of arm 23f via pin 23l. Arm 23f extends left and right (in a direction perpendicular to first shaft 23d) and straddles first shaft 23d at the U-shape. The other end of arm 23f is connected to second shaft 23h rotatably supported on base 23a via bell crank 23g. Arm 23f and bell crank 23g are rotatably connected to pin 23m. Left and right claws 23j rotatably connected to base 23a are connected to second shaft 23h via left and right links 23i.

[0045] With this configuration, when the cylinder 23b extends and the first shaft 23d rotates in one direction (the direction of the arrow R1 in FIG. 10), the rotation of the first shaft 23d is transmitted to the second shaft 23h via the bell crank 23e and the arm 23f, and the second shaft 23h rotates in one direction (the direction opposite to the arrow R2 in FIG. 10). Furthermore, the rotation of the second shaft 23h is transmitted to the left and right claws 23j via the left and right links 23i, and the left and right claws 23j rotate outward in the left and right direction (vehicle width direction), respectively, and the left and right claws 23j protrude outward from the exterior cover (FIG. 5) (as shown in FIG. 5, FIG. 8 to FIG. 10). The left and right protruding claws 23j engage with claw holes (not shown) provided on the opposing side surfaces of the left and right main girders Cg of the container C loaded on the trailer 1, and regulate the up-down, front-back, and left-right movement of the container C.

[0046] On the other hand, when the cylinder 23b is contracted and the first shaft 23d rotates in the other direction (opposite to the direction of the arrow R1 in FIG. 10), the rotation of the first shaft 23d is transmitted to the second shaft 23h via the bell crank 23e and the arm 23f, and the second shaft 23h rotates in the other direction (arrow R2 in FIG. 10). Furthermore, the rotation of the second shaft 23h is transmitted to the left and right claws 23j via the left and right links 23i, and the left and right claws 23j rotate inward in the left and right direction (vehicle width direction) from the state shown in FIG. 8-FIG. 10, and the left and right claws 23j are stored in the exterior cover (FIG. 5). When the left and right claws 23j are stored in a state where the container C is loaded on the trailer 1, the left and right claws 23j are released from the left and right main girders Cg of the container C from the claw holes (not shown) of the girders Cg, and the restraint of the container C by the container lock 23 is released.

[0047] At this time, in a state where the claws 23j protrude to the left and right, as shown in Fig. 10, a plane S passing through the center lines of the pins 23l and 23m at both ends of the arm 23f is located below the center of the first shaft 23d, and the force transmitted from the second shaft 23h rotating in the direction of the arrow R2 to the first shaft 23d is converted into a force that rotates the first shaft 23d in the direction of the arrow R1. As described above, in order for the second shaft 23h to rotate in the direction of the arrow R2, the first shaft 23d must rotate in the opposite direction to the arrow R1 due to the structure, so the rotational force of the first shaft 23d in the direction of the arrow R1 resists the force that tries to rotate the second shaft 23h in the direction of the arrow R2. As a result, even if an upward external force F (Fig. 10) acts on the claws 23j from the container C, for example, the rotation of the second shaft 23h in the direction of the arrow R2 due to this force is restricted, and the claws 23j are prevented from falling inward and coming off the container C.

[0048] - Movable stopper - Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the movable stopper 22 in the process of loading and unloading a container C. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the movable stopper 22 in a state in which it has been released from engagement with a container loaded on the trailer 1, and Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the movable stopper 22 in a state in which it has been engaged with a container loaded on the trailer 1.

[0049] The movable stoppers 22 engage (fit in this example) with a container C loaded on the chassis 4 to restrict the forward and backward movement of the container C, and one is provided on each of the left and right sides of the chassis 4. The movable stoppers 22 are configured to be displaceable between an engagement position (FIG. 13) where they engage with the container C and a release position (FIG. 12) where they release the engagement with the container C. In this embodiment, the movable stoppers 22 are foldable, and are supported via brackets 22a on the left and right side surfaces of the front part 16 of the deck 15 so as to be rotatable up and down. The movable stoppers 22 are configured to be displaced from the upright engagement position to the release position by folding outward in the vehicle width direction.

[0050] The movable stopper 22 is located at the front of the vehicle frame 4 and in front of the slope 7a, and when a container C is loaded onto the trailer 1, the support leg Cl of the container C faces the movable stopper 22 (FIG. 12). A recess is provided on the side of the support leg Cl, and when the movable stopper 22 is raised and displaced to the engagement position with the container C loaded onto the trailer 1, the movable stopper 22 fits into the recess of the support leg Cl and restrains the front of the container C (FIG. 13). When the movable stopper 22 is displaced to the release position, it moves away from the front part 16 of the deck 15 and its highest point drops to the same level as the upper surface of the front part 16, expanding the opening through which the traveling rollers Cr can pass compared to when it is in the engagement position. In this way, the movable stopper 22 retreats from the track of the traveling rollers Cr, so that the movable stopper 22 does not interfere with the container C (e.g., the traveling rollers Cr) traveling back and forth on the deck 15 when it is unloaded from the trailer 1.

[0051] However, this collapsible configuration is one example of the movable structure of the movable stopper 22, and the design of the movable structure of the movable stopper 22 can be modified as appropriate. For example, the movable stopper 22 can be configured to slide upward from a release position where the entire stopper 22 is positioned lower than the upper surface of the front part 16 of the deck 15, and to be displaced to an engagement position where the stopper 22 protrudes from the upper surface of the deck 15. In addition, the movable stopper 22 can be made detachable, and the movable stopper 22 can be attached to the vehicle frame 4 when engaging with the container C loaded on the trailer 1, and the movable stopper 22 can be removed from the vehicle frame 4 when the container C is unloaded from the trailer 1.

[0052] In this embodiment, the movable stopper 22 is provided with a pin 22b that connects the movable stopper 22 to the container C at the engagement position. The tip end of the movable stopper 22 is provided with a through hole 22c (FIG. 12) that penetrates from front to rear. When the movable stopper 22 is displaced to the engagement position and fitted into a recess in the support leg Cl of the container C, this through hole 22c is aligned front to back (on the same straight line) with the through hole Cla (FIG. 12) provided in the support leg Cl. By passing and fixing the pin 22b through the through holes Cla, 22c that are aligned in this way, the movable stopper 22 is connected to the container C at the engagement position.

[0053] Also, a pin hole 22d (FIG. 13) is provided in the upper part of the bracket 22a of the movable stopper 22, and the pin 22b when not in use can be inserted into the pin hole 22d for storage. The pin hole 22d is closed by the movable stopper 22 in the engagement position (FIG. 13), and is located in a position that is opened when the movable stopper 22 is in the release position, so that the pin 22b cannot be inserted when the movable stopper 22 is in the engagement position, but can be inserted when the movable stopper 22 is in the release position. Also, the pin 22b inserted into the pin hole 22d restrains the movable stopper 22 in the release position, so that the movable stopper 22 can be prevented from being displaced to the engagement position unexpectedly.

[0054] - Procedure for loading containers onto a trailer - 14 to 18 are diagrams showing the process of transferring a container C from the container loader vehicle V to the trailer 1. As an example, the procedure for loading a container C by the container loader vehicle V onto an empty trailer 1 that has been towed by a tractor and transported to a loading work site will be described with reference to Figs. 1 and 14 to 18.

[0055] When loading a container C onto the trailer 1, it is necessary to move the drawbar 5 of the trailer 1 to the retracted state. In this case, first, the stand 37 is erected while the drawbar 5 of the trailer 1 is still connected to the tractor, and the handle 37a is turned to raise the drawbar 5 to a position where the ring 34 can be detached from the connection part of the tractor. In this way, the connection between the tractor and the trailer 1 is released, and the tractor is moved. After the tractor is moved, the vertical swing of the base 31 of the drawbar 5 is locked with a stopper pin (not shown), and the stand 37 is stored in preparation for the transition of the drawbar 5 to the retracted state (in a state where it is separated from the ground as shown by the solid line in FIG. 3). However, if the contact surface of the casters of the stand 37 is smooth, the stand 37 may remain on the ground.

[0056] Thereafter, the lock pin 35 is removed, the main body 32 of the drawbar 5 is rotated to the left or right to move from the basic form to the retracted form, and the removed lock pin 35 is reinserted to fix the main body 32 in the retracted form.

[0057] Next, as shown in Fig. 1, the container loader V loaded with the container C is brought close to the front of the trailer 1, and the container loader V and the trailer 1 are lined up in tandem facing the same direction. The rear of the container loader V and the front of the trailer 1 face each other.

[0058] After arranging the container loading / unloading vehicle V and the trailer 1 in tandem as shown in Fig. 1, the arm Va of the container handling device Vh is slid backward to push the container C backward as shown in Fig. 14. The container C slides backward on the container loading / unloading vehicle V, with the main girder Cg guided by the guide rollers Vr.

[0059] After sliding the container C backward, as shown in Fig. 15, the arm Va of the container handling device Vh is rotated backward, and the container C is brought into contact with the trailer 1. The container C moves backward with its front part lifted, using the guide roller Vr as a fulcrum, and first the traveling roller Cr contacts the running surface 7 of the trailer 1. At that time, the traveling roller Cr of the container C lands on the slope 7a on the front side of the running surface 7 as the arm Va starts to rotate (Fig. 15).

[0060] Thereafter, when the arm Va of the container handling device Vh rotates further backward, the traveling rollers Cr of the container C travel on the traveling surface 7 of the trailer 1 and move backward as shown in FIG.

[0061] When the traveling rollers Cr of the container C travel to the rear end on the traveling surface 7, they drop into the roller pit 9 (Fig. 5) as shown in Fig. 17, and at the same time, the main girders Cg of the container C are supported by the support rollers 8 of the trailer 1. The support point at the rear of the container C is changed from the traveling rollers Cr to the support rollers 8, and even if the traveling rollers Cr pass the traveling surface 7, the support point at the rear of the container C remains within the range of the traveling surface 7.

[0062] And finally, the container C reaches a state where the main girder Cg is seated on the seat 18 (FIG. 18). When the container C moves to this state, the anti-jumping pieces 20 of the trailer 1 are inserted into the claw holes (not shown) of the container C, preventing the rear of the container C from floating up. Once the container C has been transferred to the trailer 1 in this way, the connection between the arm Va and the container C is released, and the container loading / unloading vehicle V is moved forward. Furthermore, the front of the container C is fixed by the movable stopper 22 and the claws 23j of the container lock 23, so that the container C is restrained relative to the trailer 1.

[0063] When connecting the trailer to the container loader V or other cargo vehicle, the above-mentioned steps are reversed to return the drawbar 5 to its basic configuration, and the drawbar 5 and chain are connected to the cargo vehicle.

[0064] The procedure for unloading container C from trailer 1 is essentially the reverse of the above.

[0065] -effect- (1) According to this embodiment, the movable stopper 22 is configured to be displaceable between an engagement position where it engages with the container C and a release position where it releases the engagement with the container C. By setting the movable stopper 22 to the release position, it is possible to move the movable stopper 22 away from the track of the container C during loading and unloading. As a result, even if the left and right positions of the container C relative to the trailer 1 vary when the container C is loaded from the front by the container loading and unloading vehicle V, interference between the container C (e.g., the traveling roller Cr) and the movable stopper 22 can be suppressed. After that, when the container C is unloaded onto the trailer 1, the movable stopper 22 can be displaced to the engagement position to be coupled to the container C. In this way, the container C can be loaded and unloaded from the front onto the trailer 1 by the container loading and unloading vehicle V without interference between the traveling roller Cr of the container C and the movable stopper 22, and the front part of the container C can be securely fastened by the movable stopper 22.

[0066] If a non-movable stopper is used instead of the movable stopper 22 as a fastening device connected to the support leg Cl of the container C, a guide that comes into contact with the container C when the container C is translated (FIG. 14) and positions the container C left and right must be provided at the front of the trailer 1 (in front of the stopper) together with a slope in order to avoid interference between the container C being loaded onto the trailer 1 and the stopper. In this case, it is difficult to provide a slope due to the presence of the drawbar 5 and the turning mechanism 10, and it is also not preferable from the viewpoint of weight balance because the load of the container C is first concentrated at the front of the trailer 1 where heavy objects such as the drawbar 5 and the turning mechanism 10 are concentrated.

[0067] In contrast, in the case of this embodiment, the movable stopper 22 is employed as a stopper for restraining the support leg Cl of the container C, so that it is not necessary to provide a slope or guide in front of the movable stopper 22, and it is possible to avoid receiving the concentrated load of the container C in front of the movable stopper 22. This also allows the container C to be loaded smoothly.

[0068] (2) A pin hole 22d is provided in the bracket 22a of the movable stopper 22, and the pin 22b for connecting the movable stopper 22 to the container C can be inserted into the pin hole 22d for storage. The pin 22b used to fix the movable stopper 22 can be stored in the bracket 22a of the movable stopper 22 (i.e., very close to the place of use), which is highly convenient, and there is no need to take the trouble of securing a separate place to store the pin 22b, which also contributes to preventing the pin 22b from being lost. In addition, the pin hole 22d is blocked by the movable stopper 22 in the engaged position and is opened when the movable stopper 22 is in the released position, so that the pin 22b must be removed from the bracket 22a when the movable stopper 22 is to be erected. This encourages the worker to naturally pick up the pin 22b and connect the movable stopper 22 to the container C when raising the movable stopper 22, and prevents the worker from forgetting to connect the movable stopper 22 to the container C by the pin 22b simply by raising the movable stopper 22. In addition, when the pin 22b is stored by being inserted into the pin hole 22d, the movable stopper 22 is restrained in the release position by the pin 22b inserted into the pin hole 22d, so that the movable stopper 22 can be prevented from being displaced unexpectedly to the engagement position, and the movable stopper 22 can be prevented from jumping up more than necessary from the release position when the trailer 1 is traveling in an empty state without loading any containers C.

[0069] (3) In addition, a slope 7a descending forward is provided at the front end of the traveling surface 7 so as to be located behind the movable stopper 22. If there was no slope 7a at the front end of the traveling surface 7, when transferring a container C from the container loading / unloading vehicle V to the trailer 1, there is a possibility that the traveling roller Cr will come into contact with the vicinity of the front end of the vehicle frame 4 (for example, the front part 16 of the deck 15) when the arm Va of the container handling device Vh starts to rotate.

[0070] For example, when sliding the container C backward by the arm Va to transfer the container C from the container loading / unloading vehicle V to the trailer 1 (FIG. 14), if there is no slope 7a and there is no difference in height between the top surfaces of the front part 16 and the main body part 17 of the deck 15, the top surface of the front part 16 may be higher than the lower edge of the running rollers Cr of the container C. In that case, the running rollers Cr get caught on the front end of the front part 16 of the deck 15 and cannot ride up, making it difficult to transfer the container C to the trailer 1.

[0071] Even if the container C can be loaded onto the trailer 1, if there is no difference in the height of the top surfaces of the front 16 and main body 17 of the deck 15, the support legs Cl of the container C loaded onto the trailer 1 will come into contact with the front 16 of the deck 15, and the main girders Cg of the container C will not seat on the seat 18 of the trailer 1.

[0072] In contrast, in this embodiment, the front end of the running surface 7 is provided with a slope 7a that descends forward, and at least a part of this slope 7a is located behind the front edge 2a of the front wheel 2. By providing the slope 7a in this way and lowering the upper surface of the front part 16 of the deck 15 relative to the upper surface of the main body part 17 of the deck 15 (the running surface 7 excluding the slopes 7a and 7b), the running rollers Cr are prevented from contacting the upper surface of the front part 16 of the deck 15 when the arm Va starts to turn, and the running rollers Cr are stably landed on the slope 7a and smoothly guided to the running surface 7 following the slope 7a. This allows the container C to be stably transferred from the container loading / unloading vehicle V to the trailer 1. In addition, the support legs Cl of the container C are prevented from contacting the upper surface of the front part 16 of the deck 15, and the main beam Cg of the container C can be securely supported by the seat part 18 of the trailer 1.

[0073] In addition, since the trailer 1 is heavy at the front where the drawbar 5 and the turning mechanism 10 are provided, when the container C is loaded from the front of the trailer 1 as in this embodiment, the position where the traveling rollers Cr of the container C land when the container C starts to be loaded is important. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the container C is transferred to the trailer 1 with the container loading vehicle V stopped at a predetermined position, the slope 7a where the traveling rollers Cr of the container C first touch the ground is provided behind the movable stopper 22 and near the front wheel 2. The load of the container C is prevented from being applied near the front end of the trailer 1, and the transfer operation of the container C from the container loading vehicle V to the trailer 1 can be stably performed. In particular, in this embodiment, since the front part of the slope 7a is located behind the front edge 2a of the front wheel 2, it is possible to prevent the load of the container C from concentrating forward of the front edge 2a of the front wheel 2.

[0074] From the viewpoint of weight balance related to the landing position of the traveling rollers Cr of the container C when loading of the container C begins, it is more preferable that the slope 7a is located between the front wheels 2 and the rear wheels 3, but if the entire slope 7a is configured to be located behind the front wheels 2, the front part of the main girder Cg of the container C loaded on the trailer 1 will be in a significantly raised supported state, making it impossible to ensure the stability of the container C. Therefore, in this embodiment, the slope 7a at the front end of the traveling surface 7 is provided near the front wheels 2, thereby achieving both a good weight balance and a stable supported state when the container is loaded.

[0075] (4) According to this embodiment, the drawbar 5 can be transformed from a basic configuration for coupling to a cargo vehicle to a retracted configuration (indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 2) in which the amount of forward protrusion from the front end of the chassis 4 is smaller than in the basic configuration. Therefore, by putting the drawbar 5 into the retracted configuration, the rear of the container loading / unloading vehicle V can be brought sufficiently close to the front of the trailer 1. This facilitates the work of loading and unloading the container C from the front of the trailer 1 by the container loading / unloading vehicle V.

[0076] (5) As described above, the chassis 4 is provided with the roller pit 9 adjacent to the rear of the running surface 7 on which the running rollers Cr of the container C run, and the support rollers 8 that support the main girders Cg of the container C are arranged so that their rotation axis is located forward of the roller pit 9. If there was no roller pit 9 and the running surface 7 continued to near the rear end of the trailer 1, the running rollers Cr running on the running surface 7 would exceed the rear wheels 3, and just before the loading of the container C was completed, the load of the container C would be concentrated at a position beyond the rear wheels 3, which could cause the front wheels 2 of the trailer 1 to lift off the ground.

[0077] In contrast, in this embodiment, as described above, before the loading of the container C is completed, the traveling rollers Cr of the container C drop into the roller pit 9, and the main girder Cg of the container C is supported by the support rollers 8 arranged forward of the roller pit 9. This prevents the support point of the container C from moving to the vicinity of the rear end of the trailer 1, and makes it possible to suppress the front wheels 2 of the trailer 1 from lifting up.

[0078] In particular, in this embodiment, the support roller 8 is positioned in a position where its front-to-rear position range overlaps with the rear wheel 3, thereby preventing the support point of the container C from moving rearward beyond the rear edge 3a of the rear wheel 3.

[0079] (6) The rear end of the traveling surface 7 has a slope 7b that descends toward the roller pit 9, so that the traveling rollers Cr of the container C descend the slope 7b when they fall into the roller pit 9, allowing the main girder Cg to smoothly land on the support rollers 8. This makes it possible to soften the impact when the support point of the container C switches from the traveling rollers Cr to the support rollers 8.

[0080] (7) The front of the container C is secured by the movable stopper 22 that engages from the outside in the left-right direction, as well as by the container lock 23 that engages on the inside. The container lock 23 is actuated by the cylinder 23b, so that the lock and unlock operations can be easily performed at the container lock 23 located between the left and right main girders Cg of the container C, which is difficult for workers to reach. During unlocking, the left and right claws 23j are stored in the exterior cover 23x and withdrawn from the track of the traveling rollers Cr. Therefore, like the movable stopper 22, the claws 23j of the container lock 23 are prevented from interfering with the traveling rollers Cr. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 1...trailer, 2...front wheel, 3...rear wheel, 4...chassis, 5...drawbar, 7...running surface, 7a...slope, 20...anti-jump piece, 22...movable stopper, 22a...bracket, 22b...pin, 22d...pin hole, 23...container lock, C...container, Cg...main girder, Cl...running roller, V...container removal vehicle (cargo vehicle)

Claims

1. A trailer towed by a freight vehicle is capable of carrying a container from the front, the container having a main girder extending forward and backward at the bottom and a running roller at the rear part of the bottom, a chassis having front and rear wheels and carrying the container; a movable stopper located at the front of the vehicle frame and engaging with the container loaded on the vehicle frame to restrict at least forward movement of the container; The movable stopper is configured to be displaceable between an engagement position where it engages with the container and a release position where it releases the engagement with the container. A trailer characterized by:

2. In the trailer of claim 1, The trailer is characterized in that the release position is provided so as to be out of contact with the traveling surface on which the traveling rollers run.

3. In the trailer of claim 1, the engagement position is provided to engage with a portion of the container that is above a running surface on which the running rollers run, The movable stopper is configured to be rotatable up and down between the release position and the engagement position. A trailer characterized by:

4. The trailer of claim 3, A trailer characterized in that the movable stopper is displaceable around a rotation axis extending forward and backward.

5. The trailer of claim 1, A trailer comprising a pin connecting said movable stopper to said container in said engaged position.

6. The trailer of claim 5, A bracket is provided to support the movable stopper, a pin hole is provided in the bracket at a position that is blocked by the movable stopper in the engagement position and is opened when the movable stopper is in the release position; The pin can be stored by being inserted into the pin hole, and the movable stopper is configured to be restrained in the release position by the pin inserted into the pin hole. A trailer characterized by:

7. The trailer of claim 1, The chassis has a running surface on which the running rollers run, The running surface has a slope that descends forward at a front end portion, The slope is located rearward of the movable stopper. A trailer characterized by:

8. The trailer of claim 1, A jump prevention piece having a tip extending forward and inserted into a claw hole of the container loaded onto the vehicle from the front; a container lock located at the front of the vehicle frame for restricting the upward and downward movement of the container; A trailer comprising:

9. In the trailer of claim 1, a jump prevention piece having a tip extending forward and inserted into a claw hole of the container to be loaded onto the vehicle frame from the front; The movable stopper is provided so as to be located below a running surface on which the running roller runs in the released position. A trailer characterized by:

10. In the trailer of claim 1, a container lock located at the front of the vehicle frame and restricting the container from moving in a vertical direction; The movable stopper is provided so as to be located below a running surface on which the running roller runs in the released position. A trailer characterized by:

Images