Lifting and tilting apparatus for unloading iso standard containers arranged on a transport platform of a transport vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a lifting and tilting apparatus (1) for unloading containers for heavy load which are arranged on a transport platform (2) of a transport vehicle, such as heavy-duty containers, removable and non-removable loading devices of vehicles and other heavy-duty transport devices, said container consisting of a housing with at least one unloading opening, which is formed in a side wall, and a bottom plate and a top plate, wherein: the bottom plate of the container interacts with the lifting and tilting platform (3) which is arranged under the bottom plate of the container, preferably on the transport vehicle; the lifting and tilting platform (3) can be raised and tilted relative to the transport platform (2) of the transport vehicle and is releasably fastened to the transport platform (2) of the transport vehicle by means of a lockable fastening mechanism; a frame (4) is provided on the lifting and tilting platform (3) on a side directed toward the transport vehicle, said frame (4) lying on the transport platform (2) of the transport vehicle; in the interior of the frame (4) at least one cushion (5) is provided which can be inflated with compressed air and which is connected to the frame (4) and to a compressed-air source (7); and the lifting and tilting platform (3) can be releasably locked to the bottom plate of the container.

Description

[0001] Lifting and tipping device for unloading ISO standard containers arranged on a transport platform of a transport vehicle

[0002] The present invention relates to a lifting and tilting device for unloading heavy-duty containers, such as heavy-duty containers, removable and non-removable loading devices of vehicles, and other heavy-duty transport devices, arranged on a transport platform of a transport vehicle. The container consists of a housing with at least one unloading opening formed in a side wall and a bottom and a top plate, wherein the bottom plate of the container interacts with the lifting and tilting platform arranged under it, preferably on the transport vehicle.

[0003] Trucks with tipping devices for unloading bulk and general cargo contained on or in a tipper body have been known for a long time and are widely used, for example, in road construction as well as in civil engineering and building construction. Containers with a liftable and / or tiltable bottom, or with a double bottom, are also well known. The bottom facing the interior of the container is designed to be liftable and tiltable in order to completely unload free-flowing products such as bulk goods, general cargo, sand, or the like.

[0004] Both trucks with lifting and tipping devices for their tipper bodies and containers with liftable or tiltable floors have the disadvantage that the lifting and tipping device, preferably a hydraulic one, is permanently attached to the truck or container. This necessitates a technically complex design for both the truck and the container, meaning they can only be used for one specific purpose. This is particularly true since transporting goods that cannot be unloaded by lifting or tipping the truck or container body is economically impractical. Furthermore, vehicles or containers equipped with these devices require a relatively large amount of space for the lifting and tipping mechanism, which naturally reduces the overall loading volume of the containers.

[0005] From EP 3 424 775 A2, a transport system with a tipping device is known, in which, in the case of a soft tipping device, a tipping element is articulated to a base frame, and a lifting device is furthermore provided on the base frame, which causes the tipping element to pivot relative to the base frame. From EP 2848 466 B, a tipping device for the frontal and lateral emptying of a container is disclosed, in which a lifting element is arranged on a rectangular base, on which a second base is arranged. On the second base, a movable part coupled to two lifting cylinders is further arranged, thereby enabling a container arranged on this tipping device to be tipped in several directions.

[0006] US Patent 3,784,255 describes a tipper truck in which a tipping mechanism is mounted on a frame. The tipping mechanism comprises a plurality of airbags arranged one above the other, spaced apart from a tipping axis of the tipping mechanism, and articulated to a plate connected to the tipping mechanism in order to raise and lower the tipping mechanism. The present invention aims to provide a lifting and tipping device that is compact and allows any type of heavy-duty container to be unloaded by lifting and tipping, without the need for the truck itself or the container to have corresponding parts suitable for lifting and tipping.To solve this problem, the lifting and tilting device according to the invention is essentially characterized in that the lifting and tilting platform is designed to be liftable and tiltable with respect to the transport platform of the transport vehicle and is detachably fixed to the transport platform of the transport vehicle by means of a lockable fixing mechanism, that a frame is provided on the lifting and tilting platform on a side facing the transport vehicle, which frame rests on the transport platform of the transport vehicle, that at least one compressed air inflatable cushion connected to the frame and a compressed air source is provided inside the frame, and that the lifting and tilting platform is detachably lockable to the base plate of the container.Because the lifting and tilting platform is designed to be liftable and tiltable relative to the transport platform of the transport vehicle and is detachably fixed to the transport platform of the transport vehicle by means of a lockable fixing mechanism, on the one hand, a complete separation of the lifting and tilting device from the transport vehicle is possible, so that the transport vehicle can be used without it if necessary, and on the other hand, it is possible to fix the lifting and tilting platform on the transport vehicle in such a way that even during operation, i.e., while driving, an unexpected movement or lifting or tilting of the transport platform can be reliably prevented.By providing a frame on the side of the lifting and tilting platform facing the transport vehicle, with a soft frame resting on the transport vehicle's platform, and by including at least one air-inflatable cushion connected to the frame and the air pressure source inside the frame, the lifting and tilting platform can be raised or tilted using the cushion after releasing the lockable fixing mechanism. This eliminates the need for a hydraulic cylinder or pneumatic lifting or tilting device on the transport vehicle itself. The cushion, which is housed in a frame, allows the lifting and tilting platform to be raised, and the frame surrounding the cushion also protects it from accidental damage, such as from foreign objects or damage during vehicle travel.In this way, the intended procedure can be followed.

[0007] The frame protects the cushion from damage, particularly from the formation of material-weakening ridges that could impair the functioning of the lifting and tilting platform or even cause the cushion to burst, resulting in considerable damage. The frame securely holds the cushion inside, allowing for reliable inflation during operation.

[0008] By ensuring that the lifting and tilting platform can be detachably locked to the base plate of the container, it is guaranteed that the lifting and tilting platform can be separated from both the container and the transport vehicle and only then used for transport.

[0009] This method is necessary, for example, when transporting containers filled with loose material such as sand, rubble, granules, or the like, which can be most efficiently unloaded by tipping the container. In the following, the term "unloading container" refers to any type and size of container suitable for transporting dry heavy materials such as sand, stones, or the like, as well as plastic granules or the like; any type of truck body suitable for transporting dry heavy loads such as sand, gravel, stones, or the like; or any other transport containers for dry, free-flowing materials. It is essential in this context that the containers are arranged on a transport vehicle or semi-trailer, or any type of vehicle suitable for transporting such containers, and that the floor of the semi-trailer, e.g.,The truck bed is essentially designed as a flat transport platform and interacts with the container for the dry heavy goods. For the sake of simplicity, each of these possible transport containers will be referred to as a "container" or "receptacle" unless a different container for dry heavy goods or free-flowing materials is explicitly mentioned. With a lifting and tilting device according to the invention, it is thus possible to retrofit conventional trucks or flatbed vehicles with a lifting and tilting device. The only requirement is that the vehicle has a substantially flat transport platform on which the lifting and tilting device can rest and be locked. Furthermore, the transport platform should have such a shape that the frame for the cushion also rests firmly on it to reliably prevent damage to the cushion housed inside the frame.

[0010] In a further development of the invention, the lifting and tilting device is designed such that a plurality of locking and release mechanisms, each capable of being released in pairs, are provided on the lifting and tilting platform. The first locking mechanisms release the transport platform, and the second locking mechanisms release the container. This allows the lifting and tilting platform to be selectively released with respect to both the transport platform and the container. Specifically, the pairwise locking of individual locking mechanisms makes it possible to release an entire side of either the lifting and tilting platform or the container from the element below it.The container can either be detached from the transport platform or the lifting and tilting platform and moved relative to the respective underlying elements, or all pairs of fixing mechanisms can be released, in which case the container as a whole can be separated from the lifting and tilting platform, as well as the lifting and tilting platform from the transport platform. Of course, it is also possible to detach only the lifting and tilting platform from the transport platform, in which case the container can be lifted relative to the truck's transport platform using the cushions provided as lifting elements. With such a design, any number of tilting or swiveling movements of the container relative to the underlying elements are possible, as is complete detachment or...It is possible to separate the lifting and tipping device from the truck and from the container, such as a container or removable and non-removable vehicle bodies or other flat-bottomed transport vehicles.

[0011] In a further development of the invention, the lifting and tilting device is designed such that each first locking mechanism consists of a locking rod pivotally connected to the lifting and tilting platform, locking elements on the transport platform of the transport vehicle that interact with it, and an actuating element. By actuating the actuating element once, one side of the lifting and tilting platform can be released from or locked to the transport platform of the transport vehicle. This release from an entire side of the lifting and tilting platform makes it possible to tilt the container simply by actuating the actuating element and activating a pneumatic source to inflate the cushions. These actions are essentially effortless, so that in this case, anyone can easily empty the container.To further facilitate the operation of the locking mechanism, it is also possible to actuate the actuating element pneumatically or electrically, even for the actuation of the.

[0012] The actuating element can be operated essentially without muscle power. It goes without saying that the lifting and tilting device according to the invention can be provided with a plurality of such actuating devices in order to tilt the container in any desired direction, i.e., along its narrow side as well as along its broad side, and to determine whether all fixing mechanisms are in the closed state in order to ensure the safe transport of the container on the transport vehicle.

[0013] In another embodiment of the invention, the actuating element is formed from a lever rigidly hinged to one end of the fixing rod. This allows even inexperienced persons to easily release or lock the fixing elements using the rod and the actuating lever. It goes without saying that the pairs that can be actuated or locked by one and the same fixing mechanism can be chosen arbitrarily; however, simultaneous actuation of diagonally opposite corners of the transport platform or the lifting and fixing element is impossible, since with such a design neither tilting nor lifting is possible.

[0014] According to a further development of the invention, the lifting and tilting device is designed such that the actuating element is formed by a lever fixedly arranged at one end of the fixing rod. Such a fixing element can be actuated simply and reliably with or without electrical or pneumatic assistance solely on the basis of the lever forces.

[0015] According to a further development of the invention, the design can be such that the base plate of the container is detachable from its housing and that the fixing mechanism engages the base plate of the container. With such a design, the lifting and tilting platform can be pivoted together with the base plate of the container and, for example, lifted or tilted into the interior of the container. With such a design, a container can thus remain stationary on the transport vehicle while still allowing for its unloading. In this case, the container is unloaded by opening the unloading opening(s) in the side wall.To reliably prevent cargo from escaping through the container's base plate and thus from underneath it, the base plate should be sealed against the rest of the container by means of sealing lips, in particular sealing mats, which are designed so that even if the base plate is tilted, no gap forms between the side wall and the base plate of the container. In a further development of the invention, the device is designed such that a further frame element, complementary to the frame and lockable to it, is provided on the transport platform. This allows for a larger space to be provided for the cushions, and a plurality of cushions can be accommodated within the cavity formed by the two frames or frame elements.With such a device, not only can a steeper position of the lifting and tilting platform be achieved when tilting, or a higher lifting height of the lifting and tilting platform, but an additional level of safety is also incorporated, since in the event of failure or damage to one cushion, the device can easily be operated with the second or third cushion still available.

[0016] To reliably prevent unintentional displacement or damage to the cushions required for lifting and tilting the device, the device is further developed such that an inflatable cushion is arranged inside each frame or frame element. This cushion is connected to each corner of the frame or frame element and to a compressed air line connected to a common compressed air source. Because the cushion is connected to the frame at multiple points via both a compressed air line and a common compressed air source, unintentional displacement and unintentional detachment of the cushion from the frame are prevented. At the same time, it is ensured that the compressed air line cannot become pinched anywhere and continues to function flawlessly even after repeated impacts.Of course, the compressed air line can, for example, be arranged to pass through the frame, or a connection piece for connecting an external compressed air line can be provided on the frame, as is undoubtedly known to a specialist.

[0017] By further structuring the system so that the compressed air source is connected via a compressed air line to at least one vibrating element arranged on the lifting and tilting platform, it can be ensured that the interior of a container is completely emptied by additional vibration movements and that no unintentional residues of the material to be emptied remain in it. With the aid of a vibrating element, material particles held in crevices, cracks, or simply by adhesion are also loosened and removed from the bottom of the container, so that after completion of an emptying process, and especially after activation of the vibrating device, a completely emptied container is achieved in every case.

[0018] By providing sealing elements, preferably flat sealing elements, on the outer edge of the lifting and tilting platform, as is a further development of the invention, it is ensured, particularly when lifting and especially when tilting the lifting and tilting device, that material does not unintentionally fall between the lifting and tilting device or the transport platform of the transport vehicle. The provision of such sealing elements is essential, especially if the design allows the bottom of the container to move relative to its side walls, as otherwise additional material could be introduced between the lifting and tilting elements and become wedged there.

[0019] Finally, as is a further development of the invention, the lifting and tilting platform can be provided with foldable support feet on the side facing the transport platform of the transport vehicle, with soft support feet, for example, so that the lifting and tilting device can be stored with or without a container arranged on it when not in use, without damaging the elements located on the underside of the lifting and tilting device, such as the frame, the hoses or inflatable cushions.

[0020] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the training examples shown in the drawing. These show:

[0021] Fig. 1 shows a schematic side view of a lifting and tilting device arranged on a transport vehicle,

[0022] Fig. 2 shows an end view of a transport vehicle after the start of an unloading process.

[0023] Fig. 3 shows a side view of the lifting and tilting device with fully inflated cushions, as well as

[0024] Fig. 4 shows an end view of the lifting and tilting device, which shows the lifting and tilting platform in the tilted position.

[0025] Figure 1 schematically denotes a lifting and tilting device arranged on a transport vehicle (not shown in detail). The lifting and tilting device 1 is arranged on a substantially flat transport platform 2 of the transport vehicle. The main element of the lifting and tilting device 1 is a lifting and tilting platform 3, on the side of which a frame 4 is arranged facing the transport platform 2. Inside the frame 4 is a cushion 5, which can be inflated by means of compressed air. Figure 1 also shows a frame 4 on the transport platform 2, inside which is another cushion 5, which can also be inflated by means of compressed air. The compressed air line for inflating the cushions 5 is schematically represented by 6 and is connected to a compressed air source 7 (not shown in detail).The frames 4 are arranged so that they can be locked together to prevent unintentional separation. Furthermore, the cushions 5 inside the frames 4 are permanently connected to or fixed to them, preferably at each corner of a rectangular frame 4. A fixing element is shown schematically by 8. This prevents unintentional separation between the transport platform 2 and the lifting and tilting platform.

[0026] To ensure safety, a locking element 9 is provided which detachably connects the two platforms. Preferably, a locking element 9 is provided at each corner of the platforms. A container can then be arranged on the lifting and tilting platform 3, which can be partially or completely unloaded by lifting or tilting the platform 3 and opening appropriately provided unloading openings, depending on the movement performed. When lifting, a general cargo container is only partially unloaded; when tilting, it can be completely unloaded. To prevent the general cargo or free-flowing material from being unintentionally carried into the lifting and tilting device or the transport platform when unloading the container arranged on the lifting and tilting platform 3, a sealing element is preferably provided, which in the case of Fig.The sealing element 10 is schematically designated as 10 in Fig. 1. The sealing element 10 is designed as a sealing mat. To ensure complete emptying of a container arranged on the lifting and tilting device 1, particularly in a tilted state, the device is further designed such that vibrating elements 11, which are connected to the compressed air source 7 via compressed air hoses 12, are provided. Such vibrating elements 11 can introduce vibration into the bottom of a container and thus ensure its complete emptying. To cover the lifting and tilting device 1 from the outside, loading hatches are preferably provided which correspond exactly to the discharge openings of a container arranged on the lifting and tilting platform 3. Such loading hatches are schematically indicated by 13 in Fig. 1.

[0027] It goes without saying that the lifting and tilting device 1 according to the invention can be detachably arranged on a transport vehicle, in particular on the transport platform 1 of a transport vehicle, and that subsequently a container, in particular an ISO standard container, can be detachably fixed to the lifting and tilting platform 3. However, without any technical modification, the lifting and tilting platform 3 can also be part of a container, in which case the lifting and tilting device 1 can directly form the bottom of the container or be permanently connected to it. For economic reasons, however, the variant of the lifting and tilting device 1, which can be fixed both to the container and to the transport vehicle, is preferable. In Fig. 2, the lifting and tilting device 1 from Fig.Figure 1 shows, in which, in particular, the loading hatches 13 are already open and the sealing elements, which are intended to protect the lifting and tipping device from the entry of lumpy or free-flowing material into the lifting and tipping device 1, i.e., the mat-shaped sealing elements 10, are folded down. Furthermore, an opening device 15, which is also shown schematically in Figure 1, is actuated and the discharge flap 14 is in the open state. In such a position of the lifting and tipping device 1, bulk material contained in a container will fall directly out of it; however, a residue of the bulk material will remain inside, since, due to the horizontal arrangement of the lifting and tipping platform 3, a complete emptying of a container arranged on the lifting and tipping device 1 is not possible.The cushions 5 are arranged inside the frames 4, and the pressurization of the cushions 5 via the compressed air line 6 has not yet taken place, so they are still in an uninflated state. Similarly, the vibrating device 11 has not yet been activated, since in such a position, complete emptying of a container arranged on the lifting and tipping device 1 cannot be achieved even by vibrating.

[0028] In Fig. 3, in which the reference numerals of Fig. 1 are retained, it is shown that the cushions 5 are now inflated, the two frame elements 4 are separated from each other and the locking elements 9 of the frame elements 8 are released, thereby achieving a further raising of the lifting and tilting platform 3 in relation to the transport platform 2.

[0029] In Fig. 4, the lifting and tilting platform 3 is shown in a tilted position, with the cushions 5 again in a fully inflated state and the locking elements 8, which lock the two frames 4 together, open. The loading hatches 13 are folded down, as are the sealing elements 10, to reliably prevent the unintentional introduction of material into the interior of the device. Fig. 4 shows that the locking element 9 on one side of the lifting and tilting platform 3 is in an unlocked state, the lever 16 of the locking device 15 is horizontal on one side, and on the other side of the lifting and tilting platform 3, where it is in a locked state, the lever 16 is arranged in a vertical position, as also shown, for example, in Fig. 1. Finally, safety devices 17, which are shown in Fig.As can be seen in Figures 2 and 4, safety devices are provided to protect the pneumatic hoses, which are also used to actuate the locking elements 9 and their operating levers 16, from any damage. These safety devices 17 are located externally in the lifting and tilting device 1 to provide protection for the compressed air lines or pneumatic hoses 6 between the respective operating levers 16.

[0030] With such a device, it is possible to provide a compact lifting and tilting device 1 in which containers are lifted exclusively by means of compressed air. The inflatable cushions 5 required for this purpose are securely held in a frame 4 located inside the device 1, and the device is designed to be detachable from both the transport vehicle and the containers to be lifted. To securely connect the individual elements, locking elements or locking devices 9 are provided at each corner of the transport platform 2, the transport vehicle, and the lifting and tilting platform 3, in order to detachably lock them to the transport platform 2 as well as detachably lock the platform 2 to the container.Finally, the lifting and tilting device 1 can also be part of a container base, in which case the releasable locking of the container base with the lifting and tilting platform 3 does not take place, but these two are formed as one piece together.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Lifting and tipping device (1) for unloading heavy-duty containers, such as heavy-duty containers, removable and non-removable loading devices of vehicles, and other heavy-duty transport equipment, arranged on a transport platform (2) of a transport vehicle, the container comprising a housing with at least one unloading opening formed in a side wall and a bottom and a top plate, wherein the bottom plate of the container interacts with the lifting and tipping platform (3) arranged underneath it, preferably on the transport vehicle, characterized in that the lifting and tipping platform (3) is designed to be liftable and tippable with respect to the transport platform (2) of the transport vehicle and is detachably fixed to the transport platform (2) of the transport vehicle by means of a lockable fixing mechanism.that a frame (4) is provided on the lifting and tilting platform (3) on a side facing the transport vehicle, which frame (4) rests on the transport platform (2) of the transport vehicle, that at least one air-inflatable cushion (5) connected to the frame (4) and to a compressed air source (7) is provided inside the frame (4), and that the lifting and tilting platform (3) is releasably lockable to the base plate of the container.

2. Lifting and tilting device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of releasable and lockable fixing mechanisms are provided on the lifting and tilting platform (3), the first fixing mechanisms of which releasably fix the transport platform (2) and the second fixing mechanisms of which releasably fix the container.

3. Lifting and tilting device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in thatthat each first fixing mechanism is formed from a fixing rod pivotally connected to the lifting and tilting platform (3), locking elements (9) provided on the transport platform (2) of the transport vehicle that interact with it, and an actuating element.

4. Lifting and tilting device (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the actuating element is formed from a lever (16) fixedly connected to one end of the fixing rod.

5. Lifting and tilting device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the base plate of the container is designed to be detachable from the housing and that the fixing mechanism engages the base plate of the container.

6. Lifting and tilting device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a further frame element (4) complementary to the frame (4) and lockable to it is provided on the transport platform (2).

7. Lifting and tilting device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that inside each frame or frame element (4) a cushion (5) inflatable with compressed air is arranged, connected to each corner of the frame or frame element (4) and to each of a compressed air line (6) connected to a common compressed air source (7), 8. Lifting and tilting device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the compressed air source (7) is connected via a compressed air line (6) to at least one vibrating element (11) arranged on the lifting and tilting platform (3).

9. Lifting and tilting device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that preferably planar sealing elements (10) are provided on outer edges of the lifting and tilting platform (3).

10. Lifting and tilting device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the lifting and tilting platform (3) is provided with foldable support feet on the side facing the transport platform (2) of the transport vehicle.

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