Container drive-by transfer and system

• US 20030228209A1
• Filed: 04/01/2003
• Published: 12/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leonard D. Barry
• Original Assignee: Leonard D. Barry
• Inventors: Barry, Leonard D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,014,410 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/334
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/6436 the load-transporting element being shifted horizontally in a crosswise direction, combined or not with a vertical displacement
• CPC Class Codes: B61D 47/00 Loading or unloading devices combined with vehicles, e.g. loading platforms, doors convertible into loading and unloading rampscombined with vehicles in general B60P

Abstract

This invention is a transport container transfer system including an improved highway vehicle and dock or railway car, platform, or conveyor which cooperates to transfer transport containers therebetween by the truck driver driving alongside of the platform. One or more channels are secured obliquely across the truck bed, legs up, and have aligned channel extensions to engage and guide cam rollers or runners added to the container to engage in the extended channels and guide the container parallel to obliquely across the bed. When the truck is driven with extended ends of the channels facing the direction of travel, the facing cam rollers or runners are engaged and pulled into the channels across the truck bed to pull the container onto the truck to position for transport thereon. Two sets of opposite oblique channels can cross for loading and unloading from either side of the truck when driven forward. The cam roller is on a clip that locks onto a standard container for quick removal. The cam rollers can be mounted on folding arms that extend from the container to engage in folding channel ends, so when the container is in place on the truck the arms in the channel extensions can be turned together to clear truck side limits and hold the container on the truck bed or the rollers are kept within the side limits for the container. The container is pushed out on the truck by a push arm added to the container or by two rotary arms connected on the truck to turn horizontally, one pushing against a tab on the platform to rotate the other arm to push the container in line with its berth straight onto the platform. Some added features include bed height and tilt adjustment, bed location adjustment on the chassis to provide clearance for the container past the truck cab, and means to secure the container on the truck bed and dock or railway car.

Claims

1. A drive-by container transfer system comprising in combination:

a transport container;

a platform therefor having at least one substantially straight transfer side and conveying means for conveying said container at right angles straight to said side onto and off from said platform;

a guideway driveway spaced parallel along said transfer side;

a roadway motor vehicle for operation along said driveway and having a bed for supporting said container with sides parallel said side; and

oblique conveyor means on said bed and means thereon to engage said container when on said platform to transfer it obliquely on said bed and straight on said platform and guide said container parallelly between (to or from) said platform and said vehicle according to the direction of movement of said vehicle along said side of said platform.

7. A system as in claim 1 and support rollers on said bed each having an axle for supporting each end, a shallow trough for supporting each roller on its diameter and lift the roller when rolled to lift the container, and end support means for supporting said axle to rotate when said roller is rolled up said trough thereinto, said roller then rolling clear of said trough.

8. A system as in claim 1, said motor vehicle having an operator'"'"'s cab at the front, said bed being mounted to said motor vehicle to be moved back for transfer of said container onto the bed to clear the cab and retract for highway driving.

9. A system as in claim 1, and a first and a second vertical pivot shaft spaced apart mounted on said bed;

a first and a second horizontal arm secured extending from said first and second shaft to turn thereby;

a roller on the end of each arm,

said first arm being extendable to engage its said roller with said platform to be rotated back with movement of said vehicle forward,

a third roller on said first arm spaced to engage along a length of said second arm to rotate it backward when the vehicle is then driven forward to engage said second roller against the container to push it out from the vehicle.

10. A system as in claim 1, and recessable latches on said platform to block said container from movement off of the platform, said channels recessing said latches to release said container to travel on said channels when said channels are swept over the platform.

11. A vehicle bed as in claim 1 having said oblique channels and oblique support runners parallel to said channels.

2. A side-by-side container move-by transfer system comprising in combination, a container, a relatively stationary platform therefor, an aligning driveway thereby, a vehicle thereon having a bed for said container, said bed having at least one fixed channel extending substantially across it at an acute angle for transfer of container, and a continuing section of said channel pivotally mounted to each end to extend beyond each side of said bed in line with said fixed channel and fold in over the bed and out to the acute angle, spaced apart cam means on said container aligned to engage said channels when moving parallel along said way, said cam means pulling said container onto said bed while remaining in said channels and being folded over said bed when said continuing sections are folded in for highway clearance.

3. A system as in claim 2, said cam means including at least one clip-on bracket for mounting on said container and a cam roller mounted on said bracket for engaging in said channel.

4. A system as in claim 3, including a transfer arm pivotally mounted (hinged) to the bottom of said bracket to turn horizontally, at least one said roller being mounted thereon to engage in said channel and turn said arm with a said section of said channel.

5. A system as in claim 2, said cam means being at least one transfer arm, each having at least one cam roller, said arms being mounted to turn horizontally out to said angle to engage said rollers in and guide said container along said channels.

6. A system as in claim 2, said cam means being a flat secured obliquely across underneath said container to engage in said channel to guide said container parallel obliquely across said bed for transfer to and from said bed.

12. A vehicle bed as in claim 2 and support rollers supported across between said runners 90°

thereto to support said container to roll on and off said bed.