Transportation container

• US 4,801,229 A
• Filed: 07/27/1987
• Issued: 01/31/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nippon Fruehauf Co., Ltd (Nippon Light Metal Holdings Co., Ltd.), Nippon Yusen Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Nippon Yusen Kaisha and Nippon Fruehauf Company Limited
• Inventors: Kato, Yuji, Matsuyama, Yohei, Uesu, Yoshihiro, Hanada, Heiroku
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry A.
• Application Number:
  US07/078,156
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 410/26, 410/29, 410/29.1, 296/1 A, 105/368 R
• US Class Current: 410/26
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/08 Multilevel-deck construction carrying vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2585/6867 automobiles
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/542 Ramps forming part of the container ramps per se B65G69/28; for ambulances A61G3/061; for vehicles in general B60P1/43
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/0294 Vehicle bodies

Abstract

A transportation container comprises a container main body for loading two lower stage cars on a floor surface, a front deck supported on both side walls of the container main body for loading and holding one upper stage car while displacing it in the longitudinal direction relative to both of the two lower stage cars, at least a portion of the loading face for the one upper stage car being situated below the top end of the lower stage cars, a front deck guide mechanism for loading the one upper stage car by self-running on the front deck, a rear deck supported at least at the front side end thereof to both of the side walls of the container main body for loading and holding another upper stage car while displacing it in the longitudinal direction relative to both of the lower stage cars, at least a portion of the loading face for another upper stage car being situated below the top end of the lower stage cars, a rear deck guide mechanism for loading another upper stage car by self-running to the rear deck, and elevation mechanisms for elevating the decks and tucking them just below the ceiling wall of the container main body. In the container, it is possible to reduce the height, improve the working efficiency, simplify the structure and minimize the reduction of loading capacity when the container is used for loading general cargo.

Claims

1. A convertible transportation container adapted for loading finished cars and, alternatively, loading general cargo comprising:

a longitudinal main body having opposed top and bottom and side walls and having a door at one longitudinal end thereof, through which first and second lower cars can be loaded onto said bottom wall;

a front deck mounted on and supported by both side walls of the container main body and adapted to have a finished first upper car loaded thereon said first upper car being displaced in the longitudinal direction relative to both of said first and second lower cars located on said bottom wall, at least a portion of said first upper car on said front deck being disposed below the top end of said first and second lower cars on said bottom wall;

a rear deck having at least the end thereof on the front side supported by both of the side walls of the container main body respectively, said rear deck having a loading face adapted to have a finished second upper car loaded thereon while displacing the position of said second upper car in the longitudinal direction relative to both of said first and second lower cars, at least a portion of the loading face being disposed below the top end of said first and second lower cars said rear deck guiding said first upper car when driven onto the front deck and said second upper car when driven onto the rear deck;

elevation mechanisms for lifting the front and rear decks and tucking said decks just below the top wall of said longitudinal main body.

2. A transportation container as defined in claim 1, wherein said loading face of the front deck is made substantially horizontal or sloped downwardly toward the front when loading said first upper car on said front deck.

3. A transportation container as defined in claim 1, wherein the loading face of the rear deck has a downward slope so that the end thereof on the side of the door is in contact with or brought closer to the bottom wall of the container main body when loading said second upper car on said rear deck.

4. A transportation container as defined in claim 3, wherein an intermediate deck is laid over between the front and rear decks.