GB2443709A

GB2443709A - Wheeled container lifting unit with flat-to-floor access platform

Info

Publication number: GB2443709A
Application number: GB0711013A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Carl Simon Clifton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-11-11
Filing date: 2007-06-08
Publication date: 2008-05-14
Anticipated expiration: 2027-06-08
Also published as: GB0622543D0; GB2443623A; GB0711013D0; GB2443709B

Abstract

A flat, floor-resting base 2, with bevelled edge 4, that allows safe, floor level access for wheeled containers and can be lifted by a lifting machine via extruded tubes or channels 3, securely affixed to the upper surface of the floor-resting base, where containers are held securely on the base by way of barrier formations 1, securely attached to the platforms outer edges that are not used for access to the platform for containers 5, and where any open sides are securely closed off by way of a removable barrier formation 9, or chain 6, which securely fixes into place via bolts or catches 8, 9 and 10, to form a temporary secure barrier. The tube formations allowing the lifting via lifting machinery 15, have an angled element to them 13, so that, upon lifting, the entire unit tilts backwards towards the lifting machinery, ensuring lifted items on the base rest securely on a fixed, rigid, rear barrier 14.

Description

H c 2443709

DESCRIPTION

This invention allows the lifting of other storage mediums, especially concerning wheeled containers, to be easily placed upon a floor level, flat-bed platform, in the confines of enclosing barriers, and be safely lifted via lifting machinery such as fork-lift trucks and other similar dual-prong lifting machinery, it also automatically minimises the movement of any wheeled containers via an angled lifted position, allowing gravity to exert a force to move wheeled containers towards a rear safety barrier.

Currently, containers, and especially wheeled-containers such as roll-cages and wheeled pallets, are moved around warehouses and store rooms by hand, forcing awkward and time consuming procedures where; heavy loads need manoeuvring, mezzanine floors exist, ramps to access other levels exist or pallet-to-container variation occurs. This invention achieves several objectives by design.

The unit allows the loading of light or heavy loads to be wheeled onto a platform safely and with minimum force due to a floor level platform and bevelled access-edge. This eliminates the need to push heavy wheeled containers up ramps which would contravene Health and Safety in many cases of similar procedure.

The unit allows the transportation or lifting by lifting machinery such as a fork-lift truck, to lift several containers and move them safely. This could also allow the safe height-stacking of roll cages and other wheeled containers onto pallet rail-storage systems, which currently would be unsafe without such a lifting-storage unit as described.

The construction of the unit allows the automatic tilting towards the lifting machinery, and therefore towards a rear, solid barrier by a nominal amount. This is achieved by utilising lifting formations which comprise of an angled element. The angle should be such that, the access-side to the unit begins lifting first, and the unit stops tilting to a nominal angle once the opposite end of the angled lifting formation meets the lifting prong of the lifting machinery. Any wheeled containers would therefore roll to the solid rear barrier construction and away from an accessible opening and removable access barrier.

Chains or removable barriers lock into position and secure the open-access point, ensuring the containers or products situated on the platform can not exit the platform whilst in transit.

[Figure 1] shows the basic construction of the unit, incorporating a rising, solidly fixed barrier formations [I] that are affixed to the sides of the floor-level platform [2]. At least one side of the unit should remain open or allow access of containers to the platform. The platform and barriers can then be lifted by lifting machinery via solidly affixed lifting channels or formations [3], which are positioned to correspond with the position of the machinery's lifting prongs. These formations are securely attached to the upper surface of the platform base.

[Figure 2] details the easy accessibility of wheeled containers [5], via the unit's accessible open-side.

Access applies a health and safety approach by ridding the need for ramp-to-platform design via a floor level platform with bevelled edge [4]. The unit in the diagram can allow the loading of 2 simultaneous containers at floor level, without the need for ramps.

[Figure 3] shows an enlarged portion of the bevelled edge [4], further illustrating the platform's bevelled edge in more detail.

[Figure 4] depicts a securing method using a chain [6], or barrier for the open side of the platform.

The chain should be rigidly secure between the 2 containing rigid barrier-sides [7], by way of bolts or catches [8], allowing safe transportation.

[Figure 5] shows an alternative securing method by way of opening barrier-doors [9], which lock into the floor of the platform by way of a sliding bolt [10]. The doors are then further secured together in their closed position by way of a bolt or rotating catch [11], affixed to one of the doors with the ability to securely lock to the adjacent door.

[Figure 6] is a side-on view of the unit with side barrier detail omitted for clarity. The vertical upright [14] represents the rear barrier, opposite the open-access side. The angle of the lifting formations [13] is such that the formation is higher from the platform surface at the rear barrier, then travelling closer to the platform surface at the open-access end. This is a safety feature that is detailed in Figure 7 & 8.

[Figure 7] is a side-on view with side barrier detail omitted for clarity and details the end angle of the unit when lifted. The lifting prongs begin lifting the open-access side (front) first, introducing the angle to force loaded containers to stay securely to the rear barrier [14], due to gravity. This also relinquishes the need for the lifting machinery to angle itself and provides extra safety from wheeled containers freely moving on the platform. As an alternative to the actual formations being angled, an angled plate can be securely affixed inside a straight extruded formation, leading to the same result upon lifting.

[Figure 8] shows the lifting sequence for more clarity in a side-on view. The lifting machinery and prongs [15] slide into the lifting formations or extruded channels [13]. The rear barrier [14] will ensure safe transport of any wheeled containers by helping to minimise the movement of wheeled containers on the platform as the unit tilts back [16].

Claims

1. A lifting unit comprising of 1 or more securely affixed barrier members extending upwardly from a substantially planer, floor-resting base and span a proportion of the length of the base's edge, to partially or fully enclose and secure goods in transit, wherein the unit comprises I or more lifting formations rigidly connected and located to the upper surface of the base, with said formations shaped to allow access and lifting at a tilted angle via dedicated lifting machinery.

2. A lifting unit according to claim I where the substantially planer base sits flush with the ground and is bevelled or tapered on one or more edges such that the bevel starts flush on the ground and raises gradually, at an angle, to the full thickness of the base's upper surface, allowing access for wheeled containers and wheeled products to the upper surface of the base.

3. A lifting unit according to claim I where lifting formations are elongated and tubular in form, or constructed from several constituent parts to form a channel, and held rigidly in place, to serve as an entry point and also a guide for aforementioned lifting machinery.

4. Lifting formations according to claim 3 that are themselves angled, or otherwise have a securely fixed angling plate located within the confines of the tubular or constructed formations, where said angle starts closer to the base and ground towards the wheeled container access point, and finishes higher than the base and ground towards the entry point for aforementioned lifting machinery.

5. A lifting unit according to claim 1 where rigid and securely affixed barrier formations are positioned towards the extremities of an edge of the upper face of the base, and span a proportion of the length of the edge, in order to form a containing barrier on each edge of placement.

6. A base according to claim 2 where a bevelled edge to be used as access for wheeled products and containers, is devoid of a rigid barrier formation as described in claim 6 and thus the barrier-less edge acts as an entry point to the upper face of the base of the lifting unit.

7. A lifting unit according to claim I, comprising a removable and repositionable chain or barrier which serves as a temporary but secure enclosure barrier for the open-access entry point of the unit.