WO1997021589A1

WO1997021589A1 - A loading/unloading conveyor

Info

Publication number: WO1997021589A1
Application number: PCT/DK1996/000526
Authority: WO
Inventors: Steen Flemming Kragelund
Original assignee: Caljan AS
Current assignee: Caljan AS
Priority date: 1995-12-12
Filing date: 1996-12-12
Publication date: 1997-06-19
Anticipated expiration: 1998-06-12
Also published as: AU1092797A

Abstract

There are increasing demands with respect to limitation of weight burdens for manual handling. The invention particularly aims at the transfer of passenger luggage between light luggage carts and loading/unloading conveyors in airports, where it is highly advantageous to make use of a light mobile crane (4) for carrying the luggage parts during such a transfer, which has otherwise been effected purely manually. Such a crane (4) may suitably be mounted on the frame of a movable belt conveyor (2).

Description

A loading/unloading conveyor.

The present invention relates to a mobile loading and un- loading conveyor, typically for use in airports for loading and unloading air crafts with respect to passenger luggage and other leightweight items. It is customary that this type of goods be brought to and from the stands of the aircraftε by means of light carrier carts, while also mobile and optio- nally self-propelled conveyor units are driven to the same stands, where they are used for bringing the goods up to and down from the respective cargo compartments by means of a tiltable belt conveyor. The floors of these compartments are located at widely different levels for the different types of planes, while at the ground it is possible to work in sub¬ stantially the same level for the transfer of goods between the carrier carts and the lower end of the individual belt conveyors.

On this background it is a traditional concept that the handling of the relatively light goods by the transfer in the low level can be effected manually, with reference to the fact that the passengers have been able to carry their own trunks, while the use of auxiliaries is concentrated on the more demanding job of bringing the goods up to and down from the cargo compartments of the airplanes.

In connection with the invention, however, it has been realized that even the said transfer work in the low level is really so hard that it will definitely qualify for the use of auxiliaries, corresponding to the restricted standards for burdens to be carried by relevant operators. In that connec¬ tion it is insignificant that the carrying of the single ob¬ jects is rather brief, if or when the following objects are to be transferred in rapid succession. The total load will then be noticeable anyway. Thus, according to the invention it will be highly rele¬ vant to make use of auxiliaries for the discussed transfer, and this can relatively easily be realized by the use of a mobile crane equipment which is suited to be brought into po¬ sition of the relevant places. Most of the goods being handled are well suited to be gripped by a simple crane hook, and even if or when the operator shall only move the goods over a short distance between the cart and the conveyor, it will still amount to a noticeable relief to make use of a crane for the carrying of the goods.

Preferably the invention is realized in the manner that the said crane occurs as an add-on unit on the mobile con- veyor unit, preferably at a side thereof, such that it will not obstruct the manual transfer of the really light goods. The crane may have a simple, swingable crane jig, by means of which the crane hook may be guided between the area above the end of the conveyor and an outside area, whereby the goods will be easy to handle when the carrier cart is placed in a suitable position.

It is relevant to use a hoisting crane in view of the fact that it is common practice that the goods may occur in more layers on the carrier carts. A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing, in which

Fig. 1 is a lateral view of a conveyor unit according to' the invention, while

Fig. 2 is a top view thereof. The illustrated unit is a self-propelled loading-/un- loading conveyor, here shown with a telescopic belt conveyor 2, which can be tilted to different inclinations. At the low end of the conveyor the conveyor cart is provided with a fixed or removable gallow crane 4, the upper jig 6 of which is rotatable as indicated, such that the crane hook 8, with the use of a suitable hoisting and control equipment, can be used for the transfer of goods between the low end of the conveyor and the area outside thereof, typically from and to a luggage cart . It will be appreciated that the crane may well be arran¬ ged as an integral part of the mobile unit, as it will not prevent free driving thereof. The invention is not limited to the use of a "hook", if other gripping means should be preferred for the purpose, just as the relevant auxiliary equipment should not necessa¬ rily be a "crane". The mobile unit may occur in combination with any suitable auxiliary equipment.

Claims

C L A I M S :

1. A method for use in connection with manually con¬ trolled loading of light goods such as passenger luggage be- tween different carrier carts for the goods and loading or unloading conveyors for moving the goods to relevant destina¬ tions, e.g. by the handling of passengers luggage in air¬ ports, characterized in that locally in the transfer area for the light goods there is arranged for the presence of a hoisting equipment with suitable article carrier means such as a crane hook, whereby the transfer of goods is effected with the light goods gripped and carried by the hoisting euipmen .

2. A transportation arrangement for light goods such as portable passenger luggage, comprising different types of transportation means such as carrier carts and a loading or unloading conveyor, respectively, between which the light goods are transferred under manual control, characterized in that in the transfer area there is arranged &. hois ing equip- ment which, by means of suitable gripping means such as a crane hook, can be brought into carrying engagement with the single articles for effectively carrying these during the transfer thereof.

3. An arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the hoisting equipment is a separate, mobile unit.

4. An arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the hoisting equipment is constituted by a swivel crane that is mounted on one of the two meeting transport¬ ation means.

5. An arrangement according to claim 4, characterized in that the crane is permanently or releasably mounted at the lower end of a mobile loading and/or unloading conveyor.