AU2001100529A4 - Self-propelled mobile load support platform apparatus - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR AN INNOVATION PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant: Actual Inventors: Agent and Address for Service: Invention Title: J T LUNNAY PTY LTD John Thomas Lunnay Ivor Neil Paech MADDERNS, I s t Floor, 64 Hindmarsh Square, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia SELF-PROPELLED MOBILE LOAD SUPPORT PLATFORM APPARATUS Details of Associated Provisional Application No: PR 1031 dated 27th October 2000 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to mobile materials handling equipment used on building, construction and demolition sites.

BACKGROUND

A number of types of mobile materials handling devices are often required on building, construction and demolition sites. For instance, small tipping trucks, mixers, and flap top tray trucks or wheelbarrows are often required. The provision of such a diversity of equipment is expensive and in many cases inconvenient.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-purposes machine that will perform numerous functions using the same powered prime mover.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention there is provided a self-propelled mobile load support platform vehicle including: a base having a plurality of ground engaging wheels; a motor driving at least one of the wheels; a platform; a scissor mechanism mounted between the base and the platform, the scissor mechanism arranged to allow vertical movement of the platform with respect to the base while supporting the platform and keeping it substantially parallel to the base; a first actuator for effecting said vertical movement of the platform; mounting means on the platform adapted to receive and pivotally support an implement for rotation about a transverse axis; a second actuator mounted on the platform and having an end thereof connectable to the implement for effecting tilt movement thereof; and a console having an operator grippable handlebar for manoeuvring the vehicle and a drive control actuator for controlling operation of the motor, wherein the implement is movable vertically by actuation of the first actuator and tiltable by actuation of the second actuator.

Preferably both the first and second actuators are driven by the motor.

Preferably the console includes an implement control actuator for controlling the first and second actuators.

Preferably the first actuator is a first hydraulic cylinder and the second actuator is a second hydraulic cylinder.

A wide variety of implements can be used with the platform. For instance, a bin or skip, a flat top tray, or a rotatable cement mixer.

Preferably the mounting arrangement facilitates easy removal and installation of the implement.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described in some further detail with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying figures. This embodiment is illustrative, and is not meant to be restrictive of the scope of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying representations in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a self-propelled mobile load support platform vehicle according to the invention, with its platform in a raised position.

Fig. 2 shows the vehicle of Fig. 1 with a bin or skip implement mounted to its platform.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the vehicle for Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation view of the vehicle of Fig. 2 with the platform in a raised position and the skip in a tilted position.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the vehicle of Fig. 4 with the platform raised but the skip in an untilted (lowered) position.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the vehicle of Figs. 2, 3, 4 5 with the platform lowered and the skip tilted or tipped.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation view of the vehicle for Figs. 3, 4, 5 6 with both the platform and the bin in a lowered position.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the vehicle of Fig. 1 with a mixer mounted to the platform.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the mixer option.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation view of the scissor raised and the mixer raised so as to unload its contents. The mixer can also be tilted to either side of the machine for unloading purposes.

Fig. 11 is a side elevation view of the scissor raised and the mixer bowl lowered.

Fig. 12 is a side elevation view with the scissor lowered and the mixer tipped.

Fig. 13 is a side elevation view showing both the scissor and mixer bowl in a lowered position.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the vehicle of Fig. I with a flat top tray implement installed.

Fig. 15 is a plan view of the flat top tray option in a mounted position.

Fig. 16 is a side elevation view of the scissor raised and the flat top tray also in a raised and tilted position.

Fig. 17 is a side elevation view with the scissor raised but the flat top tray in a lowered position.

Fig. 18 is a side elevation view of the scissor lowered and the tray tipped.

Fig. 19 is a side elevation view showing both the scissor and flat top tray in a lowered position.

Referring to Fig. 1, a self-propelled mobile load support platform vehicle is shown in perspective view. The vehicle includes a base 7, four ground engaging wheels I and 2, a motor driving the larger wheels 1, a platform 8, a scissor mechanism 9 and a console 20 having an operator grippable handle bar 6 for manoeuvring the vehicle.

The scissor mechanism 9 is mounted between the base 7 and the platform 8 and is arranged to allow vertical movement of the platform 8 with respect to the base 7 while supporting the platform 8 and keeping it substantially parallel to the base 7. A first actuator in the form of a hydraulic cylinder 30 is mounted to the lower frame 7.

The piston end of hydraulic cylinder 30 is connected to a bell crank 32 as shown in Fig. 1. The bell crank 32 is connected to the scissor lifting mechanism 9 so that as the piston is extending from cylinder 30 the scissor lift mechanism extends raising the platform 8 with respect to the base (lower frame) 7.

The self-propelled mobile load support platform vehicle 50 has four pneumatic wheels, the larger pair 1 being the driven wheels. These wheels can be utilised at either the front or the rear of the vehicle. The second pair of wheels 2 are castor wheels and can also be utilised at the front or the rear of the vehicle. The wheels can also be semni-pneumatic or of solid material.

The energy to drive the wheels is applied through the use of a hydrostatic transaxle 3, or alternatively a chain or belt drive axle configuration as is shown in Fig. 1.

The axle driving the driven wheels 1 is powered by an engine 4 located on the base 7.

It can be powered by gasoline, diesel, LPG gas or electricity from either DC/AC or solar source.

The driving energy is transferred to the drive wheels from the engine or motor 4 by the use of belt 5, chain or gear mechanism.

The mobile load support platform vehicle 50 is driven and controlled by walking at one end of it using the console 20 and handle bars 6 that together control its operation. From this working position all functions of the vehicle can be performed.

The base or lower frame 7 consists of channel steel or any other strong material and forms part of the overall chassis to the vehicle. Utilising this lower frame 7 and built to function within it is the platform or upper chassis 8. A scissor lifting mechanism 9 is provided between the base 7 and the platform 8. A mounting arrangement 40 is provided to receive and pivotally support an implement such as a bin or skip 10 as shown in Fig. 2.

A mounting means is provided on the platform 8 for receiving and pivotally supporting a wide variety of implements. The mounting means includes a quickrelease pivot pin and a pin receiving mount. Similarly a quick-release arrangement is provided between the piston of the second hydraulic cylinder 34 and the implements to allow rapid change-over of implements on site.

The scissor lifting mechanism 9 can either be one stage as is shown in the figures, or two stage. It is raised and lowered by power transferred from the engine or motor with the use of hydraulics in the preferred embodiment of the invention. However, pneumatic, electric, controlling cables, mechanical arms and/or linkages can be used.

The purpose of raising and lowering the scissor mechanism 9 and hence the platform 8 is to make available options in height for the loading and unloading of the various implements that can be attached to the platform 8.

A wide range of implements can be used with the vehicle 50. For instance, bins or skips, flat tray tops, rotatable cement mixers etc. The self-propelled mobile load support platform vehicle 50 is constructed with dimensions to allow it to be driven through the standard doorway of most houses. Other embodiments of the invention may exceed these dimensions.

A second actuator in the form of a second hydraulic cylinder 34 has a proximal end mounted to the platform 8 and a distal end 36 mountable to an implement as shown in Fig. 1.

With this embodiment of the invention, both the first and second actuators, in the form hydraulic cylinders 30 and 34, are driven by the motor 4 through a hydraulic pump (not shown). The console, shown in plan view in Fig 3, has a drive control actuator 21 for controlling the drive wheels 1. The operator of the vehicle 50 uses this actuator to control the movement of the vehicle 50 over the ground while manoeuvring the castor wheels 2 using the handle bars 6.

A pair of implement controllers 22 and 23 are also provided on the console 20. These controllers can either be separate as is shown in Fig. 3 or can be a single device.

Movement of the implement control actuator 22 causes the implement to lift by Providing hydraulic fluid to the first hydraulic cylinder 30 thereby extending the scissor lifting mechanism 9. Movement of the implement control actuator 23 causes the implement to tilt by allowing hydraulic fluid to flow to the second hydraulic cylinder 34.

Referring to Fig. 2, the vehicle 50 is shown with the platform 8 in its raised position and an implement 10 in a tilted position. Hydraulic cylinder 3 4 is seen fully extended so as to tilt implement 10. Various other positions of the bin or skip 10 are shown in Figs. 4 to 7.

Fig. 8 shows the vehicle 50 with a rotatable cement mixer implement II mounted to platform 8. Again the various positions of the implement 11 are shown in Figs. 9 to 13.

Finally a third implement in the form of a flat top ray 12 is shown in various positions on the vehicle 50 in Figs. 14 to 19.

For many years the Australian building, construction, demolition and hire industries have sought a multipurpose machine that will perform numerous functions, but, as options to the same powered prime mover. The above described invention will assist in satisfying that need.

While the present invention has been described in terms of a preferred embodiment in order to facilitate better understanding of the invention, it should be appreciated sof the invention, it should be appreciated that various modifications can be made without departing from the principles of the invention. Therefore, the invention should be understood to include all such modifications within its scope.

Claims (3)

1. 2. A vehicle as claimed in claim I wherein both the first and second actuators are driven by the motor.
2. 3. A vehicle as claimed in claim 2 wherein the console includes an implement control actuator or a plurality of implement control actuators for controlling the first and second actuators.
3. 4. A vehicle as claimed in any one of claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein the first actuator is a first hydraulic cylinder and the second actuator is a second hydraulic cylinder. A vehicle as claimed in any one of claims 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein the mounting means includes a quick-release pivot pin and pin receiving mount. Dated this 29th day of October 2001. J T LUNNAY PTY LTD By its Patent Attorneys MADDERNS le(^ a