AU656002B2

AU656002B2 - Swing gate

Info

Publication number: AU656002B2
Application number: AU20835/92A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Raymond John Piggott
Original assignee: Eldridge Brenton Andrew; Mulder Theodore
Current assignee: Eldridge Brenton Andrew; Mulder Theodore
Priority date: 1991-08-09
Filing date: 1992-08-06
Publication date: 1995-01-19
Anticipated expiration: 2012-08-06
Also published as: AU2083592A

Description

P/00/01i1 21Y~t9 AUSTALIARegulation 3.2 Patents Act 1990 6,50 0

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- .Ill 1 1 .I 0 0* *0 -1- This invention relates to gates for semitrailers and more particularly relates to semi-trailer gates which are swingable and removable, The present invention according to a general aspect resides in swing gate apparatus for semitrailers, fixed trays of trucks and the like for loading, transporting and unloading of palletized and Ck. \eas or\e ,her types of freight, the apparatus comprisinga swing ,ate and a combing rail, the gate having pivot members at or on each lower norner which are adapted to be respec ,rv locked into or unlocked out of a socket formed within or mounted upon a combing rail on the deck of a semitrailer, or fixed tray of a truck or the like, the said pivot members forming a vertical hinge arrangement hke 15 wherebya gate is enabled to be swung in a horizontal arc in alignment with and away from and towards a he combing rail for opening and closing movements of the gate with respect to the sides of a deck of a semitrailer or truck body, each lower corner of the gate also being selectively lockable onto or into the combing rail by moving the gate together with a pivot member at or on one lower corner into locking position to lock the pivot member within a respective socket of the combing rail to allow the gate to pivot at that corner with the locked pivot ntmber retained within the com ing rail and with the pivot member at the opposite lower corner of the said gate in unlocked condition with respect to the combing rail to enab 7 the gate to be swung away from and towards the combing rail.

A

,j 4; o 0 0* *00* 0* -2- According to one form of the invention each respla we pivot member comprises a foot adapted to fit within the\ socket of the combing rail on the deck of a semitrailer, or the fixed tray of a truck or the like, the foot has a pivot shaft upstanding therefrom and a gate post is adapted to be rotatably mounted upon and is upstanding from the pivot shaft and forms a vertical hinge arrangement whereby a gate frame carried by the post is able to be swung in a horizontal arc in alignment with and away from or towards a combing rail for opening and closing movements with respect to the sides of a deck of a semi-trailer or truck body.

Preferably, the combing rail sockets are formed by a plurality of horizontal cut-way portions in 15 an upper and outwardly-facing horizontal flange portion of the combing rail to provide a plurality of openfronted sockets for releasably retaining pivot feet fixed to the bottom of each swing gate rS Fak q O t\ p\VIt Trmbe rs 'xL CoNr- n tr.hareof.

Preferably, the pivot shaft of the foot is 20 solid and integral with or integrally joined to the foot and is upstanding therefrom, the gate post is tubular and of wider diameter than the pivot shaft which is of narrower diameter than the foot and the pivot shaft is fixed to the foot, the gate post has a bottom socket portion adapted to rotate on the pivot shaft and has fixedly mounted on the bottom thereof a retainment member for the pivot shaft which has an associated retainment member thereon for the post and wherein the bottom socket portion of the gate post has a retaining a yv"I i~.

.11 0fr 4 -3hook thereon for lacking the pivot shaft to the gate post socket portion to enable the post and the gate to swing in a horizontal arc as a unit with respect to the foot and the shaft while retaining the foot and the shaft on the gate.

In the above-described form of the invention, releasable locking means are provided for locking and unlocking the gate with respect to the combing rail of the semi-trailer or truck, the locking means being a slidable member movable longitudinally with respect to the combing rail, the foot is removably placed in a cut-away outer part of a horizontally-extending top flange of the combing rail, a pair of vertically disposed, mutually parallel, inner and outer guide plates being fixed to horizontal and vertical portions of the combing rail adjacent to or surrounding the cut-away portion and the locking means comprises an elongate, vertically-disposed foot-locking plate slidably mounted between and parallel to inner and outer guide plates, the locking plate being horizontally slidable in one direction to extend over the outside of the foot when the foot is in place within the combing rail and to lock the foot within the combing rail and r s r being retractable in the opposite direction to unlock the foot to enable removal from the combing rail, whereby a gate is locked against horizontal swinging movement by foot locking bar arrangements at the bottom of the gate.

;4 -4,US In the above-described form of the swing gate -4assembly of the invention, the foot-locking plate is adapted to slide within a space formed between four vertical plates fixed to upper and lower inner-facing horizontal surfaces of the combing rail and in parallel alignment to an outward-facing vertical part of the combing rail and the foot-locking plate is provided with releasably over-riding locking means in the form of notches or cut-away surfaces on the sliding locking plate and bars on the upper surface of a lower horizontal arm of the combing rail.

In an application of the above form of the invention for use with semi-trailers, there is provided a plurality of gates along each side combing rail, each 15 gate being provided along the bottom thereof with three feet, one foot being at each end and one foot being in .m the middle, a sliding locking bar being provided on the .combing rail for each foot, each end foot locking bar slides inwards during unlocking movement so as to clear 0** 20 a respective locki'n bar of an adjacent gate-locking means and each foot is lockable by a locking bar to prevent the gate from swinging out from the open socket in the combing rail.

Accorling to a.otter form of the invention an I-beam combing rail is provided with a slot in an upper outwardly-facing, horizontal edge and with a plate fixed between outwardly-facing upper and lower edges to form a socket into which is adapted to be dropped and S removed a foot about which the cylindrical bottom end of a shaft rotates within a cylindrical socket welded to an upper part of the foot above the horizontal upper member of the beam, and also mounted upon but sleeved on the sbaft is a collar freely rotatable about the shaft or vice versa and there is fixed to this collar a shaftlifting handle lockable by a sw.ngable locking plate, the shaft is telescopically sleeved into a widerdiameter outer vertical member of a gate frame, a latch mechanism is provided to lock and release the shaft and I IC thus the gate with respect to the combing rail, the latch mechanisma comprising a pair of spaced, upper locking plates fixed to the shaft and into and out of which there is adapted to be moved a latohable tongue fixed to or integral with a shaft-locking handle biased :tS; into a locked position via a spring whereby when the handle is depressed, the latchable tongue thereon disengages and the shaft can then be lifted up by means of a shaft-lifting handle, the foot being simultaneously 55.5CS lifted out of the socket and clear of the combing rail 'ZO and the spring-loaded tongue engages under the bottom looking plate to hold the foot clear of the combing rail to allow the gate to be swung out.

T.

4:, Some non-limiting examples of alternative embodiments or practical arrangements of the invention will now be described reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figures 1 to 8 show one embodiment, Figure 1 is a part-sectional side elevation of one embt ent of a semi-trailer swing gate mounted within a combing rail at the side of the semi-trailer in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is an elevational and part-sectional fragmentary view on an enlarged scale of the encircled, gate-locking portion of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side view of a gate-locking bar 15 for use in the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a combing rail with a cut-away top flange portion in accordance with the invention.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of a semi-trailer S. 20 fitted with the swingable and ic kable gate of Figures S* 1 and 2.

Figure 6 is a part-sectional side elevation of a second embodiment of a semi-trailer swing gate mounted within a combing rail at the side of a semi-trailer and 25 in accordance with the invention.

Figure 7 is an elevational and part-sectional fragment ary view on an enlarged scale of the encircled, gate-locking portion of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a front and rear view from Figure 7.

-6- Figure 9 is a part-sectional, side elevation of a third embodiment of a semi-trailer swing gate mounted within a combing rail at the side of a semi-trailer and in accordance with the invention.

Figure 10 is a front and rear view of the third embodiment of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a side elevation showing swing gates of the invention in various positions upon a semi-trailer deck.

Figure 12 is a side elevation of a fourth embodiment of an assembled swingable gate with lockable hinge according to the invention installed on combing of a semi-trailer Figure 13 is side elevational partial view on an 15 enlarged scale of the encircled portion of Figure 12.

Figures 14 to 22 are mainly views of the separate components of the assembly of Figures 12 and S: 13.

Figure 14 is a plan view of a lift handle.

20 Figure 15 is a side view of a locking handle.

Figure 16 is a plan view of a standard gate slot in combing.

Figure 17 is a modified slot in pressed steel combing.

25 Figure 18 is a side elevation of a slidable shaft.

Figure 19 is a side elevation of a pivotable foot.

Figure 20 is a plan view of the foot of Figure 9 9 9 @0 00 19.

Figure 21 is a side elevation of a modified foot to fit into the combing slot of Figure 17.

Figure 22 is a plan view of the foot of Figure 19.

Figure 23 is a sectioral view of the standard Ibeam combing modified in accordance with the invention.

Figure 24 is a sectional view of another type of pressed steel combing according to the invention.

Figure 25 is a side elevation of a fifth embodiment of the invention installed on a modified gate.

Figure 26 is a side elevational partial view on an enlarged scale of the encircled portion of Figure Figure 27 is a side elevational partial view on an enlarged scale of the encircled portion of Figure Figure 28 is an assembly view of a sixth embodiment or an arrangement for releasably locking adjacent gates together.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings there is shown a swingable and lockable combing gate 10 for fitment to the combing rail 11 of a semi-trailer deck or other vehicles such as trucks with fixed trays. For the purpose of this invention a standard combing rail has bez modified by cutting away part only of an upper and outwardly-facing horizontal flange portion of an H-section on its side forming a combing rail; two pairs of square, fixed vertically -spaced apart, steel guide plates comprising (referring 20 °9.

9 9.

*999 0 oe eoee 9 0 9 *990 oo -8to Figure 5) inner plates 12, 13 and outer plates 12a, 13a are welded fore and aft of the transverse edges of the cutaway portion of the combing so as to form on each side of the cutaway portion, longitudinally-aligned, guide channels for a sliding locking plate 14. The arrangement is such as to form a gate post access socket with an opening towards the outer face of the combing rail 11. A foot 15 in the form of a flat, rectangular steel plate has a solid cylindrical shaft 16 of steel welded thereto and upon this shaft there is adapted to be rotatably placed a tubular gate hinged post 17 preferably of square steel section for cheapness and l.1ghtness which is welded to the foot 15. On the bottom of the post there is welded a washer 18 which sits on an Si"i. intermediate or free-floating washer 19 and a third or 15 bottom wasuer 20 is welded to the top of the foot 15 and also on the side wall of the bottom of the gate post there is welded a retainer 21 (also shown in Figure which har an integral hook-shaped portion 22 which engages and rides around over the three washers and 20 which retains the foot from dropping off the gate as it is swung out of the combing socket. The foot is also retained when the gate is in locked position in the open socket in the combing rail by the slidable gate-locking plate 14 (shown in Figures 2 and 3 which is adapted to be slid to and fro across the outside of the foot and in a channel space created by two pairs of the fixed vertically-disposed and parallel guide plates 12, 12a, 13, 13a, to releasably hold the foot in place. Each -9gate can be looked- into longitudinal non-!winging alignment with the combing rail by sliding the slidable gate-locking plate 14 across the fmot into an opposite channel-space slot. Two longitudinally-spaced stops 23, 24 on the combing rail co-operate with a. projection below the lower edge of the slidable locking plate 14 to limit the closing movement of the plate 14 when in the fully-closed position, the projection 25 also acts as a stop for a cutaway 26 on the opposite end of the slidable plate 14 when it is in the fully-open position.

A rectangular closed slot 27 provides a handle for gripping the slidable plate 14 which has a vloping edge 26a to enable lifting in order to effect sliding for locking and unlocking movements.

Q* s.

15 Referring to the second embodiment of the 4e 44e 4 0 invention shown in Figures 6 to 8 of the drawings, there is shown a swingable and lockable gate 110 for fitment so to the combing rail 11 of a. semi-trailer deck or other .4 vehicles such as trucks with fixed trays. The combing 20 rail 111 which is of H-beam section has been modified by •welding outside the vertical web and between top and bottom flanges, three tubular pipe sockets 112, 113 and 114. Into each of these sockets there is adapted to be dropped and raised a respective bolt 115, 116 and 117.

Each bolt is housed within a vertical sleeve 118, 119 and 120, respectively which is welded to upright frame members 121, 112 and 123 of the gate 110- The top of each sleere has a semi-circular retaining groove therein such as the one designated 124 in Figure 7 and has an Sopen slot such as the one shown in Figure 8 and designated 125 in the top to enable the bolt to be lifted up clear of the combing.

The third embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 9 and 10 is similar in structure to that of Figures 6 to 8 because a bolt 215 is also used but the combing is not an open H-section but is an inwardlyfacing channel section 211 and a socket for the bolt is formed by cutting a hole through the top flange and then welding a tubular piece of steel pipe 212 between the inside surfaces of top and, bottom flanges 213, 214 of the combing.

Referring to Figure 11, which shows swing gates in various positions upon a semi-trailer deck, the rear 15 gate G5 is is shown fully open and rearward, the next S rearward gate G4 (shown in full outline) is shown swung forward in front of a central gate G3 (in broken 0 outline) and the next forward gate G2 (in full outline) is shown folded in front of the most forward gate 01 (in 20 broken outline). It will be appreciated that if the locking bars of each gate are slid to their full extent across the foot in the socket up to stops 23, 24 and into the shut position, each gate can be lifted out but not swung away from the combing and thus the semia.

S 25 trailer or whatever vehicle the gates happen to be a installed upon.

Referring to the fourth embodiment assembly views of Figures 12 and 13 (to be read in association with associated separate components of Figures 14 to 22) -11there is shown in lowered and looked non-swinging closed position, a swingable and removable gate 310 preferably constructed of rectangular or square-section steel tubing but which also can be round tubing or from the material sold under the registered trade mark "KEVLAR" or aluminium and which comprises a framework of vertical members such as the outer one labelled 311, with horizontal upper portion 312, vertical members such as the one labelled 312a, lower cross members 313, 314 and diagonal or inclined lower members 315, 316, 317, 318. The side combing rail of a semi-trailer is denoted by 319 which in this particular instance is a steel I beam but alternatively ca- be pressed steel or channel s-ition.

15 In Figure 16 of the drawings the top web of the 9 I-beam combing rail is provided with gate a slot 320 and 9 9 referring to Figure 13, a plate 321 is welded between I the outer horizontal edges of the I-beam combing rail and into the pocket so-formed there is adapted to be S 20 dropped (and removed therefrom) a foot 322 about which the cylindrical bottom end of a shaft 323 see Fig.18) Srotates within a cylindrical socket 324 welded to the foot 322. Above the socket and also mounted upon but sleeved on the shaft is a collar 325 freely rotatable S 25 about the shaft or vice versa and there is fixed to this collar a shaft-lifting handle 326 which is lockable by a swingable locking plate 326a. Fixed to the shaft above the collar there is an annular upward movement stop flange 326b to prevent the handle 326 and the collar 325 -12sliding up the shaft, The movement stop flange retains socket 324 and collar 325 on the shaft. The shaft 323 is telescopically sleeved into a wider diameter outer vertical member 311 of the gate frame. A latch mechanism is provided to lock and release the shaft 323 and thus the gate with respect to the combing and comprises pair of spaced, upper locking plates 327 and 328 fixed to the shaft 323 and into and out of which there is adapted to be moved a locking tongue 329 fixed to or integral with the shaft-locking handle 330 and which is moved out of locking engagement by means of the shaft-locking handle 330 biased into a locked position via a helical coil spring 331. The handle 330 is mounted on the diagonal frame member 315 by the fixed pivot pin i: l: 15 332. When the shait-locking handle 330 is depressed, the latching tongue 329 on the handle 330 disengages and

*I

the shalt can then be lifted up by means of the shaftlifting handle 326 the shaft slides up into the wider-diameter frame outer member 311, the foot 322 is 20 also lifted out of the socket and clear of the combing 319 and the spring-loaded tongue 329 engages under the bottom locking plate 333 to hold the foot 322 clear of the combing 319 to allow the gate to be swung out The upper part of the shaft 323 is provided 25 with a plurality of spaced apart notches 334 and 335 which are also engageable or releasable by the latchable tongue 329 to enable the shaft 323 to act as a groundcontacting gate support stand when it is in swung out position. The entire gate can be lifted out of the -13combing and detached from the semi-trailer when the shaft 323 is in the lowered position with the tongue 329 is locked between plates 327 and 328.

In the variation shown in Figures 25 to 27 similar components are used as in the previous embodiment shown in Figure 6 but the gate frame is modified by having rounded bottom corners such as that labelled B and the outside drop bolt-receiving sleeves are of extended length. The locking/lifting handle projects inwardly with respect to the outer vertical member of the gate frame and the locking/lifting mechanism is similar. The central foot is fixed whereas the two outer feet are pivotal.

Referring bt the embodiment of Figure 28, there o. 15 is shown a releasable mechanism for interlocking *4 adjacent gates and which is incorporated adjacent and just below each top corner of a gate. This mechanism comprises a sleeve 411 mounted upon a shaft 412 <in broken outline) each end of which is socketed within the 20 open ends of upper and lower segments 410a and 410b of the vertical frame members of a gate. The shaft 412 is retained vertically between two transverse pins 413, 414 S1.. (in broken outline) and is secured to the sleeve 411 by a pin 415 (in broken outline) extending transversely 25 therethrough so that the shaft 412 and sleeve 411 move as one unit. To the side of the sleeve 411 there is fixedly mounted such as by welding a doubly open-ended socket 416 which is adapted tc removably receive a hand-insertable and hand-removable, U-shaped -14gate-connecting and gate-support pin 417 which has two legs 417a and 417b respectively. One leg sockets into the socket 416 of one gate while the other sockets into another socket 418 of an adjacent gate this socket being fixedly mounted upon a sleeve 419 non-rotatably mounted on a shaft 420 (in broken ouline as with the first socket 416. This mechanism is so designed that when adjacent gates are swung open and one gate is swung or folded back alongside the other gate one pin socket stays outside internal framework of the gate and is supported by the other gate and so the pins stay in one location and do not swing out with the gate.

Some gates have two feet, one on each end or three feet when a middle one is fitted, The structural components of the invention can be made of any suitable material such as steel, aluminium or strong synthetic polymeric material such as KEVLAR and the frame members can be made of any crosssectional configuration such as round pipe or square, 20 tubular or solid section.

As a variation in the method of manufacture or fabrication instead of welding some parts together they can be joined by drilling a hole and inserting roll pins.

Advantages of the invention are: the gates can be swung without having to lift them up to get the feet (apart from the non-pivoting feet) out of the respective combing sockets because the shaft can be raised independently with respect to the gate so that the foot or ,set (apart from the locked-in pivot foot) clears the combing and it is therefore not necessary to lift the gates just swing them; the gates can be swung in a forward or backward direction with respect to a semi-trailer; the gate can be used as an ordinary gate on semi-trailers; All gates of each respective embodiment of the invention are interchangeable.

Claims

1. Swing gate apparatus for semi-trailers, fixed trays of trucks and the like for loading, transporting and unloading of palletized and other types of freight, \emskt o>N«e the apparatus comprising a swing gate and a combing rail, the gate having pivot members at or on each lower corner which are adapted to be locked into or unlocked out of aAsocket formed within or mounted upon. combing rail on the deck of a semi-trailer, or fixed tray of a truck or the like, the said pivot members forming a vertical hinge arrangement whereby., gate is enabled to be swung in a horizontal arc in alignment with and away from and towards a combing rail for opening and closing movements of the gate with respect to the sides of a deck of a semi- trailer or truck body, each lower corner of the gate also being selectively lockable onto or into the combing rail by moving the gate together with a pivot member at or on one lower corner into locking position to lock the pivot member within a respective socket of the combing rail to allow the gate to pivot at that corner with the locked pivot member retained within the combing rail and with the pivot member at the opposite lower corner of the said gate in unlocked condition with respect to the combing rail to enable the gate to be swung away from and towards the combing rail.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each pivot member comprises a fcot adapted to fit within the -socket of the combing rail on the deck of a semi- trailer, or the fixed tray of a truck or the like, the -17- foot has a pivot shaft upstanding therefrom, a post of the gate is adapted to be rotatably mounted upon and is upstanding from the pivot shaft and forms a vertical hinge arrangement whereby the gate is able to be swung in a horizontal arc in alignment with and away from or towards a combing rail for opening and closing movements of the gate with respect to the sides of a deck of a semi-trailer or truck body.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the gate is attachable to and removable from the sockets of the combing rail and the sockets are formed by a plurality of horizontal cut-way portions in an upper and outwardly-facing horizontal flange portion of the combing rail to provide a plurality of open-fronted sockets for releasably retaining pivot feet fixed to the 9 bottom of the swing gates s c paA r C k vokt m~er s o S* 4. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the pivot shaft is solid and is integral with or is integ- rally joined to the foot and is upstanding therefrom, the gate post is tubular and of wider diameter than the pivot shaft which is of narrower diameter than the foot.

5. Apparatus according to any one of claims claims 2 to 4, wherein the pivot shaft is fixed to the foot, the gate post has a bottom socket portion adapted to rotate on the pivot shaft and has fixedly mounted on the botton thereof a retainment member for the pivot shaft which has an associated retainment member thereon for the post and wherein the bottom socket portion of the gate post has a retaining hook thereon for locking jf -18- the pivot shaft to the gate post socket portion to enable the post and the gate to swing in a horizontal arc as a unit with respect to the foot and the shaft while retaining the foot and the shcft on the gate.

6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein releasable locking means are provided for locking and unlocking the gate with respect to the combing rail of the semi-trailer or truck, the locking means being a slidable member movable longitudinally with respect to the combing rail.

7. Apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 6 claim wherein the foot is removably placed in a4cut- away outer part of a horizontally-extending top flange of the combing rail, a pair of vertically disposed, mutually parallel, inner and outer guide plates being fixed to horizontal and vertical portions of the combing rail adjacent to or surrounding the cut-away portion.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the o locking means comprises an elongate, vertically- disposed foot-locking plate slidably mounted between and parallel to inner and outer guide plates, the locking :plate being horizontally slidable in one direction to extend over the outside of the foot when the foot is in place within the combing rail and to lock the foot within the combing rail and being retractable in the opposite direction to unlock the foot to enable removal from the combing rail, whereby a gate is locked against horizontal swinging movement. by-lk! b-r arrQnaea. t k-i hSats h ix b. -19- 9, Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the foot-locking plate is adapted, to slide within a space formed between four vertical plates fixed to upper and lower inner-facing horizontal surfaces of the combing rail and in parallel alignment to an outward-facing vertical part of the combing rail. Apparatus according to claim 8 or 9 wherein the foot-locking plate is provided with releasably over-riding locking means in the form of notches or cut-away surfaces on the sliding locking plate and bars on the upper surface of a lower horizontal arm of the combing rail. 11, Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein in an application for use with semi-trailers, there is provided a plurality of gates along each side combing rail, each gate being provided along the bottom thereof with three feet, one foot being at each end and one foot being in the middle, a sliding locking bar being provided on the combing rail for each foot, each 9* end foot locking bar slides inwards during unlocking movement so as a. clear a respective locking bar of an *9 S: adjacent gate-locking means and each foot is lockable by a locking bar to prevent the gate from swinging out from the open socket in the combing rail.

12. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein an I-beam combing rail is piovided with a slot in an upper outer horizontal edge and with a plate fixed between outer upper and lower horizontal edges to form a socket into which is adapted to be dropped and removed T 4r 0 a foot about which the cylindrical bottom end of a shaft rotates within a cylindrical socket welded to an upper portion of the foot above the level of the upper horizontal edge of the beam and also mounted upon but sleeved on the shaft is a collar freely rotatable about the shaft or vice versa and there is fixed to this collar a shaft-lifting handle lockable by e. swingable locking plate, the shaft is telescopically sleeved into a wider diameter outer vertical member of a gate frame, a latch mechanism being provided to lock and release the shaft and thus the gate with respect to the combing rail, the latch mechanism comprising a pair of spaced, upper locking plates fixed to the shaft and into and out :of which there is dapted to be moved a4~lekQag tongue fixed to or integral with a shaft-locking handle biased into a locked pe6*in via a spring whereby when the handle is depressed, theIa~&f iAg tongue thereon 6. disengages and the shaft can then be lifted up by means of a shaft-lifting handle, the foot being simultaneously *a lifted out of the socket and clear of the combing rail and the spring-loaded4teSe engages under the bottom locking plate to hold the foot clear of the combing rail S to allow the gateve4 be swung out.

13. Apparatus according to claimj* wherein an upper part of the shaft is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart notches engageable or releasable by the latchable tongue to enable the shaft to act as a ground- contacting gate-support stand when it is in swung-out position, 7 r. -21-

14. Apparatus according to cla3m 12 or 13 wherein the entire gate can be lifted out of the combing rail and detached from the semi-trailer or tray of a truck when the shaft is in the lowered position with the tongue locked between the two upper locking plates, Apparatus according to any preceding claim and which includes a releasable mechanism for inter- locking adjacent gates and, which is incorporated adjacent and just below each top corner of a gate and which comprises a sleeve mounted upon a shaft each end of which is socketed within the open ends of upper and lower segments of vertical frame members of a gate, the shaft being retained vertically between two transverse pins and secured to the sleeve by a third pi

16. Apparatus according to any preceding claim S: wherein the combing rail is of H-beam section modified by welding outside the vertical web and between top and bottom flanges, three tubular pipe sockets into which there is adapted to be dropeed and raised instead of a foot a respective drop bolt with a horizontal arm and a Svertical leg housed within a vertical sleeve fixed to or part of an outside vertical gate frame member, each "sleeve having a retaining groove in the top for the bolt arm and a vertical slot to enable the bolt to be lifted clear of the combing to enable the gate to be swung.

17. Swing gate apparatus for semi-trailers,fixed trays of trucks and the like for loading, transporting and unloading of palletized and other types of freight substantially as hereinbefore described with reference -22- to Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings,

18. Swing gate apparatus for semi-trailers, fixed trays of trucks and the like for loading, transporting and unloading of palletized and other types of freight substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 6 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.

19. Swing gate apparatus for semi-trailers, fixed trays of trucks and the like for loading, transporting and unloading of palletized and other types of freight substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 9 and 10 of the accompanying drawings. Swing gate apparatus for semi-trailers, fixed trays of trucks and the like for loading, transporting and unloading of pallet'ized and other types of freight 0 substantially as hereinbef3re described with reference to Figures 12 to 22 of the accompanying drawings.

21. Swing gate apparatus for semi-trailers, fixed trays of trucks and the like for loading, transporting and unloading of palletized and other types of freight 0 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 25 to 27 of the accompanying drawings. *00 22, Swing gate apparatus for semi-trailers, fixed trays of trucks and the like for loading, transporting and unloading of palletized and other types of freight substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 28 of the accompanying drawings. Dated this 22nd day of August 1994 RAYMOND JOHN PIGGOTT By My Patent Attorney JOHN L.DAVIES CO. 1)v^ si ABSTRACT A swing gate (10) for semi-trailers and fixed trays of rucks has locking and unlocking pivot members fitting within a socket formed or mounted in a modified combing rail (11) on the deck of a semi--trailer or truck, these members are mounted on or carried by the gate (10) to form a vertical hinge so that the gate (10) can be swung in a horizontal arc from a closed position locked to the combing (11) or an open position away from the combing; in one form a foot (16) extends through a slot cut in a flange of H-section combing (11) is pivotally attached tj a gate (10) and is looked onto the combing (11) by a plate (14) slidable between vertical guide plates (12,13 12a,13a) and over-riding stops (23,24) over- ridden by *S*o projection in another form a foot (322) is mounted on the bottom of a shaft (323) having an upper end socketed into tubular gate frame member (311) and plates o (327,328) for locking a tong (329) and gate in non- swing position; the shaft (323) has a lower lift handle (326) and upper notches (334,335) are latched by the tongue 329> in gate-swing position; top sides of gates are latched together by a U-shaped common locking pin (417) dropped into a respective socket (416,418) of a sleeve (411,419) mounted for pivotal movement about a shaft ,420) mounted within an outer tubular gate frame member.