GB2387153A

GB2387153A - Retractable canopy for a goods trailer

Info

Publication number: GB2387153A
Application number: GB0307004A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Mark Adams
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-03-26
Filing date: 2003-03-26
Publication date: 2003-10-08
Anticipated expiration: 2023-03-26
Also published as: GB0207066D0; GB0307004D0; GB2387153B

Abstract

The invention comprises a trailer having an extendable portion for accommodating a retractable canopy, or an extendable portion suitable for use with a trailer. The trailer may be of the type which can be towed behind a tractor unit (16, figure 1A) and is suitable for carrying relatively elongate members such as aircraft wings. The canopy 8,10 is movable from an extended position (figure 1A) to a retracted position where it is located upon an extended portion 20,22 which extends from at least one of the ends of the trailer, so as to remove the canopy from the storage area of the trailer. Each extending portion 20,22 includes first and second spaced elongate members (24,26, figure 2B) which act as tracks for canopy support means (40) and a cross member (28) which may include drive means (44) to allow powered movement of the elongate members and/or support legs 30 if provided. Also disclosed is a load securing means (figures 1A,1D) comprising vertical members (14) and support means (19).

Description

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1 2387153 -

Goods Storage and Transport Trailer The invention to which this application relates is to a transportable goods storage area, hereinafter referred to as a goods trailer. The trailer can be transported across surfaces, via wheels mounted thereon, and may be transported as, for example, part of a vehicle, train or towed by other transportation means. In particular, although not necessarily exclusively, the type of goods trailer to which this application is of particular advantage is one which is provided to allow the transport of relatively long objects with said objects positioned in the goods trailer so as to extend either individually, or in combination, along the length of the goods trailer.

The transportation of goods within confined environments such as for example a factory, confined site, or other definable area, is relatively specialised and the goods trailers used to move said goods can be designed for specific purposes and to suit particular loading, unloading and manufacturing requirements.

In particular, the goods trailers can be designed so as to accommodate goods which are of particularly unusual dimensions such as, for example, relatively long, tall, or the like, and to transport the goods in a form which would not be permitted on the pubic highway.

For illustrative purposes, one form of goods are aircraft wings which are manufactured in long length units and are required to be transported within the manufacturing facility to allow different manufacturing functions to be performed on the same.

Typically, said wings are mounted on a goods trailer and, for the duration of transport, are enclosed by a canopy. To allow the wings to be loaded onto and from the trailer, the canopy is required to be moved from the entire, "normal", length of the goods trailer so as to allow the wings to be lifted and moved

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0 - c e . * from the same without damage being caused. Typically, the canopy is joined in the middle of the goods trailer so that the parts of the canopy to each side of the join, can be removed in a concertina fashion to the respective ends of the trailer. At the same time, extendable portions are moved out from the ends of the trailer to allow the folded canopy section to be moved on to their respective extended portion and hence remove the canopy from the entire length of the goods trailer storage area to allow the removal from or loading onto of the wings. Typically, for transport, the canopy sections can be extended back to meet in the middle and the end extensions moved back for storage at the ends of the goods trailer which can then be towed by a suitable towing means.

A known problem with this type of goods trailer is that the extension portions, when extended from each end of the trailer, are prone to breakage.

Each conventional extension portion typically comprise two elongate members which extend from each edge of the base at the end of the trailer and which support the upwardly depending canopy frame members. The canopy members, which are provided attached to the sheet material at regular spaced intervals to support the sheet material to form the canopy, are then moved along the elongate members. Each member can be provided with support legs on which a wheel or roller is mounted. However, conventionally, these wheel portions are not stayed and therefore there is a tendency for the legs to spread apart which in turn, causes a distortion of the elongate members and hence difficulties in pushing the canopy to and from the withdrawal positions on the elongate members.

Furthermore, the canopy is very heavy and as a result difficult to push or pull along the elongate members. The pull-down legs from the elongate members which support the same are heavy to

e r e 7 e 6 r e manually lower or raise. Due to the conventional design, it will therefore be appreciated that the extended portions which are provided to support the canopy can be problematic and, when they fail, effectively cause the trailer to be inoperable as the same cannot be moved with the extendable portions in the extended positions as firstly the goods mounted on the trailer are not enclosed and therefore not protected, and secondly further breakage of the trailer would occur if attempts were made to move the same.

It will therefore be appreciated that these conventional problems can in turn lead to and frustrating down time in the manufacturing process of the goods which they are designed to carry. Although the problems identified above are described with respect to the carrying of aircraft wings, it will be readily appreciated that the same problems can be encountered with any form of trailer for any sort of goods which includes the extendable portions as herein described.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a goods trailer which has extendable portions for supporting a canopy for enclosing said goods and wherein the extendable portions are provided in a manner to allow efficient and repeated use while minimising the risk of failure.

In a first aspect of the invention there is provided a goods trailer, said trailer towable between locations by a towing means and goods mounted within the trailer are selectively enclosed by a canopy, said canopy movable between an enclosing condition in which the canopy extends along the length of the trailer and a retracted position where the canopy is retracted to and mounted on at least one extendable portion, which itself is movable

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_,. between a storage position and an extended position extending from an end of the trailer to receive the canopy in a retracted position said extendable portion including first and second spaced elongate members along which the canopy supports can be moved and characterised in that a cross member is provided which extends between and connects said elongate members.

Typically the extendable portion includes one or more support legs, said legs movable between a retracted position out of contact with a surface and an extended position in contact with a surface. Typically said legs have wheels mounted thereon to improve the movement of the extendable portion between retracted and extended positions with respect to the trailer end.

In one embodiment, the movement of the elongate members between the storage and extended position and, where provided, the movement of the support legs between retracted and extended positions are by powered drive means. In one embodiment, the powered drive is hydraulic.

Preferably, the supply of power is synchronised by power control means so as to allow the synchronised movement of the elongate members between the storage and extended positions to improve the extendable portion structure and stability.

Typically the power supply and drive motor for the extension of the support legs, are mounted on the cross member of the extendable portion.

As the support legs can be powered they do not need to be manually moved and can therefore be made more sturdy than is conventionally the case, this in turn means that the elongate members can be increased in size, thereby, in turn, providing

e e Cam e _ 7 i it r improved tracks for movement of the canopy frame along the same when being between extended and retracted positions.

In an alternative embodiment the, support legs are not provided, and the elongate members in the extended position are supported solely by the connection to the end of the trailer which supports the same to allow the elongate members to be maintained in the horizontal plane.

With the improvements indicated, use of the extendable portion and hence the goods trailer as a whole is improved as the canopy can be moved between the enclosing and retracted positions more easily.

Typically, the goods trailer in accordance with the invention can be towed from either end when the extendable portions are in a retracted position on the goods trailer.

Typically, an extendable portion is provided at each end of the goods trailer so that when moving the canopy to the enclosing position, first and second canopy portions are respectively moved from the extendable portions onto the goods trailer and extended to meet, typically at the middle of the goods trailer, and hence enclose the goods within the goods trailer. At the same time, the extendable portions are moved to the storage position at each end of the goods trailer.

In one embodiment, the extendable portions are provided and manufactured at the same time as the manufacture of the goods trailer; alternatively, the extendable portions in accordance with the invention can be retrofitted to existing goods trailers and hence provide the improvements and advantages claimed herein.

e e e.

e À 0 1 Al In a further aspect of the invention there is provided an extendable portion for a goods trailer, said trailer towable between locations by a towing means and goods mounted within the trailer are enclosed by a canopy, said canopy movable between an enclosing condition in which the canopy extends along the length of the trailer and a retracted position where the canopy is retracted to and mounted on at least one of said extendable portions, said extendable portion movable between an extending position to receive the canopy and a storage position at an end of the trailer wherein said extendable portion includes first and second spaced elongate members, each of said members supported from the end of the trailer and at least one cross member is provided engaging said first and second elongate members.

Typically movement of the elongate members and, if provided, support legs is powered and the drive means for the same are mounted at the cross member.

In a further aspect of the invention there is provided a goods trailer, said trailer towable between locations by a towing means and goods mounted within the trailer are enclosed by a canopy, said goods elongate in form and mounted at intervals therealong with respect to spaced vertical members which limit movement across the trailer and support means mounted on the vertical members and said support means movable along the vertical members to allow selective location of the same at a position to contact and support the goods.

In one embodiment the goods are a series of aircraft wings, positioned to lie along the trailer with adjacent wings spaced apart by the vertical members and the support means positionable at a height to contact and support the bottom edge of the wing. In one embodiment movement of the support

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À means is powered typically by pneumatic drive means along the vertical members.

Specific embodiments of the invention are now described with reference to the figures, wherein: Figure 1A to ID illustrate plan and elevation views of the goods trailer in a first embodiment with extendable portions in the extended and retracted positions; Figures 2A and B illustrate an extendable portion in accordance with the invention in one embodiment in detail; and Figure 3 illustrates a further embodiment of the invention showing the extended portion in an extended position.

Referring firstly to Figures 1A and B. there is illustrated a goods trailer 2 with goods in the form of aircraft wings, 4 therein, shown in broken line as the same are enclosed by a canopy 6 which is formed in two parts 8 and 10 with a join 12. Also provided within the goods storage area and enclosed by the canopy as shown in Figures 1A and B are goods support means 14. For the purposes of this specific embodiment, the goods storage area is for the storage and movement of aircraft wings and the support 14 are provided for that specific purpose and will be described in more detail herein. However, it should be appreciated that the interior of the goods storage area can be adapted to suit the specific goods to be carried. With the goods enclosed within the canopy 6, the trailer 2 is transportable by means of a tractor unit 16 which is connected to the trailer 2 as shown and the trailer itself is provided with wheels 18 to allow movement of the tractor unit and storage area to the required destination. It should also be appreciated that the tractor unit 16 can be connected to either end of the goods trailer.

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r, i. À r _ At' -.}) 1 À Also provided on the trailer are extendable portions but these extendable portions, for the purposes of the trailer when in the embodiment shown in Figure 1A and 1B are not required to be extended and are therefore stowed at each end of the trailer.

When the goods trailer has reached a particular destination and there is a need to unload or load the goods onto the trailer the trailer undergoes a transformation to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 C and 1 D which allow the trailer to be moved to a goods movement condition.

Firstly, the tractor unit 16 is detached from the trailer and this then allows the movement of the elongate portions 20, 22 to an extended position as shown in Figures 1C and 1D. Each extendable portion comprises two elongate members 24, 26 and a cross member 28 which are shown in greater detail in Figures 2A and 2B which will be described later. Each extendable portion also includes, in this embodiment, a number of support legs 30 and again these are described in more detail with respect to Figures 2A and B. With the extendable portions 20, 22 in extended positions as shown in Figures 1C and ID, the entire storage area of the trailer indicated by the arrow 34 is available for access and hence the goods 4 can be easily removed from the goods trailer.

To move the canopy to the retracted positions shown in Figures 1C and ID, the parts 8 and 10 of the same are separated at the join 12 and moved in the direction of arrows 36, 38 respectively, typically by manual movement. At the same time, the elongate members 24, 26 of each of the extendable portions 20, 22 are moved outwardly and in parallel with the longitudinal axis 32 of the trailer so as to be moved and held in the extended positions

ate so t a a t as required. This movement can be powered and synchronised to occur as the canopy is moving. In one embodiment sensing means can be provided to detect when the canopy has been retracted to a particular position whereupon the elongate members start to extend. The elongate members 24, 26 thus form tracks along which the canopy supports 40 can slide and, as they do so, carry the flexible sheet material 42 supported between the supports 40 to the folded condition shown in Figures 1C andlD where the same are retained with the support legs 30 in contact with the surface to support the extendable portions as shown in Figure 1C.

Turning now to Figures 2A and B. there is illustrated in Figure 2A, an end of the trailer with the extendable portion 20 in a retracted position and with the elongate members 24, 26 held within the goods trailer 2 in a storage condition. Also provided at the end is the cross member 28 and also moved to the retracted position hydraulically as shown are the support legs 30.

Figure 2B illustrates an extendable portion 20 in an extended position in which the elongate members 24, 26 have been extended beyond the end of the goods storage trailer 2 as indicated by the arrow 36. Prior to extending the same to the position shown, the support legs 30 are extended as shown to extend below the elongate members 24, 26. Preferably, the movement of the elongate members and support legs 30 is by hydraulic actuation and is driven via a motor 44 mounted on the cross member 28. The cross member 28 is stayed by stays 46 and therefore acts to maintain the extendable portion 20 in a secure and firm position thereby allowing the canopy 6 and support means 40 therefor to be securely positioned on the elongate member track and held in that position.

rev. À À I q: À: . Figure 3 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the invention showing an extendable portion 120 in an extended position at the end of the trailer in which the elongate members 124, 126 have been extended beyond the end of the goods storage trailer 102 as indicated by the arrow 136. In this case no support legs are provided and so the elongate members are maintained in the horizontal plane solely by the support from the end of the trailer 102. Typically the elongate members extend below the floor of the trailer along supports and thus, even when extended a sufficient portion of each of the elongate members is left under the trailer to support the elongate members in the horizontal plane and the weight of the canopy thereon. Preferably, the movement of the elongate members 124, 126 is by hydraulic actuation and synchronised via a motor 144 mounted on the cross member 128. The cross member 128 is stayed by stays 146 and therefore acts to maintain the extendable portion 120 in a secure and firm position thereby allowing the canopy 106 and support means 140 therefor to be securely positioned on the elongate member track and held in that position. In one embodiment sensing means can be provided to ensure that as the canopy is retracted and moves past a certain location, the motor 144 is actuated to start moving the elongate members outwardly automatically, so as to form the tracks along which the support means 140 move.

Thus there is provided a secure and relatively easily usable goods trailer with extendable portions to allow goods to be removed from the goods area.

Turning again to Figures 1A and D there is illustrated a further feature of the invention which is related to the mounting of the wings or other goods on the trailer. The support means 14 include a series of spaced vertical members 15, said members, in this embodiment, provided in pairs, said pairs spaced apart

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e À 0 s À across the trailer in the direction of arrow 17, to allow the location, as shown of a wing 4 between adjacent pairs. In addition to the vertical members, support means 19 are provided to depend between adjacent pairs of members. These support means are each independently movable and positionable in the vertical plane along the pairs of vertical members 15, as indicated by arrow 21. - Although in figure 1A the support means 19 are shown at a relatively low position, as the bottom edge of the wig is relatively straight, if the wing bottom edge has a contained shape, then the support means can be moved to the appropriate height to contact the bottom edge of that wing at that location and hence support the same. This ensures that the wing is properly supported. Preferably the movement of the support means are driven by powered means along the vertical members, preferably by an air controlled system.

Thus, the present invention provides a trailer system which is significantly improved with respect to the conventional trailers 0 f this typ e.

Claims

(:,., e.9 À À _ 5 Claims

1. A goods trailer, said trailer towable between locations by a towing means and goods mounted within a trailer are selectively enclosed by a canopy, said canopy movable between an enclosing condition in which the canopy extends along the length of the trailer and a retracted position where the canopy is retracted to and mounted on at least one extendable portion, which itself is movable between a storage position and an extended position extending from an end of the trailer to receive the canopy in a retracted position, said extendable portion including first and second elongate members along which the canopy supports can be moved and characterised in that a cross member is provided which extends between and connects said elongate members.

2. A trailer according to claim 1 wherein the extendable portion includes one or more support legs, said support legs movable between a retractable position and an extended position in contact with the support surface.

3. A goods trailer according to claim 2 wherein said support legs include wheels mounted thereon to improve movement of the extendable portion between retracted and extended positions, with said wheels contacting the support surface.

4. A goods trailer according to claim 2, wherein the movement of the support legs between the retracted and extended positions is by powered drive means.

5 A goods trailer according to claim 1 wherein movement of the first and second elongate members of the extendable portion between storage and extended positions is powered.

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6 A goods trailer according to claims 4 and S wherein the drive means for the movement of the support legs and/or elongate members are mounted on the cross member.

7. A goods trailer according to claim 5 wherein the movement of the support legs between retracted and extended positions is synchronised by control means for the drive means.

8 A goods trailer according to claim 5 wherein the movement of the first and second elongate members between storage and extended positions is synchronised by control means for the drive means.

.

9. A goods trailer according to claim 1 wherein the elongate members act as tracks along which support members for the canopy slide.

10. A goods trailer according to claim 9 wherein the first and second elongate members, when in the extended position, are supported in the horizontal plane from the trailer.

11 A goods trailer according to claim 9 wherein the first and second elongate members when in the extended position are supported in the horizontal plane from the trailer and by the support legs which depend downwardly onto the support surface.

12. A goods trailer according to claim 1 wherein an extendable portion is provided at each end of the goods trailer.

13. A goods trailer according to claim 9 wherein the canopy is formed from first and second sections, said open ends of said canopy sections meeting when the canopy is in an extended position, to form the extended canopy.

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14. A goods trailer according to claim 1 wherein the trailer includes thereon mounting means for the goods, said mounting means including a series of spaced vertical members, and a series of support means, said support means selectively movable to be positionable along the vertical members in a vertical direction to provide, in combination with the vertical members, support and location for said goods.

15. A goods trailer according to claim 11 wherein the goods carried by the trailer are aircraft wings.

16. An extendable portion for a goods trailer, said trailer towable between locations by a towing means and goods mounted within the trailer are enclosed by a canopy, said canopy movable between an enclosing condition in which the canopy extends along the length of the trailer and a retracted position where the canopy is retracted to and mounted on at least one of said extendable portions, said extendable portion movable between an extending position to receive the canopy and a storage position at an end of the trailer wherein said extendable portion includes hrst and second spaced elongate members, each of said members supported from the end of the trailer and at least one cross member is provided engaging said first and second elongate members.

17. An extendable portion for a trailer according to claim 16 wherein movement of the elongate members is powered and the drive means are mounted on a cross member.

18. A goods trailer, said trailer towable between locations by a towable means and goods mounted within- a trailer are selectively enclosed by a canopy, said goods elongate in form and mounted at intervals therealong with respective spaced

c À. -.: one so. e e vertical members which limit movement of the goods across the trailer and support means mounted on the vertical members, said support means movable along the vertical members to allow selective location of the same at a position to contact and support the goods.

19. trailer according to claim 18, wherein the goods are a series of aircraft wings, each wing positioned to lie along the trailer, with adjacent wings spaced apart by the vertical members and the support means positionable at a height to contact and support the bottom edge of the wing.

20. A trailer according to claim 18 wherein movement of the support means is powered along the vertical member.

21. A goods trailer as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.