The invention relates to a transporter comprising a first array of jointly movable parallel long supporting elements, and a second array of jointly movable parallel long supporting elements, wherein each array is positioned such that, between the long supporting elements of one array, space is left open to allow passage of one long supporting element from the other array, wherein the arrays each form a support surface for an object, and wherein the arrays are basically arranged as parallel surfaces, and are movable towards and away from each other, such that the supporting surfaces of the arrays can be brought into a common plane and can be brought into positions where the support surfaces of the one array protrude with respect to the other.

Such transporter is known from the French patent specification 2.1143.040. Therein, a lift and transport installation for automobiles is described. This installation comprises two grids of parallel bars. The first grid is fixed, with the upper side of the grid level flush with the upper surface of an elevated platform. This grid extends far enough beyond this platform so that an automobile can be driven entirely onto this first grid from the platform. With this, the bars of this first grid are lined up parallel to the edge of the platform. The second grid, fixed to a wheeled chassis, can be moved up and down. This chassis can be moved under the first grid, with the second grid either above or beneath the first grid. The space between the bars of each grid is sufficient to allow the second grid to be moved unhindered between positions beneath and above the first grid, with the chassis under the first grid. When the second grid is moved above the first grid, an automobile will be lifted from the first grid. In this position of the second grid, the chassis with the automobile can be moved away. The aim of the invention is to provide a transporter for the jointly forward movement of a series of articles with a relatively high weight. For objects susceptible to damage, such as cars, this is especially very desirable, for example in storage and transit, where the automobiles are placed as close as possible to each other and parking damages, for instance, can easily arise.

According to the invention, this objective is achieved with a device of the type mentioned in the preamble, wherein the arrays are primarily aligned in a fixed position in the longitudinal direction of the supporting elements, and that at least one of the arrays moves backwards and forwards in the longitudinal direction of the long

supporting elements, connected with a drive means which provides forward and backward drive motion. A similar transporter can extend over considerable lengths and, because only movement in the longitudinal direction is possible, requires no separate directional control. The occurrence of damage during operation of the transporter is therefore (practically) impossible.

Preferably, the arrays of the transporter have supports with bearing surfaces which slide over each other. Because of this, the transporter can be made particularly robust, with as few moving parts as possible.

For the position adjustment, it is preferable that at least one of the bearing surfaces of the first array is inclined in relation to the supporting elements thereof. By moving the array in the longitudinal direction of the supporting elements, lifting and lowering respectively of this first array takes place. For this purpose, this first array only needs to make a relatively small stroke. By making the second array so that it can be moved backwards and forwards over a relatively large distance, objects can be moved efficiently by alternately letting the first and the second array make first a forward and then a backward movement.

For the benefit of transport over water, a vessel can be advantageously provided with a transporter according to the invention.

Other advantages and details of the invention shall become clear from the following description of non-restrictive examples of embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.

Fig. 1 shows a top view of a vessel, partly broken away, provided with several transporters according to the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a detail of a view according to the line II-II of the transporter according to fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows a side view in cross-section of the embodiment shown in fig. 2;

Fig. 4 shows schematically the working of the transporter; Fig. 5 shows schematically the transporter in combination with a transverse feed. Figure 1 shows a vessel 1 schematically. This is moored with the stern against the quay 2. A ramp 3 bridges the distance between the vessel 1 and the quay 2. The afterdeck 4 provides room to manoeuvre the goods on the transporters 5 installed over the remaining length of the vessel 1. Each transporter has two sets of bars 6, 7 (see figs. 2 and 4), which are alternately positioned, and which are grouped per

transporter in, repeatedly, a narrow 8 and then a wide area 9 _t with mutual space 10 in between. As is shown in more detail in figs. 2 and 3. set 6 consists of high bars and set 7 of lower bars. Goods, such as, in this case, an automobile 12 with wheels 13, can rest on these. To allow taking up of automobiles with differing track widths, area 9 is made wide, so that wheels 13 spaced closer together (shown with\'the dotted lines) can also rest on the bars. On both sides of each area δ, 9. retaining beams 11 are placed.

Both set of bars 6 and set of bars 7 are jointly movable in the longitudinal direction. For this purpose, each set 6, 7 of one transporter 5 is connected with a drive (not depicted) . The bars 6 rest on the practically even deck 14. On the underside of bars 7, a regular intervals, are wedges 15, which rest on complementary fixed-position wedges 16. It will be obvious that, by moving the wedges 15 of the bars 7 over the wedges 16 in the longitudinal direction, the bars move upwards or downwards, depending on the direction of displacement. The effect of this shall be explained further on the basis of fig. 4.

On both sides of the narrow area 8, clamping bars 17 of a wheel clamp 18-are fixed. These clamping bars extend along the transporter 5- These bars 17 can be moved towards and away from each other with the hydraulic jacks 19, placed at regular intervals from each other.

On the afterdeck 4 (fig. 1) are relatively short bars 20, which match with the bars 7 are registered. These bars can also be moved over a small stroke in the longitudinal direction, and the support is the same as is embodied with the bars 7. These bars 20 are part of a lifting platform (not shown). Thus, the different decks of the vessel 1 can be reached.

The operating principle is now explained, using fig. 4 as a basis. Fig. 4a shows the position in which the wheel 13 is only resting on the high bars 6. By moving these bars 6 in the longitudinal direction over a stroke length of approximately 6 meters, the automobiles which are resting on these bars 6 will also be moved over this distance. At the end of the stroke the bars 7 with the lower height will be moved in the longitudinal direction such that, because of the combined working of the wedges 15 and 16 (fig. 3) these bars 7 move upwards to the position shown in figure 4b. In this position the wheel rests solely on these bars 7- In the position shown in fig. 4b, the bars 6 can make a returning movement while the automobiles on the transporter remain stationary. Following this, the bars 7 are moved back in the returning direction, as a result of which they lower to the position shown in figure 4a. Then the

transporting phase of the stroke of the bars 6 can be made again. It will be obvious that the stroke of the bars 7 is considerably smaller than that of the bars 6. By thus operating the bars 6 and 7 alternately, automobiles can be transported along a straight line from one end of a vessel to the other. To achieve this, during loading, one automobile after the other is driven onto the bars 20 on afterdeck 4. With the bars 20 in the position according to fig. 4b, the bars 6 of transporter 5 are slid in between, under the automobile. With the bars 20 in the position depicted in fig 4a, the returning stroke of bars 6 is made, as a result of which, the automobile moves towards the bow of the vessel. The transporter is operated until there is again enough room on afterdeck 4 for a subsequent automobile. When the automobile which was first loaded onto the transporter reaches the end of the transporter at the front of the vessel, then loading is finished. Unloading happens in the reverse order. Fig. 4c shows a position of bars 6 and 7 respectively wherein the upper surfaces of both lie equal. In this position, the wheel is evenly supported, which is favorable during the time that the transporter 5 i idle.

The bars 20 on the afterdeck 4 can be omitted. Then the bars 6 of transporter 5 are first slid onto afterdeck 4 before an automobile is driven onto that afterdeck 4. Here it is quite imperative that the automobile is brought above the bars 7 of transporter 5 in one go, to make it possible for the bars to be moved again onto the afterdeck 4 for taking up the next automobile. So loading and unloading of a vessel can be done practically mechanically, while a high degree of loading can be realized without the risk of damage.

Thus a transport system is provided, possibly in combination with a storage system, comprising a first and second array of parallel long supporting elements, wherein each array is so positioned that space is left open to allow an one long supporting element from the other array in between, wherein the long supporting elements of at least one of the arrays are movable in the longitudinal direction, while, as desired, the first array can be brought into a withdrawn or a protruded position at right angles in relation to the longitudinal direction of the supporting element, and with respect to the second array, so that, in a protruding position, a load resting on it is carried along with it. In this case, the supporting elements extend over a large distance, at least twenty meters or more, while the stroke of the first array, in relation to the longitudinal direction, is really quite small compared to the length of

the supporting element, and maximally measures a third of this length, but normally not more than six to ten meters, depending on the length of the supporting elements. Furthermore, the size of the stroke of the first array is adjustable. Furthermore, one array can, as desired, be driven in the longitudinal direction thereof, and the other array in a primarily up and downward movement at right angles to the longitudinal direction thereof.

Furthermore, as is schematically depicted in perspective in figures 5a, 5b and 5c, it is possible to combine the system with a new transverse feed 30. For this purpose the longitudinal bars 6, 7 are provided with transverse cutouts 31 at regular intervals. These are arranged such that the cutouts 31 of the bars 6 and 7 respectively can be brought into line, as depicted. As depicted, long transverse bars 32, aligned at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the bars 6, 7 can be inserted into cutouts 31 from the side. For this purpose, the transverse bars 32 have a pitch which corresponds to the pitch of the cutout or recess 31• n fig a object is depicted, with the underside thereof resting on the transverse bars 32, ready to be transferred to the bars 6, 7. For this purpose, the bars 7 are adjusted to a position which is withdrawn with respect to bars 6, as depicted in fig. 4a. Two cutouts in the bars 6 are brought in line with the transverse bars 32. Here, the recesses 31 in the bars 7 could possibly already be brought in line with those in bars 6. Following this, the transverse bars are moved forward in the longitudinal direction thereof, to the position depicted in fig. 5b, with the transverse bars 32 inserted into the recesses in both bars 6. In this position, the recesses 31 in the bars 7 are brought in line with the transverse bars 32, if this has not happened earlier. Following this, the bars 7 are moved upwards, as in fig 4b, so as to protrude above the bars 6 but also to protrude above the transverse bars 32• As a consequence of this, the underside of object 33 comes to rest on the bars 7 and the object is thus free of the transverse bars 32, as is shown in figure 5c. To this purpose, the recesses 31 in the bars 7 are, for example, made over a larger height of the bar in comparison with those in the bars 6. The transverse bars can now for example be withdrawn in an opposite direction out of the recesses 3 . in so doing leaving object 33 behind, resting on the bars 1. After the transverse bars 3 are fully out of the recesses 31. the bars 7 can be lowered under the bars 6, to the position shown in figure 4a, after which the object 33 rests on the bars 6 and with that is transportable in the longitudinal direction, as is already explained above. The transverse feed can, of course, be embodied in

another way, for example with a larger number of transverse bars 3 with, for example a smaller pitch. Important is that recesses are provided in the bars 6, 7. which allow passage of the transverse bars, while the level between those transverse bars and the longitudinal bars 6 and/or 7 is variable, so that those transverse bars can be brought into a protruding or withdrawn position respectively compared to €hose bars 6 or 7 respectively, at right angles in relation to the longitudinal direction of those bars, for setting off a load 33 resting on those transverse bars onto those bars 6 or 7 respectively. The reverse of this is removing a load 33 from those bars 6 or 7 respectively. For this purpose, it is also possible, for example, to make the transverse bars adjustable in height, so that, after having been inserted into the recesses 31. they are left therein at right angles in relation to the longitudinal direction thereof, so as to set off the load on the bars 6 and/or 7- Obviously, the invention is not only applicable to utilization on ships. This can alternatively, for example, be used for container transport on land, from a ship to a warehouse, or the reverse. Important is that long, slender and parallel elements of relatively great length are moved with a relatively short stroke in the longitudinal direction, with those elements in two pairs, which are arranged alternately, and where the spacing is regularly varied, so that, in turn, the upper surfaces thereof come to protrude above the other, for carrying along a load jerkily in a longitudinal direction.