INTRODUCTION

The present invention relates to the field of shipping vehicles by ocean transport. In particular the invention provides a vehicle transfer station adapted for loading/unloading vehicles arranged on a cargo load platform .

BACKGROUND

The traditional means of transporting large quantities of cars is by ocean transport using specially designed car carrier vessels with multiple decks which are accessed by means of ship mounted ramps and internal ramps between decks. This allows the cars to be driven onboard and ashore the vessels from/to a large terminal parking area. When positioned onboard, the cars are manually lashed to the vessels decks.

To unload/load large car carrier vessels, large crews are deployed to drive the cars to/from terminal parking to/from the vessel. The maximum rate at which cars can be loaded/unloaded is approximately 250 cars per hour. This is a capacity bottleneck in the loading/unloading of cars. The procedure requires significant manpower resources and driving the cars from /to land side parking lots onto the vessel over a stern ramp and up to the various decks on inclined ramps in narrow confines resulting in damage to the cars. Also the decks must be ventilated to remove exhaust from the decks.

An object of the present invention is to improve the efficiency in

loading/unloading vehicles to/from a vessel in a port.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a vehicle transfer station adapted for loading/unloading vehicles on at least one cargo load platform, the vehicle transfer station comprising four corner posts held together by a frame/platform adapted to receive the at least one cargo load platform, wherein each corner post comprising : a lifting arrangement for lifting or lowering of the at least one cargo load platform, and a locking member attached to the lifting

arrangement, wherein the locking member is adapted to be operated by the lifting arrangement in order to engage or disengage a corresponding slot of the at least one cargo load platform . In an embodiment, the lifting arrangement is a lifting cylinder with a piston rod. The locking member may be attached to the piston rod of the lifting cylinder. The locking member may further be adapted to swing about the piston rod of the lifting cylinder in order to engage or disengage the

corresponding slot of the at least one cargo load platform. The locking member may further comprise a locking dog.

In a further embodiment the vehicle transfer station may comprise a ramp swingably connected at one end to the frame/platform. Each corner post may further comprise a lifting cylinder for lowering or lifting of the frame/platform.

The at least one cargo load platform may be a double deck cargo load platform comprising a lower deck and an upper deck, and wherein the lifting

arrangement is arranged for lifting or lowering of the upper cargo deck.

Further, the at least one cargo load platform may be provided with legs and the vehicle transfer station comprises a mechanism for folding or unfolding the legs of the cargo load platform . Further, the lifting arrangement may be operative to fold or unfold the legs of the at least one cargo load platform .

The vehicle transfer station improves efficiency and safety as the vehicles are unloaded/loaded from/to the cargo carrier vessel on standardized cargo load platforms. Thus, driving of the vehicles onboard and off the vessel is thus avoided. As the cargo load platforms may have a number of decks each with more than one vehicle, a number of vehicles may be unloaded/loaded simultaneously. The cargo load platforms may be handled by manned or unmanned cargo trolleys significantly reducing the crews needed to

unload/load the vehicles. The vehicles are only driven off the cargo load platforms when the cargo load platforms are arranged safely in the vehicle transfer station on the quay.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Example embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the followings drawings, where: Fig. 1-7 show a mobile vehicle transfer station according to an embodiment of the invention, how it may be arranged on the quay of an unprepared port and receive double deck cargo load platforms with vehicles to be unloaded; and Fig. 2-11 show details of the mobile vehicle transfer station according to an embodiment of the invention and the double deck cargo load platform.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The same reference numerals are used for the same or similar features in all the drawings and throughout the description.

In NO 332033 Bl there is disclosed a pallet type load carrier enabling mechanized loading and unloading of cargo, replacing the labor intensive current procedures.

The invented vehicle transfer station may be adapted for transporting the load platform from NO 332033 Bl . The load platform may be provided with an additional platform to permit transport of vehicles on two levels, thereby doubling the capacity of the pallet and the rate in which cars can be

unloaded/loaded from/to the vessel.

Fig. l shows a vehicle transfer station 32 adapted to handle cargo load platforms. The cargo load platforms may be arranged in two levels on the vehicle transfer station 32 to form a double deck permitting transport of vehicles in two levels. The vehicle transfer station may be used in unprepared ports allowing cars to be unloaded or loaded also in ports without elaborate lifting arrangements. The vehicle transfer station is brought with by the cargo ship and transported by a cargo trolley 1 from the ship to the quay of the unprepared port.

In Fig. 2 the mobile vehicle transfer station has been lowered onto the quay, and the trolley 1 has subsequently left the station. The mobile vehicle transport station comprises four corner posts 33 held together by a

frame/platform 34. A ramp 35 is hinged to the platform 34.

Fig. 3 shows that the platform 34 has been lowered to the ground, by lifting cylinders in the corner posts 33. In Fig. 3 the ramp 35 is swingably connected at one end to the platform 34. The ramp 35 is then swung about the hinges and lowered to the ground. The ramp may also be hydraulically operated. When the ramp 35 has been lowered to the ground, the mobile vehicle transfer station is ready for receiving cargo load platforms for unloading or loading vehicles from or to the cargo load platforms.

In Fig. 4 the transport trolley 1 is delivering a double deck cargo load platform with four cars 30 to the vehicle transfer station. The double deck load platform in Fig. 4 is provided by a cargo load platform forming the lower deck 36, and an add-on section forming the upper deck 37. The add-on section may be a cargo load platform stacked upon the lower cargo load platform. Adding this second deck will double the capacity of the cargo load platform . If the lower cargo load platform forming the lower deck is provided with legs 19 on the underside, the cargo trolley 1 may unfold these legs 19 on the underside of the lower deck, in order for the double deck cargo load platform to rest on its own legs on the platform 34 of the vehicle transfer station.

In Fig. 5 the two cars on the lower deck 36 is driven down the ramp 35 onto the quay. The transport trolley 1 has left the vehicle transfer station.

In Fig. 6 the upper deck 37 of the vehicle transport station has been lowered and is now resting on the lower deck 36. The two cars on the upper deck are driven down the ramp 35. The upper and lower decks are constituted by the double deck cargo load platform .

The vehicle transfer station includes a lift arrangement 41 for lowering the upper deck when the lower deck has been emptied. The lifting arrangement 41 is also arranged for lifting the cargo load platform when loading cars onto the lower deck. A locking member 42 is attached to the lifting arrangement and adapted to be operated by the lifting arrangement in order to engage or disengage a corresponding slot 44 of the cargo load platform. The lift arrangement may be operated by the cargo trolley 1 or by the vehicle transfer station itself.

The mobile vehicle transfer station may in one embodiment be autonomous and may operate without human intervention. The mobile vehicle transfer station is then provided with a power supply; for example a diesel-electric generator, for supplying power necessary to autonomously operate the mobile vehicle transfer station on the quay station. Power to the mobile vehicle transfer station may alternatively be supplied externally by a connection to the power grid. The mobile vehicle transfer station may be connected to the power grid when placed in the quay station. Connection to the power grid may be performed automatically, or through manual connection e.g. by a driver driving the cargo trolley 1.

Fig. 7 shows a detail of an embodiment of the lift arrangement of the vehicle transfer station 32 with a double deck cargo load platform inserted. The double deck cargo load platform includes a lower deck 36, and an upper deck 37. The upper deck is part of a separate arrangement as explained above, stacked onto the lower deck 36. The upper deck 37 includes foldable legs 39 in each corner, which are standing on the lower deck 36. The cargo load platform arrangement may also include cross-brace struts (not shown in Figure) between the upper and lower decks. The lift arrangement of the vehicle transfer station includes a lifting cylinder 41 in each corner post 33. Each lifting cylinder is operating a locking member 42 with a locking dog 43. The locking member 42 is attached to a piston rod of the lifting cylinder.

In Fig. 8 the locking member 42 has been lifted by the lifting cylinder 41 to the level of the upper deck 37 and swung, by the lifting cylinder 41, about the piston rod of the lifting cylinder 41. The locking dog 43 in the locking member 42 has engaged a corresponding slot 44 in the upper deck 37. The slot 44 is seen on the end side on the cargo load platform constituting the upper deck 37 in Fig. 7.

In Fig. 9 the lifting cylinders 41, with the locking member and locking dog engaged to the upper deck 37, have lifted the upper deck 37 free from the lower deck. The legs 39 are folded into a collapsed state. A mechanism in the corner posts 33 of the mobile transfer station may be arranged to fold or unfold the legs 39 of the cargo load platform .

In Fig. 10 the upper deck 37 is lowered towards the lower deck by the lifting cylinders.

In Fig. 11 the upper deck 37 is resting on the lower deck 36, the locking members 42 are disengaged from the slots 44 in the upper deck, and the cars are ready to be driven off the upper deck down the ramp 35 to ground level . When the double deck cargo load platform is in its collapsed state as shown in Fig.11, the cargo load platform may be collected by the trolley 1 and brought to a magazine for storage. The mobile cargo transfer station is then ready for receiving the next double deck cargo load platform .

The reverse procedure as explained above in relation to fig. 4-11 may be performed when loading vehicles onto the double deck cargo load platform . The vehicles are first driven onto the upper deck 37. The upper deck 37 are then raised by the lifting cylinders, the legs 39 unfolded, the upper deck lowered until the legs rests on the lower deck 36. Each locking member 42 with the locking dog 43 is then swung back by the lifting cylinder 41 about the piston rod of the lifting cylinder 41. The vehicles are then driven onto the lower deck 36. The double deck cargo load platform now provided with cars on both the upper and lower deck is then picked up a cargo trolley 1 and transported onboard the cargo vessel.

When all the vehicles have been unloaded/loaded for this quay station position, the platform 34 of the mobile vehicle transfer station is raised by the lifting arrangement to a transport position and the ramp 35 swung back. The mobile vehicle transfer station may then be collected by a transport trolley 1 and driven onboard the vessel, or arranged in another quay station position.

Having described preferred embodiments of the invention it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other embodiments incorporating the concepts may be used. These and other examples of the invention illustrated above are intended by way of example only and the actual scope of the invention is to be determined from the following claims.