Background of the invention

The present invention refers to a. transport device, as vehicle platforms, containers or the like for trucks, trailers, railway trucks and similar, and of the kind comprising two loading planes extending over a substantial part of the device, one plane being arranged above the other plane and being verti¬ cally adjustable relative to said other plane, and a roof structure covering the transport device.

At previously known constructions of this kind (French patent specification 1.307.120) a loading plane can be raised relative to the platform of the truck only so much that e.g. paper bales can be rolled in the space between the platform and the underside of the loading plane. Considering international rules the total height of a load carrying vehicle is not permitted to exceed a determined value, which means that a standard truck has a total loading height of about 2,7 meter. If the loading is made with a fork truck it is necessary that the loading plane can be elevated so much that truck can be driven on the platform, which means that the loading plane has to be elevated to a height of about 2,10 meter. Then there is only 60 cm loading height left and this low space can be effectively utilized only in exceptional cases. Therefore loading planes of the above mentioned kind has not been used to anv greater extent.

In the US patent specifications 2.656.216 and 3.061.358 vehicles are shown, which have roof structures that are vertically displaceable relative to the platform.

These vehicles do howe-ver not have any vertically ad ^' ustable loading planes.

The transport goods often comprise such goods which cannot be stacked or in some cases heavy goods is transported together with light goods, which can cause great troubles if the load is not distributed on several loading planes.

It is also previously known to transport voluminous material such as foamed plastic in a compressed condition (Swedish patent 350.223), at which the compression of the load is made by means of a vertically displaceable roof portion, which by means of double- acting pressure cylinders exerts a compressible force on the load directed towards the bottom of the loading container. In order to avoid that the foamed plastic blocks are wedged into each other it has also been proposed (Swedish patent 740428 - 0) that one or several plates or intermediate parti¬ tions are arranged between the blocks. These inter¬ mediate partitions serve as pressure distributers and are connected to the vertically adj'ustable roof. Such devices are adapted for the transport of co - pressible goods with a low volumetric weight, but can not be used for other loads, especially not for goods which besides a large volume also has a considerable weight.

Summary of the invention

The ob ^' ect of the present invention is to provide a transport device which can be loaded by a fork truck or similar on the vertically adj ^' ustable loading plane as well as on the platform when the loading plane is raised without exceeding the determined

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maximum height when the vehicle is driven. The volume of the transport device should be utilized effec¬ tively without subj'ecting the goods for inj'urous co pressive forces from e.g.. goods located.above. This ob ^' ect has been achieved by a transport device, in which the roof structure is vertically displaceable relative to the platform or the container bottom by means of the ^• vertically adj'ustable loading plane and by standards arranged at the roof structure and/or the loading plane, to a level at least leaving enough space between the platform or the container bottom and the lower edge of the loading plane for a person standing up.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show an embodiment.

Figure 1 is a side view of a truck having a transport device according to the invention,

Figure 2 is a section according to the line II -

II in figure 1, Figure 3 is a section according to the line III - III in figure 1 but showing the roof structure in an elevated position,

Figure 4 is a section according to the line IV - IV in figure 1 showing the transport device fully loaded, Figure 5 is a section according to the line V - V in figure 1.

Description of an embodiment

The transport device shown in figure 1 is arranged

on a truck but can as well in the same or a modified performance be arranged on a trailer or a railway truck or can consist of a container.

The transport device comprises a rectangular platform 11 with hollow -upright columns 12 arranged at the corners thereof. The columns 12 are at their upper ends connected by framework beams 13 at the long sides of the transport device and by rigid plate ^• girders 1*. at the short sides thereof. A loading plane 15 extending over substantially the whole platform 11 is arranged inside the columns 12, said loading plane being vertically adj'ustable and comprising a solid frame structure lβ, which at the long sides is provided with framework beams 17-located inside the sideboards 18 of the truck. Light metal boardings

19 are arranged between the long sides of the frame structure, said boardings forming the loading surface of the loading plane.

A vertical screw 20 is rotatably mounted in each column 12, said screws being syncronously inter¬ connected by herringbone wheels 21, 22 and driving shafts 23, which are horizontally arranged in the upper parts of the plate girders 14. Each screw

20 is provided with a lifting nut 2*., which by a resilient attachment member 25 supports a corner portion of the rectangular loading plane 15. The attachment member 25 for the lifting nut 24 to the loading plane 15 passes through a slot 33 in the column 12. By means of a driving means 26, which preferably consists of a hydraulic motor, and toothed wheels 27 and 28, which are unrotateably arranged on one of the driving shafts 23, the loading plane 15 can be elevated from a position where it rests

on the platform 11 (Fig. 2) to a highest position (Fig. 3), which gives a clearance height permitting a fork truck to pas-s below the loading plane.

A roof structure 29, e.g. a tarpaulin stand, ^" is supported on the columns'-12, the framework beams 13 and the plate girders 14, said roof structure being vertically displaceable and is for this reason provided with at least four vertical legs 30, which are displaceable in guide tubes 31 which are fixed to the columns 12. On the upper side of the framework beam 17 of the loading plane or alternatively on the under¬ side of the roof structure standards 32 are arranged, which are pivoted about a vertical axle. The length of the standards 32 is so measured that they in elevated position during the last phase of the eleva¬ tion of. the loading plane 15 will bear on the roof structure 29 and thus lifting this vertically upwards so much that the loading plane can take its highest position according to figure 3. The loading of the platform 11 is made to a certain level, which in figure 3 is denoted A, and thereafter the loading plane 15 is lowered so that the roof structure 29 returns to its initial position as is shown in figure 4.

The invention is not limited to the specific embodiment described above and shown in the drawings, but many modifications can be made within the scope of the claims. Thus the elevation of the roof structure can be made independently of the elevation and lowering of the loading plane, e.g. by means of separate hydraulic pistons .