ES2551088T3 - Transport pallet for compressed gas containers - Google Patents

Abstract

Transport pallet (1) for transporting compressed gas cylinders by means of a ground transporting vehicle, comprising a bottom plate (7) and a frame structure (2) joined with the bottom plate to secure the gas cylinders compressed against its lateral fall during transport, characterized in that the bottom plate (7) is arranged vertically movable with respect to the frame structure (2) and can be immobilized in at least two operating positions, resting the plate on the bottom (7) on a floor (13) in a first operating position and said plate presenting a vertical distance to the ground (13) in a second operating position which makes it possible to grip it from below by means of a lifting element of the at least one lifting device (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) is arranged in the frame structure (2) by means of which the plate d can be moved vertically and background (7).

Description

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DESCRIPTION

Transport pallet for compressed gas containers.

The invention concerns a transport pallet for compressed gas cylinders, comprising a bottom plate and a frame structure joined with the bottom plate to secure the compressed gas cylinders against their lateral fall during transport.

Specially configured transport pallets are often used to transport a plurality of compressed gas cylinders from the supplier to the customers or within a factory. A transport pallet of this class, such as that described, for example, in EP 0 104 471 A1, has a rectangular or square bottom frame, generally 10 to 15 cm high, made of flat profiles, within which recesses make it possible to grip from below by means of the lifting unit of a ground transport vehicle, for example a forklift truck. A bottom plate is fixed on the bottom frame in the form of a sheet or a grid, on which the compressed gas cylinders to be transported are deposited during transport. A frame structure consisting of vertical uprights, which are arranged at the corners of the bottom frame, and horizontally arranged side beams that join the vertical uprights with each other, secures the compressed gas cylinder during transport against its lateral fall, whose cylinders they are generally additionally secured during transport on the railing thus formed by means of tie down straps. To make it possible to load the transport pallets with the compressed gas containers, which partially weigh more than 70 kg, the lateral crossbars are configured as folding upwards on at least one side of the frame structure; at the same time, on this side there is a tilt load gate on which the compressed gas cylinders can be rolled when loading the pallet. However, the rolling of heavy compressed gas cylinders on this inclined ramp is linked to a high risk for service personnel and represents to date one of the greatest sources of accidents in the handling of compressed gas cylinders.

To avoid the problem of loading pallets with gas cylinders, a transport pallet specially designed for the transport of vertically placed objects, which is equipped with a stably-based base plate, located at the level of the ground, has been proposed in US 3,602,368. soil, on which the products to be transported are deposited. To make a transport with a ground transport vehicle possible, hollow profiles have been mounted on both sides of the base plate into which the teeth of a forklift fork can be inserted. Since the base plate on this object has to support the full weight of the load, this plate has to be of solid construction, which leads together to a high weight of the transport pallet and makes maneuverability difficult; at the same time, hollow profiles configured as relatively narrow for reasons of space sometimes require very complex maneuvering operations until the transport vehicle is brought to a suitable position to receive the transport pallet. In addition, laterally protruding profiles need some space, which reduces the load capacity of the vehicle.

Therefore, the invention is based on the problem of creating a transport pallet for compressed gas cylinders, which is easy to handle and increases the safety of service personnel during loading against transport pallets according to the state of the art; Likewise, transport capacity should not be reduced or it should be reduced only to a very insignificant degree.

This problem is solved with a transport pallet provided with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are claimed in the dependent claims.

Therefore, a transport pallet of the class and purpose mentioned at the beginning are characterized in that the bottom plate, which, in addition, can also consist of a trellis, is arranged vertically movable with respect to the structure frame and can be immobilized in at least two operating positions, resting the bottom plate on a floor in a first operating position (in what is also called “loading position”) and presenting in a second operating position (in what is also called "transport position") a vertical distance to the ground that makes it possible to grip down by means of a lifting element of a transport vehicle. In the loading position, no significant height difference must be overcome to load the transport pallet and the compressed gas cylinders can be deposited virtually safely on the bottom plate. Before transporting the pallet, the bottom plate is lifted and immobilized in the transport position, and then this plate can be grasped from below by means of the forks of a forklift.

The vertical positioning of the bottom plate is carried out with the aid of suitable lifting means, being fixedly arranged in the frame structure, according to the invention, for the vertical displacement of the bottom plate, at least one lifting device made as part member of the transport pallet.

As a lifting device for raising or lowering the bottom plate, a mechanical lifting device is preferably used, for example a hoist or a winch, or a hydraulic lifting device, in which the lifting action is carried out by requesting a lifting piston with a hydraulic fluid transported by

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means of a hydraulic pump (lifting cylinder). A motor-powered lifting device is certainly not excluded under any circumstances in the context of the invention, but this is less preferable due to the high cost associated with it.

Preferably, an protruding angular profile of the bottom plate on the upper side is provided in the area of the lifting device, by means of which the bottom plate rests on the lifting device. The angular profile is configured in this case so that the height of the lifting device is compensated in its retracted state, that is to say that the bottom plate rests on the ground in the loading state of the transport pallet.

A particularly advantageous arrangement in this case provides that within a frame armature configured substantially in a parallelepipedic manner, the lifting devices are arranged in the area of the vertical lateral edges of the frame profile. The lifting devices, preferably hydraulic lifting cylinders, are supported in this case, for example, on consoles that are arranged in the lower area of the vertical profiles that form the side edges of the frame reinforcement, being for example welded with these profiles vertical, while the substantially rectangular bottom plate in this case has angular profiles in the area of its corners with which it rests on the lifting elements of the lifting devices. In this embodiment, a uniform rise or fall of the bottom plate is possible without danger of tilting it; In addition, the lifting devices do not hinder the loading of the bottom plate or only make it to a lesser extent. To reach the transport position of the transport pallet, the bottom plate is moved by maneuvering the lifting devices to a position where this plate has a vertical distance from the ground, for example 10 to 20 cm, which is enough so that it can be caught down by a forklift fork.

An even more advantageous improvement of the invention provides that as lifting devices, lifting cylinders are used which are in operative connection with a hydraulic control unit arranged in the frame reinforcement, by means of which the lifting cylinders can be maneuvered in synchronism. Not only is a uniform upward and downward movement of the bottom plate guaranteed, but the loading and unloading of the transport pallet by one person is also possible. The hydraulic control unit can be operated by means of an electric drive and / or can be operated manually so that the transport pallet can also be used in areas where an electrical connection is not present.

Next, an example of embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail using the drawings. In schematic views they show:

Figure 1, the perspective view of a transport pallet according to the invention in a first operating state,

Figure 2, a lifting unit of the transport pallet of Figure 1 in an enlarged sectional view and

Figure 3, the transport pallet of Figure 1 in a second operating state.

The transport pallet 1 shown in the drawings for transporting a plurality of, for example, 8 to 30 cylinders of compressed gas comprises a frame armature 2 of parallelepipedic shape whose lateral edges are formed by vertical profiles 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d. The vertical profiles 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d are fixedly connected to each other on three sides of the frame reinforcement 2 by means of horizontal profiles 4a, 4b, 4c; for example, horizontal profiles 4a, 4b, 4c are welded or screwed with vertical profiles 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d. On the fourth side of the frame reinforcement there is provided a safety beam 5 that is articulated connected to the vertical profile 3d and that can be tilted upwards before loading the transport pallet 1, as insinuated by means of the arrow of dots and strokes. Between the vertical profiles 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d a bottom plate 7 is arranged. The bottom plate 7, which consists, for example, of a steel plate or a steel grid, is arranged vertically movable with respect to vertical profiles 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d. Figure 1 shows an operating state of the transport pallet 1 in which the bottom plate 7 rests on a floor. In operation, the transport pallet 1 can be loaded with a compressed gas cylinder in a simple way and without the help of a ramp or similar. No known safety elements are shown here, such as, for example, safety brackets or safety chains, with which additionally compressed gas cylinders are attached to the frame frame during transport and which make it possible especially safe transport even in the case of an incomplete load.

To raise and lower the bottom plate 7, hydraulic lifting units 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d have been arranged in the area of the vertical profiles 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d. The lifting unit 8d is shown in an enlarged sectional view by way of example for all lifting units 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d. The lifting unit 8d comprises a hydraulic lifting cylinder 9 that rests on an protruding console 11 of the respective vertical profile 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d and acts on the lifting side against an angular profile 12 protruding from the bottom plate

7. When maneuvering the lifting units 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d, the bottom plate (as suggested by the arrows) moves in the vertical direction upwards along a distance of, for example, 10 cm a 20 cm Of course, the lifting units 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d are designed in such a way that it is possible without problems

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the raising and lowering of the bottom plate 7 even in the case of a full load.

All lifting units 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d are operatively linked with a manual controller 15 that is housed within the frame frame 2. By operating a hand lever 16 all lifting units 8a, 8b, 8c are activated at the same time. , 8d, which ensures a constantly horizontal positioning of the bottom plate 7 during the lifting process.

In figure 3 the transport pallet 1 is shown in its transport state, that is, with the bottom plate 7 displaced vertically upwards and with the safety beam 5 closed. In the operating state the transport pallet is raised on the floor 13 only with the lower segments of the vertical uprights 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, while the vertical distance between the bottom plate 7 and the floor 13 allows the introduction of the teeth of a forklift and, therefore, the additional transport of the transport pallet 1 by means of the forklift. In order to exclude the inadvertent lowering of the bottom plate 7, safety bolts 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d are provided which can be inserted in corresponding holes 19a, 19b, 19c, 19d of the vertical profiles 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d and the bottom plate 7, whereby the bottom plate 7 is immobilized vertically. An additional security bolt 20 can serve to immobilize the safety beam 5 in its closed state shown in Figure 3. The securing of the bottom plate 7 can, moreover, also be carried out by means of other suitable devices, by example folding angle.

List of reference symbols

1 Transport pallet 2 Frame reinforcement 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d Vertical profile 4a, 4b, 4c Horizontal profile 5 Safety rail 67 Bottom plate 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d Hydraulic lifting units 9 Lifting cylinder 10 11 Console 12 Profile angular 13 Floor 14 15 Controller 16 Hand lever 17 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d Safety bolt 19a, 19b, 19c, 19d Drill 20 Safety bolt

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Claims (4)

1. Transport pallet (1) for transporting compressed gas cylinders by means of a ground transport vehicle, comprising a bottom plate (7) and a frame structure (2) connected with the bottom plate to secure the cylinders of compressed gas against its lateral fall during transport, 5 characterized by that the bottom plate (7) is arranged vertically movable with respect to the frame structure (2) and can be immobilized in at least two operating positions, resting the bottom plate (7) on a floor (13) in a first operating position and presenting said plate in a second operating position a vertical ground clearance (13) which makes it possible to grasp it by means of a 10 lifting element of the transport vehicle, and in the frame structure (2) at least one lifting device (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) is arranged by means of which the bottom plate (7) can be moved vertically. 2. Transport pallet according to claim 1, characterized in that a mechanical or hydraulic lifting device is provided as a lifting device (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d). 3. Transport pallet according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that an angular profile (12) protruding from the bottom plate (7) is provided in the area of the lifting device (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d). on the upper side and by means of which the bottom plate rests on the lifting device (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d). 4. Transport pallet according to claim 3, characterized in that the frame reinforcement (2) is configured 20 substantially parallelepipedically and because a respective lifting device (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) is provided in the area of the vertical lateral edges of the frame profile (2). 5. Transport pallet according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that lifting cylinders (9) provided as a lifting device (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) are in operative connection with a hydraulic control unit (15) arranged in the frame structure (2) and preferably manageable by hand, by means of which they can be 25 maneuver the lifting cylinders in synchronism (9). 5