Slewing access ramp for vehicles

Claim 2

A movable device forming an access ramp to interconnect a vehicle and aN outside platform, said ramp being pivotally connected to the vehicle so as to be swingable upwards into an inoperative substantially unstanding position stowed on said vehicle and downwards into an operative outward projecting working position, wherein the improvement consists in that said ramp comprises means for variable connection to said vehicle so that it may be slewed in parallel relation to a horizontal plane about at least one substantially vertical geometrical swivel axis whereby in its lowered configuration, the relative angular position of its longitudinal direction is selectively adjustable with respect to said vehicle, said last-named means comprising posts, at least two selectively operable winches associated with said posts and at least two handling ropes connected between respective of said winches and said ramp and selectively windable up on said winches.

Claim 3

A device according to claim 1, including at least one truck and a forced guiding runway provided on said vehicle in which said truck is movable along a substantially flat curved path of travel having at least partially and approximately the shape of an arc of circumference, said ramp being pivotally connected with its innermost end to said truck.

Claim 4

A device according to claim 2, wherein said truck to which said ramp is connected includes a frame of arcuate configuration in parallel relation to a horizontal plane and travelling carrying wheels and wheels, and a pair of concentric curved rails, respectively, forming said guiding runway in which said named wheels are bilaterally guided.

Claim 5

A device according to claim 3 including a rack mounted on one of said rails, a motor on said truck and gear means driveable by said motor and meshing with said rack to effect slewing motion of said ramp.

Claim 6

A device according to claim 3 including motor means mounted on said truck and means for driving at least some of said wheels by said motor means.

Claim 7

A device according to claim 2, wherein said truck is of automotive character.

Claim 8

A device according to claim 2 comprising swivel bearing means pivotally connected towards opposite transverse corners of the innermost end to said ramp at least a pair of travelling rucks connected to said swivel bearing means and each truck comprising a pair of axles supporting carrying travelling side wheels and a pair of horizontal wheels for lateral guiding, each one having a vertical axis of rotation, said horizontal wheels being mounted at the lengthwise opposite ends, respectively, of the truck frame.

Claim 9

A device according to claim 1, wherein said ramp is attached on both sides of two intermediate points thereof to respective of said two handling wire ropes, respectively, winding up on said two winches, guide pulleys respectively pivotally connected to said post of said vehicle so that each may swivel about a substantially vertical axis, respective handling ropes passing around respective of said pulleys and both pulleys being located in symmetrical relation to the vertical plane bi-secting the angle representing the maximum amplitude of slewing motion of said ramp.

Claim 10

A device according to claim 5, wherein said ramp comprises three successive ramp sections hingedly interconnected in the longitudinal direction, the outermost end section serving as a bearing pad resting on a platform in lowered working position of said ramp, whereas the innermost end section is secured to said handling wire ropes towards its outer end and wherein said winches act upon said handling ropes to raise and lower said ramp and in at least said lowered working position of said ramp, said innermost end ramp section remains always suspended from said handling ropes, and at least one ram-type actuator of the linear displacement type mounted in common on said innermost end and intermediate ramp sections, respectively, at the hinged connection thereof for buttressing both the innermost and intermediate ramp sections according to a selectively adjustable angle formed therebetween.

Claim 11

A Device according to claim 9, comprising self-acting control means for keeping constant the tension imparted to said handling ropes in said lowered working position of said ramp, said winches being phase locked in followup relationship with said control means, said control means comprising at least one sensor member secured to said intermediate ramp section for bearing engagement with said platform with a view to detect any variation in the relative position of said vehicle and platform.

Claim 12

A device according to claim 8, wherein said ramp comprises means enabling said ramp to slew alternately and separately at two vertical swivel axes having stationary locations, respectively, through at least two points of pivotal connection to said vehicle, said points being transversely spaced on the innermost end of said ramp and positioned adjacent to the opposite extreme corners thereof, and means whereby each one of said points of pivotal connection may be releasably held against motion at the position of an associated vertical swivel axis whereas the other point of pivotal connection is freely displaceable in concentric relationship about the former, the geometrical horizontal axis of rotation of the hinged connection between said ramp and said vehicle extending through said points of pivotal connection.

Claim 13

A device according to claim 11, wherein said ramp is releasably connected in a disconnectable manner with at least both aforesaid points of pivotal connection, said points including respectively two hinge members having a common horizontal geometrical axis of rotation, and to two rotary pivots forming corresponding hinge holders each having an own vertical axis of slewing motion, rotatably mounted at stationary locations on said vehicle, each one of said two points of pivotal connection being alternately displaceable separately, when disconnected from their corresponding pivot, in the stationary relative horizontal plane of said common horizontal axis of hinged connection along a path of travel in the shape of an arc of circumference about the other point of pivotal connection retained in a stationary position when coupled to its associated pivot, so as to selectively enable said ramp to rotate through the other point of pivotal connection thereof about the vertical corresponding pivot axis of slewing motion and about said common horizontal geometrical axis of hinged connection of both hinge members.

Claim 14

A device according to claim 12, wherein both aforesaid pivots are located in substantially symmetrical relation to the relative vertical longitudinal centre plane of said vehicle.

Claim 15

A device according to claim 12, wherein each aforesaid hinge member comprises a traveling roller mounted on said ramp at one aforesaid corresponding point of pivotal connection thereof, said roller having its substantially horizontal axle directed substantially at right angles to the relative vertical longitudinal center plane of said ramp in substantially coaxial relationship with said common horizontal geometrical axis of hinged connection, an arcuate track leading from said pivot associated with said point of pivotal connection, each roller being alternately displaceable separately together with said ramp on said tracks, said track being concrete with the vertical pivot axis of slewing motion associated with the other point of pivotal connection and locking means are provided for selectively locking each roller to the associated pivot.

Claim 16

A device according to claim 14, wherein each aforesaid pivot comprises a clevis, a vertical shank integral with said clevis a thrust block forming a footstep bearing carried by said vehicle, said shank being mounted for rotation about its longitudinal vertical axis of slewing motion within said thrust block, the bottom of said clevis being substantially on a level in flush relationship with and gradually merging into the track of said roller corresponding to said pivot, so as to be able to receive and accommodate said roller moving into said clevis betwEen both legs thereof to be supported thereby, and said locking means being provided on said clevis.

Claim 17

A device according to claim 15, including an axle for each roller, and characterized in that the axle of each aforesaid roller comprises a hollow shaft forming a tubular sleeve open at both of its opposite ends and said locking means comprises a post, a removable stop bolt horizontally insertable through said hollow shaft to extend coaxially through said post and horizontally aligned through holes in both legs of said clevis, and a reversible double-acting pressure fluid operated actuator of the linear displacement type carried by said clevis for retracting and extending said stop bolt.

Claim 18

A device according to claim 15, wherein a selective locking means is associated with every relative angular working position of said ramp about any one of said vertical pivot axes of slewing motion for holding said ramp against motion in said angular position, each locking means comprising a yoke for retaining the corresponding travelling roller of said ramp, said yoke being associated with said track which is concentric with said pivot axis for slewing motion at that point of said track which corresponds to the actual instant position of said travelling rotor resting on said track, and locking means for said retaining yoke for locking said travelling roller to said retaining yoke.

Claim 19

A device according to claim 15, further comprising individual locking means for selectively holding each aforesaid pivot against motion in its actual instant angular swivelling position.

Claim 20

A device according to claim 12 comprising an individual reversible drive servo-motor coupled to each pivot for controlling the slewing motion of each said pivot, each said servo-motor comprising a double-acting pressure fluid operated actuator of the linear displacement type with a substantially horizontal longitudinal center line, a radially projecting crank arm fast to each said pivot and said actuator being pivotally connected with one end thereof to a stationary point of said vehicle and with its opposite end to said radially projecting crank arm.

Claim 21

A device according to claim 11, further comprising at least one reversible drive servo-motor for controlling the slewing motion of said ramp about either of said vertical pivot axes of slewing motion, said servo-motor comprising of a double-acting pressure fluid operated actuator of the linear displacement type with a substantially horizontal longitudinal centre line, said actuator being pivotally connected with one end thereof to a stationary point of said vehicle and with its other end to an intermediate point of the innermost end of said ramp.

Claim 22

A device according to claim 1, comprising locking means for holding said ramp against motion in any relative angular position about its vertical axis of slewing motion and at least one stationary stop means for limiting upward swinging motion of said ramp.

Claim 23

A device according to claim 1 comprising also a powered turn-table carrying said posts and winches, said ramp being pivotally connected to said turn-table.

Claim 24

A device according to claim 1 comprising a guide pulley supported on each post for a handling wire rope leading from the associated winch, a pintle for each guide pulley, each said guide pulley being mounted for swivelling motion about said pintle, each said pintle being pivotally connected to a post, each said pintle extending at right angles to the respective axes for rotary motion of said of said guide pulley and of the drum of said associated winch and having its geometrical pivot center line substantially tangential at least to a said guide pulley at the point of tangential engagement of that run of said wire rope which leads from said associated winch, each said pintle being substantially coaxial with at least the adjacent portion of said run of said rope, idler pulleys, said run of said rope passing over a said idler pulley arranged in tangential relation to the geometrical ceNter line of a said pintle and having its axis of rotation positioned at a stationary location in parallel relation to the axis of rotation of a winch drum.

Claim 25

A device according to claim 23 comprising movable pulley blocks and wherein each aforesaid handling wire rope, corresponding to one aforesaid post, passes successively from a said guide pulley to said movable pulley-block with pulleys having a substantially horizontal common axis of rotation, each said movable pulley block being secured to said ramp and free to swivel about a pair of orthogonal pivot axes extending respectively in parallel and perpendicular relation to the geometrical horizontal axis of hinged connection of said ramp, a stationary pulley block for each said handling rope over which a said handling rope passes and having a stationary fastening point for the dead end of a said rope, each said stationary pulley block being connected to a said post and being free to swivel about a pair of orthogonal pivot axes one of which is at least approximately perpendicular to said geometrical axis of hinged connection of said ramp.

Claim 26

A device according to claim 23, wherein said ramp consists of at least two successive hingedly interconnected, first inner and second outer ramp sections, and said second ramp section may be folded back downwards against said first ramp section, a stationary pulley block mounted on said first ramp section, a movable pulley block, an operating wire rope mounted on said second ramp section for controlling the relative unfolding motion of said second ramp section, a pair of guide pulleys, said rope being successively reeved over said pair of guide pulleys pivotally connected each one to an associated aforesaid post through a substantially horizontal pivot shaft extending at right angles to the axis of rotation of said guide pulley, whereas those two runs of said wire rope, which lead from said guide pulleys respectively towards said ramp, pass each one several times successively and alternately around said movable pulley block mounted on said second ramp section and on a stationary pulley block mounted on said first ramp section and means for automatically tensioning and taking up the slack of said rope, making said rope fast with its dead end at a fixed point of said stationary pulley block.

Claim 27

A device according to claim 25, wherein each aforesaid guide pulley comprises guide means for keeping that run of said wire rope, which leads tangentially into said guide pulley and that run of said rope which leads tangentially from said pulley substantially in a same centre plane of said guide pulley, which plane is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said guide pulley.

Claim 28

A device according to claim 26, wherein each aforesaid guide pulley comprises a pair of hollow cable-guide members through which both runs of said wire rope slidably extend, respectively, while being tangential to said guide pulley, and two supporting arms for each cable guide member rotatably mounted endwise on the shaft of said guide pulley, each said cable guide member being rotatable between a said two supporting arms.

Claim 29

A device according to claim 25, including a third outermost end ramp section for resting on an outside platform, said third ramp section being hingedly connected to said second ramp section and carried by the latter, and damping and shock-absorbing means on the underside of said first ramp section to form a resilient buffer-like stop means for said third ramp section in the folded configuration of said ramp.

Claim 30

A device according to claim 1 including a substantially horizontal turn-table carried on said vehicle, means for pivotally connecting said ramp to said turn-table, and motor means for reversibly rotating said turn-table for effecting slewing motion of said ramp.

Claim 31

A device according to claim 1 including a substantially horizontal turn-table carried on said vehicle, means for pivotally connecting said ramp to said turn-table, said posts and said winches being carrieD by said turn-table, a curved rack concentric with said turn-table, gear means meshing with said rack and reversible motor means for driving said gear means for effecting slewing motion of said ramp.

Claim 32

A device according to claim 30 including a speed reducing means for said gear means.

Claim 33

A device according to claim 30 wherein said curved rack is stationary with respect to said turn-table and said motor means is carried on said turn-table.

Claim 34

A device according to claim 30 wherein said curved rack is carried by said turn-table and said motor means and gear means are stationarily supported relative to said turn-table.

Claim 35

A movable device forming an access ramp to interconnect a vehicle and an outside platform, said ramp being pivotally connected to the vehicle so as to be swingable upwards into an inoperative substantially upstanding position stowed on said vehicle and downwards into an operative outward projecting working position, wherein the improvement consists in that said ramp comprises means for variable connection to said vehicle so that it may be slewed in parallel relation to a horizontal plane about at least one substantially vertical geometrical swivel axis whereby in its lowered configuration, the relative angular position of its longitudinal direction is selectively adjustable with respect to said vehicle, said last-named means comprising posts, at least two selectively operable winches associated with said posts and at least two handling ropes connected between respective of said winches and said ramp and selectively windable up on said winches, a guiding runway provided on said vehicle and providing a substantially flat curved path of travel, a truck movable along said guiding runway, and means for pivotally connecting said ramp at its innermost end to said truck, said truck and its runway being located below the level of the floor of said vehicle, a plurality of transversely juxtaposed flap elements pivotally connected to the adjacent inner end of said ramp which may be folded back against said ramp and downwards onto said floor of said vehicle to cover and span said truck and its runway for restoring the continuity of passageway between said ramp and said floor.

Claim 36

A movable device forming an access ramp to interconnect a vehicle and an outside platform, said ramp being pivotally connected to the vehicle so as to be swingable upwards into an inoperative substantially upstanding position stowed on said vehicle and downwards into an operative outward projecting working position, wherein the improvement consists in that said ramp comprises means for variable connection to said vehicle so that it may be slewed in parallel relation to a horizontal plane about at least one substantially vertical geometrical swivel axis whereby in its lowered configuration, the relative angular position of its longitudinal direction is selectively adjustable with respect to said vehicle, said last-named means comprising posts, at least two selectively operable winches associated with said posts and at least two handling ropes connected between respective of said winches and said ramp and selectively windable up on said winches, a guiding runway provided on said vehicle and providing a substantially flat curved path of travel, a truck movable along said guiding runway, and means for pivotally connecting said ramp at its innermost end to said truck, said truck and its runway being located below the level of the floor of said vehicle, a plurality of transversely juxtaposed flap elements pivotally connected to the adjacent inner end of said ramp which may be folded back against said ramp and downwards onto said floor of said vehicle to cover and span said truck and its runway for restoring the continuity of passageway between said ramp and said floor.

Claim 37

A movable device forming an access ramp to interconnect a hold of a vehicle and an outside platform, said hold having an access opening and beng defined between a lower deck of said vehicle, and an intermediate deck, an uper deck on said vehicle overlying said intermediate deck, said hold having a port opening through which it may be loaded, closure means for said port opening, and means for operating said closure means to open and closed positions relative to said opening, said ramp comprising an innermost end section, an intermediate section and outermost end section, means for pivotally connecting said sections to each other about relative horizontal geometric axes of rotation, wheeled means at the inboard end of the innermost section for pivotally connecting the two transversely opposite end sides of said inboard end about a horizontal geometric axis of rotation relative to the lower deck, arcuate guide runway means on the lower deck of said vehicle in which said wheeled means are guided, posts at said upper deck, winches associated with said posts, and handling ropes connected between said winches and one of the sections of said ramp for raising and lowering said ramp and also effecting horizontal slewing action of said ramp in relation to at least one substantially vertical curved axes.

Claim 38

A movable device forming an access ramp to interconnect a hold of a vehicle and an outside platform, said hold having an access opening and beng defined between a lower deck of said vehicle, and an intermediate deck, an uper deck on said vehicle overlying said intermediate deck, said hold having a port opening through which it may be loaded, closure means for said port opening, and means for operating said closure means to open and closed positions relative to said opening, said ramp comprising an innermost end section, an intermediate section and outermost end section, means for pivotally connecting said sections to each other about relative horizontal geometric axes of rotation, wheeled means at the inboard end of the innermost section for pivotally connecting the two transversely opposite end sides of said inboard end about a horizontal geometric axis of rotation relative to the lower deck, arcuate guide runway means on the lower deck of said vehicle in which said wheeled means are guided, posts at said upper deck, winches associated with said posts, and handling ropes connected between said winches and one of the sections of said ramp for raising and lowering said ramp and also effecting horizontal slewing action of said ramp in relation to at least one substantially vertical curved axes.

Claim 39

A device according to claim 35 comprising also a powered turn-table carrying said posts and winches, said ramp being pivotally connected to said turn-table.

Claim 40

A device according to claim 35 comprising also means to lock said ramp sections in lowered and raised conditions and also in selected slew positions relative to said vehicle.

Claim 41

A device according to claim 35 including buttressing means to selectively lock the pivotal connection between the innermost ramp section anD intermediate ramp section so as to render them equivalent to a rigid continuous beam.

Claim 42

A device according to claim 35 including locking means on the intermediate deck to retain the innermost ramp section folded back in the raised condition of said ramp.