Vehicle with van body and lifting mechanism.

The invention relates to a vehicle with a box-shaped structure which is connected via a lifting mechanism to the chassis and having a loading opening.

Vehicles of this type are used for example as a feed vehicle for aircraft to load the aircraft, in particular, to supply it with food and drinks. In such vehicles, as they are used for this purpose by catering companies, often the problem occurs that the loading hatches are very difficult to access and are also small. In this case, it is then difficult, in bringing the box-shaped body of the vehicle properly with its loading port to the appropriate loading door or hatch of the aircraft, so that the containers with the prepared dishes, etc. accommodated without difficulty into the aircraft, can be driven in particular.

The invention has set itself the task of improving a vehicle of the aforementioned type so that even the most difficult and unfavorable locations, loading doors or hatches of aircraft can be easily reached.

The inventive solution is that it is provided with side walls in front of the charging opening of the box-shaped structure a sliding vertically mounted platform. This not only has a height adjustment of the platform take place when the box-like structure has not been brought to the lifting mechanism in precisely the right height. Rather, in this way the platform can even be moved to the height of the lower edge of the hatch of the airplane when the entire structure can not be adjusted according to the height, because, for example, wings, tail and engines are in the way.

Advantageously, the platform is mounted in vertical rails disposed at the edge of the loading opening. In this way, a very simple but reliable displacement possibility for the platform in the vertical direction.

More desirably, it is when the vertical rails are part of a rectangular frame which is mounted laterally displaced on an end wall of the structure. The rectangular frame is obtained an inherently stable, laterally movable entity to which it is the platform can be moved in the vertical direction. Since the rectangular frame but is disposed on the end wall of the structure laterally displaceable, so that the platform, which acts as a loading bridge can be shifted in both the vertical and horizontal directions. It is obvious that so difficult to access hatches are much easier to achieve.

If the platform on the end wall is laterally displaced, one must of course also the loading opening on the end wall to be sufficiently large. In a particularly advantageous embodiment it is provided that the end wall of the structure on each side of the loading opening a wall portion which is formed as a bellows. In this way, only one charge opening is normal size at each position always open, this can even be closed by a door or a roller shutter. Therefore a closed structure, but in which nevertheless the loading opening over almost the entire front wall of the structure can be moved.

When the platform is in two parts, the front part is mounted telescopically in the rear portion, distances between the body and hatch of the aircraft can be compensated. It is not necessary in this case, drive up close to the entire vehicle to a few centimeters exactly to the aircraft. Of course, in this way the loading and unloading process is greatly simplified and accelerated.

In particular, if the platform is not displaced in the horizontal direction is t is expedient if the base of the platform comprises a pivotable parallelogram and its bottom two semicircular plates and two plates which have on their outside a complementary to the semicircular surface shape. In this case, namely, the front edge of the platform can be pivoted in order to enable in this way the access even to the loading hatch, when the loading hatch is laterally offset is arranged in front of the loading opening of the assembly.

one provides in the above-mentioned telescopic construction of the platform, that the telescope-like moving out of the front platform section need not be uniform on both sides, but also can be carried out more on one side than on the other, so the front edge of the platform can in addition in this case become the parallelogram pivoting the platform still pivoted to provide an adaptation to a relative inclined to the face hatch.

Characterized in that according to the invention the platform may be shifted in the vertical direction, not only an adjustment to the height of the loading hatch can be carried out. One can rather, when the assembly is lowered after loading on the vehicle, before lifting the platform, so that they are at reduced structure above the cab is such that it takes up no extra space.

One can also provide that the platform is mounted on a folding of the same permitting swivel joints and the side walls are designed as a parallelogram. In this way, the platform when it is not needed, for example if the structure is lowered, be folded together in a very space-saving manner, so that it requires no additional space.

In an advantageous embodiment, the platform is displaceable in its plane and can be sunk into a corresponding recess in the structure. To this end, the platform of a scissor mechanism is held on both sides. If the scissor mechanism on one side more or less extended than on the other side, or even extended only on one side, so the platform can also be swiveled.

The invention is described below by means of advantageous embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:<ul><li>1 shows a vehicle with a box-like structure in its lowered position;</li><li>Figure 2 shows the vehicle of Figure 1 with the raised structure; </li><li>Figure 3 details of the mounting of the platform at the box-like structure;</li><li>Figure 4 shows another method of attachment of the platform at the box-like structure,</li><li>Figure 5 to 7 different positions of the platform of Figure 4;</li><li>Figure 8 shows another embodiment of the platform according to the invention at elevated structure;</li><li>9 shows the arrangement of Figure 8 in a lowered configuration;</li><li>10 shows a still another embodiment of the platform according to the invention in side view; and</li><li>11, the platform of Figure 10 in plan view.</li></ul>

In Figure 1 a vehicle with a chassis (1) and a driver's cab (2) is shown having a box-shaped structure (3). 2 shows the same vehicle is shown, but wherein the box-shaped structure (3) is raised with the aid of a known type lifting arrangement (40).

At the front of the box-shaped structure (3) comprises a platform (4) is arranged, which is adjustable in height so that they can be driven, for example, in the position of figure 1 to the top and over the driver's cab (2) is arranged and there does not take up extra space when the box-like structure (3) is lowered.

As shown in Figure 3, the platform (4) from a bottom part (5) and side walls (6). It is secured by means of a rectangular frame (7) on the box-shaped Aufb au (3). The frame (7) is displaceably mounted with four rollers (8) or similar bearings on two horizontal rails (9) in horizontal direction. The two vertical struts (10) of the frame (7) are designed as rails, in which the platform (4) by means of rollers (11) arranged vertically movable. Due to this arrangement, the platform (4) as indicated by the arrows (12 and 13) are moved vertically as well as horizontally. Thus while the end face of the box-shaped structure (3) remains closed except for the loading opening (14), the wall regions of the front face of the box-shaped body (3) which adjoin the side of the loading opening is formed as a bellows (15).

The platform (4) consists of two parts, namely a rear, the construction of fixed part (16), and a front part (17) telescopically in the rear part (16) is stored as described, so that the total length of the platform ( 4) can be adjusted.

In the embodiment of Figure 4 the rectangular frame (7) is rigidly fixed to the end wall. In this case the platform (4) with the aid of the rollers (11) which are mounted in the rail (10) only in the vertical direction of the double arrow (12) slidably. Additionally, however, the platform (6) in the direction of the double arrow (18) is pivotable about a vertical axis. To this end, the platform (4) is not fixed directly to the rollers (11), but pivotally mounted on a U-shaped frame (19) which is mounted by means of rollers (11) in vertical direction movable in the rails (10) is. Around the vertical axes of rotation (20) on the frame (19), the platform (4) can then be pivoted, the pivotable linkage is constructed for this purpose, as one in the direction of the double arrow (18). For this purpose, the bottom surface on each of its ends a semi-circular plate, of which only the front half-circular plate (21) is shown in FIG. 4 With this arrangement, the front edge of the platform (4) can be brought to an arc of circle substantially at different places. Should this also the orientation of the leading edge with respect to the front edge of the structure (3) can be adjusted angularly, so it is only necessary that the two side parts (22 and 23) of the front part (17) of the platform (4) to different extents in down.

The various settings that result from this are shown in Figures 5 to. 7 There is a corresponding rear semicircle plate (24) is also shown excluding the front semicircle plate yet. Between these two semicircular plates are another, one above the other sliding plates (25 and 26) which have at their outer ends a semicircle plates (21 and 24) of complementary shape.

In the position of figure 5, the platform (4) is moved up unpivoted on a loading hatch (27). In the illustration of Figure 6, the hatch (27) is laterally offset, so that the platform (4) is pivoted with the aid of the parallelogram linkage. In the position of figure 7, finally, the front edge of the platform (4) is also pivoted in relation to the front edge of the end face of the body (3), so that as the leading edge of the platform (4) can completely rest against the hatch, which otherwise is not possible, since there is an obstacle in the way, for example, a case (28), indicated airplane engine.

In Figures 8 and 9, another embodiment is shown, once at elevated structure (3) (Figure 8) and once with lowered structure (Figure 9). In this embodiment, the side walls of the platform are formed as a parallelogram linkage. The parallelogram consists of an at least not pivotable in the vertical direction of the frame part (29), but which may be pivoted in the horizontal direction (as in the embodiment of Figures 4 to 7) and the VE in any case in the vertical direction is rschiebbar. The parallelogram is formed by three frame parts (30) completes, which are at their corners by pivot points (31) with each other or the frame member (29). Additional lattice bars (32) are mounted thereby on pivot points (33) on the vertical frame parts (29 or 30). Also, the front part (17), which is still disposed telescopically displaceable, as indicated by dashed lines in the figure is, as a parallelogram linkage formed with pivot points (34) at the corners. The whole structure can be a winch (35), holding it in the position shown in Figure 8, pivoted so that it occupies the space-saving position of FIG. 9

In the figures 10 and 11 a further embodiment is shown. In Figure 10 the platform (4) is shown in extended position in solid lines and in the retracted condition with dotted lines.

On each side of the platform a scissor mechanism is provided which consists of a double lever (40) and a single lever (41), which is pivotally mounted at (44) in the middle of the double lever (40). The single lever (41) is arranged on the other side at (43) on the frame (48) pivotally. The single lever (40) is also mounted at its ends at pivot points, namely at (45) on the platform (4) and (46) on the frame (48). The pivot point (46) is arranged in a slider member which can slide vertically in a track (47). Through the pivot points (43) and (46) not only to pivot about a horizontal axis is possible. The appropriate fasteners may rather also about a vertical axis of limited pivotal movement.

It is driven by a hydraulic piston-cylinder unit. The hydraulic cylinder (42) is secured at (50) on the single lever (41) pivotally. The piston rod of the hydraulic cylinder (42) is secured at (49) on the double lever (40) pivotally. If the piston rod of the hydraulic cylinder (42) moved out to the left, the shown in the figure with full lines extended position is achieved. If the piston rod is retracted, slide the attachment point (46) in the slide (47) upwardly and the platform (4) is retracted. For this purpose, a corresponding recess (55) is provided in the structure (3).

As shown in Figure 11, is being driven out the platform from the structure by uniformly extending the two arranged on both sides of the platform harness mechanisms.

For unequal operation of the scissor mechanism (40, 41), the platform (4) is adjusted in a laterally displaced position horizontally. The platform (4) is held in the hinge points (45) at the front end and guided on body-side end has two resilient horizontal sliding guides (51). The body-side guidance of the platform (4) may also have a central pin (52), running in a center of the platform floor mounted guide slit (53), take place. In the second case the resilient sliding guides (51) are not required.