One-man Loading in Double-deck Car Transporter
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iPABLE of being loaded with four ars within 20 minutes and unloaded in 15 minutes, a car transporter rig ramp controls so disposed that the ative can use them without leaving teat of the car he is shifting, has been loped by Eiurtonwood Engineering Ltd.. North East Industrial Road. wyn, Herts. The first production el, based on a Commer Avenger sis, was demonstrated on Tuesday.
le sub-frame is a one-piece welded ture, and the tracks and walkways covered with expanded metal. The r deck, providing 5 ft. 2+ in. ance above the lower deck, has two tudinals of V-section with -the tracks , and is supported by six tubular nns and the two masts of the rear ting assembly. The walkways are levered out from the tracks.
th sets of tracks are of channel 1 ft.
wide at 4-ft: 5-in. centres: this des sufficient latitude to carry the lest and largest cars in current tity production. The height of the tracks is 3 ft. 8 in. (with the vehicle len) and of the upper, 9 ft. 6 in. I fully loaded the outfit has a centre avity about 5 ft. above the ground. tuation of the hydraulic system for amp from its folded position starts the lowering of stabilizing jacks ally retracted in the masts. This tes the pins which take the weight ramp when not in use. The ramp noted approximately 3 ft. from its trd end.
There are two main lifting rams within the mast structure and two rams of similar size between the masts and the ramp side members for tilting and folding the assembly.
With the jacks in position the ramp is let down from the height of the lower deck to about 2 ft. from the ground and then tilted so that the rear touches the ground, a movement which lets down the end chocks. The car is then placed on the assembly, which is next levelled and elevated to either the lower or upper deck.
Movements of the ramp are controlled by the driver from the car by depressing the switches attached to the side member of the ramp. These switches may be transferred quickly from one side to the other, according to whether leftor righthand-drive cars are being handled_ When the ramp is elevated a little from the ground the tilting controls arc inoperative—a safety feature. There is a duplicate set of controls on the near-side mast for manual operation.
The hydraulic feed is common to the jacks and lift rams, and the jacks consistently support 90 per cent. of whatever load is on the ramp, thus relieving the chassis of excessive stress.
The vehicle is 30 ft. long, 7 ft. 11 in. wide overall and each deck is 27 ft. long. It can carry cars up to 7 ft. 01 in. wide and chains are provided for lashing them during transit. Cost of the equipment is f1.300.