Transport apparatus

Abstract

The invention provides transport apparatus for transporting a plurality of cars. The apparatus comprises a container (1) and a plurality of removable lifting trays (34). The container (1) has corrugated side walls (2,4). The apparatus includes a plurality of reinforced side regions (22) at or adjacent the side walls (2,4), the reinforced regions (22) include a plurality of mounting means (30). The apparatus also comprises at least two removable lifting trays (34) for supporting a car thereon, each tray being suitable for supporting either front or rear wheels of a car. Each tray (34) includes locating means (40) on opposite sides thereof. The reinforced side regions (22) and trays (34) are arranged such the trays can be secured between reinforced side regions using by engaging the locating means (40) and mounting means (30) of the reinforced regions (22) to secure the tray (34) relative to the container (1) such that a car supported on said trays may be suspended off the floor during transport of said container.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to freight containers, particularly to containers adapted to transport cars and other goods long distances, especially by cargo ship. The invention extends to a method of supporting cars in a freight container. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART [0002] Goods for import or export are often loaded into containers or trailers for long distance transport. Containers are typically enclosed boxes that may be transported by road on the back of a lorry, stacked for storage or transport in the hold of a cargo ship, barge or train. A container may be a side load container, typically having a curtain along one side of the container that may be opened to load the container from the side. A container may alternatively be an end load container with doors at an end of the container that may be opened. Typically end load containers have solid side walls and provide greater security than a side load container. Trailers are similar in ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006] By providing such a freight container it is possible for cars supported by the trays to be arranged in a stacked formation with one car located above another. This arrangement increases the number of cars that may be transported in the container and reduces unused space within the container. Such a container can be used to transport standard cargo in one direction and cars in the other so that it is loaded on both journeys and is more cost effective for the container owner. By having each car supported by two trays, the front wheels supported by a first tray and the rear wheels supported by a second tray, the angle at which the car is stored can be readily altered so that the stacking height of two cars can be reduced. The roof of a vehicle below can be located in the space between the two trays supporting a vehicle above resulting in a reduction in overall height of the stack. This enables transport of stacked cars in a container of substantially standard height for road transport within Europe.

[0024] The provision of such channels facilitates the loading of large or bulky cargos. Contact between the cargo and container may damage the container or the cargo and is likely to cause expensive cosmetic and / or structural damage to some cargos, for example cars. The channels ensure that the cargo travels along a predetermined path within the container thereby reducing the likelihood of contact between cargo and walls.

Problems solved by technology

Containers are often specialised to the extent that they cannot be easily used to transport goods other than those for which the container is adapted and this limits the nature of the cargo that can be carried on a return journey.

Some specialised systems of dedicated ramps do exist, but these are generally cumbersome, time consuming to erect and dismantle and are generally unsatisfactory.

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