The present invention relates to a large container, and in particular to a platform container for carrying large columned cargos, such as logs.

Human being needs lignums more and more with the development of the global economy. However, the raw material of the lignums are mostly distributed in alp and forest, so that it is always need conveyance to carry those raw materials to machining ground to be machined. As the log is large and columned, if we use a common conveyance to carry the log, it will cost a lot of money and also the efficiency is very low. The loading, unloading and fastenting of the log from a common vehicle or container is very difficult since the common vehicle or container is not designed specially for carrying the log. Especially, out of doors, a container which is full of the logs is not easy to be loaded or unloaded if it doesn't cooperate with an equipment which is specially for loading and unloading.

Furthermore, other large columned cargos, such as the steel tube and the plastic tube, and so on, are also faced how to be carried to building site and how to be loaded, unloaded and fastened out of doors.

Accordingly, it is necessary to develop a conveyance equipment to carry the large columned cargos so as to resolve such described problems.

WO 2004/013006 discloses a pallet having two side rails which are parallel to each other. The pallet further comprises a plurality of cross beams attached each of the side rails.

According to the present invention, a platform container as claimed in claim 1 is provided. The subclaims describe some examples for such a platform container.

The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a platform container for carrying large columned cargos which has a guiding structure under the bottom of the platform to match a roll guide, this can be adapted for dragging the platform container from one trailer or rail wagon to another trailer by using the roll guide.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a platform container for carrying large columned cargos whose cross member's top surface overtops the top surface of the side rail so that the loading and unloading equipment (such as a forklift) or lashing straps can pass through the bottom of the logs or other large columned cargos easily. Therefore, it is convenient to load and unload the cargos or fix the cargos. And the cargos can be easily loaded on a trailer or unloaded from the trailer without cooperating with an equipment which is specially for loading and unloading.

In order to achieve such aims, the design of the present invention will be described in the follow paragraphs.

A platform container for carrying large columned cargos comprises two bottom side rails parallel to each other, a plurality of bottom cross members provided between the two bottom side rails, and two end sills disposed to the ends of the two bottom side rails. A platform for loading cargos is formed by the bottom side rails, the bottom cross members and the end sills, and a recess is provided on the bottom surface of the joint part of the bottom cross members where the bottom cross members join the bottom side rails.

The bottom cross members comprises a plurality of upper bottom cross members which are fastened on the upper portions of the inner sides of the two bottom side rails and a plurality of lower bottom cross members which are fastened on the lower portions of the inner sides of the two bottom side rails, the top surface of the upper bottom cross member overtops the top surface of the bottom side rail, and the bottom surface of the lower bottom cross member is even with the bottom surface of the bottom side rail.

The upper bottom cross member and the lower bottom cross member are staggered.

The length of the portion of the upper bottom cross member which overtops the bottom side rail is a little less than the distance between the bottom surfaces of the two bottom side rails.

The platform container for carrying large columned cargos further comprises a plurality of stanchions which are mounted on the two sides of the platform and can be folded inwards.

The stanchion comprises stanchion body which is hollow, a hinge with which one end of the stanchion body joins the bottom side rail, and a securing bolt. The securing bolt comprises a bolt retainer mounted on the stanchion body, a bolt installed in the bolt retainer, and a bolt hole which is located on the bottom side rail and matches the bolt. The stanchion body turns upright and outwards, the bolt inserts into the bolt hole and the stanchion body will be fixed on the bottom side rail and keeps a certain erection state, when the stanchion body is folded downwards and inwards, the bolt is drawn out from the bolt hole, and the stanchion body rotates inwards to parallel the bottom cross member and is received in the space of the platform.

The stanchions are staggered with each other and also staggered with the bottom cross members.

The platform container for carrying large columned cargos further comprises a plurality of support legs which are installed on the platform and can be folded.

The support leg comprises a transverse support leg, a vertical support leg and a diagonal support bar. The transverse support leg and the vertical support leg are fixed together in a "L" shape. A support leg hole is formed in the bottom side rail to receive the transverse support leg. The transverse support leg can be retracted and rotated in the support leg hole. One end of the diagonal support bar joins the bottom side rail with a hinge, and the other end of the diagonal support bar which has a hinge hole joins a hinge retainer which is mounted on the vertical support leg by inserting a hinge pin into the hinge hole.

The section of the vertical support leg is cannular. An inner vertical support leg is received in the vertical support leg and can be retracted in the vertical support leg.

The platform container for carrying large columned cargos further comprises an end wall which is mounted on the end of the platform and can be folded inwards.

The width of the end wall is a little less than the distance between the bottom surfaces of the two bottom side rails.

For the present invention utilizes such described structure, when the platform container is loaded with large columned cargos such as logs, the stanchions and the end walls turn vertically to form a good container to load the cargos and prevent the cargos falling off.

As the top surface of the cross member overtops the top surface of the side rail, the loading and unloading equipment (such as a forklift) or cord can pass through the bottom of the large columned cargos easily. Therefore, it is convenient to fix the cargos or load and unload the cargos.

When the vertical support legs are in a vertial state, the whole platform container and the cargos are supported by the vertical support legs. The chassis of a trailer can insert into the bottom of the platform container easily. And then, make the vertical support legs being in a folded state. The platform container is carried away by the trailer. When the trailer arrives at the destination, the vertical support legs turn vertically and the platform container with the cargos are supported by the vertical support legs. The chassis of the trailer is drawn out from the bottom of the platform container without other large equipment which is for loading and unloading. In a word, the platform container for carrying large columned cargos of the present invention has a function of rising up and down automatically.

All the stanchions and the end walls are folded inwards after the cargos are offloaded from the platform container. Several platform containers are stacked and then carried back to the start position by one trailer. It cut down the cost of carrying empty platform containers greatly.

Moreover, a guiding structure matching a roll guide is formed on the bottom of the platform container in order to be adapted for dragging the platform container from one trailer or train to another trailer by using the roll guide.

As described hereinabove, the present invention make that it is convenient to carry logs and other columned large cargos and cut down the cost of the transportation greatly.

The exact nature of this invention, as well as other objects and advantages thereof, will be readily apparent from consideration of the following specification relating to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the platform container of the present invention in a working state and shows that the platform container is loading without the logs;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the platform container of the present invention in a working state and shows that the platform container is loaded with a lot of logs;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the platform container of the present invention in a folded state;

FIG. 4 is a side plane view of the platform container of the present invention in a working state;

FIG. 5 is a view of the platform container of the present invention showing a recess provided on the joint of the lower cross member and the side rail;

FIG. 6 is a view of the stanchion of the platform container and shows the stanchion is in a working state;

FIG. 7 is a view of the stanchion in a folded state;

FIG. 8 is a view of the support leg of the platform container and shows the support leg is in a working state; and

FIG. 9 is a view of the support leg in a folded state.

Detailed description will hereunder be given of the preferred embodiment of a platform container for carrying columned large cargos according to the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Please refer to FIG. 1. A platform container 1 for carrying large columned cargos according to the present invention comprises two bottom side rails 16 parallel to each other, a plurality of upper cross members 14 and a plurality of lower cross members 15 provided between the inner sides of the two bottom side rails 16, and two end sills disposed to the ends of the two bottom side rails. The upper cross members 14 and the lower cross members 15 are defined on the upper portion of the inner sides of the two bottom side rails 16 and the lower portion of the inner sides of the two bottom side rails 16 respectively. The two bottom side rails 16, the upper cross members 14, the lower cross members 15 and the two end sills 17 are assembled together to form a platform to load cargos. A plurality of stanchions 11 which can be folded are mounted on the two sides of the platform to fasten the cargos. One or two end walls 12 is formed on the ends of the platform to fasten the cargos. A plurality of support legs 13 which can be folded are mounted on the platform, such that the platform container 1 can be easy loaded and unloaded from a trailer. The top surface of the upper cross member 14 overtops the top surface of the side rail 16.

The FIG.2 shows that the platform container 1 is in a working state. The platform container 1 is loaded with a lot of logs 2. The logs 2 are placed on the upper cross members 14. The stanchions 11 and the end walls 12 stretch up so as to form a receiving space. The two pairs of support legs 13 stretch out to support the whole platform container 1. As the top surface of the upper cross member 14 overtops the top surface of the side rail 16 so that the forklift or cord can pass through the bottom of the logs 2 easily when the logs are placed on the upper cross members 14. Therefore, it is convenient to load, unload and fasten the cargos. When the platform container 1 is full of the logs 2, the chassis of the trailer (not shown in the FIGS) extends under the bottom of the platform container 1, and the support legs 13 become telescoped and folded. And then, the whole platform container 1 which is full of logs 2 is placed on the chassis of the trailer. When the logs 2 are carried to the destination, the support legs 13 stretch out and become elongated to support the platform container 1 so as to make the bottom of the platform container 1 is off the chassis of the trailer. And then, the platform container 1 and the logs 2 will be offloaded from the trailer.

When the logs 2 are offloaded from the platform container 1, the stanchions 11, the end walls 12 and the support legs 13 will be folded so that the whole platform container 1 is in a folded state as shown in FIG.3

As the top surface of the upper cross member 14 overtops the top surface of the side rail 16, moreover, the lower cross members 15 and the upper cross members 14 are staggered in the direction of the length of the platform container 1, so that if there are two or more platform containers 1 need to be stacked, the overtopped portion of the upper cross member 14 of the lower platform container will be hid in the bottom of the upper platform container with on influence to the stack of the platform containers.

FIG.4 is side plane view of the platform container 1 according to the present invention. It can be seen that the top surface of the upper cross member 14 is higher than the top surface of the side rail 16 evidently.

As shown in FIG.5, the bottom surface of the lower cross member 15 is even with the bottom surface of the side rail 16 so that the structure of the platform container 1 is firm. Moreover, the load of the platform container 1 can be distributed to the ground or chassis of the trailer through the lower cross member 15. A recess 151 is provided on the lower cross member 15 where the lower cross member joins the side rail 16. The length of the recess 151 is at least 150mm and the high of the recess 151 is at least 100mm, such that the platform container is adapted for being guided by the recess 151 along the roll guide when the platform container 1 is dragged from a trailer or train to another trailer through the roll guide.

FIG.6 is a view of the stanchion 11 in a working state and FIG.7 is a view of the stanchion 11 in a folded state. The two FIGS show the detailed structure of the stanchion 11 clearly.

The stanchion 11 comprises a stanchion body 111, a hinge and a securing bolt. The section of the stanchion body 111 is hollow. The hinge comprises a hinge pin 113 and a hinge retainer 112. The stanchion body 111 joins onto the hinge retainer 112 with the hinge pin 113. The hinge retainer 112 joins the side rail 16 by solder. A securing bolt comprises a bolt retainer 114, a bolt 116 and a bolt hole 117. The bolt retainer 114 is fixed onto the stanchion body 111 with the screws 115. The bolt 116 is installed in the bolt retainer 114. The bolt hole 117 is defined in the side rail 16 to mate with the bolt 116.

As shown in FIG.6, when the stanchion 11 is in a working state, the stanchion 11 stretches upwardly. And the stanchion 11 will keep vertical by inserting the bolt 116 into the bolt hole 117.

As shown in FIG.7, when the stanchion 11 needs to be folded, we can draw out the blot 116 from the bolt hole 117, and then rotate the stanchion body 111 to parallel the upper cross members 14. At that time, the stanchion 11 is folded and the platform container can be stacked.

FIG.8 is a view of the support leg 13 in a working state and FIG.9 is a view of the support leg 13 in a folded state. The two FIGS show the detailed structure of the support leg 13 clearly.

The support leg 13 comprises a transverse support leg 131, a vertical support leg 132 and a diagonal support bar 135. The transverse support leg 131 and the vertical support leg 132 are fixed together in a "L" shape. A support leg hole 137 is formed in the side rail 16 to receive the transverse support leg 131. The transverse support leg 131 can be retracted and rotated in the support leg hole 137. That is to say, the transverse support leg 131 can be telescoped in the direction of the width of platform container 1. An inner vertical support leg 133 is received in a cavity of the vertical support leg 132, and the inner vertical support leg 133 can be retracted so as to adjust the height of the vertical support leg 132. Because of that, the distance between the bottom of the platform container 1 and the ground can be adjusted in a certain range. One end of the diagonal support bar 135 joins the side rail 16 with a hinge. A hinge hole 136 is provided on the other end of the diagonal support bar 135. A hinge retainer 134 is formed on the vertical support leg 132. The other end of the diagonal support bar 135 joins the hinge retainer 134 by inserting a hinge pin 138 into the hinge hole 136 and the hinge retainer 134..

As shown in FIG.1, FIG.2, FIG.4, and FIG.8, when the platform container 1 is full loaded with the cargos but not on the trailer, the transverse support leg 131 inserts into the support leg hole 137 and the vertical support leg 132 keeps vertical. At the same time, one end of the diagonal support bar 135 joins the side rail 16 with a hinge, and the other end of the diagonal support bar 135 joins the hinge retainer 134 which is defined on the vertical support leg 132 with a hinge pin 138. For that arrangement, the platform of platform container 1 will be supported by plenty of such support legs 13. The angle between the support leg 13 and the side rail 16 is more than 90 degrees so that the diagonal support bar 135 receives a pull all the time when it is in a working state.

As shown in FIG.3 and FIG.9, if the platform container 1 wants to be folded and stacked, the hinge pin 138 will be drawn out from the hinge hole 136. The transverse support leg 131 will be retraced and rotated in the support leg hole 137. The inner vertical support leg 133 is received in the cavity of the vertical support leg 132. The vertical support leg 132 and the diagonal support bar 135 are received in the cavity of the side rail 16. At this time, the platform container 1 is folded. The any portion's width of the platform container 1 in such a state is not more than the largest width of the two ends so that it is convenient to stack the platform container 1.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous, characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosed is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.