scope:

Purpose and Scope

The purpose of this Standard is to ensure compatibility between all vehicles used in a palletized load transfer system for vegetables. This Standard applies to vegetable harvesters, field shuttle vehicles, trailers, over-the-road trucks, and yard facilities used in such a system. Typical vehicles are shown in figure 1. Various manufacturers, vehicle leasing companies, and growers need to interchange and mate up their respective equipment; thus the need for standardization. The system is used to transfer entire pallet loads from one vehicle's conveyor to another conveyor. Only those dimensions and specifications needed to ensure the successful transfer are included.

The load transfer system is used to transfer a palletized load of produce cartons on a standard Grocery Manufacturers Association, GMA, pallet, 1016 × 1219 mm (40 × 48 in.), or other pallets with one dimension of 1219 mm (48 in.), or ISO pallets with one dimension of 1200 mm. Although the system has not yet been used with agricultural pallet bins with one dimension of 1200 mm it is designed to be compatible with them also.

The powered conveyors that are built into each harvester, vehicle, and yard facility within the system are all covered by this Standard.

The mating parts for aligning the conveyors to ensure proper transfer are covered.