AU659181B2 - Vehicle racking system - Google Patents

Description

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11 1 1 i L I1L~ g rr r ti r c VEHICLE RACKING SYSTEM This invention relates to a mobile racking system.

This invention has particular but not exclusive application to a mobile racking system suited for use in vans and the like, and for illustrative purposes reference will be made to such application. However, it is to be understood that this invention could be used in other applications, such as warehouse or coldroom applications.

In order to facilitate the movement of goods and commodities of a wide variety of types, it is the practice of 10 the transportation industry generally to, where practical, palletize goods for shipment. In general, vehicles such as semi-trailers and the like are loaded from elevated loading docks with forklifts, the elevated dock being required such that the forklift may load the trailer through the open rear.

Where the pallets must be stacked in the trailer, it is necessary to install knock down flooring progressively from the front as the trailer is loaded.

In order to assist in the installation of flooring and partitions, there have evolved several types of semistandard mounting devices, the most popular of which is a roll formed strip steel member affixed longitudinally ,to the trailer walls and punched with a plurality of apertures adapted to receive cross bearers for floor supporting and load locking purposes.

A major disadvantage of this type of racking system is the reliance on dock loading to move the palletized cargo I- I 2 into the trailer.

The present invention aims to alleviate the above disadvantages and to provide apparatus which will be reliable and efficient in use. Other objects and advantages of this invention will hereinafter become apparent.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, this invention in one aspect resides broadly in a vehicle racking apparatus of the type including load supporting strip means secured to opposed side walls of the trailer and having a plurality of apertures for engagement of opposed respective C-channel track assemblies, said C-channel track assemblies being adapted to receive for rolling engagement therewith a roller deck assembly, characterised in that said roller deck assembly comprises a plurality of discrete roller pallet assemblies each having a load surface of width extending substantially between said opposed side walls and rollers adapted to engage said C-channel track member and adapted to support the side edges of said load surface above said Cchannel track member.

Preferably, the racking apparatus is suitable for use in a vehicle where the supporting surface may be the interior sides of the vehicle, such as in a van trailer.

The track member may take any form consistent with the function of engaging the carriage for movement relative t 4 25 thereto. Preferably, the relationship between the carriage and the ;rack member is such that the carriage may move from 2A a loading opening the van to a less accessible region of the I i~ 2A van. For this type of van, the track members are preferably disposed in pairs longitudinally along the length of the van to avoid the carriage having to be supported in cantilever.

The van may be provided with a single pair of tracks, preferably disposed to define the upper load level of the van, or the van may be provided with two or more pairs of tracks to provide alternative loading levels or full height it: it c t1 Ij 3 loading of standard pallets.

The form of the track member will to a large degree 'depend upon the type of carriage tc be supported thereby.

Accordingly, the track member may be selected from those adapted to support a sliding carriage or a rolling carriage, it being preferred that the track be adapted to captively support a rolling carriage. Suitably, such a track member may be formed of a continuous C-shaped channel section of rolled steel or other material.

The carriage may take any form consistent with the function of supporting a load for movement while in ro engagement with the track member. Preferably, the carriage :comprises a load surface adapted to support standard pallets and general cargo. As such, the carriage is preferably of rectangular form of suitable dimensions and adapted to itt ttransversely span the vehicle load area between the pair of spaced track members.

In order to prevent undue loading of the carriage and tt1 tincrements of the track member, it is preferred that the carriage interact with the track members via a plurality of L1 bearing means. The individual bearing means will, of course, be of a form dictated by the type of interaction intended between the carriage and the track, and accordingly, may be selected from sliding members and rolling members.

Preferably, where the preferred C-shaped channel track member is proposed for use, the bearing members take the form of axle-mounted wheels disposed in the region of each corner of 4 the carriage and adapted to be captively engaged with the Cshaped channel, the captive engagement being effected by choosing wheels of a diameter greater than the dimension across the open side of the C-shaped channel. Since, under load, the sides of a trailer may distort somewhat, and in particular will tend to spread, it is preferred that the wheels o the axle be configured to provide a degree of variation to the tracking dimension of the carriage assembly.

In a preferred embodiment, the carriage is defined by a roller pallet having a rectangular configuration which has a pair of spaced elongated channel members secured to a pair of transversely spaced channel members, one of the transverse members being provided with a pair of spaced rigidly mounted stub axles, the stub axles having respective rollers rotatably supported, the other transverse member being provided with a pair of spaced rotatably and slidably disposed shafts having rigidly mounted thereon rollers, whereby the rotatably and slidably disposed shafts permit spacial adjustment of one pair of the rollers with respect to the other pair of rollers, The support means may take any form consistent with the function of supporting the track member in the vehicle and as such may vary from simple permanent fixings where desirable, to releasable support means. Preferably, the support means is adapted to releasably engage one or more of the standard types of vehicle load retaining means such as the aforementioned roll formed strip steel member affixed 4 -i 1 longitudinally to the trailer walls and punched with a plurality of apertures adapted to receive cross bearers for floor supporting and load locking purposes.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the support means includes a plurality of support members adapted to releasably engage the track member and the standard load retaining strip, such that the interior of the vehicle may be stripped of the present mobile racking for rapid transformation to another load carrying format. To insure that a minimum of small parts is utilized to reduce the risk of loss of parts, it is preferred that the support :*So members be a clamping bracket assembly capable of both the locking of the support member to the standard load retaining 'strip and the locking of the track to the support member.

Accordingly, in a further aspect, this invention resides broadly in racking apparatus including a track member, clamping bracket means for supporting said track member on a supporting surface, and a carriage adapted to <t t engage said track member for movement in relation thereto, wherein said clamping bracket means is adapted to releasably engage both said track member and said supporting surface.

Preferably, the clamping bracket means is adapted to 4 releasably engage a supporting surface such as the aforementioned standard vehicle load securing strip and a track. Accordingly, the clamping bracket means preferably includes a body member having means to releasably engage the load securing strip such as lugs or the like and means to p.- -1 i ~l-Creleasably engage the preferred track. Since the preferred track is a C-shaped channel, it is preferred that the means for releasably er-ging the track be capable of retaining the track while permitting free movement of the carriage. In addition, it is preferred that, in each case, the releasable engagement means be provided with either the inherent facility to resist inadvertant dislodgement in transit or locking means adapted to resist dislodgement.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the body member is provided with a dual purpose locking means for locking both the releasable engagement means, in order to reduce the number of parts required.

In the alternative, the support means may be fabricated with or formed integrally with the C-channel member. For example, the support means may take the form of a plurality of tabs provided on the C-channel adapted to engage with at least some of the mounting slots generally provided in vehicles with configurable load areas. Where the apertures are the conventional elongated slots vertically aligned and equally spaced from each other along the length of the load supporting strip, the C-channel track assemblies may each comprise a C-channel track member having protrusions formed thereon for releasable engagement with the apertures, the protrusions comprising a pair of vertically aligned 25 holding members adapted to engage a corresponding slot, the hJt duigrail.qsclOmm'~s~ra u6A short horn, whereby insertion of the long horns up and into upper positions of the slots permitting the entry of the 444 *a 4.

4 4, 4 4 44, B- 1 7N 6A lower horns into lower portions of said slots.

If desired the C-channel may be provided in handleable lengths to facilitate installation by one person. If desired, the end of the C-channel portions to the front and/or the rear of the vehicle may be closed off to provide carriage stops. Preferably, such closed off channels are provided with openings permitting the insertion of the carriage rollers at installation.

In order that this invention may be more easily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now I t ii t g t& b 2 t \L i 7 be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a trailer van showing an exposed internal view of a side wall having mounted thereon a number of longitudinally extending load retaining strips.

FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of a typical load retaining strip; FIG. 2A shows an end view of a load retaining strip; FIG. 3 is a plan view of a roller pallet; FIG. 4 is a side view of a clamping bracket assembly supporting a C-shaped track member; FIG. 5 is a view of the back end of the clamping bracket assembly shown in FIG. 4, without the C-shaped track member; FIG. 6 is an end view of the clamping bracket assembly showing the position of a handle and the associated ;cam member in a "no load" position; SFIG. 7 shows a cross-section view of the C-shaped track member supported by the clamping bracket assembly attached to the side wall of the trailer van; and FIG. 3 illustrates an alternative channel section ai suitable for use in conjunction with apparatnis in accordance with the present invention.

One aspect of the invention is concerned with a combination of various elements which comprise the mobile racking system. The system comprises a trailer van having side walls provided internally with mounted load retaining

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p p 8 strips, a clamping bracket assembly for releasable attachment to the load retaining strip, a C-shaped track member supported by the clamping bracket assemblies, and a carriage in the form of a roller pallet adapted to roll along a pair of spaced track members.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a trailer van having a pair of side walls 12 and 14 which are fitted on the inside thereof with a number of load retaining strips 16, 18, and 22, all of which are positioned at different heights to determine particular load levels. Although FIG. 1 shows only one sidewall 14 fitted with load retaining strips 16, 18, 20 and 22, it is to be understood that corresponding load retaining strips a2e secured on the inside of the side wall 12.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a load retaining strip 16 havinc a plurality of equally spaced slotted openings 24, the load retaining strip having a number of apertures which are useful for attaching the strip to the side wall of the trailer van. An end view of the load 20 retaining strip 16 is shown in FIG. 2A. End portions 26 and 28 of the strip are secured to the side wall of the trailer van. A central portion 30 of the strip is bent away from the portions 26 and 28 to provide an internal clearance for attachment purposes, as will be described later.

Referring to FIGS 4-7, there is shown a clamping bracket assembly 32 which has a body 34 having a "U"-shape, the lying on its side, having ax upper arm 36 and a lower 9 arm 38 jointed by a bight 40. A sleeve 42 is secured to the lower arm 38 and provides for a releasable engagement means *44 which includes a pivot shaft inside the sleeve 42, the pivot shaft having one end supporting e, cam member 46, and the other end supporting a handle 48. The exterior side of the bight 40 is provided with a pair of spaced support members 50, each having an upper horn 52 aiid a lower horn 54.

As best shown in FIG. 6, the upper horn 52 ic- longer than the lower horn 54 so that the clamping bracket assembly 32 can. be releasably engaged with the slotted openings 24 on the load retaining strip 16.

As shown in FIGS.. 4 and 7, the handle 48 has a .a surface 58 to which is welded a flange 56, the purpose of which will be described later. The clamping bracket assembly 32 is adapted to support an elongated C-shaped track member 60, a side view thereof being shown in FIG.7. The track member 60 has a pair of lips 62 which, between themselves, define a limited space to prevent dislodgement of *rollers 64 on a roller pallet 66 shown in FIG. 3. Extending perpendicular from a welded joint 57 between the flai.,ge 56 Stand the handle 48, there is a furthor flange 68 which is adapted to abut the underside of -the lower arm 38 which has an extending lock nub 70 provided with a hole 72 to admit a locking pin 74, as shown in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 4, when the handle 48 is in a locked position (solid lines) the flange 56 maintains the track member 60 in the arms 36 and 38 of the clamping bracket assembly 32, The handle 48 con-i;rols the rotary movement of the cam member 46 between an unlocked position, a semi-locked position, and a locked position. The three positions of the cam member 46 are shown in FIG wherein handle 48 has rotated the cam member 46 to its high camming position, also as shown in FIG. 7 contacting an arcuate portion 76 of the load retaining strip 16 which is secured to the sidewall 14 of the trailer van by bolts 78.

Referring to FIG. 5, the dotted circle 80 represents the position of the cam member in the unlocked position during which the clamping bracket assembly 32 can be engaged with the slotted openings 24 of the load retaining strip, the handle 48 being in position A (FIGS 4 AND After the engagement is completed, the weight of the handle will caus the handle to move directly to a position underneath the body 34 to assume position B (FIG. and theposition of the cam member will be shown by the circle 82, which moves the camming position slightly above the sleeve 42, as shown in FIG. 7, and in a high cainming (locked) position, the cam member 46 will forcibly contact the arcuate portion 76 of the load retaining strip 16. In the locked position, the handle, 48 will be in position C.

The C-shaped track members 60 provide a path for movement for the roller pallet 66 shown in FIG. 3. The pallet 66 comprises channel members 84 and 86 coupled to channel side members 88 and 90. The side member 88 supports a pair of spaced rollers 92 rigidly secured to axles 94 which are capable of slidably moving through sleeves or ball 7 .1bearings 96, each axle 94 having a stop 98 at its free end to limit the lateral movement of the roller 92. The channel -side member 90 is provided with a pair of spaced rollers rotatably mounted on axles 102 which are rigidly supported by the side members 90. The feature of the slidably mounted rollers 92 enables the roller pallet to be used should there be a variation between the spacing between the two sidewalls of the trailer van, such, as for example, as may occur under extreme loading conditions.

Referring to FIG. 1, under a floor 104 of the trailer van, containers 106 and 108 are provided for storing the roller pallets 66. If the roller pallets 66 shown in FIG. 3 should employ quick release engagement means between the members 84, 86, 88, and 90, then the dismantled members can be readily stored in the containers 106 and 108.

Referring to FIG. 8, there is illustrated an alternative form of the C-channel, comprising a roll formed C-channel 110 having fabricated thereto by welding a plurality of engagement members 111. The engagement members 111 are adapted to engage the slotted openings 24 of the load retaining strip 16 without the requirement for a separate clamping member. The engagement members 111 are configured to have an upper engagement tongue 112 which is longer than a lower engagement tongue 113. The channel member 110 may be engaged with the slotted openings 24 by insertion of the top tongue 112, raising the channel member 110 sufficiently for the lower tongue 113 to clear the foot of the slotted t( \t

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-I I 12 openings, thereby permitting insertion of the substantive portion of the engagement members 111, and lowering the channel member 110 such that both tongues 112, 113 are retained in the load retaining strip 16.

The channel member 110 is modified for use on the end of the vehicle by the fabrication of an end plate 114 with the channel member 110 to prevent uncontrolled disengagement of the carriage. To permit insertion of the carriage rollers, there is provided a top access 115 or bottom access 116 cut away portion.

It will of course be realised that while the above has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this I• invention as is herein set forth.

DATED THIS Thirteenth DAY OF August, 1992.

THOMAS JAMES CROOK by PIZZEY AND COMPANY PATENT ATTORNEYS i 4

Claims (11)

1. Vehicle racking apparatus of the type including load supporting strip means secured to opposed side walls of the trailer and having a plurality of apertures for engagement of opposed respective C-channel track assemblies, said C-channel track assemblies being adapted to receive for rolling engagement therewith a roller deck assembly, characterised in that said roller deck assembly comprises a plurality of discrete roller pallet assemblies each having a load surface of width extending substantially between said opposed side walls and rollers adapted to engage said C-channel track member and adapted to support the side edges of said load surface above said C-channel track member.

2. Vehicle racking apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said C-channel track assemblies each comprise: a plurality of clamping bracket assemblies each having t protrusions engageable with said apertures and releasable engagement means for securing said C-channel track assembly to said load supporting strip, and a C-channel track member releasably supported by said plurality of clamping bracket assemblies.

3. Vehicle racking apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein said clamping bracket assembly comprises a "["-shaped body having an upper arm and a lower arm joined by a bight, a sleeve secured to said lower arm and extending toward said bight, said sleeve cooperably supporting said releasable L E 14 engagement means, said protrusions extending vertically and exteriorly from said bight.

4. Vehicle racking apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein said releasable engagement means comprises a pivot shaft extending through said sleeve, one end of said pivot shaft being secured to a handle and the other end of said pivot shaft terminating in a cam member whereby operation of said handle over a range of 180' moves said cam between a f irst position permitting engagement of the protrusions with said apertures, a mid-position preventing accidental dislodgement of the clamping bracket assembly from the load supporting strip, and a locked position securing said clamping bracket assembly to said load supporting strip.

Vehicle racking apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein said ca~m member has two camming surfaces, whereby in an unlocked position of the handle, the camming surfaces are V.6 inoperative, in a semi-locked position, an intermediate camming surface slightly reduces the spacing between the cam member and said protrusions, and in a locked position of the handle, a high camming surface additionally reduces the space between said cam member and said protrusions.

6. Vehicle racking apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein said handle includes a fl~ange adapted to retain said C- channel track member in said ["-shaped body when the handle is in said locked position and to release the C-channel track '*1 member when the handle is in said mid-position. i- o o I

7. Vehicle racking apparatus according to Claim 6, including a lock nub extending from said lower arm, an aperture extending transversely through said lock nub, said handle having a further flange adapted to abut said lower arm, said further flange having an opening alignable with said lock nub, and a lock pin traversing said lock nub to maintain said handle in a locked position.

8. Vehicle racking apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein said apertures are elongated slots vertically aligned and equally spaced from each other along the length of said load supporting strip, and said protrusions comprise a pair of vertically aligned holding members adapted to align with any pair of adjoining slots, said holding members having upper long horns and short lower horns, whereby insertion of the long horns into upper positions of said slots permits the entry of the lower horns into lower portions of said slots.

9. Vehicle racking apparatus according to Claim i, wherein said apertures are elongated slots vertically aligned and equally spaced from each other along the length of said load supporting strip, and said C-channel track assemblies each comprise a C-channel track member having protrusions formed thereon for releasable engagement with said apertures, said protrusions comprising a pair of vertically aligned holding members adapted to engage a corresponding said slot, Ca~r Ir o LI (114 4 4(I i .r k:: 16 said holding members comprising an upper long horn and a lower short horn, whereby insertion of the long horns up and into upper positions of said slots permits the entry of the lower horns into lower portions of said slots.

Vehicle racking apparatus according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein said each of said roller pallets has a rectangular configuration having a couple of spaced elongated channel members secured to a couple of spaced transverse members, one of said transverse members being provided with a pair of spaced rigidly mounted stub axles, rollers rotatably supported on said axles, said other transverse member being provided with a pair of spaced rotatably and slidably disposed stub axles having rigidly mounted thereon rollers, whereby said rotatably and slidably disposed stub axles enable its respective rollers to adjust to variations in spacing between said C-channel track members. 1 4 it

11. Vehicle racking apparatus substantially as hereinbefore defined with reference to the accompanying drawings. 0. a. DATED THIS Fourteenth DAY OF February, 1995. THOMAS JAMES CROOK L. by PIZZEY AND COMPANY PATENT ATTORNEYS ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A vehicle racking apparatus for installation in a trailer van is provided comprising a number of load retaining strips (16, 18, 20, 22) at different elevations to define different elevation loads. A number of clamping bracket assemblies (32) are releasably attached to the retaining strips, each assembly being provided with a releasable engagement device (44) for accepting a C-shaped track member to provide a pathway for accepting and supporting a carriage in the form of a roller pallet The releasable engagement device has a cam member (46) for securing the C-shaped track member to the load retaining strip. i t t t i