GB2027646A

GB2027646A - Coverable truck bodies

Info

Publication number: GB2027646A
Application number: GB7926519A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: NEVILE TRUCK EQUIPMENT Ltd G
Current assignee: NEVILE TRUCK EQUIPMENT Ltd G
Priority date: 1978-08-08
Filing date: 1979-07-30
Publication date: 1980-02-27
Also published as: GB2027646B

Abstract

A truck body having an open top and means to cover and uncover the open top with a flexible cover, the means including pivotally mounted side arms 33 pivotally movable forwardly and rearwardly of the body, the body including end frames 11, 20 and side members 30 secured between the end frames, the side members being located inwardly of the outer side walls of the end frames so that the arms 33 are located within the maximum width of the body. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Coverable truck bodies This invention relates to coverable truck bodies of the type which have an open top coverable and uncoverable by a flexible sheet e.g. of tarpaulin.

It is usual to make a truck chassis of a standard size and the truck body is made to fit the chassis.

The external dimensions are controlled by law. It is known in U.S.A. to provide a covering and uncovering device, usually known as a sheeting device, which has pivotally mounted side arms carrying the cover for forward to rear movement and vice-versa. The arms are mounted externally of the body and increase the width of the vehicle beyond the legal limit Such a vehicle is described in U.S.A. patent specification no 3498666. A concession has been made in U.S.A. on environmental grounds (i.e. the desirability of covering the open body) to permit the greater width, but no such concession is available in the United Kingdom.

Sheeting devices are known which avoid the problem by operating from side to side of the body. These devices are superior in providing better cover along the sides of the body, but they are considerably more expensive than the forward-to-rear sheeting devices. A side-to side sheeting device is described in U.K. patent No The present invention is concerned with providing a coverable truck body, which incorporates a forward-to-rear type sheeting device and which can be made to meet the United Kingdom regulations without reducing the internal dimensions as compared with existing bodies.

The present invention resides in a truck body having an open top and means to cover and uncover the open top with a flexible cover, the means including pivotally mounted side arms pivotally movable forwardly and rearwardly of the body, the body including end frames and side members secured between the end frames, the side members being located inwardly of the outer side walls of the end frames so that the arms are located within the maximum width of the body.

The invention also resides in a coverable truck body having forward and rear end frames interconnected by longitudinally extending struts at the base and by longitudinally extending side members, which side members define together with the end frames an open top, each end frame having side elements to which the side members are secured on the inner sides of the side elements, the forward end frame mounting takeup means for a flexible cover and side arms pivotally mounted externally at opposite sides of the body, the side arms being pivotally movable rearwardly of the body so as to unroll a flexible cover from the take-up means to cover the open top and the side arms being pivotally movable forwardly to uncover the open top, the arms being within the maximum width of the body.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, wherein; Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing the rear end and top of the truck body constructed according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the truck body, showing how a sheeting device on the body operates; and Figure 3 is a perspective view of the body showing the forward end and bottom of the body.

The truck body shown comprises a rear end frame 11 including upper and lower laterally extending members 12, 13 respectively and uprights 14 at each side of the body. Each upright extends laterally beyond the ends of the upper member 12 to define a platform 1 5. The frame 11 defines an aperture which may be closed by a tailgate (not shown).

The body includes a forward end frame 20 comprising a first generally U-shaped member 21 which has a base portion 22 and upright portions 23, at the sides of the truck body. The body includes a second generally U-shaped member 25, whose limbs 26 are secured to respective upright portions 23, with the bridge of the U interconnecting the uprights and defining a forward upper rail 27 of the body. Struts 28 interconnect the first and second members 21, 25.

The end frames 11, 20 are joined together at the base of the body by runners 29, and side members 30 are connected between the limbs 26 and the uprights 1 4 on the inner sides of both the limbs and the uprights. Sheet metal panels are welded together within the framework so defined to form the main fabric 32 of the body, with the sides and the forward end being radiussed adjacent the base.

A sheeting devices provided comprising a pair of arms 33 pivotally mounted at the bottom of the body, one at each side of the body. The arms are mounted on a common pivot 34 at one end of each arm, the opposite end portions 35 being cranked and the cranked portions being connected together at said opposite ends by a cross-piece 36.

The second generally U-shaped men ber 25 mounts a hood 37, which rotatably mounts a takeup roller 38 laterally of the body. A handle 39 is connectible to the roller to rotate the latter.

In use, a flexible sheet cover is mounted on the roller and on the cross-piece 36, so that in the position shown in Figure 1, the open top of the body is closed by the cover.

As shown in Figure 2, the cover 40, in the closed position, is held down by loops 41 engaged with hooks 42 on the body. The cranked portions 35 seat on the platforms 15 defined by the uprights 11.

To uncover the top of the body, the cover 40 is wound onto the roller and the arms are caused to swing towards the forward end of the body until the arms seat on ramp surfaces 45 on the limbs 26 in the fully open position.

The arms lie within the maximum width of the body i.e. extending outwardly no further than the outer walls of the two end frames.

In use, control of the swinging movement will be provided for by means of springs, in known manner.

Claims

1. A truck body having an open top and means to cover and uncover the open top with a flexible cover, the means including pivotally mounted side arms pivotally movable forwardly and rearwardly of the body, the body, including end frames and side members secured between the end frames, the side members being located inwardly of the outer side walls of the end frames so that the arms are located within the maximum width if the body.

2. A coverable truck body having forward and rear end frames interconnected by longitudinally extending struts at the base and by longitudinally extending side members, which side members define together with the end frames an open top, each end frame having side elements to which the side members are secured on the inner sides of the side elements, the forward end frame mounting take-up means for a flexible cover; and side arms pivotally mounted externally at opposite sides of the body, the side arms being pivotally movable rearwardly of the body, so as to unroll a flexible cover from the take-up means to cover the open top, the side arms being pivotally movable forwardly to uncover the open top, the arms being within the maximum width of the body.

3. A coverable truck body according to claim 2, including means biasing the arms towards the closed position, said take-up means operating against the bias.

4. A coverable truck body according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the body comprises sheet material fixed to the side members on their exterior faces.

5. A coverable truck body constructed substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.