GB2049564A

GB2049564A - Vehicle load restraints

Info

Publication number: GB2049564A
Application number: GB7913524A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Structure Flex Ltd
Current assignee: Structure Flex Ltd
Priority date: 1979-04-18
Filing date: 1979-04-18
Publication date: 1980-12-31
Also published as: GB2049564B

Abstract

A load-restraining sheet (10) is tensioned between roof supports and floor fixings at least around the upper corner edges of the load. The sheet (10) has reinforcing bands (11) extending between its upper and lower edges, to which are fixed suspension elements for cooperating with the roof supports and tensioning means for attachment to the floor fixings, which fixings in a curtain sided vehicle may be constituted by the raves. The upper and lower edges of the sheet are scalloped (12) between the reinforcing bands to facilitate drawing of the sheet along the vehicle body when the tensioning means is released, and windows (13) are provided, between the reinforcing bands (11), to assist identification of the load. Preferably these windows (13) are provided between a lattice of intersecting vertical and horizontal reinforcing bands. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in vehicle load restraints This invention relates to means for restraining a load supported on the floor of a vehicle, especially a curtain-sided vehicle.

It is well known to restrain the load in a vehicle by use of straps and/or webbing. Long distance heavy transport vehicles usually require the load, in the form of containers or like items, to be disposed along the longitudinal centre of the vehicle, and restrained to remain in this position of balanced load distribution. Webs and strapping have been adapted to serve as the load restraint in this type of vehicle.

Especially in the case of a curtain-sided vehicle, for example, the load is sometimes secured by webbing tensioned between a longitudinal support or supports on the underside of the vehicle roof and the raves at the longitudinal edges of the vehicle floor.

The webbing, for example in pieces about 2 to 3 metres long in the direction of the vehicle length, is tensioned around and against the upper corner edge regions of the load by suitable tensioning straps or the like, which enable the webbing to adapt to items of the load which may be of differing heights and/or transverse dimensions.

While such webbing is easier and quicker two use than numerous individual straps, it is disadvantageous in having structural weaknesses, especially at the crossovers between the longitudinal and transverse webs, where these webs are conventionally secured together by stitching.

It is an object of this invention to provide improved restraining means for a vehicle load.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a vehicle body having a support means along the underside of its roof, at or towards the longitudinal centre thereof, and a load-restraining sheet having support-cooperating elements fixed at its upper edge to enable the sheet to be suspended from the support means and having tensioning means fixed at or adjacent its lower edge, said tensioning means including elements for attaching to the vehicle floor at or towards the longitudinal edge thereof, thereby to enable the sheet to be tensioned around and against a vehicle load, said loadrestraining sheet comprising a woven fabric material having reinforcing bands extending from the upper edge to the lower edge thereof as an integral part of the weave, and the support-cooperating elements and the tensioning means being fixed to said reinforcing bands.The sheet preferably also has reinforcing bands extending between its opposed side edges.

In a typical case, the load-restraining sheet may be about 2 metres long, so that a total often sheets is required for a transport vehicle, such as a curtain sided vehicle, about 12 < metres long. Five sheets are suspended from each of a pair of supporting tracks, one for each side of the vehicle, so that the load can be restrained on both sides. The use of a roof track enables the load restraining sheets, when detached from the vehicle floor, to be drawn back out of the way when the vehicle is being loaded or unloaded.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a load-restraining sheet for restraining a load supported on a vehicle floor, said sheet comprising a woven fabric material having reinforcing bands extending from the upper edge thereofto the lower edge thereof as an integral part of the weave, the upper edge being scalloped by cut-away portions between the reinforcing bands and the main area of the sheet having cut-out portions between the reinforcing bands to serve as windows. The lower edge of the sheet is preferably scalloped in similar manner.

For enabling its attachment to the vehicle structure as a load restraint, the upper edge of the sheet has suspension elements such as gliders or rollers fixed to the reinforcing bands and the lower edge has tensioning means fixed to the reinforcing bands, said tensioning means including attachment elements such as hooks. The vehicle is equipped adjacent the roof with a support means to receive the suspension elements and is equipped adjacent the floor with fixing means for attachment oftensioning means. In the case of a curtain sided vehicle, for example, the hooks can be attached to the rave at the longitudinal edge of the floor. In use, the windows in the sheet enable the restrained load to be identified, and the scalloped edges enable the sheet to be drawn back into a minimum space when loading and unloading.

However, the said support means and fixing means carried by the vehicle may form part of an internal vehicle structure, for example dividing the interior of the vehicle into loading bays, in which case the load-restraining sheets may form at least part of the walls and/or gates of said loading bays.

The invention will now be exemplified with reference to the accdmpanying drawing, which shows a preferred form of the load restraining sheet.

The sheet 10 shown in the drawing is approximately rectangular, and has vertical and horizontal reinforcing bands 11. The upper and lower edges of the sheet 10 are scalloped by means of cut-away portions 12 between the vertical reinforcing bands, and the main area of the sheet has cut-outs, as instanced at 13, between the reinforcing bands 11.

The sheet 10 consists of a woven fabric with the reinforcing bands 11 incorporated into the weave.

Preferably, the fabric is basically a polyester fibre, and the reinforcement consists of fibres of a polydmide plastics material, such as that known under the Trade Mark "Kevlar", which are of higher tensile strength than the polyester fibres and are incorporated into the basic weave in bands. The reinforced woven fabric is preferably coated with an impervious plastics material, such as polyvinylchloride.

In atypical case, the sheet 10 is about 2 metres wide and about 2 metres deep from top to bottom, with reinforcing bands about 4cm wide spaced about 60 cm apart. The cut-outs 13 are preferably circular, of about 30 cm diameter, and the depth of the scallops 12 is about 10 cm.

One application ofthe above-described sheets 10 as oad restraints is in curtain-sided vehicles. The use of the reinforced woven material to form the curtain structure at the outside of such a vehicle is known per se; in addition, however, it is necessary to fixedly restrain the load in the vehicle interior, and the sheets 10 are advantageous for this purpose in place of the straps or webbing which have hitherto been employed.

Thus, in accordance with a further aspect of the invention, the vehicle roof is equipped with longitudinal tracks, one for each side of the vehicle, at or towards the longitudinal centre thereof. A plurality of sheets 10 are suspended frdm each track by means of gliders fixed by rivetting or the like to the upper ends ofthe vertical reinforcing bands 11 betwees the upper edge scallops 12. Fixed by rivetting or the like to the lower ends of the vertical reinforcing bands 11, between the lower edge scallops 12, are tensioning straps incorporating over-centre buckles, with hooks at the lower ends of said straps for attachment to the raves at the longitudinal side edges of the vehicle floor.

During loading, the sheets are detached from the vehicle floor and drawn back to facilitate access. The scalloped upper and lower edges enable the sheets to be drawn back into the minimum possible space.

The containers or similar items of the load are conventionally disposed down the longitudinal centre of the vehicle, for balanced distribution. The sheets are then drawn into position over the items of the load, fastened to the vehicle raves, and tensioned tightly around and against the upper corner edge regions of the load in order to fixedly restrain the load during travelling. The items of the restrained load are identifiable through the cut-outs 13 in the sheets, which serve as windows. For unloading, the sheets 10 are unfastened from the vehicle raves and again drawn back to facilitate access. On the outside of the vehicle, the use of conventional curtain sides is unaffected by the employment of the load restraining sheets 10.

The above-described load restraining sheets are simpler and easierto use than strapping or webbing, and are also substantially stronger and safer. Thus, the application of such sheets as load restraints is not restricted to curtain-sided vehicles, since in various other types of vehicle and vehicle body, it is necessary fixedly to restrain the load during travelling both to prevent damage to the load and to eliminate dangers of load slippage and load spillage.

Claims

1. A vehicle body having a support means along the underside of its roof, at or towards the longitudinal centre thereof, and a load-restraining sheet having support-cooperating elements fixed at its upper edge to enable the sheet to be suspended frdm the support means and having tensioning means fixed at or adjacent its lower edge, said tensioning means including elements for attaching to the vehicle floor at or towards the longitudinal edge thereof, thereby to enable the sheet to be tensioned around and against a vehicle load, said load-restraining sheet comprises a woven fabric material having reinforc ing bands extending from the upper edge to the lower edge thereof as an integral part of the weave, and the support-cooperating elements and the ten sioning means being fixed to said reinforcing bands.

2. A vehicle body according to claim 1, wherein the sheet also has reinforcing bands extending between its opposed side edges.

3. A vehicle body according to claim 1 or claims 2, having a pair of supporting tracks, one for each side of the vehicle, from each of which a plurality of load restraining sheets are slidably suspended respectively to be fastened to the vehicle floor through the tensioning means, said tracks enabling the sheets to be drawn longitudinally of the vehicle when the tensioning means is released.

4. A vehicle body according to claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3, also having curtain sides.

5. A vehicle body according to claim 4, wherein the tensioning means includes hooks for attachment to the raves.

6. A vehicle body according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein said load restraining sheets also form at least part of the walls and/or gates of loading bays into which the interior of the vehicle is divided.

7. A load-restraining sheet for restraining a load supported on a vehicle floor, said sheet comprising a woven fabric material having reinforcing bands extending from the uppper edge thereof to the lower edge thereof as an integral part of the weave, the upper edge being scalloped by cut-away portions between the reinforcing bands and the main area of the sheet having cut-out portions between the reinforcing bands to serve as windows.

8. A load-restraining sheet according to claim 7, wherein the lower edge of the sheet is also scalloped.

9. A load-restraining sheet according to claim 7 or claim 8, including tensioning straps attached to the reinforcing bands near the lower edge of the sheet.

10. A load-restraining sheet according to claim 9, wherein the tensioning straps have over-centre buckles.

11. A load-restraining sheet according to any of claims 7 to 10, having suspension elements attached to its upper edge at the reinforcing bands.

12. A load-restraining sheet according to any of claims 7 to 11, also having horizontal reinforcing bands, the windows being formed in the areas bounded by the intersecting vertical and horizontal reinforcing bands.

13. A vehicle body as claimed in claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described.

14. A load-restraining sheet substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.