GB2066166A

GB2066166A - Rapid fastening device for vehicle fittings

Info

Publication number: GB2066166A
Application number: GB8034171A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1979-11-23
Filing date: 1980-10-23
Publication date: 1981-07-08
Also published as: DE2947315B1; NL8006361A; DE2947315C2; FR2470026A1; BE886023A

Abstract

An article of furniture or other bulky accessory 6 is fitted into the body of a van, dormobile (Registered Trade Mark) or like vehicle by a rapid fastening device comprising an angled clamping lever 8, on the bottom front edge of the article 6 projecting into a slot 16 in floor 5 of the vehicle and engaging beneath a clamping plate 15, in combination with a hooked latch 18 swingably mounted on a pivot pin 27 and engageable with a bar 19, fixed to wall 3 of the vehicle, to clamp the bar 19 against buffers 24. Cushions 26, 25 support the article 6 with the lever 8 pressing up against the plate 15. For releasing the article 6, the pin 27 is swung by means of a handle 28 to disengage the latch from the bar 19 whereupon the article can be manipulated to disengage the clamping lever 8. The article of furniture may be a chair, table, work bench, or cabinet. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Rapid fastening mechanism The invention relates to a rapid fastening mechanism for the manual, disconnectable securing of articles of furniture in the transportation space of a transportation vehicle constructed as a vehicle trailer or in particular a lorry or truck, more specifically a minibus, dormobile (Registered Trade Mark) or repair shop truck, with at least two clamping devices which are spaced from one another and in each case have two interengaging clamp parts which can be clamped together, whereof one clamp part is arranged on the article of furniture and the other clamp part is arranged on a base plate or the peripheral wall of the transportation space.

Such transportation vehicles, which are constructed as dwelling or working vehicles have in their transportation or dwelling area for working and/or dwelling and in which it is possible to work, furniture such as a work bench and cabinets or other storage cases in a workshop repair truck or carbinets, a table and chairs and similar articles of furniture in a camping vehicle. Such box-like articles of furniture are generally distributed along the peripheral walls of the transportation space and are secured to the base plate and the corresponding peripheral wall, so that they do not fall about as a result of the vibrations and accelerating forces occurring when travelling.

However, it is frequently desirable to be able to rapidly convert a dwelling vehicle, such as a minibus or dormobile furnished for dwelling purposes into a lorry and vice versa, so that it is desirable that the furniture can be fitted and/or removed as quickly and easily as possible. However, articles of furniture are generaily secured in such vehicles by means of screws and similar fastening devices. Admittedly such fastening devices are removable, but a suitable tool such as a screwdriver and the like is necessary.

Proposals have already been made to provide rapid fastening devices to permit rapid fitting and removal or for changing the place of fixing of the articles of furniture for the purpose of obtaining manually disconnectable securing of furniture. The rapid fastening devices are constituted by interengaging hooks and clamping parts, screws in the form ofthumb screws and mounting rails (German Utility Models 7240 117, and 1 982837 and French Patents 1182691 and 1 322 332). However, such fastening devices, which in each case comprise two interengaging fixing elements, only act locally on the article of furniture at their attachment point.However, in order to satisfactorily and reliably secure articles of furniture in the transportation space of the vehicle when travelling, when considerable vibrations and accelerating forces can occur, each piece of furniture must be firmly coupled to the vehicle at at least two or more spaced locations, so that for fitting and removing the furniture a corresponding number of fastening devices must be individually tightened and/or loosened. This always requires a relatively large amount of time and force.

According to another known proposal a more rapid fitting removal of articles of furniture can admittedly be obtained by bracing against facing walls of the transportation space the juxtaposed articles of furniture by inflatable compressed air cushions arranged between them (German Utility Model 1 867 769). However, such a proposal does not provide the necessary assurance that the items of furniture will not be automatically released during the journey or during an accident. Forthis purpose it is really necessary to equip the fastening mechanisms with two fastening elements which interengage and are clamped together in the locking position and are fixed to the article of furniture and/or the floor or a peripheral wall of the transportation space.

The invention solves the problem of so constructing a rapid fastening mechanism of the aforementioned type that the articles of furniture are reliably fixed in the transportation space for the journey, whilst still permitting a simple and rapid reequipping of the vehicle by a very easy and especially fast fitting or removal of the furniture.

The rapid fastening mechanisms according to the invention have at least two spaced clamping devices which have in each case two clamping parts which at least interengage in force-locked manner, one being fitted to the article of furniture and the other to the base plate or peripheral wall. Even though it can be sufficient for a satisfactory securing of the furniture that the clamping parts of at least one of the clamping devices only interengage in force-locked manner in the direction perpendicular to the wall (base plate or peripheral wall) on which they engage, such as for example a pin keyed in its bore hole, preference is given to a hook-like interengagement of the clamping parts so as to ensure positive engagement in the direction perpendicular to the wall of the piece of furniture to which the clamping device is fixed.Parallel to said wall there is forcelocking, so that the hooked together clamping parts cannot automatically become detached from one another during vibrations and under accelerating forces.

These clamping devices are so constructed and so distributed over the piece of furniture that the clamping force is transmitted by the furniture from one manually operable clamping device for producing and/or reinforcing the clamping force of the other clamping device. As a result it is only neces saryto have a relatively small number of clamping devices for the particular item of furniture, because as a result it is braced against the base plate and/or peripheral wall. Particularly in the case of skilful construction and arrangement of the clamping devices it may only be necessary to have two such devices for each item of furniture, because the reduction in the number of clamping devices correspondingly reduces the time for locking or releasing the devices and consequently for fitting and removing the furniture.

For the purpose of transmitting the clamping force from one rapid clamping device to the other they can be constructed in such a way that the vector line of the clamping force of one device is substantially in the same plane as the vector line of the clamping force necessary for locking the other device. In this way the article of furniture could only be fixed e.g. to the base plate or to the peripheral wail only, so that under the clamping force of one clamping device the clamping parts of the other clamping device are drawn or pressed into engagement. However, preferably the clamping devices are so constructed and so engaged on the furniture that the clamping force of one clamping device produces for the other a moment of force which is transmitted by the article of furniture.

To this end according to a preferred embodiment of the invention a clamping device can have a clamping lever constructed on the article of furniture whose lever axis is formed by a supporting edge supporting the furniture on the base plate or peripheral wall, whereas the other clamping device is spaced from the supporting edge for producing a tilting moment aboutthe supporting edge to be transmitted to the clamping lever. The clamping lever forms one clamping part for the one clamping device, whose other clamping part is a hook-like attachment, projection, shackle or the like on the base plate or peripheral wall and particularly projecting parallel thereto which engages below or behind the clamping lever, so that these cooperating clamping parts are pressed against one another in a gripping manner under the moment of force transmitted by the furniture.This embodiment is particularly suitable for the construction of a clamping device in which the clamping lever and the clamping part cooperating therewith are fixed to the article of furniture and/or the base plate or peripheral wall in such a way that their engagement can be produced or released by tilting, rotating or displacing the furniture, provided that the other clamping device is still released.

Preferably one clamping device engages on the article of furniture in the vicinity of a lower edge and the other clamping device in the vicinity of an upper edge, because as a result this optionally provides a relatively long lever arm for clamping one clamping device under the force of the other clamping device.

The lower edge and upper edge of the article of furniture on which the particular clamping device engages preferably run in a diagonal plane through the box-like furniture. Preferably these corner edges of the furniture are parallel to one another, so that one clamping device, is, for example, arranged on front lower edge of the furniture and the base plate, while the other clamping device is arranged on the rear upper edge of the furniture and the peripheral wall. However, it is optionally also possible to use for the fitting of the clamping devices two corner edges of the article of furniture which are perpendicular to one another, for example the rear upper edge and the lower lateral edge. This can, for example, be suitable if the article of furniture is to be secured in one corner of the transportation space of the vehicle.

Preferably at least one of the clamping devices has an adjustable latch which engages with the clamping part associated therewith by manual adjustment. In this preferred solution a rapid fastening mechanism having such an adjustable latch is combined with a clamping device having clamping parts immovably fixed to the furniture and/or base plate or peripheral wall, so that it is only necessary to operate one clamping device for releasing the article of furniture and consequently remove the clamping force between the clamping parts of the other clamping device.

Although the adjustable latch can be adjustably fitted to the base plate or in particular the peripheral wall the latch is preferably placed on the furniture and with particular preference within the same. The adjustable latch can be constructed as a slide, a rotary cam, or a pivoted lever. It can be elastically flexible in the direction in which the clamping parts are pressed against one another, e.g. can comprise an elastic cord fixed at one side having at its free end a thickened portion or a crossbar or the like by means of which it can be hung behind the edges of a slot formed in the associated clamping part. A slide sleeve can also be used as the latch and is placed over a counter-hook and can be tightened thereon, optionally by means of a handscrew or the like.

Corresponding spring detents or the like are also suitable. If, as is presently preferred, the latch is constructed in a substantially inflexible manner in the direction in which the interengaging clamping parts are pressed against one another, an inclined surface is formed on one and/or the other clamping part in such a way that the clamping force thereof increases with increasing engagement. To this end the clamping part cooperating with the adjustable latch is preferably constructed as a round bar, whose rounding provides a guide surface acting as an inclined siiding ramp.

The invention is described in greater detail hereinafter relative to non-limitative embodiments and the attached drawings, wherein show: Figure 1 a transportation vehicle in the form of a minibus in a broken-away side view.

Figure 2 an embodiment of two clamping devices on an article of furniture fixed to a peripheral wall and the base plate of the dwelling area of the vehicle in Figure 1.

Figure 3 an embodiment in which a box-like article of furniture is secured by its upper rear edge and its lower lateral edge.

Figure 4 an embodiment for fixing a bench or a chair.

Figure 5 an embodiment for securing a box to the base plate and a peripheral wall.

Figure 6 an embodiment for fixing a box-like article of furniture to a base plate only.

Figure 7the longitudinal section through a fastening with a double pivot latch.

Figure 8 the front view of the fastening of Figure 7, in conjunction with a round bar on a peripheral wall= of the vehicle dwelling area.

Figures 9 & 10 side and plan views of an embodiment for fixing a table to the base plate.

Figure ii an embodiment modified compared with that of Figure 2.

As can be seen in Figure 1 a transportation vehicle 1 has a transportation area 4, in which it is possible to walk, bounded by walls 3, furnitures 6 being fixed to the base plate 4 and/or a peripheral wall 3 by means of in each case two clamping devices, 2,7.

Figure 2 shows a preferred construction of the clamping devices 2,7. One clamping device 2 is arranged in the vicinity of the rear upper edge of the box-like article of furniture 6 and comprises a round bar 19 parallel and spaced with respect to the peripheral wall 3 and fitted thereto by means of suitable fastenings and a hook-like latch 18 engaging behind the bar 19 in a clamping manner. Latch 18 on a pivot pin 27 located within the furniture parallel to bar 19 can be pivoted into and out of engagement with the bar 19 in the direction of the double arrow by corresponding actuation of hand lever 28 on pivot pin 27.Pivot pin 27 is arranged relative to round bar 19 in such a way that the clamping force 29 acting between the clamping parts 18, 19 has its line of application spaced from the pivot pin 27, so that it exerts a moment on latch 18 which maintains the latter in the engagement position. In addition, latch 18 and round bar 19 are pressed against one another by frictional resistance. The clamping force is reinforced by spring buffers 24 arranged on the article of furniture acting on the side of bar 19 remote from latch 18. The clamping force 29 on clamping device 2 is maintained, because the article of furniture 6 is also coupled to base plate 5 by means of clamping device 7.

Level with round bar 19 article of furniture 6 has at its rear a recess 20 in which is received bar 19 projecting over the furniture at either side, so that the latter can be located or displaced as close as possible to the peripheral wall.

Clamping device 7 comprises a clamping lever 8 which, at the lower leading edge of the furniture 6 projects obliquely forwards and downwards into a slot 16 formed in base plate 5 and whose one slot edge is aligned with the front of the article of furniture, and a clamping plate 15 which projects above the other slot edge and which is screwed to the base plate 5, so that the upper inclined clamping face 13 of the clamping lever is supported in form and force-closed manner on the free lower edge 14 of the clamping plate. The force closure is brought about through securing a ledge-like spring buffer 25 between the lower edge of furniture 6 and base plate 5, so that the front offurniture 6 is forced resiliently upwards.The other supporting edge 9 for clamping lever 8 formed by the lower front corner edge of furniture 6 acts as a lever axis running perpendicularly to the vector line of clamping force 29 of the first clamping device 2 and spaced from said line, so that through the clamping force 29 a tilting moment around the supporting edge 9 is produced by clamping force 29 and transmitted by furniture 6 and as a result clamping lever 8 is secured below the clamping edge 14 of clamping plate 15.

The rear edge of the article of furniture 6 is supported on a further spring ledge 26 fixed to base plate 5 secured between furniture 6 and base plate 5 through the clamping forces transmitted by the furniture 6.

After releasing clamping device 2 by means of hand lever 28 the article of furniture 6 can be tilted around its front lower edge 9 by a small angle, so that then the clamping lever 8 is released from the clamping edge 14 of clamping plate 15 and the furniture 6 can be raised out of the slot 16. It is obvious that only simple manipulations are necessary for this and these can be rapidly performed for removing the furniture 6. Furniture 6 can be fitted correspondingly easily and rapidly in that after placing lever 8 in slot 16 tilting back towards wall 3 takes place, where secure locking is effected by means of clamping device 2.

Clamping plate 15 can be constructed along a correspondingly long slot 16 on the front edge of furniture 6, so that the fixing position of the furniture along the rail-like clamping plate 15 and the correspondingly long round bar 19 can be varied. A clamping device 7 which, from the construction standpoint corresponds to that of Figure 2, can also be constructed in accordance with Figure 3, in which the rail-like clamping plate 15 runs along a lower lateral edge of furniture 6 to which the clamping lever 8 is fitted in the form of a fastened clip in the vicinity of the front lower edge thereof.In this embodiment the supporting edge 10 running along the rear lower corner edge of furniture 6 serves as an axis for the clamping lever 8 around which acts the moment produced by the clamping forces 19 of the clamping device 2 acting on the upper rear edge of furniture 6 and transmitted by the latter for raising lever 8 and consequently for clamping it to the clamping plate 15 of the other clamping device 7.

In the embodiment of Figure 3 after releasing the clamping device 2 furniture 6 can be tilted somewhat about its lower lateral edge running along the rail until the clamping lever 8 with its inclined portion is approximately vertical, after which the furniture is raised somewhat for lifting lever 8 out of slot 16.

Instead of providing a rail 15 on only one lateral edge of furniture 6 a second rail can be provided on the other lateral edge thereof and below which engages a second clamping lever corresponding to clamping lever 8. For lifting out the clamping levers the two rails can then have a corresponding recess spaced from the clamping points through which the lever can pass, so that then, after releasing the clamping device 2, furniture 6 can be drawn forwards somewhat and tilted about its rear edge until the clamping levers are unhinged.

A similar embodiment to that of Figure 2 is shown in Figure 4, where the fastening principle according to the invention is used for fixing an article of furniture 6 in the form of a chair or bench to a peripheral wall 3 and a base plate 5. However, unlike in Figure 2 the pivotable latch 18 or clamping device 2 is adjustable about a pivot pin 27 which is perpendicular to round bar 19. Thus, clamping force 29 is parallel to the pivot pin 27 and consequently at right angles to the pivoting direction of latch 18 and is consequently unable to displace the latter. The clamping device 7 is also modified somewhat compared with that of Figure 2. According to Figure 4 clamping lever 8 can be rotated about a vertical axis in a fastening fixed to the bottom of the article of furniture 6 and on whose upper edge it is supported by a shoulder, so that on a hand lever 28 bent at its upper end it can be rotated into and out of engagement with the clamping edge of clamping plate 15 via the slot made in base plate 5.

In principle the embodiment of Figure 5 is the same as that of Figures 2 and 4. However, the round bar 19 of Figure 2 is replaced by an angular rail 31 on the peripheral wall 3 with respect to clamping device 2.

The rearwardly sloping bent latch engages on the rear free lower edge of angular rail 31. The latch is mounted in the rear wall offurniture 6 about a pivot pin 27 which is perpendicular to the rail 31 and can be locked or released relative to the latter by means of hand levers 28. In Figure 5 the reciprocal clamping forces are once again reinforced by spring buffers 27 fixed to the upper edge of the article of furniture and supported on the outside of angular rail 31.

Clamping device 7 on the front lower corner edge of furniture 6 corresponds to that of Figure 2.

According to Figure 5 article of furniture 6 is supported on base plate 5 so as to be tiltable about a supporting edge 11 running parallel to the front and rear edges of furniture 6 approximately in the centre of its base surface and can be in the form of a weak strip of resilient material placed on base plate 5 or a small projection or the like formed on furniture 6. In accordance with the embodiment of Figure 2 furniture 6 is tilted about supporting edge 11 under the clamping force 29 of clamping device 2, so that clamping lever 8 of clamping device 7 on the front lower edge of furniture 6 is pressed against the lower edge of clamping plate 15 of base plate 5 for producing the clamping force 30 by the tilting moment acting around the supporting edge 11 in this way.

Figure 6 shows an exemplified embodiment for securing a box-like article of furniture 6 on the base plate 5 only. A clamping device 7, corresponding to that of Figure 2 engages on one lateral lower edge of furniture 6. However, a clamping device 2 with an adjustable latch is formed on the parallel lateral lower edge of furniture 6. The latch is once again constructed as a clamping lever 8 projecting into a slot 16 in base plate 5 and consequently engaging in form-locked manner below a clamping plate 15 projecting from the slot edge and specifically on the lower clamping edge thereof perpendicular to base plate 5. However, this clamping lever 8 is constructed as a double-armed lever and is fixed to the furniture 6 so as to pivot about a pivot pin 32 parallel to the clamping edge of clamping plate 15 on the associated lower edge of furniture 6.A hand screw 33 acts on its upper lever arm, so that clamping lever 8 can be secured about pivot pin 32 against the clamping edge of clamping plate 15 by adjusting hand screw 33.

In the embodiment of Figure 6 a supporting edge 12 is formed on the lower side of furniture 6 and acts as a lever axis for the clamping lever 8 of clamping device 7 and runs parallel to and spaced from the lower corner edge of furniture 6 carrying device 7. At its other lower edge where clamping device 2 is located the furniture is somewhat resiliently sup ported on a ledge-like spring buffer 25 formed in base plate 5 and which only projects slightly above the latter. Thus, under the clamping force of clamp ing lever 8 of clamping device 2 furniture 6 is tilted somewhat about the supporting edge 12, so that lever 8 of the other clamping device is pressed against the clamping edge of the associated clamping plate 15, so that now furniture 6 is locked to the base plate 5.

A preferred construction of the clamping device 2 of Figures 3 or 4 is shown in Figures 7 and 8. In this case the latch 18 is constructed as a double pivoting latch, whose two parallel latch members 21, 22 are articulated to a common angular strip 34 and are coupled together in the manner of a parallelogram polygon fortheirjoint adjustment by means of a connecting rod 23, whose two ends are articulated to the members 21,22, running parallel to the connecting line of the articulation points of members 21, 22.

One latch member 21 is extended somewhat beyond the articulation point of connecting rod 23, so that the hand lever 28 is formed. From the angular strip 34 with which the fastening can be fixed in the corresponding article of furniture, lever with the articulation points of latch members 21,22 are formed upwardly projecting shackles 35 to which are stuck plate-like spring buffers 24 on the side thereof facing members 21, 22. According to Figure 8 the spring buffers 24 are pressed against the side, opposite to latch 18, of the round bar 19 fitted to the peripheral wall according Figure 2 and with which latch 18 cooperates as a counter-clamping part.

According to a preferred solution a base plate 5 is used for all the embodiments which is only placed loosely over the vehicle floor, because it is fixed to the latter under the auction of the vertical and clamping forces acting on the articles of furniture.

Even though in the represented embodiments latch 18 is always pivoted from below behind the round bar 19 or angular strip 31 it can also engage above the same. in the embodiment of Figure 3 optionally an additional downwardly acting vertical force can be exerted by the round bar on latch 18, so that article of furniture 6 is pressed against base plate 5, additionally with its lower rear edge which forms the supporting edge 10. Round bar 19 can be made from a somewhat resilient or bendable material.

Securing of furniture 6 to the base plate only can also be brought about by rotatably supporting the furniture about a vertical axis, e.g. about a pin projecting downwards into a hole in the base plate, and by engaging at its two corner edges adjacent to this corner edge on a clamping device, whereof one acts with a horizontal force component on the article of furniture and therefore produces a torque about the axis under which the furniture or a fastening fitted thereto is forced or drawn into clamping engagement with the other clamping device, both clamping devices having clamping parts engaging below one another in form-closed manner through which the article of furniture is forced on to the base plate.

Figures 9 and 10 show a further embodiment where the article of furniture 6, constituted by a table, is fixed to the base plate 5. The table leg has a supporting strut 36 resting on base plate 5 perpendi cular to the peripheral wall 3 and whose one end is arranged on the latter, whilst a transverse strut 42 is formed on the other end. Clamping device 7 engages on the end of strut 36 adjacent to the wall. Clamping device 7 comprises a C-shaped angular rail 37 engaging round the edge of base plate 5, whose lower C-member engages below the underside of plate 5 and whose upper C-member projecting from wall 3 runs parallel and spaced to the top of plate 5, together with a clamping lever 38 formed on a lower front shoulder 43 of the end of strut 36 adjacent to the wall and which engages in the gap between the upper C-member and base plate 5.

The bottom of front shoulder 43 is chamfered, so that spaced from the end of the shoulder and on its bottom a supporting edge 12 running perpendicular to the supporting strut is formed by means of which strut 36 engages on base plate 5. Clamping lever 38 is in the form of a clamping projection between supporting edge 12 and the end face of front shoulder 43, whilst projecting above the top thereof, so that the lever axis of lever 38 is formed by supporting edge 12. The height between the top of clamping projection 38 and the bottom of the supporting strut is somewhat greater than the internal diameter of the gap between the upper C-member of angular rail 37 and the top of base plate 5, so that the clamping projection grips on the bottom of the upper C-member when the entire length of strut 36 rests on the base plate.Due to the chamfer on the bottom of front shoulder 43 and the formation of clamping lever 38 as a narrow projection projecting upwards over the top of the shoulder the inclined strut 36 can be introduced into the gap between angular rail 37 and the base plate and then pivoted againstthe latter about supporting edge 12, so that there is then clamping engagement between clamping lever 35 and angular rail 37.

The clamping engagement is maintained by the clamping device 2 engaging on the supporting strut 36 spaced from the free end thereof and presses it against the top of base plate 5. Clamping device 2 is formed on a shackle 39 which overlaps the supporting strut 36 and whose two members project downwards on either side of strut 36. An obliquely bent clamping lever 8 is formed on each of the lower ends of the shackle members, cf. Figure 2 and engages in a slot 16 running parallel to wall 3, so that it engages below the clamping plate 15 formed at one slot edge. A hand screw 33 is screwed through the shackle web and its lower end engages on the top of the supporting strut 36 and, whilst forcing down strut 36, bring the inclined surface of clamping lever 8 into clamping engagement with the clamping edge on the bottom of clamping plate 15.

At least one of the shackle members has a vertically directed elongated hole 40 in which engages a pin 41 projecting from the corresponding side of supporting strut 36, so that the shackle 39 is vertically guided and can be pivoted about pin 41 after loosening hand screw 33 until the clamping lever comes free from clamping plate 15. It is obvious that in place of the elongated hole guide 40, 41, shackle 39 could also be pivoted e.g. about pin 41 and hand screw 33 could act on a corresponding lever arm with respect to the pivot pin, so that in accordance with the embodiment of the clamping device 2 of Figure 6 clamping lever 8 could be brought into clamping engagement with clamping plate 15 by pivoting instead of by sliding.

It is also possible to guide the shackle 39 along the supporting strut 36 in a freely displaceable manner, so that it can be adjusted in accordance with the distance of clamping plate 15from the peripheral wall 3. It is also clear that the embodiment of Figure 9 and 10 is also suitable for a box-like article of furniture having on the bottom a supporting strut corresponding to strut 36. In addition, the embodiment Figures 9 and 10 can also be used for fixing an article of furniture to the peripheral wall 3 instead of to base plate 5.

It is also possible to incorporate into the embodiment of Figures 9 and 10 spring buffers corresponding to the spring ledges 35 and 26 of Figure 2 or 11 of Figure 5. Such a spring buffer can also be provided on the bottom of the upper C-member of angular rail 37 or clamping projection 38 can be constructed in a resiliently deformable manner.

The embodiment of Figure 11 corresponds to that of Figure 2 except for the absence of the spring buffers 25,26 and a modification of the clamping device 2 arranged in the vicinity of the rear upper edge of the article of furniture running parallel to the.

peripheral wall 3. According to Figure 11 clamping device 2 comprises a clamping ledge 40 in the form of a round bar, which is parallel and spaced with respect to the peripheral wall 3 and is secured to the latter, together with a two-armed clamping lever 41, 42 pivotably supported on furniture 6 about a pivot pin running parallel to clamping ledge 40. Lever arm 41 cooperating with clamping ledge 40 is constructed with a hook-like bend, so that its upwardly projecting, free hook member can be pivoted behind the clamping ledge 40 until lever arm 41 engages on the bottom of clamping ledge 40. The other lever arm 42 of the clamping lever can be bent out resiliently and locked beneath a stop member 43 fixed to furniture 6. Thus, the clamping lever with its lever arm 42 is pressed against the bottom of clamping ledge 40.The reactive force 44 exerted by the clamping ledge 49 on clamping lever 41,42 fixed to stop member 43 is transmitted to furniture 6 in accordance with arrow 45 by the said lever via pivot pin 27 pivoted on furniture 6 as close as possible to the back thereof. As a result the rear lower edge 47 of furniture 6 is pressed downwards on to base plate 5.

Due to the force 29 with which the clamping ledge 40 acts on the free hook member of lever 41 and consequently via pivot pin 27 on furniture 6 and by the force 46 with which the lever arm 42 is pressed under stop member 43 fixed to the furniture, a tilting movement is formed around the rear lower edge 47 of furniture 6, which consequently acts as a lever axis for securing the other clamping device 7 located on the front lower edge of furniture 6.

Stop member 43 is a projection past which the lever arm 42 can be frontally moved on locking the clamping device 2 by the resilient lateral bending out of lever arm 42, so that the latter is hooked under stop member 43. A spring buffer in the form of a disc plate 48 is placed on pivot pin 27 immediately alongside the clamping lever 41,42 and under the clamping force 29 plate 48 resiliently engages on the front of clamping ledge 40.

Additionally or alternatively to the resilient construction of clamping lever 41,42 clamping ledge 40 and/or pivot pin 27 can be constructed resiliently in order to produce the force 45 which presses the furniture 6 downwards. Clamping device 2 is arranged close to one side wall of furniture 6. On its other sidewall a second clamping device 2 is provided, whose clamping lever is fixed to the pivot pin 27 extending over the width of furniture 6, so that both clamping devices 2 are coupled via the pivot pin and can be jointly locked and unlocked. Optionally the lever arm 42 of the clamping lever and the stop member 43 can be omitted at one of clamping devices 2.

Claims

1. A rapid fastening mechanism for the manually disconnectable securing of articles of furniture in the transportation space of a transportation vehicle, particularly of a minibus, dormobile (Registered Trade Mark) or repair shop truck, with at least two spaced clamping devices, having in each case two interengaging clamping parts which can be clamped together, whereof one clamping part is provided on the article of furniture and the other clamping part on a base plate or peripheral wall of the transportation space, wherein the clamping devices for clamping together the clamping parts of one clamping device cooperate under the clamping force of the other, manually operable clamping device transmitted thereto by the article of furniture.

2. A rapid fastening mechanism according to Claim 1, wherein one clamping device has a clamping lever fixed to the article of furniture, whose lever axis is formed by a supporting edge supporting the article of furniture on the base plate or peripheral wall and for producing a tilting moment about the supporting edge transmitted to the clamping lever the other clamping device is spaced from said supporting edge.

3. A rapid fastening mechanism according to Claim 1, wherein the clamping devices engage on the article of furniture in the vicinity of a lower edge and an upper edge thereof.

4. A rapid fastening mechanism according to Claim 2, wherein the clamping lever with its clamping face is inclined and engages below or behind a clamping edge of a clamping plate arranged in cantilevered manner on the base plate or peripheral wall.

5. A rapid fastening mechanism according to Claim 4, wherein the clamping plate is constructed as a rail projecting from the edge of a slot formed in the base plate or the peripheral wall.

6. A rapid fastening mechanism according to Claim 5, wherein the clamping lever is constructed as a shackle projecting from the front or lateral lower edge of the article of furniture and at an acute angle to the base plate or peripheral wall.

7. A rapid fastening mechanism according to Claim 1, wherein the manually operable clamping device has an adjustable latch.

8. A rapid fastening mechanism according to Claim 7, wherein the clamping device having the adjustable latch has as the clamping part cooperating therewith a round bar behind which engages the latch.

9. A rapid fastening mechanism according to Claim 8, wherein the round bar is fixed in spaced manner with respect to the peripheral wall and on its side facing the peripheral wall the article of furniture has a recess receiving the round bar.

10. A rapid fastening mechanism according to Claim 7, wherein the latch is constructed as a double pivot latch, whose latch members are coupled to permit the joint operation thereof.

11. A rapid fastening mechanism according to Claim 1, wherein the clamping parts of at least one of the clamping mechanisms are pressed against one another by means of a spring buffer made from elastically resilient strip or plate material.

12. Arapidfastening mechanism according to Claims 9 and 11, wherein the spring buffer engages on the round bar on the side thereof remote from the latch.

13. A rapid fastening mechanism according to Claims 5 and 11, wherein the spring buffer in the form of a ledge is arranged on the slot edge facing the rail.

14. A rapid fastening mechanism according to Claim 2, wherein the clamping lever of one clamping device is constructed at the free end of the supporting strut of the article of furniture and engages below an angular rail, whilst spaced from the clamping lever as shackle which overlaps the supporting strut is provided and a clamping part of the other clamping device is formed on its shackle members.

15. A rapid fastening mechanism according to Claims 2 and 3, wherein the clamping devices engage on the article of furniture in the vicinity of its front lower edge and its rear upper edge, the clamping device arranged in the vicinity of the rear upper edge has as its one clamping part a twoarmed clamping lever supported on the furniture so as to be pivotable about a pivot pin parallel to the upper edge, whilst its other clamping part is a clamping ledge running in spaced manner along the adjacent peripheral wall and wherein in its locking position the clamping lever engages by its one lever arm in gripping manner on the back of the clamping ledge and can be pressed against the bottom of the latter by means of a stop member supported on the furniture and on which the other lever arm can be locked.

16. A rapid fastening mechanism according to Claims 11 and 15 wherein the spring buffer resiliently engages on the front of the clamping ledge in the form of a ring disc placed on the pivot pin of the clamping lever so as to be rotatable therewith.

17. A rapid fastening mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.