GB2090799A - Post assembly for a vehicle body of the tilt type - Google Patents

Abstract

The post assembly for use as a side intermediate support, comprises: a post to act as an upright load- bearing member of the frame to support cant-rail 4a; suspension means 37, 42 for the post adjustable so that in one disposition the post does not support the cant-rail but is suspended from the suspension means and can be moved with respect to the frame to facilitate loading and/or unloading of the vehicle, and in another disposition it supports the cant-rail, and retention means (spigots 35, (45)) to retain the post in an upright position at a predetermined location with respect to the frame. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to post assemblies for use with vehicle bodies This invention relates to post assemblies for use with vehicle bodies, in particular road vehicle bodies of the tilt type. Vehicle bodies with which post assemblies of the invention can be used are, for example, rigid chassis cabs, articulated flat bed trailers, draw-bar trailers and step-frame trailers.

Vehicle bodies of the tilt type normally comprise four fixed vertical posts, (normally located at the corners of the body) and a roof framework defining a rectangular outline, have a flexible covering sheet to fit over the rectangular outline to protect the load, and have intermediate, vertically-extending posts spaced apart along each side of the body to subdivide the assembly and provide additional support, thereby forming a series of entry bays through which loading and unloading may be carried out.

The intermediate posts provide attachment points for load retention members used to close off the bays and retain the load, and conventional practice is to use a series of spaced-apart, detachable struts of wood or metal attached between adjacent intermediate posts and between end intermediate posts and the adjacent corner side post. When unobstructed access is required to the vehicle interior the intermediate posts are detached and lifted down clear of the vehicle. However, this practice is inconvenient and time-consuming and there is a need for a more suitable arrangement.

Vehicle bodies which obviate the disadvantage referred to above are described and claimed in our Specification 80 1051 5. The present invention provides post assemblies suitable for use in the vehicle bodies of that Specification.

The present invention provides a post assembly for use in the frame of a vehicle body, said assembly comprising: a post for use as an upright load-bearing member of said frame to support an overhead longitudinally-extending member of the frame; suspension means for the post, said suspension means being adjustable so that in one disposition the post does not support said overhead member, is suspended from the suspension means and can be moved with respect to the frame to facilitate loading and/ or unloading of the vehicle, and in another disposition the post Supports said overhead member with respect to a rave member of the vehicle body; and retention means to retain the post in an upright position at a predetermined location with respect to the frame.

The invention is of particular value where the vehicle body is of the TIR tilt type, and it is with particular reference to such vehicle bodies that the description hereinafter particularly relates.

The suspension means for the post conveniently comprises a roller or other wheel adapted to run on a track carried by or constituted by an overhead horizontal member of said frame, for example a trolley having at least one pair of wheels and providing an attachment member by means of which the post can be attached to the trolley. In one form of the invention the suspension means includes a flexible link to facilitate movement of the post. The flexible link can be, for example a link of textile material, for example a polyester material. In a preferred form of the invention the link is an endless loop of textile material suspended from the trolley or other wheeled means and enveloping a support member which is a part of, or carried by, the post of the post assembly.The support member is conveniently mounted inside the post (where the latter is hollow), and can, for example, be a bar or other elongated support extending across the post.

Where the trolley has one or more pairs of wheels running along a pair of spaced apart tracks, one means of suspending the flexible link from the trolley is by use of a trolley having a plate or other structure centrally disposed between the tracks and having a slot or other suspension means for the flexible link, preferably such that the link is captive within it.

Preferably the post assembly may be locked into a fixed position along the vehicle side.

The locking means may be provided at the attachment to the cant rail and in addition a second locking means may be provided at the lower end of the post of the post assembly.

The second locking means may be provided by means of a pocket in the edge of the flat bed of the body and a co-operating spigot or bolt at the end of the post.

The upper locking means may comprise a pocket or socket formed in or attached to the cant rail and a vertically projecting plate or other spigot attached to the top of the post, which is moved upwards to engage the socket or pocket and prevent longitudinal movement of the post assembly. Preferably the spigot is rigidly attached to the post and engagement is effected by vertically lifting the post and maintained by engaging the lower end of the post on the bed of the body.

The suspension of the post is preferably by means of a railway type system such as a roller hanger and a support rail or track, on which the roller hanger runs. The support rail may be attached to the cant rail or be formed integrally with the cant rail and in a preferred embodiment the cant rail carries a rail shaped in cross section so as to provide an internal track and the roller hanger is retained within the rail.

In most applications more than one post assembly is used to subdivide the side of the vehicle into a series of bays. To obtain full open access to the side of the vehicle all the post assemblies are unlocked and slid to one end of the body. Following loading, the post assemblies are slid back to their respective positions, locked in place, the load retention means are positioned between the post assemblies (or between post assembly and adjacent corner post) and then the flexible cover is fastened over the entire body.

Inter-connecting members may be provided between successive post assemblies to assist and speed the moving and repositioning operations. Suitable members are lengths of cord or rope each length being such that the post assemblies all become correctly spaced for locking when the end post assembly is pulled along the body into its place. A cord system may be provided in the manner of curtains to assist in moving the post assemblies to one end for unloading.

Preferably the inter-connecting members form in addition load retention members between the post assemblies (or between post assembly and adjacent corner post). Such an arrangement may comprise a vertically spaced apart series of horizontally extending flexible straps or cords each of which is connected at either end to a post assembly or corner post.

Thus when the post assemblies ate spaced apart and locked the horizontal straps are straightened and form a series of bars across the bays. Buckles, turnbuckles or other tensioning means may be provided to allow better tensioning of the members. It is preferred also to utilise vertical flexible straps which may be woven between the horizontal straps.

The strap cross-over points may be connected for example by stitching.

The flexible straps are preferably of strip material and a suitable material is the polyester webbing used for vehicle seat belts. The material is preferably a low elongation material to provide effective load retention.

The horizontal straps or strips may, for example, each be directly attached to the post of the post assemblies or corner posts or may be attached to rigid vertical connecting struts which themselves are attached to those posts.

This construction simplifies the attachment and allows ready changes of the load retention system to replace damaged sections or to change the spacing of the post assemblies for use with alternative loads.

In the case of a load retention system using vertical strips to form a mesh vertical tensioning may also be provided. One method of providing this is to have tensioning means from the lower edge of the mesh to the bed of the body or to the dropside of the body.

Additional support for the mesh at the top edge may be obtained by means of additional rollers on the track in the cant rail each of which is attached to an extension of the mesh.

There is now described, by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, an articulated vehicle body of the TIR tilt type equipped with post assemblies of the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the vehicle body; Figure 2 is, on an enlarged scale, an elevation of the suspension of one of the post assemblies of Fig. 1; Figure 3 corresponds to Fig. 2 but shows the post assembly in a raised, locked position; and Figure 4 is a cross section on the line IV-IV of Fig. 2 showing the post assembly in a lowered, unlocked position.

Figures 5 to 8 show a post used, by way of example, in the post assembly described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the post 6a of post assembly 6 as seen from the outside of the vehicle body; Figure 6 is an elevation, on an enlarged scale, showing the bottom portion of the post; Figure 7 is an elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the top portion of the post of Fig. 5 as seen from the inside of the vehicle body; Figure 8 is an elevation of the top portion of the post as seen from direction X in Fig. 7; Figures 9, 10 and 11 show- respectively three other load retention means alternative to that shown in Fig. 1; and Figures 12, 13 and 14 show a second embodiment of the invention using a post assembly different from that of the first embodiment.

The vehicle body of Fig. 1 comprises a flat bed 1 with running gear. An upstanding, vertical corner post is mounted at each corner of the bed (only two posts 2 and 3 being shown in Fig. 1) and a hollow cant rail 4a extends between the posts 2 and 3 to define the top edge of the body. The side shown of the body is subdivided into five bays by four vertically extending post assemblies 4, 5, 6 and 7. Dropsides 8 are provided between adjacent post assemblies or between an end post assembly and a corner post, respectively, each of the post assemblies being mounted so that when the dropside is lowered the drop side swings down clear of the frames. Each of the post assemblies 4, 5, 6 and 7 is suspended from the cant rail 4a such that it can be slid along the rail as is described below with reference to post assembly 6.

Referring to Fig. 1 the load retention means is a mesh 18 comprising interwoven strips of seat belt polyester webbing provided in each of the bays. The mesh 18 can be tensioned, when the post assemblies are all locked in place, by the buckles 1 9 provided at the rear of the body to allow an operator correctly to tension the load retention meshes 1 8. The meshes 18 are of a height such that they come to the top edge of the dropsides, but in the case of a body without dropsides the load retaining meshes 18 may extend down to the bed of the body.

Post assembly 6 comprises an elongate steel post 6 a having a hollow rectangular cross-section and formed from a length of channel steel 30 (Fig. 4) having a C-shaped cross-section closed by an elongate steel plate 31 welded to it, the plate providing the face of the post intended to face inwardly of the vehicle body. This plate does not extend as far as the upper end of the channel steel, thereby providing in the upper portion of post 6 a rectangular cut-out or recess 32 (Fig. 7).

Along the edges of recess 32 extend two like flanges 33 each extending from the upper end of the support and along the vertical edges of the recess 32. The upper portion of the post has disposed between opposed sides thereof a horizontal bolt, washer and selflocking nut assembly 34 the purpose of which is described below. A vertically directed spigot plate 35 is carried by the outer edge of the flanges 33.

The cant rail 4a comprises an outer rail 4b of G-shaped cross-section which has attached thereto, for example by welding, an inner rail 4e of inverted U-shaped cross-section whose edges are shaped inwardly and upwardly as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 to form a pair of rail tracks 36. These rail tracks carry a trolley 37 comprising two like wheels 38 mounted, by way of a bush (not shown) in the upper portion of a plate 39 of a generally truncated triangular shape, the wheels being spaced apart from the plate by two like spacer tubes 40 which are mounted on the bush. The lower portion of the truncated triangular plate has a borizontal elongated slot 41 which carries an endless loop 42 of flexible material, for example woven polyester fibre.Besides passing through the slot this endless loop passes round the bolt of assembly 34, and thereby provides a means by which the post 6a can be suspended from the cant rail 4a.

The cant rail has attached thereto, for example by welding, a rectangular recessed member 43 providing a downwardly facing recess or socket 44 to accommodate the spigot plate 35.

Referring to Figs. 5 to 8, Fig. 5 shows the post 6awhich is provided at its lower end with a retractable spigot 45 for engagement with a socket welded to the side rave. Referring to Fig. 6, the lower portion of the post has welded thereto a steel plate 46 which provides a stop for dropsides 8; and said lower portion has formed therein an elongate slot 47 disposed longitudinally of the post, and adjacent the upper end of the slot the post carries a pin 48 for engagement with a shoulder 49 formed in the upper portion of the spigot 45, whose purpose is to prevent the spigot from accidentally sliding out completely from the post. Shoulder 49 forms one end of a recess 50 in the spigot to accommodate sliding motion of the spigot with respect to the pin 48.The spigot has formed therein a diametrically disposed circular hole 51 housing a circular pin (not shown) having a length somewhat greater than the respective external width of the post, said pin providing a lifting handle for the spigot 45.

Operation of the post assembly described above can be as follows: Figs. 1 and 3 relate to the dispostion of post assembly 6 and the other post assemblies in their operative, locked, load-supporting positions. With particular reference to post 6a, the spigot 45 is in a locked position in the respective spigot socket. In this position the post supports cant rail 4a, and the post is in consequence under compressive force between the cant rail and the bed of the vehicle.

The endless loop flexible support 42 suspended from the elongated slot hangs loosely around the bolt inside the post and the spigot post 35 is in engagement with the socket 44.

If it is then wished to load or unload the vehicle, post assembly 6 can be moved away from its operative, locked position as follows.

The spigot 45 is raised by means of the pin handle inside post 6a so as to disengage from the socket, and the lower part of the post can then be pulled outwardly with respect of the vehicle body until it is clear of the socket housing; and the post is then lowered until the bolt of assembly 34 engages the flexible loop 42 which then supports the weight of the post. The post assembly can then be drawn sideways drawing with it the trolley 37 on its tracks 36 until the post assembly comes into a position adjacent a corner post or one of the other post assemblies as the case may be.

Owing to the flexible nature of the loop, movement of post assembly 6 outwards or sidewards with respect to the vehicle body, or even twisting the assembly, is accommodated by the flexibility of the loop and does not normally result in the trolley being displaced or misaligned on its track. Consequently the trolley is free to move along the track almost irrespective of the way in which the post assembly is handled during its movement along the side of the vehicle.

When the loading or unloading of the vehicle has been completed the post assembly can be restored to its operative, locked position by pulling it back so that the trolley returns along the track, and when the post assembly has been drawn back as far as the respective socket carried by the side rave the post 6 a is lifted manually, thereby disengaging the bolt from the flexible loop, the spigot plate 35 is engaged with its socket 44 and the upper end of post 6 a engages the underside of cant rail 4a. Post 6a is then manually pushed upwards against the cant rail until the bottom end of the post can be brought into position over the side rave socket and the spigot 45 moved downwardly so as to engage the socket.

It will be appreciated that, in the embodiment described with reference to the drawings, the trolley is normally not lifted from its track by upward movement of the post 6a However, the invention is not limited to the use of a flexible link which is not capable of transmitting compressive force, and if the flexible link is of a material capable of transmitting such a force it is possible that the trolley might be lifted from the track by upward movement of post 6 a Three alternative load retention means are shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11 respectively. In Fig. 9 said means comprises a series of horizontal straps or other elongated members 20 extending between two adjacent post assemblies 21 or between a post assembly and a corner post.

In Fig. 10 a mesh or a series of horizontal straps or other elongated members attached to and extending between two rigid rods or bars 22 each of which is suspended on a wheel or other runner from the cant rail 4a and each of which is fastened by fasteners to the adjacent vertical member (post assembly or corner post as the case may be).

In Fig. 11 the load retention means comprises a mesh of straps or other elongated members, of which four of the vertical straps 23 extend upwardly beyond the upper margin of the mesh each of the extensions being suspended on a wheel or other runner from the cant rail 4a The lower margin of the mesh is attached to the top edge of the body dropside 8 by tensioning fixings 24.

The straps or other elongated members of the embodiments of Figs. 9, 10 and 11 can, for example, be of polyester seat belt material or other low extension textile material.

As will be understood, alternative means may be used for slidably mounting the post assemblies for locking and for load retention.

Furthermore, materials other than seat belt material may be used between the post assemblies.

Claims (12)

1. A post assembly for use in the frame of a vehicle body, said assembly comprising: a post for use as an upright load-bearing member of said frame to support an overhead longitudinally-extending member of the frame; suspension means for the post, said suspension means being adjustable so that in one disposition the post does not support said overhead member, is suspended from the suspension means and can be moved with respect to the frame to facilitate loading and/or unloading of the vehicle, and in another disposition the post supports said overhead memberwith respect to a rave member of the vehicle body; and retention means to retain the post in an upright position at a predetermined location with respect to the frame.

2. A post assembly according to Claim 1, in which said suspension means comprises a roller or other wheel adapted to run on a track carried by or constituted by an overhead horizontal member of said frame.

3. A post assembly according to Claim 1 or 2, in which said suspension means is a trolley having at least one pair of wheels and providing an attachment member by means of which the post can be attached to the trolley.

4. A post assembly according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the suspension means includes a flexible link to facilitate movement of the post.

5. A post assembly according to Claim 4, in which the flexible link comprises a strap of high tensile strength textile material.

6. A post assembly according to Claim 5 as dependent from Claim 3, in which disposition of the strap is such that the post can be lifted to disengage the lower portion of the post from the vehicle body without the trolley being lifted from its track.

7. A post assembly according to Claim 6, in which the strap is in the form of a loop captive in a slot in the attachment member and passing around a support disposed transversely in the upper portion of the post.

8. A post assembly according to any of the preceding claims, in which said retention means comprises a member carried by the upper portion of the post for engagement with an overhead engagement means.

9. A post assembly according to Claim 8, in which the retention means comprises an upstanding spigot and the engagement means comprises a downwardly-facing socket in the region of the overhead guide.

A post assembly according to any of the preceding claims, in which the retention means comprises a spigot carried by the lower portion of the post for engagement with a recess in the frame or other part of the vehicle body.

11. A post assembly according to Claim 1, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

12. A post assembly substantially as described herein and substantially as shown in Figs. 2 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

1 3. A post assembly substantially as described herein and substantially as shown in Figs. 1 2 to 14 of the accompanying drawings.