GB2105660A - Fold-away canopy for a road transport vehicle e.g. pick-up truck - Google Patents

Abstract

The canopy (1) comprises at least two upstanding, sheet-material- supporting inverted-U-shaped ribs (11-13) for spanning the vehicle floor and which are connected together along each side of the vehicle by hinged links (14-17). The foremost rib (11) is fixed at the forward end of the floor (4) and the remaining rib or ribs (12, 13) carry runners (22, 23) which are supported by rails (9, (10)) along each side of the vehicle floor to enable the ribs (11-13) and hinged links (14-17) to be moved towards and away from each other in concertina fashion. The ribs (11-13) are lockable in fully spaced apart positions by first locking means (18) which lock the hinged links (14-17) in extended positions and second locking means (24-29) which lock the runners (22, 23) against movement along the rails (9, 10). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Fold away canopy for a road transport vehicle This invention relates to a fold away canopy for a road transport vehicle having a floor to be covered, for example the floor of a pick-up truck or other open-backed work vehicle.

According to the invention a fold away canopy for a road transport vehicle having a floor to be covered comprises a rail fixed longitudinally along each side of the floor, at least two substantially inverted-U-shaped ribs each disposed in a substantially vertical piane and adapted transversely to span the said floor, the foremost rib being fixed at the forward end of said floor and the remaining rib or ribs having upstanding limbs carrying runner members at their free, lower ends which are supported by said rails for guiding the said remaining rib or ribs during longitudinal movement over said floor, hinged link means along each side of the vehicle connecting upper portions of the upstanding limbs of the or each pair of adjacent ribs and being foldable between collapsed and extended positions, the ribs, when all the link means are in their extended positions, being longitudinally spaced apart in operative positions over said floor with the rearmost rib being positioned at the rearward end of the floor, and the ribs, when all the link means are in their .collapsed positions, being concertinaed together at the forward end of the floor in inoperative positions, first locking means for releasably locking each link means in its extended position, second locking means coacting with said runner means for releasably locking each runner means against movement along its associated rail when -the associated rib is in its operative position, and flexible protective sheet material adapted to be supported by said ribs, when the latter are in their operative positions, for covering said floor.

Preferably each rail is of channel-section comprising a pair of spaced apart upstanding flange portions connected by a connecting web portion. The free edge of each flange portion may be turned inwardly to prevent the roller means, which run inside the channel-section rails, from being withdrawn vertically from the rails.

Conveniently said second locking means comprises a plurality of aligned pairs of apertures in the spaced-apart flange portions of each rail, and removable locking members insertable into the different pairs of apertures.

Each link means may consist of a pair of elongate links pivotally connected together at adjacent ends and pivotally connected at their opposite ends to adjacent ribs, the pivotal connections of each link means being pivotable about parallel, at least substantially horizontal, pivoting axes. Conveniently the said adjacent ends of each pair of elongate links of each link means are pivotally connected together by means of a nut, e.g. a wing nut, and bolt constituting the said first locking means. In this case the nuts may be tightenable to retain the hinged link means in their collapsed or extended positions or loosenable to enable movement of the hinged link means between their collapsed and extended positions.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 and 2 are side views of a fold away canopy according to the invention showing ribs, respectively, longitudinally spaced apart above a road vehicle floor in operative positions and concertinaed together in inoperative positions at the front end of the road vehicle floor, Figure 3 is a detail, on an enlarged scale, of part of the fold away canopy shown in Figure 2, and Figure 4 is a view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line lV-lV of Figure 2.

Figures 1 to 4 show a fold away canopy, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, mounted at the back of a pick-up truck 2 having a front driver's cab 3, a rear, longitudinally extending floor 4 to be covered, a pair of upstanding side walls 5, 6 extending along opposite sides of the floor 4 and an end wall comprising end wall portions 7a and 7b.

The canopy 1 consists of a flexible sheet covering material (not shown), e.g. canvas material, and a supporting framework. The supporting framework comprises channel-shaped galvanised steel rails 9 and 10 adjustably fixed to the upper edges of the side walls 5 and 6, respectively, three vertically disposed inverted-Ushaped steel ribs 11, 12 and 13 each transversely spanning the floor 4, and hinged steel links 14 to 17 linking, along each side of the truck 2, the ribs 11, 12 and 13. The ribs 1 1 to 13 are similarly shaped with rib 11 being fixed at the front end of the floor 4 immediately behind the driver's cab 3.

With particular reference to the rib 13 shown in Figure 4, each rib consists of a pair of spacedapart upstanding limbs 1 3a, 1 3b and a bridging portion 1 3c connecting the upper ends of the limbs 1 3a and 1 3b. Although only one set of links 14 to 17, linking upper parts of the limbs of the ribs 11 to 13 along one side of the vehicle 2, is shown in Figures 1 and 2, it will be appreciated that another set of links is provided (see Figure 4) for connecting the upper parts of the other limbs of the ribs 11 to 13 along the other side of the vehicle 2. Typicaily the ribs 11 to 13 are formed from 30 mm diameter steel bars and the links 14 to 17 are made of 30 mmx 6 mm steel bars.

Along each side of the vehicle, the links 14 and 15 are hinged together about an at least substantially horizontal first pivot 1 8 to provide a first hinged linking element 1 9 pivotally connected at its opposite ends to the ribs 11 and 12 and the links 16 and 1 7 are hinged together about an at least substantially horizontal second pivot 20 to provide a second hinged linking element 21 pivotally connected at its opposite ends to the ribs 12 and 13. Each pivot 18 and 20 suitably comprises a bolt having a wing nut (not shown) thereon.The wing nuts are either tightenable to secure the linking elements 19 and 21 in their extended positions (as shown in Figure 1) or in their hinged or collapsed positions (as shown in Figure 2), or are loosenable to permit the ribs 12 and 1 3 to be moved towards and away from the fixed rib 11 between longitudinally spaced-apart operative positions of the ribs 11 to 13 (see Figure 1) or concertinaed, inoperative positions of the ribs 11 to 13 (see Figure 2). When the ribs 11 to 1 3 are in their operative positions, the rib 1 3 is positioned at the rear end of the floor 4, the rib 11 is positioned at the front end of the floor 4, and the rib 12 is positioned substantially mid-way between the ends of the floor.

Roller means 22 and 23 are mounted at the lower ends of the limbs of each of the ribs 12 and 13, respectively, and are received in the channelshaped rails 9 and 10. Conveniently each roller means comprises a pair of plastics, e.g. PVC, rollers mounted on a carrier. As can be seen in Figure 4, each rail 9 (10) has a pair of spaced apart upstanding flanges 9a and 9b (1 0a and 1 Ob) connected together by a web portion 9c (10c).

The free upper edges of the flanges 9a and 9b (1 Oa and 1 Ob) are turned inwardly to prevent the roller means 22 and 23 from being withdrawn upwardly from the rails 9 and 10 whilst allowing the roller means 22-and 23 to be longitudinally guided during concertina movement of the ribs 12 and 13 above the floor 4.

The two flanges 9a, 9b (1 0a, 1 Oh) of each rail 9 (10) are provided with a series of aligned pairs of apertures 24 to 28 along the length of the rail. In Figures 1 and 2 only one aperture of each pair of apertures 24 to 28 can be seen - i.e. the apertures 24 to 28 formed in flange 9a of the rail 9.

As can be seen in Figure 1, when the linking elements 19 and 21 are in their extended positions, the pairs of apertures 25 and 26 are positioned on either side of the roller means 22 and the pairs of apertures 27 and 28 are positioned on either side of the roller means 23.

Removable locking pins (not shown), e.g. ring-pull bolts, are insertable into the aligned pairs of apertures 25 to 28 to anchor the bases of the ribs 12 and 13 when the ribs are in their spaced-apart operative positions.

As can be seen in Figure 2, the pair of apertures 24 is positioned immediately behind roller means 23 when the ribs 11 to 13 are in the concertinaed, inoperative positions. A removable locking pin 29, e.g. a ring-pull bolt, is insertable into the aligned pair of apertures 24 to prevent rearward movement of the roller means 22 and 23 along the rails 9 and 10. Straps 30 and 31 (shown in dashed lines in Figure 2) may be provided to retain the flexible covering material (not shown) in position over the ribs and to prevent it from flapping during use of the truck 2 when the ribs are concertinaed together in their inoperative positions.

It will be appreciated that the fold away canopy 1 hereinbefore described can remain fitted to the truck 2 at all times. If not required to be used as a covered canopy, the ribs 11 to 13 can be concertinaed together at the back of the cab 3 with the flexible sheet covering material still in position over the ribs. The canopy 1 can be folded away or returned to its operative covering position in the space of only one or two minutes.

When the canopy is in use, the flexible covering material extends down on each side of the truck 2 to the level 32 indicated in chain lines in Figure 4.

Fixing lugs 33 are provided on the side of the truck 2 for releasably securing the lower side edges of the covering material to the sides of the truck 2.

Claims (8)

1. A fold away canopy for a road transport vehicle having a floor to be covered comprises a rail fixed longitudinally along each side of the floor, at least two substantially inverted-U-shaped ribs each disposed in a substantially vertical plane and adapted transversely to span the said floor, the foremost rib being fixed at the forward end of said floor and the remaining rib or ribs having upstanding limbs carrying runner means at their free, lower ends which are supported by said rails for guiding the said remaining rib or ribs during longitudinal movement over said floor, hinged link means along each side of the vehicle connecting upper portions of the upstanding limbs of the or each pair of adjacent ribs and being foldable between collapsed and extended positions, the ribs, when all the link means are in their extended positions, being longitudinally spaced apart in operative positions over said floor with the rearmost rib being positioned at the rearward end of the floor, and the ribs, when ali the link means are in their collapsed positions, being concertinaed together at the forward end of the floor in inoperative positions, first locking means for releasably locking each link means in its extended position, second locking means coacting with said runner means for releasably locking each runner means against movement along its associated rail when the associated rib is in its operative position, and flexible protective sheet material adapted to be supported by said ribs, when the latter are in their operative positions, for covering said floor.

2. A fold away canopy according to claim 1, in which each rail is of channel-section comprising a pair of spaced apart upstanding flange portions connected by a connecting web portion.

3. A fold away canopy according to claim 2, in which the free edge of each flange portion is turned inwardly to prevent the roller means, which run inside the channel-section rails, from being withdrawn vertically from the rails.

4. A fold away canopy according to claim 2 or 3, in which said second locking means comprises a plurality of aligned pairs of apertures in the spaced-apart flange portions of each rail, and removable locking members insertable into the different pairs of apertures.

5. A fold away canopy according to any of the preceding claims, in which each link means consists of a pair of elongate links pivotally connected together at adjacent ends and pivotally connected at their opposite ends to adjacent ribs, the pivotal connections of each link means being pivotable about parallel, at least substantially horizontal, pivoting axes.

6. A fold away canopy according to claim 5, in which the said adjacent ends of each pair of elongate links of each link means are pivotally connected together by means of a nut, e.g. a wing nut, and bolt constituting the said first locking means.

7. A fold away canopy for a road transport vehicle, the canopy being constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

8. A road transport vehicle fitted with a fold away canopy according to any of the preceding claims.