GB2133355A

GB2133355A - A vehicle partition

Info

Publication number: GB2133355A
Application number: GB08235892A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Vernon Lee; David Kenneth Parry
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-12-16
Filing date: 1982-12-16
Publication date: 1984-07-25
Also published as: GB2133355B

Abstract

A partition for separating a passenger compartment and a load compartment of a commercial vehicle has spigots which cooperate with female members or sockets mounted in the vehicle; the partition can thereby readily be removed to provide access between the compartments, either in an emergency or to gain access to the load, simply by pushing from the passenger compartment side, and can be easily erected, to contain the load, by pressure, from the load compartment side.

Description

SPECIFICATION A partition Technical Field of the Invention The invention relates to a partition, particularly a partition which might be used to separate passenger and load-carrying compartments of a commercial vehicle.

Background Art In commercial vehicles there is either no partition between said compartments, so that a load can move and come into contact with the driver and/or passenger(s) or affect the controls by say jamming under pedals or hand brake, or there is a fixed partition which, in an emergency, is virtually impossible to remove, so making it difficult for an occupant of the passenger compartment to seek refuge in the load-carrying compartment, to gain access to the load-carrying compartment should the loading/unloading access such as rear doors become blocked, or to effect change over of the partition from one vehicle to another.

Disclosure of the Invention It is an object of the invention to seek to mitigate these disadvantages of the prior art.

According to the invention there is provided apparatus for separating a passenger compartment and a compartment for carrying loads of a commercial vehicle, comprising securing means for mounting on the vehicle and a partition with securing means which is cooperable with the first-mentioned securing means, the arrangement being such that when the firstmentioned securing means is mounted in the vehicle and the partition is offered up thereto the respective securing means engage and cooperate to secure the partition between said compartments when pressure is applied to the partition from the load compartment and when pressure is applied to the partition from the passenger compartment the respective securing means disengage to release the partition and provide access to the load compartment.

The first-mentioned securing means may be mounted on spaced frame members mounted in the vehicle and the securing means of the partition may be spaced at or adjacent opposite lateral edges thereof so that they correspond in position with the first-mentioned securing means.

The partition may comprise a relatively rigid frame supporting a relatively flexible material.

The respective securing means may comprise male and female members, for example the firstmentioned securing means may be a female member and the securing means of the partition may be a male member. This construction provides for a simple push-on, push-off releasable fastening means.

It will be understood that the invention extends to a commercial vehicle including a partition as herein defined.

Apparatus embodying the invention is hereinafter described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of Drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a partition according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the screen of Fig. 1: Fig. 3 is a transverse section through a load compartment of a commercial vehicle according to the invention looking towards the passenger compartment; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of securing means used in the apparatus of Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus 1 shown is for separating a passenger compartment and a load compartment of a commercial vehicle such as a van 2, there being securing means in the form of female members or sockets 3 for fixing in the van 2 and a partition 4 with securing means in the form of male members or spigots 5 carried by the partition which is erectable between the passenger and load compartments to form a barrier therebetween and which can readily be removed to provide access between the compartments.

The sockets 3 are mounted at intervals on two, in the embodiment shown, main frame members 6 such as wooden or steel bars which bars are secured to main strength members of the van 2 such as floor and side or top gussets 7 present in most vans.

The partition 4 comprises a relatively rigid frame for example of wood which supports a relatively flexible restraining material 9 such as wire or mesh e.g. of plastic. Alternatively the material 9 may be of wood or canvas. The spigots 5 are secured along the frame cross-members 8 as shown, spaced at suitable intervals to align with the sockets 3. The partition 4 shown covers one (vertical) half of the van 2. It could cover a horizontal part, say the lower half, or the whole of the interior if it was of a suitable cross-sectional area. Alternatively the whole of the cross-sectionai area of the van can be filled using a plurality of partitions, for example two in the embodiment shown.

In use the partition 4 is offered up to the firstmentioned securing means or sockets 3 so that the spigots 5 and sockets 3 are aligned. When pressure is applied to the partition 4 by pushing it in the longitudinal direction of the van from the load compartment the spigots 5 and sockets 3 engage with a push fit and they grip together with sufficient force that reasonable pressure from the passenger compartment side will not disengage them. On the other hand pressure from the load compartment side strengthens the connection and pushes the partition 4 against the main frame members 6. The apparatus 1 thus provides a way of separating the passenger compartment from the load compartment.Should however it be necessary to gain access to the load compartment from the passenger compartment, pushing firmly on the partition 4 from the passenger compartment in the direction of the load compartment disengages the spigots~5 and sockets 3 so that the partition is released and can be removed.

The sockets 3 may be of rubber bonded to metal and the spigots 5 may be of plastic. This provides for virtually noiseless operation and allows for twisting of a van body of mono construction without unwanted disengagement.

It will be understood that the apparatus above described and shown in the drawings may be modified. For example the spigots and sockets may be reversed, in that the sockets 3 are on the partition 4. Also the securing means 3, 5 may be replaced by any suitable means providing a positive grip on pressure in one direction and disengagement under an opposite pressure, such as a fabric like "Velcro". Also, the main cross members of the van may be used as the base for one of the securing means.

Claims

1. Apparatus for separating a passenger compartment and a compartment for carrying loads of a commercial vehicle, comprising securing means for mounting on the vehicle and a partition with securing means which is cooperable with the first-mentioned securing means, the arrangement being such that when the firstmentioned securing means is mounted in the vehicle and the partition is offered up thereto the respective securing means engage and cooperate to secure the partition between said compartments when pressure is applied to the partition from the load compartment and when pressure is applied to the partition from the passenger compartment the respective securing means disengage to release the partition and provide access to the load compartment.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, the firstmentioned securing means being mounted on spaced frame members mounted in the vehicle and the securing means of the partition being spaced at or adjacent opposite lateral edges thereof so that they correspond in position with the first-mentioned securing means.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, the partition comprising a relatively rigid frame supporting a relatively flexible material.

4. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, the respective securing means comprising male and female members.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, the firstmentioned securing means comprising a female member and the securing means of the partition comprising a male member which cooperate construction to provide a push-on, push-off releasable fastening means.

6. Apparatus for separating passenger and load-carrying compartments of a commercial vehicle, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. A commercial vehicle including apparatus according to any preceding claim.