GB2185715A - Van bodies - Google Patents

Abstract

A van body has a roof (5) supported by side pillars (6) on a load carrying floor structure (1) and a sliding curtain is provided along the side of the body. To improve access for loading etc, at least one of the pillars (6) is mounted in position so that it can be moved through an arc to an out of the way position. The pillar (6) moves inwardly into the van body as it is moved towards each of the end positions of the arc of movement. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Van bodies This invention relates to curtain-sided van bodies, for load transporting road vehicles, of the kind having a roof supported by side pillars on a load-carrying floor structure, at least one side of the body being provided with sliding curtains movable between open and closed positions.

Van bodies of this kind are often loaded from the side with the curtains at such side in the open position. In this case it can arise that the pillars are located at obstructive positions having regard to the size and shape of the articles or goods being loaded.

In order to overcome this problem itis known to use slidably mounted pillars which can be moved along the side ofthevan body as required to clearthe loading space. However, the structure required to ensure easy sliding whilst atthe sametime maintaining firm support of the roof can be relatively complicated and expensive.

An object of the present invention is to provide a simple pillar structure which provides robust and firm support yet which can be readily moved from side to side to clearthe loading space.

According to the invention therefore there is provided a curtain-sided van body of the kind having a roof supported by side pillars on a load-carrying floor structure, at least one side of the body being provided with sliding curtains movable between open and closed positions, characterised in that at least one pillar is mounted relative to the roof and the floor structure so asto be movable through an arc between opposite limit positions in each ofwhich the pillar is nearer to the pertaining van body side than is the case when the pillar is between such positions.

With this arrangement, the arcuate movement of the pillar permits convenient adjustment of its position along the side of the van body. If the pillar is obstructive in one limit position, it can be readily moved to the opposite limit position. At the same time, the arcuate movement can be achieved with a relatively simple, robust structure which permits ready movement whilst ensuring firm support for the roof.

Most preferably, the arcuate movement ofthe pillar is limited to an angle no greater than 90 .

Preferably also, the angle of movement is symmetrically disposed with regard to the van body side, i.e. so that the opposite limit positions lie on a line parallel to the van body side. In a particularly preferred embodiment,the pillar is flush with or inwardly of the van body side when in the limit positions and, to achieve this, the edge ofthe roof and/orthefloorstructure may be appropriately recessed and/or cut away to receive the pillar.

The pillar may be mounted for arcuate movement by means ozone or more pivotal links and/orone or more arcuate slide tracks at the ends of the pillar.

A locking mechanism of any suitable kind may be provided for holding the pillar in each of the limit positions.

The invention will now be described further by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure lisa diagrammatic perspective view of part of a side of a van body in accordance with one aspect of the present invention; and Figures2 and 3 are diagrammatic vertical sectional views showing a pillar of the van body in two different positions.

The drawingsshowa load-carrying curtain-side van body. The van body has a floor structure 1 mounted via a suspension on road wheels (not shown). The floor structure 1 has a rigid frame with edge members 2, inner longitudinal members 3, and innertransverse members (not shown). Wooden floor planks 4 are supported on this frame. A roof structureS is supported over the floor structure 1 by pillars 6 disposed at regular intervals along the sides of the van body and also by means of an upstanding wall structure (not shown) at the front end ofthe body. The roof structure 5 has a rigid frame with edge members 7 and inner longitudinal and transverse members 8. Along both long sides ofthe van body there are curtains hanging from slide tracks (not shown) mounted on the edge members 7 at such sides.The curtains can be drawn to coverthe van body sides, and can be drawn backto provide free access to the interior of the van body between the pillars 6, in conventional manner. The rear end of the van body may be provided with hinged doors (not shown).

The van body so far described may be adapted to be coupled to a vehicle traction unit to form an articulated load-transporting road vehicle.

Some or all ofthe abovementioned pillars 6may be movable in the manner yet to be described.The rearmost pillars, i.e. those at the rear corners ofthe van body, may be fixed whereas all of the other pillars on both sides between the front and rear ends of the van body may be movable. If desired however the rearmost pillars may also be movable.

As shown in the drawings, each movable pillar 6 comprises a rigid round tube 9 which is straight and disposed vertically throughout most of its length but is bent in the region of its upper end to form an inclined top end portion 10. At each end the tube 9 is rigidlyfixed to one end of a respective rigid pivotarm 11, 12. The other end of the top arm 11 is pivotally mounted on a flange 13 fixed to an inner member8 of the roof structure. The other end of the bottom arm 12 is pivotaily mounted on a flange 14fixedto an inner member 3 of the floor structure. The top arm 11 extends within a cut-out or recessed portion 15 beneath the adjacent side edge member 7 of the roof structure and contacts the surface of such portion 15.

Similarly, the bottom arm 12 extends within a cut-out or recessed portion 16 above the adjacent side edge member 2 of the floor structure and contacts the surfaceofsuch portion 16.

The pillar 6 can be moved through an arcuate path by pivoting of the arms 11, 12 aboutthe pivotjoints on the flanges 13, 14, which joints have mutually aligned vertical pivot axes. The arcuate path has two, opposite limit positions corresponding to the ends of the recessed portions 15, 16. The pivot arms 11,12 move through 90 between the limit positions.

In each limit position the bottom end of the pillar tube 9 is superimposed over the floor side edge member2 and is substantially flush with the outer peripheryofsuchmember; and the top end of the tube 9 is displaced slightly inwardly of this position due to the inwardly bent top end portion 10 ofthe tube 9. Thus in each limit position the tube 9 is located at a convenient position at which it gives optimum supportforthe roof and neither projects outwardlyfrom the van body norencroachesto any appreciable extent on the floor area within the van body.As the pillar 6 is moved from one limit position to the other it moves slightly outwardly of the van body and, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, is at its greatest distance from the van body when it has moved through 45" and is exactly midway between the limit positions with the pivot arms 11, 12 extending perpendicularlyto the side edge members 7,2.

A locking mechanism (not shown) is provided to fixthe pillar7 releasably in each ofthe limit positions. This may take any suitable form. For example, rods may be provided within the pillartube 9 which can be operated with a central lever mechanism to cause the rods to project from the tube ends and engage holes in the respective edge members 2, 7. Any other suitable mechanism may be used mounted on the pillartube 9 and/or one or both ofthe pivot arms 11,12 and/or one or both ofthe edge members 2, 7.

In use,thevan body can be loaded from one or both sidesafterdrawing backthecurtains. Each movable pillar6 is initially fixed in one ofthe limit positions. If difficulty is encountered in loading the van body because the space available for loading up to one ofthe pillars 9 is not quite large enough the pillar can be released and then swung to the opposite limit position to give extra loading space. If extra width acrossthe floor of thevan body is required for manoeuvring loads into position, one or more ofthe moveable pillars 6 can be released and swung into the intermediate position (as shown in Figure 1) in which the pillar projects slightly outwardly of the van body.

When the van body is transported on the road as part of an articulated vehicle, each movable pillar 6 is locked in one or the other ofthe limit positions. As discussed above this ensures firm support of the roof structure and retains the pillars in protected, unobtrusive positions.

It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiment which are described byway of example only.

Claims (8)

1. A curtain-sided van body ofthe kind having a roof supported by side pillars on a load-carrying floor structure, at least one side ofthe body being provided with sliding curtains movable between open and closed positions, characterised in that at least one pillar is mounted relative to the roof and the floor structure so as to be movable through an arc between opposite limit positions in each ofwhich the pillar is nearer to the pertaining van body side than is the case when the pillar is between such positions.

2. Avan body according to claim 1 wherein the arcuate movement is limited to an angle no greater than 90 .

3. Avan bodyaccordingtoclaim 1 or2wherein the angle of movement is symmetrically disposed with regard to the van body side so that the opposite limit positions lie on a line parallel to the van body side.

4. A van body according to any one of claims 1 to 3wherein the pillar is flush with or inwardly ofthe van body side when in the limit position.

5. Avan body according to claim 4 wherein the edge of the roof and/or the floor structure is received and/or cut away to receive the pillar.

6. A van body according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the pillar is mounted for arcuate movement by means of one or more pivotal links and/or one or more arcuate slide tracks at the ends of the pillar.

7. Avan body according to any one of claims 1 to 6wherein a locking mechanism is provided for holding the pillar in each of the limit positions.

8. Avan body substantially as hereinbefore described with referenced to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.