GB2198394A - A curtain sided container - Google Patents

Abstract

A curtain sided container has main 2 and sub-frame 3 structures which are pivotally interconnected; a sliding curtain 23 located on the sub-frame is provided with a locking device, preferably in the form of a substantially rigid bar which is restrained by lugs provided on the side rave of the container main frame. When in a closed position the sub-frame is flush within a recess in the main frame, and gas struts are provided to assist pivotal movement of the sub-frame 3 to an open position in which the sub-frame and the curtain act as a canopy to protect the open side face of the container. <IMAGE>

Description

A CURTAIN SIDER CONTAINER This invention relates to curtain sider containers in which one or more side faces of the container have displacable curtains which are movable to allow entry into the container. In this specification reference to a container includes a transportable freight container which has a motorised van of any size, an independent trailer construction on the chassis of which the superstructure is permanently fixed and which can be coupled to a "tractor" unit, or an independent container which may be temporarily mounlded on a trailer, railway wagon, ship or lorry, having a fixed chassis.

According to the present invention there is provided a curtain sider container comprising a main frame structure having at least one open side face, a sub-frame pivotally mounted over the said open side face, a curtain slidably mounted on the sframe and locking means for locking the curtain in an extended position over the sutrframe, wherein the sub-frame is pivotal relative to the main frame of the container between a first closed and a second open position in which the sframe and the curtain act as a canopy to protect the open side face.

In one preferred form of a curtain sider container according to the present invention the container comprises a container having side raves on which flooring material is supported, a member located at each corner of and projecting upwardly from respective side raves, and cant rails mounted between the ends of the corner members remote fran the side raves for supporting a roof of the container thereon; a frame pivotally mounted on a cant rail and abutting, in a closed position, against the side raves and two opposed corner members a curtain slidably attached to the surframe; and locking means for securing the curtain in its extended condition on the sub-frame, wherein the frame and curtain are pivotable from the said closed position to an open position in which access is provided to the inside of the container and sframe and curtain together form a canopy.

Preferably, the curtain is fixedly attached to the container frame behind the cant rail and is slidable in a track provided in each corner member. Conveniently, the locking means comprises a substantially rigid bar attached to webbing provided on the inner surface of the curtain.

The bar is used to hold the curtain in an extended condition when the sub-frame is pivoted into the closed position. The bar to retain the curtain in its extended position on the sub-frame when the sframe is pivoted upwardly to the open position of the container side face in which the sframe and curtain together define a canopy. Both the main frame of the container and the sub-frame are provided with lugs for restraining the bar and therefore preventing movement of the curtain. Conveniently, the lugs are mounted on the side rave, or on the sframe member which lies parallel with and abuts the side rave.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a vehicle on which a container according to the present invention is mounted; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the container part of the vehicle illustrated in Fig.l with a side curtain in an extended position; Fig. 3 is a similar view to that of Fig. 2 but with the side curtain in a raised position exposing the inside of the container: Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view along the line III III in Fig.l; Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic perspective view of part of the container and sub,frame; and Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view through one side of the container.

Referring specifically to the drawings as illustrated in Figs.

1,2 and 3 there is shown a road vehicle having a container 1 located behind the cab of the vehicle. The container 1 has a main frame 2 and a sub-frame 3 pivotally mounted on the main frame along the top edge above cant rail 4 of the container main frame. A roof 5 is supported over the length of the container by the cant rails 4, and a floor 6 is supported over the length of the container by side raves 7 located on opposite sides of the container. The cant rail 4 and the side rave 7 are interconnected by end support members 8 and 9. Pivots 11 and located along top edge 10 of the container frame for pivotally supporting sub- frame 3.

The container illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 has located inside it a cool box 15 having doors 16 which open rearwardly of the container. A plurality of open top box containers 17 are mounted under the roof 5 and are arranged to pivot downwardly to allow access to the boxes. Four boxes are shownin Fig. 2 but four similar boxes are located on the opposite side of the container to that side shown in Fig. 2. The location of the boxes in this position allows ample space for more bulky movable goods to be stacked below the boxes on the floor 6 of the container. Furthermore, shelving 18 is provided on either side of the cool box 15 for displaying samples of the goods within the cool box.

Sub-frame 3 comprises a rectangular frame structure of which only three sides 19, 20, 21 are illustrated in Fig. 1 for the sake of clarity in showing along the edge of the sub-frame the pivotal interconnection with the main frame of the container. Both the missing sub-frame part and the opposed sub-frame part 20 have a right angled cross-section, whilst the sub-frame side members 19, 21 are of a hollow box structure with a slot 22 (see Fig. 5) along one surface to define a track therein.

A curtain 23 is supported on the sub-frame 3 and is movable along the track. Rollers 24 are provided inside the sframe members 19, 21 and are coupled with the curtain through links 24a and elongate curtain cross-members 23a which are fixed to the curtain and lie parallel to sub, frame member 20 for facilitating movement of the curtain backwards and forwards relative to the pivots 11.

Webbing 25 passes from the bottom of the curtain where the webbing is attached to a locking bar 26 up the inside of the curtain through slots in cross webs 23a having a right angled corss-section and being glued to the curtain. The webbing is attached at its uppermost end onto a shaft 27 rotatably supported on webbing guides 28 and rotatable by a standard gear, chain and crank handle assembly 29, 30, 31,respectively.

Cranking of the handle 31 effects movement of the curtain towards or away from the shaft 27 so that in an open position the curtain 23 gathers as shown at the top of Fig. 6. When the curtain 23 hangs downwardly in its closed position a bar weight 32 in the bottom edge of the curtain assists in providing vertical tensioning of the curtain.

The side rave 7 is provided with two locking brackets 33 which extend downwardly from the side rave so that the locking bar 26 is locatable behind the brackets to prevent movemtn of the curtain.

The corner posts of pillars 8, 9 and each side rave 7 are recessed as illustrated in Fig. 4 to receive the side and bottom members of the sub-frame 3. Fig. 4 shows an enlarged sectional view through the side rave 7 which is formed into the boxed cross-sectional shape shown in Fig. 4 to provide an inwardly directed support flange 7a which supports the flooring of the container. The flooring material is sufficiently thick for its upper surface to be level with the upper surface of a web 7b joining the flange 7a to an outwardly extending support ledge 7c which receives the edge of the sub-frame 3 which is remote from the edge pivotally connected to the cant rail of the main frame.

Fig. 5 illustrates diagrammatically part of the container structure having the sub-frame 3, curtain 23, webbing 25 and winding shaft 27 for the webbing 25.

The cross-bar between the pivotally mounted ends of the side members 19, 21 of the sframe 3 is also omitted from Fig. 5 for the sake of clarity. However, such bar is usually located over the cant rail 3 and pivots over the cant rail as necessary when the sub-frame is pivoted.

The su & rame 3 is fixed to the main frame of the container via strap hinges 40 attached to the uppermost end of sur-frame side members 19, 21 and to pivots 11. Intermediate pivotal connections are provided as necessary on the cant rail between the pivot points 11 to provide additional support for the sub-frame 3.

The curtain 23 has in addition to the bar weight 32 a similar rod 41 along the upper edge of the curtain. The bar 41 with the curtain on it is located between the webbing guides 28 and the cant rail 4, and is held in this position by a U-shaped bracket 47 which is pivotally mounted on the guides 28 at 49. The bracket 47 abuts a stop bolt 48 to prevent the pivotal movement in one direction and to lock the bar 41 in the position shown in Figs. 5 and 6 so that the upper edge of the curtain is located securely underneath the cant rail 4 with the main bulk of the curtain 23 slidably fixed to sframe 3.

When moving the container from one location to another it is standard practice to drop the curtain 23 to close the container. In such instance the locking bar 26 is located behind locking brackets 42 which project from the side raves. The webbing 25 is tensioned by backwiding the appropriate winding mechanism so that both the sframe 13 and the curtain 23 are locked in position relative to the container body.

To release the sub-frame 3 or curtain 23 the bar 26 is released from the locking brackets 42 by winding the winding mechanism sufficiently to physicaly move the bar 26 away from the brackets 42.

If an operator simply wishes to raise the curtain the winding mechanism is operated and the curtain moved upwardly to the gathered position illustrated in Fig. 6 where the whole of the inside of the container is exposed for the loading of goods or for the sale of goods from the container. The lower edge of the sub-frame 3 remains fixed relative to the side rave 7 by sliding bolts (not shown) at the ends of sub-frame members 19, 21, the bolts engaging in suitable apertures (not shown) in the side rave.

Should an operator wish to move the sub-frame 3 from the "closed" position to the canopied position the locking bar 26 is released from the locking brackets 42 and either left hanging or guided into engagement with locking brackets 50 on sframe member 20 and back winding the crank 31. The bottom edge of the sframe 3 then is pulled outwardly towards the operator with a strap (not shown) attach centrally to the sub- frame member 20. As the sub,frame is pivoted upwardly the locking bar 26 maintains engagement with the two locking lugs 50, thus locking the curtain in position relative to the sub-frame.The sub-frame 3 is then pivoted to a position substantially parallel with the roof of the container and is supported there by gas spring struts 45 which also assist in moving the sub-frame upwardly. In this position the curtain and sub-frame act as a canopy to protect potential customers during adverse weather conditions.

The locking bar 26 may alternatively be left in position when just released from the bracket 42 so that when the sub-frame 3 is in the canopied position the locking bar 26 hangs down below the sub-frame member 20 as shown in Fig. 1 In addition to the locking brackets 42 projecting from the side rave 7, the side rave is further provided with blocks 46 against which the rod 26 is pressed to ensure that the rod 26 does not bend unduly under stress in the locked position of the curtains.

Whilst the above embodiment has been described with the container having a cool box and boxed containers pivotally mounted in the roof of the container body, other constructions of the interior of the container are envisaged, including a totally empty container.

In addition, whilst a vertically movable curtain has been described horizontally moving curtains can be utilised with this construction.

The lower member of the sub-frame is preferably a right angled structure but other shaped members could be used. The sub-frame is conveniently made of aluminium or other light metal alloy. Furthermore, the curtain is of a standard heavy duty plastic or canvas material.

The rollers 24 may conveniently be replaced by a block of synthetic plastics material which slides along the track in sub-frame parts 19, 21.

The cross-webs 23a are preferably of PVC coated webving material or plastics material. In one alterantive construction the webbing is of a tubular box structure with apertures in opposed sides of the tube to allow webbing 25 to pass through it. The tdbe is preferably of a PVC coated webbing material and supports a fibreglass rod to give it support, the cross-webbing 25 passing between the rod and the inside of the side tube glued to the curtain.

Claims (8)

CLAIMS:

1. A curtain sider comprising a main frame structure having at least one open side face, a sub-frame pivotally mounted over the said open side face, a curtain movably on the sub-frame and locking means for locking the curtain in an extended position over the sub-frame, wherein the sub-frame is pivotal relative to the main frame of the container between a first closed and a second open position in which the sub-frame and the curtain act as a canopy to protect the open side face.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking means comprises an elongate bar attached to the curtain.

3. A container as claimed in claim 2, wherein the container includes a side rave and lugs projecting from the side rave for restraining the locking bar.

4. A container as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the sub-frame includes lugs projecting therefrom for restraining the locking bar to prevent movement of the curtain relative to the sub-frame.

5. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the curtain is movable backwards and forwards towards the pivotal interconnection between the main frame of the container and the subframe.

6. A container as claimed in claim 5, wherein side edges of the curtain are guided by tracks defined in opposed side members of said subframe.

7. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, including strap hinges attached to side members of the sub-frame.

8. A curtain sider container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.