GB2271878A - Multi-purpose vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A vehicle 2 has a demountable panel 16 for displaying advertisements, which panel extends both generally vertically and longitudinally of the vehicle. The panel has a bottom section 32 and a top section 34, hinged together 36. The sections are dimensional so that they may be hinged to overlie one another, and then be carried on the vehicle in a horizontal disposition without either section significantly over-hanging a load-carrying deck 44 of the vehicle. In an alternative use, the panel may only be partially erected so that the top section slopes in respect of the bottom section so that the vehicle may be used as a market stall or demonstration platform (Figure 5). End panels may be positioned at the front and the rear of the vehicle so that they may form a shelter along with the top and bottom sections of the demountable panel. <IMAGE>

Description

MULTI PURPOSE VEHICLE This invention relates to vehicles.

Specially constructed vehicles are known for carrying advertising posters. The vehicles have particular utility in providing advertisements at temporary sites, e.g. county shows, and/or where planning regulations would not allow the construction of a permanent hoarding. The vehicle is basically a light lorry on the back of which is built an advertising hoarding. A problem with such a vehicle is that is difficult to drive in high winds, especially cross winds, because in order to carry a full sized poster, the hoarding has to be approximately 20 ft long and 10 ft high. The vehicle further has only one real use. This, in itself, may be considered restrictive but, further, leads to problems with some planning authorities who object to the unauthorised placement of vehicles specially constructed for advertising.

Against this background, in accordance with the invention there is provided a vehicle having a panel for displaying advertisements; wherein the panel is demountable and the vehicle includes: mounting means for mounting the panel to extend generally vertically and generally longitudinally on the vehicle, the panel comprising at least a top section and a bottom section, said sections being hingedly connected so that one section may be folded on or against the other and so dimensioned as to allow the folded panel to be carried generally horizontally on the vehicle so as to reduce windage.

An improvement in stability is gained by stowing the panel horizontal that is so great that, in a preferred form, the vehicle is a trailer. The windage would make towing a trailer extremely difficult if the prior art permanent hoarding were built onto a trailer instead of a lorry. By demounting the panel, the vehicle may be used for other purposes, which in itself may be valuable, but also may go some way to overcoming the objections to the use of vehicles specially constructed for advertising. In the conventional vehicles, the hoarding which is large enough order to take a full size poster, is too big to transport horizontally on the vehicle, even if it were demountable. The hinge connecting the two sections of the panel in a vehicle embodying the invention facilitates erection and stowing of the panel.

The appearance and usefulness of the vehicle is improved, in a preferred arrangement, by a deck on which the panel can be stowed horizontally.

A load space is preferably provided under the deck. This both increases the usefulness of the vehicle in its alternative applications and for advertising. Thus in the latter case additional equipment may be carried in the load space, e.g. for demonstrations which may be performed on the deck in front of the advertisement.

The deck may comprise one or more sections which are removable for ease of access to the load space.

Conveniently, the mounting means may locate the panel approximately centrally of the width of the vehicle.

Preferably, neither the top section nor the bottom section have dimensions significantly greater than the deck.

A further application may be obtained by the provision of intermediate support means for supporting the top section in a position intermediate the extended position and the folded position. Especially when, in a preferred form, the intermediate support means is arranged to support the top section in a position sloping downwardly towards the bottom section, the vehicle may be used as a market stall, or demonstration platform, the top section providing a modicum of shelter as a roof.

In a preferred arrangement, the support means includes end panels erectable at the front and the rear of the vehicle so as to form a shelter with the bottom and top sections of the demountable panel.

When so used, with or without the end panels, a second demountable panel may be located adjacent the first and having a top section supported in its extended position projecting above the top of the shelter.

Additionally or alternatively a further demountable panel may be provided with further end panels providing a second shelter.

In order to facilitate erection of the panel, the mounting means preferably include demountable hinges or pivots adjacent the bottom of the bottom panel so that the panel may be raised and lowered by pivoting it about the hinge or pivot.

In a most convenient form the mounting means includes at least two legs depending from the lower edge of the panel, said legs being received by sockets on the vehicle to mount the panel, and having hinges or pivots part way along their length so that with the legs partly in the sockets but with the hinges of pivots outside the sockets, the panel may be pivoted about the hinges or pivots between a horizontal position and a vertical position, and so that when the legs are inserted completely into the sockets, pivotal movement is prevented. The panel may be supported additionally by stays or struts or, in the case where end panels are provided, by these.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 a pictorial view of a trailer embodying the invention, showing the panel erected; Figure 2 is an end view of the trailer of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the trailer partly broken away to expose the interior; Figure 4 is a pictorial view of a hinge arrangement used in the trailer of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a pictorial view of the trailer of figure 1 showing the panel arranged as a shelter; Figure 6 is an end view of the trailer when arranged as in Figure 5; Figure 7 is an end view of the trailer when arranged as in Figure 5 but having an additional panel shown erect; and Figure 8 is a scrap cross-section through a tail board of the trailer of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the trailer has running wheels and a jockey wheel 6 attached to its tow bar (not shown). The trailer has a load space 7 defined on a rectangular bed 8 and bounded by sides walls 10, 12, a front board (not visible in the drawings) and a tail board 14. The trailer may thus be put to entirely conventional use for load carrying.

Mounted on the trailer extending fore and aft is a vertical panel 16. The panel is intended for displaying advertising posters. A full size poster is 10 ft high and the panel has a corresponding height and a length of either 12 or 20 ft. The panel is constructed of a rectangular framework 18 covered on both sides with a skin 20, for example, glass reinforced plastics. Legs 22 extend below the framework at both the front and the rear of the trailer. On both the front board (not shown) and the tail board 14 is mounted a square section tube 24 defining a socket 26 (Figure 4) to receive respective legs 22.

With the legs 22 inserted fully in the sockets 26 the panel is held in the vertical position illustrated.

The area of the panel is sufficiently great, however, that any significant amount of wind would potentially cause damage. In order to secure the panel more reliably, stays 28 are provided at the front and the rear. Each stay is detachably connected to the top of the panel 16 e.g. by a hook and eye (not shown). At the bottom,the end of each stay locates in a socket (not shown).

In order to dismantle the panel for storage or transport, the panel is raised to retract the legs 22 partly form the sockets 26 so as to expose a hinge joint 30 in each leg. The leg is secured in its raised position by a pin (not shown) inserted through a hole 31 in the tube 24 and a corresponding hole (not shown) in the leg 22. The hinge joint 30 allows an upper portion 22a of the leg to pivot relative to a lower portion 22b which remains in the socket 26. The lower ends of the stays 28 are unshipped from their sockets 26 and the pane is pivoted downwardly about the hinge joints 30 as indicated by arrow A in Figure 2. During this process, the stays may be removed from the top of the panel or it may be and advantage to leave them connected and to use them to assist in controlling the downward movement of the panel.

The pin is then removed from the hole 31 to allow the lower portion 22b of each leg 22 to be removed completely from the socket. The panel can now be slid across the top of the trailer until its lower side is adjacent the right hand side of the trailer as viewed in Figure 2. Sockets provided in the corners of the trailer to receive the stays, may now be used to receive the lower ends 22b of the legs 22 thereby locating the panel on the trailer.

The width of the trailer illustrated is about 6 ft, or may in other examples be up to about 8 ft. In any event since the panel is approximately 10 ft high when erect, in order to accommodate a full size poster, 2 to 4 ft of the panel would overhang the side of the trailer. To overcome this problem, the panel is constructed in two sections. The bottom section 32 in this example is approximately the width of the trailer so that it can be carried with no overhang on either side. The top section 34 is hinged at 36 to the bottom section so that it can be folded against the bottom section as indicated by arrows B. This enables the entire panel 16 to be stowed flat on the trailer without overhanging the sides. In practice, it may be found acceptable for there to be a small overhang, but there is no essential need for one.

As may be seen from Figures 1 and 3, the load space is covered by a removable deck 38 on which the folded panel 16 may be stowed. Angle sections 40 extend round the side walls, the front board and tail board as indicated to provide a ledge. A longitudinal spine formed by a T-section 42 extends centrally between the front board and the tail board also to provide a ledge to support removable deck boards 44 four on each side. Besides considerably improving the appearance of the trailer when the panel is erect the deck covers and protects the contents of the load space both when the panel is erect and during transit. The deck further provides a platform on which articles may be placed to augment the poster or, especially in a configuration to be explained, on which person may stand or sit, e.g for demonstration purposes.

To erect the panel it is first slid sideways to insert the lower portions 22b of legs 22 into the sockets 26. The top section 34 is unfolded and the whole panel is hinged upwardly using the struts, if necessary, until the legs 22 are more or less vertical at which point they will slide further down into the sockets so locating the panel until the struts have been secured with their lower ends in their sockets.

The panel may be arranged in an alternative configuration illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. Here it will be seen the top section 34 of the panel is not vertical but, rather, is supported in a sloping orientation between its fully extended position illustrated in Figure 1 and its folded position (not illustrated). So arranged, the top section provides a modicum of shelter useful for demonstrations, market stalls etc. Most conveniently, the top section 34 is supported by end panels 46 which attach to the top section by any suitable releasable fastener e.g. over centre fasteners, lynch pins etc. To ease erection of the end panels each has an angle section 48 mounted at its lower ends by a hinge 50, see Figure 8. In transit, or when not in use, the end panels 46 are stored in the load space 7.To erect an end panel it is positioned with its angle section 48 against the front or tail board 14 as shown. Lynch pins 52 extend through holes 54 in the front or tail boards 14 and are secured as shown. The end panel can then be pivoted about the hinge 50 to the position shown in Figure 5 when the top section 34 is lowered and the two are fastened together to provide a kind of shelter.

If it is desired to provide greater prominence than would be afforded by the height of the shelter illustrated in Figure 5, a second panel 16 may be erected as illustrated in Figure 7. Additionally or alternatively a second shelter may be erected using additional end panels 46. The front board and tail board 14 may be provided with sockets 26 and holes 54 for all these arrangements. In yet another arrangement, the panel 16 can be mounted along one side of the trailer. In this arrangement, the legs 22 are received by the corner sockets described above for receiving the stays, and the stays are received by the central sockets 26. Indeed, sockets for receiving the stays and legs can be provided wherever convenient.

Claims (14)

1. A vehicle having a panel for displaying advertisements, wherein the panel is demountable, and the vehicle includes: mounting means for mounting the panel to extend generally vertically and generally longitudinally on the vehicle, the panel comprising at least a top section and a bottom section, said sections being hingedly connected so that one section may be folded on or against the other and so dimensioned as to allow the panel to be carried generally horizontally on the vehicle so as to reduce windage.

2. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, including a deck on which the panel can be stowed horizontally.

3. A vehicle as claimed in claim 2, including a load space under the deck.

4. A vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein the deck comprises one or more sections which are removable for access to the load space.

5. A vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the mounting means locates the panel approximately centrally of the width of the vehicle.

6. A vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein neither the top section nor the bottom section have dimensions significantly greater than the deck.

7. A vehicle as claimed in claim 6, including intermediate support means for supporting the top section in a position intermediate the extended position and the folded position.

8. A vehicle as claimed in claim 7, wherein the intermediate support means is arranged to support the top section in a position sloping downwardly towards the bottom section.

9. A vehicle as claimed in claim 8, wherein the support means includes end panels erectable at the front and the rear of the vehicle so as to form a shelter with the bottom and top sections of the demountable panel.

10. A vehicle as claimed in claim 9, including a second demountable panel located adjacent the first and having a top section supported in its extended position projecting above the top of the shelter.

11. A vehicle as claimed in claim 9or 10, having a further demountable panel and further end panels providing a second shelter.

12. A vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim in which the mounting means include demountable hinges or pivots adjacent the bottom of the bottom panel so that the panel may be raised and lowered by pivoting it about the hinge or pivot.

13. A vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein the mounting means includes at least two legs depending from the lower edge of the panel, said legs being received by sockets on the vehicle to mount the panel, and having hinges or pivots part way along their length so that with the legs partly in the sockets but with the hinges of pivots outside the sockets, the panel may be pivoted about the hinges or pivots between a horizontal position and a vertical position, and so that when the legs are inserted completely into the sockets, pivotal movement is prevented.

14. A vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim in the form of a trailer.