GB2275896A - Adjustable and stowable bulkhead for cargo container - Google Patents

Abstract

A cargo container such as a goods trailer has one or 3 more movable gates 6 which can be used to partion areas of the trailer or can be stowed horizontally adjacent the ceiling on floor 2. The gate 6 has a lower 8 and two intermediate 9, 10 cross beams, each having a locking mechanism at either end. When the gate 6 is stowed horizontally adjacent the ceiling 3, the locking pins in the lower cross beam 8 locate in slots of two rails 4a extending horizontally along the side walls 1 of the trailer adjacent the ceiling 3. The gate 6 can be lowered by a pull strap 36 and is movable along a track. It can be locked into position by the locking pins of each intermediate cross beam 9, 10 which locate in slots of two lower rails 4b, 4c extending horizontally along side each wall 1. A counterbalancing gas strut urges the gate 6 into the stowed position. <IMAGE>

Description

CARGO CONTAINER The invention relates to a cargo container such as the goods compartment of a freight vehicle and more particularly to a method of restraining a load to a selected area therein.

There is a need to be able to partition areas of a goods trailer to better contain the load (which may be pallets or the like). This arises especially when the container is partially empty and the load may need to be distributed according to the weight distribution requirements on the axles. Often the pallets are on wheels and can move about on the trailer floor so there is a need to fence off or partition areas of the trailer in a simple and efficient way. It is one object of the invention to satisfy that need.

According to the invention in one aspect there is provided a cargo container to contain bulk goods, tracks extending along the inner surface of the side walls of the container adjacent the top surface of those walls and slotted rails present on the side walls; at least one gate being pivotally mounted adjacent the ceiling; the gate having rollers to travel in the tracks and releasable locking means to be engaged with the slots of the slotted rails, the rollers and locking means being at opposite ends of the gate; the gate being pivotally movable from a storage position in which the gate is stowed adjacent the ceiling with the locking means engaged in a slot of an upper rail to a position in which the gate is generally vertical with the locking means engaged in a slot at a lower rail, whereby the gate acts as a partition within the container; each locking means being releasable upon actuation of a single hand motion.

In a preferred aspect the releasable locking means comprises a bolt spring biased towards the slot engaging condition.

Preferably the releasable locking means to lock the gate adjacent the ceiling is different from that used to lock the gate in the vertical position.

Preferably counterbalance means is present to urge the gate towards the storage position. Preferably the counterbalance comprises a piston and cylinder containing gas i.e. a so-called gas strut.

The gate is stowed adjacent the ceiling, preferably substantially horizontally and therefore presents no obstruction to the movement of loading of goods in and out of the container. As the container is emptied (e.g. in the course of deliveries) there may be a need to move the contents to have the required distribution of the weight over the individual axles. By virtue of this invention the contents may be moved to the appropriate position and one or more gates may be lowered from the ceiling in order to confine those goods to the intended position.

Most preferably, the gates are lowered by a single operator using a hand control mechanism which he can operate without assistance. For this purpose the apparatus preferably includes a strap at each side of the gate, a single pull on which will release the locking means locking that side of the gate and the rail.

In order that the invention may be well understood it will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 is an elevation of a gate in the lowered condition looking from outside the vehicle Figures 2A and 2B are enlarged views showing the gate stowed adjacent the ceiling and the gate in the lowered position respectively Figure 3 shows a detail of the locking bolt on an intermediate beam on an enlarged scale Figure 4 shows a detail of the locking mechanism on the lower beam on an enlarged scale The cargo container has two elongate side walls 1, a floor 2 and a roof defining a ceiling 3. The container also has a closed wall at its front end and a door at its rear end, neither of which is shown. The container may be any type of goods trailer, including refrigerated trailers.

Three rails 4a, 4b and 4c extend the length of the inner side walls 2, each having a row of spaced apart slots 5. One rail 4a is close to the ceiling 3 and the other two rails 4b, 4c, are placed at intervals lower down the side walls 2.

As shown in Figure 1, a gate 6 is present to define a partition to contain goods (not shown). The gate 6 comprises a framework formed of aluminium square section lengths made up of sides 7 joined by a bottom cross beam 8 and two intermediate cross beams 9, 10. Struts are present as shown.

Each intermediate cross beam 9, 10 has bolts 11 at each end which are received into the slots 5 in the side rails 4 to lock the gate when lowered. Each bolt 11 comprises a cylindrical body 12 which travels in a bore 13 formed in the cross beam. A spring 14 is present at a closed end of the bore 13 to bias the bolt 11 to a locked position whereby a short extension 15 at the other end of the bolt 11 is located into one of the slots 5 in the side rail 4. A handle 16 on the bolt 11 is located in a J slot 17 in the cross beam and reciprocates to engage or disengage the extension 15.

When the gate 6 is to be stowed adjacent the ceiling 3 of the container each upper end of the side arms 7 of the gate 6 is pivotally connected by a pivot 18 to a sliding member 19 which comprises a number of rollers 20 to move it along a track 21 which extends horizontally along the interior side wall 1 of the container. A curved bracket 22 is mounted at one side adjacent the side arm 7 of the gate 6 and at the other side on a pivot bracket 23 which is also connected to one end of a piston/cylinder arrangement 24. The other end of the piston/cylinder arrangement 24 is mounted on a bracket 25 secured to the slideable member 19. The cylinders 24 contain gas in the manner of a gas strut.

As the gate 6 is lifted, the sliding member 19 moves along the track 21 and the curved bracket 22 rotates about the pivot bracket 23 to move the piston 24 to an open position. This is shown in Figure 2a. The gate 6 can be locked into position adjacent the ceiling by locking pins 26 which are shown more particularly in Figure 3 and are present at each end of the lower cross beam 8, located in bores 27.

Each locking pin 26 comprises a cylindrical body 28 which has a waisted portion 29. A pin 30 extends through a hole 31 in the side of the bore 27 and a hole 32 in the body 28 at the waisted portion 29 to lock the body 28 against a longitudinal movement in the bore 27. A pull strap 33 is connected to the free end of the pin 30 to release it from the body 28. A spring 34 is present at the closed end of the bore 27 to bias the body 28 to a locked position whereby a short extension 35 at the other end of the body 28 is located into one of the slots 5 of a rail 4a extending horizontally along the inner side wall 1 of the container. A pull strap 36 is connected to the free end of the body 28 which when pulled will release the locking mechanism and allow the gate 6 to be lowered.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment shown. For example, a number of gates may be placed along the length of the ceiling to fence off several areas. The upper ends of the side arms may travel in arcuate channels and the rollers may be omitted. A single pull strap may be provided to operate both locking means together. The gates could be present in the floor instead of or in addition to being present in the ceiling.

Claims (5)

1. A cargo container to contain bulk goods, tracks (21) extending along the inner surface of the side walls (1) of the container adjacent the top surface (3) of those walls (1) and slotted rails (4a, 4b, 4c), present on the side walls(1); at least one gate (6) being pivotally mounted adjacent the ceiling (3); the gate (6) having rollers (20) to travel in the tracks (21) and releasable locking means (26) to be engaged with the slots (5) of the slotted rails (4a); the rollers (20) and the locking means (26) being at opposite ends of the gate; the gate (6) being pivotally movable from a storage position in which the gate (6) is stowed adjacent the ceiling (3) with the locking means (26) engaged in a slot (5) of an upper rail (4a) to a position in which the gate (6) is generally vertical with locking means (11) engaged in a slot (5) at a lower rail (4b, 4c) whereby the gate then acts as a partition within the container; the locking means (26) being releasable upon actuation of a single hand motion.

2. A container according to Claim 1, wherein the releasable locking means (26) comprises a bolt (28) spring biased (34) towards the slot engaging condition and which is releasable by a pull on a pull strap (36).

3. A container according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the releasable locking means (26) to lock the gate (6) in the upper rail (4a) is separate from the releasable locking means (11) engaging the gate (6) with the lower rails (4b, 4c).

4. A container according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein a counterbalance (24) is present to urge the gate towards the storage position.

5. A container according to Claim 4, wherein the counterbalance 24 comprises a piston and cylinder containing a gas.