GB2301067A - Deck-mounted vehicle cargo retention apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Cargo retention apparatus for a vehicle comprises one or more bracing beams 13 mounted on a vehicle deck 2 on which cargo may be loaded. The deck has channels 10 on each side and each beam is connected in a socket 12 below each channel. The beam 13 is moveable between a raised locked operative position in which it restrains the loaded cargo and a stowed position in which it is received in the channel 10. The beam 13 is released from the operative position by raising it towards the vertical and displacing it axially. The beam may then be pivoted to the stowed position. The interior of the beam stores a restraining strap (28, figs.7,8) which is withdrawn to secure the cargo. The strap is retractible into the beam automatically. The apparatus is easy to use and can be stored away when not in use to permit unhindered loading and unloading of a vehicle.

Description

CARGO RETENTION APPARATUS The present invention relates to cargo retention apparatus intended for use as part of a system for the transportation of cargo in rigid or curtain-sided vans, lorries, trucks, rail vehicles or other vehicles.

There is a wide variety of cargo retention systems each having the objective of bracing or holding the cargo in a vehicle during transportation to prevent both lateral movement and fore and aft movement.

In one particular known arrangement cargo is stored in trollies which are assembled in groups on the deck of a van body. The van body will be filled with a plurality of such trolley groups, each group comprising, for example, nine trollies arranged in three rows of three. The trollies are retained on the deck by means of a combination of a bracing bar and straps. For each group of trollies there is a corresponding U-shaped bracing bar stowed in the roof of the vehicle so that it is pivotable about its ends. When the trollies have been loaded into position the bracing bar is pivoted downwardly so that side limbs of the U-shaped bar embrace the group of trollies on either side and extend diagonally from a pivot point at the roof towards the deck of the vehicle. The side limbs thus restrain the trolley group against lateral movement.In the operative position, a central beam of the U-shaped bar extends horizontally between each trolley group to prevent fore and aft movement of each trolley group. At least one strap is used to secure the central beam to the floor in the operative position.

A plurality of such bracing bars is provided along the length of the vehicle, each bar being used for one group of trollies.

This arrangement suffers from a number of disadvantages. In particular, the bracing bars are difficult and awkward to release from their stored position in the roof. Moreover, the arrangement is susceptible to damage and can cause accidents as the straps tend to dangle from the roof and catch on the cargo during loading. The arrangement also requires a system of counterbalances and cable movement restrictors to prevent the bracing bar being subjected to undue stress and from dropping too far, all of which are prone to wear and tear. Furthermore, large clearances are required between the pivotable ends of adjacent bracing bars along the roof of the vehicle. The limbs of the bar must be of a length to reach almost to the floor of the vehicle and must cover a gap between the top of the cargo and the roof of the vehicle.The length of each side limb is roughly the same as the length of three trollies but when pivoted downwards around the trollies its effective length is reduced and as a result it is not possible to shore all three rows of trollies against lateral movement. Often the first or last trolley row is not restrained from lateral movement.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the aforesaid disadvantages.

According to the present invention there is provided cargo retention apparatus comprising a bracing member mounted on a base on which cargo may be loaded, the member being moveable between an operative position in which it restrains the loaded cargo and a stowed position in which it is received by said base, wherein the bar is lockable in said operative position.

The bracing member may be provided on one side of the base and in a preferred embodiment there are provided two spaced-apart bracing members at opposite sides of the base, the cargo being loadable between the bracing members.

The bracing member is preferably in the form of a beam which may be received in a recess in the base in the stowed position so that it is substantially flush with the surface of the base. The bracing member may be connected to a socket which prevents the member from moving laterally in the base. The socket may be below the recess at one side of the base.

The bracing member may have an aperture which receives a pin of the socket when in the operative position. The pin acts to lock the bracing member in the operative position to prevent axial movement of the member.

Preferably the member has a protruding stop and is releasable from the locked operative position by raising the member until the aperture is clear of the pin and displacing the member axially until the stop abuts the pin. The bar may then be pivoted about the pin until it is received in the recess in the stowed position.

Preferably the pair of bracing bars are inter connectable by means of an elongate flexible element. The flexible element may be, for example, a strap or webbing. Preferably the strap passes from one bracing member to the other around the cargo stored on the corresponding base.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a cargo retention member comprising a beam with an elongate flexible cargo restraining member which is stowable within the beam.

Preferably the elongate flexible cargo restraining member is retractable into the beam automatically and is in the form of a strap which is at least partially elasticated. For example, the restraining member may be a length of strap connected to an elastic cord which is fixed to the interior of the beam.

Preferably the cargo retention member has an internal member moveable relative to the beam, the restraining member being attached to the internal member.

The internal member may be slidable within the beam.

The internal member may conveniently be biased by an elastic cord inwardly of the beam so that it acts to retract the restraining member into the beam.

The beam may have an opening through which the restraining member is withdrawn and the internal member may be moveable to a stop adjacent the opening by withdrawing the restraining member from the beam.

A specific embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a side part cut away view of a vehicle body incorporating cargo retention apparatus according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a bracing member and associated channel forming part of the present invention; Figure 4 is a cut away view of a socket and bracing beam of the present invention shown a locked position; Figure 5 is a cut away view of a socket and bracing beam of the present invention shown in a released position; Figure 6 is a cut away view of a socket and bracing beam of the present invention shown in a stowed position; Figure 7 is a schematic view of the interior of a first embodiment of a bracing beam of the present invention; ; Figure 8 is a schematic view of the interior of a second embodiment of a bracing beam of the present invention; Referring now to the drawings, a truck body indicated generally by 1, has a rigid floor 2, roof 3 and curtain sides 4 which are common to the field. The interior of the body 1 is shown with a load of cargo in the form of a plurality of loaded pallets 5 positioned one behind the other from the front to the rear of the vehicle.

Each loaded pallet 5 is in contact with the floor 2 of the vehicle body 1 and spans the width of the vehicle body.

Each pallet 5 has the capacity to receive a cargo of nine loaded trollies 8 in three rows of three as can be seen from figure 2. The trollies 8 can be loaded on to the floor 2 through a side of the vehicle when the curtain 4 is drawn back or through an opening 9 in the rear of the body and are shored by means 7 for restraining the cargo (described below).

Referring now to figure 3 of the drawings, integral with each side of floor 2 there is an elongate channel member 10 with a depending skirt 11 having a bottom ledge 1 1a running parallel to a bottom wall 10a of the channel member 10. The top of the channel member 10 is substantially flush with the floor 2 surface and the channel member 10 has an aperture in its bottom wall towards one end below which there is a socket 12 fixed to the skirt 11. One end 14 of a bracing beam 13 is pivotally connected to the socket 12.

The socket 12 is shown in detail in figures 4 to 6 (shown for clarity with the channel member 10 removed) and comprises an inclined box section with side walls 15 and upper and lower parallel walls 16, 17 inclined at around 45 degrees to the bottom ledge 1 lea. The upper and lower walls 16, 17 are of unequal length, the lower wall 17 being around three times greater in length. The lower wall 17 extends from the bottom ledge 1 la towards the bottom wall 10a of the channel 10 and has a circular aperture 18 towards the top of its length. The aperture 18 receives a pin 19 fixed to a plate 20 fitted to the outside of the socket 12, the pin 19 extending into the socket 12. Adjacent the socket 12 is an upright L-shaped stop plate 21 (see also figure 3).The longer limb 22 of the stop plate 21 stands vertically upright on the ledge 1 1a and extends into the channel 10. The shorter limb 23 has an extension plate 24 bolted thereto which overhangs the socket 12 towards the top of the channel 10.

The bracing beam 13 is a box-section beam with an end having an aperture 25 of a size designed to receive the socket pin 19. Reinforcing the aperture 25 is an apertured L-shaped catch plate 26 with a shorter limb 27 projecting perpendicular to the surface of the beam 13 on which the plate 26 is fixed.

In the locked position shown in figure 4 the bracing beam 13 is fixed in the socket 12 so that it is inclined to the channel 10. The pin 19 is engaged in the aperture 18 in the beam 13 so that axial movement of the beam 13 is prevented.

Lateral movement of the beam 13 is prevented by the side walls 15 of the socket 12.

In order to release the bracing beam 13 (see figure 5) it is pivoted towards the vertical until the pin 19 disengages from the aperture 18 in which position the beam 13 abuts the extension 24 of the stop plate 21. The beam 13 can then be moved axially until the catch plate 26 abuts the pin 19 whereupon the beam 13 can pivot about the pin 9 to a horizontal position in which it is received in the channel 12 (see figure 6). In this position the beam is safely stowed in the deck channel 12 and leaves the deck area clear for loading or unloading of cargo.

In the operative locked position, the bracing beams 13 at each side restrain all three rows of trollies 8 against lateral movement. It can be seen from figure 1 that the socket 12 is positioned alongside a first row of trollies 8 on a particular pallet so that the bracing beam 13 extends diagonally across the side of all three rows. In order to restrain the cargo against fore and aft movement the pair of bracing beams 13 on each pallet is interconnected by straps or webbing 28. A strap 28 is connected to a first bracing beam 13 in a manner described below and extends around an end row of trollies 8 to the other bracing beam 13 of the pair where it is secured to a short length of strap (hidden) attached thereto. The straps 28 and bracing beams 13 resist movement of the cargo towards the rear of the vehicle as a result of each bracing beam 13 being locked against axial movement.

If the bracing beam should become worn or damaged it can be changed simply by unbolting and removing extension plate 24, removing the beam axially when in the vertical position and inserting a replacement beam.

When not in use the strap 28 is stowed inside the bracing beam 13, the latter being made from hollow box-section tubing. Referring to figure 7, the beam 13 has an internal sliding shuttle 29 comprising two spaced parallel plates. The shuttle 29 is of such a size that it slides smoothly within the bracing beam 13.

The shuttle 29 has two spaced fixed shuttle pins 30,31 spanning the width of the plates and is slidable between a pulley 32 and a fixed stop pin 33 at respective ends of the bracing beam 13. An elastic cord 34 is connected to a first of the shuttle pins 30, passes over the pulley 32 and along the length of the bracing beam 13 back through the shuttle. The cord 34 is connected to the strap 28 by looping around it and being crimped in place. The strap 28 is fastened around a fixed end pin 35 by means of stitching, returns along the bracing beam 13 to the shuttle 29, passes around a second of the shuttle pins 31, returns back on itself, passes under stop pin 33 and out through an opening 36 in the end of the bracing beam 13.

The elastic cord 34 biases the strap 28 so that it is retracted into the bracing beam 13 by pulling the shuttle 29 towards the pulley 32 so that the second shuttle pin 31 pulls the strap 28 into the beam 13. The end of the strap 28 has a connector 39 which is too large to pass through the opening. If it is desired to use the strap 28, the connector 39 is pulled so that the strap 28 exerts pressure on the second shuttle pin 31 and the shuttle 29 forced to slide towards the opening 36.

The shuttle 29 reaches a limit of its travel when it abuts the stop pin 33 and further withdrawal of the strap 28 out of the beam 13 pulls the elastic cord 34 so that it is stretched from the end pin 35, around pulley 32, and begins to exert its elastic force. When the strap 28 is connected to a short fixed length of strapping (not shown) on the opposite bracing beam a ratchet mechanism (not shown) can be used to pull strap 28 tight to restrain the load. When disconnected the strap 28 is automatically retracted into the beam by virtue of the elastic cord 34 pulling on the strap 28 and sliding the shuttle towards the pulley 32.

A second more simple embodiment of the strap storage is shown in figure 8 wherein the elastic cord 34 is connected to a fixed pin 40 remote from the opening 36 and the strap 28 is connected directly to the cord 34 by passing through a loop therein. One end of the strap 28 is fixed to a second fixed pin 41 adjacent the opening 36. By pulling on the strap 28 it is withdrawn from the beam 13 against the elastic force of cord 34. Withdrawal of the strap is limited by virtue of it being tied to pin 41.

It will be appreciated that this design of strap storage can be used on any form of beam which is used in combination with straps to retain cargo.

It is beneficial if one strap is made significantly longer than the other as one need only pull on one strap to carry it around the cargo to the other beam of the pair where it is connected. This is simpler than having to extend both straps to a mid-point and holding them there against their elastic forces whilst they are connected.

The invention allows for neat storage of the bracing beam and associated straps when not in use. The bracing beams on each side of the cargo are received in the deck channels with the straps retracted into the beam interiors. This permits loading and unloading of the cargo without impedance, difficulty or danger caused by loose or dangling straps or beams. As the bracing beams are fixed to the deck and the straps are fixed to the beams this avoids the tendency for equipment to be removed and lost. Moreover, as the apparatus is mounted from the floor it permits erection with a minimum of effort and difficulty.

If desired the bracing beams can be left in their erect position when loading or unloading from the rear of the vehicle. In the case of loading the beams can act as guides and prevent loads from colliding with or getting caught on the side wall or curtain of the vehicle.

By having bracing beams which are connected to the vehicle deck (which is attached to the chassis) the invention provides the significant advantage that the reaction force to the load is taken by the chassis of the vehicle which is inherently stronger than the rest of the vehicle body. Furthermore, by using the straps in combination with the bracing beams a significant portion of the bending moments caused by the load are taken by the straps rather than the bracing beams and the likelihood of damage to the beams is reduced.

It will be appreciated the numerous modifications may be made to the above designs without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. For example, the channel, bracing beam and socket may be of a different cross-section and the beam may have end fixings for emergency straps to be fitted should the existing strap become damaged or otherwise unusable.

Furthermore, it is to be understood that the cargo may be grouped as required (depending on factors such as its size) and the number of bracing beam pairs may be varied as appropriate. It is envisaged that in extreme cases only one pair of bracing beams may be required with a strap passing around a significant length of the vehicle and back.

Claims (28)

1. Cargo retention apparatus comprising a bracing member mounted on a base on which cargo may be loaded, the member being moveable between an operative position in which it restrains the loaded cargo and a stowed position in which it is received by said base, wherein the bar is lockable in said operative position.

2. Cargo retention apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bracing member is provided on one side of the base.

3. Cargo retention apparatus according to any preceding claim in which the bracing member is in the form of a beam.

4. Cargo retention apparatus according to any preceding claim in which the deck has a recess in which the bracing member is received in the stowed position.

5. Cargo retention apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the bracing member is located in a socket in the base.

6. Cargo retention apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the socket is below the recess.

7. Cargo retention apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the bracing member has an aperture which receives a pin of the socket when in the operative position.

8. Cargo retention apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the pin acts to lock the bracing member in the operative position to prevent axial movement of the member.

9. Cargo retention apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the member has a protruding stop and is releasable from the locked operative position by raising the member until the aperture is clear of the pin and displacing the member axially until the stop abuts the pin.

10. Cargo retention apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the member is pivotable about the pin until it is received by the recess in the stowed position.

11. Cargo retention apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein there are provided two spaced-apart bracing members at opposite sides of the base, the cargo being loadable between the bracing members.

12. Cargo retention apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the pair of bracing bars are inter-connectable by means of an elongate flexible element.

13. Cargo retention apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the flexible element has at least a part which is elasticated.

14. Cargo retention apparatus according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the elongate flexible element is a strap.

15. Cargo retention apparatus, according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the elongate flexible element comprises a strap attached to an elastic cord.

16. Cargo retention apparatus according to any one of claims 11 to 15, wherein the strap is extensible from one bracing member to the other around cargo stored on the base.

17. Cargo retention apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the strap is stowable within the bracing member.

18. Cargo retention apparatus according to claim 17, wherein bracing member has a retraction mechanism for gathering the strap into the member.

19. Cargo retention apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the strap is retracted automatically when not in use.

20. A cargo retention member comprising a beam with an elongate flexible cargo restraining member which is stowable within the beam.

21. A cargo retention member according to claim 20, wherein the elongate flexible cargo restraining member is retractible into the beam automatically.

22. A cargo retention member according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the elongate flexible cargo restraining member is in the form of a strap which is at least partially elasticated.

23. A cargo retention member according to claim 22, wherein the restraining member is a length of strap connected to an elastic cord which is fixed to the interior of the beam.

24. A cargo retention member according to any one of claims 20 to 23 having an internal member moveable relative to the beam, the restraining member being attached to the internal member.

25. A cargo retention member according to claim 24, wherein the internal member is slidable within the beam.

26. A cargo retention member according to claim 24 or 25, wherein the internal member is biased by an elastic cord inwardly of the beam so that it acts to retract the restraining member into the beam.

27. A cargo retention member according to claim 26, wherein the beam has an opening through which the restraining member is withdrawn and the internal member is moveable to a stop adjacent the opening by withdrawing the restraining member from the beam.

27. Cargo retention apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

28. A cargo retention beam substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to figures 7 and 8 of the drawings.