GB2306563A

GB2306563A - Securing device for holding a load on a support structure

Info

Publication number: GB2306563A
Application number: GB9622696A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Wright
Original assignee: Supertrucks Ltd
Current assignee: Supertrucks Ltd
Priority date: 1995-10-31
Filing date: 1996-10-31
Publication date: 1997-05-07
Anticipated expiration: 2016-10-31
Also published as: GB2306563B; DE29618259U1; GB9522250D0; GB9622696D0

Description

SECURING DEVICE FOR HOLDING A LOAD ON A SUPPORT STRUCTURE This invention relates to a securing device for holding a load on a support structure, particularly but not exclusively for holding sheet-like or planar articles on a vehicle-mounted support framework.

Sheet glass is commonly transported on a supporting framework or frail which is mounted on the outside of a vehicle. The glass rests at its lower edge on a ledge while leaning slightly away from the vertical against support bars. In order to maintain the glass in this inclined position it is known to clamp the glass between the support bars and rubber pads on upright rigid poles. In order to accommodate different thicknesses of glass sheets the spacing of the poles from the support bars may be adjustable.

However, such adjustment may be inconvenient and complicated and may be inadequate to ensure secure clamping in all cases.

It is an object of the present invention to provide means whereby loads of different thicknesses can be securely clamped on a support structure with a convenient and readily adjustable securing device.

According to the invention there is provided a securing device for holding a load on a support structure comprising at least one elongate member disposed in spaced relationship to the support structure, at least one pair of fixing elements mounted on the elongate member and a flexible member linking said elements, at least one of the fixing elements being movable towards the other, so as to deflect the flexible member towards the support structure for clamping the load therebetween.

With this arrangement it is possible to obtain a particularly simple and convenient yet functional holding effect in so far as the clamping can be achieved without requiring bodily movement of the elongate members.

The securing device is particularly suitable for sheet-like or planar articles, however non-planar articles are also possible.

The support structure is preferably a framework which may be mounted onto the side of a vehicle. The framework may also be mounted inside a vehicle or may be provided on a pallet, which can easily be moved onto and off a vehicle by means of a fork-life truck.

The framework may be formed from bars, particularly an arrangement of mutually transverse (e.g. vertical and horizontal) bars defining an openwork or lattice structure such as that commonly used on a frail for carrying glass sheets. The bars may be formed from metal and may have protective edgings or the like for contact with the clamped load. Most preferably the framework is upright and there may be a bottom ledge or arrangement of projecting flanges or the like to support a bottom edge of the load. The framework may be inclined outwardly away from the vertical to facilitate support of the load.

The elongate member may be a pole which is preferably of square or rectangular cross-section. Preferably the pole is disposed upright. The pole may engage the aforesaid bottom ledge or flange at its bottom end and may engage a further flange projecting from the framework at its top end. The pole may be adjustably mounted so that it can be located at different spacings relative to the framework. Most preferably there are two or more poles positioned side-by-side, each having a respective said pair of fixing elements and flexible member.

There may be more than one pair of fixing elements each pair being coupled together with a respective said flexible member, such pairs being mounted at spaced positions along the elongate member. In order to facilitate clamping, both fixing elements of the said pair are preferably positionably adjustable along the elongate member.

With regard to the fixing elements, these may comprise sleeves, bored blocks or the like, which fit slidably around the elongate member. A fixing device may be provided for holding each fixing element in an adjusted position along the length of the elongate member. This may be a clamp screw which engages a threaded bore in the fixing element and can be screwed in to bear against the side of the elongate member.

With regard to the flexible member, this is preferably an elongate structure which is hinged or is otherwise arranged to pivot at a central position between its ends whereby movement of the ends towards each other pivots the central position outwardly to give a V-shaped or similar conformation whereas movement of the ends away from each other pivots the central position inwardly to move the elongate structure towards a flattened or shallow V-shape or similar conformative.

Thus in a particularly preferred embodiment, the elongate structure comprises two arms which are pivotally interconnected with each other at one end and which are pivotably connected to the respective fixing elements at the other ends.

These arms may be rigid and for example may be formed from metal members. The pivotal interconnections may be defined by a member of flexible material, e.g. a rubber strip or block or the like secured between the ends of the arms. The pivotal connection with in the fixing element may be achieved by means of pivot pins engaged with the end of the arms and mounted on flanges on the fixing elements.

Preferably the central pivotal interconnection is defined by a strip of said flexible material which provides a transverse elongate contact region for clamping against the load.

It may be desired for the flexible members to be made of one piece material. This material is preferably rubber or any other suitable material.

One embodiment of a securing device in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig.1 is a diagrammatic cross-section through a vehicle on which the securing device is mounted; Fig.2 is a side elevation of the vehicle and securing device as shown in Fig.1; Fig.3 is a front elevation showing a pair of fixing elements coupled by a flexible member and mounted on a pole; and Fig.4 is a side elevation of Fig.3, but showing a glass sheet clamped against a support structure of the securing device.

As illustrated in Figs 1 and 2, a road vehicle 1 is provided with a securing device for holding sheets of glass 2. The securing device comprises a frail 3 with a bottom ledge 4 and poles 5. The glass 2 is clamped between the poles and the frail 3 as described hereafter.

The vehicle 1 has a roof 6, base 7, sides 8 and wheels 9. The roof 6 is narrower than the base 7, so that the sides are inclined outwardly facing from the vertical by a small angle, typically of the order of 5". Attached to each side 8, on the outside and inside thereof, is a respective one of the frails 3, 10. At the lower end of the exterior frail is the ledge 4 extending outwardly of the vehicle. Conveniently the frail 3 extends below the base 7 so that large articles may be carried by the vehicle 1. In the case of the interior frail 10, the base 7 forms the ledge for supporting glass sheets 2 within the vehicle 1. Convenient materials for the external 3 and internal frails 10 could be aluminium, so as to resist corrosion, and steel respectively. However, both frails may be of the same material if preferred.

Each frail as can be better seen in Fig.2, comprises upwardly extending bars 11 and horizontally extending bars 1 2.

The horizontally extending bars 1 2 are faced with a resilient material 1 3 such as rubber, in order that the glass sheets 2 laid in contact therewith are not likely to be damaged by such contact. One or more glass sheets 2 are placed with a lower edge on the ledge 4 or to be supported thereby, and are laid back to be in face to face contact with the horizontal bars 12 of the frail.

The outer frail is shown in Fig.2 with three upright spaced apart poles.

This is by way of example and any number and disposition of poles may be used on the inner and outer frails. The poles are made of aluminium or stainless steel and are square cross-section tubes. They are approximately equivalent in length with the height of the frail.

The upper end of the pole 5 has a spring-loaded prong (not shown) which is engaged into a hole selected from a row of holes in a flange (not shown), projecting from the top of the frail 3. The bottom of the pole has a projecting tongue which is engaged with a slot selected from a row of slots in the ledge. The hole and slot are selected depending on the thickness of glass required to be secured.

Along the length of the pole 5 as shown in Fig.3 a number of sliding sleeves 14 of square cross-section, having inner dimensions slightly greater than the dimension of the pole, to permit sliding along the pole without undue play. The sleeves 14 are moulded from hard plastics. These sleeves 14 are paired together by means of a flexible clamping member 1 5 on the side facing the frail, as described in more detail hereinafter.

Each sleeve 14 is provided with a threaded bore on one side, and this is engaged with a course thread screw 16 made from the same hard plastics material. The sleeves 14 can be fixed in position along the pole by tightening up the screw 16 against the pole 5.

Referring now to Fig.4 there is shown a similar arrangement to Fig.3.

However, in Fig.4 a cross-section of a sheet of glass is shown clamped between a folding nose 17 of the flexible clamping member and one of the rubber faced horizontal bars 12 positioned on the side of the frail.

In order to clamp the glass in this arrangement, the poles 5 must initially be removed from the frail 3 in order to allow the glass sheet 2 to be laid upon the frail 3, with the lower edge of the glass resting on the ledge 4 of the frail. Once in this position, the poles 5 may then be replaced in the required slots for that particular type of thickness of glass.

Once the poles are in place along the frail 3, the sliding sleeves 14 can then be moved along the pole 5. Once the sleeves 14 are in a suitable position along the length of the pole 5, either one or both of the sleeves 14 are then brought together, which results in the flexible clamping member 15 moving outwards in a gradually more pronounced V-shape, until the nose of the member 17 impinges upon the glass sheet 2 hence trapping the glass between the nose of the member and the rubber surfaced horizontal bars of the frail. Once in this position the sleeves can then be screwed by tightening each thumb screw 16 on each sliding sleeve 14.

The flexible clamping member 15 is a composite material, composed of two rigid aluminium arms, which are separately hinged to their respective sliding sleeve by means of a fixed pivot 18. The other ends of the arms are spaced apart from each other, but linked via a piece of rubber, which joins each individual arm. Each of the strip-shaped aluminium arms are also coated in rubber.

The section of rubber between the two rigid arms also creates a nose, which impinges upon the glass sheet 2 when moved outwardly. Since rubber has a high coefficient of friction, when the sliding sleeves are brought as close as possible together, and hence the nose be tightly pressed upon the glass, then there will be a high resistive force ensuring solid securement of the glass to the frail.

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 by way of example only.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A securing device for holding a load on a support structure comprising at least one elongate member disposed in spaced relationship to the support structure, at least one pair of fixing elements mounted on the elongate member and a flexible member linking said elements, at least one of the fixing elements being movable towards the other, so as to deflect the flexible member towards the support structure for clamping the load therebetween.
2. A securing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support structure is a framework which is mounted onto the side of a vehicle.
3. A securing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the framework is mounted inside a vehicle.
4. A securing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the framework is mounted on a pallet.
5. A securing device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the framework is formed from bars.
6. A securing device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the bars comprise an arrangement of mutually transverse bars defining an openwork or lattice structure.
7. A securing device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the bars are formed from metal and have protective edgings for contact with the clamped load.
8. A securing device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the framework has a bottom ledge to support a bottom edge of the load.
9. A securing device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the framework has an arrangement of projecting flanges to support a bottom edge of the load.
10. A securing device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the framework is inclined outwardly away from the vertical.
11. A securing device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the elongate member is a pole of square or rectangular cross-section.
1 2. A securing device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the pole is disposed upright.
1 3. A securing device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the pole is capable of engaging the aforesaid bottom ledge or flange at its bottom end..
14. A securing device as claimed in claim3, wherein the pole is capable of engaging a flange projecting from the framework at its top end.
15. A securing device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the pole is adjustably mounted so that it can be located at different spacings relative to the framework.
16. A securing device as claimed in claim 15, wherein there are two or more poles positioned side-by-side.
17. A securing device as claimed in claim 16, wherein there are one or more pairs of fixing elements along each pole, each pair being coupled together with a respective said flexible member.
18. A securing device as claimed in claim 17, whereby in order to facilitate clamping, both fixing elements of the said pair are positionably adjustable along the elongate member.
19. A securing device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the fixing elements comprise sleeved blocks.
20. A securing device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the sleeved blocks fit slidably around the elongate member.
21. A securing device as claimed in claim 20, wherein a fixing device is provided for holding each fixing element in position along the length of the elongate member.
22. A securing device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the fixing device is a clamp screw which engages a threaded bore in the fixing element and is screwed in to bear against the side of the elongate member.
23. A securing device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the flexible member is an elongate structure which is hinged to pivot at a central position between its ends.
24. A securing device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the elongate structure is not hinged at its central position and will deflect to produce a Vshaped configuration when the fixing elements are moved close together and will move the elongate structure towards a flattened or shallow V-shape when the fixing elements are moved further apart.
25. A securing device as claimed in claim 23, whereby movement of the ends towards each other pivots the central position outwardly to give a Vshaped configuration, and movement of the ends away from each other pivots the central position inwardly to move the elongate structure towards a flattened or shallow configuration.
26. A securing device as claimed in claim 25, wherein the elongate structure comprises two arms.
27. A securing device as claimed in claim 26, wherein the two arms are pivotally interconnected with each other at one end and pivotally connected to the respective fixing elements at the other end.
28. A securing device as claimed in claim 27, wherein the arms are rigid.
29. A securing device as claimed in claim 28, wherein the arms are made from metal members.
30. A securing device as claimed in claim 29, wherein pivoted interconnections are defined by a member of flexible material.
31. A securing device as claimed in claim 30, wherein the flexible material is a rubber strip or block is secured between the ends of the arms.
32. A securing device as claimed in claim 31, wherein the central pivotal interconnection is defined by a strip of said flexible material which provides a transverse elongate contact region for clamping against the load.
33. A securing device as claimed in claim 24, wherein the elongate structure comprises a rubber strip.
34. A securing device as claimed in claim 32, wherein the pivotal connection within the fixing element is achieved by means of pivot pins engaged with the end of the arms and mounted on flanges on the fixing elements.
35. A securing device as claimed in claim 33, wherein the pivotal connection within the fixing element is achieved by means of pivot pins engaged with the rubber strip.
36. A securing device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the pivot pins which are engaged with each elongate structure are mounted on flanges on the fixing elements.
37. A securing device substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.