GB2311087A

GB2311087A - Tensioning the curtain of a curtainsided vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2311087A
Application number: GB9704998A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Brian Sturgess
Original assignee: SOUTHFIELDS COACHWORKS Ltd
Current assignee: SOUTHFIELDS COACHWORKS Ltd
Priority date: 1996-03-12
Filing date: 1997-03-11
Publication date: 1997-09-17
Also published as: GB9704998D0; GB9605233D0

Abstract

A means of tensioning a curtain 13 of a curtainsided vehicle body or other goods container having a cant rail and a side rave 12, comprises suspending the curtain from the cant rail so that it extends downwardly between the cant rail and the side rave, securing the lower edge 14.1 of the curtain relative to the vehicle body, and applying a force to the curtain so as to cause a deflection of at least a portion of it, thereby inducing tension in the curtain. The deflection of the curtain conveniently is provided by a bar or bars 20 disposed longitudinally of the vehicle body for contact with the curtain and means, preferably a piston and cylinder assembly 16, to urge the bar against the curtain thereby to induce tension in the curtain. The deflection may also be achieved by mess of an inflatable member (not shown) or by moving a section of the side rave (not shown).

Description

GOODS CONTAINERS This invention relates to curtainsided goods containers, that is, goods containers having in one or more sides thereof a loading (or unloading) aperture which is closable by a sliding curtain. In particular, the invention relates to vehicle bodies, for example semi-trailer vehicles.

Curtainsided vehicles have become firmly established in the road transport industry owing to the ease with which, when the curtains are retracted, they can be loaded and unloaded by means of fork-lift trucks. The curtains are normally sheets of PVC suspended at their upper edge portion by runners or sliders moving along a track disposed longitudinally of the vehicle body.

When the curtains are in the closed position it is important that they be kept taut, especially in the vertical direction, in order to avoid several practical disadvantages. First, in several designs of curtainsided vehicles the curtains provide the means of holding the load in place, and it is important that the load does not cause the curtains to protrude beyond the regulation width of the vehicle. Secondly, if the curtains are allowed to bow outwards the wind resistance suffered by the vehicle increases with a consequent increase in fuel consumption.

It is, therefore, desirable that the curtains be under a degree of tension in at least the vertical direction. The conventional means of providing this tension is by the use of strap and buckle devices by means of which vertical reinforcements of the curtain, usually strips of webbing material, are secured to the respective side rave of the vehicle body. This arrangement, although it has been widely used for many years, suffers from the considerable disadvantage that a substantial number of such devices has to be manipulated each time the curtain is opened or closed.

The present invention obviates the need for such multiple securement and instead allows the vehicle driver to tension all of the webbing strips, and thereby the curtain as a whole, by a simple operation.

Accordingly, in a first aspect the present invention provides a method of tensioning a curtain of a curtainsided goods container having a cant rail and a side rave, which comprises suspending the curtain from the cant rail so that it extends downwardly between the cant rail and the side rave, securing the lower edge of the curtain relative to the vehicle body, and applying a force to the curtain so as to cause a deflection of at least a portion of it, thereby inducing tension in the curtain.

In one form of the method of the invention the force is applied to the curtain so as to deflect it in a direction transverse to said portion of the curtain. Alternatively, the force is applied to the curtain so as to deflect it in a direction in alignment with said portion of the curtain.

A preferred form of the method of the invention comprises suspending the curtain from the cant rail, disposing the curtain in a pre-determined path which comprises a first zone in which the curtain extends substantially vertically from the region of the cant rail to the region of the side rave, and a second zone in which the curtain extends inwardly from the region of the side rave to a securement location on the vehicle body; and a force is applied to the curtain in said second zone to deflect the curtain and thereby induce tension in the curtain.

Although, as stated above, the invention relates to goods containers in generally, it is described below with particular reference to vehicle bodies.

The present invention, obviating as it does the need for curtain buckles, can provide a smooth outer surface for the curtain thereby not only improving its appearance but reducing the wind resistance of the vehicle body.

In a second aspect of the invention there is provided a curtainsided vehicle body or other goods container comprising: at least one cant rail disposed over and substantially parallel to a side rave; a curtain suspended from the cant rail for the purpose of closing an aperture between the cant rail and side rave; the curtain having at or adjacent its lower edge securement means and the vehicle body having engagement means to engage the securement means in such a way that the extended curtain comprises a first1 substantially vertical, zone extending downwardly from the region of the cant rail to the region of the side rave and a second zone extending inwardly from the region of the side rave to the securement means; and tensioning means adapted to act on the curtain in said second zone thereby to induce tension in the curtain.

The tensioning means conveniently can be actuated in various ways, for example pneumatically, hydraulically, electrically or manually. Where, for example, actuation is pneumatic or hydraulic, it is convenient for the force to be generated by a cylinder assembly in the form of a cylinder and co-operating piston; by way of example the piston can be utilised as a means of applying force, either directly or indirectly, to the curtain.

In the present invention the curtains normally comprise a sheet of curtain material, for example PVC sheet and usually have secured thereto strips of webbing or other suitable material to reinforce the curtain material and provide a convenient way of suspending and/or securing the curtain on the vehicle body.

Where tension is to be applied to the curtain it is conveniently effected by applying tension to the webbing strip or other reinforcement.

In a preferred form of the vehicle body of the invention the curtain has reinforcement comprising a plurality of spaced-apart webbing strips and the securement means comprises a plurality of hooks attached respectively to the lower ends of the strips.

Said engagement means can comprise an inwardly-directed portion of the side rave (or means carried by it) for detachable engagement with the hooks.

Reference herein to tension being applied to the curtain includes reference to the application of tension directly or indirectly to the curtain material; where the application is indirect, it is conveniently applied to reinforcing strips or other reinforcement secured to, or otherwise carried by, the curtain material.

There are now described, by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, embodiments of the method and vehicle body aspects of the present invention as applied, by way of example, to a semi-trailer.

In the drawings, which are of diagrammatic form: FIG 1 is a view, partly in section, of a portion of the vehicle body showing tensioning means, the tensioning means being in an inoperative mode and the side curtain being in an untensioned condition and lying in a pre-determined path; FIG 2 corresponds to FIG 1 but shows the tensioning means in an operative mode and the curtain in a tensioned condition; FIG 2A corresponds to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 except that it is in greater detail. It shows the operative mode (corresponding to FIG. 2) in phantom lines; it does not show the curtain; FIG 3 is a view corresponding to that of FIG 1 but of a second embodiment of the invention, the tensioning means being in an inoperative mode and the side curtain being in an untensioned condition and lying in a pre-determined path; FIG 4 corresponds to FIG 3 but shows the tensioning means in an operative mode and the curtain in a tensioned condition; FIG 5 is a view corresponding to that of FIG 1 but of a third embodiment of the invention, the tensioning means being in an inoperative mode and the side curtain being in an untensioned condition and lying in a pre-determined path; FIG 6 is a view corresponding to that of FIG 1 but of a fourth embodiment of the invention, the tensioning means being in an inoperative mode and the side curtain being in an untensioned condition and lying in a pre-determined path; and FIG 7 corresponds to FIG 6 but shows the tensioning means in an operative mode and the curtain in a tensioned condition.

The tensioning means of the drawings are each shown as a single tensioning device. However, normally there are several such devices mounted in a spaced-apart disposition along the vehicle body, and normally acting in unison.

With reference to each of the embodiments, the semi-trailer vehicle body (not shown) has a base and four corner posts upstanding therefrom to define an elongate structure having two parallel sides and two ends. The corner posts support a roof, and the two corner posts at each side of the body are interconnected at their upper ends by a cant rail and at their lower ends by a side rave.

Figure 1 shows, in diagrammatic form and partly in crosssection, a portion of the base of the vehicle body, including one of the cross-members (10) supporting a deck (11) and secured at one end to a side rave (12). Figure 1 relates to one side of the vehicle body though normally the other side would be similar in construction.

The side of the vehicle body is provided with a slidable curtain (13), suspended from the cant rail (not shown), by means of which the side can be closed. The curtain conveniently comprises a sheet of curtain material (14), for example a sheet of heavy duty PVC, and a series of reinforcing, spaced apart, vertically extending webbing strips (15) one of which is shown in Figure 1. These webbing strips are secured to the curtain material along their length, for example by stitching, bonding, high frequency welding or hot air welding. The webbing strips (15) extend beyond the lower edge (14.1) of the curtain material (14) and provide a means by which the curtain is operatively connected to the tensioning means (16). The webbing strip (15), in the disposition shown in FIG. 1, comprises two zones: a first, substantially vertical zone (15.1) extending downwardly from the region of the cant rail to the region of the bottom of the side rave (12), and a second (15.2), extending inwardly from the region of the bottom of the side rave. The extremity of said second zone of the webbing strip is secured to a hook (17) which engages an inwardly directed flange (12.1) of the side rave (12).

Preferably, this inwardly directed flange terminates in an upwardly inclined portion (12.2) as shown in Figures 1 and 2, which enhances the security of the hook on the flange.

The tensioning means conveniently comprises a plurality of tensioning devices disposed along the length of the vehicle body, one of which (16) is shown in Figures 1 and 2. The device (16) comprises a pneumatic cylinder (16.1) and cooperating piston (16.2), the distal end of the piston being pivotally secured at or adjacent one end of a cranked link member or lever (18) comprising upper and lower arms and itself pivotally mounted by a hinge (18.1) on a bracket (19) (Figure 2A) secured to the side rave (12). The lower arm of lever (18) is located in a slot in the lower flange of side rave (12),in which slot it is free to move. At or towards the other end of the link member there is secured a bar or other suitable elongate member (20) extending longitudinally of the vehicle body and substantially parallel to the side rave (12). The bar (20) is similarly secured to the other or others of said tensioning devices.

The bar (20) can be a single bar or can be constituted by two or more component bars arranged, for example, in alignment longitudinally of the vehicle body, each component bar being operatively connected to one or more tensioning devices.

The tensioning device (16) is preferably such that the bar (20) does not reach a position where its centre line is inboard of the centre line of the hinge (18.1). This preferred arrangement not only avoids accidental locking of the device in the operative mode but can automatically allow for stretch of the webbing during use without substantial loss of effectiveness of the tensioning device.

The tensioning device (16) preferably has a means of manual over-ride (not shown) as a safeguard against failure of the power supply, for example the pneumatic (or hydraulic) supply.

FIG. 2 shows the operative mode as described in greater detail below.

Mode of operation of the first embodiment On the assumption that the curtain (13) is in the fully open position, it is pulled manually in a horizontal direction until it has extended across the loading aperture to be closed. The leading edge of the curtain is then secured and the operator pulls the lower ends of the webbing strips inwardly of the side rave (12) and secures the curtain hooks (17) to the upwardly inclined portion (12.2) of the inwardly directed flange (12.1) of the side rave. The curtain now comprises a substantially vertical zone extending downwardly from the cant rail to the side rave and a second zone extending inwardly from the side rave, the curtain being in an untensioned condition. The operator then actuates the tensioning means (16) whereby, with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, the piston (16.2) is retracted pneumatically from its cylinder (16.1), thereby causing the lever (18) to rotate about its hinge (18.1) and move the longitudinal bar (20) in an arcuate downward direction. As the bar (20) moves it presses against the webbing strips (15.2) thereby inducing tension in them and in the curtain (13) as a whole. The tensioning device (16) preferably includes a safety means (not shown) which can be applied by the operator to hold the tensioning means in its operative mode until the operator wishes to open the curtain.

Figures 3 and 4 relate to a second embodiment of the invention In Figures 3 and 4 the reference numerals correspond to those used in Figures 1 and 2 except that they each have a prefix "3". In this embodiment the side rave (312) is a split rave comprising first and second parallel longitudinal portions (312.3, 312.4) relatively displaceable from each other, whereby the rave can be transformed from a closed position (Fig. 3) to an open position (Fig. 4). The webbing strips (315) have hooks (317) engagable with an inwardly extending flange similar to the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, but the strips pass directly under and in close contact with the bottom of the side rave portion (312).

The cylinder (316.1) is secured to, or fixed relative to, the upper portion (312.3) of the side rave; the piston head (316.3) is secured to, or otherwise fixed with respect to, the lower, retractable portion (312.4) of the rave.

Mode of operation of the second embodiment The action taken by the operator to close and tension the curtain is similar to that described above with reference to the first embodiment. However, pneumatic actuation of the cylinder (316.1) results in the lower portion (312.4) of the side rave being moved downwardly and away from the upper portion (312.3), the lower portion being pressed against the webbing strip (315.2) in its second zone thereby inducing tension in the strip and in the curtain as a whole.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 it is the lower of the two rave portions that is movable, the movement being linear. Thus, in effect the depth of the side rave is increased by actuation of the cylinder and piston assembly.

In an alternative embodiment, not shown in the drawings, the side rave comprises two portions, for example two elongate or other parallel portions, one portion at least of which can be actuated so as to provide inwardly directed movement. For example, said movable portion can be arranged for arcuate movement while remaining parallel to the other portion, whereby said movable portion is urged against the curtain in said second zone. Thus, a side rave can, for example, comprises two parallel elongate portions pivotally connected together along their length and provided with means to act on one portion so that it pivots with respect to the other portion.

In a particular embodiment of the invention the movable side rave portion also provides or carries said engagement means.

That particular embodiment can, optionally, have one or both of the following additional features (a) and (b): (a) the movable side rave portion is such that when it is moved inwardly of the vehicle body the securement means automatically becomes engaged with the engagement means; (b) the movable side rave portion is such that when it is moved in its reverse direction thereby releasing the tension in the curtain the securement means automatically becomes disengaged from the engagement means.

Figure 5 relates to a third embodiment of the invention.

In Figure 5 the reference numerals correspond to those used in Figures 1 and 2 except that they each have a prefix "5". In this embodiment the tensioning means (516) comprises an air bag or other inflatable member (530) disposed between the inwardly directed flange (512.1) of side rave (512) and the webbing strip (515.2), by means of which the webbing strip can be tensioned.

In Figure 5 the air bag (530) is shown in an uninflated condition and the webbing strip (515.2) in an untensioned condition.

Inflation of the air bag (530) causes it to press downwardly on the webbing strip (515.2) in its second zone thereby inducing tension therein and in the curtain (513) as a whole.

Figures 6 and 7 relate to a fourth embodiment of the invention. In Figures 6 and 7 the reference numerals correspond to those used in Figures 1 and 2 except that they each have a prefix "6". In this embodiment the tensioning device (616) acts to displace the webbing strip (615.2) in a direction in alignment with the webbing strip as distinct from the transverse displacement of the previous embodiments. The cylinder (616.1) is secured to, or otherwise fixed with respect to, the side rave (612) and the piston (616.2) is secured to, or otherwise fixed with respect to, a bar or other elongate member (640) disposed parallel to the side rave (612). The bar (640) has an inwardly directed flange (640.1) which serves as a securement means for the curtain hooks (617).

Mode of operation of the fourth embodiment The procedure followed by the operator in closing and tensioning the curtain is similar to that described above with reference to the first embodiment. However, in the fourth embodiment pneumatic actuation of the cylinder (616.1) causes the bar (640) to be moved inwardly, that is away from the side rave (612), thereby drawing the webbing strip (615.2) from the untensioned condition shown in Figure 6 to a tensioned condition shown in Figure 7 and thereby inducing tension in the curtain as a whole.

Claims

1. A method of tensioning a curtain of a curtainsided goods container having a cant rail and a side rave, which comprises suspending the curtain from the cant rail so that it extends downwardly between the cant rail and the side rave, securing the lower edge of the curtain relative to the vehicle body, and applying a force to the curtain so as to cause a deflection of at least a portion of it, thereby inducing tension in the curtain.

2. A method according to Claim 1, wherein the goods container is a vehicle body.

3. A method according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the force is applied to the curtain so as to deflect it in a direction transverse to said portion of the curtain.

4. A method according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the force is applied to the curtain so as to deflect it in a direction in alignment with said portion of the curtain.

5. A method of tensioning a curtain of a curtainsided vehicle body having a cant rail and a side rave, which comprises suspending the curtain from the cant rail, disposing the curtain in a pre-determined path which comprises a first zone in which the curtain extends substantially vertically from the region of the cant rail to the region of the side rave, and a second zone in which the curtain extends inwardly from the region of the side rave to a securement location on the vehicle body; and a force is applied to the curtain in said second zone to deflect the curtain and thereby induce tension in the curtain.

6. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the force is provided by a piston and cylinder assembly.

7. A curtainsided goods container comprising: at least one cant rail disposed over and substantially parallel to a side rave; a curtain suspended from the cant rail for the purpose of closing an aperture between the cant rail and side rave; the curtain having at or adjacent its lower edge securement means and the vehicle body having engagement means to engage the securement means in such a way that the extended curtain comprises a first, substantially vertical, zone extending downwardly from the region of the cant rail to the region of the side rave and a second zone extending inwardly from the region of the side rave to the securement means; and tensioning means adapter t:r act on the curtain in said second zone thereby to induce tension in the curtain.

8. A curtainsided goods container according to Claim 1, which is a vehicle body.

9. A curtainsided vehicle body according to Claim 8, wherein said engagement means comprises an inwardly directed portion of the side rave or means carried by the side rave.

10. A curtainsided vehicle body according to Claim 8 or 9, wherein the curtain has reinforcement comprising a plurality of spaced-apart webbing Strips, and the securement means comprises a plurality of hooks attached~respectively to the lower ends of the strips.

11. A curtainsided vehicle body according to Claim 8, 9 or 10, wherein said second zone extends under the side rave and said engagement means comprises an inwardly-directed flange of the side rave.

12. A curtainsided vehicle body according to any of Claims 8 to 11, wherein the tensioning means comprises an elongate member or members disposed longitudinally of the vehicle body for contact with the curtain, and means to urge said member or members against the curtain thereby to induce tension in a vertical direction in the curtain.

13. A curtainsided vehicle body according to Claim 12, wherein said elongate member or members comprises a bar disposed substantially parallel to the side rave, and said means comprises one or more piston and cylinder assemblies, the pistons being operatively connected to the bar.

14. A curtainsided vehicle body according to Claim 13, wherein the bar is disposed substantially parallel to the side rave and movably mounted thereon, whereby actuation of the piston causes the bar to move in a downwards direction against said second zone.

15. A curtainsided vehicle body according to Claim 8, wherein the side rave comprises upper and lower elongate side rave portions disposed parallel to each other and arranged for relative reciprocal movement between a closed position and an open position in which the lower portion presses against said second zone of the curtain, and the vehicle body has actuating means to effect said relative movement.

16. A curtainsided vehicle body according to Claim 15, wherein said actuating means comprises a piston and cylinder assembly.

17. A curtainsided vehicle body according to Claim 8, wherein the tensioning means comprises an inflatable member disposed between the side rave and the curtain, whereby inflation of the inflatable member results in tension being induced in the curtain.

18. A curtainsided vehicle body according to Claim 17, wherein the inflatable member is disposed between an inwardly directed portion of the side rave and said second zone of the curtain.

19. A curtainsided vehicle body according to Claim 8, wherein the tensioning means comprises a piston and cylinder assembly, the cylinder being fixed with respect to the side rave, and the piston comprising at its proximal end a piston head engaging the cylinder and at its distal end engagement means for engagement with said securement means, whereby when the piston slides with respect to the cylinder the engagement means is urged against the securement means thereby inducing tension in the curtain.

20. A curtainsided vehicle body according to Claim 19, wherein the longitudinal axis of the piston is substantially parallel to said second zone of the curtain.

21. A curtainsided vehicle body according to Claim 8, wherein the side rave comprises two portions, one of which is reversibly movable inwardly of the vehicle body; said second zone of the curtain is in contact, or can be brought into contact, with the movable side rave portion; and said inward movement of the movable side rave portion results in pressure by it on the curtain thereby inducing tension in the curtain.

22. A curtainsided vehicle body according to Claim 21, wherein the movable side rave portion also provides or carries said engagement means.

23. A curtainsided vehicle body according to Claim 22, wherein the movable side rave portion is such that when it is moved inwardly of the vehicle body the securement means automatically becomes engaged with the engagement means.

24. A curtainsided vehicle body according to Claim 22 or 23, wherein the movable side rave portion is such that when it is moved in its reverse direction thereby releasing the tension in the curtain the securement means automatically becomes disengaged from the engagement means.