GB2352765A

GB2352765A - Clamping unit for securing a ladder or other load on a vehicle roof rack

Info

Publication number: GB2352765A
Application number: GB9918491A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Barrie Reginald Frederic Sells
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-08-06
Filing date: 1999-08-06
Publication date: 2001-02-07
Anticipated expiration: 2019-08-06
Also published as: GB2352765B; GB9918491D0

Abstract

The clamping unit comprises a body part 10, 14 including means, eg bolt 18, for fixing the unit to the roof rack, a lever 22 pivotally mounted to the body part, and a hook 24 pivotally mounted to the lever 22. The hook 24 is engaged with the ladder or other load and as the lever 22 is moved (downwardly) from a clamp-released position to a clamp-applied position, the hook 24 is displaced to apply a security force to the load and the pivot axis of the hook 24 moves over-centre relative to the pivot axis of the lever 22. The hook 24 may have a screw-threaded shank which engages a threaded bore in a member 26 attached to the lever 22 to permit adjustment of the effective length of the hook. In a modification, a pair of hooks 24, (28) are mounted on one body part 10, 14. The clamping unit may be used to apply tension to a line (32, fig.13) which secures the load.

Description

2352765 Roof rack clamping unit The present invention relates to a

clamping unit for use in securing a ladder to the roof rack of a vehicle.

Devices for securing ladders to the roof rack of a vehicle are generally of complicated construction or 5 complicated and time consuming to use.

I have now devised a clamping unit which is of relatively simple construction and is quick and easy to use for securing a ladder to the roof rack of a vehicle, but which is equally useful for securing other loads to a vehicle roof rack.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a clamping unit for use in securing a ladder or other load onto a vehicle roof rack, the clamping unit comprising a body part which includes means for fixing the unit to a roof rack, a lever pivotally mounted to the body part, and a hooked member pivotally mounted to the lever, arranged so that as the lever is moved from a clamp release position to a clamp-applied position, the hooked member is displaced to apply a securing force to the load.

Preferably the hooked member is adjustable to alter the distance of a hook portion thereof from its axis of pivoting to the lever. Preferably the hooked member comprises an elongate member (e.g. a length of rod) formed with a hook at one end and a screw thread over a portion of its length starting from its opposite end. Preferably the threaded end of the hook member passes through a hole in a member which has a projecting shank passed through a hole in the lever.

Preferably the pivot axis of the hook member moves over-centre relative to the pivot axis of the lever, as the lever is moved from its "release" position to its "applied" position.

Preferably the pivotal axis of the lever is positioned at or adjacent its upper end. Preferably the pivotal axis of the hooked member is spaced downwardly from the pivotal axis of the lever, when the latter is in its "applied" position.

Preferably the lever is formed with a handle at its end opposite its pivoted end.

2 Preferably an arm projects from the body part of the clamping unit, for co-operation with the lever when in its "applied" position, for retaining the lever in that position. Preferably the lever and the retaining arm are formed with 5 holes which align to receive a locking pin or a padlock.

The clamping unit may include a pair of hooked members, spaced apart sideby-side. Preferably the two hooked members are pivotally mounted to a common structure which is pivotally mounted to the lever: the hooked members may be adjustably mounted to respective members which are bottled together through a hole in the lever.

Preferably the means for mounting the unit to a roof rack comprises a clamping arrangement. Preferably this clamping arrangement comprises an Lshape bracket and a clamping plate for co-operating with a first leg of the bracket. Preferably the clamping plate has a projection for engagement in any one of a number of recesses or holes in the second leg of the bracket, for spacing the plate at different distances from the first leg of the bracket. Preferably the projection is offset from a centre-line of the bracket, so that the projection is selectively engageable with some of the recesses when disposed in one orientation, and is selectively engageable with the other recesses when disposed in an opposite orientation. Preferably the lever is pivotally mounted to a block projecting from the rear of the second leg of the bracket. Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of examples only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 30 FIGURE 1 is a side view showing the two sections of an extending ladder secured onto a roof rack assembly of a vehicle by means of a pair of clamping units in accordance with the present invention; FIGURE 2 is a similar side view of a single ladder secured onto the roof rack assembly of the vehicle using the same pair of clamping units; FIGURE 3 is an enlarged side view corresponding to Figure 1, showing one of the clamping units; FIGURE 4 is a view of the direction A indicated in 3 Figure 3; FIGURE 5 is a corresponding view showing a modified clamping unit in use; FIGURE 6 is an isometric view of the clamping unit 5 shown in Figures 3 and 4; FIGURE 7 is an exploded view of the clamping unit shown in Figure 6; FIGURE 8 is a view of the clamping unit of Figures 6 and 7, to show one mode of assembly of a clamping plate of the unit.

FIGURE 9 is a corresponding view of the clamping unit, to show an alternative mode of assembly of the clamping plate; FIGURE 10 is a side view of the clamping unit of Figure 6; FIGURE 11 is an isometric view of the modified clamping unit shown in Figure 5; FIGURE 12 is an exploded view of the clamping unit of Figure 11; and FIGURE 13 is a view showing a clamping unit in accordance with the invention, used to secure an alternative load onto the vehicle roofrack.

Referring to the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 show a pair of clamping units Cl, C2 fixed to respective racks Rl, R2 of a roof rack assembly mounted to the roof V of a vehicle: in Figure 1, the clamping units secure the two sections of an extending ladder L onto the roof rack assembly, whilst in Figure 2 the clamping units secure a single ladder L onto the roof rack assembly. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, each rack e.g. Rl comprises a pair of inverted U-shaped end frames (one shown at F) spaced-apart across the width of the vehicle roof, and a cross-bar B which is f ixed at its opposite ends to the underside of the top sections of the respective frames F.

Referring to Figures 6 and 7, each clamping unit Cl,C2 of Figures 1 to 4 comprises a body part made up of an L-shape bracket 10, a block 12 projecting from the rear face of the upright leg 10a of the bracket 10, and an arm 14 projecting in a downwardly and rearwardly inclined direction from the horizontal leg lob of the bracket 10. The clamping unit further comprises a plate 16 to co-operate with the horizontal 4 leg lob of the bracket 10: the plate 16 and the bracket leg lob are formed with longitudinal slots 16c, 10c along their centre lines, to receive a f ixing bolt 18 which in turn receives a washer 18a and a nut l8b for clamping the unit to the cross-bar B of the rack Rl. As shown in Figure 8, a projection 16a at one end of the plate 16 is engageable in either of the two holes 10d in the inner f ace of the bracket leg 10a: the projection 16a is offset from the centre line of the plate 16 so that the plate can be turned over (Figure 9) and engaged in either of two further holes 10e in the inner face of the bracket leg 10a; in this way, the plate 16 can be assembled to the bracket 10 at any of four different spacings from the bracket leg lob, according to the thickness of the cross-bar B to which the unit is to be f ixed. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, a serrated gripping pad 20, having a longitudinal slot 20a, is provided for seating between the bracket leg lob and the rack cross-bar B where the latter is circular in cross-section.

Referring again to Figures 6 and 7, the clamping unit further comprises a lever 22 pivoted to the block 12 of the body part of the unit. The lever 22 comprises an upright portion 22a having a threaded shank 23 projecting from it adjacent its upper end, the shank 23 passing through a bore 12a in the block 12 and receiving a washer 23a and a nut 23b. The lever 22 further comprises a portion 22b projecting downwardly and outwardly in an inclined direction from the lower end of the upright portion 22a, and finally a handle portion 22c bent at 900 to the inclined portion 22b. The clamping unit further comprises a hook member 24 pivotally mounted to the lever 22 at a point spaced downwardly from the pivot axis of the lever:

the hook member 24 comprises a rod which is bent to form a hook 24a at its upper end and is formed with a screw thread 24b over a substantial portion of its length adjacent its opposite end; the threaded end of the member 24 passes through a threaded bore 26a in a member 26, which has a projecting threaded shank 26b passed through a hole 22d in the lever portion 22a, to receive a washer 26c and nut 26d. The threaded end of the hook member 24 receives a locking nut 24c.

The screw thread on the hook member 24 enables the member to be adjusted for effective length, to suit the load which it is required to secure: thus, referring to Figures 1 and 2, the hook member 24 may be extended when required to secure the two sections of an extending ladder, laid one over the other, or shortened when required to secure a single ladder; it will be noted that the hooked ends 24a of the members 24 engage over respective rungs of the single ladder in Figure 2, and over respective rungs of the uppermost of the two ladder sections in Figure 1.

In Figure 10, the lever 22 and the hook member 24 are shown by full lines in the normal, locked condition of the clamping unit: the dotted lines show the lever 22 and hook member 24 in successive positions as the lever 22 is turned upwardly about its pivotal connection to the block 12 and the hook member 24 is turned downwardly and outwardly about its pivotal connection to the lever 22.

It will be appreciated that the hook member 24 may be moved to a "release" position by pivoting the lever 22 upwardly and pivoting the hook member 24 downwardly and outwardly as just described. once in this position, the ladder may be removed from the roof rack, or placed in position on the roof rack. Then in order to secure the ladder, the hook member is pivoted upwardly and forwardly so that its hooked end 24a overlies the corresponding rung of the ladder: the lever is then pivoted downwardly, so pulling the hook member downwardly to clamp down on the corresponding rung of the ladder; in this movement of the lever 22, the pivotal axis of the hook member 24 passes over-centre relative to the pivotal axis of the lever 22. In the clamping position, holes 22e and 14a on the lever 22 and arm 14 align to receive a locking pin or padlock.

Figures 11 and 12 show a modified clamping unit, which has a second hook member 28, the pair of hook members 24, 28 being spaced apart side-by-side and positioned either side of the block 12 of the body part of the unit. Thus, the threaded shank 26b of member 26 is screwed into one end of a tubular member 30, the second hook member 28 being threaded through a transverse bore in the member 30 adjacent its opposite end: a lock nut 30a is provided for the end of the hook member 28. Figure 5 shows the twin-hook clamping unit of Figures 11 and 12 in use to secure the two sections of an extending ladder 6 onto the roof rack.

Figure 13 shows an alternative use of a clamping unit C in accordance with the invention. In this case, the clamping unit C is fixed to the tophorizontal element of one of the frames F of the rack and the hook member is turned to face outwardly. A load LD is rested on the roof rack and held in place by a line 32 which has one end looped around the hook 24a and its other end tied to the opposite end frame of the rack. By moving this lever of the clamping unit from its raised or "release" position to its lowered or "applied" position, the line 32 is tensioned over the top of the load LD.

7

Claims

1) A clamping unit for use in security a ladder or other load onto a vehicle roof rack, the clamping unit comprising a body part which includes means for fixing the unit to a roof rack, a lever pivotally mounted to said body part, and a hooked member pivotally mounted to said lever, arranged so that as said lever is moved from a clamp-released position to a clampapplied position, said hooked member is displaced to apply a security force to the load.

2) A clamping unit as claimed in claim 1, in which said hooked member is adjustable to alter the distance of a hook portion thereof from its axis of pivoting to said lever.

3) A clamping unit as claimed in claim 2, in which said hooked member comprises an elongate member formed with a hook at one end and a screw thread over a portion of its length staring from its opposite end.

4) A clamping unit as claimed in claim 3, in which the screw-threaded portion of said hooked member passes through a hole in a member which has a projecting shank passed through a hole in said lever.

5) A clamping unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the pivot axis of said hook member moves over-centre relative to the pivot axis of said lever, as said lever is moved from its clamp-released position to its clamp-applied position.

6) A clamping unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which an arm projects from said body part, for co-operation with said lever when it its said clamp-applied position, to retain said lever in that position.

8 7) A clamping unit as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising a pair of said hooker members, spaced apart side-byside.

8) A clamping unit as claimed in claim 7, in which said pair of hooked members are pivotally mounted to a common structure which is pivotally mounted to said lever.

9) A clamping unit as claimed in claim 8, in which said common structure comprises first and second members which are bolted together through a hole in said lever, the hooked members being adjustably mounted to respective ones of said first and second members.

10) A clamping unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said means for mounting the unit to a roof rack comprises a clamping arrangement.

11) A clamping unit as claimed in claim 10, in which said clamping arrangement comprises an L-shape bracket and a clamping plate for cooperating with a first leg of said bracket.

12) A clamping unit as claimed in claim 11, in which said clamping plate has a projection for engagement in any one of a number of recesses or holes in the second leg of said bracket, for spacing said plate at different distances from said first leg of said bracket.

13) A clamping unit as claimed in claim 12, in which said projection is off-set from a centre-line of said bracket, so that said projection is selectively engageable with some of said recesses or holes when said plate is disposed in one orientation, and is selectively engageable with the other recesses or holes when said plate is disposed in an opposite orientation.

9 14) A clamping unit as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 13, in which said lever is pivotally mounted to a block projecting from the rear of the second leg of said bracket.

15) A clamping unit substantially as herein described with 5 reference to and as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 6 to 10, or Figures 11 and 12, of the accompanying drawings.