GB2591431A

GB2591431A - Safety System

Info

Publication number: GB2591431A
Application number: GB1914418.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Whiteoak Niven
Original assignee: Commercial Fleet Dev Ltd
Current assignee: Commercial Fleet Developments Ltd
Priority date: 2019-10-07
Filing date: 2019-10-07
Publication date: 2021-08-04
Anticipated expiration: 2039-10-07
Also published as: GB201914418D0; GB2591431B

Abstract

A safety arrangement for a tail lift of a vehicle (e.g. a lorry) having two rear doors, has arms 1,3 each pivotally secured to the vehicle rear adjacent the door hinge for securing the doors in an open position, and a retractable belt extendable from a housing 27 secured near a vertical edge to the inner surface of one door to a holder 29 secured to the other door. The secured-open doors and belt provide a safety barrier around a tail lift. The arms can be square tube (5, fig 1) mounted to a plate (11, fig 1) with holes to receive Antiluce™ fasteners.

Description

Intellectual Property Office Application No G1319144187 RTM Date:9 March 2021 The following terms are registered trade marks and should be read as such wherever they occur in this document: Antiluce Intellectual Property Office is an operating name of the Patent Office www.gov.uk/ipo Safety System

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to safety systems for use in connection with the loading 5 and unloading of a lorry's cargo via the tail lift of the vehicle.

Background to the Invention

Loading and unloading cargo from a lorry using the tail lift of the vehicle can be a hazardous procedure. In particular, a person carrying out the work, who may, for instance, be the driver of the vehicle, will typically have to manoeuvre sizable and heavy items of cargo on the tail lift prior to the tail lift being lowered in an unloading procedure, or after the tail lift is raised during a loading procedure. There is the danger that, during such operations, the operator will inadvertently take a step beyond the edge of the tail lift and consequently fall a metre or more to the ground. It is even possible for the operator to pull the cargo over the edge of the tail lift while he is falling and then on to himself so that he is seriously injured.

Safety systems for use with vehicle tail lifts are known. However, such 20 systems include gates or barriers which are attached to the tail lift and are easily damaged. Furthermore, they may have to be erected in order that full access to the tail lift can be achieved

Statements of the Invention

According to the present invention, there is provided safety apparatus for the tail lift of a vehicle having two rear doors, the apparatus comprising a first arm for pivotally securing at one end to the rear of the vehicle at a position adjacent one of said rear doors and at the other end to said door when in an open position, a second arm for pivotally securing at one end to the rear of the vehicle at a position adjacent the other of said rear doors and at the other end to said other door when in an open position, a retractable belt for extension from a housing secured to the inner surface of one of said doors at or near a free vertical edge thereof to a holder for the end of the belt secured to the inner surface of the other door or near a free vertical edge thereof.

When the apparatus is fitted to a vehicle with a tail lift the arms may be used to secure the doors in open positions thereby preventing an operator from falling off the sides of the tail lift. With the retractable belt extended between the doors, the operator will become aware of his or her proximity to the rear edge of the tail lift when he/she makes contact with the belt.

Each arm may be made of metal or any other suitable material and may include a square section tube.

Each arm may be provided at one end with means for fastening the arm to the body of the vehicle and so that pivotal movement relative to the vehicle is enabled.

Each arm may be provided with means for securing the arm to the vehicle so that pivotal movement is prevented. The securing means may comprise an Antiluce fastening Each arm may be provided with an integral plate to enable said other end to 25 be secured to a vehicle door. An Antiluce fastening may be provided to fasten said plate to said door.

The present invention further provides a vehicle provided with safety apparatus according to the invention.

In addition, the present invention provides a method of rendering safe the work space provided on a tail lift of a vehicle, the method comprising securing to the vehicle apparatus according to the invention.

Brief description of the drawings

The accompanying drawings are as follows: Figure 1 shows the components of an embodiment of shows apparatus of the present invention; Figure 2 shows the apparatus of Figure 1 fitted to the rear doors of a vehicle with a tail lift; Figure 3 shows the retractable belt of the apparatus of Figure 1 viewed from the interior of the vehicle; Figure 4 shows one the arms of the apparatus of Figure 1 fitted 20 adjacent one of the rear doors of the vehicle; and Figure 5 shows one of the arms of the apparatus of Figure 1 fitted adjacent one of the rear doors of the vehicle and also secured to that rear door.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Apparatus in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The apparatus comprises two arms 1 and 3, arm 3 being for attachment to the right hand side of a vehicle, viewed on the rear, and arm 3 being or attachment to the other side of the vehicle. Each arm 1, 3 comprises a square section tube 5 having one end arranged for pivotal movement about a bolt 7 located in a bracket plate 9 which in turn is welded to a plate 11. Extending through plate 9 are three holes 13 (only two of which can be seen in Figure 1) and bolts 15 enable the arm 1, 3 to be secured to the rear of the vehicle at a position adjacent the hinged edge of the appropriate door, as shown in Figure 4.

The arm 1, 3 is firmly held in the position shown in Figure 4 by means of an Antiluce dropcatch fastener 21 extending through a hole 19 in tube 5 and into the vehicle body.

The arm 1, 3 is provided with a short integral plate 23 extending from a side 10 of the end of tube 5 which is perpendicular to plate 11.

The arm 1, 3 can be moved from the position shown in Figure 4 to a position such as that shown in Figure 5 by releasing the Antiluce fastener 21 and then rotating the arm about bolt 9. With the vehicle door open, the plate 23 then lies against the door and an Antiluce fastener 25 can then be used to connect the arm 1, 3 to the door. This secures the door securely in position as illustrated in Figure 2 and the same procedure can be followed to secure the other door in place, also as illustrated in Figure 2.

The apparatus also includes a retractable belt arrangement which comprises the housing 27 containing the belt and associated mechanism which is attached to the inner surface of one of the doors at between about waist and shoulder height and close to the free vertical edge of the door. At a corresponding position on the other door there is attached a holder 29 for the free end of the belt 31 when the belt is stretched from its housing 27 across the space between the doors.

The above described apparatus, when set up as indicated above, substantially reduces the risk of an accident occurring while an operator is loading and unloading goods via the tail lift. Barriers are created at the two sides of the tail lift and the operator is made aware of his/her proximity to the rear edge of the tail lift because of contact with the belt of the retractable belt system.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Safety apparatus for the tail lift of a vehicle having two rear doors, the apparatus comprising a first arm for pivotally securing at one end to the rear of the vehicle at a position adjacent one of said rear doors and at the other end to said door when in an open position, a second arm for pivotally securing at one end to the rear of the vehicle at a position adjacent the other of said rear doors and at the other end to said other door when in an open position, a retractable belt for extension from a housing secured to the inner surface of one of said doors at or near a free vertical edge thereof to a holder for the end of the belt secured to the inner surface of the other door or near a free vertical edge thereof 2. Safety apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein each arm is made of metal.3. Safety apparatus according to Claim I or Claim 2, wherein each aim comprises a square section tube.4. Safety apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each arm is provided at one end with means for fastening the arm to the body of the vehicle.5. Safety apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein each arm is mounted for pivotal movement at said one end.6. Safety apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each arm is provided with means for securing the arm to the vehicle so that pivotal movement is prevented.7. Safety apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein said securing means comprises an Antiluce fastening.8. Safety apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each arm is provided with an integral plate to enable said other end to be secured 10 to a vehicle door.9. Safety apparatus according to Claim 8, wherein an Antiluce fastening is provided to fasten said plate to said door.10. A vehicle provided with safety apparatus according to any of the preceding claims.11. A method of rendering safe the work space provided on a tail lift of a vehicle, the method comprising securing to the vehicle apparatus according 20 to any of Claims 1 to 9.