NZ705692A - A curtain sided vehicle having a curtain tensioning arrangement - Google Patents

Abstract

Existing side structural components for the deck of a curtain sided truck or trailer are commonly found to be vertically tensioned by having engager members comprising hooks or similar devices that are able to engage with engageable members disposed along the adjacent side of the deck, such as openings in a coaming rail or locations along a tie-rail. Such arrangements can have 22 or more hooks and buckles along each side of the truck or trailer. Manual operation of these components is time consuming and dangerous in poor weather conditions. Further, regulations currently governing the transportation of cargo by road vehicles in Australian States set stringent minimum requirements for load restraint. These conditions are not easily met by the existing side structural components commonly used. Further, existing components that do meet the stringent requirements often require 2 or more people to operate. In this respect the present invention seeks to provide an improved tensioning arrangement for a curtain sided vehicle in compliance with load restraint regulations. The present invention also seeks to provide a curtain sided vehicle having a tensioning arrangement that is safer, easier and capable of being operated with relatively less manual effort. In this respect the present invention provides a curtain sided vehicle, the vehicle including: a side curtain provided at a side of the vehicle; the curtain suspended from the vehicle side along an upper edge region of the curtain; a plurality of members secured to the curtain along a lower edge region of the curtain, with each member engaged with a guide, the guide extending horizontally along the side of the vehicle; the guide being movable by a tensioning arrangement relative to the vehicle side between a tensioned mode position and a loosened mode position; wherein, with the guide in the tensioned mode position, the tensioning arrangement applies a vertical tension to the curtain between the upper edge region of the curtain and the lower edge region of the curtain; and when the guide is in the loosened mode position the tensioning arrangement applies substantially no vertical tension to the curtain between the upper edge region and the lower edge region, thereby allowing the plurality of members to be moved horizontally along the guide; the tensioning arrangement including an actuator mounted to the vehicle and operable in response to a supply of pressurized fluid from a source of the fluid to the actuator for moving the guide between the tensioned mode position and loosened mode position; the tensioning arrangement including an over-centre locking arrangement connected between the actuator and the guide to prevent the inadvertent movement of the guide from the tensioned mode position to the loosened mode position. The tensioning arrangement provides for an efficient, robust, reliable arrangement for retaining the lower edge of a side curtain, and is relatively simple to maintain. Further it prevents the curtain inadvertently loosening during the transport of cargo which would potentially create a significant safety issue.