GB1597532A

GB1597532A - Vehicle bodies

Info

Publication number: GB1597532A
Application number: GB559278A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: SOUTHFIELDS COACHWORKS Ltd
Current assignee: SOUTHFIELDS COACHWORKS Ltd
Priority date: 1978-05-26
Filing date: 1978-05-26
Publication date: 1981-09-09

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS TO VEHICLE BODIES (71) We, SOUTHFIELDS COACHWORKS LIMITED, a British Company, of Bakewell Road, Loughborough, in the County of Leicester, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to vehicle bodies and to post assemblies for use therewith.

Although the bodies and post assemblies are described with particular reference to tilt bodies (especially TIR tilt bodies), the invention includes bodies and post assemblies for other vehicles.

Such bodies may be used, for example, on rigid chassis cabs, articulated flat bed trailers, draw-bar trailers and step-frame trailers.

They normally comprise four fixed vertical side posts, normally located at the corners of the body, and a roof framework defining a rectangular outline; have a flexible covering sheet to fit over the rectangular outline to protect the load; and have intermediate, vertically-extending posts spaced apart along each side of the body to subdivide the assembly and provide additional support, thereby forming a series of entry bays through which loading and unloading may be carried out.

The intermediate posts provide attachment points for load retention members used to close off the bays and retain the load, and conventional practice is to use a series of spaced-apart detachable struts of wood or metal attached between adjacent intermediate posts or between an intermediate post and an adjacent side post. When unobstructed access is required to the vehicle interior the individual intermediate posts are detached and lifted down clear of the vehicle.

The object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle body having a more convenient load access system.

According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a vehicle body which has, on at least one side thereof, two upstanding side posts extending upwardly from the bed of the vehicle, a cant rail extending between said posts, and intermediate said posts at least one upstanding intermediate post, said intermediate post being adapted to engage the bed of the vehicle, whereby it can provide support for the cant rail, and being provided with means whereby it can be slidably suspended from the cant rail for movement along said side to facilitate loading and/or unloading of the vehicle.

According to a second aspect, the present invention provides a post assembly comprising: a post for use as an upright member of the frame of a vehicle body; suspension means for the post, the suspension means being attached to the upper portion of the post and being adapted for movement along an overhead guide, whereby the post can be moved with respect to the frame to facilitate loading and/or unloading of the vehicle; and retention means to retain the post in an upright position at a predetermined location with respect to the frame.

The invention is of particular value where the vehicle body is of the TIR tilt type, and it is with particular reference to such vehicle bodies that the description hereinafter particularly relates.

Preferably the intermediate post may be locked into a fixed position along the vehicle side. The locking means may be provided at the attachment to the cant rail and in addition a second locking means may be provided at the lower end of the intermediate post. The second locking means may be provided, for example, by means of a pocket in the edge of the bed of the body and cooperating spigot or bolt at the end of the intermediate post.

The upper locking means may comprise, for example, a pocket or socket formed in or attached to the cant rail and a vertically projecting spigot attached to the top of the intermediate post which is moved upwards to engage the socket or pocket and prevent longitudinal movement of the intermediate post. Preferably the spigot is rigidly attached to the intermediate post and engagement is effected by vertically lifting the intermediate post and maintained by engaging the lower end of the post with the base frame or other part of the bed of the body.

The suspension of the intermediate post is preferably by means of a railway type system such as a roller hanger and a support rail on which the roller hanger runs. The support rail may be attached to the cant rail or be formed integrally with the cant rail and in a preferred embodiment the cant rail is shaped in cross section so as to provide an internal rail and the roller hanger is reained within the cant rail. In this arrangement sufficient clearance is provided above the roller hanger so that when the intermediate post is lifted to engage the upper locking spigot into the locking pocket the roller hanger has clearance to be lifted from the rail on which it runs within the cant rail.

In most applications more than one intermediate post is used to subdivide the side of the vehicle into a series of bays. To obtain full open access to the side of the vehicle all the intermediate posts are then unlocked and slid to one end of the body. Following loading the posts are slid back to their respective positions, locked in place, the load retention structs are positioned between the posts and finally the flexible cover is fastened over the entire body.

Inter-connecting members may be provided between successive intermediate posts (and between each side post and the adjacent intermediate post) to assist and speed the moving and repositioning operations. Suitable members are lengths of cord or rope each length being such that the posts are all correctly spaced for locking when the end frame is pulled along the body into its place.

A cord system may be provided in the manner of curtains to assist in moving the intermediate posts to one end for unloading.

Preferably the inter-connecting members form in addition load retention members between the posts (including the side posts).

Such an arrangement may comprise a vertically spaced apart series of horixontally extending flexible straps or cords each of which is connected at either end to an intermediate post or side post. Thus when the intermediate posts are spaced apart and locked the horizontal straps are straightened and form a series of bars across the bays.

Buckles. turnbuckles or other tensioningmeans may be provided to allow better tensioning of the members. It is preferred also to utilise vertical flexible straps which may be woven between the horizontal straps.

The strap cross-over points may be connected forexample by stitching. Flexible interconnecting members have the advantage that normally they need not be removed before sliding the intermediate posts along the side of the vehicle. However. the invention includes the use of rigid interconnecting members which do have to be removed before sliding the intermediate posts to facilitate loading or unloading of the vehicle.

The flexible straps are preferably of strip material and a suitable material is the polyester webbing used for vehicle seat belts.

The material should best be low elongation material to provide effective load retention.

The horizontal straps or strips may each be directly attached to the intermediate or side (corner) posts or may be attached to rigid vertical connecting struts which themselves are attached to the intermediate or corner posts. This construction simplifies the attachment and allows ready changes of the load retention system to replace damaged section or to change the spacing of the intermediate posts for use with alternative loads.

In the case of a load retention system using vertical strips to form a mesh vertical tensioning may also be provided. One method of providing this is to have tensioning means from the lower edge of the mesh to the bed of the body or to the dropside of the body.

Additional support for the mesh at the top edge may be obtained by means of additional rollers on the track in the cant rail each of which is attached to an extension of the mesh.

There is now described, by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, an articulated vehicle body of the TIR tilt type according to the first aspect of the invention and a post assembly according to the second aspect of the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the vehicle body Figure 2 is, on an enlarged scale, a side elevation of the suspension of one intermediate posts of Figure 1 Figure 3 is a cross section on the line III--III of Figure 2 showing the intermediate post in the lowered unlocked position; Figures 4, 5 and 6 show respectively three other load retention means alternative to that shown in Figure 1.

The vehicle body of Figure 1 comprises a flat bed 1 with running gear. An upstanding, vertical corner post is mounted at each corner of the bed (only two posts 2 and 3 being shown in Figure 1) and a hollow cant rail 4a extends between the posts 2 and 3 to define the top edge of the body. The side shown of the body is subdivided into five bays by four vertically extending rigid inter mediate posts 4, 5, 6, and 7. The cant rail 4a of the vehicle body shown in the drawings is of considerable length and tends to bow under its own weight, especially when the vehicle is in motion, if not supported intermediate its ends. The intermediate posts, when in position, act as supports for the cant rail. Dropsides 8 are provided between adjacent intermediate posts or between an end intermediate post and a corner post, respectively, each of the posts being mounted so that when the dropside is lowered it swings down clear of the posts. Each of the intermediate posts 4, 5, 6 and 7 is provided with means whereby it can be suspended from the cant rail 4a such that it can be slided along the rail as is described below.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3 the upper end 6a of the intermediate post has a flat plate 9 welded across it so as to provide projecting lugs 9a, 9b. Vertically extending rods 10a, 10b project respectively, from lugs 9a and 9b upwardly into the cant rail, and each terminates in a block 11 provided with an axle on which is mounted wheel 12. The cant rail 4a has a U-shaped cross-section with the edges shaped inwardly and upwardly as shown in Figure 3 to form a pair of rail tracks 13, 14 upon which the wheels run. A space 15 is left above the wheel 12 and the block 11, and the arrangement (including the length of the rod 10) is such that the intermediate post 6 can be lifted a short distance.

At the position along the cant rail 14a at which the intermediate post is to be fixed when the interm'ediate posts are in place, that is when the side of the vehicle body is in its operative position for a load, a rectangular recessed member 16, welded to the inner side of the cant rail, provides a downwardly facing recess or socket. An upwardly projecting spigot 17, welded to the top of the post end 6a has an offset as shown so that it is disposed immediately beneath the recess.

The bed of the vehicle body at a position vertically under said recess is adapted to support the lower end of the intermediate post. For Example, it can have a support surface for the lower end of the post and a bolt to hold the post in place, or it can have a socket or other recess or other engagement means (not shown) to receive said lower end.

The intermediate post can thus be held in its operative position by lifting the post a sufficient distance to permit the lower end of the post to engage the bed. This upward movement causes spigot 17 to engage re cessed member 16 and wheels 12 to be lifted from track 13, 14. If the engagement means of the bed is a socket plate into which the lower end of the intermediate post drops into place, the respective length of the post and the dimensions of said socket plate, recessed member 16 and rod 10 should, of course, be such that spigot 17 does not disengage from recessed member 16 when the lower end of post 6 drops into the socket plate.

When it is wished to slide post 6 along the cant rail, it can be disengaged by lifting it so that the post lower end disengages from the socket plate, and is pulled outwardly before allowing the post to descend so that wheels 12 are set on their track and spigot 17 is freed from the recessed member 16.

Referring to Figure 1 the load retention means is a mesh 18 comprising interwoven strips of seat belt polyester webbing provided in each of the bays. The mesh 18 can be tensioned, when the intermediate posts are all locked in place, by the buckles 19 provided at the rear of the body to allow an operator to correctly tension the load retention meshes 18. The meshes 18 are of a height such that they come to the top edge of the dropsides, but in the case of a body without dropsides the load retaining meshes 18 may extend down to the flat bed of the body.

Three alternative load retention means are shown, by way of example, in Figures 4, 5 and 6 respectively. In Figure 4 said means comprises a series of horizontal straps or other elongated members 20 extending between two adjacent intermediate posts 21 or between an intermediate post and a corner post.

In Figure 5 a mesh or a series of horizontal straps or other elongated members attached to and extending between two rigid rods or bars 22 each of which is suspended on a wheel or other runner from the cant rail 4a and each of which is fastened by fasteners to the adjacent vertical member (intermediate post or corner post as the case may be).

In Figure 6 the load retention means comprises a mesh of straps or other elongated members, which four of the vertical straps 23 extend upwardly beyond the upper margin of the mesh each of the extensions being suspended on a wheel or other runner from the cant rail 4a. The lower margin of the mesh is attached to the top edge of the body dropside 8 by tensioning fixings 24.

The straps or other elongated members of the embodiments of Figure 4, 5, or 6 can, for example, be of polyester seat belt material or other low extension textile material.

As will be understood, alternative means may be used for slidably mounting the intermediate posts, for locking and for load retention: Furthermore materials other than seat belt material may be used between the vertical members.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- I. A vehicle body which has, on at least one side thereof, two upstanding side posts extending upwardly from the bed of the vehicle, a cant rail extending between said posts, and intermediate said posts, at least one upstanding intermediate post, said inter

Claims

mediate post being adapted to engage the bed of the vehicle, whereby it can provide support for the cant rail, and being provided with means whereby it can be slidably suspended from the cant rail for movement along said side to facilitate loading and/or unloading of the vehicle.
2. A vehicle body according to Claim 1, in which the body is of the TIR tilt type.
3. A vehicle body according to Claim 1, in which the body is of the curtain-side type.
4. A vehicle body according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, in which said intermediate post is carried by the cant rail itself.
5. A vehicle body according to Claim 4, in which the intermediate post is provided at its upper end with a wheel, and the cant rail is provided with a track, extending longitudinally of the cant rail, for the wheel.
6. A vehicle body according to Claim 5, in which the wheel is in the form of a hanger roller.
7. A vehicle body according to any of the preceding claims, in which engagement means are provided for the intermediate post to hold it in place in a predetermined position with respect to the said side of the vehicle body.
8. A vehicle body according to Claim 7, in which said engagement means comprises means to hold the intermediate post in place with respect to the cant rail.
9. A vehicle body according to Claim 7 or 8, in which said engagement means comprises means to hold the intermediate post in place with respect to the bed of the vehicle.
10. A vehicle body according to Claim 8 or 9, in which said engagement means comprises a recessed member carried by the cant rail and whose recess faces downwardly, and the intermediate post carries at its upper end a spigot adapted to engage the recessed member when said intermediate post is in its desired position.
11. A vehicle body according to Claim 10, in which engagement of the spigot with the recessed member is effected by upward movement of said intermediate post whereby its wheel is lifted from its track.
12. A vehicle body according to Claim 11. in which the length of said intermediate post is such that said upward movement permits the lower end of the intermediate post to engage the bed of the vehicle.
13. A vehicle body according to any of the preceding claims. which has two or more intermediate posts each of which is adapted to be retracted from its operative position in the same direction along said vehicle side.
14. A vehicle body according to any of the preceding claims, provided with flexible load retention means carried by and extending between adjacent intermediate posts or between an intermediate post and an adjacent one of said side posts as the case may be.
15. A vehicle body according to Claim 14, which has two or more of said intermediate posts all adapted for movement in the same direction whereby the whole length of the load retention means can be moved longitudinally of said vehicle side towards one or other of said side posts.
16. A vehicle body according to Claim 14 or 15, in which said load retention means comprises a mesh of straps or other elongated members.
17. A vehicle body according to Claim 14 or 15, in which said load retention means comprises a plurality of parallel straps or other elongated members.
18. A vehicle body according to Claim 14 or 15, in which said load retention means comprises a mesh of straps or other elongated members attached to and extending between two parallel frame members the upper ends of which are slidably suspended from the cant rail and provided with fastening means by which they can be fastened to adjacent intermediate posts or between an intermediate post and an adjacent one of said side posts, as the case may be.
19. A vehicle body according to Claim 14 or 15, in which said load retention means comprises a mesh of vertically- and horizontally-extending straps or, other elongated members, at least some of said verticallyextending members being slidably supported from the cant rail.
20. A vehicle body according to Claim 19, in which the lower region of said mesh is provided with fastening means by which it can be fastened to a dropside or other part of the vehicle body disposed lower than said region.
21. A vehicle body according to Claim 1, substantially as described herein.
22. A vehicle body of the TIR tilt type, substantially as described herein and substantially as shown in the accompanying drawings.
23. A post assembly comprising: a post for use as an upright member of the frame of a vehicle body; suspension means for the post, the suspension means being attached to the upper portion of the post and being adapted for movement along an overhead guide, whereby the post can be moved with respect to the frame to facilitate loading and/or unloading of the vehicle; and retention means to retain the post in an upright position at a predetermined location with respect to the frame.
24. A post assembly according to Claim 23, in which said suspension means comprises a roller or other wheel adapted to run on a track carried by or constituted by an overhead horizontal member of said frame.
25. A post assembly according to Claim 23 or 24, in which the wheel is in the form of a hanger roller.
26. A post assembly according to any of Claims 23 to 25, in which said retention means comprises a member carried by the upper portion of the post for engagement with an overhead engagement means.
27. A post assembly according to Claim 26, in which the retention means comprises an upstanding spigot for engagement with a downwardly-facing socket in the region of the overhead guide.
28. A post assembly according to any of Claims 23 to 27, in which the retention means comprises a spigot retractable within the lower portion of the post for engagement with a recess in the frame or other part of the vehicle body.
29. A post assembly according to Claim 23, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.