GB2102671A - Vehicle load restrainer track assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

Support rail 11 is mounted adjacent a load-receiving space of a vehicle (e.g. above the body space of a lorry or on the floor of an aircraft's cargo hold), and carries track member 17 (in the form of slotted box section 19 defining channel 18) by means of arcuate extension 20 locating in slotted arcuate channel 15. Track member 17 is swingable relative to rail 11 as far as permitted by width of opening 16 in channel 15 and its channel 18 provides a track for wheels 25 of runners 24. A load restrainer (not shown), e.g. a net or a plurality of straps, is attached to bars 26 of runners 24, which bars 26 project through slot 21 of channel 18. The load restrainer may thus be easily drawn aside to permit access to the load-receiving space and may be swung sideways to facilitate enclosing a load in the space which load may be subsequently restrained when said restrainer is fastened down. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Load restrainer track assembly This invention relates to a load restrainer track, that is to say a track for the retention of runners to which a load restraining net or a series of load restraining straps may be attached, e.g. in a load-carrying vehicle.

Curtain-sided vehicles, generally known as "curtainsiders" in which sides of a load-carrying body of the vehicle are formed as curtains, of woven fabric or of plastics material, or. a combination of both, suspended by means of runners or gliders from channels adjacent the edges of the vehicle roof, are known. Such curtain-sided vehicles are used for the transportation of goods and usually the front and rear ends of the body of the vehicle are in the form of fixed panels. The curtains along the sides of the vehicle may easily be drawn along towards one end or the other of the vehicle to facilitate loading and unloading, and the consequential easy access to any appropriate portion of the load is particularly advantageous when multiple deliveries are to be made, e.g. from one long vehicle.

Usually, when the vehicle is loaded, the curtains are pulled taut in a horizontal direction by means of tensioning devices at both ends of the curtain. They are also pulled taut in a vertical direction, for example by means of a series of straps hooked around the vehicle base and engaging a series of buckles on the curtain.

A disadvantage of curtain-sided vehicles is that any shifting of the load during transit is liable to damage or rip the taut curtain material. One known method of minimizing the risk of curtain damage is to enmesh the load within a net suspended, usually by means of rings, from a centrally-located bar forming part of a roof-supporting frame of the vehicle.

Such a net may comprise a series of strips, a few centimetres wide, of, for example, canvas fabric attached together in a criss-cross arrangement with apertures of the order of ten to fifty cm square.

A difficulty arising from suspending the load restraining net from such a central bar arises from the fact that the central bar necessarily extends through or between crossbeams, of the roof-supporting frame, which may be T-sectional-members. Since the net is usually in one piece, the sections of net adjacent the vehicle ends can be drawn back only towards the centre of the vehicle and only as far as the next crossbeam. Moreover, any section of net between the two T-sectional members cannot be drawn in either direction and must be lifted over the load, as the latter is positioned in the vehicle body. Accordingly the restrainer net usually impedes access to the load-receiving body of the vehicle.

An object of the present invention is to provide a load restrainer track arrangement for use in connection with the suspension of a load restrainer net, particularly but not exclusively for use in a curtain-sided vehicle, such that the net can be drawn fully asside during loading and unloading so that ir will not impede access to the load.

With this object in view, the present invention provides a restrainer track assembly, for use in a load-carrying vehicle for restraining a load therein against undesired movement, said assembly comprising support means for mounting adjacent a load-receiving space of the vehicle, and a track member carried by the support means as to provide a track, adjacent the load-receiving space, for a plurality of runners or gliders, for attachment of a load restrainer, in the form of a net or a plurality of straps, the track member being swingable, relative to the support means about an axis extending longitudinally of the track member so that the angle at which the restrainer may extend from the track member may be varied.

The support means is conveniently in the form of a rail.

The track member is preferably of slotted box section defining a slotted longitudinal channel which is e.g. substantially square in cross-section.

The track member is conveniently carried by a longitudinal arcuate extension, protruding from one wall thereof, locating in a slotted arcuate channel provided by the support rail.

The support rail preferably comprises a flat base web from one side of which extend two arcuate walls providing the arcuate channel, which is conveniently of substantially semicircular cross section.

One of these arcuate walls is preferably shorter than the other so that the slot in the rail is a longitudinal asymmetric opening remaining between the confronting edges of the walls.

The track member is carried by and swingable relative to the support rail by reason of its arcuate extension being accommodated in the channel of the support rail.

The runners or gliders preferably each comprise two wheels located one on each end of a short axle, and a bar dependent from the axle between the wheels. The wheels and axle of each runner or glider may then be accommodated entirely within the track member channel, with a portion of the bar projecting through the longitudinal opening in the track member.

The support means are in most applications of the invention conveniently mounted in a disposition above a load-receiving space of a vehicle so that the track for the runners or gliders is also above the said space and the restrainer depends therefrom.

The invention will be described further, by way of example with reference to the accom panying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an end view of a preferred embodiment of the restrainer track assembly of the invention, showing the track member accommodating a runner; Figure 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the assembly with its track member swung to one side, as in use; Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the restrainer track assembly of Fig. 1; and Figure 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view, to a smaller scale than Figs. 1 to 3, illustrating a curtain-sided vehicle body frame with two restrainer track assemblies of the invention installed therein, and showing runners and a net at one side of the vehicle only, the net being partially cut away.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 3 a load restrainer track assembly 10 conforming to the invention comprises support means in the form of a rail 11 and a track member 1 7. The support rail 11 has a flat base web 1 2, for instance approximately 1 5 cm in width. From the underside of the web 1 2 extend two arcuate walls 13, 14 which curve towards one another to define an arcuate longitudinal channel 1 5 which is semi-circular in crosssection. A longitudinal opening or slot 1 6 remains between the confronting edges of the walls 1 3 and 14. The wall 1 3 is shorter in extent than the wall 14 and the opening 1 6 is, therefore, located assymmetrically of the support rail 11.

The track member 1 7 comprises a slotted box-sectioned component 1 9 defining a longitudinal channel 1 8 which is substantially square in cross-section and is slotted at 21.

Formed integrally with that wall of the component 1 9 which is opposite the slot 21 is a longitudinal arcuate extension 20 and this is located within the channel 1 5 of the support rail 11 with a connecting neck 30 thereof extending through the opening 16.

The support rail 11 and the track member 1 7 may conveniently be formed as extrusions of aluminium.

The track member 1 7 accommodates a series of runners 24 each of which comprise two wheels 25, located one at each end of a short axle 31, and a bar 26 dependent from the axle 31 between the pair of wheels 25. These are loaded into the channel 1 8 of the track member 1 7 by insertion from one end thereof. The box section of the channel 1 8 at each side of the opening 21 forms, a guide for the wheels 25, and the bars 26 project through the opening 21. The lower end of each bar 26 has therethrough two holes 27, these being disposed one above the other, through which holes 27, curtain or similar rings 29 (see Fig. 4) may be provided for attachment of a load restrainer in the form of a net 28.

When the support rail 11 is mounted horizontally, the track member 1 7 and the runners 24 accommodated therein, in a resting position, hang down at a few degrees to the vertical, as is shown in Fig. 1, due to abutment of the neck 30 of the arcuate extension 20 against the confronting edge of the wall 14.

In use on a curtain-sided vehicle, as is illustrated in Fig. 4, two of the restrainer track assemblies 10 are mounted longitudinally of a body frame of the vehicle and substantially parallel to the sides thereof, at roof level. For example, the assemblies 10 may each be positioned one quarter of the vehicle width inwards from a respective side of the vehicle.

Both tracks are, of course employed substantially in identical manner, but for simplicity the use of only one will be described.

The base web 1 2 of the support rail 11 is mounted at its ends on the underside of end beams 22 of the body frame and is attached at two positions along its length to the underside of two crossbeams 23 of the frame which crossbeams 23 extend perpendicularly to the direction of the assembly 1 0.

The support rail 11 is located with its opening 1 6 facing towards the respective side of the vehicle so that the track member 1 7 may swing towards the vehicle side as will be described later.

The track member 17, dependent from the support rail 11, may only be removed therefrom by withdrawal of its arcuate extension 20 from one end of the channel 1 5. However, once the vehicle roof is installed on the body frame of the vehicle, the dependent bulkheads prevent removal of the track member 1 7 from the channel 1 5. Similarly, the runners 24 are no longer removable from either end of the track member channel 1 8 once the vehicle roof is installed on the body frame of the vehicle.

The net 28, comprising strips of canvas fabric joined together in a criss-cross arrangement, is attached to the runners 24 by means of a series of curtain rings 29 each engaged through an respective hole in the upper margin of the net 28 and through one of the holes 27 in a respective runner 24. The two holes 27, one above the other in each bar 26, allow adjustment of the height of the net 28 which is of sufficient dimensions for it to extend the length of the vehicle and cover the side of any load located within the vehicle.

Whilst the curtain-sided vehicle is being loaded, from one side, the net 28 dependent from the load restrainer track assembly 10 at that side is drawn along its track assembly 10 to one end of the vehicle so as not to impede access to the body of the vehicle. Once the load is in postion, the net 28 is manipulated and drawn along the vehicle completely to enmesh the load. The resultant manual pulling of the net 28 causes the track member 1 7 to swing towards the side of the vehicle, this swinging movement of track member 1 7 be ing limited by the width of the opening 16 in the support rail 11, as shown in Fig. 2.The sidewise swinging of the track member 1 7 allows the net 28 to hang at an angle to the vertical thereby facilitating the further drawing of the net 28 over the load and allowing favourable positioning of the net to restrain the load when in transit.

The net 28 may be vertically tensioned in a similar manner to the curtains forming the vehicle sides for example by means of a series of straps (not shown) hooked around the vehicle base and engaging a series of buckles (not shown) on the net 28.

In practice, grease is applied to the inside of the support rail walls 1 3 and 14 to facilitate motion of the arcuate extension 20 in the channel 15, as the track member 1 7 swings sidewise.

The invention is, of course, not limited to the features of the preferred embodiment described above. The dimensions and shapes of the support rail, the track member and the runners may be varied. In particular, the channels of the support rail and track member may differ in cross-section and the runners may be substituted by gliders which have no wheels.

Furthermore, the load restrainer may be in the form of a plurality of straps. The support means for carrying the track member above the load receiving space of the vehicle may be in the form of a plurality of individual support members, for example in the form of sections of support rail or hooks or saddle clips, attached to the roof-supporting framework of the vehicle.

In certain applications of the invention it may be more convenient to mount the load restrainer track assembly on the floor or sides of a load-receiving space of a vehicle rather than on the roof-supporting framework thereof. For example, in an aircraft cargo hold the track assembly may be mounted on the floor and in a vehicle where cargo is stored either side of a gangway, the track assembly may conveniently be mounted on the side walls.

In certain circumstances it may be convenient to provide suitably spaced bores in corresponding locations in both the arcuate extension 20 and the wall 14 and bolts projecting therethrough so that track member 1 7 is firmly attached to the support rail 11, such that the track member 1 7 and runners 24 are permanently held at an angle to the vertical, as shown in Fig. 2.

Other arrangements are possible.

Claims (9)

1. A restrainer track assembly, for use in a load-carrying vehicle for restraining a load therein against undesired movement, said assembly comprising support means for mounted ing adjacent a load-receiving space of the vehicle, and a track member carried by the support means so as to provide a track, adjacent the load-receiving space, for a plurality of runners or gliders, for attachment of a lòad restrainer in the form of a net or a plurality of straps, the track member being swingable, relative to the support means about an axis extending longitudinally of the track member so that the angle at which the restrainer may extend from the track member may be varied.

2. A restrainer track assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the support means is in the form of a rail.

3. A restrainer track assembly as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the track member is of slotted box section defining a slotted longitudinal channel.

4. A restrainer track assembly as claimed in claim 2 or 3 wherein the track member is carried by a longitudinal arcuate extension, protruding from one wall thereof, locating in a slotted arcuate channel provided by the support rail.

5. A restrainer track assembly as claimed in claim 4 wherein the support rail comprises a flat base web from one side of which extend two arcuate walls providing the arcuate channel.

6. A restrainer track assembly as claimed in claim 4 or 5 wherein the arcuate channel is of substantially semi-circular cross section.

7. A restrainer track assembly as claimed in claim 5 or 6 wherein one of the arcuate walls is shorter than the other so that the slot in the rail is a longitudinal asymmetric opening remaining between the confronting edges of the walls.

8. A restrainer track assembly as claimed in any of claims 3 to 7 wherein the runners or gliders each comprise two wheels located one on each end of a short axle, and a bar dependent from the axle between the wheels, the wheels and axle of each runner or glider being accommodated entirely within the track member channel, with a portion of the bar projecting through the longitudinal opening in the track member.

9. A restrainer track assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.