GB2259676A - Slidable support member for a vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A slidable support member 10, for use in a curtain sided vehicle, has a rigid member 11 having at one end a laterally extending support arm 12. The support arm 12 carries wheels or rollers 16 which engage in a track assembly mounted on the vehicle. A sprung loaded handle 30, provided at the lower end of the support member, forms a releasable catch for locking the support member to the floor of the vehicle. Two spring tensioned stop assemblies 18 are provided to limit the swing of the support member 10 about the rollers 16 when the catch is released. The rigid member 11 comprises three box sections 20, 22, 24 which are telescopically extendable. <IMAGE>

Description

SLIDABLE SUPPORT MEMBER FOR A VEHICLE ROOF This invention relates to a slidable support member for a vehicle roof, especially a curtain sided cargo vehicle.

The use of curtain sided cargo vehicles is becoming increasingly common and one problem with such constructions is the supporting of the roof between the respective ends of the cargo vehicle. As will be appreciated, the presence of a curtain along both sides of the vehicle is intended to provide easy access to the contents stored thereon. As the length of such roofs can be on the order of 40 feet, it will be understood that without support, at least mid-way along such sides, the roof would have a tendency to "sag" under its own weight or that of the attached curtain.

Additionally, of course, the curtains are normally tensioned to ensure some degree of rigidity during use and consequently this would have a tendency to pull the roof down towards the floor. In order to overcome this, it is usual to provide one or more moveable pillars located along the side of such vehicles such that the roof can be supported when the curtain side is in place and the pillars themselves can be moved to permit easy access into the interior of the vehicle.

For such constructions, it is advantageous to provide a support pillar of sufficiently strong construction to support the roof when tensioned by way of the curtain whilst at the same time with the minimum intrusion into the cargo space. Additionally, the support member should be easily displaceable when,required and rigid when locked into place and the means of releasing the pillar for movement should be easily available to an operator at ground level.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved slidable vehicle support pillar.

A preferred aspect of the invention provides a support member having at one lower end thereof handle means attached to a releasable catch adapted to engage a corresponding assembly provided on a vehicle floor, the member including at its upper end a support arm adapted to carry one or more rollers or wheels for engagement in a track assembly, the support also carrying at least one spring tensioned stop member arranged to limit swingable movement of the arm about the rollers or wheels.

Preferably, the handle means is T-shaped and arranged to engage a spring tensioned catch such that a downward pull on the handles will release the catch and permit the outward pivotal movement of the pillar away from the vehicle side. This outward movement pivots about the wheels or rollers located at the upper end of the pillar and causes movement of the sprung stop member away from a track and out of engagement therewith.

Preferably the spring tensioned stop member is a roller or circular bearing located at one end of a flexible arm for example of sprung steel such that the roller or bearing can move in relation to the support member carrying it.

Advantageously, the support member or pillar is formed for at least substantially half of its length of a plurality of box sections attached together by, for example, an intermediate support web. The use of box sections provide minimum thickness of the assembly whilst providing adequate structural strength to resist bending under an applied tension.

In a modified embodiment of the invention, the member is arranged to be telescopically extendable so that the members height between the handle means and the support arm can be varied. In this way, the member's length can be varied as the vehicle's roof is raised or lowered or to fit different sized vehicles.

Preferably an internal pawl mechanism is provided to selectively hold the member at one of a number of pre determined positions (lengths). The pawl may engage one of a number of notches and is advantageously provided with switching means located externally and at the member's lower end. The switching means being operative to at least, in a first position, rigidly engage the mechanism thereby to prevent further extension or retraction of the member, in a second position to permit extension only and in a third position to permit extension and retraction of the member.

The switching means advantageously comprises a U-shaped spring steel member engaging two pawl bolts which are urged outwardly to engage notches in a second part of the support member. The ends of the pawl bolts are shaped to restrict or permit relative movement of the member's first and second parts.

When the lower end of the support member is dis-engaged it will have a tendancy to swing inwardly of the vehicles body. When the roof to which the member is attached is lowered, the member can be jammed or bent out of shape if the in-swing is not corrected.

Thus, the member is preferably provided with a pivotally mounted spacer bar located at or near the members lower end and operative to extend laterally thereof and thereby prevent in-swing of the dis-engaged member's lower end.

The invention will be described further by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is exploded view of a first referred embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective side exploded view of a spring tensioned stop roller according to the invention; and Figure 3 is a plan view of pawl mechanism according to a further aspect of the invention.

Referring firstly to figure 1, a first embodiment of the invention provides an improved slidable support member for a reliable roof and is referred to generally by the reference numeral 10 and comprises a substantively rigid linear member 11 having at one end thereof a laterally extending support arm 12. To the support arm 12 is bolted a J-shaped member 14 adapted to carry two wheels or rollers 16. The J-member is also adapted so that the rollers can be fitted within a standard track assembly (not shown) which would be provided on a commercial cargo carrying vehicle (also not shown).

The J-shaped member 14 is also provided with two spring tensioned stop member assemblies 18 of which only one is shown for clarity. These assemblies will be described in greater detail with reference to figure 2. The Jshaped member is shaped to fit a specific type of track assembly. In an alternative arrangement (not shown), the support arm 12 engages a slot provided in a bar.

The bar carries wheel or roller assemblies at each end to fit within a track assembly, as fitted to a commercial vehicle.

The linear member 11 is formed of a plurality of box section member 20, 22, 24 attached together by welding or by way of a support web or plate so as to interconnect the box section. This formation provides a strong and relatively rigid member whilst maintaining a light and thin structure.

In order that the support member 10 can be adapted to fit vehicles having different floor to roof heights, and/or to fit vehicles having a mechanically raisable (or lowerable) roof, the box section construction also permits the member to be made as telescopically extendable. In such an arrangement the laterall extending support arm 12 is attached to a first part of the member 11 having a plurality of box section members which engage, co-axially and internally of the existing box sections 20, 22, 24 which form a second part of the member 11.

One end of the member 11 is provided with means 28 for engagement with a handle 30. The handle 30 is provided with two projecting bars 32, 34 which engage with compression springs 36 so as to spring bias the handle in one position. The handle 30 is provided with or connected to a locking member (not shown) such that movement of the handle 30 will engage or disengage the locking member respectively.

Turning now to figure 2, the spring attentioned stop assembly 18 is attached to the J-shaped member 14 by a bolt 38 and a spring clamp plate 40. The free end of a sprung plate member 42 is thus free to be displaced with respect to the J-shaped member 14 limited only by the flexibility of the member itself. A roller or bearing 44 is rotatably connected to the plate 42 by a bolt 46.

Where the linear member 11 is arranged to be telescopically extendable it is necessary to provide for its safe securement at a selected one of a plurality of pre-determined lengths (or heights). To accomplish this a pawl mechanism referred to generally by the reference numeral 50 is provided in the linear member 11 close to the member's lower end. The pawl mechanism comprises two bolts 52, 54 slidably mounted in the member's second part to engage notches (not shown) in the co-axial box sections of the first part of the member.

The bolts 52, 54 are urged apart and, into engagement with the notches, by a U-shaped handle 56 formed of spring steel which is connected at its free ends to the bolts 52, 54. Each bolt 52, 54 is provided with a respective sloped or cam surface 58, 60 which is effective to limit the direction in which the first part can be moved with respect to the second part. In the illustrated embodiment with handle 56 directed towards the bottom of the member 11, the member can only be extended, with the handle 56 directed upwardly. The member can be extended or contracted and with the handle 56 positioned to extend laterally of the member, the two parts are held relatively immobile.

In use the member 11 is engaged at its upper end by location of the rollers or wheels 16 into a track provided on the vehicle. The lower end of the member 11 is engaged with a locking device provided in a recess adjacent to the vehicles floor. In this way the member provides rigid support between the floor and the roof of the vehicle so as to oppose any downward force provided by the curtain either due to its own weight or during its tensioning. When the curtain has been removed, for example during loading or unloading, it will be desired to move the pillars to as to provide easier access to the vehicles interior.

In such an instance the handle 30 is moved so as to release its catch (not shown). The member 10 can then be swung away from the floor of the vehicle also releasing the stop member assembly 18 from engagement with the vehicles roof. In this way the pillar can be slidably displaced along the track so that it no longer blocks access to the vehicles interior. The sprung support members 42 additionally prevent misalignment of the pillar 10 with its track by engagement of the bearing 44 with the underside of the track assembly.

Thus the pillar is free to move by engagement of two or (when the spring assembly is engaged) four rollers or bearings with the track assembly.

The invention is not confined the forgoing details and variations made thereto within the scope of the invention. For example, it is a problem with the basic embodiment that the support member will tend to swing inwardly when the lower end is released from the vehicles floor and the roof raised - as provided for on certain types of vehicle. To prevent this the member may be provided with a pivotally mounted and/or telescopically extensible spacer bar arranged to move into a position depending laterally of or below the members lower end. The thus positioned bar will be effective to block or restrict inward movement of the support member by contact with the vehicles frame.

Other variations are also possible.

Claims (11)

1. A support member having at one lower end thereof handle means attached to a releasable catch adapted to engage a corresponding assembly provided on a vehicle floor, the member including at its upper end a support arm adapted to carry one or more rollers or wheels for engagement in a track assembly, the support also carrying at least one spring tensioned stop member arranged to limit swingable movement of the arm about the rollers or wheels.

2. A support member as claimed in claim 1 in which the handle means is T-shaped and arranged to engage a spring tensioned catch such that a downward pull on the handles will release the catch and permit the outward pivotal movement of the pillar away from the vehicle side.

3. A support member as claimed in claim 1 in which the spring tensioned stop member is a roller or circular bearing located at one end of a flexible arm such that the roller or bearing can move in relation to the support member carrying it.

4. A support member as claimed in claim 3 in which the flexible arm is of sprung steel.

5. A support member as claimed in any preceding claim in which the support member or pillar is formed for at least substantially half of its length of a plurality of box sections attached together by an intermediate support web.

6. A support member as claimed in any preceding claim in which the member is arranged to be telescopically extendable so that the members height between the handle means and the support arm can be varied.

7. A support member as claimed in claim 6 in which a pawl mechanism is provided internally of the support member engagable with notches so as to selectively hold the member at a plurality of pre-determined heights.

8. A support member as claimed in claim 7 in which the mechanism is selectively controllable by switching means located externally and at the lower end of the support member, the switching means being operative to at least, in a first position, rigidly engage the mechanism thereby to prevent further extension or retraction of the member, in a second position to permit extension only and in a third position to permit extension retraction of the member.

9. A support member as claimed in claim 8 wherein the switching means comprises a substantially U shaped piece of sprung steel, the free ends of which engage with and urge outwardly two pawl bolts located in channel sections of one part, the support member, the pawl bolts having sloped end surfaces which engage with notches provided in a second part of the support member so as to permit the two parts to move with respect to each other.

10. A support member as claimed in any preceding claim in which the member is provided with a pivotally mounted spacer bar, located at or near the members lower end and operative to prevent in-swinging of the member when its lower end is dis-engaged.

11. A support member substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.