GB2360810A - Curtain sided vehicle trailer - Google Patents

Abstract

The flexible curtain sidewall 2 on a curtain sided trailer 1 is tensioned laterally by a pneumatic ram 9 releasably attached to a rigid, sliding carrier 4 which is itself attached to the curtain. The carrier may extend the full height of the curtain and the attachment may be permanent or by way of a releasable curtain pole 3. Further rams may be provided to effect vertical tensioning. Preferably, the first ram is mounted on the trailer rear. The curtain may be guided by carriageways 5, 6 at its upper and lower edges, preferably using rollers 7, 8 to facilitate its lateral movement along the carriageway. The towing vehicle's compressed air system may supply the ram and tensioning may be performed automatically. To achieve a balanced force, the ram may be coupled to the carrier by a cable C passing over a pulley 10 at the head of the ram and diverging to two anchor points 13, 14 on the carrier.

Description

2360810 "ROVEIYMNTS IN OR RELATING TO TRAILERS OR CONTAINERS This

invention relates to improvements in or relating to trailers or containers and is more particularly concerned with tensioned side curtains on vehicle trailers or containers.

Vehicle trailers having side curtains which can be tensioned horizontally by means of a vertical pole located at one end of the trailer are well known. The vertical edge of the curtain is attached to the pole and the pole is rotated about a generally vertical axis (or at least an axis generally at right angles to the floor of the trailer) by mechanical external means such as a ratchet lever. Thus, in practice, the curtain is wound around the pole as the pole is rotated in order to tension the side curtain in a horizontal direction in a manner which should be readily envisaged. Such a rotating pole and ratchet lever mechanism may be provided at each end of the side curtain, more particularly where the vehicle is a long vehicle, in order that the side curtain may be tensioned from each end of the vehicle. Of course, if the trailer is provided with a side curtain on each respective side of the vehicle four rotating poles can be provided one at each corner of the trailer in order to tension each curtain from each end of the trailer.

Whilst such tensioning pole and ratchet mechanism arrangements are generally sufficient to provide the required tensioning in a horizontal direction (i.e. parallel with the floor of the vehicle) there still tend to be disadvantages with such arrangements both in the manner and time taken for applying the tensioning to the curtain/s and also in the overall appearance of the side curtain/s once the tensioning force has been 2 applied by means of the rotating pole and ratchet arrangement. Obviously, the operator has to take a certain amount of time in operating the ratchet mechanism which may be disadvantageous or inconvenient, more particularly in adverse weather conditions, and because the pole is rotated at an end of the curtain remote from the top end of the pole i.e. from the bottom of the pole, there is a tendency for the curtain not to be wound uniformly at the same rate all the way along the length of the pole so that the curtain is more tightly wound at the bottom of the pole and because the curtain is wound more loosely wound towards the top, often crease lines will be apparent more particularly in an area of the curtain near an upper half of the winding pole.

The Applicant has been concerned previously with the appearance of tensioned side curtains that are fastened down by a row of horizontally spaced generally vertically orientated strap and buckle arrangements, in a well known manner. It is believed that the general appearance of side curtains when fastened down by such strap and buckle arrangements are more unsightly than need be the case since apart from the exposed buckle arrangements, the curtain itself tends to be subject to creasing and distortion rather than being pulled down taught as a flat vertical sheet. The disadvantages of such an arrangement are outlined in PCT Patent Application No. W099/32313 of the Applicant. That Patent Application addresses the problem of creasing and distortion caused by said strap and buckle arrangements but does not address any creasing or distortion effects of the side curtain which can occur where one or more rotatable tensioning poles are used to tension the side curtain horizontally in addition to the vertical tensioning. It is believed that the minimisation of creasing and distortion of the side curtain due to the horizontal tensioning arrangement is all the more important on trailers where creasing and distortion due to vertical tensioning has substantially 3 been removed in order to achieve a completely smooth uncreased or unwrinkled side curtain along the whole area thereof.

It is an object of the present invention to at least alleviate one or more of the aforementioned problems, or other problem, associated with curtain-sided trailers or containers.

According to the present invention there is provided a trailer or container having at least one side curtain, the arrangement being such that the curtain can be tensioned in a lateral or horizontal direction, the at least one side curtain being attached or attachable to a sliding carriage or carrier that can be operated, in use, to pull or tension the curtain in said lateral or horizontal direction.

Preferably, the side curtain can be tensioned in a lateral or horizontal direction by means of a pneumatically operated ram that may or may not be connected to an existing air supply on the trailer, for example, an air brake or suspension supply. The pneumatic ram may be operated by a control switch conveniently situated on the trailer, for example, near the pneumatic ram itself and/or towards the end of the curtain which is being tensioned.

The trailer or container may be provided with means to tension the curtain vertically and this may be done by means of an air supply once again, for example, connected to the air braking or suspension system of the vehicle.

4 Thus, it is possible that a side curtain of the trailer/container may be tensioned both vertically and horizontally in an automatically timed or controlled sequence or separate control switches (for example push buttons) could be provided. If required the control push buttons could be provided underneath the trailer/container along the side of the trailer/container on which at least one side curtain is mounted.

Preferably, the carriage is moveable from a position in which the curtain is untensioned horizontally to a position in which the curtain is tensioned horizontally under a resistance force which may be provided by an elasticated cord (and pulley) system. The resistance force may be provided by spring resistance means preferably including an elasticated cord passed around pulley wheels on the trailer or container.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the trailer or container is provided with a carriageway having upper and lower trackways along which the sliding carriage is constrained to move.

The trackways along which the carriage is confined to move may extend at an angle to the end wall of the trailer or container and said angle may be '30 degrees (plus or minus 10 degrees). The ram may comprise a hodzontally moveable piston connected to a pulley wheel (rotatable about a horizontal axis) around which an operating cable is passed with the operating cable being connected to the carriage at upper and lower locations in order to provide a balanced pulling force on the carriage along the track-ways..

At least one side curtain may include a pole releasably mountable into upper and lower locations on the carriage. The carriage may include an additional support (for example in the form of a hook extension) that locates on the, or a, curtain pole fixed to the curtain.

The carriage may be provided with roller means at the top and bottom thereof cooperable with groove means of the trackways or vice versa.

A safety, non-return valve means may be provided in the air supply line to the pneumatic ram to avoid the curtain becoming untensioned due to inadvertent release of the carriage.

It is to be appreciated that any means may be utilised to move the carriage in a generally horizontal direction and the pneumatic ram could, for example, be replaced by hydraulic means.

It is possible that, for example, where the trailer or container is long, at least one side curtain extends half way along the length of the vehicle and is tensioned from one end with a second side curtain being provided along the rest of the length of the vehicle and a second horizontal tensioning means be provided at the other end. Accordingly, where curtains are provided on both sides of the trailer or container and the trailer is long four such horizontal pulling means may be provided.

6 It is to be understood that the phrase '1ateral or horizontal directiod' means in a plane parallel to the floor of the trailer or container or in the longitudinal direction of the trailer/container.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the carrier comprises a rigid (box) member which may extend the height of the curtain and which, in use, may receive a curtain pole and preferably forming a slot through which the curtain extends in use.

The rigid member or box may be releasably connected to tensioning means preferably in the form a pneumatic ram e.g. by means of a hook and lever arrangement.

In the second embodiment, preferably the side curtain can be tensioned around a corner of the vehicle (e.g. a suitably shaped ftont shroud of the bulkhead).

Many advantageous features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings.

An embodiment of a vehicle trailer or container in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying simplified somewhat schematic drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a near side end view of a vehicle trailer with side curtain prior to horizontal tensioning being applied; 7 FIGURE 2 shows a view similar to FIGURE 1 after the side curtain has been tensioned; FIGURE 3 shows a partial plan view looking in the direction of Arrow A in FIGURE FIGURE 4 shows a partial plan view looking in the direction of Arrow B in FIGURE 2, and FIGURE 5 shows a detail view of a curtain pole location drawn to a larger scale- Referring to the FIGURES of the drawings, a vehicle trailer of the general form as shown in FIGURE 7 of PCT Patent Specification No. W099/32313 is viewed ftom the front in FIGURES 1 and 2, only the near side of the end of the trailer (or bulkhead) being reproduced schematically (without wheels) and designated by the general reference numeral 1.

The trailer 1 has a vertical side curtain 2 provided with an open-ended vertical pocket 2a (shown in dashed lines) receiving a vertical curtain pole 3 in generally known manner that protrudes from the top and bottom of the curtain and from the pocket at 3a and 3b respectively. The trailer 1 is provided with a slidable carriage 4 mounted to slide horizontally along upper and lower trackways 5 and 6 of a carriageway which extends at an acute angle of about 30 degrees to the right-angled front wall W of the trailer. FIGURE 3 shows the curtain pole 3 and side curtain 2 detached from the carriage 4 and an enlarged view of a curtain pole location is shown in FIGURE 5. In 8 practice, the upper and lower protruding end portions 3a and 3b are located into respective downwardly and upwardly depending cups 4a and 4b, of the carriage 4. The top of the carriage 4 is provided with two spaced pairs of rollers 7 and 8, each pair of rollers having a respective roller 7a 8a located to run in a respective groove 5a of the upper trackway 5. Similarly, other rollers 7b and 8b of the roller pairs 7 and 8 run in a second parallel groove 5b of the trackway 5 in a manner which should be apparent when viewing FIGURES 1 and 5 together. Similarly, the bottom of the carriage 4 is provided with two spaced similar pair of rollers T, 8' mounted to run in parallel grooves (not shown for case of illustration) of the lower trackway 6.

The carriage 4 is operatively connected to a pneumatic ram 9 that can be operated to pull the carriage 4 along the trackways 5 and 6 ftom the position as shown in FIGURE 1 to the position as shown in FIGURE 2 in a manner which should be selfexplanatory from the FIGURES of drawings. Pneumatic ram 9 consists of a horizontal cylinder 9a and piston 9b connected to pulley wheel 10 which is rotatable about horizontal axis 10a. The pneumatic ram 9 may be connected to an air supply 11 which or may not be from an air supply already utilised elsewhere on the vehicle such as for the braking or suspension system. The air supply 11 is connected to the inlet side 9c of the pneumatic ram and the air supply may or may not be used to automatically tension the side curtain 2 in a vertical direction as well as in a horizontal direction (for example by operating the cable system as shown in FIGURES 17, 18 of PCT GB 9803765). The pneumatic ram 9 is shown connected to an electrical or electronic control switch 12 and a steel operating cable is permanently fixed to two upper and lower locations 13, 14 on the carriage 4 said locations being spaced symmetrically vertically about the horizontal axis of the pneumatic ram 9 to 9 provide a uniform, balanced pulling force.. The use of such a central steel operating cable c (shown depicted in broken lines) enables an even pulling force to be applied along the length of the carriageway 5,6 in order to pull it from a position shown in FIGURE 1 to that shown in FIGURE 2. Use of pulley wheel 10 enables any difference in frictional forces between the pairs of rollers 7 and 8 in the upper trackway 5 and pair of rollers T, 8' in lower trackway and 6 to be balanced out so that the curtain 2 can be tensioned evenly in a horizontal direction all the way along the length (vertical height) of the curtain 2 in order to avoid unsightly ripples and distortion effects. The air supply system 11 to the pneumatic ram 9 also includes a non-return valve 15 acting as a safety device when the curtain 2 is tensioned, so that air cannot be lost from the ram 9 back through the air supply system whilst the curtain 2 is still required to be tensioned.

It is to be noted that the carriage 4 includes a central hook extension forming an additional attachment to the curtain pole 3). The hook extension 4f extends through a hole h in the curtain 2, which hole is reinforced locally around the defining edge, said hook extending around the pole 3, over the material of the pocket 2a, in order to provide a central more even distribution of forces than might otherwise be the case. The carriage 4 is moved by the pneumatic ram 9 against a resistance spring force provided by an elasticated or bungee cord c2 fixed to the leading edge of the carriage 4 at two spaced locations 15 and 16, said cord c2 passing around upper and lower fixed position nylon pulleys 17 and 18 (fixed relative to the trackways 6. 7) acting as guide means for the cord c2 which then passes around and over upper and lower nylon pulleys 19 and 20 fixed to wall W of the vehicle trailer. The pulleys 19 and 20 are rotatable about a horizontal axis and, thus, on release of air pressure being supplied to ram 9 the pneumatic ram piston 9b will return into cylinder 9a and the elasticated cord c2 will return the carriage 4 to the position as shown in FIGURE 1, and the curtain to a non-tensioned position in a manner which should be generally self evident from the FIGURES of drawings.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the movement of the piston 9a of the pneumatic ram 9 between untensioned and tensioned positions is 20Omm and the length of the trackways 5 and 6 is 130mm. Pulleys 19 and 20 are spaced apart by about 80Omm.

Where the trailer is long, separate pneumatic rams may be provided at the front and rear of the trailer each one operating and tensioning a curtain extending half the length of the side of the trailer and similarly pneumatic rams may be provided on the offside of the trailer at the front and rear to operate respective curtains extending half way along the length of the trailer.

Any horizontal pulling or evenly applied means may be provided to automatically tension the side curtain/s 2 in a horizontal direction and this may be arranged to be done automatically in timed sequence with tensioning of the curtain or curtains in a vertical direction more particularly where the vertical tensioning is provided by a cable actuated strap tensioning mechanism shown in FIGURES 17 and 18 of PCTIGB 9803765, said cable tensioning mechanism being operated by a pneumatic ram rather than by a ratchet lever.

Arrangements in accordance with embodiments of the present invention should be easily operable to automatically tension side curtains horizontally and/or vertically without unsightly distortion or ripple effects.

It is to be understood that the scope of the present invention is not to be unduly limited by the particular choice of terminology and that a specific term may replaced or supplemented by an equivalent or generic term. For example, the term "curtain" could be replaced by "sheet" or "material"; "cord" could be replaced by "strap means", "tape" or "cable" and so on. Further it is to be understood that individual features, method or functions related to the trailer or container or carriage or horizontal tensioning means might be individually patentably inventive. The singular may include the plural and vice versa.

Also, many other modifications and detail alterations may be offered within the scope of the present invention.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a trailer or container having at least one side curtain, said at least one side curtain being tensionable in a lateral direction by a tensioning means adapted to apply a tensioning force uniformly or balanced along the height of the curtain or adapted to tension the curtain from a central location.

Still further according to the present invention there is provided a trailer or container having at least one side curtain tensionable in a lateral direction by a linear or nonrotatable tensioning means or by automatic means.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a method of tensioning a side curtain of a trailer or container, said method comprising applying a, preferably linear, balanced or uniform tensioning force to the side curtain to avoid distortion in the curtain.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a trailer or container having a side curtain which is tensionable vertically and horizontally by automatic means.

Still further according to the present invention there is provided a trailer or container having one or more of the following features: - a) A carriage with a (central, extension) fork for holding a curtain pole of a side curtain of the trailer/container as said side curtain is tensioned; b) Automatic horizontal tensioning means for at least one side curtain which is, preferably, a non curtain winding mechanism; c) Curtain pole pulling/pushing means for a curtain pole of a side curtain of said trailer/container., d) a tensioning, linear moveable carriage for pulling a side curtain of the trailer/container, said carriage preferably having roller means, said carriage preferably being moveable at an angle to an end wall of the trailer/container.

13 e) A (rigid) member or box preferably forming a slot for a side curtain and preferably receiving a curtain pole and preferably releasably connected to tensioning means. The applicant has made further modifications to the arrangement as shown in FIGURES 1 - 5 of the drawings.

Accordingly, a second embodiment of a vehicle trailer or container in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying simplified schematic drawings in which:

FIGURE 6 shows a nearside end view of a vehicle trailer (similar to FIGURE 1) with side curtain prior to horizontal tensioning being applied,- FIGURE 7 shows a view similar to FIGURE 6 after the side curtain has been tensioned; FIGURE 8 shows a partial plan view looking in direction of arrow X in FIGURE 6, FIGURE 9 shows a partial plan view looking in direction of arrow Y in FIGURE 7; FIGURES 10 and 11 show enlarged detailed views of parts of FIGURES 8 and 9 respectively showing the curtain in untensioned and tensioned positions respectively, and FIGURE 12 shows a detailed view of a connection lug attachment.

14 The general format of the modifications present in FIGURES 6 - 10 over and above the embodiment shown in FIGURES 1 - 5 should be generally selfevident.

Referring to FIGURES 6 - 10 of the drawings, a vehicle trailer of the general form as shown in FIGURE 7 of PCT Patent Specification No. W099/32313 is viewed from the front in FIGURES 6 and 7, only the near side end of the trailer (or bulkhead) being reproduced schematically (without wheels) and designated by the general reference numeral 100.

The trailer 100 has a vehicle side curtain 101 provided with an extruded alloy, rigid box member 103 extending along the height of the curtain and effectively forming an end capping or finishing to the end of the side curtain. A vertical curtain pole 104 extends inside the box 103 and the curtain 101 extends through and is held in the vertical slot S in one end of the box 103 (see FIGURES 10 and 11 in particular). Thus, the box 103 effectively replaces the slidable carriage 4 mounted to slide on upper and lower trackways 5 and 6 of the first embodiment described in relation to FIGURES 1 - 5 of the drawings. FIGURE 8 shows the curtain 101 and box 103 (carrier) attached to a ram cleavis arrangement 105a of pneumatic ram 105, the cleavis arrangement being at one end of the ram piston 105b box 103 is attached to ram cleavis 105a by means of a profiled connecting lug 103a (see FIGURES 10 and 11 in particular) and FIGURES 8 and 10 also show in dashed lines the position of the curtain 101 and box section 103 detached from the ram 105 (i.e. the connecting lug 103 a being disconnected from the cleavis 1 05a).

Thus, in this second embodiment of the present invention the pneumatic rain 105 is directly operatively connected to the box section 103 by a single, centrally located connection location by means of the connecting lug 103a on the box 103 engaging the ram cleavis 105a. FIGURE 12 shows in more detail this connection with the connecting lug 103a shown lifted (to release from the ram cleavis 105a). FIGURE 6 also shows the position of the ram cleavis in dashed lines at 105,a to indicate the position once the side curtain 101 has been tensioned (see FIGURE 7 showing the ram cleavis in full lines in the tensioned position). Thus, the embodiment shown in FIGURES 6 - 12 of the drawings shows a single point curtain attachment and the curtain itself aligning during the tensioning procedure.

As should be evident from FIGURES 6 to 12 of the drawings, the bulkhead has a front corner shroud 106 around which the side curtain 101 can be tensioned as shown best in FIGURE 11 of the drawings, the tensioning direction being represented by the three arrows Z. Thus the curtain 10 1 is tensioned around the bulkhead by the linear movement of box 103 being pulled from the centre by means of the ram piston 10 lb.

It is to be noted that the front moulding of the bulkhead is recessed locally to provide clearance for travel of the ram piston 105b.

A control switch 107 is provided for diverting air compressed air power to either the side curtain horizontal tensioning mechanism or alternatively to a vertical tensioning mechanism (not shown) where provided. The switch 107 may be positioned anywhere to suit the body layout. FIGURES 6 and 7 of the drawings also show the tensioning actuating cable 108 required for vertical tensioning of the side curtain 10 1.

16 The cable 108 is shown untensioned in FIGURE 6 and tensioned in FIGURE 7 with the side curtain 101 taught for running. An air supply line to the pneumatic ram is denoted by 109 running from the control switch 107 to an air release ram lock 110 (see FIGURE 6 only); the ram lock forms a fail safety device retaining the side curtain 101 in fully tensioned condition should air pressure be reduced or lost from the system- As shown on the drawings the maximum degree of travel of the ram piston is 320 mm.

The connecting lug 103a is part of a pressed steel assembly secured in the inside face of the box section 103 at mid height. Thus the connecting lug 103a forms a hook assembly that lifts on to the cleavis 105a at the outer end of the released ram piston 105b.. Thus, when the air ram 105 is actuated (drawn inwards) the front edge of the side curtain 10 1 is pulled horizontally, tensioning the complete curtain 10 1 around the radius of the front corner 106 of the bulkhead fairing assembly.

It is to be appreciated that where both a horizontal and vertical tensioning system are provided for the side curtain, the vertical side curtain tensioning is released prior to opening the curtain i.e. prior to the horizontal tensioning being released. Additionally, as the side curtain is pulled around the radius corner 106 of the bulkhead during the tensioning action a weatherproof seal is formed.

Overall, it is believed that the second embodiment of the present invention as described in relation to FIGURES 6 - 11 of the drawings provides a simpler and more 11 1 00 1 & 9:

1..! % 'i 17 advantageous arrangement avoiding the provision of trackways and rollers and elasticated cord. Conveniently, the side curtain 101 can be tensioned from a single central location owing to the rigidity of the box 103 provided as an end cap to the curtain.

is

Claims (1)

1. A trailer or container having at least one side curtain, the arrangement being such that the curtain can be tensianed inalateral or hori o 1 direction, the at least one side curtain being attached or attachable to a sliding carriage or carrier that can be operated, in use, to pull or tension the curtain in said lateral or hofi direction.

io 2. A trailer or container as claimed in Claim 1 in which the side curtain can be tensioned in a lateral or horizontal direction by means of a pneumatically operated ram.

3. A trailer or container as claimed in Claim 2 in which the ram is connected to an existing air supply on the trailer or container, for example, an air brake or suspension supply.

4. A trailer or container as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3 in which the pneumatic ram can be operated by a control switch conveniently situated on the trailer/container.

5. A trailer or container as claimed as in Claim 4 in which the control switch is located near the pneumatic ram itself and/or towards the end of the curtain which is being pulled or tensioned in use.

19 6. A trailer or container as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims provided with means to tension the at least one side curtain vertically. 7. A trailer or container as claimed in Claim 6 in which the vertical tensioning is 5 done by means of an air supply, for example, connected to an air braking or suspension system of a vehicle attached to the trailer/container. 8. A trailer or container as claimed in Claim 6 or Claim 7 in which the at least one side curtain of the trailer/container can be tensioned both vertically and 10 horizontally in an automatically timed or controfied sequence.

9. A trailer or container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which separate control switches (for example push buttons) are provided for toiizl and vertical tensioning.

10. A trailer or container as claimed in Claim 9 having control push buttons provided underneath the trailer/container along the side of the trailer/container on which -at least one side curtain is mounted.

11. A trailer or container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the carriage is moveable from a position in which the curtain is untensioned horizontally to a position in which the curtain is tensioned horizontally undera resistance force.

12. A trailer or container as claimed in Claim 11 in which the resistance force is a spring resistance.

13. A trailer or container as claimed in Claim 12 in which the resistance force is 5 provided by an elasticated cord (and -pulley) system.

14. A trailer or container is claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the trailer or container is provided with a carriageway having upper and lower trackways along which the sliding carriage is constrained to move.

15. A trailer or container as claimed in Claim 14 in which the trackways along which the carriage is confined to move extend at an angle to the end wall of the trailer or container.

16. A trailer or container as claimed in Claim 15 in which said angle is 30 degrees (plus or minus 10 degrees).

17. A trailer or container as claimed in Claim 15 or Claim 16 in which the ram comprises a horizontally moveable piston connected to a pulley wheel -re about a horizontal axis) around which an operating cable is passed with the operating cable being connected to the carriage at upper and lower lo- cations in order to provide a balanced pulling force on the carriage along the trackways.

21 18. A trailer or container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims having at least one side curtain including a pole releasably mountable into upper _and lower locations on the carriage.

19. A trailer or container as claimed in Claim 18 in which the carriage includes an additional support that locates on the, or a, curtain pole fixed to the úurtain.

20. A trailer or container as claimed in Claim 19 in which the additional support is in the form of a hook extension.

2 1. A trailer or container as claimed in Claim 14 or any Claim dependent therefrom in which the carriage is provided with roller means at the top and bottom thereof Po operable with groove means of the trackways or vice versa.

22. A trailer or container as claimed in any one the preceding claims have safety, non return valve means provided in the air supply line to the pneumatic ram to avoid the curtain becoming untensioned due to inadvertent release of the úafflage.

23. A trailer or container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which at least one side curtain extends half way along the length of the v and is tensionable from one end with a second side curtain being provided along the rest of the length of the vehicle and a second horizontal tensioning M-emu being provided at the other end.

22 24. A trailer or container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims having curtains provided on both sides of the trailer or container and the trailer/Container has horizontal pulling means provided on each side of the trailer/container.

25. A trailer or container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the carrier comprises a rigid member or box.

26. A trailer or container as claimed in Claim 25 in which the rigid member or box extends the height of the curtain.

27. A trailer or container as claimed in Claim 25 or Claim 26 in which the rigid member or box receives a curtain pole and forms a slot through which the - curtain extends in use.

is 28. A trailer or container as claimed in any one of Claims 25 to 27 in which the rigid member or box is releasably connected to tensioning means e.g. in the form a pneumatic ram e.g. by means of a hook and lever arrangement.

29. A trailer or container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in w-hich-the side curtain can be tensioned around a corner of the vehicle (e.g. a suitably shaped front shroud of a bulkhead).

30. A trailer or container substantially as herein described with reference to the FIGURES of the accompanying drawings.

23 3 1. A trailer or container having at least one side curtain, said at least one side curtain being tensionable in a lateral direction by a tensioning means adapted to apply a tensioning force uniformly or balanced along the height of the curtain or adapted to tension the curtain from a central location.

32. A trailer or container having at least one side curtain tensionable in a lateral direction by a linear or non-rotatable tensioning means or by automatic means.

33. A trailer or container having a side curtain which is tensionable vertically and horizontally by automatic means.

34. A trailer or container having one or more of the following features:

a) A carriage with a (central, extension) fork for holding a curtain pole of a side curtain of the trailer/container as said side curtain is tensioned; b) Automatic horizontal tensioning means for at least one side curtain wIlich is, preferably, a non curtain winding mechanism; c) Curtain pole pulling/pushing means for a curtain pole of a side curtain of said trailer/container; d) A tensioning, linear moveable carriage for pulling a side curtain of the trailer/container, said carriage preferably having roller means, said jearriage preferably being moveable at an angle to an end wall of the trailer/container, 24 e) A (rigid) member or box preferably forming a slot for a side curtain and preferably receiving a curtain pole and preferably releasably connected to tensioning means.

35.A method of tensioning a side curtain of a trailer or container, said method comprising applying a, preferably linear, balanced or uniform tensionin _flarce to the side curtain to avoid distortion in the curtain.

36. A method as claimed in Claim 35 and substantially as herein described.