FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to motor vehicle lorries provided with a canopy to cover a load receiving tray.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is common to have motor vehicle lorries provided with a canopy to cover the load receiving tray which is generally a flat top tray. Often, removable front, back and side gates with self mountable side curtains and a cap tarpaulin are used in conjunction with the tray. However, some or all of the said items have to be removed from the tray in order to unload the lorry and then they have to be assembled again after the tray has received its load. This is long and hard work especially in inclement weather when tarpaulins become wet.

More recently there has been the development of "curtain-siders", where doors are provided at the back and vinyl curtains are provided at the side which can be opened to load or unload a lorry tray. However these still require the heavy old type gates to be put in place to provide strength and stability to the side curtains so that the load may be kept safely in its place. The feet of these gates are simply located in slots or recesses about the periphery of the tray but the top of these gates are unsupported and therefore can swing either way and relying on those curtains from bowing out, unless fastened with ropes, are essentially a loose component with respect to the vehicle. The same effort as described above is required to lift such gates into position since they have to be put on or taken off either by brute strength or in some cases by a forklift truck. Consequently damage to the load or injury to the operator can and does occur.

The use of ropes or webbing to restrain freight pallets to the fastening rail on the exterior of the flat top tray is required by law. However, difficulties experienced in passing fastening over or through the metal side gates results in some drivers ignoring this safety requirement. The load restraint law requires 0.5 G restraining horizontally and such gates, being unsupported on top, can not provide the containing support what is required, therefore direct cargo restrainment to the load receiving tray is required. Restraining cargo to the load receiving tray is a very complicated and time consuming procedure but is a must in side loading vehicles, faults in restraining cargo results in unstable road vehicles. Furthermore, such gates usually cover only about two thirds of the height of the side area of a curtain-sider. This means the load is uncovered along the top section of the load area and the plastic curtain has to be relied upon to secure the load, with bowing of curtains inevitable and therefore an overwidth unstable vehicles.

In Europe, hinged tailgates and side gates typically 600 to 700 mm in height are employed to restrain cargo. Wooden boards typically 200 mm in width are then placed in U brackets welded to side posts approximately every 300 mm above these back and side gates to provide restraints for higher-stacked cargo. These wooden boards in about 2 - 3 metres in length will not provide a suitable cargo support and will bow out and causes the vehicle to be unstable, again a complicated direct cargo restrainment to the load receiving tray is required. The gates or boards are generally stored underneath the load receiving tray after cargo is unloaded but, because of the difficulty in handling them and their inherent weight, there exists a very real temptation for operators to refrain from reinstalling the gates after receiving a load. This results in a greater risk of material damage to goods and potentially fatal accidents in the event of a loss of the load.

An improved means of providing side closures for vehicle bodies to overcome the aforementioned problems is described in my earlier patent, AU 759418. The invention as described therein makes use of a similar overhead rail track and curtains on the side of the load receiving tray as with curtain-siders. It however relies on the use of a collapsible pivotal arm assembly and support columns used in conjunction with a lower side board and a lifting and locking system to provide integrity ( load restraint ) for the structure in the travel position, that is to say, when in use. Whilst affording substantial reductions in loading and unloading time, the system still required manipulation of heavy side boards, and the cost of providing the required lifting and locking system was high.

Further improvements have now been made, as described herein, wherein the lower side board has been eliminated to give even greater benefits with regard to ease of operation. At the same time, the handle operated lifting device has also been eliminated. These improvements provide improved economy in manufacture, simplicity and integrity of the structure. On the other hand when it is required, the lower side board can be incorperated in the new improvements. The need for using the lower side boards in conjunction with the pivotal arm assembly, as described in the aforementioned patent, is no longer there, but as said can mechanicly incorporated.

In order for the lower side board and handle operated lifting device to be removed, additional improvements which are not immediately apparent have also been required. This stems from the way in which the boards and lifting and locking device of my previous invention operate to bring the collapsible assembly into alignment in the same vertical plane as the support columns on the side of the load receiving tray and facilitate the mating of the assembly's side uprights with those support columns. The base of the central upright is below the side of the load receiving tray when the assembly is in a collapsed position. In the process of inserting the central upright of the assembly into the slot located in the lower side board for receiving same, an upper portion of the central upright is brought into the same plane as the support columns on either side of the collapsible assembly, ie into the same vertical plane as the side of the load receiving tray itself, prior to full expansion of the assembly, whilst only the handle remains at an angle, as described in my aforementioned patent.

This means that the side uprights of the collapsible structure, by virtue of the geometry thus attained, are also brought into substantially the same plane as the support columns with which it is intended they should mate (eg in tongue and groove arrangement), prior to activating the handle of the lifting device. Activation of the lifting device handle then causes the final expansion of the assembly, ie causes the outer columns of the support structure to engage smoothly with the support columns. In this way, because the collapsible assembly and support columns are in the same effective vertical plane prior to final expansion of the assembly, the operation of fully expanding (and indeed then collapsing) the assembly is easily accomplished as there is no binding between elements, ie between the side uprights of the assembly and support columns with which they mate when the assembly is expanded for the travel position.

On the other hand, if the side board and handle lifting device are simply eliminated, the ability to bring the collapsed assembly into alignment with the support columns, at least immediately prior to engagement of the side uprights of the assembly with the support columns, is thus removed and the assembly will in fact be out of alignment causing binding between the side uprights of the assembly and the support columns as they attempt to engage. In other words, the assembly will be hanging from the top rail of the support structure and extending out an angle from the vertical in such a way that the assembly will not be able to be brought into the vertical plane until it is actually fully extended, by which time it will be too late, having encountered resistance from the support columns with which it is intended that the side uprights should mate, thus making the operation virtually impossible to accomplish.

In order to overcome this apparent disadvantage it has now been found that by rotating the pivot points for the arms of the assembly with respect to the central and outer uprights thereof by predetermined angles, a pivotal arm assembly is achieved which instead of remaining in a single plane during expansion and collapse allows for bi-planar folding to the extent that the side uprights of the assembly themselves are able to remain in the vertical plane, ie the plane of the support columns, whilst the central upright is able to be swung away from the side of the load receiving tray during collapse of the assembly. Conversely, when causing the assembly to expand, the central upright will be swung into the vertical plane, but even though it will not be fully vertical until the final expansion of the assembly has occurred, the side uprights will nevertheless, have been in alignment with the support columns throughout the operation and will mate inevitably with the support columns.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome or at least ameliorate some or all of the foregoing disadvantages as well as providing additional benefits over my earlier aforementioned patent application, by providing a further improved side closure for vehicle bodies for protecting and restraining loads on the trays of lorries.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided a cargo containing structure for motor vehicle lorries having a load receiving tray, comprising an integrated support structure including support columns which allow for multiple containing structure sections along each side of the tray; each containing structure section comprising a pivotal arm and weatherproof assembly to provide in a first situation a secure and protected side closure for vehicles which may be described as an expanded travel position, and in a second collapsed situation, unimpeded access to the load receiving tray; the support structure incorporating a roller or trolley system therein which supports the pivotal arm and weatherproof assembly and the support columns in a manner which allows displacement of the assembly and the support columns to either side; the pivotal arm and weatherproof assembly having the facility to be unfolded and pulled out taut for securable engagement between a pair of adjacent support columns to provide the secure and protected side closure for the expanded travel position or alternatively to be folded or collapsed for disengagement therefrom to allow access for loading and unloading the tray; wherein the pivot points for the arms of the assembly are rotated by predetermined amounts with respect to the central and outer columns, to cause the assembly to collapse in a bi-planar mode, thereby allowing the outer uprights of the assembly to remain in essentially the same vertical plane as the support columns, whilst at the same time allowing the central upright of the assembly to be swung out from the load receiving tray during collapse or to be brought in towards the tray during expansion, wherein the lower portions of the three vertical uprights with a locking mechanism is provided for retaining the uprights of the assembly in the travel position so as to positively secure the cargo containing structure in the side of the load receiving tray for motor vehicle bodies when in the travel position.

Preferably, the pivotal arm assembly consists of vertical uprights connected to horizontal arms in a pivotal arrangement. Also preferably, securable engagement of the outer uprights of the assembly with respective adjacent support columns, is achieved through positive mating therebetween, for example in tongue and groove arrangement. Alternatively, pins or bolts located on the outer uprights may engage with holes or slots in the support columns.

Thus in a preferred embodiment, three vertical and substantially parallel uprights are located approximately 0.9 to 1.2m from one another, when the assembly is in the travel position, the distance between the support columns being approximately 1.8m to a little over 2.4m. At least the outer two and preferably all three uprights are suspended from respective trolley or roller mechanisms which are located in the same track in an upper frame member of the integrated support structure. Pairs of arms of equal length connect the central upright to each of the two outside uprights. In the preferred embodiment, these arms are generally perpendicular to the uprights when the assembly is in the travel position, although this need not necessarily be so. However, there are some geometric benefits when the sets of arms are locked perpendicularly to the central upright when in the travel position as it creates additional rigidity.

As mentioned above, trolleys or roller wheels are connected on the top of the outer uprights and located in an extruded channel of an upper frame member of the support structure. In the preferred embodiment, the central upright is actually a telescopic member, the upper end of the inner element of which remains connected by its trolley or roller mechanism in the channel, whilst the outer sleeve, to which the arms are pivoted is free to move up and down as required. Moving the central upright or at least the outer sleeve thereof downwards, causes the outer uprights to move inwards towards the central upright by means of the pivotal arrangement existing between the uprights and the arms, and because of the roller wheels which are on top of the outer uprights allowing the necessary movement. Therefore the whole assembly hangs when it is disengaged. To be able to displace the disengaged pivotal arm assembly along the extended channel, at least the central upright and preferably all the uprights are pivoted a convenient distance below the roller wheels to allow the assembly to pivot outwards from the lorry tray, ie side ways away from load receiving area, once the outer side uprights are disengaged from the support columns. The whole collapsed assembly may then be moved along the available length of the extruded channel in the upper frame member. The collapsed assembly will fold to a width of approximatly 0.5-0.7 metre overall but the height remains same which is, depending on the height of the truck body, approximatly 3 metres. The leverage caused by the height compared with the width of the assembly, however, by moving the assembly side ways, can cause a friction at the roller mechanism at the upper end of the assembly. In order to overcome this friction there is therefore been provided at the upper end of the outer vertical members also a bias supported telescopic mechanism only to operate for a short distance in absorbing the shock by a sudden sliding movement of the assembly^

Conversely, when the central upright, or at least the outer sleeve thereof, is moved upwards, the outer uprights will separate from the central upright and move outwards from the central upright, by means of the said pivotal arrangement between the arms and the uprights, causing the arms to straighten horizontally with respect to the uprights, thereby expanding the pivotal arm assembly to its maximum width.

Similarly, the support columns of the preferred embodiment are also provided with trolleys or roller wheels which are connected to the upper ends thereof and are located in the same channel of an upper frame member as the pivotal arm assembly is located, thereby allowing the support columns to also be moved sideways in a like manner to the collapsed pivotal arm assembly, when access to the load is required, or to be moved back into position ready to receive the expanded pivotal arm assembly. Alternatively, if a dual track is employed, wherein the trolleys of the support columns are located in one and the trolleys for the uprights of each assembly in another, it is thus possible to disengage each pivotal arm assembly and to slide it along the track outside any of the support columns.

Preferably, a telescopic counterbalance bias mechanism is incorporated in the central upright to assist in expanding and collapsing the pivotal arm and weather proof assembly in a manner which minimises the operator's effort.

Thus, in order to readily expand the assembly and minimise the lifting force required to lift the sleeve of the central upright of the pivotal arm assembly (against the weight of the sleeve itself, the arms and the weatherproof member), a telescopic counterbalance bias mechanism is incorporated into the pivotal arm assembly, being preferably a spring mechanism located inside the central telescopic upright member, between the outer sleeve and inner element, causing the outer sleeve to be returned to its upper position, ie the travel position. In other words, as the outer sleeve is pulled down the spring is extended, which assists in lifting the outer sleeve to expand the assembly. Thus, the telescopic counterbalance bias mechanism provides the means to expand, or spread, the pivotal arm assembly using as little effort as possible.

However, unlike the arrangement in my aforementioned patent, in which the arms pivot in a way that causes the assembly to remain in the one plane, ie arms and three uprights, in this case, the pivot points for each arm are rotated with respect to the plane determined by the expanded assembly, by rotating the pivot points in predetermined amounts will cause the assembly to be planar when expanded for the travel position, whilst assuming a bi-planar arrangement when collapsed, to the extent that the side uprights remain in the plane determined by the support columns (ie the side of the vehicle) whilst only the central upright is able to swing away from the side of the vehicle during collapsing of the assembly, at least for the initial period of collapse during which the side uprights need to be disengaged from the support columns. On returning the assembly to the travel position, ie expanding the assembly, the central upright will not be brought into alignment with (ie brought into the same plane as) the side of the vehicle until the assembly is fully expanded, ie when the arms are in a perpendicular position in respect to the uprights, although the side uprights will have been throughout the operation in the same plane as the support columns for engagement already prior to final expansion, so that during final expansion they will mate with the support columns without any interference that would have occurred had they been out of alignment with that plane during final expansion.

Preferably, the locking mechanism of the preferred embodiment is a simple bolt type mechanism. Thus, compared with my earlier aforementioned patent, a different and much more simple and inexpensive form of lifting and locking device is also preferably provided. This comprises a handle attached at the base to each of the three vertical uprights of the assembly containing a springloaded bolt that, when the handle is at rest, mates securely with holes in the vicinity of the edge of the load receiving tray. To unlock the locking mechanism the handle is to be turned 90 degrees in a slightly upward fabricated slot in the base of the uprights forcing the conical end of the bolt to be released out of the hole in the vincinity of the edge of the load receiving tray. When the handle is lifted, the spring is compressed and the bolt lifted out of the secure position. The handle may then be pulled away from the side of the tray allowing the central upright to fall by gravity, ie under its own weight, collapsing the assembly and bringing the side uprights away from their mating position with the support columns (in which plane they remain aligned). The assembly and support columns can then be moved to the side to allow access to the load receiving tray for loading or unloading of cargo. The system is returned to its secure travel position by moving the support columns into position and centering the central upright of the collapsible assembly. The handle is then lifted so that the base of the central upright returns to its position on the tray and the assembly is expanded into its position, the side uprights mating with the support columns. The handles are then twisted back into its travel position parallel to the side of the tray and the spring re-engages the bolt in the relevant hole in the side of the tray.

Additional locking mechanisms may also be provided for the side uprights, in the travel position.

In a preferred embodiment, additional restraining mechanisms are provided in the form in freight restraining webbing slings , normally used as a load restraining strapping material, to be connected at the bottom set of arms and the set of arms above, preferably the top set of arms, to close the square gaps created by the construre of the assembly, when in travel position, between the sets of arms and the vertical upright members, on each side of each assembly, thereby providing a tight and secure restraint when in travel position and hanging loose in collapsed situation. In this embodiment, the invention thus also provides an alternative form of cargo restraint to the heavy wooden boards of my previous patent application. Thus, preferably, the collapsible assembly now includes a number of webbing slings of appropriate strength between the lowest arm on each side of the assembly and the arm above it, preferably the top arm. These webbing slings and arms form an integral part of the new assembly and require no special manipulation. The webbing slings hang loose within the assembly when collapsed, without interfering with the operation of the assembly, but become relatively tight when the assembly is locked in to the support columns or by its locking mechnisms.

Further improvements are also provided in the support columns in the form of a hinged lower section which allows each support column to be located and secured in a travel position on the side of the load receiving tray and removed as required to allow access to the tray. In a preferred form of the invention the hinged section is accommodated in the travel position in an outer sleeve of the which extends from the upper portion of the support column. This sleeve is provided with a telescopic extension which engages with a suitable portion of the hinged section to lock it in the travel position when extended over same.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings of which:

Fig. 1 is a detailed perspective view of the uprights and arms of a pivotal arm assembly according to one aspect of the invention, in its expanded or travel position,

Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the components of the assembly illustrated in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a side view of the assembly illustrated in Fig 1, except that it is in the collapsed position to allow access to the tray,

Fig. 4 is a view along the plane of the side of the vehicle showing the collapsed assembly of Fig. 4, Fig. 5 is a detailed perspective view of where the arms attach to the central upright, showing the angle by which the pivot points are rotated so as to produce the bi- planar folding described above,

Fig. 6 is a detailed perspective view of the lifting and locking handle located on the central upright of the assembly,

Fig. 7 is a view of along the plane of the side of the vehicle of one of the support columns used in conjunction with the assembly of Fig. 1 to 6, released so as to be able slide sideways along a track in an upper frame member,

Fig. 8 is a side view of the support column illustrated in Fig. 7,

Fig. 9 is a detailed view of the locking device used on the support column of Figures 8 and 9,

Fig. 10 is an exploded view of an alternate embodiment of a pivotal arm assembly according to another aspect of the invention,

Fig. 11 is a side view of the assembly illustrated in Fig 10, except that it is in the collapsed position to allow access to the tray, and

Fig. 12 is a view along the plane of the side of the vehicle showing the collapsed assembly of Fig. 10.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Referring generally to Figs 1 to 9, there is depicted a cargo containing structure generally referenced 11 for motor vehicle lorries (not shown) having a load receiving tray according to one aspect of the invention. A side closure section 12 is located between upper support 13 and lower support rails 14 of a support structure (not shown), and consists of a pivotal arm assembly 15, which in turn has as its basic components a central upright 16 and two outer uprights 17 together with arm members 18 pivoted about pivot points 19 on the central upright 16 and pivot points 20 on the outer uprights 17, and a weatherproof covering (not specifically shown) over the assembly 15.

Affixed to the upper ends of the uprights 16 and 17 are trolley wheels 21 which run in a track 22 located in the upper rail 13 referred to earlier, and are displaceable therealong. In this embodiment the outer uprights 17, are able to mate in tongue and groove fashion with corresponding longitudinal grooves 23 in support column 24 or with bolts 36 corresponding with holes in support columns. Each support columns is provided with trolley wheels 25 similar to those for the uprights 16 and 17 of assembly 15 to allow these support columns to be displaceable.

Shown in detail in Fig. 5 pivot points 19 and 20 are rotated a few degrees to allow bi-planar folding of the assembly 15, the result of which is usefully illustrated in Fig. 4, where in the collapsed state (as also shown in Fig. 3), the central upright 16 is caused to swing out from the plane of the side of the truck, whilst the outer uprights 17 remain substantially in that plane during collapse and getting ready for the travel position. In a typical arrangement it has been found that the upmost arms should be rotated about 4 degrees whilst the lowest arms will be rotated about 8 degrees, but the exact degree of rotation will be dependent on the overall dimensions and the extent to which it is desired to have the central upright swing away from the side of the truck.

The support columns 24 are able to be locked in a travel position, and are able to be displaced along the side of truck, as required to allow access to the tray, by virtue of a hinged lower section 26 as illustrated in Figs 7 to 9 The hinged section 26 is accommodated when in the travel position in an outer sleeve 27 which extends downwardly from the upper portion of the support column 24. This sleeve 27 is provided with an outer sleeve 28 which engages with a suitable portion 37 of the hinged section 26 to lock it in the travel position when extended over same, as shown in greater detail in Fig 9.

The central uprights 16&17 has a handle 29 attached thereto, which contains a springloaded bolt 30 (shown in detail in Fig 6) that, when the handle 29 is at rest, mates securely with holes 31 in the vicinity of the edge 32 of the load receiving tray. When the handle 29 is lifted, the spring 33 is compressed and the bolt 30 is lifted out of the secure position. The handle 29 may then be twisted and pulled away from the side of the tray 32 allowing the central upright 16 to fall by gravity, ie under its own weight, collapsing the assembly 15 and bringing the outer side uprights 17 away from their mating position with the support columns 24 (in which plane they remain aligned). The assembly 15 and support columns 24 can then be moved to the side to allow access to the load receiving tray for loading or unloading of cargo.

The central upright 16 has a telescopic inner member 34 allowing the central upright to remain in the upper track 13 during collapse of the assembly 15. A counterbalance bias mechanism (the detail of which is not shown but is illustrated in my aforementioned patent at Fig 3 thereof) is included in the central upright 16. A similar device 38 has been placed in the outer uprights 17 allowing the telescopic device to travel a shorter distant to gain flexibility, caused by the leverage when sliding the collapsed assembly at the base hereof.

To collapse the assembly 15, the vertical central upright 16 has to be unlocked and moved downwards, thus causing vertical outer uprights 17 to move inwards by means of roller wheels 21, towards central upright 16. Pivots 19 will move downwards by the length of one horizontal arm 18. The central inner telescopic member 34 and counterbalance bias assembly, is connected at the bottom inside of central upright 16. On top of the central inner telescopic member 34 and counterbalance bias assembly, roller wheel 21 is positioned in the same track referred to above as the roller wheels 21 of uprights 17. This counterbalance bias assembly will carry most of the lifting weight of central upright 16. After collapse of the pivotal arm assembly 15 and disengagement of the support columns 24, both the assembly 15 and the support columns 24 can be rolled along the track 21 so as to provide completely free access to the loading tray.

In order to completely assemble a side closure system 11, the reverse of the above procedure is adopted, so that the central upright 16 is lifted, the system being returned to its secure travel position by moving the support columns 17 into position and centering the central upright 16 of the collapsible assembly 15. The handle 29 is then lifted so that the central upright 16 returns to its position on the tray and the assembly 15 is expanded into its position, the side uprights 17 mating with the support columns 24. The handle 29 is then twisted back into its travel position parallel to the side of the tray and the spring 33 re- engages the bolt 30 in the relevant hole 31 in the side of the tray 32.

Fig. 6 illustrate the locking mechanism in a preferred embodiment, to ease the unlocking, handle 29 is to be turned 90 degrees in a sligtly upwards movement caused by slot 39 compressing the spring 33 ( not shown ) and forcing the conical part of the bolt 30 to be released from the hole in the vincinity of the edge of the load receiving tray.

To provide additional strength in the lower regions of the assembly 15, webbings 35 are also provided which extend between the lower pairs of arms and the pairs of arms above it, preferably the top pairs of arms, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Figs 10 to 12 illustrate an alternate embodiment where like components are referenced with similar numerals. The main difference is the provision of lugs or extensions 36, which extend into corresponding holes (not shown) in the support columns 24 in the travel position and which substitute for the tongue and groove arrangement described above, causing the outer uprights 17 and support columns 24 to securely mate for use in the travel position.

The foregoing describes only some embodiments of the present invention, and modifications obvious to those skilled in the art can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

DATED this Fourth day of August 2004

Hoodtrailers Pty Ltd