Technical field

The present invention relates to a device for a plat¬ form of a truck or similar vehicle for the purpose of releasably connecting two parts which are movable in rela- tion to each other, such as a flap and a stanchion or a stanchion and the platform. State of the art

It is well known that there is a wish to achieve improved constructions for the above-mentioned purpose. The demand for simplicity, practicality, inexpensiveness , dependability, durability, long life etc is making itself increasingly felt.

Known constructions for the connection of raised flaps to stanchions on the platforms of trucks, trailers or similar vehicles do not meet these requirements .

As far as the mounting of stanchions on the platform is concerned there is the additional requirement that the stanchions should be capable of being simply lowered and re¬ leased and later being equally simply reattached, in which respect a high degree of stability and security against un¬ intentional release is required. Another important require¬ ment is that the stanchions and the devices for fastening them must not encroach upon the actual loadspace.

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The invention

The requirements on a connecting device of the kin stated in the introduction, with regard to the connecti both of a raised flap to a stanchionand of a stanchion the platform, are according to the invention fulfilled a device which is characterized by a link section, whic is pivotally attached to a first part by a first pivot, and a locking section, which is pivotally attached to t link section by a second pivot and is provided at its f upper end with a pin or similar which is disposed paral lel to the pivot for connecting interaction with a rece or similar on a second part, the total height of the li section and the locking section being slightly greater than the distance between the first pivot and the reces in the second part, when the second part is in the con¬ necting position, and, owing to the inherent resilience of the section, the second part being capable during th connecting engagement of the pin with the recess of be¬ ing made to snap across a line between the first pivot and the pin to a locking position.

In this arrangement the first part is normally the stanchion and the second either the flap or the platfor

Where on the one hand it is desired to connect a flap to a, stanchion, an advantageous embodiment is achieved if the connecting device is arranged, preferab flush-mounted, in the stanchion, which is provided in a manner known per se with a laterally protruding flange, against which the flap is intended to rest when raised and with the stanchion connected, the pin of the device protruding in front of the flange and the recess being disposed in the end of the flap which faces the stanchi If thus the device is flush-mounted in the stanchi the locking section ^' is preferably extended to form a handle part, which extends beyond the link section and the pivots and inwards in the direction towards

the bottom of a recess in the stanchion for the device.

Where "TIR locking" of the flap is required, it is an advantage if holes for a "TIR rope" are disposed transversely through the stanchion adjacent to the handle part, by means of which rope ..the -handle part may be locked with the stanchion and flap in the connected posi¬ tion.

A slight modification of the above-described device is required when a rear flap is to be connected to a side or corner stanchion, namely that the rear flap is provided with a fixed elbow catch intended to extend through the side wall of the stanchion when the rear flap is raised, and that the stanchion is provided with a con¬ necting device, the locking pin of which is provided with a cross pin for connecting interaction with a recess in the elbow catch.

When on the other hand a removable stanchion is to be connected to a platform and it is required that the stanchion shall be capable of being lowered and removed, this can be achieved according to the invention by pro¬ viding the edge of the platform with outward-facing flanges or similar provided with lower recesses for a stanchion pin, which also forms a pivotal attachment for the link section, and with upper recesses for an upper - horizontal locking pin forming the connecting pin of the locking section.

In this arrangement the locking section can pre¬ ferably be extended beyond the link section to form a handle part. It is important for the functioning of the connect¬ ing device that the sections should have a certain elasticity, so that the second pivot (between the link section and the locking section) can move with a snap- -locking effect across an imaginary line joining the first pivot and the pin. The sections, which may be very short

in "width", are therefore preferably made of aluminium or similar although steel or other material is of course possible.

The device according to the invention can of course be used for many other purposes in addition to those indicated, and modifications are possible. Drawings

The invention will be described in further detail below, reference being made to the appended drawings, in which Figs. 1-3 respectively show a front view and sec¬ tions along the lines II-II and III-III in Fig. 1 of a device according to the invention for connecting a side flap on a truck to a stanchion. Figs. 4-6 respectively show a frontal view and sections along the lines V-V and VI-VI in Fig. 4 of a device according to the inven¬ tion for connecting a stanchion to the platform of a truck, Figs. 7-9 respectively show a frontal view, a view from above (partially in section) and a section along the line IX-IX of a device according to the inven- tion for connecting the rear flap of a truck to a stan¬ chion, and Fig. 10 gives a perspective indication of the edge of a platform, a stanchion and a flap with connect¬ ing devices according to the invention. Description of preferred embodiments Figs. 1-3 show a side stanchion attached to the pla form of a truck, trailer or similar vehicle and given the designation 1. The stanchion 1 has a flange 1' on each side, against which rests a side flap 2 (only a par of which is shown by a dotted line in Fig. 1 and in sec- tion in Fig. 3) .

Two connecting devices further described below are disposed in their respective recess in the stanchion 1 for their respective side flap 2. Such a device is most clearly shown in Fig. 2. A link section 3 is rotatable around the mounting pivot 4 attached to the side stan-

chion 1. A locking section 5 with a handle part 6 pro¬ truding downwards is pivotally connected to the link section 3 by a pivot 7. The locking section 5 is pro¬ vided at its top with a locking pin 8, which extends laterally out rom the actual locking _. device to engage a recess 9 in a fixed member 10 in the side flap 2.

Through the stanchion 1 adjacent to the handle part 6 there are holes 11 for a "TIR rope" 30 (Fig. 10) , with the aid of which the whole device can be sealed with the connecting device in the locked position as shown.

As clearly appears, the device works in the follow¬ ing manner: The starting position is that the handle part 6 with the locking section 5 and the link section 3 is drawn out from the stanchion 1. The side flap 2, which is pivotally attached at its lower edge to the platform of the truck, is raised against the flange 1" on the stanchion. The pin 8 is inserted into the recess 9 in the flap with the aid of the handle part 6. Since the distance between the mounting pivot 4 and the upper edge of the pin 8 is somewhat greater than the corresponding hypothetical distance up to the upper edge of the recess 9 the pivot 7 will snap resiliently across the straight line which joins the centre of the mounting pivot 4 and the pin 8 and into its illustrated position bearing against the interior wall of the stanchion 1 and produce a secure connection of the side flap 2 to the stanchion 1.

Figs. 4-6 show how a similar device may be used to fasten a stanchion 1 releasably to the edge of a platform 12. Fig. 10 shows more clearly a ^' slightly modified variation of this arrangement.

A link section 13 is in this case pivotally attached at its lower end to a stanchion pin 14, which is extended sideways in order to be able to interact with lower recesses 15 in the flanges 16 on the platform 12.

It is apparent that the construction described en¬ ables the stanchion 1 to be released completely from the platform 12.

Assembly begins with the insertion of the stanchion pin 14 in the lower recesses 15. The stanchion 1 is then brought up against the platform 12 with the handle part 19 drawn out to the right in Fig. 6 or, in other words, with the upper locking pin 20 lowered until it is clear of the lugs 22. With the aid of the above-described con- necting device the upper locking pin 20 can then be in¬ serted into and secured in the upper recesses 21 in the lugs 22, so that the stanchion 1 is secured to the plat¬ form 12.

Figs. 7-9 show a similar connecting device used to connect a rear flap 23 to a corner or side stanchion 24 on a truck. (In Fig. 8 a side flap 25 also is indicated by a dotted line.) The side stanchion 24 is provided wit a locking device of a kind similar to that shown in Figs 1-3. The similarities are particularly apparent when Figs. 2 and 9 are compared. The same designations have therefore been used for the link section 3, locking sec¬ tion 5, handle part 6, pivot 7 and locking pin 8, the locking pin 8 in the present case being provided with a cross pin 26, however. This cross pin is intended in the illustrated locke position of the device to bear against both fixed cross- pin brackets 27 in the stanchion 24 and a recess 28 in an elbow catch 29, which is attached to the rear flap 23 and extends in through the side wall of the stanchion 24 No further account of the functioning of this devic would appear necessary when Figs. 1-3, in particular, have been studied, together with the accompanying descri tion.

The purpose of Fig. 10 is to illustrate in perspec- tive and more clearly how the connecting devices accord-

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ing to the invention are used on the platform of a truck with a flap and a removable stanchion. Although the various parts are not exactly identical with the corre¬ sponding parts in the other figures (Figs. 1-6) , the same designations have been used. For the sake of clarity not all the parts have been marked.

A difference between the embodiment according to Figs. 4-6 and the corresponding part of Fig. 10 is that in the latter case both the lower and the upper recesses 15 and 21 respectively are disposed in the flanges 16 attached to the edge 12 of the platform, whereas in the former case the upper recesses 21 are disposed in lugs 22 inside the flanges 16. The last-mentioned embodiment gives greater stability to the connecting device and the stanchion and is preferred for this reason.

Modifications are possible within the scope of the following claims. For example, the device for connecting stanchion and flap can be disposed in the end of the flap instead of in the stanchion. Moreover a device such as that shown for releasable connection of stanchion and platform may also be used for releasably mounting flaps on a platform. Since this mounting, just like that of the stanchions, is very stable and secure, stanchions may be entirely or partly dispensed with. It may finally be mentioned that the actual connecting instruments, which have been shown and described as pins and recesses, can be fashioned in other appropriate ways.