SAFETY SYSTEM FOR A TRANSPORT VEHICLE

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a moveable fall-arrest safety system adapted to be used in a transport vehicle to provide safety for a person during loading or unloading of the vehicle.

Background Art

The loading and unloading of transport vehicles such as trucks or trailers exposes operators (for example, truck drivers, warehouse personnel, and the like) to the risk of a fall from heights.

There are two common types of risk:

(i) falling from the side of the truck or trailer bed or load directly onto the ground and,

(ii) falling from the top of a load directly onto the truck or trailer bed or a lower positioned load.

In many instances operators are required to assist with the position of loads, with the height of these loads being anywhere from 1 to 3 metres in height above the bed. It is not unusual for operators to be working at heights in excess of 2 metres from the truck bed while positioning loads or assisting with the loading process. Aside from the risk of falling sideways onto the ground, there is also an equal safety risk of falling on top of a load or onto the truck bed which can have equally similar fatal consequences.

The transport industry is noted for the high level of accidents experienced by operators falling off trucks and on top of loads, and there are known cases where such falls have resulted in fatalities.

Unfortunately, and as it applies to enclosed trucks with a roof structure and movable side curtains, for example, a truck with non-rigid sides, such as Tautliner® trucks, or to, for example, refrigerator trucks, there have been no practical and cost- effective solutions due to the limitations of these trucks both in terms of being enclosed by at least a roof structure and also the fact that these trucks are loaded to maximum capacity both in terms of the height close to the top of the roof, and across the width and length of the truck or trailer bed.

The need to develop a practical, user friendly and cost-effective safety solution for trucks and trailers, and in particular for enclosed trucks, for example, Tautliner® trucks, is a world wide problem.

Numerous solutions have been developed to address the problem associated with working at heights in the transport industry. However, and as it refers to enclosed trucks, they suffer from the following limitations:

(i) overhead safety systems can not be used due to the roof constraint;

(ii) existing safety system solutions often interfere with the loading process making them impractical and unviable; and

(iii) restraint systems designed to prevent a person from falling from the side of truck bed to the road surface in a truck with non-rigid sides, such as a Tautliner® truck, do not prevent a person from falling from the top of a load onto the truck bed or onto a lowered positioned load.

Mechanisms currently used in trucks include:

A. Overhead safety systems

Overhead safety systems comprising of a safety line and an inertia reel have been used effectively to address safety issues with flat bed trucks. Unfortunately these systems cannot be used in the case of enclosed trucks, such as Tautliner® trucks, as these type of trucks typically have a roof structure which prevents the use of overhead systems.

B. Retrofitted specially designed rail track systems

This safety solution comprises a track system mounted in the middle of the enclosed truck roof with an inertia reel attached to the specially designed rail track system. The inertia reel is attached to the operator via a harness. While this system will protect an operator from falling from the top of a load onto either the road surface or the truck or trailer bed, as the inertia reel will arrest a fall within 30 - 50 cm, it is nevertheless an impractical solution. This system fails to take into account the fact that most enclosed trucks, such as Tautliner® trucks, are preferably loaded close to the top of the roof across the full width and length of the truck. By having one single track running along the middle of the roof (or for that matter in any side of the roof), the inertia

reel cable connected to the operator will interfere with the movement of the operator, as the inertia reel cable will make constant contact with the load, which can result in either the cable breaking or not activating properly in the event of a fall which can result in a serious accident or death.

Furthermore, while the rail track system allows the inertia reel to move along the length of the truck, this rail system does not allow for lateral movement (i.e. movement from side to side). This can result in a "pendulum" effect in the event of a fall, as the person will swing inwards towards the centre of the truck where the rail structure is located. The pendulum or swing movement can result in injuries if the swing is of sufficient distance and force and the person hits an obstacle (i.e. part of the load). This is particularly relevant when the person is working on the side of the truck and near the top of the roof.

C. Safety line systems

This safety system is identical in concept to the system described in mechanism B above, only that instead of a rail track system, the anchorage point for the inertia reel comprises a stainless steel (or similar material) safety line, usually installed near the top side of the truck and running the length of the truck. An inertia reel is then connected to the safety line. As in the previous example in mechanism B above, this system is not practical due to the interference of the cable with the load, in particular when the operator is working on the opposite side of the safety line. Moreover, it can also result in a more severe pendulum effect than that outlined in mechanism B above as the safety line will usually be installed on the side of the truck rather than in the middle of the truck, generating a significant pendulum effect if the person was to fall in the opposite side to which the safety line has been installed. The use of safety line is also a very expensive safety solution as the safety line

^■ requires regular support brackets (intermediates) to be able to arrest a fall without having a large deflection in the safety line, as is the case when the safety line has no intermediate supports. These intermediate brackets need to be placed at least 1 metre apart making the installation cost and downtime a prohibitive high cost exercise. The present inventors have developed an improved practical, user friendly and cost effective safety system for trucks.

Disclosure of Invention

In a first aspect, the present invention provides a safety system for use in a transport vehicle having at least one track positioned on opposing sides at or near the roof, the system comprising: a rail member; attachment means for engaging the rail member with a track; and an anchoring member moveable along the rail member; wherein in use an operator can move about the bed of the vehicle when attached to the safety system. At least one track is typically pre-installed in some enclosed transport vehicles, such as Tautliner® trucks. In one preferred embodiment, the safety system further includes at least one track member adapted to be connected or secured to at least one track or to a portion of or portions of a roof, bed or tray of the transport vehicle. In one such embodiment, the track to which the rail member is engaged is the track member. In a preferred form, the rail member contains a track arrangement adapted to receive the anchoring member.

In another preferred from, the rail member is adjustable.

Preferably, the anchoring member is a car or trolley. Preferably, the car includes a wheel or set of wheels adapted to engage with the rail member to facilitate movement. Preferably, the rail member includes attachment means located at opposing ends of the rail member to facilitate movement of the rail member along the track.

In one form, the attachment means are non-frictional.

In another form, the attachment means are in the form of car having a wheel or set of wheels. In another form, the attachment means are in the form of ball bearing race.

In another form, the attachment means are in the form of a magnetic strip.

Preferably, the rail member is formed of a metal. Examples include, but are not limited to, aluminium alloy or stainless steel plate, preferably AISI 316.

In one form, the anchoring member includes an eye bolt, hook or the like for attachment to an operator.

In a preferred embodiment, the safety system further comprises a safety line attached to the anchoring member.

Preferably, the safety line comprises an inertia reel adapted to absorb the effect of a sudden drop of an operator. In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method of providing a safety system to a transport vehicle having at least one track positioned on opposing sides at or near the roof, the method comprising: providing a safety system according to the first aspect of the present invention and engaging the attachment means with a track on the transport vehicle. In a third aspect, the present invention provides a method of arresting a fall of an operator from a bed of a transport vehicle comprising: providing a safety system according to the first aspect of the present invention to a transport vehicle; and attaching a safety line from the system to the operator. Preferably, the safety line includes an inertia reel adapted to absorb the effect of a sudden drop of an operator. Preferably, the inertia reel arrests a fall of an operator within a distance of about 30 - 50 cm from an original safe position without resulting in any substantial pendulum effect.

In a fourth aspect, the present invention provides a safety system for use in a transport vehicle having at least one track positioned on opposing sides at or near the roof, the system comprising: a rail member having attachment means located at opposing ends of the rail member, the attachment means adapted to engage a track on either side of the vehicle to facilitate movement of the rail member along the track above the vehicle bed; an anchoring member moveable along the rail member; and a safety line comprising an inertia reel adapted to absorb the effect of a sudden drop of an operator attached to the anchoring member.

In a fifth aspect the present invention provides a safety system for use in a transport vehicle comprising: at least one track member positioned on opposing sides at or near a roof of the transport vehicle; a rail member;

attachment means for engaging the rail member with a track member; and an anchoring member movable along the rail member; wherein in use an operator can move about the bed of the transport vehicle when attached to the safety system. Preferably, the at least one track member is adapted to be connected or secured to a portion or portions of the roof, bed or tray of the transport vehicle.

In another preferred embodiment of the fifth aspect of the invention, at least one track member is positioned adjacent a pre-installed track in the vehicle.

In an alternative embodiment of the fifth aspect of the invention, at least one track member is adapted to be connected or secured to at least one pre-installed track in the transport vehicle.

In one preferred embodiment, the present invention is particularly suitable for Tautliner® trucks. The system can be incorporated into new vehicles or can be retrofitted to existing vehicles temporarily or permanently. Throughout this specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word

"comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps. Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field. In order that the present invention may be more clearly understood, preferred forms will be described with reference to the following drawings and examples.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 shows a safety system in accordance with the present invention installed in an enclosed transport vehicle, such as a Tautliner® truck: Figure 1 (A) is a top plan view of the Tautliner® truck showing a safety system attached to the pre-installed tracks of the truck in an adjustable position.

Figure 1(B) is a rear plan view of the Tautliner® truck showing a safety system attached to the pre-installed tracks of the truck.

Figure 1 (C) is a side plan view of the Tautliner® truck showing a safety system attached to the pre-installed tracks of the truck.

Figure 2(A) shows a top view of a preferred rail member with attached anchoring member in the form of a car with attached inertia reel. Figure 2(B) shows a side view of a preferred rail member with attached anchoring member in the form of a car with attached inertia reel.

Figure 2(C) shows a front view of a preferred rail member with attached anchoring member in the form of a car with attached inertia reel.

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a preferred rail member with attached anchoring member in the form of a car with attached inertia reel.

Figure 4 shows a side view of a preferred rail member attached to the pre- installed track of an enclosed transport vehicle such as a Tautliner® truck.

Figure 5(A) shows a side view of a preferred rail member.

Figure 5(B) shows a cross section view of a preferred rail member. Figure 5(C) shows a front view of a preferred anchoring member in the form of a car.

Figure 5(D) shows a cross section view of preferred attachment means for the rail member.

Figure 5(E) shows a front view of the anchoring member in the form of a car with attached inertia reel in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 5(F) shows a side view of the anchoring member in the form of a car with attached inertia reel in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 6(A) shows a perspective view of a safety system of one preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein the safety system includes track members adapted to be connected or secured to pre-installed tracks of the vehicle or to a portion or portions of the roof, bed or tray of the vehicle. The rail member is engaged with the track members.

Figure 6(B) is a plan view of the embodiment of the safety system depicted in Figure 6(A). Figure 6(C) is a side view of the embodiment of the safety system depicted in

Figure 6(A).

Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment

The present invention is particularly suitable for transport vehicles such as trucks or trailers that are enclosed with a roof or cover and have movable or opening sides for ease of loading. Referring to the drawings, in a preferred form, the safety system is adapted to be used in an enclosed truck, such as a Tautliner® truck 30, having at least one pre-installed extrusion track 20 fitted on opposing sides of the truck 30 at or near the underside of the roof (Figure 1 ). Typically, the track 20 has at least one structural support post to support the roof and located at a midpoint lengthwise on opposing sides of the truck. The system 10 comprises a rail member 11 adapted to move along the track 20, and an anchoring member 13 in the form of a car adapted to be received by the rail member 11 wherein the car 13 is moveable along the length of the rail member 11 (Figures 2 and 3).

In use, a safety line 14, preferably with an inertia reel 12, is connected to the car 13. The safety line 14 typically having a latching means 15 for attaching a safety harness worn by the operator as shown in Figure 4. In an alternative embodiment, the anchoring member 13 may comprise an eye bolt, hook or the like allowing an operator to directly attach a safety line 14 to the anchoring member 13.

The rail member 11 further comprises attachment means 16 located at opposing ends of the rail member 11 for engaging the rail member 11 to the track 20 of the truck (Figures 2 to 4).

The safety system 10 of the present invention may withstand a one person free fall force over a span of at least about 3 metres. The anchoring member 13 allows free sideways movement along the length of the rail member 11. The rail member 11 is movable along the length of the truck so an operator is free to move in any direction relative to the bed of the truck (Figure 1A).

In Tautliner® trucks, the pre-installed extrusion tracks 20 typically run the length of the truck on either side of the truck (as shown in Figure 1A to 1C). The extrusion tracks 20 are used to house movable curtains and support members for the roof. The curtains are opened when loading or unloading the truck and typically closed during transporting. Tautliner® trucks allow loading and unloading from either side to allow easier and faster transport of goods.

In one form the truck has two individual extrusion tracks which are bolted to the front and back sections of the truck. One track is used to enable the free movement of

the truck's structural support posts and the other track is used to enable the movement of the truck's curtain posts. In a preferred embodiment of the system 10 of the present invention, the attachment means 16 located on either end of the rail member 11 may be modified or otherwise adapted to accommodate the various configurations of the extrusion tracks installed in trucks. Another preferred embodiment of the system 10 of the present invention further includes at least one track member 40 adapted to be connected or secured to at least one pre-installed extrusion track 20 or to a portion or portions of the truck roof, bed or tray. In such an embodiment, the attachment means 16 located on either side of the rail member 11 may be modified or otherwise adapted to engage the track member/s 40 (See Figures 6A - 6C).

In one preferred embodiment, the attachment means 16 comprises a set of wheels 17 on either end of the rail member 11 to enable easy attachment to and movement along the length of the pre-installed tracks 20 (Figures 2 to 5) or to enable easy attachment to and movement along the length of the track members 40 (Figures 6A - 6C). In another preferred embodiment, the attachment means 16 comprises a wheel 17 on either end of the rail member 11 to enable easy attachment to and movement along the length of the pre-installed tracks 20 (Figures 2 to 5) or to enable easy attachment to and movement along the length of the track members 40 (Figures 6A-6C). Other non-frictional attachment means 16 may also be used (i.e. ball bearings, races, magnetic strips, etc).

In one preferred embodiment, the pre-installed track 20 used for the structural support posts will be the track to which the safety system 10 is attached. In another preferred embodiment, the track member 40 will be the track to which the system 10 is attached. The safety system 10 can be positioned directly above the operator irrespective of the operator's location on the truck bed and the height of the load. This is achieved as a result of the rail member being connected to the pre-installed tracks 20 on opposing sides of the truck (as shown in Figures 1 A and 1 B) or to the track members 40 connected or secured to, for example, the tracks 20 (as shown in Figures 6A-6C). Slight movement by the operator is sufficient to generate sufficient force to move the rail member 11 along the pre-installed tracks 20 or track members 40, and the anchoring means 13 along the rail member 11 , in the direction/s in which the operator is moving. The safety system 10 thereby allows movement which directly corresponds with the location of the operator and the direction in which the operator is moving (as shown in Figure 1A).

The rail member 11 is capable of freely moving along either pre-installed track 20, i.e. the track 20 used for the structural support posts or curtains, or track member 40, until such point as an obstruction is encountered.

For embodiments, wherein the system 10 is attached to the pre-installed tracks 20, an obstruction may occur when a structural support post or curtain post is encountered. The obstacle may be easily overcome by removal of the rail member 11 from the extrusion track 20 and re-positioning it around the obstacle. During normal loading conditions, a structural support post on opposing sides of the truck can be used to support the roof. This configuration ensures there is a maximum clearance area for loading the truck while at the same time preventing the roof from bowing or sagging. The positions of the opposing structural support posts at a midpoint of the truck lengthwise ensures that there is minimal deflection in the extrusion tracks in the event of a fall by a person working on the truck.

In an alternate embodiment, a specially designed safety post may be installed on the pre-installed extrusion track 20 that provides the required roof support but does not present an obstacle for the free movement of the rail member 11 along the extrusion track 20.

In a further embodiment of the system 10 which includes track members 40, an obstacle, such as a structural support or curtain post, may be installed or used in the vehicle. In such an embodiment, the track member 40 can be connected or secured to the pre-installed tracks 20 or to a portion or portions of the truck roof, bed or tray so as to enable the system 10 to be generally clear of such obstructions.

A further alternative embodiment which may be suited to new manufactured trucks is the installation of a track member 40, in addition to a specially made extrusion track on the truck bed to accommodate an additional safety post. This embodiment would ensure that both the safety system 10 and the additional safety post could move in unison providing a much stronger structure in the event of a fall.

From the foregoing it is evident that the present invention provides a safety system 10 which can be conveniently and easily installed in existing or new manufactured trucks.

The safety system 10 according to the present invention also ameliorates or addresses prior art deficiencies by ensuring that the person working on the truck can operate in an efficient and safe manner without any impediments regardless of the

height, width and length of the loads. Moreover, the present invention provides a cost- effective- safety system for existing trucks.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.