Technical field

The present invention refers to a door system for sides of a load platform of a truck, having side boards articulately attached to detachable stanchions.

Background of the invention

Such stanchions, which are detachably fitted to a load platform, and which support platform side boards, are much better than fixedly mounted door stanchions as they can be taken away, pushed aside or in other manner be moved thus that the size of openings for loading and unloading can be increased and thereby facilitate loading and unloading of goods.

One type of detachable stanchions is suspended in a displaceable manner at their upper ends in a frame part, which extends above and along the edge of the load platform. Those detachable stanchions can be displaced along the frame thus that the stanchions are not in the way at loading and unloading. The stanchions support platform side boards, which are pivotable for giving access to the cargo compartment and stanchions as well as platform side boards are lockable to the load platform.

At hitherto known door systems of this type, the side boards have been opened in the middle and have thereby given large openings with heavy platform side boards, which have been swung out from the load platform during loading and unloading operations.

Summary of the invention

A purpose of the invention is to offer a door system, which will give better possibilities of individually opening optional parts of the cargo compartment as compared to earlier designs.

Another purpose is to reduce the moment exerted by the platform side boards in their open position. These purposes have been achieved thereby that the door system incorporates a number of stanchions, each one of which supports a first door leaf, which is pivotally supported about a first pivot axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the stanchion, and a second door leaf, which is pivotally supported about a second pivot axis, which is extending in the longitudinal direction of the stanchion and arranged at a distance from the first pivot axis, whereby said first and second door leafs, at their long sides facing away from the first and the second pivot axis respectively, pivotally supports a third and a fourth door leaf respectively, and that between door leaf and carrying rail are provided contact members, which are displaced from the center of the pivot axis for the purpose of giving the mutually foldable door leafs a self-locking effect.

Brief description of the drawings

Hereinafter the invention will be further described with reference to an embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 shows schematically in perspective obliquely from above a door system according to the invention with side boards in different positions.

Fig. 2 is a partial view of a portion of the upper supporting rail with all door leafs connected to a stanchion in folded-in positions.

Fig. 3 illustrates a locking device for locking the lower part of the door leafs to the edge of a load platform, and

Fig. 4 is a partial perspective view showing the lower part of a stanchion with door leafs pivotally connected thereto in partly folded position.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

In Fig. 1 is schematically and in perspective shown a part of an upper supporting rail 1 , which extends in the longitudinal direction of a not shown load platform, and a lower carrying rail 2, which extends in the longitudinal direction of the load platform, at a constant distance below and in the same direction as the upper supporting rail 1. On the lower carrying rail 2 there are provided a number of stanchions 3a, 3c, which in locked positions extend between the upper supporting rail 1 and the lower carrying rail 2, and which are locked to the supporting rail and the carrying rail by means of a locking mechanism 4, for instance of the type disclosed in the Swedish patent application no. 0801809-5. Alternatively it is of course possible that other locking mechanisms of similar type can be used.

The assembly also incorporates further stanchions 3b, which in the embodiment shown, however have been disengaged from engagement with the supporting rail 1 and the carrying rail 2 by means of the associated locking mechanism 4.

Each one of the stanchions support a first door leaf 5a and a second door leaf 5b, which are pivotally arranged about first and second pivot axes arranged at a mutual distance from each other on the stanchions and directed in the longitudinal direction of the associated stanchion. At the long side of the first door leaf 5a, facing away from the first pivot axis, there is provided a third pivot axis, about which is pivotally supported a third door leaf 5c and at the long side of the second door leaf 5b facing away from this second pivot axis is provided a fourth pivot axis, about which is pivotally supported a fourth door leaf 5d.

The stanchions 3c are separate stanchions, which are not equipped with any door leafs, but which together with the adjoining door leafs form overlapping seals. Like the other stanchions, these stanchions 3c are provided with locking mechanisms 4, by means of which they can be displaced along the load platform and also can be removed completely when needed.

The stanchion 3a situated farthest to the left in Fig. 1 is shown in its position locked to the upper supporting rail l and to the lower carrying rail 2, whereby the door leafs 5a and 5b, which are articulated to the stanchion and the third door leaf 5c, which is pivotally arranged to the door leaf 5a and the fourth door leaf 5d pivotally arranged at the door leaf 5b, are all situated in one plane and where the entire door section, via its not further shown locking mechanism 4, is in engagement with the upper supporting rail 1 and with a locking latch 6 on the lower carrying rail 2.

In the drawing figure, in a direction to the right, then follows a stanchion 3c, which as said above has a sealing effect and which does not support any door leafs of side boards, and thereafter follows a stanchion 3b, which via the control handle of the locking mechanism 4 has been disengaged from its engagement with the upper supporting rail 1 and the locking latch 6 on the lower carrying rail 2. In this position it is possible to move the stanchion outwardly from the edge of the load platform, whereby the door leafs 5a and 5b fitted to the stanchion have been folded about the pivot axes at the opposite side edges of the stanchion 3b. At the same time, the third door leaf and the fourth door leaf 5c and 5d, respectively, which are pivotally connected to the two door leafs 5a and 5b which are connected to the stanchion 3b, been pulled along thus that an opening 7 corresponding to the width of a door leaf has been uncovered at each side of the stanchion 3b.

At the stanchion 3b illustrated farthest to the right in the drawing figure, which stanchion has also been disengaged from its engagement with the upper supporting rail 1 and the locking latch 6 resp., the third and fourth door leafs 5c and 5d resp. which are articulately connected to the first and second door leafs 5a, 5b, furthermore have been swung about their pivot axes thus that the four door leafs 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d form a fourfold folded unit, which therefore leaves a larger opening for loading and unloading purposes,

Fig. 2 illustrates more in detail and in bigger scale the portion encircled and marked Il in Fig. 1 , from which can be seen, that the stanchion 3c at the top is equipped with contact members 8 arranged to be in displaceable contact with the upper supporting rail 1 , thus that the stanchion can be displaced along the rail 1 when the locking of the stanchion has been abrogated. These contact members 8 are preferably supporting wheels, such as illustrated in the embodiment shown.

The pivot axes between the door leafs 5a and 5c and between the door leafs 5b and 5d resp. are via brackets also connected to contact members 9, preferably wheels, which permit displacement of the pivot axes along the supporting rail 1 , at a low resistance.

Fig. 3 illustrates schematically a portion of the lower carrying rail 2 where it is shown members for pre-closing of the partition of the door leafs to the edge of the load platform. A contact member 10, preferably a wheel, is provided for being displaced along the carrying rail 2. In connection thereto the pivot axis is equipped with a fixed locking member 11 arranged to cooperate with a locking latch 12 provided on the carrying rail 2. When the inner door leafs 5a, 5b associated thereto are positioned almost in their closed position the locking member 11 starts to engage the locking latch 12 such as shown. When all door portions are aligned with the edge of the load platform, the locking latch is in its maximum engagement position and by means of the locking mechanism (not shown in the drawing figure) then the portion can be raised for being locked against the upper supporting rail. In this manner is obtained that the door leafs are secured, which means that the door leafs can not be urged to be opened during transport by displacements in the load. The contact member 10 is positioned outside the center of the pivot axis, whereby is achieved a certain self-closing effect.

Fig. 4 shows a portion of the lower carrying rail 2 and how the stanchion 3b, which by aid of the locking mechanism 4 has been disconnected from the locking latch 6, is equipped with contact means 10, preferably in the form of wheels, provided in connection to the pivot axes between the first door leaf 5a and the third door leaf 5c and between the second door leaf 5b and the fourth door leaf 5d.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment illustrated and described in connection thereto, but modifications and variants are possible within the scope of the following claims.