GB2161851A

GB2161851A - Curtainsided van

Info

Publication number: GB2161851A
Application number: GB08418646A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Edward Gerald Broadbent
Original assignee: BOALLOY ENGINEERING Ltd
Current assignee: BOALLOY ENGINEERING Ltd
Priority date: 1984-07-21
Filing date: 1984-07-21
Publication date: 1986-01-22
Also published as: GB8418646D0; GB2161851B

Abstract

A curtain 12 for a curtainsided van is formed of a plastics material which has attached to its inner surface (i.e. the surface inboard when the curtain is fitted on a van body) a band or strip 17 of fabric extending along its length and has longitudinal metal reinforcement incorporated therein and preferably also vertical metal reinforcement. The fabric may extend to the full height of the curtain or preferably from the bottom of the curtain (when closed) to a height above that which a person standing on the ground could normally reach. The metal reinforcement is preferably vertically-spaced stainless steel wires 20 extending longitudinally of the fabric, and horizontally-spaced vertical pockets or sleeves each housing a steel rod 21. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Curtainsided van bodies This invention relates to curtainsided van bodies and relates in particular to the curtains employed in such van body.

By "van body" we mean the structure defining a cargo-holding space on a road vehicle (trailer or self-propelled), or a railway wagon, or a container transportable by road, rail, sea or air.

The curtains of curtainsided van bodies are formed of plastics material and are slidingly suspended from overhead rails whereby they can be slid to one side to open the side of the van body for cargo loading or unloading. Each end of the curtain is usually provided with an end pole engageable, in one case, in a retention formation at one end of the body and, in the other case, in a winding mechanism of one form or another to permit the curtain to be horizontally tensioned.

The curtain is also usually provided with vertical straps secured at the top to runners movable along the overhead track and securable to the floor (usually the rave) of the van body, the straps being threaded through tensioning devices to permit vertical tensioning of the straps and thereby the curtain. The straps may be freely contained in vertical sleeves in the curtain (in which case they are loadbearing) or they may be welded or stitched to the curtain. Each strap may comprise more than one component length.

Curtainsided van bodies are more prone than solid-sided van bodies to suffer from vandalism and robbery, i.e. their soft (plastics) sides are easier to penetrate.

It is an object of the present invention to render the curtains of a curtainsided van more resistant to such vandalism and robbery.

According to the present invention there is provided a curtain for a curtainsided van having attached to its inner surface (i.e. the surface inboard when the curtain is fitted on a van body) a band or strip of fabric extending at least partly, but preferably entirely, along its length which fabric has at least longitudinal metal reinforcement incorporated therein.

The height of the fabric relative to the curtain may be the full height of the curtain but it is considered that the band or Strip.

preferably extends from the bottom of the curtain (when closed) to a height above that which a person standing on the ground could normally reach.

The fabric preferably also incorporates vertical metal reinforcement.

The fabric preferably has vertically-spaced stainless steel wires extending longitudinally of the fabric and has horizontally-spaced vertical pockets or sleeves each housing a steel rod.

The wires and rods may be randomly secured to each other. The attachment may be by way of metal closure clips to prevent their egress from the fabric.

The fabric band or strip preferably at its top and sides has a plastics edging welded to the curtain.

The fabric band or strip is preferably free or loose along its bottom which has a longitudi nal open-topped pocket formed in the fabric or by an attached plastics strip to assist in supporting the vertical steel rods.

The steel rods, each preferably extend the full height of the fabric strip or band but may be shorter in length and be staggered vertically.

The fabric is preferably a polyester weave with, for example, 3 or 4 inch centres 0.9/14 mm strand stainless steel wires and with the pockets or sleeves for the steel rods, for example 4 mm. steel rods, at 4 to 6 inch centres.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a curtainsided container having curtains according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the container mounted on a road vehicle; Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective detailed view of the curtain.

The container 10 has two of its opposed sides (its long sides) 11 open for cargo loading and unloading.

Each open side 11 is closed by a curtain assembly comprising, in this case, a plastics curtain 1 2 with an end pole (not shown) at each end for anchoring and horizontal tensioning purposes, a number of horizontally spaced vertical straps 1 3 freely housed in sleeves in the curtain and each mounting at its top a runner (not shown) movable along a top track extending along the length of the container 10, being threaded through eyelets 14 in the outer wall of each sleeve in the curtain 12 and a tensioning buckle 1 5 external of the curtain 12, and being detachably hooked or otherwise secured to the floor (e.g. the rave) of the container 1 0.

The container 10 is shown in Fig. 2 being carried by a road vehicle 1 6. It could equally well be carried by a railway wagon.

The curtain 1 2 (see Fig. 3) has secured thereto on its inside an anti-vandal, anti-theft device. This device comprises a band or strip 1 7 of polyester weave extending the length of the curtain 1 2 and of a selected height between full height of the curtain 1 2 and a height from the bottom of the curtain beyond which a person standing on the ground could not normally reach.

The fabric band or strip 1 7 has top and side edgings 18, 1 9 to which it is stitched, which top and side edgings 18, 1 9 are welded to the curtain 12.

The fabric band or strip 1 7 incorporates at three or four inch centres 0.9/14 mm strand stainless steel wires 20 running the length of the fabric band or strip 1 7 and consequently the curtain 12.

The fabric band or strip 17 is formed throughout its height with vertical pockets at four to six inch centres and in each of which is disposed a steel rod 21 of, say, 4 mm.

diameter.

The wires 20 and rods 21 are randomly secured together by metal closure clips (not shown) to prevent their withdrawal from the fabric band or strip 1 7.

The rods 21 have at each end a rubber cap which assists their insertion into the fabric pockets and which reduces wear on the bottom edge of the fabric band or strip 1 7 which is sewn in a U-shaped hem into a reinforcing plastics edging 22.

The bottom ends of the rods 21 rest in this plastics reinforced U-shaped hem 22.

As aforesaid the bottom edge of the fabric band or strip 1 7 is not secured to the curtain 1 2 since it has been found that this looseness permits the fabric band or strip 1 7 to slightly move away from the curtain 1 2 thus assisting in deflecting any sharp object used to attack the curtain. The continual movement of the fabric band or strip 1 7 serves to resist more progressive cutting or slashing.

The reinforced fabric band or strip 1 7 does not interfere with normal operation of the curtain 12.

The reinforced band or strip 1 7 weighs approximately 650 gms. per square metre so does not add any appreciable burden in weight terms to the handling of the curtain 10.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the rods 21 are shown in staggered array which is an alternative to the rods extending the full height of the fabric band or strip 17.

It is possible that the metal reinforcement 20 and 21 may be electrically connected to an audible alarm 23 and warning lights 24 to give audible and visual indication that the curtain 1 2 is under attack.

Claims

1. A curtain for a curtainsided van, the curtain being formed of plastics material and having attached to its inner surface (i.e. the surface inboard when the curtain is fitted on a van body) a band or strip of fabric extending at least partly along its length, which fabric has at least longitudinal metal reinforcement incorporated therein.

2. A curtain as claimed in claim 1 in which the band or strip of fabric extends along the entire length of the curtain.

3. A curtain as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the height of the fabric relative to the curtain is the full height of the curtain.

4. A curtain as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the band or strip of fabric extends from the bottom of the curtain (when closed) to a height above that which a person standing on the ground could normally reach.

5. A curtain as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 in which the fabric also incorporates vertical metal reinforcement.

6. A curtain as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 in which the fabric has vertically-spaced stainless steel wires extending longitudinally of the fabric.

7. A curtain as claimed in claim 5 or 6 in which the fabric has horizontally-spaced vertical pockets or sleeves each housing a steel rod.

8. A curtain as claimed in claim 7, in which the wires and rods are randomly secured to each other.

9. A curtain as claimed in claim 8 in which the wires and rods are attached to one another by way of metal closure clips to prevent their egress from the fabric.

10. A curtain as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9 in which the fabric band or strip at its top and sides, has a plastics edging welded to the curtain.

11. A curtain as claimed in claim 10, in which the fabric band or strip is free or loose along its bottom which has a longitudinal open-topped pocket formed in the fabric or by an attached plastics strip to assist in supporting the vertical steel rods.

1 2. A curtain as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 11 in which the steel rods, each extend the full height of the fabric strip or band but may be shorter in length and be staggered vertically.

1 3. A curtain as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 1 2 in which the fabric is a polyester weave with, for example, 3 or 4 inch centres 0.9/14 mm strand stainless steel wires and with the pockets or sleeves for the steel rods, for example 4mm steel rods, at 4 to 6 inch centres.

14. A curtain for a curtainsided van substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 5. A curtainsided van incorporating a curtain as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14.