GB2139966A - Load restraining system - Google Patents

Abstract

Adjustable webbing guides are provided on a load supporting platform on one or both sides of the load and each comprising a webbing guide body (4) extending longitudinally towards and away from a webbing anchorage, the body having side plates (8,9) which are formed a plurality of opposite pairs of locating elements (15) spaced apart along the length of the body and having webbing guide means (19) for guiding webbing to issue from the body adjacent to one end thereof, and a guide member (23) movable along the body to engage in releasable manner any selected opposite pair of locating elements for guiding webbing into the body at a region corresponding to the selected locating elements. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Load carrying members and load restraining system This invention relates to load carrying members and load restraint systems.

Particular problems are encountered in properly restraining a load within the closed body of a vehicle or of a container for carriage by a vehicle, particularly when access to the inside of the body is sealed after loading with the TIR arrangement. It is known to secure loads in position within the vehicle body by means of webbing passing up the sides and over the top of the load, the webbing being brought to the outside of the vehicle body to a winch or other tensioning means in order that webbing tension may be checked and if necessary be adjusted during transmit. Particular difficulties are experienced where the width of the load is not substantially equal to the width of the container, as in such cases at least part of the webbing must be led diagonally away from the load to the exit points from the vehicle body.This webbing path inevitably leads to reduced restraint on the load and increases the danger of the load shifting within the body with perhaps dangerous results.

The object of the present invention is to provide a load carrying member and load restraint system that overcome this disadvantage, and while the invention is particularly applicable to closed body vehicles and containers it does nevertheless have wider application to load restraint generally.

According to the present invention a load carrying member has a load receiving platform, a webbing anchorage at a given location on the platform and opposite to the anchorage and spaced therefrom for the accommodation of a load therebetween a webbing guide assembly comprising a guide body extending longitudinally towards and away from the webbing anchorage, the body having side plates in which are formed a plurality of opposite pairs of locating elements spaced apart along the length of the body and having webbing guide means for guiding webbing to issue from the body adjacent to one end thereof, and a guide member movable along the body to engage in releasable manner any selected opposite pair of locating elements for guiding webbing into the body at a region corresponding to the selected locating elements.

In use one edge of a load would be placed immediately adjacent to the webbing anchorage point and webbing would be taken from that point substantially vertically up the side of the load across the top of the load and substantially vertically down the opposite side of the load. The guide member will be moved along the body to engage a pair of locating elements selected so that the webbing is guided to pass into the body without any significant deviation from its vertical path down the side of the load. The webbing, or an additional length of webbing coupled to the first length issues from the webbing guide means and can be suitably tensioned. It will be seen therefore that divergence of the webbing from the load at either side thereof can be avoided, so securing the load in a much more stable fashion than was hitherto possible.

In practice it will be desirable for the webbing anchorage point to be an identical guide assembly lying substantially in alignment with the first guide assembly, and pairs of such assemblies may then be located along the length of opposite sides of the load receiving platform. Where the platform is a container or a vehicle or vehicle trailer the opposed pairs of guide assemblies will extend generally transverse to the wheel base of the vehicle or to the fore and aft axis of the container.

Further according to the present invention, a load restraint system is provided comprising a load receiving platform, a webbing anchorage point on the platform, a webbing guide assembly lying opposite to and spaced from the webbing anchorage point, a load between the webbing anchorage point and the guide assembly, and webbing extending from the anchorage point up and over the load and down to the guide assembly, the guide assembly comprising a guide body extending longitudinally towards the webbing anchorage point, the body having side plates in which are formed a plurality of opposite pairs of locating elements spaced apart the length ofthe body, a guide member engaged in releasable manner with a selected pair of locating elements, the webbing passing through the guide means into the body and issuing from the body through webbing guide means adjacent to one end thereof, and thence to tensioning means.

The invention can be applied to simple load receiving platforms and to flat bed trailers and other vehicles. It can be used to particular advantage with closed body vehicles and containers, particularly with such vehicles and containers that are designed to be sealed after loading under the TIR arrangement. In this context the webbing guide means guides the webbing to issue from the body at a location outside the closed body of the vehicle or container, so that the webbing may be passed to a winch or other tensioning means that lies outside the closed body. This enables final tensioning to be effected from outside the container, and also allows tensioning adjustments to be effected during transit without opening the container.The webbing guide means may guide the webbing to issue from an end of the body generally in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the guide body, in which case the guide body will be disposed to lie partly within and partly outside the closed container. Alternatively the webbing guide means may guide the webbing to issue from the base of the guide body to tensioning means mounted below the load receiving platform, in which case the guide body may lie wholly within the container.

Preferably each guide member when engaged with the selected locating elements is capable of pivotal movement relative to the guide body, so allowing the webbing and guide member, in use, to take up their natural relative positions. The locating elements may conveniently be a series of downwardly open detents in each side plate, the detents having closed upper parts against which parts of the guide member engage, and desirably having a base section opposite the uppermost part thereof to prevent the guide member falling accidentally from the detent. It is also preferred that each base part be recessed, preferably arcuately recessed, so as to receive the guide member when tension thereon is slackened or released further to prevent inadvertent loss of the guide member from the locating elements.Each guide member may comprise a bar having ends engageable with the locating elements and having a hoop extending transversely from the bar, through which hoop the webbing may be passed.

The present invention also contemplates the use of a buckle connection between a winch and the webbing to be tensioned thereby; the buckle being connected at an aperture therein to a webbing length taken on the winch, preferably by a hook carried on the length and hooked through the aperture, and comprising a fixed bridge delineating the aperture; and, on the side of the bridge remote from the aperture, a parallel bar displaceable towards and away from the bridge; the arrangement being such that, in use of the buckle, an end section of a webbing passing over the load and anchored at the end remote from the buckle, may be passed through the aperture from the rear to the front face thereof, then looped round the displaceable bar from the front face to the rear then back to the front face and then passed through the aperture from front to the rear face of the buckle and passed to lie, along with the other strand of the loop thus formed, against the displaceable bar at the rearface of the buckle, and such that, on release of tension in the webbing length of the winch, the buckle can be turned around the bridge to enable the loop to be released and the load webbing to be pulled through the buckle to increase or decrease the length of webbing between the buckle and the remote end of the load webbing.

In order that the invention may be better understood a specific embodiment thereof will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a schematic view showing a load restraint system according to the invention in use; Figure 2 is an enlarged view of part of Figure 1, with parts shown in section; Figures 3 and 4 are cross-sections on the lines Ill-Ill and IV-IV of Figure 2 respectively.

Figure 5 shows a modification of the guide of Figure 2, Figures 6 and 7 are respectively a front view and side view of a buckle connection for use with a restraint system, and Figures 8 and 9 are sectional elevations illustrating the use of the buckle of Figure 6.

Referring to Figure 1 this shows a schematic transverse cross-section through a trailer having a load receiving platform 1 and a closed body 2, no detail of the chassis of the trailer being shown. A load 3 is carried within the trailer, but does not occupy the whole of the available space, and in particular significant space is left between the vertic al sides of the load and the vertical walls of the trailer. Inset into the platform 1 of the trailer a plurality of pairs of webbing guide assemblies such as are generally indicated at 4 and 5, pairs of similar assemblies being provided at locations spaced apart along the fore and aft axis of the trailer.The guide assemblies such as 4 and 5 of each pair lie substantially in alignment transversely of the trailer and their longitudinal extent (i.e. the distance that they extend from the platform edge towards the fore and aft axis) is selected so that loads down to a selected minimum width can be anchored by the restraint system.

All the guide assemblies are identical, although of course those at opposite sides of the vehicle will be mounted on opposite hand. Accordingly, only a single assembly 4 will be described in detail. Each guide assembly comprises a guide body shown generally as 6 which extends transversely of platform 1. The guide body comprises a base 7, two opposed side plates 8 and 9, two upper flanges 10 and 11 each extending outwardly from a respective one ofthe side plates, and two end plates 12 and 13.

The body is sunk into the load receiving platform 1 and secured thereto by bolts such as 14, the heads of which bear on the flanges 10 and 11.

Each side plate is cut so as to form a row of similarly shaped detents 15, each detent having a closed upper part 16, a base section 17 opposite the uppermost part thereof and a downwardly directed opening 18. The detents in the two side plates are in alignment transversely of the guide body. A guide roller 19 is mounted to extend between the side plates 8 and 9 on a journalled mounting so that the roller may rotate about its axis. Directly below the roller 19 the base 7 is formed with an opening 20 which opens beneath the platform 1 into a winch housing 21 secured to the body 1 orto the guide body 6. The winch 21 may be any suitable winch into which webbing may be wound and by way of which that webbing may be tensioned, but desirably the winch is of the type disclosed in my copending application No. 80.33520.

Each guide assembly also includes a guide member 22 comprising a bar 23 of diameter such that it may closely fit within any selected opposite pair of detents 15, the bar being formed with enlarged opposite end sections 24, 25 which prevent unwanted axial movement of the bar relative to the side plates. Welded to the bar 23 is a hoop 26 which extends transversely from the bar, the bight 27 of the hoop lying in the upper part of the guide body.

In use, webbing 28 is passed over the top of the load and extends down each side of the load. The webbing may, as is conventional, be provided with intermediate anchorage points allowing intermedi atetensioning of the webbing as required. At each side of the load the respective guide member 22 is moved to engage the opposed pairs of detents that lie immediately below or slightly inwardly of the respective edge of the load. The webbing is passed through the hoop 26 into the guide body. In some embodiments the webbing may then extend through the guide body and around the guide roller 19 directly onto the winch 21. It is, however, preferred that the webbing that surrounds the load be con nected to a separate length of webbing associated with the winch and this is the embodiment that is shown in the drawings.Accordingly, a ring 29 secured to the load webbing at the end thereof or forming one of a series of spaced rings at the end region thereof is engaged within the guide body with a hook 30 secured to the end of a further length of webbing 31 that passes round the guide roller 19 and onto the drum of the winch 21. The length of the webbing 31 is such that it may be engaged with a ring secured to the webbing 28 at any location along the guide body 6, depending on the positioning of the guide member 26. After effecting the connection between the two lengths of webbing the winch is operated to place the webbing under tension whereupon the load will be securely anchored in place on the platform 1.

It will be noted that by providing the adjustable guide member 22 and by allowing this pivotal movement in the selected detents the webbing may be led substantially vertically down the side of the load from the top of that side to the point of engagement of the webbing with the bight 27 of the guide member 22. There is thus no divergence between the webbing and the load and thus no shifting of the load due to such relationship. A load that is secured by lengths of webbing suitably spaced along the length of the load and anchored and tensioned by a restraint system as described will exhibit very little movement even under adverse conditions.

It will be appreciated that many modifications may be made to the particular form of the webbing guide assemblies that have been described with reference to the drawings. Thus, the shape of the guide body itself, the formation of the detents and the corresponding formation of the guide members may all be varied from that shown. The webbing guide means that guides the webbing to issue from the body need not be positioned in the base 7 of the body as described but could be formed in an end wall of the body, the winch then being mounted adjacent to that end wall. Alternatively, the winch could be mounted within the body itself, the entry point to the winch then forming the webbing guide means guiding the webbing from the major part of the body into the winch.

Turning now to Figure 5, the guide member shown therein is generally similar to that of Figure 2, but differs in the shape of the detents 15; the detents in this instance being more angular in form with the edge 16' forming substantially a right angle with the lower edge 8', and with the upper edge 16" of the closed section 16, with the edge 16" itself forming substantially a right angle in passing to the base 17 of the detent and with the base 17 being formed with an arcuate recess 17'.

It has been found that the provision of the arcuate recess prevents the bar 23 from unintended dislodgement from the detents on release of tension in web 28. The latter may occur transiently in use due to vibration of the vehicle. It also occurs when the system is not in use, e.g. when the vehicle is travelling without a load. The angular shape also assists in maintaining the bar 23 in place in the detents.

As will be apparent from Figure 5, the connection 29,30 is not employed; the webbing from the winch being taken from the winch through the loop 26. This webbing, however, is still a discrete length associated with the winch and, in use, it is connected to the load webbing by the buckle illustrated in Figures 6 to 9. Referring to these Figures, the buckle 41 comprises an aperture 43 delineated by a fixed bridge 45 passing across the limbs 45,47 of the buckle.The limbs 45,47 are extended beyond the bridge to provide extension 49,51 to the rear face of which are secured brackets 53, 55. The rear faces of the extensions form slideways for the end positions respectively of a displaceable bar 57 kept captive on the slideways by the brackets 53, 55. The end positions are reduced in cross-section and the shoulders formed therebetween and the intermediate position of the bar prevent end-on displacement of the bar. The bar can be displaced along the slideways towards and away from the bridge 45.

To install the buckle, an end section of a webbing 63, passing overthe load and anchored at the end remote from the buckle, is passed through aperture 43 from the rear face RF to the front face FF thereof, passed over the displaceable bar from front to rear then round and then under from rear to front, and then passed under and round the bridge to join with the other strand of the loop thus formed by the end section to lie against the displaceable bar at the rear face of the buckle. With the buckle thus installed, the winch webbing is then secured thereto by means of a "snap-on" hook 65 carried by the winch webbing and hooked on to the join of the limbs 45,47 of the buckle (as illustrated in Figure 8); with the limbs directed downwardly. The load webbing is then passed through the buckle until the load webbing is reasonably taut.The winch is then used to apply the necessary tension to the webbing. The advantage of the buckle is that its position on the load webbing can readily be adjusted and thus it saves the winch having to take up an unnecessary amount of webbing in order to get the requisite tension.

To adjust the buckle position, the winch is operate to release the tension and the buckle is turned about the bridge through some 1800 as shown in Figure 9. This makes the load webbing accessible to permit it readily to be drawn through the buckle in either direction until the length of webbing therebetween and the anchorage of the webbing assumes the requisite length. The buckle is then turned back to bring the limbs 45,47 to this downwardly pointing position illustrated in Figure 8 so that again the two strands of the loop formed in the load webbing lie against the displaceable bar at the rear face of the buckle.

Claims (19)

1. A load carrying member comprising a load receiving platform, a webbing anchorage at a given location on the platform and opposite to the anchorage and spaced therefrom for the accommodation of a load therebetween a webbing guide assembly comprising a guide body extending longitudinally towards and away from the webbing anchorage, the body having side plates in which are formed a plurality of opposite pairs of locating elements spaced apart along the length of the body and having webbing guide means for guiding webbing to issue from the body adjacent to one end thereof, and a guide member movable along the body to engage in releasable manner any selected opposite pair of locating elements for guiding the webbing into the body at a region corresponding to the selected locating elements.

2. A load carrying member according to claim 1, wherein the webbing anchorage point is an identical webbing guide assembly lying substantially in alignment with the first mentioned guide assembly.

3. A load carrying member according to claim 2, wherein pairs of such assemblies are located along the length of opposite sides of the load receiving platform.

4. A load carrying member according to claim 2 or 3, the platform of which is a container or a vehicle or vehicle trailer wherein the opposed pairs of guide assemblies extend generally transverse to the wheel base of the vehicle or to the fore and aft axis of the container.

5. A load restraint system comprising a load carrying member having a load receiving platform, a webbing anchorage point on the platform, a webbing guide assembly lying opposite to and spaced from the webbing anchorage point, a load between the webbing anchorage point and the guide assembly, and webbing extending from the anchorage point up and over the load and down to the guide assembly, the guide assembly comprising a guide body extending longitudinally towards the webbing anchorage point, the body having side plates in which are formed a plurality of opposite pairs of locating elements spaced apart the length of the body, a guide member engaged in releasable manner with a selected opposite pair of locating ele ments, the webbing passing through the guide means into the body and issuing from the body through webbing guide means adjacent to one end thereof, and thence to tensioning means.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein said member consists of a load receiving platform or is in the form of a flat bed trailer.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein said member is in the form of a vehicle-carried closed body and or container.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein the webbing guide means guides the webbing to issue from the body or container at a location outside the closed body of the vehicle or container, so that the webbing may be passed to a winch or other tensioning means that lies outside the closed body or container.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the webbing guide means guides the webbing to issue from an end of the body generally in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the guide body, and the guide body is disposed to lie partly within and partly outside the closed container.

10. A system according to claim 8, wherein the webbing guide means guides the webbing to issue from the base of the guide body to tensioning means mounted below the load receiving platform.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein the guide body lies wholly within the container.

12. A load carrying member according to any of claims 1 to 4 or a system according to any of claims 5 to 11,wherein each guide member, when engaged with the selected locating elements, is capable of pivotal movement relative to the guide body, so allowing the webbing and guide member, in use, to take up their natural relative positions.

13. A load carrying member or system according to claim 12, wherein the locating elements are a series of downwardly open detents in each side plate, the detents having closed upper parts against which parts of the guide member engage.

14. A load carrying member or system according to claim 13, wherein the detents have a base section opposite the uppermost part thereof to prevent the guide member falling accidentally from the detent.

15. A load carrying member or system according to claim 14, wherein each base part be recessed so as to receive the guide member when tension thereon is slackened or released further to prevent inadvertent loss of the guide member from the locating elements.

16. A load carrying member or system according to claim 15, wherein each recess is an arcuate recess.

17. A load carrying member according to any of claims 1 to 4 or 12 to 16, or a system according to any of claims 5 to 16, wherein each guide member comprises a bar having ends engageable with the locating elements and having a hoop extending transversely from the bar, through which hoop the webbing may be passed.

18. A load carrying member according to any of claims 1 to 4 or 12 to 17, or a system according to any of claims 5 to 17, wherein there is provided a buckle connection to connect the webbing to winch for tensioning the webbing; the buckle being connected at an aperture thereof to a webbing length taken on the winch and comprising a fixed bridge delineating the aperture; and, on the side of the bridge remote from the aperture, a parallel bar displaceable towards and away from the bridge; the arrangement being such that, in use of the buckle, an end section of a webbing passing overthe load and anchored at the end remote from the buckle, may be passed through the aperture from the rear to the front face thereof, then looped round the displaceable bar from the front face to the rear then back to the front face and then passed through the aperture from front to the rear face of the buckle and passed to lie, along with the other strand of the loop thus formed, against the displaceable bar at the rear face of the buckle, and such that, on release of tension in the webbing length of the winch, the buckle can be turned around the bridge to enable the loop to be released and the load webbing to be pulled through the buckle to increase or decrease the length of the webbing between the buckle and the remote end of the load webbing.

19. A load carrying member or load restraint system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.