GB2111918A - Load platform for hatch-back car - Google Patents

Abstract

The platform comprises a deck in the form of front and rear parts 1c, 1d separated by a transverse line, a transverse support member 3 intended to support the load deck substantially below said transverse line, cooperating detent means 12, 13 designed to secure the load deck against forward and rearward movement relative to the support member, and front support means 7 adapted to support the front edge of the load deck and maintain the load deck substantially horizontal, the arrangement being such that the front and rear parts may be co-planar or either part may be superposed on the other. Desirably the two deck parts are secured to each other by hinge means. Preferably the load platform is in two sections separated by a longitudinal line. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Load platforms The present invention relates to load platforms and more specifically to load plafforms designed for cars.

At the present time the design of car known as a "hatch-back" is well known and is characterised byAa rear door or tailgate which can be lifted vertically to give access to a luggage or load space behind the rear passenger seats. Normally the rear passenger seats can be folded forwardly to increase the load space. In most designs of hatch-back the rear sill is, for constructional reasons, relatively high so that the load space is, in part, below the opening afforded by the tailgate. It will be understood that this renders it difficult to load and unload heavy objects, particularly if they are of a readily damaged nature. More specifically therefore, the present invention is designed to provide a load platform for hatch-back cars as above described, such load platform being intended to reduce the loading difficulties.The invention is clearly not limited to those cars which are designated "hatch-back" by their manufacturers. In particular it may be applied to vans, such as those developed from hatch-back cars.

According to the present invention, there is provided a load platform for a hatch-back car, comprising a load deck in the form of front and rear parts separated by a transverse line, a transverse support member intended to be secured transversely of the load space and to support the load deck substantially below said transverse line, cooperating detent means designed to secure the load deck against forward and rearward movement relative to the support member, and front support means adapted to support the front edge of the load deck substantially horizontal, the arrangement being such that the front and rear parts may be co-planar or either part may be superposed on the other.

Very desirably the two deck parts are hinged to each other by hinge means permitting the aforesaid arrangements of the parts.

As used herein, the terms "transverse" "front", "rear" and the like are intended to relate to the load platform when installed in a car and having regard to its orientation in the car.

In most designs of hatch-back car, no separate rear support means are necessary as the rear edge of the load deck can rest upon the upper edge of the rear sill. However, as described hereinafter, separate rear support means may be provided.

In many designs of hatch-back car, the rear seats are arranged to fold forward separately. For this reason the load deck is desirably in two or more sections separated by one or more longitudinal lines. In use the transverse support member is so located that the rear seat or part of it may be located in its "in use" position without fouling the support member, the appropriate part of the load deck being folded rearwardly about the transverse hinge line. It is obviously convenient if the transverse support member can be so located that the transverse hinge line is substantially central of the load deck. However the location of the longitudinal dividing line in the load deck must depend on the seat arrangement and the transverse support member is desirably directly below the transverse hinge line.

In the case of a van derived from a hatch-back car, there will normally be no rear seats and the load platform may therefore extend up to the back of the front seats. In this construction it is still desirable for the transverse hinge line to be substantially central.

In a modification, the deck is provided with two transverse hinge lines to divide it into three sections, but such a construction is not so rigid. It may be however dictated by the car construction.

Although the front support means may be in the nature of a flap, leg or legs hinged to the underside of the load deck adjacent its front edge and resting on the floor of the load space, it is preferred to use the hanger means of gnerally U-shape secured to the rear seats in their folded position. Such an arrangement permits the front part of the load deck to be lifted to gain access to the space below it and lowered again without risk to the contents of such load space.

In an alternative construction, particularly but not exclusively suitable for vans, the front support may be carried by a transverse beam or bulkhead adapted to be located behind the seats. In such an arrangement the front beam or bulkhead is conveniently so arranged that, after folding the rear part of the floor into superposition over the front part, both parts may be located in an upright position supported by the front beam or bulkhead. The transverse support member may move with the deck parts.

Positive location of the deck sections on the hangers may be effected by notches in the deck sections, by pegs or the like on the deck engaging the hangers or by the opposite arrangement.

In order to provide the necessary rigidity the transverse support member is preferably of inverted channel section and is arranged to be located on brackets secured to the sides of the load space, eg. to the wheel arches. Conveniently the transverse support member is removably located on such brackets.

If desired the transverse support member may be adapted to be folded in half for transport or storage.

The hinge means on the load deck are preferably constructed in such a way that either half of the deck may be folded forwardly or rearwardly as the case may be to lie on top of the other half. However ordinary back-flap hinges are not desirable as the pin would obstruct the smooth upper surface of the deck. Suitable plastic hinges are known or alternatively double pinned recessed metal hinges can be used.

The detent means are designed to secure the load deck in such a way as to prevent forward or rearward movement, preferably of each half separately. Most conveniently the detent means comprises lugs secured to both front and rear faces of the support member and upstanding above its top surface, such lugs entering recesses in the under surface of the load deck. The lugs may alternatively be located on, or form part of, the bracket section of the transverse support member. The rear support, if necessary, may comprise hanger means similar to the front support, hinged legs or simply bracket means secured to the forward or inner face of the sill.

The load deck may be made of any suitable material, for example plywood, and is preferably surfaced on both surfaces with a resistant material such as rubber.

In order that the invention may more readily be understood, the same will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view which illustrates the load platform in position in a British Leyland "Metro" saloon; Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, illustrating half the load deck in a folded position; and Figure 3 is a longitudinal section.

Referring now the drawings, the load platform comprises a load deck 1 which is in four sections namely left-hand front 1a, left-hand rear 1b, righthand front 1c, and right-hand rear id. The left hand sections are approximately half the width of the right-hand sections, the longitudinal division between them corresponding to the division between the rear seats 2a and 2b of certain Metro saloons.

At its centre, ie. below the transverse line between the front and rear sections, the load deck 1 is supported by a transverse member 3 of channel section which is in turn supported by brackets 4 secured by screws 5 to the inner surface of the wheel arches 6. The transverse member 3 merely rests on and is located by the brackets 4 and may readily be removed.

The front edge of each of the front sections of the load deck 1 is supported by a generally U-shaped hanger 7a or 7b. Each hanger is made of 0.25in.

diameter rod, the upper ends of the limbs being formed with hooks 8 to engage the folded seats. The base of each hanger is provided with a bearer 9 which bears against the folded seats and so spaces the hanger 7 from the seats. The two hangers 7 are generally similar except that they are right and left handed, whilst the right hand hanger 7b is wider than the left-hand hanger 7a.

The deck itself is made of plywood having a sheet rubber upper and lower surface 10a and lOb. The right and left sections are separate from one another, but the front and back sections are hinged together by nylon hinges 11. The arrangement is such that the front and back sections can be folded flat as shown in Figure 1 or superposed as shown in Figure 2. If required either front section can be superposed on its rear section (not shown).

Each section is located with respect to the transverse member 3 by lugs 12 which are secured to the front and rear faces of the transverse member to stand proud above its upper surface and enter mating recesses 13 in the lower surface of the deck sections. The lugs 12 may be arranged to move out of the proud position, in order to be out of the way.

The rear edge of the deck sections rests, in use, on the upper edge of the sill 14, a suitable cut-out 15 being provided to clear the lock mechanism 16.

It will be noted that the front edges of the front sections are provided with inner corner recesses 17 to clear the central seat supports and with outer corner recesses 18 to clear the side seat supports.

The recesses 18 may be of such a size as to permit limited forward and rearward adjustment of the seats. The recesses 18 have notches 19 to locate with the hangers 7. Similarly the rear edges of the rear sections are provided with recesses 20 to clear the central seat supports in the Figure 2 position and to act as hand holes in the Figure 1 position. They are also provided with recesses 21 to clear the upstanding sill portions, the recesses 18 being so shaped that when folded to the rear position they clear these sill portions. Although not illustrated, it will be understood that the load deck 1 can be shaped at its sides to extend round the wheel arches.

It will be understood that the embodiment illustrated provides a flat load deck in a Metro. Moreover this load deck can be folded to permit either rear seat to be moved to its "in use" position, the load deck remaining substantially flat. Furthermore access can easily be obtained to the place below the load deck and, if desired, only the front or rear sections of the deck may be utilised. Finally the load deck and its main support are easily removable and folded to compact form for easy carriage.

In a modification, not illustrated, and particularly designed for a van having no rear seats, the front edge of the load deck is supported by a transverse beam located just behind the seats. The front edge of the front deck sections is arranged for pivotal movement with respect to this beam so that when the rear sections have been located on top of the front sections, both may be located substantially vertically to form a bulkhead supported by the beam.

The transverse support member may be moved to support the deck sections in their vertical position.

Claims (13)

1. A load platform for a hatch-back car, comprising a load deck in the form of front and rear parts separated by a transverse line, a transverse support member intended to be secured transversely of the load space and to support the load deck substantially below said transverse line, cooperating detent means designed to secure the load deck against forward and rearward movement relative to the support member, and front support means adapted to support the front edge of the load deck and maintain the load deck substantially horizontal, the arrangement being such that the front and rear parts may be co-planar or either part may be superposed on the other.

2. A platform according to claim 1, wherein the two deck parts are secured to each other by hinge means.

3. A platform according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the load platform is in two sections separated by a longitudinal line.

4. A platform according to claim 3, wherein the two sections are of unequal width.

5. A platform according to any preceeding claim, wherein the transverse hinge line is substantially central of the load deck.

6. A platform according to any preceding claim, wherein the front support means is in the form of a leg.

7. A platform according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the front support means is carried by a transverse bulkhead.

8. A platform according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the front support means is in the form of a U-shaped hanger.

9. A platform according to claim 8, wherein the front support means is carried by the rear seats when folded.

10. A platform according to any preceeding claim, wherein the transverse support member is of inverted channel shape.

11. A platform according to any preceeding claim, wherein the detent means include recesses in the load deck.

12. A platform according to claim 11, wherein the detent means include lugs on the support member engaging said recesses in the load deck.

13. A platform according to any preceeding claim, wherein a rear support is provided.