Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
  • B62D33/00—Superstructures for load-carrying vehicles
  • B62D33/04—Enclosed load compartments ; Frameworks for movable panels, tarpaulins or side curtains
  • B62D33/044—Enclosed load compartments ; Frameworks for movable panels, tarpaulins or side curtains built up with profiles of constant elongated shape, e.g. extruded, mechanically interconnected by coupling members, e.g. by clamping, riveting or bolting
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
  • B62D33/00—Superstructures for load-carrying vehicles
  • B62D33/02—Platforms; Open load compartments
  • B62D33/0207—Connections of movable or detachable racks or stanchions to platforms

Definitions

• This invention relates to a bunk structure comprising a bunk which is horizontally applicable transversely of a vehicle and which, at opposite ends, has seat means for receiving and releasably connecting to the bunk two sub ⁇ stantially vertical posts which, together with the bunk, define a load compartment.
• Bunk structures of this type exist in many different designs; one example being described in SE 8402157-5.
• prior-art bunk structures can be divided into two main groups, namely those made of aluminium and those made of steel. Being fairly wet-k, the aluminium structures are rejected by many users, who instead prefer the much more robust steel structures.
• the steel structures suffer from the considerable disadvantage that the seat means receiving the posts as well as the bunk proper consist of welded components. In practice, many such structures comprise no less than 10-20 running metres of weld. The welds not only are costly to make (rendering the entire bunk structure expensive), but also form fracture lines where cracks may easily form, occasioned by jolts or vibrations to which the bunk structure is subjected during the operation of the vehicle. As a result, a bunk structure comprising many running metres of weld has limited life.
• a further disadvantage of prior-art bunk structures is that the individual post is poorly or unstably retained in the associated seat means even when the bunk structure is new, and retention is drastically impaired after but a short time of use.
• the ability of known bunk structures to withstand forces acting on the post from the outside and in towards the load compartment is especially poor. Such forces often occur when timber is loaded on the vehicle with the aid of a crane, since the load of timber may easily come to impinge upon the posts in uncontrolled fashion on the side of the vehicle where they are being loaded.
• the mediocre retention of the posts is due to the points or surfaces of support at the lower end of the post being located comparatively low (in particular the surface of support on the inside of the post), but also to the post lacking means for withstanding pivotal or vibratory movements in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
• a basic object of the invention is to provide a bunk structure requiring a mini ⁇ mum of welds and welding operations, thus not only being less expensive to make than known structures but also hav ⁇ ing longer life.
• Another object of the invention is to simplify the manufacturing process by minimising the num ⁇ ber of components and the ensuing handling.
• a further object of the invention is to provide a bunk structure in which the posts are firmly retained in the associated seat means for long periods of time and are able to withstand forces and/or movements acting on the individual post, not only transversely of the longitudinal extent of the vehicle but also in parallel therewith.
• FIG. 1 is a partly sectional perspective view illustrat ⁇ ing a bunk structure according to the invention
• FIG. 2 is a vertical section of a seat means forming part of the bunk structure, the post received in the seat means being partly in section
• FIG. 3 is a vertical section corresponding to that of
• FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the seat means in Fig. 2, the post being shown in section; and FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a wedge form ⁇ ing part of the bunk structure and serving to lock the post in the seat means.
• the bunk structure illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises a bunk 1 which, at opposite ends, is provided with seat means 2, 2' for receiving and releasably connecting to the bunk two substantially vertical posts 3, 3'.
• a bunk structure is shown in Fig. 1, it goes without saying that several such struc- tures cooperate on the frame of the vehicle.
• the bunk 1 consists of a box girder or box section made of metal, in particular steel, and manufactured by cold drawing.
• the bunk section 1 comprises a bottom flange 4, two lateral webs 5, 5' and a countersunk upper flange 6 which is narrower than the bottom flange and which, at its opposite longitudinal edges, merges into the lateral webs via portions of material 7, 7' of arcuate cross-section.
• the two posts 3, 3' may advantageously consist of box girders or box sections, although not necessarily manufactured by cold drawin" as the bunk 1.
• the individual box section 3 of the post can be manufactured by aluminium which is injection-moulded when hot, but cold-drawn steel may also be used.
• the box section 3 of the post has two flat flanges 8, 8', one of which forms a front facing forwards in the direction of travel of the vehicle, while the other forms a back facing rearwards in the direction of travel.
• a wall 9 facing inwards towards the load com ⁇ partment forms the inside of the post, while there is a corresponding outer wall 10.
• the wall 9 forming the inside of the sec ⁇ tion 3 is provided with a portion 11 of an at least partly V-shaped cross-section.
• the outside of the section 3 is provided with a counter- sunk flange 12 which merges into the lateral flanges 8, 8' via portions of material 13, 13' of arcuate cross-section.
• the provision of the countersunk or retracted flange 12 on the outside of the section 3 serves two purposes.
• the fact that flange is countersunk contributes to stiffening the section, and the flange itself is able to carry informa ⁇ tion or advertising material, such as stickers, in a posi ⁇ tion where it is protected by the surrounding transitional portions 13, 13'.
• the individual post box section 3 is permanently connected, e.g. by welding, to a bottom part 14 which, at its underside, has a ball ⁇ like or calotte-shaped projection 15.
• the individual seat means 2, 2' consists of a metal body shaped in a mould and thus made in one piece. Conve- niently, cast steel is used.
• the moulded seat body has two main parts or portions, namely the sleeve-like part 16 adapted to receive the post 3, extending substantially vertically and being open upwards, and a tubular element 17 projecting sideways therefrom.
• the tubular element 7 has the same general sectional shape as the bunk 1 but is, at its free end, equipped with a countersunk or retracted portion 18 which may be inserted in the end portion of the bunk.
• the tubular element 17 is permanently connected to the bunk 1. This connection can take many forms.
• a circumfe r ential weld 19 is preferred.
• the bunk structure is not completely free from welds, it should be pointed out that the welds 19 (which are the only welds) are very short and are not meant to contribute to the stiffness of the bunk. On the contrary, the weld 19 only serves to keep the individual seat means and the bunk together, and the required stiff- ness is achieved by the end portion 18 of the tubular ele ⁇ ment 17 inserted in the bunk.
• Figs 2-5 illustrate in more detail the structure of the individual seat means 2.
• the upwardly open cavity 20 in the vertical sleeve- like part 16 is delimited in the downward direction by a bottom wall 21 which, at least partly, is comparatively thick and is provided with a female element or recess 22 for receiving the ball-shaped projection 15 on the under ⁇ side of the bottom part 14 of the post.
• the recess 22 is provided with a through hole 23 for a locking element in the form of a screw 24 which can be engaged with a threaded hole in the bottom part 14.
• the outer wall 16' of the sleeve-like part 16 has an abutment member 25.
• the opposite inner wall 16" is inclined in relation to the vertical plane, such that the space between this wall and the vertical post narrows in the downward direction.
• the releasable connec ⁇ tion between the post 3 and the seat means 2 is achieved by two cooperating elements, namely the locking screw 24 and a wedge, generally designated 26, inserted between the inner wall 9 of the post 3 and the inner wall 16" of ttv sleeve-like part 16.
• the wedge 26 com -rises, apart from a wedge body 27 proper, an upper yoke-shaped part 28 having two spaced-apart holes 29, 29' for receiving screws 30 (see also Fig. 1) to be screwed into threaded holes in the seat means.
• the wedge body 27 has a portion of material 31 which is V-shaped in cross-section and whose shape corresponds to that of the portion 11 of the inner wall 9 of the post section.
• at least one spring or elastic element 32 counteracting an inadvertent release of the screws may be provided between the head of each screw 30 and the underlying yoke-shaped part 28.
• both the abutment member 25 and the wedge 26 opposite thereto in the horizontal plane are located uppermost in the seat means 2, while the lock- ing screw 24 is located on a low level. More precisely, the abutment member 25 and the wedge 26 are located on a level at a considerable distance above the upper side of the bunk 1.
• the wedge 26, the abutment member 25 and the screw 24 of the ball-shaped projection 15 together form a three-point connection which, owing to the considerable distance between, on the one hand, the ball-shaped projec ⁇ tion and, on the other hand, the abutment member 25 and the wedge 26, provides an extremely solid mounting of the lower part of the post in the seat means.
• the individual post is mounted in the associated seat means in the following manner.
• the lower part of the post is inserted in the seat means, causing the ball- shaped projection to engage the female element or recess 22, and the screw 24 is positioned and tightened.
• the ball-shaped projection will be drawn down into the recess and be firmly clamped therein.
• the wedge 26 is positioned, and the screws 30 are inserted in the asso ⁇ ciated holes and tightened.
• the wedge will be gra ⁇ dually drawn down into the space between the sleeve wall 16" and the inner wall 9 of the post, and the post is wedged in the area between the abutment member 25 and the wedge opposite thereto.
• the V-shaped portion of material 31 of the wedge will be firmly engaged with the V-shaped portion 11 of the wall 9, while at the same time the rounded transitional portions 13, 13' engage corresponding recesses 33, 33' (see Figs 1 and 4).
• the post 3 is prevented from pivoting not only transverse- ly of the longitudinal extent of the vehicle but also in parallel therewith.
• the arrangement described ensures solid fixation of the post in the seat means, regardless of what forces are acting on the post.
• the advantages of the invention are obvious.
• the inventive structure not only ensures solid fixation of the posts, but it is in addition easy and fairly inexpensive to manufacture with but a few components and a few short welds.
• the absence of welds of any length minimises the risks of cracks forming in the structure as a result of vibrations, which in turn increases the life and improves the reliability of the structure.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Ladders (AREA)
• Connection Of Plates (AREA)
• Vehicle Step Arrangements And Article Storage (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=20386318

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (6)

Families Citing this family (1)

Citations (1)

• 1992
  • 1992-05-22 SE SE9201619A patent/SE470284B/sv not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1993
  • 1993-05-17 AU AU40992/93A patent/AU4099293A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1993-05-17 WO PCT/SE1993/000431 patent/WO1993024344A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (1)

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