TRANSPORT MEANS

Abstract: Transport means for transport of goods on the top of a car. The transport means comprises a transport base (1) to be fastened to the goods stand of the car, on which transport base the goods to be transported are arranged. To facilitate a removal and a fastening of the transport base (1) and to make its use more versatile, at least one locking unit (3) is arranged on the lower surface of the transport base (1), which locking unit comprises at least one spring element acting in the locking position substantially in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the transport base and a first gripping element (5) attached to the spring element and arranged to grip one of the transverse tubes (7) of the goods stand. On the lower surface of the bottom of the transport base is additionally arranged a second gripping element (8) to grip the other transverse tube (7) of the goods stand. In the locking position, the spring element of the locking unit (3) is arranged to create substantially horizontal fastening forces transmitted through the gripping elements (5, 8) to the transverse tubes (7) of the goods stand.

Description: Transport means The invention relates to a transport means for transport of goods on the top of a car, which transport means comprises a transport base to be fastened to a goods stand of the car, on which transport base the goods to be transported are arranged, whereby in the transport base is arranged at least one locking unit comprising a first gripping element arranged to grip one of the transverse tubes of the goods stand, and whereby on the lower surface of the bottom of the transport base a second gripping element is arranged to grip the other transverse tube of the goods stand. Such transport means are very known at present. Mostly the transport base is formed to a case consisting of two portions, whereby the cover portion often is hinged on the lower portion. Especially often such cases are used for transport of skis. All known transport means, both closed and open ones, have in common that they are fastened to the goods stand by means of elements going through the transport base. As an example of such elements, so-called U-bolts and various bands can be mentioned. In practice, the known transport means are at first fastened to the goods stand and after that, the whole assembly is lifted on the top of the car and fastened to e.g. the gutter channels of the car. Consequently, the disadvantage of the known transport means is the unwieldy manner of fastening, the consequence of which is that the trans- port means, e.g. a ski case, will not be removed from the top of the car before the end of the skiing season, though it would not be needed more than a few times during the skiing season. In connection with ski cases for instance, there is additionally a storage problem, because due to the difficult removal of the goods stand, it will not often be detached from the ski case being large as such already, whereby the storage of the whole assembly is very difficult. The object of the invention is to provide a transport means not showing the disadvantages of the previous solutions. This is achieved by means of a transport means according to the invention, character¬ ized in that the locking unit includes a spring element, one end of which only is fastened to the bottom of the transport base and arranged to turn in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the transport base around its fastening point and that when locking the transport base in its place, the spring element leaning against the first transverse tube of the goods stand by means of the first gripping element is arranged to turn to and to be locked in a substantially horizontal position and to be compressed simultaneously as a consequence of the turning mentioned above in order to create horizontal fastening forces known per se. An advantage of a transport means according to the invention is its flexibility in use, because its detachment and fastening occur very fast without any tools. Problems attached to the storage of the trans¬ port means can at least be considerably reduced by means of the invention. Due to the rapid fastening, the transport means can preferably be used even other¬ wise than in connection with a car, so that the appli¬ cability of a transport means according to the invention is considerably broader than that of the previously known means. Further, a transport means according to the invention is preferable as to manufacturing costs and very reliable in use. In the following, the invention will be de¬ scribed more accurately by means of a preferable embodiment of the invention illustrated in the enclosed drawing, whereby . Figure 1 is a basic general view of a transport means of the invention seen from the side, Figure 2 is a general view of the locking unit of the transport means of the invention. Figure 3 is a basic view of a goods stand of a certain kind provided with an accessory required by the invention. Figure 4 illustrates a locking unit according to Figure 2 as a section view seen from the side, Figure 5 illustrates a locking unit according to the Figures 2 and 4 as a partial section view seen from below and Figure 6 illustrates an accessory developed for the storage of the transport means of the invention. In the example of the figures, a transport base is generally denoted by the reference numeral 1. In the example of the figures, the transport base is a ski case. A goods stand to be fastened on the top of a car is again generally denoted by the reference numeral 2. The general structure of the transport base 1 and the goods stand is fully known from the technique in this field, wherefore these matters will not be described more accurately in this connection. According to the invention, a locking unit 3 is arranged on the lower surface of the bottom of the transport base 1. The locking unit 3 comprises two spring elements 4 and a first gripping element 5 attached to said unit. The spring elements 4 are at one end only turnably fastened to a fastening plate 6 to be fastened to the bottom of the transport base. The locking.unit 3 is fastened to the bottom of the transport base 1 so that the spring elements can turn in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the trans¬ port base round their fastening point. The form of the first gripping element 5 is arranged to correspond to the form of the transverse tubes 7 of the goods stand 2, whereby an efficient fastening is accomplished. Further, at the bottom of the transport base 1 is formed another stationary gripping element 8 having a form also corresponding to the form of the transverse tubes of the goods stand 2. In the example of the figure, the first gripping element 5 is arranged to grip the first or front transverse tube of the goods stand 2 and the second gripping element 8 to grip the second or rear transverse tube 7 respectively. A transport means of the invention is charac- terized in that tho spring element or spring elements 4 of the locking unit 3 are arranged to create in the locking position substantially horizontal fastening forces transmitted through the first and second gripping element to the transverse tubes of the goods stand 2. In practice this means that the spring elements 4 shall in the locking position extend substantially in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the transport base 1. When the transport base 1 is locked in its place in the embodiment according to the figures, the cylin¬ drical spring elements 4 are arranged to turn in the manner described before and to be locked in the hori¬ zontal position mentioned above, whereby the forces created by said spring elements will act in the direc- tion of the longitudinal axis of the transport base 1. During this turning, the spring elements are also arranged to be compressed in order to create fastening forces mentioned above. The spring elements 4 are locked in a horizontal position by means of a spring- loaded locking catch 9. The horizontal position of the spring elements can be additionally secured by means of a safety spline 10, if needed. The transport means according to the invention differs from the previously known means particularly therein that the means of the invention is fastened to the goods stand by means of horizontal forces and not by means of vertical forces as the previously known means. If the goods stand is of a skeleton type, no accessories are needed. If the goods stand is a con¬ struction consisting of two separate transverse tubes 7 as illustrated in Fiuyre 3, then an intermediate support 11 to be arranged between the transverse tubes 7 shall be used, which intermediate support prevents the transverse tubes from bending in the longitudinal direction of the transport base. Additionally, the intermediate support 11 has the advantage that it is very easy to mount the transverse tubes 7 at an exactly right distance from each other on the top of the car. Further, in Figure 6 a preferable accessory for the transport means according to the invention is illustrated, i.e. a storage stand 12. The storage stand 12 can be fastened e.g. to a garage wall or two such stands 12 can be fastened to a garage wall or ceiling, whereby the storage of the transport means is especially preferable. The transport means according to the invention functions in principle in the following way. At first, the goods stand 2 is placed on the top of the car and the intermediate support 11 is placed on the transverse tubes 7, whereby the distance between them gets auto- matically right. Thereafter, the locking screws of the goods stand are tightened in a normal way. Then the locking of the locking unit 3 is released, i.e. the safety spline 10 is removed and the locking catch 9 is pressed so that the spring elements 4 can turn down- wards. The first gripping element 5 directed downwards is placed on the first transverse tube 7 and simulta¬ neously, the second gripping element 8 is arranged to grip the second transverse tube 7. The transport means is locked in its place simply by pressing down the forward end of the transport base 1 , whereby the spring elements 4 of the locking unit turn as described above and are locked in a horizontal position. An automatical locking occurs by means of a spring-loaded safety catch 9. The locking will still be secured by means of a safety spline 10. After these measures, the goods to be transported can be placed on the transport base or inside it, depending on the construction of the base. It is clear that the detachment of the transport means is carried out in a reverse way. The embodiment above is by no means intended to restrict the invention, but the invention can be varied within the limits of the claims in many different ways. Thus, it is clear that the transport means as a whole or its various details need not be exactly such as illustrated in the figures, but they can be shaped entirely freely according to the need in each particular case. The cover portion of a closed transport means can thus be shaped e.g. to a sledge, whereby goods also can be transported by pulling. The transport base can be either open or closed. The number of the spring elements of the locking unit is not limited. The location and form of the gripping elements can be chosen to the need. Thus, e.g. the second gripping element 8 does not need to be formed to a groove at the bottom of the transport base, but e.g. hooks or the like projecting from the bottom surface can be used. The spring el¬ ements needneither be mechanical springs as illustrated in the figures, but other solutions can be used. As an example can then be mentioned gas springs. It is also clear that the gripping element 5 of the locking unit 3 does not need to grip the first transverse tube, but a reverse solution is also possible. It is also possible to arrange the locking unit 3 so that the gripping element attached to the spring elements leans e.g. against the back edge of the first transverse tube . whereby the fastening forces have an opposite effect to that in the example of the figures. Further, it is possible to use two locking units, each gripping element of which grips the transverse tube of its own. The transport means can _, of course, be provided with any suitable locks, e.g. to prevent stealings. The spring elements of the locking unit need of course not necess¬ arily be made to a turnable construction, but the spring elements can be located at the bottom of the transport base also in a horizontal position. The fastening points of the spring elements can then be made movable e.g. by means of a suitable eccentric mechanism. It is also possible to press the spring elements axially so that the gripping element 5 is pressed to the transverse tube 7. This possibility is preferable when as spring el¬ ements are used e.g. pieces made of rubber material or some other corresponding material.

Claims: Claims : 1. Transport means for transport of goods on the top of a car, which transport means comprises a trans- port base (1) to be fastened to a goods stand (2) of the car, on which transport base the goods to be trans¬ ported are arranged, whereby in the transport base (1) is arranged at least one locking unit comprising a first gripping element (5) arranged to grip one of the trans- verse tubes (7) of the goods stand, and whereby on the lower surface of the bottom of the transport base (1) a second gripping element (8) is arranged to grip the other transverse tube (7) of the goods stand, c h a r ¬ a c t e r i z e d in that the locking unit (3) includes a spring element (4), one end of which only is fastened to the bottom of the transport base (1) and arranged to turn in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the transport base (1) around its fastening point and that when locking the transport base in its place , the spring element (4) leaning against the first transverse tube (7) of the goods stand (2) by means of the first gripping element (5) is arranged to turn to and to be locked in a substantially horizontal position and to be compressed simultaneously as a consequence of the turning mentioned above in order to create horizontal fastening forces known per se. 2. Transport means according to claim 1 , to be fastened to a goods stand (2) consisting of two separate transverse tubes (7), c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a bending of the transverse tubes (7) in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the transport base, which bending is caused by the fastening forces created by the spring elements (4) of the locking unit (3) , is prevented by means of an intermediate support (11) arranged between the transverse tubes. 3. Transport means according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the first gripping element (5) in the locking unit (3) is in the locking position arranged to be pressed to the frontal surface of the first transverse tube (7) and thus to press this transverse tube towards the second transverse tube (7) of the goods stand (2) . 4. Transport means according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the first gripping element (5) in the locking unit (3) is in the locking position arranged to be pressed to the rear surface of the second transverse tube (7) of the goods stand (2) and thus to press this transverse tube towards the first transverse tube of the goods stand (2) .

Inventors: JOENSUU KALEVI, JOENSUU, KALEVI
Applicants: JOENSUU KALEVI, JOENSUU, KALEVI
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B60R9
IPC codes: B60R9