A telescopic cargo bar

Abstract: A telescopic cargo bar having a jack comprising a rack (18) and a gear segment (14) cooperating therewith, said gear segment being connected to a control handle (13), which is pivotally connected to the outer telescopic member (10), said jack further is provided with a latch means (15), which in a first latch position latches the handle (13) in a first locking position. The latch means further comprises a second latch position arranged to latch the handle (13) in a second locking position located between said first locking position and the open position. This second latch position is arrang­ ed to prevent the handle (13) from being brought past the latch means (15) before the gear segment (14) is released from the rack (18). The handle can be brought past the second latch position to open position by manual actuation of the latch means (15).

Description: Technical field The present invention refers to a cargo bar comprising a pair of telescopically displaceable members, a jack mounted thereon for providing a relative displacement of said telescopic members and for locking them in a desired position, said jack having a rack or the like and a gear segment or the like cooperating with said rack, said gear segment being connected to a control handle, which is pivotally connected to the first telescopic member, said jack further is provided with a latch means, which latches the handle in locking position and manually can be brought out of latch position, so that the handle can be pivoted past the latch means to an open position, in which the gear segment is brought out of engagement with the rack so that the telescopic members can be displaced relative to each other, said cargo bar further comprising at least one spring for providing a gripping pressure when the cargo bar is braced between opposing walls of a cargo container or the like. Background of the invention Cargo bars of the above kind are used for locking loads on vehicle platforms, in holds on ships etc. and are braced between opposing walls or between the floor and ceiling in the cargo space. Examples of such cargo bars are shown in e.g. US-A-4434970 from which is known a cargo bar incorporating a first and a second telescopically displaceable member, a rack and pinion system for providing relative displacement of said telescopic members and locking them in desired position, the rack of said rack and pinion system being mounted on the second telescopic member, and a gear segment or the like cooperating with said rack and connected to and rotatable with a control handle being pivotably connected to the first telescopic member, said rack and pinion system further having a latch means, which in a first latch position latches the handle in a locking position in which the gear segment engages the rack, so that the rack is locked, and can be manually brought out of said first latch position, so that the handle can be pivoted past the latch means to an open position, in which the gear segment is brought out of engagement with the rack to allow displacement of the telescopic members relative to each other, said cargo bar further having at least one spring for providing a gripping pressure when the cargo bar is braced between opposing walls of a cargo container or the like, the cargo bar having abutments for restricting movement of the handle towards its open position. A problem with telescopic cargo bars of this kind is when releasing the cargo bar, especially from vertical position, and the handle is brought out of locking position, that the inner telescopic member will rapidly slide into the outer telescopic member, which involves a big risk for squeeze injuries. A further drawback is that after each time the cargo bar has been released, a new length adjustment of the cargo bar must be done before it is installed again. Summary of the invention The object of the present invention is to provide a cargo bar, which has a latch assembly by means of which the above mentioned risk for injuries is avoided, and which can be realeased and installed again with retained length adjustment. This has been achieved by that the latch means is provided with an intermediate abutment, arranged under engagement with a corresponding abutment on the handle, to maintain the handle in an intermediate position between said first locking position and the open position, and wherein the gear segment is still in engagement with the rack, said intermediate abutment thereby preventing the handle from being brought past the latch means before the gear segment is released from the rack, and that the intermediate abutment can be removed from the path of the corresponding abutment of the handle by manual actuation of the latch means. Further features of the cargo bar according to the present invention are stated in the subsequent claims and provide further advantages such as a compact and simple design. Description of the drawings The invention will below be closer described with reference to an embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 is a partly broken side view of a cargo bar according to the invention showing the latch assembly in the first latch position. Figure 2 shows the latch assembly according to Figure 1 in the second latch position. Figure 3 shows in a view from above the latch assembly according to claim 2. Figure 4 shows the latch assembly in open position. Figure 5 shows on a larger scale a side view of the control handle and the latch bolt cooperating therewith. Description of an embodiment The cargo bar comprises an outer tube 10 and an inner substantially H-shaped profile 11, which is telescopically displaceable in the tube 10. The tube 10 and the profile 11 are at their outer ends provided with a contact pad 12 each adapted to frictionally engage the contact surfaces, i.e. the walls, ceiling and/or floor of the cargo space (not shown), between which the cargo bar is braced. On the outside of the tube 10 there is mounted a latch assembly comprising a control handle 13 and integral therewith a gear segment 14 and a latch bolt 15. The gear segment 14 and the handle 13 connected thereto are pivoted about a pin 16 attached in a housing 17, which is fixedly mounted on the outside of the tube 10. The latch bolt 15 is mounted on the pin 16 and is provided with an oblong hole 26, along which the latch bolt 15 can be displaced on the pin 16 against the action of a spring 30. The gear segment 14 cooperates with a rack 18 arranged inside the profile 11. The outer end of the rack 18 located outside the tube 10 is integral therewith provided with a pin 19, about which a coil spring 20 is arranged. The spring is clamped between the end termination of the rack 18 and an attachment means 21 mounted on the outside of the profile 11. The profile 11 is preferably provided with a plurality of mounting holes 22 for said attachment means 21, said holes being arranged on appropriate distances, so that the position of the attachment means 21 and the rack 18 in the profile 11 can be adjusted for length adjustment of the cargo bar. As an example it can be mentioned that for a length of about 40 cm for the rack 18 it can be suitable to arrange mounting holes 22 at spaces of about 30 mm. A locking pin 23 at the free end of the pin 19 prevents the pin 19 from sliding out of the attachment means 21 and when this is moved the prestressing of spring 20 in the attachment means 21 is retained. In the position shown in Figure 1, in which the handle is folded down, the latch assembly is in latching position and the gear segment 14 engages the rack 18. The latch bolt 15 cooperates with a first faucet 25 on the handle 13 and keeps this latched in the first latching position. The latch bolt 15 has an oblique grooved gripping surface 27, against which e.g. the thumb is pressed at the same time as the other fingers grip the handle 13. By pressing the latch bolt 15 to the right according to Figure 1, against the action of the spring 30, the first faucet 25 of the handle 13 can be brought past a first stop face 24 on the latch bolt 15 and be pivoted upwards until a second faucet 28 on the handle 13 abuts a second stop face 29 on the latch bolt 15, which makes a second latching position (Figure 2). In this second latching position the gear segment 14 is still in engagement with the rack 18, and the profile 11 is prevented from sliding into the tube 10. In order to bring the handle 13 past the second latching position the latch bolt 15 must again be pressed to the right according to Figure 2, so that the second faucet 28 of the handle 13 can be brought past the second stop face 29 of the latch bolt 15 to the open position shown in Figure 4. The gear segment 14 is now completely released from the rack and the profile 11 can be displaced in the tube 10. When the cargo bar is installed, e.g. between the walls of a cargo space, the latch assembly is brought to open position, so that the position of the profile 11 in the tube 10 can be adjusted so that a suitable length of the bar is achieved, i.e. both contact pads 12 are engaging the walls. The cargo bar is then braced by pivoting the handle downwards to its first locking position, in which the spring 20 is stressed and provides a gripping pressure against the walls. When the cargo bar is to be removed the handle 13 needs only be brought to the second locking position, since the stroke between the first and second locking positions is a few centimeters, which permits removal of the cargo bar. The length adjustment of the cargo bar is thus retained and no new length adjustment is needed next time the cargo bar is installed on the same place. The invention is of course not limited to the embodiment shown in the drawings, but a plurality of modifications of the design of the constructive elements are possible within the scope of the claims.

Claims: A cargo bar comprising a first and a second telescopically displaceable member (10,11), a rack and pinion system mounted thereon for providing relative displacement of said telescopic members and locking them in desired position, the rack of said rack and pinion system being mounted on the second telescopic member (11), and a gear segment or the like cooperating with said rack and connected to and rotatable with a control handle (13) being pivotably connected to the first telescopic member (10), said rack and pinion system further having a latch means (15), which in a first latch position latches the handle (13) in a locking position in which the gear segment engages the rack, so that the rack is locked, and can be manually brought out of said first latch position, so that the handle (13) can be pivoted past the latch means (15) to an open position, in which the gear segment (14) is brought out of engagement with the rack (18) so that the telescopic members (10,11) can be displaced relative to each other, said cargo bar further having at least one spring (20) for providing a gripping pressure when the cargo bar is braced between opposing walls of a cargo container or the like, the cargo bar having abutments for restricting movement of the handle towards its open position, characterized in , that the latch means (15) is provided with an intermediate abutment (29), arranged under engagement with a corresponding abutment (28) on the handle (13), to maintain the handle in an intermediate position between said locking position and the open position, and wherein the gear segment is still in engagement with the rack, said intermediate abutment (29) thereby preventing the handle (13) from being brought past the latch means (15) before the gear segment (14) is released from the rack (18), and that the intermediate abutment (29) can be removed from the path of the corresponding abutment (28) of the handle by manual actuation of the latch means. A cargo bar according to claim 1, characterized in , that the latch means comprises a latch bolt (15), which against the action of a second spring (30), clamped between a member (16) attached to the first telescopic member (10) and a wall of the latch bolt, is limitedly displaceable in the axial direction of the cargo bar, and that the latch bolt (15) at both its ends is provided with contact faces (27) and (29), which in cooperation with faucets (25) and (28) or the like on the handle (13) provide the latch position and the intermediate position of the latch element (15). A cargo bar according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in , that the rack (18) is arranged in a substantially U-shaped profile (11), which forms the second, inner telescopic member of the cargo bar. A cargo bar according to claim 3, characterized in , that the outer end of the rack (18), which is located outside the first, outer telescopic member (10), is attached to or integral with a pin (19) about which is arranged said first spring (20), which provides the gripping pressure of the cargo bar, and that said spring (20) is clamped between the outer end of the rack (18) and an attachment means (21) connected to the second, inner telescopic member (11). A cargo bar according to claim 4, characterized in , that said attachment means (21) constitutes the attachment of the rack (18) to the second, inner telescopic member (11), and that said member is provided with a plurality of holes (22) along its length, said holes enabling fastening of the attachment means (21) in different positions along the inner telescopic member (11), and that the said first spring (20) is fastened to the outer end of the rack (18) and to said attachment means (21).

Inventors: FREDELIUS CLAES, FREDELIUS, CLAES
Applicants: FREDELIUS CLAES, FREDELIUS, CLAES
Application year: 1990
Main classification: B60P7
IPC codes: B60P7, F16B7