ARRANGEMENT AT A LOAD CARRIER

Abstract: The present invention relates to a load carrier arrangement mounted in a loading compartment and comprising a pair of vertically disposed carrier rails (10) and a load carrier that extends between said rails and that includes at both ends slide shoes (16) that can be raised and lowered along the carrier rails. The carrier rails (10) include a longitudinally extending recess (12) in which runners (19) on the slide shoes (16) can run.

Description: ARRANGEMENT AT A LOAD CARRIER The present invention relates to a load carrier arrangement, and then particularly to raisable and lowerable load carriers in a loading compartment. Such arrangements are used primarily in the loading compartments of trucks, where the carriers support loads and can be raised and lowered to enable goods to be supported at several levels in the compartment. It is known to include in such arrangements vertical rails at both longitudinal edges of the compartment to enable the load carriers to be raised and lowered, said rails being disposed in pairs with each rail centrally opposite the other. These carrier rails include a dovetail-like strip which extends vertically and projects out towards the interior of the compartment, and which also functions to guide the load carrier along the carrier beam. The load carriers include a transverse load arm which carries at each end a slide shoe that includes an undercut groove such as to enable the slide shoe, and therewith the load carrier as a whole, to be moved up and down the carrier rail, with the undercut groove embracing the dovetail strip. Disposed equidistantly along the carrier rail are openings in which a locking pin projecting out from the slide shoe can engage and therewith lock the slide shoe in a desired vertical position along the carrier rail. This known load carrier can be moved up and down the carrier rails, as described above, at least theoretically, by loosening the normally spring-loaded locking pins. One problem with this arrangement is that the load carrier will often jam as a result of the slide shoes twisting or skewing slightly in relation to the dovetail strips and therewith locking the load carrier and requiring the shoe to be moved back slightly before movement of the load carrier can be continued. Another problem is caused by the exposed position of the dovetail strips. These strips project beyond the edge of surrounding walls in the loading compartment. This means that goods are able to knock against the strips and therewith damage the strips to an extent which makes it difficult or impossible to move the slide shoe, and therewith the load carrier, vertically along the carrier rails. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel load carrier arrangement of the aforesaid kind with which the aforesaid problems associated with pres- ent-day load carriers are avoided. This object of the invention has been achieved with a load carrier arrangement that has the features disclosed in the accompanying Claims. The inventive arrangement includes a pair of vertically disposed carrier rails and a load carrier which extends between said rails and which includes slide shoes at both ends thereof, said slide shoes being raisable and lowerable along the carrier rails and said carrier rails being provided with a longitudinally extending opening in which runners mounted on the slide shoe can run. The invention will now be described in more detail with ref- erence to an exemplifying embodiment thereof and also with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a carrier rail and slide shoe of a known load carrier arrangement; Fig. 2 shows the carrier rail and slide shoe of Fig. 1 from above; Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a carrier rail and a slide shoe included by an inventive load carrier arrangement; Fig. 4 shows the carrier rail and the slide shoe of Fig. 3 from above; Fig. 5 is a schematic front view of the slide shoe shown in Figs. 3 and 4; and Fig. 6 is a side view of the slide shoe shown in Fig. 5. The carrier strip 1 shown in Fig. 1 is intended to be mounted vertically on one side of a loading compartment, for instance a truck compartment, a railroad carriage compartment, a load container, skip, or like device. Carrier strips 1 are normally disposed along the long sides of the compartment, equi- distantly and mutually opposite one another in pairs. The carrier strips co-act with a slide shoe 2 arranged for movement up and down along the carrier strips. A load beam (not shown) whose length corresponds to the internal width of the compartment is provided with a slide shoe 2 at each end and can thus also be moved up and down the carrier strips 1 of a pair of co-acting strips. A further loading plane additional to the floor of the compartment can be provided in said compartment, by arranging such load beams at selected heights in the loading compartment. The known carrier strip 1 includes a planar part that has two flanges 3 and a strip 4 disposed therebetween. The strip 4 projects out from the planar part and has a generally dovetail configuration. Arranged in the centre of the strip 4 are openings 5 for receiving a locking pin 6 provided on a co- acting slide shoe 2. It is the two outwardly projecting ends 4a of the strip 4 that are especially exposed to damage by the goods being transported in the loading compartment or when loading and unloading said goods. The slide shoe 2 in- eludes two arms 7 that embrace both outwardly projecting ends 4a of the dovetail strip 4. The carrier rail 10 of the inventive arrangement includes a box profile, suitably made of aluminium. The carrier rail includes two hollow side-channels 11 and an intermediate channel or longitudinally extending aperture 12 that has a longitudinally open slot 13. Both of the hollow slide channels include openings 14 through which locking devices on co-acting slide shoes can engage. The external surfaces 15 of the hollow channel walls in which the openings 14 are disposed and which face in the same direction as the slot 13 in the intermediate channel 12 are positioned slightly inwards in relation to the external surface in which the slot 13 is disposed. This enables the carrier rails to be mounted on the side walls of a loading compartment such that a panel covering the inner wall of the loading compartment and fastened to the outer surface 15 of the hollow channels 11 will lie in line with the external surface in which the slot 13 is disposed. This enables the loading compartment to be fitted with an inner wall that is free from outwardly projecting parts and, at the same time, protect the carrier rail 10 within the wall of the loading compartment . As with the known arrangement, the carrier rail 10 co-acts with a slide shoe 16. However, the slide shoe of the inventive arrangement is completely different to the slide shoe of the known arrangement. The slide shoe 16 of the inventive arrangement includes an attachment body 17 to which a loading arm (not shown) can be pivotally attached to a carrying pivot 18. The attachment body 17 has two runners 19 mounted one above the other on respective mutually parallel shafts 20 that project out from the attachment body 17 in a direction opposite to that in which the loading arm extends. The two runners 19 are designed and dimensioned to run in the inter- mediate channel 12 in the carrier rail 10, with the shafts 20 extending through the slot 13, said attachment body 17 thus being located outside the external surface 15. The provision of two runners, or rollers, one above the other provides a slide shoe guide which, when the slide shoe 16 is coupled to the carrier rail 10, prevents twisting of the slide shoe, and therewith also of the load carrier. Naturally, the arrangement may be provided with more than two runners that are positioned one above the other to this end. The slide shoe 16 is also provided with a locking device which enables the slide shoe to be locked firmly at a selected height along the carrier rail. This locking device includes a generally U-shaped element 21 whose legs project out from the attachment body 17 in the same direction as the runners 19 for insertion through the openings 14 in the hollow channels 11 on respective sides of the intermediate channel 13 in which the runners 19 move. The U-shaped element 21 slopes slightly downwards to achieve a self-locking effect with the attachment body 17. The locking element 21 is also spring-biased in a direction towards the carrier rail 10 by means of a spring 22. Said element also includes a gripping surface 23 by means of which the U-shaped element 21 can be released from the openings against the action of the spring force exerted by the spring 22, therewith enabling said element 21 to be moved out of engagement with the openings 14. This enables the load carrier to be moved up or down along the carrier rail. For the purpose of enabling the runners 19 on the slide shoe to be inserted in the intermediate channel 12 in the carrier rail 10, the slot 13 may be provided with a widening 24 in the upper end of the carrier rail such as to enable the runners 19 to be inserted straight-on into the intermediate channel. The width of the widening 24 will be slightly greater than the diameter of the runners 19, and the height of the widening will at least correspond to the combined height of the two runners. Elongate openings 25 for accommodating the legs of the U-shaped element 21 will also conveniently be provided by the side of the widening 24, said elongate openings 25 having a placement in relation to said widening such that the legs of the U-shaped element 21 will pass into the upper part of the elongate openings 25 when the runners 19 of said slide shoe are moved into said widening 24, whereafter the slide shoe 16 can be lowered slightly due to the fact that the legs of said element can move down in the elongate opening, although sufficiently for the lowermost runner 19 to reach down to beneath the bottom of the widening 24 and hold the slide shoe 16, and therewith the whole of the load carrier, firmly in the carrier rail. As an alternative to the widening 24, the carrier rail 10 may be terminated at a given distance from the ceiling of the loading compartment, so that the slide shoe runners 19 can be inserted into the intermediate channel 12 of the carrier rail 10 immediately from above. The arrangement may also be such as to enable the slide shoe to be inserted into the interme- diate channel of the carrier rail from beneath, by providing a widening at this end of the carrier rail. Alternatively, the carrier rail may be adapted to permit insertion of the slide shoe from beneath in some other way. It will be understood that the locking device for locking the slide shoe in a desired vertical position along the carrier rail may be constructed in a way different to that described above . It will be understood that when the loading compartment is lined with wall panels that cover the side walls of the compartment, and therewith also the outer surface 15 of the hollow channels 11 as described above, it is necessary to make openings in the panels that can accommodate the locking devices. The openings in both the external surfaces 15 of the hollow channels 11 and in the wall lining panels may be made in one and the same operation.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A load carrier arrangement in loading compartments comprising a pair of vertically disposed carrier rails (10) and a load carrier that extends between said rails and that has provided at both ends thereof slide shoes (16) that can be raised and lowered along the carrier rails, characterised in that the carrier rails (10) include a longitudinally extending recess (12) in which runners (19) mounted on respective slide shoes (16) can run. 2. An arrangement according to Claim 1, characterised in that each slide shoe (16) includes at least two runners (19) disposed one above the other. 3. An arrangement according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the carrier rail (10) includes a longitudinally extending slot (13) that is open towards the longitudinally extending recess (12) and through which shafts (20) carrying said runners (19) extend. 4. An arrangement according to any one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that respective slide shoes (16) include a locking device (14, 21) for locking said shoes (16) in selected height positions along the carrier rail (10) . 5. An arrangement according to Claim 4, characterised in that the locking device includes a U-shaped element (21) having legs whose free ends are intended to grip through openings (14) in the carrier rail (10) . 6. An arrangement according to Claim 5, characterised in that the openings (14) are disposed in hollow channels (11) lying on respective sides of the longitudinally extending recess (13) . 7. An arrangement according to Claim 6, characterised in that the hollow channels (11) having external wall surfaces (15) that are sunken in relation to an external surface outwardly of the longitudinally extending recess (13) such that an outer surface of a wall lining panel disposed inside the loading compartment and lying on the external wall surfaces (15) of the hollow channels will lie generally in line with the outer surface outside the longitudinally extending recess (13) .

Inventors: SANDSTROEM DAN, SANDSTROEM, DAN
Applicants: SANDSTROEM DAN, SANDSTROEMS TRANSP PRODUKTER A, SANDSTROEM, DAN, SANDSTROEMS TRANSPORTPRODUKTER AB
Application year: 2000
Main classification: B60P1
IPC codes: B60P7, B62D33