Abstract:
An adaptable equipment mounting platform in a vehicle application wherein a fixed equipment configuration is to be secured therein to provide a mobile use configuration. A universal mounting frame having multiple fixed vehicle mounting points that conform to the vehicle&#39;s required safe drill access areas provides correspondingly adjustable equipment attachment fasteners. The mounting frame therefore allows for a variety of different equipment configurations to be installed in a commercial vehicle that heretofore were unavailable due to their structural design that limited the areas in which safe mounting could occur.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/109,125, filed Jan. 29, 2015. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     This invention relates to the installation of equipment in commercial transport (van) type vehicles to provide their mobile on site use. Such typical applications are that of commercial steam cleaning equipment extensively used in the carpet cleaning and related industries. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     Prior art devices of this type are not specifically known, however, floor mounting systems can be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,350,835 and 8,544,794 which are directed to floor channels used in seat and cargo venues such as aircraft. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,681,280 discloses a three-point mount for industrial carpet cleaning equipment having a rigid platform with fixed equipment attachment and structural points. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A platform mounting system for use in commercial van type vehicles that provides adjustable mounting attachment points for commercial cleaning equipment and the like. The platform has multiple channel frames with movable equipment engagement fasteners that are adapted for precise positioning and attachment to the equipment. Fixed multiple platform frame mounting plates correspond to the vehicle&#39;s floor safe attachment positions assuring a safe and stable mounting system for commercial van having limited mounting surfaces that heretofore would make such equipment mounting difficult and require a custom mount presumably for each application. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the mounting system of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a top plan view thereof. 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged partial cross sectional view on lines  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged partial cross sectional view of the individual adjustment equipment mounting fasteners of the mounting system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1  of the drawings, a mobile mounting system  10  of the invention for cleaning equipment can be seen having a main frame support platform  11 . The support platform is comprised of a plurality of inverted U-shaped channel members  12  which are secured together preferably by welding to form an integral construction platform. A first pair of spaced parallel channel members  13  and  14  are interconnected by their oppositely disposed free ends by respective end channel members  15  and  16  extending there beyond. 
     A second pair of spaced channel members  17  and  18  extend at right angles from the end members  15  and  16  respective free ends  15 A and  16 A with a transverse interconnecting channel member  19  extending at right angles from the free end of the hereinbefore described channel member  18  to a midway point at  20  of the corresponding channel member  14  thereby completing an outside perimeter configuration of the equipment support platform of the invention. 
     A pair of interiorly positioned channel members  21  and  22  extended in spaced parallel relation to one another between the hereinbefore described channel members  14  and  18  in spaced relation to the corresponding respective perimeter channels  16  and  19  as best seen in  FIG. 2  of the drawings. A second interior channel member  23  extends between and is secured to corresponding channel members  14  and  13  in longitudinal alignment with the hereinbefore described channel member  22 . A final interior channel member  24  extends between the parallel channel member&#39;s  17  and  14  adjacent the intersection of the corresponding channel member  15  completing the basic channel member platform frame illustrated in the preferred embodiment. 
     In this example chosen for illustration, a plurality of aperture platform attachment plates  25  are secured to respective channel members at their corresponding right angle corners of the perimeter platform frame indicated as attachment plates  25 A,  25 B,  26 A and  26 B. Each of the platform attachment plates  25  are secured by welding with multiple apertures A therein to provide for corresponding multiple safe drill attachment points from the floor F of the vehicle, shown in broken lines in  FIG. 2  of the drawings, in this application. 
     An additional platform attachment plate  27  is positioned on the inside surface of the channel member  16  between the respective channel members  13  and  14  in spaced relation to the corner platform attachment plate  26 B completing the desired configuration, as noted. 
     As noted, and as will be evident to those skilled in the art familiar with the requirements of specific vehicle configurations, the hereinbefore described multiple designated platform attachment plates correspond precisely with the vehicle&#39;s defined safe drill and attachment points which are limited in given classes of vehicle to these areas. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5  of the drawings, adjustable equipment mounting assemblies can be seen having a plurality of elongated slots S transversely centered in longitudinal alignment within the respective upper surfaces of the channel members  12 . In this example, the multiple slots S are formed in the corresponding parallel channels  13 ,  14 ,  17  and  18  and the intermediate right angularly disposed channels  21  and  22 . The slots S so designated for specific equipment to be mounted thereon have an adjustable fixation fastener assembly  28  there within as best seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4  of the drawings. Each of the fixation fastener assemblies  28  has an equipment engagement bolt  28 A slidably disposed within its respective slot S for adjustable alignment with the equipment as will be described in greater detail hereinafter. Each of the equipment engagement bolts  28 A have a bolt retainment thread washer  28 B extending there over so as to retain the engagement bolts  28 A in movable position within the respective slots S prior to equipment mounting. 
     It will be seen that the engagement bolt  28 A can therefore be adjusted within the slot parameter to match exactly the mounting opening in the equipment  30  showing graphically by broken lines in  FIGS. 3 and 4  of the drawings thereby adjusting the engagement bolt  28 A to match the equipment prior to installation. 
     This precise adjustment is achieved outside the vehicle, as noted, before the installation by elevating the equipment  30  by conventional means and then fitting the mounting frame of the invention with its multiple equipment engagement bolts  28 A thereto. Each of the equipment engagement bolts  28 A are adjusted within their respective slots so as to register exactly with the equipment engagement points. Once this exact alignment has been determined, the frame is then removed and mounted within the vehicle van by attaching multiple fasteners through its correspondingly aperture attachment plates  25  that define the safety drill zone as noted through the vehicle&#39;s floor. This allows for mounting of equipment heretofore impossible without a custom mounting frame for each equipment configuration dictated by the van&#39;s safety drilling zones as noted. 
     Once the frame has been attached by conventional fasteners as noted, the equipment  30  can then be lifted into the van and set precisely onto the now pre-adjusted mounting frame attachment bolts of the invention achieving a true custom fit for the equipment. 
     It will be evident that due to the adaptable nature of the frame support platform  11  of the invention with its multiple equipment engagement bolt assemblies  28 A and bolt slots S which can be modified to accommodate a variety of different equipment configurations that may be found in such applications as cleaning equipment a true universal mounting system has been illustrated and described that will allow the use of vehicle&#39;s that heretofore are currently unusable due to their extremely limited attachment points and would require, in essence, a custom frame for each application situation. Such a configuration defines a unique and novel adaptable equipment mounting system for a variety of equipment configurations specifically within the cleaning industry. 
     It will thus be seen that a new and novel universal adaptable equipment mounting system for motor vehicles has been illustrated and described and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention.