Abstract:
An apparatus for securing loaded goods on the loading area of a vehicle or similar device in the form of a beam-like profile having at least one insertion profile ( 30 ) that is mounted at one end on the latter, a pivoting head ( 40 ) of grooved cross section and a latching pin ( 60 ) that is mounted such that it can move relative thereto are articulated on the insertion profile by means of an axle pin ( 42 ) as a connection member for countermembers on the loading area or on a box body associated therewith. The latching pin ( 60 ) projects out of the grooved cross section of the pivoting head ( 40 ) from the latching body ( 50 ) towards the ridge plate of the pivoting head ( 40 ), and the latching body ( 50 ) is passed through by the axle pin ( 42 ) of the pivoting head ( 40 ) and in addition is assigned an energy accumulator. In the vicinity of the latching pin ( 60 ), the latching body ( 50 ) is provided with an eye ( 58 ) as coupling element for an actuating or tension bar ( 70 ). The latter has a coupling end that is bent approximately radially to its bar axis (Z) as an insertion member for the eye ( 58 ) of the latching body ( 50 ), which coupling end is mounted in the eye ( 58 ) in a manner such that it can rotate.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The invention relates to an apparatus for securing loaded goods on the loading area of a vehicle or similar device in the form of a beam-like profile having at least one insertion profile that is mounted at one end on the latter, on which insertion profile a pivoting head of grooved cross section and a latching pin that is mounted such that it can move relative thereto are articulated by means of an axle pin as a connection member for countermembers on the loading area or on a box body assigned therewith.  
         [0002]     Such an apparatus is disclosed in DE 201 01 838 U1 by the Applicant. The pivoting body of this apparatus is provided with an insertion element for a latching recess as countermember, which insertion element can move relative to the pivoting body, is designed as a latching body and is fixed to the pivoting body by means of a dedicated transverse pin. A free end of the latching body is connected to a lashing strap by means of a pin that passes through said latching body.  
         [0003]     DE 44 12 067 C by the Applicant describes a pair of guide rails provided approximately horizontally on the side walls of the vehicle at a distance from the loading area, on which guide rails there are connected end connecting members of a carrier profile that runs between said rails in the operating position; at a distance from a profile end, this carrier profile is connected to a strand-like connecting bar by an articulation, and the connecting bar is mounted in a fixed position at the other end by means of a further articulation. This carrier profile can be swung out of an operating position and into a rest position about its articulation and the connecting bar can be swung out of an operating position and into a rest position about the further articulation, and they can also be attached to a guide rail by means of the end articulation.  
         [0004]     In addition, there is also known a hollow profile that, by virtue of intermediate tubes that can be pushed on, can be extended telescopically, the hollow profile having hooks at both ends an being intended as a so-called intermediate wall closure, between whose one hook leg and the profile end face that is approximately adjacent and parallel thereto there can be pushed a guide rail which runs transversely to the resulting gap or a wall element of a truck. In order to generate a clamping force, said hook—articulated on a tension lever riveted to the bar profile—can be moved so as to vary the distance from the profile end face that forms a clamping mouth with the clamping leg.  
         [0005]     With the knowledge of the prior art, the inventor set himself the aim of significantly improving both the adaptation of the apparatus described above to the conditions of the location of use and also the handling thereof.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     All combinations of at least two of the features disclosed in the description, the drawing and/or the claims fall within the scope of the invention.  
         [0007]     According to the invention, the latching pin projects out of the grooved cross section of the pivoting head from a latching body towards the ridge plate of the pivoting head, and the latching body—which is assigned an energy accumulator—is passed through by the axle pin of the pivoting head. In addition, the intention is to provide this latching body, in the vicinity of the latching pin, with an eye as coupling element for an actuating or tension bar according to the invention, which preferably has a coupling end that is bent approximately radially to its bar axis as an insertion member for the eye of the latching body; this coupling end is mounted in the eye in a manner such that it can rotate. The actuating bar allows particularly precise guidance of the pivoting head.  
         [0008]     According to another feature of the invention, the bar axis is in alignment with the centre axis of the pivoting head, that is to say that said coupling end is divided by the bar axis into two sections of identical size, and the eye is made in the centre of the coupling end.  
         [0009]     For the purpose of better handling, the tension bar at one end should have at least one handle.  
         [0010]     It is within the context of the invention that the latching body at the other end comprises a rear section with a receiving groove for the energy accumulator held therein—which energy accumulator is designed as a leaf or torsion bar spring; this leaf or torsion bar spring is preferably curved in a U shape between the rear section of the latching body and the adjacent ridge plate of the pivoting head and endeavours to pull these two parts out of one another; as a result, the eye end of the latching body is pressed against the inner surface of the ridge plate of the pivoting head.  
         [0011]     According to a further feature of the invention, the axle pin lies in a pair of parallel flank webs which adjoin flank walls of the insertion profile and should be made as one piece with the latter. These flank walls are provided on the inner side with in each case a longitudinal groove that is directed parallel to the profile axis, which longitudinal groove is preferably in each case delimited by a pair of internal ribs of the flank wall. In addition, at least one of the flank walls should be provided with a wall slit that is parallel to the axis.  
         [0012]     Finally, protection is conferred on the fact that a comb profile having the shape of a T in cross section is integrally formed on the ridge plate of the pivoting head on the outside, the headliner of which comb profile is approximately in alignment with the ridge face of the latching pin in the rest position of the latter; this comb profile runs in cross section in the longitudinal axis of the insertion profile.  
         [0013]     In a refinement of the pivoting head according to the invention, the comb profile projects from a planar surface of the ridge plate of the pivoting head—said surface crossing the longitudinal axis of the insertion profile; the width of the planar surface advantageously approximately corresponds to the width of the headliner. This upper surface, at a distance from the comb profile, in cross section should change on both sides into a batten shape that projects therefrom in a stepped manner, the surface of which batten shape in turn runs at an axial distance approximately parallel to the surface of the ridge plate. It has proven to be advantageous for the batten shape to project laterally beyond the outer surface of the adjacent leg wall of the pivoting head.  
         [0014]     In another arrangement of the comb profile, the latter runs between two surfaces of the ridge plate of the pivoting head, which surfaces are curved upwards in cross section; this surface is determined by a contour on the ridge plate that is shaped like a segment of a circle in cross section. This curved surface on both sides of the longitudinal axis of the insertion profile forms in each case a projecting longitudinal ridge with the two outer surfaces of the leg walls of the pivoting head; the cross section or the contour of the surface is determined by a circular contour the radius of which corresponds approximately to the width of the pivoting head or approximately to twice the width of the headliner of said comb profile.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]     Further advantages, features and details of the invention emerge from the following description of preferred examples of embodiment and with reference to the drawing. In the drawing:  
         [0016]      FIG. 1  shows an oblique view of part of a loading area of a vehicle having a box body and also, therein, parts assigned to rails of a load securing system.  
         [0017]      FIGS. 2 and 3  show a side and front view of parts of a main beam to be installed vertically, with a pivoting head in the rest position.  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  shows a different arrangement of the main beam of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  shows the plan view of  FIGS. 2 and 3 .  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  shows an enlarged and partially cut-away detail from  FIG. 2 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 7  shows a view that approximately corresponds to that of  FIGS. 3 and 4 —partially cut away—of a further arrangement of the main beam.  
         [0022]      FIG. 8  shows the partially cut-away side view of  FIG. 7 .  
         [0023]      FIGS. 9 and 10  show oblique views of the pivoting head of the main beam of  FIGS. 7 and 8 .  
         [0024]      FIGS. 11 and 16  show the plan view of a partially depicted two-storey profile.  
         [0025]      FIG. 12  shows the cross section through  FIG. 11  on line XII-XII.  
         [0026]      FIGS. 13 and 14  show enlarged details from  FIG. 11  according to fields XIII and XIV therein.  
         [0027]      FIG. 15  shows an enlarged part of  FIG. 12 .  
         [0028]      FIGS. 17 and 18  show the two-storey profile of  FIG. 16  with different positions of an inserted unlatching bar. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0029]     Behind the driver&#39;s cab of a vehicle  10  that is shown only in part, there is a loading area  12  with a box body  14 . On the loading area  12  and the inner surfaces  15  of the side walls  16 —possibly also on the inner surface of the roof—of the box body  14 , there are attached, horizontally and/or vertically, rail profiles as anchor rails  20  for the fixing of loaded goods, for example of crates  19 , boxes  19   a  or trolleys  19   b —retained by means of lashing straps  18 . To secure the load, ladder-type frames  22  having polygonal or round vertical profiles  28  in cross section may also be connected to the anchor rails  20 . At  24 , horizontal main beams are shown which are connected at both ends to vertical rail profiles  20 .  
         [0030]     The vertical profile  28  shown in  FIGS. 3, 4  and  6 , the rectangular cross section of which is shown at  28   q  in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , is used for example as a retaining beam for forming a supporting wall for cases that are to be transported in a box body  14 . Into its end opening  29 —delimited by two flank walls  26  and two side walls  27 —there is pushed an insertion profile  30  having a length a of in this case 280 mm with a rectangular cross section comprising two flank walls  32  of cross-sectional length e of 75 mm and end walls  35  connecting the latter; the cross section thereof is shown in  FIG. 2  at  30   q . On the inside of the flank walls  32  there are integrally formed two internal ribs  37 , which delimit a longitudinal groove  36 . In addition, a wall slit  38  runs parallel to the profile longitudinal axis A. At the top, said wall slit ends approximately at the transition of the flank wall  32  to a gusset-like flank web  33 , the side edge of which is designated  34  for the sake of clarity.  
         [0031]     Between the two parallel flank webs  33 , a pivoting head  40  is mounted such that it can rotate by means of a unit—passing through said pivoting head and the flank webs  33 —comprising an axle pin  42  and a coaxial screw bushing  43  that receives the latter, having two end pin heads or plate heads  44 . This pivoting head  40 , having a length f of 73 mm, a width g of 39 mm and a height h of 34 mm, is designed in a groove-like manner with two leg walls  48  running from a ridge plate  46  and having a clearance height h 1  of 27 mm. On the ridge plate  46 , which has a thickness i of in this case 6.7 mm, there is integrally formed in the longitudinal axis A a comb profile  47  having the shape of a T in cross section and having a head width n of 19.5 mm of its headliner  47   k —which headliner crosses said longitudinal axis A—as can be seen in particular in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The distance t between the ridge surface of the headliner  47   k  and the longitudinal axis Q of the axle pin  42  is 32.2 mm.  
         [0032]     In the example of embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the T-shaped comb profile  47  having a height k of 12.5 mm is formed out of the surface  46   a  of the ridge plate  46  that on both sides adjoins said comb profile as a planar surface—running transverse to the longitudinal axis A. The width of said surface  46   a  corresponds approximately to the abovementioned head width n of the headliner  47   k , since it changes on both sides into batten shapes  49  of small height k 1  which project therefrom. Each of the batten shapes  49  which has a planar surface projects laterally beyond the outer surface of the leg wall  48  assigned thereto, forming a lateral ridge.  
         [0033]     In the pivoting head  40   a  shown in  FIG. 4 , there can be seen a comb profile  47  that is of a small height k compared to that seen in  FIG. 3 . From the base of this comb profile  47 , there run on both side surfaces  46   b  of the ridge plate  46  that are bent upwards and have the shape of a segment of a circle in cross section. Each of these surfaces  46   b  produces, with the outer surface of the leg wall  48  assigned thereto, at a lateral distance n 1  from the longitudinal axis A, a longitudinal ridge  49   a  that points upwards. Said surfaces  46   b  determine a circular contour K the radius r of which approximately corresponds to twice its distance n 1 .  
         [0034]     A latching body  50  having a length q of 97 mm is mounted pivotably between the leg walls  48 , on said axle pin  42 ; from a tubular bearing section  52 —which is passed through by the axle pin  42 —there projects firstly—within the pivoting head  40 —a rear section  54  that is groove-like in longitudinal section and has a receiving groove  55  that runs approximately parallel to the ridge plate  46  and serves to receive the end of a torsion bar spring  64  shown at  64  and also, on the other hand, a front arm  56  which outside the pivoting head  40  is both curved to form a hook-like end eye  57 —which is open towards the bottom—and is fitted towards the top with an integrally formed latching pin  60  having a round contour. The latter has a ridge face  62  that is inclined downwards relative to the pivoting head  40  and in the stop position shown in  FIG. 5  is in contact with a transverse edge  45  of the ridge plate  46 ; in this stop position, the flat torsion bar spring  64 —which is U-shaped in longitudinal section and is mounted on the inner surface of the ridge plate  46 —presses the front arm  56  against the ridge plate  46 .  
         [0035]     It is not shown that the latching pin  60  in the stop position interacts in a latching manner with a vehicle-side rail profile  20 —which guides the comb profile  47 —for example engages in a bore of a so-called airline profile or AJ system profile.  
         [0036]     The latching body  50  is guided against the force of said leaf or torsion bar spring  64  by a tension bar  70  which as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4  consists of a hollow profile  72  with a handle end  74  at one end and a hook profile  76  at the other end. This is bent out of the bar axis Z—which is in alignment with the centre axis M of the pivoting head  40 —and has an insertion section  78  which crosses said bar axis Z and is inserted into said end eye  57  of the latching body  50 . By virtue of the form-fitting connection between latching body  50  and tension or unlatching bar  70 , the fixed seating of the latter in said latching body  50  is ensured and thus slipping is avoided.  
         [0037]     The vertical profile  28   a  of FIGS.  7  to  10  has on the inside of its two end walls  27  in each case a push-on track  80  which is delimited by a transverse wall  82  integrally formed on the flank walls  26 . In each of these insertion tracks  80  there is seated a profile web  84  that fills the cross section thereof and—by virtue of inclined side edges  34 —tapers towards the end and in this region is passed through by an axle pin  42   a . The latter serves for the mounting of the pivoting head  41  which in this case is of a U shape in cross section, the leg walls  48  of which pivoting head are passed through by said axle pin.  
         [0038]     From the planar ridge plate  46   a  of the pivoting head  41 , there projects in the profile axis A a comb profile  47   a  as described above, which comprises a headliner  47   k  and in this case is divided in the longitudinal centre into two sections by a bore  86 . This bore  86  also passes through the ridge plate  46   a . The diameter of the bore corresponds—with play—to the diameter d of a latching pin  60  guided into the bore  86 , which latching pin  60  is part of an in this case linear latching body  51  as shown in  FIG. 8 . Said latching body  51  comprises an axial longitudinal slit  88  into which the axle pin  42   a  slides; between the latter and a bore-like upper slit space  89  of the longitudinal slit there is tensioned a helical spring  90 . This latching body  51 —which can be raised by the tension of the helical spring  66  or can be lowered against the latter—on a front surface at a central distance t 1  from its lower surface  53  having the width b, has integrally formed on it a hook  58  that bends away therefrom and has a hook end  58   a  directed towards the end. In the deep position of the latching pin  60  shown in  FIG. 8 , the hook  58  runs approximately alongside the lower edges  48   t  of the leg walls  48 .  
         [0039]     The unlatching bar  70  described above, when not in use, is mounted in a two-storey profile  90 , which is shown by way of example in  FIGS. 11 and 12  with a length a 1  of approximately 1600 mm, a width b 1  of approximately 150 mm and a thickness c 1  of approximately 20 mm. The cross section is composed of a central strip  92  having a width b 2  of approximately 28 mm and two flanking, integrally formed edge strips  94 , which latter are provided in the manner of so-called airline profiles with in each case an undercut longitudinal groove  95 ; in the latter there are arranged, axially and at a central distance z from one another, bores  98  the diameter d 1  of which is greater than the width g 1  of the longitudinal groove  95 ; as a result there are formed, between the bores  98 , edge sections  96  of the longitudinal groove  95  beneath which there run undercut regions  97 . At regular axial central distances z 1  of approximately 200 mm, in the centre of bores  98  there are provided screwholes  99 , where the pair of screwholes  99  adjacent to the transverse edges  91  of the two-storey profile  90  lies at a distance z 2  therefrom of approximately 130 mm.  
         [0040]     In the central strip  92 , there can likewise be seen an undercut longitudinal groove  100 , the side walls  102  of which run at equal distances q 1  of 22.5 mm from the profile longitudinal axis E, but the longitudinal edges  104 ,  104   a  of which in some sections are at different distances from the profile longitudinal axis E—forming undercut spaces  108 ; the longitudinal edge  104  shown on the left in  FIG. 11  is for example in the upper region of the two-storey profile  90  at a distance q 2  of approximately 15 mm from the profile longitudinal axis E, and the longitudinal edge  104   a  on the right is at a distance q 3  of approximately 10 mm.  
         [0041]     At a distance a 2  of 210 mm from the upper transverse edge  91 , the longitudinal groove  100  expands in the region of a window  110  having an axial length a 3  of 70 mm to the side walls  102  of the longitudinal groove  100  which, as has already been stated—run at a distance q 1  of 22.5 mm from the profile axis E. The undercut spaces  108  of varying width on the other hand connect again at this window  110 . In the vicinity of the lower transverse edge  91  in  FIG. 11 , there can be seen another window  110   t  having a length a 3 , which in this case practically corresponds to the abovementioned distance a 2 . The window  110   t  is delimited on the one hand by a side wall  102  of the longitudinal groove  100  and on the other hand by a longitudinal edge section the distance q 3  of which from the profile axis E is in this case 13 mm.  
         [0042]     Between the two windows  110 ,  110   t , there are arranged, at both longitudinal edges  104 ,  104   a  at axial distances n 2  of 40 mm from one another, in an alternating manner, narrow edge ribs  106  having an axial length n 3  of 40 mm, which project towards the profile axis E in the manner of a groove.  
         [0043]     Into this longitudinal groove  100 —as shown in  FIGS. 17 and 18  in relation to another two-storey profile  90   a  —there is inserted an unlatching or tension bar  70  which is retained inter alia by said edge ribs  106 .  
         [0044]     Reference  112  designates transverse grooves having a small width b 2  (3 mm), the upper one of which in  FIG. 11  runs at a distance a 4  of approximately 1800 mm from the upper transverse edge  91  and which are arranged at regular distances as of 125 mm.  
         [0045]     In the two-storey profile  90   a  shown in FIGS.  16  to  18 , there are no edge ribs  106 ; the width g 2  of the longitudinal groove  100 —which runs eccentrically with respect to the profile axis E—is in this case—apart from the windows  110 ,  110   t —constant and shorter than the thickness c of the tension bar  70 , which is pushed into the undercut space  108  and held therein; in the latching position shown in  FIG. 18 , the hook profile  76  is situated below the upper window  110 , and the end face  75  of the handle end  74  is seated on an inner bearing plate  114  of the two-storey profile  90   a , which is closed beneath this by a base plate  116 .