Abstract:
Stabilizing devices having elongate telescoping tube segments and end clamps. The end clamps of certain of the devices are clamped onto side rails of a cargo bed for segmenting a cargo bed length way. The end clamps of other of the devices are clamped to the tube segments of the first devices for segmenting a cargo bed width way. Thus providing stabilization of segmented loads having length and/or width dimensions less than the length and/or width of the cargo bed.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present invention is a Non-Provisional Application of Provisional Application No. 60/607,560 filed Sep. 7, 2004 entitled “Cargo Stabilization Device for Vehicles and Trailers with Side Boards,” claims priority to said provisional application, and incorporates its specification in its entirety by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to structures for stabilizing individual segments of a cargo e.g., being delivered to different delivery sites. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A type of cargo delivery utilizes a truck bed on which different segments of cargo are to be delivered to different sites. The truck bed may include e.g., a flat bed truck provided with side rails that contain the cargo on the truck bed. A removable fabric cover (soft side) may be draped over the sides and raised to allow side removal of the load segments. 
     A problem occurs when the segments are sequentially unloaded. For example, a first delivery stop may involve the removal of a cargo segment at the front or middle of the truck bed. When subsequently traveling to a second site, the remaining cargo may be free to slide into the space vacated by the already delivered cargo segment. This problem is solved by the provision of cargo stabilizing devices. An elongate bar has end clamps, the bar extending between the side rails of the truck bed and removably clamped to the side rails. Thus a first segment is loaded on the truck bed and a stabilizing bar or bars mounted to the side rails and immediately behind that front segment. A second segment is loaded onto the bed and further stabilizing bars are similarly mounted, etc. The first segment can be unloaded (as permitted e.g., by rollup of the soft truck bed sides) and the stabilizing bars mounted behind that segment and in front of the second segment will stabilize the remainder of the load. The segmented loads will be stabilized regardless of whether the first removed/delivered segment is a center segment, rear segment, etc. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The process of stabilization as described above assumes that the cargo load is segmented in parallel lots, i.e. where each segment extends across the width of the truck bed both at the front and rear sides of the load segment. Should a load segment or portion thereof extend across the width e.g., at a ten foot depth for a part of the truck bed width and then narrowed to a five foot depth, a pocket is formed. That pocket can be filled by a following load segment but when one or the other is removed, a space is created that is not protected by a stabilizing bar, i.e. a cargo portion is free to slide sideways into the vacated pocket. 
     The present invention addresses this concern. The stabilizing bar is collapsible/extendable in length e.g., between a shortened length of about four feet and an extended length of about nine feet. Upon the occurrence of a “pocket”, a stabilizing bar is adjusted in length to the front and back distance of the spaced apart front and back stabilizing bars, and then removably clamped to the front and back stabilizing bars to protect a load from sliding sideways. The end clamps are designed to fit the bar configuration (or vise versa, the bar configuration is designed to accommodate the end clamps). 
     A further improvement to the end clamps allows rapid adjustment of the clamps as may be desirable for clamping the variable widths of the side rails. The collapsible stabilizing bar further benefits in providing greater convenience in the storage of the bars. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1A ,  1 B,  1 C illustrate an elongate bar having end clamps representing one embodiment of the stabilizing device of the invention in collapsed and extended views; 
         FIGS. 1D and 1E  illustrate schematically the device of  FIG. 1  applied to a truck bed; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates the embodiment of  FIG. 1  in partial section view; 
         FIGS. 3A ,  3 B,  4 A,  4 B,  5 A,  5 B,  6 A,  6 B,  7 A,  7 B,  8 A, and  8 B illustrate the end clamp for the elongate bar of  FIG. 1  and its various operating components including selected variations thereof. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference is first made to  FIG. 1D  which illustrates a truck  10  having a flat truck bed  12  and front and rear end walls  14  and  16 . Extended along the sides are side rails  18 . Cargo to be delivered is loaded on the truck bed  12  and confined on the truck bed by the rails  18 . The side rails  18  may be of different types i.e. removable or stationary and these may be supported only at the end walls or provided with intermediate support posts. Regardless, such trucks may be used to deliver cargo load segments, the segments being delivered to different locations. 
     Typically loads are separated on the truck bed by stabilizing devices that are clamped at the ends to the side rails. Depicted in  FIGS. 1D and 1E  are the improved stabilizing devices  20  of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 1A through 1C , the stabilizing devices of the present invention are adjustable lengthwise. With particular reference to  FIG. 1C  and  FIG. 2  it will be appreciated that the device  20  is an elongate bar in the form of square tubing and provided are three telescoping segments  22 ,  24  and  26 . Tube segment  26  is smaller in cross section than segment  24  and slides into and out of the tube  24 ; and tube segment  24  is smaller in cross-section than tube  22  and slides into and out of tube  22 . As an example only, the tube length may each be in the order of three and one half feet in length and collapsible down to an overall length of four feet (including end clamps  28  to be explained hereafter). The collapsibility of the tube or bar segments serves two purposes. It enables storage in a smaller space i.e. a four foot long storage area or for shipping on, e.g. four foot long pallets. Yet it is extendable to the typical truck bed width requiring a tube or bar length of between eight and nine feet. More importantly to the present invention, collapsibility, e.g. down to an overall four foot length enables the use of the stabilizing bar in the length way direction (between front and back previously placed cargo bars) to accommodate different load depths. 
     Reference is now made to  FIGS. 1D and 1E  to further illustrate this use. Stabilizing bar  20 ′ is identified differently only in the manner for which it is utilized. That is, rather than extending side to side between the side rails  18 , bar  20 ′ extends length way between bars  20 . As will be further explained, the width configuration of bars  20  (thickness  30 ) is similar to the thickness of the side rails  18  and end clamps  28  can similarly be clamped onto the bars  20  as illustrated. 
     With this enablement (collapsibility to different lengths and clamping capability to the bars  20 ) the bar use  20 ′ enables support against in-pocket-sliding. That is, assume the cargo of pocket  32  has been unloaded leaving the cargo  34  adjacent pocket  32  free to slide cross ways into that pocket. As illustrated a bar  20 ′ can be adjusted down to the length between bars  20  and butted up against cargo portion  34  and clamped onto the bars  20  to securely hold cargo  34  in place. 
     Reference is now made to the end clamps illustrated in  FIGS. 2-8 . As will be observed, the clamps include opposing jaws including an inner fixed jaw  36  and outer moveable jaw  38 . A slide member  40  is slideably mounted on the bar ends behind the inner jaws  36 . The outer jaw  38  is mounted to an arm portion  42  of the slide member  40  and moves toward and away from the inner jaw  36  as dictated by the sliding movement of slide member  40 . A bracket  43  is fixably mounted to the tube end. A lever  44  is pivotably mounted at pivot  46  to the bracket  43 . A pull rod  48  extends from pivot  52  at the end of arm  42  (overlying moveable jaw  38 ) to pivot  50  on lever  44 , which pivot  50  is a determined distance from pivot  46 . 
     It will be appreciated that pivotable movement of lever  44  about pivot  46  will produce back and forth movement of jaw  38 . The outermost position and the innermost position of jaw  38  relative to fixed jaw  36  is dictated by the length of pull rod  48  between pivots  52  and  50 . This distance is adjustable as will now be explained. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , it is first pointed out that the securement of the lever  44  in a closed position i.e.  FIGS. 3A and 3B , is achieved by forcing lever  44  to an over center position. That is, pivot  50  is pivoted past the line of connection between pivot  46  and pivot  52 . Once lever  44  is pivoted to this position, the distance between jaws  36 ,  38  is firmly established. Whereas not all rails  18  have the exact same thickness, it is desirable to provide adjustment as to the distance between the jaws when closed. 
     Reference is made to  FIGS. 5A ,  5 B which more clearly illustrate the adjustment features. It will be noted that the pull rod  48  includes a threaded bolt  54  that is attached at one end to pivot  52 . A coil spring  56  surrounds the bolt between pivot  52  and a hub  58  of the lever  44 . The spring abuts the hub  58  whereas the bolt passes freely through the hub. A formed nut  60  is threaded onto the bolt  54  and a formed inset/concavity  62  at the inner side of the nut  60  engages the hub  58  (the spring  48  urging the hub  58  and lever  44  toward the inset). While in the engaged position, the nut  60  will not readily turn relative to the bolt  54  which defines the open and closed positions of the outer jaw  38 . The open and closed positions can be increased or decreased by manually pushing the lever outward against the spring  48  to unseat the hub  58  from inset  62  (as shown in  FIG. 5B ), thus allowing turning of the nut  60  relative to the threaded bolt  54  to thereby move the nut  60  outward or inward as desired for opening or closing the distance between the jaws  36 ,  38 . 
     It will be appreciated that the stabilizing bar can be extended the distance between the side rails  18  and with the lever  44  in the open position, the jaws of the end clamp positioned at opposing sides of the side rails. As will be observed from the  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the engagement faces of the jaws are provided with an elastamer pad  68  having a configured outer face i.e., forming nodules. As the lever  44  is pivoted towards the closed position, the outer faces of the jaws engage the opposing sides of the rail. It is desirable that such engagement occurs before the lever is fully closed whereby the fully closed position requires compression of the elastimor pad for enhanced gripping. Should the fully closed position be too loose or too tight, the lever can be opened to a position where the spring  48  is further compressed and the hub  58  is unseated from the inset  62  of nut  60 , thus allowing inner or outer adjustment of the nut. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 2  which illustrates a latch mechanism to prevent disassembly of the bar so as to prevent inadvertent disassembly of the bar or tube length during telescopic extension of the bar. A latch mechanism  64  inside the small tube  26  at the inner end of the tube  26  extends through slot  66 . This latch  64  seats in retaining hole  68  in the end of middle tube  24  when these tube lengths are fully extended. Further extension is then possible only by relative telescoping movement between tubes  22  and  24  where a further latch mechanism (not shown) prevents these components from being over extended. The latch mechanism can be readily released manually or as desired by forcing a collapsed movement as between the two. 
     The embodiment herein disclosed is intended to illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention but which encompasses numerous alternative design features which will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is intended that the appended claim encompass such alternative design features and accordingly the claim terms are to be given their broad interpretation consistent with this intention.