Patent NZ-704763-A (NZ)
Title: A curtain tensioning control system for a curtain sided vehicle
Inventor: NICHOLAS HILL
IPC: B60P7/04
Filed: 2015-02-10
Abstract: Existing side structural components for the deck of a curtain sided truck or trailer are commonly found to be vertically tensioned by having engager members comprising hooks or similar devices that are able to engage with engageable members disposed along the adjacent side of the deck, such as openings in a coaming rail or locations along a tie-rail. Such arrangements can have 22 or more hooks and buckles along each side of the truck or trailer. Manual operation of these components is time consuming and dangerous in poor weather conditions. Further, regulations currently governing the transportation of cargo by road vehicles in Australian States set stringent minimum requirements for load restraint. These conditions are not easily met by the existing side structural components commonly used. Further, existing components that do meet the stringent requirements often require 2 or more people to operate. In this respect, the present invention seeks to provide an improved tensioning control system for a curtain sided vehicle in compliance with load restraint regulations. The present invention also seeks to provide a curtain sided vehicle having such tensioning control system for securing the lower margin at least in relation to the adjacent side of the deck. The invention addresses these aims and provides a tensioning control system for a curtain sided vehicle, such as a truck or trailer, having a side curtain at a side of the body of the vehicle with, at each of a number of locations along a lower edge margin of the curtain, a respective engageable member, such as a hook, by which the curtain can be engaged to enable the curtain to be vertically tensioned or at least held in relation to, wherein the tensioning control system includes a plurality of tensioning devices mountable in series in relation to the deck of the body of the vehicle, at or adjacent to the side of the deck at which curtain is provided, each of the tensioning devices has at least one engager member movable between a first position and a second position such that, with the devices so mounted, movement of each engager member from the first position towards the second position enables each engager member to engage a respective engageable member of the curtain to vertically tension the curtain or at least hold the curtain in relation to the adjacent side of the deck of the body and, movement of each engager member from the second position towards the first position enables each engager member to release and move out of engagement with the respective engageable member, each tensioning device includes an actuator operable in response a supply of pressurised fluid, for moving the engager member at least to the second position, and the control system includes a control arrangement by which a supply of pressurised fluid is supplied to the actuator of each tensioning device controlled in an arranged order in which, in turn, at least one actuator is pressurised to a required level for moving the engager member of the at least one actuator to the second position, following which at least one further actuator is similarly pressurised, and then at least one other actuator is similarly pressurised, and so on until all actuators have been similarly pressurised. The structure provides a simpler method of operation whilst also satisfying the stringent Australian requirements.