Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
SK 652
A2-83
06163
lZ44ZB7
S P E C I F I C A T I O N
BACKGROUND OF TH~ INVENTION .
1 Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for securely
restraining cargo during transport, and in particular, to a
device for securely ~estraining a load of cargo to prevent
movement thereof which could result in damage.
2. Background of the Invention
Unless a cargo load is adequately secured within its
vehicular carrier, motion of the vehicle, especially including
acceleration and deacceleration of same, tends to move or shift
the cargo with consequent damage to same, and often as well,
damage to the carrier. Heretofore, shippers have generally
found it necessary to rely on banding, blocking, or bracing to
secure the cargo load and provide for its integrity. Such
practices, however, are not only time-consuming to install and
'~,
~-64~
~ 8~
ccstly, but also rely heavily on individual judgment for their
adeguacy.
Certain types of hazardous cargo, notably munitions,
are of particular concern; they must be securely restrained
during transport to avoid accidental detonations caused by
jarring, or inadvertent physical contact between portions of
the cargo.
Within the last several years, a new class of devices
have come into use which are generally useful in restraining
loads of cargo during transport. These are exemplified by
Patents Nos. 4,147,112 and 4,317,645, each assigned to the
assignee of the present application.
Patent No. 4,147,112, issued to Green et al, thus
relates to a cargo support or retainer which endeavors to
avoid banding, blocking, or bracing of palletized cargo loads,
by providing a substantially L-shaped frame, wherein the lower
horizontal member which contacts the floor is provided with a
plurality of "anti-skid" spikes to resist movement of the
palletized load during transport.
A further such cargo restraining de~ice is disclosed
in said U.S. Patent No~ 4,317~645 issued to James Van Gompel.
In this device, an elongated floor contacting memb~r is pro-
vided with an upwardly acing load-bearing surface, the member
being adapted to project forwardly beneath a portion of the
~; cargo load. A generally upright member is secured to the floor
--2--
; S~-652 ~ ~ (
1, ' I
I ~ 87
I
contacting member in spaced relation from the forward end of
the floor contacting member for engaging with the caryo load,
and a floor piercing element is movably mounted on the floor
contacting member adjacent to the rea~ward end thereof. The
floor piercing element is normally disposed to pierce the
floor when the floor contacting member of the restraining
device is under load in service, and is movable to a position
incapable of piercing the floor when the restraining device
is out of service. Like the device disclosed in the Green
et al patent, this device is intended to resist movement of
the palletized laod during transport.
. ~
Patent No. 3,699,900 to Carlson, also describes
a device for use in the transport, handling and storage of
materials. This device has a base portion and a first wall
portion, either of which may be utilized in the lifting and
transporting of the device. A pair of opposed spaced side
panels are provided between the base portion and the first
wall portion, for confining and protecting the material on
said device.
These devices, while suitable for the transport
of cargo requiring no special handling, can afford less than
satisfactory safeguards against movement of portions of the
cargo relative to one another which might result in damage to,
or destruction of the cargo. A particular problem is thus
presented where the height of the load is such as to not
match reasonably well with the overall height of the device.
-3-
;; ,K-65~ ( (
~ 7
,. .
Under such circumstances the banding used to secure the load
to the restraining device may not be snugly fitted to the
~; load, thereby permitting a degree of shifting -- which can be
! particularly dangerous with hazardous loads such as munitions.
,
~ objects Of The Invention
~' _
In accordance with the foregoing, it may be regarded
as an object of the present invention, to provide a device
for use in restraining cargo loads during vehicular transport,
which is of unusual efficacy, as to render same of special value
in the transport of hazardous loads such as munitions.
i
It is a further object of the invention, to provide
a cargo restraining device of the foregoing character, which is
adapted for very effectively restraining cargo loads irrespec-
tive of the height of the load.
~ummary Of The Invention
., _
Now in accordance with the present invention, the
foregoing objects, and others as will become apparent in the
course of the ensuing specification, are achieved in a device
for securely restraining cargo during transport, comprising a
ge~erally planar platform member supported in spaced relation
from an underlying floor, and having an upper load bearing
surface for receiving a cargo load thereupon; and an upright
member adjoined to one end of said platform member for effecting
~4--
, ,K--6 52 ` ( ( .
'~ `
~2~ 37
\
1,~
i restraining c~ntact with the upright member. The upright
member includes a generally planar member facing the load
which is provided with a plurality of vertically spaced hori-
zontal slots therethrough, whereby straps may be passed beneath
said platform member and then about the load seated thereupon,
and securely fastened in contact with the load by being passed
; through a said horizontal slot in accordance with the height
of the load. Downwardly facing surface gripping projections
are provided at the bottom of the restraining device, to limit
its movement (and that of the load) with respect to the under-
lying floor.
~,
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cargo
restraining device may comprise a plurality of mutually spaced,
generally L-shaped support beams, a generally planar platform
member being supported upon the horizontal legs of the said
L-shaped members in spaced relation to the underlying floor.
The platform member has an upper load bearing surface adapted
to receive a cargo load thereupon. An upright member is adjoinec9
to one end of the platform member for restraining the adjacent
side of the load seated on the platform member. The upright
member is secured to the vertical legs of the L-shaped members,
and the upright member includes a generally planar portion
facing the load, which is provided with a plurality of verti-
cally 5paced parallel slots therethrough.
By virtue of this arrangement, strap members may be
passed beneath the platform member, thence about the load,
' 652'. 1 ~ (
' : I
',~ I
~ 4~ 37
', I . I
¦and thence through selected of the slots in accordance with
¦~he height of the load, and the ends thereupon connected to
jtightly secure the load to the cargo restraining device.
¦ The downwardly facing portion at the bends of the
¦L-shaped members may be provided with surf~ce gripping projec-
¦tions, to limit movement of the cargo restraining device and
¦load with respect to the underlying floor. These projections
¦can comprise teeth provided at metal plates which are secured
¦to the L-shaped members. The teeth may be sawtoothed in
~shape, and formed as rows at the lateral edges of the metal
plates~
~ The generally planar member can comprise a plurality
i of laterally joined, generally rectangular pieces, which include
cut-out portions at the lines of lateral joining which define
the slots for passage of the strapping. An uppermost rectangular
section can also be provided, which at the upper edge carries
a pair of bent over pieces for enabling the straps to be passed
thereover to provide a widened support surface for same.
The downwardly facing portion of the horizontal legs
of the L-shaped members remote from the bend of the Ll preferably
carries additional surface gripping projections~
1~ I
SK-552~
.
~ 37
Brief Description Of The Drawings
The invention is diagramatically illustrated, by
way of example, in the drawings appended hereto, in which:
FIGURE 1 is an end elevational view of a cargo
restraining device according to the present invention,
FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the cargo
restraining device of Figure 1,
~ IGURE 3 is a partial, lower end elevational view,
showing further details of the floor gripping means utilized
in the invention;
FIGURE 4 is a partial lower end elevational view
show.ing details of the "L" junction;
FIGURE 5 is an exploded view, in perspective, of
the cargo rastraining device of the invention; and
FIGURE 6 is an assembled view, in perspective, of
the cargo restraining device according to the invention, in use
~ith a palletized load.
Description Of The Preferred Embodiment
The cargo restraining device 10, best seen in its
totality in Figures 1, 2, and 6, comprises a generally planar
platform member 12, having an upper load bearing surface 14
for receiving a cargo load 1~6 thereuponJ as seen in ~igure 6.
_7_
3K-652 ~ ( ¦
~ 2~7
Cargo load 16 may comprise a palletized load (i.P., a load
secured to a pallet 11) in consideration of the exceptional
convenience provided where such load is palletized; however,
the present device is equally effective when utilized with
other types of loads. Load 16 may be a hazardous material, as
for example, a load of munitions or other material, which is
subject to damage or destruction if it should, to any extent,
be moved accidentally during shipment. The present device is
especi~lly adapted for restraining loads of this type, which
are not as effectively maintained in place by prior restraining
devices as aforementioned.
As may be best appreciated by reference to the
exploded view of Figure 5 taken in conjunction with Figures
1 and 2, the device 10 is formed from a plurality of spaced
generally L-shaped support beams, each of which comprise a
vertical member 16, and a horizontal men~er 18, which defines
the horizontal leg of the L. The generally planar platform
piece 15 is supported upon the horizontal legs or members 18,
and is maintained thereupon by welding or other suitable join-
ing operations. The platform piece 15 is thereby maintained
in spaced relation to an underlying support floor.
An upright member 2Q is adjoined to one end of the
platform member 12 for effecting restraining contact with the
adjacent side of the load seated on the platform member.
~pright member 20 is secured to the Yertical legs 16 of the
L-shaped members, and includes a generally planar portion 22
--8--
~-652
~ Z~7
faciny the load, which is provided with a plurality of vertically
spaced parallel slots 24, 24a, 26, 26a, 28, and 28ar which
define openings through the member 20.
By virtue of such arrangement, and as may best be
seen in Figure 6, strap members 30 and 32 may be passed
beneath the platform member 14 as at 34 and 3~, and thence
about the load passing finally through selected slotst as for
example in Figure 6, where the said straps pass through the
slots 26 and 26a, with the ends of the straps being secured to
each other by any convenient means, as for example by belt and
buckle arrangements or other banding means. Because of the
various possibilities presented by the multiple hori70ntal
slots 24, 26, etc., the straps may be passed through appropriate
slots in accordance with the height of the load so that a very
tight and snug interfit is achieved about the total load 16,
thereby maintaining same in extremely snug and secure contact
with the cargo restraining device 10.
The L-shaped members consist of the vertical members
16 and horizontal members 18, which are, as aforementioned,
welded to one another to form the continuous L-shaped members.
As shown in ~igure 5, a gusset 40 is provided where the L junc-
ture occurs to enable good reinforcing effect at such zone.
Referring particularly ~o Figures 1 through 4, it will
be seen that the present device 10 is provided with a plurality
of floor gripping projections, preferably in the form of appro-
S~-~52 (~ (
~ 87
priately shaped $eeth or the like, at the downwardly facing
portion of the L junctions. More specifically it is seen,
referring especially to Figures 3 and 4 r that cleat plates 42
and 44 are provided, which carry at their bottommost edges a
plurality of sawtooth shaped teeth 46, Plates 42 and 44 are
retained within cleat guides 43 and 45 which are welded to
legs 18, and are secured by bolts 48, washers 49 and nuts 50
to the bottom of the said L-juncture. As seen in Figure 3,
the teeth 46 at the bottom of a particular plate, may be bent
to alternate sides of the vertical plane, i.e., successive
teeth 46a, ~6b, are so bent in the row of teeth, so as to
introduce additional stability tending to preculde side-to-side
or lateral swaying of the load seated upon the cargo restraining
device.
It will be clear that the arrangement of the sawtooth
shaped teeth is such as to sharply limit displacement of the
restraining device carrying the load in a rearward direction,
i.e. movement toward the right in the sense of Figure 2. Under
such circumstances, the sawtooth shaped teeth will dig into the
underlying support floor.
To provide additional resistance to movement, further
projections, such as teeth or the like, may be provided at the
bottom surface of the front end of horiæontal legs 18, as shown
in Fi~ure 2 at 52.
The portion 22 constituting the rearward support
~1 1
. /~_
S~-652' ~ (
~24~28'7
planar piece, as best seen in Figure 5, may be formed from a
plurality of generally rectangular pieces 54, 56, 58, and 60,
which pieces are laterally joined, as for example by welding.
These pieces 54, 56, etc., include cutout portions formed by
bending over the metal cutouts, as for example at 62, 68, etc.
These cutout portions, upon lateral joining, define the afore-
mentioned horizontal slots 24, 26, etc. The bent-over portion,
as at 62, provides a widened support where the strap passes
through the slot to prevent undue wear or strain upon same.
This same result obtains at the topmost rectangular piece 60
where bent-over portions 70 and 72 are provided; i.e. when
strapping passes about the topmost edge of backing member 20,
the extended portions 70 and 72 again prevent undue strain upon
the strapping.
The vertical members 16 are secured to the member 20
and to the platform backing piece 21, by being welded thereto.
While the present device has been shown with three L-shaped
support members, other numbers, such as two, or numbers greater
than three, can be readily utilized.
As aforementioned, while the present device is par-
ticularly useful in connection with hazardous loads, such as
ammunitions and the like, it is of such efficacy in restraining
loads, that it is well suited to any type of palletized or non-
palletized load.
While the present invention has been particularly set
1~ 1
/~
5~-652 . ~ ( (.
~ 7
forth in terms of specific embodiments thereof, it will be
understood in view of the instant disclosure, that numerous
variations upon the invention are now enabled to those skilled
in the art, which variations yet reside within the scope of
the present teaching. Accordingly, the invention is to be
broadly construed, and limited only by the scope and spirit
of the claims now appended hereto.
