Displaceable ceiling mounted cargo restraint system
AssigneePepsiCo, Inc.
InventorGeorge Homanick
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cargo restraint system comprising pneumatic engagement means especially adapted for tall upright wheeled carriers for e.g. beverages.
Claims14
In a cargo restraint arrangement for an enclosed truck body having a cargo-supporting floor structure and a roof structure, said floor structure being adapted to have bulk cargo conveyed and stored thereon, the improvement comprising:
- generally horizontally extending vertically displaceable rigid planar means being disposed below said roof structure, said planar means extending along a longitudinal length of said truck body and positioned at predetermined locations above said bulk cargo;
- means connecting said planar means to said roof structure for vertical movement relative thereto;
- said connecting means including resiliently yieldable means for normally biasing said planar means upwardly towards said roof structure;
- expandable means being interposed between said roof structure and the upper surface of said planar means, said expandable means being normally compressed intermediate said roof structure and the upper surface of said planar means responsive to the upward biasing force of said resiliently yieldable means;
- and actuating means for pressurizing and expanding said expandable means during predetermined time periods for forceably moving said planar means downwardly towards said bulk cargo into resilient pressure engagement therewith so as to restrain the latter from movement within said truck body.
In a method for the transport of goods racked or stacked in tall upright wheeled carriers supported upon a platform forming a cargo-supporting floor of an enclosed truck body having a roof structure, the improvement which comprises resiliently engaging the uppermost portions of said carriers with normally upwardly biased rigid planar contact means suspended from said roof structure for vertical displacement relative thereto, and applying downwardly directed pressure through the interposition of expandable means between said roof structure and said planar contact means sufficient to engage and lockingly urge said carriers into a fixed and stable position against and upon said platform for transport, releasing the pressure engagement of said contact means for allowing movement of the said carriers on said truck platform and reengaging said contact means in the same manner for continued transport of the truck while the carriers are maintained in a fixed position on the truck platform.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.