Load restraining device
A load restraining device that provides a system in which straps extending from one side of a web strap arrangement initially run parallel to the wall to which they are connected, as opposed to extending perpendicular to the wall as in the prior art. The anchor itself is a horizontal wall member running longitudinally along the wall of the railcar or trailer. An adjustable anchor is used to permit moving the attachment point several inches to allow for load variations. The attachment of the web strap arrangement is normally 14″ to 18″ behind the face of the load. Unlike previous systems, this provision of anchor points behind the load effectively “encapsulates” the load rather than merely providing a bulkhead effect.
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This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/280,348 filed Oct. 25, 2002, currently allowed, which claimed priority based on U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/343,106 filed Oct. 25, 2001 and entitled “LOAD RESTRAINING DEVICE.”
BACKGROUND1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to securement of loads and in particular to securement of loads for transport by railcar, and is more particularly directed toward a system for restraining loads in box cars or other transportation vehicles by use of a web strap net and ratchets.
2. Description of Related Art
Loads being transported generally require some type of restraint system in order to prevent damage to both the load and the transportation vehicle. Loads on rail cars need to be restrained from shifting under the various loads imposed by draft, buff, and rocking of the car.
For particular types of loads, such as large rolls or coils of sheet material, or palletized loads, tensioning mechanisms using straps and anchors are advantageous. When cargoes contained on racks, in boxes or bags, and arranged on pallets or slip-sheets, are loaded into railcars, some form of cargo restraint is required. One presently known form of load restraint is a movable bulkhead or “door” that can be placed in selected positions along the length of a box car. This bulkhead is held in place by locking pins inserted into floor tracks and ceiling tracks. Adjustment of bulkhead position is facilitated by rollers on a ceiling carriage that engages a ceiling rail or track.
This bulkhead approach has become less popular in recent years due to high maintenance. A bulkhead unit will frequently fail because the unit ceases to roll well, or fails to lock properly. There is also a safety concern, since bulkheads can disengage from the top track and fall, causing injury or death to workers, and damage to railcars and cargoes.
A form of bulkhead restraint system implemented with web strapping and ratchets has been tried on railcars and highway trailers. In this prior art system, the web connects to a side wall via a wall anchor and hook, extends outwardly at an angle of about 90 degrees to a point on the opposite wall of the car or trailer. This portion of the web is connected to the opposite wall via similar wall anchors and hooks. To provide tension in this “bulkhead web,” ratchets are provided on the netting itself.
This system has a number of disadvantages, among which are an inherent “cross-car” load distribution that has a tendency to pull car walls in. In addition, the bulkhead web is not easily positioned or adjusted to prevent undesired load shift. Accordingly, a need arises for a load restraining device that is dependable and safe in operation, as well as being economical to install and relatively maintenance-free. The load restraining device should be capable of providing appropriate load tension to prevent load shift, as well as keeping the load centered in the car or trailer to eliminate the need for so-called “center-void” fillers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThese needs and others are satisfied by the load restraining device of the present invention, in which the known bulkhead restraint system is replaced by web strap netting and ratchets in a unique arrangement. Briefly stated, the load restraint system of the present invention does not rely on the traditional method of a wall anchor and hook, but instead provides a system in which straps extending from one side of a web strap arrangement initially run parallel to the wall to which they are connected, as opposed to extending perpendicular to the wall as in the prior art. The anchor itself is a horizontal wall member running longitudinally along the wall of the railcar or trailer. An adjustable anchor is used to permit moving the attachment point several inches to allow for load variations. The attachment of the netting is normally 14″ to 18″ behind the face of the load. Unlike previous systems, this provision of anchor points behind the load effectively “encapsulates” the load rather than merely providing a bulkhead. The side of the railcar or trailer that includes these adjustable anchors is termed the “fixed” side and has no ratchets.
The netting is similar to known web strap netting. It has horizontal and vertical web straps (3″ wide is used but other widths are possible). It features ends on one side that fit into nut bolts in the wall anchor on the fixed side. The net runs behind the load to these anchoring points, and then around the load in front and over the top if needed. The other side of the net runs behind the load and the straps are fed into rings, which allow the strap ends to be fed into ratchets for tightening. The web strap is not normally secured to the ceiling or floor, but such features could be incorporated under unique circumstances.
The netting of the present invention also features a multitude of vertical straps in positions corresponding to the “corners” of the load (where the netting wraps around the load). This “soft corner protector” provided by this unique web strap geometry is to prevent the horizontal straps from digging into the load at the corners. This soft corner protection feature may also be implemented by providing canvas or other fabric at the sides of the net, about 12″ to 18″ in width, and extending the full height of the net. Preferably, the canvas or fabric would not extend over the full width of the net as in previous designs. There are no ratchets positioned along the netting itself as in previous systems.
Along the wall opposite the “fixed” anchors is a series of ratchets mounted on the wall horizontally and parallel to the wall. The ratchets may be mounted either permanently or in such a way as to allow easy removal by unscrewing, unbolting or tack weld cutting. Damaged ratchets can thus be removed easily for repair or replacement, if needed.
The netting is connected to the ratchets by taking the horizontal loose strap ends and feeding them around pins, or through adjustable rings, mounted on a horizontal rail parallel to the wall. The rings or pins are preferably located about 10″ to 18″ behind the load face. This results in the net “encapsulating” the load along the face that abuts the net. The loose ends are then fed into the ratchet and reel bars, and pulled tight to remove any slack, then the ratchet handle is “pumped” to tighten the load to the desired “preload” tension. At unloading, the tension is released, in this case by rotating the ratchet handle 180 degrees. The ratchet is mounted far enough from the load face to permit this operation. Upon unloading and loosening of the net, it is stored on a hanger provided on the same wall as the “fixed” anchors.
Using a web strap netting that starts behind the load instead of the traditional “straight across” method allows the web strap net to pull the load toward the center of the railcar or trailer to prevent load shift. “Behind the load” securement allows load-shifting forces to be taken down the length of the car instead of across the car. This eliminates the potential to pull car walls in. It also keeps the load centered in the car, and thus eliminates the need for center void fillers.
An alternative embodiment utilizing multiple restraining net portions and flush-mounted anchors is also described. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a load restraining system adapted for installation in a cargo transportation vehicle comprises a cargo restraining net including horizontal and vertical strap elements attached at their intersections, and an extension portion proximate an upper edge, the extension portion adapted to engage with one or more corners of a cargo being restrained, a plurality of anchors affixed to a first sidewall of the transportation vehicle, a plurality of strap adjustment mechanisms affixed to an opposing sidewall of the transportation vehicle, a first plurality of web straps extending from a first side of the cargo restraining net and affixed to the plurality of anchors, and a second plurality of web straps extending from a second side of the cargo restraining net and engaged with the plurality of strap adjustment mechanisms. The cargo restraining net firmly restrains the cargo when the strap adjustment mechanisms apply tension to the web straps, each of the first and second plurality of web straps extending from the cargo restraining net to the anchors and strap adjustment mechanisms is substantially parallel to the first and second sidewalls of the transportation vehicle, and the extension portion of the cargo restraining net engages the corners of the cargo to prevent horizontal strap damage to cargo corners.
In accordance with an alternative embodiment of the invention, a removable load restraining system adapted for installation in a cargo transportation vehicle comprises first and second cargo restraining net portions including horizontal and vertical strap elements attached at their intersections, a plurality of anchors substantially flush-mounted to interior sidewalls of the transportation vehicle, web straps extending from a first side of the first cargo restraining net portion and from a second side of the second cargo restraining net portion, the web straps removably engaged with the plurality of anchors, a plurality of strap adjustment mechanisms affixed proximate a first side of the second cargo restraining net portion, and a plurality of web straps extending from a second side of the first cargo restraining net portion and removably engaged with the plurality of strap adjustment mechanisms. The cargo restraining net portions meet along the cargo load face and firmly restrain the cargo when the strap adjustment mechanisms apply tension to the web straps, and each of the web straps extending from the first side of the first cargo restraining net portion and from the second side of the second cargo restraining net portion, in removable engagement with the plurality of anchors, is substantially parallel to the first and second sidewalls of the transportation vehicle.
In yet another alternate embodiment, web strap netting is used without ratchets. In accordance with this embodiment, a load restraining system for installation in a transportation vehicle comprises a plurality of cargo restraining straps to engage the face of the cargo being restrained, attached to a plurality of anchors affixed to the sidewalls of the vehicle. The web strap netting having a loop at each end of horizontal web strap elements that engage with an anchor fastener securing it to the anchor. The web strap is attached behind the face of the load so that the strap runs along the sidewall of the vehicle before engaging the face of the load.
Further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific exemplary embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and have herein been described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit the disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the disclosure as expressed by the following numbered features and elements.
The railroad box car 100 includes vertical members 102 that provide structural integrity for the side wall of the car. The vertical members 102 are substantially equally spaced along each of the opposing railcar sidewalls, and may be formed from wood, steel, or aluminum, for example. Generally, interior walls 101 for the railcar 100 are constructed from plywood sheets that are attached to the vertical supports by conventional means, such as nails, screws, or other known fasteners. The railroad box car 100 also includes doors 106 located approximately centrally along each sidewall. Of course, the presence of doors 106 and their locations have no particular impact on the present invention.
The anchoring system has been devised such that there are four “fixed side” anchors 103 and four “ratchet side” anchors 104 for each load restraining device installation. There are four such load restraining devices contemplated for the standard railroad box car installation, but there could be more or fewer depending upon the specific application, and the type of transport vehicle into which the devices are installed. For the box car application, there are preferably two retraining devices installed on each side of the railcar lateral centerline (labeled A in
Hangers 201 (shown in a closer view in
Each of the fixed side anchors 103, illustrated in
As mentioned previously, the “ratchet side” requires one of the fixed side anchors 103 and a ratchet support assembly 105, which is depicted in detail in
The configuration of the web strap net 801 itself is shown in
A second vertical 12″ strap 1705 is laterally spaced from the first vertical strap 1709 by about 96 inches, and is also arranged to overlap the uppermost horizontal strap. The interior portion of the web strap net is comprised of a series of vertical straps 1701, approximately 2″ wide and spaced about 14″ apart, in conjunction with a similar arrangement of horizontal 2″ straps 1704, spaced apart at the same distance. The vertical straps 1701 are also allowed to extend beyond the topmost horizontal strap 1706 by about 13 inches, and an additional 3″ strap 1707 is sewn to the ends of these vertical straps 1701 and allowed to overlap on the ends by about 12 inches.
As shown in
The horizontal straps 1706 include short extensions 1702 that extend beyond the first vertical strap 1709 by about 18 inches, and are terminated in loops or eyes 1708 that are formed by folding over the strap material 1702 and sewing the material together in the “sewing area” illustrated in
In an alternative form, the strap ends 1702 can also be equipped with steel rings 2301, as shown in
In operation (referring also to
Of course, the use of the load restraining device is not limited to railcar applications. The inventive system is readily adaptable to over-the-road trailers, even those where cargoes are loaded and unloaded through a single rear door. In those applications, the bolts 2201 are disposed on the side of the load face 803 that is away from the rear door of the trailer. Thus, the load restraining device will forestall undesirable shifting of cargoes toward the loading door in such over-the-road trailer installations.
Of course, there are situations in which the permanent mounting of ratchet assemblies to the interior sidewalls of transport vehicles (such as railcars) cannot be tolerated. This is true, for example, for multiple use railroad boxcars that may carry various types of loads. Permanently installed ratchets would protrude into the cargo space and could cause damage to some types of cargoes, as well as interfering with the loading of certain cargoes that actually require the entire boxcar width for proper accommodation.
As noted, because this alternative restraint system is designed to be removable, the web strap nets themselves are provided in sections. The large nets described above in conjunction with the previous embodiment would simply be too heavy, once encumbered with ratchet assemblies, to function satisfactorily in a removable environment. Consequently, the web strap net configuration illustrated in
Since the web strap net of
The vertical strap sections 2803 are positioned relatively close to the securement pin 2703 ends of the straps 2801. The wide vertical straps 2803 are employed because of uncertainty regarding the precise corner locations for various cargoes, and it is believed that this structure provides a wide range of corner support to meet most eventualities. A relatively long run of free strap ends 2802 is designed to extend along the cargo frontage and mate with the ratchet assemblies 2704 of the mating web strap section. Since the ratchet assembles 2704 and the free strap ends will mate and engage with each other at a point along the frontage (or face) of the cargo, it is contemplated that a cushioning material, such as cardboard dunnage sheets, for example, will be inserted between the ratchets and the load face in order to avoid damage to the cargo.
Alternative web strap net configurations are also provided.
Using the web strap nets described above, removable restraint configurations can be easily achieved featuring various combinations of horizontal straps to accommodate a variety of loads. For example, using the plurality of anchors provided in the railcar of
Anchor assemblies 3330, 3430 comprise a channel, preferably made of 4⅝″×2 ⅝″× 5/16″ steel, though other materials may also be suitable. Each channel has a number of holes 3328, 3428 sized to accommodate a 1″-8×6″ hex bolt. Preferably, the holes are 1 1/16″ dia. spaced on 6″ centers.
A web strap net is secured to the anchor assemblies. As shown in
At the end of each horizontal strap extended portion 3806 is a loop 3808. As can be seen in
In the embodiment shown, the anchor channels 3320 and 3420 are arranged four-high and are located with the first anchor being 12″ above the floor of the box car 100, with the second anchor 54″ above the floor, the third anchor 96″ above the floor, and the fourth anchor 138″ above the floor. In other words, in this embodiment, the anchor assemblies 3320 and 3420 are spaced 42″ apart vertically. These spacings are designed for a particular type of load, specifically a three-high stack of auto parts racks each measuring 96″×48″×60″. Other vertical spacings of the anchor assemblies may be more suitable for different types of loads. Also, it should be noted that for arrangements having a different number of horizontal web straps, different numbers of anchor assemblies may be arranged at heights appropriate for the particular application.
At the adjustable end, the anchor channels 3420 are 193″ long. Holes 3428 are provided 6½″ from each end of the channel and spaced along the channel 6″ apart. Similar to the fixed end, each strap on the net is run between the channel and the fulcrum bolt and secured by an anchor bolt and hex nut. In this way, the attachment points for the net are positioned behind the face of the load at each end. If the load shifts in transit, the fulcrum bolt redirects the force of the shifting load along the length of the anchor channel, and reduces inward pull of the car walls.
The embodiment of
As shown in
As shown in
The load restraining device of
There has been described herein a load restraining device that offers distinct advantages when compared with the prior art. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the illustration and description of the present invention in a railcar installation is not intended to limit the invention to railcar applications alone.
Claims
1. A load restraining system adapted for installation in a transportation vehicle comprising:
- a plurality of cargo restraining straps to engage with one or more faces of a cargo being restrained;
- a plurality of anchors affixed to a first sidewall of the transportation vehicle;
- a plurality of anchors affixed to a second sidewall of the transportation vehicle;
- each of the plurality of cargo restraining straps extending from one of the plurality of anchors affixed to the first sidewall to one of the plurality of anchors affixed to the second sidewall; and
- wherein lateral forces on the first and second sidewalls are minimized by each of the plurality of cargo restraining straps running substantially parallel to the first and second sidewalls before engaging the face of the cargo.
2. The load restraining system of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of cargo restraining straps has a first end with a loop and a second end with a loop.
3. The load restraining system of claim 2 wherein each of the plurality of anchors comprises a steel channel having a first flange and a second flange with a web therebetween; and a plurality of pairs of substantially aligned apertures extending through the first and second flanges adapted to accommodate a fastener through the first and second flanges.
4. The load restraining system of claim 3 wherein each of said plurality of anchors further comprises:
- an anchor fastener disposed within one of the plurality of pairs of substantially aligned apertures;
- a fulcrum fastener disposed within one of the plurality of pairs of substantially aligned apertures; and
- wherein the fulcrum fastener is positioned proximal to the face of the cargo and the anchor fastener is positioned distal to the face of the cargo.
5. The load restraining system of claim 4 wherein the anchor fastener is a bolt threadedly engaged and secured by a nut.
6. The load restraining system of claim 4 wherein the anchor fastener is a pin secured by a cotter pin.
7. The load restraining system of claim 4 wherein the fulcrum fastener is a bolt threadedly engaged and secured by a nut.
8. The load restraining system of claim 4 wherein the fulcrum fastener is a pin secured by a cotter pin.
9. The load restraining system of claim 4 wherein each of said plurality of cargo restraining straps is secured to one of the plurality of anchors on the first sidewall by a first anchor fastener disposed within one of the plurality of pairs of apertures and the first anchor fastener passing through the loop in the first end of the strap;
- the strap running substantially parallel to the first sidewall along the channel and passing between the channel and a first fulcrum fastener;
- the strap wrapping around the first fulcrum fastener to engage across the face of the cargo and extending to engage an anchor on the second sidewall the strap by wrapping around a second fulcrum fastener;
- the strap passing between the second fulcrum fastener and the channel, running substantially parallel to the second sidewall along the channel and being secured to the anchor on the second sidewall by a second anchor fastener disposed within one of the plurality of apertures nad the second anchor fastener passing through the loop in the second end of the strap.
10. The load restraining system of claim 4 further comprising:
- a rotatable sleeve disposed about the fulcrum fastener; and
- a link defining an aperture affixed to the sleeve such that the link is able to pivot about the fulcrum fastener.
11. The load restraining system of claim 10 wherein each of said plurality of cargo restraining straps is secured to one of the plurality of anchors on the first sidewall by a first anchor fastener disposed within one of the plurality of pairs of apertures and the first anchor fastener passing through the loop in the first end of the strap;
- the strap running substantially parallel to the first sidewall along the channel and passing through the aperture of a first link pivotally attached to a first fulcrum fastener;
- the strap wrapping around the first link link to engage across the face of the cargo and extending to the second sidewall wherein it engages an anchor by passing through the aperture of a second link pivotally attached to a second fulcrum fastener, running substantially parallel to the second sidewall along the channel and being secured to the anchor on the second sidewall by a second anchor fastener disposed within one of the plurality of apertures and the second anchor fastener passing through the loop in the second end of the strap.
12. The load restraining system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of cargo restraining straps comprises a net having:
- a plurality of horizontal web strap elements and a plurality of vertical web strap elements attached at their intersections;
- the horizontal web strap elements having extension portions extending outwardly from the vertical web strap elements; and
- each extension portion terminating in a loop.
12. The load restraining system of claim 11 further comprising two vertical web strap elements positioned so as to engage a first corner and a second corner of the face of the cargo.
13. A load restraining system adapted for installation in a transportation vehicle comprising:
- a first load restraining system of claim 1, claim 9 or claim 11, wherein a first plurality of cargo restraining straps is fixedly attached at a location within a transportation vehicle engaging a first cargo face;
- a second load restraining system of claim 1, claim 9 or claim 11, wherein a second plurality of cargo restraining straps is adjustably attached at a location within a transportation vehicle opposite the first load restraining system engaging a second cargo face; and
- wherein the cargo is disposed between the first load restraining system and the second load restraining system.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 3, 2005
Publication Date: Dec 8, 2005
Applicant:
Inventors: Stuart Thomson (Downers Grove, IL), Mark Zhan (Orland Hills, IL), Edward Bell (Chesterton, IN)
Application Number: 11/145,343