Bushing and belt tension system for captive beam system
This disclosure provides a bushing for a captive beam system, and specifically a bushing that extends between a track for a captive beam system and a bracket that slides along the track. In some captive beam systems that have automatic moving capability, the bracket (and therefore the captive beam that is rotatably connected to the bracket) is pulled upward or downward by a force applied thereto either directly or indirectly, and this force may result in some rubbing between the bracket and the track, which introduces the possibility of wear. The bushing is provided as a wear surface to prevent track or bracket wear. The disclosure also provides a tensioning system for an automatically movable captive beam.
1 . A bushing component for reducing wear in a decking system, including a vertical track configured to be installed upon a wall of a cargo compartment and a bracket configured to slide along the vertical track, comprising:
an elongated portion extending between a first end and a second end;
a first curved portion connected to the first end; and
a second curved portion connected to the second end,
wherein the bushing component is configured to be disposed in a groove of a bracket and configured for slidably receiving at least a portion of a vertical track slidably received in the groove of the bracket.
2 . The bushing component of claim 1 , wherein the first and second curved portions are configured to be received in two end portions of the groove of the bracket.
3 . The bushing component of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second curved portions has a U-shaped or J-shaped configuration including a first side portion and a second side portion that are connected through a middle portion.
4 . The bushing component of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second curved portions is translatable between a first configuration and a second configuration.
5 . The bushing component of claim 4 , wherein in the first configuration, the first and second side portions of each of the first and second curved portions are curved toward each other, such that when the first and second curved portions of the bushing component are received in the groove of the bracket, spaces are formed between the first and second side portions of each of the first and second curved portions and the respective end portions of the groove of the bracket.
6 . The bushing component of claim 5 , wherein when the vertical track is slidably received within the groove of the bracket, at least a portion of the vertical track engages the first and second curved portions of the bushing component disposed in the groove of the bracket and compresses the first and second side portions of each of the first and second curved portions of the bushing component towards the groove of the bracket such that each of the first and second curved portions is translated into the second configuration.
7 . The bushing component of claim 6 , wherein when each of the first and second curved portions is in the second configuration, no space is formed between first and second side portions of each of the first and second curved portions and the respective end portions of the groove of the bracket.