GB2213116A

GB2213116A - Wheeled vehicle support

Info

Publication number: GB2213116A
Application number: GB8728684A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ashley Michael George Samuels
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-12-08
Filing date: 1987-12-08
Publication date: 1989-08-09
Also published as: GB8728684D0

Abstract

A wheel support 11 for a vehicle comprises a wheeled chassis 13 defining a wheel-support platform or rollers 15 and an inclined ramp 19 which may be positioned adjacent one end of the chasis structure to allow a wheel or a vehicle to be driven on to the support platform. An axle stand or overhead gantry may also be provided (Fig. 2). <IMAGE>

Description

WHEEL SUPPORT This invention relates to wheel supports of the type which afford access beneath an automobile or other vehicle for the purposes of servicing or repair thereof where the use of a hoist or a pit is not possible.

Known supports of the above type include an inclined ramp portion and an elevated horizontal support portion connected thereto, whereby a vehicle wheel is caused to mount the ramp portion and rest on the horizonal support portion. However, such supports which are generally used in pairs, one ramp for each of the near side and offside wheels of a given axle respectively, suffer from the disadvantage that they cannot be moved once a wheel is supported thereon and, moreover, only one axle of a vehicle can be supported at any one time.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a wheel support which may be used to avoid these disadvantages.

According to the invention, a wheel support (as hereinbefore defined) comprises a wheeled structure defining a wheel-support platform in combination with an inclined ramp for providing access for a wheel to the wheel-support platform.

Preferably, the ramp is detachable from the structure and may be provided with attachment or location means which render the ramp temporarily fixed to the structure.

At least one of the wheels with which the structure is provided, which may take the form of castors, rollers or the like, is preferably lockable so that the structure may be held stationary in a desired location on the floor or other supporting surface while the wheel of a vehicle is positioned therein and then if desired moved to a different location while still in the loaded condition.

The wheel-receiving surface of the support platform may be constituted either by cross bars or other rigid arrangement or alternatively by rollers. The use of rollers enables for example, the transmission of a vehicle to be tested while still in the supported condition.

One way of positioning the wheels of a four-wheeled vehicle each in a wheel support according to the invention is to lock each of two wheel supports in position in front of each non-driven wheel with an inclined ramp leading from the ground to the wheel-support platform and to drive the vehicle so that the non-driven wheels mount the ramps and become located on the platforms. The two supports may then be unlocked, the ramps removed and attached to a further two wheel supports locked in position behind each driven wheel, and the vehicle driven so that the driven wheels mount the respective ramps and become located on the respective platforms, the non-driven wheels being moved on their respective wheeled supports. The entire vehicle is then supported substantially in a horizontal plane and above the floor level.

Preferably, wheel supports according to the invention include a bridge member usable to provide a platform across one wheel support from the ramp to a second wheel support, so that to support a four-wheeled vehicle merely entails causing each non-driven wheel to mount the ramp, traverse the bridge member over a first wheel support and become located on a second wheel support placed in tandem with the first. The bridge member is then removed and the vehicle advanced further so that the non-driven wheels move on their respective second wheel supports away from the first wheel supports until the driven wheels become located in the said first wheel supports. Thereafter the ramps may be removed and the vehicle is supported, as indicated above, substantially in a horizontal plane and above the floor level.

It is preferred that wheel supports according to the invention include means to prevent a wheel from inadvertent removal from the wheel-support platform, such as restraints at each end of the platform which may be lowerable to allow a wheel access to or removal from the platform. The restraints may be pivotably connected for movement between a glowered access/removal position and a raised restraint position, and are preferably biased to the raised position. Side restraints may also be provided, whereby the wheel-support platform resembles the floor of a cradle for containing and holding securely a wheel.

Optionally, wheel supports according to the invention include additional supports or attachment points for supports, such additional supports including axle stands, overhead gantries between two wheel supports and for mounting a winch means, and the like.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing how a pair of wheel supports according to the invention may be positioned together with a ramp for location of respective front and rear wheels therein, and Figure 2 shows a detail of a wheel support according to the invention including an axle stand and an overhead gantry attachment point.

Referring to Figure 1, a pair of wheel supports are provided, labelled 11 and 12. Each support consists of a frame structure 13 including longitudinal and transverse members and leg members, carried at each corner by a swivellable lockable castor 14. The structure includes a wheel support platform which in the case of support 11 constituted by a pair of transversely-mounted rollers 15 and in the case of support 12 is constituted by rigid bars 16. At each end, the frame structures are equipped with guard members which in the case of support 11 are constituted by transverse bars or rollers 17, the guard members being pivotally mounted to opposed leg members for movement between a lowered position, to allow access to the platform for a wheel, and a raised position, to prevent a wheel, once supported on the platform, from inadvertent or accidental removal therefrom.The guard members are preferably biased to the raised position and latch means may be provided for each guard member to hold it temporarily against the bias in the lowered position. Alternatively, the bias force may be predetermined such that the guard member automatically moves to the lowered position under the weight of a vehicle, so that in the lowered position the transverse bar or roller acts as an extension of the wheel support platform in substantially the same plane thereof. In the case of support 12, the guard members are constituted by rigid bars 18.

A ramp 19 is provided for gaining access to the wheel support platform from ground level and a removable bridging member may be provided for spanning the first wheel support, thereby affording access to the second if this is the desired mode of access to the supports.

Alternatively, the ramp is positioned initially over the guard member bars 18 of wheel support 12, and a non-driven wheel of a vehicle is caused to mount the ramp and become located on the support bars 16, and the ramp is then removed to the position as indicated in Figure 1 for location of a driven wheel on the support rollers 15.

Referring to Figure 2, a front elevation of a wheel support according to the invention is shown and includes an axle stand 21 including a swivel head 22 and an overhead gantry 23 attached via a collar 24 to the frame structure. The overhead gantry may be used for attachment of hook or other lifting device, as shown. A vehicle wheel is indicated at 25, held within the wheel support.

Claims

1. A wheel support for providing access beneath a vehicle, the support comprising a wheeled chassis structure defining a wheel-support platform in combination with an inclined ramp for providing access for a wheel to the wheel-support platform.

2. A wheel support according to Claim 1, in which the ramp is temporarily attachable to the wheeled structure.

3. A wheel support according to Claim 1, in which at least one wheel of the wheeled structure is lockable.

4. A wheel support according to any preceding claim, including restraint means to prevent inadvertent removal of a supported wheel from the platform.

5. A wheel support according to any preceding claim, further including additional supports or attachment points for such additional supports.

6. A wheel support according to Claim 5, in which the additional support comprises an axle stand or an overhead gantry.

7. A wheel support constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.