AU2013100494B4 - Greaseless Hinge - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract A hinge assembly for a displaceable wall of a transportation vehicle, the hinge assembly including a plurality of removable hinges, each of the removable hinges being of a pin and bushing arrangement; and wherein the hinge assembly maintains support of the displaceable wall when one of the hinges is removed.

Description

GREASELESS HINGE TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention generally relates to a hinge assembly for a truck body and/or trailer wall. BACKGROUND ART [0002] Many trucks include a displaceable, pivotable wall on the truck's rear body or trailer. The displaceable, pivotable wall pivots to open when the truck tips the rear body or trailer to allow material within the body or trailer to be expelled. Typically a hinge is included between the displaceable pivotable wall and the body or trailer as the pivot point. For a side truck the hinged wall is a side wall of the truck's rear body or trailer and for a rear truck the hinged wall is the rear wall of the truck's body or trailer. [0003] The hinges conventionally used on truck walls use a single unitary metal pin within the hinge. Friction is reduced within the hinge with the use of grease between the metal pin, bushing and housing. [0004] Over time the metal on metal hinge pivot arrangement wears and the hinge needs to be removed for maintenance or replacement. Additionally, with use, the hinge needs to be re-greased and the entire hinge needs to be removed due to the unitary structure of the hinge pin. As the metal pin within the hinge is a single piece the entire wall needs to be removed as otherwise the wall would fall off when the pin is removed. As the hinge is usually welded to the truck trailer, accessing the pin within the hinge involves cutting the welded connection. This is a labour intensive task that, due to the weight and size of the hinged walls, requires mechanical lifting and skilled technicians to both operate the mechanical equipment and to cut the welded connection. [0005] Alternative known hinges for truck walls include hinges at either end of the hinged walls and may include rubber covers along the length of the hinge. When the hinges on these hinged walls need greasing, servicing or replacement the entire hinged wall will need to be removed due the limited number of fixing points or because a single metal pin is used between the hinges. [0006] The preceding discussion of the background art is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention only. The discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to is or was part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of the application. SUMMARY OF INVENTION [0007] It is an object of this invention to provide a hinge assembly that can be serviced, replaced or have a part thereof replaced whilst a displaceable wall of the vehicle maintains its ability to be displaced. [0008] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the present invention seeks to provide a hinge assembly for a displaceable wall of a transportation vehicle, the hinge assembly includes a plurality of removable hinges, each hinges being of a pin and bushing arrangement; wherein the hinge assembly maintains support of the displaceable wall when one of the hinges is removed. [0009] Preferably the displaceable wall is on the discharge of the vehicle. [0010] Preferably, the bushing is a synthetic material. [0011] Preferably, the hinge assembly maintains support of the displaceable wall when several of the hinges are removed and wherein at least two of the hinges remain to support the displaceable wall. [0012] Preferably, a single pin extends through the at least two of the hinges. [0013] Preferably the hinge requires no lubricant. [0014] In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides a hinge assembly for securing a wall to a trailer such that the wall may pivot about the hinge assembly between an open position and a closed position, the hinge assembly comprising a plurality of hinges in adjacent arrangement, the hinges having a first portion removably secured to an edge of the trailer and a second portion removably secured to an edge of the wall, wherein the wall may pivot between positions when at least one hinge is removed from the hinge assembly. [0015] In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides a hinge assembly for securing a wall to its body such that the wall may pivot about the hinge assembly between an open position and a closed position, the hinge assembly comprising a plurality of hinges in adjacent arrangement, the hinges having a first portion removably secured to an edge of the body and a second portion removably secured to an edge of the wall, wherein the wall may pivot between positions when at least one hinge is removed from the hinge assembly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0016] Further features of the present invention are more fully described in the following description of several non-limiting embodiments thereof. This description is included solely for the purposes of exemplifying the present invention. It should not be understood as a restriction on the broad summary, disclosure or description of the invention as set out above. The description will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a hinge according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a bottom up view of the hinge of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an end view of the hinge of Figure 1; Figure 4 is an end view of a hinge according to the present invention illustrating both hinge leaves; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a hinge assembly according to the present invention; Figure 6 is a perspective view of the hinge of Figure 1: [0017] In the drawings like structures are referred to by like numerals throughout the several views. The drawings shown are not necessarily to scale, with emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS [0018] Referring to figures 1 to 6, the invention according to an embodiment is in the form of a hinge assembly 10 that includes a plurality of hinges 11 that are removably attachable to a displaceable wall of a transportation vehicle receptacle and to the frame body of the vehicle. [0019] It is within the scope of the present invention for the vehicle receptacle to be located on the tray or on a trailer of the vehicle. Where the vehicle receptacle is located on a trailer the hinge assembly 10 is attachable to a displaceable wall of a vehicle receptacle and to the frame body of the trailer.

[0020] It is also within the scope of the present invention for the hinge to be attachable to a displaceable wall of a vehicle receptacle and to the base of the vehicle receptacle. It is to be understood that references to the frame body of the tray or trailer could also refer to the base of the vehicle receptacle. [0021] The hinge 11 includes a hinge leaf 21 with housing 17, within which a nylon bushing and pin 13 are located. Connected to the outer surface of housing 17 is hinge leaf 21 and reinforcement bracket 27. The hinge leaf 21 includes apertures 25 along its length. Bolts or screws are retained in the hinge leaf 21 through apertures 25 and are fixed to either the displaceable wall of a vehicle receptacle or the frame body of the truck or trailer. [0022] Referring to figures 1, 2, 3 and 6, only 1 leaf 21 of hinge 11 is shown. The housing 17 of hinge leaf 21 does not extend the full length of the hinge leaf 21. The pin 13 of the hinge 11 has a length restricted so that it is of the same or less length as that of the hinge leaf 21. The pin 13 extends beyond the ends 14 of the housing 17 leaving pin sections 12 that are not housed within the housing 17. [0023] Referring to figures 4 and 5, a complete hinges 11 is shown, including opposing hinge leaf 31 that are connected to additional housing sections with nylon bushings (not shown) to house pin sections 12. The additional housing 37 includes apertures 35 through which bolts can be received to be fixed to either the displaceable wall of a vehicle receptacle or the frame body of the trailer. [0024] The hinge leaves 21 and 31 each respectively fix to opposites of the displaceable wall of a vehicle receptacle and the frame body of the trailer. For example where the hinge leaf 21 is fixed to the displaceable wall of a vehicle receptacle the hinge leaf 31 is fixed to the frame body of the trailer to allow the displaceable wall of the vehicle receptacle to pivotably displace and open. [0025] The bushing 15 rotates around the pin 13 and the housings 17 and 37 rotate around the nylon bushing 15 to open in a standard hinge motion. [0026] With the use of a nylon bushing 15 for contact with the pin 13 and housings 17, 37 friction between the bushing 15, pin 13 and housing 17, 37 is reduced. This friction reduction is sufficient to eliminate the need for grease or some other lubricant between the bushing 15, pin 13 and housing 17, 37. Over time the nylon bushing wears and will required to be replaced.

[0027] The hinge assembly 10 is made up of a plurality of hinges 11 so that the absence of one of the hinges 11 does not withdraw the supporting function of the hinge assembly between the displaceable wall of a vehicle receptacle and the frame body of the vehicle. [0028] When maintenance of a hinge 11, replacement of a bushing 15, pin 13 or other part of the hinge is required an individual hinge 11 can be removed. The bolts or screws passing through the leaves 21, 31 of the hinge 11 and restrained in apertures 25, 35 are removed and the hinge 11 is removed. The remaining hinges 11 of the hinge assembly 10 maintain the displaceable wall of a vehicle receptacle in place with respect to the vehicle receptacle. Whilst removed, the entire removed individual hinge 11 can be replaced, the pin 13 can be replaced or the nylon bushing 15 can be replaced. [0029] It is within the scope of this invention to use a variety of pin 13 lengths within the hinges 11, provided that the pin 13 length is no longer than the hinge leaves 21 or 31. [0030] It is also within the scope of the present invention for the hinge assembly 10 to be made up of a plurality of hinges 11 of sufficient number so that the removal of a block of two or three hinges 11 does not affect the support of the displaceable wall of the receptacle by the hinge assembly 10. In this scenario the pin 13 can be have a length equivalent to the length of two or three hinges 11. When the hinges 11 need maintenance the bolts fixing the two or three hinges 11 are removed and the two or three hinges 11 are removed as one piece due to the length of the pin 13. Then the pin can be easily removed and the two or three hinges 11 can be separated and/or maintained. [0031] It is within the scope of this invention to use an alternative plastic, teflon or synthetic bushing in place of the nylon bushing. [0032] It is within the scope of this invention for the vehicle to be a truck, a train or other type of vehicle capable of carrying large loads. [0033] Modifications and variations such as would be apparent to the skilled addressee are considered to fall within the scope of the present invention. The present invention is not to be limited in scope by any of the specific embodiments described herein. These embodiments are intended for the purpose of exemplification only. Functionally equivalent products, formulations and methods are clearly within the scope of the invention as described herein.

[0034] Reference to positional descriptions, such as lower and upper, are to be taken in context of the embodiments depicted in the figures, and are not to be taken as limiting the invention to the literal interpretation of the term but rather as would be understood by the skilled addressee. [0035] Throughout this specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers. [0036] Also, future patent applications maybe filed in Australia or overseas on the basis of, or claiming priority from, the present application. It is to be understood that the following provisional claims are provided by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of what may be claimed in any such future application. Features may be added to or omitted from the provisional claims at a later date so as to further define or re-define the invention or inventions.

Claims (5)

1. A hinge assembly used with a displaceable wall of a dump truck, the hinge assembly including a plurality of removable hinges, each of the removable hinges being of a pin and bushing arrangement; and wherein the hinge assembly maintains functional support of the displaceable wall when one of the hinges is removed.

2. The hinge assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bushing is a synthetic material.

3. The hinge assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the hinge assembly maintains support of the displaceable wall when several of the hinges are removed and wherein at least two hinges remain to support the displaceable wall.

4. The hinge assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein a single pin extends through the at least two of the hinges.

5. The hinge assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims where the hinge requires no lubricant.