AU5606199A

AU5606199A - Spare wheel stowage and deployment device

Info

Publication number: AU5606199A
Application number: AU56061/99A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Dimitrios TRAMBAS
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-10-26
Filing date: 1999-10-25
Publication date: 2000-05-04

Description

P/00/OII Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

C

C. C *9

C

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: Applicant:

DEVICE

DIMITRIOS, TRAMBAS The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: VAT CAWXi[NWORDVIOLET'O4RISNODELETB-lPl ICOM.DOC SPARE WHEEL STOWAGE AND DEPLOYMENT DEVICE The present invention concerns a spare wheel stowage and deployment device.

It has particular application to the stowage and deployment of spare wheels or tyres for larger vehicles whose wheels or tyres are not readily manoeuvrable by hand due to their size and/or weight. In this context the invention is of particular use for freight vehicles and trailers therefore.

Spare wheels for such vehicles may be mounted to the sides of the vehicle where they can inhibit other operations in respect of the maintenance and operation of the vehicle, and from where they must be lifted down to ground level when they are needed. Alternatively, spare wheels may be mounted underneath the vehicle body and dropped down upon release when needed, in which case they are seldom readily accessible and must still be manoeuvred from their horizontal storage position into an in-use vertical orientation.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved spare wheel stowage and deployment device.

To this end, the invention provides a spare wheel stowage and deployment device including a spare wheel carrier mounted for movement between a stowage position in which the spare wheel is stored within or adjacent the vehicle body and a deployment position in which the wheel is orientated substantially vertically at or close to ground level.

The invention therefore provides a means of stowing the spare wheel for normal use of the vehicle, and a means for deploying the spare wheel when needed from a position at or close to ground level in a vertical orientation. From the deployment position, the spare wheel can simply be rolled away from the carrier into its in-use position. Similarly, a wheel removed from the vehicle axle due to, for example, a flat tyre or other damage, can be rolled onto the carrier whilst the latter is in its deployment position. The carrier can then be returned to its 3 stowage position for transport to a location where the tyre can be replaced or repaired.

Preferably, the carrier is pivotably mounted for movement between said stowage and deployment positions. This arrangement permits the wheel or tyre stowed substantially horizontally to be rotated into the substantially vertical orientation for deployment.

In a preferred form, the carrier is pivotably mounted for movement relative to the 10 vehicle body about two non-parallel axes, such that it may be rotated from said stowage position to an extended position projecting from the vehicle body.

The extended position is preferably an intermediate position for the spare wheel S:carrier between the stowage position and the deployment position. In this way, the spare wheel can be swung out in its carrier from the stowage position into an accessible extended position projecting from the vehicle body, from which position it may be swung down into the deployment position.

The two non-parallel axes are preferably substantially mutually orthogonal.

In a preferred form, the spare wheel stowage and deployment device includes a substantially L-shaped pivot member having a first and second leg, said first and said second legs corresponding to said two non-parallel axes, the first leg being pivotably mounted to the vehicle body, said spare wheel carrier being pivotably mounted to the second leg.

Said first and second legs of said L-shaped pivot member are preferably of cylindrical cross section.

In this simple arrangement, the spare wheel and carrier may beswung out from the stowage position into the extended position by rotation of said L-shaped pivot member about the axis corresponding to said first leg, and then swung down from the extended position into the deployment position about the axis corresponding to said second leg. Hinge brackets are preferably used to provide the pivotable mounting between said L-shaped pivot member and, respectively, the vehicle body and the spare wheel carrier.

Preferably the carrier, when in its stowage or extended position, is at or close to a .oo.•i weight equilibrium position about said second leg.

In this way, it requires little force to rotate the carrier and spare wheel mass 10 around the axis provided by said second leg to bring the wheel into the deployment position. When rotated about that axis into the vertical deployment position, the lower part of spare wheel is now very close to ground level.

"Preferably, the spare wheel stowage and deployment device includes a selectively operable locking means to lock the spare wheel carrier into said stowage position. This may include a spring-loaded locking handle mounted to cooperate with said first leg of said L-shaped pivot member.

Preferably, the spare wheel carrier is of hollow, open, half-discoidal form.

Preferably, the spare wheel stowage and deployment device includes releasable retaining means whereby the spare wheel may be releasably fastened to the carrier. This may include a flexible strap or a rigid retaining bar mounted to the carrier.

The invention will now be described by way of illustrative example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which; Fig. 1 shows a vehicle trailer and illustrates the spare wheel stowage and deployment device of the invention in the stowage position, Fig. la presenting a plan view and Fig. lb presenting an elevation; Fig. 2 illustrates the device in the extended position, Fig. 2a presenting a plan view and Fig. 2b presenting an elevation; and Fig. 3 illustrates the device in the deployment position, the spare wheel being ready for use, Fig. 3a presenting a plan view and Fig. 3b presenting a section view.

Referring to the drawings, a freight vehicle trailer body 10 with structural members 11 and wheels 12 carries a spare wheel stowage and deployment device generally indicated by reference 15. The trailer shown is of the container-carrying 10 type, freight containers (not shown) being mountable on the trailer and releasably connected thereto by means of twist lock mechanisms 13 which cooperate with corner castings adjacent each corner of the freight containers.

S' A spare wheel or tyre 20 is stored in a holder 21 which is provided with a rigid steel stiffening strut 22. Holder 21 comprises two substantially semicircular sides connected by an arcuate strip web, to give an overall shape of a hollow open, 0 half-discoidal form, as shown in Fig. 3b.

The spare wheel can be carried within the holder and rolled out when required.

Holder 21 is pivotably mounted to one leg 32 of an L-shaped pivot member having two mutually orthogonal legs 31 and 32 fabricated from tubular cylindrical section steel bars welded together at their junction, and the L-shaped pivot member is in turn pivotably mounted to trailer 10 by way of the other leg 31.

The pivot mounts are provided by hinge brackets 33 and 34, hinge bracket 33 being fixedly attached by welding, bolting or otherwise to the side of the vehicle body 10 as shown in Fig. Ib, and two hinge brackets 34 being fixedly attached to holder 21 as shown in Fig. 3b. The cylindrical legs of the L-shaped pivot member are held within these hinge brackets 33 and 34, preferably restrained against longitudinal movement relative thereto but allowing relative rotational movement.

In this way legs 31 and 32 constitute two orthogonal axes for the movement of wheel or tyre carrier 21 relative to the vehicle body.

6 In operation, the spare wheel is normally carried within its holder 21, and the holder is normally in a stowage position underneath and close to the vehicle body As is clear from Fig. l a and Ib, the stowage position maintains the spare wheel and its holder in a horizontal orientation close to the centre line of vehicle body 10 so that it does not project from the sides of the vehicle when in motion and so that its weight will not act to unbalance the loading of the vehicle. In this specification and claims, the horizontal orientation of the spare wheel signifies a horizontal position when seen end-on, that is, with its axis arranged vertically.

*o.o Spare wheel stowage and deployment device 15 includes a spring-loaded locking handle 35 mounted to cooperate with leg 31 and to selectively lock the device into the stowage position, to prevent it swinging out and presenting an undesirable hazard when the vehicle is in motion. The handle is connected to a locking body which is spring-mounted for vertical sliding movement to bracket 33. In its raised position the locking body is clear of the end of cylindrical leg 31, whilst in its spring-loaded position the locking body engages with a corresponding recess or detent (not shown) in the end of leg 31 to prevent its rotation. Handle 35 may be arranged if preferred to be biased into both the unlocked and locked positions so that the user can unlock the device and then have both hands free to manoeuvre it. Additionally the locking handle may itself feature locking means (such as keyor combination- or remote-operated means) to prevent unauthorised use of the device.

When the spare wheel is needed, spring-loaded locking handle 35 is operated.

Holder 21 is then swung out by the user about the axis provided by vertical leg 31 from the stowage position to an extended position, the arc of motion indicated by dotted line 36 in Fig. 2a. In the extended position holder 21 projects from the side of the vehicle body It is then a simple matter for the user to rotate holder 21 around the axis provided by horizontal cylindrical leg 32 to bring the holder and thus the wheel into a vertical deployment position as shown in Fig. 3, wherein the rectangular mouth of open holder 21 is orientated vertically. If necessary, device 15 can then be rotated again by 900 about the axis provided by leg 31 to orientate the mouth of holder 21 in the forward or rearward direction relative to the vehicle body.

It is to be noted that horizontal leg 32 of L-shaped pivot member 30 is mounted substantially diametrically to the spare wheel holder 21. This ensures that the .90 weight is at or close to evenly distributed about the axis provided by this leg and 0000 the holder does not therefore swing downwards too readily under the force of gravity when swung out into the extended position, but merely needs relatively light force by the user to swing it into the vertical deployment position. The mounting of the holder is also designed to bring the spare wheel close to road level when the deployment position is reached. The spare wheel is retained in S"holder 21 by means of a rigid retaining bar or flexible strap 37 which is releasable to enable the spare wheel to be rolled out of the holder and then rolled into an inuse position. If desired, a worn or damaged tyre can be rolled into holder 21 :which is then re-stowed by reversing the deployment operation.

Many modifications to the construction specifically described may be envisaged.

Vehicle 10 may carry a single spare wheel stowage and deployment device or may be furnished with a number of such devices. The device of the invention may be provided by the manufacturer of the vehicle or may be retro-fitted to a conventional vehicle. Spare wheel holder 21 may be replaced by a wire cage construction or by a simple carrier bracket arranged to pivot around leg 32 and to which bracket the spare wheel may be releasably attached, for example by means of bolts.

It is understood that various modifications, alterations and/or additions may be made to the example specifically described and illustrated herein without *departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A spare wheel stowage and deployment device including a spare wheel carrier mounted for movement between a stowage position in which the spare wheel is stored within or adjacent the vehicle body and a deployment position in S0 which the wheel is orientated substantially vertically at or close to ground level.

2. A device according to Claim 1, wherein the carrier is pivotably mounted for 10 movement between said stowage and deployment positions.

3. A device according to Claim 2, wherein the carrier is pivotably mounted for movement relative to the vehicle body about two non-parallel axes, such that it may be rotated from said stowage position to an extended position projecting from the vehicle body.

4. A device according to Claim 3, wherein the extended position is an intermediate position for the spare wheel carrier between the stowage position and the deployment position.

A device according to Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein the two non-parallel axes are substantially mutually orthogonal.

6. A device according to any one of Claims 3 to 5, wherein the spare wheel stowage and deployment device includes a substantially L-shaped pivot member having a first and second leg, said first and said second legs corresponding to said two non-parallel axes, the first leg being pivotably mounted to the vehicle body, said spare wheel carrier being pivotably mounted to the second leg.

7. A device according to Claim 6, wherein said first and second legs of said L- shaped pivot member are of cylindrical cross section. 9

8. A device according to Claim 6 or Claim 7, wherein the carrier, when in its stowage or extended position, is at or close to a weight equilibrium position about said second leg.

9. A device according to any preceding claim including a selectively operable locking means to lock the spare wheel carrier into said stowage position.

A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the spare wheel carrier .is of hollow, open, half-discoidal form.

11. A device according to any preceding claim, including releasable retaining 000 o 00 0: means whereby the spare wheel may be releasably fastened to the carrier.

12. A device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 5 4 DATED: 25 October, 1999 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Attorneys for: DIMITRIOS TRAMBAS