CA1082145A

CA1082145A - Battery locating device

Info

Publication number: CA1082145A
Application number: CA304,942A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Robert J. Stroud
Original assignee: Lansing Bagnall Ltd
Current assignee: Linde Material Handling UK Ltd
Priority date: 1977-06-15
Filing date: 1978-06-07
Publication date: 1980-07-22
Also published as: US4192397A; JPS5418044A; GB1580263A; EP0000246A1; AU3695378A

Abstract

"BATTERY LOCATING DEVICE"
Abstract of the Disclosure The invention is concerned with the provision of a device for locating a heavy component such as an electrical battery on a chassis such as that of an industrial lift truck, and for preventing dislodgement of the battery even during excessive tilting of the chassis.
The apparatus includes a frame formed from two spaced parallel channel members (11) which extend longitudinally of the truck and are bolted to the chassis (10). In the upper surface of each channel member (13) is a downwardly extending slot (19) in which a respective spigot (18) of the battery (16) is received when the battery (16) is located between the two channel members (13).
A respective flap (21) pivotally attached to each channel member (13) adjacent its slot (19) is then rotated about its pivot into an operative position in which it covers a substantial portion of the slot (19) the end of spigot (18) being accommodated in an aperture (30) in the flap (21).

Description

~}8~ S

This invention relates to a device for locating an electrical battery or like heavy component on a chassls, particularly on the chassis of an industrial lift truc~.
A battery of an industrial or fork lift truck is usually mounted on the truck chassis by means of a number of locating pins which protrude from the under-side of the battery for engagement within correspondingly placed holes in the upper surCace of the chassis, the weight of the battery being usually sufficient to retain the battery in place. Ho~ever, if the truck is likely to be excessively tilted, as may occur for example if tlle truck is slung from a crane or helicopter, during transit to an oil rig, say, then there is a danger that the line of action of the centre of gravity will shift sufficiently relatively to the locating pins to pull the pins out of their respective holes and the battery will fall off the truck. The present invention is concerned with the position of a locating device for retaining a battery, or like component, on the truck chassis even during excessive tilting thereof.
According to the invention, there is provided an assembly for locating on a chassis a heavy component _ , having a laterally extending location spigot, the assembly comprising a frame, adapted to be mounted on a chassis, for receiving such a heavy component, there being a slot formed in a side member of the frame, whlch slot extends downwardly from an upward facing surface of said side member when the frame is mounted on a chassis

2.

s for the accon~nodation of said location spigot of a heavy component received by the frame, and a spigot restraining means adjacent said slot comprising a flap member which is pivotably mounted on the side member of thc frame adjacent said slot for pivotal movement relative to the frame between an inoperative position in which it extends laterally outwardly of the side member of the frame and an operative position in which it covers a substantial portion of the slof there being a recess in the fla~ member for accommodating the end of said location spigot of a heavy component received by said frame with its location spigot when the flap member is in its operative position, and a latc~l device for releasably securing the flap member to said side member of the frame when the flap member is in said operative position, the latch device bein~ mounted on the flap member on the side of the recess therein remote from the pivotal connection between the side member of the frame and the flap member and being arranged for movement relative to the flap member to engage an adjacent portion of the side member of the frame when the flap member is in its operative position.
Conveniently, the latch device is a second flap member which is mounted on the first-mentioned flap member for pivotal movement relative thereto about an axis parallel to that of the pivotal connection between the first flap member and the side member of the frame into a locking position in which it lies o~er at least a part of the first flap member and engages the side member of the frame adjacent said slot therein when the first flap mernber is in its operative position.
Preferably said surface of the side member of a portion which, at least adjacent said slot, is inclined ~ 3 .

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downwardly and inwardly wllen thc frallle is mounted on a chassis. Preferably, the frame is adapted to provide a seatlng for a heavy component to be located, a substantial portion of the surface of the frame which is uppermost when the frame is mounted OIl ~ chassis, including said surface of the frame which is uppermost when the frame is mounted on a chassis, including said surface of said side member, being inclined inwardly and downwardly to facilitate correct location of a heavy 10 component on said frame~rreferably also the first flap member is pivotally connected to the side member of the frame ad~acent the end of said slot which is lowermost when the frame is mounted on a chassis, for pivotal movement outwardly and upwardly from said inoperative 15 to said operative position, said second flap member being pivotable relative to the first flap member out-wardly and downwardly into its locking position once the first f lap member is in its operative position, the second flap member having at least one projection for enga~ing 20 the inclined surface of the side member of the frame adjacent the slot to inhibit pivotal movement of the first flap member out of its operative position until the second flap member is moved out of its locking position. In addition the walls of the slot are 25 preferably inclined inwardly so that the slot is widest :
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at its opening i~ said surface of said side member of the frame to facilitate the correct location of said spigot therein.
In practice, it is convenient for the frame to have a second side member on the opposite side of the frame to said first-mentioned side member, the second side member being formed with a slot identical to sai.d slot in said first side member, there being second respective spigot restraining means, identical to said 10 first-mentioned spigot restraining means, located adjacent said slot in said second side member. In this way, it ls possible for the frame to accon~odate heavy components having a respective spigot extending laterally from each of a pair of opposite sides thereof. Preferably the 15 frame comprises a pair of parallel spaced strip members which constitute said first and second side members of the frame and which are adapted to be fixedly mounted on a chassis, each strip member being conveniently bent along its length to provide said inclined portion of the 20 surface of the frame.
Reference will now be made to the.accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, one ~ embodiment of the invention, and of which:
Figure 1 ls a diagrammatic plan view of a part of 25 the rear end of a lift truck, showing one locating : - - . .

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~-` 10~2t9t5 assembly according to the inventi.on;
Figure 2 is a diagra~atic view of the locating assembly of Figure 1 viewed in the direction of arrow II; and Figure 3 is a sectional view of the locating assembly of Figure 2 taken along line III-III therein.
In the drawings on the rear end of the chassis 10 of a lift truck are bolted t~o laterally spaced parallel channel members 11 (only one being illustrated 10 since the rear end of the truck is symmetrical about its longitudinal centre linc 12) which extend longitudinally of the truck. Each channel memher 11 faces outwardly, being formed by a strip 13 which is bo].ted to the chassis by bolts 13a, and a second strip 14 which is welded to 15 strip 13 and is upright with respect thereto. The strip 14 is bent at an oblique angle along its length to form . .
the channel section so that the upper surface 15 of the strip 14 is downwardly and inwardly inclined, an arrange-ment which facilitates the correct locating of a battery 20 16 (Figure 3) on the chassis 10 between the members 11.
The sides 17 of the battery 16 which are arranged to be adjacent the members 11 when the battery is thus located on the chassis are each provided with a respective laterally extending spigot 18 which is accommodated in 25 a respective downwardly extending slot 19 in th^ adjacent . .

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~08Z~5 strip 14. The sides of each slot 19 have portions 20 which, as best seen in Figure 2, are inclined inwardly and downwardly in order to facilitate the correct location of the respective spigot 18 therein as the hattery ~-is inserted between the members 11 during its mounting on the chassis.
Since the means by which each spigot is retained in its respective slot 19 are identical, only one will now be described.
As shown in Figures 2 and 3, a flap 21 is pivotally mounted between two flanges 22 which extend laterally outwardly of the strip 14, the flanges 22 being welded to the strips 13 and 14, the axis 23 of the pivotal connection 24 extendin~ generally horizontally and being located adjacent the lower end of th~ slot 19. A
second flap 25 is pivotally connected by a pin 26 to the free end of the flap 21. The pin 26 passes through aligned holes in two spaced projections 27 which are fixedly mounted on flap 25, and in a third projection 28 which is fixedly mounted on the flap 21, and is located between the projections 27. The projection 28 is oriented -- at an angle to the flap 21, for a purpose to be described hereinafter.
When the spigot is correctly located within its respective slot 19, the flap 21 is rotated about pin 24 ~Q~Z145 relative to the strip 14 from an inoperative positlon, shown in chain dot lines in Figure 3, in~hich it extends laterally outwardly of the strip 14, into an operative position, shown in full lines in Figure 3, in which it abuts against the upright lower portion 29 of the s-trip 14, so as to cover a substantial Dortion of the slot 19.
~he flap 21 is recessed, having an aperture 30 located between the two pins 24 and 26, the spigot 18 being accommodated within the aperture 30 when the flap 21 10 reaches its operative position. It will be seen from Figure 2 that when the flap 21 is in its operative ; position, the spigot 18 is supported on the sloping walls 20 of the slot 19, and is prevented from upward movemcnt out of thc slot 19 by its cngagement within the aperture 15 30 ln flap 21.
During the outward and upward rotation of the flap 21 into its operative position, the axis of pin 26 between the flaps 21 and 25 follows a locus indicated in ~ chain dot line A in Figure 3, which passes above the ; 20 level of the uppermost edge of surface 15 on the strip 14. Until the flap 21 reaches its operative position, the flap 25 is disposed at an angle to the flap 21, as shown in chain dot lines in Figure 3, in order that wings or projections 31, best seen in Figure 2, on the 25 flap 25 can clear the uppermost edge of surface 15 of ~ .

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-; - - . : ~ -~(~8Z145 strip 14 during this rotation of the flap 21. Once flap 21 is in its operative position, thc flap 25 i5 rotated downwardly and outwardly, its free end following the locus indicated by the chain dot line B in Figure 3, until it lies over the outer surface of the flap 21.
Durlng this rotation of flap 25, the lower cdges 32 of wings 31 thereof follo~.~ a locus indicated by chain dot lines C shown in Figure 3, the dimensions of the flap 25 and its wings 31 being such that when the free 10 end of the flap 25 contacts thc outer surface of flap 21, the lower edges 32 of thc wings 31 abut against the lnclined surface 15 of the strip 14 on either side of the slot 19. The edges 32 are ap~ropriately bevelled in order that the rotational movcment of the flap 25 is not lS impeded by premature engagement between edges 32 and the surface 15 yet providing sufficient engagement between edges 32 and the surface 15 when the rotation of the flap - 25 is completed to prevent outward rotation of the flap 21 out of its operative position unless the flap 25 is 20 again raised. The angular orientation between the pro-; jection 28 and the flap 21 hel~5 the wings on flap 25 to clear the upper edge of the surface 15 during rotation of flap 21 into its operative position.
Thus using the battery locating assembly 25 described above, the battery can be guided into its-, .,,-. . :

32~5 correct position on the chassis 10 by means of the sloping surfaces 15 on the two strips 14, and also the sloping walls 20 of the two slots 19, and once the battery is in position, the spigots 18 can be readily and quickly retained in the slots 19 by the rotation first of the flaps 21 and subsequently o the flaps 25.
The particular arrangement of the pairs of flaps 21, 25 enables quick release of the battery frorn its mounting on the chassis, yet providing retention of the battery in its mounting even if the truc~. is excessively tilted.

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Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:-

1. An assembly for locating on a chassis a heavy component having a laterally extending location spigot, the assembly comprising a frame, adapted to be mounted on a chassis, for receiving such a heavy component, there being a slot formed in a side member of the frame, which slot extends downwardly from an upward facing surface of said side member when the frame is mounted on a chassis for the accommodation of said location spigot of a heavy component received by the frame, and a spigot restraining means adjacent said slot comprising a flap member which is pivotally mounted on the side member of the frame adjacent said slot for pivotal movement relative to the frame between an inoperative position in which it extends laterally outwardly of the side member of the frame and an operative position in which it covers a substantial portion of the slot, there being a recess in the flap member for accommodating the end of said location spigot of a heavy component received by said frame with its location spigot in said slot when the flap member is in its operative position, and a latch device for releasably securing the flap member to said side member of the frame when the flap member is in said operative position, the latch device being mounted on the flap member on the side of the recess therein remote from the pivotal connection between the side member of the frame and the flap member and being arranged for movement relative to the flap member to engage an adjacent portion of the side member of the 11.

frame when the flap member is in its operative position.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which the latch device is a second flap member which is mounted on the first-mentioned flap member for pivotal movement relative thereto about an axis parallel to that of the pivotal connection between the first flap member and the side member of the frame into a locking position in which it lies over at least a part of the first flap member and engages the side member of the frame adjacent said slot therein when the first flap member is in its operative position.

3. An assembly as claimed in claim 2, in which said surface of the side member of the frame has a portion which, at least adjacent said slot is inclined downwardly and inwardly when the frame is mounted on a chassis.

4. An assembly as claimed in claim 3, in which the frame is adapted to provide a seating for a heavy component to be located, a substantial portion of the surface of the frame which is uppermost when the frame is mounted on a chassis, including said surface of said side member, being inclined inwardly and downwardly to facilitate correct location of a heavy component on said frame.

5. An assembly as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, in which the first flap member is pivotally connected to the side member of frame adjacent the end of said slot which is lowermost when the frame is mounted on a chassis, for pivotal movement outwardly and upwardly from said inoperative to said operative position, said second flap member being pivotable relative to the 12.

to the first flap member outwardly and downwardly into its locking position once the first flap member is in its operative position, the second flap member having at least one projection for engaging the inclined surface of the side member of the frame adjacent the slot to inhibit pivotal movement of the first flap member out of its operative position until the second flap member is moved out of its locking position.

6. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the walls of the slot are inclined inwardly so that the slot is widest at its opening in said surface to said side member of the frame.

7. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which the frame has a second side member on the opposite side of the frame to said first-mentioned side member, the second side member being formed with a slot identical to said slot in said first side member, there being second respective spigot restraining means, identical to said first-mentioned spigot restraining-means, located adjacent said slot in said second side member.

8. An assembly as claimed in claim 6 or 7 , in which the frame comprises a pair of parallel spaced strip members constituting said first and second side members of the frame which are adapted to be fixedly mounted on a chassis.

9. An assembly as claimed in claim 4, in which the frame has a second side member on the opposite side of the frame to 13.

said first-mentioned side member, the second side member being formed with a slot identical to said slot in said first member, there being second respective spigot restraining means, identical to said first-mentioned spigot restraining means, located adjacent said slot in said second side member, and in which the frame comprises a pair of parallel spaced strip members constituting said first and second side members of the frame which are adapted to be fixedly mounted on a chassis, each strip member being bent along its length to provide said inclined portion of said surface of the frame.

10. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, in combination with a chassis on which the frame is fixedly mounted.

11. An industrial lift truck including a chassis, and an assembly as claimed in claim 1 of which the frame is fixedly mounted on the chassis.

12. An industrial lift truck including a chassis, and as assembly as claimed in claim 1 of which the frame is fixedly mounted on the chassis, in combination with a heavy component having a laterally extending location spigot, which component is located on the chassis of the truck by the engagement of said spigot within said slot in the frame, with the flap member of said assembly in its operative position and the latch device engaging an adjacent portion of the frame side member.

13. An industrial lift truck including a chassis, and an assembly as claimed in claim 7 of which the frame is fixedly 14.

mounted on the chassis in combination with a heavy component having two laterally extending location spigots projecting one from each side thereof, said component being located on the chassis of the truck by the engagement of said spigots in the respective slots in the first and second side members of the frame, with the respective flap members of said assembly in their operative positions and each associated latch device engaging an adjacent portion of the respective frame side member.

14. The combination of either claim 12 or claim 13, in which the heavy component is an electrical battery for providing electrical power to operate the truck.

15.