EP0163216A2

EP0163216A2 - Automobile body straightening apparatus

Info

Publication number: EP0163216A2
Application number: EP85106097A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hans Gramlich
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-05-30
Filing date: 1985-05-17
Publication date: 1985-12-04
Also published as: AU4278685A; JPS611561A; EP0163216A3

Abstract

s An automobile body and frame straightening apparatus comprises stationary support means, a frame for supporting an automobile, a plurality of automobile body frame attachment means to secure the automobile against movement relative thereto, and an automobile body and frame puller for straightening the body and frame of an automobile. The frame and the car supported thereon are capable of rotation relative to the automobile body and frame puller, and may be so rotated by actuation of a hydraulic cylinder device extending in a connected relationship between the stationary support means and the frame. The device may also be used to straighten the frame of other vehicfes or objects.

Description

The present invention relates to an automobile body and chassis straightening apparatus for straightening and aligning automobile frames and bodies. Generally, when correcting body or chassis damage, a car is put between the arms of a rigid stationary frame and secured thereto by chains wrapped around some portion of the car. The dents are then pulled out by a frame puller device that either uses hydraulic powered arms which hook on to the dented area or that uses chains operated by manual or motor-driven winches.
The use of turntables on which work pieces are mounted for deformation was disclosed in U.S. Patent 94,745. The particular design shown therein deals with the formation of cartridge shells. U.S. Patent 2,676,640 discloses an apparatus for straightening the inner covers used in box annealing furnaces. The device has a powered turntable upon which the steel cylinder is placed endwise and rotated in order to bring the dents opposite to the straightening dies.
A number of patents have been addressed to frames that are designed to facilitate the pulling and pushing operations on the vehicle body. U.S. Patent 3,777,541 discloses the use of a horizontally disposed frame, adapted to support a damaged vehicle, that is mounted on casters so that it can be positioned below the automobile. The pulling arrangement that is used with this frame is rigidly mounted to the frame. U.S. Patent 4,023,394 discloses a frame for the repair of damaged vehicle body structure of the type in which the frame is secured to the vehicle body or frame and supports force-applying apparatus and measuring apparatus. The frame is assembled under the car and can also be mounted on a forklift truck for moving from place to place. There is no relative pivoting between the pulling devices and the frame. _U._S. Patent 4,289,016 discloses a frame with hydraulic grippers and body frame puller which attach to the automobile.- Again, there is no relative pivoting between the pulling device and the frame.
U.S. Patent 4,313,335 and Canadian Patent 1,065,748 disclose the use of a fixed frame with pulling devices mounted to the frame and movable about the car in order to give the desired pulling angles. However, the frames do not pivot with respect to the pulling devices; rather, the pulling devices are movable about the frame and lockable in place for the pulling operation.

General Description of the Invention

The present invention relates to an automobile body and frame straightening apparatus comprising stationary support means, a frame for supporting an automobile, the frame being capable of rotation, a plurality of automobile body frame attachment means to secure the automobile against movements relative thereto, and an automobile body and frame puller for straightening the body and frame of the automobile. The frame and car supported thereon may be rotated by means of a hydraulic cylinder device extending in a connected relationship between the stationary support means and the frame. The frame puller remains stationary relative to the support means. The puller exerts a substantially horizontal pulling force on the dented metal sheet of the automobile body or frame.

Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 shows the car that is to be repaired mounted on the rotating frame and being operated on by the hydraulic pulling device.
Figure 2 shows a view as seen from above the automobile mounted on the rotating frame, and provides a view through the automobile.
Figure 3 again shows a view as seen from above the automobile mounted on the rotating frame, and provides a view through the automobile.

Detailed Disclosure

The preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described in detail.
The car, the body or chassis of which is to be repaired, is shown generally at 1 and the dented areas are indicated by hatching. The inventive device is shown generally at 2. As shown it consists of a support 10, a frame 20 upon which is held car 1, and a hydraulic pulling assembly 70.
Support 10 consists of two beams 11 and 12 that are rigidly secured by rod 13 at one end thereof. Rod 13 passes through and supports vertical support 71.
Frame 20 consists of two beams 21 and 22 that lie in the direction of the width of car 1. Beams 21 and 22 have mounted thereon car 1 which is held secure thereto by means of attachment devices 40 and 42 fixed to beam 21 and attachment devices 41 and 43 fixed to beam 22. Attachment devices 40 to 44 attach directly to the automobile frame and permit some movement of car 1 in the vertical direction as indicated by arrow 101. Beams 21 and 22 as rigidly secured, as by welding, to metal plate 25. Plate 25 is rigidly connected by rod 26 to metal plate 29. Rod 26 passes through interim metal plate 27 which is rigidly secured to beams 11 and 12 of support 10.
A plurality of ball bearings 30 are located between plate 25 and plate 27 in order to permit plate 25 to rotate more easily relative to plate 27. Metal plate 29, which is rigidly connected by rod 26 to metal plate 25, has formed therein in a circular pattern a plurality of holes 31. Attachment piston 32 is capable of securely engaging stud in any hole 31. Piston 32 extends from hydraulic cylinder device 33 which is connected by pivot 34 to beam 11. By appropriately engaging a stud in hole 31 with attachment piston 32 and extending or retracting piston 32 using hydraulic cylinder device 33, metal plate 29 is caused to rotate by small increments in the direction of arrow 100 about the axis of rotation of rod 26 shown as 1-1. This in turn causes connected rod 26 and thereto connected plate 25 to rotate in the same direction and by the same amount. Beams 21 and 22, rigidly secured to plate 25, are similarly rotated. Thus rotation of plate 29 causes frame 20 to rotate, permitting car 1 to be turned to any position relative to the original position of car 1 with respect to the hydraulic pulling assembly. A number of holes 31 are used in order to make possible fine adjustments in the position of the car relative to the puller.
Support 71 of hydraulic pulling assembly 70 has attached thereto by pivot 72 the arm 73 bearing attachment device 174 that attaches to an upper portion of the frame of the car in order to additionally secure car 1 during the pulling operation or to staighten the upper portion of the body of car 1 by exerting a force thereupon in the direction of arrow 101 or arrow 104. Arm 73 is adjusted and maintained in position by hydraulic cylinder device 74 which is bolted onto support 71 and which is connected to arm 73 by attachment piston 75 at pivot 76, located at some point where arm 73 extends past support 71. This enables car 1 to move to a limited degree in the direction indicated by arrows 101 and 104. Support 71 is adjusted and-maintained in position by hydraulic cylinder device 77 which is attached to support 71 by attachment piston 78 at pivot 79, at some point below that at which pulling arm 90 is mounted on support 71. Hydraulic cylinder device 77 is attached by pivot 91 to beam 11. Preferably, a second such hydraulic cylinder device, herewith illustrated, is mounted on the other side of support 71, on beam 12, in order to assist in adjusting and maintaining support 71. Support 71 is thus able to pivot about rod 13 in the direction shown by arrow 103.
Pulling arm 90 is fastened to support 71 by bolt 93. Arm 90 is adjusted and maintained by hydraulic cylinder device 94 which is attached to arm 90 by attachment piston 95. This enables tool device 96 attached to arm 90 to be pushed forward and pulled back in the direction indicated by arrow 104 so as to exert a force on the portion of the dented metal sheet that is to be pulled.
It is understood that the foregoing description has not included matters relating to the control systems to operate various devices of the invention. Any suitable control system can be used, and such systems will be evident to a person skilled in the art, having regard to the foregoing disclosure.
Although the frame straightening apparatus has been shown as being used to straighten the frame of an automobile, it will also be understood that it can be used to straighten the frames of other automotive vehicles, such as trucks, trailers or motorcycles, and can also be used where it is desired to apply pulling forces to non-vehicular structures, such as metal bolts or the like.
The foregoing has shown and described particular embodiments of the invention, and variations thereof will be obvious to one skilled in the art. Accordingly, the embodiments are to be taken as illustrative rather than limitative, and the true scope of the invention is as set out in the appended claims.

Claims

1. Apparatus for straightening objects such as vehicle frames or bodies or the like comprising:

an object support frame capable of supporting an object such as a vehicle frame to be straightened, at least one puller for pulling such object when

it is retained on the frame, whereby to straighten it;

straightening support means for supporting said frame and said puller; and

means for rotating the frame and object supported thereon relative to said puller.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein and stationary support means include a pair of spaced parallel longitudinally extending beams.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein said frame includes a pair of spaced parallel transversely extending beams having a length greater than that of the width of a conventional automobile body.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said frame and any object supported thereon are rotatable by means comprising a hydraulic cylinder device extending in a connected relationship between said stationary support means and said frame.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said body and frame puller includes a pulling arm applying a substantially horizontal pulling force to the body and frame of said automobile.