EP0269538A1 - Draw-straighting arm and installation for straightening vehicle bodies or other deformed motor vehicle parts - Google Patents

Abstract

The draw-straightening arm comprising a beam (1) called "horizontal beam" mounted with an ability to pivot about a vertical axis (24), by way of one of its end portions, and on the end portion opposite which is mounted a pivoting arm called "vertical arm" (9) connected to the said beam by way of a cylinder (16), characterised in that it comprises a positioning hoop (26) in the shape of an arc of a circle having a diameter (D) of size greater than the width (L) of the surface plate (32) on which the said draw-straightening arm is mounted or intended to be installed, this positioning hoop (26) preferably having a length of the order of 180 degrees and being arranged around the said pivoting axis of the beam which is equipped with a locking means (27) enabling it to be locked on any point of the hoop. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a bracket for the straightening of bodies or other damaged parts of motor vehicles. It also targets installations commonly known as "marbles" and permanently fitted with this straightening bracket.

It is known to use, to bring back to their original state the body sheets or certain elements of the deformed chassis of damaged motor vehicles fixed on a marble, straightening brackets capable of being anchored at different points of the latter and allowing d '' exercise pulling or pushing actions on the damaged parts of said vehicles.

There is known, for example, a straightening bracket (DE-A-2 739 528) mainly comprising a horizontal articulated beam provided with wheels and equipped with fixing flanges allowing its anchoring on the marble after positioning below it, and an articulated arm comprising an upper portion that can be tilted 45 degrees, to the right and to the left, this arm being mounted with a capacity for pivoting forwards and backwards, at one of the ends of said horizontal beam, and connected to the latter by means of a jack.

The disadvantages of this device include:
- a reduced radius of action, resulting from the fact that it can only work in a limited range of directions;
- to require numerous changes of anchoring location on the marble, requiring great efforts (the apparatus being very heavy and bulky) and entailing considerable loss of time;
- not being able to be positioned precisely in the pulling axis or desirable thrust, in particular due to the presence of clamps and fittings for fixing the car, equipping the long sides of the marbles.
- to require a large and clear field of action around the work plan, because of its length and its weight which require its mounting on wheels;
- occupy a large storage space, outside periods of use.

There is also known a straightening square (EP-A-0 065 942) comprising a beam comprising a first part assembled, with a pivoting ability about a vertical axis, to a fastening device able to be fixed on a marble special, and a second part assembled to the first with a pivoting latitude around its longitudinal axis and on the end of which is mounted a pivoting arm connected by means of a jack to said second portion of the horizontal beam, this assembly being mounted on wheels allowing its movement.

This device has the drawbacks of the device described above, although it is a little less bulky than the latter. However, it has the additional disadvantage that it can only be used with special benches and that it cannot be combined with traditional marbles.

The object of the present invention is in particular to remedy the various aforementioned drawbacks of known straightening brackets.

According to the invention, this objective is achieved by means of a straightening bracket comprising a beam mounted with a pivoting ability about a vertical axis, by means of one of its end portions, and on the opposite end part. from which is mounted a pivoting arm connected to said beam by through a jack, this straightening bracket being mainly remarkable in that it comprises a positioning hoop in the form of a circular arc having, preferably, a length of the order of 180 degrees and arranged around of said vertical pivot axis of the beam which is equipped with a locking means making it possible to lock it on any point of said hoop, so as to be able to immobilize it in any position relative to the longitudinal axis of the marble at one end of which said straightening bracket can be removably installed or permanently mounted.

According to another characteristic combined with the previous construction, the pivoting beam is executed, in a manner known per se, in two parts assembled by means of a joint comprising a vertical axis.

According to another characteristic combined with any one of the two constructions described above, the pivoting arm is mounted, in a manner known per se, with a tilting ability, to the right and to the left, around the axis of the portion of the beam on which it is installed, or around an axis parallel to said portion.

The straightening bracket according to the invention provides several important advantages:
- it has a large radius of action allowing it to work with precision, from its only two mounting locations, in all desirable directions;
- it requires infrequent mounting location changes; if we consider that damaged vehicles are damaged only in their front part or only in their rear part, it most often makes it possible to straighten all the sheets or other deformed parts of these vehicles without changing mounting location;
- It can remain in place at one end of the marble while being ready for use, that is to say without obligation to change the mounting location;
- it requires a small field of action around the worktop, due to the fact that its changes of mounting location are infrequent and that it can be transported easily from one end to the other of the marble, due to its reduced weight and size;
- to be able to be permanently installed at one end or at each end of the marble.

In general, the straightening bracket according to the invention greatly facilitates the straightening operations of crumpled sheets or other damaged parts of vehicles, by very significantly reducing the time of these operations and the fatigue which results therefrom.

• La figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'une équerre de redressage selon l'invention installée à l'une des extrémités d'un marbre.
• La figure 2 est une vue latérale de cette équerre de redressage.
• La figure 3 est une vue en plan de la figure 2, montrant l'équerre de redressage installée à l'extrémité d'un marbre illustrée en traits fins.
• La figure 4 est une vue de face de la figure 2 ; le tracé en traits fins interrompus illustre le montage b-sculant à droite ou à gauche du bras vertical de l'équerre de redressage.
• La figure 5 est une vue de détail en coupe ver­ticale montrant l'articulation de la poutre horizon­ tale.
• La figure 6 est une demi-vue en plan de la figure 5.
• La figure 7 est une vue de détail et de face du montage basculant à droite ou à gauche du bras vertical.
• La figure 8 est une vue de détail, en coupe verticale, montrant le moyen de blocage de la poutre horizontale pivotante sur l'arceau de positionnement.
• La figure 9 est une vue de détail, en coupe axiale, illustrant l'un des deux moyens de fixation de l'équerre de redressage sur le marbre.
• La figure 10 est une vue de détail, à plus grande échelle et en coupe verticale suivant la ligne 10-10 de la figure 3, montrant le second des moyens de fixation de ladite équerre de redressage sur le marbre.
• La figure 11 est une vue partielle, en plan et à caractère schématique, d'un marbre dont chaque extrémi­té est équipée d'une équerre de redressage selon l'in­vention.

The aims, characteristics and advantages above, and others still, will emerge more clearly from the description which follows and from the appended drawings in which:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a straightening bracket according to the invention installed at one end of a marble.
• Figure 2 is a side view of this straightening bracket.
• Figure 3 is a plan view of Figure 2 showing the straightening bracket installed at the end of a marble illustrated in fine lines.
• Figure 4 is a front view of Figure 2; the dashed fine line illustrates the b-sculant assembly to the right or to the left of the vertical arm of the straightening bracket.
• Figure 5 is a detail view in vertical section showing the articulation of the horizon beam tale.
• FIG. 6 is a half plan view of FIG. 5.
• Figure 7 is a detail and front view of the tilting assembly to the right or left of the vertical arm.
• FIG. 8 is a detail view, in vertical section, showing the means for blocking the horizontal pivoting beam on the positioning hoop.
• Figure 9 is a detail view, in axial section, illustrating one of the two means for fixing the straightening bracket on the marble.
• Figure 10 is a detail view, on a larger scale and in vertical section along line 10-10 of Figure 3, showing the second of the means for fixing said straightening bracket on the marble.
• Figure 11 is a partial view, in plan and schematic, of a marble, each end of which is equipped with a straightening bracket according to the invention.

Reference is made to said drawings to describe an example of an interesting, although in no way limiting, embodiment of the straightening bracket according to the invention.

This comprises a beam 1 usually called "horizontal beam" and which, in a manner known per se, is advantageously executed in two parts 2 and 3 assembled by means of an articulation comprising a vertical axis 4.

The articulation also known per se of the horizontal beam is illustrated, in detail in FIGS. 5 and 6.

One of the ends of the beam element 3 is provided with a bell-shaped yoke 5 rigidly secured to said end. This bell has sector-shaped upper and lower walls whose diverging edges are joined by side walls. One of the ends of the second beam element 2 is housed in this bell to which it is subject by means of the vertical articulation axis 4, for example constituted by a bolt, the rod of which passes through vertically aligned holes presented by said end and said bell.

It is understood that the beam element 3 can thus pivot on an angle delimited by the side walls of the bell 5 and which can be, for example, 120 degrees; said element 3 thus being able to occupy different angular positions with respect to the beam element 2.

The immobilization of the beam element 3 in any angular position relative to the beam element 2 is for example obtained by means of a locking device comprising a flange 6 and a clamping screw 7 whose rod passes through on the one hand, holes with a vertical axis formed in the extreme portion of the beam element 3 at a distance from the holes allowing the passage of the axis 4 and, on the other hand, arched slots 8 with notched edges that have the upper and lower walls of the bell 5, concentrically with their through hole of said axis. A nut 7a screwing onto the threaded upper portion of the screw 7 allows, by means of a locking piece 7b with notched lower edges cooperating with the notched edges of the upper arched lumen 8, to immobilize the element of beam 3 in the desired position.

On the extreme portion of the beam element 3 opposite the end provided with the bell 5, is mounted the pivoting arm 9 for pulling and pushing the straightening bracket, generally called "vertical arm". This arm is fixed to said end portion by means of an axis 10 allowing its inclination towards forward or backward.

Advantageously, the vertical arm 10 is mounted, in a manner known per se, with a tilting ability, to the right or to the left, around the axis of the portion of the horizontal beam 1 on which it is installed or around an axis parallel to said portion, for example on an arc of a circle of the order of 180 degrees.

According to the example illustrated, the lower end of the vertical arm 9 is subject, by means of the hinge pin 10, to a yoke 11 rigidly secured to a cylindrical sleeve 3a mounted with an aptitude for rotation around a inner tube 3b, one end of which is rigidly attached to the bell 5; the assembly: cylindrical sleeve 3a, inner tube 3b and bell 5 constituting the element 3 of the horizontal beam 1.

The immobilization of the vertical arm in the desired position is obtained by means of a pin or pin 12 engaging in diametrically opposite holes presented by the rotary sleeve 3a and the inner tube 3b. The latter comprises, for example, two holes aligned vertically, while the rotary sleeve has a plurality of holes 13 distributed over its periphery and diametrically opposite, two by two.

The chain anchor clevis 14 allowing the chain to be fixed when the bracket is working in draft (which is the most common case) or the pusher member fixing clevis (when the bracket is working in pushing) , is mounted in an adjustable way along the vertical arm. This yoke is, for example, mounted with a sliding ability on the vertical arm and, its immobilization in the desirable position is obtained by means of a screw 15 screwed into a nut 15a integral with the collar 14a sliding from said yoke and taking support, by through its internal end, against a face of said arm.

The latter is connected to the horizontal beam 1 by means of a jack 16.

More precisely, according to the illustrated embodiment, this jack is secured, by means of its ends and by means of articulations 17, 18, on the one hand, in a yoke 19 secured to the arm 9 and, from on the other hand, in a yoke 20 integral with the sleeve 3b.

The yoke 20 also carries a pulley 21 for returning the chain, the support of which is mounted with a tilting ability, on the said yoke.

The horizontal beam 1, and more precisely according to the example illustrated, the element 2 of the latter, is fixed to a rigid crosspiece 22 with a possibility of pivoting about a vertical axis.

This cross member, for example executed using a robust tube of quadrangular section:
- is independent of the marble, when the straightening square is intended to be installed, in a removable manner, at one or the other of the ends of traditional marbles;
- But it can also be constituted by the short sides of marbles permanently fitted with straightening brackets according to the invention during their manufacture.

In the first case which is particularly interesting for owners of traditional marbles, the crosspiece 22 can be advantageously mounted on wheels 23 arranged below its ends, as shown in Figure 4. It can also be mounted on feet fitted said ends.

The articulated connection of the beam 1 on the crosspiece 22 is obtained by means of a vertical axis 24 and a yoke 25 which is provided with said crosspiece in the middle, and between the cheeks of which is housed the end of said beam.

According to the essential characteristic of the invention, the straightening bracket also comprises a positioning arch 26 having the shape of an arc of a circle and disposed around the axis 24 of pivoting of the horizontal beam placed at the center of the circular arc formed by said arch which has a diameter D of greater length than the width L of the frame of the marble 32 on which said straightening bracket is mounted or called to be installed.

This arch can be constituted by a robust metal profile suitably bent and it advantageously has a length of 180 degrees and, for example, a radius of 800 mm.

The semi-circular arch 26 thus shaped is rigidly secured to the crosspiece 22 to which it is attached by means of its ends which are, for example, fixed by welding to said crosspiece which therefore has a length corresponding substantially to the diameter D of said arch, that is to say a length greater than the width L of the frame of the marble 32.

The pivoting beam 1 is placed below the positioning arch 26 and its part 2 is provided with a locking means 27 making it possible to immobilize it on any point of said arch. This locking means comprises, for example, a flange 28 (FIG. 8) provided with a hole 29 for the passage of the rod of a connecting member such as a stud 30 carried by the upper face of the element of beam 2. A nut 31 screwing onto the threaded upper portion of said stud and bearing on the upper face of the flange, allows the positioning hoop 26 to be tightened between said flange and said beam element. To modify the angular position of the horizontal beam 1, it is understood that it suffices to loosen the nut 31, to bring said beam, by pivoting about the axis 24, in the new desired position, and then tighten said nut.

When it is designed to be removably installed at one or the other of the ends of a traditional marble, the straightening square according to the invention is also equipped with assembly means making it possible to fix it securely on marble 32.

These means include:
- On the one hand, two flanges 33 provided with a hole 34 for the passage of the rod of connecting members such as studs 35 carried by the upper face of the crosspiece 22; a nut 36 screwing onto the threaded upper portion of said stud and bearing on the upper face of the flange, allows the lateral wing 32a of the side members 32b of the plate 32 to be clamped between said flange and said crosspiece;
- On the other hand, two angles 37 integral with the arch 26 and oriented towards the interior thereof, these angles being intended to be housed in the angle formed by the vertical core 32c and the wing lower front 32d of any of the cross members 32e of the end of the plate 32 and to be fixed, on this cross member, by means of a bolt 38 whose rod crosses aligned holes which have, respectively, said vertical core and l 'vertical wing 37a juxtaposed with said angle (Figure 10).

FIG. 11 illustrates a plate 32 (shown in fine lines), each end of which is equipped with a straightening square produced in the manner which has just been described. Such an installation allows work in all directions, without having to move the straightening brackets.

It is understood that the marbles can be permanently fitted with such straightening brackets, the crosspieces of which can, in this case, be constituted by a fixed element of the rectangular frame of the marble, as indicated above.

Claims (10)

1. - Bracket for straightening bodies or other damaged parts of motor vehicles comprising a beam (1) called "horizontal beam" mounted with a pivoting ability about a vertical axis (24), by means of the one of its end portions, and on the opposite end portion of which is mounted a pivoting arm called "vertical arm" (9) connected to said beam by means of a jack (16), characterized in that it comprises a positioning hoop (26) in the form of an arc of a circle preferably having a length of the order of 180 degrees, and disposed around said pivot axis of the beam which is equipped with a locking means (27 ) allowing it to be locked on any point of said hoop. 2. - Righting bracket according to claim 1, characterized in that the diameter (D) of the positioning arch (26) has a dimension greater than the width (L) of the frame of the marble (32) on which said bracket rectifier is mounted or required to be installed. 3. - Righting bracket according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the pivoting horizontal beam (1) is executed, in a manner known per se, in two parts (2, 3) assembled by means of a articulation comprising a vertical axis (4) and disposed outside the positioning hoop (26). 4. - Righting bracket according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the vertical pivoting arm (9) is mounted, in a manner known per se, with a tilting ability, to the right or to the left around the axis of the portion (3) of the horizontal beam on which it is installed, or around an axis parallel to said portion, means, known per se, preferably making it possible to immobilize said arm in the position desired. 5. - Righting bracket according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the chain anchoring flange (14) is mounted with an adjustable position on the vertical arm (9). 6. - Righting bracket according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the positioning hoop (26) is rigidly secured, by its ends, to the ends of a crosspiece (22) on the middle part which is fixed the horizontal beam (1) by means of a hinge (24-25) comprising the vertical pivot axis (24) of said beam. 7. - Righting bracket according to claim 6, characterized in that the crosspiece (22) and the positioning hoop (26) are provided with assembly means (33-35-36; 37-38) allowing the fixing said straightening bracket on the longitudinal elements (32b) and on a transverse element (32e) of the frame of the marble (32). 8. - Righting bracket according to one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that the crosspiece (22) is provided with wheels (23) or feet. 9. - Righting bracket according to claim 2, characterized in that the articulation of the horizontal beam (1) comprises a bell (5) rigidly secured to one (3) of the two beam elements (2, 3) and between the upper and lower walls of which is articulated, by means of a vertical axis (4), the end of the second (2) of said beam elements, said walls having the shape of a circular sector and having arcuate openings ( 8) with notched edges crossed by the rod (7) of the clamping means (6, 7, 7a, 7b) making it possible to immobilize said elements in different angular positions. 10. - Installation or marble for the straightening of bodies or other damaged parts of motor vehicles, characterized in that it is permanently fitted with one or two straightening brackets produced according to any one of claims 5, 8 or 9, and whose crosspiece (22) is constituted by an element of the rectangular frame (32) of said marble.

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