FR2734525A3 - Chassis for vehicles used for carrying removable containers or carriers - Google Patents

Abstract

The chassis is formed as a metallic structure, designed to be removable. The chassis consists of two longitudinal beams (4) and four or six cross beams (5). Two of the cross beams are situated at the front and rear of the longitudinal beams. The rest of the beams are situated in the central part, where they are fixed together in pairs. The cross beams are fixed to the longitudinal beams by means of bolts passing through square plates (6) fixed to the lower face of the cross beams. At each extremity of the cross beams is fixed a locating head (8). The head projects upwards and is designed to locate into corresponding holes. The holes are provided in the lower faces of the container or carriers, which are required to fit onto the vehicle. The carriers are secured by the fixing head, which project from the locating heads and are designed to prevent any movement of the carriers.

Description

 Container chassis.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a container chassis and more particularly to a removable metal structure which is adequately fixed to the chassis of a truck to serve as a fixing support for containers in the form of cages intended for the transport of containers (cylinders) for liquid petroleum gas, such as butane and similar gases.

 The metal structure constituting the container chassis is supplemented by safety devices to adequately secure the containers and prevent them from moving from their positioning on the chassis itself.

PRIOR ART
Retail distribution of liquid petroleum gases in units of 25 and 75 kilos more known as cylinders is carried out on container cells of the Repsol standard basket type, these cylinders being transported by vehicles not exceeding 12,000 kilograms laden under current regulations.

Therefore, between the chassis of the transport vehicle and the container cells there is an unsupported metallic diaphragm surface which is supported by simple gravity without attachment or subjection so that this device involves a series of drawbacks and risks among which we can cite as the most important
- a loss of stability of the vehicle contravening the severe traffic rules on the public highway due to the movement or lack of support of the container-carrying cells;
- risk of losing baskets due to the absence of a safety fixing device;
- excessive laden weight inherent in the concept of the platform;
- absence of the possibility of routine visual inspection of the basic chassis and rear axle components constituting what may be called passive safety.

 Ultimately, the containers for the transport of cylinders of liquid petroleum gas consisting of cells or baskets, are disposed on the chassis or platform of the load vehicle without any type of mooring, which obviously presents a risk both for the stability of the vehicle only by the possible loss of these baskets or containers due to defects in the coating of the ground or curves taken at high speed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The container chassis S according to the present invention is designed to satisfactorily eliminate these problems by offering a simple and effective solution characterized in that said chassis constitutes an intermediate structure between the vehicle and the baskets or containers themselves.

 The chassis will preferably consist of two longitudinal beams and four or six crosspieces, one corresponding to the front part, the other to the rear part and the other 2 or 4 in intermediate positions so as to allow the positioning of two or several baskets or containers, placed in the front half, the other in the rear half.

 The invention is further characterized by the fact that on the front ends of the side members are immobilized vertical extensions constituting protective elements of the vehicle cabin while the cross members have at their upper part lugs which are housed in provided orifices for this purpose in baskets or containers, immobilizing them by preventing any possible movement in any direction.

 In addition, the chassis according to the invention is completed by moorings or safety devices linked to the rear and front crosspieces and constituting means of immobilization in the upward direction of these baskets or containers.

 The side members and cross members constituting the chassis proper according to the invention are screwed to the chassis of the truck.

 Ultimately we can consider that the chassis according to the invention constitutes a removable kit made of hollow tube composed of the two already mentioned longitudinal members, of rectangular section, of a bracket in its front part to protect the cabin as described above, both longitudinal members being completed by 4 or 6 cross-pieces of square tube provided with lugs in the shape of pins at their ends to prevent the sliding of the containers or baskets, these 4 or 6 cross-members with safety anchoring completing the device.

 The structure can be completed by elements or tubes for fixing mudguards, fire extinguishers, position lights.

The improvements which result from the structure thus described can be summarized as follows
- increased safety during transport by absence of oscillation of the load;
- increase in active safety due to the presence of safety fastening devices;
- reduction in total weight, resulting in energy savings;
- reduction of assembly times and costs;
- reduction in the acquisition costs of the means of transport;
- easier maintenance of the vehicle, affecting the reliability and service life of the system;
- Lowering the depreciation incidence of the final cost of the chassis complex according to the invention + truck in the cost of transporting the cylinders as well as consequently of the production cost of the chassis as a result of the possibility thus offered of a homogeneous mass production.

 As an option, the structure can be completed with a "kit" placed at the rear or front part of the vehicle, to increase its loading capacity but not to incorporate additional excess rear or front weight, the chassis must then be fitted with a rear bumper-type cross member.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a better understanding of the invention and in order to help the description of its characteristics, a preferential but non-limiting application is illustrated by the appended figures.
Figure 1 is a general perspective view of the metal structure that constitutes the container chassis made according to the object of the invention and removably attached to the chassis (3) of a transport vehicle (1).

 Figure 2 is also a partial rear perspective view of the chassis supporting baskets or containers (11) showing the safety fasteners (12) installed on the rear crossmembers (and anterior not shown).

 Figure 3 is a plan view of the chassis shown in Figure 2 with the further extension (7) intended to increase the loading capacity of the truck.

 Figures 4 and 5 are views in vertical section of the safety devices which complete the container chassis to secure the immobilization of the containers or baskets.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
According to the preferred embodiment thus represented, the container chassis adaptable to a transport vehicle such as a truck (1) equipped with a cabin (2) mounted on a chassis (3) is characterized by a pair of longitudinal beams (4) and at least two pairs of crosspieces (5), two of them being located in the center of the chassis and the other two at its front and rear ends as shown in Figures 1 and 3.

 The longitudinal beams (4) are fixed by means of screws to the chassis (3) of the truck (1) while the cross beams (5) are fixed to the beams (4) by means of screws passing through flat iron brackets (6) integral with the sleepers.

 The structure thus formed can be completed by a rear extension (7) to increase the loading capacity of the vehicle (1) in which case the side members (4) will be lengthened and the rear cross member of the extension (7) will serve as bumper. In the case of a short chassis, the side members will end in a rear crossmember (5).

 The crosspieces (5) are provided at their ends with pins (8) protruding upwards, while the front and rear crosspieces carry lugs (9) on one of their face, front face for the front crosspiece, rear face for the rear crossmember.

 The longitudinal members (4) have at their front end vertical extensions (10) constituting a means of protection of the cabin (2) of the vehicle (1).

 Depending on the structure of the chassis, the baskets or containers (11) rest on said chassis, the pins (8) of the crosspieces (5) being received in the openings or orifices made for this purpose in the profiles of said baskets or containers (11) immobilizing them and preventing them from moving horizontally in any direction, thus ensuring the stability of the load.

 Furthermore, for fixing in the vertical direction of these baskets or containers (11) in order to avoid that in potholes or in curves they can be thrown overboard there are provided safety devices (12) coupling the lugs (9) of the front and rear crosspieces (5) by means of a bolt (13) locking at the upper edge of the profile where the baskets or containers (11) are housed, which is thus moored making everything impossible displacement of any type in the vertical direction.

 These safety devices (12) as shown in Figures 4 and 5 consist of a hollow structure (14) inside which is a cylindrical body (15) in which slides a rod (16) and its piston (18). At the end emerging from the outside of this rod, a loop (17) has been provided, the lower part of the piston (18) has a conical configuration as shown in FIG. 5 making it possible to key an eccentric (19) integral with the bolt (13 ). Therefore when pulling the rod (16) the piston (18) exerts a force contrary to the spring (20) and by withdrawing releases the eccentric (19) causing the tilting of the bolt (13) and the release of moorings of the security system when it is mounted as shown in Figure 2.

 So when you want to release the chassis from its blocking position, it suffices logically to exert traction on the rod (16), to release the eccentric (19) to allow the bolt (13) to tilt and release the container. (11).

 Those skilled in the art will be able to modify such or such a provision without altering the novelty of the present invention, the present example not being limiting in its scope.

Claims (5)

 1. Container chassis intended to be mounted on the chassis of a transport vehicle or a truck for carrying and securing containers or baskets carrying containers, such as cylinders containing liquid petroleum gas characterized by a removable metallic structure formed of two longitudinal beams and four or six sleepers, two of them being respectively located at the front and rear across the beams and the others across the middle part of the beams or they are coupled two by two, said crosspieces being fixed to the longitudinal members by means of screws passing through brackets of flat bars fixed to the crosspieces, further characterized by the presence on the upper ends of the stud crosspieces which are introduced into the corresponding orifices provided for this effect in profiles accommodating baskets or containers which are immobilized by fastening devices occurring any movement in the upward direction.  2. Container chassis according to claim 1, characterized in that the side members have at their front end vertical extensions constituting a means of protection of the cabin of the transport vehicle or truck.  3. Container chassis, according to claims 1 and 2, characterized by one or more anchoring and safety devices consisting of a hollow metal part inside which is mounted a pivoting eccentric secured to a bolt which may be immobilized by means of the end of a piston linked to a rod emerging outside the hollow structure of the anchoring device (s).  4. Container chassis according to claims 1 to 3 characterized in that the front and rear crosspieces are provided with lugs for mounting anchoring and safety devices in a vertical position whose rod emerging downwards has a lower loop while the bolt secured to the eccentric rocks horizontally in the operational position of support on the lower profile accommodating the baskets or containers, blocking it and preventing any possibility of upward movement, further characterized by the fact that the piston anchoring and releasing the eccentric is returned to its blocking position by means of a spring housed inside the cylindrical hollow body and wound around the piston rod.  5. Container chassis according to claims 1 and 2 characterized in that its structure is completed by a kit placed either on its front or on its rear, the rear crossmember being of the bumper type when the kit is placed at back.