FR3005604A1 - SAFETY TRIGGER FOR TRUCK TRAILER. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a safety trestle for a truck trailer, comprising a base element (21), having feet intended to rest on the ground, and a high element (22), adjustable in height with respect to said low element and having a support surface (224) for engaging a trailer, said support surface (224) being mounted on two upper columns (221) slidably mounted with respect to two lower columns (211) of said lower member. Said lower element (21) comprises: - two main feet (212) formed respectively in the extension of said lower columns (211), and - at least two anti-tilt secondary feet (232), respectively extending from side to side other of a vertical reference plane defined by said lower (211) and upper (221) columns. The invention also relates to a removable assembly carrying such anti-tilt secondary feet.

Description

Safety trestle for truck trailer. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The field of the invention is that of the safety of truck trailers, and in particular semi-trailers, when they are separated from their tractor, for example along an unloading platform or on a parking lot. More specifically, the invention relates to safety trestles used to ensure the stability (and therefore safety) of a detachable trailer. 2. Technological background When a semi-trailer is detached from its tractor, for example before transhipment of goods present in the semi-trailer, safety crutches integrated into the semi-trailers are deployed in order to guarantee a relative stability of semi-trailers. However, this stability is sometimes insufficient, for example when heavy loads are displaced, heavy loads are placed towards the front of the semitrailer, and / or an apparatus such as a forklift. To combat the risk of tipping, it uses in addition to the aforementioned safety stands, mobile safety trestles (and therefore easily installable under a semi-trailer by a single person) to enhance the stability of uncoupled trailers. Such a trestle is usually placed under the fifth wheel of the semitrailer, in front of the lashing ball. In some cases, the trestle can also be placed at the rear of the semitrailer, to limit the movements in height thereof during the loading and unloading phases (limitation of the amplitude of displacement relative to the wharf ). The use of a safety trestle can also make it possible to overcome the breakage of a safety stand. Thus, a safety trestle contributes to strengthening the safety of people working near semi-trailers during cargo handling operations.

Figure 1 shows an example of mobile security trestle according to the state of the art. Such movable safety trestle comprises a low element, or base, 11 and a high element, or support, 12, adjustable in height relative to the base.

The base 11 comprises two inverted Y-shaped metal structures, referenced 111, which are connected by three reference cross members 112A, 112B and 112. Thus, the base assembly comprises four feet 113, distributed so as to ensure the stability trestle. The upper part of each metal structure 111 in the form of an inverted Y has a through column 114, which slidably receives upper columns 121 of the support 12. This support 12 thus comprises two columns 121 rigidly connected to each other by an intermediate cross member 122 and a support beam 123, placed at the end of the two upper columns 121, which comes into contact with the underside of the semi-trailer, when the safety trestle is used. This crossbar can be equipped with one or more elements made of wood or plastic. It should be noted that the height of the crossbar 123 (relative to the ground) is adjustable due to the presence of lights in the upper columns 121 in which it is possible to place pins 115, to set the desired height. Such trestles are in fact generally relatively heavy (of the order of 75 kg). Accordingly, wheels 116 may be provided to move the trestle more easily, for example by means of a removable handle 117. The presence of such wheels is desirable to be able to move a trestle easily and quickly, by a single person . Indeed, these trestles are used in dangerous environment, in the presence of trucks.

A trestle as illustrated is able to support payloads of the order of 15 tons. It would be desirable, under certain circumstances, for such a safety trestle to be able to support higher payloads, for example 20 tons. Another disadvantage is that such a trestle is relatively bulky when not in use. Indeed, the feet occupy a large area on the ground, when the trestles are stored, or they are transported, for example in a vehicle of the truck or van type. This congestion also poses problems in the case of transport of trestles in large quantities, for example in a container and / or delivery to a logistics center, which usually simultaneously buys a large amount of trestles in a single order. The present invention therefore aims in particular to overcome at least some of these problems. 3. Objective of the invention These and other objectives which will appear later, are achieved with the aid of a truck trailer safety trestle, comprising a base element, having feet intended to come into operation. supported on the ground, and a high element, adjustable in height relative to said low element and having a support surface, intended to come into contact with a trailer, said support surface being mounted on two upper columns mounted sliding relative to two lower columns of said bottom member.

According to one aspect of the invention, said base element comprises: - two main feet formed respectively in the extension of said lower columns, and - at least two anti-tilt secondary feet, respectively extending on either side of a vertical reference plane defined by said lower and upper columns. Thus, the main feet are in the vertical plane of the support surface. The reaction forces acting on the feet are therefore aligned with the forces applied by the semitrailer on the upper columns. This gives a better efficiency, that is to say, a possibility to support for example a weight of the order of 20 tons, for a weight unchanged or reduced by at least 10 to 15%. According to a particular embodiment, the safety trestle comprises two anti-tilt secondary feet extending perpendicularly to said reference plane. This structure makes it possible to provide, in a simple and effective manner, an anti-tilt function.

According to a particular embodiment, said anti-tip secondary feet define an inverted V, whose base is integral with a cross member connecting said lower columns. Said anti-tilt secondary feet may in particular be mounted substantially at equal distances from the two lower columns. According to a particular embodiment of the invention, said secondary anti-tilt feet are removable with respect to said lower element. This makes it possible to greatly reduce the size of the trestles, when they are not used, and to store them more easily. It is also possible to place a much larger number in a predefined space, for example a container. An effect, once disassembled, the different elements are substantially planar and / or space-saving. According to a particular embodiment, carries at least one wheel and at least one spring acting on said wheel, so that it is in contact with the ground, when said high element does not support any load, and away from the ground when said high element supports a load greater than a predetermined threshold. It is thus easy to move the trestle, using wheels, but they are automatically disabled, to ensure the safety of the support, when the trailer rests on the trestle.

The wheel or wheels may in particular be integral with said secondary anti-tilt feet. According to a particular embodiment, said anti-tip secondary feet and said wheel or wheels form a removable assembly. It is thus easy to mount the trestle, or to disassemble it for storage. In particular, one can provide a modular structure, with a wheel block on the one hand and a foot module, which are assembled during assembly. According to another aspect, the invention also relates to a removable assembly for safety trestle for truck trailer, said trestle comprising a low element, having feet intended to bear on the ground, and a high element, adjustable in height by report to said low element and having a support surface, intended to come into contact with a trailer. Such a removable assembly comprises at least two anti-tilt secondary feet, respectively extending on either side of a vertical reference plane defined by said lower and upper columns and reversible securing means. The invention also relates to a safety trestle comprising such a removable assembly. 4. List of Figures Other features and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description, given by way of indicative and nonlimiting example, and the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 shows an example mobile safety trestle, as used in the state of the art; FIGS. 2A and 2B show a mobile security trestle according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 3 illustrates a set of secondary feet and wheel blocks of the embodiment of FIG. 2; - Figures 4A and 4B show the secondary feet of the assembly of Figure 3, such a structure comprising two bars secured by a fastener; - Figure 5 shows the wheel block of Figure 3; FIGS. 6A and 6B show two variants of safety trestle employing secondary foot modules as illustrated by FIGS. 4A and 4B. 5. Detailed Description The invention therefore proposes a new approach to safety trestles for truck trailer or semi-trailer. The inventor has indeed found that, on the inverted Y elements, forming feet, of the prior art, as illustrated in FIG. 1, significant stresses appear at the level of the welds connecting the feet to the lower column ( welding areas 13, in Figure 1). This can be explained in particular by the fact that a large force is applied to the lower column, by the weight of the semi-trailer, and that the corresponding reaction forces are applied to the feet 113. According to the invention, It is proposed to replace these two elements in inverted Y, (or at least one of them) by a single foot, extending in the vertical extension of the lower amount and the upper amount. Thus, the weight applied by the semitrailer is aligned with the corresponding ground reaction force. This avoids the problems of deterioration at the welds, which allows to bear a greater weight than with the trestles of the prior art, while substantially reducing the weight of the trestle.

This approach is however not obvious, for the skilled person, since it goes against a major requirement for this type of product, namely that of the stability of the trestle, which is essential for obvious reasons for safety. The inventor has solved this problem by providing secondary feet, intended mainly to ensure this stability (the weight being essentially supported by the two main feet), and the resumption of the moment force during a tilting. Furthermore, it is proposed, according to one aspect of the invention, that these secondary feet are removable, to reduce clutter, when the safety trestle is not used. More precisely, according to this aspect of the invention, it is proposed that the trestle can be dismounted in at least two parts, a main part essentially flat, and therefore easy to store to store and transport, especially in containers, formed of the main structure of the trestle and a part corresponding to the secondary foot, equipped with wheels where appropriate. FIG. 2A shows an embodiment of a trestle according to the invention. It therefore comprises a lower part 21, and an upper part 22, slidable relative to this lower part, to allow a height adjustment. The lower part 21 comprises two lower columns 211, the upper part of which receives, in sliding, two corresponding columns 221 of the upper part. In the lower part of the two columns 211 are equipped with feet 212, formed here of metal plates.

The upper columns 221 are equipped with through-holes 2211, which can receive pins 213 for height adjustment.

This very simple structure of the lower part, with columns 211 extending vertically to the ground, makes it possible to obtain a very good efficiency in terms of support and resistance, since, as indicated previously, the weight P is aligned and opposite to the reaction force of soil R.

As in the prior art, lower crossbars 214 and 215 are provided as well as upper crossbars 222 and 223. Crossbeam 223 here has a U-shaped section, which can receive a piece of wood 224, on which the half trailer will take support. To ensure the stability of this trestle, a secondary assembly 23, removable in this embodiment, is provided. It has two uprights 231, which define an inverted V when mounted on the trestle. In addition, a removable handle 24 may be provided to facilitate the movement of the trestle. This handle is mounted on one of the lower columns 211, for example in the extension of the cross member 215, and for example by screwing.

The secondary assembly 23 may comprise two wheels 24, which make it possible to easily move the trestle in particular by means of the handle 24. According to a particular aspect of this embodiment, these wheels 233 are connected to the foot 232 or the post 231. by means of reminders 234. These return means allow that, at rest, that is to say in the absence of load on the trestle, the wheels 233 are in contact with the ground, while the secondary feet 232 are substantially raised above the ground, as illustrated in FIG. 2B. Thus, just lift the trestle slightly with the handle 24, so that only the wheels 233 are in contact with the ground, allowing easy movement.

As soon as a load greater than a predetermined threshold, corresponding substantially to the weight of the trestle, for example, the entire trestle, and in particular the feet 232 are driven downwards, and these feet come into contact with the ground. The wheels 233 are displaced relative to the secondary legs 232, while remaining in contact with the ground, as shown in FIG. 2A. In this position the set of feet is in contact with the ground, and the stability of the whole is ensured (the wheels although in contact with the ground, are inoperative).

As soon as the load is removed, the return spring 234 returns the wheels to the position of Fig. 2B, slightly raising the secondary legs slightly raised, as well as the main foot being on the side of the wheels. It should be noted that even in this position, the trestle remains stable, since it is supported on the one hand on the two wheels, and on the other hand on the foot located on the side of the handle. Figure 3 shows in detail the secondary assembly 23, and in particular the wheels. The two wheels 233 are interconnected by an axis 238. They are each mounted on a connecting rod 235 whose other end is integral with an axis 236, mounted to rotate on yokes 237, welded on the legs 232 Two springs 234 are provided between the connecting rod 235 and the yoke 237. These springs are mounted so that, in the absence of stress, they tend to bring the wheels 233 back to the ground. The wheel assembly alone is also illustrated in FIG. 5, on which the spring 234 is more clearly distinguished.

Figures 4A and 4B illustrate the secondary feet, or feet of stability, the wheels being absent (note here that these wheels may be optional). This set of secondary parts thus comprises two ground support plates 232, also called feet, which are mounted at the lower end two uprights 231. It is two uprights 231 are connected at their other end to a connecting piece 239 for example by welding. This connecting piece 239 is intended to be secured to the cross member 214. As already mentioned, in this embodiment, this connection is reversible, so that the secondary legs are separable from the main frame of the trestle. Thus, this link has a U-shaped section, whose dimensions are defined so that they overlap the cross 214.

Two screws 2391 are provided, to cross the cross member 14 via openings provided for this purpose, and securely fasten the secondary feet to the cross. These elements are advantageously provided so that the secondary feet are substantially in the middle of the trestle, ie equidistant from the two main legs, and so that these secondary feet extend perpendicularly to the plane defined by the main feet. Other variants may however be envisaged.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 4A and 4B, it may be noted that the connecting piece 239 is formed of two symmetrical elements, interconnected by a screw 2392. This allows, again with a view to saving space in particular the first use of the trestle, to separate the two secondary feet.

The secondary assembly illustrated in Figure 3 also allows the realization of several types of removable trestles, depending on the needs. Thus, as illustrated by FIGS. 6A and 6B, a secondary assembly 61 can be placed under one of the lower columns 62, replacing one of the main feet described above. This approach may have been useful in some cases, in particular to facilitate movement, the wheels being at one end of the trestle. It may be noted here that, according to the embodiments, the wheels may be oriented towards the outside of the trestle (FIG. 6A) or towards the inside of this trestle. We also note here a variant of the means of recalls acting on the wheels, in the form of a single helical spring 63, connecting the base 64 of the secondary assembly and the axis 65. In the case of Figure 6B, it It is possible to assemble two secondary assemblies to find a structure close to that of the prior art, if this is desired in certain particular cases. However, thanks to the approach of the invention, even in this embodiment, a modular structure is provided, which allows, whatever the chosen approach, to dismount the trestle, so that it is very compact when not in use

Claims (10)

REVENDICATIONS1. Safety trestle for a truck trailer, comprising a bottom element (21), having feet intended to bear against the ground, and a high element (22), adjustable in height with respect to said low element and having a support surface (224), intended to come into contact with a trailer, said support surface (224) being mounted on two upper columns (221) slidably mounted relative to two lower columns (211) of said lower element, characterized in that said element base (21) comprises: - two main legs (212) formed respectively in the extension of said lower columns (211), and - at least two anti-tilt secondary feet (232), respectively extending on either side of a vertical reference plane defined by said lower (211) and upper (221) columns. 2. Security trestle according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises two anti-tilt secondary feet (232) extending perpendicularly to said reference plane. 3. safety trestle according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said anti-tilt secondary feet (232) define an inverted V, whose base is secured to a cross member (214) connecting said lower columns (211). 4. Safety trestle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said anti-tilt secondary feet (232) are mounted substantially at equal distances from the two lower columns (211). 5. safety trestle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said anti-tilt secondary feet (232) are removable with respect to said lower member (21). 6. safety trestle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it carries at least one wheel (233) and at least one spring (234) acting on said wheel, so that it is in contact with the ground, when said high element (22) does not support any load, and away from the ground when said high element (22) supports a load greater than a predetermined threshold. 7. Security trestle according to claim 6, characterized in that said wheel or wheels (233) are secured to said anti-tilt secondary feet (232). 8. safety trestle according to claims 7 and 4, characterized in that said anti-tilt secondary feet (232) and said wheel or wheels (233) form a removable assembly (23). 9. Detachable assembly (23) for safety trestle truck trailer, said trestle comprising a base member (21), having feet intended to bear against the ground, and a high element (22), adjustable in height by report to said low member and having a support surface (224) for engaging a trailer, said support surface (224) being mounted on two upper columns (221) slidably mounted with respect to two lower columns (211) said low element, characterized in that it comprises at least two anti-tilt secondary feet (232), extending respectively on either side of a vertical reference plane defined by said lower columns (211) and above (221) and reversible securing means (239). 10. Safety trestle for a truck trailer, comprising a lower element (21), having feet intended to rest on the ground, and a high element (22), adjustable in height with respect to said low element and having a surface carrier (224) for engaging a trailer, said support surface (224) being mounted on two upper columns (221) slidably mounted relative to two lower columns (211) of said lower member, characterized in that said bottom member comprises at least one detachable assembly (23) according to claim 9.