GB1568213A - Truck cabs - Google Patents

Description

(54) TRUCK CABS (71) WC, BRITISH LtYiAND UK LIMITED, a }iritix Company, of Leyland House, 174 Marylebone Road, London NWl 5AA, do heresy declare the invention, for which Wiz we pray that a patent may be grants to us. and the method by which it is to be performed, to be puticularly de scribe in and by the follo"'ng statement: he present invention relates to truck c nd more particularly to those that are tiltable forwardly to allow access to n engine located beneath the cab floor, i.e. the socalied "tilt-cab" type.

In our co pendmg patent application No.

30158/75 (Seriai No. 1,555,466) there is disclosed a tilt-cab arrangement in which members which are integral with the cab and the chassis respectively co-operate to form an ine eiacto & ure when tbe cab is in its untilted position but which separate when the cab is tilted to thus espouse the engine. The purpose of the enclosure is to reduce the overall vehicle noise level.

The present invention is concerned with the construction of the tilt-cab itself and particularly with its floor.

According to the present invention a tiltcab for a truck has a floor which comprises: a pair of seat mounting panels or sections which are located on each side of a panel or section which is raised relative to the seat mounting panels or sections and beneath which the vehicle engine is located; and a bunk mounting panel or section located extending across the cab behind the seat mounting panels or sections and at a lower height than the raised panel or section in relation to the cab roof.

The invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing the single figure of which is a three-quarter perspective view of a truck-cab floor constructed according to the invention.

A tilt-cab for a truck is fabricated from a number of sheet steel pressings, only those which form or are directly associated with the cab floor being shown in the drawing.

The cab floor comprises a central raised corrugated section 1 which is slightly stepped down forwardly to form a portion 2a and 2b, the section 1 and portion 2 overlying the truck's engine and cooling system (not shown) which is located beneath the cab.

Two foot wells 3 and 4 are located at either side of the portion 2 and at a much lower level than the latter.

Two seat mounting sections 5 and 6 are located at each side of the corrugated section 1 at a slightly lower level than the latter but on the same level as portion 2a.

A bunk mounting section 7 extends across the width of the cab and is immediately rearward of the corrugated section 1 and the sea mounting sections 5 and 6.

Section 7 is stepped down from section 1.

A box or top-hat sectioned transverse member 8 extends between the sections 1, 5 and 6 on the one hand and section 7 on the other.

There are two upright top-hat sectioned members 9 and 10 which are welded to two transverse upright webs 11 and 12 to form two box-sectioned members. The webs 11 and 12 are connected at their inner ends to two longitudinal upright webs 13 and 14 which extend downwardly from the portions 2a and 2b.

Two upright swaged diaphragms 15 and 16 depend from the floor sections 5, 7 and 6, 7 respectively and serve to stiffen the floor both in a vertical plane and against shear (i.e. they contribute to the cab's torsional stiffness) as well as act as noise shields in the manner indicated earlier. They form the upper halves of two opposite sides of an engine enclosure of the kind disclosed in our co-pending aDplication No. 30158/75 (Serial No. 1,555,466) so that when the cab is in its normal untilted position the engine is substantially totally enclosed. As disclosed in that application, the lower edge of the diaphra,sns 15 and 16 would carry flexible sealing members for noise attenuation.

The cab is designed to accommodate two bunks in the section 7 behind the usual two seats which would be mounted on the seat sections 5 and 6.

A problem can arise when it is desired to fit two bunks behind the usual seats to form a so-called "sleeper-cab". This is due to conflicting requirements of trying to keep the roof line of the cab as low as possible consistent with adequate headroom for the driver whilst at the same time providing adequate height within the cab for the two bunks one on top of the other.

The present invention solves this problem by having the cab floor section 7 stepped down relative to the raised engine tunnel section 1. In addition, the engine is inclined downwardly in a rearward direction so that its front end which is located under the portion 2b of the floor is higher than its rear end which is located under the section 7 of the floor.

The construction of the bunks is disclosed in our co-pending application No. 8595/76.

The transverse beam member 8 which separates the seat panels 5 and 6 from the bunk panel 7 can be used to mount seat belt anchorages. The beam supports and stiffens the floor panels and eliminates the need for a frame on the lower bunk by providing a well for this bunk to rest on.

Attention is drawn hereby to the claims of our co-pending patent application No.

4838!76 (Serial No. 1,568,214).

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A tilt-cab for a truck having a floor which comprises: (a) a pair of seat mounting panels or sections which are located on each side of a panel or section which is raised relative to the seat mounting panels or sections, and beneath which raised panel or section the vehicle engine is located; and (b) a bunk mounting panel or section located extending across the cab behind the seat mounting panels or sections and at a lower height than the raised panel or section in relation to the cab roof.

2. A tilt-cab as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the seat mounting panels or sections are separated from the bunk mounting panel by a beam member which serves to support and stiffen the floor and to provide a frame member for the bunk mounting panel or section.

3. A tilt-cab as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the engine is inclined so that its front end is higher than its rear end.

4. A tilt-cab as claimed in Claim 1 and as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the drawing accompanying the Complete Specification.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. flexible sealing members for noise attenuation. The cab is designed to accommodate two bunks in the section 7 behind the usual two seats which would be mounted on the seat sections 5 and 6. A problem can arise when it is desired to fit two bunks behind the usual seats to form a so-called "sleeper-cab". This is due to conflicting requirements of trying to keep the roof line of the cab as low as possible consistent with adequate headroom for the driver whilst at the same time providing adequate height within the cab for the two bunks one on top of the other. The present invention solves this problem by having the cab floor section 7 stepped down relative to the raised engine tunnel section 1. In addition, the engine is inclined downwardly in a rearward direction so that its front end which is located under the portion 2b of the floor is higher than its rear end which is located under the section 7 of the floor. The construction of the bunks is disclosed in our co-pending application No. 8595/76. The transverse beam member 8 which separates the seat panels 5 and 6 from the bunk panel 7 can be used to mount seat belt anchorages. The beam supports and stiffens the floor panels and eliminates the need for a frame on the lower bunk by providing a well for this bunk to rest on. Attention is drawn hereby to the claims of our co-pending patent application No. 4838!76 (Serial No. 1,568,214). WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A tilt-cab for a truck having a floor which comprises: (a) a pair of seat mounting panels or sections which are located on each side of a panel or section which is raised relative to the seat mounting panels or sections, and beneath which raised panel or section the vehicle engine is located; and (b) a bunk mounting panel or section located extending across the cab behind the seat mounting panels or sections and at a lower height than the raised panel or section in relation to the cab roof.

2. A tilt-cab as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the seat mounting panels or sections are separated from the bunk mounting panel by a beam member which serves to support and stiffen the floor and to provide a frame member for the bunk mounting panel or section.

3. A tilt-cab as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the engine is inclined so that its front end is higher than its rear end.

4. A tilt-cab as claimed in Claim 1 and as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the drawing accompanying the Complete Specification.