GB2040461A

GB2040461A - Checking and Repairing Device for the Body of Vehicles

Info

Publication number: GB2040461A
Application number: GB7943880A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: UNIVERSAL BENCH SpA
Current assignee: UNIVERSAL BENCH SpA
Priority date: 1978-12-22
Filing date: 1979-12-20
Publication date: 1980-08-28
Also published as: IT7823639V0; FR2444593A3; FR2444593B3

Abstract

Checking fixtures 5 are removably fastened to two longitudinal supporting members 3 having through holes 4 formed according to a grid like pattern; the supporting members extend for at least the entire length of the car to be repaired and/or checked and are either fastened to the transverse members 2 of an auto lift or are part of an independent, possibly wheeled, rigid frame. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Checking and Repairing Device for the Body of Vehicles The present invention relates to a device, either mounted to an auto lift or directly supported onto the ground, and useful for positioning, mounting, checking and straightening car bodies, particularly damaged car bodies.

To date for this purpose there have been used the so-called checking and repairing benches, comprising a frame, preferably coupled to a lift, the body of the damaged car being positioned thereonto. To the frame there are mounted transverse members supporting fixtures suitable for the checking of characteristic and essential parts of the body (from the point of view of the car safety), thrusting or dragging operations being carried out when no perfect matching exists between the fixtures (which correspond to the original geometry of the type and model of car) and the damaged car body to be repaired. For these straightening operations there are used devices, called thrust and drag tools, which are each time coupled to the frame.In some types of bench the fixtures are permanently fastened to the transverse members, whereby for each type and model of car an assemebly of transverse members is needed, it involving the related problems as to the weight, stocking and transportation in the repair shop.

In the more recent types of bench, the transverse members are provided with suitable holes, according to a grid pattern whereby, depending on the type and model of car, there is identified an exact position of the fixtures with respect to the aforesaid holes.

On carrying out the repair operation, the checking end of the fixture is preferably fastened to the corresponding part of the body, and then thrust and drag forces are applied, until the base of the fixture does match the predetermined holes of the transverse member. In this case too, of course, there is necessary to provide some perforated transverse members, having different width depending on the type of fixture (normally having widths multiple to each other), these transverse members having to be fastened and removed with respect to the auto lift.Provided that the fixtures for the checking of the body geometry are fastened to the transverse members, it is evidently necessary to ensure a precision which sometimes is higher than the normal tolerances of mechanical working; moreover the repeated fastening and dismounting operations may in the long run give place to clearances and, lastly, not to fulfill the allowable tolerances.

The present invention aims to maintain unchanged the advantages of the so-called univeral transverse members, the problems and disadvantages, as hereinbefore shortly mentioned, being however done away with and the manufacturing and finishing operations of the perforated transverse members being highly simplified. To this end the present invention provides a checking and repairing device for the body of damaged cars, of the type in which checking fixtures are fastened to supporting members having perforations on a grid like pattern, characterized in that there are provided two longitudinal and parallel supporting members, having a network of holes, said longitudinal supporting members extending at least for the entire length of the car and being spaced so as to have in the whole a width including the gauge of the cars to be repaired.

According to the preferred embodiment, said longitudinal supporting members are fastened to the two end transverse members of an auto lift, thus acting not only as the supporting members for the fixtures, but also as the running boards normally present in the auto lifts. Said longitudinal supporting members, however, may be fastened to head members so as to form an independent frame, possibly mounted on wheels and not necessarily coupled to an auto lift.

The features and advantages of the present invention shall more clearly appear from the description, as given hereinafter and referred to the enclosed drawing, by which the subject device as shown, in a perspective view, as combined to an auto lift.

In the drawing, reference 1 indicates the running columns of a normal auto lift; along the two pairs, namely front and rear of columns, the transverse members 2 of the auto lift slide under the control of a suitable and per se well known device.

Two longitudinal supporting members 3 are mounted to the transverse members 2, their upper surfaces being provided with through holes 4, having a pattern according to a mesh of a predetermined size to accommodate the fixtures 5. Of course depending on the type and model of car a suitable series of fixtures will be used.

By the reference 6 there is indicated, for illustrative purpose, a thrust and drag tool, namely a body straightening device of well-known type.

As shown in the drawing, the two supporting members 3 are preferably formed by two metal sheets, bent and connected with members without welding, to avoid possible settling of the structure in the long run. The perforation of the supporting members is effected by press work, which ensures modular pitches and the related tolerances as regards the diameters. As the last operation, the supporting members 3 are milled in only one pass, to ensure the perfect planarity of their surfaces.

In the case in which no coupling to an auto lift is required, the two supporting members 3, as connected by cross members like the transverse members 2, are rigidly connected to form a frame, possibly mounted on wheels and transportable, adapted to be inserted under the car to be repaired and/or checked. The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it being understood that modifications and changes, which are conceptually and mechanically equivalent, are possible and foreseable, within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A checking and repairing device for the body of damaged cars, of the type in which checking fixtures are fastened to supporting members having through holes, characterized by comprising two longitudinal and parallel supporting members, having a network of through holes, and longitudinal supporting members extending for at least the entire length of the car and being spaced so as to have in the whole a width including the gauge of the car to be repaired.

2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said two supporting members are mounted at their ends to the transverse members of an auto lift, forming thus a frame.

3. A device according to the claim 1, characterized in that said two longitudinal supporting members are connected at the ends by transverse members, forming thus a rigid frame, possibly mounted on wheels.

4. A checking and repairing device for the body of damaged cars, as hereinbefore essentially described and illustrated in the enclosed drawing.