GB2152470A

GB2152470A - Vehicle mounted rear loading platform

Info

Publication number: GB2152470A
Application number: GB08430175A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gerd Bar
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-11-30
Filing date: 1984-11-29
Publication date: 1985-08-07
Also published as: NL8403109A; DE3343240C2; NL190005C; CH665806A5; GB2152470B; FR2555527A1; NL190005B; ATA371284A; GB8430175D0; DE3343240A1; FR2555527B1; BE901168A; AT389278B

Abstract

Parallelogram link members 143, 144, support a collapsible rear loading platform 149, and are articulated on heads 133 supported via parallelogram link members 128, 129 so that they are pivotable on the chassis 114 of a vehicle. In the stowed condition of the platform. the members 128, 129 are directed forwardly and downwardly at 5 to 20 DEG to the vertical with the members 143, 144 extending at 0 to 20 DEG to the horizontal, the platform 149 being collapsed under the chassis 114. A trailer coupling 161 on the lorry remains therefore freely accessible. In the extended condition of the platform the members 128, 129 extend rearwardly and downwardly at 20 to 55 DEG to the vertical. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for a collapsible side wall The invention relates to an apparatus for a collapsible side wall according to the preamble to Claim 1.

An apparatus of this type is disclosed in German Patent Application P 33 07 857.2. The advantage of this apparatus resides in particular in that a collapsible side wall can be stowed under the vehicle superstructure without protruding beyond the rear boundary of the superstructure and without requiring a special rear profile of the superstructure. This is of great importance particularly in the case of refrigerating superstructures because such a measure avoids heat bridges.

An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can be stowed away in such a way that a normally incorporated trailer coupling can be used without hindrance.

According to the invention there is provided an apparatus for a collapsible side wall, with a fixing device adapted to be attached to two longitudinal members of a lorry chassis and having the following features: a) a link member head is attached to each end zone of a main cross-member; b) pivotally attached to the two link member heads are four first parallelogram link members which carry at the other end a collapsible platform so that the upper side thereof can be pivoted upwardly as far as the upper surface of the bottom of a vehicle superstructure when the platform is not collapsed and so that the platform is capable of being stowed under the floor when it is in the collapsed condition;; c) provided in the upper zone of each steering member head are two first pivot hinges disposed at a distance from each other when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, their pivot axes being at a right-angle to the longitudinal members; d) four second parallelogram link members are mounted at one in these first pivot joints and at the other in a respective second pivot joint; e) the second pivot joints are adapted to be mounted in a fixed position in relation to the longitudinal members; f) a hydraulic cylinder acts upon the main crossmembers which are positioned below the longitudinal members in order to produce a relative movement between main cross-member and longitudinal cross-member, characterised by the following features:: g) in the collapsed and stowed condition of the platform, the second parallelogram link members extend at a first angle of 0 to 30 degrees in respect of the perpendicular, the first pivot joints, viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, are situated in front of the corresponding second pivot joints; h) in the collapsed and stowed condition of the platform, the first parallelogram link members extend at a second angle of 0 to 20 degrees in respect of the horizontal, the collapsed platform being positioned in the range of heights between the bottom edge of the longitudinal members and the main cross-member;; i) in the extended condition of the platform, the second parallelogram link members extend at a third angle of 20 to 55 degrees in relation to the vertical, the first pivot joints, viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, being located behind the corresponding second pivot joints.

By providing a positive fixing of the angular positions of the parallelogram link members, the condition is satisfied whereby the platform is positioned correctly and with the appropriate movement.

Preferably the first angle is approximately 8 degrees and the third angle is approximately 40 degrees. More particularly the apparatus is characterised in that when a standard platform is used which is approximately 150 cm long when in the extended condition, on an average lorry of which the bottom edge of the longitudinal members is approximately 80 cm while the bottom of the vehicle superstructure is about 150 cm above the carriageway, the following dimensions are chosen: the first parallelogram link members are approximately 100 cm long; the second parallelogram link members are approximately 60 cm long; the second pivot joints are approximately 110 cm above the carriageway; the rear second pivot joints are situated approximately 70 cm before the rearmost edge of a trailer coupling and approximately 90 cm in front of the rearmost edge of the vehicle superstructure.

The invention is explained in greater detail hereinafter with reference to a preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, in which; Figure 1 is a side view of the rear zone of a lorry with the apparatus according to the invention, in the working condition; and Figure 2 is a side view according to Figure 1 with the apparatus according to the invention in a ready-to-roll position.

According to Figure 1, an only partially visible wheel 112 of a lorry is standing on the carriageway or ground 111 and is suspended on the chassis 114 thereof in a manner which is not shown in any particular detail. The chassis 114 consists essentially to two longitudinally extending longitudinal members connected to each other by transverse struts. On the longitudinal members of the chassis 114 there is an assembly frame or fixing device 116 on which accessory equipment can be mounted. Above it is the bottom 157 of a vehicle superstructure, for example of a refrigerating container. The mounting of this superstructure on the chassis 114 is known per se and is therefore not shown here in greater detail.

Figure 1 furthermore shows a main transverse bearer 134 attached to each end zone of which there is a steering member head 133. Articulated to the rear edge of each steering member head 133 by hinge pins 133 and 146 is an upper and lower parallelogram link member 143 and 144, which at the other end so support a collapsible platform 149 in per se known manner that the upper side thereof can be pivoted upwardly to the upper face of the bottom 157, as indicated by broken lines in Figure 1. Since the disposition and construction of the parallelogram link members 143 and 144 is generally known, these have been indicated in the drawings only diagrammatically and by dash-dotted lines.

Viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, there are on the top edge of each steering member head 133 two mutually spaced-apart first pivot joints 130 and 132, the pivoting axes of which extend at a right-angle to the longitudinal members of the chassis 114. Mounted on these first pivot joints of each steering member head 133 are second parallelogram link members 128 and 129 which are mounted at the other end in a respective second pivot joint 121 and 122. Expediently, the parallelogram link members 128, 129 shown in the side view in Figure 1 to be coincidently one behind the other are coupled to each other by torsion resistant bars 123 and 124 so that any twisting of the main cross-member 134 which is suspended on these parallelogram link members is avoided.A hydraulic cylinder 138 is articulated at one end via a hinge pin 139 on a cut-out 141 in the parallelogram link member 129 while its piston rod 137 is mounted by a hinge pin 136 in the vicinity of the pivot joint 130 on the upper edge of the steering member head 133.Thus, the hydraulic cylinder 138 acts in the diagonal of the parallelogram, so that when it is operated the main cross-member 134 can be pivoted out of the rear position shown in Figure 1 into the front position shown in Figure 2. Naturally, the hydraulic cylinder could also be supported on any other location on the lorry chassis, but the solution shown in the drawings offers the advantage that the apparatus can be supplied with the collapsible side walls as a pre-assembled ready-to-use unit, so that only the fixing device 116 on which the entire apparatus is suspended, has to be mounted and screwed onto the chassis 114.

Figure 1 shows the platform 149 in broken lines in its collapsed and forwardly folded condition. It shows that in the illustrated position of the main cross-member 134, it is possible without difficulty to swing past a trailer coupling 161. This folding-in of the platform 149 is followed by a raising of the parallelogram link members 143 and 144 into the raised position shown in Figure 2 with a simultaneous forwards pivoting of the main cross-member 134, so that the platform 149 is stowed beneath the frame 114. To secure this operative position, a horizontal finger 156 mounted on the platform 149 engages a hook 153 provided on the chassis 114.

So that the platform 149 can occupy its working position, and so that it can be moved without difficulty into the travelling position, it is necessary not only to match the length of the component parts, as would be natural, but also to observe the angles indicated hereinafter.

Thus, in the collapsed and stowed condition of the platform 149 according to Figure 2, it is necessary to maintain a first angle 162 of 5 to 20 , preferably 8 , in respect of the vertical, so that the first pivot joints 130, 132, viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, are in each case situated in front of the corresponding second pivot joints 121, 122. Furthermore, the first parallelogram link members 143, 144 in this condition of the platform 149 extend at a second angle 163 of 5 to 200 and preferably 9" in respect of the horizontal.In the extended operating condition according to Figure 1, on the other hand, the second parallelogram link members 128, 129 are inclined at a third angle 164 of 20 to 550 and preferably 40 in respect of the vertical, although now the first pivot joints 130, 132, viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, are disposed after the corresponding second pivot joints 121,122.

With the geometry set forth hereinabove, it is guaranteed that the horizontal component of movement in comparison with the vertical component of movement of the main cross-member 134 predominates in order to move the platform 149 adequately in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

Since the third angle 164 is greater than the first angle 162, adequate provision is made to have the necessary clearance under the chassis 114 in the running condition. In this respect, the second angle 163 ensures an adequate angle of inclination.

The apparatus according to the invention offers advantages even in the case of vehicles with interchangeable superstructures which have standard mounting points on the chassis since the mounting above all the stowing of the platform requires no change to the chassis in the region of the mounting points.

Claims

1. Apparatus for a collapsible side wall, with a fixing device adapted to be attached to two longitudinal members of a lorry chassis and having the following features: a) a link member head is attached to each end zone of a main cross-member; b) pivotally attached to the two link members heads are four first parallelogram link members which carry at the other end a collapsible platform so that the upper side thereof canbe pivoted upwardly as far as the upper surface of the bottom of a vehicle superstructure when the platform is not collapsed and so that the platform is capable of being stowed under the floor when it is in the collapsed condition;; c) provided in the upper zone of each steering member head are two first pivot hinges disposed at a distance from each other when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, their pivot axes being at a right-angle to the longitudinal members; d) four second parallelogram link members are mounted at one in these first pivot joints and at the other in a respective second pivot joint; e) the second pivot joints are adapted to be mounted in a fixed position in relation to the longi tudinal members; f) a hydraulic cylinder acts upon the main crossmembers which are positioned below the longitudinal members in order to produce a relative movement between main cross-member and lonitudinal cross-member, characterised by the following features:: g) in the collapsed and stowed condition of the platform (149), the second parallelogram link members (128, 129) extend at a first angle (162) of 0 to 30 in respect of the perpendicular, the first pivot joints (130, 132), viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, are situated in front of the corresponding second pivot joints (121, 122); h) in the collapsed and stowed condition of the platform (149), the first parallelogram link members (143, 144) extend at second angle (163) of 0 to 20 in respect of the horizontal, the collapsed platform being positioned in the range of heights between the bottom edge of the longitudinal members (114) and the main cross-member (134);; i) in the extended condition of the platform (149), the second parallelogram link members (128, 129) extend at a third angle (164) of 20 to 55" in relation to the vertical, the first pivot joints (130, 132), viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, being located behind the corresponding second pivot joints (121, 122).

2. An apparatus according to Claim 1, characterised in that the first angle (162) amounts to approx. 5 to 20

3. An apparatus according to Claim 1, characterised in that the second angle (163) amounts to approx. 5 to 15 .

4. An apparatus acording to Claim 1, characterised in that the first angle (162) amounts to approx.

8" and the third angle (164) amounts to approx.

40".

5. An apparatus according to Claim 1, characterised in that the second angle (163) amounts to approx. 9".

6. An apparatus according to Claims 4 and 5, characterised in that when a platform (149) is used which is approximately 150 cm long when in the extended condition, on a lorry of which the bottom edge of the longitudinal members is approximately 80 cm while the bottom of the vehicle superstructure (157) is about 150 cm above the carriageway (111), the following dimensions are chosen: the first parallelogram link members (143, 144) are approximately 100 cm long; the second parallelogram link members (128, 129) are approximately 60 cm long; the second pivot joints (121, 122) are disposed approximately 110 cm above the carriageway (111); the rear second pivot joints (121) are situated approximately 70 cm before the rearmost edge of a trailer coupling (161) and approximately 90 cm in front of the rearmost edge of the vehicle superstructure.

7. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.