GB2184070A

GB2184070A - A stowing arrangement for a commercial vehicle, particularly a fire-fighting vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2184070A
Application number: GB08622175A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Albert Friesinger; Helmut Hahn
Original assignee: Iveco Magirus AG
Current assignee: Iveco Magirus AG
Priority date: 1985-09-16
Filing date: 1986-09-15
Publication date: 1987-06-17
Anticipated expiration: 2006-09-15
Also published as: DE3545727A1; FR2593444B1; FR2593444A1; GB2184070B; GB8622175D0

Abstract

The roof (2) of a commercial vehicle, particularly of a fire-fighting vehicle, is provided with at least one downwardly pointing trough (3) and/or at least one recess (4) for protectingly accommodating a roof load (5) or a vehicle-specific implement (6) and/or with an upper hollow stacking space which extends along a corner of the roof frame, which space is shielded against the interior by a cover (12) and serves for accommodating cables or the like. The or each trough and/or the or each recess may, for the purpose of ensuring accurate stowing of the load or of the implement, be shaped to match substantially their respective shape. Advantageously, the or each trough is provided, at its portion closest to the vehicle front, with a roof spoiler and the or each recess with a compact covering hood (7) which may be made of a transparent material (Fig. 1). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A stowing arrangement for a commercial vehicle particularly a fire-fighting vehicle This invention relates to a stowing arrangement in a commercial vehicle, particularly to an arrangement for stowing or mounting in the roof region of a commercial vehicle a ladder or another implement, a cable or the like.

Roof loads and typical fire-fighting appliances as, for example, telescopic and scaling ladders, all-round identification lights, signal horns, loudspeakers of the command and warning devices are arranged, in the case of known firefighting vehicles, on top of the roof and are endangered if the vehicle travels below trees and/or shrubs. In this connection, reference is made, by way of example only, to the fire-fighting vehicle according to DE Patent Specification No. 867 496.

It is known, in order to counter the aforesaid disadvantage, to provide the roof load and the typical fire-fighting equipment carried on the roof of the fire-fighting vehicles with additional guards as, for example, shield tubes which boundingly surround the actual roof load and the like. However, tree or shrub branches may get caught by such guards. Moreover, the arrangement hitherto used produce vehicles contours which are aerodynamically unfavourable.

It is an aim of the invention to provide a stowing arrangement of the kind referred to in the opening paragraph, which arrangement is of simple construction, which produces aerodynamically favourable flow conditions for the vehicle in operation and by means of which the roof load or any other typical fire-fighting appliance such as a cable or the like is or are securely stowed in the roof region.

This aim of the invention is achieved by the means indicated in the characterizing part of claim 1.

Claims 2 to 16 are directed to advantageous embodiments of the invention.

In particular, the invention provides a firefighting vehicle including a roof having at least one downwardly pointing trough and/or at least one recess or aperture for protectingly accommodating the roof load or any other vehicle-specific implement.

In order to ensure accurate stowing or mounting of the roof load and/or of the implement the or each trough and/or the or each recess may be dimensioned and/or shaped to match them.

The or each recess is preferably provided with a compact covering hood fastened to the vehicle roof, which hood may be made of a transparent material. Such roof constructions serve to accommodate, for example, flashing alarm lamps, signal horns or loudspeakers of the command and warning devices.

The or each trough, which is closed at its base, is preferably provided, at least at its portion closest to the vehicle front, with a separate air baffle or roof spoiler which is fastened to the vehicle roof; alternatively, the baffle or spoiler may be formed integrally with the vehicle roof.

The or each trough, according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, is integrally joined to the vehicle roof or is integrally formed therewith.

Preferably, the or each covering hood and the or each air baffle is made of a plastics material which is glass-fibre reinforced or of a polycarbonate.

It is preferable for the sake of increasing the rigidity of the roof, so that it can accommodate a roof load of large shape and weight, to extend the height of the vehicle's side walls up to the edge of the roof and to do this substantially along the whole length of the vehicle.

A single broad trough approximating the width of the vehicle and extending along the full length thereof may be provided for the purpose of easily and securely stowing one or more fire ladders. Alternatively, the roof may be provided with a number of troughs arranged side-by-side and extending along the vehicle's longitudinal direction.

The scope of the invention is such so as to include also other vehicles such as buses, cross-country motor vehicles and even conventional passenger cars which are to be used for transporting, on their roofs, skis or the like.

Thus the invention utilizes the overall height of the vehicie by providing a recess and/or trough in the roof-serving for the protected stowing of any roof load or equipment-yet preserves the required dimensions of the vehicle's interior space. The roof load can be stowed easiiy and is secured during the drive; moreover, the load is protected against branches of trees lining the road and also against gravel thrown up by a vehicle in front and so forth. The vehicle's good aerodynamic characteristics result in fuel economy. The preservation of the dimensions of the interior space renders it possible to provide a lateral hollow stacking space at least along an upper internal corner of the roof frame.A cover for shielding the stacking space may be immovable or removable or may be pivotably fastened; it may be a one-piece one or a partitioned one. The hollow space may be used for stacking cables, conduits and, possibly, for installing a radio receiver transmitter or an electrical assembly. In addition, parts of warning devices or hoses of firefighting vehicles may be stacked there. The hollow space and the cover are designed in such a way that component parts can easily be assembled, for example conduits, radio receivers, transmitters and electrical assemblies and so forth. Moreover the parts stacked in the hollow space are, if the latter is shielded by a removable or a pivotably fastened cover, easily accessible-which simplifies repairs. The hollow stacking space may be installed in the vehicle after its original manufacture, that is to say as optional equipment.If the commercial vehicle has a standard roof without a trough, it is still possible to achieve the aforementioned aim by, for example, a suitable dish-shaped construction of the removable or pivotable cover which extends along a standard roof frame.

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic partial side view of a fire-fighting vehicle; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic partial vertical section of the vehicle shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic partial cross-sectional view of the upper roof-frame region of the fire-fighting vehicle the roof of which is provided with a trough; and Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to that of Fig. 3 of a vehicle having a roof without a trough.

Figs. 1 to 3 illustrate a commercial vehicle 1 constructed as a fire-fighting vehicle having side walls 10 which are extended in height on both the right-hand and ieft-hand sides of the vehicle to the edge of the roof resulting in a large-sized driver's cab. The vehicle's heightextended side walls 10 ensure, in conjunction with the sectional shape of the roof edge, the creation of a sturdy roof frame within the bounds of which troughs 3, the length, width and depth of which are adapted to suit an intended roof load 5, are inserted as separate components into the roof to which they are fastened by, for example, welding, bolting, rivetting or cementing.

The downwardly pointing trough in the embodiment illustrated extends substantially across the entire width of the vehicle and is closed at its base. Telescopic or scaling ladders may, for example, constitute the roof load 5; they can be accommodated along the vehicle's longitudinal direction in a position slightly downwardly displaced in relation to the vehicle roof, which position is a secure and aerodynamically favourable one. The individual ladders may, if need be, be secured for any of the vehicle's trips by additional fastening means such as cross-struts or crossstraps.

Alternatively, the roof may be provided with a number of troughs arranged side-by-side across the vehicle width yet extending along the vehicle's longitudinal direction; they may be used to accommodate separate roof-load parts. The cross-section of the or each trough corresponds substantially to the underside of respective roof-load part.

The trough or troughs 3 arranged in the roof of the commercial vehicle 1 illustrated in Fig. 1 may be provided at its or their portion closest to the vehicle front with one or more air baffles 8 or with roof spoilers of an aerodynamically favourable shape which-if they are separate components-are securely fastened to the vehicle roof 2 or they may be integrally formed therewith.

The commercial vehicle 1 illustrated in the Figure also comprises at its front a roof recess 4 of a shape corresponding to and serving to accommodate firmly an implement 6 of the kind typically used in fire-fighting vehicles as, for example, a flashing alarm lamp or the like.

The roof recess 4 is enclosed by a covering hood 7 of a transparent material. The hood is closed at its top and its shape is also, like that of the roof spoiler located behind it, aerodynamically favourable.

Advantageously, the covering hood 7 and the air baffle 8 are made of a plastics material, which is glass-fibre reinforced, or of a polycarbonate.

The partial cross-sectional view of a commercial vehicle according to Fig. 3 illustrates that a hollow stacking space 11 shielded at its lower end by a removable cover 12 is provided in the region of the upper portion of the roof frame 9 between the latter and the trough 3. This hollow space accommodates, for example, cables, conduits or a radio receiver, transmitter, electrical assemblies or the like. Parts of warning devices and hoses too can unobtrusively and securely be accommodated in these spaces. Since the shielding cover 12 is removable, any article accommodated or to be accommodated in the space can easily be installed therein and also be serviced or repaired. It is easy to install the hollow space 11 into a commercial vehicle after the latter's original manufacture.

Fig. 4 illustrates a conventional vehicle roof 2 without a trough therein; yet, although the roof is not provided with a trough, the hollow stacking space 11 in the upper corner may still be obtained by a suitable dish-shaped construction of the removable or pivotable cover 12, for example by arranging it so as to slope transversely to the vehicle but extending lengthwise along the vehicle's longitudinal direction.

All new features referred to in the description and/or illustrated in the drawings are materially intrinsic ones of the invention be it by themselves or in rational combination-even if they have not been expressly claimed in the

Claims

claims. CLAIMS

1. An arrangement for stowing or mounting a ladder or another implement on the roof (2) of a commercial vehicle (1), particularly of a fire-fighting vehicle, characterized in that the roof (2) is provided with at least one trough (3) and/or at least one recess (4) for protec tingly accommodating a roof load (5) or an implement (6).

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that for the purpose of ensuring accurate stowing or mounting of the roof load (5) and/or of the implement (6) the or each trough (3) and/or the or each recess (4) is shaped to match them.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the or each recess (4) is provided with a compact covering hood (7) fastened to the roof.

4. An arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that the covering hood (7) is made of a transparent material.

5. An arrangement according to any of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the or each trough (3) is provided, at least at its portion closest to the vehicle front, with an air baffle (8) (roof spoiler) which is either a separate element fastened to the roof or is integrally formed with the vehicle roof (2).

6. An arrangement according to any of the claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the or each covering hood (7) and, respectively, the or each air baffle (8) is made of a plastics material which is glass-fibre reinforced or of a polycarbonate.

7. An arrangement according to any of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the or each trough (3) is formed integrally with the vehicle roof (2).

8. An arrangement according to any of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the or each trough (3) is a separate element which is placed within the vehicle's (1) roof frame (9) and fastened.

9. An arrangement according to any of the claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the vehicle roof (2) is laterally supported, substantially uninterruptedly, by the vehicle's side walls which are extended in height.

10. An arrangement according to any of the claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the troughs are elongate, extend along the vehicle's longitudinal direction and serve to stow fire ladders.

11. An arrangement according to any of the claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the recesses (4) serve to hold flashing alarm lamps, signal horns, loudspeakers or warning devices.

12. A stowing arrangement in a commercial vehicle, particularly in a fire-fighting vehicle, characterized in that it includes an upper hollow stacking space (11) extending in the interior of the vehicle along a corner of the roof frame (9), and in that the stacking space is shielded against the interior by a cover (12).

13. An arrangement according to any of the claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the upper hollow stacking space extends along the corner formed between the trough (3) and the roof frame (9).

14. An arrangement according to any of the claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the cover is a one-piece one.

15. An arrangement according to any of the claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the cover is a partitioned one.

16. An arrangement according to any of the claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the cover (12) is removably or pivotably secured in the region of the roof frame.