GB2279060A - Vehicle inverter - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for permitting access to an underside of a vehicle comprising a rotatable frame 1a, 1b which the vehicle is mountable thereon. The mounted vehicle is secured to the frame e.g. by chains and ratchets and rotating means rotates the frame and the mounted vehicle at an orientation relative to the horizontal. Stop means is provided to retain the frame and the mounted vehicle at said orientation. Preferably a motor rotates the frame via a gearbox. The stop means can be the gearbox and a limit switch or a stop box secured to the frame. <IMAGE>

Description

Apparatus for permitting access to the underside of a vehicle.

The invention relates to apparatus for permitting access to the underside of a vehicle.

Devices to facilitate access to the underside of a vehicle in preparation for reparatory work are already known. These known devices may involve rotating the vehicle in order to expose the base of the vehicle.

These known rotation devices require the wheels, bumpers or other sections of the car to be removed in order to mount the vehicle in the device. In some of the known devices it is only possible to rotate the vehicle in one direction from the horizontal position when the vehicle is mounted in the device.

Hence, one of the problems with such devices is that a delay is incurred where reparatory work or other work is needed to be done on the underside of the vehicle.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for permitting access to an underside of a vehicle, comprising a rotatable frame; securing means to releasably secure the vehicle to said rotatable frame; rotation means to rotate the frame and the vehicle secured to the frame to any orientation relative to the horizontal; and stop means to retain the frame and the vehicle at a selected orientation to the horizontal.

Preferably, the rotatable frame comprises at least two spaced apart circular members.

Preferably, the rotation means comprises a motor-driven member engaging one of the spaced apart members.

Preferably, the rotation means comprises a geared motor adapted to rotate the spaced apart members.

Preferably, the motor is geared through a gearbox having a high gear ratio to provide said stop means.

Preferably, said apparatus is provided with a limit switch actuated by contacts provided on the spaced apart members so that the rotatable frame is retained in an orientation to the horizontal when said contacts actuate the limit switch.

Preferably, the securing means includes a strap or chain placed around a wheel of the vehicle to secure the wheel to the rotatable frame.

Preferably, the securing means includes a ratchet mechanism to tighten said strap or chain around said wheel and the rotatable frame.

Preferably, the rotatable frame comprises said spaced apart members coupled to each other by one or more longitudinal members.

Preferably, the relative position of the spaced apart members with respect to one another is adjustable.

Preferably, the longitudinal members are tracks adapted to receive the wheels of the vehicle.

Preferably, the securing means includes fixing means to secure a wheel hub of the vehicle direct to the frame.

Preferably, the rotation means comprises a jacking mechanism.

Preferably, the stop means comprises at least one stop bar secured to the rotatable frame.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle loaded on to a rotatable frame according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a view showing a wheel of a vehicle secured to the frame.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a vehicle secured to the frame, rotated and locked at an angle of 900.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention.

Figs. 5 and 6 are views of a third embodiment of the present invention.

Figs. 7a and 7b are schematic perspective views of a connector used in the embodiment of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, Fig.l shows a first embodiment of a vehicle rotation device in accordance with the present invention. A rotatable frame is formed by circular bars la and lb connected to each other by tracks 7. The rotational movement of the frame is provided by a motor 9 and wheels 8a and 8b.

By using a ramp 12 a vehicle 5 is driven or wheeled onto the tracks 7. The tracks 7 can be adjusted along bars lla and 11b to coincide with the wheels of the vehicle 5 and the bars lla and llb are respectively welded transversely to the circular bars la and lb.

Additionally, the circular bars la and lb can be axially adjusted relative to one another along the tracks 7.

Fig. 2 shows how the vehicle is secured to the rotatable frame. Once the vehicle 5 is in position each wheel is secured to the tracks 7 by a chain 10.

Before the rotation of the vehicle 5 into position as shown by Fig. 3, oil, petrol and the vehicle battery are removed. The rotation in either direction is provided by the motor 9 which uses a geared mechanism and rotates a sprocket wheel connected to the forward wheel 8a by a chain 15a, thereby rotating the wheel 8a.

A chain 15b couples the wheel 8a with the wheel 8b and causes the wheel 8b to rotate with the wheel 8a. Both of the wheels 8a and 8b engage the circular bar la and are covered with rubber to provide friction. The rotation of the wheels 8a and 8b causes the bar la to rotate, concomitantly rotating the tracks 7 fixed to bar lla and bar llb and hence the circular bar lb, facilitated by rearward idling wheels 18. This results in the rotation of the vehicle 5 fixed to the tracks 7.

The motor 9 has a reduction gearbox (not shown) with a reduction ratio of 70:1 which is used to lock the rotatable frame at a predetermined angle. In Fig. 3 this is shown as 900 relative to the ground.

Fig. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle 5 is secured to bars la and 1b of a rotatable frame similarly to that shown in Figs 1 to 3, by connectors 17a and 17b which connect to the wheel hubs 10a and 10b. The connector 17a is adjustably fixed to the bar la and the connector 17b is fixed to the bar la and both of the connectors 17a and 17b are arranged to secure the forward wheels 10a as shown. Additional connectors identical to the connectors 17a and 17b are similarly arranged on the bar 1b to secure the rearward wheels 10b. The bars la and 1b are connected to each other by a connection bar 13 and can be adjusted relative to each other along the connection bar 13. The rotation of the bar la rotates the vehicle 5 secured to both of the bars la and lb.

Figs. 7a and 7b respectively show an example of an adjustable connector 17a and a fixed connector 17b which are used to connect the wheel hubs 10a and 10b to the bars la and lb. Both of the connectors have holes 23 for securing the connectors to the bars la and 1b and a hole 26 for securing the wheel hubs 10a or 10b.

In this embodiment the frame is rotated by rolling the frame by hand.

Figs. 5 and 6 show a third embodiment where a screw jack 19 is used to rotate the rotatable frame. The screw jack 19 is connected to the circular bar la by a connector 20 which engages the circular bar la. The operation of the screw jack 19 vertically moves the connector 20 causing the bar la to move in a circular or part circular motion. Such movement causes the tracks 7 and the circular bar lb simultaneously to move with the circular bar la, resulting in the rotation of the vehicle 5 secured to the tracks 7. In this embodiment stop bars 25 are used as shown in Fig. 6 to secure the circular bars la and Ib and hence the vehicle 5 at a predetermined angle.

In other embodiments a hand held jack (not shown) can be used to rotate the circular bar la similarly to the screw jack 19. Additionally, in further embodiments the bars la and lb may consist of more than one part, for example two semi-circular bars connected to form a circle. Also, other shapes for bars la and ib may be used which allow the rotatable frame to be moved in a substantially circular motion.

Once the vehicle 5 is rotated and fixed at the desired angle access to the desired part of the vehicle is made less arduous and reparatory work or other work can be carried out more effectively.

Claims (15)

1. Apparatus for permitting access to an underside of a vehicle, comprising a rotatable frame; securing means to releasably secure the vehicle to said rotatable frame; rotation means to rotate the frame and the vehicle secured to the frame to any orientation relative to the horizontal; and stop means to retain the frame and the vehicle at a selected orientation to the horizontal.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein the rotatable frame comprises at least two spaced apart circular members.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2 wherein the rotation means comprises a motor-driven member engaging one of the spaced apart members.

4. Apparatus according to any of the preceding Claims wherein the rotation means comprises a geared motor adapted to rotate the spaced apart members.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 4 wherein the motor is geared through a gearbox having a high gear ratio to provide said stop means.

6. Apparatus according to any of the Claims 2 - 5 wherein said apparatus is provided with a limit switch actuated by contacts provided on the spaced apart members so that the rotatable frame is retained in an orientation to the horizontal when said contacts actuate the limit switch.

7. Apparatus according to any of the preceding Claims wherein the securing means includes a strap or chain placed around a wheel of the vehicle to secure the wheel to the rotatable frame.

8. Apparatus according to Claim 7 including a ratchet mechanism to tighten said strap or chain around said wheel and the rotatable frame.

9. Apparatus according to any of the Claims 2 to 8 wherein the rotatable frame comprises said spaced apart members coupled to each other by one or more longitudinal members.

10. Apparatus according to any of Claims 2 to 9 wherein the relative position of the spaced apart members with respect to one another is adjustable.

11. Apparatus according to Claim 9 wherein the longitudinal members are tracks adapted to receive the wheels of the vehicle.

12. Apparatus according to Claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 wherein the securing means includes fixing means to secure a wheel hub of the vehicle direct to the frame.

13. Apparatus according to any of the preceding Claims wherein the rotation means comprises a jacking mechanism.

14. Apparatus according to Claim 13 wherein the stop means comprises at least one stop bar secured to the rotatable frame.

15. Apparatus according to any of the preceding Claims with reference to and as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, Figs. 4 and 7, and Figs. 5 and 6.