GB2287919A

GB2287919A - Industrial truck with a platform

Info

Publication number: GB2287919A
Application number: GB9506457A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Olivier Frechet; Pierre Maller
Original assignee: Linde GmbH
Current assignee: Linde GmbH
Priority date: 1994-04-01
Filing date: 1995-03-29
Publication date: 1995-10-04
Anticipated expiration: 2015-03-29
Also published as: GB2287919B; DE4411470A1; DE4411470B4; FR2718122B1; GB9506457D0; FR2718122A1

Description

1 INDUSTRIAL TRUCK WITH A PLATFORM 2287919 The present invention relates

to load handling vehicles, and particularly concerns an industrial truck with a platform which is provided as a standing surface for a standing driver and is supported on all sides by a plurality of elastically resilidnt cushioning elements. With these generally unsprung industrial trucks the elastic mounting of the platform damps out jolts from the road surface thus reducing loadings acting on the driver of the truck.

An industrial truck is described in published European Patent Application 0 568 775, in which a driver's platform is supported at one end by means of the cushioning elements and is mounted pivotably at the other end to the truck chassis. Preferably, the pivotable mounting is achieved in that the platform, formed from a sheet metal plate, is screwed securely by a flexible area to the chassis of the industrial truck. Using the elasticity of the sheet metal plate in said area, the result is pivotability of the platform within certain limits. Thus, the platform is only sprung resiliently at the end at which the cushioning elements are disposed, the platform describing a movement along an arc of a circle at the cushioning element end when compressed.

A variant of the platform support also considered in the above-identified specification in which the platform is supported damped with cushioning elements on all sides, is rejected as disadvantageous as this results in floating, i.e. lateral movement of the platform in its resilient mounting, which adversely affects the stability of the driver on it.

The underlying object of the present invention is to provide an industrial truck which includes an improved platform which can be manufactured economically and allows good damping of jolts from the road surface with optimum stability for the driver.

According to the invention this object is achieved in that at least one of the cushioning elements exhibits a vertical guide limiting the lateral mobility of the platform. Thus, in spite of 2 being resiliently mounted on all sides with the resulting good damping of jolts from the road surface, the platform is secured against floating movement in the horizontal direction, ensuring the stability of the driver.

According to one advantageous embodiment of the invention. the cushioning element is made in two parts and consists of a male part and a female part. This means that firstly the vertical guide can be manufactured simply, and secondly the platform can be removed from the industrial truck simply, namely by lifting the platform vertically off its guide or guides. This is achieved through a plug connection produced with the aid of the male part and the female part between the platform and the chassis of the vehicle, the platform resting loosely on the cushioning elements without any vertical restraint. In the industrial truck known from the specification named initially, the screwed joints must first be released to remove the platform from the industrial truck.

In one favourable arrangement the male part is secured to the platform and the female part to a component of the chassis of the industrial truck.

With a view to low manufacturing costs and good operation. it is advantageous if the female part comprises a rigid cylinder in which a sleeve made of elastic material is disposed to receive the essentially rigid male part, the vertical extension of the sleeve being greater than the vertical extension of the cylinder.

In order to prevent the platform sliding out of the vertical guide through jolts from the road surface, in one expedient variant of the invention on the outside the male part exhibits a contour which is provided for engagement with a corresponding contour on the inside of the sleeve so that the two contours can be brought into operative connection with one another for locking engagement.

With a view to good damping and guiding properties, advantageously the male part is made of nylon and the sleeve is made of rubber or other friction material.

f,' 111 3 For simple fixture of the components to the platform an the truck respectively, it is advantageous if the cylinder of the female part exhibits a lower end wall in which is disposed an axial bore, and if the male part exhibits a longitudinal bore. The bores serve to receive fixing screws.

In one particularly advantageous arrangement, at least two spaced cushioning elements are provided for mounting the platform at one of its ends. and two spaced cushioning elements provided with vertical guides are provided at the opposite end. The use of two cushioning elements each with a vertical guide prevents any rotational movement of the platform in the horizontal plane about a vertical axis, which is possible in certain conditions when only one cushioning element with a vertical guide is present.

It is advantageous if the cushioning elements provided with vertical guides are disposed at the front end of the platform in the direction of travel.

In addition, it is expedient to form those cushioning elements not provided with a vertical guide as progressively acting cushioning elements.

Further advantages and features of the invention are described in greater detail with reference to the embodiment illustrated in the accompanying diagrammatic Figures, in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective partial view of a chassis of an industrial truck according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows a partial side view of the chassis.

Figure 3 shows a section through a female part of a cushioning element with a vertical guide.

Figure 4 shows a section through a male part of a cushioning element with a vertical guide.

Figure 5 shows a side view of a cushioning element without a vertical guide.

Figure 6 shows a diagram illustrating the manner of operation of the cushioning element illustrated in figure 5.

4 As can be seen in figures 1 and 2, the industrial truck of the present invention has a front transverse frame wall 1 and at a distance therefrom a rear transverse frame wall 2, between which a free space is provided for the driver. The two transverse frame walls 1 and 2 are supported by arms 3 and 4 which are provided to receive a load. In addition, two longitudinally disposed side members 5 and 6 are joined to the transverse frame walls 1 and 2. A crossmember 7 joins the two supporting arms 3 and 4 together below the free space provided for the driver.

A platform 8, which is designed to rest on the supporting arms 3 and 4, the side members 5 and 6 and the crossmember 7, serves as a standing surface for the driver. The platform 8 is supported at the rear end by means of three spaced cushioning elements 9, and at the front end by means of two cushioning elements 10 which are themselves formed from two parts 10a and 10b.

The two-part cushioning elements 10 each consist of a male part 10a and a female part 10b. The cushioning elements 9 and the female parts 10b of the cushioning elements 10 are each secured, preferably by securing screws, to a respective one of the side members 5 and 6 and the crossmember 7. The male parts 10a of the cushioning elements 10 are secured, preferably by being screwed, to the underside of the platform 8.

The two-part cushioning element 10a, 10b is illustrated in detail in figures 3 and 4. The male part 10a is made of nylon and includes a central longitudinal bore 11 to receive a fixing screw. On the outside it is formed with a moulded guide taper 12 and an undercut 13 so as to produce a conical tip. The female part consists of a rigid metal cylinder 14, with a lower end wall 14a having an axial opening 15 disposed therein to accept a fixing screw or bolt. Disposed within the cylinder 14 there is a sleeve 16 which is made of rubber or of another suitable elastic or elastomeric material. The axial length of the sleeve 16 is greater than the axial length of the cylinder 14. The inside of the sleeve is formed with a tapered guide funnel 17 at its open end, and an undercut 18 adjacent the guide funnel 17.

P.

When assembled, the cone 12 of the male part 10a is located in the area of the undercut 18 of the female part 10b, and thus the male part 10a is locked within the female part 10b. To install the platform 8, it is necessary to lock the male parts 10a into the female parts 10b, for which a force FR is required (Figure 2).

When installed, the underside of the platform 8 rests on the tops of the elastic sleeves 16 of the cushioning elements 10. Since the axial length of the sleeve 16 is greater than the axial length of the cylinder 14 receiving it, the result is a spring mounting for the platform 8 in the axial direction of the sleeves 16 and cylinders 14. At the same time, lateral movement, i.e. movement of the platform 8 in the horizontal direction, is only possible within the limits of a small elastic deformation of the sleeve 16, practically preventing horizontal floating.

The lining of the cylinder 14 with the rubber sleeve 16 firstly makes it possible to prevent sound conduction between the platform 8 and the chassis of the industrial truck, and secondly permits the locking device can be produced in a simple manner.

If the platform 8 is to be removed from the industrial truck, in order to perform checks, servicing or repairs to parts (wiring etc.) disposed underneath the platform, the platform is raised and the male parts 10a of the cushioning elements 10 are resiliently disengaged from their respective female parts 10b.

Preferably, the cushioning element 9 illustrated in figure 5 is made of rubber and comprises a disc 19 with a threaded pin 20 extending from one face, and a resilient element 21 bonded to the other face of the disc 19. The cushioning element is preferably ogival in form, and in axial compression acts progressively, as shown in Figure 6. In the Figure, the force acting on the platform 8 and hence the axial compressive force on the cushioning element 9 is plotted on the ordinate, and the axial deformation of the cushioning element 9 is plotted on the abscissa.

6

Claims

1. An industrial truck having a chassis and a platform mounted thereon as a standing surface for a standing driver. the platform being supported by a plurality of elastically resilient cushioning elements wherein at least one of the cushioning elements includes vertical guide means limiting the lateral mobility of the platform relative to the truck chassis.

2. An industrial truck according to claim 1, wherein the cushioning element is made in two parts and consists of a male part and a female part.

3. An industrial truck according to claim 2, wherein the male part is secured to the platform and the female part is secured to a component of the chassis of the industrial truck.

4. An industrial truck according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the female part comprises a rigid cylinder in which is disposed a sleeve made of elastic material to receive the essentially rigid male part 10a. the axial length of the sleeve being greater than the axial length of the cylinder.

5. An industrial truck according to claim 4, wherein on the outside the male part comprises a contour which is designed for engagement with a corresponding contour on the inside of the sleeve, so that the two contours can be brought into operative connection with one another for locking engagement.

6. An industrial truck according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the male part is made of nylon and the sleeve of rubber.

7. An industrial truck according to one of claims 4 to 61 wherein the cylinder of the female part comprises a lower end wall in which is formed an opening, and in that the male part is formed with a longitudinal bore.

8. An industrial truck according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein at least two spaced cushioning elements are provided for mounting the platform at one of its ends, and two spaced cushioning 1 1 7 elements provided with vertical guides are provided at the opposite end.

9. An industrial truck according to claim 8, wherein the cushioning elements provided with vertical guides are disposed at the front end of the platform in the direction of travel.

10. An industrial truck according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the cushioning elements without a vertical guide are progressively acting cushioning elements.

11. An industrial truck according to any preceding claim, substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.