GB2370028A

GB2370028A - Vehicle lifting/towing apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2370028A
Application number: GB0030307A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Alan Bird
Original assignee: Eka Ltd
Current assignee: Eka Ltd
Priority date: 2000-12-12
Filing date: 2000-12-12
Publication date: 2002-06-19
Also published as: GB0030307D0

Abstract

A vehicle lifting/towing apparatus for mounting on a recovery truck comprises a beam 1 which, in use, extends fore and aft, an L-shaped coupling 3 for connection to the recovery vehicle which is pivotally connected to the proximal end of the beam and adapted for connection at a selected inclination thereto using holes 15 and pin 17, and a vehicle spring clamping member 5 adapted to clampingly engage a front leaf spring of the vehicle which is pivotally connected to the distal end of the beam and at a selected inclination thereto using holes 23 and pin 27. Side plates 25 of the clamping member fit either side of the leaf spring S of the vehicle and a locking block 31 is held in place by selectively using pin 41 in holes 33.

Description

LIFTING APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE RECOVERY This invention relates to lifting apparatus for recovering broken down or damaged vehicles.

Military vehicles are fitted with what is known as a defence eye to assist in their recovery when they become a casualty, i. e. they have broken down or have become damaged and cannot be driven under their own power. A defence eye is a eye-shaped hook at the front of the vehicle and connected to the frame or chassis of the vehicle so that a hook on the rear of a recovery vehicle can be engaged with the eye for recovery purposes.

Unfortunately, however, very few commercial vehicles are fitted with a defence eye and this means that alternative means have to be used for recovering commercial vehicles.

While the military forces of major military powers tend to use purpose-built military vehicles, this is not always the case with military forces of lesser powers. Some military forces cannot afford purpose-built military vehicles and, accordingly, use modified commercial vehicles which, of course, also do not have defence eyes fitted to them.

Accordingly, these military vehicles are also difficult to recover when they break down or otherwise become damaged.

Most heavy duty recovery vehicles are fitted with special recovery equipment at their rear end and this specialist equipment is designed to engage beneath the casualty (vehicle to be recovered) at its front end, thus enabling the recovery vehicle to lift the front end of the casualty off the ground to a sufficient height to enable the casualty to be towed away without the front end grounding, especially during cross-country towing. This special recovery equipment comprises a towing and lifting device in the form of an extendable Aframe, with a transversely-extending towing and lifting bar on the extendable portion of the A-frame. The transversely-extending towing and lifting bar is normally supported on the extendable portion of the A-frame by a universal joint to allow limited pivoting movement about both a vertical axis and about a horizontal axis extending generally fore and aft so that, during towing over uneven ground, little or no strain is placed upon the recovery vehicle or upon the casualty being recovered. This transverse bar is normally provided with sleeves on either end thereof which can be slid along respective end portions of the

bar, each of said sleeves being fitted with a lifting hook welded to one face of the sleeve and with an eye formed in an outwardly extending arm welded to another face of the sleeve. These lifting hooks and eyes can thus be correctly located transversely along the bar either to engage with a pair of transversely spaced recovery eyes on the casualty vehicle (if such are provided) or, alternatively, one of the sleeves can be slid towards a central region of the bar and then its hook can be engaged with the defence eye on the vehicle. As previously indicated, however, neither of these options may be available if the casualty vehicle is not a purpose-built military vehicle.

The present invention has been designed for use with an extendable A-frame of the type described above for recovering casualty vehicles which do not have a defence eye or suitable recovery eyes fitted.

It is already known to provide a recovery unit designed for use with an extendable A-frame having a transversely extending recovery bar which is designed to fit under the front axle or under the front springs of the recovery vehicle. Such a visit is generally known as a bus beam and normally the bus beam is located beneath the front springs which then rest on the beam when the A-frame is lifted for towing and recovery purposes. Often, it is necessary to fit wooden packing pieces to the bus beam so that, during a lifting operation, the bodywork of the casualty is not damaged. Sometimes, the bus beam is fitted with two forks which engage beneath the front springs of the casualty. Normally, when using such recovery equipment, it is necessary in some way to attach the casualty to the bus beam or to the A-frame, e. g. using a chain wrapped around the axle of the casualty and around the bus beam or A-frame so as to prevent significant relative movement between the axle and the bus beam. This unit is extremely heavy and difficult to use because of the need to use a chain or the like to prevent relative movement between the casualty and the bus beam, and is somewhat unreliable. If such equipment was to be used in cross-country situations, there is a real risk of the casualty slipping off the bus beam, thus resulting in further damage to the casualty and, of course, the need to begin the recovery operation all over again.

The present invention has been designed to overcome the above problems.

According to the present invention, we provide lifting apparatus for use with a recovery vehicle for recovering a broken down or damaged vehicle, said apparatus including a rearwardly extending beam, means being provided on or adapted to be connected to a proximal end of the beam whereby the beam can be connected to lifting apparatus on a recovery vehicle and means on or adapted to be connected to a distal end of the beam for engagement with a spring on the vehicle to be recovered whereby, when the beam is caused to be lifted by the recovery vehicle, the means on the distal end of the beam will clampingly engage the spring on the vehicle to be recovered.

Preferably, the lifting apparatus will be used and sold in pairs so that both the front springs of a vehicle to be recovered can be clampingly engaged with the lifting apparatus.

Preferably, each piece of lifting apparatus is made up of three separate parts, namely a beam, a generally L-shaped coupler for connecting the proximal end of the beam to the recovery vehicle and a spring clamping member for connecting the distal end of the beam to a front spring of the vehicle to be recovered.

Preferably, the L-shaped coupler has a first arm adapted to be connected, e. g. with a pin or bolt to the recovery vehicle, and a second arm adapted to be connected to the proximal end of the beam, there being a plurality of different angles at which this arm may be connected to the beam. For this purpose, the second arm is preferably provided with a first coupling point by means of which the second arm is connected to the proximal end of the beam for pivotal movement relative thereto, and a plurality of second coupling points spaced from and arranged in an arc around the first coupling point by means of one of which the second arm can be rigidly connected to the beam at the desired angle by means of a pin or bolt passing through said one second coupling point and a co-operating coupling point on the beam.

Preferably, the L-shaped coupler has two spaced apart second arms connected to the first arm whereby the proximal end of the beam can be located between these two spaced second arms.

Preferably, the spring clamping member comprises a side plate by means of which it is connected to the distal end of the beam at a selected orientation relative thereto, the side plate having a first coupling point by means of which it may be pivotally connected to the proximal end of the beam by a first pin or bolt and a plurality of second coupling points spaced from and arranged in an arc around the first coupling point whereby the spring clamping member can be connected to the distal end of the beam at a selected orientation relative thereto by means of a second pin or bolt, a support plate extending generally at right-angles to the side plate and adapted to be located beneath a forward spring of the vehicle to be recovered, the side plate being provided with an upstanding extension arranged in use to extend above said vehicle spring, and means associated with the upstanding extension and adapted in use to extend away from the upstanding extension to overlie an upper surface of the spring.

Preferably, the spring clamping member comprises a pair of spaced side plates connected by said support plate, each of said side plates being provided with an upstanding extension, and preferably the means extending away from the extension comprises a separate locking block adapted to be connected to the respective upstanding extensions by means of a transverse pin or bolt. Several apertures may be provided both in the or each upstanding extension and in the locking block to enable the locking block, in use, to be located closely adjacent to the upper surface of the spring.

A preferred embodiment of lifting apparatus according to the present invention is now described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus; and Figure 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 but viewed from the opposite side.

In the drawings, S represents two plates of a front leaf spring of a vehicle to be recovered, whereas H represents the front hangers by means of which the front of the spring is pivotally connected to the chassis of the vehicle. B, on the other hand, represents a transverse bar forming part of an extendable A-frame on a recovery vehicle, E being an

arm having a lifting eye therein and welded to one face of a sleeve slidable on the bar B, and F being a lifting hook welded to another face of the sleeve. Normally, the transverse bar B would be pivotally connected by means of a universal joint to an extendable portion of an A-frame on the recovery vehicle so that the bar B can pivot about both a horizontal fore and aft axis and about a vertical axis and normally, the whole of the A-frame including the transverse bar B would be movable up and down in the direction of the arrows A and C relative to the rear of the recovery vehicle. The extendable part of the Aframe is illustrated at G in Figure 2.

The lifting apparatus comprises a beam 1 adapted to be pivotally connected at a proximal end thereof to an L-shaped coupler 3 at a first coupling point 6 and adapted to be pivotally connected at a distal end thereof to a spring clamping member 5 at a first coupling point 7.

In use, the beam 1 will extend in a fore-and-aft direction.

The L-shaped coupler 3 has a first arm 9 having an aperture 11 therein by means of which it may be connected to the lifting eye E on the recovery vehicle by a pin or bolt 12. At its end remote from the aperture 11, the first arm 9 is welded to a pair of spaced second arms 13 in which the first coupling point 6 is provided, the spacing between the two second arms 13 being just sufficient to accommodate the width of the beam 1. A plurality of second coupling points 15 is provided in the second arms 13, the second coupling points 15 being provided by several spaced apertures spaced from and arranged in an arc around the first coupling point 6, each of which is adapted to co-operate with an aperture in the beam 1 so that the beam 1 can be rigidly connected to the L-shaped coupler 3 by means of a locking pin or bolt 17 passing through a selected one of the second coupling points 15 and the aperture in the beam 1. It will, of course, be appreciated that the relative inclination between the L-shaped coupler 3 and the beam 1 can be selected by virtue of the provision of the plurality of second coupling points 15.

The spring clamping member 5 is formed by a pair of spaced side plates 25 interconnected by means of a support plate 19 adapted in use to be located beneath a bottom surface of the spring S of the vehicle to be recovered, adjacent the front end thereof. The spring clamping member 5 is pivotally connected to the distal end of the beam 1 by virtue of the first coupling point 7, there being an aperture in each side plate 25 adapted to co-operate

with an aperture in the distal end of the beam 1 and the pivotal connection being provided by means of a pin or bolt 21. The spring clamping member 5 can be connected to the beam 1 at various different orientations relative thereto because a plurality of second coupling points 23 are provided in each of the side plates 25 which are adapted to co-operate with a second coupling point in the beam 1. The second coupling points 23 are provided by spaced apertures formed in the side plates 25 which are spaced from and located on an arc having its centre at the first coupling point 21, and the chosen orientation is maintained by passing a pin or bolt 27 through the selected aperture 23 and a co-operating aperture in the beam 1.

Each of the side plates 25 is provided with an upstanding extension 29 arranged, in use, to extend upwardly beyond the upper surface of the spring S, and a locking block 31 is arranged to be located between these two upstanding extensions. Each of the extensions 29 has a plurality of spaced apertures 33 formed therein and likewise a plurality of spaced apertures 35 extend completely through the block 31. The block 31 is shown in Figure 2 to be generally triangular in cross-section and incorporates a pressure plate 37 on its lower end adapted to rest upon an upper surface of the spring S. Obviously, the plurality of apertures 33 in the side plates 25 and in the locking block 31 allow different spring constructions to be accommodated between the plates 37 and 19. One or more packing plates 39 may be located between the underside of the spring 8 and the plate 19.

It will of course be appreciated that instead of providing a locking block 31, it would be possible to provide alternative means extending away from the upstanding extension 29 for engaging with the upper surface of the spring S. This could, for example, simply be a heavy duty pin-like member designed to bear upon the upper surface of the spring, and which would be located in an appropriately located aperture 33 in the upstanding extension. It will also be appreciated that only one upstanding extension is absolutely necessary.

It will also of course be appreciated that different arrangements from that described above could be used. For example, instead of the beam 1 being located respectively between the two second arms 13 at its proximal end and between the two side plates 25 at its distal end, the respective ends of the beam could be bifurcated so as to receive a single plate 13

therebetween at one end and a single plate 25 therebetween at the opposite end. It will also be appreciated that the relative inclinations between the L-shaped coupler 3 and the proximal end of the beam on the one hand and the relative orientation between the distal end of the beam and the spring clamping member 25 on the other hand, could be adjusted by arrangements different from those illustrated in the drawings.

When it is desired to recover a vehicle which has broken down or is otherwise damaged, it is possible for recovery to be achieved by one person using the lifting apparatus of the present invention since the lifting apparatus is formed in three distinct parts, namely the beam 1, the L-shaped coupler 3 and the spring clamping member 5. In order to effect a recovery, the recovery vehicle operator would assemble the various parts of the lifting apparatus in any chosen order. However, normally, the spring clamping member would first be located on one of the front springs of the vehicle to be recovered by offering up the member to the underside of the spring, so that the support plate 19 abuts the underface of the spring, whereupon the locking block 31 would be secured in position. Normally, this would be easiest achieved by one person holding the clamping member in position and by a second person then positioning the locking block 31 such that it rests upon the top surface of the springs and this second person then aligning the most convenient one of the apertures 33 in the extensions 29 with the most convenient one of the apertures 35 in the locking block and securing the block in position using the pin or bolt 41 provided for the purpose. The operator would then pivotally connect the distal end of the beam 1 to the spring clamping member 5 by inserting the pin or bolt 21 through the aligned apertures providing the first coupling point 7 and he would then pivotally connect the L-shaped coupler 3 to the proximal end of the beam 1 by passing a pin or bolt 39 through the aligned apertures providing the first coupling point 6. The operator would then connect the aperture 11 to the lifting eye E on the transverse bar B of the recovery vehicle after sliding the sleeve to which the projecting arm (in which the eye E is formed) is welded to the correct transverse location on the bar B, using the connecting pin or bolt 12. The operator would then raise the A-frame in the direction of the arrow A so as to lift the beam 1 off the ground until it was spaced a short distance below the bodywork of the vehicle being recovered. He would then fit the pin 17 through the aperture in the forward end of the beam I and a respective one of the apertures 15 and likewise fit the pin 27 through the aperture in the rear end of the beam 1 and an appropriate one of the apertures 23 in the side

plates 25. This would result in the spring clamping member 5, the beam 1 and the Lshaped coupler 3 being rigidly connected together. Thereafter, when the operator lifts the transverse bar A further in the direction of the arrow A, the top of the support plate 19 will bear against the underside of the spring S and will initially wish to pivot relative to the spring S. However, as soon as this pivoting occurs, the underside of the plate 37 will move into clamping engagement with the top of the spring S and further upward movement of the transverse bar B will result in the spring being clampingly engaged between the lower face of the plate 37 and the upper face of the plate 19.

The relative inclination between the L-shaped coupler 3 and the beam 1, in the one case, and the relative orientation between the beam 1 and spring clamping member 5, in the other case, can be adjusted as desired to ensure that, during a recovery operation, the apparatus will not damage the bodywork of the casualty vehicle being recovered.

Normally, of course, the operator of the recovery vehicle would fit a set of lifting apparatus as shown in Figure 1 and 2 to both of the front springs of the casualty so that when the transverse bar B on the recovery vehicle was raised, both sets of lifting apparatus would act upon their respective springs in the same manner and eventually clampingly engage both springs. This would then result in a rigid lift directly onto the forward end of the front springs of the recovery vehicle, thus allowing the front of the recovery vehicle to be lifted completely off the ground for recovery and towing purposes.

It will be appreciated that the vehicle to be recovered may be at an angle and that one set of lifting apparatus may have to be fitted in a different sequence to the other set. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that the fitting sequence could be varied to suit the particular operator or operators of the recovery vehicle.

The lifting apparatus of the present invention can, if desired, be used by a single operator and the various component parts are sufficiently lightweight to meet all the necessary defence standards. This means that the equipment can be used by both male and female operators. The apparatus allows a recovery vehicle which is specifically designed for military use to be used not only for military use but also for recovering ordinary commercial vehicles.

It will of course be understood that the present invention has been described above purely by way of example, and modifications of detail can be made within the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A lifting apparatus for use with a recovery vehicle for recovering a broken down or damaged vehicle, said apparatus including a rearwardly extending beam, means being provided on or adapted to be connected to a proximal end of the beam whereby the beam can be connected to lifting apparatus on a recovery vehicle and means on or adapted to be connected to a distal end of the beam for engagement with a spring on the vehicle to be recovered whereby, when the beam is caused to be lifted by the recovery vehicle, the means on the distal end of the beam will clampingly engage the spring on the vehicle to be recovered.
2. A lifting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each piece of lifting apparatus is made up of three separate parts, namely a beam, a generally L-shaped coupler for connecting the proximal end of the beam to the recovery vehicle and a spring clamping member for connecting the distal end of the beam to a front spring of the vehicle to be recovered.
3. A lifting apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the L-shaped coupler has a first arm adapted to be connected, e. g. with a pin or bolt to the recovery vehicle, and a second arm adapted to be connected to the proximal end of the beam, there being a plurality of

different angles at which this arm may be connected to the beam.
4. A lifting apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second arm is provided with a first coupling point by means of which the second arm is connected to the proximal end of the beam for pivotal movement relative thereto, and a plurality of second coupling points spaced from and arranged in an arc around the first coupling point by means of one of which the second arm can be rigidly connected to the beam at the desired angle by means of a pin or bolt passing through said one second coupling point and a co-operating coupling point on the beam.
5. A lifting apparatus as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein the L-shaped coupler has two spaced apart second arms connected to the first arm whereby the proximal end of the beam can be located between these two spaced second arms.
6. A lifting apparatus as claimed in any of claims 2-5, wherein the spring clamping member comprises a side plate by means of which it is connected to the distal end of the beam at a selected orientation relative thereto, the side plate having a first coupling point by means of which it may be pivotally connected to the proximal end of the beam by a first pin or bolt and a plurality of second coupling points spaced from and arranged in an arc around the first coupling point whereby the spring clamping member can be connected to the distal end of the beam at a selected orientation relative thereto by means of a second pin or bolt, a support plate extending generally at right-angles to the side plate and adapted to be located beneath a forward spring of the vehicle to be recovered, the side plate being provided with an upstanding extension arranged in use to extend above said vehicle spring, and means associated with the upstanding extension and adapted in use to extend away from the upstanding extension to overlie an upper surface of the spring.
7. A lifting apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the spring clamping member comprises a pair of spaced side plates connected by said support plate, each of said side plates being provided with an upstanding extension.
8. A lifting apparatus as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein the means extending away from the extension comprises a separate locking block adapted to be connected to the respective upstanding extensions by means of a transverse pin or bolt.
9. A lifting apparatus as claimed in claim 6,7 or 8, wherein several apertures are provided both in the or each upstanding extension and in the locking block to enable the locking block, in use, to be located closely adjacent to the upper surface of the spring.
10. A lifting apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.