GB2407551A

GB2407551A - Apparatus for supporting a workpiece

Info

Publication number: GB2407551A
Application number: GB0325194A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Samuel Taylor
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-10-29
Filing date: 2003-10-29
Publication date: 2005-05-04
Also published as: GB0325194D0

Abstract

Apparatus for supporting a workpiece, such as a vehicle, comprises two parallel generally C-shaped end structures 10 connected together by upper and lower lateral braces 6A,6. The upright parts 2,3 of the C-shaped structures comprise two tubular members, one of which is in compression (2) and the other in tension (3), The apparatus may be moved from place to place, and optionally secured to the floor by means of members 13 and bolts. The load engaging members 5 can be slightly tilted so that the workpiece leans towards the upright parts (2, 3) above which are provided stop members 7 or (17, Fig 5, 6) The device can also be fitted with stop members 14 at the free ends of the load engaging members 5.

Description

APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING A WORKPIECE

This invention relates to apparatus for supporting a workpiece.

When it is necessary to work on large objects such as commercial vehicles, the need arises for apparatus to support the object oiTthe ground to allow access to the underside. Hitherto, such supporting apparatus has been built into the building in which it is located in order to provide the necessary stability to support a large object such as a commercial vehicle. Lee fact that such supports are fixed can be a disadvantage and there is often a need for a support which can be moved from place to place and still provide unrestricted access to a vehicle or other object supported on it.

According to the present invention, apparatus for supporting a workpiece comprises two generally C-shaped end structures each comprising an elongate floor-engaging member and an elongate load-engaging member connected together at one end by an upright supporting member, the two end structures being connected together by an upper lateral brace located near the junctions of the respective floor-engaging members and supporting members and a lower lateral brace located near the junctions of the respective load-en=ng members and supporting members.

Particular embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a end elevation a first- embodiment comprising apparatus for supporting a vehicle in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a front elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure I as seen from the direction A; Figure 3 is a partial cross section taken along the line X-X in figure 2, [Figure 4 is a view, similar to figure 3, of a second embodiment modified for fixing to the floor, Figure 5 is an end elevation of a third embodiment of the invention; and Figure 6 is a perspective view of the detent used in the third embodiment.

Referring to figure 1 of the drawings, the apparatus for supporting a vehicle comprises an end structure 10 comprising a floor-engaging member 1 made of rectangular section steel tube.

To the floor-engaging member I are bolted two upright supporting members 2, 3 also made of rectangular section steel tube. For ease of assembly the bolts preferably engage threaded holes in a steel plate which floats to a limited extent within the member I. To the top ends of members 2, 3 there is welded a flange 4 to which are bolted Section steel brackets 4a, 4b (figure 2) to which in turn is bolted the member 5 on which the vehicle to be worked on rests.

A short length of rectangular section steel tube 6 may be welded between the members 2 and 3 to enhance stability.

As best shown in figure 2, the end structure 10 is connected to another similar end structure 11 by lateral braces 6a, 6b made of L-section steel. The distance between the two end structures is sufficient for a vehicle to be located stably on the members 5 but is normally signincantiy less than the long of Me vehicle to be worked on. To increase We stability of the vehicle, the members 5 are arranged at an angle of about 5 to the horizontal and a vehicle stop 7 is provided in the form of a circular section steel tube attached to the end structures by brackets 8, 9. The vehicle stop 7 extends beyond the end structures and may also be used as a conduit for carrying services appropriate to the operations to be carried out on the vehicle.

In use, the described apparatus is located as a free standing unit in a workshop ore if required, at an outdoor location. A vehicle to be worked on is loaded on to We apparatus by a fork lift truck or other lifting arrangement When the apparatus is loaded, the upright supporting member 2 is in compression and We upright supporting member 3 is in tension. By this means a given weight on the member 5 can be supported by a smaller weight of steel than if a single supporting member were used in each end structure. Because the apparatus is free-standing and relatively light, it may be easily moved from one place to another.

The space below the apparatus may be kept clear to permit easy access for wheeled equipment. Alternatively decking may be provided between the floor-engaging members 1.

In another embodiment, figure 4, which is intended to be used in predetermined 1ocaiions, flanges 13 are welded to the members 1. The flanges permit the apparatus to be bolted to recessed threaded holes in the floor at the locations where it is to be used.

In the foregoing embodiments, it is intended that the vehicle to be worked on should be loaded from the right as seen in figure 1. When the vehicle is being loaded on to the apparatus by a fork lift truck, it may be more convenient to load from the left and an embodiment to facilitate this is shown in figure 5.

The apparatus shown in figure 5 is generally similar to that shown in figures I and 2 except that the vehicle stop is omitted In its place are provided stops at the opposite ends of each of the members 5. Each of these stops comprises a rod 14 furnished with a collar 15 to rest on the member 5 and a pin or clip to secure it to the member 5. The member 5 is also provided with a detent (also shown in figure 6) comprising two triangular pieces of sheet steel 1 7a,1 connected together by rods 18,19 and pivotally connected to member 5 on an axle 2Q. As the vehicle to be loaded approaches, the detent rotates clockwise out of the way and as soon as the vehicle is filly on the support, the detent rotates counterclockse under the action of a counterweight 21 so as to prevent the vehicle slipping back on the member 5.

A sensor in the form of a tilting arm may be provided on the apparatus to give an audible signal when the fork lift truck is in the correct position relative to the apparatus to lower the vehicle on to it. In situations of potential fire hazard' the audible signal is preferably given by an air operated klaxon.

Claims

1. Apparatus for supporting a workpiece, comprising two generally Cshaped end structures each comprising an elongate floor-engaging member and an elongate load-engaging member connected together at one end by an upright supporting member, the two end structures being connected together by an upper lateral brace located near the junctions of the respective floor-engaging members and supporting members and a lower lateral brace located near the junctions of the respective load-engaging members and supporting members.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the supporting member of each end structure comprises a compression member near to the said one end of the floor-engaging and load-engaging members and a separate tension member closer to the said one end of the floor-engaging and load-engaging members than the compression member.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which the fioor-engaging members, the load-engaging members, the compression members and the tension members all comprise rectangular section tubes.

4 Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein each of the compression members is joined to the tension member of the same end structure at or near their mid points by a rectangular section tube.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 or 4 in which the longer sides of the rectangular section of the steel tubes constituting the compression members are parallel with the longer dimension of the floor-engaging members and the load-engaging members and the longer sides of Me rectangular section of the steel tubes comprising the tension members are parallel with the lateral braces

6 Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, 4 or 5 in which Me rectangular tubes are made of steel.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claire in which the load-engar.g members are arranged at an angle in the range 0 to 5 to the horizontal so that the workpiece is supported at a slight slope.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which the load-engaging members slope upwards from the end which is joined to the supporting member.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim provided win a stop member arranged parallel to and at the same end of the load-engaging members as the lateral braces and above the level of the load-engaging members so as to restrain a workpiece on the load-engaging members.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 in which the stop member is longer than the lateral braces and extends beyond the end structures.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 or 10 in which the stop member also acts as a conduit for services for operating on a workpiece on the loadengaging member.

12. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8 wherein each loadengaging member has a stop member at the end remote from the lateral braces and catch means at the end near the lateral braces.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim] 2 in which the stop member comprises a rod secured in and projecting above the load-engaging member.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 or 13 wherein the catch means comprises a triangular shaped member which rotates about an axle to allow loading of the apparatus and returns to its rest position to retain the load on the load-engaging member.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, 13 or 14, comprising means to sense when a fork lift truck loading the vehicle on to the apparatus is in a predetermined position relative to the apparatus and giving an audible signal.

16. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the floorengaging member, the supporting member, the load-engaging member and the lateral braces are connected together in a way which permits disassembly.

17. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the floorengaging members are provided with flanges to permit the apparatus to be secured in predetermined locations on the floor by means of bolts.

18. Apparatus for supporting a workpiece substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.