GB2444249A

GB2444249A - Tipping truck manufacture

Info

Publication number: GB2444249A
Application number: GB0625714A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Kelly
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-11-30
Filing date: 2006-12-27
Publication date: 2008-06-04
Anticipated expiration: 2026-12-27
Also published as: IE20060880A1; GB2444249B; IES20060860A2; GB0625714D0

Abstract

The present invention comprises a process of manufacturing a tipping truck, and a truck manufactured as a result. The process includes: forming metal structural elements and assembling the elements to form a floor panel 14 with a pair of parallel spaced-apart longitudinal runners 15 with tapered side walls on an underside of the floor panel; mounting side walls 38, front board 40 and a back gate 42 upstanding around the floor panel; aligning the same and welding in position to form a rigid tipping body; hingedly mounting (70-72 figure 12) the tipping body on the longitudinal chassis members (25) of a truck chassis; connecting (56 figure 9) a ram (55) between the chassis and a front of the tipping body; and mounting guide arms (65) at the front end of the chassis of complementary shape to the runners on the underside of the floor panel of the tipping body, the guide arms extending upwardly and outwardly of the chassis for engaging and securing the runners on the chassis when the tipping body is in a lowered position. Various finishing operations are then carried out such as insulating the walls of the tipping body, and providing a gate locking mechanism and a cover.

Description

+aTjpplflg Truck Manufacture 5!mtroducti9 This invention relates to a

process for manulacturing a tipping truck.

The process particularly relates to the manufacture ol' a tipping truck having a wheeled chassis with a pair or parallel spaced-apart longitudinal chassis members and a tipping body hingedly mounted thereon for movement between a lowered transport position and a raised inclined unloading position on the chassis.

Statements of Invention

According to the invention, there is provided a process for manufacturing a tipping truck having a wheeled chassis with a pair or parallel spaced-apart longitudinal chassis members and a tipping body hirigedly mounted thereon for movement between a lowered transport position and a raised inclined unloading position on the chassis, the process including cutting and shaping metal sheet material for forming metal structural elements; welding a pair of spaced-apart parallel runners to an underside of a rectangular floor panel, the runners extending between a front end and a rear end of the floor panel, each runner being of channel section with tapered side wails extending outwardly from the floor panel and terminating in a flat bearing strip which is parallel to the floor panel, the spacing the between Ihe bearing strips corresponding to the spacing between upper bearing surfaces of the pair of longitudinal chassis members; welding support beams along a front edge and a rear edge of the rloor panel on the underside of the floor panel: welding support rails along each side of the floor panel on the underside ci the floor panel, Forming a pair of side waits; mounting Ihe side walls upstanding along each upper side edge of the floor panel between the front arid and the rear end of the floor panel arid tack welding the side walls En position to temporarily hold the side walls in position on the floor panel; mounting a front board upstanthng at a front upper edge ci the floor panel between Front pdlars of the side walls and hingedly mounting a back gate between back pillars of the side walls at a rear edge of the floor panel; aligning the side walls, Front board and back gate of the floor panel: welding Ihe side walls, front board and floor panel together to form a rigid tipping body with the back gate hingedly mounted at its upper end to the back pillars of the side walls; mounting a tipping ram at a front end of the vehicle chassis; hingethy mounting the tipping body on the chassis, with the bearing strip of each runner seated on a longitudinal beam of the chassis, a horizontal pivot pin mounted at a rear end ci the chassis between the longitudinal chassis members pivolalty engaging n associated bearings mounted on the runners on an underside of the tipping body at a rear end ci the tipping body; mounting a pair of guide arms on the chassis adjacent the front of the chassis, said guide arms being complementary in shape to the elongate runners on the underside of the tipping body. a guide arm being mounted on each longitudinal chassis niernber and extending upwardly and outwardly from (he chassis member [or engagement with a sloped side wall of a runner to guide the bearing strip of each runner into S alignment with a top hearing suriace of its associated longitudinal chassis member and retain the runner on the op bearing surface when the tipping body is in the lowered position on the chassis and pivotally connecting the ram to the front hoard ol the hpping body.

In one embodiment of the invention, the process includes seating a mounting frame on the longitudinal chassis members at a front end ci the chassis and bolting the mounting frame to the longitudinal chassis members, said mounting frame having box-section supports which seat on the longitudinal chassis members with downwardly extending side plates which engage an outer face of each longitudinal chassis member to which they are bolted, a channel section mount extending between the supports and having means for pivotally mounting the tipping ram on the mounting frame at Ihe front end of the vehicle chassis.

In one embodiment of the invention, the process includes the step of mounting heat insulating material on each side wall of the tipping body.

In another embodiment, the process includes securing the insulation material on the side wall by a number of retaining panels, each retaining panel havng at least one free end to allow free expansion and contraction of the panel.

In a further embodiment, the process includes mounting a locking mechanism at a rear of the tipping body, said locking mechanism being engagable with the back gate when the tipping body is in the lowered position for rocking the back gate.

In another embodiment, Ihe locking mechanism is adapted for engaging and locking the back gate as the tipping body is lowering from the raised position into the lowered position In another embodiment, Ihe process includes niounlinq a cover at a top of the tipping body.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of some ernbodinients thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which.

Fig. 1 is a schematic flaw chart illustrating the process of the invention; Figs. 2 to S show steps in Ihe fabrication of a floor of a tipping body according to the process of the invention: Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a padially assembled tipping body; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a tipping body formed by the process; Fig. B is a side elevational ViOW of a truck chassis; Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. B showing a tipping ram assembly mounted on the chassis; Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of a tipping ram mounting frame of the tripping ram assembly, Fig. 11 is an exploded side elevational view showing the chassis and an associated tipping body for mounting on the chassis: Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic detail perspective view showing a mounting arrangement of the tipping body on the chassis; Fig. 13 is a side elevationS view showing the tipping body mounted on the chassis: Fig 14 is a view similar to Fg 13 showing the upping in a raised tipping position: and Fig 15 is a detail seclional view showing the mounUng of insulation on the tipping body A process according to the invenlion will he described with relerence to the drawings. Various metal structural elements are formed 10 by cutting and shaping metal sheet material as required. At a floor assembly station 12 a number of the structural elemonts are formed into a floor assembly. Fig. 2 shows a rectangular floor panel 14 which is niounted on a support bed. A pair of spaced-apart parallel runners 15 (Fig. 3) are welded to an underside of the floor panel 14. These runners 15 extend between a front end 18 and a rear end 17 of the floor panel 14, Each runner 15 is of channel section with tapered side walls 18, 19 extending outwardly from the floor panel 14 and terminating in a flat bearing strip 20 which is parallel to the floor panel 14. It wilt be noted that the spacing between the bearing strips 20 corresponds to the spacing between the upper flat beanng surFaces 21 of a pair of longitudinal chassis members 25 (Fig. 12) of a truck chassis 25 (Fig. 8).

Support beams 27, 28 are welded along the front end 16 and rear end 17 oF the floor panel 14 on the underside of the floor panel 14. Support rails 29, 30 are welded along each side of the floor panel 14 on the underside of the floor panel 14 between the support beams 27, 28. This provides a rigid floor assembly.

A pair of side walls 31 are formed 39 by welding a top rail 32. a Front pillar 33 and a back pillar 34 to a top 35, a front end 36 and a rear end 37 of a rectangular side panel 38.

The side walls 31 are mounted 41 upstanding along each upper side edge of the floor panel 14 between the front end 15 and rear end 17 of the Itoor panel 14. At this stage, the side walls 31 are tack welded iii position on the floor panel 14 to temporarily support the side walls 31 on the floor panel 14.

Next (Fig. 7) a Front board 40 is mounted 43 upstanding at a front upper edge of the floor panel 14 between the front pillars 33 of Ihe side walls 38. A back gate 42 is also hingedly mounted between the back pillars 34 at a rear edge of the floor panel 14. An auto-lock mechanism s provided on the floor assembly along the rear end 17 to lock the back gate 42 when it closes.

The side walls 38, front board 40 and hack gate 12 are then correctly aligned 44 on the floor panel 14 to be perpendicular to the floor panel 14 and to each other.

Once correctly aligned the side waIts 38, front board 40 and floor panel 14 are welded together to form a rrgid tipping body indicated generally by the relerence numeral 50 with the back gate 42 hlngedly mounted at its upper end to the back pillars 34 of the side walls 38.

Fig. 8 shows a truck chassis 26 mounted on wheels 52. A cab 53 and engine are mounted at a front end of the truck chassis 26 The truck chassis 26 essentrally comprises a pair of parallel spaced-apart longitudinal chassis members 25.

An hydraulic tipping system is mounted 54 on the chassis 26 A telescopic rain 55 is mounted by a hinge pin 56 at its lower end on a mounting frame 57 which is mounted on the chassis 26 between the longiludinal chassis members 25 at a front end of the chassis 26 immediately behind the cab 53.

The ram mounting frame 57 is shown in more detail in Fig. 10. The frame 57 has a pair of spaced-apart box-section supports 58 which are mounted onto the longitudinal chassis members 25 (shown in broken outline). Side plates 59 extend downwardly at an outer side of each support 58 overlying an outer side lace of the chassis longitudinal member 25 to which the side plates 59 are bolted. A channel section mount 60 sits on Ihe supports 58. The mount 60 has a base plate 61 extending between the supports 58 to which it is welded. A front wall 62 and a rear wall 63 extond upwardly from the base plate 61. A pair of spaced-apart webs 64 extend between the front wall 62 and rear wall 63 and have through-holes 65 for reception of the hinge pin 56 (or mounling the ram 55 An hydraulic oil tank 66 for the ram 55 is secured on the mount 60. The mounting frame 57 is fabricated and sFmpty dropped into position on the chassis longitudinal members 25 to which the side plates 59 are bolted.

The tipping body 50's hingedly mounted 69 on the thou's 25 with the bearing strip of each runner 15 seated on a longitudinal member 2501 the chassIs 26 ThIs is best seen in Ag. 12. Downwardly depending brackets 70 at rear ends of the runners 15 carryIng a bearing 71 which rotalably engages a cornplemenlery pivot pin 72 supported between the longitudinal cnassis members 25.

A pair or guide arms 65 are mounted on the chassis longitudinal members 25 adjacent a front end of the chassis 25 A guide arm 65 Is mounted on each longitudInal chassis member 25 and extends upwardly and outwardly from the chassis member 25 for engagement with a sloped side waIl 19 of a runner 15 to guide the bearing strip 20 of each runner 15 Into ahgnment with a top bearing surface 21 of Its associated longitudinal chassis member 25 and retain the runner on the top bearing surface 21 when the tipping body 50 is in the lowered positIon on the chassis 26.

The ram 55us connected (FIg. 13) by a pivot connector 80 to the front board 40 of the tipping body 50.

Various finishing operations 90 are then carried out such as mounting mud flaps 91 on the Upping body 50 and painting the tipping body 5011 required.

In Figs. 11, 13 and 14 an alternative construction of sidewafl 38 is shown. In this case each sidewall 38 includes a pair of hinged doors 82 mounted between an intermediato pilar 39 located between the front p111w' 33 and the rear pillar 34 and each of the front pillar 33 and the rear pilar 34. Each door 82 hinges about 115 iower end so the door 82 can be bided down at a side ol the Iruck to allow side access to an mtorior of the Upping body 50. Releasable catches 83 at an upper end of each door 82 secure the door 82 to its associated pilars 33,3439 to retain the door 82 in the raised position shown In the drawings.

If desired, the tipping body 50 can be insulated. Fig. 15 shows insulating material 92 secured at an extenor of the sidewall 38 by retaining panels 93 which engage with outwardly projecting spaced-apart mounting supports 94 on the sidewalls 3t Each mounting support 94 is 1-shaped in section havmg channels 95 at an outer end for reception of the retaining panels 93. Each relaining panel 93 is fixed at one end and the other end is allowed to Float in the channel 95 to accommodate expansion and contraction without buckling ci the retaining panels 93.

Trio invenlicn is not limited to the enibodiments heroinbelore described but may be varied in both construction and detail within the scope of the appended claims. -9.

Claims

1, A process for manufacturing a tipping truck having a wheeled chassis with a pair of parallel spaced.-apart loncptudinal chassis niernbers and a tipping body hingedly mounted thereon for movement between a lowered transport position and a raised inclined unloading position on the chassis, the process including: cutting and shaping metal sheet material for forming metal structural elements; welding a pair of spaced-apart parallel runners to an underside of a rectangular floor panel, the runners extending between a front end and a rear end of the floor panel, each runner being of channel section with tapered side walls extending outwardly from the floor panel and terminating in a flat bearing strip which is parallel to the floor panel, the spacing the between the bearing strips corresponding to the spacing between upper bearing surfaces of the pair of longitudinal chassis members; welding support beams along a front edge and a rear edge of the Floor panel on the underside of the floor panel; welding support rails along each side of the floor panel on the underside of the floor panel; fnrmirin a nair af cirip tcralk r-mounting lhe side walls upstanding along each upper side edge of the floor panel between the front end and the rear end of the floor panel and tack welding the side walls in position to temporarily hold the side walls in position on the floor panel; mounting a front board upstanding at a front upper edge of the floor -10W-panel between fronL pillars of the side walls and hingedly mounting a hack gate between back pillars of the side v;alls at a rear edge of the floor panel: aligning the side walls, front board and back gate of the floor panel: welding the side walls, front board and floor panel together to form a rigid Upping body with the back gate hingedly mounted at its upper end to the back pillars of the side walls: pivolally mounting a tipping ram at a front end of the vehicle chassis; hingedly mounting the tipping body on the chassis, with the bearing strip of each runner seated on a longitudinal beam of the chassis, a horizontal pivot pin mounted at a rear end of the chassis between the longitudinal chassis members pivotally engaging in associated bearings mounted on the runners on an underside of the tipping body at a rear end of the lipping body; mounting a pair of guide arms on the chassis adjacent the front of the chassis, said gLade arnis being complementary in shape to the elongate runners on the underside of the tipptng body, a guide arm being mounted on each longitudinal chassis niernber and extending upwardly and outwardly from the chassis member for engagement with a sloped side walt of a runner to guide the bearing strip of each runner into alignment with a top beanng surface of its associated lonqitudinal chassis member and retain the runner on the top bearing surface when the tipping body is in the lowered position on the chassis; and pivotally connecting the ram to the front board of the tipping body.

2. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein Iho process includes sealing a mounting frame on the longitudinal chassis members at a front end of the chassis and bolting the mounting frame to the longitudinal chassis members.

said mounting frame having box-section supports which seat on the longitudinal chassis members with downwardly extending side plates which ongage an outer face of each longitudinal chassis member to which they are bolted, a channel section mount extending between the supports and having means For pivotally mounting the tipping ram on lhe mounting frame at the front end of the vehicle chassis.

3. A process as claimed In claim I or claim 2, whereIn the process includes the step of mounting heat insulating material on each side wall of the tipping body.

4. A process as claimed in claim 3. wherein the process Includes securing the insulation material on the side wall by a number of retaining panels, each retaIning panel having at least one free end to dow free expansion and conlractlon of the panel.

5. A process as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the process includes mounting a locking mechanism at a rear of the tipping body, said locking mechanism being engagable with the back gate when the Upping body Is in the lowered position for locking the back gate.

6. A process as claimed In claim 5. wherein the locking mechanism is adapted for engaging and locking the back gate as the tipping body Is lowering from the raised position into the lowered position.

7. A process as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the process includes mounting a cover at a top of the tipping body.

8. A process for manufacturing a tipping truck substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. A Upping truck whenever manufactured according to me process as claimed In any preceding claim.