GB2459078A

GB2459078A - Vehicle roof lifter

Info

Publication number: GB2459078A
Application number: GB0723434A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian Barnes
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-11-30
Filing date: 2007-11-30
Publication date: 2009-10-14
Also published as: GB0723434D0

Abstract

Apparatus and method for lifting the roof of a road vehicle wherein (a) a reaction member 2 bears down on an external surface 20 of the roof in the vicinity of a transverse window 21; and (b) a cable or other puller 1 is secured to the rear end of the roof pulls the roof towards the transverse window 21 and folds the roof upwards around the reaction member 2. Preferably, the cable (1) is pulled by means of a ratchet winch 3 mounted on a transportable frame 4 secured to the front of the vehicle by an anchor 6. Webbing loops 1 may be passed through the side windows of the vehicle and an upstanding extension 5 provides additional leverage, imparting an upwards component to the force exerted. A torque limiter may be included to control the folding and lifting operation. The primary use is to extricate trapped casualties after a road accident.

Description

VEHICLE ROOF LIFTER

Background of the Invention

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for removing the roof of a vehicle. In particular but not exclusively, this invention relates to portable equipment for use by the emergency services to rescue the occupants of a crashed vehicle after a road accident.

As far as possible, motor vehicles and especially cars are designed to protect the occupants (driver and passengers) and minimise personal injuries in the event of an accident. In particular, car bodywork generally provides a protective cell cocooning the occupants, with or without further strength members.

After an accident it may be necessary to rescue the occupants of a crashed vehicle or even furnish immediate medical assistance inside the vehicle. The protective aspects of the vehicle structure are likely to hinder or prevent such access to the occupants of the vehicle.

For example, after a serious accident it is possible that the doors are jammed or inaccessible. It therefore becomes necessary to break into the crashed vehicle by cutting into or removing part of the vehicle structure.

It is generally recognised that speed is critical in rescuing accident victims, and especially when there may be serious or life-threatening personal injuries. At the same time, rescuers must balance the risks of their causing further injuries by breaking into the crashed vehicle.

It is likely that rescuers will need to break into a crashed vehicle through the roof.

Conventionally, this may be accomplished by cutting through the door and window pillars or similar strength members supporting the roof. However, the risks of personal injury to the vehicle occupants preclude the more violent and rapid methods of removing or opening the roof. Because of fire hazards, it is necessary to minimise sparks or flames.

I I

It is known to fold the roof forwards rather than removing the entire structure. However, the conventional approach gives little control over a comparatively large metal sheet and poses excessive demands, in terms of both people and resources, on the rescue services. It is usually necessary to cut the windscreen glass and, in any event, there is a high risk of the windscreen shattering. Deliberate or accidental breakage of the glass is extremely hazardous to both the vehicle occupants and the rescuers.

Summary of the Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for opening the roof of a road vehicle while minimising the hazards to the operators and vehicle occupants.

According to one aspect of present invention there is provided a vehicle roof lifter comprising (a) a reaction member which, in use, bears down on an external surface of the roof in the vicinity of a transverse window; and (b) a puller attachable to that end of the roof remote from the transverse window, wherein the puller acts towards the transverse window.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of lifting a vehicle roof which comprises pulling one end of the roof while a reaction member bears down on the other end of the roof, whereby the roof folds upwards around the reaction member.

All references in this Specification to locations on or directions relative to a vehicle relate to the vehicle as if it were in its normal position on a road, irrespective of its particular configuration or attitude after an accident.

To minimise risks to the vehicle occupants and for ease of operation, it is preferable to fold the roof forwards, in which case the transverse window referred to above will be the front windscreen. However, the front portion of a crashed vehicle may not always be accessible, in which case rescuers may be obliged to fold the roof backwards towards the rear window.

The reaction member serves as a fulcrum about which the roof can fold. Preferably, therefore, the reaction member extends across at least a significant portion of the width of the roof, thereby extending the fold line. For a similar reason, the reaction member bears down on the roof for most if not all of the reaction member's length.

It will be readily apparent to the skilled reader that the reaction member should bear on the roof in a position strong enough to sustain the reaction forces. For many cars, such a strongpoint conveniently occurs in the plane of the front door pillars where the windscreen is bonded to the front edge of the roof. However, this preferred strongpoint may not always be accessible after an accident, in which case rescuers are obliged to adapt whatever may be available.

It will usually be necessary to separate the roof from the vehicle bodywork, at least at the end of the roof remote from the reaction member. For many cars, it is preferable for the reaction member to bear down on the roof adjacent to the top edge of the windscreen. In that case such separation may involve cutting of the rear pillars or door frames. In all accident situations, rescuers must adapt to the particular circumstances.

The puller is conventional, such as a hook, piston or expanding rod. The puller may be operated manually or may be powered or power-assisted, for example electrically or hydraulically. The puller exerts on the end of the roof a force acting towards the reaction member so as to cause the roof to fold around the reaction member. Depending on the configuration of the crashed vehicle, the force exerted by the puller will normally also include an upwards component.

Preferably, the puller includes a ratchet in order to prevent the roof from springing back and to ease the task of exerting a force in the required direction. A ratchet is particularly useful for a manual puller but is also applicable to powered or power-assisted devices. As is conventional, the ratchet may be disengaged to enable disassembly of the puller or the roof lifter.

A particularly convenient puller comprises a cable or strap which can be secured to the end of the roof remote from the reaction member. In order to increase the leverage and to impart an upwards component to the force exerted by the puller, the cable or strap preferably passes over a generally upstanding extension of the lifter.

Depending on the leverage, it may be possible to pull the cable or strap manually, with or without a supplementary pulley system. Normally however, the cable or strap is pulled by a manual or powered or power-assisted winch, preferably a ratchet winch.

Conveniently, a winch or other pulling device may include appropriate gearing.

Especially when manual operation is required, it may be advisable to limit the forces applied by or to the puller, in order to reduce the risk of personal injury to the operator by their attempting to exert excessive force on the vehicle roof. A torque limiter or similar restriction is particularly convenient.

Positions where the roof lifter contacts the vehicle body can be readily padded in conventional manner, as can cut or damaged surfaces.

Especially for emergency use, the components of the present roof lifter may be mounted on or form part of a transportable frame securable to the vehicle in conventional manner.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a portable roof lifter according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a roof lifter mounted on a motor car.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a roof lifter mounted on the front of a motor car.

Description of Preferred Embodiment

Overall, the roof lifter consists of a rigid frame, conveniently made of steel tubing, indicated generally at 4 in Fig. 1. The roof lifter includes a cable or strop 1 bearing at one end a ring 1A forming a mounting for four adjustable webbing loops lB. The other end of cable or strop 1 is wound on a ratchet winch 3 rigidly mounted on frame 4. Frame 4 comprises a reaction member 2, extension 5 and an anchor member 6.

In use, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the lifter is mounted on a motor car, with reaction member 2 bearing down on the car roof 20 along a line at or immediately behind the top edge of windscreen 21. Anchor member 6 bears on a convenient location in front of the windscreen 21. The lifter is secured to the front of the car in conventional manner by means of an adjustable strap 7 passed under the car. Strap 7 is tightened by means of a ratchet or quick-release fitting 8.

Cable or strop 1 is led over extension 5. The webbing loops lB are passed through the rear side window apertures of the car and secured round the roof in any convenient manner. Ratchet winch 3, cable or strop 1, and ring 1A and webbing loops lB together constitute a puller, while reaction member 2 provides a fulcrum around which the roof can fold. Upstanding extension 5 increases the leverage and resembles a crane in imparting an 2 0 upwards component to the force exerted by the puller.

Depending on the configuration of the car and the particular accident damage, it may be necessary to separate the roof from the body, for example by cutting through the door and window pillars in the general vicinity of the locations indicated as C in Fig. 2.

In use, winding winch 3 in the direction of the ratchet tightens the puller and thereby winches the cut roof forward. At the same time the roof folds upwards about the reaction member 2. The effective gearing of winch 3 and the leverage of the puller, supplemented by the action of the ratchet, are chosen to minimise the efforts required of the operator.

The roof is folded open under controlled conditions so as to facilitate fast access to trapped casualties, without the hazards of separating the roof from the windscreen or breaking the windscreen. Control of the folding and lifting operation may be further increased by including a torque limiter (not shown) or equivalent device.

The roof lifter has been described in relation to a typical motor car but can be readily adapted for other road vehicles.

Similarly, while the primary use is to extricate trapped casualties after a road accident, the apparatus and method have advantages in less extreme situations. For example and without limitation, a fixed installation could be used by car breakers or repairers to remove car roofs under controlled conditions with less effort than previously, while avoiding the hazards of glass breakage.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A vehicle roof lifter comprising (a) a reaction member which, in use, bears down on an external surface of the roof in the vicinity of a transverse window; and (b) a puller attachable to that end of the roof remote from the transverse window, wherein the puller acts towards the transverse window.
2. A roof lifter as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the reaction member bears on the roof in the vicinity of the front windscreen.
3. A roof lifter as claimed in Claims 1 or 2 wherein the reaction member extends across at least a significant portion of the width of the roof.
4. A roof lifter as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the puller includes a cable or strap secured to the end of the roof remote from the reaction member.
5. A roof lifter as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the cable or strap passes over a generally upstanding extension of the lifter.
6. A roof lifter as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the puller includes a ratchet.
7. A roof lifter as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the puller includes a cable or strap and 2 5 the ratchet is a winch.
8. A roof lifter as claimed in any one of the preceding claims including means limiting the forces applied by or to the puller.
9. A roof lifter as claimed in Claim 8 wherein the puller includes a torque limiter.
10. A roof lifter as claimed in any -one of the preceding cIaims comprising a transportable frame securable to the vehicle.
11. A method of lifting a vehicle roof which comprises pulling one end of the roof while a reaction member bears down on the other end of the roof, whereby the roof folds upwards around the reaction member.
12. A vehicle roof lifter substantially as described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
13. A method of lifting a vehicle roof substantially as described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.