GB2495490A - Installation for vehicle repairing/maintenance workshop - Google Patents

Abstract

The installation comprises a pit 2 for access to the underneath of a vehicle C and running tracks at the respective opposite edges of the pit, the running track includes an upright guardrail 3 which slides between first (operational) and second (clearing) positions wherein the first position is closer to the pit than the second. The guardrail may be located within a guide 4 for aiding in the translation of the guard rail. The guide may comprise at least one guiding rail 30 that may be fixed in a groove which holds a slide fixed to the guard rail. The slide may comprise a number of rollers or rolling elements which rest on the ground S. There may be a second guardrail, and when both guard rails are in the first position a barrier 5 is placed to block the passage between the guard rails.

Description

Workshop installation for wheeled vehicles

Background of the invention

The invention deals with the safety of personnel in repair and/or maintenance workshops for vehicles such as trucks, buses or cars, in particular as far as prevention of falling into service pits giving access to the underneath of such vehicles is concerned. More precisely, the invention relates to a workshop installation for wheeled vehicles of the type comprising a service pit giving access to the underneath of wheeled vehicles. A running track for the left wheels of the vehicles and a running track for the right wheels of the vehicles extend opposite one another along a first and a second edge of the service pit, respectively.

State of the art Maintenance and repair workshops for wheeled vehicles are often equipped with service pits above which these vehicles can be parked and which are provided to accommodate mechanics or other personnel. From such a service pit, the workshop personnel have access to the underneath of the vehicle parked above said service pit.

The risk of falling into a workshop service pit is a hazard against which different devices have been imagined. In particular, certain workshop service pits are surrounded by removable safety barriers, which are removed before using these service pits, however not always knowing what to do with them.

Very often it is forgotten to replace the safety barriers around the service pits.

This can be due to quite simply forgetting. The fastidious nature of taking these safety barriers down and putting them up again in repeated manner also explains that the latter are not often placed around unused service pits.

Devices for securing workshop maintenance service pits include rolling covers and other closing devices, examples of which are to be found in the Patents or Patent applications US-5738160, EP-0115087 and EP-21 99495.

Systems for closing workshop service pits present the drawback of not being able to adapt to all service pits, the dimensions of which often vary from one service pit to another.

These safety systems by closing are further often costly and difficult to install.

In this respect, cost is an obstacle that is often prohibitive when motorized rolling cover systems are involved. When they are manual, the opening and closing operations of a service pit are fastidious as are removing and subsequently replacing removable safety barriers. Whether they be manual or motorized, the opening and closing operations of a service pit are long and undermine the patience of the workshop personnel.

French Patent application FR-2661 932 and European Patent EP-06281 11 relate to securing a workshop service pit by means of safety barriers which can be folded back to enable the service pit to be used. These fold-away barriers present most of the drawbacks of safety systems by closing of the service pit. They are in particular difficult to install, as recesses to accommodate them have to be hollowed out in the concrete of the ground.

Whereas workshop service pits and the question of prevention of falling into these service pits are longstanding, none of the workshop service pit safety devices gives full satisfaction at the present time. In particular, these safety devices are often not used by workshop personnel, i.e. they are left in the state in which they do not secure the service pits. It can then be considered that these devices are then inefficient in practice, which is all the more unsatisfactory as the safety of persons is at stake.

Object of the invention The object of the invention is at least to reduce the risk of failure to use a safety system for a workshop service pit, in particular by the personnel of a workshop where this service pit is located.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by means of a workshop installation of the above-mentioned type, comprising at least one guardrail sliding between two positions laterally offset from one another, namely an operational safety position in which the guardrail is upright along the service pit, at the first edge, and a clearing position which is at a distance from the service pit and from the running track along the first edge.

The guardrail of the invention is placed in its clearing position to enable a vehicle to be brought to a position astride the service pit. Once the vehicle has been placed above the service pit, the guardrail can be moved against the vehicle so as not to form an isolated obstacle hampering circulation around the service pit. When it is moved against the vehicle above the service pit, the guardrail constitutes a safety measure against the risk of falling under the vehicle into the service pit, in a situation where the service pit is in use and where current safety devices are inoperative.

The guardrail of the invention is very easy to move between its safety and clearing positions, i.e. by simple sliding. Neither fitting it in the safety position for securing the service pit nor the reverse operation are therefore of a fastidious nature liable to be tiresome for the workshop personnel.

Furthermore the guardrail of the invention cannot be lost or incorrectly put away and the guardrail does not have to be looked for when it is required to use it to secure the service pit.

On the contrary, when the service pit is not used, the guardrail does not seem to be naturally in the right place, as an incongruity, if it is in its clearing position and not in its safety position. In its clearing position, the guardrail of the invention is in fact upright at a distance from the service pit. Furthermore, it constitutes an isolated and hindering obstacle. All this contributes to make anyone naturally replace the guardrail of the invention in its safety position when the service pit is not in use.

The solution of the invention is therefore extremely efficient, in spite of its astonishing simplicity that is an apparent simplicity if the matter is considered from the point of view of finding a solution to the problem that is posed and not from the simple point of view of the solution itself.

In this respect, it can be noted that the solution of the invention is based on a reverse approach to a normal approach, which would furthermore have led away from the solution. Indeed, when the device is not in use, the normal approach is to put this device away in a place where it will not be in the way.

In the invention, advantage is on the contrary taken from the fact that, in its clearing position, the guardrail of the invention generally constitutes an isolated and hindering obstacle.

The installation according to the invention can incorporate one or more advantageous features, either alone or in combination, in particular among those defined hereafter.

Preferably, the installation comprises a guide device by means of which the guardrail is mounted upright on the ground and which guides this guardrail between its two positions in a non-parallel direction to the first edge.

Preferably, the guide device comprises at least one guiding rail which holds a slide fixed to the guardrail.

Preferably, said guiding rail is fixed in a groove of the ground, without protruding out of this groove.

Preferably, the slide comprises several rollers which succeed one another along the guiding rail and which two flanges of this guiding rail secure in the upward direction.

Preferably, the guardrail is supported by rolling elements.

Preferably, the rolling elements rest on the ground.

Preferably, said guardrail is a first guardrail, the installation comprising at least a second guardrail sliding with regard to the first guardrail between two positions laterally offset from one another, namely an operational safety position in which the second guardrail is upright along the service pit, at the second edge, and a clearing position which is located at a distance from the service pit and from the running track along the second edge.

Preferably, the installation comprises at least one barrier designed to close the passage between the first and second guardrail in their operational safety positions, by being fitted astride on one end of the first guardrail and one end of the second guardrail.

Preferably, the installation comprises several guardrails that succeed one another on the same side of the service pit and each of which slides between the safety and clearing positions.

Brief description of the drawings

Other advantages and features will become more clearly apparent from the following description of particular embodiments of the invention given for non-restrictive example purposes only and represented in the appended drawings, among which: -figure 1 is a perspective view of a workshop installation according to a first embodiment of the invention and of a truck waiting in front of a secured service pit of this installation; -figure 2 is a perspective view of a part of the workshop installation of figure 1 and represents more precisely a side wall of the service pit, a sliding guardrail provided to secure this service pit on one of its sides, and a guide device for guiding this guardrail; -figure 3 is a detailed perspective view which represents an enlarged portion of the bottom part of the guardrail visible in figure 2; -figure 4 is a detailed view which is an enlarged portion of an elevation taken from the service pit and which explains how the guardrail of figure 2 and a guiding rail of the guide device for guiding this guardrail are associated; -figure 5 is a detailed perspective view representing how one end of a barrier joining two sliding guardrails of the installation of figure 1 is fitted on one of these two guardrails; -figures 6 to 9 are perspective views similar to figure 1 and illustrate successive steps of placing the truck above the service pit of figure 1; -figure 10 is a perspective view of a workshop installation according to a second embodiment of the invention.

Description of a preferred embodiment of the invention In figure 1, a truck C is waiting at a workshop installation 1, before a secured service pit 2 of this installation 1 which forms part of a service and repair workshop for wheeled machines, motorized or not, such as trucks, trailers for such trucks, busses and/or tractors.

Service pit 2 is elongate in a main direction X-X', parallel to which two identical left and right guardrails 3 are symmetrically arranged facing one another on each side of service pit 2. These two opposite guardrails 3 are fitted on a concrete floor S, each by means of two identical guide devices 4 which keep them upright while at the same time retaining them upwards.

Each guardrail 3 slides between two substantially parallel positions laterally offset from one another, namely an operational safety position, in which the guardrail is upright along the service pit 2, and a clearing position, in which the guardrail is upright at a distance from the service pit. Two movable barriers 5 complete the securing performed by guardrails 3. Each of them is placed at one end of the pair of guardrails 3 and closes the passage between the two guardrails 3.

As can be seen in figure 2, a guardrail 3 is an assembly of metal parts, a longitudinal plate 10 of which forms a support base supporting several uprights 11. An intermediate tube 12 and an upper tube 13 rigidly connect these uprights 11 to one another. At each end of guardrail 3, a vertical end tube 14 connects these tubes 12 and 13 to one another. All or part of the constituent components of guardrail 3 can be made from aluminium or from an aluminium-based alloy.

Support base 10 is supported by several castors 15, which are two in number in the example represented, one of which being visible in figure 3. Each castor 15 passes through the support base 10 and runs on the ground S, in a direction parallel to the guiding performed by device 4. Each castor 15 is fitted in a clevis mounting 16 supporting a bridge plate 17 on which the support base 10 is suspended.

A can be seen in figure 2, the two castors 15 are in two positions P offset from one another in the direction of the length of the guardrail. Each device 4 comprises several guiding rails 30 between two of which each castor 15 is placed.

In the example represented, guiding rails 30 are three in number. Two of them guide the opposite ends of guardrail 3. The third guiding rail 30 is a middle guiding rail, which guides this guardrail 3 in the middle thereof.

Guiding rails 30 are parallel to the same direction, which is the direction of the sliding of guardrail 3 and which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of this guardrail, i.e. to the direction X-X'. End-of-travel stops, not represented for the sake of clarity, are provided to stop guardrail 3 before reaching service pit 2. They can for example be fixed to the side wall of this service pit 2.

Figure 4 shows how guardrail 3 is associated with a guiding rail 30. This guiding rail 30 is fixed in a groove 31 so as not to protrude outside in the upward direction. This groove 31 can easily be hollowed out in a concrete floor. Guiding rail 30 comprises two side wings, the top parts of which are curved inwards so as to form flanges 32 and to be able to perform securing upwards.

Several rollers 33 having vertical axes of rotation Z-Z' run between the two wings. One of rollers 33 masks the others in figure 4. Three in number in the example represented, rollers 33 succeed one another in a single row, along the guiding axis of guiding rail 30, and form part of a slide 34 the mounting base 35 of which is fixed onto the underside of the base 10. This slide 34 is provided with scrapers 36, one of which has been removed in figure 4 for one of rollers 33 to be partially visible in this figure.

Rollers 33 are dimensioned in such a way as not to be able to be extracted from guiding rail 30 without being swivelled beforehand. When they are solicited upwards, these rollers 33 cling to flanges 32 of guiding rail 30. They thus retain guardrail 3 in the upward direction and also keep it upright, preventing it from tilting towards the ground.

The three guiding rails 30 are identical and are fitted in the same manner, each in a groove 31. Guardrail 3 is associated with each of them by means of one of three identical slides 34.

As can be seen in figure 5, fining of one end of barrier 5 on one end of a guardrail 3 is performed by means of a bent screw 40, which is screwed in removable manner in one of end tubes 14. This screw 40 passes through barrier 5 thereby securing the latter.

In figure 1, unused service pit 2 is secured by guardrails 3 and by barriers 5 which further secure the assembly by preventing guardrails 3 from moving away from one another and from their safety positions. Truck C can then not engage above service pit 2.

Before positioning truck C astride service pit 2, barriers 5 are removed, after which installation 1 is as illustrated in figure 6. Guardrails 3 are then slid along guiding rails 30, away from service pit 2, in the direction of arrows E, to their respective clearing positions, which are those of figures 7 and 8.

In figure 7, the references 41 designate the two running tracks formed by the two longitudinal edges running opposite one another along service pit 2 and which are provided for the wheels of truck C to run on. These two opposite tracks are clear in figure 7 and truck C can move forward on them, as illustrated by arrow A. In figure 8, truck C is in place above service pit 2. Guardrails 3 can then be left in their clearing positions. Advantageously, they are rather put against truck C still parked above service pit 2, which is the case in figure 9.

Advantageously, protections made from soft material are placed on guardrails 3, where these guardrails are liable to knock against a vehicle parked above service pit 2.

Still in figure 9, the underneath of truck C is accessible from service pit 2 where personnel can perform inspection, maintenance and/or repair operations on this truck C. In figure 10, a workshop installation 101 according to a second embodiment of the invention is represented. A service pit 102 of this installation 101 is longer than service pit 2. To secure this service pit 102, installation 101 comprises two successive pairs of left and right guardrails 3, which are identical to those of installation 1 and which are mounted on the ground S by means of guide devices 4 identical to those of this installation 1. The two pairs of guardrails 3 are separated from one another by a space where a gangway 142 straddling service pit 102 is installed. A barrier 5 is fitted on each end of each pair of guardrails 3.

Service pit 102 can be secured over a part of its length only, while it is used over another part of its length, which is particularly advantageous. Indeed, at one of the pairs of guardrails 3, a vehicle can be parked above service pit 102, whereas guardrails 3 of the other pair remain provided with two safety barriers 5 while being left in their safety position, i.e. in their positions of figure 10. Of course, the possibility of only partially securing a long service pit equipped with several pairs of guardrails 5 can also be used in the case where more than two pairs of guardrails are provided.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described in the foregoing. In particular, it is not limited to the case of service pits for trucks, trailers, buses and/or tractors. In particular, the invention can also be implemented in the case of service pits for maintenance and repairs of light vehicles also called cars.

Claims (1)

1. <claim-text>Claims 1. A workshop installation for wheeled vehicles comprising a service pit (2; 102) for accessing the underneath of wheeled vehicles (C), a running track for the left wheels of the vehicles (C) and a running track for the right wheels of the vehicles (C) extending opposite one another along a first and a second edge (41) of the service pit (2; 102) respectively, characterized in that it comprises at least one guardrail (3) sliding between two positions laterally offset from one another, namely an operational safety position in which the guardrail (3) is upright along the service pit (2; 102), at the first edge (41), and a clearing position which is at a distance from the service pit (2; 102) and from the running track along the first edge (41).</claim-text> <claim-text>2. The installation according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a guide device (4) by means of which the guardrail (3) is mounted upright on the ground (S) and which guides this guardrail (3) between its two positions in a non-parallel direction to the first edge (41).</claim-text> <claim-text>3. The installation according to claim 2, characterized in that the guide device (4) comprises at least one guiding rail (30) which holds a slide (34) fixed to the guardrail (3).</claim-text> <claim-text>4. The installation according to claim 3, characterized in that said guiding rail (30) is fixed in a groove (31) of the ground (S), without protruding out of this groove (31).</claim-text> <claim-text>5. The installation according to either one of claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the slide (34) comprises several rollers (33) which succeed one another along the guiding rail (30) and which two flanges (32) of this guiding rail (30) secure in the upward direction.</claim-text> <claim-text>6. The installation according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the guardrail (3) is supported by rolling elements (15).</claim-text> <claim-text>7. The installation according to claim 6, characterized in that the rolling elements (15) rest on the ground (S).</claim-text> <claim-text>8. The installation according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that said guardrail is a first guardrail (3), the installation comprising at least a second guardrail (3) sliding with regard to the first guardrail (3) between two positions laterally offset from one another, namely an operational safety position in which the second guardrail (3) is upright along the service pit (2; 102), at the second edge (41), and a clearing position which is located at a distance from the service pit (2; 102) and from the running track along the second edge (41).</claim-text> <claim-text>9. The installation according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises at least one barrier (5) designed to close the passage between the first and second guardrail (3) in their operational safety positions, by being fitted astride on one end (14) of the first guardrail (3) and one end (14) of the second guardrail (3).</claim-text> <claim-text>10. The installation according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that it comprises several guardrails (3) which succeed one another on the same side of the service pit (102) and each of which slides between the safety and clearing positions.</claim-text> <claim-text>11. A workshop installation for wheeled vehicles as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.</claim-text> <claim-text>12. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.</claim-text>