GB2546155A - Loading vehicle attachments, and methods of folding a metal sheet - Google Patents

Abstract

A load carrier comprising one or more walls 2, 3, to facilitate the grabbing of a load to be carried by the attachment, comprising at least one exposed edge, incorporating a rounded fold portion 4, formed by folding a sheet of structural steel, with a yield strength grade of greater than S275 and a thickness of 4-10 millimetres, and where the rounded fold portion has an inner radius 6 of 17-25 millimetres. Preferably, the sheet metal portion comprises first and second wings 7, 8, projecting from the fold portion and defining an angle of 40-45 degrees between them.

Description

"ho invention relates to loading vehicle attachments

Background to the invention and Prior Aft-known to the Applicants

The Applicants manufacture a range of loading vehicle attachments which comprise for example buckets, grabbers, forks, sweepers, skips and collectors. These are generally suitable for attachment to a vehicle. The vehicles to which these attachments are secured maybe road going work vehicles, in certain embodiments the term vehicle may appropriately include sea and snow going vehicles. When applied to particularly heavy duty work vehicles any improvement in the structure of the loading vehicle attachments will enhance the load bearing capabilities, the efficiency with which the load is carried and the durability of the loading vehicle attachment when submitted, in use, to repetitive significant stresses and strains. One of the problems which the invention addresses is to improve the toughness and strength of such loading vehicle attachments. As past of this common inventive concept, the invention also provides the tools required in the production of loading vehicle attachments which are able to possess greater toughness and overall structural efficiency.

In a broad independent aspect, the invention provides a loading vehicle attachment comprising a load carrier suitable for attachment to a vehicle; said load earner comprising one or more rails within which at least past of said bad is carried; said walls comprising an exposed edge incorporating a rounded fold portion formed by folding a sheet of metal; wherein said sheet of metal comprises a structural steei with a yield strength grade greater than $275, and a thickness of 4 to 10 millimetres; and wherein said rounded fold portion possesses an inner radius of 17 to 25 millimetres.

This configuration is particularly advantageous in terms of providing a particularly robust and tough fold portion which serves it improve in turn the robustness and toughness of the loading vehicle attachment which incorporates such a fold portioni it also provides Improved:distribution of concentrations of stresses and strains, it allows firi reduction of any permanent yielding or plastic deformation of the structure for enhanced longevity or life cylle of the attachment

In a subsidiay? aspect, the grade is greater than S355 and lower than S875.

In a further subsidiary aspect the grade is greater than S400 and lower than 5700. in a further subsidiary aspect, the grade is greater than S400 and lower than 5450. in a further subsidiary aspect, the grade is greater than S575 and lower than 5625. in a further subsidiary aspect the thickness is of 4 to 5 millimetres.

In a further subsidiary aspect the thickness is of 8 to 10 millimetres.

In a further subsidiary aspect the loading vehicle attachment further comprises a first wing and a second wing formed by the sheet metal and projecting from both sides of the fold portion and forming an acute angle between the wings. in a further subsidiary aspect, the folded portion has an inner radius of 17 to 25 millimetres.

Preferably, the folded portion has an inner radius of substantially 21 millimetres.

In a further subsidiary aspect, the acute angle is of 30 to 50 degrees.

Preferably, the acute angle is of 40 to 45 degrees.

Brief Description of the Figures

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a loading vehicle attachment In accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 shows a side elevation of the loading vehicle attachment of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a portion of a jaw of the loading vehicle attachment of Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 shows a crtos^secfiOiM view of a folded sheet metal portion of the jpid shown in

Figure 3.

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a die of a folding press suitable for folding a metal sheet.

Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view across a pair of oppositely disposed load beating rollers.

Figure 7 shows a further embodiment of a die of a folding press where the die may he employed to fold sheet metal with a more acute angle than the angle achieved in the preceding embodiment.

Figure 8 shows a cross-sectional view through opposite load bearing roller? of a d-e of a folding tool in accordance with the embodiment of Figure 7,

Figure 1 shows a loading vehicle attachment generally referenced 1i The loading vehicle attachment, of Figure 1 takes the form of a grabber with an upper jaw 2 and a lower jaw 3. The upper jaw 2 incorporates a folded sheet metal portion 4 which extends across the width of the grabber. The folded sheet metal portion 4 is secured to a lateral arm 5 (as best iytsstraied in figure 2) which at its forward most extremity 6 forms a vwsb which fits between upper wing 7 and lower wing S of the folded sheet metal portion. The folded sheet metal portion 4 has a rounded forward most fold portion 9, Th# lateral arm S has at its rear most extremity a primary pivot point 10 which allows the lateralarm 5t© pivot relative to a lateral plate 11 which forms a junction member between the upper jaw 2 and the lower jaw 3. A ram or hydraulic actuator 12 may be provided between a lower portion ©f the plate 11 and the upper most portion of the rear most extremity of arm 5 where a further pivot point 11 is provided. The ram or hydraulic actuator may be provided between pivot point 13 and a further pivot point 14 on the central plate 11. By actuating the ram or hydraulic actuator jaw 2 may be displaced between a relatively open position and a relatively closed position as shown in Figure 2. Further opening and closing of the jaw may be achieved by appropriate actuation.

The lower jaw 3 is formed by a succession of tiws such as tine 15 which are regularly spaced. Each tine subsiyialiy extends in a longitudinal di||ction with a forward most tip. The tip may end with a rounded surface. Advantageously, the lower surface of each tine may incorporate a slight recess. Each one of the tines of the lower jaw is secured to a cross-piece 17 extending between lateral plates such plate 11. The cross-piece 17 possesses a plurality of apertures through which the tines are secured. A rear panel 18 is provided in order to prevent the contents exiting to the rear. The rear panel converges towards a line 19 which separates two substantially fiat surfaces. Plate 18 also possesses a number of apertures such as aprtufp 20 which have triangular aspects. Furthermore, a wedge shaped aperture 21 is provided in an upper plate 22, A similarly shaped but oppositely orientated aperture 23 is provided in a position spaced from the first aperture 21.

Tie upper jaw 2 also carries a plurality of tines 24 which are shaped as a bow or arc |he| forward most surface 25 and the rear most surface 26 converge towards a tip 27. At extremity 28 tine 24 bisects the upper and lower wings 7 and 8 of the folded sheet metal portion. Furthermore extremity 28 of the tine is secured permanently to the upper jaw. A plurality of tines of this kind are provided in spaced apart locations projecting from the folded sheet metal portion. Appropriate fasteners may be provided for attaching preferably permanently the fines to the upper jaw.

In order to accommodate, each one of these tines the folded sheet metal portion 4 incorporates a series of apertures or holes such as hole 29 (as shown in Figure 3) corresponding holes may be provided in both upper wing 7 and lower wing 8 of the folded sheet metal portion 4. integrally formed with the folded metal sheet portion are shoulders 30 and 31 which are located on either side of the grabber and will be positioned within lateral arms such as lateral arm 5. Ah attachment member 33 (as shown in Figure 2} may be provided to secure:tie loading vehicle attachment to a work vehicle or any other appropriate vehicle. A bore or hole 32 provides the option for an axle to be secured. The recessed potion 34 which may itself present a concave or arc shaped suffice may also be provided to engage an appropriate vehicle counterpart,

Figure 4 shows the folded sheet metal portion 4 with an inner radius 6 of 21mm and an upper wing 7 and a lower wing 8 defining an acute angle of 41 degrees, in one embodiment, the folded sheet metal portion has a thickness of 8 millimetres with the sheet metal being of a structural steel with a yield strength grade of S420.

In alternative embodiments, the yield strength grade may be greater than S275 whilst the thickness may be pf 8 to 10 millimetres, in alternative embodiments, the folded portion may possess an inner radius of 17 to 25 millimetres. in a furthlr embodiment, the grade is greater than S355 and lower than S875. In a further embodiment, the grade Is greater than S40G and lower than S70Q. !n a further embodiment, the grade is greater than S400 and lower than S450. In an alternative embodiment, the grade is greater than S575 and $625. in an alternative embodiment, the acute angle is between 30 and 60 degrees, in a further embodiment, the acute angle is between 40 and 45 degrees. In a further embodiment, the sheet is of 8 millimetres in thickness and is of a grade of S800 of so-called ultra-high strength steel In a further embodiment, the sheet Is of 4 to S millimetres with a grade of S600.

The grade values may alternatively be expressed as minimum yield strength values with the numbers indicated previously accompanied with their units of N/mm2 when a metal sheet of 18 millimetres thick is assessed, in other words S27S corresponds to 275N/mm2. Whilst the preceding embodiment discusses specifically a grabber with a folded sheet portion. Other embodiments may concern another kind of loading vehicle attachment where a wall, an exposed edge or another appropriate member possesses a folded sheet metal portion with the properties defined in any preceding aspect.

Figure 5 shows a die 35 of a press for folding sheet metal For simplicity, since these presses are generally of a known kind, this detailed description focuses on the aspects of the die which are new as opposed to the conventional components of typical presses such as their pressure applying punches and other potential sheet feeding and handing devices. Die 35 comprises a block 36 with a base portion 37 and two oppositely disposed lateral wails 38 and 39. Walls 38 and 39 possess a casteiiation in their upper most region for receiving a plurality of load bearing rollers such as roller 40. A central shaft 41 extends from the outer most, mount 42 to at least a first spacer 43. in a preferred embodiment the central shaft 41 extends through each one of the spacers 43 provided between the various rollers and is secured to mount 44. Each one of the spacers such as spacer 43 may incorporate an angled corner 45. A pin 46 may be employed to secure the central shaft 41 in its position. Further such pins may be provided as appropriate at different locations of the tool Each one of the rollers such as roller 47 may be a single piece of cylindrical bearing material in preferred embodiments however the load bearing rollers incorporate an outer annular bearing 48 which surrounds a plurality of bearing rods 49 which may extend the width of the outer annular bearing 48. Each one of these rods may be elongate cylindrical members. These may either be disposed in a closely contiguous manner or appropriately spaced apart. The invention also envisages that the rods may be replaced by spherical components or a plurality of spherical components disposed between the outer annular bearing and an inner annular bearing 50. An inner annular bearing may be provided to be secured onto the central shaft 41. Block 36 may incorporate an elongate mount 51 extending across the block to facilitate the attachment of the block to a receiving portion of a folding press, ll order to provide additional strength to the structure of the block the lateral wails 38 and 39 are reinforced by a thickened portion 52 and S3 which present a 45 degree tapered face. The combination of the walls 38 and 39 together with the base 37 form an overall U-shaped configuration, with in a preferred embodiment, facets 52 and 53 in the junction region between wall 38 and base 37. These combine to form the cavity into which a sheet |f metal is folded as the folding press employs an appropriately shaped punch to pressure the sheet, info a permanently folded configuration.

As best seen in Figure 6, the outer annular bearing 48 is exposed in ail directions other than directly uncerneath the bearing so that an operator may readily rest a metal sheet onto the rollers which allow straightforward displacement of the metal sheet Into position prior to the folding operation. During folding, the lower surface of the metal sheet which is in contact with the load bear ng rollers avoids damage as the sheet is pressed into the cavity of the die due to the action of the punch (not shown). Once the sheet has been folded any elastic displacement of the sheet against the load bearing rollers would not lead to damage of the engaging surface.

In the embodiment of Figure 7, a similarly structured die is provided as just described in Figures 5 and 6. Identical components have not been described for simplicity. Die 54 provides a much narrower cavity 55 when contrasted with the much wider cavity of die 35. It has a block 56 where the upper castellations have an inclined surface 57. A pin 58 may also be provided to secure a central shaft 59. Other characteristics appear to be identical to those described with reference to Figures 5 and 6,

Claims (9)

1. A loading vehicle attachment comprising a load carrier suitable for attachment to a vehicle; said bad carrier comprising one or more walls within which at least part of said load is carried; said walls comprising an exposed edge incorporating a rounded fold portion formed by foldings sheet of metal; wherein said sheet of metal comprises a structural steel with a yield strength grade greater than S275, and a thickness of 4 to 10 millimetres; and wherein said rounded fold portion possesses an inner radius of 17 to 25 millimetres.

2. A loading vehicle attachment according to claim 1, wherein said grade is greater than S35S and lower than S875.

3. A loading vehicle attachment according to either claim T or claim 2, wherein said grade is greater than S400 and lower than S7GG. 4 A loading vehicle attachment according to claim 3, wherein said grade is greater than S4D0 and leaver than S450.

5. A loading vehicle attachment according to claim 3, wherein said grade is greater than S575 and lower than S625,

6. A loading vehicle attachment according to any of claims 1 to 5 wherein said thickness is o* 4 and S millimetres.

7. A loading vehicle attachment according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein said thickness is of 8 to 10 millimetres.

8. A loading vehicle attachment according to any of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a first wing and a second wing formed by said sheet metal and projecting from both sides of said fold portion and forming an acute angle between said wings,

9. A loading vehicle attachment according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein said fold portion has an inner radius of substantially 21 millimetres. ΊΟ, A loading vehicle attachment according to claim B or a combination of claim 8 and claim 9, wherein said acute angle is of 30 to 60 degrees,

11. A loading vehicle attachment according to claim 10, wherein said acute angle is of 40 to 45 degrees.