IT9040069A1 - CLOSING DEVICE IN PARTICULAR FOR BOXES OF VEHICLES SUCH AS TRUCKS AND SIMILAR. - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

attached to a patent application for INDUSTRIAL INVENTION entitled:

LOCKING DEVICE IN PARTICULAR FOR BODIES OF VEHICLES SUCH AS TRUCKS AND SIMILAR.

SUMMARY

The present invention relates to a closing device, in particular for bodies of vehicles such as trucks and the like.

It consists of two or more rigid segments or consecutive hinged flaps, the first of which (rear) is linked to the body by means of a set of sectors or toothed wheels and at least one lever designed to control and guide its transfer from the hermetically closed position. to the folded one of complete opening, the actuation of the lever is entrusted to an actuator, hydraulic cylinder, bound to the same rear flap.

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a closing device, in particular for vehicle bodies such as trucks and the like. It is of the type which comprises a cover consisting of two or more rigid segments or flaps hinged consecutively to each other. In a prevalent but not exclusive way, it can be used with the advantage of tipping and / or demountable bodies used for the transport of materials which by their very nature require particular precautions in the transport itself, such as for example the by-products of meat slaughter or even more generally of substances. loose pollutants possibly already packaged in sealed envelopes (for example hospital waste) which for safety reasons must be further inserted in rigid watertight containers. The loading of such materials is carried out from above in special truck bins using for this purpose loaders that are often equipped with the same vehicles or external vehicles such as forklifts, loaders with buckets, hoppers for loading silos, etc. In any case, to allow quick and functional loading, it is essential or at least extremely useful to have, at least at the time of loading, a body completely open at the top and without lateral, rear obstacles and above the upper opening of the body that may in some way hinder the loading maneuver.

Especially with materials loaded in bulk, unloading takes place by tipping the body back or sideways through opening doors.

The primary requirement that must be met is to ensure a complete hermetic closure of the container in which the polluting load is housed, thus protecting it from external agents and avoiding the leakage of the contents, meaning also any annoying fumes.

The problem that the present invention proposes to solve is that of giving rise to a closing (and opening) system of the box which on the one hand allows to make a hermetic closure, on the other allows to remove the closure in a simple way. and with the minimum encumbrance to allow an easy and safe carrying out of the loading and unloading operations.

The object is achieved by the present invention as it is characterized in the claims.

One of the advantages provided by the invention consists in being applicable to any type of body without requiring particular adaptations and modifications.

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the detailed description that follows of some preferred, but not exclusive, embodiments of the same invention, illustrated purely by way of non-limiting example in the attached drawings in which;

Figure 1 shows a schematic side view in vertical elevation of a first form of the invention,

- Figure 2 shows, on an enlarged scale, a detail of fig. I - Figures 3-4-5 show as many different configurations of the invention of fig. 1, relating to different positions of the kinematic evolution.

- Figures 6-7 show, in side view, two different operative forms of a second embodiment of the invention of fig. 1 - Fig. 8 shows a detail, on an enlarged scale, of a different embodiment of the invention of fig. 1-2

- Fig. 9 shows, in rear view, an alternative application of the system proposed in fig. 1.

With reference to the aforementioned figures, with (1) the body of a truck (or trailer) has been indicated as a whole, and with (3) the covering with several segments or pitches has been indicated as a whole.

The body (1) consists of a metal tank and is equipped with a rear door (28) that can be opened as it is hinged to the rail (2), to allow unloading. The top of the box is provided with a cover indicated as a whole with (3), which is designed to rest in contact on the upper edges of the box, sealing by means of the interposition of the continuous perimeter gasket (29).

In the first embodiment illustrated, the cover (3) consists of two rigid flaps or segments hinged to each other by means of the hinge (7). The rear flap (1) is linked to the body (1) by means of two parallel mechanisms, each of which includes an angle lever (9), two coupled toothed wheels (11) and (13), and a hydraulic linear actuator consisting of a cylinder (16) interacting between the lever (9) and the fork (18) integral with the support (8), in turn integral with the gear (11) and with the rear flap (4). The angled lever (9) is pivoted on the pin (12) parallel to the crosspiece (2) of the body and coaxial to the gear (12) integral with the crosspiece itself (2).

The lever (9) is also hinged to the flap (4) by means of a second pin (10) parallel to the pin (12) and coaxial to the gear (11). At the articulation (11) the lever (9) is hinged to the end of the rod (15) of the hydraulic cylinder (16) whose breech is pivoted by means of the pin (17) to the fork (18) of the support (8) ).

The gears (11) and (13), with straight teeth, are proportioned with the same module and reciprocally arranged so as to allow correct meshing. The gears, always in mesh, are arranged so that the gear (11) can envelop the gear (13) during rotation for an overall angle (Q), engaging with it only a limited number of teeth, so that the gears they can be conceptually identified with partially toothed sectors.

The flap (4) is hinged consecutively to the flap (5) by means of the hinge (7). The latter has, at its front end, two lateral and external idle wheels (19) arranged for sliding on the lanes (20) integral with the upper lateral edges of the body (1), in which the oblique housings (21) are obtained at the front. designed to accommodate, one on each side, the idle wheels (19) in the closed cover position.

The shooting action of the! hydraulic cylinder (16) and the consequent approaching of the fulcrums (17) and (11) determines the displacement from the closed cover configuration to the completely open cover configuration, through a kinematic evolution that can be represented in the phases A-B-C-D described in figs. 1-3-4-5.

The initial rotation of the rear flap (1) induced by the start of the operation of the hydraulic cylinder (16) leads to the dragging of the front flap (5) and in particular determines the exit of the idle wheels (19) from the housings (21) of the guides ( 20) and their subsequent travel along the guides (20) selected to the point indicated in fig. 3 where the wheels (19) reach the exact opening with the housings (21) of the arms (22), the latter pivoted to the upper edges of the body by means of the pins (23). The continuation of the pulling action of the hydraulic cylinder determines the continuation of the envelope of the gear or sector (13) by the gear or sector (11) and therefore a further clockwise rotation of the flap (1). The latter, through the flap (5) hinged to it, rotates the arms (22) while their detachment from the horizontal position determines the descent of the bolts (25) by means of the springs (26) making it impossible to the wheels (19) come out of the housings (21), without blocking their relative rotation, as shown in figure 1,

The further continuation of the hydraulic action of the cylinder (16) brings the isostatic system formed by the flaps (1) and (5) and the arms (22) to assume the configuration of figure 5, with the flap (1) perfectly vertical as a result of the envelope of the teeth, and with the flap (5) equally perfectly vertical as it is piloted at its front end by suitably sized arms (22) and with the fulcrums (23) suitably arranged in such a way that the hinge constituted by the wheels (19 ) blocked by the latches (25) inside the housings (21) is immediately behind the gear or sector (13) in the end of stroke position.

When the body is fully opened, the cover (3) is then folded and compacted into an extremely small space close to the rear door (26), leaving the loading spaces above, side and rear of the body completely free.

The closing operation takes place with movements in the opposite direction, by the extension of the double-acting cylinder (16). The hermetic locking of the cover is achieved when, having almost completely completed the extension of the cover (3) on the box (1), the idle wheels (19) are located near the inlets in the housings (21), so that the further extension of the cylinder between the fulcrums (11) and (17) determines on the one hand the crushing of the flap (1) on the sealing gasket (29), on the other the forcing of the wheels (19) into the housings (21), with consequent crushing also of the flap (5) on the sealing gasket (29).

A particularity of the illustrated device is that of forming an independent unit, preassembled inside the support (8), and therefore particularly suitable for easy installation on pre-existing tanks or caissons.

Furthermore, the system allows to reach a configuration of complete folding of the cover with extremely reduced bulk, thus not creating any hindrance to the loading maneuvers.

The invention also has the characteristic of allowing with a single hydraulic actuation, and therefore with a single maneuver, the closing and locking of the cover (as well as the opening and unlocking).

In a conceptually identical form made, two identical groups side by side and parallel can be adopted instead of a single central group, in order to better distribute the starting loads on the supporting structure of the rear flap (4).

In a further embodiment indicated in figure 8, the bottom of the hydraulic cylinder (16/0 can be anchored to the bottom of the body, in this case to the rear door (28), in turn hinged to the pin or pins (12). the interaction of the cover (3) with the tailgate (28) occurs in the sense that the same hydraulic cylinder can operate the opening of the tailgate (28) with the cover closed (3) or the opening of the cover (3) with the closed tailgate,

This operation is made possible by the fact that in almost all applications the rear door has autonomous perimeter locks which tighten it against the gasket (30) to ensure a perfect rear seal.

The operation of the lone door must therefore in any case be preceded by the removal of said locks. This is the reason why, given the non-removal of the locks themselves, the door (28) thus locked constitutes a contrast to the pulling action of the hydraulic cylinder (16/1) and therefore the kinematic evolution of the cover is made possible.

This is also the reason why, once the aforementioned locks have been removed, there is no impediment to the rotation of the door, made possible by the fact that the pulling action of the hydraulic cylinder (16/1) is opposed by the fulcrum (11) as the weight the cover itself (3) supplies the entire system with an antagonist torque preventing the rotation of the gear (11) and consequently the displacement of the fulcrum (11). The pushing action of the cylinder (16/1) on the other hand determines, regardless of whether this performs any of the reverse maneuvers of the previous ones described, that is the closing of the cover (3) or of the hatch (28), a simultaneous combined tightening action of the cover (3) on the gasket (29) and of the tailgate (26) on the gasket (30).

up to now in a further embodiment according to what is indicated in figure 9, the body closing system described above can be installed in correspondence with one of the two upper lateral edges. In this case the flaps have their mutual hinging axis arranged longitudinally with respect to the box itself, consequently resulting in a lateral evolution of the device.

Finally, in a further embodiment, as described in figs. 6-7, the system consisting of the two roofing flaps described above and kinematically indicated in figs. 3-4-5 can be integrated by a further front flap (6), equipped with an autonomous folding system on the flap (5), for example by means of the hydraulic cylinder (27) or by means of equivalent systems, and this to allow to cover greater lengths of covered surface, while keeping the movement system of the pitches (4) and (5) absolutely unchanged.

Obviously, numerous other modifications of a practical-applicative nature of the construction details can be made to the invention without however departing from the scope of protection of the inventive idea as claimed below.

Claims (1)

CLAIMS 1) Closing device, in particular for vehicle bodies such as trucks and the like, of the type comprising at least two flaps or segments hinged consecutively to each other, characterized in that the opening and closing movements are controlled by at least one mechanism associated with said flaps which includes: - an angle-shaped lever (9) pivoted on a pin (12) positioned parallel to the rear upper edge of the body (1); the lever (9) being hinged on one side to the flap (1) by means of a pin (10) having an axis parallel to that of the pin (12) and on the other to the end of the stem (15) (or bottom) of a hydraulic cylinder (16) or the like whose bottom (or rod) side is constrained in correspondence with the mutually integral support (6) - flap (4) assembly. - coupling means predisposed to act in the opening and in the closing movement adapted to guide the flap (1) to perform a partial rigid rotation with respect to the box (1) kinematically identified by the rolling of an integral cylindrical surface, coaxial with the axis of the pin (10), on a corresponding fixed cylindrical surface coaxial with the axis of the pin (12) and integral with the body (1), 2) Closing device according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that each said hydraulic cylinder (16) has its own bottom side bound to the same flap (1) for or without interposition of the support (8). 3) Closing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the hydraulic actuation of the device is ensured by a cylinder (16/1) having the end of the rod constrained to the angled lever (9) by means of the pin (14 ) and the bottom side fixed to a side or rear wall of the body (1). 4) Closing device according to claim 3, characterized in that the said wall of the box (1) can be opened and hinged at the top at the upper edge of the box (I). 5) Closing device according to claim 1 characterized by the fact that said opening wall is constituted by the rear door (28) of the body (1), 6) Closing device according to claim 1, characterized in that said coupling means comprise: - at least a first gear or toothed sector (13) arranged coaxially to the pin (12) and fixed along one side of the upper perimeter of the body (1); - at least a second gear or toothed sector (11), arranged coaxially to the pin (10) and fixed to the first flap (1) by means of the support (8); the characteristics of the external and cylindrical toothings, of said gears or toothed sectors (11) and (13) being such as to allow reciprocal meshing; the two gears or toothed sectors (11) and (13) being mutually arranged in such a way as to allow a rigid rotation of the first flap (4) which leads it to position itself from the horizontal closing position to a vertical position facing a short distance from a wall side of the body (1), 7) Closing device according to claim 1, characterized in that said connection means comprise at least one arm (22) hinged with its own end to one side of the upper perimeter of the box (1), arranged laterally to the cover (3 ), which has its other end equipped with a hooking member designed to hook a protruding pin (19) fixed laterally near the free end of the front flap (5), for front we mean the flap furthest from the fulcrum (12 ) of rotation; said arm being free to rotate, in both directions, from a first position, in correspondence with which it rests on a stop integral with the edge of the body (1), with said coupling member in an open configuration and positioned on the parallel trajectory to the edge of the box, along which the pin (19) is guided to translate in both directions at the beginning of the opening operation and at the end of the closing operation, to a plurality of different positions in correspondence with each of which flaps (1) and (5) assume a predetermined reciprocal position and the arm itself is always hooked with its second end to the pin (19); said arm (22) being designed and sized to hold the second flap (5) folded parallel to the first flap (4) in the fully open position, arranged with an almost vertical position. 8) Closing device according to claim 7, characterized in that said coupling member comprises: - a housing (21) shaped to accommodate the pin (19) inside; - a closing element (25) in the form of a latch able to close the housing (24) at the front so as to prevent the pin (19) from coming out of it without however blocking its relative rotation; said closing element (25) being constrained to the end of the arm (22) by means of a spring whose action is such as to tend to keep the element itself in the closed position; said element being also provided with an appendix able to interact with a stop (20) fixed on the upper edge of the box (1) on which the arm itself is placed in correspondence with said first position so as to overcome the action exerted by the spring (26) and by placing said element (25) in the open position, 9) Closing device according to claim 7, characterized in that said rolling members comprise at least two rotating pins (19) constrained symmetrically to the sides of the free end of the second flap (5); each of the two pins (19) being arranged to roll on a guide (20) fixed on a single upper edge of the body (1); said guide (20) presenting at the front an oblique housing (21) for the pins (19) in order to stably contain the same in the closed cover configuration, thereby forcing the flap (5) against the underlying sealing gasket (28) and ensuring protection against accidental opening, as it is not possible for the pins (19) to come out vertically from the housings (21) following clockwise rotation of the flap (5) around the flap (1) on the hinge fulcrums (7), but only the oblique exit resulting from the rotation around the pin (12) of the flap (1) with consequent lifting of the hinge (7) with respect to the upper plane of the body, said rotation being exclusively connected to the actuation of at least one hydraulic cylinder (16) or (16/1). 10) Closing device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a third flap (6) hinged to the end of the second flap (5) and connected to the latter by means of a hydraulic cylinder (27) operating between the two flaps ,