US3777537A

US3777537A - Vehicle frame and body straightening devices

Info

Publication number: US3777537A
Application number: US00220602A
Authority: US
Inventors: M Samuelsson; K Degerman
Original assignee: Saab Scania AB
Current assignee: Saab AB
Priority date: 1971-02-05
Filing date: 1972-01-25
Publication date: 1973-12-11
Anticipated expiration: 1990-12-11
Also published as: DE2204792A1; DE2204792B2; JPS5227850Y2; FR2124514A1; JPS476032U; GB1379076A; DE2204792C3; FR2124514B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for straightening vehicle frames, comprising at least one wheeled, transportable unit including at least one horizontal base bar arranged to be anchored to a support surface such as a floor and provided with a longitudinally extending guide structure for at least one straightening means mounted for longitudinal movement thereon or therein. Said straightening means comprises a substantially flat base bracket structure which is mounted for movement on one edge thereof between two vertical wall elements in the base bar. The base bracket structure is provided on its edge surfaces with abutment surfaces and/or bearing points for cooperation with auxiliary devices connected to the base bracket structure during a straightening operation.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Samuelsson et a1.

[ Dec. 11, 1973 VEHICLE FRAME AND BODY STRAIGHTENING DEVICES [73] Assignee: Saab-Scania Aktiebolag, Sodertalje,

Sweden [22] Filed: Jan. 25, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 220,602

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data 3,034,564 5/1962 Cavazos 72/705 2,442,425 6/1948 Merrill et a1.. 72/705 3,630,066 12/1971 Chisum 72/705 3,626,747 12/1971 Rouis 72/705 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,528,865 5/1967 France 72/705 Primary Examiner-Charles W. Lanham Assistant Examiner-M. J. Keenan Att0rney-Cushman, Darby & Cushman [57] ABSTRACT The invention relates to a device for straightening vehicle frames, comprising at least one wheeled, transportable unit including at least one horizontal base bar arranged to be anchored to a support surface such as a floor and provided with a longitudinally extending guide structure for at least one straightening means mounted for longitudinal movement thereon or therein. Said straightening means comprises a substantially flat base bracket structure which is mounted for movement on one edge thereof between two vertical wall elements in the base bar. The base bracket structure is provided on its edge surfaces with abutment surfaces and/or bearing points for cooperation with auxiliary devices connected to the base bracket structure during a straightening operation.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDBEB n 1975 5 7 537 sun-1r 1 a? 2 Fig. I

Pmmmm

1197s sum

2 or 2 VEHICLE FRAME AND BODY STRAIGHTENING DEVICES The present invention pertains to workshop equip ment and relates to an improvement in vehicle frame and body straighteningdevices.

Previously known straightening devices are normally constructed for specific functions, which means that a device constructed for vehicle body straigtening purposes can seldom be used to straighten the frame of a vehicle. Similarly, it is not usual that a frame straightening device can be used to straighten a vehicle body.

There is known to the art a vehicle body straightening device comprising a wheeled, transportable unit which, via an upstanding post and links, chains or like means attached thereto, arranged to exert tension forces under the influence of hydraulic jacks or the like, to straighten deformed vehicle bodies and to repair minor damage to vehicle frame.

Known vehicle frame straightening devices do not havethe degree of adaptability possessed by these body straightening-devices, since the frame straightening device is normally permanentlyerected at a specific location on the workshop floor a so-called straightening station or is intended to be assembled on said station. Thus, the frame of the vehicle frame straightening device or its structural components are anchored to beams which have been firmly embedded in the workshop floor and, when not in use, manyof the straightening tools and auxiliary appliances intended for connection to the device are systematically stored in the immediate vicinity of said device. Despite this, the erection and dismantling of a vehicle frame straightening device before and after a straightening operation entails conveying the mentioned straightening tools and auxiliary appliances relatively long distances in total. Similarly to the frame straightening device itself,'the tools and appliancies used therewith are constructed to take up large loads during a straightening operation, which meansthat they are often heavy and clumsy, and therefore it normally requires the strength of two men to move each such tool and appliance.

A straightening station equipped in this manner, requiring additional personnel to manipulate and carry the mentioned straightening tools and auxiliary appliances, requires large investments to be made and is expensive in operation. Additionally, such a station reduces the space available for other service or reparation work within the workshop, and consequently, it is normally only the large garages or vehicle repair shops which are able to install a straightening station capable of being economically rewarding.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate the aforementioned disadvantages and relates to a vehicle frame and body straightening device which enables existing workshop space to be utilized more efficiently, which reduces the level of necessary investments and operation costs, together with the number of personnel required to man devices of the type envisaged, and which shortens the distance through which the various straightening tools and auxiliary appliances need be carried by their operators, and, in addition thereto, which is considerably more stable than known straightening devices.

The invention thus relates to a device for straightening vehicle frames, comprising atleast one wheeled, transportable unit including at least one horizontal base bar arranged to be anchored to a support surface such as a floor and provided with a longitudinally extending guide structure for at least one straightening means mounted for longitudinal movement thereon or therein, said device being characterized in that said straightening means comprises a substantially flat base bracket structure which is mounted for movement on one edge thereof between two vertical wall elements in the base bar, and that the base bracket structure is provided on its edge surfaces with abutment surfaces and- /or hearing points for cooperation with auxiliary devices connected to the base bracket structure during a straightening operation.

The base bar is arranged to enable it to be raised and lowered relative the wheels by means of servo controlled auxiliary means and in its lowered position is anchored by means of servo controlled locking means to attachment means arranged in the device supporting surface, e.g. the workshop floor, in a known manner.

The invention is further characterized by the fact that the base bracketstructure is arranged for longitudinal movement inor on the base bar means of at least one hydraulic assembly located between the base bar and the base brackets structure, and that with an alternative embodiment the base bracket structure is fixed in position relative to the base bar by means of cotter pins or like devices.

According to the invention, the inventive device can be used in a combination of alternative embodiments in one and the same straightening operation. The in vention will be better understood from the following description, which is made with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate different combinations of the device according to the invention. In the drawings,

FIG. l is a view in perspective of a combination of three straightening devices assembled for horizontal vehicle straightening operations,

FIG. 2 illustrates in the same manner a combination of straightening devices for vertical straightening operations, and

FIG. 3 illustrates in larger scale a section taken throughllllll in FIG. 1.

The reference numeral 1 in FIG. I indicates a rela tively conventional combination of three straightening devices for straightening a vehicle frame whose longitudinal frame side members are illustrated with chain lines 4 and 5. Although the straightening devices l are constructed in accordance with the same basic principle, provision is made to enable alternative auxiliarly appliances to be connected thereto, so that the straightening devices can be adapted for different purposes. Thus, the outermost straightening devices l in FIG. I are adapted to operate as force reaction means during a straightening operation, while the centre straightening device is adapted to effect the actual straightening operation.

. Each separate straightening device ll includes a

horizontal base bar

2 or 3 provided with longitudinallyextending guide structures for receiving a base bracket structure 15, l8 mounted for longitudinal movement therein or thereon. In the illustrated example, the base bar 2 has a generally U-shaped cross section and comprises a rectangular bottom plate and two wall elements 7 attached thereto, the wall elements together forming a guide track 8 for a base bracket structure 15.

Each of the wall elements 7 is also provided with two I longitudinally extending guide grooves 12 and 13 via which power generating means are arranged to actuate the base bracket structure 15 from its rest position to its operating position.

One end portion of the bottom plate 6 is provided with two upright flanges 9, which embrace the wall elements therebetween and which are each provided with two attachment holes and 11, to which auxiliary appliances are intended to be connected.

The base bracket structure is displaceably mounted in the guide groove 8 by means of two rollers 16 which are pivotally journalled in the rear, upper portion of the base bracket structure and arranged to bear against and roll along the upper edge surface of the wall elements 7 with movement of the base bracket structure in the longitudinal direction, and by means of a roller 17 which is pivotally joumalled between the wall elements 7 in the guide groove 8 and which overlies the front, inner portion of the bracket structure 15. The base bracket structure 15 is also provided with horizontally extending lugs 18 which pass through the guide grooves 12 in the wall elements 7. As indicated before, the base bracket structure 15 is actuated by singleacting hydraulic piston-cylinder assemblies 19 located between the lugs 18 and the flanges 9 of the bottom plate 6 and connected in a conventional manner to attachment holes in the upright flanges 9 and lugs 18 by means of bifurcated structures 20 and pins 21. In the illustrated example, the hydraulic piston-cylinder assemblies 19 are arranged to co-act with means for returning the base bracket structure to its rest position, comprising tension springs 22 located externally on either side of the wall elements 7. The tension springs 22 are secured between attachment lugs 24 in the flanges 9 and a pin 23 attached to the base bracket structure 15 and passing through the guide groove 13. The hydraulic piston-cylinder assemblies 19 are suitably operated by means of a compressed-air driven hydraulic pump (not shown) capable of being connected to hydraulic devices, via hydraulic lines. It will be understood that double acting hydraulic piston-cylinder assemblies may also be used, although in this instance the base bracket structure return means need not of course be used.

Securely mounted to the base bracket structure 15 are two attachment plates 26, one on either side thereof, between which auxiliarly appliances designed for connection to the base bracket structure 15 are securely locked by quick-locking pins 27 or the like. The auxiliarly appliance of the illustrated example is in the form of an upper triangular bracket provided with rows of holes 28 to enable further auxiliary means to be connected thereto, for example straightening tools in the form of T-shaped structures intended to distribute the straightening forces applied, or outwardly extending arms intended to enable greater accessability to difficultly reached pressure points. In addition, arms can be attached for straightening body components of vehicle cabins or the like.

In the combination illustrated in FIG. 1, the two outer straightening devices are provided with base bars 3 which have a slightly different construction than the base bar 2. Thus, on the base plate 6 of the base bar 3 there are attached two longitudinally extending wall elements 45, each of which carries a wall element 46 to form a groove 47, as best seen from FIG. 3. A base bracket 48 whose lower portion is provided with a plate 49 having a cross-section conforming to the crosssectional shape of the groove 47 is arranged to be placed in said groove. The position of the base bracket 48 in the guide groove 47 is fixed by means of a pin 50 passing through the groove 47 and the bracket 48 and. when locked in position, is capable of acting as a reaction surface during straightening operations. For the aforementioned purpose, the base bracket 48 is also provided with two attachment plates 26 which, in accordance with the aforegoing, enable auxiliary means to be quickly connected thereto, for example such means as the illustrated upper triangular bracket 51.

In the illustrated example of FIG. 2, a straightening tool in the form of a tie-hook 53 is connected to a base bracket structure 52 with attachment plates 54 mounted in the base bar 3 in a known manner. The tie hook 53 is arranged for quick connection to the bracket 52 by means of pins 55 and is suitably constructed to bear against the web of the base bar 3 and against its upper limb during a straightening operation. The hook 53 is also provided with an adjustable hooking means 57 arranged to engage the base bar 3, to ensure that the hook 53 is held secure thereto. It should be mentioned at this point that the straightening tools illustrated and described comprise only a few of the wide series of tools which are envisaged for use with the device of the present invention.

In the illustrated combination of FIG. 2, the straightening device 1 carrying the hydraulic piston-cylinder assemblies 19 is intended for vertical straightening operations. To this end, the pistons 19a of the cylinders are shown as having been removed from the attachment lugs 18 of the base bracket structure, and the base bracket structure 15 is shown in a rear rest position, having been returned by the tension springs 22. The hydraulic cylinder assemblies 19 are suitably anchored in holes 11, although if desired and in order to save time, they can remain connected in the holes 10. The hydraulic cylinder assemblies 19 are journalled vertically to enable them to be swung to a vertical position, and the pistons 19a are mounted in a pressure plate 41 which is pivotally connected with one end of a tie-bar 42, the other end of which is pivotally connected in the forward end of the base bar 2 between the wall elements 7.

The straightening device according to the invention is provided with a pair of retractable wheels 29, each of which is mounted on angled support arms 39. To provide for the necessary stability of the device, the support arms 30 are arranged to diverge inwardly and the inner ends of the arms are non-rotatably attached to a shaft 31, which is rotatably mounted to the

base bar

2 or 3. The shaft 31 is provided with an arm (not shown) which is connected to the piston (not shown) of a pneumatic pressure unit 32 attached to the

base bar

2 or 3. Alternatively, each of the wheels 29 may be mounted to one end of a double-arm lever pivotally mounted to the base bars 2 or 3, one end of the lever being arranged to be actuated by the piston of the pressure unit 32 in a manner such that the wheel 29 is caused to pivot when the piston of the pressure unit is moved.

The aforedescribed wheel suspension enables the

base bar

2 or 3 to be raised and lowered relative to a supporting surface. It is necessary that the straightening device is stable when performing straightening operations, and in view of this the

base bar

2, 3 shall be lowered into an abutment with the supporting surface, for example the workshop floor, and anchored thereto during the straightening operation. In the illustrated combination, the base bar is anchored to the support surface by means of anchoring means 34 which includes mechanical tightening means and pneumatic pressure unit 35. The mechanical tightening means comprise a plate 36 having a shoulder (not shown) arranged on the under surface thereof and which, by means of a bayonet type locking means or the like can be latched in an upward direction to beams 33 located in the supporting surface. The plate 36 is provided on its upper surface with bearing shoulder 37, in which a double-arm lever 38 is pivotally mounted. One arm of the lever 38 supports the pressure unit 35, the piston 39 of which bears against the plate 36, and upon movement of the piston the lever is pivoted so that the

base bar

2 or 3 is urged against the workshop floor. The lever 38 is suitably locked in its operating position by means of a wedge 40. The aforedescribed anchoring means 34 enables the device to be stably secured quickly and reliably. Manually adjustable anchoring means of simple construction can also be used. For example, a U-shaped stirrup structure can be anchored to the floor beams 33 by means of a threaded bolt passing through the web of the stirrup.

The device of the present invention greatly facilitates handling of auxiliary appliances necessary for straightening operations, since the operator is able to equip each separate straightening device at the workshop storeroom with the relevant auxiliary devices and straightening tools for the straightening operation in question. In dependence thereof the number of straightening devices required by the work on hand are then moved to the working site, this number of devices in the case of vehicle frame straightening operations normally entailing the three units equipped as illustrated in the combination of FIG. 1.

At the working site, each separate straightening device is placed in working position relative to the object to be straightened, whereafter the base bars 2, 3 are lowered against the workshop floor by retracting the wheels 29 in the aforedescribed manner. In the case of horizontal straightening operations, it is necessary to anchor the base bars 2 and 3 to the anchoring means 34, while vertical straightening operations require no such anchoring of the base bars. During the actual straightening operation, straightening forces are produced by the hydraulic piston-cylinder assemblies 19 mounted on the base bar 2, while the

tools

51, 53 attached to the base bars 3 constitute force reaction means.

In the combination illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 the base bars 2 and 3 are shown to extend transversally of the beams 33, although with other straightening operations it may be necessary to place the base bars parallel with the beams 33. Such a possibility also falls within the purview of the invention and consequently the bottom plates 6 are provided with through passing holes (not shown) through which pins or the like are intended to be moved into engagement with floor reces ses, suitably arranged in the beams 33.

Subsequent to completing a straightening operation, the anchoring means are released and the base bars are lifted to transport position and the separate auxiliary means and straightening tools are loaded onto the devices, whereafter said devices may simply be moved to the tool storeroom to await further use.

Within the scope of the invention, it may be applied to vehicle bodies other than those described above. For instance, it may be applied to containers, caravan bodies and the like.

What we claim is:

1. A device for straightening vehicle frames and bodies, comprising at least three straightening units and a supporting surface, each straightening unit comprising an essentially horizontal base bar having at least one pair of pivotably mounted wheels operable by means of a servo unit to regulate the position of the base bar between a working position in abutment with the supporting surface and a transport position above said surface, each straightening unit having servo con trolled means for anchoring, when in a working position, the base bar to anchoring means in the supporting surface, each of said base bars having a longitudinally extending guide structure for at least one base bracket structure selectively displaceable related to said guide structure, each base bracket structure having predetermined attachment points for at least one auxiliary straightening device, at least one of the straightening units having a force generating means acting on the base bracket structure to displace said structure relative to the base bar to generate a straightening force, and at least one straightening unit having its base bracket structure arranged to resist said force, the base bars of the units being essentially parallel to each other when in working position, and the distance between said base bars being adjustable.

2. The device for straightening; vehicle frames and bodies according to claim 1 wherein the base bracket structure is provided with transversely extending, horizontal lugs passing through grooves in the wall elements of the base bar, and wherein the base bracket structure is mounted for longitudinal movement in the base bar under the influence of at least one hydraulic unit located on the outside of the wall elements between the base bar and the base bracket structure.

3. The device for straightening vehicle frames and bodies according to claim 1 further comprising a lower plate member for guiding the base bracket structure in the base bar, one end of said lower plate member being arranged to engage said base bar in a downwardly widening, open groove located between said wall elements.

4. The device for straightening vehicle frames and bodies according to claim 1 wherein said base bracket structure is provided with attachment plates to enable auxiliary straightening appliances to be quickly connected thereto.

5. The device for straightening vehicle frames and bodies according to claim 2 wherein when used for vertical straightening operations, the: hydraulic unit is arranged so that the said unit is released from its attachment to the base bracket and connected to a straightening tool capable of being mounted to the base bar.

* l= k =l

Claims

1. A device for straightening vehicle frames and bodies, comprising at least three straightening units and a supporting surface, each straightening unit comprising an essentially horizontal base bar having at least one pair of pivotably mounted wheels operable by means of a servo unit to regulate the position of the base bar between a working position in abutment with the supporting surface and a transport position above said surface, each straightening unit having servo controlled means for anchoring, when in a working position, the base bar to anchoring means in the supporting surface, each of said base bars having a longitudinally extending guide structure for at least one base bracket structure selectively displaceable related to said guide structure, each base bracket structure having predetermined attachment points for at least one auxiliary straightening device, at Least one of the straightening units having a force generating means acting on the base bracket structure to displace said structure relative to the base bar to generate a straightening force, and at least one straightening unit having its base bracket structure arranged to resist said force, the base bars of the units being essentially parallel to each other when in working position, and the distance between said base bars being adjustable.

2. The device for straightening vehicle frames and bodies according to claim 1 wherein the base bracket structure is provided with transversely extending, horizontal lugs passing through grooves in the wall elements of the base bar, and wherein the base bracket structure is mounted for longitudinal movement in the base bar under the influence of at least one hydraulic unit located on the outside of the wall elements between the base bar and the base bracket structure.

5. The device for straightening vehicle frames and bodies according to claim 2 wherein when used for vertical straightening operations, the hydraulic unit is arranged so that the said unit is released from its attachment to the base bracket and connected to a straightening tool capable of being mounted to the base bar.