Safety support apparatus

Embodiments of the present invention provide a safety support apparatus for a cabin over engine (COE) truck cabin elevated in a raised position. The safety support apparatus provides a base member having a clamp mechanism which adjusts to truck chassis designs with rails of varying thicknesses. The frame of the safety support apparatus provides a receiver which may engage the bottom of an elevated truck cabin. The frame and base member are adjustable to allow configuration on either side of a truck cabin and deployment of the support apparatus at a range of angles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In transportation, cab over engine (COE) trucks are used to transport materials, where the truck cabin may be pivotably hinged at the front and raiseable by powered drives at the rear. In operation, a truck cabin may be placed in a raised configuration for a prolonged period of time to grant service personnel physical clearance to access mechanisms on the underside of the truck cabin, such as the engines. The elevation of a truck cabin for a protracted length of time poses safety complications for personnel at work under the truck cabin, due to the risk of accidental release of the truck cabin from an elevated position. A structural support may be imposed beneath an elevated truck cabin to reduce the risk of accidental release. However, the structural support itself must be secured to prevent the support from accidental slippage or dislocation.

A safety support device does not exist to reinforce the underside of a COE truck cabin securely to the truck chassis frame while addressing the risk of dislodgment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention provide a safety support apparatus for a cabin over engine (COE) truck having a cabin in an elevated position. The safety support apparatus comprises a frame and a base. The base of the safety support apparatus may be modular to allow attachment of the frame to a truck chassis frame in a forward or reverse orientation. The base of the safety support apparatus further comprises an adjustable clamping mechanism configured to accommodate truck chassis designs and frame rails of varying thicknesses. The top of the main body of the safety support apparatus further comprises a receiver which may be configurable to pivot through a range of angles to adjust to an angle of the elevated truck cabin.

FIG. 1presents a support apparatus100having a frame110having at least one handle105on an anterior side of the frame110and a variable attachment member115on a posterior side of the frame110. The frame110may further comprise lateral sides orthogonal to the anterior side and the posterior side. A telescoping member112extends through an open top end of the frame110and may be coupled thereto; the telescoping member having a top end and a bottom end. The telescoping member112may extend and retract from the top end of the frame110through a range of lengths. The extruding length of the telescoping member112out from the top end of the frame110may be fixed by removably inserting and coupling a locking member through the frame110and the telescoping member112.

A receiver120as illustrated inFIG. 2Ahas a top face, a bottom face, and has brackets121configured to pivotably couple the top end of the telescoping member112through the brackets121, such that the top face of the receiver120may pivot towards the anterior side of the frame110, towards the posterior side of the frame110, or through a range of positions in between. The brackets121may each comprise a structure spanning the length of a side of the top face of the receiver120. Further, a pivot stop (not shown) may be coupled to the bottom face of the receiver and configured to limit pivoting of the top face of the receiver.

A variable attachment member115may be coupled to a side of the frame and configured to provide a range of attachment points at which a prop member140may be coupled to the frame110. The prop member140comprises an elongate member having an attachment counterpart141at an upper end of the prop member140and configured to couple the variable attachment member115. The prop member140may be configured with a breadth and cross-section similar to the frame110. The attachment counterpart141may further comprise an elongate bracket, shown inFIG. 3, configured to couple and retain the prop member to the variable attachment member115. Further, the attachment counterpart141may be removably attached to any of the attachment points of the variable attachment member115. The attachment counterpart141may comprise an attachment mechanism having a bolt and nut fastener, a pin fastener, or a pressure fastener.

In some embodiments of the invention, the safety support apparatus may further comprise one or more clamp housings131disposed along a lateral surface the base member130as illustrated inFIG. 2B. Each of the at least one clamp housing131comprises a top, a bottom, at least one side, and a lengthwise passage disposed through the at least one clamp housing131, the passage accessible at its top through a fastener receiver disposed upon the top of the at least one clamp housing131and at the bottom of the at least clamp housing131through an opening through the base member130. A clamp counterpart132may be imposed through the passage of the at least one clamp housing131by insertion through the opening through the base member130. Conversely, a clamp counterpart132may be removed from the passage of the at least one clamp housing131through the opening through the base member130.

A clamp counterpart132comprises a sliding member133capable of upward and downward movement through a range of positions within the at least one clamp housing131, and a clamp jaw plate134coupled to a bottom end of the sliding member133, where the clamp jaw plate134halts the upward movement of the sliding member133within the at least one clamp housing131. While the sliding member133is disposed within the clamp housing131, an adjustable fastener135may be coupled through the top opening of the at least one clamp housing131to the clamp counterpart132. The adjustable fastener135may be affixed at a range of positions in order to move the sliding member133through a range of positions within the clamp housing131, thereby opening the clamp jaw plate134and provide a variable clearance between the base member130and the clamp jaw plate134.

In another embodiment of the invention, shown inFIG. 3, the sliding member133may further comprise an elongated member configured to lengthen the support apparatus100and enable fastening of the apparatus to a lengthwise rail of a truck chassis having a greater thickness, thereby increasing overall stability and adaptability of the support apparatus when used with various types of truck designs. In another embodiment of the invention, the apparatus100may further comprise an extension insert (not shown), configured to couple both the base member130and the sliding member133. The extension insert may further comprise a plurality of notches configured to allow adjustment of an overall clamping area of the apparatus100by removably coupling the sliding member133at a plurality of adjustment points disposed through at least one surface thereof.

In another embodiment of the invention, at a first end of the base member130, a first base receiver136opens upward from the base member130, and at a second end of the base member130, a second base receiver137opens upward from the base member130. The first base receiver136and the second base receiver137may each receive either a foot of the frame110or a foot of the prop member140. The foot of the frame110and the foot of the prop member140may each terminate in a receiver counterpart of similar width such that the foot of the frame110and the foot of the prop member140may be interchangeably inserted within either the first base receiver136or the second base receiver137. The foot of the frame110and the foot of the prop member140may each be removably fastened to either the first base receiver136or the second base receiver137.

Thus, the frame110, having the prop member140attached to the variable attachment member115, may be mounted to the base member130with the clamp housings131to either one lateral side or to the other lateral side of the frame110. Depending on which attachment point of the variable attachment member115the prop member140is coupled, the frame110may be supported standing at an angle over a range of possible angles.

In operation, a support apparatus100may be engaged, as follows, with a lengthwise rail401of a COE truck chassis400having a cabin410, where the cabin410is pivoted in the raised position.

A support apparatus100may be configured for operation, first by manipulating the adjustable fastener135to open the clamp jaw plate134. The receiver120may be pivotably fastened to the top of the telescoping member112through the brackets121.

The base member130may be coupled to a lengthwise rail401of a truck chassis frame400, with the at least one clamp housing131facing outward on either rail so as to be accessible safely while standing to a side of the truck chassis400, rather than from under the elevated cabin410. Consequently, the first base receiver136may be nearer a head of the truck and the second base receiver133nearer a tail of the truck, or the second base receiver137may be nearer the head of the truck and the first base receiver132nearer the tail of the truck. The clamp jaw plate134may be imposed under the lengthwise rail401such that the lengthwise rail401is situated between the base member130and the clamp jaw plate134.

The support apparatus100may be carried by the at least one handle105and oriented with the anterior side facing the head of the truck and the posterior side facing the tail of the truck. The foot of the prop140is removably fastened to whichever of the first base receiver136and the second base receiver137is nearer the head of the truck. The foot of the frame110is removably fastened to whichever of the first base receiver136and the second base receiver137is nearer the tail of the truck. The support apparatus100may be moved laterally along the lengthwise rail401as illustrated inFIG. 4until the receiver120is in contact with the bottom of the cabin410.

The adjustable fastener135may be adjusted to close the clamp jaw plate134about the lengthwise rail401to place the base member130and the clamp jaw plate134within a locking fit about the lengthwise rail401, as illustrated inFIG. 5. Such a locking fit may accommodate a range of approximately ¼ to ⅜ of an inch, inclusive.

The above steps may be performed a second time upon a second lengthwise rail401of the truck chassis400using a second support apparatus100.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a safety support for raised cabin over engine (COE) truck cabins, with a mechanism for reliably coupling the safety support against the truck chassis without burdensome or unsafe fasteners. The frame of the safety support may be angled over a range of possible angles and locked in place by a prop member. Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention provide multiple modular configurations for a base member that may be engaged on both rails of the truck chassis without the need for two distinct base member components.

While particular elements, embodiments, and applications of the present invention have been shown and described, the invention is not limited thereto because modifications may be made by those skilled in the art, particularly in light of the foregoing teaching. It is therefore contemplated by the application to cover such modifications and incorporate those features which come within the spirit and scope of the invention.