WARNING LAMP FOR A TRUCK LIFT

Abstract: A warning lamp (1) for mounting on a flap for a lift comprises a securing bracket (2) for securing on the flap and a lamp housing (3) which is provided with a lamp glass (7) and a protection grid (8), and where between the housing (3) and a channel-shaped part (4), which is secured to the bracket (2), there are provided two springs (5, 6) which seek to hold the housing (3) in extension of the bracket (2), in that the housing (3) is pivotably mounted on the bracket (2) by means of a hinge (14). The warning lamp (1) further comprises elements (10, 11, 12, 13) for retaining the housing (3) in a backwardly folded over position. The warning lamp thus achieved can be mounted on any existing lift flap without difficulties, the reason being that the lamp housing (3) will pivot and give way upon contact with the rear of the truck, and also upon contact with the surface of the road.

Description: WARNING LAMP FOR A TRUCK LIFT The invention relates to a warning lamp for securing on a pivotable and lowerable flap for a lift of the kind used mainly on the back of a truck. Such a lift has a flap which, when the truck is being driven, is folded up against the rear of the truck and which, when the truck is to be loaded or unloaded, can be swung in a quarter-circle formed path so that the flap stands in a horizontal position level with the bottom of the loading space. From this position the flap can be lowered further down until it rests against the surface of the road. The flap itself normally consists of a relatively thin metal plate which is supported by a number of side members, such members normally extending in a sloping manner from that edge at which the flap is secured to the truck, to the opposite edge of the flap. Such a flap therefore constitutes a considerable haz¬ ard for other road-users, and particularly when the flap is turned down to the horizontal position, be¬ cause it is in this position when the flap is more or less at eye-height for, for example, cyclists, and is thus difficult to see if the cyclist approach¬ es the truck from the rear. In the event of a cyclist colliding with the flap, it is obvious that the flap will be able to inflict serious injuries. Similarly, numerous occasions have arisen when pedestrians have stumbled over the flap when it has been brought to its fully lowered position. A loading ramp for vehicles is known from Danish pa¬ tent application no. 1393/8Q, said loading ramp being provided with openings in which there are suspended pendulum-like warning lamps. These have the consider- able disadvantage that they require openings in the loading ramp, so that the warning lamps cannot be mounted on any given lift flap without great diffi¬ culty. Moreover, the lamps are not able to provide any warning signals when the ramp is fully lowered, the reason being that the lamps are turned inside the ramp. The object of the present invention is thus to pro¬ vide a warning lamp which can be mounted on any lift flap in a simple manner, and which is capable of giv¬ ing warning signals in all of the flap's positions. This ob-ject is achieved if the warning lamp consists of a lamp housing which, by means of a hinge or the like, is pivotably mounted on a securing bracket for fastening to the flap. The bracket can, for example, be mounted on the free corners of the flap, so that the lamp housing extends outside the flap. Since the housing is pivotably mounted on the bracket, and if there is not room for it when the flap is swung up, the housing can be til¬ ted without damage to the truck or the warning lamp. When the flap is fully lowered, the housing will be tilted in the opposite direction, which means that the lamp is still able to emit warning signals also in this position. With a suitable housing construc¬ tion, these warning signals will be emitted obliquely upwards, and will thus be very conspicuous. If the warning lamp, as presented in claim 2, is fur¬ ther provided with elements which during use hold the housing in a predetermined position in relation to the bracket, one can ensure that the lamp housing al- ways extends outwards, for example along the plane of the flap, the result being an effective giving of signals, particularly in the low working range of the lift. One or more springs have proved to be a simple means of ensuring good control over the movements of the lamp housing. This is presented in claim 3. A warning lamp according to the invention can be characterized by the housing being provided with one or more rollers or wheels, the axes of rotation of which extend in the housing's transverse direction, and by the roller or rollers being arranged to be capable of lying against the surface of the road as described in claim 4. This ensures that no damages occur when the flap is lowered completely down on the road, which is often the case during displace¬ ments of the flap in the horizontal plane. By rolling on the underlayer, the roller is thus able to pro- tect the warning lamp against damage. If the length of the roller is equal to the width of the housing, as presented in claim 5, one ensures that the roller does not get jammed in manhole cov- ers, gratings or the like. If the housing, as presented in claim 6, has elem¬ ents for locking the housing in a position in which the housing's longitudinal axis lies substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the brac¬ ket, one can safeguard against damage to the housing when reversing with the flap lowered, for example in over a ramp. If the warning lamp is made to light or flash auto¬ matically, as presented in claim 7, one achieves a simple operation without any risk of the warning lamp not being in function due to forgetfulness. The invention will now be described in closer detail with reference to the drawing, where fig. 1 shows a warning lamp according to the invention, seen in perspective, fig. 2 shows the warning lamp from fig. 1 seen from the side, fig. 3 shows the same lamp seen from the front, fig. 4 shows a warning lamp mounted on a lift flap, in that the movement of the flap is seen in four stages, fig. 5 shows a warning lamp according to the invention in the folded up condition, and fig. 6 shows a lift flap on a truck seen from the rear, in that the flap is provided with two warning lamps according to the invention. A warning lamp according to the invention can be seen in figs. 1, 2 and 3. The warning lamp 1 consists of a securing bracket 2 which can be fastened to the flap of a lift by, for example, welding or other means of attachment. Preferably, two such warning lamps are used on a flap, in that the warning lamps are secured to the flap's free corners in such a manner that only the bracket 2 overlaps the flap. A lamp housing 3 is fastened to the bracket 2 by means of a hinge 14. Between the bracket 2 and the housing 3 are two coil springs 5 and 6 which seek to hold the housing in the position shown in fig. 1, but which, however, allow resilient turning in both directions from this position. The springs 5 and 6 are not secured directly to the bracket 2, but to a channel-shaped part 4 which is fixed, for example by welding, "to the bracket 2. On the front of the housing there is provided a com¬ monly-known lamp glass 7, behind which a quite ordin¬ ary electric bulb is placed in a fitting or the like. It is possible for the housing also to contain a relay or the like, thus enabling the lamp to flash, but this can also- be located in the truck itself. The lamp glass 7 is protected by the grid 8. The channel-shaped part 4 is provided with a recess or notch 13 capable of engaging with a drawn-back edge 12 on the lamp housing 3. A screw arrangement 10 can cooperate with a hole 11 in the housing 13 and thus hold the housing 3 in its folded over and back¬ wards"-position. It will be obvious to anyone familiar with the art that this securing function can be ef- fected in many other ways than that shown here. A roller 9 is provided on the underside of the lamp housing 3, the longitudinal axis of said roller ex- tending in the housing's transverse direction. The function of the roller 9 will be described in more detail later. It is expedient for the bracket 2 and the lamp hous- ing 3 to be made of a strong metal, for example iron, but the roller 9, however, can be of, for example, rubber or nylon. In fig. 4, indicated by the reference numbers 16a, 16b, 16c and 16d, is shown a lift flap in four dif¬ ferent positions of its downwards swing. A warning lamp according to the invention is mounted on each of the free corners of the flap 16. With 16a is shown that position in which the flap is in its folded unpwards condition. As can be seen, neither the truck nor the warning lamp suffer dam¬ age, the reason being that upon making contact with the truck, the warning lamp is tilted outwards. In position 16b the flap is in its downwards swing, and it can be seen how the lamp housing is disposed in extension of the flap. This is also the case in position 16c, where the flap is in the horizontal position. In the position shown by 16d, the lift flap has been brought into contact with the surface of the road, and it can be seen how the roller lifts the lamp housing from the road, the result being that the lamp shines obliquely upwards. Furthermore, the roller en¬ sures that no damage occurs to the lamp housing if the flap hits the road with its free end first, or in the event of any displacement in the horizontal plane. In fig. 5 it can be seen how the warning lamp can be brought into a folded upwards position on the flap 16 when said flap 16 is being reversed in over a ramp 15 or the like. When the flap is in place, the warn¬ ing lamp can be released and take up its normal pos¬ ition. Finally, in fig. 6 it is shown how two warning lamps 1 are disposed at each .of the free corners of a flap 16 on a track 17. It is obvious that a warning lamp according to the invention can be constructed in many different ways and of many different materials, merely providing that the housing is pivotably mounted so that the warning lamp can be mounted on any existing lift.

Claims: C A I M S 1. Warning lamp for securing on a pivotable and low- erable flap for a lift of the kind which is used mainly on the back of a truck, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that the warning lamp (1) consists of a lamp housing (3) which, by means of a hinge (14) or the like, is pivotably mounted on a securing bracket (2) for securing to the flap (16) . 2. Warning lamp according to claim 1, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the warning lamp further com¬ prises elements which during use hold the housing (3) in a predetermined position in relation to the brac- ket (2) , and preferably in such a position that the lamp housing (3) forms an extension of the bracket (2) . 3. Warning lamp according to claim 2, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d in that the elements for holding the housing consist of one or more springs (5, 6) which are disposed between the housing (3) and the bracket (2) , or possibly between the housing (3) and a part (4) secured to the bracket. 4. Warning lamp according to claim 1, 2 or 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the housing (3) is provided with one or more rollers (9) or wheels, the axes of rotation of which extend in the trans- verse direction of the housing (3) , and in that the roller (9) or the rollers are arranged to be able lie against the surface of the road. 5. Warning lamp according to claim 4, and where O H only a single roller is used, c h a r a c t e r i z ¬ e d in that the axial extension of the roller (9) corresponds substantially to the breadth of the housing (3) . 6. Warning lamp according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the warning lamp (1) has elements (10, 11) for locking the housing (3) in a position in which the longitudinal axis of the housing (3) lies substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the bracket (2) . 7. Warning lamp according to one or more of the pre¬ ceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the warning lamp (1) is provided with elements which automatically switch on the warning lamp and/or make it flash.

Inventors: GUNDORPH JOHN, MEJLSTROEM SVEND, GUNDORPH, JOHN, MEJLSTROEM, SVEND
Applicants: GUNDORPH JOHN, MEJLSTROEM SVEND, GUNDORPH, JOHN, MEJLSTROEM, SVEND
Application year: 1984
Main classification: B60Q1
IPC codes: B60P1, B60Q1