PIVOT CONNECTION FOR FASTENING A TILTING CYLINDER TO THE CHASSIS AND THE TILTABLE CAB OF A VEHICLE

Abstract: The tilting cylinder (5) of the tiltable cab (3) of a truck (1) is pivotally connected between cab (3) and chassis (1). The cyl­ inder end and the piston rod (8) end have a connection eye (7) which has one or more interior chambers (9). In each chamber (9) a ring (10) of rubber of similar material is placed with an in­ terference fit relative to the chamber side wall and relative to the pivot pin (8) which is in engagement with the eye. The remaining eye aperture has a clearance relative to the pin. During driving the occuring forces are received by the rubber ring or rings (10) but when tilting the cab the resulting larger forces compress the rings and said forces are sup­ ported by direct metal contact between the remaining eye ap­ erture portions and the pivot pin (8). The rattling noise during driving is eliminated while at the same time the rubber has a long useful life.

Description: The invention relates to a pivot connection according to the first point of claim 1. Similar connections are known. They have the disadvantage that due to the contact of metal with metal between the connecting eye and the pivot pin a ranling noise occurs during driving. The application of rubber, e.g. in the shape of a silentblock, is not possible due to the large load occurring during tilting of the cab, such silentblocks being not able to stand up against such loads. The invention aims at removing the said disadvantage. This is achieved according to the features of claim 1. During riding, the occurring forces, which are rather small, are received by the rubber ring or rings: During the tilting of the cab the rings are compressed and the resulting large load is received by the direct support of the eye by the pivot pin. For a uniform loading the eye has two chambers which are provided symmetrically as seen in the cross-section through the axis. In order to permit assembling the tilting cylinder under a small angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, in connection with variations in the cab structure mounting, it is preferable to have the eye aperture flaring outwardly at both ends by giving it a beveled or convex shape in the direction of the axis. In order to make the connections maintenance free, a.o. to make lubrication with grease superfluous, it is preferable to manufacture the pivot pin of a non-corroding material or to line it with such a material. The invention will further be explained below with reference to the drawing which shows an embodiment, given as an example, of the pivot connection according to the invention. Fig. 1 shows a schematic side elevation of the front part of a vehicle having a tiltable cab. Fig. 2 shows a section through the axis of a pivot connection, applied to the cab of fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a cross-section corresponding to fig. 2 of a modification. Fig. 1 shows the front part of a vehicle chassis 1 having an engine 2 and a tiltable cab 3. The cab is tiltable around pivot points 4 by means of a tilting cylinder 5. Said cylinder has a piston rod 6. In the embodiment shown the piston rod 6 is connected through an eye 7 to a pivot pin 8, which is secured to the cab 3. The pivot connection is shown in detail in fig. 2. A similar eye 7 is secured to the lower end of the cylinder 5 and a similar pivot connection is provided there with the chassis. Hereunder only the pivot connection with the cab will be discussed. In the embodiment shown, as seen in the cross-section of figure 2, recessed chambers 9 have been provided in the eye aperture of the eye 7 in symmetrical positions at both ends of the eye aperture. In each chamber a ring 10 of rubber or a similar elastic material is provided, having an interference fit with the side wall of the chamber. Said rings 10 have an interference fit relative to the pivot pin 8. The stiffness of the rubber material determines the force at which metallic contact will occur between the eye aperture and the pivot pin. This does not happen during driving with the vehicle but only when the cab is tilted, for which a large load is applied. In order to permit assembling the cylinder 5 and the piston rod 6, as seen in plan view on the vehicle, with a small angle of e.g. 3° with the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, in connection with possible deviations of the mounting of the cab structure on the vehicle and in that case yet to obtain a sufficient contact area between the eye aperture and the pin 8, the eye aperture is beveled as seen in figure 2, such that the aperture flares outwardly at both ends of the eye aperture. Said bevels are indicated by reference number 11 in fig. 2. The same effect may be obtained by giving a convex shape to the eye aperture cross-section at said positions. The invention provides a very effective pivot connection, which, moreover, is very simple. The pivot connection according to the invention needs no lubrication and in order to make the connection fully maintenance free, the pins should be manufactured from non-corroding material or be lined with a similar material. Due to the elasticity of the rings also slight errors in the alignment between cab and cab pivot pin may be overcome. It is further to be noted that the rings may also be so-called O-rings, provided in groove shaped chambers, having a contour adapted to the O-ring cross-section.

Claims: A pivot connection between the tilting cylinder device and the tiltable cab or the chassis respectively of a truck, a connecting eye being provided at one of the cylinder device ends for cooperation with a pivot pin on the cab or the chassis repectively, characterized in that rings (10) of rubber or similar material are placed in two recessed chambers (9) symmetrically positioned at both ends of the eye aperture and being coaxial with the eye aperture, said rings having an interference fit as well relative to the chamber side wall as relative to the pivot pin (8), the or each remaining portion of the eye aperture having a certain clearance relative to the pivot pin. A pivot connection according to claims 1, characterized in that the eye aperture flares outwardly at both ends through a beveled (11) or convex contour in the direction of the axis. A pivot connection according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pivot pin (8) is manufactured of non-corroding material or is lined with such a material.

Inventors: KERK, GERARDUS JACOBUS ANTHONIUS, LOEVGREN, SONNY
Applicants: APPLIED POWER INC.
Application year: 1985
Main classification: B62D33
IPC codes: F16C11, B62D33