VEHICLE REPAIR BENCHES

Abstract: Apparatus adapted to hold a chassis (2) of a vehicle independently of the body, in combination with a vehicle repair bench (3), comprising: a vertical support member (11); a transverse member (15) adapted to be secured across said bench; and a clamping means (4) adapted to be releasably clamped to the chassis (2), to fix the portion of said chassis so clamped relative to said bench (3).

Description: The present invention relates to vehicle repair benches, and in particular, to vehicle repair benches adapted to do repair work on 4 D and chassis type vehicles and their method of operation. Vehicle repair benches comprise a work bench, a draw-aligner, being a hydraulic ram which is used to push or pull the damaged area of the vehicle back to its proper position relative to the vehicle body, measuring equipment and series of data sheets. The data sheets provide information as to the specific relative position of various datum points on the vehicle body. By comparing the location of the various datum points on the damaged chassis with those specified on the data sheet, the extent of the damage can be easily established. During the course of the realignment.work, the results are checked by means of the measuring equipment, which is mounted on the work bench throughout the realignment work. Any chassis can be measured and 4 checked without the need for specific brackets. The vehicle is held by the sills at preselected locations and the draw-aligner is used to pull the damaged vehicle back into alignment. The specific problem with, such as, the Caroliner Bench Type vehicle repair systems in attempting to do repairs on 4WD and chassis type vehicle, is the fact that they work principally on holding the sills on the vehicle. The problem being with chassis type vehicles is that, although the body is held by the sills, the chassis is attached to the body and, as such, the chassis needs also to be held, at the same time, independently of the body. This ensures no undue strain is applied to the body or chassis connecting bolts or mounting areas during the repair to the chassis or body or both units at the same time. If the chassis to body bolts are put under excessive strain, naturally they or the body mounting area will bend, dislocating themselves from proper attachment and or alignment with the chassis and creating a substantial amount of remedial work and costs. The present invention relates to the improvement of the Bench Type Systems of vehicle repair into 4 D and chassis repairs. In one broad form the invention comprises apparatus adapted to hold a chassis of a vehicle independently of the body, in combination with a vehicle repair bench, comprising: a vertical support member; a transverse member adapted to be secured across said bench; and a clamping means adapted to be releasably clamped to the chassis, to fix the portion of said chassis so clamped relative to said bench. Thus, by utilising the present invention, the body of a vehicle to be repaired is held by the sills, and the chassis is now held independently of and simultaneously with.the sill by the present invention. Now either component can be worked on individually or together. Thus allowing various different areas of bodywork to be repaired with the conventional 10 tonne pull systems and also repair work on the chassis with the same sort of power and at the same time as repairing the external parts of the vehicle. This eliminates the necessity to remove the chassis from the vehicle body and repair them as two separate entities. Obviously the removal of the chassis from the vehicle involves extensive dismantling and labour costs and a viable holding and measuring system is still needed or the chassis cannot be effectively repaired. Very often the Insurance Companies will "Total Loss" a vehicle as the dismantling and labour costs and the replacement price of the chassis itself can be very substantial Also some chassis are not available in Australia and therefore entail waiting time and freight costs which are excessive. It may be noted chassis vary in price from around $900 to $4,000 or more and freight prices can add up to $1,800 to these prices. It can therefore be seen that as proper and viable repair of the chassis in-situ, not only eliminates a lot of wasted time and potential inaccuracy in repair compatability with the vehicle body, but the cost saving by the insurers and obvious profitability, to the repairer, can be most substantial. The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of the present invention utilising a standard chassis hold using a wide side support for "measuring bridge" clearance; FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention utilising a 90° inset converter with a short transverse bar used for vehicles with low sill and narrow chassis; FIG. 3 illustrates a further embodiment of the present invention utilising a 90° inset converter with a long transverse bar for a vehicle with low sills and wide chassis; FIG. 4 illustrates a further embodiment of the present invention utilising a 90° inset converter with a long transverse bar for vehicles with wide chassis and high sills; FIG. 5 illustrates an elevation view of the chassis mounting; FIG. 6 illustrates one embodiment of an inset as illustrated in FIG. 3; FIG. 7 illustrates a side support; FIG. 8 illustrates a single screw chassis clamp for use with the present invention; and FIG. 9 illustrates a twin screw chassis clamp for use with the present invention. As shown in the accompanying drawings, the ' principal components of the present invention are four transverse bars that go across beneath the vehicle • chassis 2 from side to side and are supported by the bench 3, thereby allowing a variable height adjustment system which allows the repairer flexibility to hold the. chassis in up to eight locations, with the various chassis vices 4 according to the present invention. The chassis vices or clamps can be allowed to pivot on the horizontal plane by usage of a pivot base system and in the vertical plane by a support angle base system (not shown) . Depending on the forces used, a clamp or vice, as shown in FIGS 8 and 9, can be used. The single screw vice utilises a fixed jaw 5 and a movable jaw 6 which is controlled by screw 7. In this vice the movable jaw 6 is self-centering, while in a twin screw vice, as illustrated ' in fig. 9, there is used screws which move the movable jaw 6 along the tracks 9 and 9a. As shown in the drawings, a side support 10 is bolted to the bench 3 at the required positions. A side support insert 11 of the required height is fitted to the side support 10. For a standard chassis vehicle, the construction is as shown in FIG. 1 wherein a transverse bar 1 is connected between two side support inserts and clamped therebetween, and a vice 4 is bolted around the transverse bar 1 and the chassis 2 is held therein at or adjacent its bottom edge, with the body held at the sills by conventional sill clamps. The adaptability of the embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS 2 , 3 and 4. As shown in FIG. 2, the holding apparatus can be rearranged to suit a vehicle with a low sill and narrow chassis. A short transverse bar 12 is clamped in a 90° inset converter 13, with the converter connected to the side support insert 11 on its inner side, so as not to interfere with the sill 14 of the vehicle. As shown in FIG. 3, the holding apparatus, according to another embodiment of the present invention, can be used to suit a vehicle with a low sill and wide chassis. A longer transverse bar 15 is used which • overhangs the bench 3, and allows the chassis vice 4 to clamp onto the chassis 2 without interfering with the sill 14. A further embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 4 for use on a vehicle with wide chassis and high sills. In this case the 90° inset converter 13 is located on the outside of the side support insert 11 and a long transverse bar 15 is connected thereto, with the chassis vice 4 clamped onto the chassis 2 without interfering with the sill 14. A typical construction of a 90° inset converter is shown in an exploded view in FIG. 6. The clamping plate 16 has threaded holes 18 into which the holding bolts (not shown) engage, with the body of the inset converter having channels 19 and 20 into which the side support insert 11 and the transverse bar 1 engage. Likewise, the channel walls 21 have threaded holes 18 into which the holding bolts engage. The present invention therefore provides a rigid method of chassis control. The repairer now has full flexibility in chassis rep'air in that, he can hold securely the vehicle chassis itself in relation to the individual vehicle's particular requirements. He can, for instance, place a transverse bar midway in the vehicle's length, then place another bar at the back of the vehicle to control the longitudinal stresses, and he can place two bars in th forward damage area or conversely in the rear damage area, etc., whatever the case may be. The bars having been placed at the selected points under the vehicle allow the chassis to be held by the vices as required, achieving a rigid system of chassis support and holding. The repair of the chassis can now be undertaken using the Caroliner B63, draw-aligner and hydraulic porto power systems. In instances of vehicles with chassis components positioned in different areas, i.e. height, width, etc., ' in relationship to the body sills of the vehicle, these differences can be compensated for by the infinite height variances of the side support system and in the utilisation of the 90° inset converters to offset the differences in the chassis locations. Also the chassis vices can be located on bases which can be locked in position at angles to both the vertical and horizontal planes to engage the portion of the chassis which curve around areas such as the wheel arch. It should be obvious to people skilled in the art that modifications can be made to the above described embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. UBSTITUTE SHEET

Claims: THE CLAIMS 1. Apparatus adapted to hold a chassis of a vehicle independently of the body, in combination with a vehicle repair bench, comprising: a vertical support member; a transverse member adapted to be secured across said bench; and a clamping means adapted to be releasably clamped to the chassis, to fix the portion of said chassis so clamped relative to said bench. 2. Apparatus adapted to hold a chassis of a vehicle independently of the vehicle in combination with a vehicle repair bench, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Inventors: WALL RODNEY DARCY, WALL, RODNEY, DARCY
Applicants: WALL RODNEY DARCY, WALL, RODNEY, DARCY
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B60S5
IPC codes: B21D1