CONNECTION SYSTEM FOR RELEASABLE SUPERSTRUCTURES FOR TRUCKS

Abstract: Mounting means for releasable, interchangeable superstructures (3) for various types of vehicles and working machines, comprising co-operating means (5, 6) between the releasable superstructure (3) and the vehicle (1) including several tie means (5) which are mounted projecting downwardly from the superstructure (3) on each side thereof and which are rotatable about a shaft of rotation (12) extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and matching connection and locking means (4) which are mounted in the vehicle chassis (2) or in a prefabricated intermediate frame (7) which is mounted on the said chassis (2), and which comprises a locking pin (15) which is movable normally to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and in which said tie means (5) and said locking means (4) are formed with conical surfaces (14, 16) arranged to co-operate with each other, whereby a displacement of a locking pin (15) towards the vehicle chassis (2) and an introduction thereof in a locking recess (13) of a tie means (5) makes the superstructure (3) become pulled down and be pressed against the vehicle chassis (2).

Description: CONNECTION SYSTEM FO ..ELEASABLE SUPERSTRUCTURES FOR TRUCKS The present invention relates to a connection system for releasable, interchangeable superstructures for various kinds of vehicles like trucks, lorries, tractors, working machines, mobile cranes etc., and the invention is more particularly directed to such a connection system which is formed so that no plays whatsoever can appear between the superstructure and the chassis of the vehicle, or between the superstructure and the "intermediate frame" in case there is such an intermediate frame. In order to make it possible to use a truck at an optimum it has become usual to form the truck chassis with some type of quick locking means for releasably mounting superstructures thereon, for instance a turn table for a trailer, a load exchanging system, a lift dumper, a tank, a concrete mixing container or any other type of superstructure. Said superstructure is formed with a matching receiver of said locking means, for instance quick locking eyes, ties, locking consoles or similar means. In such case one and the same truck can be used for may different purposes supplied if supplied with different superstructures. Since the truck is thereby not restricted to one specific purpose said truck can be used practically continuously in time. The time that the truck is left still standing is thereby reduced to a minimum. A superstructure system of the above mentioned type is shown for instance in the Swedish laid out publication 466.841 (corresponding to EP-A- 0.51 5.470) having the same applicant as in the present case. The apparatus shown in said laid out publication is formed so that the truck chassis, or the illustrated pre-fabricated "intermediate frame", is formed with U-shaped quick locking consoles in which downwardly projecting connection bars of the superstructure can be introduced and locked by means of transversally extending locking pins which are slideably mounted in the intermediate frame or the truck chassis. The said previously known system makes it possible to quickly and safely mount the superstructure on the truck and makes it possible to quickly release and remove such superstructure from the truck and to replace a specific superstructure by another type of superstructure. After a certain transportation, or after a certain work is finished using a specific superstructure said superstructure is lifted off the truck and is replaced by another type of superstructure, whereupon the truck can immediately be used for a quite different purpose. In many cases there can be a slight play between the truck chassis and the superstructure for the reason that the locking pins, for practical and technical reasons, can not press down the connection bars of the superstructure to the bottom of the quick locking consoles. Said locking pins mainly provide a securing means preventing unintentional displacement, and in front of all a lifting off the superstructure from the intermediate frame of the truck chassis. Such plays, which are generally rather small, do not normally cause any disadvantages for ordinary superstructures of the above mentioned type, since the superstructure generally rests fairly steady against the intermediate frame depending on the dead weight of said superstructure. In some cases, however, even small plays may cause great disadvantages, for instance while using especially heavy superstructures, in particular such superstructures which operate with extendible arms acting as long moment arms, for instance for cranes, extendible ladders, lift platforms and similar apparatus. In such cases it is of great importance that the superstructure is secured with great force to the locking means of the truck chassis, so that there can not appear any relative movements anywhere in the mounting means between the truck chassis and the superstructure. It is also important that the vehicle chassis is not subjected but to very small transverse loads, preferably no transverse loads at all. If possible any and all clamping forces ought to be vertical forces. It is also preferred that the mounting means is formed so that it can be pressed down with great force, since such mounting can eliminate appearance of such deformities (warpedness) of the chassis frame or the superstructure which may result from the manufacture thereof or that the truck is standing on uneven ground. The basis of the present invention therefore has be the problem of providing a mounting system for releasable superstructures, in particular for vehicles like trucks, which system provides a very stable, completely play free mounting of a superstructure on a truck chassis and whereby no transverse forces are applied to said truck chassis. Now the invention is to be described more in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which figure 1 fragmentarily shows a vertical cross section through a truck chassis comprising a mounting system according to the invention and having a diagrammatically indicated superstructure mounted on said chassis. Figure 2 is a top view of the apparatus according to figure 1 . Figure 3 is a vertical cross section in a partly cut up state through the encircled part of figure 1 . Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the mounting means according to the invention in a state where the superstructure is just about to be lowered to the chassis frame. Figure 5 is a perspective view of a detail of the mounting system according to the invention, and figure 6 shows a wedge formed pin comprised in the system and seen from underneath. Figure 7 illustrates an initial stage of the securing of a superstructure on a truck chassis, and figure 8 shows the system in fully locked position. Figures 1 and 2 show the mounting system according to the invention applied to a load truck 1 , of which only the chassis frame 2 is shown in the drawings. In the drawings there is indicated a superstructure 3 which is arranged easily mountable on and releasable from the truck, so that a certain type of superstructure can quickly and easily be exchanged by another type of superstructure. The superstructure is shown only diagrammatically in the drawings. For mounting and securing of the superstructure 3 to the truck chassis 2 the apparatus comprises a mounting system 4 comprising a tie means 5 which is mounted in the superstructure 3, and a locking pin means 6 which is connected to the truck chassis 2. The locking pin means 6 can be mounted directly to the chassis frame 2, but in a preferred embodiment of a superstructure mounting system the locking pin means 6 is mounted in an intermediate frame 7 which carries all locking and connection means and which is prefabricated as a separate unit, which, in such prefabricated condition, is mounted quickly and simply in a very accurate position on the chassis frame, for instance by means of bolts 8. As mentioned above it is important that there are no plays, for instance in superstructures comprising cranes, person's lift platforms and other heavy apparatus having long extendible arms and other apparatus which, during the handling thereof, can be subjected to high torques. It is also important that the mounting system is designed so that no, or at least only very small, transverse loads appear when the superstructure is secured to the truck chassis. To this end the invention relates to a mounting and securing means which is formed so that the securing of the superstructure is made solely by downwardly acting clamp forces. In the transverse direction the superstructure is kept only by its own transverse guide means, for instance guides 9 as indicated in figures 7 and 8. Eventually existing plays between said guides 9 and the truck chassis 2 are eliminated in that the super¬ structure, after it has been mounted on the truck chassis, is pressed strongly into contact with the truck chassis, so that the superstructure, in its ready mounted condition, acts as a solid unit integral with the chassis. The superstructure is formed with four, or if desired more tie means 5 for securing the superstructure on the chassis 2. As best shown in figure 5 each tie means 5 is formed as a yoke 10 which is rotatably mounted in the frame 1 1 of the superstructure over a shaft 1 2 extending in the longitudinal direction of the truck and which extends freely through some part of the superstructure frame 1 1 . The yoke 10 is formed with a transverse locking recess 1 3 which is substantially square in a vertical longitudinal cross section view. The bottom of said locking recess 1 3 is restricted by an inwards- upwards extending conical bottom surface 14 against which a locking pin 1 5 having a corresponding wedge formed bottom surface 1 6 is adapted to be pressed when said locking pin 1 5 is pressed axially inwards to the chassis frame 1 1 . The locking recess 1 3 has a height which is substantially greater than that of the locking pin 1 5, so that the locking pin can be unimpedely moved into said locking recess 1 3. The tie means 5 are mounted in such a way on both longitudinal sides of the superstructure frame 1 1 that they can rotate freely a slight distance inwards and outwards, respectively. This possibility of rotation is foreseen for preventing appearance of a transverse load on the superstructure 1 1 when said superstructure is clamped into engagement with the chassis frame 2. The initial force against said tie means 5 makes same rotate slightly inwardly as indicated with the dotted lines of figure 7. The rotation of the tie means is restricted by the guide 9 of the superstructure. A continued forcing inwards of the locking pin 1 5 makes the tie means 5 rotate back to the position shown in figure 8, whereby the superstructure is pressed strongly downwards depending on the co-operating contact between the wedge shaped bottom 1 6 of the pin 1 5 and the wedge shaped bottom 1 4 of the locking recess 1 3. At the same time a super¬ structure which is eventually standing slightly transversally displaced or obliquely in relation to the truck is straightened up. For facilitating the guiding of the rotatable tie means 5 the bottom edges of said tie means are chamfered as indicated by 1 7 in the drawings. The locking pin 1 5 is horizontally displaceable in a guide sleeve 1 8 which is a part of the locking means 6 and which is mounted to the truck chassis 2, in the illustrated case actually to the intermediate frame 7. The levels in the vertical direction of the tie means 5 and the locking pin 1 5 are calculated so that the wedge shaped bottom 1 6 of the locking pin 1 5 can be displaced in the locking recess 1 3 thereby forcing the tie means 5 and thereby the superstructure to the truck chassis 2 or the intermediate frame 7, respectively, under co-operation with the bottom 14 of the yoke 10. For preventing a large rotation of the locking pin 1 5 about is longitudinal axis said pin is formed with a guide groove 1 9 at the bottom side thereof, which guide groove 1 9 co-operates with a guide pin 20 of the guide sleeve 1 8. The wedge shaped bottom 1 6 of the locking pin and/or the wedge shaped bottom 14 of the yoke 10 can be slightly vaulted or convex thereby adapting the locking means to an eventually obliquely standing locking yoke 10. It is desired that the locking pin 1 5 can rotate slightly about its longitudinal axis so as to adapt itself to an eventually obliquely standing guide groove and for being able to straighten up an eventually obliquely standing tie means 5. Depending on the lineary contact, thereby formed, any eventually existing warpedness between said parts are eliminated and the parts are straightened up. The locking pin 1 5 is arranged for being pressed inwards to the chassis frame 2 through the locking recess 1 3 of the locking yoke 1 0 thereby pressing the superstructure 3 down into contact with the chassis frame 2, and for being retracted from the locking recess 1 3 thereby releasing said superstructure. The actuation in the axial direction of the locking pin 1 5 can be made in any desired way, for instance by means of a hydraulic or pneumatic piston-cylinder apparatus (not illustrated). In the most simple embodiment the actuation means for the locking pin 1 5 is a screw (indicated in figure 4) which is threaded into the guide sleeve 1 8 and which, in any conventional way, is coupled to the locking pin 1 5 so as to allow both screwing of the locking pin in and out of the guide sleeve. REFERENCE NUMERALS 1 vehicle, truck 2 chassis frame 3 superstructure 4 mounting system 5 tie means £ locking pin means 7 intermediate frame 8 bolt 9 transverse guide (for 3) 10 yoke (of 5) 1 1 superstructure frame 12 rotation pin 13 locking recess (of 5) 14 bottom surface (of 5) 15 locking pin 16 wedge formed bottom 17 chamfered edges 18 guiding sleeve 19 guide groove 20 guide pin

Claims: C L A I M S 1 . Mounting system for releasable superstructures (3) for various types of vehicles or working machine, comprising co-operating means (5, 6) between said releasable superstructure (3) and the vehicle ( 1 ), characterized in that the mounting system comprises several tie means (5) which are mounted so as to project downwardly from the superstructure (3) on each side thereof and comprising mounting and locking means (4) which are connected to the vehicle chassis (2) or to a prefabricated intermediate frame (7) connected to the vehicle chassis (2), and which comprises a locking pin (1 5) which is displaceable transversally to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and in that the tie means (5) and the locking means (6) are formed with conical surfaces (14, 1 6) arranged to co-operate with each other, whereby a locking pin (1 5) which is moved in the direction towards the vehicle chassis (2) and which thereby co-operates with a tie means (5) forces the superstructure (3) down into press contact with the vehicle chassis. 2. Mounting system according to claim 1 , characterized in that each tie means (5) is formed with a transverse locking recess (1 3) which is substantially square in a vertical longitudinal cross section view, and which has an inwards-upwards towards the superstructure extending conical bottom (14) and a height which substantially greater than the height of the locking pin ( 1 5). 3. Mounting system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each tie means (5) is mounted rotatable inwards and outwards about a longitudinal shaft of rotation (1 2) extending freely through some part of the superstructure (3). 4. Mounting system according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that each tie means (5) is formed as a substantially U-shaped yoke (1 0) the bottom web part of which is the conical bottom (14) the tie means. 5. Mounting system according to claim 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that the locking pin ( 1 5) is substantially cylindrical and has a chamfered conical edge (1 6) at the bottom side thereof extending towards the longitudinal centre of the vehicle, which bottom edge ( 1 6) co-operates with the bottom surface (14) of the locking tie means (5). 6. Mounting means according to any of claims 2 - 5, characterized in that conical bottom (14) of the locking tie means (5) and/or the conical bottom surface (16) of the locking pin (1 5) is/are slightly vaulted or convex. 7. Mounting system according to any of claims 2 - 6, characterized in that the locking pin (1 5) is guided in a locking pin means (6) which is mounted in the vehicle chassis (2) and which includes a guide sleeve (18) in which the locking pin (1 5) is axially displaceable into and out of the locking recess (13) of the tie means (5), respectively. 8. Mounting system according to claim 7, characterized in that the locking pin (1 5) is adapted to be positively displaced in the guide sleeve ( 1 8) actuated by a hydraulic or pneumatic piston-cylinder apparatus, or actuated by a screw. 9. Mounting system according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the locking pin (15) is formed with an axially extending guide groove (1 9) which co-operates with a stationary guide pin (20) such as to allow only a restricted rotation of the locking pin (1 5) about its longitudinal axis. 10. Mounting system according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stationary locking means (4) is mounted in a prefabricated intermediate frame (7) which, in turn, is mounted in a very accurately predetermined position in the vehicle chassis (2).

Inventors: PERSSON AAKE, PERSSON, AAKE
Applicants: LAXO MEKAN AB, PERSSON AAKE, PERSSON, AAKE
Application year: 1996
Main classification: B60P1
IPC codes: B60P1