DEVICE FOR THE LAYING OF A TRAVERSABLE TEMPORARY ROADWAY SYSTEM

Abstract: A device for the laying of traversable road-covering tracks consists of a vehicle-mounted frame which is rotatable around a vertical axis and in which a roll core (8) is held for winding up and unwinding of a road-covering track. As such vehicles are very expensive and as their utilization is very low the frame is held on a framework (3) which is detachably connected to the vehicle chassis (2) with the effect that the vehicle (1) can also be used for other purposes.

Description: Device for the Laying of a Traversable Temporary Roadway System The invention concerns a device for the laying and recovery of a traversable temporary roadway system, which consists of a chassis interface frame, a spool stand which rotates about its vertical axis, a spool which rotates about its horizontal axis which is mounted within the spool stand, and the road covering track which is wound into a roll onto the spool. The road covering track, which is wound into a roll, consists of interconnecting profiled panels, can be manufactured from non-ferrous or plastic materials to suit the application load carrying capacity. The length of the unrolled roadway is fully adjustable by adding or removing the interconnecting profiled panels. The width of the roadway corresponds with that of the temporary travel lane or ground to be stabilised. The roadway system can be connected both longitudinally and laterally to cater for a wide range of commercial and military applications such as temporary access roads to construction sites, landfill sites, outdoor events and exhibitions. Military applications includes aircraft landing mats, securing safe access for beach landing equipment, vehicle access over snow or soft ground which could not normally be travelled upon. The spool can be easily removed from the spool stand to allow further roadway systems to be launched or recovered. The spool stand is rotatable about the vertical axis. This capability is required to allow the vehicle to travel on public roads. In the transport position the spool and spool stand is positioned with its winding axis in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In the laying and recovery position the spool and spool stand is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. In the laying position the road covering track is powered off the spool and positioned under the vehicle's rear wheels. The vehicle then reverses causing the road covering track to be removed from the rotating spool and laid onto the ground in tension. The automatic roadway launching system allows the roadway to be laid in tension that is very important when deploying over soft ground or thick snow. Vehicles capable of being used for the mounting of the roadway system are expensive and their utilisation is very low therefore it is very expensive to have a dedicated roadway mounted vehicle. In a further arrangement of the invention, the interface frame comprises of a rear roller assembly that can be pivoted up when in the transport position or during the roadway demounting procedure or pivoted down in the roadway launching or recovery procedure. In the down position this device ensures that the roadway can be launched or recovered onto the spool without obstruction with the rear of the vehicle, since the guide rollers are positioned to allow a smooth unobstructed path for the roadway to travel. The guide rollers can be pivoted by a hydraulic actuator or by manual methods. The spool stand can be rotated approximately 100 degrees from the transport position to the launch/recovery position. When launching, the spool stand is locked in the 90- degree position by four securing pins. This allows the roadway to be launched in line with the longitudinal vehicle axis. During roadway recovery it is possible for the vehicle to be misaligned with the end of the roadway to be recovered, therefore, there is a facility to further rotate the spool stand from the 90 degree position into the 100 degree position that allows the end of the roadway to align with the spool horizontal axis. As the recovery procedure commences then the operator can straighten up the vehicle onto the roadway and the spool stand can be rotated and locked in the normal 90-degree position. The spool stand can be locked in both the transport and launch/recovery position by means of a hydraulic actuator or by manual methods. The spool stand is centrally located on the interface frame and rotates about a central spigot. The spool stand is supported on four-guide wheel that allows the spool stand to rotate on the interface frame. The spool stand can be hydraulically or manually rotated. In a further arrangement of the device the roadway can be launched by four different methods. The preferred method is using the constant tensioning device that automatically lays the roadway in tension and the speed of the laying process is determined by the speed of the reversing vehicle. The second method is by means of a remote control device that requires the operator and driver to synchronise the speed of vehicle travel with the speed of the spool rotation. The operator depresses the spool rotation button on the pendant control to correspond with the travelling speed of the vehicle, the spool stand can also be slewed by using the remote pendant control. The operator would typically be positioned on the ground near the rear of the vehicle within full view of the roadway and driver. The third method occurs if the electrical system fails; then the operator can use the hydraulic manual override levers to rotate the spool and slew the spool stand. The fourth method occurs if complete hydraulic failure occurs; then the operator can operate a manual handpump to release the spool rotation and slew rotation locking valves/brake and the roadway can be manually pulled from the spool and placed under the vehicle's rear wheels. The mechanical gearing between the spool drive motor and spool drive sprocket is such that the spool rotation cannot overrun when reversing the vehicle. Therefore a controlled and safe roadway launching is achieved. The chassis interface frame also comprises of all hydraulic and electrical connection to the chassis which are of a quick release type and also sufficient stowage boxes to store all roadway accessories. The chassis' are typically equipped with a safety facility that isolates the hooklift from being operated until both the hydraulic and electrical coupling are disconnected. The purpose of this invention, therefore, is to make this solution a more cost-effective option that allows the complete roadway system to be demounted from the chassis when not in use. The chassis interface frame complies with the requirement of, for example DIN 30722, which is the standard for demountable load carrying platforms. The chassis interface frame, therefore, does not form an integral part and any vehicle equipped with load handling equipment can be used for laying and recovering the roadway. For this purpose, the vehicle and/or the framework is provided with a facility for mounting and demounting the framework on and off the vehicle chassis. This facility is designed in such a way that the framework can be taken off and replaced onto the vehicle without the use of special lifting equipment. In accordance with a preferred type of design, it is envisaged that the vehicle is a conventional hook-lift truck and that the framework is designed as a raising and lowering hook-lift frame. These types of hook-lift trucks or skip trucks are known, for example, from the DE-OS 28 17 638, EP 0 066 683 A1 and EP 0 316 600. They are normally used to accept removable skips or containers. For the purpose of the invention, therefore, a normal hook-lift truck is used, where the raising and lowering hook-lift frame is provided with the customary platform or base frame for the normal hook-lift skips or hook-lift containers, which are provided with an eye for the protruding movable and pivoting hook of the hook-lift truck. The following explains one design example of the invention in greater detail, with the aid of drawings. In this the following are shown : Fig. 1 A side view of a vehicle equipped with a hook lift that secures the chassis interface frame and roadway system to the chassis. The roadway is shown in the transport position, Fig. 2 a rear view of the vehicle according to Fig. 1 , Fig. 3 a side view of the vehicle according to Figs. 1 and 2 during the mounting/demounting of the complete roadway system, Fig. 4 a side view of the vehicle according to Figs. 1 and 2 with demounted roadway system, Fig. 5 a side view of the vehicle according to Figs. 1 and 2 in which the spool stand has rotated through 90 degrees in the vertical axis and positioned in the roadway launch position, and Fig. 6 rear view of the vehicle according to point 5. From the drawing can be seen a conventional hook lift truck 1 , which is provided with a conventional tipping frame arrangement 2 and a recovery device with upward protruding hook 4. The hook lift frame 3 is mounted onto the tipping frame 2 in the usual manner. At its forward end, the hook lift frame 3 is provided with an upward protruding central eye 4, in which the hook 4 of the recovery device of the hook lift engages in the usual manner. On the hook lift frame 3, a spool stand 5 is mounted, which rotates about its vertical axis. On the spool stand 5, a spool 6 is mounted which rotates about its horizontal axis. The spool 6 is supported at each end of the spool stand 5 and rotates on bearing surfaces. The empty spool 6 can quickly be removed and replaced with a full spool of road covering track 8. On the spool stand 6 there are two hydraulic motors, one to rotate the spool 6 and one to slew the spool stand 5 from transport to the launch position. The spool 6 is equipped with a ring gear that engages into the spool drive gear, which is mounted on the spool stand 5. In order that the road-covering track should not be damaged as it is pulled off from the roll, which is held at right-angles to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, it is envisaged that at the rear end of the hook-lift frame two pivoting arms 10 are mounted, which carry rotating pairs of rollers 11 at their free ends. The arms 10 are pivotable between their upward pointing position, as represented by solid lines, and their position below the plane of the hook-lift frame 10', represented by broken lines, and can be locked in these positions. In the lowered position 10', the arms and the rollers 11 are in the laying position, in which the road-covering track drawn off from the roll 8 is guided free from obstructions around the rear end of the hook-lift frame.

Claims: What is claimed is: 1. A device for the laying of traversable road-covering tracks, consisting of a vehicle-mounted frame, rotatable around a vertical axis, in which a roll core is held for the winding up and unwinding of a road-covering track, or which is provided with bearings for the mounting and unrolling of a road-covering track which is wound into a roll, characterised in that the frame (5) is held on a framework (3), which is detachably connected to the vehicle chassis (2). 2. The device according to claim 1 , characterised in that the vehicle (1) and the framework (3) are provided with facilities for mounting and de-mounting the framework (3) on and off the vehicle chassis (2). 3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the vehicle (1) is a hook-lift truck and that the framework (3) is designed as a raising and lowering hook-lift frame. 4. The device according to any one of claims 1 through 3, characterised in that at the rear end of the framework (3) pivoting arms (10) are mounted, on the free ends of which rollers (11) are fitted, and that the arms (10) can be pivoted between a position which lies above the level of the framework and one which lies below this, and can be locked into these positions. 5. The device according to any one of claims 1 through 4, characterised in that the frame (5) is provided with a rotary actuator. 6. The device according to any one of claims 1 through 5, characterised in that the roll core, or at least a rotatable bearing unit which accepts one of the spigots of the roll (8), is provided with gear drive sprocket that prevents roadway overrun in the event of emergency laying. 7. The device according to claim 6, characterised in that the hydraulic system comprises of a constant tensioning system that allows automatic laying of the roadway in tension. 8. The device according to any one of claims 1 through 7, characterised in that the framework (3) is provided with hoses and cables for connection to the vehicle's hydraulic and electrical systems.

Inventors: CLARK RAMSEY, CLARK, RAMSEY
Applicants: FAUN MUNICIPAL VEHICLES LIMITE, FAUN MUNICIPAL VEHICLES LIMITED
Application year: 1998
Main classification: E01C19
IPC codes: E01C19