A DEVICE FOR CLAMPING A VEHICLE TO A BENCH ATTACHMENT

Abstract: An arrangement for use in clamping a vehicle to a straightening bench. The arrangement includes a support arm (6) whose one leg is provided with means for fitting the arm into a mounting groove (3) that extends along the sides of said bench. The other leg of the arm is intended to support clamping means for clamping a vehicle chassis to the arm. The means for fitting one leg of the support arm (6) in the mounting groove of the straightening bench include two mounting jaws (12, 15). A first (12) of these jaws is fixed to the arm (6) and intended to grip behind a flange (5) along one edge of the groove (3). The other jaw (15) is moveable relative to the first jaw and displaceable towards said jaw while overcoming a spring force (17) and is intended to grip behind a flange (4) along the other edge of the groove (3). The arm can therewith be fitted into the groove by swinging the arm upwards (A) when the lower jaw (12) rests in the lower part of the mounting groove (3).

Description: A DEVICE FOR CLAMPING A VEHICLE TO A BENCH ATTACHMENT The present invention relates to an arrangement for use when clamping a vehicle to a straightening or aligning bench, wherein the arrangement includes a support arm whose one leg is provided with means for mounting the arm in a mounting groove that extends along the sides of the bench, while the other leg of said arm is intended to carry clamping means for clamping the chassis of a vehicle onto the arm. Support arms of this kind that are intended to be clamped firmly in mounting grooves on chassis straightening benches have been long known in the art. One leg of the mounting arms is provided with a fixed mounting jaw which is inserted into the groove on the bench and secured in a desired position with the aid of bolt-equipped clamping jaws. The mounting grooves have a generally C-shaped profile and the mounting jaw is designed to enable it to be clamped firmly against the flanges extending along the upper and lower edges of the groove with the aid of said clamping jaws. This means that the mounting jaw must either be inserted from one end or the other of the mounting groove or, alternatively, at least one flange, normally the flange extending along the upper edge of the groove, must be provided with recesses at one or more positions in order to enable that part or parts of the jaw which shall run inwardly of the flange to be inserted into the groove. This prevents the support arm from being locked firmly in precisely these positions if so required. Furthermore, the procedure of inserting the jaws into the ends of the grooves or at said recessed positions and then moving the jaws to desired working positions is relatively complicated. A primary object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement which will enable a support arm to be mounted directly in the position desired along a mounting groove, without needing the use of a tool to this end. One should be able to lock the arm securely in this position with the aid of bolts that can be accessed from one side. This is achieved in accordance with the invention with the aid of two mounting jaws which are moveable in relation to one another and which enable a support arm to be snapped firmly into a mounting groove. The particular characteristic features of an arrangement of the kind defined in the first paragraph are that said means for mounting one leg of the support arm in the mounting groove of the bench includes two mounting jaws, that a first of these jaws is fixed to the arm and adapted to grip behind a flange along one edge of the groove, that the other jaw is moveable relative to the first jaw and can be displaced towards said jaw while overcoming a spring force and is adapted to grip behind a flange along the other edge of the groove, and that the arm can be fitted into the groove by swinging the arm upwards with the lower jaw resting in the lower part of said groove. An arrangement of this kind will thus enable a support arm to be readily fitted into the mounting groove, by placing the arm in the groove and swinging the arm up around the lower support point until the upper jaw grips behind the upper flange of the groove. This can be effected in one single movement, without the use of a tool or like means. The moveable jaw is guided conveniently in a groove in a part of the fixed jaw located behind said moveable jaw. The jaws can therewith be held apart with the aid of springs disposed therebetween. It is preferred that the lower jaw is fixed to the arm and that the upper jaw is pressed downwards against the spring force as a result of coaction with a downwardly projecting flange along the upper edge of the groove when the arm is swung upwards, so that the upper jaw is able to grip behind said flange. The upper jaw is suitably provided with a bevelled surface that coacts with the flange projecting down from the upper edge of the groove, when the arm is swung upwards. One mounting jaw is suitably provided with two rearwardly projecting bolts with one clamping jaw disposed on each bolt, said clamping jaws functioning to firmly clamp the lower and upper mounting jaws inserted into the mounting groove against the flanges extending along the upper and lower edges of said groove, with the aid of bolts. The clamping jaws will preferably include outwardly projecting spacer flanges which project in between the mounting jaws when said jaws are clamped firmly in the mounting groove, so as to prevent said jaws moving towards each other when subjected to load. Further features of the invention will be apparent from the accompanying Claims. The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to an exemplifying embodiment thereof and also with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an earlier known straightening bench with support arms fitted in mounting grooves. Fig. 2 illustrates component parts of an inventive arrangement for mounting and fixing a support arm to a straightening bench. Fig. 3 shows the arrangement mounted on the support arm. Fig. 4 shows the arrangement while fitting the support arm to a straightening bench. Fig. 5 shows the arrangement of Fig. 4 with the arrangement mounted in position. Fig. 1 shows a known straightening bench 1 for use in straightening a vehicle. The bench is comprised of beams 2 which include generally C-shaped mounting grooves 3 along their outer surfaces. The groove therefore has a downwardly projecting flange 4 along its upper edge and an upwardly projecting flange 5 along its lower edge. Angled support arms 6 and support wheels 7 are mounted in these grooves. The upper legs of the support arms support clamping devices 8, so-called cramps, which are intended to be clamped firmly about a flange which projects out downwardly from the saddle beam sill of a vehicle chassis, so as to clamp the chassis firmly to the support arms 6. The support arms 6 are fitted into the grooves 3 with the aid of a fixed, lower mounting jaw 9 provided on respective arms and adapted for insertion into the groove behind the flanges 4 and 5 and to be clamped against said flanges with the aid of clamping jaws 28 provided with bolts 10. The fixed mounting jaws 9 can be inserted into the grooves from the ends thereof or at a position midway of the beam 2, where parts 11 of the upper flange 4 have been removed to permit insertion of the part of respective mounting jaws 9 that grip behind said flange. This means that in the case of the known straightening bench the task of positioning the support arms in desired working positions is relatively complicated, since the support arms must first be threaded into the groove and then moved therealong to a desired position. This part of the work that is entailed when fitting an arm to a known bench is eliminated by the present invention, since when practising the invention the support arm can be mounted directly in its desired position. Fig. 2 shows component parts of an inventive arrangement. A fixed mounting jaw 12 is fitted to the lower part of the angled support arm 6. The mounting jaw 12 includes a groove 13 which is intended to receive the flange 5 that extends along the lower edge of the mounting groove 3 on a straightening bench according to Fig. 1. Extending upwardly from the jaw 12 is a part that includes an inner groove 14 in which a moveable, upper mounting jaw 15 is guided. The mounting jaw 15 includes a groove 16 for receiving the flange 4 that extends along the upper edge of the groove 3. Arranged between the jaws 12 and 15 is a spring 17 which in a normal position holds the jaw 15 pressed against an upper stop member 18 mounted to the support leg 6. The jaw 15 includes laterally projecting flanges 19 which are guided in the inner grooves 14 in the jaw 12. The reference numeral 20 identifies a threaded stud bolt which is intended to be screwed into the fixed jaw 12 on one side of the arm 6 and locked in said jaw. A corresponding stud bolt is provided on the other side of the arm 6. Arranged on respective stud bolts is a spring 21 which coacts with an associated clamping jaw 22. The jaws 22 can be moved towards the mountings jaws 12 and 15 on respective sides of the arm 6, so as to clamp the mounting flanges 4 and 5 on the bench 1 between the clamping jaws 22 and the jaws 12 and 15 subsequent to having inserted said jaws into the groove 3. The jaws 22 are moved with the aid of an associated sleeve 23 having a nut head 24 and an internal thread which coacts with the thread on the stud bolt 20. The reference numeral 25 identifies a generally U-shaped actuator which has a leg projecting down on each side of the support leg 6 and which is fitted on respective stud bolts 20. The actuator 25 is intended to be pressed obliquely downwards with the operator's foot, so as to release the mounting jaws from the groove 3, as will be explained in more detail below. Fig. 3 shows the support arm 6 with an associated mounting arrangement firmly fitted thereto. Fig. 4 shows how the support arm 6 is fitted in the mounting groove 3 on the beam 2 of a vehicle straightening bench. The lower jaw 12 is inserted into the groove 3 so that the inner part of the jaw grips behind the flange 5. The arm 6 is then swung upwards in the direction of the arrow A, wherewith the upper mounting jaw 15 is pressed down against the lower jaw 12 and then snaps in behind the upper flange 4 of the groove 3; see Fig. 5. The jaw 15 is provided with a bevelled surface 26 so as to facilitate insertion of the jaw into the groove 3, said surface coacting with the flange 4 during insertion of the jaw. When the jaws 12 and 15 are in position in the groove 1, the support arm 6 is clamped firmly in this position with the aid of the clamping jaws 22, which are pressed against the outer surfaces of the groove flanges 4 and 5 with the aid of associated sleeves 23. As before men- tioned, a clamping jaw 22 is provided on each side of the support arm 6. Thus, when using an inventive arrangement, the support arms 6 can be fitted directly in desired positions along the bench, without needing to be subsequently moved, which greatly facilitates mounting of the support arms and shortens the time taken in this respect. The support arms can also be fitted even if holders of the bench support wheels or other means are inserted in the mounting groove. The clamping jaws 22 are provided with an outwardly projecting flange 27 which when clamping the jaws project in between the mounting jaws 12 and 15 and therewith prevent said jaws from tilting in the groove while moving slightly towards each other when subjected to load. The lower mounting jaw 12 and/or the clamping jaws 22 are constructed so that a mounting arm 6 can be suspended provisionally in a desired position without snapping fully into the groove 3, as illustrated in Fig. 4. This facilitates the work involved in clamping a vehicle chassis, since the support arms can first be fitted provisionally to the straightening bench and then swung up and finally fitted in the groove 3 in another working step. The same applies when dismantling a support arm 6 from the position shown in Fig. 5. In this regard, the clamping jaws 22 are first loosened and the U-shaped member 25 is then pressed obliquely downwards with the operator's foot, therewith pressing down the upper jaw 15 and releasing it from the groove 3. The arm 6 will then fall under its own weight to the position shown in Fig. 4, and can then be easily lifted away. Although the invention has been described above with reference to the exemplifying embodiment shown in the drawings, it will be understood that this embodiment can be modified in several respects within the scope of the following Claims. For instance, the lower jaw may be moveable towards the upper jaw while overcoming a spring force, instead of the upper jaw being moveable towards the lower jaw. The precise design of both the mounting jaws and the clamping jaws may be varied as desired, provided that the required function is maintained. This also applies to the design of the actuator 25 and/or its attachment in the arrangement. The actuator may thus be connected directly to the moveable jaw. The devices by means of which pressure is exerted on the clamping jaws may, of course, be chosen as desired.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. An arrangement for use in clamping a vehicle to a straightening bench (1) and including a support arm (6) whose one leg is provided with means for fitting the arm in a mounting groove (3) that extends along the sides of the bench, and whose other leg is intended to carry clamping means (8) for clamping a vehicle chassis to the arm, characterised in that said means for fitting one leg of the support arm (6) in the mounting groove of said bench includes two mounting jaws (12, 15); in that a first (12) of said jaws is fixed to the arm (6) and intended to grip behind a flange (5) along one edge of the groove (3) ; in that the second jaw (15) is moveable relative to the first jaw and displaceable towards said jaw whilst overcoming a spring force (17) and is adapted so that it can grip behind a flange (4) along the other edge of the groove (3); and in that the arm can be fitted into the groove by swinging the arm upwards (A) with the lower jaw (12) resting in the lower part of the mounting groove (3) . 2. An arrangement according to Claim 1, characterised in that the moveable mounting jaw (15) is guided in a groove (14) in a part of said fixed jaw (12) located behind said moveable jaw. 3. An arrangement according to Claim 1 or 2 , characterised in that the lower jaw (12) is fixed to the arm (6) ; and in that the upper jaw (15) is pressed downwards against said spring force (17) as a result of coaction with a downwardly projecting flange (4) along the upper edge of the groove (3) as the arm (6) is swung upwards, so that the upper jaw (15) is able to grip behind said flange (4) . 4. An arrangement according to Claim 3, characterised in that the upper mounting jaw (15) has a bevelled surface (26) which coacts with the flange (4) projecting down from the upper edge of the mounting groove (3) as the arm (6) is swung upwards. 5. An arrangement according to any one of Claims 1-4, characterised in that one mounting jaw (15) is provided with two rearwardly projecting bolts (20) ; in that a clamping jaw (22) is disposed on each bolt; and in that the clamping jaws are able to clamp the lower and upper mounting jaws (12, 15) inserted in the mounting groove (3) against the flanges (4, 5) extending along the upper and lower edges of the groove (3) with the aid of said bolts. 6. An arrangement according to Claim 5, characterised in that the clamping jaws (22) are provided with an outwardly projecting spacer flange (27) which projects in between the mounting jaws (12, 15) when said jaws are clamped in the mounting groove (3) , therewith preventing said jaws moving towards each other when subjected to load. 7. An arrangement according to Claim 5 or 6, characterised in that the jaws (12, 15; 22) are constructed so that the arrangement will remain hanging on the lower flange (5) of the mounting groove (3) when the bolts (20) have been loosened and the upper mounting jaw (15) no longer engages said groove. 8. An arrangement according to any one of Claims 5-7, characterised by a release device (25) mounted on the bolts (20) , said release device when activated in an obliquely downwards direction urges the mounting jaws (12, 15) towards each other so as to release the upper jaw (15) from engagement in the mounting groove (3) . 9. An arrangement according to any one of Claims 5-8 , characterised in that the release device (25) has the form of a U-shaped member that surrounds the lower leg of the support arm (6) . 10. An arrangement according to any one of Claims 5-9, characterised by a spring (21) which endeavours to hold respective clamping jaws (22) spaced from the mounting jaws (12, 15), so as to facilitate insertion thereof into the mounting groove (3) .

Inventors: HENBLAD PETER, HENBLAD, PETER
Applicants: CAR O LINER AB, HENBLAD PETER, CAR-O-LINER AB, HENBLAD, PETER
Application year: 1999
Main classification: B21D1
IPC codes: B21D1