Abstract:
A lifting truck, in the frame of which a battery mount is arranged, wherein a locking device is provided, which locks in a releasable manner the battery block in the installed state with respect to the frame or a battery mount, wherein the locking device has a first lever and a second lever. The second lever works with at least one buffer on an inside wall of the battery block to clamp it against a stop.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not applicable. 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    This type of lifting truck became known for example from DE 10 2004 047 339 A1, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference, the levers of the locking device form a toggle lever lock, wherein a first lever is swivel-mounted on the frame of the vehicle around a horizontal axis. The second lever is swivel-mounted on the first lever and has a hook section, which in the locked position engages behind a bolt on the inner side wall of the battery block. In the unlocked position, the battery block can be moved out horizontally to one side. For full release, the first lever must be pivoted into a first unlocked position and then into a second unlocked position. 
         [0004]    The object of the invention is to create a ground conveyor with a locking device for a battery block, in which a fast and simple battery replacement is possible with ergonomic operation and without the use of tools. The locking device according to the invention should enable use of unmodified standard batteries. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In the case of the invention, a first lever is swivel-mounted on the frame of a vehicle and a second lever is coupled with the first lever and carries at least one buffer. The construction is such that when the first lever is actuated the buffer can be engaged with or disengaged from a wall of the battery block, preferably the inside of the front wall, in order to press the associated wall or the battery block in a clamping manner against the frame-proof stop. The first and/or second lever can be held in a releasable manner in the locked position through suitable means. The levers can form a toggle lever lock, in order to either clamp or release the buffer against the battery block. 
         [0006]    In one embodiment of the invention, a side wall that holds a bracket component on the upper end can be attached to the battery mount. The bracket component is preferably a component, which is welded for example on the side wall. The side wall can be attached to one of both free end sides of the battery mount, depending on the push-out direction for the battery block. 
         [0007]    The bracket component has a stop surface against which the associated front wall of the battery block rests. The first lever of the locking device is swivel-mounted on the bracket component, and the second lever is mounted on the first lever such that the locking portion in the locked position clamps onto the upper part of the front wall from the inside. In the released position, the locking portion is pivoted far enough upwards that the battery block can at least be moved horizontally away from the side wall. 
         [0008]    Due to the fact that the locking portion receives the inner side wall of the battery block, which already projects slightly over the top side of the battery, the battery block does not need to be designed in a special manner with respect to the lock. Thus, unmodified standard batteries can be used. The battery can be removed on both sides, whereby the side wall is installed on the corresponding side of the battery mount. Thus, the battery lock is not located directly on the vehicle frame, but rather on the already mentioned side wall. The first lever only needs to be pivoted in one direction in order to bring the second lever into the locked or unlocked position. Actuation is thus ergonomic and quick. 
         [0009]    It is provided according to one embodiment of the invention that the locking portion has at least one buffer made of an elastomer material. In the locked position, the buffer connects to the inside of the front wall and holds the front wall of the battery block against the stop surface in the bracket component. The buffer is pressurized so that the toggle lever lock is pre-stressed in this manner. 
         [0010]    In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a bracket pin is provided for mounting the second lever on the first a curved slit in the bracket component, in which the bracket pin in guided. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the bracket component can have a boundary portion, against which a stop portion of the second lever engages when the second lever is pivoted into the released position. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the boundary portion can have a hook and the contact portion can have a contact pin for this purpose. This prevents the over-pivoting of the first lever during the movement into the released position. 
         [0011]    In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a guide portion is provided on the bracket component and works together in the pivot area near the released position with a guide surface of the second lever in order to pivot the locking portion freely over the upper edge of the front wall. With the help of this type of arrangement, the second lever can be pivoted far enough upwards that the battery block can easily be moved out of the battery mount. 
         [0012]    In the case of a constructive embodiment of the invention according to another embodiment of the invention, the second lever has an angular jaw portion, to which the locking portion, e.g. the buffer, is attached. Two parallely spaced lifting arms can be swivel mounted with two parallely spaced lifting arms of the first lever. 
         [0013]    A vertical leg of the jaw portion preferably has two laterally spaced buffers, each of which face a contact surface of the bracket component. 
         [0014]    In order to prevent the jaw portion from slipping up and thus releasing the lock, a vertical part of the jaw portion can—according to another embodiment of the invention—have a boundary pin near the center, which points in the direction of the front wall in the locked position and which engages with a transport opening of the front wall. These types of transport openings exist in standard battery blocks in order to be able to lift and move them using a lifting device. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    One exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained below in greater detail using drawings. 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a battery mount with a battery block and a locking device according to the invention in the locked position. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  shows the same view as  FIG. 1  with the locking device in the unlocked position. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of a side wall with a bracket component for a locking device according to the invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of the bracket component with the locking device according to the invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  shows the side view of the arrangement according to  FIG. 4 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  shows the locking device according to  FIGS. 4 and 5  near the unlocked position. 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  shows the representation according to  FIG. 6  in the unlocked position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0023]    While this invention may be embodied in many different forms, there are described in detail herein a specific preferred embodiment of the invention. This description is an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiment illustrated. 
         [0024]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show a battery mount  10 , which is arranged in the frame of a lifting truck that is not shown in greater detail. The battery mount  10  receives a battery block  12 , which has front walls and side walls. As can be seen, the battery block  12  can be moved to the left side of the battery mount  10  in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The other front side of the battery mount  10  is closed by a side wall  14 , which is screwed for example onto the battery mount. Alternatively, the side wall  14  can also be screwed on the open side of the battery mount  10  in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         [0025]    On the upper end, the side wall  14  carries a bracket component  16  ( FIG. 3 ) for a locking device  18 , which will be described in greater detail below in connection with  FIGS. 4 through 7 . As can be seen in  FIG. 3 , the side wall  14  has a U-shaped cross-section. The bracket component  16  is attached between the legs of the U profile and the inside of the bar section, for example through welding. However, this is not illustrated in detail. 
         [0026]    The bracket component, as can be seen in  FIGS. 4 through 7 , has a front wall  22 , which is lower than side walls  24 ,  26 , which form stop portions  28 ,  30 , which are bent to the side. Bracket portions  38 ,  40  of a first clamp-like lever  42  are coupled with inwardly bent sections  32 ,  34  of the side walls  24 ,  26  and namely with the help of a bracket pin  44 . The lever  42  can be pivoted around a horizontal axis on bracket component  16  with the help of the bracket pin  44  A bracket bolt  46 , which engages with a curved slit  48  of the bracket sections  38 ,  40  and is coupled with the first lever  42  via a second lever  50 , is also located in section  38 . The slit  48  forms end stops for the lever actuation. The second lever  50  has an angular jaw portion  52  with a horizontal and vertical section in the position in  FIG. 3 . The vertical section is elongated towards both sides in an ear-like manner and rubber buffers  54  sit on these elongations. As can be seen in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the rubber buffets  54  work together with the stop portions  28 ,  30  of the bracket component  16 . Lever arms  56 ,  58 , which work together with the bracket bolts  46 , are provided on both sides of the horizontal section of the jaw portion  52 . 
         [0027]    As can be seen with  60  in  FIG. 7 , the lever arms  56 ,  58  have on the inner section hook sections, which work together with a stop pin. The lever arms  56 ,  58  also have a ramp surface  64 , which works together with the pin for the purpose of guiding the second lever  50 . 
         [0028]    The first and second lever  42 ,  50  work together like a toggle lever lock. In a locked position, as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the height of the axes of the bracket pins  44 ,  46  are offset with respect to each other Since the buffers  54  work against the sections  28 ,  30 , they create a pre-stressing when dead center is exceeded, when the lever  42  is pivoted from a raised position to the horizontal locked position shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
         [0029]    In the locked position in accordance with  FIGS. 4 and 5  or  1 , the buffers  54  grip from the inside against a front wall of the battery block  12  (not shown). The battery block  12  is indicated in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . As is generally known, wall sections of the battery block  12  project upwards over the received battery. The buffers  54  thus engage with the top of the inside of the front wall in order to hold and lock the battery block  12  in this position against the stop portions  28 ,  30  in accordance with  FIGS. 4 and 5 . In the locked position, a pin  66  on the inside of the vertical jaw section  52  also engages with a hole  68  (see  FIGS. 1 and 2 ), which is formed on the upper edge of the front walls of the battery block  12  for shipping purposes. The pin  66  is not in contact with the battery; rather it should just prevent the lever  50  from slipping up and thus the release of the lock. 
         [0030]    If the lever  42  is pivoted into the open position, the second lever  50  also pivots, and the buffers  54  pivot over the edge of the battery block  12  as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 .  FIG. 6  shows a 120° pivoting of the lever  42  with respect to the locked position in accordance with  FIGS. 4 and 5 , while  FIG. 7  shows a 140° pivoting. In this final unlocked position, the hook section  60  lies on the stop pin  62  ( FIG. 5 ) such that further opening is not possible. However, the pivot position of the second lever  50  is such that the battery can not only be moved out laterally, but also upwards. The buffers  54  are thus no longer in the way. 
         [0031]    So that the second lever  50  can perform the described pivoting into the unlocked position, the ramp section  64  of the lever aims  56 ,  58  works together in the desired manner with the stop pin  62 , which forms a guide here. 
         [0032]    The above disclosure is intended to be illustrative and not exhaustive. This description will suggest many variations and alternatives to one of ordinary skill in this art. All these alternatives and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the claims where the term “comprising” means “including, but not limited to”. Those familiar with the art may recognize other equivalents to the specific embodiments described herein which equivalents are also intended to be encompassed by the claims. 
         [0033]    Further, the particular features presented in the dependent claims can be combined with each other in other manners within the scope of the invention such that the invention should be recognized as also specifically directed to other embodiments having any other possible combination of the features of the dependent claims. For instance, for purposes of claim publication, any dependent claim which follows should be taken as alternatively written in a multiple dependent form from all prior claims which possess all antecedents referenced in such dependent claim if such multiple dependent format is an accepted format within the jurisdiction (e.g. each claim depending directly from claim  1  should be alternatively taken as depending from all previous claims). In jurisdictions where multiple dependent claim formats are restricted, the following dependent claims should each be also taken as alternatively written in each singly dependent claim format which creates a dependency from a prior antecedent-possessing claim other than the specific claim listed in such dependent claim below. 
         [0034]    This completes the description of the preferred and alternate embodiments of the invention. Those skilled in the art may recognize other equivalents to the specific embodiment described herein which equivalents are intended to be encompassed by the claims attached hereto.