Patent GB-1072927-A (GB)
Title: Automotive vehicle testing
IPC: G07C5/00
Filed: 1963-11-22
Abstract: 1,072,927. Vehicle testing. MOBIL OIL CORPORATION. Nov. 22, 1963 [April 30, 1963], No. 46198/63. Heading B7J. An automobile testing and servicing installation comprises a building structure 10, Fig. 1, comprising a testing bay 12, a customer reception area 20 separated from the bay 12 by a wall 18 having a window 19, a parking area 60, a stove 56, and a repair and serving bay 36 wherein vehicles passing through the bay 12 are tested by devices which simulate road operating conditions and sequentially test each vehicle dynamomically its engine and electrical system and the front wheel alignment. Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the vehicle passes through an entrance 14 having a door operable by a treadle 83. The front wheels are engaged with roller-pairs 69, 71 of a dynamometer 67 the motor of which rotates the wheels to determine the parasitic horse power. The door has been closed by the front wheels passing over a treadle 84. At this time the brakes are tested by various meters connected with the dynamometer, and the radiator, engine oil level, fan belt, headlights and trafficators &c. are checked. Thereafter the vehicle is moved to place the rear wheels on the dynamometer whereafter parasitic and engine brake horse power and brakes are tested. Various meters also indicate speed and acceleration and many readings are recorded on a strip chart. A test instrument carriage 88 is suspended by a vertical post 93 from a trolley 94 movable transversely of the direction of movement of the vehicle, on tracks 96 which can move by means of wheels 100 on tracks 102 extending longitudinally of the direction of movement of the vehicle. In this way the instrument carriage 88 can move anywhere in an area 90 within the test bay. Electrical control pendants 104, 106 and 108 retractable into positioning units 110, 112 and 114 are also provided for the various devices. The carriage 88 mounts inter alia an engine oscilloscope, an engine tachometer, a spark advance indicator, a volt-amp. tester, manifold vacuum gauge, fuel flow meter and fuel pressure gauge, all as described with reference to Figs. 4 to 8 (not shown). Meters indicating the values of various tests are mounted on a control panel 92 which also has some of the meters duplicated for reading by the customer through the window 19. After engine and electrical tests the vehicle is moved from the dynamometer 67 to a position in which its front wheels are positioned on the roller pairs 75, 77 of a wheel aligning apparatus 73. The whole apparatus 73 is pivotal about a vertical axis and the rollers are carried by a frame pivotal about a horizontal axis whereby when the vehicle front wheels are rotated by the rollers driven by the aligner motor, electrical meters can indicate the amount of toe-in, the camber, and by turning the steering wheel in opposite directions the caster angle may be determined, all as described with reference to Figs. 9 to 12 (not shown). When the vehicle finally leaves the bay 12 a door for the exit 16 is closed by operating a treadle 86. Air blowers 66 at one end of the bay and a floor grating 63 and exhaust shafts 65 facilitate maintenance of the bay at a uniform temperature. The blowers and exhaust fans are controlled automatically from the carriage 88. The dynamometer, aligner, the various treadles, the instrument panel, the control units and pendants and the blowers, are all interconnected electrically.