Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Body shell
Patent
1983-10-14
1985-07-02
Song, Robert R.
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Body shell
296183, 296 36, 105378, B62D 2700
Patent
active
045264171
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a body structure, and more particularly to a two-part folding lateral wall such as is used in trucks or trailers or in a wall of a building.
2. Description of Prior Art
Regardless of whether the upper part of the lateral wall is adapted to fold up above or below the roof, such body structures are known in numerous designs. All of them, however, have the disadvantage that the entraining device running from the lower part of the lateral wall, which ensures appropriate simultaneous opening and closing of the upper part of the lateral wall, uses either cables (See, for example, German Patent Publication Nos. 23 58 186 and 24 14 642 and German Published patent application Nos. 24 00 242, 26 01 128, 70 10 141, 29 09 375, 28 13 593, 29 05 561 and 29 19 608), which are sensitive, subject to breakdowns, and need maintenance, or hinged couplings and additional sliding guides (See, for example, French Pat. No. 1,532,600 and German Published patent application No. 30 17 729), which are complex and costly, and some of which take up a considerable amount of space. Furthermore, most of the known designs involve a considerable risk of injury since, when the lower part is being folded up, the operator's hand may be trapped between the upper and lower parts as they come together.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the purpose of the invention to improve body structure in such a manner that, with structurally simple means, and, in spite of this, without appreciable maintenance, the opening and closing of the lower part of the lateral wall remains reliably associated with the opening and closing movements of the upper part of the lateral wall, the arrangement being such that there is practically no longer any danger of injury to the operator.
The proposed entraining device constitutes a structurally simple but still highly reliable drive-connection, requiring only minor occasional lubrication at its joints, such as has also hitherto been necessary at the bearing and hinge-locations of all known entraining devices. In this connection, it is of particular advantage that the lower part of the lateral wall, which is swung out of its closed position to be folded down, because of the initial only minimal lifting movement of the lower hinge-location of the rack on the downwardly projecting lever-arm on the lower part, initially leads the upward swing of the upper part by about 10.degree. to 15.degree. and, when the lateral wall is closed, it lags behind the descending lower part accordingly. Since the adjacent edges of the upper and lower parts lie flush with each other in the closed position, this practically eliminates any danger of the operator's hand becoming trapped.
The lead of the upper part when the lateral wall is opened, and the lag when the said lateral wall is closed, also make it possible, to provide a sealed closure between the two parts of the lateral wall in their closed position. In this connection, the lag, according to the invention, of the lower part, when the lateral wall is closed, ensures that the upper edge-member of the lower part always comes into correct engagement with the upper part--above the lower edge-member thereof.
Austrian Pat. No. 233 629 discloses a two-part folding lateral wall, not of the type according to the present invention, for a railroad freight-car, wherein the two parts are coupled together by means of a vertical shaft and a pair of bevel gears on each side. Apart from the fact that, with this design, it is impossible to slide the upper part under to roof of the car, the said design also lacks the advantage of the lower part of the lateral wall lagging behind the upper part during closing--and vice-versa.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention is illustrated by way of example in the drawing attached hereto, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a first example of embodiment of a body-structure comprising an entraining device, in partial vertical cross-section along the line I--I in FIG. 3 (with the lateral wall clos
REFERENCES:
patent: 1857936 (1932-05-01), Brugmann
patent: 4341413 (1982-07-01), Woods
patent: 4346929 (1982-08-01), Peters
Dinkel Kurt
Endpess Rudolf
Dinkel Kurt
Song Robert R.
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