Fire escape – ladder – or scaffold – Plural platforms – common support – Mounted for relative motion
Reexamination Certificate
1997-07-07
2001-05-01
Chin-Shue, Alvin (Department: 3634)
Fire escape, ladder, or scaffold
Plural platforms, common support
Mounted for relative motion
C137S234600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06223855
ABSTRACT:
The current invention pertains to a device for dismantling and especially draining vehicles, with the characteristics described in Patent Claim
1
.
In the Federal Republic of Germany alone, approximately 2.6 to 2.8 passenger cars are scrapped annually. In the next 10 years, this amount is expected to increase to 3.2 to 3.5 million vehicles per year. Currently, the vehicles are taken over by scrap recyclers who remove usable parts and transfer them to the used parts market. The dismantled vehicles are fed into raw material merchants' shredders after drainage of operating fluids. The above mentioned invention provides a device to be used to drain operating fluids as well as to remove usable parts.
Patent DE-U-92 07 315.8 proposes a scaffold-like disposal ramp to drain old vehicles consisting of a square superframe supported at its four corners on columns at head height. The work ramp at the rear longitudinal side of the superframe has a rear work ramp with a rigid railing.
The disposal stage of this design has the disadvantage that the railing is in the way and could be easily damaged or even destroyed when the scrap vehicle is conveyed onto it by a forklift or a crane. This flaw has a severe adverse effect on the time required to set up and position the old vehicles and the turnover and profits of the plant as well as on workplace safety.
Patent DE-A41 10 419 describes a square mobile disposal container with two lateral working platforms attached on the outside to the longitudinal container sides slightly above the ground.
To avoid exceeding the allowable width for street transports, the two lateral working platforms can be swiveled downward and the detachable railing can be removed. On the lateral work ramp, another detachable railing is installed.
A disposal ramp of this type has the disadvantage that the placement of the attachable railing parts in the corresponding slots as well as the attachment of the railing itself is time consuming, work intensive and contains the possibility of risk of injury. In addition, the loose railing parts may be easily lost, or attaching the railing may be omitted through negligence or laziness. This is of particular concern as regards safety.
Another state of the art device for dismantling vehicles is available which consists of a rectangular frame for positioning vehicles. To catch the dripping fluids, a wide beam-like receptacle tub which runs across the stand is moved under the fluid drain opening by shifting the frame in a longitudinal direction.
The disadvantage of this device is that the movable beam-like receptacle tub is much larger than necessary and presents a significant obstruction in the head area beneath the working platform.
Instead of a movable beam-like receptacle tub, movable metal containers with rigid, funnel-shaped catching devices are also available and can be placed under the fluid drain opening. Such drain pans have the disadvantage that they put great stress on the surface capacities of the driving floor. When lightly loaded and placed on an uneven floor, they require great effort to move and are in constant danger of tipping over. They also limit one's range of motion in the foot area under the work platform.
Another state of the art device for dismantling vehicles is one that uses four individual lifting units instead of a positioning frame supported by legs. The real disadvantage of this device is that the four lifting units must be repositioned and anchored anew to accommodate the length of each new vehicle to be dismantled. This results in a substantial time expenditure. Moving the lifting units presents coordination problems between draining und removal technology. Sophisticated electronic controls are required for the synchronous up and down motions of the lifting units. Their failure would certainly lead to fatal consequences for the vehicle and possibly the user. Sudden leaks in the hydraulics system would represent a significant safety risk in this regard.
All existing devices for draining vehicles on an elevated frame for holding the vehicle have the additional disadvantage that the upper body and the motor may not be dismantled while work is in progress on the underside.
This latter disadvantage is not common with traditional pit-type indentations or lubrication holes. However, underground work pits have the disadvantage that they are very narrow due to the small wheel base of most vehicles. There is no room for multiple drain receptacles or suction devices and they deprive the operator of freedom of movement. In addition, regulations require that the pit be completely oil tight and as a result they are very expensive to construct. When draining vehicle fuel, fuel vapors, which are heavier than air, can be released and accumulate in the pit. These fuel vapors pose a significant health risk and can form an explosive gas mixture. For this reason, electric tools such as pumps or tools that generate sparks during operation cannot be used in work pits.
The objective of this invention is to design a device for dismantling vehicles and in particular draining them which permits an especially fast and flawless placing and lifting of the junk car on and off the work surface, respectively, with a forklift and allows a high junk vehicle throughput; eliminates the risk of damaging the railing on the front of the work platform when placing and lifting a junk vehicle by means of a forklift ensuring occupational safety; does not endanger the operators by reducing work place safety; provides optimum head room and freedom below the vehicle as well as easy access; permits work simultaneously at the bottom and the top of the vehicle; avoids accumulation of explosive gas mixtures; assures functionality even with an inferior floor surface; is equipped with fluid catchers which can be placed effortlessly beneath the fluid drain openings of the vehicle; requires no change of the support elements when the vehicle type is changed; requires no adjustment of the removal technology for various vehicle types; requires no sophisticated electronic controls, operates at the highest safety level neither endangering the operator's health nor posing a risk of accident; and is cost effective to produce.
These objectives have been met with the prototype device possessing the characteristics shown in Patent claim
1
. Particularly desirable characteristics are the subject of subclaims.
A complex representation is provided in grater detail with the aid of the figures.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4492501 (1985-01-01), Haney
patent: 4572328 (1986-02-01), Benko
patent: 4919230 (1990-04-01), Langer
patent: 9207315 (1992-10-01), None
Chin-Shue Alvin
Hogan & Hartson LLP
Itochu Corporation
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