Land vehicles – Wheeled – Running gear
Patent
1996-05-30
1998-03-10
English, Peter C.
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Running gear
280800, 298972, 2989735, B62D 2100
Patent
active
057252475
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an end section for a frame member.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
With certain types of load-carrying vehicles it is advantageous to shape sections of the frame member with a gradually diminishing height. Such load-carrying vehicles can be semi-trailers, for example, in which the coupling plate of the trailer unit can slide onto the coupling plate of the tractor unit while the front end of the trailer unit is lifted. In this regard, for example, a tapered end section has been formed by welding the upper supporting section of the frame member, i.e., its flange, to a web section of diminishing height in order to obtain the desired inclined surface. Such a specially designed end section is thereafter welded to the end of the frame member of the load-carrying vehicle. Another known solution to this problem is to use separate sliding plates which are attached to the rear end of the frame members by means of screwed or riveted joints. A further solution is to obtain the inclined surfaces by compression pressing of the ends of the frame members. All such previously known solutions present the disadvantage that they are relatively costly and complicated to manufacture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, these and other objects have now been realized by the invention of a frame member including an end for a load-bearing vehicle comprising an upper support section, a lower support section, a connecting section joining said upper and lower support sections, the frame member including an end portion having a height representing the distance between the upper and lower support sections which decreases in the direction towards the end, the end portion including an upper end portion and a lower end portion separated by a dividing line, the upper and lower end portions meeting at a central end portion, and attachment means for maintaining the relative positions of the upper and lower end portions, the attachment means including first affixing means for affixing the attachment means to the upper end portion and second affixing means for affixing the attachment means to the lower end portion.
In accordance with one embodiment of the frame member of the present invention, the dividing line extends from a first point to the end of the frame member, the first point being proximate to the upper support section and at least the portion of the dividing line proximate to the first point extending towards the central end portion.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the frame member of the present invention, the frame member includes a crossbar extending transversely of the frame member, the attachment means attached to the crossbar.
In accordance with another embodiment of the frame member of the present invention, the first point comprises a hole through the connecting section.
In accordance with another embodiment of the frame member of the present invention, the attachment means comprises a first attachment member on a first side of the end section, and the frame member includes a second attachment member on a second side of the end section.
In accordance with the method of the present invention, a method is provided for producing a frame member including an end for a load-bearing vehicle, the method including providing a frame member including an upper support section, a lower support section and a connecting section joining said upper and lower sections, cutting out a wedge-shaped section of the connecting section so as to create an upper end portion and a lower end portion, bending the upper support section towards the lower support section at the end of the frame member so as to provide an end portion of the frame member having a height representing the distance between the upper and lower support sections which decreases in a direction towards the end, and attaching the upper end portion to the lower end portion so as to maintain the relative positions of the upper and lower end portions.
It is therefore an object of this in
REFERENCES:
patent: 824550 (1906-06-01), Lazerges
patent: 1349589 (1920-08-01), Sweet
patent: 2165074 (1939-07-01), Sherman
patent: 2277615 (1942-03-01), Townsend
patent: 3612569 (1971-10-01), Marinelli
Levin Goran
Nilsson Nils
AB Volvo
English Peter C.
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