Rear axle for industrial vehicles

Details Rear axle for industrial vehicles Rear axle for industrial vehicles

1999-07-01

2001-07-10

Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)

Land vehicles: wheels and axles

Axle

Reexamination Certificate

active

06257679

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a rear axle for forklifts, and more particularly, to a rear axle to which bosses for supporting kingpins are welded.
Generally, in forklifts, a rear axle for supporting rear wheels is pivotally attached to a vehicle frame for the stability of the vehicle while running. As shown in
FIG. 8
, a rear axle
31
includes a rear axle body
34
and pairs of bosses
35
a,
35
b.
The rear axle body
34
includes a first vertically extending plate
32
and second plates
33
a,
33
b,
which are parallel to one another and are located on the upper and lower edges of the first plate
32
, respectfully. The pairs of bosses
35
a,
35
b
support kingpins
39
a,
39
b
and are welded to the ends of the rear axle body
34
. A center pin
36
is received in the center of the rear axle body
34
. The rear axle
31
is pivotally supported through the center pin to the rear of the vehicle frame (not shown).
As shown in
FIGS. 8 and 9
, the bosses
35
a,
35
b
are generally columnar and have proximal surfaces. The bosses
35
a,
35
b
are fixed to the rear axle body
34
by engaging the proximal surfaces with the ends of the first and second plates
32
,
33
a,
33
b
and by welding the contact lines between the bosses
35
a,
35
b
and the plates
32
,
33
a,
33
b.
If the rear axle can constantly pivot, the stability of vehicle may degrade when the vehicle turns carrying a heavy load or when running on bumpy surfaces carrying a load at a high position.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 58-167217, 9-309308, and 9-309309 describe a technology for locking a rear axle by a lock mechanism when a centrifugal force applied to the vehicle exceeds a predetermined value or when the position of the load exceeds a predetermined limit.
The rear axle is locked by locking a damper that is arranged between the vehicle frame and the rear axle. That is, closing a passage for supplying and draining hydraulic oil to the damper locks the damper. Also, opening the passage unlocks the damper, thus permitting the rear axle to pivot.
Reaction forces from a set of rear wheels are mostly applied to the upper bosses
35
a.
The reaction forces from the rear wheels increase when the rear axle
31
is locked. However, in the prior art rear axle
31
, the bosses
35
a,
35
b
have the same shape and the length of the weld beads
37
are also the same. As shown in
FIG. 9
(only the boss
35
a
is shown), each boss
35
a,
35
b
and the plates
32
,
33
a,
33
b
make contact over a vertical planar area, and corners formed by the contact are welded. Accordingly, only the weld beads receive the strong forces applied to the upper bosses
35
a.
However, the weld beads in the prior art may not provide sufficient strength.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An objective of the present invention is to reduce the force applied to weld beads between the bosses of and the rear axle body of industrial vehicles.
To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a rear axle beam for pivotally supporting a body frame of an industrial vehicle, which includes a boss-engaging areas formed on each end of the axle beam, and a pair of bosses. Each boss includes an axle-engaging area and is fixed to a respective end of the axle beam such that each axle-engaging area engages with a corresponding one of the boss-engaging areas. Either the axle-engaging areas or the boss-engaging areas include recess means, and the others include protrusion means. The protrusion means are engaged with the recess means, respectively. The boss is welded to the axle beam.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.


REFERENCES:
patent: 1899347 (1933-02-01), Mogford et al.
patent: 2911262 (1959-11-01), Franck
patent: 4867641 (1989-09-01), Okuno et al.
patent: 5664847 (1997-09-01), Bear et al.
patent: 5810377 (1998-09-01), Keeler et al.
patent: 665 172 (1938-09-01), None
patent: 2812011 (1978-12-01), None
patent: 0 161 815 A1 (1985-11-01), None
patent: 0 383 040 (1990-08-01), None
patent: 356830 (1905-01-01), None
patent: 499402 (1920-01-01), None
patent: 2 061 841 (1981-05-01), None
patent: 2 134 430 (1984-08-01), None
patent: 2 261 411 (1993-05-01), None
patent: 58-167217 (1983-10-01), None
patent: 6-48150 (1994-02-01), None
patent: 7-41296 (1995-02-01), None
patent: 9-309308 (1997-12-01), None
patent: 9-309309 (1997-12-01), None
patent: 76102255 (1989-02-01), None

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