Land vehicles – Wheeled – Articulated vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-29
2001-08-28
Dickson, Paul N. (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Articulated vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
active
06279938
ABSTRACT:
The invention concerns a vehicle frame, especially for utility vehicles, with two parallel lengthwise girders extending in the lengthwise direction of the vehicle and with means of fastening a saddle coupling onto the lengthwise girders.
In DE-OS 43 22 716 a vehicle frame is described, on which upwardly projecting bearing pedestals are formed, having a round bearing tube for bearing bolts to pass through. Separate bearing pedestals, which can be fastened to the vehicle frame, are known, for example, from DE-PS 26 01 509 or DE-OS 25 37 929.
The saddle coupling, which has corresponding openings to hold bearing bolts in the coupling plate, is first positioned relative to the bearing pedestals and then secured by means of the bearing bolts in the bearing pedestals. This assembly is time-consuming, because in particular the saddle coupling has to first be oriented exactly relative to the bearing pedestals.
Another problem is the manufacturing tolerances of the vehicle frame. The frame pieces on which the bearing pedestals are arranged can have different spacings, which causes problems during assembly and with respect to the stability of the saddle coupling.
Furthermore, the known bearing bushings have the disadvantage that the saddle coupling is positioned above the vehicle frame. In order to achieve the largest possible cargo volume for the trailers, an ever lower design height is desirable, so the saddle coupling must also be positioned as low as possible in the frame. The known bearing pedestals go counter to this trend. Upwardly projecting bearing pedestals must be extremely solid because they are sometimes loaded simultaneously in all three directions in space. Bearing pedestals of such a rigid design also increase the vehicle's weight.
There is a known bearing fixation and shift prevention for saddle plates from DD 237 497 A 1. On the assembly plate for the saddle coupling there are projections in the form of knobs which engage with corresponding indentations in the bearing surface of the undercarriage. These are closed depressions, in order to prevent shifting in all directions. Manufacturing tolerances can only be equalized to some extent, while different spacings between the lengthwise girders cannot be compensated. The installation height of the saddle coupling is not affected by these measures.
In order to lower the saddle coupling, DE-PS 35 23 742 proposes shifting the linkage point of the saddle coupling at the rear behind the rear rigid beam axle of the tractor and having the vehicle frame downwardly cranked at the rear. However, a plate which is mounted on the frame is used for the fastening so that the swivel axis lies above the cranked frame and, thus, the advantages of the lowering of the saddle coupling are not fully exploited. Because of the rearward shifted arrangement of the saddle coupling, this solution also comes at the cost of the vehicle's length.
A vehicle frame is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,844 that allows a lowering of the saddle coupling in any desired location of the vehicle frame. A traditional U-shaped frame is first reduced in height. In order to compensate for the consequent weakening of the frame, however, several stiffening plates and supporting profiles are needed, so that sufficient stability may be provided for the reduced cross section.
The purpose of the invention is to create a vehicle frame which, with improved stability, enables the saddle coupling to be lowered.
This purpose is achieved with a vehicle frame in which the fastening means comprise recesses situated in the upper side of the lengthwise girders, extending across the entire width of the frame, and at least one holding element which is removably fastened to each lengthwise girder.
Advantageous configurations shall be described in the subsidiary claims.
The invention starts with traditional lengthwise girders which are used in vehicles, especially utility vehicles, and which accordingly possess great stability for absorbing the forces transmitted by the saddle coupling. Such lengthwise girders, at the place where the saddle coupling is to be mounted, are modified only in a short segment at the upper side by a recess extending across the width of the frame, so that the stability of the lengthwise girder is not affected. These recesses are open at the sides of the particular lengthwise girder, so that the fastening means provided on the saddle coupling, such as pivot pins, can be adjusted in the transverse direction of the lengthwise girder to equalize manufacturing tolerances with respect to the spacing of the lengthwise girders. If the spacing of the lengthwise girders is too narrow, the fastening means can stick out to the side beyond the recess. The configuration of the frame according to the invention allows direct mounting of the saddle coupling without an additional mounting plate.
The recesses can be made in the lengthwise girders by a shaping process or during a casting process, in particular, a die-casting process.
The shape of the recesses is adapted to the fastening means arranged on the saddle coupling, preferably selecting a round contour in cross section, in particular, a circular or elliptical one. A contour with corners is also possible.
For example, when a saddle coupling has outwardly projecting pins as the fastening means, the shape of the recess is adapted to the form of such fastening pins or bearings to accommodate the pins.
Any desired lowering of the saddle coupling can be achieved in terms of the depth of the recess, which is only limited by the configuration of the frame and its stability. Thus, the saddle coupling can be shifted so far down that, in the extreme case, it projects only slightly above the upper side of the lengthwise girders so that the lengthwise girders do not interfere with the movement of the trailer. Thus, optimal utilization of space can be achieved, wherein the depth of the recesses has to be adapted to the particular structural shape and, in particular, to the fastening means arranged on the saddle couplings.
When mounting the saddle coupling, it is lowered from above onto the frame, so that the fastening means, such as the pins, can engage with the recesses. Next, using at least one holding element, the fastening means and thus the entire saddle coupling are fixed to the vehicle frame.
The recesses facilitate the mounting of the saddle coupling in that the saddle coupling adjusts itself as it is lowered. Manufacturing tolerances of the vehicle frame, such as might be manifested by different girder spacings, do not affect the assembly, since deviations in the horizontal direction can be equalized by the fastening means arranged on the saddle coupling in conjunction with the open recesses. Therefore, the frame according to the invention enables assembly time to be shortened significantly.
A further advantage of the frame is that the forces coming from the saddle coupling are channeled directly into the lengthwise girders, so that the stability of the frame can be fully utilized.
The attachment component can preferably be a bracket, a half-bracket, or a bearing cap. A bearing cap of this kind is a cup-like structural element whose inner contour is adapted to the shape of the attachment component positioned on the saddle coupling and which is placed on the component before mounting the saddle coupling. The outer contour of the bearing cap is adapted to the shape of the recesses.
After lowering the saddle coupling, it is only necessary to secure the previously mounted bearing cap on the respective lengthwise girder.
Preferably, a bushing with a spherical surface is inserted in the bearing cap.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2100463 (1937-11-01), Wohlfarth
patent: 2618488 (1952-11-01), Ketel
patent: 2778657 (1957-01-01), Chaplin
patent: 4418934 (1983-12-01), Mickey
patent: 4697844 (1987-10-01), Giles
patent: 5163700 (1992-11-01), Loeber
patent: 5509682 (1996-04-01), Lindenmann et al.
patent: 5765849 (1998-06-01), Moulton et al.
patent: 25 37 929 (1977-03-01), None
patent: 26 01 509 (1978-05-01), None
patent: 35 23 742 (1986-05-01
Algüera Gallego José Manuel
Barz Wolf-Rüdiger
Emmann Siegfried
Koetter Stefan
Seidl Wolfgang
Dickson Paul N.
Hudak & Shunk Co. L.P.A.
Jost Werke AG
Lerner Avraham H.
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