Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60P—VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS
  • B60P3/00—Vehicles adapted to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects
  • B60P3/12—Vehicles adapted to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects for salvaging damaged vehicles
  • B60P3/122—Vehicles adapted to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects for salvaging damaged vehicles by supporting the whole vehicle
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60P—VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS
  • B60P3/00—Vehicles adapted to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects
  • B60P3/12—Vehicles adapted to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects for salvaging damaged vehicles
  • B60P3/125—Vehicles adapted to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects for salvaging damaged vehicles by supporting only part of the vehicle, e.g. front- or rear-axle

Definitions

• the invention relates to an apparatus for charging a motor vehicle immobilized or accident on a motorized track, the mobilization mechanisms of the vehicle being arranged on this track, so that once the vehicle loaded, the track can move for evacuate the vehicle directly, either the trailer with loaded vehicle can climb unassisted on a truck flat tilt, or the crawler can tow a vehicle.
• a vehicle immobilized for example to be driven impound requires to be lifted without damage, a light 4/4 tow truck equipped with a hydraulic arm, as described in patent WO 2005/051832.
• This tow truck can lift two wheels of the vehicle, usually the front wheels, then, if the parking brake is actuated, or a gear engaged, it is appropriate to equip the other two wheels of trolley with wheels, as described for example in patent FR 2769909.
• the tow truck can thus ride with the vehicle immobilized at low speed and on short trips. This type of intervention takes a significant time, during which the surrounding traffic will be hampered or blocked.
• the patent WO 2005/051832 also describes a telescopic arm installed in the folded position at the rear of a recovery vehicle, deploying firstly from the vertical to the horizontal, and having articulated arms deploying to their position. turn by swiveling horizontally under the wheels of the vehicle.
• This mechanism implements many parts and hydraulic cylinders, but does not solve the very common situations of vehicles to be moved with the wheels locked, or not rolling because accident.
• GM 8005602 discloses a towing device for receiving two cars.
• the second carriage is formed by a stem connected to a cable to lift a second car from the front by pulling on the rear wheels. It is not therefore a linked wagon with a tool that grips the wheels as in the present invention.
• the stem has a disadvantage for the loading of the first car on the plateau. The stem must be moved to the rear of the deck, and driven to the ground in a flattened position to allow the first car to roll over. The stem is only used to tow the second car. None is described by which means the movements are made, and how the vehicle is towed on the carriage.
• US 5730577 relates to a device for loading and unloading motorcycles.
• Such devices do not allow to quickly load a vehicle on a motorized autonomous track, and to evacuate directly the vehicle lifted or loaded, to mount it on a platform truck with ramps.
• the object of the invention is to provide a versatile towing apparatus, for quickly loading a vehicle on a motorized self-propelled track, and to evacuate the vehicle directly raised or loaded, to mount it on a flatbed truck with ramps .
• the towing apparatus comprises a self-propelled track with hydraulic traction, and a tilting support mounted to tilt upwardly about a horizontal axis being driven by at least one jack, said support being shaped according to a beam allowing the rolling two carriages on the inside and outside of said beam, said carriages comprising:
• a first lower carriage intended to roll along the support to the ground, and to receive the two front or rear wheels of the vehicle
• a second outer carriage able to roll both along the support and the first carriage to the ground, said second carriage being in connection with a specific tool for immobilizing or receiving the wheels of the vehicle,
• said tool being formed by a forked hydraulic mechanism equipped with a first frame and a second frame adjustable in orthogonal directions.
• the first lower carriage comprises wheels able to allow its deployment in translation along the support by actuating a longitudinal stroke cylinder until the engagement of the posterior wedge-shaped end against the ground.
• the second carriage is superimposed on the first carriage on the descent and the ascent, and is in connection with a specific tool for immobilizing or receiving the two front or rear wheels of the vehicle.
• the first frame of the hydraulic fork mechanism is connected to the second carriage by a pivot connection.
• the first frame comprises two sliding tubes in the longitudinal direction to constitute external support means to the two tires, and being shaped wedge to better fit under said tires.
• the second frame comprises two tubes intended to slide in the transverse direction by means of two jacks so as to trap or release the inside of said tires.
• the second trolley is advantageously equipped with an automatic safety braking device able to block said trolley towing the vehicle when the winch is stopped, and to release it when the cable of the winch is stressed in traction.
• One advantage is a reduction of the time on the repair operation, in particular the loading phase of the immobilized vehicle, in order to reduce the possible annoyance of the traffic.
• the first carriage in the upper position is free, and load the front wheels of the vehicle, the second carriage is actuated by a hydraulic cylinder, and is positioned under the rear wheels, and a winch then tows the free carriage with the vehicle on the main frame .
• loading takes only a few minutes with a single operator.
• the control of the hydraulic power unit allows a first sequence during which the entire mechanism will be first inclined and deployed, then it is necessary to trap and simultaneously lift slightly the front wheels of the vehicle, then according to whether the rear wheels are free or blocked , advance the track to the vehicle and simultaneously operate the winch, and the second upper carriage will move upward on the tilting support forward. Then, once the front of the vehicle winnably abut, the first hydraulic lower carriage will come to rest against the rear wheels, and the vehicle will be tilted horizontally. This combination of movements makes it unnecessary to install wheeled carriages under the rear wheels since the vehicle will be loaded without being moved. Another advantage is that the towing device is fixed permanently on a very low track, so that a loaded vehicle is generally accessible at the lowest height of the underground car parks.
• the motorization of caterpillars has the advantage of turning on site, which is very useful in car parks, and to reduce vehicle storage corridors in pounds, for example.
• Another advantage is to allow the towing apparatus to have direct access to the loading and unloading of damaged vehicles on a truck carrier, which the known devices do not allow.
• the loading requires a forklift for example, and loading / unloading can be very tedious.
• the chassis must be able to tilt upward to facilitate the loading of the vehicle on the inclined sideboards of the trucks car carrier. It can thus be imagined that, in the case of a pileup, for example, the track can be rapidly cleared with the only recovery vehicle object of the invention, and a truck carrier, instead of mobilizing several tow trucks.
• the autonomy of movement of the track, its extreme traction, its ability to rotate on the spot, and the presence of the towing mechanism associated with it, allows a new organization of troubleshooting, for example the loading of a flatbed truck for 4 to 6 cars, the truck remaining parked near the towing site, and the tank making short shuttle to load the tray.
• This formula would take all its interest to evacuate car parks, vehicles to be impounded, to release as quickly as possible an accident involving several vehicles, etc.
• the tool moored to the second carriage is constituted by a pair of wedge-shaped side plates, serving as support means to the front or rear of a damaged vehicle.
• the vehicle will then be transferred, its front on this plate, and its rear on the plate intended to receive the rear wheels, this transfer being able to be realized by the winch available at the head of the snowcat, which exempts to resort to vehicles of auxiliary lifting.
• the vehicle can then be towed to clear the scene, then strapped to secure transport.
• the second carriage can be motorized, and comprises for this purpose a hydraulic motor fixed at the head of the tilting support, a sprocket with a return chain fixed on an offset support secured to the support, and two chain sprockets integral with the first lower carriage.
• the trailer can be loaded in a standard van of less than 3.5T, loading length less than 3.5M and width of passage between wheels less than 2m.
• the compact size of the mechanism in the folded position is 2.5M in length, and 3.4M with the track, 1.9M in width, and 45cm for the loading height of the vehicle, and less than 1M empty with the caterpillar.
• the corner end of the stops of the front and rear wheels are configured so that they bear against the wheels, and once the vehicle is raised, the support of the wheels being sufficient on these corners so that the vehicle is in position stable, which offers the advantage of immediately clearing the premises. When in a more comfortable situation, it will be possible to strap two wheels for safety.
• Another advantage is to use the projecting end of the rear carriage as a means of handling, associated with the mobility of the carriages, to clear a vehicle accident by lifting and moving in all directions. It is still possible to use advantageously the supports of the two carriages, for laying and removing a container on wheels, since the spacing between these supports is adjustable. The recovery mechanism then economically replaces a forklift, or a flatbed truck equipped with a hydraulic stem.
• the mechanism object of the present invention therefore proposes to solve with this device all the troubleshooting and towing operations and incidentally container handling requiring up to this day several vehicles equipped with their devices.
• FIG. 1 is a schematic elevational view of a towing apparatus according to the invention, fixed on the track, in the rest position, without a vehicle.
• FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the same device, the apparatus being deployed.
• FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of the apparatus in the folded position.
• FIG. 4 is a plan view of the only upper carriage carrier door.
• FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the braking device.
• FIG. 6 is a side view of the braking device.
• FIG. 7 is an elevational view of the deployed device after loading the front wheels of the vehicle.
• FIG. 8 is an elevational view of the apparatus after positioning the rear wheels of the vehicle.
• FIG. 9 is an elevational view of the apparatus with the vehicle loaded.
• FIG. 10 is an elevational view with the vehicle loaded, and raised on the back.
• FIG. 11 is an elevational view with a vehicle simply towed.
• FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the only lower carriage.
• FIG. 13 is a plan view of the only upper carriage with the simplified device.
• FIG. 14 is an elevational view of the mechanism equipped with a motorization of the upper carriage.
• the towing device consists of a mechanism installed on a track 1, which is powered by a hydraulic unit 3 controlled by a heat engine, and controlled by a wired control unit or preferably radio controlled , not shown.
• This track 1 being a known handling tool proposed by various specialized manufacturers, will not be directly concerned by the invention, but the mechanism object of the invention advantageously takes advantage of its capabilities.
• the track 1 has two tracks 1a, 1b, each powered by a hydraulic motor 4a, 4b, and a metal frame 2 on which is fixed the entire towing mechanism object of the invention.
• the towing apparatus consists of a tiltable support 5 shaped according to a rolling beam on the outside and inside of its sections 5a, 5b, connected by cross members 6a, 6b.
• the inclination of the support 5 in the direction of the arrow H ( Figure 2) is obtained by means of two hydraulic cylinders 30a, 30b themselves attached to the frame 2 of the track 1.
• a first carriage 7 can move in translation along the tilting support 5 by means of rollers 8a, 8b, 8c, and the actuation of a long-stroke hydraulic cylinder 9, which is fixed on one side to the transom 6a, and the other at the front end of the first carriage 7.
• the end of the carriage 7 is wedge shaped to slide closer to the vehicle tire.
• the stroke of the first carriage 7 is included as an example between 1.5 m and 2 m. After a tilting movement of the support 5, and the total deployment of the first carriage 7, it comes dock the ground, resting on its front wheel 23.
• a second carriage 8 can move outside the tilting support 5, with its rollers 9a, 9b, but also inside the first carriage 7 with its inner rollers 10a, 10b.
• This carriage 8 is free, but can be pulled by a winch 11 and its cable 12 to go back after loading from the recoil position (Figure 2) to its forward position ( Figure 1).
• the winch 1 is preferably fixed to the front of the tilting support 5, and above the hydraulic cylinders 30a, 30b.
• the second carriage 8 is coupled to an MF fork mechanism for trapping the front or rear wheel of the vehicle, depending on whether the vehicle is towed to the place or upside down.
• This MF fork mechanism consists of a first tubular frame 13 connected to the second carriage 8 by a pivot 16, and rolling on the ground thanks to the rollers 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b.
• the first tubular frame 13 is connected by longitudinal sliding in the direction of arrow A to a second tubular frame 17a, 17b, associated with a diagonal tube 17c.
• the first frame 13 is equipped with two tubes 19a, 19b diagonal sliding horizontally, which will serve as external support means to the two tires, and shaped wedge 34a, 34b at their ends to slide closer to the tire.
• the second frame 17 is also equipped with two tubes 20a, 20b diagonally sliding horizontally in the direction of the arrow B, and can retract completely inside the tube 17c, and out through the action of two hydraulic cylinders 21 and 22 working simultaneously and in opposition.
• the tubes 20a, 20b will trap the inner side of the tire, then a hydraulic cylinder 18 will bring the two frames 13 and 17 in contact with the two inner and outer faces of the tire, until the vehicle is slightly off the ground, if necessary, for example if the wheel is punctured.
• the MF fork mechanism of Figure 3 is replaced by two trays 36a, 36b lateral shaped wedges dimensioned for the wheel to bear after crossing the slope of the corner.
• the wheels can then abut abut against two removable blocks 37a, 37b.
• the second carriage 8 further comprises a braking device DF consisting of a control shaft 24, guided by means of four bearings 25a, 25b, 25c, 25d, and integral in rotation with two bearings. friction 26a, 26b.
• the second carriage 8 may optionally be motorized.
• the device comprises in this case a hydraulic motor 38 fixed at the head of the tilting frame 5, a sprocket with a return chain 42 fixed on an offset support 43 secured to the chassis 5, and two chain sprockets 40, 41 fixed to the first lower carriage 7.
• the drive chain 39 is connected to the second upper carriage 8 by a fastener 44, and is always in a tense state during the movement of the first carriage 7, which can move independently of the chain 39.
• the second upper carriage 8 can be driven in turn thanks to the hydraulic motor 38 in the direction of the arrows H, J, the other guidance systems described above remaining identical and not shown in Figure 14.
• Such a device makes unnecessary the braking device DF of the second carriage 8 previously described in Figures 5 and 6, since the hydraulic motor 38 is naturally blocked when stopped.
• This mechanism also has the advantage of simplifying the operation of the second carriage 8, since the winch mechanism 11 of FIGS. 1-3 implies that its piloting must be combined with the operation of the first carriage 7, this in order to always maintain the cable 12 in tension.
• the towing apparatus is deployed completely, and the entire mechanism is inclined by the action of the lifting jacks 30a, 30b of the support 5.
• the jack 9 with a large stroke is actuated, and pushes the first internal carriage 7 until the landing of the wheel 23.
• the braking device DF of the winch 1 can be unlocked, which has the effect of releasing the second carriage 8 upper and outer, which can roll freely by gravity in both the support 5 and the first carriage 7. After having crossed the end of the support 5, it can roll again in the first carriage 7 until the landing on the ground wheels 14, 5, 31 of the front frame.
• the second carriage 8 can not leave the first carriage 7 because its rollers 10a, b abut in the corner profile of the front of the carriage 7.
• the wheel frame advances against the outside of the tire to the wedges 19a, 19b.
• the wedge 34a, 34b formed on the front of the wedges 19a, 19b slides to the contact of the tire.
• the cylinder 18 holds apart the two frames 13 and 17, and the wheel chocks 20a, 20b are retracted to release the passage. Then the cylinders 21 and 22 out the wheel chocks 20a, 20b, and the cylinder 18 compresses the wedges against the tires until slightly lift the vehicle if necessary.
• the cable 12 of the winch 11 will be unrolled and hooked to the second carriage 8, and the winch 11 is then engaged.
• the second step takes place in two cases: 1st case: the vehicle is immobilized, doors closed with the wheels locked by the transmission and / or the handbrake. The vehicle can not move, and could be damaged if towed under these conditions. In this case, it is the track 1 which advances in the direction of the arrow C, while the first carriage 7 is kept locked in the deployed position by means of its translation cylinder 9, and rolls on the ground on its wheel 23. slipping under the second carriage 8.
• the latter simultaneously rides on the first carriage 7 with its wheels 10a, 10b, which form a pivot and thus allow the MF forklift wheel mechanism which is secured to the second carriage 8 to roll on top of the first carriage 7 by means of the rollers 14a, 14b, then 15a, 15b and 31a, 31b.
• the carriage 7 which protrudes under the vehicle, pushed by the tracks 1a, 1b.
• the vehicle can not move back, thanks to the braking device DF which blocks it when stopped, and only the traction of the cable 12 releases this brake.
• the second carriage 8 is retracted forward, so that it does not yet support the rear wheels.
• the first carriage 7 can then advance until its front nose is in contact with the inside of the rear tires.
• the cylinder 30a, 30b of inclination will be activated to straighten the vehicle substantially horizontally, and may be towed by the track 1, or loaded with the truck on a flatbed truck (no represent).
• the recovery of the vehicle will have the effect of promoting the wedging of the wheels against the corners 34a, 34b and the end of the first carriage 7, since the weight of the vehicle tilts against them.
• the wheels can be strapped to the frame of the second carriage 8, thanks to ratchet straps and strap stops (not shown).
• ratchet straps and strap stops (not shown).
• Figure 10 in the case where the vehicle will be loaded on a truck carrier, access to inclined ramps specific to this type of truck will be facilitated by tilting the vehicle above the horizontal, along the arrow D, thanks to the jacks 30a, 30b, which in the closed position urge the front of the support 5 in the direction of the arrow E.
• the support 5 then bears against the rolling stop 31a, 31b and thanks to the configuration of the rear links 32 , they rise from the stop 33a, 33b and cause the lifting of the support 5.
• the vehicle can be towed, the support 5 remaining raised, or lowered in the direction of the arrow H.
• the first carriage 7 In the case of a non-rolling accident vehicle, it may be moved by virtue of the configuration of the end of the first carriage 7 according to FIG. 12, since the wedge wedges 35a, 35b resting against the wheels may also be displaced. to be introduced under the chassis of the vehicle, then the first carriage 7 can be slightly raised with the jacks 30a, 30b, and the partially raised vehicle can be maneuvered by the track 1 thanks to the extreme traction and mobility of the tracks 1a, b.
• the towing apparatus according to the invention also makes it possible to load a vehicle laterally, in particular when access from the front or the rear of the vehicle is impossible.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Vehicle Cleaning, Maintenance, Repair, Refitting, And Outriggers (AREA)

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Family Cites Families (6)

• 2011
  • 2011-10-14 FR FR1103154A patent/FR2981311B1/fr active Active
• 2012
  • 2012-10-11 EP EP12788612.5A patent/EP2766219A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2012-10-11 WO PCT/FR2012/000412 patent/WO2013054012A1/fr active Application Filing

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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