GB2281061A - Safety stop for vehicle ramps - Google Patents

Abstract

A safety stop for a vehicle ramp of the type comprising a flat base having an upper support platform and an inclined runway consisting of a series of spaced cross pieces arranged to support a vehicle wheel comprises a block 7 in the path of the wheel between the platform and the runway. The block has a front face directed towards the platform, an upper supporting portion rigidly attached to the front face and adapted to rest on said runway, one or more lower stop portions 8 rigidly attached to the front face and/or the upper portion. The total width of the stop portions is equal or less than the width of the cross pieces. The stop portions extend below the cross pieces when placed on the ramp surface and have a central passageway 9. A locking bar is inserted in the passageway to prevent vertical movement of the safety device. The locking bar engages the edges of the runway and may be rotatably attached by means of a bolt or rivet. The stop can be formed from a pair of steel tubes of rectangular section or from a sheet (Fig 4). <IMAGE>

Description

SAFETY DEVICE FOR VEHICLE RAMPS.

This invention relates to a safety device for vehicle ramps which prevents a raised vehicle from rolling off the supporting ramp.

Vehicle ramps are well known and generally comprise a flat elongated frame as the base carrying an upper support platform and an inclined runway connecting one end of the platform to the base. The width of the platform and runway is sufficient to accomodate a vehicle wheel. The ramps are usually constructed from angle iron sections which are welded together to form the ramp with one or more vertical struts to form supports for the platform and runway. A series of cross pieces. usually of angle iron.

form the pathway for the vehicle's wheel when it is driven on to or allowed to roll off the platform. Gaps between the cross pieces ensure stability when a loaded wheel having a pneumatic tyre rests on the platform. The far end of the platform usually terminates in a vertical stop to prevent the wheel being driven over the edge of the platform.

Such welded ramps enable a vehicle wheel to be raised by a fixed distance. usually about 200 to 300mm. Variable height ramps have also been described in GB-A-2 199 292 and GB-A-2 226 997 which may also use a series of cross pieces of angle iron form the pathway for the vehicle's wheel.

A serious danger exists when the wheels at one end of a vehicle are supported by a pair of ramps and the wheels remaining on the ground are not totally immobilised.

Often wedges. bricks or similar items are placed as chocks against the unsupported wheels or the vehicle brakes are applied. However chocks of this nature are easily displaced and vehicle brakes are often unreliable. In consequence if pressure is applied deliberately or accidentally to the vehicle it is possible for it to roll off the ramps. In such a situation anyone underneath the vehicle or in its direction of motion may be killed or seriously injured.

A vehicle ramp has been proposed in GB-A-2 201 132 which includes a wheel-restraining flap as a safety device. The flap is pivoted about a pivot disposed transversely to the wheel path near the point. where the runway joins the platform. The flap is an integral part of the vehicle ramp and its is not at all easy to attach it to an existing ramp without the assistance of a skilled engineer.

According to the present invention there is provided a safety device for a vehicle ramp of the type comprising a flat base having an upper support platform and an inclined runway connecting one end of the platform to the base. said platform and runway consisting of a series of spaced cross pieces arranged to support a vehicle wheel. said safety device comprising a block in the path of the wheel between the platform and the runway. characterised in that the block has a front face directed towards the platform.

an upper supporting portion rigidly attached to the front face and adapted to rest on said runway one or more lower stop portions rigidly attached to the front face and/or the upper portion. the total width of said stop portions being equal or less than the width of said cross pieces. said stop portions extending below said cross pieces when placed on the ramp surface and having a central passageway. and a locking bar to prevent vertical movement of the safety device from the ramp when inserted in said passageway.

In one embodiment the locking bar has a length greater than that of said cross pieces so that it prevents vertical movement by engaging the edges of the runway. In an alternative embodiment the locking bar is a rotateable bar attached to the base of a single stop portion. In a first position the bar lies parallel to the cross pieces and passes through the runway with the stop portion. In a second. locking. position it is rotated through gno that it prevents vertical movement by engaging the cross pieces. In this embodiment the locking bar is rotatably attached to the base of the stop by means of a bolt or rivet. In a further embodiment the locking bar may be passed through a pair of apertures in the lower part of the stop portion so that it engages the cross pieces.

In one embodiment the safety device is formed from a pair of steel tubes. A rectangular section steel tube forms the upper supporting portion. and a second. smaller rectangular steel tube forms the lower stop portion and is fixed below the upper portion so that the minor face of the upper portion and one side of the lower portion form the front face. The upper tube extends across the width of the platform and runway so that it rests on the edges of the ramp. Preferably the upper tube extends over at least two cross pieces.

The width of one dimension of the lower tube is less than the spacing between two cross pieces so that it can extend through the gap between them. The other dimension of this tube is sufficient to allow the locking bar to be inserted through the lower tube below the runway. The locking bar has sufficient length to ensure that it extends beyond the width of the platform and runway on both sides of the ramp.

The tube portions may be secured at their adjoining faces of by fixings. such as bolts. or by welding. In one embodiment the underside of the upper portion carries a row of plain or threaded apertures allowing the lower portion to be attached at different positions.

In an alternative embodiment the upper tube has the same width as the lower tube so that it rests on the cross pieces forming the runway. The major face of the upper tube is preferably of sufficient length to rest on at least two cross pieces of the runway.

In a preferred embodiment the locking bar has an aperture at each end allowing a securing member to be inserted.

The securing member may take the form of a rod having an upper end with a greater diameter than the aperture and a lower end which extends below the lower tube. When inserted the locking member prevents lateral movement of the locking bar and ensures that the safety device cannot be removed.

In an alternative embodiment the safety device is formed from a sheet of folded steel. One area of the steel sheet acts as the front face and at its upper limit is folded inwardly to form a rectangular section upper supporting portion. At its lower limit it is folded inwardly to form a rectangular lower stop portion. The adjoining faces of the two portions are secured together by fixings.

such as bolts. or by welding. The locking bar is inserted so that it extends beyond the width of the platform and runway in the same manner as described for the previous embodiment.

The preferred material for fabrication of the safety device is steel. Preferably the steel is treated to prevent rust and corrosion by painting or galvanisation. In the latter case the galvanising process must be carried out after welding if this method of attachment of the components is to be used.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood it will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a vehicle ramp with a safety device according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a side view of one form of the safety device according to the invention.

Figure 3 is a preferred form of the locking bar used with the safety device shown in Figure 1. and Figure 4 is a side view of an alternative form of the safety device according to the invention.

A vehicle ramp. see Figure 1. consists of a flat base 1 formed from angle section steel having an upper support platform 2 and an inclined runway 3 formed from the same material. The runway 3 and the platform 2 are welded together and cross connected by a series of cross pieces 4 welded to the inwardly directed lower faces of the angle section. The platform 2 is supported by struts 5 and carries an end stop 6.

A safety device according to the invention. see Figure 2.

consists of a rectangular section steel tube 7 which forms the upper supporting portion. A second. smaller square section steel tube 8 forms the lower stop portion. The tube 8 is fixed below the tube 7. The lower surface of the upper tube 7 rests on on the sides of the runway 3 and extends over two of the cross pieces 4. The lower tube 8 extends below the runway 3 to provide a passageway 9 for insertion of a locking bar 10. The bar 10 extends beyond the width of the runway 3 on both sides of the ramp.

Insertion of the bar 10 prevents vertical movement of the safety device from the ramp. The tubes 7 and 8 are secured at their adjoining faces by welding.

In a preferred embodiment. see Figure 3. the locking bar 10 has an aperture 11 at each end allowing a securing member 12 to be inserted. The securing member is a rod having an upper end 13 with a greater diameter than the aperture the 11 so that it cannot slip through. When inserted the securing member prevents lateral movement of the locking bar 10 and ensures that the safety device cannot be removed.

In an alternative embodiment see Figure 4. the safety device is formed from a sheet of folded steel. One area.

of the steel sheet 14. acts as the front face and at its upper limit 15 is folded inwardly three times to form a rectangular section upper supporting portion 16. At its lower limit 17 it is folded inwardly three times to form a rectangular lower stop portion 18. The adjoining faces of the two portions are secured together by a bolt 19 or by welding. The locking bar 10 is inserted into the lower portion 18 as described with reference to the previous embodiment.

In a practical embodiment a commercially obtainable ramp was obtained having the following dimensions. length 940mm height 250mm with a platform 300mm. The runway had an incline of 170 . The width of the platform and runway was 250mm. A safety device was constructed in the form described with respect to Figure 2. The upper portion was a rectangular section steel tube having dimensions of 200mm by 100mm and a wall thickness of 6mm. The lower stop portion was a square section steel tube having sides of 50mm and a wall thickness of 2mm. The locking bar consisted of a rectangular section steel tube having dimensions of 40mm by 20mm and a wall thickness of 2mm.

The upper portion had a width of 270mm so that it could rest on the sides of the runway. The locking bar had a width of 250mm whereas the lower stop tube had a width of 120mm allowing it to pass through the gap between two cross pieces.

A suitably dimensioned safety device according to the invention can easily be fitted to existing vehicle ramps.

regardless of dimensions without the need for skilled engineering assistance. It use enables vehicle repair to be carried out securely with minimum risk of death or injury from vehicle movement.

Claims (23)

1. A safety device for a vehicle ramp of the type comprising a flat base having an upper support platform and an inclined runway connecting one end of the platform to the base, said platform and runway consisting of a series of spaced cross pieces arranged to support a vehicle wheel, said safety device comprising a block in the path of the wheel between the platform and the runway, characterised in that the block has a front face directed towards the platform. an upper supporting portion rigidly attached to the front face and adapted to rest on said runway, one or more lower stop portions rigidly attached to the front face and/or the upper portion, the total width of said stop portions being equal or less than the width of said cross pieces. said stop portions extending below said cross pieces when placed on the ramp surface and having a central passageway, and a locking bar to prevent vertical movement of the safety device from the ramp when inserted in said passageway.

2. The safety device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the locking bar has a length greater than that of said cross pieces so that it prevents vertical movement by engaging the edges of the runway.

3. The safety device as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2. characterised in that the locking bar is rotatably attached to the base of the stop by means of a bolt or rivet.

4. The safety device as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the locking bar is rotatably attached to the base of a single stop portion having a first position in which the bar lies parallel to the cross pieces and passes through the runway with the stop portion and a second, locking. position in which it has been rotated through 900 so as to prevent vertical movement by engaging the cross pieces.

5. The safety device as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2. characterised in that the locking bar is arranged to pass through a pair of apertures in the lower part of the stop portion so that it engages the cross pieces.

6. The safety device as claimed in any of the preceeding claims. characterised in that it is attached to the base of the stop portion by means of a bolt or rivet.

7. The safety device as claimed in any of the preceeding claims characterised in that it is formed from a pair of steel tubes.

8. The safety device as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that the upper supporting portion is formed from a rectangular section steel tube and the lower stop portion is formed from a second. smaller rectangular steel tube fixed below the upper portion so that the minor face of the upper portion and one side of the lower portion form the front face.

9. The safety device as claimed in claim 8. characterised in that the length of the upper tube is sufficient to extend across the width of the platform and rest on the edges of the ramp.

10. The safety device as claimed in claim 8. characterised in that the major face of the upper tube extends over at least two cross pieces.

11. The safety device as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that the width of one dimension of the lower tube is less than the spacing between two cross pieces.

12. The safety device as claimed in any of the claims 7 to 11. characterised in that the tube portions are secured at their adjoining faces of by bolts or by welding.

13. The safety device as claimed in any of the claims 7 to 12. characterised in that the underside of the upper portion carries a row of plain or threaded apertures allowing the lower portion to be attached at different positions.

14. The safety device as claimed in any of the claims 7 to 13. characterised in that the upper tube has the same width as the lower tube so that it rests on the cross pieces forming the runway.

15. The safety device as claimed in any of the preceeding claims. characterised in that the locking bar has an aperture at each end allowing a securing member to be inserted.

16. The safety device as claimed in claim 15. characterised in that the securing member takes the form of a rod having an upper end with a greater diameter than the aperture and a lower end which extends below the lower tube.

17. The safety device as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 6. characterised in that the safety device is formed from a sheet of folded steel.

18. The safety device as claimed in claim 17, characterised in that one area of the steel sheet acts as the front face and at its upper limit is folded inwardly to form the upper supporting portion and at its lower limit it is folded inwardly to form the lower stop portion.

19. The safety device as claimed in claim 18 characterised in that the adjoining faces of the two portions are secured together by bolts or by welding.

20. The safety device as claimed in any of the preceeding claims. characterised in that the safety device is fabricated from steel.

21. The safety device as claimed in claim 20. characterised in that the steel is treated to prevent rust and corrosion.

22. Safety devices according to claim 1 and as herein described.

23. Safety devices as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.