Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
10'~3~'jOO
This invention relates to improvements in a device
for opening and closing a side plate of a loading box on freight
vehicles, such as a motor truck under no-load condition.
When a side plate or door of the loading box is
pivotally opened or closed, the rotational moment resulting from
the gravity of the side plate is varied and accordingly, the
force required for the opening or the closing is also varied.
The conventional opening-closing auxiliary fitting
has been operable with a torsion spring attached to the hinge of
the side plate or with a plate spring acting on the side plate~
In any of these, the action has gradually increased as the
pivotal movement of the side plate progresses downwardly, so
that the equilibrium in the course of the pivotal movement has
been insufficient in most part of the course. In addition, a
point of equilibrium has been present in the course of the
opening movement to prevent the door from being fully opened.
It is the object of the present invention to overcome
the above-noted disadvantages peculiar to the prior art.
To achieve such an object, the invention as herein
claimed is a device for opening and closing a side plate of a
loading box on freight vehicles under no-load condition, the
side plate being outwardly openably hinged at its bottom edge
to the outer side edge of the floor plate of said loading box,
said device comprising an actuating mechanism consisting of an
upper actuating connecting rod having the upper portion thereof ;-
articulated to the outer surface of said side plate~ and a
lower actuating connecting rod articulated to a lower portion of ~ -
a support arm downwardly projected from the underside of said
floor plate, the lower end of said upper actuating connecting
rod being articulated to the upper end of said lower actuating
connecting rod, said lower actuating connecting rod being
resiliently pulled at a portion thereof by a spring having the -
C
10'~;~500
base thereof engaged with the underside of said floor plate,
wherein the forward end of said spring having the base thereof
engaged with the underside of said floor plate is engaged with
one of a flexible connecting cord having the base end thereof
engaged with the above-mentioned portion of said lower actuating
connecting rod, said flexible connecting cord having an
intermediate portion thereof supported and guided by a support
roller.
The invention will hereinafter be described with
respect to various embodiments thereof as shown in the accompa-
nying drawings, throughout which identical reference
characters designate identical or equivalent parts.
Figure 1 is a side view showing the arrangement
according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a side view showing an alternative form
of the first embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 illustrates the operation of the Figure 2
embodiment.
Figure 4 is a graph illustrating the moment of load
in the Figure 2 embodiment. ~-
Figure 5 is a front view of a second embodiment of
the present invention.
Figure 6 is a front elevation illustrating the
operation of the second embodiment.
Figures 7 and 8 show, in front view, alternative forms -
of the second embodiment.
Figures 9, 10 and 11 are graphs of curves for reaction
forces.
Flgure 12 is a front view of a third embodiment.
'
- 2 -
; C
io~,3~jo0
Figure 13 is a front elevation illustrating the
op~ration of the third embodiment.
Figure 14 is a front elevation of a fourth embodim~nt.
Figure 15 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the
fourth embodim~nt.
Figure 16 illustxates the operation of the fourth
embodiment.
First Embodiment
Referring to Figures lto 4, the loading box a of a '
motor truck as a kind of freight vehicles includes a floor plate
1 having an outer side edge 2. At its bottom edge 3, a side plate
4 is outwardly openably hinged to the outer side edge 2, and an ',
upper actuating connecting rod 9 has the upper end 11 thereof
articulated to the outer surface 5 of the side plate 4 and has the
lower end 12 thereof articulated to the upper end 13 oE a lower
actuating conne,cting rod 10 which is in turn~larticulate~ to the
lower portion 8 of a support arm 7 downwardly depending from the
underside 6 of the floor plate 1, thus providing an actuating
,~' mechanism b. A portion 14 of the lower actuating connecting rod ~''
10 may be resiliently pulled by a spring 16 which may have its base , ;
;~ 15 engaged with the underside of the floor plate 1. Alternatively,
such spring may have its lower end 17 engaged with one end 21 of a
flexible connecting cord 20,which in turn has its base end 18
engaged with a portion 14 of the lower actuating connecting rod 10
of the actuating mechanism b and has its intermediate po~tion
supported and guided by a support rooler 19. There is further seen
a chassis framc c, a cross sill ~, a vcrtical 5ill C, a hin(Jc 22,
articulation pivots 23, 24,25,26, a shaft 27 for the support roller
19, and a plurality of spring force adjusting engagement members
, 30 28 which may be selectively engage~ by the spring 16 to change the
j initial tcasion of the spring.
'~ Thus, the pull force of the spring may always be
.
.
. :.... ., _ . _, .. , . . .. . . _
"~ 10~3~0~)
maintained constant by actuating the spring through the'~gency of
the flexible connecting cord.
Figure 3 illustrates the operation of the Figure 2
embodiment and, as will be seen in Figure 4, th~ action force of
the spring can easily pass through the dead point to maintain the
side plate 4 in its fully opened, downwardly vertical position.
Thus, even for the variation in type of freight
vehicles or for the variation in weight of the side plate resulting
from its construction, the action force of the present mechanism
can be suitably selected and applied by varylng the initial tension
imparted to the spring or by varying the strength of the spring.
Also. depending on the size of the side plate, it is
possible to make the operation of the mechanism èffective by a
suitable number of side plates.
Thus, according to the present invention, the side plate
can be opened and closed always under no-load condition with
respect to the gravity thereof.
Second Embodiment
Referring to Figures 5 to 11, the loading box a of a
motor truck as a kind of freight vehicles includes a floor plate 1
having an outer side edge 2. At its bottom edge 3, a side plate
4 is outwardly openably hinged to the side edge 2. An interlocking
mechanism b for holding the side plate in equilibration by being `
resiliently pulled downwardly and sidewise of the floor plate by
a pull spring 29 comprises two upper and lower actuating connecting
rods 30 and 31 and is twice-foldably articulated to a point on the
outer surface 5 of the side plate and to the lower portion of a
support arm 7 downwardly projected from the underside 6 of the
floor plate. More particularly, the upper end 32 of the upper
actuating connecting rod 30 may be articulated at 33 to a point
on the outer surface 5 of the side plate 4 while the lower end 34
thereof may be articulated at 35 to the upper end of the lower
-4-
iO'~3500
actuating connecting rod 31, the lower end of which may~in turn be
articulated at 37 to the lower portion 8 of the aforementioned
support arm 7. Further, a flicking arm rod 42 may have the lower
end 39 thereof articulated to the upper portion 40 of the support
arm 7 and may have the upper end 43 engaged with the forward end
pulling portion 38 of the pull spring 29. A control connecting
rod 47 may have the opposite ends 48 and 49 thereof articulated
at 45 and 46 to intermediate portions 50 and 51 of the lower
actuating connecting rod 31 and the flicking arm rod 42,
respectively. Further alternatively, the adjustment of the pull
force of the pull spring 29 may be accomplished by changing the
points of articulation 52, 52,...... between the flicking arm rod
42 and the support arm 7 or by changing the points of engagement
54, 54, .... ..of the base 53 of the pull spring 29.
Designated by 55 is a rod by which the base 53 of the
pull spring 29 is engaged. The base 53 may be engaged in one of
engagement holes at points of engagement 54, 54, ...... provided in
a projected support edge 57 formed on a support frame 56 discretely
formed ~rojecte~i~ on the underside 6 of the floor plate 1, and
then may be fastened by a nut 58.
When the side plate of -the motor truck is opened or
closed under no-load condition by operating the interlocking
mechanism for holding the side plate in equilibration by being
resiliently pulled downwardly and sidewise of the floor plate by
the pull spring which comprises two upper and lower actuating
connecting rods and es twice-foldably articulated to a point on
the outer surface of the side plate and to t~le lower portion of
the support arm ~ownwardly projected from the underside of the
floor plate, the pull spring may sometimes be broken during the
operation because it es directly connected to the interlocking
mechanism.
Thus, in putting the device of this type into practice,
--5--
0'~3500
it is necessaty that an assis~ance may be provided evenrfor other
side plate which will undergo adifferent moment of load exerted on
the upper actuating connected rod 30 of the actuating mechanesm b
of the device, because the weight per meter, height, length,
length and other factors of the same device vary within a certain
range.
If the moment of load exerted on the actuating
connecting rod 30 of this device is greater than the standard
moment of load and if the difference is small, it will offer no
inconvenience simply to adjust the pull spring alone but, if the
difference is great, the curve I of the reaction force resulting
from the device will be widely deviated from t~e curve II of the
rotational force resulting from the gravity of the side plate, as ;
seen en Figure lO.
Therefore, when the device of the present invention is
used by being attached to a side plate which will undergo a greater
moment of load than the standard moment of load of thi- device, it
is possible to assist the spring by changing tlle point of
articulation between the flicking arm rod 42 and the support arm 7 -
as shown in Figure 7 or changing the point of engagement of the
base of the pull spring as shown in Figure 8, in accordance with
~pcrease in teh moment of load, thereby adjusting the operating
angle of the pull spring.
Figure ll is a graph illustrating the curve of the
reaction force provided by changing the point of articulation of
the f licking arm rod and adjusting the pull spEing in order that
the device may be attached to a side plate which will undergo a
greater moment of load.
Thus, according to the present device, the standard
moment of load is first determined and a pull spring matching the
same is chosen, thereby determining the type of the device.
However t even in the same type of the device, assistant is given
on~y by adjustnent of the pull spring in a case ~here the Increment
--6--
- . .. . . : - .
10'~3S00
of the moment of load is slight, and when the increment-~f the
moment of load is too great to assist o~ly by the adjustment of the
pull spring, it is possible t~ assist a gate somewhat different in
type (length, height and weight or moment of load ) either by
changing the point of articulation between the flicking arm rod ~ -
42 and the support arm 7 or changing the point of engagement of the
base of the pull spring 29.
Third Embodiment
Referring to Figures 12 and 13, the loading box _ of
a motor truck as a kind of freight vehicles includes a floor plate
1 having an outer side edge 2. At its bottom edge 3, a side plate
4 is outwardly openably hinged to the side edge 2. An interlicking
mechanism b for holding the side plate in equili~ration by being
resiliently pulled downwardly and sidewise of the floor plate by a
pull spring comprises two upper and lower actuating connecting rods
59 and 60 and is twice-foldably articulated to a point Oll the outer
surface 5 of the side plate and to the lower portion 8 of a support
arm 7 downwardly projected from the underside 6 of the floor plate.
Such interlockiny mechanlsm b may be operated to open or close the
side plate of the loading box of the motor truck. The upper end
of the upper actuating connecting rod 59 is articulated at 61 to a
point on the outer surface 5 of the side plate while the lower end
thereof is articulated at 62 to the upper end of a lower actuating
connecting rod 60, the lower end 63 of which is in turn
articulated at 64 to the lower portion 8 of the support arm. ~urther
the lower end 66 of a flicking arm rod 65 is articulated to the
upper portion of the support arm 7 by means of a resilien~ torsion
shaft 76 ! and the opposite en~s 71 and 72 of a control conn~cting
rod 70 are articulatéd at 73 and 74 to the upper portion 68 of the
flicking arm rod 65 and the intermediate portion 69 of the lower
actuating connecting rod 60, respectively.
When the side plate of the motor turck is opened
-7-
:
`-` io~3500
closod unler ~o-load condition by operating the interloc~ing
mechanism for holding the side plate in equilibration by being
resiliently pulled downwardly and sidewise of the floor plate by
the pull spring which comprises two upper and lower actuating
connecting rods and is twice-foldably articulated to a point on the
outer surface of the side plate and to the lower portion of the
support arm downwardly projected from the underside of the floor
plate, the pull spring may sometimes be broken during t~le operation
because it is directly connected to the interlocl;ing mechanism.
Such breakage of the spring may be rrevented by the
present mechanism.
In this embodiment, the upper end of the upper
actuating connecting rod is articulated to a point on the outer
surface of the side plate while the lower end thereof is articulated
to the upper end of the lower actuating connecting rod, the lower
end of which is in turn articulated to the lower portion of the
support arm. Further, the lower end of the flicking arm rod is
articulated to the uppex portion of the support arm by means o
the ~silient torsion shaft, and the opposite ends of the control
connecting rods are articulatéd to the upper portion of the
flicking arm and the intermediate portion of the lower actuating
connecting rod, respectively, whereafter the standard moment of
~` load is first determined, and then a resilient torsion shaft
l matching the same is chosen, thereby determining the type of the
i device.
Fourth Embodiment
Referriny to Figures 14 to 16, the loading box a o~
the motor truck as a kind of freight vehicles includes a floor
'J` plate 1 having an outer side edge 2. At its bottom edge 3, a side
plate 4 is outwardly openably hinged to the side edge 2. An upper
actuating connecting rod 77 has the upper end 75 thereof
- articulated at 76to a point on the outer surface 5 of the side
. . .
. , . . , - . . .
lOq3500
plate 4. Articulated at 81 to the lower end 78 of the upper
actuating connecting rod 77 is the upper end 80 of a lower actuating
connecting rod 79, the lower end 82 of which is in turn
articulated at 86 to the lower side edge 85 of a support frame 84
downwardly projected from the underside 83 of the floor plate 1.
Articulated to the boytom ed~e, 87 of the support frame 84 is the
lower portion 89 of a flicking arm rod 88. '~he intermediate portion
of the lower actuating connecting rod 73 and the intermediate
portion of the flicking arm rod 88 are articulated at 91 and 92 to
the opposite e~ds of a control connecting rod 90. The base 95 of a
spring resiliency adjusting rod 94 is engaged with the upper end
93 of the flicking arm rod 88, and the spring resiliency adjusting
rod 94 extends through the rearward profected edge 96 of the
support frame 84. A set plate 99 is fitted to the threaded end
portion 97 and fastened thereto by an adjust nut 98. A compression
spring 102 is interposed between the inner surface 100 of th~ set
plate 99 and the outer surface 101 of the rearward proj,ected edge
; 96 on the support frame 84. Designated by 103 is a connecting beam
to which the support frame 84 is connected by rivets 104.
Denoted by 105 is a support cylinder for the
compression spring 102 and the bottom frame plate 1,06 of the
support cylinder is fastened to the projected edge 96 by threaded
'~ rods 107. Reference numeral 108 designates and adjust hole, and
reference numerais 109 and 110 denote mounting angle rods.
According to the present embodiment, a compression
spring is employed instead of a pull spring in the de~ice for
opening the side plate of the loading box on the motor truck under
no-load condition which comprises the interlocking mechanism for
holding the side plate in equilibration by being resiliently pulled
downwardly and sidewise of the floor plate by the spring, the
interlocking mechanism consisting of two upper'and lower actuating
~ connecting rods and being twice foldably articulated to a point on ':
. ~ .
_ g_ ,
, -,, . - . ~. , : . . . :: . . . - -
iO~3500
the outer surface of the side plate and to the lower por~ion of the
support arm downwardly projected from the underside of the floor
plate. The compression spring has its spring resiliency adjustable
sumply by tightening or loosening the adjust nut on the threaded
portion of the spring resiliency adjusting rod to thereby adjust
the set plate to which the compression spring provided on the
adjusting rod is secured.
n
~O
'
, . . .
~' .
" .
., '
--10--
