AU764908B2

AU764908B2 - Platform/access device

Info

Publication number: AU764908B2
Application number: AU39062/99A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Robert Ian Hedley; Christopher Nash Whybin
Original assignee: Justoy Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Justoy Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1998-07-10
Filing date: 1999-07-07
Publication date: 2003-09-04
Anticipated expiration: 2019-07-07
Also published as: AU3906299A

Description

Our Ref: 737754 P/00/011 Regulation 3:2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT

S

*a* Applicant(s): Justoy Pty Ltd 4 Russell Road Mt Thorley Via Singleton New South Wales 2330

AUSTRALIA

DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Trade Mark Attorneys Level 10, 10 Barrack Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 Address for Service: Invention Title: Platform/access device The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- 5020 P:\WPDOCS\AMD\sp.i\737754 laims.do-l I uly. 2003 -1- PLATFORM ACCESS DEVICE Background of the Invention The present invention relates to an access device, and in particular, to a device which permits access to industrial machinery by providing a ladder and platform combination which may be moved between an access position, and a stored position.

Description of the Prior Art Various access devices are presently known which permit easy access from a substrate surface to the cabin of an earthmoving or other industrial machine. Due to different sized and shaped vehicles and industrial equipment, different types of access devices are required to be designed for particular situations. Some such access devices are described in the Applicant's Australian Application Nos. 672706, 14992/97, 48282/97, PP 1750/98 and PP1751/98.

The present inventions relates to a novel access device which is useful to firstly extend outwardly from a cabin location, over the track or tyre of an earthmoving or other equipment, and then downwardly towards a substrate surface.

In one broad form, the present invention provides an access device adapted to be attached to an earthmoving, mining or other large vehicle and to permit access from a substrate surface to a cabin of said vehicle over a wheel or other outwardly extending vehicular component thereof, the access device including: a landing, moveable about a first pivot axis at a first end thereof between a substantially vertically upwards stored position and a substantially outwardly extending, *substantially horizontal access position to overlie said wheel or other vehicular component; and, a ladder, pivotally connected at a second pivot axis to a second end of said landing, and, being moveable between a substantially vertical downwards extending stored position and a substantially outwardly declined access position.

PAWPDOCSANMD\spwi\73774 Whis.dwo-I I My, 2003 -2means to effect cooperative and controlled movement of said landing and said ladder relative to one another as said device is moved between said stored position and said access position, said guide means including first, second and third guide arms, and an hydraulic cylinder to effect cooperative movement of said guide arms; a first end of said first guide arm being attached at a third pivot axis to said ladder at a position spaced proximal to said second pivot axis and a second end of said first guide arm being pivotally attached to a first end of said third guide arm at a fourth pivot axis, a first end of said guide arm being attached to a mounting post at a fifth pivot axis, and a second end of said second guide arm being attached to an intermediate portion of said third guide arm at a sixth pivot axis, said third guide arm being substantially boomerang- shaped; a second end of said third guide arm being attached to a second end of the hydraulic cylinder about a seventh pivot axis; and, a first end of said hydraulic cylinder being pivotally attached to said mounting post; such that, in said access position, said landing and said first guide arm extend substantially horizontally over said wheel or other vehicular component and, in said storage position, said landing and said first guide arm extend generally vertically in a compact manner with lower end of said ladder being positioned adjacent to said first pivot axis.

o Preferably, said outwardly inclined access position, said ladder is angled between and 75', and most preferably about 620, relative to a substantially horizontal substrate surface.

25 Also preferably, by extension of said hydraulic cylinder, said device is moved to said access position, and, by contraction of said hydraulic cylinder, said device is moved to said stored position.

id strd p ition sasor s n P:\WPDOCS\AMD\SPECI\68406.JUS 5/s/199 -3- Brief Description of the Drawings The present invention will become more fully understood from the following detailed description of preferred but non-limiting embodiments thereof, described in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention; and, Fig. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments :Throughout the drawings, like numerals will be used to identify similar features, 10 except where expressly otherwise indicated.

As shown in Fig. 1, the access device, generally designated by the numeral 1, comprises a landing 2 and a ladder section 3. Fig. l(a) illustrates the access device in the access or lowered position, whilst Fig. l(b) illustrates the access device in the raised or stored S 15 position. Fig. l(c) shows the trajectory of movement between the access and stored positions.

The access device 1 is typically attached to an earthmoving or other equipment which comprises a body 4 and a tyre or track 5. In the configuration shown in Fig. 1, a mounting post 6, which may form part of the body 4, or which may be attached to the body 4, supports the access device 1. The platform or landing 2 is pivotally connected at pivot point 7 to the mounting post 6. The other end of the landing 2 is pivotally connected at pivot point 8 to the ladder section 3. A guide arm 9 is additionally provided connected to mounting post 6 at pivot point 10, and to ladder section 3 at pivot point 11, such that, as the landing 2 is raised and lowered by means of an hydraulic cylinder 12 or other movement mechanism, the ladder section undergoes controlled movement to the raised or stored position shown in Fig. l(b).

Details of typical trajectories and movements of the various components are shown in Fig.

as the hydraulic cylinder is operated between its extended position showing Fig. 1 (a) and is retracted position shown in Fig. l(b).

P:\WPDOCS\AMD\SPECI\680406.JUS 5n199 -4- It will be seen that the access device is therefore moved between an access position wherein the ladder preferably extends outwardly at an angle of between 550 and 750, but perhaps most preferably, at about 620 relative to a substrate surface, and in that position, the landing is provided in a substantially horizontal disposition, allowing easy access of an operator between a substrate surface 13 and the body 4. When the access device is provided in the stored position, the platform and the ladder are both provided to a position upwardly raised such that each of the components is provided in a substantially vertical disposition •i *close to the earthmoving equipment, such that it is totally out of the way of any earthmoving 10 operations, which are being performed on or adjacent t the substrate surface 13.

An alternative embodiment is illustrated in Fig. 2, which also provide an access device having the advantages of that of Fig. 1, i.e. the device is provided with a landing 2 and a ladder section 3 and is moveable between an access position as shown in Fig. 2(a) and a 15 stored position shown in Fig. Once again, the trajectory movement is illustrated in Fig.

In this embodiment, however, the pivotal connections between the ladder and the landing, and also between the landing and the mounting post 6, are varied. A ladder guide arm 9 is still provided, but is connected to one end of a boomerang arm 14, the other end thereof being connected to the hydraulic cylinder 12. The intermediate portion of the boomerang arm 14 is then connected to an additional guide arm 15 which provides the connection to the mounting post 6. As illustrated in Fig. movement of the access device 1 is still performed in a similar manner, whereby contraction or expansion of the hydraulic cylinder 12 is effected to facilitate such movement.

It will be understood that other variations and modifications to the access device of the present invention will become apparent. All such variations and modifications should be considered to fall within the scope of the invention as broadly hereinbefore described.

Claims

1. An access device adapted to be attached to an earthmoving, mining or other large vehicle and to permit access from a substrate surface to a cabin of said vehicle over a wheel or other outwardly extending vehicular component thereof, the access device including: a landing, moveable about a first pivot axis at a first end thereof between a substantially vertical upwards stored position and a substantially outwardly extending, substantially horizontal access position to overlie said wheel or other vehicular component; a ladder, pivotally connected at a second pivot axis to a second end of said landing, and, being moveable between a substantially vertical downwards extending stored position and a substantially outwardly declined access position; means to effect cooperative and controlled movement of said landing and said ladder relative to one another as said device is moved between said stored position and said access position, said guide means including first, second and third guide arms, and an hydraulic cylinder to effect cooperative movement of said guide arms; a first end of said first guide arm being attached at a third pivot axis to said ladder at a position spaced proximal to said second pivot axis and a second end of said first guide arm being pivotally attached to a first end of said third guide arm at a fourth pivot axis, a first end of said guide arm being attached to a mounting post at a fifth pivot axis, and a second end of said second guide arm being attached to an intermediate portion of said third guide arm at a sixth pivot axis, said third guide arm being substantially boomerang- shaped; a second end of said third guide arm being attached to a second end of the hydraulic cylinder about a seventh pivot axis; and, a first end of said hydraulic cylinder being pivotally attached to said mounting post; such that, in said access position, said landing and said first guide arm extend substantially horizontally over said wheel or other vehicular component and, in said storage position, said landing and said first guide arm extend generally vertically in a compact manner with lower end of said ladder being positioned adjacent to said first pivot axis. r r PAWPDOCS'MAD\'spai737754 dmd-l I Mu.y. 2003 -6-

2. An access device as claimed in claim 1, wherein in said access position, said ladder is angled between 550 and 750, and most preferably about 620, relative to a substantially horizontal substrate surface.

3. An access device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, by extension of said hydraulic cylinder, said device is moved to said access position, and, by contraction of said hydraulic cylinder, said device is moved to said stored position.

4. An access device, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 11th day of July, 2003 JUSTOY PTY LIMITED By Their Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE *ee e *e*