AU778536B2 - Device and method for removal/installation of a vehicular component - Google Patents

Description

Our Ref:7637670 P/00/011 Regulation 3:2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT IP Australia Documents received on: -7 SEP 2001 Batch No: Applicant(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: 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 Device and method for removal/installation of a vehicular component The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- 5020 P *PDOCSAMDXWndXMIMD 614 Sab. 2WOI -1- DEVICE AND METHOD FOR REMOVAL INSTALLATION OF A VEHICULAR COMPONENT Background of the Invention The present invention relates to a device and method for the removal and/or installation of a vehicular component from a vehicle. In particular, the present invention relates to a such a device and a method for removal, whereby a vehicular component, such as a transmission or differential unit may be removed via the underside of a vehicle.

Description of the Prior Art The removal of vehicular components, such as transmission units and differentials from trucks, tractors, graders, earthmoving and mining equipment, such vehicles typically being quite large in size, is a necessary function for servicing of such components. The removal of such components to date has typically been done by means of cranes and other similar devices to extract the components in a direction substantially upwardly from the vehicle.

This not only requires specialised equipment, but is also somewhat dangerous in that persons are required to work at elevated positions. In recent times in Australia, the requirement of workers to work at such elevated positions have come to issue with 20 regulatory occupational health and safety authorities, which authorities now require the use of harnesses, railings, etc., to ensure the improved safety of such workers. Consequently, the expense of utilising such equipment for the removal of the vehicular components from the vehicles for servicing and the like, has been even further increased.

.oooo) S 25 Summary of the Invention The present invention seeks to provide a device and method for the removal and/or installation of a vehicular component, such as a differential or transmission unit, from a vehicle, whereby, by use of the device and method of the present invention, the component is manoeuvred underneath the vehicle.

In one broad form, the present invention provides a device for removal installation of a 200 Sp.ifiwio7637670d .I Omob. 2004 -2vehicular component from a vehicle, said device including: trolley means for moving said device over a substrate surface; a saddle device adapted to be connected to said vehicular component in a removable manner, said saddle device including: a roller; and a guide sleeve for removably attaching to said vehicular component, said guide sleeve including a guide channel for receiving said roller; and actuation means for manoeuvring said vehicular component with respect to said vehicle, said actuation means including a first end attached to said trolley means and a second end 10 attached to said saddle device, whereby, when said vehicular component is attached to said

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second end of said actuation means by means of said saddle device, said vehicular •o S°component is manoeuvred between an installed position where said vehicular component is o installed on said vehicle, and, an uninstalled position where said vehicular component is provided substantially on said trolley means for movement below said vehicle.

Preferably, said vehicle is a truck, tractor, earthmoving vehicle or mining equipment vehicle.

Also preferably, said vehicular component is a differential.

:o Also preferably, said vehicular component is a transmission.

Also preferably, said actuation means includes a pair of articulated arms, one on substantially each side of said trolley means.

In its preferred form, each of said arms includes a plurality of pivotally connected arm members.

Preferably, each said members is movable by means of an actuator.

Also preferably, said actuator is a hydraulic cylinder.

P.\WPDOCSAMDSpificmflms\2000-20 Spbi&.uca-7637670 doc-It Odob. 2004 -3- Also preferably, said actuator is a motor.

In this preferred form, preferably, said saddle device includes a pair of spaced apart saddle components adapted to surround and removably attach to said vehicular component.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said trolley is a trolley that is substantially elongated and lowstrung in shape and provided with roller means for the movement thereof over the substrate surface.

o• P IWPDOCS M MDct.7 d5KO S:plmbff 2001 -4- Brief Description of the Drawings The present invention will become more fully understood from the following detailed description of a preferred but non-limiting embodiment thereof, described in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 illustrates an isometric view of a device in accordance with the present invention, supporting a transmission unit; Fig. 2 illustrates, in Figs. 2(b) and 2(c) thereof, various views of the transmission unit, Figs. 2(a) and 2(b) illustrating alternative isometric views, whilst, Fig. 2(c) illustrating an elevational view of the transmission unit; Fig. 3, in Figs. 3(b) and illustrate a "saddle" which may be utilised in the device of Fig. 1 to support the transmission unit shown in Fig. 2, Figs. 3(a) and 3(b) illustrating alternative isometric views of the saddle, and, Fig. 3(c) illustrating an elevational view thereof; Fig. 4 illustrates the various steps by which a transmission unit may be extracted from the vehicle utilising the device of the present invention; Fig. 5 illustrates how a differential unit may also be extracted utilising the device in accordance with the present invention; and, Fig. 6 illustrates, in Figs. 6(a) and isometric and plan vies of an alternative embodiment of a device in accordance with the present invention, similar to that shown in Fig. 1, but without the vehicular components attached.

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

As shown in Fig. I, the device for removal and/or installation of a vehicular component from a vehicle, is generally referenced by numeral 1, and includes a trolley means 2, supporting an actuation means 3.

The trolley is embodied as a substantially elongate device having wheels or rollers at a first end 4 thereof, and also at a second end 5 thereof (not shown). The trolley is therefore P WPDoCsIA V M U1Oc-4 Scptb. ZW1 formed of a substantially elongate lowstrung frame member which is adapted for travel over a substrate surface. The travel of the trolley may either be performed manually, i.e.

by being pushed, or, it may be motorised. Appropriate controls 6 may be provided at a convenient location to be activated by an operator. In a preferred form, at least one of the sets of wheels or rollers provided at one end of the trolley is pivotal, for steering movement of the trolley, as desired, for optimal positioning of the trolley. This is illustrated in the embodiment of Fig. 6, where the front wheels 4 are pivoted at pivots 36, being actuated by steering actuator 37.

The actuation means 3 includes a first end thereof 7, which is adapted to be connected to the trolley means 2, and, a second end thereof 8 which is adapted to be connected to the vehicular component. The vehicular component illustrated in Fig. 1 is a transmission unit 9. Further views of the transmission unit 9 are illustrated in Fig. 2, where it can be seen that the transmission unit 9 includes a main body portion 10 having a pair of flanges 11 and 12 at opposed ends thereof, each of which are typically provided with a plurality of bolt holes 13.

The mode by which the transmission unit may be attached to the second end 8 of the device 1 in accordance with the present invention may be via a variety of attachment mechanisms. A suitable attachment mechanism or 'saddle' 14 is shown in Fig. 3, wherein Figs. 3(a) and 3(b) illustrate alternative isometric views thereof, and, Fig. 3(c) illustrates an elevational view thereof. The attachment mechanism illustrated in Fig. 3, embodied in the form of a saddle device 14 has a pair of saddle arms 15 and 16 connected via an S:•i intermediate portions 17. As will be appreciated, the saddle device 14 is adapted to effectively straddle the underside of the transmission unit 9 and support same thereby.

Firstly, the guide sleeves 15a and 16a are bolted to the flanges 11 and 12 respectively via bolt holes 13. As will be seen, each of the guide sleeves 15a and 16a includes a guide channel 38 which are adapted to locate and receive rollers 19 as the saddle 14 (attached to the device 1) is brought into engagement with the transmission unit 9. This, of course, greatly simplifies the attachment of the transmission unit 9 to the device 1 by effectively performing a self-centering function. Without this, alignment of the attachment means of P lWPMOCSWAMDW17530 0.4 SCpmnbc 2W I -6the device 1 to the transmission unit 9 would be considerably more complex and tedious requiring precise alignment of bolt holes or the like for insertion of bolts therethrough.

A variety of rollers, including axial constraint rollers 18 and lateral constraint rollers 19 may be provided to permit rotation of the transmission whilst it is supported thereby.

Appropriate engagement means, such as illustrated by reference numeral 20 may be provided to abut the flanges 11 and 12, and for connection of the transmission unit to the saddle thereby, by provision of suitable bolts or the like device through bolt holes 21 and 13 (on flanges 11 and 12).

The manner by which the transmission unit may be manoeuvred from its installed position on the vehicle to a position remote from the vehicle, whereat it may be serviced or the like, is illustrated in Fig. 4. As will be appreciated, the vehicle has various components such as cross-member 22 and differential housing 23, past which the transmission unit 9 must be manoeuvred from the installed position to the position substantially on the trolley 2, such as illustrated in the various representations shown in Fig. 4.

This manoeuvring is basically performed by selective movement of the various articulated arm members which combine to form the actuation means. The illustrated embodiments shows that the actuation means includes a pair of articulated arms 24 and 25 on opposed sides of the trolley 2 (see Fig. Each articulated arm is shown to include a plurality of pivotally connected arm members. For example, arm 24 includes a first arm member 26 and a second arm member 27 connected by pivot 28. Arm member 26 is attached via pivot 29 to support 30, which itself is attached to trolley means 2. A further pivot point 34 enables further pivotal movement of the device by operation of cylinder 33. Hydraulic cylinders, or other actuating means, such as motors, may be then operated to provide the S* appropriate pivotal activation of arms 27 and 28, such that they may be used to manoeuvre the transmission unit 9 from its installed position on to the trolley means 2, such as shown in Fig. 4. Appropriate hydraulic cylinders 31, 32 and 33 are illustrated in Fig. 1 for this Yn purpose. Fig. 4 also illustrates the basic lifting parallelogram which enables such P %WPDOCSAfp.2)bca*7501U 4 Scpab- 200 -7functional movement, the movement being achieved by extension of the lift ram 31, and, the tilt ram 32 being extended to control the relative movement of arms 26 and 27.

It will therefore be appreciated that by appropriate movement of the arms via the hydraulic cylinders or the like, the vehicular component, being the transmission shown in Fig. 4, may be removed from a vehicle by means of firstly providing a trolley in to a position substantially below the vehicular component, operating the actuation means such that the second end thereof is positioned substantially proximal to the vehicular component, in this case the transmission, attaching the second end of the actuation means to the vehicular component by bolts, screws, clamps and/or the like, and then removing the vehicular component from the vehicle by sequentially or simultaneously operating the actuation means to manoeuvre the vehicular component to a position substantially onto the trolley, and then, being able to remove the trolley from underneath the vehicle, such that the transmission may be then serviced.

Likewise, the method of installing the transmission is performed by carrying out those steps in the opposite order.

Fig. 5 illustrates an alternative preferred embodiment of the invention, in this case, the device is utilised to install or remove a different vehicular component, in this case, the differential unit. Instead of attaching the saddle 14 shown in Fig. 3, the second end of the actuation means is provided with an alternative attachment for removable securement on to the differential, as shown. The differential may then be moved out of the differential housing, and likewise, with appropriate tilting and manoeuvring of the arms and the trolley, the differential unit may be extracted from the vehicle for servicing.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that, whilst a particular embodiment of the device is illustrated, utilising a trolley and an actuation means, numerous variations and -eeoemodifications may be made to such a device whilst still performing the function of the device, that is, the extraction of vehicular components firom vehicles in a position substantially underneath the vehicle.

PWPDOC~aMDWrd%?50.1ObO0.oc Sr I na -8- It will also be appreciated that whilst the installation of and removal of a transmission unit and differential are described hereinbefore, that other vehicular components may likewise be removed or installed from vehicles by appropriate attachment of those components to the second end of the actuation means, in a similar manner, and as such should also be considered to fall within the spirit of this invention.

These and all other variations and modifications to the present invention which become obvious to persons skilled in the art, and which enable the function of the device embodied by the present invention to still be effectively performed, should be considered to fall within the scope of the invention as broadly hereinbefore described and as hereinafter claimed.

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Claims (12)

1. A device for removal installation of a vehicular component to/from a vehicle, said device including: trolley means for moving said device over a substrate surface; a saddle device adapted to be connected to said vehicular component in a removable manner, said saddle device including: a roller; and a guide sleeve for removably attaching to said vehicular component, said guide sleeve including a guide channel for receiving said roller; and 10 actuation means for manoeuvring said vehicular component with respect to said vehicle, said actuation means including a first end attached to said trolley means and a second end attached to said saddle device, whereby, when said vehicular component is attached to said second end of said actuation means by means of said saddle device, said vehicular component is manoeuvred between an installed position where said vehicular 15 component is installed on said vehicle and an uninstalled position where said vehicular o:oo component is provided substantially on said trolley means for movement below said vehicle.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said vehicle is a truck, tractor, earthmoving vehicle S 20 or mining equipment vehicle.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said vehicular component is a differential. 3. The device of claim 2 wherein said vehicular component is a differential.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein said vehicular component is a transmission.

The device of claim 1 wherein said actuation means includes a pair of articulated arms, one on substantially each side of said trolley means.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein each of said arms includes a plurality of pivotally connected arm members. P.\WPDOCS\AMDSp.ifwic 2oak 00-2001 Spmfictions7637670 dOc-is Oaoc 2004

7. The device of claim 6 wherein each said members is movable by means of an actuator.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said actuator is a hydraulic cylinder.

9. The device of claim 7 wherein said actuator is a motor.

S S S S The device of claim 1 wherein said saddle device includes a pair of spaced apart saddle components adapted to surround and removably attach to said vehicular component.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein said trolley is a trolley that is substantially elongated and lowstrung in shape and provided with roller means for movement thereof over the substrate surface. 15

12. A device for removal/installation of a vehicular component to/from a vehicle, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 18th day of October, 2004 JUSTOY PTY LIMITED By Their Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE