US2164327A - Utility truck - Google Patents

Description

July 4, P' E, HAWKlNs- 2,164,327

UTILITY TRUCK l Filed Aug. 4, 1937 5 sheets-sheet 1 July 4, 1939. P. E. HAwKlNs UTILITY TRUCK Filed Aug. 4, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR @Q5/meca,

ATTORNEY July 4, 1939.

Filed Aug. 4, 1937 P. E. HAwKlNs 2,164,327

UTILITY TRUCK 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY.

July 4, 1939. P; E HAwKlNs 2,164,3274

UTILITY TRUCK Filed Aug, 4, 1937 5 Smets-sheet 4 ATTORN EY `Iuly 4, 1939. P. E. HAwKlNs UTILITY TRUCK Filed Aug. 4, 1937 ATTORNEY.

Patented 'July 4, 19.39

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE The Baker-Raulang Company,

a corporation of Ohio Cleveland, Ohio,

Application August 4, .1937, Serial No. 157,400

10 Claims.

This invention relates to a utility truck, more particularly to the mounting thereon and control of an extensible ladder.

One object of the invention is to providean improved ladder mounting, whereby the ladder may be readily swung bodily into various angular positions and. also tilted at desired inclina- 4tions to permit of a wide range of operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide for an extensible ladder an auxiliary member, movably mounted on one of the ladder sections, whereby the ladder, when in one position, may be used as an operating platform.

Another object of the invention is to provide l5 an improved ladder construction and mounting therefor having a counterbalance and mechanism for locking and controlling the movement of the ladder in either or both directions of movement.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention relates from the following description.taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a truck embodying my inventiom Fig. 2 is a rear elevation. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section on 3--3 of Fig. l, enlarged.

Fig. i is a fragmentary section on the -line .30 i-l of Fig. 2, enlarged; but showing the auxiliaryv member in operative position.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4, but showing the brake shoes in applied position. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of the outer end portion of the extensible ladder section, parts being broken away.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view on the line I-l of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 2; but showing the parts in full lines.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view of parts shown in Fig. l0, portions being broken away.

Fig. 10 is an end .view of the parts shown in Fig. 9. Fig.' 11 is a section on the line II-II of Fig. 9.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the step and its mounting on the extensible ladder section.

Fig. 13 is an end elevation of parts shown in Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a section on the line II--II of Fig. 12, portions being broken away. Fig. 15 is a detail view.

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary viewshowing the latching device between the ladder sections.

the line (Cl. 22S- 6) u Fig. 17 is a fragment view showing, a modica In the drawings, I indicates as an entirety a power driven truck having front steerable wheels 2 and rear driven wheels 3, which support a suitable frame, the latter providing ak platform 4 on its rear portion. Mounted on and incorporated with the frame is 'a suitable drivers seat preferably enclosed in a cab 5, and rearward of the cab I provide longitudinally extending housings 6 arranged adjacent the opposite sides of the platform 4. The cab 5 and housings 6 may be of any desired construction. By preference, the housings 6 are divided into compartments of various sizes -with provision for access thereto on their inner or outer sides; hinged doors 6a being shown in Fig. 1. The cab 5 may be omitted; or the cab and housings may be fabricated as a unitary structure.

'I indicates an upright tubular member having at its lower end a 'hase 8, which is suitably bolted to the platform 4. The upper end of the tubular member is closed by a plug or wall 9 having an upwardly extending stud shaft III), in axial relation to the tubular member l. The shaft Illy l forms a seat for the inner race of an anti-frietion bearing Il. I2 indicates a sleeve surrounding the upper end portion of the tubular member l, the lower end of the sleeve rotatively engaging a bushing I3 provided on the tubular member. The upper end of the sleeve I2 telescopes into a collar I4, to which it is suitably secured. The collar I4 is formed integrally with a plate I5 formed with an opening I6, the walls of which form a seat for the outer vrace of the bearing II. An annular member I'I is disposed in engagement with the inner lbearing race and 'in overlapping relation to the plate I5, Aand. a nut I8 engaging the threads on the outer end of the shaft I0, holds the bearing II in position and the sleeve I2 and platel I5 in rotatable relation to the tubular member l, so that the sleeve may rotate on the bushing I3 and bearing Il. The plate I5 is provided with diametrical arms I8 (preferably formed integrally therewith) which terminate in alined hollow bosses I9. The bosses I9 support a rod 20 which extends laterally therebeyond to provide trunnions or pivots on which a ladder, indicated as an entirety at 2|, is fulcrumed intermediate its ends, whereby it may be tilted at various inclinations, as shown in -dotted lines in Fig. 2. It will thus be seen from the foregoing description that the ladder 2| is capable of being bodily tilted about the axis of the rod 20 and swung about the axis of the tu- 55 bular member 1, this latter movement permitting the ladder to be extended over a. vehicle parked on the street to enable the mechanic to reach a pole and lamps and other equipment thereon mounted on the side of the roadway.

The ladder 2| comprises a main section 22 and an extensible section 23, each section consisting of side rails 24 and suitable rungs 23a. As shown in Fig. 4, the rails 24 of the section 23 are disposed within and guided by the rails 24 of the main section 22 and slide on the rungs of the latter section, being held in sliding engagement with these rungs by angles 26 ilxed to the inner sides of the rails 24 of the main section. The inner side ot each rail 24 of the ladder section 23 is provided with a suitable dog 24a arranged to engage any one of the rungs 23a of the ladder section 22 when the section 23 is moved upwardly. The dog 24a ls provided with 'a pivoted element 24a' arranged to engage the rungs of the section 22 in the downward movement of the section 23 and cause the dog 24a to ride the rungs. The dogs 24a are of well known construction. The rails 24 of the main section are provided along their lower end walls with channels 26 each of which is secured in position by a plate 21 fixed to the outer side of the adjacent rail and having a portion bent under and secured to the channel. As shown in Fig. 4 the side walls of channels 26 and plate 21 are formed with alined openings to receive the outer ends of the rod 20 to fulcrum the ladder 2| thereon.

Mechanism is provided for automatically locking the ladder 2| in any position to which it may be tilted y'or raised, so that when the ladder reaches the desired position no manual operation is required to prevent it from swinging downwardly. This mechanism comprises two telescoping members, one consisting of a ratchet 28 and the other a guide 29 for. the ratchet and carrying a dog 30, normally biased into engagement with the ratchet 28. By preference, the outer end of the ratchet 28 is suitably fixed to a web 3|, which in turn is welded or otherwise secured to a rod 32 supported in alined openings formed in the channels 26 and the outer end of the guide 29 is pivotally supported on the outer end of a bracket 33, the bracket having a hub 33a, surrounding and xed to the sleeve I2. The guide 29 consists-of a tubular member (of rectangular shape in cross section) suitably connected at its lower end to a casting 34. The casting terminates in a hollow boss 34a, through which a pin extends to pivotally connect the casting to the walls of the bracket 33. The dog 39 is pivotally mounted on a shaft 30a and normally biased into engagement with the ratchet 28 by a spring 35 coiled around a rod 36, pivoted to the dog at its inner end and slidably guided by the Walls of an opening 31 formed in the rear wall of the guldemember 29. 'I'he rear end of the dog 30 is provided with a pair of spaced arms 38, between which operates a cam 39, to engage one arm 38 to lock the dog in engagement with the ratchet 28 (see Figs. 9 and 11) and to engage the other arm 38 to hold the dog 30 in anfinoperative position. The cam 39 is xed to a rock shaft 40 mounted in the Walls of the guide member 29, one end of the shaft 40 being provided with a crank 4| by means of which the cam 39 may be operated to either position. When the cam 39 is in the position shown in Fig. 9, the dog 3U is in locked relation to a tooth of the ratchet 28, so that the outer end of the ladder cannot -be raised or lowered in a vertical plane. If the cam 39 is moved to its mid or neutral position (see dotted line position of the crank 4| indicated at .'c) the ladder 2| may be tilted upwardly and in such movement the ratchet 28 would be moved endwise in its guide and the nose of the dog 30 would ride the ratchet. To permit tilting of the ladder downwardly, the crank 4| is operated to the position shown in dotted lines at at', which operation moves the dog 30 awayv from and maintains it out of engagement with the ratchet 28..

To lock the ladder 2| in any position to which it may be swung laterally I provide the following: 42 indicates a substantially bell-shaped member the side wall 42a of which serves as a brake drum arranged to be engaged by a pair of brake shoes 43. The bottom wall of the member 42 is bolted to the flange of the hub 33a so as to have fixed relation to the sleeve i2. The corresponding ends of the brake shoes 43 are provided with a hollow boss 43a mounted on a. pin 34 depending from one edge of a plate 45 having a collar 46, which is suitably xed to the tubular member 1. The boss 43a is cut through on its inner wall to permit the shoes to move into and out of engagement with the wall 42a. Theopposite ends of the brake shoes 43 are pivoted to a pair of pivotally connected levers 41, 41', constituting a toggle. The levers 41, 41', are connected to the upper end of a rod 48, the lower end of which is pivoted to a foot lever 49, fulcrumed on the base 8, whereby the levers 41, 41', may be operated to apply and release the shoes 43. When the lever 49 is operated downwardly (such position of the lever being shown in Figs. 4 and 5), the toggle levers 41, 41', are expanded to apply the brake shoes 43 to the drum 42a, the eiect of which is to lock the ladder 2| in any predetermined position against swinging movement laterally about the axis of the column 1. Operation of the lever 49 upwardly releases the brake shoes,

to permit swinging movement of the ladder. A

plate 46a is suitably secured by cap screws to the collar 46 and carries a projecting lug 46h-to limit the upward movement of the toggle levers 41, 41. The lever 41' consists o! two parts, one threaded into the other to provide for adjustment of the levers.

50 indicates an auxiliary member extending substantially from end to end of and swingably mounted on the ladder section 22, and adapted to be positioned on or over the ladder section 23 (see Figs. land 4) Accordingly, when the ladder is in a substantially 'horizontal position and swung laterally (see dotted lines in Fig. 2) and operations are to be carried out upon pole supported lamps or other overhead equipment and apparatus at the outer end of the ladder or intermediate its ends, the auxiliary member 50 serves as a walk for the mechanic or operator so that he cangrea'dily traverse the ladder 2| from end to end, -instead of attempting to tread the rungs. The auxiliary member may consist of a frame formed of channel members 5| between which is mounted a sheet of wire mesh material 52, adapted to' serve as the walk or tread surface. The marginal or edge portions of the sheet material 52 are secured to the channel members in any desired manner. The auxiliary member 59 is provided along one side with a plurality of hinge members 53, suitably secured to a hollow rod 54, which rotates in a plurality of brackets carried by the adjacent rail 24 of the ladder section 22, whereby the auxiliary member may be swung into an upright position against a guard 51, as shown in Fig. 3. The hinge members 53 are shaped to provide an off-set portion 53a, so as to extend over the adjacent rail 24 of the ladder section 23, whereby the auxiliary member 50 may rest on the rungs 23a thereof. When the auxiliary member 50 is in its inoperative position, the ladder section 23 may be extended relative to the section 22 and both sections used in the usual way. I preferably provide a guard along either side of the ladder section 22. Each guard 51 consists of a hand rail 58, supported and braced by a plurality of rods or standards 55, 59' suitably secured to the adjacent rail 24 of the ladder section 22. Between and connected to certain of the rods 59 of the guard 51 adjacent to"`the rod 54 I provide a spacing rod 60, on which is fulcrumed a rocker 6I, having a catch Sia at one end arranged to engage the auxiliary member 50 and lock it to the guard, as shown in Fig. 3. The rocker 6i is preferably biased into locking position by a coiledspring 62. The other end of the rocker 6i is connected to a pull rod 63, whereby it may be released from the auxiliary member 50.

6 indicates an auxiliary guard mounted on the outer end of the ladder section 23. The guard N consists of a loop formed of suitable piping covered with' rubber or other insulating material. The guard et is provided st its sides with arms G5, pivoted' on the outer ends of the rails 24 of the ladder section 23, a projection 6d on each rail 2d serving to limit the outward movement of the guard and a pin 61 movably mounted in an opening formed in one rail 2d serving to limit the inward movement of the guard. The pin 61 is disengageable from the guard arm so that the guard may be swung or folded down on the rails 2li of the ladder section, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6. A spring Sii may be coiled around the pin 61 between the projecting end of one of the reinforcing plates 69 on the endof the adjacent rail 2d and a lug 1d on the pin for normally projecting the pin outwardly into operative position, as shown in Fig. 7; the lug 1li being adapted to operate as a handle for the pin to disengage it from the adjacent arm 55.

Rearward of one housing 5 I may provide a seat 1li and rearward of the other housing I provide a ladder 1l to facilitate access to the ladder 2l. As shown in Fig. l, the tubular member or column 1 is arranged on the platform l rearward of the housings so that the ladder 2l may be operated into various positions without interference therewith.

As will be understood from Fig. 2, (a) the guard 64 occupies a substantially upright position, when the ladder 2l is disposed horizontally so that the mechanic cannot fall off the outer end of the ladder and (b) when the ladder is tilted and the mechanic is standing on a step 13 (later referred to) carried by and between the rails of the ladder section 23 near its outer end, the guard surrounds the mechanic so as to insure his safety in this position.

'me step 1s (shown particuiariy in Figs. 12 to 15, inclusive) comprises a plurality of spaced slats or bars 14 connected together at their opposite ends by channels 15 and end bars 15a and connected together intermediate their ends by a cross member 16 having pairs of spaced transverse walls 16a. The walls 16a of each pair are formed with alined openings to receive a shaft 11 xedly supported at its outer end in the adjacent rail 24 of the ladder section 23. The shafts 11 are mounted in alinement and serve as a fulcrum for the step 13. 'I'he step 13 is swlngable from a position alined with the ladder relation tothe ladder section 23, such means shown herein for illustrative purposes comprising the following: 18 indicates plates secured to the inner sides of the rails 24 of the ladder section 23 and having arcuate end walls 18a concentric to the axis of the shafts 11, each formed with a series of notches 19, each notch in one plate being alined with a 'notch in the other plate. indicates a spring operated member arranged to engage any two alined notches to secure the step, in the desired fixed relation to the ladder rails. The member Bil comprises a cross rod 8| disposed transversely of the step 13 and a rod 82 connected at one end. to the rod 48| and extending longitudinally of the step. Be-

low and at the opposite sides of the step adjacent its inner end I provide blocks 83 formed with alined slots 84 extending parallel to the step, the opposite end portions of the rod 8l extending through the slots 84 so that their free ends may be removably seated in any two alined notches 19. 'Ihe rod 82 extends through and is endwise movable in an opening 85 formed in the cross member 16. A coiled spring 86 coiled around the rod 82 and interposed between the cross member 16 and a bead 81 on the outer end of the rod,

v serves normally to bias the member 80 in a direction outwardly of the step 13, so as to maintain the bar 8| inthe alined notches corresponding to the position to which the step is adjusted. A handle 88 suitably secured to either or both of the rods 8l, 82, may serve as a means for removing the rod 8i from any two alined notches and holding it outwardly of the arcuate Walls 18a while the step is being moved or adjusted from one position to another position.

'Ihe outer end portion of the ladder 2l may be counterbalancedl in any desired manner; for example, by means of a weight S, as shown in Fig. 1, or by means of an expansion spring 9E, as shown in Fig. 17. In this latter arrangement I provide a pair of telescopically related tubularmembers 9|, 92, the former being pivoted to the bracket 33 and the latter member being pivoted to a cross rod 93 mounted at its ends in the channels 26, the opposite ends of spring d@ abutting against the end walls of the membersl di, 92, and normally tending to move the latter endwise outwardly. Suitable means 4(not shown) maybe provided for adjusting the tension of the spring.

To those skilled in the art to which my invention relates many changes in constructionand widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope of the invenbe tilted in vertical planes, the intermediate 75 member being movable endwise on said lower member and the upper member being hingedly connected along one longitudinal side to one side of said lower member outwardly of said intermediate member for movement toan inoperative position outwardly of said lower and intermediate members.

2. In a vehicle having a platform thereon, the combination of a column on saidplatform, a ladder mounted to tilt and swing laterally on said column and comprising a main section and a separate section normally disposed in superposed relation to said main section, said separate section being slidable endwise on said main section, and a walk extending longitudinally of said ladder and arranged to normally lie on said separate section, said walk being hinged along one side to one rail of said main section whereby it may be swung to an inoperative position at one side of said main and separate sections.

3. In a vehicle having a platform thereon, the combination of a column on said platform, a ladder mounted to tilt and swing laterally on said column and comprising a main section and a separate section normally disposed in superposed relation to said main section, said separate section being slidable endwise on said main section, and a walk extending longitudinally of said ladder and arranged to normally lie on one of said sections, said Walk being hinged along one side to one rail .of said main section whereby it may be swung to an inoperative position at one side thereof.

4. A vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein the walk consists of a frameand wire screen material connected along its marginal portions to said frame.

5. A vehicle as claimed in claim 2 wherein the side rail to which the walk is hinged is provided with latching means for holding said walk in its inoperative position.

6. In a vehicle having a platform thereon, the combination of a column on said platform, a ladder mounted to tilt and swing laterally on said column, a guard secured to and extending longitudinally of said ladder, a walk extending longitudinally of said ladder and hinged along one side to one rail thereof, said walk being arranged to lie on said ladder and to be swung to an inoperative position, and means carried by said guard for holding said walk in its inoperative position.

7. In a vehicle having a platform, the com y binationcf a column thereon, a ladder comprising a main section mounted to tilt and swing laterally on said column and a separate section the side rails of which are disposed within the side rails of said main section and slldably engage the rungs thereof for movement endwise, a walk extending longitudinally of said sections and arranged to lie on said separate section, and hinge elements between one side of said walk and the adjacent rail of said main section, to permit said walk to swing to an inoperative position, said hinge elements having off-sets extending over the adjacent side rail of said separate section.

8. In a wheel mounted frame, a platform thereon, a column on said platform, a ladder mounted to tilt and swing laterally on said column and comprising a main section and a separatesection slidable thereon, a guard secured to and extending longitudinally of. said main ladder section, a walk extending longitudinally of said separate ladder section and hinged along one side to one rail of said main ladder section, said walk being arranged to lie on said separate ladder section and to be swung to an inoperative position, and means carried by said guard for securing said walk in its inoperative position.

9. In a wheel mounted frame, a platform thereon, a column on said platform, a ladder mounted intermediate its ends on said column to tilt and swing laterally, a walk extending longitudinally of said ladder and hinged along one side to one rail of said ladder, said walk being arranged to lie on said ladder and to be swung bodily laterally to an inoperative position at one side of said ladder, whereby the rungs of said ladder are unobstructed from end to end thereof, and means for holding said walk in its inoperative position.

10. In a vehicle having a platform thereon, the combination of a column on said platform, a ladder mounted to tilt and swing laterally on said column, a guard secured to one side of said ladder and extending longitudinally thereof, a walk extending longitudinally of said ladder and hinged along one side to one rail thereof., said walk being arranged to lie on said ladder and to be swung bodily laterally to an inoperative position at one side thereof, and means for holding said Walk in its inoperative position.

PAUL E. HAWKINS.

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