ASSEMBLY FOR ALTERING ORIENTATION OF A BODY OF A VEHICLE RELATIVE TO ITS CHASSIS This invention relates to an assembly for altering the orientation of a body of a vehicle relative to its chassis. The invention is particularly suited for use with a haulage vehicle of the kind where the body accommodates goods. One example of a vehicle of the foregoing kind is a tilt tray truck for transporting other vehicles where the tray is the body. It will be convenient to hereinafter describe the invention in relation to this particular example, however it should be appreciated that the invention has wider application for haulage vehicles such as dump trucks.

Tilt tray trucks generally include a cabin mounted towards the front of a chassis and body on a tray mounted behind the cabin extending toward the rear of the chassis.

Trucks of this kind are regularly used to transport other vehicles, and in particular incapacitated vehicles. When loading the other vehicle on to the tray the longitudinal axis of the truck is normally aligned with the other vehicle so that it can be loaded over a rear edge of the tray. In order to facilitate loading of the vehicle onto the tray, the tray may be capable of being tilted and moved beyond the rear and of the chassis. This permits the rear edge of the tray to approach the ground so that the other vehicle can be driven, or if the other vehicle is incapacitated, dragged onto the tray.

It is not always convenient to load the other vehicle onto the tray over the rear end of the chassis. This can be the case where there is limited room in front of, or to the rear of, the other vehicle to permit safe loading. This can often be the case when the other vehicle has become incapacitated on a road and aligning the longitudinal axis of the truck with the other vehicle would obstruct the normal flow of traffic on the road.

It would be preferable for vehicles such as a truck of the foregoing kind to have greater options in the manner by which goods are at least loaded on the body thereof.

According to one aspect of this invention, there is provided an assembly for altering an orientation of a body of a vehicle relative to a chassis of the vehicle, the assembly including :

a frame providing support to the body and having a base portion and a pivotable portion, the pivotable portion being pivotable relative to the base portion; a pivot means being operable to pivot the pivotable portion relative to the base portion; a rotation means connecting the frame to the chassis being operable to rotate the frame relative to the chassis; and wherein the orientation of the body relative to the chassis is altered by operation of the rotation means and pivot means.

It is preferred that the rotation means includes a main support connecting the base portion of the frame to the chassis having an axis of rotation about which the frame rotates. The main support may include at least one bearing to facilitate rotation of the frame relative to the chassis about the main support axis of rotation. The rotation means may also include a rotation actuator acting between the chassis and the base portion to move the base portion relative to the chassis. The rotation actuator may include a pair of rams, each ram having a fixed end attached to the chassis and a free end attached to the base portion by a crank pin, the crank pin being spaced radially from the main support so that operation of the ram moves the crank pin about the axis of rotation. It is preferred that the pair of rams make an acute angle at the crank pin.

The pivot means may include a pivot actuator acting between the base portion and the pivotable portion which is operable to move the pivotable portion relative to the base portion, the pivot means includes a pivot pin connecting the pivotable portion to the base portion so that operation of the pivot actuator causes the pivotable portion to pivot about the pin relative to the base. The pivot actuator may include at least one scissor lift.

The assembly preferably includes guide means acting between the pivotable portion and the body to allow translational movement of the body relative to the chassis between a haulage position and a loading or unloading position. The assembly may also include a translation actuator acting between the body and the chassis being operable to move the body relative to the chassis. The rotation means is preferably operable only when the body is in the loading or unloading position.

According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided a vehicle including a chassis, a body and an assembly substantially as herein before defined according to the first aspect of the invention. The vehicle preferably includes at least one rear wheel, wherein the axis of rotation of the frame extends through the wheel.

The vehicle also preferably includes at least one stabilising leg connected to the chassis for engaging the ground while the orientation of the body is being altered.

It will be convenient to hereinafter describe the invention in greater detail by reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a haulage vehicle of the foregoing kind utilising the assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. The particularity of the drawings and the detailed description of those drawings are not to be understood as superseding the generality of the claims.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vehicle according to a preferred embodiment.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the vehicle from Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the assembly according to a preferred embodiment of this invention.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the assembly from Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a cross section through I-I of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a cross section through 11-II of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a cross section through III-III of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a cross section through IV-IV of Figure 2.

Figure 9 is a cross section through V-V of Figure 2.

Figure 10 is a plan view of the vehicle of Figure 1 with the body in the rotated position.

Figure 11 is a side elevation of a vehicle according to a preferred aspect of this invention including stabilising means.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tilt tray truck 1 being one preferred form of vehicle to which an aspect of the invention applies. It should be appreciated that the assembly according to another aspect of the invention is not limited to use with this form of vehicle only. The truck illustrated includes a chassis 2 with a cabin 3 located at the front of the chassis 2. A body 4 is located on the chassis 2 to the rear of the cabin 3. The body 4 illustrated is in the form of a flat bed tray. The assembly is not limited for use with a body 4 of the kind illustrated, for example the body 4 may be partially or fully enclosed.

The illustration in Figure 1 shows the tray 4 in two positions, one of which is in a haulage position where the tray 4 is substantially parallel with the chassis 2. The other position is a loading or unloading position where the tray 4 is pivoted relative to the chassis 2 and translated towards the rear of the chassis 2 so that a rear edge 5 of the tray 4 approaches the ground. This orientation of the tray 4 facilitates loading and unloading, for example, a vehicle onto and off the tray 4. For example, a vehicle could be driven onto the tray 4 or, if the vehicle is incapacitated, dragged onto the tray 4 via a winch or the like (not shown).

The assembly 6 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated is located over a rear wheel 2 assembly of the vehicle. The assembly has an axis of rotation X-X that extends through the wheels of the wheel assembly. Referring momentarily to Figure 2 it is noted that the axis of rotation X-X is also centrally located between the sets of wheels of the wheel assembly 7. This location of the axis of rotation X-X provides greater stability for the operation of the assembly 6 during loading and unloading, however other positions for the axis of rotation may be suitable.

Referring now to Figure 3 which illustrates the preferred form of assembly 6 substantially in isolation from the remainder of the vehicle 1. The assembly illustrated includes a frame 8 having a base portion 9 and a pivotable portion 10, with pivot means being provided for pivoting the pivotable portion 10 relative to the base portion 9. The pivot means includes a pair of pivot pins 11 providing a connection between the base portion 9 and the pivotable portion 10. The pivot means also includes a pivot actuator 12 which in the illustrated preferred embodiment is in the form of a pair of

scissor lifts. Other forms of pivot actuators 12 are clearly possible. The pair of scissor lifts illustrated act between the base portion and the pivotable portion which is also illustrated in Figure 4.

Referring again to Figure 3 which illustrates a preferred form of rotation means for rotating the frame 8 relative to the chassis 2. The rotation means illustrated includes a main support 13 having the axis of rotation X-X which as previously discussed, extends through the wheel assembly 7. The main support may include some form of bearing or the like to facilitate rotation of frame thereabout. The rotation means also includes a rotation actuator 14 which in the illustrated embodiment is in the form of a pair of rams 15. The rams include a fixed end attached to the chassis 2 and a free end attached to a crank pin 16 which is in turn attached to the base portion 9. The rams 15 make an acute angle at the crank pin 16 so that extension of either ram 15 causes movement of the crank pin 16 around the axis of rotation X-X, which in turn rotates the frame 8 and body 4 as is illustrated in Figure 10. The form of rotation means illustrated is clearly preferred and other forms may be possible.

The assembly 6 preferably includes a guide means 17 connected to the tray 4 which is best illustrated in any one of the cross sections shown in Figures 5 to 9. The guide means 17 stops movement of the tray in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the frame Y-Y. The guide means 17 is configured so that the rotation means is only operable when the tray 4 is translated towards the rear of the chassis in a loading or unloading position. A translation actuator is provided for translating the tray in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the frame Y-Y. The translation actuator in the illustrated embodiment is in the form of an extension ram 18 which is best illustrated in cross sections 6 to 8.

The vehicle 1 according to one aspect of this invention preferably includes stabilisation means for stabilising the vehicle particularly during the loading and unloading operation. The preferred form of stabilisation means illustrated includes stabilisation legs 19 extending from the chassis 2 to the ground, which are retracted when the vehicle 1 is moving.

It should be appreciated that the assembly as hereinbefore described provides truck operators of the foregoing kind with greater options in the manner in which goods are at least loaded onto the body thereof. The ability for the body to rotate relative to the chassis of the vehicle is a particular advantage.

Finally it is to be understood that various alterations, modifications and/or additions may be introduced to the parts previously described without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention.