PEDESTAL AND TORQUE BOX ASSEMBLY FOR A FIRE APPARATUS

• US 20160144211A1
• Filed: 11/24/2014
• Published: 05/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
• Original Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
• Inventors: Betz, Eric, Archer, David W., Morrow, Jon J., Parshall, Don, Kramer, Peter K., Lind, Troy D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,492,695 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 27/00 Fire-fighting land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/09 Means for mounting load bearing surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: E06C 5/04 capable of being elevated or extended ; Fastening means during transport, e.g. mechanical, hydraulic

Abstract

A quint configuration fire apparatus includes a chassis defining a longitudinal direction, a body assembly coupled to the chassis and having a storage area configured to receive a ground ladder and a fire hose, a pump coupled to the chassis, a water tank coupled to the chassis, a ladder assembly including a plurality of extensible ladder sections, the ladder assembly coupled to the chassis with a pedestal and a torque box, a single front axle coupled to a front end of the chassis, and a single rear axle coupled to a rear end of the chassis. The ladder assembly is extensible to provide a horizontal reach of at least 100 feet and a vertical height of at least 105 feet. The torque box extends along the longitudinal direction and spans the single rear axle thereby transferring loading along the chassis.

Claims

1. A quint configuration fire apparatus, comprising:

a chassis defining a longitudinal direction;

a body assembly coupled to the chassis and having a storage area configured to receive a ground ladder and a fire hose;

a pump coupled to the chassis;

a water tank coupled to the chassis;

a ladder assembly including a plurality of extensible ladder sections, the ladder assembly coupled to the chassis with a pedestal and a torque box, wherein the ladder assembly is extensible to provide a horizontal reach of at least 100 feet and a vertical height of at least 105 feet;

a single front axle coupled to a front end of the chassis; and

a single rear axle coupled to a rear end of the chassis, wherein the torque box extends along the longitudinal direction and spans the single rear axle thereby transferring loading along the chassis.

2. The fire apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pedestal is coupled to the torque box and disposed rearward of the single rear axle.

3. The fire apparatus of claim 2, wherein the chassis includes a first frame rail spaced apart from a second frame rail.

4. The fire apparatus of claim 3, wherein the torque box has a width equal to a spacing between laterally-outward surfaces of the first frame rail and the second frame rail.

5. The fire apparatus of claim 4, wherein the torque box includes a body portion having a first end disposed rearward of the single rear axle and an opposing second end disposed forward of the single rear axle.

6. The fire apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a single set of outriggers coupled to the chassis and moveable between a fully extended position and a retracted position, wherein the single set of outriggers protrude from opposing lateral sides of the chassis when in the fully extended position.

7. The fire apparatus of claim 6, wherein the opposing second end of the torque box is coupled to the single set of outriggers thereby defining a load path from the ladder assembly to the single set of outriggers through the pedestal and the body portion of the torque box.

8. The fire apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a stability foot coupled to the first end of the torque box thereby defining a second load path from the ladder assembly to the stability foot through the pedestal and the body portion of the torque box.

9. The fire apparatus of claim 1, wherein the torque box includes a tubular component having a rectangular cross-sectional shape.

10. The fire apparatus of claim 9, wherein the chassis includes a pair of frame rails, and wherein the tubular component is stacked atop the pair of frame rails.

11. The fire apparatus of claim 10, wherein the torque box includes a plate having a first wall disposed across a top surface of the tubular component, a first leg disposed along a sidewall of the tubular component, and a second leg disposed along an opposing second sidewall of the tubular component, wherein the first leg and the second leg define a plurality of interfaces configured to engage a plurality of brackets that are attached to the pair of frame rails.

12. The fire apparatus of claim 11, wherein the tubular component and the plate define a pair of cooperating apertures that receives the pedestal.

13. The fire apparatus of claim 1, wherein the single rear axle comprises a solid axle configuration extending laterally across the chassis.

14. A fire apparatus, comprising:

a chassis defining a longitudinal direction;

a body assembly coupled to the chassis and configured to receive a ground ladder, a fire hose, a pump, and a water tank;

a ladder assembly including a plurality of extensible ladder sections, the ladder assembly coupled to the chassis with a pedestal and a torque box, wherein the ladder assembly is extensible to provide a horizontal reach of at least 100 feet; and

a single rear axle coupled to a rear end of the chassis, wherein the torque box extends along the longitudinal direction and spans the single rear axle thereby transferring loading along the chassis.

15. The fire apparatus of claim 14, wherein the pedestal is coupled to the torque box and disposed rearward of the single rear axle, wherein the chassis includes a first frame rail spaced apart from a second frame rail, and wherein the torque box has a width equal to a spacing between laterally outward surfaces of the first frame rail and the second frame rail.

16. The fire apparatus of claim 15, wherein the torque box includes a body portion having a first end disposed rearward of the single rear axle and an opposing second end disposed forward of the single rear axle.

17. The fire apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a single set of outriggers coupled to the chassis and moveable between a fully extended position and a retracted position, wherein the single set of outriggers protrude from opposing lateral sides of the chassis when in the fully extended position.

18. The fire apparatus of claim 17, wherein the opposing second end of the torque box is coupled to the single set of outriggers thereby defining a load path from the ladder assembly to the single set of outriggers through the pedestal and the body portion of the torque box.

19. The fire apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a stability foot coupled to the first end of the torque box thereby defining a second load path from the ladder assembly to the stability foot through the pedestal and the body portion of the torque box.

20. A method of manufacturing a quint configuration fire apparatus, comprising:

providing a chassis;

coupling a body assembly to the chassis, the body assembly having a storage area configured to receive a ground ladder, a fire hose, a pump, and a water tank;

pivotally coupling a ladder assembly to the chassis with a pedestal and a torque box, wherein the ladder assembly is extensible to provide a horizontal reach of at least 100 feet;

supporting at least a portion of the weight of the chassis, the body assembly, the pump, the water tank, the ladder assembly, the ground ladder, and the fire hose with a single front axle and a single rear axle; and

transferring loading along the chassis by positioning the torque box across the single rear axle.