VEHICLE OVERTURN PREVENTER

• US 3,753,474 A
• Filed: 06/04/1971
• Issued: 08/21/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eugene Roland Dillmann
• Original Assignee: Eugene Roland Dillmann
• Inventors: Dillmann, Eugene Roland
• Primary Examiner(s): Betts, Kenneth H.
• Application Number:
  US05/150,020
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 180/82.3,103,104 200/61.52
• US Class Current: 180/283
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 49/08 having means for preventing overturning or tipping safety devices for propulsion-unit control, specially adapted for, or arranged in, vehicles B60K28/00

Abstract

Mechanism for preventing overturn of a tractor or other vehicle when it rears to a dangerous angle, comprising: a track that is inclined downward in a forward direction when the vehicle is in level position, and forwardly inclined upward when the front end of the vehicle has dangerously tipped upward; an upright chute connected to the rear end of the track; a spherical weight that normally remains at a forward part of the track, but when the vehicle is at a dangerous inclination moves down the track incline and falls down the chute; a device for controlling the power of the vehicle'"'"''"'"'s motor comprising a lever pivotal in the chute (shown as an electric switch control lever, but optionally instead may be a throttle valve control lever), this device being actuated into motor-stopping position by the falling ball; and braking means for retarding and preventing movement of the ball into the chute due to vibrations of the vehicle and changes of its level until it reaches a dangerous angle, threatening overturn. This braking means comprises two elements: an upright baffle plate, making difficult the ball'"'"''"'"'s climb out of a forward corner of the track; and a hinged, lead-weighted lever that must be pivoted out of the way before the ball enters the chute. Instead of the levered switch a push button may be utilized.

Claims

1. A device for preventing overturn of a motor-driven vehicle, comprising:

an electric switch and switch-control housing;

an upright chute, fixed to said housing, having an upper opening;

a motor-controlling, switch-operating element, mounted in a lower portion of said chute, for electrically permitting or stopping power of the vehicle'"'"''"'"'s motor;

mechanism, automatically operated when the vehicle is in a dangerous, overturn-tending angle, for actuating said motorcontrolling switch from its motor-operating to its motorstopping position, comprising;

a weighted-element track, fixed to said housing, normally inclined upward from a track end that is spaced from said chute, but inclined downward toward said chute opening when the vehicle is in said dangerous angle;

a weighted element, of a size permitting it to move thru said chute opening and downward in said chute, being movable downward on said track, toward said chute opening, when the vehicle is in said dangerous angle;

a lever, pivotally connected to said housing, having a pivoted part and a free-ended part that is located at said upper chute opening and is normally in the path of movement of said weighted element, thE said lever being pivotal from a first position in which said free-ended part bars movement of said weighted element into said chute opening into a second pivotal position in which said free-ended part permits said movement of the weighted element thru the chute opening; and

a hinge having one portion fixed to said housing, another hinge portion fixed to said lever, and a pivotal element between said hinge portions;

the said lever and weighted element being constructed and arranged, in angle of pivoting of the lever and the weight of the said free-ended part and the weight of said weighted element, to hold said lever in said first position against force of said weighted element during its jostling movement due to vibration of the vehicle, but to permit movement of the lever into said second position when the vehicle is in said dangerous position.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1, in which:

the upPer end of said chute and the normally upper end of said track are joined in a common edge;

the said hinge is lower in said housing than the said free-ended lever part; and

said free-ended lever part, in said first position of the lever, rests on said common edge.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1, in which said track comprises:

a bottom portion; and

sides, limiting and guiding movement of said weighted element, fixed to said bottom portion.

4. A device as set forth in claim 3, in which:

the said track in its normal upwardly inclined position has a lower end wall and a lower part of said bottom portion which together pocket said weighted element at the lower end of the inclined track; and

at least one of said sides is angled, providing a baffle part of the sides which inhibits vibratory, jostling movement of said weighted element.

5. A device as set forth in claim 1, in which said weighted element is a ball and said track is angled, has angled sides, and has a sidewall part that inhibits upward, jostling movement of said ball in normal positions of the vehicle.

6. A device as set forth in claim 1, in which said lever comprises:

a bar, fixed to said second-named hinge portion; and

a metallic piece at said free-ended lever part, having a specific gravity greater than that of steel, fixed to a portion of said arm that is spaced from said hinge.

7. A device for preventing overturn of a motor-driven vehicle, comprising:

a motor-control housing, adapted to be fixed to a vehicle-motor-supporting means, having;

a bottom wall that in use is normally approximately level;

a front wall;

a rear wall;

at least one sidewall that is fixed to said front and rear walls; and

a removable cover;

inside said housing;

means for stopping the application of power to a vehicle-driving motor, comprising a support and a motor-controlling element on the support, movable from a motor-operating position to a motor-stopping position;

an upright, weighted-element chute, within said housing, adjacent to said rear wall and fixed to one of said walls, having upper edges that define an upper chute opening that is adapted to receive a movable weighted element;

an angled weighted-element track that is fixed to at least one of said housing walls, normally inclined upward from a track end that is spaced from said chute, but inclined downward toward said upper chute opening when the vehicle is in a dangerous, overturn-tending angle, the said track comprising;

a bottom, having an edge at said opening, rigidly connected to said upper edges of the chute; and

angled side railings, one of the angled portions of which inhibits jostling movement of said weighted-element during normal vibrations of the vehicle;

a weighted element, of a size permitting it to move thru said upper chute opening and downward in the chute, the said weighted element being movable, when the vehicle is in said dangerous angle, downward on said track and into contact with said motor-controlling element, and having sufficient weight in relation to the height of its fall in said chute to actuate said motor-coNtrolling element into its motor-stopping position.

8. A device as set forth in claim 7, in which said means for stopping power comprises an electric switch assembly, and said motor-controlling element has sufficient length for its operation of the switch into circuit-breaking position when said element is struck by said movable weight.

9. A device as set forth in claim 7, further comprising pivoted means at said upper chute opening for preventing vibration-jolted movement of said ball into said opening when the vehicle is in normal operation, the said pivoted means comprising:

a lever, having a weighted free-ended portion and a pivoted end;

a pivot bearing having one bearing part rigidly fixed relatively to said housing and another part rigidly fixed to said pivoted end of the lever;

the said weighted, free-ended portion being in position to block said vibration-jolted movement in normal operation of the vehicle, and when it is in said dangerous angle being swung out of said position, permitting said weight to enter said opening.

10. A device as set forth in claim 9, in which said means for stopping power comprises an electric, toggle-switch assembly in a bottom portion of said chute, and said motor-controlling element is a toggle-switch lever, having sufficient length for its operation of the switch into circuit-breaking position when said element is struck by said movable weight.