ROLLOVER PROTECTION APPARATUS

• US 3,866,942 A
• Filed: 08/16/1973
• Issued: 02/18/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fiatallis SPA
• Original Assignee: Carl A. Keyzer, Daniel Pacheco, Don G. Sandrock, James V. Cheetham, William J. Dobeus
• Inventors: Sandrock, Don G., Dobeus, William J., Cheetham, James V., Pacheco, Daniel, Keyzer, Carl A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wood, Jr., M. Henson
• Assistant Examiner(s): Saifer, Robert
• Application Number:
  US05/388,974
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• Field of Search: 296/102 280/15C
• US Class Current: 280/755
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/131 Protective devices for drivers in case of overturning of tractors means for preventing overturning or tipping of tractors B62D49/08

Abstract

The mounting connections for the legs of the rollover protection structure for a vehicle are located below the floor of the operator'"'"''"'"'s platform. The mounting brackets for the legs are rigidly secured to vertical braces of the operator'"'"''"'"'s platform and so arranged that the pins for connecting the legs to the brackets may be easily installed and removed. A flexible bushing is used between the pins and the legs of the rollover protection structure so as to isolate the structure from the platform. Additionally, a horizontal sealing pad is placed between a shoulder on the lower part of each leg and the operator'"'"''"'"'s platform which not only acts as a seal but also reduces relative motion between the rollover protection structure and the operator'"'"''"'"'s platform in the direction of the axes of the mounting pins. The pins are oriented on parallel longitudinal axes at laterally opposite sides of the vehicle. On lateral deflection of the legs of the rollover protection structure when the vehicle overturns, a resisting moment is established by the pin connections and the cooperative abutment of the shoulders on the legs with the platform. Top and side panels may be added to the basic framework of the rollover protection structure to form a cab; in which event, the legs will depend below the bottom edge of the cab sidewalls. When a cab so constructed is removed from the vehicle and placed upon the ground or other support, the depending legs provide bottom clearance thereby minimizing damage to the bottom edges of the side panels.

Claims

1. Rollover protection apparatus for a vehicle having an operators platform including a floor, said apparatus comprising:

a first pair of openings in said floor at one lateral side of said platform, a second pair of openings in said floor at the other lateral side of said platform, a rollover protection structure having a first pair of depending legs with bottom end portions extending into said first pair of openings and presenting longitudinally aligned bores, and a second pair of depending legs with bottom end portions extending into said second pair of openings and presenting longitudinally aligned bores, a resilient bushing in each of said bores, a pin extending through each of said bushings, and means connecting said pins to said platform below said floor, said means including vertical brackets secured to the underside of said floor and presenting front and rear holes for each of said pins, said brackets being integral with vertical bracing members for saiD floor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising top and side panels secured to said structure to form a cab, the lower edges of said side panels being disposed above the lower ends of said end portions of said legs.

3. Rollover protection apparatus for a vehicle having an operator'"'"''"'"'s platform including a floor, said apparatus comprising:

a plurality of openings in said floor, a rollover protection structure having a plurality of depending legs with bottom end portions extending into said openings, respectively, and means releasably connecting said bottom end portions to said platform below said floor, said means including an opening in each of said end portions, vertical brackets secured to the underside of said floor and presenting aligned holes and pins releasably mounted in said openings and holes, said brackets being integral with vertical bracing members for said floor.

4. Rollover protection apparatus for a vehicle having an operator'"'"''"'"'s platform including a floor, said apparatus comprising:

a first pair of openings in said floor at one lateral side of said platform, a second pair of openings in said floor at the other lateral side of said platform, a rollover protection structure having a first pair of depending legs with bottom end portions extending into said first pair of openings and presenting longitudinally aligned bores, and a second pair of depending legs with bottom end portions extending into said second pair of openings and presenting longitudinally aligned bores, a resilient bushing in each of said bores, a pin extending through each of said bushings, and means connecting said pins to said platform below said floor, each of said legs including a shoulder at the end portion thereof disposed in a downward confronting relation to said floor and said shoulders being adapted to move into thrust transmitting engagement with said floor upon predetermined lateral pivotal movement of said legs about said pins thereby resisting further pivotal movement of said legs.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 and further comprising a resilient pad between each of said shoulders and said floor.