Truck roll warning system

• US 3,921,128 A
• Filed: 05/28/1974
• Issued: 11/18/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Suzanne Kerr, Snead
• Original Assignee: Edwin Des. Snead
• Inventors: Snead, Edwin deS.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, III, Glen R.
• Application Number:
  US05/473,511
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 340/52H,282,267R,267C,53 180/104 298/22C,17S,1R 280/6R
• US Class Current: 340/440
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/045 Levelling or stabilising systems for tippers suspensions with levelling or stabilising means for vehicles in general B60G17/00, B60G21/00, using ground-engaging vehicle fittings B60S9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0233 Vehicle tilting, overturning or roll over

Abstract

A warning safety system, responsive to the angle of lateral roll or tilt of a truck or trailer having a hydraulically operated dumping bed, includes a switch unit mounted on the dump bed responsive to a predetermined angle of tilt with the bed in the normal transport position and to a second predetermined angle of tilt when the bed is in the raised position where the center of gravity of the dumping vehicle is inherently higher. The switch actuates a warning signal device and a safety valve for lowering the bed.

Claims

1. In a vehicle having a dump bed, a single acting extensible hydraulic cylinder for raising and lowering said dump bed, and a hydraulic system including a reservoir and power pump for extending said cylinder to raise said bed;

a warning system comprising;

an electrically operated signal device;

a control circuit for said signal device including a switch unit responsive to lateral tilt of said vehicle in either direction;

said switch unit including a housing defining a vertical reference plane and a horizontal reference plane, and a pair of elongated, linear mercury switch tubes supported in said housing parallel to said vertical reference plane and being oppositely inclined at a selected angle relative to said horizontal reference plane;

said switch unit being mounted on said bed to dispose said vertical reference plane in a plane generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the axis of the vehicle and to dispose said horizontal reference plane in a plane generally parallel to the vehicle supporting surface, when said bed is in its lowermost position;

each switch tube being responsive to laTeral tilt of the vehicle at an angle greater than a selected horizontal reference angle of the switch tubes, in a respective direction, to actuate said signal device;

the selected reference angles for said tubes in the lowermost position of said bed being less than the critical angle of tilt for the vehicle with the bed in said lowermost position; and

the angle of said tubes relative to a horizontal plane decreasing as said bed is raised, to respond to a lesser angle of tilt of the vehicle.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 each of said switch tubes having a pair of normally open contacts at its upper end;

said contact pairs being connected in parallel with each other, and in series with a power source and said electrically operated signal device, to energize said signal device when either of said pairs of contacts is closed.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 auxiliary means for effecting the lowering of said bed;

electrically controlled actuator means, for said auxiliary lowering means, connected in said control circuit and being responsive to excessive tilt to effect the immediate lowering of said bed.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said vehicle hydraulic system includes a bypass circuit for said cylinder, and safety valve means in said bypass circuit;

said warning system including a solenoid actuator for said safety valve means; and

said solenoid actuated safety valve being connected in said control circuit and responsive to excessive tilt to effect the immediate lowering of said bed.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 said safety valve means being a normally closed valve;

and said control circuit being effective to energize said solenoid actuator, when said vehicle exceeds a critical roll angle in either direction of roll, to open said valve and bypass circuit.