Bus manufacturing mechanism and method
First Claim
1. Mechanism for assembling, in relative positions of final assembly, a selected plurality of sub-assemblies, each of said sub-assemblies comprising a major component of a transit vehicle and being respectively a floor assembly, a roof assembly and a left and right sidewall assembly, said mechanism comprising:
- a collector in the form of a framework of a rectangular shape to receive therein the body of a transit vehicle, said framework being open on at least one end thereof to receive the various sub-assemblies of a transit vehicle to be assembled therein;
said framework having at least a plurality of transverse open frames each having upright side beams, a transverse top beam, and a transverse bottom beam;
said framework being mounted on wheels aligned transversely with respect to the open end of the collector so that the collector can travel between individual staging points where the different sub-assemblies may be loaded into the open end of the collector for assembly of a vehicle within the collector;
floor sub-assembly conveyor way means positioned within said collector framework to convey into said collector and to support therein in relative position of final assembly a floor sub-assembly, said floor sub-assembly conveyor way means being attached to the upright side beams of said transverse open frames, said sub-assembly conveyor way means being of a length approximating that of a vehicle floor assembly;
sidewall sub-assembly conveyor way means positioned within said collector framework to convey into said collector and support therein in relative position of final assembly sidewall sub-assemblies;
roof sub-assembly conveyor way means positioned within said collector framework to convey into said collector and support therein in relative position of final assembly roof sub-assemblies, andmeans attaching said sidewall sub-assembly conveyor way means and said roof sub-assembly conveyor way means to said collector framework.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A plurality of sub-assemblies comprising elements of a transit vehicle are first completed individually in their respective jigs. Each of selected ones of these sub-assemblies has embodied therein an extrusion having a trackway formed thereon for alignment with a selected conveyor way provided therefor in a collector, which travels in successive cycles along a selected path on a final assembly floor. Each of said selected sub-assemblies has joint means formed thereon for interlocking engagement with complementary joint means provided on one or more of the other sub-assemblies. The selected sub-assemblies are conveyed, by means of their trackways riding along their respective conveyor ways, into the collector, and thus into interlocked relation with each other in positions of final assembly therein, where they are secured permanently in such interlocked relation. Other sub-assemblies are then added to produce a complete transit vehicle.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. Mechanism for assembling, in relative positions of final assembly, a selected plurality of sub-assemblies, each of said sub-assemblies comprising a major component of a transit vehicle and being respectively a floor assembly, a roof assembly and a left and right sidewall assembly, said mechanism comprising:
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a collector in the form of a framework of a rectangular shape to receive therein the body of a transit vehicle, said framework being open on at least one end thereof to receive the various sub-assemblies of a transit vehicle to be assembled therein; said framework having at least a plurality of transverse open frames each having upright side beams, a transverse top beam, and a transverse bottom beam; said framework being mounted on wheels aligned transversely with respect to the open end of the collector so that the collector can travel between individual staging points where the different sub-assemblies may be loaded into the open end of the collector for assembly of a vehicle within the collector; floor sub-assembly conveyor way means positioned within said collector framework to convey into said collector and to support therein in relative position of final assembly a floor sub-assembly, said floor sub-assembly conveyor way means being attached to the upright side beams of said transverse open frames, said sub-assembly conveyor way means being of a length approximating that of a vehicle floor assembly; sidewall sub-assembly conveyor way means positioned within said collector framework to convey into said collector and support therein in relative position of final assembly sidewall sub-assemblies; roof sub-assembly conveyor way means positioned within said collector framework to convey into said collector and support therein in relative position of final assembly roof sub-assemblies, and means attaching said sidewall sub-assembly conveyor way means and said roof sub-assembly conveyor way means to said collector framework. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification