AU2019268051B1

AU2019268051B1 - Vehicle fitting

Info

Publication number: AU2019268051B1
Application number: AU2019268051A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Martin Bailey
Original assignee: Peter A Martin Constructions Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Peter A Martin Constructions Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2019-11-18
Filing date: 2019-11-18
Publication date: 2020-03-19
Anticipated expiration: 2039-11-18

Abstract

: A vehicle fitting (10) for attachment to a rear of a vehicle (40), including a first member (12) and a second member (13), said second member (13) disposed within the first member (12) such that the second member (13) is extendable with respect to the first member (12), said second member 5 (13) able to be fixed in a desired extended position such that a locking pin (19) affixes the second member (13) to the first member (12) in the desired extended position, wherein a lifting jack engages with said second member (13) when in said extended position to raise and lower a rear side of the vehicle (40). 8

Description

VEHICLE FITTING

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a vehicle fitting that is used in order to raise and lower the rear of a vehicle to which the fitting is attached, for the purposes of, for example, changing a wheel on the vehicle.

Background of the Invention

On existing vehicles, in particular four-wheel drive vehicles that are especially made for off-road vehicle travel, it is a difficult process to change a rear wheel and tyre for a substitute wheel and tyre, or to access or inspect the underneath of the vehicle. In this event, the rear axle is usually used as a mounting point for a jack in order to raise the vehicle. The axle is typically round and therefore makes the jack prone to slipping or dislodging from such a mounting point. It can be extremely unsafe for a person to be under the vehicle at the time of operating the jack. This situation is exacerbated even further when the vehicle is in a soft surface such as mud or sand.

The present invention seeks to overcome one or more of the above disadvantages by providing a vehicle fitting that is securely fitted to the underneath part of the rear of the vehicle and provides safe and suitable mounting points to raise and lower the vehicle when required.

Summary of the Invention

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a vehicle fitting for attachment to a rear of a vehicle, including:

a first member and a second member, said second member disposed within the first member such that the second member is extendable with respect to the first member;

said second member able to be fixed in a desired extended position such that a locking pin affixes the second member to the first member in the desired extended position; wherein a lifting jack engages with said second member when in said extended position to raise and lower a rear side of the vehicle.

The first member preferably has a first end with a first opening and a second end with a second opening, said second member is able to be extended through either the first opening or the second opening of the first member.

The fitting may father include mounting bracket means to enable attachrent of the first and second members for fitting to the vehicle. The mounting bracket means preferably includes a first mounting bracket having a first end affixed adjacent a first end of the first member and a second end affixed to a chassis rail underneath said vehicle, the mounting bracket means father including a second mounting bracket having a first end affixed adjacent a second end of the first member and a second end affixed to said chassis rail underneath said vehicle.

A surface of the second member may be used by a lifting jack to enable raising and lowering of the vehicle. A distal end of the extended second member can be used such that an arm of a lifting jack is inserted into an end of the second member.

The second member may have an aperture adjacent each end of the second member to enable a user to use a tool that fits the respective aperture to extend the second member with respect to the first member.

The fitting may further include a socket mount for receiving a tow bar, said socket mount extending outwardly from the first member midway along the first member and in a direction opposite to the mounting bracket means.

Each of said first and second members preferably have apertures for receiving the locking pin to lock the first and second members together.

Brief Description of the Drawings

A preferred embodiment of the invention will hereinafter be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view from above of the vehicle fitting shown in a first operating position;

Figure 2 is a perspective view from above of the vehicle fitting shown in a second operating position;

Figure 3 is a planned view of the vehicle fitting of Figures 1 and 2, but shown in the closed or non-operating position;

Figure 4 is a side view of a vehicle having the vehicle fitting attached and with a high lift jack engaging with the vehicle fitting;

Figure 5 is an end view of the vehicle in Figure 4 showing the high lift jack engaged with the vehicle fitting arranged in the second operating position of Figure 2.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

With reference to Figure 1 there is shown a vehicle fitting 10 that has telescoping members in which a second member 13 is able to freely move within a first member 12. The hollow second member 13 can be moved outwardly to extend from the interior of the hollow first member 12 as is shown in Figure 1. This is done by a user accessing a bar 20 which at one end is able to be inserted into an aperture 34 in the second member 13 to pull out or slide out the member 13 from the interior of member 12. The second member 13 can be locked with respect to the first member 12 through a locking pin 19 which is inserted in aperture 35 in the first member 12 and a corresponding aperture in the second member 13 such as aperture 32. Alternatively, apertures are available at 33 or however many apertures are desired.

The fitting 10 is able to be attached to respective chassis rails underneath a vehicle through suitable fastening means such as bolts through the apertures 28 on a first mounting bracket 16 and through the apertures 29 on a second mounting bracket 17. Each of the mounting brackets 16 and 17 respectively have gussets 30 and 31 to strengthen each of the brackets 16, 17 and prevent any buckling or bending while the fitting 10 is in use, to be explained hereinafter.

The configuration and location of the mounting brackets 16, 17 will differ with different models of vehicle.

The mounting bracket 16 is connected or secured at or adjacent to a first end 26 of the outer first member 12 while the mounting bracket 17 is secured at or adjacent to a second end 25 of the outer first member 12.

The fitting 10 also has a tow bar socket mount 18 which is welded or otherwise secured to a front face 42 of the outer first member 12. Referring to Figure 2 the mount 18 has supporting flanges 38 and 39 to provide additional strength to the towbar mount 18. A towbar 21 has a projection 22 which fits within the hollow mount 18 and is then secured in place by a locking pin 23.

Located at the first end 26 of the first member 12 is a dust flap 15 which is hingedly connected above an opening at first end 26 of the first member 12. When the second member 13 does not protrude through the first end 26 the dust cap or flap 15 is in position to prevent any dust from entering the hollow first member 12. At the other end, the second end 25, of the member 12 there is located dust flap 14 wich is also hingedly connected above a respective aperture that allows the second member 13 to protrude through that aperture with respect to the first member 12. The bar 20 is inserted into aperture 34 to extend second member 13 outwardly from the first member 12. To assist in this operation, the flap 14 has a recess 46 that enables access to the aperture 34 when the flap 14 is in its closed position. Flap 14 opens when second member 13 is brought outwardly. As is seen in Figure 1 the dust flap 14 remains open as it rests against the top surface 44 of the second member 13.

Referring to Figure 2, there is shown the second member 13 protruding outwardly from the first end 26 of the first member 12 at the desired distance with the locking pin 19 inserted through aperture 36 of first member 12 and a corresponding aperture in the second member 12 in order to fix in place the member 12 with respect to member 13. The dust flap 15 is kept open as it rests on the top surface 44 of second member 13. The second member 13 is initially brought outwardly by use of the bar 20 being inserted into the aperture 39 located at the outer end 27 of the second member 13. To assist in this operation, the flap 15 has a recess 48 that enables access to the aperture 39 when the flap 15 is in its closed position. Flap 15 opens when second member 13 is brought outwardly.

Figure 3 shows a plan view of the fitting 10 in a closed and unused position whereby the second member 13 rests completely within the hollow first member 12 with each of the dust flaps 14 and 15 secured against their respective ends 25 and 26 of the first member 12.

With reference to Figures 4 and 5 there is shown a vehicle 40 to which the fitting 10 is installed as best seen in Figure 5. The second member 13 has been moved outwardly with respect to the first member 12 so that the left rear side of the vehicle is able to be raised through the use of a jacking means, such as a hi-lift jack 41, which has its lifting arm inserted into the outer end

27 of the second member 13. Second member 13 is extended outwardly with respect to the first member 12 so that it is approximately in line with the outer edge of the tyre or the vehicle frame. Similarly, if the right rear side of the vehicle needs to be raised then the second member 13 is extended outwardly from the right-hand side through the aperture at end 25 of the first member 12 and locked in place.

In using the fitting 10, for example in order to change a rear right wheel of vehicle 40, the arrangement shown in Figure 1 is used. Initially the locking pin 19 that fixes the second member 13 within the first member 12 is removed. The bar 20 is then inserted into aperture 34 to pull out and extend the second member 13 from within the first member 12. The second member 13 is pulled out or extended until it is flush with the side of the vehicle 40. The locking pin 19 is then inserted into aperture 35 of the outer first member 12 and the corresponding aperture in the inner, second member 13. The arm of the hi-lift jack 41 is then inserted into the first end 24 of the second member 13 and then the hydraulic or pneumatic jack is used in the normal operation to raise the vehicle on that side above ground so that the wheel can be changed. Once the wheel is changed it is a matter of undertaking the reverse procedure where the jack 41 is used to lower the vehicle until the members 12 and 13 become essentially horizontal and there is no pressure or stress placed on these members through the jack 41. The locking pin 19 is then removed to be clear of the second member 13 which is then pushed back into the hollow section of the first member 12 and locking pin 19 is then inserted again to lock the second member 13 within the first member 12 in a non-use position. When not in use, flaps 14 and 15 close against the ends of first member 12 and second member 13 to prevent the ingress of any dust.

In order to change the rear left wheel, the arrangement shown in Figure 2 of the fitting 10 is used. The same procedure is used whereby the locking pin'19 is removed, the bar 20 is inserted into aperture 39 at end 27 to extend the second member 13 outwardly from the first member 12. Locking pin 19 is then inserted into aperture 36 to lock the second member 13 against the first member 12. The jack 41 is then used in the same manner as previously described.

Claims

The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. A vehicle fitting for attachment to a rear of a vehicle, including:

a first member and a second member, said second member being a single, unitary member and disposed within the first member such that the second member is extendable with respect to the first member;

a locking pin;

wherein said first member has a first end with a first opening and a second end with a second opening, said second member able to be extended through either the first opening or the second opening of the first member;

said second member is able to be fixed in a desired extended position such that said locking pin affixes the second member to the first member in said desired extended position;

wherein when said second member is in said desired extended position, a rear side of the vehicle is able to be raised off a ground surface and lowered to the ground surface through said second member to provide access to underneath the vehicle or to enable changing of a tyre and/or wheel of the vehicle.

2. A vehicle fitting according to claim 1 wherein said second member is fully enclosed within the first member and is secured to the first member by said locking pin when the vehicle fitting is not in use.

3. A vehicle fitting according to claim 1 or claim 2 further including mounting bracket means to enable attachment of the first member to the vehicle.

4. A vehicle fitting according to claim 3 wherein the mounting bracket means includes a first mounting bracket having a first end affixed adjacent a first end of the first member and a second end affixed to a chassis rail underneath said vehicle, the mounting bracket means further including a second mounting bracket having a first end affixed adjacent a second end of the first member and a second end affixed to said chassis rail underneath said vehicle.

5. A vehicle fitting according to claim 4 wherein a surface of the second member is used by a lifting jack to enable raising and lowering of the vehicle.

6. A vehicle fitting according to claim 5 wherein a distal end of the extended second member is used such that an arm of the lifting jack is inserted into an end of the second member.

7. A vehicle fitting according to claim 6 wherein the second member has an aperture adjacent each end of the second member to enable a user to use a tool that fits the respective aperture to extend the second member with respect to the first member.

8. A vehicle fitting according to claim 7 further including a socket mount for receiving a tow bar, said socket mount extending outwardly from the first member midway along the first member and in a direction opposite to the mounting bracket means.

9. A vehicle fitting according to claim 8 wherein each of said first and second members have apertures for receiving the locking pin to lock the first and second members together.