Leaning control scheme for a fire apparatus
AssigneeOshkosh Corporation
InventorsEric D. Betz, David W. Archer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fire apparatus includes a chassis, a front axle coupled to the chassis, a rear axle coupled to the chassis, a ladder assembly coupled to the chassis, and a stability system. The stability system includes at least one of (i) a front downrigger coupled to the chassis or (ii) a rear downrigger coupled the chassis, and an outrigger coupled to the chassis. The at least one of (i) the front downrigger or (ii) the rear downrigger and the outrigger are extendable and retractable to facilitate leaning the fire apparatus at least two degrees relative to a ground surface while maintaining full operational capability of the ladder assembly.
Claims20
A fire apparatus comprising:
- a chassis;
- a front axle coupled to the chassis;
- a rear axle coupled to the chassis;
- a ladder assembly coupled to the chassis;
- and
- a stability system including:
- at least one of (i) a front downrigger coupled to the chassis or (ii) a rear downrigger coupled the chassis;
- and
- an outrigger coupled to the chassis;
- wherein (a) the at least one of (i) the front downrigger or (ii) the rear downrigger and (b) the outrigger are extendable and retractable to facilitate leaning the fire apparatus at least two degrees relative to a ground surface while maintaining full operational capability of the ladder assembly.
A vehicle comprising:
- a chassis;
- a ladder assembly coupled to the chassis;
- and
- a plurality of outriggers coupled to the chassis, the plurality of outriggers extendable to engage a ground surface to facilitate leaning the vehicle at least two degrees relative to the ground surface while maintaining full operational capability of the ladder assembly.
A stability system for a vehicle, the stability system comprising:
- a downrigger configured to couple to a chassis of the vehicle, the downrigger vertically extendable to engage a ground surface;
- and
- a pair of outriggers configured to couple to the chassis, the pair of outriggers laterally and vertically extendable to engage the ground surface;
- wherein the downrigger and the pair of outriggers are configured to facilitate at least one of:
- (i) leaning the vehicle at least two degrees relative to the ground surface;
- (ii) leaning the vehicle such that a ladder assembly of the vehicle is orientable at a depression angle or an elevation angle that is greater than the depression angle or the elevation angle prior to being leaned;
- (iii) leaning the vehicle such that the ladder assembly is extendable to a vertical reach that is greater than the vertical reach prior to being leaned;
- (iv) leaning the vehicle such that the ladder assembly is extendable to a horizontal reach greater than the horizontal reach prior to being leaned;
- or
- (v) leaning the vehicle such that the ladder assembly can sustain a maximum tip load greater than the maximum tip load prior to being leaned.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.