Locking pin actuator means for a tilt cab vehicle

Claim 1

In a tilt cab locking apparatus for releasably locking to a vehicle chassis member a pivotally connected tilt cab member, including blade and blade housing members arranged between and adapted for connection with said cab and chassis members, respectively, said blade member being normal to the cab member and said blade housing member including a pair of parallel spaced leg portions between which said blade member is received when the cab member is in its normal lowered position relative to the chassis member, said blade member and said leg portions containing aligned locking openings when the cab is in the lowered position; a locking pin arranged normal to said leg portion in coaxial alignment with said locking openings; spring means biasing the locking pin axially toward a locking position in which one extremity of said pin extends axially through the aligned locking openings; and actuator means for axially displacing said locking pin against the biasing force of said spring means toward a released position relative to said locking openings; the improvement wherein said actuator means comprises a. a unitary actuator housing (12) including 1. an outer tubular portion (12a) one end of which is open and adapted for rigid connection with one blade housing leg portion in contiguous engagement with the outer surface thereof about the locking opening contained therein; 2. a first transverse wall portion (12b) connected with the other end of said tubular portion, said first wall portion containing a first opening (12c) aligned with said locking openings; 3. an inner tubular portion (12d) arranged in concentrically spaced relation within said outer tubular portion and connected at one end with the inner surface of said first transverse wall portion about said first opening contained therein; and 4. a second transverse wall portion (12e) connected at the other end of said inner tubular wall portion adjacent said blade housing member, said second transverse wall portion containing a second opening (12f) aligned with said first opening and with said locking openings; 5. said inner and outer tubular portions and said first and second transverse wall portions being integral; 6. said spring means comprising a helical spring arranged concentrically between said inner and outer tubular portions and in abutting engagement at one end with said first transverse wall portion; b. an axially displaceable rod (14) extending longitudinally in concentrically spaced relation through said actuator housing inner tubular portion and through said second opening, one end of said rod being connected with said locking pin for axially displacing said pin relative to the locking openings; and c. piston-cylinder motor means contained within said inner tubular portion for axially displacing said locking pin against the biasing force of said spring means toward the released position relative to said locking openings, said inner tubular portion defining the cylinder of said piston-cylinder motor means, the piston (22) of said motor means being connected with said rod to define a working chamber (26) arranged between said piston and said second transverse wall when said locking pin and said rod are in the locking position relative to said locking openings, and further including means for supplying pressure fluid to said working chamber to axially displace said piston and said rod toward the released position relative to the locking openings.