Mahindra N.a. Tech Center

Robert J Eickholt

An assembly station for interconnecting a chassis and a body of a vehicle comprises a first carrier to support the chassis. A second carrier is suspended in a positive z-direction with respect to the first carrier and includes a plurality of spaced apart rests adapted to support the body prior to interconnecting the chassis and the body. A plurality of supports are coupled to the second carrier and spaced apart from the body when the body is supported on the rests. A portion of each of the supports is pivotable from a first position in a path of travel of the chassis to a second position outside of the path of travel of the chassis. The first carrier is moveable relative to the second carrier. The supports are adapted to engage the chassis and simultaneously support both the chassis and the body when the supports are in the first position.

Assembly station for interconnecting a chassis and a body

A method of interconnecting a vehicle chassis and body includes supporting the chassis on a first carrier and supporting the body on a second carrier suspended in a positive z-direction with respect to the first carrier; translating the first carrier in the positive z-direction; interconnecting the chassis and the body; and shifting supports coupled to the second carrier and spaced apart from the body from a first position in a path of travel of the chassis to a second position outside of the path by pivoting each support about a pivot axis. The method also includes shifting the supports from the second to the first position by pivoting each support about the pivot axis; translating the first carrier in a negative z-direction toward the supports; and supporting the interconnected chassis and body on the second carrier by engaging the chassis with the plurality of supports in the first position.

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Franklin, MI, United States of America

Robert J Eickholt