Workshop pit
A workshop pit , vehicle pit , pit , inspection pit or rare Lokgrube is accessible to persons shaft over which a motor vehicle or rail vehicle can be turned off to perform work on the underside of the vehicle. The advantage of a pit is that you can work comfortably while standing under the vehicle. In addition, unlike a lifting platform , a pit can also be used in very low workshops , garages , locomotive sheds , railway depots , depots or similar facilities. At one end of the pit there are often steps that allow easy access, and in the case of pits outdoors there is also a water drainage that prevents the accumulation of rainwater.
As the access is usually at ground level, the vehicle can drive independently over the pit or be maneuvered there with little effort by pushing or dragging. No additional devices are required to lift the vehicle.
A major disadvantage of the pit is that you cannot freely access the entire underside of the vehicle, as with the lifting platform. For example, work on axle parts, changing wheels and the like in the pit is only possible with the support of a pit jack . Since the vehicle standing above the pit hinders the incidence of light, artificial lighting is usually necessary in the pit. Another disadvantage is the possible accumulation of gases in the pit, which can be dangerous for people working in it due to lack of oxygen.
In the motor vehicle sector, the work pits have often been replaced by lifting platforms. However , they are still common in trucks and fire engines . Likewise, pits are prescribed for the inspection bodies during the main inspection so that the inspector can inspect the vehicles from below. In many older private garages there are also workshop pits, which enable the vehicle owner to carry out the maintenance work that was often necessary on earlier car models (e.g. lubricating the bearings with grease) himself.
Working pits are also used in bell construction, these are so-called dam pits .
Individual evidence
- ↑ Working pits in fire stations
- ↑ Annex VIIId of the StvZO