US3216369A

US3216369A - Lift and load control assembly

Info

Publication number: US3216369A
Application number: US318966A
Authority: US
Inventors: Larry G Mckinney
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-10-25
Filing date: 1963-10-25
Publication date: 1965-11-09
Anticipated expiration: 1982-11-09

Description

Nov. 9, 1965 L. s. M KINNEY 3,216,369

D CONTROL ASSEMBLY Nov. 9, 1965 McKINNEY 3,216,369

LIFT AND LOAD CONTROL ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 25, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 36 97 H INVENTOR. U :2 LARRY 'nMc KINNEY 18 I 51 o4 8Q 58 BY l J 56 133 mfiwm 624 \o'z l4 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,216,369 LIFT AND LOAD CONTROL ASSEMBLY Larry G. McKinney, Winslow, Ind. (Rte. 3, Owensville, Ind.) Filed Oct. 25, 1963, Ser. No. 318,966 Claims. (Cl. 104176) This invention relates to a lift and load control assembly for use in moving heavy objects across inclined areas such as up or down flights of stairs, or the like. More specifically, the invention pertains to new and novel improvements in a lift and load control assembly to permit the safe transport of heavy objects where the objects to be transported are located on conventional dolly assemblies.

In the handling of heavy or bulky items, such as appliances, pianos, furniture and crated merchandise, it is customary to employ flat, four-wheeled vehicles known as dollies consisting of a flat frame with four caster wheels thereon. The heavy or bulky items are placed on the dollies, either manually or otherwise, and the load may then be pushed from place to place. However, where obstructions such as stairways or other inclined areas are encountered, the dollies are of little aid and may constitute a hindrance to successful transport of the load over the obstruction. It is therefore an object of the instant invention to supply means for movement and control of heavy objects on a dolly either up or down an inclined obstruction such as a stairway.

Another important object of the invention is to supply transport means of the character indicated having leverage means or the like permitting remote application of the moving force to transport the heavy objects over obstructions.

A still further object is to supply sectional transport lift means, the sections of which are used in desired combination to provide a lift or control means of at least a desired length.

Yet another object is to provide non-slip, tiltable base support means for a portable life and control assembly of the type described.

Another objective is to provide a lift and control involving track means, load engaging means riding on the track means, and control means regulating movement of the load engaging means relative to the track means.

A still further objective of importance is to supply means to prevent damage or marring of the load by the load engaging means.

Other and further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the following specification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a portion of stairway having a lift assembly constructed and assembled in accordance with the teachings of this invention, showing in full and phantom lines alternative positions of load engagement means thereof, and showing a loaded dollytype vehicle in phantom lines;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary, foreshortened perspective view showing a sectional assembly according to this invention;

FIGURE 3 is a foreshortened side elevational view of the assembly, partially in section to show details;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross sectional view, taken substantially on the section line 4-4 of FIGURE 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the section line 5-5 of FIGURE 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings in more detail, the environment chosen for illustration herein consists of a flight of we C6 stairs 10 leading from a lower level 12 to an upper level 14. The apparatus hereof is illustrated in use in movement of a load up the stairs 10 from the lower level 12 to upper level 14, but it will be seen, as appears below, that the apparatus is of equivalent utility in transporting a load either up or down an inclined obstruction wherein control of the load movement is required.

Apparatus in accordance with this invention is shown in the drawings and generally identified therein by reference numeral 20. The assembly 20 comprises at least one elongated frame assembly 22 including a pair of spaced rail members 24 each having an upper end 26, a lower end 28, and upper and

lower sides

30, 32 respectively. As best seen in FIGURES l and 5, the upper sides 30 have channels 34 formed therein, comprising trackways, and extending the full length thereof.

Rails 24 are connected by a plurality of cylindrical transverse rods 36. To the rail members 24 is operatively connected a lift and lowering means. Specifically, the railmembers 24, adjacent the upper ends 26, are provided with aligned openings 38 in which is journaled therebetween a cross-axle 40, the axle 40 having projecting ends 42 which are extended outwardly of the rails and form lugs. A substantially cylindrical roller 44, formed of rubber or the like, is secured on the axle 40 between the rail members 24, and a pair of idler pulley wheels 46 are secured on the axle on opposite sides of the roller. As best seen in FIGURE 5, the pulley wheels have circumferential grooves 48 therein in the usual manner.

Adjacent the lower ends 28 of the rail members 24, each rail member has a

reel mounting plate

50 and 52, respectively, depending from its lower side 32 and fixed thereto as by welding. The plates are transversely aligned and have coaxial openings 54 formed therein whereby a' drive axle 56 is journalled therebetween, the axle having reduced ends 58, 60 riding in openings 54 and extending outwardly of the plates. The drive axle 56 has a pair of spaced apart, grooved reel guide means 62 thereon dealt within more detail below.

Fixed to the projecting end 60 of the axle 56 adjacent the plate 52 is a first inclined tooth ratchet wheel including inclined teeth 66 angled in a first direction. Mounted adjacent the outer side of plate 52 on an axle extension 68 of a cross brace 69 and meshed with the wheel 64 is a second inclined tooth ratchet wheel 70 with teeth 72 angled in said direction and meshed with the first wheel-the second wheel 70 being of reduced diameter relative to the first wheel 64. A hand-actuable means or a leverage applying handle 74 is connected to the stub axle 68 for turning the axle and wheel 70 thereby moving

wheels

70 and 64 in the directions indicated by the arrows in FIGURE 3. A second stub axle 76 is secured to the plate 52 and carries a ratchet dog 78 engageable with the teeth 66 of wheel 64 to prevent movement thereof in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrows in FIGURE 3. The dog 78 is rotatable to its operating position seen in full lines in FIGURE 1, and to a nonoperating position shown in dotted lines therein.

Cables 80 are secured to each reel guide 62 and are trained about the idler pulleys 46 riding in the grooves 48 thereof, the cables having terminal ends 82. A wheeled lift frame 84, comprising dolly booster means, is provided and includes a base frame having four side members 86 including a front cross bar 88 to which connection eyes 90 are secured. The terminal ends 82 of the cables 80 are looped about the respective eyes to secure same thereto as best seen in FIGURES 1 and 3. The lift frame 84 further includes a vertical forward frame having upstanding side members 92 and a top cross brace 94.

Angle braces 96 extend between the rearmost side member 86 and the top cross brace 94 to rigidity the frame. A pair of axles 95 with wheel assemblies 96 are secured to the base frame side members 86 by depending plates 97 and the Wheels ride in the channels 34. Elongated plates 98 extend between the upstanding members 92, to rigidify or brace the same.

As seen in the drawings, the upstanding members 92 have a plurality of substantially rectangular openings therein through each of which project a small, rotatably mounted roller 100 which serves to protect a load placed against the lift frame 84 from damage such as scratching or marring. The rollers 100 are preferably formed of rubber or similar material and permit shifting of the load against the frontal surface of the lift frame without damage to the load. As will be seen below, this aids in the initial positioning of the frame against the load and in discharge of the load from the assembly 10.

A protective tilt bar assembly 102 is secured to the frame adjacent the lower ends 28 of the rail members 24. The assembly 102 comprises an elongated, substantially rectangular rear brace 104 secured to and extending between the ends 28, from the ends of which extend runners or rocker bars 106 which have a first generally straight portion 107 merging at a rounded corner 108 into an upwardly angled portion 110 with a flattened foot 112 fixed to the underside 32 of the rail 24, the runners serving to permit tilt movement of the frame 22 about the longitudinal axis thereof. The straight portion 107 and/or the rounded corner 108 of each bar 106 is provided with means to prevent slippage, the means being suitable to the area of use, for example, the resilient pad 114 shown herein which is adapted for use on indoor flooring and the like. As hereinbefore stated, the apparatus 20 may be used to advantage in the control and movement of heavy objects placed on conventional transport dollies D which have frames 116 with caster wheel assemblies 118 including wheels 120 which may ride in the channels 34.

In operation of the single unit form of the invention as shown in FIGURES 1 and 3 for elevating a load 0 up the flight of stairs from the lower level 12 to the upper level 14, and with initial reference to FIGURE 1, the location of the lift frame 84 prior to utilization of the apparatus is shown in dotted lines therein. The load 0 on dolly D is then manually positioned in front of the lift frame 84 and the front caster wheels 120 of the dolly D are manually engaged in the channels 34. The lever arm 74 is then cranked to rotate the drum 56 through the ratchet wheel means and reel the cables 80 thereabout, thus drawing the lift frame 84 toward the frame 22. The rear dolly wheels and lift frame wheels are manually engaged as they meet the rail ends 28 within the channels 34. The tilt barassembly 102 permits the device 20 to be tilted rearwardly prior to engagement of the full weight of the load thereon, thus positioning the channels 34 as closely as possible to the ground, with consequent reduction in lifting of the load, and as the load rolls on the frame, the tilt frame rocks forwardly thereby placing the upper end of the frame in a position as closely adjacent as possible to the upper surface 14. When the load has been cranked to the upper end of the device, the front dolly wheels leave the tracks 34 and rest on the surface 14, the dolly frame and load riding on the roller 44 until both sets of dolly wheels are engaged on said surface, the load 0 shifting against the rollers 100 as its angle relative to the lift frame is changed by disengagement of the dolly wheels from the tracks. Thus, the load is effectively transferred from the lower level 12 to the upper level 14, without damage to the load. It will of course be recognized that means other than the manual lever arm 74 may be employed in transmitting rotary movement to the wheel 68 without departure from the spirit of this invention.

For movement of an object down an inclined area,

the dog 78 is placed in retracted position as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 1, and the load is permitted to slide in the trackways, being held against undue, noncontrolled movement by manual force and by the friction of the cable against the pulley and drum means.

In FIGURE 2, a modification employed where an elongated obstruction is encountered in shown. The modification comprises an extension frame 200 having side rail members 202 connected by cross braces 204. The extension rail members include inner ends 206 and outer ends 208 and have upper sides 210 with channels 212 therein. Adjacent each end 206 a pivotally mounted hook 214 is supplied, the hooks being engageable with the projected lugs 42 of the axle 40. A roller assembly 216 is provided for the extension and has idler pulleys 218 thereon. An elongated cable 220 is trained about each pulley 218. Operation of the modified form of the invention is substantially the same as described for the form without the extension.

Having described and illustrated two embodiments of this invention in detail, it will be understood that these descriptions and illustrations are offered merely by way of example, and that the invention is to be limited in scope only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination, with a dolly-type vehicle for movement of heavy loads having four spaced apart caster wheels thereon arranged in pairs, the caster wheels of each pair being adapted to track one another, of a lift and load control assembly for movement of the vehicle on an inclined area, the lift and load control assembly comprising:

(a) an elongated frame having an upper end and a lower end;

(b) the frame comprising a pair of spaced apart rail members, each having an upper side;

(0) said upper sides of said rail members having channels therein to receive the vehicle wheels;

(d) a cross axle extended between the rail members adjacent the frame upper end;

(e) a roller, formed of resilient material, mounted on said cross axle;

(f) a pair of idler pulley wheels mounted on the cross axle on opposite ends of the roller;

(g) reel mounting plates depending from the rail members adjacent the lower end of the frame;

(h) a protective bar assembly underlying the frame adjacent the lower end thereof, said assembly embodying a brace bar extending across and secured to the lower ends of the rail members, and runners underlying the rail members inwardly of the brace bar and secured to the brace bar and the rail members, said runners serving to permit tilt movement of the frame about the longitudinal axis of the frame;

(i) a drive axle journalled between said plates including a reel portion and an end projected outwardly of one plate;

(j) a first inclined tooth ratchet wheel fixed on said end;

(k) a drive ratchet mounted on the reel mounting plate and meshed therewith;

(l) lever handle means for turning the drive ratchet and reel portion;

(m) stop means for the ratchet;

(n) a wheeled lift frame, including wheels riding in the channels to bear against the vehicle, the frame including a front cross bar; and

(0) cables extended from the front cross bar around the idler pulley wheels and secured to the reel portion.

2. The combination of claim 1, and:

(a) the cross axle including ends extended outwardly of the rail members to provide projecting lugs; and

(b) a frame extension secured to the lugs.

3. A lift and control assembly comprising:

(a) an elongated frame having an upper end and a lower end;

(c) the upper sides of the rail members having channels therein;

(e) a roller, formed of resilient material, mounted on the cross axle;

(f) a pair of idler pulleys mounted on the cross axle on opposite ends of the roller;

(i) drive axle means journalled between the plates and including a reel portion and an end projected outwardly of one plate;

(j) drive ratchet means connected to said end to impart rotary movement to the reel means;

(k) a wheeled lift frame, including Wheels riding in the channels to bear against the frame, the lift frame including a front cross bar; and

(1) cables extended from the front cross bar around the idler pulley wheels and secured to the reel portion.

4. The invention of claim 3, and:

(b) a frame extension secured to the lugs.

5. A lift and control assembly comprising:

(a) an elongated frame having an upper end and a lower end;

(b) the frame comprising a pair of spaced apart rail members extending from the lower end to the upper end of the frame, each rail member having an upper side;

(c) the upper sides of the rail members having channels therein;

(d) lift and lowering means operatively-connected to the rail members, and including cables having free ends;

(e) a wheeled lift frame including wheels riding in the channels, a lift frame having a front crossbar;

(f) attaching means on the front crossbar and to which is secured the free ends of the cables;

(g) hand-actuahle means operatively-connected to the lift and lowering means for operating the latter; and

(h) a protective bar assembly underlying the frame adjacent the lower end thereof, said assembly embodying a brace bar extending across and secured to the lower ends of the rail members, and runners underlying the rail members inwardly of the brace bar and secured to the brace bar and the rail members, said runners serving to permit tilt movement of the frame about the longitudinal axis of the frame.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 468,208 2/92 Prunetti et al l04183 784,898 3/05 Scott 104176 1,125,355 1/15 Lovell 104-176 2,107,465 2/38 Borggaard 104171 2,318,958 5/43 Murphy 104-53 2,952,411 9/60 Hand 238-10 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner. MILTON BUCHLER, Examiner.

Claims

1. THE COMBINATION, WITH A DOLLY-TYPE VEHICLE FOR MOVEMENT OF HEAVY LOADS HAVING FOUR SPACED APART CASTER WHEELS THEREON ARRANGED IN PAIRS, THE CASTER WHEELS OF EACH PAIR BEING ADAPTED TO TRACK ONE ANOTHER, OF A LIFT AND LOAD CONTROL ASSEMBLY FOR MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE ON AN INCLINED AREA, THE LIFT AND LOAD CONTROL ASSEMBLY COMPRISING: (A) AN ELONGATED FRAME HAVING AN UPPER END AND A LOWER END; (B) THE FRAME COMPRISING A PAIR OF SPACED APART RAIL MEMBERS, EACH HAVING AN UPPER SIDE; (C) SAID UPPER SIDES OF SAID RAILS MEMBERS HAVING CHANNELS THEREIN TO RECEIVE THE VEHICLE WHEELS; (D) A CROSS AXLE EXTENDED BETWEEN THE RAIL MEMBERS ADJACENT THE FRAME UPPER END; (E) A ROLLER, FORMED OF RESILIENT MATERIAL, MOUNTED ON SAID CROSS AXLE; (F) A PAIR OF IDLER PULLEY WHEELS MOUNTED ON THE CROSS AXLE ON OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE ROLLER; (G) REEL MOUNTING PLATES DEPENDING FROM THE RAIL MEMBERS ADJACENT THE LOWER END OF THE FRAME; (H) A PROTECTIVE BAR ASSEMBLY UNDERLYING THE FRAME ADJACENT THE LOWER END THEREOF, SAID ASSEMBLY EMBODYING A BRACE BAR EXTENDING ACROSS AND SECURED TO THE LOWER ENDS OF THE RAIL MEMBERS, AND RUNNERS UNDERLYING THE RAIL MEMBERS INWARDLY OF THE BRACE BAR AND SECURED TO THE BRACE BAR AND THE RAIL MEMBERS, SAID RUNNERS SERVING TO PERMIT TILT MOVEMENT OF THE FRAME ABOUT THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE FRAME; (I) A DRIVE AXLE JOURNALLED BETWEEN SAID PLATES INCLUD-