AU2002233090B2

AU2002233090B2 - System for lifting and moving an object

Info

Publication number: AU2002233090B2
Application number: AU2002233090A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Francois Delaney
Original assignee: Delaney Machinerie Inc
Current assignee: Delaney Machinerie Inc
Priority date: 2001-02-13
Filing date: 2002-02-13
Publication date: 2007-02-01
Anticipated expiration: 2022-02-13
Also published as: ES2229084T3; MXPA03007135A; EP1365985A1; RU2288884C2; JP2004537485A; ATE276964T1; DK1365985T3; AU2002233090B9; RU2003127722A; NZ527995A; PT1365985E; DE60201336D1; HK1065523A1; EP1365985B1; BR0207430B1; WO2002064487A1; CN100339292C; DE60201336T2; KR20030097804A; BR0207430A

Abstract

A system for lifting and moving an object comprising a vertical post (2), having a lifting arm pivotably mounted thereon. Said vertical post comprising a piston connected to a carriage (10-16) slidably mounted on said lifting arm, such that operation of said piston can lower and raise said carriage.

Description

o SYSTEM FOR LIFTING AND MOVING AN OBJECT (,i STechnical Field 00 The invention relates to apparatuses for lifting objects and displacing them from one location to the other.

Background Art Many apparatuses for lifting and moving objects from one location to the other ¢€3 are known. However, they are cumbersome to use and costly to manufacture.

Object of the invention It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantage, or at least to provide a useful alternative.

Summary of the invention The present invention provides a system for lifting and moving an object from one point to another, said system comprising: a. a partially hollow post having a generally vertical axis; b. a weight disposed within said post and defining a post chamber thereunder, said post chamber being fillable with a pressurized fluid; c. a weight displacement system longitudinally and upwardly displacing the weight relative to said post, said weight displacement system controlling pressure inside said post chamber so as to selectively position said weight along said post; d. a transversal arm rotatably connected to said post for rotation about said vertical axis and including a proximal longitudinal end located near said post and a distal longitudinal end located away from said post; e. a cable having one end attached to said weight and the other end attached to said distal end of the transversal arm; f. a carriage connecting to said cable and mounting on said transversal arm; and g. an object attachment member connecting to said cable for attaching the object thereto; whereby the object is being lifted via said cable upon downward displacement of said weight relative to said post under gravity and being lowered upon upward displacement of said weight relative to said post under pressurized fluid within said post chamber.

[R:/LIBLI 6377.doc:gxt o The principal aspects and advantages of the preferred embodiments reside in "the operation of the weight".

1. Its rising movement is made possible with low air pressure at four 00 pounds per square inches (4PSI) or thirty pascals (30 Pa).

2. The sealing principle of the weight (piston) is to use air friction when it Sis moved through a small crack. This principle allows the creation of air pressure below the piston using very little air.

3. Another advantage with this principle is the fact that the small air leak created causes the piston to stay centered in the tube and eliminates wearing effect between the weight and the interior of the post.

4. Along with insuring guiding and sealing, the use of this leaking system eliminates the need to pressurize the top of the piston or the use of air exhaust valve. This system requires only the reduction or closing of the air intake to allow the weight to lower simply by gravity thus raising the object.

5. It is impossible to abuse or break this equipment due to the fact that it can only lift an object using 99% of the mass of the weight. Friction of mechanical elements is the reason for the 1% loss.

6. Using the supporting post as the compression chamber allows 360 degree continuous movement.

7. The proximity of the two pulleys of the carriage supporting the object attachment member via the cable induces a braking effect in the event the operator would try to raise the object too high because of the local angle provided to the cable between each pulley and the object attachment member.

8. The weight can be of variable mass and it is a container equipped with a trap on the bottom that allows rapid emptying: a) This container is open on top. A tank installed on top of the equipment can be filled with granular material or liquid using quiet moments. A trap on its bottom is used to fill the weight container as required.

b) The method of bringing granular material or liquid can be achieved by using a HP (or 190 Watts) small conveyor system with jars in a continuous movement.

c) Management of the weight can be made possible by using liquids (water, oil, mercury) or granular material (sand, steel balls, polymeric balls).

d) If mercury is chosen, everything must be done in closed circuit in order to avoid possible environment contamination. It must be noted that mercury has the advantage of being very compact although extremely expensive.

[R:/LIBLL/16377.doc:gxt 3 0 Brief Description of the Drawings Figure la is a perspective view of a lifting system in accordance with the Sinvention; 00 Figure lb is a top view of the system shown in figure la; Figure i c is a detailed view of the portion of figure 1 a shown in Figure 2 is a detailed view of the portion of figure 3a shown in Figure 3a is a partial cross-section of the system along line A-A in figure lb; ¢€3 Figure 3b is a detailed cross-sectional view of the portion of figure 3a shown in

"C"

Figure 3c is a partial cross-sectional side view of the base of the system shown in figure la; Figure 4 is another perspective view of a lifting system in accordance with the invention; Figure 5 is a detailed view of the portion of figure 4 shown in Figure 6 is another partial view of the portion of figure 4 shown in with sections taken out; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a pulley sub-system of the carriage for use with a system in accordance with the invention; Figure 8 is another perspective view of a pulley sub-system shown in figure 7 in which a portion of the pulley housing of the attachment block has been removed; Figure 9 is a perspective view of an arm sub-system for use with a system in accordance with the invention; Figure 9b is a perspective view of a base for use with a system in accordance with the invention; Figure 10 is a perspective view of a cable sub-system for use with a system in accordance with the invention; Figure 11 is a partial perspective view of a pulley sub-system for use with a system in accordance with the invention; and Figure 12 is a partially broken section view of an arm rotating joint for use with a system in accordance with the invention.

Description of a preferred embodiment The apparatus consists in a generally transversal, 12 foot (or 4 meter) long rail (38) fastened to the top of an 8 to 12 foot (or 2.5 to 4 meter) high, 8 inch (or 20 cm) diameter post [R:/LIBLLII 6377.doc:gxt o The rail (38) is fastened to the post with the use of a rotating joint or d arm connecting system, which allows its unlimited and unobstructed continuous 3600, and Smore, movement around the post about the post axis.

00 A hole is provided in the rotating joint (40) to allow the free movement of a cable (29) while the weight rises or lowers. As shown in figures 2, 10, 11 and 12, the rotating joint (40) is located in the center of a cover (35) attached to the top of the post Cable (29) passes through a guide (24) and around a pulley (41) which turns around an horizontal axis A bearing (42) is disposed between guide (24) and support N cylinder (21) which is fixed to the rail (38) by bolts (23) or other known means. A spacer l0 (22) is disposed between cover (35) and support (21).

A hole in the rotating joint (40) allows the free movement of a cable (29) while the weight rises or lowers.

The rail (38) is supported by two 1-inch (or 2.5 cm) square elongated supports or braces (26) having one longitudinal end fixed thereto and the opposed longitudinal end bolted to a rolling block (27) and a vertical brace (25) also connected to the rolling block (27) through the same bolt (28).

The rolling block (27) can move laterally in a tangential direction outside of the post with the help of two bearings A small carriage including pulleys (11) mounted on their axis wheels bearing and screw installed inside the rail (38) allows the load to move freely along the rail using the two generally coaxial wheels (12).

The end of the rail (38) is capped (19) to close the opening and hold the end of the cable (29) in place.

The bottom of the post is welded to a triangular base anchored (3-34) to the floor at each angle and filled with epoxy.

A sealing member is preferably made out of two plastic rings installed on top and bottom of the weight prevent friction between metal parts. They are adjusted to let air or other gazes leak at a preset volume, depending on the requirement.

A weight displacement system such as a valve (33) installed at the bottom of the post allows the control of air intake used to lift the weight.

[R:/LIBLU1 6377.doc:gxt Description of the Equipment SA piece of rubber bolted to the bottom of the weight eliminates impacts Swhen lowering.

00 Two black, high-density steel bands (17) inside the rail (38) smoothen the movement of the carriage A 5/8-inch (or 1.5 cm) bearing (15) insures aligning action of the carriage in the rail (38) opening.

Cc The relatively small mass of an object attachment member such as the attachment block (30) prevents cables (29) from falling off the two generally coplanar lo pulleys (11) by keeping them under tension.

Equipment Mechanical Function This apparatus has three distinct functions: a) Cancel the mass of an object to be lifted by a weight; b) Allow the operator to lift and lower an object with ease; and c) Move an object with a radius between two to 12 feet (or 60 cm to 4 m) at 360 degrees.

Equipment Operating Procedures This equipment is a lifting arm allowing easy handling of any solid object which can be held by a suction disc, a magnet, a hook or any other holding system.

The operator can handle the object within a diameter of 24 feet (or 8 meters) and controls the lifting and lowering by a remote control either wireless or connected.

The stand on which the remote control is installed is also used as a handle for the operator at the base of the holding system.

The holding system can be of any applicable shape.

Using a melamine-coated sheet as an example, the operator inserts air under the weight. As a result, the holding system (in this case the suction disk) lowers on top of the sheet. Once the sheet is appropriately held, he releases the air and the weight lowers thus lifting the sheet. The operator can then move the sheet where required and reinsert air to lower it. Finally, he releases the sheet and is ready for another maneuver.

This equipment is designed to handle small charges varying from 50 to 150 lbs (or 20 to 70 kg).

The vertical post equipped inside with a piston moving up and down, preferably under pressure created by a fluid, either liquid, gaseous or granular and preferably within such element as air, inert gases, synthetic or natural oil, mercury, water or sand, and under gravity, respectively.

[R:/LIBLLUI 6377.doc:gxt 0 The aforementioned piston being firmly held by a cable to the carriage moving in p or on the lateral arm and forcing the holding system to remain at the same distance from T the carriage no matter its position along the arm.

00 0 [R:/LIBLUII6377.doc:gxt

Claims

1. System for lifting and moving an object from one point to another, said 4 system comprising: 00 a. a partially hollow post having a generally vertical axis; b. a weight disposed within said post and defining a post chamber thereunder, said post chamber being fillable with a pressurized fluid; c. a weight displacement system longitudinally and upwardly displacing C€3 C€ the weight relative to said post, said weight displacement system controlling pressure inside said post chamber so as to selectively position said weight along said post; d. a transversal arm rotatably connected to said post for rotation about said vertical axis and including a proximal longitudinal end located near said post and a distal longitudinal end located away from said post; e. a cable having one end attached to said weight and the other end attached to said distal end of the transversal arm; f a carriage connecting to said cable and mounting on said transversal arm; and g. an object attachment member connecting to said cable for attaching the object thereto; whereby the object is being lifted via said cable upon downward displacement of said weight relative to said post under gravity and being lowered upon upward displacement of said weight relative to said post under pressurized fluid within said post chamber.

2. System as described in claim 1 comprising at least one elongated support having one end moveably connected to said post and the other end fixed to said transversal arm.

3. System as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an arm connecting system mounted on said proximal end of said transversal arm for rotatably connecting said transversal arm to said post about the vertical axis thereof.

4. System as claimed in claim 1 wherein said transversal arm is rotatably connected to said post for 3600 movement therearound.

System as claimed in claim 1 wherein said weight displacement system includes a valve connected to said post chamber for controlling pressure therein.

6. System as claimed in claim 5 wherein said valve is mounted on a lower longitudinal end of said post. [R:/LIBLLJI 6377.doc:gxt

7. System as claimed in claim 6 wherein said valve is connectable to a d pressurized fluid source for selectively increase pressure inside said post chamber.

8. System as claimed in claim 7 wherein said pressurized fluid is oO pressurized air.

9. System as claimed in claim 8 wherein the pressure within said post chamber is equal or less than about four pounds per square inch (4 PSI 30 Pa).

10. System as claimed in claim 1 wherein the weight is used as a piston and C€3 Cc includes a sealing member between the piston and the post.

S11. System as claimed in claim 10 wherein said sealing member has an opening extending therethrough, said opening having a predetermined area to allow pressurized fluid to flow there through away from said post chamber so as to at least partially reduce friction between said weight and said post.

12. System as claimed in claim 1 wherein said transversal arm includes a rail connected thereto, said carriage being freely displaceable along said rail. is

13. System as claimed in claim 12 in which said carriage is configured to maintain said object attachment member at a constant distance relative thereto during displacement of said carriage along said rail.

14. System as claimed in claim 13 in which said carriage includes a plurality of cable pulleys freely rollably mounted thereon and connecting to said cable.

15. System as claimed in claim 1 wherein said transversal arm is oriented in a generally perpendicular relationship relative to said post.

16. System as claimed in claim 1 wherein said transversal arm is rotatably connected to said post for unlimited continuous movement therearound about said vertical axis.

17. System as described in claim 2 wherein said one end moveably connected to said post is rollably mounted thereon so as to move in a tangential direction relative thereto about said vertical axis.

18. System as described in claim 17 wherein said one end moveably connected to said post is attached to a rolling block, said rolling block being in rolling engagement with said post so as to roll in a tangential direction relative thereto about said vertical axis.

19. System as claimed in claim 13 wherein said carriage includes two rollers engaging said rail, said two rollers being positioned in a coaxial relationship relative to one another. [R:/LIBLL/I 6377.doc:gxt