AU610346B2 - Apparatus for handling rolled articles - Google Patents

Description

I Signature of declarant(s) (no aittstation required) Note, Initial all alterations.

PETER JOHN ROBINSON DAVIES COLLISON. MELBOURNE and CANBERRA, PCT OPI DATE 11/08/89 INTERNATION AL APPLI AOJP DATE 07/09/89 (51) International Patent Classification 4 (11) Int4 ANID 90/10, B66F 9/14 Al (43) I APPLN. ID 30300 89 PCT NUMBER PCI/AU89/00019 coatio I uwaftiqum r: WO 89/ 06483 5t I i1 njl~atij at 4 uly 1989 (27.0i.89) (21) International Application Number: PCT/AU89/00019 1(81) Designated States: AU, G B, J P, US.

(22) International Filing Date: 20 January 1989 (20,01.89) Published W4ith inirernatio.-ial seasd:h report, (31) Priority Application Number: PI 6405 (32) Priority Date: (33) Priority Country: 22 January 1988 (22.01,88) (71)(72) Applicant and Inventor: ROBINSON, Peter, John Sevenoaks, Toomuc Valley Road, Pakenham, VIC 3810 (AU).

(74) Agents: SMEETON, Anthony, R. et al,; Davies Collison, I Little Collins Street, Mlelbourne, VIC 3000 (A U).

an- L (54) Title: APPARATUS FOR HANDLING ROLLED ARTICLES (57) Abstract To handle rolled material, e.g. ha) bales, device i; a'tlached via brackets to the threp point linkage ora tractor, With the de\ ice in the pi -k-up position si'own. the tractor is re\ ersed to impale a bale on tyne The linkage is then lift.

ed to transport the bale. To carr) the bale over rough. terrain the spring-loaded (27) catch is releaised which allows s~k inging ofrthe load, under its own w~eight, about angled axis to a position with the free end of the I) tie (17) angled upkkardb Further piv oting about axis occurs hen the linkage is lowered with the tractor mok ing forward this w\ ill cause unrolling of the hale due to its contact with the ground, The stop (35 ctntacts arm (13) to pre'ent oer~pi\oting 'f the t'~ne, Contact of foot (30) \0th the ground when the tractor Is rexersed. (ith the three point linkage low~ered, will return the unloaded dev ice to the pick-up position.

WO 89/06483 PCT/AU89/00019 -1- "APPARATUS FOR HANDLING ROLLED ARTICLES" This invention relates generally to apparatus for handling articles of the type comprising a roll of material and more particularly, to apparatus which is capable of picking up transporting and rolling out the material from the roll.

The apparatus is suitable for use with many types of materials in rolled form and one preferred article is hay bales of the rolled type. The apparatus is also suitable for use with other roi.led articles such as carpet rolls, paper rolls by way of example only.

An object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for handling articles of the type referred to above which is relatively simple in construction and enables the roll of material to be picked up transported and selectively rolled out in a controlled manner.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for handling articles of the type referred to above, the apparatus being capable of movement over a surface along a line of travel and including a main frame which is capable of being raised or lowered with respect to the surface, a control arm operatively connected to the main SUBSTITUTE SHEET -2frame and an article support member having a longitudinal axis with one end portion thereof operatively connected to said control arm and the other end portion thereof being a free end portion characterized in that said control arm is operatively connected to said main frame so as to be swingable about an axis of rotation so that it can adopt a pick-up position in which the longitudinal axis of the article support member extends generally in the line of travel of the apparatus, an article discharge position in which the longitudinal axis of the article support member extends laterally with respect to the direction of the line of travel and an intermediate position in which the longitudinal axis of the 10 article support member is inclined upwardly with its free end portion being spaced further from the surface than said one end portion thereof, said support member being disposed relative to said axis of rotation such that when an article is carried on said support member in a normal support position its centre of gravity is maintained in substantially the same position or towards 15 the main frame as the control arm moves from the pick-up to the discharge position.

Preferably the axis of rotation is disposed at an acute angle with respect to an upright plane containing the longitudinal axis of the article support member when in the pick-up position the control arm being arranged to move 4 20 downwardly about the axis of rotation between the pick-up position through the intermediate position to the discharge position.

Preferably the control arm is freely swingable between the pick-up and discharge positions, the movement beig caused by raising or lowering of the main frame and/or engagement of the article with the surface. It will be appreciated however, that if desired, movement of the control arm about the axis of rotation could be caused by providing 1 sT 73 91012S,arsdat.087,30300,com,4 WO 89/06483 PCT/AU89/09091 -3a liiiar actuator such as an hydraulic piston/cylinder assembly to move the control arm.

The apparatus may in one form include a foot member which is operatively connected to the control arm so as to project downwardly therefrom when the control arm is in the pick-up position. The foot member is engageable with the surface when the apparatus moves along the line of travel to cause the control arm to swing about the axis of rotation to return the control arm from the discharge position to the pick-up position.

In one preferred form, the control arm is operatively connected to the main frame by a pivot mounting which comprises a pivot pin on one of either the control arm or the main frame which is receivable in a bearing aperture in the other of either the control arm or the main frame, Preferably the control arm comprises an elongated member which has one end portion operatively connected to the main frame so as to be capable of the swinging movement about the axis of rotation. Preferably the support member is operatively connected to ,the other end thereof, and the control arm is disposed laterally with respect to the line of travel of the apparatus when the control arm is in the pick-up position and is freely swingable about the axis of rotation wh\n in the discharge position.

Preferably catch means is provided for releasably retaining the control arm in the pick-up position.

The catch means may be of the type which requires to be manually or otherwise released but automatically holds the control arm when it is moved back into the pick-up position from the discharge position.

Preferably the longitudinal axis of the support

I

1 I WO 89/06483 PCT/AU89/00019 -4member and the axis of rotation are disposed in a plane with the axis of rotation intersecting the longitudinal axis at an angle of less than 450 The support membe-r--4a-B Ldisposed relative to the axis of rotation so that when the article is carried on the support member, the center of gravity is maintained in substantially the same position or towards the main frame as the control arm moves from the pick-up position to the discharge position. That is, the axis of rotation is such that it allows the article to be moved from its pick-up position to the discharge position without axially moving the center of gravity of the article more than a very relatively small distance (such as for example, a few centimetres). This azrrangement is possible because the center line of the axis of rotation that allows this movement passes near the center of gravity at a diagonal to the central axis of the article. The central axis of the article is able to be moved from being aligned with the line of travel of the apparatus to be aligned nearly with a transfers axis. Preferably the longitudinal axis of the article support member when in the discharge position extends transversely of the line of travel with its free end being slightly forward of the other eind with respect to the direction of travel. This arrangement inhibits the tendancy of the article to slip off the article support member while in the discharge position with material being unrolled from the roll of material.

Preferably the axis of rotation intersects a plane containing the longitudinal axis of the :A7 support arm when in the pick-up position in a region SUBSITUTE SHEET SUBSIITUTE SHET WO 89/06483 PCT/AU89/0001 9 intermediate the ends of the article when it is mounted on the support arm.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will hereinafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of apparatus according to the invention with the control arm in the pick-up position; FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 with the control arm in the intermediate position; FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 with the control arm in the pick-up position; and FIG. 4 is a similar view to that of Figure 3 with the control arm in the discharge position.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus generally indicated at 1 comprises a main frame 3 which is adapted to be connected to the 3 point linkage of a tractor or similar vehicle. Whilst the preferred embodiment as shown shows an apparatus suitable for connection to the 3 point linkage of a tractor, it will be appreciated that the apparatus could be operatively connected to a vehicle such as a forklift vehicle, or alternatively may form part of a self propelled vehicle with the mail: frame 3 being capable of being raised or lowered.

As best seen in Figure 1, the main frame 3 comprises a laterally extending base section aid an upright section 6 with a flange 7 integral with the base section 5 and extending at an angle thereto. Mounting brackets 9 are adapted to receive the respective 3 point linkages of the tractor.

A pivot mounting 11 is provided at flange 7 and includes a pivot pin 12 secured to the flange 7.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET 1.- WO 89/06483 PCT/AU89/00019 -6- The apparatus further includes a con:rol arm 13 in the form of an elongated member 14 having a bearing aperture 15 in one end thereof defining part of the pivot mounting 11 enabling the control arm to swing about an axis of rotation X-X between a pick-up position as shown in Figure 1 through an intermediate position as shown in Figure 2 to a discharge position as shown in Figure 4. A reinforcing strut 10 provides the pivot pin 12 with more rigidity.

The end 35 of the reinforcing strut 10 provides a stop for the control arm 13 preventing it from moving to far beyond the discharge position.

The apparatus 1 further includes a support member 17 in the form of a tyne 18 having one end connected to the control arm 13 with the other end defining a free end. The tyne includes a shank portion 19 with a plate 20 adjacent the end of the tyne which is connected to the control arm.

A foot member 30 is secured to the ccntrol arm 13 as is best seen in Figures 1 and 2. The support member 17 is adapted to receive a rolled article such as hay bale 40 thereon, the axis of the hay bale being essentially aligned with the longitudinal axis Y-Y of the support member 17.

Catch means 23 releasably retains the control arm in the picK-up position. The catch means 23 comprises a lever 24 having a catch member 28 on one end thereof, the catch member 28 being adapted to co-operate with a stop 25. Spring 27 urges the catch member 28 into a position in which it engages the stop 25 so as to hold the control arm 13 in the pick-up position.

The operation of the apparatus in conjuction with a rolled hay bale will hereinafter be described.

SUBSTITUTE

SHEET

PCT/AU89/00019 WO 89/06483 -7- In the pick-up position, the control arm 13 is held in this position by catch means 23. The main frame 3 is mounted to the 3 point linkage of a tractor by means of mounting brackets 9.

The bale 40 is mounted to the support member 17 with the control arm in the pick-up position by impaling the bale on the support member by rearward movement of the tractor to a point where the bale center of gravity has crossed over the line of the axis of rotation to the side nearest the base of the support member 17. The 3 point linkage is then lifted and the bale can be transported.

To move the bale from this position to the discharge position, the catch means 23 is released and the bale moves under its own weight around the axis of rotation so that it adopts the intermediate position. With the control arm in the intermediate position, the bale can be transported over a rough terrain and will not be dislodged because the support member 17 is inclined upwardly. To enable the control arm to move to the discharge position, the vehicle is moved forwardly as the bale is lowered towards the surface. The bale then unrolls due to contact with the surface as the tractor moves forwardly. The rolling can be stopped at any time by raising the 3 point linkage and continued elsewhere.

By raising the 3 point linkage, the control arm will automatically adopt the intermediate position.

As mentioned earlier when the control arm is in the discharge position, the longitudinal axis of the support member is inclined slightly forwardly of the normal transverse axis with respect to the line of travel. By arranging the axis of rotation at an angle of less than 45°, the longitudinal SUBS'TITUTE SHEET WO 89/06483 PCT/AU89/00019 -8axis of the support member will adopt the position shown in Figure 4. Hay is inhibited from tangling around the base of the support member 17 by the provision of plate Whilst the support member 17 is shown as a single tyne, it could take other forms such as for example, comprise a double tyne mounted on a swivel to faciliate easier entry into the often bunched up centers of hay bales.

Stop 35 inhibits the tyne from digging into the ground when the unrolling of the hay bale has firished as well as from allowing the tyne to tip right over and dump the hay bale.

It will be noted that the base of the support tyne 18 takes up some length between the bale and the mounting frame 3. This distance is necessary for clearance as the edge of the bale comes close to this structure when it rolls around the diagonal axis. The base of the support tyne 17 also extends chis distance to prop against the frame to prevent possible strain on the pivot mounting as the support member is being driven into the bale.

The apparatus can be made so that the central axis of the loaded bale and therefore also its center of gravity is slightly higher than the rotation axis when in the pick-up position. This has the effect of increasing the vertical distance between the pick-up and discharge positions of the control arm.

It can also be adapted to be used with different sized bales.

To return the support member to the pick-up position, foot 30 is provided which is attached underneath the control arm 13 when it is in the SUBSTITUTE

SHEET

I I- WO 89/06483 PCT/AU89/00019 -9pick-up position, the support member can be returned to the pick-up position by lowering the 3 point linkage as the operator reverses the tractor.

Preferably the support member is at least 75% of the bales length. Preferably plate 20 is small enough not to prevent the hay unrolling against the surface, but large enough to help prevent hay from becoming tangled around the base.

Desirably, there is provided different levels of hitching points for the 3 point linkage to suit tractors with different limits of movement of their 3 point linkages. Furthermore, the height of the top hitching point in relation to the other two is that the disk can be varied as the distance between them effects the angle, the apparatus turns through when the 3 point linkages raised and thats the actual vertical distance the bale can be used, Finally, it is to be understood that the inventive concept in any of its aspects can be incorporated in many different constructions so that the generality of the preceding description is not to be superceded by the particularity of the attached drawings.

Various alterations, modifications and or additions may be incorporated into the various constructions and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit and ambit of the invention.

SUBSTITUTE

SHEET

Claims (9)

1. Apparatus for handling articles of the type comprising a roll of material, the apparatus being capable of movement over a surface along a line of travel and including a main frame which is capable of being raised or lowered with respect to the surface, a control arm operatively connected to said main frame and an article support member having a longitudinal axis with one end portion thereof operatively connected to said control arm and the other end portion thereof being a free end portion characterized in that said control arm is 10 operatively connected to said main frame so as to be swingable about an axis of rotation so that it can adopt a pick-up position in which the longitudinal axis of the article support member extends generally in the line of travel of the apparatus, an article discharge position in which the longitudinal axis of the article support member extends laterally with respect to the direction of the 15 line of travel and an intermediate position in which the longitudinal axis of the article support member is inclined upwardly with its free end portion being spaced further from the surface than said one end portion thereof, said support member being disposed relative to said axis of rotation such that when an article is carried on said support member in a normal support position its S 20 centre of gravity is maintained in substantially the same position or towards the main frame as the control arm moves from the pick-up to the discharge position.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said axis of rotation is disposed at an acute angle with respect to an upright plane containing said longitudinal axis of said article support member when in said pick-up position said control arm being arranged to move downwardly about said axis of rotation between said pick-up position, through said intermediate position to said discharge position.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said control arm is freely swingable between said pick-up and discharge positions said movement being caused by raising or lowering of said main frame and/or engagement of S 91012Sandat.08730300.com l \4 -ir i article support member extends laterally with respect to the direction of the line of travel and an intermediate position in which the longitudinal axis of the article support member is inclined upwardly with its free end portion being /2 I 1' I 1 i L--I I II iY'DI*VIIC-;:- i ~-II I 1 i I i i a a a a a *L a a 1@ 9 sc a a. a aa the article with the surface.

4. Apparatus according to any preceding claim further including a foot member operatively connected to said control arm so as to project downwardly therefrom when the control arm is in the pick-up position said foot member being engageable with the surface when the apparatus moves along the line of travel to cause said control arm to swing about said axis of rotation to return said control arm to said pick-up position. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein said control arm is operatively connected to said main frame by a pivot mounting comprising a 10 pivot pin on one of either said control arm or said main frame which is receivable in a bearing aperture in the other of said control arm or said main frame.

6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein said control arm comprises an elongated member which has one end portion operatively 15 connected to said main frame for said swinging movement about said axis of rotation, said support member being operatively connected to the other end thereof, said control arm being disposed laterally with respect to said line of travel when the control arm is in said pick-up position and being freely swingable about said axis of rotation when in said the control arm is in said 20 pick-up position and being freely swingable about said axis of rotation when in said discharge position,

7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim further including catch means for releasably retaining said control arm in saic pick-up position. 8, Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein said longitudinal axis of said support member and said axis of rotation are disposed in a plane said axis of rotation intersecting said longitudinal axis at an angle of less than 45

9. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein said axis of rotation intersects said longitudinal axis of said support arm in an intermediate region of said support arm in substantially the same position.

10. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein said control arm is returnable to said pick-up position by causing said control arm to operatively *4* 910125 1 arsdat.08730300,com 2 I'

12- engage the surface and moving the apparatus along the line of travel, said catch means being such that it automatically engages said control arm when it reaches said pick-up position so as to releasably retain ik in that position. 0 *OSS 0 *OSS *0 S 0 S S S S* S Dated this 25th day of January, 1991. OSSOSS 0 *000 0e 0 9*SS*S 0 SO *0 S SS S S 0 S. DAVIES COLLISON Patent Attorneys for PETER JOHN ROBINSON rJ 4. 910125Sarsdn.87 33Qcoinn3