AU658727B2 - A cotton module transporter - Google Patents

Description

658 727 F Ref: 237573

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

c III~-- I(IL-C~I Name and Address of Applicant: Engineering Dynamics Pty Limited Nemi ngha New South Wales 2340

AUSTRALIA

Roylston Ross Munro 2 Kirby Avenue Moree New South Wales 2400

AUSTRALIA

L2 tct I Cr Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL [313 Application No(s) PL1961 Roylston Ross Munro Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Nales, 2000, Australia A Cotton Module Transporter APPLICATION DETAILS [33] Country

AU

[32J Application Date 15 April 1992 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5815/4

-I

-2- FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to transporters and more particularly but not exclusively to cotton module transporters to raise a cotton module from ground level and to deliver it to a motor lorry low load carrying surface.

The present invention also relates to the transporter described in Australian Application No PK7744.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Cotton modules are formed by delivering cotton to the interior of a cotton module builder. The builder is essentially a rectangular box having an open top and bottom. The builder sits on a ground surface and cotton is delivered to the interior thereof. A "tamper" assembly compacts the cotton. Once the module is formed, an end wall of the builder is opened and the builder removed leaving the cotton module sitting on the ground surface.

A cotton module loader then transfers the cotton module to the load carrying surface of a motor lorry. It may also be used to deliver the module to a ground surface after transportation.

PRIOR ART Australian patent specification 547491 describes a loader for cotton modules. It consists of a main frame comprising two sub-frames, which are pivotally attached for movement about a transverse axis,.

Pivotally mounted on the main frame is a conveyor which is tiltable between a horizontal position and an inclined position. In the inclined position, the loader is capable of moving the module from the ground surface uptil it rests on the loader. Thereafter, the conveyor is moved until it is generally horizontal and can be positioned above the load Scarrying surface of a motor lorry. Thereafter, the module is moved by the conveyor and delivered to the load carrying surface of the motor 1 30 lorry, as the module is simultaneously moved rearwardly of the load S carrying surface. It should be appreciated in this respect that the loader is of a "straddle" type construction so as to have wheels on both sides of the motor lorry.

The above discussed loader suffers from the disadvantage that when removing a module from a curved pad, a portion of the cotton is not picked up. This can add to labour costs and/or loss of cotton.

RLF/855t 3 OBJECT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION There is disclosed herein a loader to transport an object from a first supporting surface to a raised supporting surface, said loader comprising: an elongated base frame, said base frame including first and second longitudinally extending sub-frames which are generally parallel, co-extensive and transversely spaced so as to be positionable on opposite sides of said object; an elongated conveyor mounted on said base frame; and motor means to raise and lower at least one end of said conveyor so that said conveyor is movable between a generally horizontal orientation and an inclined orientation with said one end lower to be adjacent said su race; and wherein said elongated conveyor including a plurality of chain conveyor members, each arranged so as to pass around a loop, with the loops extending longitudinally of the loader so as to be generally parallel and transversely spaced, the loops each having an extremity at said one end so that upon inclination of the conveyor, the loops located generally soft centrally of the conveyor have their extremities at a raised position relative to the loops spaced toward the lateral portions of the conveyor.

4 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein So:* Figure 1 is a schematic top plan view of a cotton module transporting and loading device; and Figure 2 is a schematic side elevation of the leading portion of 30 the device of Figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED

EMBODIMENT

In the accompanying drawings there is schematically depicted a device to transport cotton modules. The device picks up cotton modules from a ground surface and delivers them to a load carrying surface of a motor vehicle. Alternatively, the device 10 may deliver the module to a ground surface for temporary storage purposes. When such ground surfaces are employed, the ground surface is shaped to have a longitudinally upwardly convex configuration to facilitate the drainage of water from '855t -4the module. The convex nature of the ground surface also causes the upper surface of the module to become convex thereby aiding in draining water from the top surface of the module.

The device 10 has a base frame 11 which when viewed in plan (Figure 1) is of a "U-shaped" configuration having longitudinally extending legs (sub-frames) 12 joined by a base 13. The base 13 includes members 14 extending transverse of the device 10. The legs 12 are transversely spaced, generally parallel and co-extensive. Each leg 12 is provided with forward wheel assemblies 15 and rear wheel assemblies 16. The wheel assemblies 16 are dirigible. Preferably the wheel assemblies 15 are driven however it may be also advantageous to drive the wheel assembly 16.

Pivotally supported adjacent the base 14 is a conveyor assembly 17, for pivoting movement about a horizontal axis 17. More particularly, the assembly 16 is supported by a shaft 18 extending between the arms 12 so as to be supported thereby. Toward the forward end of the device hydraulic rams extend between the arms 12 and the assembly 16 to raise and lower the forward end of the assembly 16 so that the assembly 16 may be oriented in a horizontal position or alternatively lowered at the forward end so as to be downwardly sloping from the base 13.

The assembly 16 includes a plurality of elongated chain conveyor members 19 which are arranged so as to be generally parallel. The members 19 pass around an endless loop and are driven by means of a motor 20 driving a sprocket shaft 21. S The forward end of each chain loop passes around a forward sprocket 22 supported on an arm 23.

As best seen in Figure 1, the forward most extremity of each chain loop terminates at a predetermined position, with the chain members 19A being spaced rearwardly relative to the members 19B,.

Nhen the conveyor 16 is in its inclined configuration, sloping downwardly from the base 14, the forward ends of the members 19A are -A3 own raised by a distance 24 above the forward ends of the members 22B so as to accommodate the curvature in the supporting surface upon which the module is resting. By having the sprockets 19B arranged as seen in Figure 1, loss of cotton during loading of the module is minimised.

When the conveyor assembly 16 Is in its Inclined configuration, the i sprockets 19 are arranged so as to roughly conform to the curvature of the surface supporting the module. i RI FIR'r'+ RIF/ qqt

Claims (9)

1. A loader to transport an object from a first supporting surface to a raised supporting surface, said loader comprising: an elongated base frame, said base frame including first and second longitudinally extending sub-frames which are generally parallel, co-extensive and transversely spaced so as to be positionable on opposite sides of said object; an elongated conveyor mounted on said base frame; and motor means to raise and lower at least one end of said conveyor so that said conveyor is movable between a generally horizontal orientation and an inclined orientation with said one end lower to be adjacent said surface; and wherein said elongated conveyor including a plurality of chain conveyor members, each arranged so as to pass around a loop, with the loops extending longitudinally of the loader so as to be generally parallel and transversely spaced, the loops each having an extremity .t said one end so that upon inclination of the conveyor, the loops located generally centrally of the conveyor have their extremities at a raised position relat'.ve to the loops spaced toward the lateral portions of the conveyor.

2. The loader of claim 1 wherein said elongated conveyor is pivotally mounted on said base frame.

3. The loader of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said centrally located loops have their respective extremities located rearwardly relative to the extremities of said loops spaced toward the lateral portions of the conveyor.

4. The loader of any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein each of said Ssub-frame is provided with forward and rearward wheel assemblies.

The loader of claim 4 wherein one or more of said wheel assemblies is driven. 30

6. The loader of claim 4 or claim 5 wherein one or more of said wheel assemblies is/are dirigible.

7. The loader of any one of the preceding claims wherein said motor means comprises hydraulic rams, each extending between the sub-frames and said conveyor at the end opposite said extremities.

8. The loader of any one of the preceding claims wherein the loops at the other end of the conveyor each pass about a sprocket shaft driven by a motor. 8LF/855 t -6-

9. A loader substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this THIRTEENTH day of APRIL 1993 Engineering Dynamics Pty Limited Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON 4tt* 4 4 *4 4 4 4 44 .4 4* 4 4 4 .444 444444 4 RLF/855t -4 i II~ V A COTTON MODULE TRANSPORTER ABSTRACT A loader (10) to transport an object from a first supporting surface to a raised supporting surface comprises an elongated base frame (13) including first and second longitudinally extending sub-frames (12) which are generally parallel, co-extensive and transversely spaced so as to be positionable on opposite sides of the object. The loader also comprises an elongated conveyor pivotally mounted adjacent one extremity adjacent one end of the base frame Also provided is a motor to raise and lower at least one end of the conveyor so that the conveyor is movable between a generally horizontal orientation and an inclined orientation. The elongated conveyor includes a number of chained conveyor members (19) each arranged so as to pass around a loop, with the loops extending longitudinally of the loader so as to be generally parallel and transversely spaced, the loops terminating at one end so that upon inclination of the conveyor, the loops located generally centrally of the conveyor terminate at a raised position relative to the loops spaced toward the lateral portions of the conveyor. Fig. 1 9* r* 99 99 0 9499 9 (1 9 9$l 9. 9 999, I4 99 RLF/855t i I