CA2528823A1

CA2528823A1 - Skid puller

Info

Publication number: CA2528823A1
Application number: CA 2528823
Authority: CA
Inventors: Luis Dasilva
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-12-02
Filing date: 2005-12-02
Publication date: 2007-06-02

Abstract

A skid puller configured to pull a skid having at least one fork access port. The skid puller includes at least one engaging arm, the engaging arm having a remote end. The engaging arm is provided with an engaging member proximate the remote end. The engaging member is configured such that in a first orientation, the engaging member may be inserted through the access port and wherein in a second orientation, the engaging member is restricted from passing through the access port.

Description

Title: SKID PULLER
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to the field of materials handling and the shipment of goods, with common but by no means exclusive application to the movement and handling of skids or pallets.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Many products are shipped on skids or pallets. Typically, these skids are designed for forklifts (or cranes having forks) to be able to lift and carry the skids. Usually, the skids are provided with two spaced-apart access ports sized to allow entry by the forks to lift and move the skid.

[0003] When trucks or trains or other transportation vehicles are loaded with skids of product for shipment, the loading docks are typically configured to allow forklifts to drive directly onto the truck bed or to allow cranes to deposit the skids in position, and thereby minimizing the amount of manual labor required for loading the shipment.

[0004] However, at the point of unloading the shipment, eg. at a construction site, a forklift or crane may not be available to assist in offloading the skids of product. As a result, manual labor may be required to unpack the skids and move the product, eg. from the front of the truckbed to the rear of the truckbed, for unloading. This additional labor can result in significant cost and expense.

[0005] Accordingly, the inventors have recognized a need for a tool for assisting in moving skids or pallets.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] This invention is directed toward a skid or pallet puller.

[0007] Specifically, the subject invention is directed towards a skid puller configured to pull a skid having at least one fork access port. The skid puller includes at least one engaging arm, the engaging arm having a remote end. The engaging arm is provided with an engaging member proximate the remote end, and the engaging member is configured such that in a first orientation, the engaging member may be inserted through an access port and in a second orientation, the engaging member is restricted from passing through the access port.

[0008] The invention is further directed towards a skid puller configured to pull a skid having two fork access ports, and wherein the fork access ports are separated from each other by a separation width. The skid puller includes a first engaging arm and a second engaging arm. Each engaging arm has a remote end and is provided with an engaging member proximate the remote end. Additionally, each engaging member is configured such that in a first orientation, the engaging member may be inserted through an access port and wherein in a second orientation, the engaging member is restricted from passing through the access port. Furthermore, the engaging members of the engaging arms are separated from each other by a distance substantially approximate to the separation width. Preferably, the engaging members are fixedly separated from each other.

[0009] As well, the engaging members may be substantially hook-shaped.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts and in which:

[0011] FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view of a first embodiment of a skid puller made in accordance with the present invention.

[0012] FIGURE 2A is a front perspective view of a skid or pallet.

[0013] FIGURE 2B is a front elevation close-up view of the access ports of the skid of Figure 2A.

[0014] FIGURE 3 is a side view of the skid puller of Figure 1 with the engaging members in a first orientation.

[0015] FIGURE 4 is a side view of the skid puller of Figure 1 with the engaging member in a second orientation.

[0016] FIGURE 5 is a top perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a skid puller made in accordance with the present invention, and with the engaging members in a first orientation.

[0017] FIGURE 6 is a top perspective view of the skid puller of Fig. 5, with the engaging members in a second orientation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Referring simultaneously to Figures 1, 2, 3 & 4, illustrated therein is a preferred embodiment of the skid puller of the subject invention.
The skid puller, shown generally as 10, comprises a structural framework 12 having a first engaging arm 14A, a second engaging arm 14B, and a separation member 16 coupled to the engaging arms 14A, 14B, the skid puller 10 also preferably including a coupling member 18 attached to the structural framework 12. Typically the structural framework 12 may be made from steel rod or other sufficiently strong material.

[0019] As can be seen in Figure 1, typically the engaging arms 14A, 14B are provided with engaging members 20A, 20B proximate a remote end 22A, 22B of each arm 14A, 14B. The engaging members 20A, 20B are typically hook-shaped, although other configurations such as being L-shaped or hockey-stick shaped are also possible as will be discussed in greater detail, below.

[0020] By way of background, skids 30 are typically rectangular, often of dimensions approximately of 3 1/3 feet (1 meter) in width by 4 feet (1.2 meters) in length. As will be seen in Figures 2A and 2B, skids typically have two access ports 30A, 30B, usually in one of the narrower sides of the skid.
These ports 30A, 30B have a maximum vertical height H (from the ground or floor) and a maximum horizontal width W which are selected that they are able to receive the fork blades from a forklift or crane. The ports 30A, 30B
are also separated by a separation width S (from approximately the midpoints of the ports 30A, 30B), which is often approximately in the range of 26 - 28 inches (.66 meters - .71 meters).

[0021] The engaging members 20A, 20B are configured such that when oriented in a first orientation, as illustrated in Figure 3, the maximum vertical height h' of the engaging members 20A, 20B proximate the remote ends 22A, 22B, is less than the maximum vertical height H of the access ports 30A, 30B. Accordingly, the engaging members 20A, 20B may be inserted through the access ports 30A, 30B. As will be understood, engaging member 20A (and engaging arm 22A), would correspond to engaging member 20B
(and engaging arm 22B) in a mirror image of Figure 3. As noted, various shapes such as hook-shapes, L-shapes and hockey-stick shapes as well as others may be used for the engaging members 20A, 20B.

[0022] The engaging members 20A, 20B are also configured such that when oriented in a second orientation, as illustrated in Figure 4, the maximum vertical height h" of the engaging members 20A, 20B proximate the remote ends 22A, 22B, is greater than the maximum vertical height H of the access ports 30A, 30B. Accordingly, once the engaging members 20A, 20B have been inserted through the access ports 30A, 30B and are moved to the second orientation, the engaging members 20A, 20B may not pass through the access ports 30A, 30B and contact the inside of the skid wall through which the access ports 30A, 30B pass. As will be understood, engaging member 20A (and engaging arm 22A), would correspond to engaging member 20B (and engaging arm 22B) in a mirror image of Figure 4.

[0023] The separation member 16 is typically provided with a first end coupled to one engaging arm 14A, and a second end coupled to the other engaging arm 14B. Typically, the length of the separation member 16 is selected such that the separation distance s between the engaging members 20A, 20B substantially approximates the separation distance S between the access ports 30A, 30B.

[0024] The coupling member 18 is coupled to the structural framework 12, typically the separation member 16. The coupling member 18 includes a sturdy, preferably flexible portion typically of chain link or steel cable.
The ends of the flexible portion may be attached to the separation member 16 by welding or by other means such as by carabiners 40 which have been linked through holes in the separation member 16. Preferably the coupling member 18 is sized and configured to allow the skid puller 10 to be easily hooked onto by a cable or chain with a hook on the end to enable the skid puller to be pulled and moved about.

[0025] The skid puller 10 may also be provided with bridging members 50 mounted to the engaging arms 14A, 14B. As will be understood, some surfaces including some truck beds, may be corrugated or otherwise possess grooves. If the engaging arms 14A, 14B are sufficiently thin, they may be able to fall into such grooves or corrugations, making it difficult to maneuver the skid puller 10 and potentially lowering the effective maximum vertical height h" of the engaging members 20A, 20B when in the second orientation (Fig. 4) and allowing the engaging members 20A, 20B to pass through the access ports 30A, 30B. The bridging members 50 are preferably sized to bridge standard corrugation peaks such that the engaging arms 14A, 14B
cannot fall into the corrugation grooves.

[0026] In use, the skid puller 10 is positioned in front of a skid such that the engaging members 20A, 20B are substantially aligned with the skid's access ports 30A, 30B. The skid puller 10 is then manipulated such that the engaging members 20A, 20B are oriented in the first orientation (Figure 3), and then inserted through the access ports 30A, 30B. Once the engaging members 20A, 20B have been inserted through the ports 30A, 30B, the skid puller 10 is then manipulated such that the engaging members 20A, 20B are oriented in the second orientation (Figure 4) to engage the skid 30.

[0027] A chain or cable may then be hooked through the coupling member 18 so that the skid puller 10 and skid 30 may be pulled for example by a winch or powered vehicle.

[0028] It should be understood that while the separation member 16 and the engaging arms 14A, 14B have been illustrated as being individual components which have been joined together, alternatively, they may be fashioned or formed from or as one continuous component.

[0029] The engaging members 20A, 20B have been shown as being fixed relative to the rest of the engaging arms 14A, 14B. With this configuration, the entire skid puller 10 is moved in order to correctly position the engaging members 20A, 20B in the first orientation and the second orientation. However, it should also be understood that the engaging members 20A, 20B may be pivotally or otherwise moveably coupled to the remainder of the engaging arms 14A, 14B. In such an embodiment, an actuator may be provided such that the members 20A, 20B may be actuated to move (relative to the skid 10 or the remainder of the arms 14A, 14B) into the first orientation and then into the second orientation, without the need to manipulate the entire skid 10.

[0030] Similarly, the skid puller 10 has been illustrated in Figures 1, 3 and 4 as having engaging members 20A, 20B which vary in height when moved from a first orientation to a second orientation. However, in an alternate embodiment 100 (which is substantially similar in configuration to the puller 10) as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the engaging members 120A, 120B
may be configured such that their orientation is changed in a substantially horizontal direction in order to engage a pallett. Rather than curving upwards as in the first embodiment 10, the engaging members 120A, 120B curve to the side. In a first orientation, illustrated in Figure 5, the engaging members 120A, 120B may have a horizontal width w" (relative to a longitudinal axis 150 running perpendicular to the face of the skid 30 through which the access ports 30A, 30B pass) proximate the remote ends 122A, 122B which is smaller than the maximum width W of the access ports 30A, 30B.

[0031] Following insertion through the access ports 30A, 30B, the engaging members 120A, 120B may be repositioned into a second orientation, shown in Figure 6, in which the engaging members 120A, 120B
have a horizontal width w" (relative to the longitudinal axis 150), which is greater than the maximum width W of the access ports 30A, 30B. Once the members 120A, 120B have engaged the skid 30, the skid 30 can then be moved by pulling the puller 100 (often by pulling the coupling member 18).

[0032] Thus, while what is shown and described herein constitute preferred embodiments of the subject invention, it should be understood that various changes can be made without departing from the subject invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A skid puller configured to pull a skid having at least one fork access port, the skid puller comprising:

(a) at least one engaging arm, the engaging arm having a remote end;

(b) wherein the engaging arm is provided with an engaging member proximate the remote end; and (c) wherein the engaging member is configured such that in a first orientation, the engaging member may be inserted through the access port and wherein in a second orientation, the engaging member is restricted from passing through the access port.

2. The skid puller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the engaging member is substantially hook-shaped.

3. The skid puller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the engaging member is selected from the group consisting of substantially L-shaped and substantially hockey-stick shaped.

4. The skid puller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the access port has a maximum vertical height and wherein in the first orientation, the vertical height of the engaging member proximate the remote end is less than the maximum vertical height of the access port.

5. The skid puller as claimed in claim 4, wherein in the second orientation, the vertical height of the engaging member proximate the remote end is greater than the maximum vertical height of the access port.

6. The skid puller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the access port has a maximum horizontal width, and wherein in the first orientation, the horizontal width of the engaging member proximate the remote end is less than the maximum horizontal width of the access port.

7. The skid puller as claimed in claim 4, wherein in the second orientation, the horizontal width of the engaging member proximate the remote end is greater than the maximum horizontal width of the access port.

8. The skid puller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the skid has two fork access ports, and wherein the fork access ports are separated from each other by a separation width and wherein the skid puller comprises:

(a) a first engaging arm and a second engaging arm, wherein the engaging members of the engaging arms are separated from each other by a distance substantially approximate to the separation width.

9. The skid puller as claimed in claim 8, wherein the engaging members are fixedly separated from each other.

10. The skid puller as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a separation member having a first end and a second end remote from the first end, and wherein the first end is coupled to the first engaging arm and the second end is coupled to the second engaging arm.

11. The skid puller as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a coupling member.

12. The skid puller as claimed in claim 11, wherein the coupling member comprises at least one end, and wherein the end is coupled to the engaging arm.

13. The skid puller as claimed in claim 11, wherein the coupling member is substantially flexible.

14. The skid puller as claimed in claim 12, wherein the coupling member comprises a chain.

15. A skid puller configured to pull a skid having two fork access ports, and wherein the fork access ports are separated from each other by a separation width, the skid puller comprising:

(a) a first engaging arm and a second engaging arm, wherein each engaging arm has a remote end;

(b) and wherein each engaging arm is provided with an engaging member proximate the remote end;

(c) and wherein each engaging member is configured such that in a first orientation, the engaging member may be inserted through an access port and wherein in a second orientation, the engaging member is restricted from passing through the access port; and (d) wherein the engaging members of the engaging arms are separated from each other by a distance substantially approximate to the separation width.