GB1563474A - Materials elevator - Google Patents

Description

(54) A MATERIALS ELEVATOR (71) We, MACHINEs AND STRUCTURES LIMITED, a Company incorporated under the laws of the Irish Republic, of Greenhills Road, Walkinstown, Dublin 12, Irish Republic, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement : This invention relates to a materials elevator of the kind having a chassis member on which is pivotally mounted an elevator boom which may be raised or lowered relative to the chassis member for conveyance of materials to different heights.

Materials elevators, for use in loading, unloading, stacking lifting and lowering of all types of materials in building sites. factories, warehouses and stores are known.

In such constructions of materials elevators the booms which are used are rigid and fixed and are adapted only for extension on or lowering onto the chassis as a whole unit.

The present invention provides a materials elevator comprising a chassis member having pivotally mounted thereon a boom which supports a driven conveyor for carrying materials to be elevated, and a hydraulic ram connected between the chassis member and the boom at a point intermediate the length of the latter wherein the boom comprises at least two parts hinged together adjacent the point where the hydraulic ram connects with the boom whereby the upper part of the boom remote from the pivotal mounting may be molded over relative to the lower part for storage of transportation of the elevator, and wherein the ram is connected to the upper part of the boom and is selectively operable to raise and lower the boom as a whole or to effect folding of the upper part relative to the lower part, the selective operation being effected by means of a releasable locking means which upon locking secures the two parts of the boom to be raised and lowered by the ram as a whole relative to the chassis member, and which upon release permits folding of the upper part of the boom by the ram relative to the lower part.

The invention will be understood from the following description of an embodiment thereof given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the materials elevator in a raised operative posi tion; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of the maserials elevator in a lowered operative position: Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the materials elevator in a first partially molded position; Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of the materials elevator in a second partially folded position; Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of the materials elevator in a third partially folded position: and Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of the materials elevator in a folded position.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the materials elevator comprises a mild steel chassis 10 provided with wheels 11, a towing bar/bracket 12 and a support frame 13.

Pivotally mounted on the chassis 10 is a boom 14 which supports a conventional driven endless conveyor belt 15 provided with conventional angle plates 16. A hydraulic ram 17 is mounted on the chassis 10 and connected to a bracket 18 intermediate the ends of the boom 14.

The boom 14 is divided into two equal lengths constituting upper and lower parts thereof and is provided at the bracket 18 with a connecting hinge member 19 which allows the upper or free end part of the boom 14 to fold over onto the lower or chassis end part of the boom 14.

The bracket 18 is in two parts, each part being attached to a respective part boom 14. The abutting faces of the two bracket parts 18 are bolted together in a conventional manner when the elevator is in use.

This allows the boom 14 to be raised and lowered as a whole relative to the chassis 10. When the boom 14 is to be molded the holding bolts are removed. When the boom 14 is in a lowered operative or non-opera tive position it is supported by the frame 13. When the boom 14 rests on the support frame 13 the boom 14 is preferably bolted to the support frame I3 in a conventional manner.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings the materials elevator is shown in two of its working positions. The working position of Fig. 1 is characteristic of the use given to the elevator on a building site, where building materials have to be raised from say ground level to the first or second floor, while the working position shown in Fig. 2 is generally suited to store or warehouse use. In the lowered working position the boom 14 rests on the support frame 13 as mentioned above.

In order to bring the materials elevator from the operative position of Fig. 1 to the folded stored position of Fig. 6 the folding method as illustrated in Figs. 2-6 is followed. First the boom 14 is lowered as a whole to the position of Fig, 2, the holding bolts on the bracket 18 are removed, and the lower part of the boom 14 is bolted to the support frame 13. The hydraulic ram 17 is then extended to pivot the upper or free end part of the boom upward in a substantially vertical plane (Fig. 3). Just before the pivoting upper part of the boom 14 reaches a top dead centre position (Fig.

4) the pressure on the hydraulic ram 17 is released to allow the hydraulic ram retract.

The momentum of the upper part of the boom 14 will carry it past top dead centre (Fig. 5) and the conventional return flow restrictor valve of the ram allows the uppcr part of the boom 14 to fall down in a controlled manner to lie on top of the lower part of the boom 14 which is secured to the chassis. The support frame 13 is now inclined from the vertical position to drop the folded boom 14 to a substantially horizontal position as illustrated in Fig. 6 of the accompanying drawings.

It will be appreciated that the folded boom construction of the materials elevator greatly reduces the problems associated with the storage and transportation of the elevator and accordingly allows ease of transfer from one site to another.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment described above which may be modified or varied without departing from the scope of the invention.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A materials elevator comprising a chassis member having pivotally mounted thereon a boom which supports a driven conveyor for carrying materials to be elevated, and a hydraulic ram connected between the chassis member and the boom at a point intermediate the length of the latter wherein the boom comprises at least two parts hinged together adjacent the point where the hydraulic ram connects with the boom whereby the upper part of the boom remote from the pivotal mounting may be molded over relative to the lower part for storage of transportation of the elevator, and wherein the ram is connected to the upper part of the boom and is selectively operable to raise and lower the boom as a whole or to effect folding of the upper part relative to the lower part, the selective operation being effected by means of a releasable locking means which upon locking secures the two parts of the boorn against folding to permit the boom to be raised and lowered by the ram as a whole relative to the chassis member, and which upon release permits folding of the upper part of the boom by the ram relative to the lower part.

2. A materials elevator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the folding of the boom is effected with the boom lowered onto the chassis member, the lower part of the boom being secured relative to the chassis member and the ram being operated to swing the upper part of the boom in a substantially vertical plane over on top of the lower part.

3. A materials elevator as claimed in either preceding claim, wherein the conveyor is an endless belt.

4. A materials elevator as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the chassis member comprises wheels and a towing bracket.

5. A materials elevator substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

1. **WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

   tive position it is supported by the frame 13. When the boom 14 rests on the support frame 13 the boom 14 is preferably bolted to the support frame I3 in a conventional manner.

   Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings the materials elevator is shown in two of its working positions. The working position of Fig. 1 is characteristic of the use given to the elevator on a building site, where building materials have to be raised from say ground level to the first or second floor, while the working position shown in Fig. 2 is generally suited to store or warehouse use. In the lowered working position the boom 14 rests on the support frame 13 as mentioned above.

   In order to bring the materials elevator from the operative position of Fig. 1 to the folded stored position of Fig. 6 the folding method as illustrated in Figs. 2-6 is followed. First the boom 14 is lowered as a whole to the position of Fig, 2, the holding bolts on the bracket 18 are removed, and the lower part of the boom 14 is bolted to the support frame 13. The hydraulic ram 17 is then extended to pivot the upper or free end part of the boom upward in a substantially vertical plane (Fig. 3). Just before the pivoting upper part of the boom 14 reaches a top dead centre position (Fig.

   4) the pressure on the hydraulic ram 17 is released to allow the hydraulic ram retract.

   The momentum of the upper part of the boom 14 will carry it past top dead centre (Fig. 5) and the conventional return flow restrictor valve of the ram allows the uppcr part of the boom 14 to fall down in a controlled manner to lie on top of the lower part of the boom 14 which is secured to the chassis. The support frame 13 is now inclined from the vertical position to drop the folded boom 14 to a substantially horizontal position as illustrated in Fig. 6 of the accompanying drawings.

   It will be appreciated that the folded boom construction of the materials elevator greatly reduces the problems associated with the storage and transportation of the elevator and accordingly allows ease of transfer from one site to another.

   The invention is not limited to the embodiment described above which may be modified or varied without departing from the scope of the invention.

   WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A materials elevator comprising a chassis member having pivotally mounted thereon a boom which supports a driven conveyor for carrying materials to be elevated, and a hydraulic ram connected between the chassis member and the boom at a point intermediate the length of the latter wherein the boom comprises at least two parts hinged together adjacent the point where the hydraulic ram connects with the boom whereby the upper part of the boom remote from the pivotal mounting may be molded over relative to the lower part for storage of transportation of the elevator, and wherein the ram is connected to the upper part of the boom and is selectively operable to raise and lower the boom as a whole or to effect folding of the upper part relative to the lower part, the selective operation being effected by means of a releasable locking means which upon locking secures the two parts of the boorn against folding to permit the boom to be raised and lowered by the ram as a whole relative to the chassis member, and which upon release permits folding of the upper part of the boom by the ram relative to the lower part.
2. 2. A materials elevator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the folding of the boom is effected with the boom lowered onto the chassis member, the lower part of the boom being secured relative to the chassis member and the ram being operated to swing the upper part of the boom in a substantially vertical plane over on top of the lower part.
3. 3. A materials elevator as claimed in either preceding claim, wherein the conveyor is an endless belt.
4. 4. A materials elevator as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the chassis member comprises wheels and a towing bracket.
5. 5. A materials elevator substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.