GB2069451A

GB2069451A - Handling coils for storage

Info

Publication number: GB2069451A
Application number: GB8004667A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Picken A D
Current assignee: Picken A D
Priority date: 1980-02-12
Filing date: 1980-02-12
Publication date: 1981-08-26

Abstract

A coil of wire with its axis horizontal is loaded onto a carrier and the loaded coil is set in an attitude suitable for storage in such a manner that damage of the coil is avoided. A coil (3) on boom (16) of a truck is lowered onto the stem (5) of a carrier (2) suspended by its base (4) from a hook (8) of a structure (1) and the boom (16) withdrawn. An arm (10) is then pivoted about axis (9) by ram (12) so that horizontal axis (6) of the stem (5) is vertical with the base (4) at the lower end of the stem (5). The carrier may be lifted from the structure, with the coil (3) resting on the base (4), by the boom (16) in engagement with end parts (22) of the carrier (2). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in preparing coils for storage From one aspect, the present invention relates to a method of loading a coil of wire onto a carrier.

The method is such that the loaded coil is set in an attitude suitable for storage.

From another aspect, the invention relates to apparatus for use in the method.

Wire coils are delivered to the building in which they are to be stored in an attitude with their axes lying approximately horizontally. They are stored on carriers with their axes lying vertically. Such carriers facilitate transport of the coils and the unwinding of wire from the coils for use.

In the past, loading of a wire coil onto a carrier has involved the manual handling of coil and/or the carrier. The present invention provides an easier and more efficient method of loading which does not damage the coil.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus comprising in combination a carrier with a stem which defines an axis and a base at one end of the stem, the base projecting radially outwards from the stem, and a structure for supporting the carder, the structure including a support adapted to receive a part of the base of the carrier in a manner to permit pivoting of the carrier relative to said structure from a first attitude in which the axis of the carrier is substantially horizontal to a second attitude in which the axis of the carrier is substantially vertical with the base at the lower end of the stem, and to permit upward removal of the carrier from the structure whilst the carrier remains in the second attitude.

In the preferred embodiment, the periphery of the stem is defined by a plurality of elements which are spaced apart around the axis, and gaps between the elements extend along the entire length of the stem.

Preferably, the support engages the base of the carrier at a position which is above the axis of the carrier when the carrier is in a first attitude. By this means, the carrier is supported in an inherently stable manner, since the centre of mass of the carrier will lie below the point of engagement.

Preferably, the support is an upwardly open hook which has a convexly curved outer surface extending downwardly from a tip of the hook.

The structure may include a hinged arm which is movable between two positions and which engages the base of the carrier in each position to control the attitude of the carrier. The structure may include a means for moving the hinged arm between said two positions.

Preferably, the dimension of the base parallel with the axis is greater than the internal depth of the hook measured vertically from the tip of the hook to the lowest part of a seat of the hook.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of loading a coil of wire onto a carrier which includes a stem defining an axis and a base at one end of the stem, the base projecting radially outwardly from the stem, the method comprising the following steps:- the placement of the carrier on a supporting structure so that it is supported in a first attitutde where the axis defined by the stem of the carrier is substantially horizontal; the introduction of the stem of the carrier into the coil; pivoting of the carrier into a second attitude where the axis defined by the stem is substantially vertical and the base is below the stem; the removal of the carrier from the structure, with the base of the carrier supporting the coil.

In the preferred method, the carrier, when in the first attitude, is suspended on a hook disposed above the axis.

Preferably, the pivoting of the carrier is effected by the motion of a pivoted arm so arranged that the coil rides over a convexly curved outer surface of the hook during said pivoting to rest on the base of the carrier when the carrier is in said second attitude.

Preferably, the base of the carrier, in the second attitude, rests in the hook and on the pivoted arm at a position remote from the hook. The pivot axis of the arm may be below the seat of the hook on which the carrier rests in the first attitude.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIGURE 1 shows a side elevation of a structure supporting a carrier in a first attitude; FIGURE 2 shows a perspective view of the structure supporting the carrier in a second attitude; FIGURE 3 shows a hook part of the structure on an enlarged scale.

In Figure 1 there is shown a structure 1 supporting a carrier 2. The carrier is of a known kind and consists of a base 4 and a stem 5, the stem defining an axis 6. The periphery of the stem is defined by a plurality of elongate elements 21, spaced apart around the axis such that gaps extend between the elements along the length of the stem. At their ends remote from the base, the elements have respective end parts 22 which are rigidly connected together. The base comprises a ring 23 spaced radially from the stem and connected by radially extending parts to the elements of the stem.

An upright part 7 of the structure 1 has an upwardly open hook 8 attached thereto which supports the carrier, and an arm 10 mounted for pivoting relative to the part 7 about a horizontal axis 9. Pivoted at the other end 11 of the arm there is one end of a hydraulic ram 12 which is also pivoted at its base 1 3 to a platform of the structure 1. The hydraulic ram is powered by a motor 1 4 which is controlled electrically at a console 1 5.

The structure 1 is shown supporting the carrier 2 in a first attitude where the axis 6 of the stem is substantially horizontal and below the supporting hook 8. A boom 1 6 is shown in the process of moving a wire coil 3 onto the stem 5 of the carrier.

The boom is a part of a known load-handling machine.

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the structure 1 supporting the carrier 2 in a second attitude with the axis 6 vertical. The upright part 7 and the pivoted arm 10 are frameworks, the arm having two side pieces 1 0a and 1 Ob, each pivotally attached at one end to the top of a corresponding side piece 7a or 7b of the upright part. An end piece 18 of the arm extends between the other ends of the side pieces so that the side pieces are held in substantially parallel relation.

The hydraulic ram pivotally attached to the end piece, is shown holding the arm so that the carrier is supported in the second attitude. A part of the ring 23 of the carrier rests in the hook 8.

Figure 3 shows a side elevation of the hook 8.

The internal depth of the hook is smaller than the depth of the ring 23 measured in a direction parallel to the axis 6. The outer surface 20 of the hook is convexly curved.

The structure is operated in the following manner when preparing a wire coil for storage.

The carrier is most easily placed on the structure by first lowering said carrier in its vertical attitude onto the arm, the arm being positioned so that the carrier may be supported in this attitude.

A part of the ring 23 of the carrier is engaged in the hook.

The hydraulic ram lowers the arm, allowing the carrier to pivot in the hook until it is suspended in the horizontal attitude. The weight of the carrier is then supported by the hook, with the axis of the carrier lying below the hook and the arm preventing the carrier from swinging out of the horizontal attitude.

The stem of the carrier is introduced into the wire coil by moving the coil, supported on the boom, onto the stem. The coil is lowered onto the stem as the boom passes through a gap between elements 21 of the stem. The boom is then extracted horizontally from the stem.

The carrier is next returned to its vertical attitude. As the hydraulic ram raises the arm 10, the weight of the carrier is partly transferred back from the hook to the arm. During this process a part of the coil rides over the curved outer surface of the hook 8 to rest on the base of the carrier.

It may be seen that, where fragile wire coils are being loaded, the entire process may be carried out with a minimal risk of damage to the coils. The carrier, in a vertical attitude, is lifted from the structure, when engaging the boom with the end parts 22 and then raising the boom. The wire coil can then be transported without being damaged and stored conveniently. For convenience, the means by which the ram 12 is controlled may extend from the console to a point within easy reach of the operator when riding on the loadhandling machine.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprsing in combination a carrier with a stem which defines an axis and a base at one end of the stem, the base projecting radially outwards from the stem, and a structure for supporting the carrier, the structure including a support adapted to receive a part of the base of the carrier in a manner to permit pivoting of the carrier relative to said structure from a first attitude in which the axis of the carrier is substantially horizontal to a second attitude in which the axis of the carrier is substantially vertical, with the base at the lower end of the stem, and to permit removal of the carrier from the structure whilst the carrier remains in the second attitude.

2. A combination in accordance with Claim 1 wherein the periphery of the stem is defined by a plurality of elements which are spaced apart around the axis, and gaps between the elements extend along the entire length of the stem.

3. A combination in accordance with Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the structure engages the base of the carrier at a position which is above the axis of the carrier when the carrier is in a first attitude.

4. A combination in accordance with any preceding claim wherein the support is an upwardly open hook which has a convexly curved outer surface extending downwardly from a tip of the hook.

5. A combination in accordance with any preceding claim wherein the structure includes a hinged arm which is movable between two positions and which engages the base of the carrier in each position to control the attitude of the carrier.

6. A combination in accordance with Claim 5 wherein the structure includes a means for moving the hinged arm between said two positions.

7. A combination in accordance with Claim 4 wherein the dimension of the base parallel with the axis is greater than the internal depth of the hook measured vertically from the tip of the hook to the lowest part of a seat of the hook.

8. A method of loading a coil of wire onto a carrier, which includes the following steps:- the placement of the carrier so that it is supported by a structure in a first attitude where the axis defined by the stem of the carrier is substantially horizontal; the introduction of a stem part of the carrier into the coil; pivoting of the carrier into a second attitude where the axis defined by the stem is substantially vertical and the base is below the stem; the removal of the carrier from the structure, with the base of the carrier supporting the coil.

9. A method in accordance with Claim 8 wherein the carrier, when in the first attitude, is suspended on a hook disposed above the axis.

10. A method in accordance with Claim 9 wherein the pivoting of the carrier is effected by the motion of a pivoted arm so arranged that the coil rides over a convexly curved outer surface of the hook during said pivoting to rest on the base of the carrier when the carrier is in said second attitude.

11. A method in accordance with Claim 8 wherein the base of the carrier, in the second attitude, rests on a hook and on a pivoted arm at a position remote from the hook.

12. A method in accordance with Claim 11 wherein the pivoting axis of the arm is below the seat of the hook on which the carrier rests in the first attitude.

13. Apparatus substantially as herein described, with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

14. A method substantially as herein described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 5. Any novel feature, or novel combination of features, as herein described.