GB2086341A

GB2086341A - Load moving devices

Info

Publication number: GB2086341A
Application number: GB8033880A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Coal Industry Patents Ltd
Current assignee: Coal Industry Patents Ltd
Priority date: 1980-10-21
Filing date: 1980-10-21
Publication date: 1982-05-12

Abstract

A load moving device comprises an anchored component (1) having an elongated guideway (4, 5) and a rotatable elongated screw threaded shaft (12), and a non-anchored component (7) having a threaded nut member meshing with the threaded shaft and movable along the guideway by the action of the shaft being rotated and co-operating with the threaded nut member. A chain and sprocket arrangement (23, 26, 28) is provided such that when the non- anchored component (7) is moved along the guideway a load attached to the chain via a hook (24) is urged to move. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Load moving devices This invention relates to load moving devices.

In particular, although not exclusively, the present invention relates to load lifting devices for lifting relatively heavy loads.

An object of the present invention is to provide a load lifting device which is robust, relatively compact, inexpensive and reliable.

According to the present invention a load moving device comprises two components, one of which is adapted to be anchored and one of which defines an elongated guideway guidably engageable by the other of the components such that the non-anchored component is movable with respect to the anchored component, one of the components comprising an elongated threaded member for engagement by a co-operating threaded member on the other of the components, one of the threaded members being rotatable to cause movement of the non-anchored component with respect to the anchored component, and a connector element securable to one of the components and connectible, in use, to the load to be moved, movement of the non-anchored component causing the connector element to urge the load to move.

Preferably, the connector elenent is an elongated flexible element fixedly secured to one component and arranged to pass around guide means provided on the other component.

Preferably, the elongate flexible element passes around further guide means provided on the component to which the element is fixedly secured.

Preferably, the elongate flexible element is fixedly secured to the anchored component.

Advantageously, the anchored component defines the elongated guideway and the nonanchored component is slideable along the guideway.

Preferably, the elongated threaded member is provided on the anchored component, the cooperating threaded member being provided on the non-anchored component.

Advantageously, the elongated threaded member rotatably supported by the anchored component.

Preferably, the elongated threaded member is rotatable under the action of a motor mounted on the anchored component.

Preferably, a pair of elongate flexible elements are provided.

Conveniently, the or each elongate flexible element comprises a chain, rope or cable.

Conveniently, the guide means and further guide means comprise rotatable sprockets or pulleys.

Preferably, trip means are provided to limit the maximum extent of relative movement between the two components.

By way of example, one embodiment of the present invention now will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-- Figure 1 is a side view of a load lifting device constructed in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 2 is a partly sectioned plan of Figure 1.

The load lifting device comprises a first component 1 having a bore hole 2 enabling the first component to be attached to an elevated anchorage. The component 1 comprises a rigid support housing 3 and an elongated guideway having relatively upper and lower guide rods 4 and 5, respectively, projecting generally horizontally from the support housing 1 and the remote ends of which are linked by a generally vertical block 6.

A second component comprises two slide shoes 9 and 10 slideably engaging the guide rods 4 and 5 of the elongated guideway, respectively, such that the non-anchored component 7 can move along the guideway with respect to the anchored component 1.

Mechanism for causing relative movement of the two components comprises a rotatable elongated threaded shaft 1 2 having a screw thread 13 (only portions of which are shown in the drawings) extending substantially the full length of the shaft. The shaft 12 is rotatably supported at its ends in a bearing 14 mounted in the support housing 1 and in a bearing (not shown) provided in the block 6. The shaft is rotated by means of a drive motor 1 5 mounted on the support housing via a connecting adaptor 1 6 provided in the housing.

The component 7 comprises a body 20 defining a non-rotatable threaded nut member having a screw threaded portion co-operating with the threaded shaft 12. Thus, in operation when the shaft 1 2 is rotated by the drive motor 1 5 the thread 1 3 on the shaft co-operates or meshes with the thread on the nut member 20 to urge the component 7 to move along the guideway. The direction of movement of the component along the guideway depends upon the selected direction of motor rotation.

The load lifting device also comprises a pair of elongated flexible connect elements constituted by chains 22 and 23 (only portions of which are shown in full in Figure 1) each of which is fixedly secured at one end to the rigid support housing 1 and at the other end carries a lifting hook 24. Each lower run of the chain 22 or 23 extends from its anchorage on the support housing 1 around guide means constituted by a rotatably mounted sprocket 25 or 26 mounted on the body 20 of the non-anchored component 7. The upper run of each chain then extends from the sprocket 25 or 26 towards further guide means constituted by a rotatably mounted sprocket 27 or 28 provided on the support housing 1, each chain passing around its respective sprocket 27 or 28 to hang substantially directly beneath the anchorage provided by borehole 2.

The load lifting device also comprises trip means constituted by two switches 30 and 31 mounted at opposite ends of the guideway and arranged to sense when the component 7 is approaching the associated end of the guideway.

When one or other of the switches 30 or 31 is contacted by the component 7 it is arranged to shut-off the power supply to the motor 1 5 to halt travel of the component 7 along the guideway.

Alternatively, the switches are arranged to urge the connector adaptor 1 6 to disconnect the drive between the shaft 12 and the drive motor 1 5.

In use, with the support housing anchored over the load to be lifted, the drive motor 1 5 (which may be hydraulic, electric or pneumatic) is activated to rotate the threaded shaft 12 such that the non-anchored component 7 is moved along the guideway towards the support housing 1 until the trip switch is contacted and the drive halted.

The chains 22 and 23 then are hanging below the device to their full extent and the hooks 24 are attached to the load.

The drive motor 1 5 then is activated to rotate the threaded shaft in the opposite direction such that the component 7 is moved along the guideway in a direction away from the support housing 1. This movement of the component 7 causes the chains 22 and 23 to pass around the sprockets such that the hooks 24 are raised towards the anchored support housing 1, thereby lifting the load as required.

The load then may be loaded onto a vehicle which can be run below the device or be replaced back to its original mounting position after, for example a repair or servicing operation has been conducted.

In the embodiment described with reference to the drawing the sprocket and chain arrangement enables a two to one advantage to be obtained by using the lifting device, i.e. movement of the hooks 24 is twice the movement of the component 7 along the guideway. In other embodiments the sprocket and chain arrangement can be modified to give any desired ratio between the movement of the hooks 24 and the movement of the component 7 along the guideway.

In other embodiments of the invention the trip switches 30 and 31 may be dispensed with.

In still other embodiments of the invention chains 22 and 23 may be replaced by cables or ropes and the sprockets 25, 26,27 and/or 28 may be replaced by pulleys or stationary guides.

In further embodiments of the invention one or more than two chains, cables or ropes may be used.

The device may be used for moving loads in any desired direction, e.g. horizontally or along an incline.

Claims

1. A load moving device comprising two components, one of which is adapted to be anchored and one of which defines an elongated guideway guidably engageable by the other of the components such that the non-anchored component is movable with respect to the anchored component, one of the components comprising an elongated threaded member for engagement by a co-operating threaded member on the other of the components, one of the threaded members being rotatable to cause movement of the non-anchored component with respect to the anchored component, and a connector element securable to one of the components and connectible, in use, to the load to be moved, movement of the non-anchored component causing the connector element to urge the load to move.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which the connector element is an elongated flexible element fixedly secured to one component and arranged to pass around guide means provided on the other component.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, in which the elongate flexible element passes around further guide means provided on the component to which the element is fixedly secured.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, in which the elongate flexible element is fixedly secured to the anchored component.

5. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the anchored component defines the elongated guideway and the non-anchored component is slideable along the guideway.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, in which the elongated threaded member is provided on the anchored component, the co-operating threaded member being provided on the non-anchored component.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6, in which the elongated threaded member rotatably supported by the anchored component.

8. A device as claimed in claim 3 or 4 or in any preceding claim 5 to 7 when dependent upon claim 3 or 4, in which the guide means and further guide means comprise rotatable sprockets or pulleys.

8. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the elongated threaded member is rotatable under the action of a motor mounted on the anchored component.

9. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which a pair of elongate flexible elements are provided.

10. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the or each elongate flexible element comprises a chain, rope or cable.

11. A device as claimed in claim 3 or 4 or in any preceding claim 5 to 10 when dependent upon claim 3 or 4, in which the guide means and further guide means comprise rotatable sprockets or pulleys.

12. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which trip means are provided to limit the maximum extent of relative movement between the two components.

13. A load moving device substantially as described herein and substantially as shown in the accompanying drawings.

New claims and amendments to claims filed on 3-4-81.

Superseded claims 1.5, 6. 7, 8 and 11.

New claims:- 1, 5 and 8.

Amendments to claims:-- Claims 9, 10, 12 and 13 have been renumbered 6, 7, 9 and 10 respectively.

1. A load moving device comprising two components, one of which is adapted to be anchored and defines an elongated guideway guidably engageable by the other of the components such that the non-anchored component is movable along the elongated guideway with respect to the anchored component, the anchored component comprising an elongated threaded member for engagement by a co-operating threaded member on the nonanchored component, the elongated threaded member being rotatable to cause movement of the non-anchored component with respect to the anchored component, and being rotatably supported at one end in a bearing mounted at one end of the elongated guideway, and a connector element securable to one of the components and connectible, in use, to the load to be moved, movement of the non-anchored component causing the connector element to urge the load to move.

5. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the elongated threaded member is rotatable under the action of a motor mounted on the anchored component.