GB2095201A

GB2095201A - Portable mechanical handling device

Info

Publication number: GB2095201A
Application number: GB8208252A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: AYRSHIRE CONVEYOR SYSTEMS Ltd
Current assignee: AYRSHIRE CONVEYOR SYSTEMS Ltd
Priority date: 1981-03-20
Filing date: 1982-03-22
Publication date: 1982-09-29
Also published as: GB2095201B

Abstract

A portable mechanical handling device comprises a main frame (A), a secondary frame (B) mounted within the main frame, and rollers (E) journalled to the secondary frame. The frames can be moved relative to each other between positions where the rollers extend below the main frame so that the device can be used in the mode of roller trolley and where the rollers extend above the main frame so that the devices can be used in the mode of a roller conveyor. In one embodiment the main frame has upper and lower ramps (D) on the main frame forming inclined channels in which wheels (C) journalled on the secondary frame are guided. A hand- operated double-acting hydraulic ram (G) is mounted between the frames to effect longitudinal movement of the secondary frame relative to the main frame. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Portable mechanical handling device This invention relates to a portable mechanical handling device.

A problem which has arisen in such locations as offshore oil rigs is the placement within and removal from large containers of heavy loads such as electrical generators, Such containers usually have access to the interior thereof at only one end thereof and attempts to remove a heavy load from a container merely by the use of a crane has led to damage to the load and the container and the risk of injury to personnel.

This invention has been designed primarily to enable a heavy load to be manhandled between a location within a container and a location outside the container where the load can be handled easily e.g. by a crane.

According to the invention there is provided a portable mechanical handling device comprising a main frame, a secondary frame mounted within the main frame, rollers journalled to the secondary frame, and means for moving the frames relative to each other between positions where the rollers extend below the main frame so that the device can be used in the mode of a roller trolley with a load to be moved supported on the upper surface of the main frame and where the rollers extend above the main frame so that the device can be used in the mode of a roller conveyor with the load to be moved supported on the rollers.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a device according to the invention; and Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the device with its rollers in a position mid-way between their uppermost position where the device can be used in the mode of a roller conveyor and their lowermost position where the device can be used in the mode of a roller trolley.

In the drawing there is shown a rectangular main frame A made of channel section steel members. Mounted within the main frame A is a secondary frame B to which are journalied rollers E. On the outer sides of longitudinal members of the secondary frame B there are journalled wheels C which run in channels between upper and lower ramps D mounted on the inner sides of longitudinal members of the main frame A. A double-acting hydraulic ram G is pivoted at one end to one end member of the main frame A and at the other end to the secondary frame B. At the other end of the main frame A is mounted a hydraulic hand pump F and a selector valve H for determining to which end of the ram G pressurised hydraulic fluid is fed.

If the selector valve H is turned to one position and the pump F is operated the wheels C travel down the ramps D so that the rollers E extend below the main frame for the device to be used in the mode of a roller trolley. If, on the other hand, the selector valve H is turned to the other position and the pump is operated the wheels C travel up the ramps D so that the rollers E extend above the main frame for the device to be used in the mode of a roller conveyor.

In a typical application of the device, where a heavy load is to be placed in a desired position within a container, the load is first lowered, e.g. by a crane or a fork-lift truck, onto an auxiliary portable roller conveyor placed adjacent to the access end of the container. The device according to the invention is disposed within the container resting on the floor of the container in its mode of a roller conveyor. The load is pushed by hand from the auxiliary roller conveyor onto the device which is then converted into its mode of a roller trolley.

The load and the device supporting it are then pushed by hand to the desired position within the container. Blocks are then placed under the load with minimal clearance. Thereafter, the main frame A of a device is lowered relatively to the rollers E sufficiently to clear the underside of the load which now becomes supported on the blocks. The device is then removed from under the load. This sequence of operations is repeated as many times as necessary to fill the container.

In order to remove a load from the container the sequence is merely performed in reverse.

The example described and illustrated may be modified so that instead of the secondary frame having a horizontal component of movement in order to raise and lower the rollers E relatively to the main frame A, the secondary frame B can move substantially vertically relatively to the main frame A. This may be done by constraining the secondary frame to move substantially vertically and providing the ramps D on a tertiary frame movable horizontally relatively to the main frame A by the ram G.

In some instances it may be necessary for the rollers E to adopt a mid-position, i.e. where they extend neither above nor below the main frame A, as shown in Fig. 2.

Claims

1. A portable mechanical handling device comprising a main frame, a secondary frame mounted within the main frame, rollers journalled to the secondary frame, and means for moving the frames relative to each other between positions where the rollers extend below the main frame so that the device can be used in the mode of a roller trolley with a load to be moved supported on the upper surface of the main frame and where the rollers extend above the main frame so that the device can be used in the mode of a roller conveyor with the load to be moved supported on the rollers.

2. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the means for moving the frames relative to each other comprise means for moving the secondary frame longitudinally relatively to the main frame, and means for constraining the secondary frame to move in an inclined path relative to the main frame.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Portable mechanical handling device This invention relates to a portable mechanical handling device. A problem which has arisen in such locations as offshore oil rigs is the placement within and removal from large containers of heavy loads such as electrical generators, Such containers usually have access to the interior thereof at only one end thereof and attempts to remove a heavy load from a container merely by the use of a crane has led to damage to the load and the container and the risk of injury to personnel. This invention has been designed primarily to enable a heavy load to be manhandled between a location within a container and a location outside the container where the load can be handled easily e.g. by a crane. According to the invention there is provided a portable mechanical handling device comprising a main frame, a secondary frame mounted within the main frame, rollers journalled to the secondary frame, and means for moving the frames relative to each other between positions where the rollers extend below the main frame so that the device can be used in the mode of a roller trolley with a load to be moved supported on the upper surface of the main frame and where the rollers extend above the main frame so that the device can be used in the mode of a roller conveyor with the load to be moved supported on the rollers. An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a device according to the invention; and Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the device with its rollers in a position mid-way between their uppermost position where the device can be used in the mode of a roller conveyor and their lowermost position where the device can be used in the mode of a roller trolley. In the drawing there is shown a rectangular main frame A made of channel section steel members. Mounted within the main frame A is a secondary frame B to which are journalied rollers E. On the outer sides of longitudinal members of the secondary frame B there are journalled wheels C which run in channels between upper and lower ramps D mounted on the inner sides of longitudinal members of the main frame A. A double-acting hydraulic ram G is pivoted at one end to one end member of the main frame A and at the other end to the secondary frame B. At the other end of the main frame A is mounted a hydraulic hand pump F and a selector valve H for determining to which end of the ram G pressurised hydraulic fluid is fed. If the selector valve H is turned to one position and the pump F is operated the wheels C travel down the ramps D so that the rollers E extend below the main frame for the device to be used in the mode of a roller trolley. If, on the other hand, the selector valve H is turned to the other position and the pump is operated the wheels C travel up the ramps D so that the rollers E extend above the main frame for the device to be used in the mode of a roller conveyor. In a typical application of the device, where a heavy load is to be placed in a desired position within a container, the load is first lowered, e.g. by a crane or a fork-lift truck, onto an auxiliary portable roller conveyor placed adjacent to the access end of the container. The device according to the invention is disposed within the container resting on the floor of the container in its mode of a roller conveyor. The load is pushed by hand from the auxiliary roller conveyor onto the device which is then converted into its mode of a roller trolley. The load and the device supporting it are then pushed by hand to the desired position within the container. Blocks are then placed under the load with minimal clearance. Thereafter, the main frame A of a device is lowered relatively to the rollers E sufficiently to clear the underside of the load which now becomes supported on the blocks. The device is then removed from under the load. This sequence of operations is repeated as many times as necessary to fill the container. In order to remove a load from the container the sequence is merely performed in reverse. The example described and illustrated may be modified so that instead of the secondary frame having a horizontal component of movement in order to raise and lower the rollers E relatively to the main frame A, the secondary frame B can move substantially vertically relatively to the main frame A. This may be done by constraining the secondary frame to move substantially vertically and providing the ramps D on a tertiary frame movable horizontally relatively to the main frame A by the ram G. In some instances it may be necessary for the rollers E to adopt a mid-position, i.e. where they extend neither above nor below the main frame A, as shown in Fig. 2. Claims

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the means for moving the frames relative to each other comprise a tertiary frame, means for moving the tertiary frame longitudinally relatively to the main frame, means for constraining the tertiary frame to move substantially horizontally relative to the main frame, means for constraining the secondary frame to move substantially vertically relative to the main frame, and means for constraining the secondary frame to move in an inclined path relative to the tertiary frame.

4. A device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the means for constraining the secondary frame to move in an inclined path comprise wheels movable in channels formed between upper and lower ramps.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein the wheels are journalled on the secondary frame.

6. A portable mechanical handling device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.