GB2156789A

GB2156789A - Guiding and arresting falling loads

Info

Publication number: GB2156789A
Application number: GB08505468A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Geoffrey Hugh Williams; Christopher Edward Blackstone
Original assignee: Simplex Mechanical Handling Ltd
Current assignee: Simplex Mechanical Handling Ltd
Priority date: 1984-03-09
Filing date: 1985-03-04
Publication date: 1985-10-16
Also published as: GB2156789B; GB8505468D0; GB8406297D0

Abstract

The apparatus is for handling loads, such as barrels or kegs containing alcoholic beverages, from a first elevation to a second lower elevation. The apparatus comprises a guide which includes two spaced guide rails (12) for guiding the load during movement under the influence of gravity from the first to the second elevation and an arrestor (24) at the lower end of the guide rails for gradually arresting movement of the load. The arrestor comprises a load receiving device (26) which extends into the path of movement of the load and which is pivotable relative to the guide rails about a horizontal axis (36). Tension springs (32) urge the load receiving device towards its upper position against stops (46). An hydraulic damper (34) resists pivotable movement of the load receiving device between its upper and a lower position so that when a load, such as a barrel or keg, strikes the load receiving device the load receiving device moves from its upper towards its lower position resisted by the damper to gradually arrest movement of the load. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Load handling apparatus This invention relates to apparatus for hand ling loads and particularly but not exclusively to apparatus for handling barrels, kegs or the like containing an acoholic beverage such as beer.

In many cases the movement of loads involves a reduction in elevation of the load.

Under these circumstances it is common to use the force of gravity to wholly or partly provide the motive force. In order to bring the load to rest at the lower level the movement of the load must be arrested. In many cases special provision must be made in order to arrest movement of the load without the load suffering any, or significant, damage.

According to the present invention there is provided load handling apparatus for handling loads from a first elevation to a second lower elevation, the apparatus comprising means for guiding the load during movement under the influence of gravity from said first to said second elevation and means at the lower end of the guide means for gradually arresting movement of the load, the arresting means comprising a load receiving device which extends into the path of movement of the load and which is pivotable relative to the guide means about a horizontal or substantially horizontal axis between upper and lower positions, resilient means urging the load receiving device towards its upper position, and a damper for resisting pivotable movement of the load receiving device between its upper and its lower positions so that when a load strikes the load receiving device the load receiving device moves from its upper towards its lower position resisted by the damper to gradually arrest movement of the load.

Preferred and/or optional features of the invention are set forth in Claims 2-14 inciusive.

The invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a perspective view of one embodiment of load handling apparatus according to the invention.

Referring to the drawing, the apparatus shown therein comprises an elongate guide 10 having two parallel spaced apart guide rails 12, which are interconnected at regular intervals by transversely extending cross-bars 14, and a ground engageable base support member 1 6 from which the guide rails upstand in a direction inclined to the vertical.

The base support member 1 6 has anti-slip ground engageable feet 1 8 and each guide rail is provided at or adjacent to its upper end with a hook 20 which can for example be hooked over the frame of an access cover to a cellar or an upstanding lip along the edge of a goods vehicle. The guide 10 shown in the drawing is designed specifically to guide barrels, kegs or the like containing alcoholic beverages in sliding motion down the guide 10 under the influence of gravity with the longitudinal extent of the barrel, keg or the like parallel to the longitudinal extents of the guide rails 1 2. One such barrel, keg or the like is shown in broken lines as indicated by the reference numeral 22.The guide could, however, easily be adapted to guide the barrels in rolling motion with their axes transverse to the longitudinal extent of the guide, by replacing the guide rails 1 2 by a guide trough having two guide cheeks which define the sides of the trough and which extend forwards of and are respectively disposed laterally outwards of the position in which the guide rails 1 2 are shown in the drawing.

The guide 10 may be adjustable in length such as by providing each rail in two telescopic parts and may also be designed so as to be adjustable in width.

An arrestor 24 is provided at the lower end of the guide 10 for absorbing the impact of a load moving down the guide and for gradually arresting the movement of that load. The arrestor 24 comprises a load receiving device 26 in the form of a load impact receiving member or platform 28 and a pivoted support member 30, tension springs 32 and an hydraulic damper 34. The support member 30 is pivotably connected to the lower end of the two guide rails 1 2 about a horizontal axis 36.

The platform 28 is mounted on upstanding lugs 38 at the forward end of two forwardly projecting arms of the support member 30 so as to be rockable about a horizontal axis 40.

The damper 34 is pivotably connected at its upper end to the center of one of the crossbars 14 and is pivotably connected at its lower end to a bificated arm 42 which extends rearwardly from the support member 30.

The damper 34 comprises an hydraulic energy absorbing piston and cylinder unit of a type which resists inward movement of the piston rod more so than it resists outward movement of the piston rod. Preferably, the damper is also of a type which is provided with a fluid flow path, the area of which progressively decreases during the working or inward stroke of the piston and in a particular case this variation of the fluid path may be arranged so as to achieve a near constant force while the velocity of the load steadily decreases. A number of proprietary industrial hydraulic dampers, or energy absorbers, have such characteristics, and will be known to the person skilled in the art.

A tension spring 32 is connected between each guide rail 1 2 and a respective forwardly projecting arm of the pivoted support member 30 to urge the support member 30 and platform 28 towards an uppermost position in which the aforesaid arms engage stops 46 attached to the guide rails 12. The lowermost position of the support member 30 is defined by engagement between the aforesaid arms and stops 48 attached to the base support member 16.

Finally, one or more tension springs 50 are connected between the pivoted support member 30 and the platform 28 to urge the platform towards a position in which its uppermost surface is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the guide rails 12 when the receiving device 26 is in its uppermost position. This means that when a descending load, such as a barrel, strikes the platform 28, the platform is orientated so that its upper surface is normal to the path along which the load is moving. Yet, the platform can rock rearwardly against the urging force of the springs 50 to keep the upper surface of the platform normal to the path of movement of the load as the receiving device 26 pivots downwards to absorb the impact and gradually arrest movement of the load.

In operation the load is held over, or placed in contact with the upper part of the guide rails 12. The load is then released and it slides or rolls downwardly under gravity, guided by the rails 12 and any guide cheeks which may be provided until contact is made with the platform 28. When the load strikes the platform the receiving device 26 pivots downwards against the resisting force of the damper 34. This damper will gradually arrest movement of the receiving device 26 and hence of the load, and will sink to a level dictated by engagement between the pivoted support member 30 and stops 48. The load can then be removed from the platform.

The receiving device 26 will then return to its upper load receiving position under the action of the tension springs 32 to await another load.

In a modification, not shown, the stops 48 are designed such that they tip the platform 28 forwardly during the final part of the downwards movement of the arrestor 26 such that the load is automatically discharged from the apparatus.

Claims

1. Load handling apparatus for handling loads from a first elevation to a second lower elevation, the apparatus comprising means for guiding the load during movement under the influence of gravity from said first to said second elevation and means at the lower end of the guide means for gradually arresting movement of the load, the arresting means comprising a load receiving device which extends into the path of movement of the load and which is pivotable relative to the guide means about a horizontal or substantially horizontal axis between upper and lower positions, resilient means urging the load receiving device towards its upper position, and a damper for resisting pivotable movement of the load receiving device between its upper and its lower positions so that when a load strikes the load receiving device the load receiving device moves from its upper towards its lower position resisted by the damper to gradually arrest movement of the load.

2. The load handling apparatus of Claim 1, wherein the load receiving device comprises a load impact receiving member and a pivoted support member to which the load impact receiving member is connected.

3. The load handling apparatus of Claim 2, wherein the load impact receiving member is connected to the pivoted support member so as to be rockable relative thereto about a horizontal axis and wherein resilient means are provided to urge the load impact receiving member towards a position in which the uppermost surface thereof is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the guide means, when the load receiving device is in its upper position.

4. The load handling apparatus of anyone of the preceding Claims, wherein the damper provides a greater resisting force to movement of the load receiving device from its upper to its lower position than to movement of the load receiving device in an opposite direction.

5. The load handling apparatus of anyone of the preceding Claims, wherein the damper is an hydraulic energy absorber.

6. The load handling apparatus of anyone of the preceding Claims, wherein the damper is connected at or adjacent one end to the guide means and at or adjacent its other end to the load receiving device at a position thereof on that side of its pivot axis remote from a part thereof which lies in the path of a load guided in use down the guide means.

7. The load handling apparatus of anyone of the preceding Claims, wherein the guide means and/or the load receiving device have means delimiting the upper and lower positions of the load receiving device.

8. The load handling apparatus of anyone of the preceding Claims, wherein the guide means comprises a pair of parallel spaced apart guide rails.

9. The load handling apparatus of Claim 7, wherein the guide means is in the form of a guide trough.

10. The load handling apparatus of anyone of the preceding Claims, wherein the guide means is adjustable in length.

11. The load handling apparatus of anyone of the preceding Claims, wherein the guide means is adjustable in width.

1 2. The load handling apparatus of anyone of the preceding Claims, wherein the guide means has a ground engageable base support member.

1 3. The load handling apparatus as claimed in Claim 12, wherein the base support member includes anti-slip ground engageable feet.

14. The load handling apparatus of Claim 7 when dependent on Claim 3, wherein the means delimiting the lower position of the load receiving device is arranged to tip the load impact receiving member forwardly during the final part of the downwards movement of the arresting means such that the load is automatically discharged from the apparatus.

1 5. Load handling apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawing.