GB2251847A

GB2251847A - Mechanical handling apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2251847A
Application number: GB9127110A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Butterick
Original assignee: Eaton Hall Design Workshops Ltd
Current assignee: Eaton Hall Design Workshops Ltd
Priority date: 1990-12-21
Filing date: 1991-12-20
Publication date: 1992-07-22
Also published as: GB9027855D0; GB9127110D0

Abstract

There is shown apparatus 1 for manoeuvring an object such as a lorry wheel (not shown), comprising a mobile frame 2 for receiving the object, and a lifting device 3 carried by the frame and adapted to engage and lift the object clear of a substrate, so that it can be manoeuvred. The frame 2 is of U-shape in plan, and is mounted on casters 4, 5, those 4 at the end of the frame being fixed and those 5 at the opposite end being swivellable for steering. The lifting device 3 comprises a rotatable, raisable element in the form of a single elongate roller 6 which extends over the length of and substantially parallel to and adjacent one limb 7 of the frame 2. There is a rotatable roller 8 parallel to the roller 6 and which extends over the length of and substantially parallel to and adjacent the opposite frame limb 9. Pref. the frame is telescopically adjustable and the operating lever (11) has a locking ratchet and pawl (13, 15). <IMAGE>

Description

MECHANICAL HANDLING APPARATUS The invention relates to mecnanical handling apparatus, particuiarly to apparatus for manoeuvrlng an object such as a lorry wheel having a curved boundary surface.

Lorry wheels are often neavy and cumbersotr to handle, particularly wnen they nave to be manoeuvred for changing a wneel, for example wzen a puncture occurs. This can be very inconvenient if a wheel change is necessary on the open road, in fact it can be virtually impossiDle without the aid of expensive and massive equipment.

It is an object of the invention to seek to mitigate these disadvantages.

According to the invention there is provided apparatus for manoeuvring an object having a curved boundary surface, comprising a mobile frame for receiving the object at a position below its diameter, and a lifting device carried by the frame and adapted to engage and lift tne object clear of a substrate so that it can be marloeuxrred.

The frame may ben generally U-shape in plan. This provides a relatively simple construction for engaglng the object.

Tne lifting device may comprise a rotatable, raisable element extending substantially parallel to and adjacent one limD of the U-shape frame. This provides a compact construction.

There may be a manually operable handle adapted for lifting tne rotatable element. This provides a relatively inexpensive yet reliable mechanism.

Tne handle may be adapted for lifting the rotatable element by a cam in engagement with an axle of the rotatable element. This provides a relatively smooth lifting operation.

There may be a releasable locking device for locking the rotatable element in a desired position. This provides for adjustaoility of the lifting height and is preferably achieved using a locking device comprising a ratchet and pawl device.

The rotatable element may comprise a single elongate roller. This provides a relatively sImple and inexpensive construction.

There may be a rotatable element which may extend substantially parallel to and adjacent the opposite limb of the U-shape frame.

This provides for a balanced operation.

The distance between tne limbs of the frame may ne aajustable. Tnis allows for accanodating objects of different size or shape.

Tne çeb of the frame may comprise telescopic members whereby the distance between the limbs is adjustable.

The telescopic members of the web of the frame may contain interengageable locking means to lock the web in its fully extended position. This prevents separation of the telescopic meters when fully extended.

The interengageable locking means may comprise a spring loaded plunger of the inner telescopic member and a carplementary locating hole of the outer telescopic member which receives the plunger in use.

Tne apparatus may include a guard, such as U-shaped member pivoted to tne web of the frame. This provides a safety feature in obviating toppling of an object such as a wheel while it is being manoeuvred .

Apparatus embodying the invention is hereinafter described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of apparatus according to the invention; Fig.2 is an end elevational view of the apparatus, taken in the direction of arrow 'A' in Fig.l; Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of Fig.l; and Fig.4 is an elevational view, partly in longitudinal cross-section on a larger scale of part of the apparatus of Fig 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is snown apparatus 1 for nanoeuvring an object such as a lorry wheel (not shown) which has a c-avçed boundary surface, c-t,Frising a no'bile frame 2 for receiving the object at a position below its diameter, and a lifting device 3 carried by the frame and adapted to engage and lift the object clear of a substrate, such as the ground, so tnat it can be manoeuvred.

The frame 2 is of generally U-shape in plan, and is made mobile by being mounted on castors 4, 5, those 4 at the end of the frame being fixed and tnose 5 at the opposite end being swivellable for steering.

The lifting device 3 comprises a rotatable, raisable element in the form of a single elongate roller 6 which extends over the length of and substantially parallel to and adjacent one limb 7 of the frame 2. There is a rotatable roller 8 parallel to the roller 6 and which extends over the length of and substantially parallel to and adjacent tne limb 9 of the frame opposite the limb 7.

Extending along a web 10 of the frame is a manually operable handle 11 having pivoted to it a pawl 12. Secured to the frame 2 adjacent the pawl 12 is a ratcnet 13, the handle 11 Deing pivoted to the frame 2 on a pivot 14 which passes through the web 10 and which supports a cam 15. The cam 15 in turn supports one end of an axle or shaft 16 of the roller 6, the axle 16 passing through a hole in an arm 17 of an L-shape bracket 18 which is pivoted to the frame 2 at 19. The bracket 18 is connected by a cross-piece 20 with an opposite, similar bracket 18 which supports the opposite end of the axle 16 of the roller 6.

Pivotally mounted on tne web 10 of the frame 2 is a guard 21 of U-snape, the free ends of the limbs of the U-shape being pivoted to tne web at brackets 22. The guard 21 is normally stowed horizontally, within tne boundary defined by the limbs 7, 9.

The spacing between the limbs 7, 9, and thus tne 'size' of the frame 2 is adjustable by the web 10 being in the form of two telescopic members 24 and 25, which are secured at a desired extension Dy a manually operable lock in the form of a screw knob 23 Tne web of the frame 2 has interengageable locking means 26, to lock the web 10 at its fully extended position, thereby preventing the telescopic members 24 and 25 from canting apart in use.

The interengageanle locking means 26 comprlses a spring loaded plunger 27 contained within the inner telescopic member 25 and a complementary locating aperture, such as a drilled hole (not snown) contained in the outer telescopic member 24 into which the spring loaded plunger 27 springs in use when the web 10 is fully extended.

In use of the apparatus 1 to manoeuvre a heavy cumbersome object like a lorry wheel, the wheel is assumed to be standing upright, that is with its axis of rotation horizontal. Tne frame 2 is adjusted to give a desired spacing between the limbs 7, 9 by sliding the telescopic members 24 & 25 of the web 1U relative to one another, and locking them in the desired position using the Knob 23. The interengageable locking means 26 act to prevent the telescopic members 24 and 25 from coming apart when they have been fully extended, tne web 10 being of maximum width. The shape of the plunger 27 is such that the two halves of the frame can be pushed back togetner without having to press the plunger back into its locating hole.The guard 21 is pivoted through 900 upwardly, (out of the plane of the paper as considered in Fig.l) and the apparatus 1 is offered up to the wheel by rolling the frame on the castors 4, 5 over the ground so that the limbs 7, 9 are positioned one at each side of the wheel below tne diameter thereof. The frame 2 is thus pushed so that the litres 7, 9 just pass either side of the wheel, until it rests against the web 10. So far the handle 11 has been in the lower position shown in the Figures. If now the handle 11 is raised (turned anti-clockwise, Fig.2) the cam 15 is also tilted in the same sense as it is rigid with the pivot 14 of the handle 11.

If the cam 15 is not to jam on the axle 16, the axle 16 is raised and tnus in turn causes the bracket 18 to raise, so raising the bracket 18 simultaneously. This results in a smooth raising of the roller 6 which accordingly raises the wheel off the ground as the roller 6 is firmly engaged against the wheel surface. The wheel is raised onto the roller 8 so that both passes over the ratchet 13 to lock the mechanism 3 in the required position. The wheel is now clear of the ground and can be manoeuvred simply by pushing the frame 2 on its castors 4, 5. The wheel can then for example be offered up to a limb on which it is to be mounted. Hub studs and wheel hub holes which have to be aligned can readily be so aligned by rotatingthe wheel slowly on the rollers. If tne height of the wheel hub requires adjustment, the ratchet and pawl mechanism 12, 13 can be utilised.The guard 21 prevents the wheel frame falling back on the operator during these manoeuvrings.

(ghen the wheel is in place on the hub, the frame 2 is simply withdrawn on its castors 4, 5 so that the free ends of the limbs 7, 9 are clear of the wheel. The apparatus 1 can then be stowed by folding back the guard 21 to the position shown, returning the roller 6 to the stowed, initial position by releasing the ratchet and pawl 12, 13 by finger pressure, and by telescoping the web 10 pt-s ^getter to form a carpact unit and locking up once vore with the knob 23. The handle 11 can be raised slightly so it is above the level of the web 10, and, with the ratchet and pawl engaged, the handle 11 can be used as a carrying handle for the whole apparatus 1, which is thus readily manipulable by a single operator and can be carried by one person.

Claims

1. Apparatus for manoeuvring an object having a curved boundary surface, comprising a mobile frame for receiving the object at a position below its diameter, and a lifting device carried by the frame and adapted to engage and lift the object clear of a substrate so that it can be manoeuvred.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, the frame being of generally U-shape in plan.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, the lifting device comprising a rotatable, raisable, element extending substantially parallel to and adjacent one limb of the U-shape frame.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 3, there being a manually operable handle adapted for lifting the rotatable element.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, the handle being adapted for lifting the rotatable element by a cam in engagement with an axle of the rotatable element.

6. Apparatus according to Claim 5, there being a releasable locking device for locking the rotatable element in a desired position.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 6, the locking device comprising a ratchet and pawl device.

8. Apparatus according to any of Claims 3 to 7, the rotatable element comprsing a single elongate rolier.

9. Apparatus according to any of Claims 3 to 8, including a rotatable element extending substantially parallel to and adjacent the apposite limb of the U-shape frame.

10. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 2 to 9, the distance between tne limos of the frame being adjustable.

11. Apparatus according to Claim 10, the web of the frame comprising telescopic members whereby the distance between the limbs is adjustable.

12. Apparatus according to Claim 11, the telescopic members comprising interengageable locking means for preventing separation of said telescopic members when they are fully extended.

13. Apparatus according to Claim 12, the interengageable locking means comprising a spring loaded plunger of the inner telescopic member which cooperates in use with a locating hole of the outer telescopic member.

14. Apparatus according to any of Claims 2 - 13, including a guard.

15. Apparatus according to Claim 14, the guara comprising a U-snaped member pivoted to the web of the frame.

16. Apparatus for man manoeuvring an object having a curved Boundary surface, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.