GB2280419A

GB2280419A - Article handling apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2280419A
Application number: GB9315724A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kenneth Edwin Wood
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-07-29
Filing date: 1993-07-29
Publication date: 1995-02-01
Also published as: GB9315724D0

Abstract

Apparatus for handling articles such as bales of silage comprises means (gripping members 23) for engaging opposed sides of the article, and a steadying means (29) for contacting an upper surface of the article for steadying it while it is held. Preferably the gripping members are pivotally mounted and moved by ram 26. Preferably the steadying means (29) is vertically movable. Preferably the apparatus is connected to a front end loader of a tractor. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: ARTICLE HANDLING APPARATUS Description of Invention This invention relates to apparatus for handling articles. The invention has been devised, and is primarily described hereafter, in relation to the handling of bales of silage or the like, which bales may be wrapped, e.g. in plastic sheeting, or unwrapped. It is to be appreciated, however, that the invention is applicable to the handling of articles other than such bales.

For handling bales on the farm, devices are known which comprise arms or other gripping elements of elongate configuration, extending generally parallel to one another and movable so as to vary the distance between them. An arrangement of such gripping elements may be arranged to be mounted on an agricultural tractor or in place of the bucket on a loader vehicle. In the latter case bales are able to be added to or removed from a stack at a relatively great height. Such bale handling devices, however, have disadvantages in that bales are not always firmly held thereby, and they are not readily adaptable to handle articles other than bales.

Accordingly it is the object of the invention to provide an improved device suitable for handling bales and other articles.

According to the present invention, I provide article handling apparatus comprising means for holding an article by engaging opposed side regions of the article, and means for contacting an upper surface portion of the article for steadying the article.

Preferably the means for engaging opposed side regions of the article comprises members, herein called gripping members, mounted for movement towards and away from one another, and means for effecting such movement of the members and for causing a force to be exerted therebetween for gripping the article whose opposed side regions are engaged by the members.

The means for moving the gripping members towards and away from one another preferably is power operated and conveniently is hydraulically operated by, for example, an hydraulic ram.

Conveniently the gripping members are provided on arms which are carried by a support member for pivotal movement about respective axes spaced from one another on the support member. An hydraulic ram may then conveniently be connected between said arms for causing them to pivot relative to the support member and thus to cause the gripping members to move relative to one another for holding an article.

Preferably the arms extend downwardly from the support member to the gripping members, while the hydraulic ram is disposed above the support member and is connected to upward extensions of the arms.

Preferably the means for contacting the upper surface portion of the article comprises a steadying member which is carried by the support member for the arms, and which has its position adjustable relative thereto at least in the upwards and downwards direction.

The gripping members may comprise, when the apparatus is intended for handling bales, elongate members extending generally parallel to one another and transversely of the arms. However, it will be appreciated that if articles other than bales are to be carried, or if different types of bales are to be handled, gripping members of other configuration may be utilised.

Apparatus according to the invention as above described has several advantages. Firstly, when an article such as a bale is to be picked up, the contacting of the upper surface portion of the article by the steadying member holds the article steady whilst it is engaged by the gripping members. If the article is resting on the ground it is held down to the ground and not moved before being picked up. If the article is on a stack of articles, it is unlikely to be displaced from the stack before being held by the gripping members.

Secondly, the engagement of the article by the steadying member has the effect that the gripping members engage the article at uniform or substantially uniform positions with respect to the height of the article. For safe handling of an article, it is of importance that the article is held at the correct place and the invention enables this to be achieved. The ability of the steadying member to be adjusted relative to the support member enables the height at which items, such as bales, are engaged to be adjusted, for example for bales of different sizes or type.

Thirdly, when an article has been held by the apparatus and has been lifted off the ground or other surface on which it has previously been resting, the engagement of the article by the steadying member has the effect that the article is constrained relative to the support member.It will be appreciated that in the preferred form of apparatus according to the invention as above described, the fact that the arms are pivotably carried by the support member and that the hydraulic ram acts between the arms has the effect that the arms can pivot even when an article is held thereby. This is an advantage when an article is to be picked up from the ground or from a stack of articles, since the arms do not have to be precisely aligned with the article, and the article, being constrained by the steadying member, is not moved as it is engaged by the gripping members. Once picked up, the article is constrained from swinging which could otherwise take place due to the ability of the arms to pivot The apparatus according to the invention may be adapted to be carried by a vehicle such as an agricultural tractor or by a loader vehicle. It may be adapted to be carried in place of the bucket of a loader attachment of an agricultural tractor or of a loader vehicle.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of apparatus according to the invention, in use; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus is shown fitted in place of the bucket of a front end loader vehicle. The drawings show part of an arm assembly of such a vehicle, indicated generally at 10 and comprising laterally spaced arm members 11 substantially parallel to one another and connected by laterally extending bracing members as 12. At their free ends the arms carry mounting members 13 which are pivotable relative to the arms, about an axis extending transversely of the arms, about respective pivot pins as 14, the mounting members being connected to one another by a transverse member 15 spaced above the pivot pins 14. An hydraulic ram 16 is connected between the member 15 and the bracing member 12, thereby to control the pivotal movement of the two mounting members 13.

Article handling apparatus according to the invention comprises a support member 17 which extends transversely of the arms 11 and which is provided with spaced mounting brackets 18 which are adapted to be connected to the mounting members 13. In the illustrated embodiment, the mounting brackets 18 have hook formations 19 which engage transverse abutments of the mounting members 13, and lugs 20 with apertures for receiving securing pins (not shown) which also pass through apertures in the mounting members 13 and are retained by clips.

At its ends the support member 17 carries respective arm assemblies 21, for pivotal movement about respective axes extending parallel to one another and defined by pivot pins 22. The arms 21 extend downwardly from the support member and at their free ends are provided with respective gripping members 23 which comprise elongate members 24. The gripping members 23 at the ends of the arms 21 extend parallel to one another. The arms further have upward extensions 25 above the support member 17, and a double acting hydraulic ram 26 is connected between the upward extensions 25. The hydraulic connections to the ram 26 are not shown, but it will be appreciated that operation of the ram 26 to extend it has the effect of causing the gripping members 23 to be moved towards one another, whilst operation of the ram to contract it moves the gripping members 23 away from one another.

The support member 17 further carries, between its ends, two upwardly extending sleeves 27 spaced from one another. These receive, for sliding movement, members 28 which extend upwardly from a steadying member 29. The position of the members 28 may be fixed relative to the sleeves 27 by the insertion of pins through apertures 30 in the sleeves and selected ones of a number of spaced apertures provided in the members 28. Thereby the position of the steadying member 29 in the upwards direction relative to the gripping members 23 can be set as required.

In use of the apparatus, for example for handling bales of silage or the like, the position of the steadying member 29 will be set relative to the gripping members 23 so that when the steadying member 29 engages an upwardly presented surface portion of the bale the gripping members 23 are level with appropriate parts of the sides of the bale. A bale, indicated in outline at 32, to be moved is approached by the loader which carries the apparatus according to the invention, and the arm assembly 10 of the loader lowered, with the ram 26 in its contracted condition, until the upper surface of the bale is contacted by the steadying member 29. Then extension of the ram 26 causes the arms 21 to pivot so that the gripping members 23 engage and grip the sides of the bale. During this operation, the bale is held steady by the steadying member 29, and continues to be held steady while the arm assembly 10 is lifted for transporting the bale.

Although described above in relation to the handling of bales, it will be appreciated that by virtue of the provision of steadying member 29 apparatus according to the invention is usable for the handling of articles other than bales.

For example, a skip or like container could be handled, which is not readily possible with conventional bale handling equipment.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. Article handling apparatus comprising means for holding an article by engaging opposed side regions of the article, and means for contacting an upper surface portion of the article for steadying the article.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein the means for engaging opposed side regions of the article comprises members mounted for movement towards and away from one another, and means for effecting such movement of the members and for causing a force to be exerted therebetween for gripping the article whose opposed side regions are engaged by the members.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2 wherein the means for moving the gripping members towards and away from one another is power operated.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 3 wherein the means for moving the gripping members is hydraulically operated.

5. Apparatus according to any of Claims 2 to 4 wherein the gripping members are provided on arms which are carried by a support member for pivotal movement about respective axes spaced from one another on the support member.

6. Apparatus according to Claim 5 as appendant to Claim 4 wherein an hydraulic ram is connected between said arms for causing them to pivot relative to the support member, thus to cause the gripping members to move relative to one another for holding an article.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 6 wherein the arms extend downwardly from the support member to the gripping members, and the hydraulic ram is disposed above the support member and is connected to upward extensions of the arms.

8. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 5 to 7 wherein the means for contacting the upper surface portion of the article comprises a steadying member which is carried by the support member for the arms, and which has its position adjustable relative thereto at least in the upwards and downwards direction.

9. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 2 to 8 wherein the gripping members comprise elongate members extending generally parallel to one another.

10. Apparatus according to Claim 9 as appendant to Claim 5 wherein the elongate members extend transversely of the arms.

11. Apparatus according to the preceding claims, adapted to be carried in place of a bucket of a loader attachment of an agricultural tractor or of a loader vehicle.

12. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. An agricultural tractor or loader vehicle, having apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims.

14. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.