GB2504681A - Mobile carrier frame for bulk material handling equipment - Google Patents

Mobile carrier frame for bulk material handling equipment Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2504681A
GB2504681A GB201213865A GB201213865A GB2504681A GB 2504681 A GB2504681 A GB 2504681A GB 201213865 A GB201213865 A GB 201213865A GB 201213865 A GB201213865 A GB 201213865A GB 2504681 A GB2504681 A GB 2504681A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
chassis
wheel
carrier frame
mobile carrier
wheels
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB201213865A
Other versions
GB201213865D0 (en
Inventor
Sean O'sulllivan
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Buttimer & Co Ltd E
Original Assignee
Buttimer & Co Ltd E
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Buttimer & Co Ltd E filed Critical Buttimer & Co Ltd E
Priority to GB201213865A priority Critical patent/GB2504681A/en
Publication of GB201213865D0 publication Critical patent/GB201213865D0/en
Publication of GB2504681A publication Critical patent/GB2504681A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
    • B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
    • B62D7/00—Steering linkage; Stub axles or their mountings
    • B62D7/06—Steering linkage; Stub axles or their mountings for individually-pivoted wheels, e.g. on king-pins
    • B62D7/14—Steering linkage; Stub axles or their mountings for individually-pivoted wheels, e.g. on king-pins the pivotal axes being situated in more than one plane transverse to the longitudinal centre line of the vehicle, e.g. all-wheel steering
    • B62D7/15—Steering linkage; Stub axles or their mountings for individually-pivoted wheels, e.g. on king-pins the pivotal axes being situated in more than one plane transverse to the longitudinal centre line of the vehicle, e.g. all-wheel steering characterised by means varying the ratio between the steering angles of the steered wheels
    • B62D7/1509—Steering linkage; Stub axles or their mountings for individually-pivoted wheels, e.g. on king-pins the pivotal axes being situated in more than one plane transverse to the longitudinal centre line of the vehicle, e.g. all-wheel steering characterised by means varying the ratio between the steering angles of the steered wheels with different steering modes, e.g. crab-steering, or steering specially adapted for reversing of the vehicle
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G41/00—Supporting frames or bases for conveyors as a whole, e.g. transportable conveyor frames
    • B65G41/007—Means for moving conveyor frames and control arrangements therefor
    • B65G41/008—Means for moving conveyor frames and control arrangements therefor frames mounted on wheels or caterpillar

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Handcart (AREA)

Abstract

A mobile carrier frame 1 for supporting bulk material handling equipment has an elongate chassis 2. A front wheel assembly 3 is mounted at a front end of the chassis 2. A rear wheel assembly 4 is mounted at a rear end of the chassis 2. Wheels of the front wheel assembly 3 and rear wheel assembly 4 are movable between a standard travel mode for longitudinal movement of the chassis 2 and a parallel travel mode for sideways movement of the chassis 2. Independent drive means is provided for the front wheel assembly 3 and the rear wheel assembly 4. A speed differential limiter is operable to limit the speed variation between the front wheels and the rear wheels to a maximum of 10% when the front wheel drive means and rear wheel drive means are operating together in the parallel travel mode.

Description

"A Mobile Carrier Frame for Bulk Material Handling guipment"
Introduction
This invention relates to a mobile carrier frame for bulk material handling equipment and in particular for supporting a conveyor for loading dry bulk cargo material on a ship at a port.
Summary of the Invention
According to the invention, there is provided a mobile carrier frame for bulk material handling equipment, including: an elongate chassis, a front wheel assembly mounted on the chassis, a rear wheel assembly mounted on the chassis spaced-apart from the front wheel assembly, drive means for driving wheels of the wheel assemblies, the front wheel assembly having a pair of spaced-apart ground-engaging front wheels, each front wheel being mounted on the chassis by a front wheel mount which is movable relative to the chassis between a standard travel mode in which the front wheel is steerable and a parallel travel mode in which the rotational axis of the front wheel is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the chassis, means for releasably locking each front wheel mount in said parallel travel mode, the rear wheel assembly having a pair of spaced-apart ground-engaging rear wheels, each rear wheel being mounted on the chassis by a rear wheel mount which is movable relative to the chassis between the standard travel mode in which the rotational axis of the wheel is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the chassis and the parallel travel mode in which the rotational axis of the wheel is substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of the chassis, locking means for releasably locking each rear wheel mount in either the standard travel mode or the parallel travel mode.
In one embodiment of the invention, a front wheel drive means is provided for driving wheels of the front wheel assembly and a rear wheel drive means is provided for driving wheels of the rear wheel assembly, said front wheel drive means and said rear wheel drive means being independently operable.
In another embodiment there is provided a speed differential limiter which is operable when said front wheel drive means and said rear wheel drive means are operating together to limit the speed variation between the front wheels and the rear wheels.
In another embodiment the speed differential limiter is operable to limit the speed variation between the front wheels and the rear wheels to a maximum of 10%.
In another embodiment, each wheel is carried on a swivel mount on the wheel assembly for swivelling the wheel about a substantially vertical axis.
In another embodiment, a jack is mounted at a front end of the chassis which is movable between a retracted stored position and an extended ground-engaging position for raising the front end of the chassis to lift the front wheel assembly off the ground, said jack when in the extended position forming a swivelling support for the chassis. This allows the mobile carrier frame to swing through an arc with the jack as the centre of rotation. It also facilitates movement of the front wheels between the standard travel mode and the parallel travel mode.
In another embodiment each rear wheel is pivotally mounted on the rear wheel mount by a swivel for swivelling about a substantially vertical axis, and means is provided for locking said rear wheel swivel in a position in which a rotational axis of said rear wheel passes through a pivot axis of the jack.
In another embodiment the front wheel mounts are interconnected by link arms, an outer end of each link arm being attached to a wheel mount and inner ends of the link arms being interconnected by a cam follower which engages a cam on the chassis for optimum angulation of each wheel during steering.
In another embodiment one of the link arms is length adjustable to facilitate movement of the front wheels into the parallel travel mode.
In another embodiment, the chassis has an elongate tubular body.
Detailed Description of the Invention
The invention will be more clearly understood by the following description of some embodiments thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a mobile carrier frame according to the invention; Fig. 2 is another perspective view of the mobile carrier frame; Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the mobile carrier frame; Fig. 4 is an underneath plan view of the mobile carrier frame; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the mobile carrier frame; Fig. 6 is an end elevational view of the mobile carrier frame; Fig. 7 is a plan view of the mobile carrier frame, showing the mobile carrier frame in a first position of use; Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing the mobile carrier frame in another position of use; Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing the mobile carrier frame in a further position of use; Fig. 10 is a detail underneath plan view showing a front end of the mobile carrier frame; Fig. 11 is a plan view of the mobile carrier frame in another position of use; Fig. 12 is a detail plan view showing a steerable front wheel assembly on the mobile carrier frame; Fig. 13 is a detail plan view of link arms forming portion of the front wheel assembly; Fig. 14 is an elevational view of the link arms shown in Fig. 13; Fig. 15 is a detail elevational view of a rear portion of the mobile carrier frame; and Fig. 16 is a detail plan view of the rear portion of the mobile carrier frame.
Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a mobile carrier frame according to the invention for supporting bulk material handling equipment, indicated generally by the reference numeral 1. The mobile carrier frame 1 has an elongate chassis 2. A front wheel assembly 3 is mounted at a front end of the chassis 2. A rear wheel assembly 4 is mounted at a rear end of the chassis 2. Wheels of the front wheel assembly 3 and rear wheel assembly 4 are movable between a standard travel mode shown in Fig. 7 and a parallel travel mode as shown in Fig. 11. Independent drive means is provided for the front wheel assembly 3 and the rear wheel assembly 4. A speed differential limiter is operable to limit the speed variation between the front wheels and the rear wheels to a maximum of 10% when the front wheel drive means and rear wheel drive means are operating together in the parallel travel mode shown in Fig. 11 and described later.
The chassis 2 comprises a tubular steel body. In this case, the body is in two parts, namely, a front part 6 and a rear part 7 which are bolted together at mating flanges 8 at a front end of the rear part 7 and at a rear end of the front part 6. The chassis 2 may be in a single part, however providing the chassis in two or more parts facilitates breaking up the chassis 2 for transport if required. The overall length of the chassis shown is about 30 metres. However, obviously this may be varied depending on the bulk material handling equipment to be carried on the chassis 2.
The front wheel assembly 3 has a pair of spaced-apart ground engaging front wheels 10, each mounted on a wheel hub 11 incorporating an hydraulic drive motor for driving the front wheels 10. The hydraulic drive motors are connected to a front wheel drive hydraulic pump and associated control equipment for circulating hydraulic fluid through the motors to drive the front wheels 10.
Each front wheel 10 is mounted at an outer end of a front cross beam 14 at a front end of the chassis 2 by a substantially vertical swivel mount 15. That is to say the wheel 10 swivels about a substantially vertical axis 15 when the mobile carrier frame is resting on a horizontal road, quayside or the like support surface when steering the front wheels 10 for example. Thus, each front wheel 10 can swivel about a vertical axis (15) between a first position, as shown in Fig. 5, in which a rotational axis F of the front wheels 10 is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis C of the chassis 2 and a second position in which the rotational axis F of the front wheels 10 is substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis C of the chassis as shown in Fig. 11.
Link arms 16 extend between forwardly projecting arms 17 (Fig.12) on each swivel mount 15 and the chassis 2 for tracking the front wheels 10 in all positions of use and more particularly for ensuring optimum angulation of each wheel 10 during steering.
A drive motor 18 drivably engages a semi-circular gear 19 to swivel the wheel 10 on the swivel mount 15 for steering. Each link arm 16 is connected at its outer end to the arm 17 on the wheel mount and inner ends 40, 41 of the link arms 16 are pivotally interconnected by a cam follower 42 which engages associated cam slots 43 on a pair of vertically spaced-apart cam plates 44. Rollers 45 on the cam follower 42 engage with the cam slots 43. This cam arrangement is designed so that each wheel 10 is positioned at the optimum steering angle during steering of the front wheels 10 on the chassis 2.
The rear wheel assembly 4 comprises two pairs of rear wheels 20 on vertical swivel mounts 21 carried on pivot arms 22 which are pivotally mounted on a rear cross beam 24 at a rear end of the chassis 2 for pivoting about vertical pivot mounts 23.
Each rear wheel 20 is mounted on a hub 26 incorporating an hydraulic drive motor.
The hydraulic drive motors are connected to a rear wheel drive hydraulic pump and associated control equipment for circulating hydraulic fluid through the rear wheel drive motors to drive the rear wheels 20.
Each pivot arm 22 can pivot on the cross beam 24 between a folded position as shown in Fig. 5, extending rearwardly substantially perpendicular to the cross beam 24 and a laterally extended position as shown in Fig. 11, essentially forming a lateral extension of the cross beam 24. Thus, in the position shown in Fig. 5, the rear wheels 20 have a rotational axis R which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis C of the chassis and in the position shown in Fig. 11, the rotational axis R of the rear wheels 20 is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis C of the chassis 2, Rear wheel outer locking arms 30 extend between each pivot arm 22 and the chassis 2 for locking the rear wheels 20 in the parallel travel mode shown in Fig. 11. Rear wheel inner locking arms 38 extend between the chassis cross beam 24 and the pivot arms 22 to lock the pivot arm 22 when in the standard travel mode shown in Fig. 5.
Referring in particular to Fig. 9, it will be noted also that each pair of rear wheels 20 can be pivoted on the swivel mount 21 through an angle a (in the illustrated embodiment 8°) and locked in that position on the swivel mount 21 so that the rotational axis R of each pair of rear wheels 20 passes through a pivot axis X of a jack 35 mounted at a front end of the chassis 2. The locking arms 30 lock the pivot arm 22 in this position.
Referring in particular to Fig. 3 and Fig. 9, the jack 35 comprises a ram having an upright cylinder 36 fixed at a front end of the chassis 2 within which is slidably and rotatably mounted a piston (not shown) having at it's lower end a foot plate 37.
Any suitable bulk material handling equipment, such as a conveyor or the like, can be mounted on top of the mobile carrier frame 1. This has not been shown in the drawings as such equipment is of conventional construction and would only obscure the mobile carrier frame of the invention.
In use, the wheels 10, 20 can be positioned relative to the chassis 2 in either a standard travel mode (Figs. 1-7), a radial stacking mode (Fig. 9) or a parallel travel mode (Fig. 11).
In the standard travel mode the rear wheels 20 have their rotational axes R perpendicular to the longitudinal aids C of the chassis 2 and the front wheels 10 are steerable. Thus the mobile carrier frame 1 can be towed by a tractor vehicle (not shown) to manoeuvre it into a loading position at a quayside adjacent a ship for example. It will be noted also that the rear wheels 20 are folded in behind the rear cross beam 24 so the mobile carrier frame 1 is at its most compact for storage when not in use with locking arms 38 engaged and locking arms 30 in an idle or stored position.
The front wheels 10 can be swivelled into the parallel travel mode shown in Fig. 11 and then locked in this position by locking pins. One of the link arms 16 is extendable, by a telescopic ram for example, to allow both front wheels 10 to turn fully through 90°. Also, after disengaging the locking arms 38 the rear wheels 20 can be pivoted on the swivel mounts 21 and by driving the wheels 20 the arms 22 are swung out into the laterally extending position shown in Fig. 11 and then locked by locking arms 30, and the rear wheels 20 swivelled until the rotational axes R of the rear wheels 20 are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis C of the chassis 2, the swivel then being locked. In this operating mode driving the front wheels 10 and the rear wheels 20 together moves the mobile carrier frame 1 back and forth as required, in the direction of arrow T, in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis C of the chassis, in other words sideways, for travel parallel to an edge of the quay for loading a ship tied alongside the quay. Should the mobile carrier frame 1 move out of parallel alignment with the quay edge the hydraulic fluid supply to the wheels 10, 20 is adjusted to increase or decrease the speed of the front wheels 10 relative to the rear wheels 20, up to a maximum differential of 10%, to turn the mobile carrier frame 1 until the mobile carrier frame 1 is brought back into alignment with the quay edge at which point the speeds of the front wheels 10 and rear wheels 20 are again equalised.
In the radial stacking mode shown in Fig. 9 the rear wheels 20 are swung outwardly as previously described and the arms 22 locked in the outwardly extended position by locking arms 30. Then the wheels 20 are pivoted forwardly through angle a as previously described and the pivot is locked. The jack 35 is operated to lower the foot plate 37 and raise a front end of the chassis 2 off the ground. By driving the rear wheels 20 the mobile carrier frame 1 can be moved through an arc pivoting about the pivot axis X of the jack 35 to deposit bulk material in a number of stockpiles.
It will be appreciated that the front wheel steering linkage can move between the standard travel mode and the parallel travel mode without breaking the link arms 16.
Also the cam arrangement facilitates very accurate normal steering without the need for electronic steering controls. The front wheels 10 maintain the optimum steer angle in all steering positions.
The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in construction and detail within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (10)

  1. CLAIMS1. A mobile carrier frame for bulk material handling equipment, including: an elongate chassis, a front wheel assembly mounted on the chassis, a rear wheel assembly mounted on the chassis spaced-apart from the front wheel assembly, drive means for driving wheels of the wheel assemblies, the front wheel assembly having a pair of spaced-apart ground-engaging front wheels, each front wheel being mounted on the chassis by a front wheel mount which is movable relative to the chassis between a standard travel mode in which the front wheel is steerable and a parallel travel mode in which the rotational axis of the front wheel is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the chassis, means for releasably locking each front wheel mount in said parallel travel mode, the rear wheel assembly having a pair of spaced-apart ground-engaging rear wheels, each rear wheel being mounted on the chassis by a rear wheel mount which is movable relative to the chassis between a standard travel mode in which the rotational axis of the wheel is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the chassis and the parallel travel mode in which the rotational axis of the wheel is substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of the chassis, locking means for releasably locking each rear wheel mount in either the standard travel mode or the parallel travel mode. -10-
  2. 2. The mobile carrier frame as claimed in claim 1 wherein a front wheel drive means is provided for driving wheels of the front wheel assembly and a rear wheel drive means is provided for driving wheels of the rear wheel assembly, said front wheel drive means and said rear wheel drive means being independently operable.
  3. 3. The mobile carrier frame as claimed in claim 2 wherein there is provided a speed differential limiter which is operable when said front wheel drive means and said rear wheel drive means are operating together to limit the speed variation between the front wheels and the rear wheels.
  4. 4. The mobile carrier frame as claimed in claim 3 wherein the speed differential limiter is operable to limit the speed variation between the front wheels and the rear wheels to a maximum of 10%.
  5. 5. The mobile carrier frame as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each wheel is carried on a swivel mount on the wheel assembly for swivelling the wheel about a substantially vertical axis.
  6. 6. The mobile carrier frame as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a jack is mounted at a front end of the chassis which is movable between a retracted stored position and an extended ground-engaging position for raising the front end of the chassis to lift the front wheel assembly off the ground, said jack.when in the extended position, forming a swivelling support for the chassis.
  7. 7. The mobile carrier frame as claimed in claim 6 wherein each rear wheel is pivotally mounted on the rear wheel mount by a swivel for swivelling about a substantially vertical axis, and means is provided for locking said rear wheel swivel in a position in which a rotational axis of said rear wheel passes through a pivot axis of the jack.
  8. 8. The mobile carrier frame as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the front wheel mounts are interconnected by link arms, an outer end of each link arm being attached to a wheel mount and inner ends of the link arms being -11 -interconnected by a cam follower which engages a cam on the chassis for optimum angulation of each wheel during steering.
  9. 9. The mobile carrier frame as claimed in claim 8 wherein one of the link arms is length adjustable to facilitate movement of the front wheels into the parallel travel mode.
  10. 10. The mobile carrier frame as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the chassis has an elongate tubular body.
GB201213865A 2012-08-03 2012-08-03 Mobile carrier frame for bulk material handling equipment Withdrawn GB2504681A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB201213865A GB2504681A (en) 2012-08-03 2012-08-03 Mobile carrier frame for bulk material handling equipment

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB201213865A GB2504681A (en) 2012-08-03 2012-08-03 Mobile carrier frame for bulk material handling equipment

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB201213865D0 GB201213865D0 (en) 2012-09-19
GB2504681A true GB2504681A (en) 2014-02-12

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Family Applications (1)

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GB201213865A Withdrawn GB2504681A (en) 2012-08-03 2012-08-03 Mobile carrier frame for bulk material handling equipment

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Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0252570A2 (en) * 1986-07-10 1988-01-13 Ashot Ashkelon Industries Ltd. Multi-mode vehicle and steering apparatus therefor
WO1996015656A1 (en) * 1994-11-23 1996-05-30 David Dowler A vehicle
WO2001023241A2 (en) * 1999-09-29 2001-04-05 Ingemar Bjurenvall Vehicle with four wheel steering
GB2362863A (en) * 1998-11-30 2001-12-05 Samsung Heavy Ind Steering system for a mobile gantry crane

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0252570A2 (en) * 1986-07-10 1988-01-13 Ashot Ashkelon Industries Ltd. Multi-mode vehicle and steering apparatus therefor
WO1996015656A1 (en) * 1994-11-23 1996-05-30 David Dowler A vehicle
GB2362863A (en) * 1998-11-30 2001-12-05 Samsung Heavy Ind Steering system for a mobile gantry crane
WO2001023241A2 (en) * 1999-09-29 2001-04-05 Ingemar Bjurenvall Vehicle with four wheel steering

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Publication number Publication date
GB201213865D0 (en) 2012-09-19

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