US1640677A - Safety appliance - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 30, 1927. 1,640,677-

- W. E. SMILEY SAFETY APPLIANCE Filed Sept. 25, 1926 3 Sheets Sheet 1 INVENTOR W/ZlM/V 5 6/7/15) M www- ATTOR NEYS 1,640,677 f 1927' w. E, SMILEY SAFETY APPLIANCE Filed Sept. 25-, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR W/ll/AM ga/v/zfy BY H15 ATTORNEYS Aug. 30, 1927. 1,640,677

.W. E. SMlLEY SAFETY APPLIANCE FiledSept. '25, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

1 unnnaan/ll/ BY HIS WA SW ATTORNEYS Patented As 30, 1927.-

onirsnf STATES WILLIAM E. SMILEY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SAFETY APPLIANCE. v

I Application filed September 25 1926. Serial No. 137,724.

' This'invention relates to safety appliances andmore particularly to fenders or guards for excluding persons Orobjects from dangerous areas adjacent to machines such as hoists or cranes. V

In the usual forms of railroad cranes or other hoisting machines the necessary constructional limitations are generally such that portions of the rotatable cab or housing must at times protrude beyond the perimeter of the supporting platform or carriage. Furthermore, it is generally found to be desirable to'mount the cab with its floor or lowermost portions only a few inches above the platform. Therefore, when the cab is rotated, the lower edges of the portions which protrude beyond the plat.

form are so positioned that'they'may co-act in a substantially shearing relation with the edges of the platform. The overhanging or protruding portion of the cab is generally the rear end, outside the range of vision of the operator of the crane, who must ordinarily confine his attentions largely to the swinging boom of the crane, particularly.

when it is being rapidly turned. Accordingly the areas subtended by the edges of the protruding cab portion and the nearest platform edges, unless guarded in some manner, present a very dangerous condition. Any person or object remaining in these areas during the rotation of'the cab will be violently thrown against the edge of the platform and subjected to the shearing action. Equipment of this type is ordinarily used in noisy locations, where warning a person of his danger is difficult. Also the inertia of the heavy boom and cab makes it impossible to abruptly stop the cab in response to warnings, and if a workman steps into the shearing area with his back turned to the cab, it is practically impossiblefor him to escape once the moving cab comes in contact with him. Accidents of this kind are frequent and usually fatal. I

I have devised an arrangement of automatically movable fender guards for extending over the dangerous shearing areas. Such r guards may be slidably or pivotally mounted either upon the crane cab or on the platform or on both and are preferably so arranged that when the crane boom is parallel to the railroad track the fenders or guards will be retracted and will not protrude substantially beyond the limits of the platform or supporting carriage.

The objects of my invention include the provision of safety appliances for purposes such as that above indicated and for accomplishing the desired results in a thoroughly dependable but relatively simple and inexpensive manner. j I

Further and more'specific objects, features and advantages will clearly appear fromthe detailed description given below takenfin connection with the accompanyingdrawings which form apart of this specification.

In the drawings, Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are top, side and end views respectively of a rail road crane to which one form of appliance comprising my invention has been applied; Figs. 4: and 5 are views similar to Fig. 1, but illustrating the manner of operationof the appliance and the positions of the parts thereof when the crane boom is turned at angles of approximately 60 and 90 respectively with the railroad track; V

Fig. 6 is a plan view showing in'detail a fender arm and plate of the type such as indicated in the foregoing figures;

Fig. 7 is a side view partly in section showing the fender arm and plate as of Fig. 6 and the method. of mounting the same;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line B-B of Fig. 6; Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line DD of Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line E-E of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 11 is a sectional view similar to that of Fig. 9 but showing a modified form of fender arm and plate construction.

The particular form of crane illustrated is, mounted upon a. carriage comprising a platform 20 supported upon suitable railway trucks as at 21 and 22. A cab or housing is indicated at 23 which contains the operating machinery for the hoist or crane. The

crane boom is indicatedat 24. The end of the cab 25 opposite fromthe boom 24 is de-. signed to contain the counter weight for the boom and load; also the boiler and other parts. The cab, together with its contents and parts connected therewith, may be rotatably mounted in any desired well known manner as upon a shaft 26 accompanied by suitable roller bearings as indicated.

During the operation of the crane, if the cab is rotated from the position shown in Fig. 1 the rear end portion thereof will protrude beyond the edge of the platform 20 as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5. Then as the cab is further rotated or is again returned to its normal position, the edges of the cab as at 27 or 28 respectively Will approach the side edges of the platform as at 29 or 30 and in the absence of any guarding means these edges will come into the dangerous substantially shearing relation above referred to. To eliminate this hazard, fender arm and plate members as at 31, 32, 33 and 34 may be provided and pivotally mounted respectively at the four corners of the platform 20. The four arm members may be all of the same or similar construction and accordingly, it will be only necessary to describe one of the arms and its operation and associated parts in detail. Figs. 6 through 10, which will now be described, illustrate arms such as indicated at 32 and 34.

To provide a durable and simple form of construction the arm as shown may comprise a section of pipe 35pivotally mounted at its end at the corner of the platform or carriage as by means of a bearingmember 36 bolted to the side frame of the platform.

A pivoting shaft or bolt 37 is received by the bearing member 36 and may be fixed to pipe 35 by means of a suitable angle member 38 formed of cast steel or other suitable mate rial.

The bearing 36 if desired may be supplemented by a supporting arm 39 which is also pivotally mounted upon the side frame of the platform as bymeans of a bearing member 40. Provision is made at the outer end of the supporting arm 39 for pivotal and slidable engagement with the fender arm. One suitable construction for providing such engagement is shown in Fig. 8. According to this construction a member 41 is secured to the under side of the pipe 35, and is formed with two depending side flanges 42 and 43 terminating in inwardly extending horizontal flange portions 44 and 45 respectively. A pin member 46 is mounted in a vertical position at the end of the arm 39. Provision for vertical adjustment of the pin may be made by suitably threading the pin and arm as shown. A look nut 4'? may be provided for fixing the pin against unintended displacement. A hearing member 48 mounted upon the upper end of the pin 46 slidably engages the flanges of the channel member 41 and is rotatable in respect to the pin member, the pin member being provided with a suitable bearing portion 49. A passageway is indicated at 50 for admitting oil to the bearing portion 49. As the fender arm rotates about its bearing at 36 the supporting arm 39 will also rotate about its bearing 40 and by reason of the pivotal and sliding engagement with the channel member 41, the supporting arm will follow the movement of the fender arm and firmly support the same. i r 4 Within the section of pipe 35 a plug or stop member 51'may be secured and is engaged'by a spiral compression spring 52, the opposite end of which is engaged by a plunger member 53. A connecting rod '54 extends through the spiral spring 52 and has one end slidably received by the plug member 51 and its other. end adjustably fixed through the plunger member53, the adjustment being effected by a'nut 55 engaging the end of the rod which is threaded. Adjacent the stop member 51, the-rod 54 may he formed with an eyelet 56 or other suitable means for engaging a cable clamp 57, which serves to connect the rod. '54 with a short length of flexible steel cable 58. The opposite end of this length of cable is connected in the same manner as above described to the connecting rod. within the fender arm at the opposite end of the crane platform. That is, the connecting rods within fender arms 31 and 32 are thus interconnected by one 7 section of cable and the connecting rods within fender arms 33 and 34 at the opposite side of the platform are interconnected by another section of flexible cable. Each of these cables is constantly maintained under the tension is to be increased the nuts will be turned in the opposite direction, as will readily be. understood. By such adjustment the coil springs may be placed under sufficient compression to remove all slack from thesections of cable and to insure positive operation of the fender arms in a manner hereinafter described.

The sections of pipe 35 may be supplemented by fender plate members as at 59, which areof such shape and area as to exclude persons or objects, during periods of danger, from possible contact with the coacting shear-mg" edges of the cab and the platform. These fender plates are also designed to freely move into and out of the narrow space between the platform and the under side of the cab. Thisspace is usually small in order that the center of gravity of the cab may be kept substantially as low as possible. During operation of the crane this space willalso vary somewhat inheight due to tilting of the cab when the boom is loaded. In the fender plate construction here shown however, ample provision is made for such variations In addition to the horizontal areas of theplate members 59 these members are also preferably extended down over the outside of the pipe sections 35 as indicated at 60 t oprovide a smooth outer contacting surface of substantial vertical width.

Upon the under side of the cab, rollers as indicated at 61, 62 and 63 may be pivotally mounted. These rollers, (see Fig.3), are formed to engage both the edges of the fender plates 59 and the flexible steel cables 58. To this end'the inner edges as at 6% of the fender plates are reinforced by steel bar 65 and made with a contour such that upon engagement with the rollers the desired movement will beimparted to the fender arm. The fender plates 59 may be further reinforced if desired as by steel bars 66 and 67 extending below the lower face of V the plates.

As indicated in Fig. 1, the rollers 61 and 63 are normally in positions ready to contact respectively with the fender plate edges of the adjacent arms. If the cab is rotated from this position toward the position indicated in Fig. i, iZllGlOllGI 61 will bear against theedge 64: of the fender plate on arm 31. This will give the fender arm a an initial outward movement causing the tension in the cable 58 to increase and also causing the cable to be thrust outwardly of the platform through at least a short distance. This movement of the cable also gives the fender arm 82 an initial outward movement, but less than the outward movement of the arm 31; During further movement of the cab in this direction the roller 61 contii'nies'to contact with the edge 64 and thereafter with the cable 58 bringing about a furtl'ier outward movement of the two arms 31 and 32. Upon continued movement of the cab, the roller 62 comes into engagement with the edge 64 and thereafter with the cable 58. In many in stances the cab, together with the roller 62, will be moving rapidly at the time this roller contacts with the edge 64, but.inas much as the fender arm has already been given an initial outward movement by the roller 61, there will be no destructive impact of the roller 62 against the edge ofthe fender plate. As the cab rotates, the arm 32 will arrive at its extreme outer position just prior to the time that the parts come into the position shown in Fig. 4. The fender arms at all times during the rotation of the cab will be moved out to a position such that the angles between the cab edges and the adjacent fender arms will be at least substantially andgenerally greater. Accordingly, no shearing action will occur between the fender arm or platform edge and the cab body and any person or object positioned in theseareas during the rotation of the cab will either be thrust outwardly by the fender arms or pushed along the arms by the cab and then outwardly by the arms until the period of danger is over.

In order to'retain the cable 58in positions most desirable for proper operation of the arms, a cable guide may be installed in each arm and constructed as shown in Fig. 9. Outwardly of the cable guides each of the pipe sections 35 are formed with slits 68, which permit the cable to extend out through the side of each arm and directly to the cable guide of the opposite arm. When the arms aremoved outwardly, this arrangement permits of less strain upon the compression springs than would be the case if the cable extended through the outer end of the arms automatically during the rotation of the cab,

the use of the operating rollers 61, 62 and 63 renders it unnecessary to provide any direct operative connections with the crane engine. All of the structuraljparts of railroad cranes must, of course, be kept within a width which is definitely limited whenever the crane is to be moved from place to place along the track. hen the cab isrotated tov position with the boom in alignment with the railroad track, as is necessary when the crane isto be moved any considerable distance, the fender arms will be automatically retracted to aposition substantially in alignment with the sides of the crane platform. The fender arms at no time extend any sub stantial distance beyond the protruding portions of the cab. In fact, the arms accomplish'their function in a. reliable manner, and yet their outer limit of movement is well within that of the cab. Accordingly, the

width of the'cran'eis not extended beyond the necessary limits. The cable guides as shown in Fig. 9 hold the cable in an off-center position with respect to'the center lines of the arms. Therefore, even when the arms are at rest alongside the platform, the ten sioned cable exerts suflicient force against the cable guides to not only retain the fender arms against substantial outward movement, but also to retain the arms against any substantial vibration or small turning move ments in respect to the platform edge.

Although in many instances it may be Washer member 71 on the pin found to be economical to use sections of pipe as at 35 for the body portion of the fender arms, yet if desired a suitable hollow arm construction may be fabricated in accordance with the construction indicated in Fig. 11. Here a plate member 74!; provides a suitable fender plate area, such plate being formed integrally with a depending flange portion 75. A suitable housing for the cable and spring with associated parts may be provided by the use of a plate member 76 riveted at 77 to the fender plate 7 i and at 78-to the flange portion 75. Furthermore, in other respects it is not desired to limit the inven tion to the details or specific construction herein described, since it will be obvious to those skilled in the art, after understanding the invention, that various modifications and substitutions may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, and I aim therefore in the appended claims to cover all such modifications.

lVhat is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In combination with a crane having a platform and a rotatable cab thereon, a fender arm pivotally mounted at the side of the platform for excluding persons from the area of danger between the cab and platform edges. I

2. In combination with an implement such as a hoisting crane having a platform and a rotatable cab thereon, fender arms pivotally mounted adjacent each corner of the platform and normally extending along the platform edges but operative upon rotation of the cab to exclude persons from the areas of danger between the cab and platform edges.

3. In combination with. a crane having a platform and a rotatable cab thereon, a fender arm pivotally mounted at the side of the platform for excluding persons from the area of danger between the cab and platform edges, and a supplemental supporting arm for said fender arm, said supporting arm being mounted at the platform edge at a point spaced from the pivoting point of the fender arm.

i. In combination with a crane having a platform and a rotatable cab thereon, a fender arm pivotally mounted at the side of the platform for excluding persons from the area of danger between the cab and platform edges, and a supplemental supporting arm for said fender arm, said supporting arm being pivotally mounted upon the platform and having pivotal and sliding engagement with the fender arm.

5. In combination with a crane having a platform and a rotatable cab thereon, a fender arm pivotally mounted at the side of the platform for excluding persons from the area of danger between the cab and platform edges, said arm having a tubular body portion, and spring means therein for normally retaining the arm in retracted position alongside the platform. I

6. In combination with a crane having a platform and a rotatable cab thereon, a fender arm pivotally mounted at the side of the platform for excluding persons from the area of danger between the cab and platform edges, said arm having a tubular body portion, surmounted by a fender plate for substantially covering the area of danger.

7. In combination with a crane having a platform and a rotatable cab thereon, a

fender arm accompanied by a fender plateand pivotally mounted at the side of the platform for excluding persons from the area of danger between the cab and platform edges, said plate being designed to freelv move into and out of the space between the platform and the under side of the cab.

8. In combination with a crane having a platform and a rotatable cab thereon, a pair of fender arms pivotally mounted at the side of the platform for excluding persons from the areas of danger between the cab and platform edges, said arms being directed to-- ward each other, and flexible yielding means interconnecting said'arms. I

9. In combination with a crane having a platform and a rotatable cab thereon, a pair of fender arms pivotally mounted at the side of the platform for excluding persons from the areas of danger between the cab and platform edges, said arms having tubular body portions, a cable interconnecting said arms and having its ends secured therein, and means on the cab for engaging said cable to control the position of said arms in accordance with movements of the cab.

10. In combination with a crane having a platform and a rotatable cab thereon, a pair of fender arms pivotally mounted at the side of the platform for excluding persons from the areas of danger between the cab and platform edges, a cable interconnect-- ing said arms and having its ends secured therein, and means on the cab for engaging said cable to control the position of said -of fender arms pivotally mounted at the side llU arms in accordance with movements of the of the platform for excluding personsfrom the areas of danger between the cab and platform edges, a cable arranged'in series with a coiled compression spring for yieldably interconnecting said arms to retain the same in retracted position alongside the platform.

13. In combination with a crane having a 7 platform and a rotatable cabthereon, a pair of fender arms pivotally mounted at the side of the platform for excluding persons from the areas of, danger between the cab and platform edges, a cable member accompanied by adjustableyieldable means for interconnecting said arms to normally retain w the same in retracted position but permitting the arms to be forced outwardly of the platform.

14. In combination with an implement such as a hoisting'crane having a platform and a rotatable cab thereon fender arms formedges, a cable member accompanied by adjustable yieldable means for interconnecting said arms to normally retain the same in retracted position but permitting the arms to be forced outwardly of the platform, said cable member extending within said arms and having lts ends secured therein.

16. In combination with a crane having a platform and a rotatable cab thereon, a, pair of fender arms pivotally mounted at the side of the platform for excluding persons from the areas of danger between the cab and platform edges, a cable member accompanied by adjustable yieldable means for interconnecting said arms to normallyretain the same in retracted positionibut permitting the arms to be forced outwardly of the platform, said cable member extending within said arms and having its ends secured there- Yin, and guiding means. within the arms for said cable whereby the cable is heldin position-to firmly retain saidarms when retracted against the platform sides.

17. .In combination with a crane having a platform and a rotatable cab thereon, a pair of fender arms pivotally mounted at the side ofthe platform for excluding persons from 'the areas of danger between the cab and platform edges, a cable member accompanied by adjustable yieldable means for interconnecting said arms to normally retain the same in retracted position but permitting the arms to be forcedoutwardly of the platform, said cable member extending within said arms and having its ends secured therein, said arms being of tubular form and slotted part way of their length to accommodate movements of the cable.

.In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM E. SMILEY.

CERTIFICATE 91%. CRREGTN= Patent No. 1,64%,72. Granted August 39, 1927, to

WELLEAM E. SMELEY.

it is hereby car-5216 iha: arm? 238ES in the abm e sumbeaed patent requiring carmctiqm a Ws- In the grant and in the Eaeafiing to the printed speciiicaiian he re a t lyfi, New Ym'k", Wllfiffilziresideme siwuifi have bean given as Cazenovia, New Yes-k; and Ehat tza said Latters Paiem shouid be readwith this correeiiss therein 612:" "a same may mniwm 2e ihe ween? 0f the case in the Patent @flice.

Sigma? and seaie ixis 222$ day 0% Nevemhez, A. B. 1927.,

M. J. Mozare, Seai" Acting Gammissioner 0? Patents.

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