US1665680A - Tiering machine - Google Patents

Description

April 10, 1928.

1,665,680 B.'STOCKFLETH ET AL TIERING MACHINE Filed Febfl), 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q5 18 mmml April 10, 1928. 1,665,680

B. STOCKFLETH ET AL TIERING MACHINE Filed Feb.9, 1925 4 Sheets-$heet 2 TIERING MACHINE April 10, '1928.

B. STOCKFLETH ET AL April 10, 1928. 1,655,680 B. STOCKFLETH ET AL TIERING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 as 59 5/ 5/ ,J8

Patented Apr. 10, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,665,680 PATENT OFFICE.

BERGER STOCKFLE'IH, OF BERRIEN SPRINGS, AND FREDERICK W. BURGER, OF NILES,

MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORS TO CLARK TRUCIRACTOR COMPANY, OF BUCHANAN, MICH- IGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

'IIERING MACHINE.

Application filed February 9, 1925. Serial N0.'7,947..

Our invention relates to portable elevating apparatus or tiering machines of the gen eral type shown and described in our pending application, Serial No. 711,822, filed May S, 1924:, in which the elevating apparatus is carried on a supplemental frame detach-ably connected with the frame of a motor vehicle such as a shop tractor, said supplemental frame being supported on wheels so that the load is sustained by such wheels, and being capable of moving vertically independently of the tractor frame. The elevating or hoisting devices'are actuated by power derived from the motor that propels the tractor. The object of our present invention is to provide an improved tiering machine in which the above-mentioned characteristic features of the machine of our said application are retained, but in improved form, and also to provide certaln other improvements by which the elevating apparatus will be made to operate with a greater degree of efficiency and by which also the machine as a whole will be better adapted to meetthe requirements of the uses to which it may be put. We accomplish our object as illustrated in the accompanying drawings and as hereinafter described. 'What we regard as new is set forth in the claims.

la the accompanying drawings,-

F 1 is a side elevation of our improved elevating apparatus applied to a shop tractor, the rear portion of the tractor being omitted Fig. 2 is a View partly in plan and partly in section on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in plan and partly in section on line of Fig. 1;

Fig. at is a partial vertical section on line 4i of Fig. 2, some parts being broken away;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line of Fig. 4, looking up;

Fig. (5 is an end view, in section; and

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the course of the hoisting chains.

In the embodiment of our invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings our improved elevating apparatus is designed to be applied to and operated by a motor vehicle in the form or a small shop tractor 8 comprising some parts being a frame 9 mounted on dirigible and propelling wheels substantially as shown and described in our said pending application. The propelling wheels are not illustrated, but it will be understood that they are preferably of the usual type employed in connection with motor vehicles, arranged to be driven by a propeller shaft through suitable ditl'erential gearing. Mounted on the frame 9 is the usual motor A, preferably of the internal combustion type, which, through suitable intermediate gearing, is arranged to drive the propelling wheels in either direction. Said motor is; also arranged to drive a power take-off shaft 10 telescopically connected with suitable power transmission devices contained in a housing 11 shown in Fig. 1. The arrangements for this purposeare preferably those shown and described in our application of even date herewith for improvements in shop tractors, and'for the purposes of our present application it will suffice to say that the shaft 10 is telescopically connected with said transmission devices, and may be disconnected therefrom by drawing it forward out of the housing 11. The transmission mechanism is contained in a casing or .hood 12 on which is placed the operatorsseat 13. A lever 14 is provided for controlling the operation of the take-off shaft 10 by the motor A, as described in our said shop tractor application. i

The front of the tractor is supported on one or more dirigible wheels 15 mounted centrally under the tractor frame and arranged to be steered by a steering wheel 16 carried by a steering column 17 that is connected with the dirigible wheel in any suitable way. At the front of the tractor frame an upright curved plate 18 is provided that serves not only as a dashboard but also as a head or abutment by which the tractor may be employed to push loads when the elevating apparatus is disconnected therefrom.

Our improved elevating apparatus, with which our present application is more immediately concerned, comprises a substantially U-shaped yoke or supplemental frame 19 having side arms 20, 21 that extend along side the tractor frame 9 at opposite sides thereof, as best shown in Fig. 2, and are detachably connected therewith by springs 22, and bolts 24, 25,- respectively. I By withdrawing; the- bolts 24, 25 the supplemental frame 19 may be disconnected from .the. tractor frame leaving the. tractor in conditionjfor, other 1 uses. Thesiipplemental frame '19 is supported on its own wheels 26,v 27, which are mounted in the manner of cas-' ter wheels at opposite sides of-- they-front l0 portion of the supplemental frame and preferably slightly in advanceuof the dirigible wheel 15. As shown in Figs. 1 and 6, said Wheels- 26, 27 are mounted in yokes*28 hav- "ing upright: spindles that are-'jounnaled in' 1 suitable bearings mounted insleeves 29, 30, preferably integral with the supplemental l frame 19, as illustrated in- Fig. 6. "The i-Whee1S *26,27, therefore are adapted toturn about vertical axes to conform to changes in direetion of the travel ofthe-tractor. 1 Also,-

;%the supplementalframe 19 is free to move cup and; down independently of the tractor framegsubjectsto therestraintafforded by thesprings 22, 23. The hoisting mechanism, all of whichis mounted on' this supplemental frame so that (its weight is carried on the 1 wheels 26, 27,;wil'l now be -described.

mSeoured tothe central curved portion of the supplemental frame 19 is an-upright 3o'curved plate: 31 that is-'- made sufficiently wheavy to withstand the'strains to which it is subjected, and is firmly secured in place, preferably by providing thefname 19'with flanges 32-,:33, 34-at its upper and lower marginsfihe galplateiiil being riveted to said flanges, as e 4 shown in Figs; 2 and6. To the-central part ofthe plate -31'.is firmly seouredanI-beam 35,the. lower end wot-which terminates a short distance :abovethe supplemental frame 2 19, as shown a t 36 in Fig. 4, while its upper rend extends to the top of an elevator frame hereinafter described. Extending idownward from the lower end fof-the-I-beam 35 is another I=beam f37 that forms a downward continuation of the I-beam 35, but asishown ,in Fig. 4 said I-beam 37 isfcut away-lat the rrearto accommodate the;central portion of ,the.frame119, and its front surfaceis ininclined rearwandly,toward;itswlower end, as

5QnllldlGated at 38 in Fig, 4. The I-beam exv, tension 37 terminates aishort distance above theground. Theibeam 37 isfirinlyvsecured tor the lower-portion of the plate 31 byirivets 39'thatipass through'lears 40 at the opposite ,,sides of .-said beam, asshown in Fig 6.

Alsosupported by the plate-31 is anveleva- 1 tor frame comprising vtwoioppositelydis posed channel beams 41, 42, said ibeams bei ng disposed ivertioallyi withqtheir channels I 6 mnrtheiinsideyas bestishowniin Figl- 2,;and

they are; firmly supported by bracing plates A3, 44 by which-they are attached to ;the 7 :plate 31, asishown in said figure. illhe lower mQHdS. of the beams 41,42 are also secured directly to the supplemental; :frame 19 i by 4 be ing riveted to flanges 45, 46 that project for- ;ward from :said frame at. opposite sides thereof, as shown in Fig. 6.

The upper end portions of the channel beams .41, 42 are cross-connected at the front and rear respectively by angle bars 47, 48 and vgusset lplates49, 50 that brace the parts together, as shown'in Fig. 5, from which it w'W-lll ,be seen that the upper end of the I- beain is also secured to the cross-bar 48. The sbars 47, 48 are also connected together near their ends by flat bars 51, 52 that extend over *the: upper ends of the channel -: b.eains 41, 42,asxbest'shown in Fig: 5. (By this construction we provide a very strong and rig id elevator frame for supporting the operating parts of the hoisting apparatus.

Mounted at the upper end of the elevator frame is a't ransverseshaft 53 that extends through verticalslots 54 in the channel beams 4li 42, as shown in Fig. 5,and is supported 'by hangers or U-bolts 55,:561secured to the bars 51, 52, respectively, so that they depend therefrom in the' channelsibf the channel beams 141, 42; as bBSt! shown iirFigs. 5-and 6. IThe arrangement is such that the shaft 53 is supported ashort distance below the bars 51, 52"sothat by adjustingthe hangers 55, 56-verticallyweither endJofthe "shaft 58inay be vertically"adjustedindepende'ntlyof the other. The verticalaadjustment 'ofasaid hangersmay be made by means of nuts 57 screwed onthe upper ends 1 thereof above theplates- 51 52, as shown-in F igs. 4 and 6. 'F The purpose ofprovid-ingfor this adjustment-of thesh-aft-53 will be hereinafter explained.

'As best shownin F igs; 5 and 6, theend portions of the shaft 53 extend'somedistance 1 beyond the channel beams, 51, 52,, and

upondthe projectingend portions of; said shaft are loosely mounted sheaves '58, 5%), each ofwhich is v double, that is. to say, each sheave is providedwith two channels "60, '61 toreceive the hoistingicha-ins. The channelsof said sheaves are suitably shaped to receive and engage the links of the hoisting chains so as to prevent slipp'age thereof, asbestshownat the leftin Fig. 6. The 1 end portions of the shaft 53 are provided witlroil ducts 62 thatcommunicatethrough passagesi63 with-the peripheral portions of said shaftuponwhich' the sheaves 58, 5S) bear, so that said bearing surfaces may be A properlylubricated,*and-to'that end the bnds of the shaft are equipped with oil cups 64 fol-supplying lubricant to the ducts 62. Preferably shields or housings 65 areinounted xon'the end portions of-the shaft over the sheaves 58, 59, as shown in Figs. 5 and G. From:thewforegoing' description it will be seen that-:the-cha- nnel beams 41, 42 constitute guide railsat opposite sides'of-the elevator fr'a-me disposed below the shaft and the sheavesimounted:thereon; and Ithati the I beam 35 constitutes a central or intern'iediate guide rail that is supported in fixed relation to the other two guide rails. These guide rails are designed to guide a traveling carriage arranged to move vertically on the elevator frame, and to tilt about a transverse axis, as will now be described.

As best shown in Figs. 2, 3 and a the carriage comprises a frame 66 somewhat longer than the distance between the guide rails all, 42 and provided at its upper margin with upwardly and rearwardly projecting arms 67, 68 in which is journaled a shaft (39 having mounted on its ends rollers Tl), 71, as best shown in Figs. 8 and (3. These rollers are adapted to run in the channels of the guide railssl. l2 and they are provided with flanges T2, 73 which serve to keep the shaft 69 and consequently the frame 66 in the proper position. The frame 66 also carries an intermediate roller T l having flanges T5, T6 at its opposite margins, as shown in Fig. 3, which roller is mounted upon a shaft 77 supported by the frame (36 in such position that said roller is adapted to run on the front face of the intermediate guide rail 35, as shown in Figs. 2 and l. As clearly shown in Fig. 4, the roller 74 is located a considerable distance below the rollers 70, 71. and its axis normally lies slightly forward of the transverse vertical plane of the axis of the shaft 69 that carries the rollers 70 71. Thus the carriage is normally held. against tilting about a transverse axis. This condition obtains at all times except when the carriage descends far enough so that the roller 74:

rides upon the inclined portion 38 of the in' termediate guide rail 35, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4. In the latter circumstance the weight of the carriage 'and its load, if any, will cause said carriage to tilt about a transverse axis, since the inclination of the inclined portion 88 will permit the roller T l to move rearwardly with reference to the rollers 70, 71. The carriage carries a load carrying member preferably comprising a platform or table 78. supported on forwardly-extending arms 79 having upright members 80 that are firmly secured in recesses 81 provided at the front of the frame of the carriage, and secured by bolts 82,

as shown in Fig. 3. The arms 79 are so shaped that when the carriage is in its normal position, that is to say, any position above the inclined portion 38 of the guide rail 35, the platform 78 will incline downward slightly toward the rear, to guard against its allowing the load to slip off, and the purpose of providing the inclined portion 38 is to permit the carriage 66 to tilt when it is in its loading position so that the platform 7 8 will then assume a horizontal position, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. st, thereby making it easier to deposit the load thereon, since then a vehicle such as a lift truck may be Wheeled over the platform and its load deposited directly thereon without its being necessary to perform that work manually. lVhen the carriage is hoisted high enough so that the roller 7st passes above the inclined portion 88 of the guide rail the platform again assumes its inclined position. as shown in full lines in Fig. 4:.

The carriage is raised or lowered by means of hoisting chains, or equivalent devices, 83,

84, best shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The chains 83 are connected at one end with the end portions of the carriage, as by swivels 85, 86, and run over the outer grooves of the sheaves 58, 59 respectively, their opposite ends being preferably connected with the elevator frame. as indicated at in Fig. 7. The slack incident to the vertical movement of the carriage may be permitted to hang loosely, as indicated in Fig. 7. By rotation of the sheaves 58, 59, therefore, the carriage may be raised or lowered, as desired. Power is applied to said sheaves t0 rotate the same by means of the hoisting chains 84, which are of the endless type, the upper bights of said chains running over the inner grooves of the sheaves 58, 59, while the lower bights thereof are looped around driving sheaves 87, 88 carried by the hoisting shaft 89, shown in Figs. 2 and 6. Fig. 7 clearly illustrates the course of the chains 83, 8d at one side of the machine, and it will be understood that the chains at the other side thereof are similarly arranged. The purpose of pro viding for separate vertical adjustment of the end portions of the shaft 53, on which, as previously explained, the sheaves 58, 59 are loosely mounted, is to take up any looseness due to stretching of the chains 84;, so that said chains may be maintained taut around the driving sheaves 87, 88, and the sheaves 58, 59. Obviously by screwing the nuts 57 down on their respective U-bolts said bolts may be drawn up toward the bars 5]., 52 by which they are supported, thereby raising the shaft 53. Either of said bolts may be adjusted independently of the other so that the proper tension may be maintained on the two chains 84, notwithstanding the fact that they may stretch unequally.

The hoisting shaft 89 is mounted at one end in a suitable bearing 91 carried by a standard 92 that rises from the frame 19 at one side thereof, as shown in Fig. 6. and the opposite end of said shaft is non-rotatably connected with a worm wheel 93 mounted in a housing 94. at the opposite side of said frame. Said worm wheel meshes with a worm 95 mounted in an extension 96 of the housing 94 and suitably supported on the frame 19, as also shown in Fig. 6.

The Worm 95 is connected with a shaft 97 that extends rearwardly through the housing 96. as shown in Fig. 2, and is connected by a flexible coupling 98 with a shaft 99 that is inturn connected by a flexible coupling 100 with-the power takeoff shaft 10. By

this construction, therefore, the shaft 89 may be rotated in either direction by power de rived from the motor, thereby driving the hoisting chainsin either direction and accordingly raising or lowering the load sustaining carriage. The connections for d1-iving the hoisting shaft 89, fromthe tractor motor are not herein claimed, as devices of the same character form a part of the sub ject-matter of our separate application of even date herewith for improvements in portable cranes.

so far as we are aware we are the first in the artvto provide an'elevating ap mratus or tieringmachine of the type described, in

which provision is made for ad justingthe chains at opposite sides of the elevator frame either simultaneousl or )aratel so asitowmaintain the bight of said chains taut around the driving sheaves, and we also believe ourselves to beithe first to provide for guiding and tilting theload-carry- =ployed.

ingplatform, or-equivalent support, in the manner described, so that it will assume a v ator frame,' havingnoppositely vdisposed channeled guides, a carriage-movable vertically on said frame between said. guides and having a load-carrying member, means running in saidguides and: pivotally connccting the a'transverse axis, flexible hoisting means for said carriage, and means between said guides for normally holding said load carrying member against tilting, and foral lowing it to tiltwhen it approachesits lowermost position.

A 'tiering machine comprising an elevator frame, a carriage movable vertically on said frame and having a load-carrying member, means pivotally connecting the end portions of said carriage with the frame to tilt about a transverse axis, flexible hoisting means for said carriage, and guidingmeans located between the ends of the carriage and cooperating with said carriage as the same is moved vertically to tilt said load-carrying member.

= 2. In a tiering machine, the combination I with an elevator frame compris n carriage therewith totilt about:

end, of'a carriage movablevertically on said elevator frame and having rollers operating on said. laterally-disposed guides, and a roller located between and below said rollers and running on said intermediate guide, a f0rwardly-extending load-supporting member carried by said carriage, and flexible hoisting devices for said carriage.

4. In a tiering machine, the combination oppositely-disposed channeled guides and a guide rail between said guides, the lower end portion of said guide rail being inclined rearwardly, of a carriage having rollers operating in the channels of said guides and a member lo rated between and below said rollers and bearing on said guide rail, a forwardly-extending loadssupporting member carried by said carriage and flexible hoisting devices for said carriage.

5. A tiering machine comprising an elevator frame, a carriage movable vertically on said elevator frame, driving sheaves mounted on the lower portion of said elevator frame at opposite sides thereof, means for driving said sheaves, sheaves mounted atthe upper portion of the elevator frame over said driving sheaves, hoisting chains at opposite sides of the elevator frame, each of said chains extending over one of the upper sheaves and having abight extending around and operatively engaging one of the driving sheaves, means actuated by said hoisting chains for moving the carriage vertically, and means for vertically adjusting said upper sheaves.

' 6 A tiering machine comprising an elevator frame, a. carriage movable vertically on said elevator frame, driving sheaves mounted on the lower portion of said elevatorframe at opposite sides thereof, means for driving said sheaves, sheaves mounted at the upper portion of the elevator frame over said driving sheaves, hoisting chains at opposite sides of the elevatorframe, each of said chains extending over one of the upper sheaves and having a bight extending around and operatively engaging one of the driving sheaves, means actuated by said hoisting chains for moving the carriage vertically, and means for vertically adjusting said upper sheaves independently ofeach other.

7.- A tiering machine comprising an elevator frame, a carriage movable vertically on said elevator frame, driving sheaves mounted on the lower portion of said elevator fname at opposite sides thereof,-means for driving'saidsheaves, a-shaft mounted at the upper portion of the elevator frame, sheaves loosely mounted, on the end portions of said shaft over the driving sheaves, hoisting chains at opposite sides of the elevator frame, each of said chains extending over one of the upper sheaves and having a bight extending around and operatively engaging one of the driving sheaves, means actuated by said hoisting chains for moving the carriage vertically, and means for vertically adjusting said shaft.

8. A tiering machine comprising an elevator frame, a carriage movable vertically on said elevator frame, driving sheaves mounted on the lower portion of said elevator frame atopposite sides thereof, means for driving said sheaves, a shaft mounted at the upper portion of the elevator frame, sheaves loosely mounted on the end portions of said shaft over the driving sheaves, hoisting-chains at opposite sides of the elevatorframe, each of said chains extending over one of the upper sheaves and having a bight extending around and operatively engaging one of the driving sheaves, means actuated by said hoisting chains for moving the carriage vertically, and means for separately vertically adjusting the end portions of said shaft.

BERGER STOCKFLETH. FREDERICK W. BURGER.

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