US1763657A - Apparatus for handling bricks - Google Patents

Description

June17,1930. E.r.JuDsoN APPARATUS FOR HANDLING BRIGKS Filed July 5, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 17, 1930. .E1 JUDSO 1,763,657

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING BRIGKS Filed July 5, 192s 2 sheets-sheet 2 5 'FZ' 4. i

INVEN OR /7 W ATTORNEY Patented June 17, 1.930

uNrrEo,siA'rEsi V'11.:ncrAE'1- unison. or wEsTFIELD, NEW JERSEY APPARATUS Eon HANDLrnG BnIoKsy Application led July 5,

dious manual labor, which adds materially toV the cost of the bricks and often fails to prevent damage to a large percentagelof them.

There are also serious faults in the shipping methods practiced. Owing to the manner of storing the bricks upon a car the latter can be loaded `to less than half of its capacity.

'It the car is loaded'beyond'a certainl degree the mass of bricks, due to its inertiaJ will surgev when the car is suddenly started Yor stopped andoiten cause serious vdamage to A 2o both the carv and the bricks. The waste of car Vspace consequent to keepingthe/la'ding down to a safe limit adds greatly to the cost of transportation.

, The invention contemplates the use of a 25 strong base or pallet on whichthe desired number of bricks are stacked. An enclosing or surrounding cage or casing-is dropped down over the stack'and detachably locked to the pallet. A hoistingmechanism.is pro 30 vided,v having detachable meansfor connection with the Vcasing or' cage, so that the pallet,` the casing and the hoisting mechanism 'may be detachably connected together,.for the hoisting and lowering operations. The hoisting mechanism may be detached from the casing so that the casing willremain lockedl to the palletand enclosing the bricks. By the manipulation ofL suitable devicesattached to the 'hoisting 40 mechanism the casing maybe locked or unlocked from the pallet. Such a mechanism provides a very lflexible apparatus for use in stacking the bricks in railway cars or Vautomobile trucks for transportation with the enclosing cage attached;V provides a convenientand safe means by which expensive facing bricks maybe stacked inthe retail yards with or without the enclosing cage; and provides an economical and safe means by which the' stacked bricks maybe taken from the 192s.` serial N'Q. 290.651...

Astacks in thelretail yards, placed Vin trucks and transported `to the job withoutgany danger of defacing the bricks 4and without the necessity Vof counting the 'bricks' after they have been once stacked onthe pallet at the brickyard or place of manufacture. i In the' drawingsz i Y Fig. l is a perspective view of my'apparatus assernbledand suspended :tor conveying a stack of bricks; Y

Fig. `2 a lsideV elevation of partly in section; v l Fig. 3 an end elevationof the apparatus; Y Figq a vertical section taken on the line ofFig. 3 showing the lower hooks swung outward to release the pallet; l

Fig. 5 a vertical section taken on the liner 55 of Fig. 3 showing the casing lifted from the'palletgf j Fig 6 a section taken on theline '6e-f6 of Fig. 3 showing the upper hooks swungy out-V wardv to i release the casing romV the hoistinghead;

thef apparatus perposed shipping units each comprising a pallet, a stack of bricksand a casing; v

Fig. 8 a similar'view of a. pallet'supporting a stack of bricks; andv 'l Figs. 9V and 10 detail sectional views showing a locking means jtoprevent accident-al releaseo the lower hooks. p l The apparatus includes abrick-supporting pallet l formed of stout wooden bars 2 all Fig. 7a miniature side, view ofseveral sul of the same size and form, arranged parallel,` l

and laterallyspaced apart.` Spacing blocks 3 are interposed between the ends of the bars and are' secured inv place in anysuitable manner to `hold the bars spaced and forma strong rigid pallet unit. VThe barsare rectangular in "cross section and their' upper slidesA are disposed inthe same plane to form a fiat support for stack of bricks. n rlhe spacing blocks adj acent'the four corners of the pallet are spaced 'inwardly from the endsgof the latter to provide' four recesses'l'. Two rods 5V at opposite ends of. the pallet, extend Y,through registering apertures in theremain- Ving blocks and in the ends of the bars 2 and across the recesses 4. The port-ionsfof said rod exposed within the recesses form four keepers 6 adjacent the corners of the pallet to be engaged by lifting means, as will be described later in the specification.

A casing or cage 7 is provided for surrounding a stack of bricks upon the pallet and preventing their displacement. The casing is of box-like form and is open at top and bottom to permit it to be lowered around a stack of bricks and allow the top of the stack to protrude. When the casing is properly positioned upon the pallet its lower side edges rest upon the outermost pallet bars 2 and its lower end edges rest upon the bars 2 and the intermediate spacing bars 3 adjacent the inner ends of the latter. The casing is preferably formed of metal and is provided at each end with three vertical channel irons 8 rigidly secured to the casing in any suitable manner and disposed, two adjacent the corners of the casing, and the remaining one at the center. These channel irons 8A extend the entire height of the casing, and each of the side irons is provided adjacent its end with a short keeper bar 9 which extends across the channel and is secured in apertures at the channel sides. Two rock shafts 10 are disposed transversely at opposite ends of the casing and are rockably supported in apert-ures 11 formed in the sides of the channel irons 8, adjacent the lower ends thereof. Each shaft extends across its supporting channel irons, and fixed to the end portions of the shaft, which extend across the side channel irons, are two depending hooks 12 which open inwardly. When the cage is disposed upon the pallet, the lower ends of the side channels open directly into the pallet recesses 4 and the hooks 12 are adapted to engage the keepers 6 of the pallet to anchor the casing thereto. A short crank 13 is fixed to the intermediate portion of each shaft 10, extends forwardly from it and is disposed within the central channel iron. Pivoted to the outer end of the crank 13 and extending upward within the channel iron is a link 14. The link terminates below the upper end of the channel iron and is formed with a head 15. A pin 16 is carried by the head 15 and has projecting ends which extend into vertical slots 17 in the opposite sides of the channel iron. A lug 18 s formed upon the head and extends outward from the pin. These parts form part of an operative connection for the shaft 10 and the hooks 12.

The cage and the pallet, with a stack of bricks thereon, are adapted to be lifted and conveyed by a hoisting head 19. This head includes a central beam 20 and a pair of transverse end beams 21 rigidly carried by the cent-ral beam. In the drawings the head is represented in the form of a single casting. However, it may be constructed of assembled sections. Midway between its ends the central beam is formed withV a. loop or eye 22 to which a hoisting chain or cable may be attached for suspending the head. Each beam 21 is formed at its ends with pairs of spaced ears 23 and at its center with a pair of ears 24. These ears 23 and 24 all extend outward and are so disposed that when the hoisting head is located directly over the casing 7 they will be in direct vertical alinement with the channel irons 8 carried by the cage. The ears form supports for two shafts 25 at opposite ends of the hoisting head, each shaft being rotatably mounted in apertures 26 formed in the ears and extending across the spaces between the latter. Fixed to the shaft 25 between each pair of ears 23 is a depending hook 27 which opens inwardly. These four hooks extend materially below the beams 21 and are adapted to enter the upper ends of the side channel irons 8 and engage the keepers 9 for lifting the cage.

Each shaft 25 has a short, upwardly extending crank arm 28 fixed to it at one side of the central ears 24, and pivotally connected to each crank arm 28 is a reach rod 29 which extends inwardly along the central beam 20 and is slidable through a guide 30 upon said beam. The inner ends of the rods 29 terminate at points within convenient reach of an operator stationed at the suspension point of the hoisting head. Reciprocation o'f the reach rods causes the shafts 25 and their attached hooks 27 to be rocked. An outward movement of the rods rocks the hooks inward for engagement with the keepers 9 and an inward movement of the rods cause a release of the hooks from the keepers.

At opposite ends of the hoisting head are two comparatively large, depending hook members 32 forming part of the means for operating the lower hooks 12. Each hook member 32 has an elongated shank disposed between the ears 24 and formed intermediate its ends with an elongated slot 33 through which the shaft 25 extends. This mounts the hook member upon the sha'ft for both pivotal and sliding movement. The lower end of the member 32 forms the hook and has a notch 34 to receive the lug 18 of one of the link heads 15 and effect a detachable operative connection with it. The end of the hook and the entrance to the notch are rounded to facilitate the engagement of the hook with the lug 18. The beam 20 of the hoisting head is formed with vtwo slots 35 adjacent the end beams 21, and fulcruined in said slots are two bell-crank levers 36. The fulcrumi of 'each lever comprises a pin 37 whose ends project beyond the opposite sides o'f the lever and into elongated slots 38 formed in the beam 20 and extending longitudinally thereof. This mounts the lever upon the beam for both rocking and sliding movements. Each lever is formed with an arm 39 extending from its fulcrum outwardly and upwardly to the upper end of the adjacent hook 32 and pivotally connected thereto as at 40, and an arm 41 extending inwardly and upwardly toward the suspension point of the hoistinghead. At their inner ends the` arms iOfof the two levers are provided with handles 42'also within convenient reach of the operator at ,thel

suspension point. By sliding the levers 36 atv their fulcrums the .hooks 32 arerocked about the shafts 25 to grapple with the link heads 15. Y A'fter operative engagement with the latter is effected the levers are rocked about their fulcrums to slide the hooks 32 vertically, and., through the links 14, cranks 13 and shafts 10, cause the lower hooks 12V to be swung either intotor out of engagement Vwith the keepers 5, depending on 'the direction the levers are rocked. o Y

Inthe use of my apparatus a stack ofbricks of a certain number is first built up upon the pallet las shown in Fig. 8. In practice I have found that a stack of'five hundred'bricks forms a most desirable unit for handling and shipping, and the pallet 1 and cage 7 have been proportioned to accommodate a stack ofthat size. However these proportions may be varied. A plurality of units comprising the stacked bricks and theirVV supporting pal-` lets may bebuilt up in superposed relation at ythe brickyard until it is requiredto remove them. When al unit is to be removed a-ndshipped the first step is to pick up a casing 7 and lower itv around Ythe stack of bricks by means of thehoisting head 19. The latter will be suspended Vfrom the chain or cable of a power-operated hoisting apparatus. Preferably a seat for an `operator will be provided either upon'the .hoisting head or upon its suspension means, and suitable electric control means'will'be provided adjacent said seat to enable the operator to control the raising and lowering of the hoisting means and the lateral movements thereof. This seat and control means form no part of the present application and they 'have been omitted in `order to simplify the showing.

A lifting connection between the'hoisting head and the casing 7 is effected by lowering the headl to a position directly over thecasing and operating the reach rods 29 to swing the hooks 27 and grapple for the keepers 9. l/Vhen the hooks are engaged with the keepers thecasing is carried by the hoisting head to a position over one o'f the stacked units and lowered upon the pallet 1 thereof to surround the stack of` bricks.V The height of the Casing is slightly less than that of the stack so that the latter. projects above the casing, for a purposewhich will appearpresently. `Also the hooks 27 are sufficiently elongated to provide a good clearance between the bricks'and the hoisting head.A i Having loweredthe casing upon the pallet, lifting connections therebetween are next made by grasping the handles 42 and sliding the levers 36 to rock the'` large central hooksV 32and grapple "for the lugs 18 ofthe link heads 15. `VVhe'n operative connections have been madebetween said hooks and lugs the handlesz42 are raised to swing the levers about f their fulcrums 37 and depress thev hooks'32.

This movement Vofthe hooks slides the link headsldownward at their pin and slot conr nections with the channel irons'and shifts the links 14 and the cranks 13, to rock the shafts' 10 and swing the lower hooks 12 inward against the keepers G of the pallet, 'as shown in' F ig. 2. Strong, positive lifting connec? tions are nowYestablishedrpbetweenthe hoist` ing head'l9 andthe pallet 1 by means of the hooks 27, the keepers 9, the Aside channel ironsV 8,the hooks 12 and the keepers 6, sothat the pallet and bricks maybe safely lifted and conveyed. rI phe lower hooks '12 are sufliciently elongated vto provide clearance for grappling the keepers 6,and whenthe pallet is lifted there will be slight separation'between the casing and the pallet. The casing` is thuspermitted to ride upward and better surround Vand support the top layer of bricks. When the weight is resting upon the hooks; l2 and the latter are thereby held againstrelease, the hooks 32 may be safely swung V'out' of engagement with the lugs 18 bylgrasping the handles 42 and sliding the levers 36 inwardly. v

The assembled hoisting head,`casing, pallet Vand bricks are conveyed by the hoisting apparatus to a carortruck andlowered until the pallet rests thereon. The. hoisting head is then released by graspingthe handles 31 and Y pulling the Jreach rods 29 inwardly to rock the 'shafts 25 and'swing theupper hooks27 outward to release them from the keepersl).

Thehoisting head may then be raised away ends Vof thecar and damages the bricks, is

practically eliminated'. The carsV can thereilo fore be safelyloaded practically to capacity.

Consequently fewerV cars are needed fora given quantity of bricks and the shipping cost is materially reduced.V i

The units may beunloaded from a car/by another hoisting head precisely like the one described, and conveyedto a` truck. When they reach their destination they may beagain conveyed by. such ahead directly tothe point where they are neededby the bricklayer.. The bricksare thusspared an enormous amount of individual handling, and from the time they leave the bri'ckyard until they reach the ies Iao

delivery point they are protected from injury. They remain stacked and enclosed by the casing during all of the handling operation and during transportation, and are delivered unmarred.

lVhen the bricks have been delivered and are to be removed from the pallet the casing 7 is removed from the stack. To release the Casing from the pallet the levers 36 of the hoisting head are slid at their fulcrums to rock the large hooks 32 into operative engagement with the lugs 1S of the links 14. The levers 36 are then rocked to slide the hooks 32 upwardly and cause the lower hooks 12 to be rocked outwardly away from the keepers 6, as shown in Fig. 4. The upper hooks 27 remain in engagement with the keepers 9 so that the casing may be hoisted away from the stack; as shown in Fig. 5. The hoisting head is released from the removed casing by pulling the reach rods 29 inwardly to rock the shafts 25 and swing the hooks 27 free from the keepers 9, as shown in Fig. 6.

The bricks may be removed from a railway car and stacked as units in a retail yard. When this is done the enclosing cages may be left attached to the pallets to surround and protect the bricks or they may be removed and shipped back to the place of manufacture. When .the bricks are taken as units from the retail yard for transportation to the 'ob the casing may be placed around the ricks and attached to the pallet, if the original casing in which the bricks are shipped has been removed.

Whenever it is desirable to dump the bricks from the pallet and the enclosing cage into a truck it is only necessary to manipulate one of the levers 36 to release one set of hooks 12. This permits one end of the pallet to drop while the enclosing cage and the other end of the pallet is supported by the hoisting mechanism. This operation may be desirable at times and especially when the apparatus is used for handling ordinary bricks.

The operating means for making and breaking the lifting connections greatly facilitates the handling of the casing, the pallet and the stack units. Often a number of units are disposed close together, with insufiicient clearance for a workman to get between them and connect or disconnect the casing and pallet. The present operating mechanism enables a workman located above and entirely clear of the casing and stack to easily operate all of the lifting connections for both pick-up and release.

In Fig. 9 is shown means to prevent an accidental release of the lower hooks 12 when the casing and pallet are unsuspen-ded and there is no weight upon said hooks. Here the pin 16 of the link head 15 extends through slots 17a each of which is formed adjacent its lower end with a lateral branch or notch 17". A leaf spring 43 is mounted within the channel iron, back of the slots and when the link head is shifted down to throw the hooks 12 into opera-tive position, the spring engages the back of the link head and forces it outward to engage the pin in the slot extensions. This automatically locks the hooks in engagement with the keepers 6 and avoids all danger of an imperfect lifting connection when the pallet is hoisted. The link head may be readily unlocked to permit a release of the hooks by slidinsr the lever 36 for a rocking manipulation of the hook 32 to force the link head inwardly and disengage the pin 17 from the slot extensions 17 b.

llhile I have shown and described a practical and desirable form of my invention I do not wish to be limited strictly to this disclosure but reserve the right to make such structural changes as will lie within the scope of the claims.

That I claim is:

1. An apparatus for handling bricks comprising a pallet for supporting a stack of bricks; a cage to surround said stack; a hoisting head adapted to be suspended; grappling means carried by the cage for lifting the pallet; grappling means carried by the hoisting head for lifting the cage and thereby lifting the pallet; manually operable means carried by the hoisting head for operating the said grappling means carried by the cage; and manually operable means carried by the hoisting head for operating the said gra-ppling means carried thereby.

2. An apparatus for handling bricks comprising a pallet for supporting a stack of bricks; a cage to surround said stack; a hoisting head adapted to be suspended; grappling mea-ns carried by the cage for lifting the pallet; grappling means carried by the hoisting head for lifting the cage and thereby lifting the pallet; manually operable means carried by the hoisting head for operating the said grappling means carried by the cage; and manually operable means carried by the hoisting head for operating the said grappling means carried thereby, the said grapple-operating means being operable from point-s adjacent the center of the hoisting head.

3. An apparatus for handling material comprising a pallet for supporting a load of material; a cage to surround said load; a hoisting hea-d adapted to be suspended; a releasable liftingl connection between the cage and pallet for lifting the latter with the cage; a releasable lifting connection between the hoisting head and the cage for lifting the pallet and the cage with the hoisting head; and manually operable means carried by the hoistingl head for releasing said lifting connection between the cage and the pallet.

Ll. An apparatus for handling material comprising a pallet for supporting a load of material; a cage to surround said load; a

hoisting head adapted to be suspended; a releasable liftingv connection between the cage and pallet for lifting the latter withfthe cage; a Vreleasable lifting connection between the hoisting head and the cage for lifting the pallet and cagewith the hoisting head; manu# ally operable means carried lby the `hoisting head for releasing said lifting connection between the cagean-d pallet landmanually operable means carried by the hoisting head to release said"lifting connection between the head and the cage, both of said manually operable means being operable'from points ad-V jacent the vcenter ofthe hoisting head'.

if). `An apparatus for handling bricks comprising a pallet for supporting a stackof bricks; acage for surrounding said stack; 'a'

hoistingl'head adapted to be suspended; V`a pairof rock shafts carried by thehoisting head at opposite ends thereof; a pluralityof liftingehooks fiXed to each of said shafts tov rock with them; keepers carried by said cage adapted to befengaged by said hooks to make releasable upper lifting connections between the hoisting head and cage; a pair of rock shafts mounted upon the cage at opposite ends thereof; a plurality of lifting hooks fixed to each of said cage shafts torock with them; keepers carried byfthe pallet and adapted to be engaged by the latterhooksto makelower lifting connections between the cage and the pallet; manually operable means carried by the hoisting head to rock the'shafts thereof for making and releasing said upper connections; Land manually `operable means carried by the hoisting head to rock the cage shafts for makingand releasing said lower connec tions. 1 6. An apparatus for handling bricks com-V prising a pallet for supporting arstack of bricks; a cage for surroundingsaid stack; a hoistinglhead adapted to be suspended; a pair of rock'shafts `carried by thev hoisting head at opposite ends thereof; a 'pluralityof lifting hooks fixed lto veachof said shafts to rock withthem; Vkeepers. carriedv byv said cage adapted to be -engaged by said hooks to make releasable upper lifting connections between the hoisting headandlcage;a rpairof `rock shafts mounted upon the cage at opposite ends thereof; a plurality vof "lifting hooks fixed to each of said cageshafts'to rock` with them; keeperscarried by the pallet and adapted to be engaged by the latter hooks to make lower lifting connections between the cage and the pallet; manually operable means carried by the hoisting head to rock the shafts thereof forv making and releasing said upper 'connect tions; and -manually operable means carried by the hoisting head to rock the cage shafts for making and releasing said lower connections, both of said manually operable means being operable from a point adjacent the center of the hoisting head;

7. An apparatus for handling Vbricks comi rocking means for rotating the shafts and rocking the `hooks `from the Ahoisting-head.

8. An apparatus for handling bricks com-l prising a pallet for supporting a stack of bricks; a cage for surrounding said stack; a hoisting head adapted toV be suspended; releasable lifting connections between said hoisting head and cage for lifting the latter; a pair. of rock shafts mounted upon opposite ends of the cage; a plurality of lifting hooks fixed to each shaft to rotate with it; keepers upon the pallet to be engaged Yby said hooks for lifting the pallet; links connected to said Vshafts for` rotating them, extending upward at the ends ofthe cage and slidably mounted at their upper ends; a pair of levers mounted upon thehoisting head at opposite sides vof the centerof the headto rock and slide at their fulcrums eachlever having a manual operating arm directed inward toward the center of the hoistinghead and another arm directed outward; a pair'of links pivotally connectedto the outer arms of said levers 'eX- tending downward,` A pivotally and slidably connected to the hoisting head 'intermediate-V their ends' and formed withhooks at their lower ends to rock into and out of operative `connection with the upper sliding ends ofthe shaft-operating links upon the cage when the levers are slid at their fulcruins7 and adapted to cause thefrockinff of the hooks when the levers are rocked.

, '9 AAn apparatus for handling bricks comprising a pallet for: supporting a stack of bricks; a cage to surround said stack; a hoistinghead adaptedto be suspended;grappling A meanscarried bythe cage for lifting the pallets; automatic'locking means to preventaccidental release of said grappling means; grappling means carried by the hoisting head for lifting the cageand thereby lifting the pallet; manually operable means carried by thehoistingihead for releasing said locking means 1 andV opera-ting the said grappling mea'nscar'ried by the cage; and manually op-V erable"V means carried by the hoisting head for operating the said grappling means carried thereby. .y l c j 1-0. An apparatus for handling `bricks combricks; a box-like cage vopen top and `bottom andformed with solid side wallsto surround Vprising a pallet forsupporting a stack of Y' said stack and permit the top of the stack to protrude; a hoisting head adapted to be suspended; grappling means to detaehably connect said hoisting head to the pallet for lifting the pallet, the bricks and the cage; and manually operable means carried by the hoist-head for engaging and disengaging said grappling means.

11. A hoisting and conveying apparatus comprising a pallet for supporting a load; a cage to surround said load; a hoisting head adapted to be suspended; releasable lifting connections between the cage and opposite ends of the pallet for lifting the latter with the cage; releasable lifting connections between the hoisting head and the cage for lifting the pallet and cage with the hoisting head; and manually operable means carried bythe hoisting head for independently releasing said lifting'eoi'mections at opposite ends of the cage and the pallet.

12. A hoisting and conveying apparatus comprising a hoisting head adapted to be suspended; a load support; devices carried by said head and spaced materially outward on opposite sides of its center to effect releasable lifting connections between the head and the opposite ends of said load support; and operating means for said devices extending inwardly therefrom toward the center of the head and adapted to be operated by an operator at said point for the independent operation of said devices at the opposite ends of the load support.

13. A hoisting and conveying apparatus comprising a hoisting head adapted to be suspended; devices carried by said head and spaced materially outward from its center to effect releasable lifting connections between the head and the load support; operating means for said devices extending inwardly therefrom toward the center of the head and adapted to be operated by an operator at said point for the independent operation of said devices; and means carried by the hoisting head to effect a lifting connection between the head and a cage for surrounding the load.

111. A hoisting and conveying apparatus comprising a pallet for supporting a load; a cage for surrounding the load upon the pallet; a hoisting head adapted to be suspended; releasable lifting connections between said head andv cage; a pair of rock shafts mounted upon opposite ends of the cage; a plurality of hooks fixed to said shaft to rock with them; keepers carried by the pallet to be engaged by said hooks to make lifting connections; and manually operable means mounted upon the hoisting head to effect the independent rocking of said shafts from the hoisting head.

15. A hoisting and conveying apparatus comprising a pallet for supporting a load; a cage for surrounding the load upon the pallet; a hoisting head adapted to be suspended; releasable lifting connections between said head and cage; a pair of rock shafts mounted upon opposite ends of the cage; a plurality of hooks fixed to said shafts to rock with them; keepers carried by the pallet to be engaged by said hooks to make lifting connections; and manually operable means mounted upon the hoisting head to effect the rocking of said shafts from the hoisting head. 'A

16. A hoisting and conveying apparatus comprising a pallet for supporting a load; a frame to engage said load and retain it upon the pallet; a hoisting head adapted to be suspended; releasable lifting connections between said load-retaining frame and opposite ends of the pallet for lifting the latter with the frame; releasable lifting connections between the hoisting head and the frame for lifting the pallet and frame with the hoisting head; and manually operable means carried by the hoisting head for releasing said lifting connections between the frame and the pallet.

17. An apparatus for handling material comprising a pallet for supporting a stack of the material; a cage to surround said stack; a hoisting head adapted to be suspended; detachable connecting means between said hoisting head, the pallet and t-he cage; andv manually operable means carried by the hoisting'head for engaging and disengaging said connecting means.

18. An apparatus for handling material comprising a pallet for supporting a load of material; a cage to surround said load; means to detachably lock the cage to the pallet; a hoisting head adapted to be suspended; means connecting the said hoisting head to the pallet and the cage; and operating means carried by the hoisting head and manually operable from a point adjacent the center of the head to actuate the said connecting means.

19. An apparatus for'handling material comprising a pallet for supporting a load of material; a cage to surround said load; means to detachably hold the cage to the pallet against lateral shifting movement on the pallet; a hoisting head adapted to be suspended; means connecting the said hoisting head to the pallet and the cage; and operating means carried by the hoisting head and manually operable from a point adjacent the center of the head to actuate the said connecting means.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

-EDGAR T. JUDSON.

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