US2213629A

US2213629A - Brick stack grab

Info

Publication number: US2213629A
Application number: US142270A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert A Fontaine
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1937-05-12
Filing date: 1937-05-12
Publication date: 1940-09-03
Anticipated expiration: 1957-09-03

Description

Sept. 3, 1940.

R. A. FONTAINE BRICK STACK GRAB Filed May 12', 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 05a? 14. x qfazhe llllllllll IIIIIIIIH IIIIHIIII Sept. 3, 1940- R. A. FONTAINE BRICK STACK GRAB Filed May 12, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 a e add fozer'i 5. 52 72% i176 Sept. 3, 1940. R. A. FONTAINE 2,213,629

' BRICK STACK GRAB Filed May 12, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 77- fier'ffa alaa'rye I I f v 4 35 3 I) Slum/MA,

Patented Sept. 3, 1940 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE 14 Claims.

The invention relates to devices or apparatus for handling bricks or other similar blocks in stack form and has for its general object the provision of a novel device adapted to be disposed over a stack of bricks or the like and embodying means for frictionally engaging, clamping or applying pressure to the lowermost tiers for the purpose of clamping them so tightly that the entire stack may be readily lifted about from place to place without danger of disarrangement, all of the upper tiers or rows being adequately supported upon the clamped lower ones.

An important object of the invention is to provide a grab device of this character and for this purpose which may be formed simply as a more or less skeleton-like frame disposable over a brick stack by simple vertical movement with respect thereto, or which may form part of a truck body disposable about the stack by combined vertical and lateral movement with respect thereto.

A particularly novel and important feature of the invention is the provision of a brick stack grab embodying a series of springs adapted to 5 engage the individual successive rows of bricks,

together with peculiar and novel means for forcing such springs into clamping relation to the bricks.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a brick stack grab in which the brick engaging springs are forced into clamping relation to the bricks by means of an inflatable device of a yielding nature which will operate to force the springs into engagement with the suc- 5 cessive rows of bricks positively, notwithstanding considerable variation in the dimensions of the successive rows, all of the rows in the lower tiers being consequently so firmly and defimtely clamped that the load of the upper tiers will be adequately supported so that the stack may be lifted about from place to place without the slightest danger of any of the bricks dropping out.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will be simple and inexpensive to manufacture, easy to use, positive in action, -eflicient and durable in service, and a general improvement in the art.

To the attainment of the foregoing-and other objects and advantages, the invention preferably consists in the details of construction and the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of the invention showing the skeleton type of device being lowered into position about a brick-stack.

Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the pneumatic pressure device inflated to force the springs 5 into clamping relation to the lower tiers of bricks, the dot and dash lines indicating the lowermost position and the full lines showing the device in the act of lifting the stack,

Figure 3 is a top plan view with portions broken 10 away,

Figure 4 is a rear elevation with parts broken away and in section,

Figure 5 is a detail vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a side elevation of a truck body constructed to embody the invention.

Figure 7 is an enlarged side elevation of the lower portion thereof, the released position of the abutment clamping means being shown by dot and dash lines and the clamping position thereof being shown by full lines,

Figure 8 is a'horizontal section taken on the line 8-4 of Figure "I,

Figure 9 is a fragmentary vertical section through the lower end of the rear portion showing the pneumatic spring actuating means inflated,

Figure 10 is a front elevation of the pneumatic pressure applying device,

Figure 11 is an elevation taken at right angles to Figure 10.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, and especially Figures 1 to 5, 10 and 11, I have shown the device as comprising rear and front walls to and II formed as flat plates or sheets a reinforced on their outer sides by corrugated sheets I! and I: which, though light, will give adequate strength to the structure. The top of the device consists of a flat or plane plate It and a corrugated transverse wall member i5 40 therebeneath. In spaced relation to this corrugated wall member IE is a transverse corrugated reinforcing wall member I 6. Located at the junctures of the front and rear wall members with the top are angle bars ll which really constitute the connecting means inasmuch as the rear and front wall members l0 and ii are secured, as by welding, to the vertical flanges of these angle bars, while the plate I4 is secured upon the top of the horizontal flanges, and the corrugated wall member i5 is secured to the underside of the horizontal flanges. Eye bolts l8 pass through the top plate M, the horizontal flanges of the angle bars i1 and the corrugated wall, member I5 and are equipped with nuts I9 beneath the latter, there being four of such eye bolts disclosed and they being of course for the purpose of attachment of hoisting means to the device. Located at the junctures of the rear and front wall members with the transverse reinforcing wall member it are angle bars 20 which likewise constitute connecting means inasmuch as the front and rear walls are secured to the vertical flanges of the angle bars while the transverse reinforcing wall member [6 is secured upon the top of the horizontal flanges. Securing, in each instance, may conveniently be by welding.

Suitably secured to the inner face of the plate I0 of the rear wall structure is a channel bar 2| which has its open side toward the plate and which is located preferably about midway the height thereof, and secured to the inner face of this channel member is a series of leaf spring elements 22 having rearwardly extended lower end portions 23. Secured in turn against the forward faces of the springs 22 are vertically extending spring elements 24 connected at their upper ends by an angle bar 25 secured thereto in any desired manner, and having their lower ends extended rearwardly at 26 and underlying and secured to the rearward extensions 23 of the springs 22. The

spring elements

22 and 24 are intended to be all of the same width corresponding to the width of the successive rows of bricks and are adapted to be forced into engagement therewith for clamping the rows of bricks against the front wall of the device, this front wall consequently constituting an abutment.

The means for applying pressure to these spring elements for the purpose of bringing about the clamping action is pneumatic in character and is herein disclosed as comprising a section of inflatable rubber hose 21 arranged horizontally at the lower end of the device and extending the full width thereof. This hose is located within the conflnes of a channel bar 28 suitably secured to the inner face of the lower portion of the plate ill of the rear wall structure. The ends of this inflatable hose section are closed by suitable clamps 29 and the hose is provided with a valve stem 30 through which compressed air may be passed for the purpose of eflecting inflation. The channel bar 291s so located that the bottom flange thereof is above the

rearward extensions

23 and 26 of the spring elements 22 and. 24 and the purpose of the channel bar and the

extensions

23 and 26 is to limit collapsing of the inflatable hose and to protect it, it being clear from an inspection of Figure 1 that when the grab is in ineffective but potential condition, that is to say when the inflatable hose is collapsed, the spring elements 22 will engage against the flanges of the channel bar 23 and the

extensions

23 and 26 will engage against the inner face of the plate III of the rear wall structure immediately beneath the lower flange of the channel bar, thereby forming what may be considered a housing for the collapsed inflatable hose.

In the operation of this form of the invention, it will be seen that initially there is no air pressure within the inflatable hose, the parts being then in the position shown in Figure 1. Of course it should be understood that the spring elements 22 have suflicient resilience to assume the vertical position shown in said figure. The grab is then lowered by vertical movement or by a combination of vertical and lateral movements into embracing relation to the brick stack 3| to be handled, the position being as indicated in Figure 1 wherein the full lines illustrate the partly lowered position and the dot and dash lines indicate the fully lowered position. To clamp the lower tiers of the stack it is then mereqy necessary to introduce compressed air through the stem 30 into the hose 21 which then becomes inflated with the result that the

spring elements

22 and 24 are forced toward the front wall structure of the grab in flrmly clamping relation to the bricks. Owing to the location of the inflatable hose 21 at the lower end of the grab it is apparent that it is only the lowermost tiers of bricks which will be forced positively against the plate ID of the front wall structure. The pressure is suflicient to hold the bricks so closely together and flrmly that all the bricks above the lower tiers will be adequately supported thereby so that the stack may be readily lifted about from place to place without danger of disarrangement. It is an important feature that the number of

spring elements

22 and 24 corresponds with the number of rows of bricks so that the successive rows will be individually clamped notwithstanding that there may be 'a material variation in the dimensions of the successive rows owing to inevitable manufacturing variations in the bricks themselves. In actual practice it has been found that a variation of as much as half an inch is readily compensated for. If this were not provided for it is clear that one or more of the rows might drop out. However, with my arrangement this danger is avoided. When the stack has been moved to a desired new location, to release the grab it is merely necessary to permit the air to escape from the inflated hose through the stem 33 whereupon the resilience of the spring elements 22 will cause them and the spring elements 24 to withdraw from engagement with the stack, subsequently to which the grab may be readily removed by lifting it vertically or moving it laterally out of surrounding or embracing relation to the stack.

In Figures 6 to 9 inclusive I have shown a modification of the invention in which the grab is built into a truck body 32 of a type which is U-shaped in horizontal or cross section, the body including a back wall 33 and side walls 34 which may be integral therewith or attached thereto in any suitable manner. The top is closed but the bottom and front of the body are open. The forward edges of the sides are extended laterally and then rearwardly to form channels 3! which act as stiffening or reinforcing means. At the lower ends of the sides 34 are angle bars 30. The lower portion of the rear wall 33 is formed with an outward offset defining a chanel 31 at the top of which is located an angle bar 33 secured to the top of the offset and to the outer face of the rear wall for stiffening or reinforcing purposes. The ofl'set 31 is continued to the outer edges of the horizontal flanges of the angle bars 36 and the ends thereof are closed by plates or the like 39. Bracing is effected by means of inclined portions 4ll forming part of the plates 39 and suitably secured to the outer faces of the sides 34 and the top of the horizontal flanges of the angle bars 36.

Secured against the inner face of the back wall 33 of the body is a series of leaf spring elements 4| provided at their lower ends with rearward extensions 42 underlying the bottom flange of the channel 31 so as to form a housing for an inflatable rubber hose section 43 having an inflation stem 44 and constructed in exactly the same manner-as the previously described hose section 21.

In view of the fact that in this form of the invention there is no front wall on the body it becomes necessary to provide some other abutment means againstwhich the lower tiers of bricks will be forced and consequently clamped. Accordingly I provide a channel bar 45 stiffened by a truss 46 suitably secured thereto. ends of this channel bar are angle bars 41 adapted for engagement by hooks 48 formed on the ends of arms 49 pivoted at 50 within clevises 5| on the ends of links 52. For moving the hooks 48 into or out of engagement with the angle bars 41 I provide operating levers 53 formed at one end with clevises 54 pivoted at 55 within brackets 56 mounted upon the horizontal flanges of the angle bars 36. The clevises 54 receive the rear ends of the links 52 which are pivoted thereto at 51. Keepers 58 are provided on the sides 34 of the body beneath which the operating levers 53 may be engaged for holding them against accidental releasing movement.

In this particular instance the body 32 is represented as associated with a truck and is movable from a vertical position on the groundor other surface into a horizontal position upon the truck chassis by means of a species of derrick device indicated generally at 59. As a matter of of fact the truck structure and its connection with the body 32 and the' means for moving the body from a vertical position on the ground or other surface into a position upon the truck may be the same as is disclosed in my Patent No. 1,866,640, granted July 12, 1932, Shiftable bod trucks.

In the use of this form of the device, the trussed channel is laid upon the ground or other surface in engagement with the brick stack 3|. The truck body 32 is shifted from its normal horizontal position upon the truck into a nearly vertical position with its bottom spaced a short distance above the ground or other surface, and

- the truck is backed so as to bring the body 32 into embracing relation to the stack subsequently to which the body is permitted to descend so as to rest upon the ground or other surface in a vertical position surrounding the stack, the closed top of the body engaging upon the top of the stack. The operating levers 53 are disengaged from their keepers 58 and are swung rearwardly to move the arms 49 rearwardly so that the hooks 48 on the ends thereof may be engaged with the angle bars 41 at the ends of the channel 45. The

operating levers 53 are then swung forwardly with respect to the truck, they being moved one at a time if there be but one operator or both at the same time if there are two operators. The levers are moved to their forward limit of movement with respect to the truck and are reengaged beneath the keepers 58. This operates to hold the channel 45 in close engagement with the lower tiers of the stack. Of course while this is done the inflatable hose 43 must be in deflated condition. These preliminary steps having been taken, air under pressure is passed through the valve stem 44 into the hose 43 which becomes inflated. The result is that the springs 4! are positively and forcibly urged into-engagement with the lower tiers of the stack so that they are firmly clamped against the channel 45. This frictional engagement resulting from the pressure exerted is suflicient to hold the lower tiers of bricks so firmly that they are well capable of At the sustaining the load of the remainder of the stack without danger of disarrangement when the drive mechanism on the truck is operated to draw the body thereonto. It is of course to be understood that the individual leaf springs 4| correspond in number to the rows of bricks so that the different springs may be moved to different extents to compensate for variations in the dimensions of the rows as explained in connection with the first form of the invention. After the stack has been transported to the desired location the power mechanism on the truck is operated to lower the body and stack tothe ground or other surface, after which the air pressure within the inflated hose 43 is relieved whereupon the resilience of the springs 4| will cause them to withdraw from engagement with the bricks. The operating levers '53 are disengaged from their keepers 58 and swung rearwardly with respect to the truck to disengage the hooks 48 from the angle bars 41, and the channel bar 45 is removed. The body may then be drawn up onto the truck and the truck driven away.

- From the foregoing description and a'study of the drawings it will be apparent that I have thus provided a very simply constructed and extremely easily operated means for clamping the lower tiers of a brick stack with such firmness and positiveness that the complete stack may be readily moved about from place to place or otherwise handled without any danger of disarrangement of any of the bricks. It is apparent that no particular skill is required to operate the apparatus and that the device is bound to be a great time and labor saver as well as a distinct convenience. It is thought from the above that the construction, operation and advantages will be quite clear to one skilled in the art without further explanation.

While I have shown and described preferred embodiments of the invention, it should be understood that the disclosure is merely an exemplification of the principles involved as the right is reserved to make all such changes in the details of construction as will widen the field of utility and increase the adaptability of the device provided such changes constitute no departure from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. Means for grabbing and holding a stack of bricks so that it may be lifted about in its entirety, comprising a body including a back and a front abutment means, means for rigidly connecting said abutment means, and means located intermediate the upper and lower edges of the stack, and means carried by the back wall rearwardly of said members for urging the same into engagement with the stack for clamping said bricks against said front abutment means for substantially the entire height of said stack.

3. Means for clamping a stack of bricks to enable the same to be lifted about intact, comprising a body including a back wall, a front wall,

, vertically extending spring means carried by the back wall and normally in retracted relation to the stack, and fluid pressure means within-the body for forcing said spring means outwardly from said back wall. for clamping the stack of bricks between the spring means and said front abutment means.

4. Means for holding a stack of bricks to enable the same to be lifted about intact, comprising a body including aback wall, a front wall,

and means adjacent their upper marginal edges for connecting said walls, the front wall forming an abutment means adapted to engage the adjacent face of the stack of bricks for substantially the entire height thereof, a series of vertically extending spring members carried by the back wall and in normally retracted relation with respect to the stack, and fluid pressure means for moving said series of spring members outwardly from said back wall for clamping the stack of bricks against said front abutment means.

' 5. Means for holding a stack of bricks to en-.-

able the same to be lifted about intact, comprising a body including a back wall, 'a front wall, and means adjacent their upper marginal edges connecting said walls, the front wall forming an abutment means adapted to engage the adjacent face of the stack of bricks for substantially the entire height thereof, a series of spring members carried by the back wall intermediate its upper and lower edges and in normally retracted relation with respect to the stack, and fluid pressure means for moving said series of spring members for clamping the stack of bricks against said front abutment means, said spring members corresponding in number to and being engageable with the vertical faces of the respective rows of the bricks in the stack.

6. Means for clamping a stack of bricks to enable it to be lifted intact from place to place, comprising a body including aback wall and a front abutment means and disposable over and about the stack, a series of vertically extending leaf springs carried by the back and normally in retracted relation to the stack, and expansible fluid pressure operated means located between the back wall and said leaf springs for forcing the front abutment means into engagement with the bricks for clamping the stack of bricks between said front abutment means and the series of leaf springs for substantially the entire height of said stack.

7. Means for clamping a stack of bricks for enabling it to be lifted about intact, comprising a body including a back wall and front abutmerit means and disposable over and about a stack of bricks, a plurality of spring members carried by the back wall and corresponding in number to the rows of bricks considered horizontally, said spring members being normally in retracted relation to the stack, and an inflatable flexible member carried by the back wall and located between it and said spring members for forcing said spring members into engagement with the successive respective rows of bricks for clamping thesame against said front abutment means.

8'. Means for clamping a stack of bricks for enabling it to be lifted about intact, comprising 2,218,639 and means for rigidly connecting said walls adjabricks, a plurality of spring members carried by the back wall and corresponding in number to the rows of bricks considered horizontally, said spring members being normally in retracted relation to the stack, and an inflatable flexible member carried by the back wall and located between it and aid spring members for forcing said spring members into engagement with the successive respective rows of bricks for clamping the same against said front abutment means, said inflatable member consisting of a section of rubber hose closed at its ends and provided with a valve stem for permitting introduction and subsequent exhaust of fluid pressure.

9. Meansfor clamping the lower tiers of bricks in a stack to enable the stack to be lifted about intact, comprising a body including a back wall and a front abutment means, said body being disposable over and about a stack of bricks, a plurality of leaf springs, carried by the back and normally retracted with respect to the stack but movable to engage the respective rows of bricks horizontally considered, and a yieldable hose section closed at its ends carried by-the back wall at the lower portion thereof and located between the back wall and the lower ends of said leaf springs, said hose section being inflatable to force said leaf springs into engagement with the respective rows of bricks in the lowermost tiers for clamping said lowermost tiers against said front abutment meanswhereby the lowermost tiers will be enabled to support the load of the bricks thereabove without disarrangement.

10. Means for clamping a stack of bricks to enable it to be lifted about intact, comprising a body including a back wall, a top wall equipped with hoist attaching means and further including a front wall, a series of leaf-springs secured at their upper ends against the innerface of the back wall and extending downwardly, spring members carried by said leaf springs and extending the full height of the stack and corresponding in number to the number of rows ofbricks horizontally considered, and normally in retracted relation to the stack, and an inflatable hose section mounted at the lower portion of said back wall between the same and said leaf springs and inflatable to force the rows of bricks in the lowermost tiers into clamping relation between said spring members and said front wall.

11. Means for clamping a stack of bricks to enable it to be lifted about intact, comprising a body including a back wall, a top wall equipped with hoist attaching means and further including a front wall, a series of leaf springs secured at their upper ends against the inner face of the retracted relation to the stack, and an inflatable hose section mounted at the lower portion of said back wall between the same and said leaf springs and inflatable to force the rows of bricks in the lowermost tiers into clamping relation between said other springmembers and said front wall, said rear, top and front walls being formed as flat plates exteriorly reinforced by corrugated plates secured thereto.

12. Means for clamping a stack of bricks to enable it to be lifted about intact, comprising a body including a back wall, a top wall equipped with hoist attaching means and further including a front wall, a series of leaf springs secured at their upper ends against the inner face of the back wall and extending downwardly, other and inflatable to force the rows of bricks in the lowermost tiers into clamping relation between said other spring members and said front wall, a channel member on the back wall and within which said hose section is located, said leaf springs being engageable with the flanges of said channel member when said hose section is collapsed.

13. Means for clamping a stack of bricks to enable it to be lifted about intact, comprising a body including a back wall, a top wall equipped with hoist attaching means and further including a front wall, a series of springs mounted against the inner face of the back wall, other spring members carried by said first named springs and extending-the full height of the stack and corresponding in number to the numberof rows of bricks horizontally considered, and normally in retracted relation to the stack, an inflatable hose section mounted at the lower portion of said back wall between the same and said first named springs and inflatable'to force the rows of bricks in the lowermost tiers into clamping relation between said second named spring members and said front wall, a channel member on the back wall and within which said hose section is located, said first named springs being engageable with the flanges of said channel member when said hose section is collapsed, and rear- 5 ward extensions on the assembled first and second named spring members engageable with the back wall beneath said channel member. I

14. Means for holding intact a stack of bricks during lifting thereof, comprising a'body member including a back wall and side walls, said body member being disposable in embracing relation to a stack of bricks by a combination of vertical and lateral movements with respect thereto, a front abutment member disposable upon the ground or other surface against the stack at the front of the body, lever operated clamping members carried by the. side 5wallsof the body exteriorly thereof for clamping said front abutment member to the body, a plurality of downwardly extending leaf springs secured at their upper ends'to the intermediate portion of the back wall at the inner face thereof, said leaf springs corresponding in number to the number of rows of bricks and normally in retracted relation with respect to the stack but movable to engage the respective rows in the lowermost tiers of bricks, and a hose section carried by the back wall and located between the same and the lower ends of said leaf springs and inflatable toclamp the bricks in the lowermost tiers against said front abutment member.

ROBERT A. FONTAINE.