US2335516A - Method and apparatus for loading articles - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 30, 1943.

H. B. KOONCE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LOADING ARTICLES Filed Feb. 16, 1939 v 1 aa 153 2 she ts-s eet 1 H ngB/faang;

Patented Nov. 30, 1943 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LOADING ARTICLES Henry B. Koonce, High Point, N. 0., assignor to Atlantic States Motor Lines, Inc.

Application February 16, 1939, Serial No. 256,809

29 Claims. (01. 214-152) This invention relates to a method of an apparatus for stacking, loading and transporting heavy cylindrical articles and more particularly to spool shaped articles such as spools or beams for cordage which may be thread and the like.

The'present invention relates more specifically to the stacking, loading, transportation and hauling of large and heavy spools or beams of commercial thread materials so that the same'may be handled in an expeditious manner and minimize any danger of damage during transportation. When spools of rayon thread, for example, are transported by trucks over long distances, considerable care is necessary in properly bracing the cargo and considerable difiiculty has frequently been experienced with methods heretofore employed, by the load shifting in the container or truck body with a resulting costly damage to the thread on the spools as well as to the truck body. This is especially true when these heavy spools are placed in tiers or superimposed rows, and serious accidents have'resulted due to sudden stops of the truck for unavoidable reasons. It will be remembered that these individual spools or beams of thread as they are sometimes called, frequently weigh a thousand pounds or more, and therefore it is necessary that they be loaded and anchored an apparatus of the character designated in which the individual spools shall be anchored relative to each other in separate row units and anchoring the units relative to the floor of the container as well as provide for accidental shifting of the units relative to each other under extreme conditions of transportation or hauling.

A further object of the invention is to romde an apparatus of the character designated which shall be inexpensive and'simple'in construction and positive in operation to prevent any shifting of the articles relative to each other as well as relative to the floor and walls of the container in which they are stacked.

These and other objects of the invention will be more apparent from the accompanying specification and drawings and more particularly set forth in the claims.

In the dra'wings 1 Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing of apparatus constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention,

in the container or vehicle body in which they are being transported in a positive and'reliable manner.

The present methods and apparatus heretofore 4 employed in loading and stacking these spools of 'thread have been defective in properly preventing the accidental shifting of the rows of spools on the vehicle floor or the individual spools .ofa row.

One important object of the present invention is to provide a novel method of and apparatus for arranging cylindrical articles on the'floor of a freight container such as a freight car or motor truck body so as to reduce to a minimum any danger of the load shifting during transportation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel form of apparatus for supporting and anchoring individual spools of thread together as well as anchoring the spools'to the floor or sides of the container or truck body.

Another'object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the character designated which shall reduce to a minimum special apparatus for stacking freight material of this kind andwhich may also be readily dismantled and stored in a minimum space to provide for loading other types of freight.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of a platform for supporting a superimposed row of spoolshaped articles,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of guide members shown in Fig. 1; and

. Fig. 61s a fragmentary sectional view on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Referring to Figs. 1 and-2 of the drawings, there is shown a preferred embodiment of the in vention in which a plurality of cylindrical articles such as heavy spools of thread indicated by thenumeral III are loaded and stacked on the floor ll of a conventional form of truck body indicated generally by dotted lines l2. The truck floor is supported on a conventional type of angle iron frame members indicated by the numeral l3.

The individual spools .of thread loaded and stacked in accordance with the present invention are of' the conventional type having end flange head members l4 and I 5 and anintegral .axle

. l6 which projects beyond the head members as Another object of the invention is to provide indicated. These heavy spools are sometimes called beams of thread in the textile art. The spools are loaded by placing a desired number of spools on the floor in aligned position and securing them in spaced relation by a pair of' separate side plate members l1- -|8 which extend adjacent to the heads of the spools in a row. These side plate members II-l8 are provided with a plurality of spaced apertures I! which are a little larger than the axle members It of the individual spools. The spacing of these apertures is. substantially the width of the conventional spool heads |4|5 so that the axles of the along the row by angle iron plate members l3.

and 20 and upper and lower tie rods indicated by the numerals 2| and 22 as shown in F18. 4. These individual tie rods are threaded at their members are of the type heretofore described and are positioned'at the front' and rear of the row and extend in opposite directions to provide, the desired and necessary anchoring function.

To further provide against any movement of the individual spools or the spool unit relative to the lower unit or the container floor, the platform is separately anchored to the floor of the vehicle by a pair of anchor rods 33-39 as indicated. To further aid in retaining the platform so that it shall be held against displacement in any direction, upper and lower guide plates 40 and 4| are adjustably mounted on theplatform ends as indicated by the numerals 23 and 24 so as to receive nut members 23 and 26 respectively. It will thus be noted that by clamping the side plates I1- and I8 by the adjustable tie rods 2 |22,

ou the truck body floor and secured by the side members |'|-|8 as above described, this unit is further anchored to the floor II by suitably placed anchored rods 21 and 28.- One end of the anchor rod 21, for example, is attached'to the 'side spool spacer members H by a plate member in the drawings the brace 23 is toward the rear of a unit and the brace 21 is at the forwardend of the unit, each brace being inclined in the opposite direction to give the desired bracing and anchoring effect. Each of these anchor members is provided with a conventional form of turn buckle 3| which is adjustable to vary the tension and firmly anchor the unit. After the unit is thus anchored against longitudinal movement, it is further braced against lateral movement by means of a plurality of spacer blocks which engage the side walls of the truck and the head of a spool.

- From the foregoing it will be noted that the individual spools of the first row are anchored in spaced relation relative to each other to form a rigid unit and the unit is then anchored to 'the floor of the container thereby affording a maximum bracing effect for the individual spools and the row as a unit. This novel form of bracing eliminates the use of tracks and other forms of chockingwhich have been used heretofore for bracing loads of this kind.

A second or superimposed row of spools may now be stacked on the lower row if desired. This is accomplished by providing a platform 33 as indicated in Fig. 3. This platform rests directly on the spool flanges of. the lower row and is of ample width to receive the flanges of the spools of the row to be formed thereon as indicated. The spools of this superimposed row are now placed on the platform and anchored in spaced relation by the same type of spacing and clamping members as heretofore described with reference to the first row. In this'case a pair of side members 34 and 35 with the same type of spaced apertures for securing. the spool axles and the same type of tie-rod clamp members are employed as heretofore described. This second row unit of spools is now anchored to the floor by means of anchor members 36-31. These anchor .the spools are held in rigid spaced relation as a as indicated in-Fig. 3.v The top engages the end flange of the upper spool and the lower plate 4| engages the flange of the lower spool as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. It will thus be noted that these plates provide against any lateral shiftingof the platform relative to the lower row of spools and also prevents shifting of the spool row unit on top of the platform.

The plates 40 and 4| are each adjustably mounted on the platform 33 by a bolt 42 and a slot 43 provided in the side bearing portion of each plate. These angle plates 40 and 4| are adjustably mounted on upper and lower cross plate members 44 and 45 forming an integral part of the platform. These cross plates 44 and v 45 also serve as reenforcing members for the '23, and the other end of the rod is attached to the floor frame by an eye bolt 30. As indicated platform. i

To facilitate handling the platform it is preferably made in sections indicated by the numerals 46 and .41 and these sectionsmay be coupled together in any suitable manner as by the hook 49 on eye 50. r

In view of the foregoing it ing the opposite ends of the articles above the floor support, said frame members including means for securing the individual articles to each other in spaced relation on the floor, and means for anchoring the frame to the door.

2. Apparatus of the character designated in claim 1 including means for clamping the side frame members against the head of each article to form a rigid row unit, and means for tensioning the anchor means.

3. Apparatus of the character designated in claim 1 including means for cross connecting the side members to clamp the members to the articles so as to secure the articles in rigid spaced relation to form a row unit, a pair of members connecting one ofthe clamping members and the floor for anchoring the article row unit to the floor to prevent endwise movement thereof, and

other means-on the floor for engaging certain claim 1 in which the frame members shall extend the length of the row and be carried by the respectiveopposite heads of each article. means will be particularly. noted that in the present novel. construction, the

for clamping the side members together to rigidly embrace the article heads, and brace members extending in opposite directions between the article frame clamping means and the floor to brace the row against endwise movement on the floor,

5. Apparatus for stacking'and loading spoolshaped articles on a base supportfor transportation comprising in combination, a plurality of spools placed in a row, means for clamping the '10 individual spools of a row to each other as a unit, a platform resting on the row of spools, and means for anchoring the platform to the spools and the base support to prevent movement in any direction. a

6. Apparatus for stacking and loading spoolshaped articles on a base support for transportation comprising in combination, "a plurality ofspools placed in a row, means for clamping the individual spools of a row to each other as a unit, a platform resting on the row of spools, means for anchoring the platform to the base support to prevent movement in a longitudinal direction, and guide means on the platform for engaging certain of said spool ends for anchoring the plat form in a lateral direction relative to the supporting row of spools and the base support.

7. Apparatus of the character designated in claim 5 in which the platform rests on the row of spools for receiving a top row of spools placedv on said platform, means for guiding the platform relative to the lower row of spools, and means for clamping the spools in the top row to the platform. 1

8. Apparatus of the character designated in claim 5 including guide means on the under side of the platform for positioning said platform relative to the top edges of the spools in the lower row, and guide means on the upper side of the platform for aligning the spool flanges of a-top row of spools on the platform.

9. Apparatus of the character designated in claim 5 including guide means on the under side of the platform for positioning said platform relative to thetop edges of the spools in the lower row guide means on the upper side of the platform for aligning the spool flanges of a top row of spools on the platform, and a unitary connection between the-upper and lower guide means for aligning the flanges of the spools in the upper and lower rows "for preventing relative lateral displacement thereof relative to the base support.

10. Apparatus of the character designated in claim 5 including guide means on the under side of the platform for positioning said platform relative to the top edges of the spools in the lower row, guide means on the upper side of the plat- I form for aligning the spool flanges of a row of spools on the platform, means for-clamping the top row of spools together as a unit, and means for anchoring the unit to the base support.

11. Apparatus for loading spool-shaped articles in a container for shipment comprising, a floor for receiving a plurality of spools in a row, a

frame including a side member extending the length of each side of a row of spools and supported by the spools, said frame having means for positively engaging each spool axle to retain all the spools in fixed spaced relation, and means gor anchoring the spool retaining means to the oor.

12. Apparatus for loading spool-shaped articlesin a container for shipment comprising, a floor for receiving a plurality of spoolsin a row, a rigid member extending the length of each 'side of a row of spools and having means for engaging the axle of each spool head whereby all the spools are retained in fixed spaced relation, and means for clamping the member rigidly to the spool heads to prevent" relative rotational movement thereof. 13. Apparatus for loading spool-shaped articles in a container'for shipment comprising, a floor for receiving a plurality of spools in a row, a member extending the length of each side of a row of spools and having spaced apertures for receiving the'axles of each spool, and means for clamping the member rigidly to the spool heads to provide a rigid unit, and means for anchoring the spool head clamping members to the floor.

14. Apparatus for loading and stacking heavy spool-shaped articles on a floor comprising in combination with upper and lower rows of spools, a platform resting on the lower row and supporting the upper row of spools, means for anchoringthe platform directly to the floor and means for anchoring the spools of the upper row directly to the floor.

15. Apparatus for loading andstacking heavy spool-shaped articles on a floor comprising in combination with upper and lower rows of spools,

a platform resting on the lower row and supporting'the upper row of spools, means for anchor ing the top row of spools and the platform to-- gether as a unit, and means for anchoring the unit to the floor.

16. Apparatus for loading and stacking heavy spool-shaped articles on a floor comprising in combination with upper and lower rows of spools, a platform resting on the lower row and supporting the upper row of spools-means for clamping the individual spools of each row in rigid' spaced relation as a unit, and means including a tensioning device for anchoring each unit to the floor.

17. Apparatus for loading and stacking heavy spool-shaped articles on a floor comprising in com'bination'with upper and lower rows of spools, a platform resting on the lower row and'supporting the upper row of spools, and means for anchoring the spools of the upper row on the 1 platform and directly to the floor.

18. Apparatus for stacking and loading heavy spool-shaped'articles comprising in combination, a floor for receiving a row of'spools, each spool having end head flanges and protruding axle members, a frame for clamping all the-spools together as a unit including a pair of individual side members arranged to engage the individual axle members at the end of each spool, and means for rigidly clamping the side members against the spool end flanges.

19. Apparatus for stacking and loading heavy spool-shaped articles comprising in combination, a floor for receiving a row of spools, each spool having end head flanges and protruding axle members, a frame for clamping all the spools together as a unit including a pair of individual side members arranged to engage the individual axle members at the end of each spool, means for rigidly clamping the side members against the spool end flanges and means located near the end of each side member for anchoring the side memthe upper edges of the articles in the lower row,

placing a row of articles on said platform, se-

flanges in alignment with the spool flanges of the lower row, then anchoring the individual articles in said second row to form a unit, and then anchoring the unit to the base support.

22. The method of stacking and loading spoolshaped articles which consists in placing a plurality of such articles in an aligned row on a base support, securing the individual articles of the row to each other to form a rigid unit, placing a platform on the upper edges of the articles in the lower row, placing a plurality of articles in an'aligned row on said platform to form a unit, securing the upper row of articles together as a unit, and then anchoring both the platform and the row unit of articles comprising the unit on the platform, to the base support.

23. The method of stacking and loading spoo shaped articles which consists in placing a plurality of such articles in an aligned row on a base support, securing the individual articles to each other to form a rigid unit, bracing the unit against endwise and lateral movement relative transportation on a car or truck body heavy flanged spools of thread such as rayon tire cord and the like, which consists in disposing a row of spools on the floor of a car or truck body with the flanges oi. the spools resting on the floor, disposing another row of. spools in superimposed relation with respect to the lower row of spools but separated from said lower row to positively maintain the upper and lower rows of spools out of contact with one another, rigidly connecting the projecting spindles ,0! the spools of each row to one another to thereby hold the spools of each row together as a unit, bracing the spools against lateral shifting movement, and anchoring the rows of spools so connected and braced to the car or truck body.

27. In apparatus for stacking and securing for transportation on a car or truck body heavy flanged spools of thread such as rayon tire cord and the like and which spools are disposed in superimposed rows and have axial spindles projecting from opposite ends thereof, rigid means extending longitudinally of the rows of spools in engagement w th said spindles to oonnectand lock the spools or each row together as a unit, and means anchoring the rows of spools so connected to the floor of the truck or. car body with the weight of the spools imposed on said floor.

to the support, placing a platform on the upper edges of the articles in the lower row, placing a plurality of articles in an aligned row on said platform and securing the same as a unit, securing the platform relative to the upper and lower rows, and then anchoring the row unit of articles in said second row unit to thelbase support.

24. The method of stacking and loading spoolshaped articles which consists in placing'a pluralityoi such articles in an aligned row on a base support, clamping the individual articles oi the row to each other to form a rigid unit, super imposing a second row or articles clamped to each other to form a rigid unit on the first row so that the axes ofthearticles in each row shall be in 28. Apparatus for stacking and securing for transportation on a car or truck body heavy flanged spools of strand material such as rayon tire cord and the l ke and which spools are disposed in suberimpOsed rows and have axial spindles projecting from opposite ends thereof. comprising rigid members extending longitudinally of the rows of spools in en agement with said spindles to connect and lock the spools of each row together as a unit, means maintaining the rows oi! spools out of contact with one another, and means connecting said rigid members to the floor of the truck or car body withthe flanges of the i lower row of spools resting on said floor and takin: part or the weight or the upper row.

29.- Apparatus for stacking. and securing for transportation on a car or truck body heavy flanged spools of strand'material such as rayontire cord and the like and which spools are er- I ranged in superimposed rows and have axial spintransportation on a car or truck body heavy flanged spools 0! thread such as rayon tire cord and the like and which spools have axial spindles P oj cting from opposite ends thereof, consisting in first disposing spools in superimposed substantially horizontally aligned rows, then rigidly connecting the projecting spindles of the spools of each row to one another to thereby hold spools or each row together as a unit, bracing the spools against lateralshiiting movement and anchoring the rows of spools so connected and braced to the car or truck body.

26. The method of stacking and securing for dles project ng from opposite ends thereof, comprising rigid members extending longitudinally of said rows of spools and having means engaging over said spindles to lock the spools together in rows, a partition overlying and resting on the flanges of the lower row ofspools and having the flanges oi the upper row resting thereon to positively maintain the spools of one row out oi contact with the spools of the other row, and means connectinssaid rigid members to the floor of the truck or car body with the flanges or the lower row 01' spools resting on the floor-and taking, part of the weight of the upper row.

HENRY B. KOONCE.

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