US2443174A

US2443174A - Material handling apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2443174A
Application number: US659514A
Authority: US
Inventors: Thomas K Andersen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-04-04
Filing date: 1946-04-04
Publication date: 1948-06-15
Anticipated expiration: 1965-06-15

Description

June 15, 1948. T. K. ANDERSEN UATBRIAL HANDLING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 4, 1946 u N N Pu m n v Nm .e w W N m 1 Q m /0COCO\/ V M Y B June 15, 1948. "r. K. ANDERSEN MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 4, 1946 [N VE N TOR. THOMAS K AND EA? SEN- B Y ATTORNEX Patented June 15, 1948 OFFICE MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Thomas K. Andersen, Staten Island, N. Y. Application April 4, 1946, Serial No. 659,514

My present invention relates to material handling equipment. such as power shovels or other loaders. and while not restricted thereto is partlcularly designed for use with the power shovel disclosed in the Andersen Patent No. 2,182,781, dated December 12, 1939.

The main object of my invention is to provide an improved power drive assembly including speed reduction, clutch, and brake for the hoist drum of a power shovel or other loader, by means of which the bucket or other receptacle may be positively and reliably driven and controlled at all times in its movements from loading to dumping position. and vice versa.

Other objects and advantages will appear as this description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings wherein I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a power shovel equipped with my invention, certain parts being shown in section,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view, on an enlargcd scale, of certain parts illustrated in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of Fig. 2.

The term bucket as used herein is used in its broadest sense to mean any digging and/or loading implement, as a dirt bucket, snow bucket, back hoe, lifting fork, or the like, and the term "bucket arms as used herein is likewise used in its broadest sense to mean any structure, whether a pair of arms, or a yoke, or a boom, disposed in the fore and aft line of the vehicle, by means of which the bucket is pivotally supported on the tractor or other vehicle for swinging movements in an arcuate path over the vehiclc.

Referring to the drawings, I have designated generally at a tractor or other vehicle on which is pivotally mounted a material holding receptacle which is actuated and controlled in its swinging arcuate movements by the instrumentalities forming the subject matter of my present invention.

The tractor is provided with the usual driving and operating motor II, and is also provided with a roof l2 in and on which are arranged mechanisms for controlling a bucket or other receptacle or unit l3. Bucket I3 is removably mounted at the rear ends of a pair of carrying arms l4. H are pivotally attached to the sides of the tractor frame at l5.

Associated with the motor II is a. power-take- The forward ends of arms- 3 Claims. (Cl. 214-431) off shaft l6 through which power from the motor I I is derived for operating the bucket controlling means of my present invention. Fast on the outward or free end of the take-off shaft I6 is a reduction unit comprising a bevel pinion l1 meshing with anddriving a bevel gear I8 secured to the lower and I9 are rotatably mounted in bearings formed in a gear box 20, which encloses the pinion I1 and gear l8, as shown in Fig. 1.

Secured to the upper end of the stub shaft I9 is the lower end of a universal joint 2|, the upper end of which is secured to vertical drive shaft 22. Shaft 22 extends vertically upward in front of the tractor, and at its upper end is connected through a universal joint 23 to the lower end of a stub shaft 24 (see Figs. 2 and 3). Stub shaft '24 is journaled in a suitable bearing in a gear box 26' mounted at the front end of the roof I2.

Fast to the upper end of stub shaft 24 within the gear box 26 is a second reduction unit comprising a. bevel pinion. 25 meshing with and driving a bevel gear 26, also enclosed within the gear box. Bevel gear 26 is secured to the front end of a longitudinally extending stub shaft 21 which is coupled conventionally to the driving part 2 8 of a clutch comprising the driving part 28 and the driven part 29.

Driven clutch part 29 is secured to the clutch shaft 30 aligned with shaft 21 and rotating when the clutch is engaged. Shaft 30 extends rearwardly through a clutch casing 3| mounted on the roof l2 in the rear of the gear casing 26.

Secured to clutch shaft 30 rearwardly of easing 3| is a bevel pinion 32 meshing with and driving a bevel gear 33 secured to a transversely arranged sprocket shaft 34. Shaft 34 is rotatably mounted in suitable bearings in a gear box 35 formed in the roof l2 and extends outwardly at each end through the walls of the gear box. Fast on each end of shaft 34 is a sprocket 36.

Mounted in the roof l2 behind gear box 35 is a hoisting drum enclosure 43 in which is suitably mounted a drum shaft 39 arranged parallel to sprocket shaft 34 in the gear box 35. The

39 extend outwardly beends of drum shaft yond the sides of the drum enclosure 43 and at each end thereof carry a sprocket 38, in alignment with the sprockets 36 on the shaft 34. Trained over the

sprockets

36 and 38 are sprocket chains 31.

Within the drum enclosure 43 and secured to the drum shaft 39 is a cable drum 40, and on either side of, and integral with said drum is 9.

end of a stub shaft l9. Shafts IS the lower end of a for said brake bucket assembly at the point 42.

Within the drum enclosure 43, in front of,

' adjacent to, and in alignment with the hoist idler sheave 45, secured to a I drum. 40, is an transversely arranged shaft 46 rotatably mounted in suitable bearings in the walls of the "drum enclosure.

Suitable means (not shown) for controlling the

clutch members

28 and 29, the brake bands for the brake drums l4, and for the motor I l, are arrangedwithin convenient reach of the operator ofthe machine.

With the various parts constructed and arranged as above described, the operation is as follows: The motor ll being running, the vertical shaft 22 is in rotation, and, assuming the bucket l3 to be in the position shown in-Fig. L the operator backs the tractor into the pile of material being worked upon, until the bucket I3 is filled with such material. The operator then frees the brake bands (not shown) from the brake drums ll, operates the clutch control to bring the driving clutch element 28 into engagement with the driven clutch element 29, whereupon the shaft 30 through the intermediary of the pinion 92 and shaft 34 carrying the sprockets 36 at its ends. The sprocket chains 31 passing over the

sprockets

36 and 38, rotate the shaft 39 and therefore the hoist drum l0, causing the chain or cable 4| to be wound up onto the drum 40, lifting the bucket l3, with its load, upwardly and forwardly about the bucket arm pivots l5.

This upward movement of the bucket may be halted at any point by throwing out the

clutch

28, 29, and tightening the brake bands (not shown) on the brake drums 44.

The operator may then move the tractor to any desired point where the load of material in bucket I3 is to be dumped. Upon reaching this point, the operator will again start the lifting operation as above described, stopping such operation at or near the point where the bucket l3 passes the vertical position. At this point the weight of the bucket assembly and the load therein will swing the bucket l3 over center toward the front of the tractor l0, whereupon the operator partially applies the brakes to the brake drums M to slow the descent of the bucket. The chain or cable 4| will be out of engagement with the idler sheave 41 and the bight thereof will engage with the idler sheave 45. The bucket continues to descend, with the brakes partially applied, and with the cable paying off from the hoist drum 40, until, as it reaches the desired dumping position, the operator stops it by applying full brake. In returning the empty bucket to loading position, the operation just described is reversed,

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be evident that I have provided a simple and regear '33, rotates the showing has been I out engaging the clutch, or for sition, the clutch liable power drive for actuating and controlling a hoisting unit.

It will be noted that the reduction gears l1 and I8, and 25 and 26, and the

sprockets

36 and 39. respectively, provide three distinct and independent reductions by means of which the high speed of the tractor motor (usually around 1400 R. P. M.) may be reduced to approximately 40 R. P. M. at the hoist drum. It is essential that the hoist drum rotate slowly, as compared with the speed of the tractor motor, in order that the available horsepower of the motor for lifting the loaded bucket may be utilized without stalling the motor and better control of the bucket be also secured.

If desired, the assembly may be provided with an automatic knock-out of known construction,

whereby when the bucket passes dead center going toward either its loading or its dumping powill be automatically disengaged, after. which the operator may manually release the brake to allow the bucket to descend under control.

Likewise, if desired, the assembly may be provided with mechanism such as that shown in the application of Carle Henry, Serial No. 659,464, filed April 4, 1946, for releasing the brake withreleasing the brake when engaging the clutch.

While I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of. my invention, I recognize that the same may be variously modified to suit special installations, and accordingly assert all such modifications to be within the purview of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pate ent is:

1. In combination with a vehicle having a roof and a motor, a bucket pivoted to the vehicle to swing vertically relative thereto over said roof, a power drive assembly for driving and controlling said bucket including apower take-off shaft to be coupled to the vehicle motor, a hoist drum shaft mounted upon the vehicle roof and extending transversely thereof, a hoist drum on said drum shaft, a hoist connection from said drum to said bucket, a cross shaft mounted upon the vehicle roof and extending transversely thereof and parallel to and in advance of said hoist drum shaft, driving connections between said cross shaft and said drum shaft, a clutch shaft mounted upon the vehicle roof and extending longitudinally thereof and in advance of said cross shaft, driving connections between said cross shaft and said clutch shaft, a, clutch comprising a driving member and a cooperating driven member, said driven member being mounted on the clutch shaft, a stub shaft mounted on the vehicle roof and extending longitudinally thereof and in advance of and in alinement with said clutch shaft and operatively connected to said clutch shaft, and driving connections between said stub shaft and said power takeoff shaft.

2. The combination of claim 1, and an idler shaft interposed between said drum shaftand said cross shaft and carrying an idler sheave.

3. The combination of claim 1, and a pair of brake drums on said drum shaft, one at each side of said drum, and an idler shaft interposed between said drum shaft and cross shaft and carrying an idler sheave spaced from and alined with said hoist drum.

- THOMAS K. ANDERSEN.

(References on following page) file of this patent:

Number 2,443,174 5 REFERENCES CITED gg r The fOllOWing references are of record in the 2:252:837 2,266,770 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,316,760 2,380,625 Name Date 2 39': 045 Francke Nov. 13, 1923 423:193

Manierre Sept. 2, 1924 6 Name Date Andersen eta! Dec. 12, 1939 Dicke Aug. 19, 1941 Kurtz et a1 Dec. 23, 1941 Andersen et a1 Apr. 20, 1943 Zeilman et a1 July 31, 1945 Richey Mar. 19, 1946 Lawler July 1, 1947