US2578802A - Material handling industrial truck - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 18, 1951 F. c. HEIDRICK ET AL MATERIAL HANDLING INDUSTRIAL TRUCK 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 6, 1948 INVENTORS .F'. CJiez'dz-ick y JflJCeio'rick 'Dec. 18, 1951 F. c. HEIDRICK ET AL MATERIAL HANDLING INDUSTRIAL TRUCK 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 6, 1948 INVENTORS' F CJ'CBidriCk By Jfi. eidricb nrrrs Dec. 18, 1951 F. C. HEIDRICK ET AL MATERIAL HANDLING INDUSTRIAL TRUCK 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 6, 1948 INVENTORS F. Oiieidricb BY flJ-eidz'zcb 1951 F. c. HEIDRICK' ETAL 2,578,802

MATERIAL HANDLING INDUSTRIAL TRUCK Filed Dec. 6, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS Dec. 18, 1951 F. c. HEIDRICK ETAL 2,578,802

MATERIAL HANDLING INDUSTRIAL TRUCK Filed Dec. 6, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet s Fig. 5

IN VEN TORS f7 Cifieiaricb BY J. flJ-ieidricb Mimi;

Patented Dec. 18, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Fred C. Held-rick and Joseph A. Heidrick, Woodland, Calif.

ApplicationDecember 6, 1948, Serial-No.-6$,*66'6 -,Claims. 1.

This invention is directed to; and it is anobject to provide, an improved fork-lift type of load handling machine; the machinebeing especially designed, but not limited,- for use to pick up stacks of baled hay and load su'chstacks on a transport truck, or to remove the stacks from a truck and pile the stacks onthe ground.

Another object of the invention is to provide a material handling machine; as above; which includes a novel, forwardly projecting for-k assembly; each fork being inthe for-m of a screw or auger, and said screws being simultaneously and reversibly driven to assist in theloading or unloading of the machine.

A further object of the invention isto provide a material handling machine, ofthe type described, which includes a novel,- clam'pingor holddown frame adapted to forcefully engage a supported load from above whereby to prevent accidental displacement of said load from the fork assembly upon movement of the machine from the pick-up point to the discharge point; such frame being mounted and power actuated in a unique manner.

An-additional object ofthe invention is to .provide a material handling machine, as in the preceding paragraphs, wherein both the screw fork assembly and the load clamping or hold-down frame are mounted on a vertical movable elevator frame, and both power actuated by mechsigned for ease and economy of manufacture, and

the machine being a rugged and reliable structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a practical material handinggmachine; and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation ofthe machine showing a stack of baled hay as initially picked. up from the ground. I

Fig. 2 is a similar view, but shows the stack of baled hay clamped on the fork assembly, and the machine maneuvered to position the stack of baled hay above a truck bed for unloading.

Fig, 3 is likewise a similar view, but; shows the position of the parts as the stack of baled hay is unloaded onto the bed of the truck.

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view showing the screw fork assembly.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary end elevation showing the drive for the screw fork assembly.

Fig. 6 is a plan view, particularly of the clamping or hold-down frame.

Fig. 7 is an end view of said clamping or holddown frame.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the machine comprises a wheeled, self-propelled vehicle, indicated generally and in part at I such vehicle including a longitudinal main frame 2- supported, at the front, by transversely spaced, pneumatic tire wheels 3, and supported,at the rear, by simiiar but driven wheels (not shown) At its front end the frame 2 is fitted", between the wheels 3, with an upstanding guide-frame 4 which is mounted for rearward tilting motion; such rearward tilting motion being accomplished by linkage, indicated generally at 5, operated by a fluid pressure actuated power cylinder 6. This arrangement is generally conventional in fork lift type trucks.

In front of the upstanding, guide framed there is a vertically elongated, rectangular elevator frame I mounted in connection with the guide frame 4 by means of a carriage, shown in part at 8. This carriage B is power raised or lowered in the guide frame 4 by suitable mechanism (not shown), which may be of a typeconventional to fork lift type trucks, and which mechanism is under the control of the operator from his station on the truck.

At its lower end the elevator frame 1- is provided with a forwardly projecting fork assembly, indicated generally at 9, and adapted for the engagement beneath a load in supporting relation thereto; such fork assembly comprising the following structural arrangement:

The lower end ofthe elevatorframe I includes a rigid bottom cross beam l0, and a plurality of elongated screw forks H project forwardly from said cross beam in equally spaced, parallel relation. The screw forks H are journaled, at their rear ends, in connectionwiththe cross beam in and project therethrough; there being sprockets 12 on the rear ends of the screw forks H for driving the same. An endlesschain l3 drives the sprockets H in the manner illustrated in Fig. 5; the driving run of said chain cooperating with said sprockets H2 in under and over relationship, as shown. This means that certain ofthe screw forks I I turn opposite to theothers, and the lead or pitch of said screws is set so that whenrotated by the drive, which is reversible, said forks all move the load in an unloading, or loading direction.

The endless chain I 3, and consequently the sprockets I2, is reversely driven by a motor l4 mounted in the elevator frame I, which motor includes a drive sprocket l5 over which the chain I3 is trained. The motor I4 may be of any suitable type, but is here shown as a pressure fluid driven motor interposed in a. pressure system including conduits, indicated in part at It, which system is controlled by the operator from his station on the machine.

At their outer ends the screw forks H are tapered, as at H, to facilitate their insertion beneath a load.

At its upper end the elevator frame 1 supports a forwardly projecting, vertically swingable, load clamping or hold-down frame unit, indicated generally at 3, which is constructed as follows:

On opposite sides, and at the top, the elevator frame 1 includes rigid rearwardly projecting brackets l9, and side arms 20 are pivoted, at their rear ends, as at 2|, to corresponding brackets |9, and thence project forwardly to a termination generally above the fork assembly 9 intermediate its ends.

The side arms 20 are adapted to be simultaneously power raised or lowered bymeans of a double acting power cylinder 22, pivotally connected to each in upstanding relation between the corresponding side of the elevator frame I, as at 23, and a point on the corresponding side arm 20 ahead of its pivot 2|, as at 24. The power cylinders 22 are simultaneously actuated by a fluid pressure system including conduits 25 which lead to each cylinder 22; said system being valve-controlled by the operator from his station on the vehicle. The side arms 29 span on opposite sides of a rectangular frame 26, and said side arms pivotally connect at their forward ends, as at 27, to opposite sides of the frame 23 centrally of its ends, whereby said frame 23 is rockable relative to the side arms 2|]. Normally, however, the frame 26 is maintained parallel to the side arms 20 by opposed spring, counterbalancing units 28 mounted on the side arms 20 and including rods 29 coupled to cars 33 which upstand from opposite sides of the frame 26.

The frame 26 includes a plurality of cross bars 3|, and each thereof is fitted with a plurality of spaced, dependent spikes 32 adapted for load engagement.

In operation of the above described machine the clamping or hold-down frame i8 is initially set by the power cylinders 22 at a forward and upward incline, and to pick up a load, such as a stack of baled hay 33, the vehicle I is manipulated in a direction to cause the screw fork assembly 9 to project beneath such stack. At this time the screw forks II are run in a direction to aid in the loading of the stack onto said fork assembly. In other words, the screws act to pull the load toward the elevator frame 1. At this point it should be noted that as certain of the forks II have a lead or pitch opposite to the others and turn in opposite directions, side draft on the stack is minimized.

After the stack of baled hay 33 is loaded onto the fork assembly 9, in the manner shown in Fig. l, the power cylinders 22 are actuated so as to pull downwardly on the side arms 20, swinging the clamping or hold-down frame unit I 8 into engagement with the top of said stack of baled hay 33. At this time the frame 26 lies flush or horizontal on top of the stack 33, with the spikes 32 penetrating the uppermost bales 34 of said stack in the manner shown in Fig. 2. This effectively clamps the stack 33 between the frame unit [8 and the screw fork assembly 9, whereby said stack may be carried on the vehicle from the pick-up point to the discharge or unloading point without tendency of the stack to tip or spill. Also, if desired, the upstanding guide frame may be tilted rearwardly so as to correspondingly tilt the elevator frame 1 whereby the stack 33 tends to hold rearwardly against said frame 1.

After the stack of baled hay 33 is loaded on the fork assembly 9, and clamped from above by the clamping or hold-down. frame unit |8, as above described, the elevator frame I is run upwardly until the fork assembly 9 is in a horizontal plane higher than the bed 35 onto which the stack is to be deposited. Then. the vehicle I is manipulated until the stack 33 is directly over the bed 35 of the truck 36; the elevator frame 1 then being lowered until the bottom of the stack rests on a plurality of transverse cross members or stringers 3'! on said truck bed 35. Thereafter, the clamping or hold-down frame unit I8 is raised to released position, and the vehicle I moved slowly away from the truck 36 (see Fig. 3), with the screw forks of the fork assembly 9 running in a direction tending to unload the stack 33; said screw forks turning between the stringers 3'|. In this manner the stack 33 can be readily and easily discharged from the fork assembly 9 onto the truck bed 35.

It will be recognized that stacks of baled hay can be unloaded from trucks and placed on the ground merely by a reversal of the above described truck loading steps.

The described invention provides a very practical and effective machine for the handling of stacked loads, particularly baled hay; the handling being accomplished rapidly and without the necessity of individually moving the bales, and further avoids the necessity of the use of pallets for each stack.

The structure is rugged and works smoothly, even when handling relatively large stacks of substantial weight.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A material handling machine comprising a vehicle mounted, vertically adjustable elevator frame, a rigid cross beam at the lower end of the elevator frame, a plurality of screws journaled in connection with the beam and projecting forwardly as a fork assembly, and power means to simultaneously rotate said screws; said power means including a motor on the elevator frame, and an endless drive connected between the screws and motor.

2. A material handling machine comprising a vehicle mounted, vertically adjustable elevator frame, a fork assembly projecting forward from the lower end of the elevator frame, and a vertically adjustable load hold-down unit projecting forward from the elevator frame in spaced relation above the fork assembly; said load hold-down unit comprising a pair of transversely spaced arms pivoted to and projecting from the elevator frame, power means to simultaneously swing said arms up or down, a load engaging frame disposed between the arms, and means pivoting said load engaging frame intermediate its ends to the arms adjacent their free ends for vertical rocking motion of said frame.

3. A material handling machine comprising a vehicle mounted, vertically adjustable elevator frame, a fork assembly projecting forward from the lower end of the elevator frame, and a verticall adjustable load hold-down unit projecting forward from the elevator frame in spaced relation above the fork assembly; said load hold-down unit comprising a pair of transversely spaced arms pivoted to and projecting from the elevator frame, power means to simultaneously swin said arms up or down, a load engaging frame disposed between the arms, and means pivoting said load engagin frame intermediate the ends to the arms adjacent their free ends for vertical rocking motion of said frame, there being yieldable means between said load engaging frame and arms tending to maintain the frame in predetermined position relative to the arms.

4. A material handling machine, as in claim 2, including cross members in the load engaging frame, and spikes depending from said cross members.

5. A material handling machine comprising a vehicle mounted, vertically adjustable elevator frame, a fork assembly projecting forward from the lower end of the elevator frame, and a vertically adjustable load hold-down unit comprisin a pair of transversely spaced arms pivoted to and projecting from the elevator frame, a fluid pressure actuated power cylinder assembly connected between the elevator frame and arms to simultaneously swing the latter up or down, a loading engaging frame disposed between the arms, and means pivoting said load engaging frame intermediate its ends to the arms adjacent their free ends for vertical rocking motion of said frame.

FRED C. HEIDRICK.

JOSEPH A. HEIDRICK.

REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 214,929 Lockeet al Apr. 29, 1879 1,300,620 Joy Apr. 15, 1919 1,564,926 Armstrong et al. Dec. 8, 1925 1,896,543 Gfrorer Feb. 7, 1933 1,900,569 Lederer Mar. 7, 1933 1,971,952 Townsend Aug. 28, 1934 2,281,012 Sears Apr. 28, 1942 2,403,356 Francis July 2, 1946 2,420,828 King May 20, 1947 2,432,182 Turner Dec. 9, 1947

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