US2596908A - Dumping box and supporting structure therefor with means for receiving contents of said box - Google Patents

Description

May 13, 1952 B. D. M INTYRE ETAL 2,596,908

DUMPING BOX AND SUPPORTING STRUCTURE THEREFOR WITH MEANS FOR RECEIVING CONTENTS OF SAID BOX Filed Feb. 27 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet l 2; i ii g? H; E E T INVENTORS. ,Bzfau wer .9. y frzilzxre Mill am I. )f frzzzyre.

May 13, 1952 B. D. MGINTYRE ET AL 2,596,908

DUMPING BOX AND SUPPORTING STRUCTURE THEREFOR WITH MEANS FoR RECEIVING CONTENTS OF SAID BOX 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 27, 1948 B. D. MOINTYRE ETAL DUMPING BOX AND SUPPORTING STRUCTURE THEREFOR WITH MEANS FOR RECEIVING CONTENTS OF SAID BOX Filed Feb. 27, 1948 May 13, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May 13, 1952 DUMPING BOX AND SUPPORTING STRUC- TUBE THEREFOR WITH MEANS FOR RE- CEIVING CONTENTS OF SAID BOX Brouwer D. McIntyre and William D. McIntyre,

Monroe, Mich.,

assignors to Monroe Auto Equipment Company, Monroe, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application February 27, 1948, Serial No. 11,536

8 Claims. (Cl. 222-185) 1 This invention relates to a dumping box structure and to a combination dumping box and supporting structure, and is an improvement over our copending application, Serial No. 688,462, filed August 5, 1946, now Patent No. 2,440,056, dated April 20, 1948.

' .The aforementioned copending application illustrates generally a dumping box of the type having a bottom closure pivotally connected with the box. portion adjacent the rear wall thereof for swinging movement toward and away from the box and incorporating arm means for holding the bottom closure in its upwardlyswung closed position, which means are releasable to permit the bottom closure to swing downwardlyto an open dumping position. A supporting structure is also illustrated in this copending application for supporting the box portion on a supporting surface whereby to permit the entrance of the fork of a lift truck between a supporting surface and the bottom closure so that the bottom closure canbe swung into its upwardly swung closed position by means of a lift truck fork or platform.

The principal objects of thisinvention are to provide a dumping box of the aforementioned type which is provided with improved mechanism for latching and releasably retaining the bottom closure in its upwardly swung closed position; to provide a dumping box of the aforementioned type which may be lifted by means of a suitable lifting device such as a lifting crane, lift truck or the like and which is constructed so that the bottomclosure can be swung to its closed position when the box structure is lifted by the lifting device; to provide an improved supporting stand on which the dumping box may be mounted, adjacent a machine, assembly line, or the like, so as'to'provide easy access to the material disposed within the dumping box; to provide a supporting stand of the aforementioned type which is adapted both for side and front delivery and which can bereadily and speedily changed from one type of delivery arrangement to the other; to provide generally a dumping box and combination dumping box and supporting stand structure which is especially eflicient in operation, rugged in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and which will greatly reduce many of the current problems now existing in the material handling field.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accor'npanying drawing in which box constructed in accordance with one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 2 taken along the line 33 thereof;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of a further embodiment of a dumping box structure, supported on a supporting stand, with the bottom closure in its upwardly swung closed position;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating the bottom closure of the dumping box in its downwardly swung dumping position;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 4 taken along the line 6-6 thereof;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the supporting stand illustrated in Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. '7 taken along the line 8--8 thereof and Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 8 taken along the line 9-9 thereof.

Referring'now to the drawing and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 3 it will be seen that a dumping box I I is illustrated which is preferably formed with corrugated metal walls having a beaded upper edge I 3. The bottom closure for the box II is indicated at l5 and is likewise preferably made of corrugated sheet metal braced by a plurality of longitudinally spaced generally U-shaped cross members IT. The bottom closure I5 is pivotally connected with-the box portion I l adjacent the rear wall thereof, by means of pivot pins l9, mounted in a supporting leg structure 23. The supporting leg structure 23 supports the box in an elevated position above a supporting stand or other supporting surface, and comprises runnerlike legs 25 preferably formed of structural members of generally U-shaped cross section. Side plates 26 are secured to the box and supporting legs 25 below the bottom closure (5, and have an inclined lower edge, as can be seen in Fig. 1. The side plates 26 cooperate with the bottom closure [5, when the latter is in a downwardly swung open or dumping position, to form a laterally closed chute down which elements carried within the box I I may slide.

In order to releasably retain the bottom closure in its upwardly swung closed position, latch means are provided, which include a pair of laterally spaced plungers 21slidably supported in, and extending through, apertures 29 in the for- 3 wardmost pair of'bottom closure cross members I1, indicated at Her and I112. Extending between and secured to the plungers 21, adjacent the forwardmost cross memberflais a connector plate 3| which ties the two plungers together for coordinated movement. A coil spring 33 is disposed on each plunger 21 between the back face of the connector plate 3| and the front face of the cross member [1b. The vcoil springs 33. normally urge the plungers 21 and the connector.

member 3| forwardly, and the movement of the plungers is limited by the engagement, ofv the con-1 nector plate 3| with the cross member 11a. The outer ends of each of the plungers 21 are tapered at 32 and are adapted, when the bottom is in its closed position, to be receivedin, and project through, apertures 34 in latch'plates'35 which are welded or otherwise suitably secured-to :the"

front wall of the box portion H. The front cross member. I111 is providedwith a central aperture 31, over which is welded or otherwise suitably secured a guard orv bracket 39,. including.v front and side walls. Projecting'through the aperture 31. andinto theconfinesofthe guard or .bracket 39: is the outerend of a pin. 4|. Theinneror back end of the pin 4| projects through an aperture. in cross beam I11) and theintermediate portionof the pin is welded orotherwise suitably securedto the connector plate3l. Therefore, by insertinga tool. 45,. shown in Fig. 4, into the space between the front wall of the guard 39-and the outer. end of the pin 4|, the. pin. can be moved rearwardly, and the plungers 21 will .be moved rearwardly, against theaction of. the springs 33, thus, withdrawing the forward ends of the plungers from the latch plate 35. The bottom closure I5. will.then drop down into .its. downwardly swung open or dumping position. When the bottom closurel is-raised toits.upperclosedposition, thetapered plunger ends 32 will CaIIL-OVEI the lower ends of the latch plates 35am will be forced rearwardly. against theaction of the springs I 33 .until .the plungers comev into alignment with the apertures 34 in the plate. The. springs 33 will. then. force the forwardends of' the .plungers 29..through the apertures 34so as to .releasably latch. the bottom closure .15 in its upwardly swung closed position.

The vmodifieddumping box illustrated in Figs. l throughfi includes, in addition to vthestructure previously described, structure for permittingthe bottomclosureto beswungto its closed position and the box-to be liftedbymeans of a lifting device such asan overhead. crane.- This structure :includes substantiallyvertically extending straps El which are. slidably .connectedtdthe opposite sidewalls of the dumping-box. Il', adjacent the front wallthereof. Each of the straps 51 has its upper end provided with. an eyelet .53 which. isadapted .tov receive a conventional crane hook. ora hookLon .a cable sling. Eachstrapji is provided with a. slot 55 adjacentthe upper end thereof, and a headed pin- 51, whichiswelded or otherwise suitably secured to the side wallof the box H, is slidably reoeivedin the slot 55.to permit the strap 5| to movesubstantially vertically with respect to, the sidewallofthe box H. The lower endof the strap 5! is-pivotally connected to the bottom closure I5, by means of a laterally extending pivot bar 59 which is supported .in the bottom closure [5 and'has its oppositeends projecting: outwardly, througharcuate slots. 6 I'. in. the-.zside plates..26, andpivotally connected tothelower endof .thestrapsjl, at: a

63. Straps having eyelets on the upper end thereof in the same manner as the straps 5|, are fixedly secured to the side walls of the dumping box H at 66, adjacent the back wall thereof soasto provide, with the straps 5!, four eyelets, connectible with a crane-hook through a cable sling or the like, so that the dumping box structure may be lifted by a lifting device such as an overhead crane. It will be appreciated that when the straps 5|- 'are'lifted by the crane the bottom closure l5t-willabe-swung to its closed position and will be: effectively and positively locked in this position as long as the box is being lifted by the crane. If desired the latch mechanism described. insthesprevious embodiment, and which is shown in Figs-4 through 6, may be eliminated, but preferably it is employed so that the box is adapted foruse-with both a crane-type lifting device-as well as a lift truck device, as previously described.

Referring now to Figs. 7 through 9,.a,supporting, stand..61 Tis-illustrated which includes legs 68 and a .top frame 69. A portion, of. the topjrame 69 projects forwardly of the-,legstructure.6810 provide ,in. effect a. forwardly projectingledgeor shelflike frame structure 10 ,"includingsidewall's 1| and a front end wall .13. Detachably secured to. theunder side of the forwardly projecting frame structure10,by means of bolts 1510: -the like,,is alaterally enclosed side delivery chute. 11, the bottom wall of which is downwardlyinclined, transverselywith respect to the supportingstand. Thev chute 11 is provided with adelivery opening 19 at one end. .thereof andfladjacentv one side ofv the stand. 61; When theside delivery ,ch.ute

,11,is secured .totheunder side of theforwardly projecting frame structure 10, the supporting stand is adapted for .use for sidedeliyeryofelements, andjif it is desired to use the, stand for front, delivery purposes a plate BI is. mounted jon the frame structure. 10,. between...the.side walls H, the front wal1'13 s0 asv to closenff ltheupper end of theside delivery. chute. 11 andjprovide a forwardly projecting ledge. orsh'elfjforfront deliverypurposes.

When .the dumping ,box. .is. mounted]; on. ,the supporting. stand..61; as. illustrated,.in- Fig$.-. 4 through ,6, therunnerlikelegs25'are supported on the top frame 69 so .that. the. bottom closure !5 isdisposed in .a plane. above .thatof the for.- wardly projecting frame structurelfl. When thebottom. closure 15 is released, ,it.-will.pivot downwardly toits dumping position.; as illustrated .in. Fig. 5,- andthe side-plates .23 on.,the box cooperate. with theside, plates 1|.of... the supporting .stand to providea laterallyenclosed chute which isv openatthe. front end.. thereof so that material. orelements within the dumping boX willslide along. the. inclined. dropped, bottom? and into the topframe structure 10..be-

tween ,the side walls]! and the front .wa1l13.

If the .plate- 8 l isnot used the. materialwilljdrop into the side delivery chute11 .so that .the material will. be disposed adj acent. .the..opening 19 at one end thereof soas to be readily accessibletoa machine operator or. the like. However, when front delivery isdes'ired the plate.8|-. is positioned on the frame structurelfl so astocoverandclose off the side delivery chute. 11 and th material from the box will therefore be discharged-onto the plateBl within theconfines ofthesideplates 1| and the end wall 13, thus permittingfrontdeliverycf the material from. the box..

'ihus it will be appreciated:thatrthe dumpin boxes herein illustrated may be liftedibythesfork of a lift truck, which may engage the under side 'of the bottom closure l so as to swing the same to. its upwardly closed position prior to lifting the box and moving it either to a supporting surface or a supporting stand, such as is illustrated in the drawings. Likewise it will be appreciated that the dumping box may be provided with the strap means, by means of which the bottom closure may be closed when the box is lifted by a crane-type'lifting device or the like and moved to any supporting surface or to a suitable supporting stand. The boxes herein illustrated thus are provided with a simple and positive mechanism by means of which the bottom closure may be releasably locked so that there will be no danger of the bottom closure 15 accidentally opening. Likewise, the boxes of this invention are adapted to be lifted by various types of lifting devices and are adapted to be mounted on a supporting stand so that either front or side delivery may be easily obtained, thus providing a more efiicient operating material handling unit which may be used for many more purposes than any heretofore known in the art.

We claim:

1. A self-contained portable dumping box structure including a box portion, a bottom closure pivotally connected with said box portion adjacent the rear wall thereof for swinging movement toward and away from said box, a pair of laterally spaced spring pressed plungers slidably supported in said bottom portion and having the forward ends thereof resiliently held in a forwardly projecting relationship with respect to the forward edge of said bottom closure, means operatively connecting said plungers for coordinated movement, a pair of laterally spaced latch-engaging members connected with said box portion for releasably engaging said plungers and holding said bottom closure in an upwardly swung closedv position with respect to said box portion, said plunger connecting means being operable to move said plungers out of engagement with said latch-engaging elements and thereby permit said bottom to swing downwardly about its pivotal connection, a supporting structure connected with said box portion for supporting the latter on a supporting surface, said supporting structure having an opening adjacent the rear wall of said box portion to permit the entrance of a fork of a lift truck between said bottom closure and said supporting. surface whereby said bottom closure may be engagedby the fork of a lift truck and moved from its downwardly swung open position to its upwardly swung closure position and whereby said box may be lifted by said lift truck fork.

2. A self-contained dumping box structure including a box portion, a bottom closure pivotally connected with said box portion adjacent the rear wall thereof for swinging movement toward and away from said box portion, a pair of laterally spaced spring pressed plungers slidably supported in said bottom closure and having one end thereof resiliently held in a forwardly projecting relationship with respect to said bottom closure, plate means interconnecting said laterally spaced plungers, laterally spaced latchengaging elements connected with said box portion for engaging said plungers and releasably retaining said bottom closure in its upwardly swung closed position, means connected with said plunger interconnecting means and projecting through and forwardly of said bottom closure and adapted to be actuated for moving said plungers rearwardly out of engagement with "6 said latch-engaging elements whereby said bottom closure may swing to its downwardly swung open position, supporting structure connected with said box portion for supporting the latter on a supporting surface, said supporting structure having an opening adjacent the rear wall of said box portion to permit the entrance of the fork of a lift truck between a supporting surface and said bottom closure whereby said bottom closure may be engaged by the fork of a'lift truck and swung from its downwardly swung open position to its upwardly swung closure position and whereby said box may be lifted by said fork, and confining means connected with said dumping box structure oneach side of said bottom closure whereby to define with said bottom closure a laterally enclosed chute when the latter is in its downwardly swung open position.

3-. A self-contained portable dumping box structure including a box. portion, supporting structure connected with said box portion for supporting the latter on a supporting surface, a bottom closure pivotally connected with said box portion adjacent the rear wall thereof for swinging movement toward and away from said box portion, means on said box structure adapted to be connected to a lifting device such as a lifting crane or the like for use in lifting said dumping box structure and including a rigid strap connected at one end to said-bottom closure so that swinging movement of said bottom closure in either direction will cause vertical movement of said strap, said strap having the opposite end projecting above the top of said box portion, means connecting said strap means to said box portion for relative vertical movement with respect thereto, means on the upper projecting portion of said strap means adapted to be connected to the lifting device whereby when the means including the strap means are lifted said bottom closure will be swung to its closure position prior to the lifting of said box structure by said lifting device. V

4. A self-contained dumping box structure including a box portion, supporting structure connected with said box portion for supporting the latter on a supporting surface, a bottom closure pivotally connected with said box portion adjacent the rear wall thereof for swinging movement toward and away from said box portion, laterally spaced confining plates connected with said dumping box structure and defining with said bottom closure when the latter is in its downwardly swung open position a laterally enclosed chute, means on the box structure adapted to be connected to a lifting device such. as a lifting crane or the like including strap means slidably connected to said box portion for generally vertical movement with respect thereto, the upper end of said strap means projecting above the top of said box portion and having means formed thereon adapted to be connected to the lifting device, said side confining plates having generally vertical slots therein, means connecting the lower end of said strap means to said bottom closure through said side plate slots, whereby when said means including said strap means are lifted by the lifting device the bottom closure will be swung to its upward closure position prior to the lifting of said box structure by said lifting device.

5. In combination, a supporting stand including a forwardly projecting portion having an opening in the bottom thereof, a laterally enclosed side delivery chute connected to the underside of-said forwardly projecting portion and normally communicating with said projecting portion opening, said side delivery chute having atransversely inclined bottom wall and a delivery opening adjacent one end thereof, a closure for said projecting portion opening adapted to be releasablysupported on said projecting portion whereby said stand may be used for front delivery when said closure is employed and said stand may be used for side delivery when said closure is-removed from said projecting portion, a dumping box structure removably supported on said stand and including a bottom closure pivotally connected with said box portion adjacent the rear wall thereof for swinging movement toward and away therefrom, means for supporting said box on said stand far enough above the plane of said stand projecting portion to permit the material within said box to slide along said bottom closure when the latter is in its downwardly swung open position and into said stand projecting portion.

6. In combination, a supporting stand including a forwardly projecting frame portion having an opening in the bottom thereof, a laterally enclosed side delivery chute secured to the underside of said forwardly projecting portion and normally communicating with said frame portion opening, said side delivery chute having av bottom wall inclined transversely of said supporting stand and having a delivery opening adjacent one end thereof, a closure for said projecting frame portion opening adapted to be releasably supported on said frame portion whereby said stand may be used for front delivery when said closure is employed and may be used for side delivery when said closure is removed, a self-contained portable dumping box removably supported on said stand and including a bottom closure pivotally connected with said box for swinging movement toward and away therefrom, means for supporting said box on said stand with said bottom closure above said stand projecting portion, side plates associated with said box structure and cooperating with said bottom closure and said supporting stand side walls to define a laterally enclosed chute open beneath the lower edge of the front of the box whereby the forward edge of the bottom closure will ina downwardly swing open position engage said stand projecting frame portion so as. to permit sliding of material in said box onto said projecting frame portion within the confines of said chute and whereby to permit the stand to be used either. for front or. side delivery purposes.

7..In combination a supporting stand. including a forwardly projectingportion having an opening. in the bottom thereof, a laterally 8 enclosed side delivery chute secured tothecunderside of said forwardly projecting .portionand communicating with. said projecting portion opening, said side delivery chute having a bot-. tom wall inclined transversely of saidsupporting stand and/having a delivery openingadjacent one end thereof, a self-contained portable dumping box removably supported on said stand and including a bottom closure pivotally connected with said box for swinging movement toward and away therefrom, means for supporting said box oneaidstandfar enough above the plane of said stand projectingportion to permit the material within said box to slide along said bottom closure when the latter is inits downwardly swung open position and into said side delivery chute.

8. A supporting stand adapted for use-in sup porting a. dumping box structure, including a supporting structure for supporting a box-above a stand supporting surface, a forwardly pro jecting portion having an opening in the bottom thereof, a-laterally enclosed side delivery chute secured to the underside of said forwardly projecting portion and normally communicating with said projecting portion opening, said side delivery chute having the bottom wall thereof inclined transversely with respect to said supporting stand and being provided-with a delivery opening adjacent one end thereof, a removable closure plate for said projecting portion opening releasably supported on said projecting portion whereby said stand may be used for front delivery when said closure is employed and may be used for side delivery when said closure plate is removed.

BROUWER D. MCINTYRE. WILLIAM D. MCINTYRE;

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 300,219 Cochrane June 10, 1884 347,393 Smith Aug. 17, 1886 777,431 Randolph Dec. 13, 1904 834,305 Kozora Oct.. 30, 1906 893,516 Keeran July 14, 1908 928,858 Doud July 20, 1909 1,041,016 Butts Oct. 15, 1912 1,110,018 Van Schoiack Sept. 8, 1914 1,373,521 Neller Apr. 5, 1921 1,411,453 Nolan Apr. 4, 1922 1,619,784 Counts 1- Mar. 1, 1927 2,131,651 Woo Sept.27, 1938 2,440,056 McIntyre et a1. Apr. 20-, 1948

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