US2608164A - Overhead carrier - Google Patents

Description

OVERHEAD CARRIER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Jan. 5, 1951 Forresf E Johnston INVENTOR.

g 1952 F. E. JOHNSTON 2,603,164

OVERHEAD CARRIER Filed Jan. 5, 1951 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Fig. 4. 5

- /4 Fig.5

Forrest E. Johnston INVENTOR.

Patented Aug. 26, 1952 UNITED STATES PATIENT FFI M' Forrest E. Johnston, South Gate, Calif. Application January 5, 1951,.Serial No. 204,629

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in overhead carriers designed particularly for use in meat'packing plants to facilitate the handling, weighing and moving the meat products from one department of the packing plant to another, or for the delivery of articles to a loading platform.

An important object of the invention is to provide an overhead carrier including a frame provided with a wheel at its upper end for travelling on an overhead track and supporting a basket at the lower end of the frame provided with locking means for holding the basket in a horizontal position and which may release the basket for swinging into a vertical position whereby the baskets may be nested for storing in a compact form, whennot in use.

A further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction which is eflicient and reliable in use, strong and durable, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view;

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a top plan view showing the baske swung into a Vertical position;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4; and,

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of, the invention, the numeral 5 designates a substantially U-shaped inverted frame including a pair of legs 6 having converging upper ends I united with each other by a plate 8.

A hanger bracket 9 of strap metal is formed with a horizontal flange Ill at its lower end positioned on top of plate 8 and swivelly connected thereto for horizontal swinging movement of the frame 5 by means of a headed pin ll having a nut 12 threaded at its lower end.

The upper end of bracket 9 is formed with an inverted U-shaped yoke IS in the sides of which a shaft I4 is supported and on which a wheel l5 Claims (01. 105M242).

is: rotatably mounted for travelling on an overehead. track or rail I6.

The lower ends of legs 6" are formed with eyes I1 for receiving pins Iii-having; threaded inner ends I9 threaded into brackets 20 which are welded or otherwise suitably secured to the sides of a sheet metal basket 2| at the upper side edges thereof and substantially mid-way between the ends of the basket. The outer ends of pins I8 are formed with head 22 to hold the eyes i! thereon.

The upper edges of basket 2i are formed with an outwardly rolled flange 23 and on top of which I a U-shaped catch 24 is swingably'mounted for inward and outward swinging movement adjacent each leg 6 of frame 5 by means of a bearing 25 welded or otherwise secured on top of the flange 23 and whereby the basket is locked to the frame 5 to hold the basket in a horizontal suspended position at the lower ends of the frame.

One end of basket 2| is open and formed at its open end with an outwardly projecting flange 26 at each side of the basket and with the outer edges of the flanges sloping toward. notches 21 to form cams on which the legs 6 ride to enter 25 the notches when the basket is swung into a vertical position, as shown in Figure 5 of the drawings.

In the operation of the device the basket 2| is locked in its horizontal position by swinging the U-shaped catches 24 outwardly to straddle the lower ends of legs 6 of frame 5 and articles may then be loaded into the basket and transported from place to place on the overhead rail or track 16.

When it is desired to store the baskets, th catches 24 are swung inwardly to release the legs 6 of the frame and the basket is then swung into a vertical position with its open end uppermost. The legs ride on the cams at the edges of the flanges and are sufliciently resilient to flex and enter the notches 21 of flanges '26 to thus lock the basket in its vertical position and the baskets may then be nested and stored in compact form in the manner indicated in Figure 5.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully compreof the frame for swinging the basket vertically into either a horizontal or a vertical position, and catch means carried by the basket respectively adjacent its pivoted portion and at an end portion and engaging the frame to selectively hold the basket in either a horizontal or a verticalv position.

4 the frame for holding the basket in a horizontal position.

3. An overhead carrier comprising an inverted U-shaped frame including a pair of leg portions and having a wheel at the upper portion of the frame adapted for travelling on an overhead track, a rectangular shaped basket pivotally connected adjacent its upper side portions to the lower ends of the legs for swinging the basket vertically into either a horizontal or a vertical position, and a U-shaped catch pivotally carried by the basket adjacent its pivoted portion and adapted to straddle an adjacent leg to hold the basket in a horizontal position.

2. An overhead carrier comprising an inverted U-shaped frame having a wheel at its upper end adapted for travelling on an overhead track, a.

rectangular shaped basket pivotally connected adjacent its upper side portions to the lower ends of the frame for swinging the basket vertically FORREST E. JOHNSTON.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

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