US2610787A

US2610787A - Compressor supporting platform fob

Info

Publication number: US2610787A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1952-09-16
Anticipated expiration: 1969-09-16

Description

Sept 16, 1952 G. HART 2,610,787

COMPRESSOR -SUPPORTING PLATFORM i FOR TRACTORS OR OTHER VEHICLES Filed April 11, 195o 2 SHEETS-swzm 1 /zagr. y. 60 7.38.5

Sept. 16, 1952 G. L. HART coMPREssoR SUPPORTING PLATFORM FOR TRACTORS 0R OTHER VEHICLES Filed April 11, 1950 2 Sl'lEETS-Sl-IEET 2 Jil/@dort A Geary@ Z2 'Jar/ Q PM IMII R www; f n v A.

Patented Sept. 16, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE'.l l

COMPRESSOR SUPPORTING PLATFORM FOR TRACTORS OR OTHER `VEHICLES George L. Hart, Providence,Ky. Application April 11, 1950,*'seria1 10.155.281 1o Claims. (ol. 23o-235) In my prior Patent (No. 2,271,821, I have disclosed a tractor or other vvehicle having on one end adrilling apparatus and on the`other end a projectingk platformf for supportingran air compressor to supply pneumatic 'power' for'operating such apparatus. Since `the compressor is driven from an engine on the vehicle,-various problems arise in theeilort to provide a platform which is simple, sturdy and readily attachable to a `vehicle, and at the same time will align the compresser shaft with a driving shaft therefor on the vehicle.

The object of the present invention is to produce an attachable platform structure by which the desirable ends `just enumeratedA are. achieved.

The various features of' novelty whereby the present invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims, but for a full understanding of the invention and of its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the raccompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is mainly a plan `view of a platform structure, portion being in section, and a fragment of a compressor mounted thereon being also included; Fig.v v2 is a view, of the parts shown in Fig. 1, that is partly a side elevation and Vpartly a central, vertical, longitudinal' section, `with the Acoupling between a ydriving shaft and the compressor shaft shown in position;` and Fig. 3 is an end View, looking at the structure from a point to the left of Fig. 2, with Vall of the compressor except its shaft omitted, and that `shaft being shown'in cross section.

Referring to the drawings, I vis a flat-lying U-shaped frame composed of two sturdy parallel, longitudinal side beams 2 and 3 connected together at oneend by -a cross beam 4; these beams lpreferably being hollow and square in cross section. Horizontal gussets '5, 5, 'extending across the corners vformed at Ythe intersections of the aforesaid beams, stiffen the frame. The other ends of beams 2 and 3 Aabut against and are welded to a thick, vertical, transverse plate 6 that is parallel to cross beam 4. This'plate extends about an equal distance above and below the beams. inwardly from plate 6 is a second.

Ythick plate l'i parallel to plate 6, and lyingl wholly between the beams 2 and 3,`whereas plate 6 projects laterally beyond both longitudinal beams. Vertical posts 8 and 9, that'may `be of the same cross section as the beams 2 rand 3, reston these beams, respectively, with their inner faces flush embodying the present invention, a

with the inner face of plate 1; these posts 'beingl welded to the corresponding beams. Between the vertical edges of plate 1 and 'beams 2 and 3 are long, wide plates I0, I0 that extend up from about the level of the lunder sides of `these beams to a height well above the upper edge of plate 1, which form the inner and outer walls of said box-like structure; these plates also bridging the gap between plates Band 1. Plates I0, I0 .are welded to the longitudinal beams, to 'the posts and to plates 6 and l. Little, horizontal plates II I I, each surrounded welded to plates 6 and 1 and a plate ID, aid in stiifening this box-like structure at the end of the platform. Plates 6 and 1 are Vfurther secured to each other, `and to the frame, by sturdy braces I2, I2 that underlie the right hand two thirds of the beams `2 and 3, as viewed in Fig. 2, each be ing welded tothe corresponding beam, at its 'inner end, and 'extending downwardly and toward the right past the vertical edges of plate 1 and to lplate 6; each brace being Welded to both of the vlatter plates.

vThe posts l8 rand 9 may rise to any desired height and serve to support some part of the powerv plant. yIn the -arrangement shown, the posts are intended to support a cylindrical reservoir, (not shown) for air under pressure. Therefore each `post has fixed to its upper end a sturdy rest I3 provided with an arcuate seat I4 for a cylinder placed crosswise of the frame.

The frame is provided with a cross bar at the inner ends of the'braces l2. In the arrangement shown, this comprises a long, narrow plate i5 that vliesrwell below beams 2 and 3, with spacing blocks I6, I6 between the same and the beams. Underlying plate I5 is an angle bar I1, one of the flanges of which lies flat against the under lside of the plate while the other flange forms a vertical 'stiiening web for the plate. Plate- I5 serves as a support for one end of an air compressor C, the other end of which is supported by plate 1, as will now be explained.

' lit will be seen that plate 1 contains a large, round opening I8 the center; of which is a short distance above the plane of the tops of beams 2 and 3. This opening is provided with a round cover plate I9, held in place by a ring of small bolts 20. In order that the bolts need actl only as tension members, the opening I8 is countersunk on the inner side, namely the left hand side in Fig. 2, at 2l, and the'cover plate is cut away along the margin to create a lip 22 thatis seated inthe countersunk section of opening I8, while the central, thicker part of the plate fits snugly on three sides by andr into the main part of the opening or bore. With this arrangement the cover may be snugly fitted and accurately centered, independently of the bolts which need only hold the cover plate against axial movement. The end of the compressor resting on cross piece i 5 may be anchored by means of bolts, not shown, extending up into the same through holes 23 in the cross piece.

The end of the compressor housing from which its shaft 24 protrudes has a sleeve-like part or hub 25 machined to bear solidly against the face of the cover plate; while the cover plate is provided with an accurately machined annular projection or boss 26 fitting into said sleeve or hub 25, to insure accurate centering. Bolts 21, passing through the cover plate andinto part 25 of the compressor casing, prevent relative axial movements between the cover plate and the compressor casing and are thus subjected to tensile stresses only. Parts 25 contains the local bearing 28 for the compressor shaft.

One of the difficulties encountered when a compressor, mounted on an attachment to a. vehicle frame, must be driven from a shaft mounted on the vehicle itself, is to achieve satisfactory alignment between driving and driven shafts. In my improved construction the compresser shaft 24 extends freely through a central opening 19a in cover plate I9 and terminates Within the space between the two plates 6 and 1, as shown in Fig. 1; and means are provided accurately to locate the driving shaft, with its end extending into this same space.

It will be seen that plate 6 contains a round opening 29, smaller than opening I8 and coaxial therewith. In the space between plates 6 and 1, and extending from plate 6 around shaft 24 almost to thefiywheel 30 on the latter, is a housing 3|. This housing has an elongated hub portion 32 that extends through and is an accurate fit in opening 29. Bolts 34 secure the housing rigidly to plate 6. Here, again, the bolts act simply as tension members to prevent relative axial movements between two members secured together thereby. The long hub 32 provides a satisfactory bearing for the driving shaft 35 which is coupled to the compressor shaft, within said housing, in any suitable manner.

The two shafts are compelled to be in perfect alignment. In practice, the rear face of the tractor housing (not shown) is accurately machined with a pilot hole concentric with the driving shaft. The hub 32 extends into and fits in this pilot hole, and suitable bolts, not shown, extend into the tractor housing through bolt holes 36 in portions 3T of plate 6 that project outwardly beyond the sides of the platform proper. Since plate E is also accurately machined the bolting of the platform structure to the tractor housing is all that is needed to insure propel` alignment of the driving and driven shafts.

While I have illustrated and described with particularity only a single vform. of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to the exact details thus illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangementsthat come within the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a platform having at one end an upright structure including two transverse, parallel, vertical plates spaced apart from each other lengthwise of the platform, the inner plate containing a large round opening, a detachable cover member provided with a central hole and having a part fitted in said opening, an apparatus resting on the platform and having a driven shaft extending through said hole in the cover member, the said apparatus having a sleeve-like hub surrounding and coaxial with said shaft, a boss on the cover plate fitting into the end of the hub, the outer plate having an opening coaxial with the opening in the other plate, and a detachable device arranged in the space between said platesand having a part fitting tightly in said opening in the outer plate, said detachable device constituting a bearing for an incoming driving shaft aligned with said apparatus shaft.

2. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the outer vertical plate projects from both sides of the platform and is provided in the projecting portions with openings to receive fastenings for securing the platform to a vehicle frame.

3. In combination, a platform having at one end an upright structure including two transverse, parallel vertical plates spaced apart from each other lengthwise of the platform, the inner plate containing a large round opening, a cover plate provided with a central hole and having a part fitted in said opening, boltsholding the cover member in said opening, an apparatus resting on the platform and having a driven shaft extending through said hole in the cover member and terminating in the space between said plates, said apparatus having a sleeve-like hub surrounding and coaxial with said shaft, a boss on the cover member fitting into the end of the hub, bolts extending through the cover member into the hub, the outer of said plates containing a central openingcoaxial with that in the inner plate; and a detachable casing in the space between said plates surrounding' the protruding end of the driven shaft, having a part fitting in the opening in the outer plate and forming a bearing for supporting a driving shaft in alignment with the driven shaft.

4. A platform structure for attachment to a vehicle frame comprising a fiat-lying rigid U- shaped frame, vertical posts fixed to and rising from the free ends of the longitudinal side members of the frame, a box-like structure, including ltwo vertical, transverse plates spaced apart from each other lengthwise of said longitudinal side members welded to the latter and to the posts, the two verticalplates containing large coaxial openings, a detachable cover member having a part fitting snugly into the opening in the inner of said vertical plates and provided with means t0 interlock with a stationary part of an apparatus adapted to be supported inwardly from said inner plate and provided with a shaft to be driven, and a detachable bearing member in the space between the vertical plates for supporting an incoming driving shaft in alignment with the aforesaid shaft, said bearing device having a part fitting snugly in the opening in the outer of said vertical plates.

5. A platform structure as set forth in claim 4. wherein the outer of the two vertical plates projects beyond both sides of the platform and has, in the projecting portions, holes to receive means to fasten the platform to a support.

6. A platform structure as set forth in claim 4 having, in addition, a cross member between the side members of and remote from both ends of the frame, to support one end of a compressor, and diagonal braces fixed to said side members near said cross member and extending downwardly and longitudinally past the inner vertical plate and to the outer vertical plate.

7. A structure for mounting on a tractor an apparatus provided with a projecting driven shaft and with a stationary sleeve-like hub surroundingr the shaft, comprising a platform on which the structure is adapted to rest, a part near one end of the platform for rigidly attaching the platform to such a tractor, an upright plate rising from the platform transverse to the axis of the aforesaid shaft and to the vehicle axis near said end, said upright plate containing a large hole, and a cover plate for the hole bolted to the upright plate, said cover plate having on one side a boss seated in the aforesaid hole and having on the other side an annular boss adapted to enter the end of said sleevelike hub, the cover plate containing a hole for the reception of said shaft, and a bearing on said end of the platform registering with the hole in the cover plate to receive a driving shaft aligned with the aforesaid driven shaft.

8. A structure as set forth in claim 7, wherein the two holes are round and concentric with each other and with the annular'boss.

9. In combination, a rigid structure adapted to be attached at one end to a vehicle frame, an apparatus resting on said structure inwardly from said end and having a sleeve-like hub with a driven shaft protruding therefrom and extending toward said end, a bearing device for a driving shaft, aligned with the aforesaid shaft, mounted on said structure at said end, a transverse vertical plate rising from said structure between said apparatus and said bearing device,

said plate containing a large central opening, a cover member fitted in said opening and containing a hole through which the driven shaft extends, and a boss on the cover member fitting into the end of the hub.

10. A platform structure for attachment to a vehicle frame, comprising a flat-lying, rigid, U- shaped frame, vertical posts fixed to and rising from the free ends of the longitudinal side members of the frame, a box-like structure, including two vertical, transverse walls spaced apart from each other lengthwise of the arms of the U and welded to the latter and to the posts, said walls containing coaxial openings, means to secure to the inner of said walls a stationary member adapted to be supported on the platform inwardly from said box-like structure and having a driven shaft to project through the opening in the inner wall, and a detachable bearing member in the space within said box-like structure for supporting an incoming drive shaft in alignment with the aforesaid shaft, said bearing device having a part fitting snugly in the opening in the outer of said walls.

GEORGE L. HART.

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

, n UNITED STATES PATENTS Number