US2662792A

US2662792A - Material-handling apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2662792A
Application number: US184073A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles W Ruth
Original assignee: Western Electric Co Inc
Current assignee: AT&T Corp
Priority date: 1950-09-09
Filing date: 1950-09-09
Publication date: 1953-12-15
Anticipated expiration: 1970-12-15

Description

Dec. 15, 1953 Filed sept. 9, 195o C. W. RUTH MATERIAL-HANDLING APPARATUS 2 Shees-Sheet l /NVENroR C. W RU TH ATTORNEY Dec. l5, 1953 c. w. RUTH MATERIAL-HANDLING APPARATUS n N E l /NVENroR c. w RU TH @Y Arron/ver 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 III Filed Sept. 9, 1950 Patented Dec. 15, 1953 UNITED PATENT F ICE f `MATERIALHANDLING .APPARATUS l `Charles W. Ruth, Baltimore, .Md., assigznor 'to 'WesternElectric Company, Incorporated, New York, .N. Y., a, corporation-of :New York Applicationseptember 9, 1950, Serial-No. 184:07-3

l .8 Claims. (Cl. 294-103) This invention relates to material-.handling apparatus, and more particularly to Zg-rapples for engaging and lifting solid materials of `various sizes.

There are innumerable instances in industry where solidimaterials are stacked in storagafand it is .necessary for this material to :be picked up .by some such agency as a .traveling crane to be transported to and deposited at some point .of .use or consumption. Thus, to give ya particular illustration, in the manufacture of electrical cablescovered with anextruded lead or lead alloy sheath, one or more kettlesmay be located near a .plurality of extrusion presses for melting rand supplying molten metal yto the presses. The metal to .be vmelted will ordinarily be `stored in .the form of pigs at a nearby point, and will be transported in .batches .by a traveling `.crane .and a conveyer, vas required, from that point to the several kettles.

yAn object of .this invention is to yprovide .new and improved material-.handling apparatus.

vA further objectof the invention is to ,provide new and improved grapples for handling articles of various sizes.

Another object vof the invention is to .provide arsimply constructed, sturdy-andreliable grapple which may be used .in conjunction with .a hoist .or Acrane for engaging andlifting articles, such .as -pigsof metal, `particularly wheresuch pigs of metal may be used .indifferent standardsizesfor different operations.

With these .and other objects in view, an apparatus illustrating certain features of .the 2in.- vention may -comprise a, .pa'ir of relatively movable jaws, means for lifting `Said jaws and means actuated by .the lifting `means for imparting straight-line reciprocatory movement to .open and close the jaws.

Other objects and features of the invention ,clearly aappear from the .following detailed :description ,of .an..apparatus :forming .specific embodiments thereof, when .read in `conjunction .with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is :a side elevation `view .of a pig metal .grapple constructedin accordance .with .the in.-` Vvention and shown .secured .to a ytraveling rcrane ainder operating conditions; f

Fig. .2 .is na .plan elevation view lof .the .grapple .illustrated .in Eig. 1, .with .portionsof the .guide- Ways .broken away;

Fig. .13 y.is .a .verticalsectional .view taken along the :lines .3 3 .of Fig. 2, vlooking linthe ,direction .of the arrows; l

Fig. 4 a .sectional view .corresponding with .-Fig..? but withthegrapplejaws .securedin open positions;

A Figrv isa perspective .view ofthe grapple illustrated in Fig. v2, with .a .portion .o`f`, a 4guide.way brokenaway, .and y Eig. .6 .is a .cross-.sectional view corresponding withLFig. 4, .of an .alternate embodiment of 'the device.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. 1, .agr-apple I0 is adapted `to be secured to a traveling electric 4hoist Il and its .depending .pulley l2, which .travel on anofver# head transverse-track :I3 and a pairof longituf ,dinal -tracks |4|,4. .A switch l5., .which isse- .cured toadepending cable I6, permits an oper- .ator to control the electric hoist Il in .a `convenient manner. Metal .pigs Il-ll may be stored at a depot .I8 from which they may .be taken in `a batch la, .elevated and placed .upon .a conveyor 2:0 for transportation to .a melting kettle (not shown).

The embodiment of the grappleillustrated Figs. 2 through 5, includes a pair of .parallel frame members Zl-.ZI having U-.shaped ,guide- Ways 2,2-22 for receivingia pair of .rollers '.,2'3-23 which are adapted to rotate .on the` extremities of .a transversely reciprocable shaft .23. An elongated L-shaped lfixed 4jaw 2.5 fis .secured to `and dependent .from one .endof the frame Vmemrbers .'2.|--2I, .and a .cooperating elongated L- shaped movable 'jaw 26 Ais dependent from and .is secured tothe shaft `2li .by a plurality of supporting members 21-21.. A 'metal lifting ring .28, which isadapted to be engaged'by the pulley l2 of the .electric hoist I l, is associated with 'the xed jaw 25 and the .movable vjawZt by a toggle mechanism comprising a 'first lpair of .angular linking arms 2'9--19 -and a second pair of angular linking arms 3-31, each of which is ,"journaled upon a .shaft 31 which serves asa pivot point for the toggle mechanism and is secured to the metal ring 28 by a'bra'cket 32 and a pair of nuts 33.-33. vThe second pair of linking arms ,30-30 are journaled yupon 'the shaft 24, .andthe first Ipair of linking arms 2'9-29 arejournaled .upon a `fixed .shaft 34 secured .to the parallel frame members 2'l--2`l at points 3 5-'35. "The fixed .shaft .34 also cooperates witha cross-'bar 36 located at the opposite end of vthe'framemembers 21-21 to secure rthe .frame members Z1-H in spaced parallel relation.

Other structural features of the device are designed-to .control the movements o'f .the ,movable jaw 2E. .A pair of .triangular stops 3.1-31 .are adapted to bear against the .lower surfaces of .the frame .members -2I-2.l to nullify any tenfd- .ency of the movable jaw "26 to rotate .in 1.a, counterclockwise `direction when the grapple is carrying a load. In an analogous manner, 'the ends of a .shaft .38,.which extend through and is secured to the supporting .members .Z1-'2.1, travel Within the guideways y-2222 and .thus compensate for any tendency -;of Athe jaw .to rotate in clockwise direction. f

The movable `jaw 22:5 may be secured yin an extended, open jaw position -at :lits end :of fthe 'frame members "2l- '21, .by .a .latch mechanism comprising a pair of arms 39-439 havingia pair of hooks 40-40 which are adapted to iengage the "shaft 24, whicheissecuredltothe =jaw J26. 'The latch arms 39-39 are secured to each other by a latch bar 4|, and the entire latch mechanism is pivotally secured to the frame cross-bar 36 by a shaft 42 which is journaled within a plurality of trunnions 43--43 secured to the crossbar 36. A guide-bar 44, which is secured to the ends of the frame members 2 |-2| just above the cross-bar 36, is provided to assist the operator in grasping the latch-bar 4| and to assist in controlling horizontal movements of the grapple when it is in an elevated position.

Operation In the operation of the device, the grapple I may be used to transfer the batch I9 of metal pigs from the storage depot |8 of such pigs ll-I'I onto the conveyor 20 for transportation to a melting kettle (not shown), which supplies a cable sheathing press (not shown), as is illustrated in Fig. 1. As the electric hoist lowers the grapple I0 over the metal pigs |1|`| in the storage depot I6 preparatory to picking up a load, the fixed jaw and the movable jaw 26 will normally be secured in an extended open jaw portion, as is illustrated in Fig. 4. In this position, the rollers 23-23 will have traveled in the guideways 22-22 of the frame members 2|-2| until the jaw 26 and its associated shaft 24 are at the extremities of the frame members 2|-2|, where the shaft 24 has become engaged by the latch hooks 40-40.

The electric hoist and the guide-bar 44 are then employed to position the grapple I0 over the top layer of the metal pigs I'-I'i with the fixed jaw 25 engaging the lips of the pigs I'|-|`|. To close the

jaws

25 and 26 upon the metal pigs |l'-I'|, the operator pulls the latchbar 4| toward the guide-bar 44 causing the latch hooks 40-40 to become detached from the transversely reciprocable shaft 24 thus releasing the movable jaw 26, after which the operator actuates the electric hoist II. As the hoist elevates the pulley I2, the

jaws

25 and 26 are drawn together` by the toggle action of the angular linking arms 29-29 and 30-30 pivoting upon the shaft 3|, whereby the movable J'aw 26 travels toward the fixed jaw 25 with a straight line motion which is controlled by the rollers 23 of the reciprocable shaft 24 traversing the guideways 22-22 0f frame members 2|-2|, un-

til the

jaws

25 and 26 assume the closed and loaded position illustrated in Fig. 3.

In releasing a load, it is merely necessary to actuate the electric hoist to lower the pulley I2 until the load, such as a batch I9 of metal pigs |l'-|'| is resting upon a solid surface, such as the conveyor 26. As the frame members 2|-2I are thus supported, continued downward motion of the metal ring 28 will automatically cause the

jaws

25 and 26 to open by the toggle action of the angular linking arms Z6- 29 and 30-30, which pivot upon the shaft 3|. Since the pair of the linking arms 29-29 is journaled upon the fixed shaft 34 at one extremity of the frame members 2|-2| and the pair .of linking arms 30-30 is journaled upon the transversely reciprocable shaft 24, which is secured to the movable jaw 26, the jaw 26 will be urged toward the opposite extremity of the frame members 2|-2|, being guided by the rollers 23-23 on the ends of the shaft 24 traveling within the guideways 22-22, until the shaft 24 passes under the latch arms 39-39 and becomes engaged by the latch hooks 40-40. The operator completes the releasing operation by applying a horizontal force to the guide-bar 44 to move the fixed jaw 25 away from the lips of the metal pigs.

Operation of alternate embodiment In the operation of the alternative embodiment of the device, after the hook members |40 and |49 have released the shafts |24 and |34, the jaws |25 and |26 may be drawn toward each other by the toggle action of the lifting ring |28 and the pivoted linking arms |29 and |30, the movement of the jaws |25 and |26 being limited to a straight-line by the guideway |22. The toggle mechanism acts upon both movable jaws, instead of upon one movable jaw and the frame as in the case of the preferred embodiment of the device. It is readily apparent that the operation of the alternative form of the device having both jaws movable, is in otherrespects substantially the same as the operation of the preferred embodiment of the invention wherein one of the jaws is fixed.

The advantages of the grapples herein disclosed are manifest upon consideration of their ease of operation and simplicity of construction. The straight-line reciprocatory type action of the gripping jaws is particularly suitable for use in engaging slab-like objects of varying lengths, such as pigs of metal. Moreover, during such straight-line motion the lips of the grinning ,iaws remain constantly parallel to each other. It is evident that such parallel relationship assures a positive gripping action when metal pigs are handled, without the danger of having loads slip from the jaws, which is attendant in using a grapple in which one or both jaws pivot during an arcuate opening and closing motion.

What is claimed is:

1. A grapple comprising a frame, a fixed jaw and a cooperating movable jaw mounted on said frame, means mounted on the frame for guiding the movable jaw in a straight-line reciprocatory motion toward and away from the stationary jaw, lifting means located above the frame, and toggle means secured to the lifting means for actuating the movable jaw comprising a first link and a second link mutually pivotally secured to the lifting means, said first link also being secured pivotally and directly to the frame and said second linking means also being secured pivotally and directly to the movable iaw. whereby actuation of the lifting means imparts relative straight-line motion to the movable jaw to open and close the iaws.

2. A grapple comprising a frame, a fixed jaw and a movable jaw mounted on said frame, means mounted on the frame for guiding the movable jaw in a straight-line reciprocatory motion toward and away from the stationary jaw, means mounted on the movable jaw for maintaining said movable jaw at a constant angle with resnect to the xed jaw, lifting means located above the frame, and a pair of links connected pivotally together to the lifting means. the free ends of the links being pivotally connected directly to the frame and the movable jaw.

3. A grapple comprising a frame, a xed jaw and a cooperating movable .iaw mounted on said frame, means mounted on the frame for guiding the movable jaw in a straight-line reciprocatory motion toward and away from the xed jaw, means mounted on the movable jaw for maintaining said movable jaw at a constant angle with respect to the xed jaw, lifting means located above the frame, toggle means secured to the lifting means for actuating the movable jaw comprising a rst and a second link mutually pivotally secured to the lifting means, said i-lrst link also being pivotally and directly secured to the frame and said second link also beiner pivotally and directly secured to the movable jaw whereby actuation of the lifting means imparts relative straight-line motion to open and close the jaws, and means mounted on the frame for securing the jaws in an open position.

4. A grapple comprising a pair of spaced parallel frame members, an elongated L-shaped xed jaw secured to one end of said frame members, a cooperating elongated L-shaped relatively movable jaw mounted on the frame members, means mounted on the frame members for guiding the movement of the movable jaw in a straight-line reciprocatory motion toward and away from the fixed jaw, means carried with the movable jaw for maintaining the movable jaw at a constant angle with respect to the fixed jaw, lifting means positioned above the frame members, linkage means secured to the lifting means for actuating the movable jaw comprising a rst and a second link mutually pivotally secured to the lifting means, said rst link also being pivotally and directly secured to the frame and said second link also being pivotally and directly secured to the movable jaw whereby actuation of the lifting means imparts relative straight-line motion to open and close the jaws, and a latch pivotally secured to one end of said frame members for retaining the movable jaw in an open position.

5. A grapple, which comprises a pair of channels, means securing the channels rigidly in parallel positions, an L-shaped jaw depending from the channels in a position extending transversely to the channels and secured against pivotal movement with respect to the channels, a pair of carriages mounted for movement along the channels, a second jaw secured to the carriages, a clevis,-a link pivotally secured at one end with respect to the first-mentioned jaw and pivotally secured at the other end to the clevis, and a second link pivotally secured at one end directly to the second-mentioned jaw and pivotally secured at the other end directly to the clevis and the other link.

6. A grappling device, which comprises a guideway, a jaw mounted on the guideway, a second jaw mounted slidably on the guideway toward and away from the first-mentioned jaw, means secured to the jaws preventing pivotal movement between the jaws and the guideway, a. link secured pivotally at one end to the rstmentioned jaw, a second link secured pivotally at one end to the second-mentioned jaw, and hoisting means securing the other ends of the links pivotally together to form a linkage therewith.

7. A grappling device, which comprises a guideway, a jaw xed rigidly to the guideway at one end thereof, a second jaw mounted slidably on the guideway toward and away from the firstmentioned jaw, means secured to the second jaw preventing pivotal movement between the second jaw and the guideway, a link secured pivotally at one end to the guideway, a second link secured pivotally at one end to the second jaw, and hoisting means securing the other ends of the links pivotally together to form a linkage therewith.

8. A grapple, which comprises a pair of channels, means securing the channels rigidly in parallel, oppositely facing positions, an L-shaped jaw depending from the channels. in a position extending transversely to the channels and secured rigidly to the channels, a pair of carriages mounted for movement along the channels, a second jaw secured to the carriages, a clevis, a link secured at one end pivotally with respect to the inst-mentioned jaw and secured pivotally at the other end to the clevis, and a second link secured at one end pivotally to the second-mentioned jaw and secured at the other end pivotally to the clevis and the other link.

CHARLES W. RUTH.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 642,796 Jones Feb. 6, 1900 1,677,874 Smith July 17, 1928 1,733,084 Schmidt et al Oct. 22, 1929 1,717,006 Cartwright June 11, 1929 2,337,178 Breslav Dec. 21, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 196,162 Germany Mar. 7. 1908 679,790 Germany Aug. 12, 1939