US3059783A - Culvert unloader - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 23, 1962 M. ZION I 3,059,783

CULVERT UNLOADER Filed July 9, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 49 INVENTOR Moses Z/a/v m fz/&A %&

M. ZION 3,059,783

CULVERT UNLOA 4 sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 1958 -nu ll pm; O

INVENT M0355 Z I0 QRNEYJ Oct. 23, 1962 M. ZION CULVERT UNLOADER Fild July 9, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 all I WWW! INVENTOR Mum ,Z/o/v 977/441 may 9% ATTORNEYS I United States Patent Ofiice 3,059,783 Patented Oct. 23; 1962 3,059,783 CULVERT UNLOADER Moses Zion, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignor to The Lionel Corporation, New York, N .Y., a corporation of New York Filed July 9, 1958, Ser. No. 747,456 Claims. (Cl. 212-87) This invention relates in general to toys and particularly to a new and useful toy including means for automatically unloading a toy vehicle and transferring the objects unloaded to a station for subsequent loading.

In copending, co-assigned application Serial No. 683,843, filed September 13, 1957 by Richard G. Smith, now Pat. No. 2,985,982 there is disclosed and claimed a culvert loader for automatically loading toy vehicles. The present invention provides a complementary unloader for the same type of vehicle and includes means for transferring the unloaded objects to an apparatus imilar to that disclosed in the aforementioned application for subsequent loading by that mechanism. Besides providing means for unloading as well as loading objects from a vehicle, the present invention is directed to improved mechanisms for effecting such unloading.

Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide a toy device including means for unloading objects from a toy vehicle and transferring these objects to a loading station for subsequent loading on a toy vehicle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toy having means for unloading objects from a toy vehicle.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanism for operating a toy lifting and unloading device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toy culvert unloader for a model railway which is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

, In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic perspective view of a model railway culvert lifting and conveying mechanism constructed in accordance with the invention;

-FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a model railway culvert unloader station constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGS. 3 to 6 inclusive are fragmentary elevations, partly in section, of the toy culvert unloader overhead lifting and conveying apparatus for the culvert unloader indicated in FIG. 2 and showing the parts in various positions of the lifting and conveying stages of its operation;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section of a portion of the mounting platform and tape conveyor operating mechanism;

FIG. 8 is a vertical section taken on the line 88 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the magnetic pickup of the crane mechanism;

FIG. 10 is a vertical section taken on the line 1010 of FIGS. 6 and 9;

FIG. 11 is a vertical section taken on the line 1111 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 12 is a somewhat schematic side elevation of the culvert transfer platform;

FIG. 13 is a somewhat schematic side elevation of the 2 culvert unloader constructed in accordance with this invention and arranged in working cooperation with the culvert loader disclosed and claimed in copending Serial No. 683,843 referred to above, including a bridging member permitting automatic transfer from one station to the other for unloading and loading purposes;

FlG. 14 is a diagrammatic, partially exploded perspective view of the drive mechanism;

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 15-15 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 16 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 16-16 of FIG. 15; and

FIG. 17 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 17-17 of a FIG. 15.

Referring to the drawings in particular, the invention as embodied therein includes an overhead pickup crane mechanism generally designated A, a mounting platform generally designated B, operating mechanism generally designated C, a transfer station and cover generally designated D, and a toy railroad car generally designated E.

The platform B includes a recessed portion 10 providing a ramp access for a wheeled toy vehicle, or, as in this instance, providing a recess for a track structure 11 for the toy railroad car E. The railroad car E is provided with an inclined bottom 12 upon which is positioned a plurality of pipe members or culverts 14. The culverts 14 are preferably cylindrical or of a shape which will permit their rolling down the inclined bottom 12 to one end of the car E for unloading in succession at this lower end. The culverts are made of magnetic material. Any object of magnetic material which can be placed below the overhead pickup crane mechanism A on either a vehicle or a platform is suitable for transfer by the toy mechanism.

In accordance with the invention the overhead pick up crane mechanism A includes a pair of upright bridging members or poles 16 and 18 arranged at each side of the platform B adjacent one end thereof. The bridging members 16 and 18 are connected by an overhead channel-shaped beam member 20 which carries a traveling crane generally designated 22. The traveling crane 22 includes two spaced top pulleys 24 and 26 rotatably mounted on a horseshoe-shaped block member 28. The pulleys 24 and 26 move on the top face of the channelshaped beam member 20. The pulley block member 28 may be moved from side to side between the bridging members 16 and 18 in accordance with movement of a double cable or line 30. One leg or portion 31 of the double line 30 is directed around a pulley 3-2 rotatably mounted on the block member 28, and the other portion 33 is directed around a pulley 34, rotatably mounted on a block member 28 in spaced horizontal alignment with the pulley 32. The two portions 31 and 33 complete the loop of the double line 30 around a pulley 36, rotatably mounted at the upper end of a magnetic pickup generally designated 38. The arrangement is such that when there is any slack on the line 30 each leg of the line will feed around the pulleys 32, 34 and 36 to permit the magnetic pickup 38 to drop under its own weight.

In order to maintain the double line 30 under tension at all times when it is not desired to lower the magnetic pickup 38, a weighted member generally designated 40 is arranged to slide freely up and down on guides on the bridging member 16. A pulley-block tensioning line 42 is secured at its one end to the bridging member 16 (shown in FIG. 1) and is looped about a pulley 44 rotatably mounted on the weighted body 40. The tensioning line 42 extends around another pulley 46 rotatably mounted on the top of the bridging member 16, and is connected at its opposite end to the pulley block member 28. The weighted body includes two portions 47 and 48 which are bolted together and are provided with re cesses at their junctions which provide guides for engagement with the bridging member 16. The complete overhead crane pickup mechanism may be locked against movement by securing the weighted body in position on the frame member 16 by tightening a set screw to engage the screw with a portion of the bridging member 16.

In accordance with the invention, movement of the double line 30 is effected by the operating mechanism C, which comprises a pair of spaced driving sprocket drums 52 and 54 which are dependably mounted on an inverted L- shaped member 49, 55 for rotation about a vertical axis. The L-shaped member is connected at its base to the platform B and includes an overhanging top 49 which supports a pivotal sprocket drum supporting arm 51. The sprocket drum 54 is biased in a direction away from the drum 52 by a spring 57 which is anchored at one end in the top 49 and extends around the arm 51. The sprocket 52 is supported by the top 49 and is rotated by a large gear 56 which is affixed to a common shaft therewith, the gear being rotated by a smaller gear 58 affixed to a shaft 60. The shaft 60 also contains a pulley 62 around which is looped a driving cord 64 which is connected at one end to a tension spring 66 secured to the platform B. At its opposite end the driving cord 64 is secured to the end of an oscillating member 68. The member 68 is an armature oscillated by a solenoid 71 when the latter is electrically actuated from an electrical power source (not shown). Energization of the solenoid causes an initial pull on the line 64 to rotate the pulley 62, and subsequent de-energization permits slipping of the line on the pulley under the influence of the spring 66. Continued oscillation under the influence of an alternating current, for example, effects continued rotation of the pulley 62, and through the gears 58 and 56, continued rotation of the sprocket 52.

The drive means for the sprocket 52 and the associated mechanism is described in more detail in the patent application Serial No. 651,006, filed April 5, 1957, by John V. M. Digirolamo, which since matured into Patent No. 2,954,491, entitled Impulse Motor, and having a common assignee with the present application.

The sprocket 52 effects rotation of the sprocket 54 through the medium of an endless belt or tape 72 which is revolved by engagement of the teeth of the sprocket wheels with spaced openings in the tape. In the present instance, the tape is made of a Celluloid material such as movie film which is very inexpensive, but any similar belt or tape for the driving sprocket combination may be employed.

In accordance with the invention, the double line 30 extends over an upper pulley 74 rotatably mounted on the bridging member 18, and a lower pulley 76 located at the bottom of the bridging member. The double line 30 is passed through an elbow guide 77 on the platform B and is connected to an arm 78 of a pivotal member generally designated 80. The pivotal member 89 includes a portion 81 pivotally mounted on the outstanding end of a U-shaped securing bracket 82 affixed to the tape 72 (FIG. 7). Movement of the pivot member 80 toward the sprocket 52 moves the block member 28 to the left as indicated in FIG. 1 under the influence of the double line 30. When the pivot member 80 moves beyond the end of the sprocket 52 its direction is reversed and it is moved backwardly on the other side thereof in the direction toward the sprocket 54. The length of the line 30 is such that the block member 28 is moved over into close proximity to the pulley 74 at which point the pivot member 80 moves around the sprocket 52 and thence the block 28 is moved backwardly toward the opposite pulley 46 by weight 40. The beam 20 is provided with a stop 84 which extends into the path of the block member 28 and stops its lateral movement. Thereupon further movement of the pivot member 80 on the tape 72 in the direction toward the sprocket 54 effects paying out of the line 30 to cause the magnetic pickup 38 to descend.

The stop 84 is located in a position to effect lowering of the magnetic pickup 38 at a location in which it is directly above the railroad car E. The length of the tape 72 and that of the double line 30 are such that the mag netic pickup 38 is moved downwardly into contacting engagement with a culvert 14. Further movement of the tape 72 brings the pivot around the sprocket 54 and effects first elevation of the pickup 38 and then movement of the block 28 in a direction toward the frame member 18. Movement of the pickup with the magnetically held culvert in the direction toward the frame 18 is continued until the culvert strikes the side wall 86 of the combination transfer station and cover D. The top of the side wall 86 is above the bottom of the culvert but below the bottom level of the pickup 38. Continued movement of the pickup toward the frame 18 effects stripping of the culvert 14 from the pickup by the side wall 86.

The transfer station and cover D includes an upper platform 88 having an inclined floor 90 and a lower platform 92 having an inclined floor 94 (FIG. 12). Each culvert 14 which is stripped from the magnetic pickup 38 is deposited on the inclined floor 90 and it rolls by gravity down the floor 90 and drops to the inclined floor 94 and rolls to the far end thereof.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows: In FIG. 1 the pickup member 38 is indicated in the position it assumes after it has been reciprocated downwardly to pick up an article from the train E and then is moved upwardly as the line 30 is pulled by the member 80 in a direction away from the pulley 46. It can be seen that the weight 40 urges the crane member 22 in a direction toward the pulley 46. Since the sprockets 52 and 54 are rotatably supported from above, each depending from the top 49, of the inverted L-shaped member 55 the member 80 is free to move around with the belt 72 through an elongated ovate path. As the member 80 moves in the direction of the arrow indicated in FIG. 1 it pulls the line 30 in a direction away from the pulley 46 and pulls the crane member 22 along therewith. Just before the member 80 comes abreast of the sprocket 52 the culvert or pipe 14 contacts the abutment 86 and is stripped from pickup member 38. Thereafter the member 80 rotates around the sprocket 52 and commences movement in a return direction toward the sprocket 54. This permits feeding of the line 30 in a direction toward the pulley 46 and movement of the crane member 22 in the same direction under the influence of the weight 40. When the crane member contacts the stationary stop 84 (best seen in FIG. 3) the line 30 continues to pay out, and since it is looped around the pulley 36 of the pickup member 38, it causes the pickup member 38 to descend and move into engagement with another one of the pipes 14. The length of the tape 72 is such that the member 80 rounds the sprocket 54 just as the pickup member comes into full engagement with the pipe 14. Thereupon the member 80 starts off in the direction indicated in FIG. 1 and causes the line 30 to move away from the pulley 46 and to raise the pickup member to the position indicated in FIG. 1.

In accordance with one feature of the invention, the transfer station and cover D may be positioned to connect to a similar transfer station and cover of a culvert loader 96 (FIG. 13). This culvert loader is generally similar to that indicated and described in the abovementioned copending application Serial No. 683,843, filed September 13, 1957, by Richard G. Smith. To facilitate interconnecting the loader and the unloader a bridging member 98 is provided which interconnects the end of the inclined floor 90 with an inclined floor 99 of the loader 96 bypassing the inclined floor 94. Thus, culverts deposited on the inclined floor 90 will roll downwardly to the end of the inclined floor 99 of the culvert loader 96 to a position for alignment with a loader mechanism to load them onto a vehicle. Thus, the invention permits continuous "loading and unloading of the culverts entirely automatically and without touching them at all by hand.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the invention principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise Without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. An unloader for a toy vehicle or the like comprising a crane supporting frame, a crane member laterally movable above said vehicle on said frame, an object engaging pickup member including an upstanding pulley portion, a line connected at its one end to said crane member and looped around said pulley portion of said pickup member, said line being adapted to draw said crane member from the loading to the unloading point, means connected to the opposite end of said line for moving said line to and fro, means for urging said crane member from the unloading to the loading point, means along said frame to stop said crane member, said moving means being effective to feed said line in a direction toward said stop means to lower said pickup member from said crane member, substantially in the region of the loading point, after said crane member contacts said stop means.

2. An unloader comprising an overhead beam, a crane member movable along said beam, means to urge said crane member along said beam in the direction of the loading point, an endless belt, means for moving continuously said belt, and line means connecting said crane member and said belt, adapted to move said crane member toward the unloading point against said urging means when said line means is moved by said belt in one direction and to permit said crane member to be moved toward the loading point under the influence of said urging means When said line means is paid out by said belt in the opposite direction.

3. An unloader according to claim 2, including a pickup member having a pulley rotatable therein and wherein said line means includes a line operatively engaging said crane member and looped around said pulley.

4. A toy train unloading device comprising, in combination, a loading platform, an unloading station on one side of said platform, a trackway mounted on said platform, overhead train conveyor means supported above said trackway and movable laterally in respect thereto, means for moving said conveyor means between said trackway and said unloading station, an object engaging pickup member connected to said conveyor means, a stop positioned in the path of travel of said conveyor means, means for reciprocating said pickup member up and down over said trackway upon contact of said conveyor means with said stop, whereby to pick up an object from a car positioned on said trackway, abutment means in the path of movement of said object to strip said object from said pickup member for unloading said object upon movement of said conveyor means to said unloading station, and an inclined platform on said unloading station on which said object is deposited by said pickup member for rolling movement therealong under the influence of gravity.

5. A combination loading and unloading station for a toy train or the like comprising a frame, an overhead crane member connected to said frame and laterally movable above said train, an object engaging pickup member connected to said crane member, means for moving said crane member to and fro, stop means in the path of travel of said crane member above said train, means for lowering said pickup member when said stop means contacts said crane member and when said crane member is aligned above said train, an unloading station, means on said unloading station to strip an object from said pickup member when said crane member is moved adjacent thereto, a loading station, and inclined means connecting said unloading station with said loading station.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,490,235 Smith Apr. 15, 1924 1,745,276 Sherwood Jan. 28, 1930 2,453,082 Allard Nov. 2, 1948 2,829,780 Boor Apr. 8, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 504,674 Germany Aug. 8, 1930

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