US3082889A

US3082889A - Material-handling apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3082889A
Authority: US
Current assignee: US TRUCK CRANES Inc A PA CORP
Publication date: 1963-03-26
Anticipated expiration: 1980-03-26

Description

March 26, 1963 c. w. BOPP 3,082,889

MATERIAL-HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 14, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR. C. W. BOPP ATTORNEY March 26, 1963 c. w. BOPP MATERIAL-HANDLING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 14, 1959 ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofifice V amass Patented Mar. 26, 1963 s,es2,ss9 MATERIAL-HANDLING APPARATUS Cecil W. Bopp, Waterloo, Iowa, assignor to Bopp Mfg. Inc, Waterloo, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Filed Dec. 14, 1959, Ser. No. 859,408 2 (Jlaims. (Cl. 214-75 This invention relates to material-handling apparatus and more particularly to a specialized type of universally mounted vehicle-carried apparatus for handling building material such as concrete blocks and the like.

"It has heretofore been proposed to mount a conventional fiat-bed vehicle with a mast on which is mounted a boom capable of swinging about a horizontal axis. The boom carries a lift fork for movement lengthwise of the boom and for adjustment vertically, all properly coordinated and controlled to facilitate the handling of concrete blocks used in the building industry. Apparatus of this type has been relatively commercially successful but some limitations on the use thereof have arisen because of the inability of prior structures to operate through the desired range, This is particularly evident in cases in which excavations and the like are relatively deep, or in which Walls become relatively high, because in the past the height of the mast has determined the height to which the load may be lifted, or, conversely, the depth to which the load may be lowered, as from an embankment into an excavation or hollow.

According to the present invention, apparatus of the character previously known has been considerably improved by the provision of means mounting the boom on the mast for swinging about a horizontal axis in addition to its swinging about a vertical axis. The boom is provided with power-operated means for changing its angle relative to the horizontal. This, in combination with the means whereby the lift fork is mounted for movement lengthwise of the boom renders the boom substantially universal in operation and application. The power-operated devices are preferably hydraulic and are coordinated with the other hydraulic devices that are used for the purpose of swinging the boom about its vertical axis, for moving the fork lengthwise of the boom, and for raising and lowering the fork. The invention features the provision of a simplified design enabling the conversion of existing structures to incorporate the novel swingability of the boom about a horizontal axis in combination with its swinging about a vertical axis, along with the novel functions obtained because of the movement of the fork-carrying means or trolley lengthwise of the boom.

The foregoing and other important objects and desirable features inherent in and encompassed by the invention wil become apparent as preferred embodiment thereof is disclosed, by way of example, in the ensuing description and accompanying sheets of drawings, the figures of which are described below.

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view, with portions broken away, showing a typical installation of a truckmounted loader of the character referred to.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view, with portions broken away, of the same.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a schematic diagram of a typical hydraulic circuit for controlilng the several hydraulic motors.

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view showing some of the possibilities capable of achievement by the swingable boom.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 66 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a schematic diagram of the cable and sheave arrangement for moving the fork carrying trolley.

FIGURE 9 is a schematic illustration of the cable and sheave means for adjusting the fork vertically.

In the environment chosen for illustration, the numeral 10 represents the bed of a conventional motor truck. In broken lines there are illustrated, at 12, a plurality of cubes of concrete blocks. As is known to those skilled in the art, the cube of blocks is made up of a plurality of blocks arranged in layers or tiers and conventionally handled in manufacture by known palleting means. Blocks of this nature are used in the foundations and walls of certain types of buildings.

According to one preferred installation of materialhandling apparatus, a truck such as that shown is modified by the addition thereto of load-handling means comprising, in part, a rigid supporting structure in the form of a pedestal 14 mounted on and rising from the bed 10. The pedestal comprises a central member in the form of a hollow or tubular column 16 terminating at an upper end 18 from which braces 2d extend laterally and forwardly. In the application of the structure to the truck bed, a portion of the bed is cut out, at least to the extent of providing an opening 22 with which the lower end of the column 16 is in vertical register. This enables the mounting in the column 16 of a vertical spindle or mast 24 which rises to an upper end 26 spaced above the upper end 18 of the column 16 and which has a lower end 28 provided with a sprocket 39 about which is wrapped a chain 32 that has its opposite ends connected respectively to a pair of two-way hydraulic motors 34. The motors are mounted in any suitable manner beneath the bed of the truck and are anchored thereon so that selective application of fluid pressure to the motor rotates the sprocket, and consequently the spindle 24, in opposite directions about the vertical axis of the spindle and column. The truck power plant (not shown) may drive a suitable pump P which supplies a valve V which in turn is fluid-connected to the motors 34. Any type of connection may be used. That shown is a parallel connection. For example, fluid supplied to one end of one of the motors operates to retract the piston therein and fluid exhausted from the other end is led to the opposite end of the other motor as the piston in that other motor extends, with the result that the chain 32 transmits forces capable of rotating the sprocket 3G and spindle 24. As indicated, any other form of means may be utilized for turning the spindle about its upright axis.

Suitable bearings, not important here, journal the spindle 24 in the colunm .16 so that the spindle is capable of carrying at its upper end 26 a relatively long normally horizontally positioned boom 36. In its transport position, the boom may be supported at its forward or free end by suitable structure designated generally by the numeral 38 and not important here except as representative of any form of means that could be used. When the boom is to be swung about the vertical axis of the column, along with the spindle 24, the structure 38 is, of course, released. The mounting of the rear end of the boom 3d on the upper end of the spindle 24 is best illus trated in FIGURE 3, wherein it will be seen that the upper end 26 of the spindle is reinforced by the provision thereon of suitable bearings 40 coaxial on a transverse horizontal axis, which bearings receive a transverse pivot shaft 42. In the particular arrangement shown, the boom extends rearwardly beyond the axis of the pivot shaft 42 so as to include rigidly therein a rear lever arm portion 44, and the immediate portion of the boom forwardly of the pivot shaft 42 may be regarded as another lever arm portion 4-6. These lever arm portions are appropriately interconnected with mechanism to be presently described for selectively holding the boom in its horiaosasso pivot shaft 42, as indicated in broken lines in FIGURES 1 and 5.

For this purpose, the spindle 24 has rigidly thereon anchor means including front and rear apertured cars 43 and 50. These are diametrically opposed as respects the axis of the spindle 24 and lie generally respectively below the lever arm portions 46 and 44. A first forceexerting device, in the form of a hydraulic rain or cylinder-and-piston assembly 52 is arranged between the anchor lug 4S and the lever arm portion 46, the cylinder being connected to the latter at 54 and the piston being connected to the former at 56. A second and similar device in the form of a second hydraulic ram 58 has its cylinder connected at 60 to the lever arm portion 44 and further has its piston connected at 62 to the other anchor lug i). On the basis of the position shown in full lines in FIGURE 1, it will be evident that fluid supplied to the motor 58 to contract or retract same will cause the ram to pull downwardly on the lever arm portion 44, thus swinging the boom 36 upwardly about the axis of the pivot shaft 42. To augment the action of the ram or motor 53, the ram and the other ram 52 are connected together hydraulically so that as the ram 53 is contracted, the ram 52 is expanded or extended. In the range of operations for the apparatus to which it is normally put, it is sufi'icient that the boom 36 be swingable about the axis of the shaft 42 between the horizontal position shown and any one of a plurality of upward positions. it is found that a vertical range on the order of 45-60 to the horizontal will accomplish the necessary functions and give the apparatus adequate flexibility. The schematic diagram in FIGURE 4 shows the connections of the rams S2 and 58 to a valve V, which is suitably connected to the previously described pump P. The valves V and V; are connected in the circuit so that each is independently operable apart from the other, the two valves affording control mechanisms for the two power means thus far described; namely, the means 34 and the means 52-58. In view of the fact that the horizontal position as shown in full lines in the drawing is sullicient for the boom 36, the size and stroke of the ram 52 is such that when it bottoms it determines a lower limit on movement of the boom 36. If desired, additional stops could be provided.

In the prior art, it is known to provide the boom 36, or its equivalent, with means for carrying a load-handling fork, here designated generally by the numeral 64. Such forks are customarily provided with normally horizontal tines, as at 66 here, which penetrate the apertures conventionally formed in the blocks that are cubed in the cubes 12. Since forks of the general character illustrated are known, detailed description is not needed. Sufiice it to know, however, that the fork is typically provided at its upper end with a sheave 68 which is suspended in the loop of a cable 76'. As best shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, the boom 36 is made up of a pair of inwardly facing channels which afford a track for the mounting thereon for movement lengthwise thereof of a carriage or trolley 72. This trolley is provided with small rollers 74- which ride in the track afforded by the boom 36 and is additionally provided with a pair of pulleys or sheaves 76 over which opposite runs of the cable 70 are trained. The forward run of the cable 70' may be anchored at'78 to a forward portion of the boom 36, and the other run is trained about a plurality of

sheaves

80 and 82 and ultimately anchored at 84 to a rear portion of the boom. The sheaves 8d arecarried on a common shaft, as at 86, and thesheaves 82 are carried likewise on a common sraft 88 which is in turn mounted on a yoke that is connected to a piston 90 of a hydraulic ram 92. The opposite end of the ram 92 is appropriately anchored to an outer portion of the boom 36, as at 94, and the shaft 86 for the sheaves 3t: is journaled in an appropriate bracket at 96 so that when the ram is extended and contracted, force will be applied to the cable 79 for raising and lowering the fork sheave 68 and consequently for raising and lowering the fork 64 suspended thereby. The cable and sheave arrangement affords the necessary multiplication of force to handle the relatively heavy loads encountered. During raising and lowering of the fork, the carriage or trolley 72 may remain stationary. The ram 92 may be controlled by a valve V (FIGURE 4) which, like the valves already described, is independently operative to represent a control mechanism independent of the others and controlling its own power-operated device 92.

The position of the trolley or carriage 72 lengthwise of the boom 36 is under the control of additional control means for operating a power-operated device, here a fourth hydraulic ram 93. As best seen in FIGURE 2, this ram is located intermediate the side members of the boom 36 and the cylinder of the ram is anchored to the boom in any appropriate manner, the piston of the ram is anchored to the boom and the cylinder of the ram carries a sheave 100 about which a cable 162 is trained. The anchor for the piston also includes a sheave 164 and one run of the cable is trained additionally about this sheave and is anchored at 106 to any appropriate portion of the boom (FIGURE 8). The sheave 16-!- is of the multiple type so that the cable may be trained thereabout a number of times, and the cable ultimately extends to the forward end of the boom Where it is trained about another sheave 198, thence back about the multiple sheave 1M and back to aforward anchor 110 on the boom. A portion of the cable intermediate the sheaves 10 and ltlti is fixed in any suitable manner to the carriage 72, as shown at 112. Hence, extension and retraction of the ram 98 will cause the trolley or carriage 72 to move lengthwise of the boom. It will be understood that the diamensional characteristics of the cable and sheave arrangements described for both the fork and trolley are such that the desired range of movement can be accomplished, due regard being had to the fact that FIGURES 8 and 9 are schematic. The ram 98 is under control of a valve V (FIGURE 4). Here again, the valve V is operative independently of the other valves already described.

In the use and operation of the apparatus, the mechanism may be utilized to load the cubes 12 on the bed 10 of the truck. In transport, the boom 36 is moved to its horizontal position as shown in ful llines in FIGURES 1 and 5 and is releasably retained by the boom lock 38. The fork is conventionally stored in one of the cubes by inserting its tines 66 in the lowermost tier or layer of blocks, and the cables 7t) and 102 .are tightened to an extent sufficient to retain the fork in place. When the .site is reached, the boom lock 38 is released and the control mechanism is operated to achieve the process of unloading the cubes 12 from the truck. For example, 1n a normal situation, the cable 70 may be tensioned to lift the fork-engaged cube 12 from the bed of the truck. Since the trolley motor 98 will be hydraulically locked, the trolley will be fixed in position so that the cable 70 may be operated to react about the sheaves 76 to raise and lower the fork sheave 68. When the cube is free from the truck, the motors 34 may be operated to swing the boom 36 in the appropriate direction. When the boom attains its proper position angularly about its upright axis, the application of fluid pressure to the motors 34 may be stopped, thus hydraulically locking the boom III that position. The fork motor 92 may now be hydraulically locked and the valve V operated to cause the motor 93 to move the trolley lengthwise of the boom in the desired direction. When theproper radius or reach has been attained, the fork motor 92 may be operated to raise or lower the fork, and its load of blocks, to the desired position.

In those cases Where the vertical range exceeds the length of the cable 70, the

motors

52 and 58 may be operated to tilt the boom 36 upwardly about the transverse axis of the shaft 42, thus increasing the range or reach of the .apparatus. The mounting of the boom 36 as described is more than a simple derrick, because of the movability of the carriage or trolley 72 lengthwise thereof. FIGURE 5 illustrates that the carriage may be moved completely to the rear so as to position the fork 64 in a location where it will engage the cube 12 next forwardly adjacent to the pedestal 14. The boom may then be elevated to the position shown in broken lines and the fork 64 may be run out to the end, as also shown in broken lines. In a typical derrick situation, the only way that the fork 64 could reach the cube illustrated next adjacent to the pedestal 14 would be to swing the derrick to its extreme upward position and then to allow the fork to descend. In the present case, the fork is enabled to pick up the cube in question and may thereafter move it to any desired position within the reach of the universally mounted boom.

The addition of the boom-tilting

rams

52 and 58 to the structure is extremely simple yet the functions are of substantial significance, because the over-all flexibility of the apparatus is tremendously increased. The design is such that the rams may be readily added to existing structures to convert same to the universal type boom disclosed herein. Features and advantages other than those categorically enumerated will readily occur to those versed in the art, as will many modifications and alterations in the preferred embodiments set forth, all of which may be achieved without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a motor vehicle having a load bed, mechanism for handling concrete blocks and the like, comprising: a pedestal element having means rigidly attaching same to the vehicle, said element rising from said bed as a hollow column having a terminal top end, and said bed having an opening therein in vertical register with the lower end of said element; an upright spindle element journaled in the pedestal element to turn about the axis of said column and having .a lower end below the bed and an upper end above the top end of the column; a normally horizontally positioned boom of fixed length having one end proximate to and its other end remote from the upper end of the spindle element, said proximate end including lever arm portions lengthwise thereof and rigid therewith and extending respectively to opposite sides of the spindle element; pivot means connecting said proximate end of the boom to the upper end of the spindle element on an axis transverse to the length of the boom and intermediate said lever arm portions; anchor means on the spindle element intermediate the boom and the top end of the pedestal element and including a pair of motor mounts in diametrically opposed relation at opposite sides of the spindle element to lie respectively generally below the lever arm portions; a pair of selectively expansible and contractible fluid motors connected respectively between the mounts and the respective lever arm portions; controllable fluid pressure means connected to and for selectively expanding one motor while contracting the other to tilt the boom up and down about said pivot means; first power means connected to the. lower end of the spindle element beneath the bed for turning the spindle element and boom about the axis of the spindle element; .a carriage carried by and for movement selectively back and forth lengthwise of the boom through a range of positions including one terminal position closely adjacent to the spindle and another terminal position at the remote end of the boom; second power means for moving the carriage; a loadhandling fork vertically adjustably carried by the carriage at any of said carriage positions; third power means for adjusting the fork; and first, second and third control means independent of each other and of said controllable means and operative singly and in combination with said controllable means for selectively operating the controllable means and the first, second and third power means, respectively to secure various combinations of boom tilting, spindle turning, carriage movement and fork adjustment.

2. In combination with a motor vehicle having a load bed, mechanism for handling concrete blocks and the like, comprising: a pedestal element rigidly attached to the vehicle and rising from said bed to a terminal top end; an upright spindle element journaled on the pedestal element to turn about a vertical axis .and having an upper end above the top end of the pedestal element; a normally horizontally positioned boom of fixed length having one end proximate to and its other end remote from the upper end of the spindle element, said proximate end including lever arm portions lengthwise thereof and rigid therewith and extending respectively to opposite sides of the spindle element; pivot means connecting said proximate end of the boom to the upper end of the spindle element on .an axis transverse to the length of the boo-m and intermediate said lever arm portions; anchor means on the spindle element intermediate the boom and the top end of the pedestal element and including a pair of motor mounts in diametrically opposed relation at opposite sides of the spindle element to lie respectively generally below the lever arm portions; a pair of selectively expansible and contractible fluid motors connected respectively between the mounts and the respective lever arm portions; controllable fluid pressure means connected to and for selectively expanding one motor while contracting the other to tilt the boom up and down about said pivot means; first power means connected to and for turning the spindle element about its vertical axis; a carriage carried by and for movement selectively back and forth lengthwise of the boom through a range of positions including one terminal position closely adjacent to the spindle and another terminal position at the remote end of the boom; second power means for moving the carriage; a load-handling fork vertically adjustably carried by the carriage at any of said carriage positions; third power means for adjusting the fork; and first, second and third control means independent of each other and of said controllable means and operative singly and In combination with said controllable means for selectively operating the controllable means and the first, second and third power means, respectively to secure various combinations of boom tilting, spindle turning, carriage movement and fork adjustment.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,755,939 Rush July 24, 1956 2,772,789 Hussong Dec. 4, 1956 2,858,944 Hutchinson Nov. 4, 1958 2,919,036 Raymond Dec. 29, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 298,837 Great Britain Oct. 18, 1928

Claims

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A MOTOR VEHICLE HAVING A LOAD BED, MECHANISM FOR HANDLING CONCRETE BLOCKS AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING: A PEDESTAL ELEMENT HAVING MEANS RIGIDLY ATTACHING SAME TO THE VEHICLE, SAID ELEMENT RISING FROM SAID BED AS A HOLLOW COLUMN HAVING A TERMINAL TOP END, AND SAID BED HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN IN VERTICAL REGISTER WITH THE LOWER END OF SAID ELEMENT; AN UPRIGHT SPINDLE ELEMENT JOURNALED IN THE PEDESTAL ELEMENT TO TURN ABOUT THE AXIS OF SAID COLUMN AND HAVING A LOWER END BELOW THE BED AND AN UPPER END ABOVE THE TOP END OF THE COLUMN; A NORMALLY HORIZONTALLY POSITIONED BOOM OF FIXED LENGTH HAVING ONE END PROXIMATE TO AND ITS OTHER END REMOTE FROM THE UPPER END OF THE SPINDLE ELEMENT, SAID PROXIMATE END INCLUDING LEVER ARM PORTIONS LENGTHWISE THEREOF AND RIGID THEREWITH AND EXTENDING RESPECTIVELY TO OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE SPINDLE ELEMENT; PIVOT MEANS CONNECTING SAID PROXIMATE END OF THE BOOM TO THE UPPER END OF THE SPINDLE ELEMENT ON AN AXIS TRANSVERSE TO THE LENGTH OF THE BOOM AND INTERMEDIATE SAID LEVER ARM PORTIONS; ANCHOR MEANS ON THE SPINDLE ELEMENT INTERMEDIATE THE BOOM AND THE TOP END OF THE PEDESTAL ELEMENT AND INCLUDING A PAIR OF MOTOR MOUNTS IN DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED RELATION AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE SPINDLE ELEMENT TO LIE RESPECTIVELY GENERALLY BELOW THE LEVER ARM PORTIONS; A PAIR OF SELECTIVELY EXPANSIBLE AND CONTRACTIBLE FLUID MOTORS CONNECTED RESPECTIVELY BETWEEN THE MOUNTS AND THE RESPECTIVE LEVER ARM PORTIONS; CONTROLLABLE FLUID PRESSURE MEANS CONNECTED TO AND FOR SELECTIVELY EXPANDING ONE MOTOR WHILE CONTRACTING THE OTHER TO TILT THE BOOM UP AND DOWN ABOUT SAID PIVOT MEANS; FIRST POWER MEANS CONNECTED TO THE LOWER END OF THE SPINDLE ELEMENT BENEATH THE BED FOR TURNING THE SPINDLE ELEMENT AND BOOM ABOUT THE AXIS OF THE SPINDLE ELEMENT; A CARRIAGE CARRIED BY AND FOR MOVEMENT SELECTIVELY BACK AND FORTH LENGTHWISE OF THE BOOM THROUGH A RANGE OF POSITIONS INCLUDING ONE TERMINAL POSITION CLOSELY ADJACENT TO THE SPINDLE AND ANOTHER TERMINAL POSITION AT THE REMOTE END OF THE BOOM; SECOND POWER MEANS FOR MOVING THE CARRIAGE; A LOADHANDLING FORK VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLY CARRIED BY THE CARRIAGE AT ANY OF SAID CARRIAGE POSITIONS; THIRD POWER MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE FORK; AND FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD CONTROL MEANS INDEPENDENT OF EACH OTHER AND OF SAID CONTROLLABLE MEANS AND OPERATIVELY SINGLY AND IN COMBINATION WITH SAID CONTROLLABLE MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY OPERATING THE CONTROLLABLE MEANS AND THE FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD POWER MEANS, RESPECTIVELY TO SECURE VARIOUS COMBINATIONS OF BOOM TILTING, SPINDLE TURNING, CARRIAGE MOVEMENT AND FORK ADJUSTMENT.