US3430907A

US3430907A - Tilting support apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3430907A
Application number: US610287A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard A Bruhn; Findlay E Newland
Original assignee: Chrysler Corp
Current assignee: Old Carco LLC
Priority date: 1967-01-19
Filing date: 1967-01-19
Publication date: 1969-03-04
Anticipated expiration: 1986-03-04

Description

March 1969 R. A. BRUHN ETAL 3,430,907

TILTING SUPPORT APPARATUS Filed Jan. 19, 1967 .27 '0; 1/7 VENT 3 E- 5 515 H532;

17 anwz/sf TILTING SUPPORT APPARATUS Filed Jan. 19, 1967 Sheet 2 of2 United States Patent 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Support apparatus for a material handling box, the apparatus having a generally horizontal fixed bed, a movable bed pivotally connected to one end of the fixed bed and adapted to be swung between a generally horizontal position and an inclined position. The apparatus includes interconnected braces pivotally connected to the bottom of the movable bed and engageable with fixed plates on the fixed bed for locking the movable bed in an inclined position. A tensioning finger and spring device is attached to one of the braces for pulling the braces over the fixed plates when the movable bed is inclined beyond its normal inclination.

Background of the invention This invention relates to apparatus for supporting a material handling box, and more particularly to apparatus for supporting a material handling box in either a raised or tilted position or a generally horizontal position.

Material handling boxes have many uses and one of such uses is in industrial plants for holding parts in the process of manufacture or upon which future work, such as machining or grinding for example, has to be performed. The boxes also are used for containing parts at an assembly station in an assembly line. In any event, the worker at a particular machining or assembly station reaches into the box, picks up one or more parts, and then performs whatever work or assembly operation is required. Normally, the box will be filled with the parts upon which the work is to be performed and the operator can easily pick up the parts :from the box. However, as the parts are removed the level thereof in the box goes down and the operator must reach down into the box to obtain the parts. This not only requires additional physical exertion by the operator, but increases the time required, per part, for the machining or assembly operation.

Prior attempts at reducing the time expended and the physical exertion of an operator reaching for parts have resulted in various types of apparatus. For example, some boxes have been constructed with a bottom which may be opened to dump parts onto a tray within reach of the operator. These constructions naturally required extensive alterations of a conventional box and thus were relatively expensive.

Summary of the invention Briefly, the apparatus of this invention includes a frame for supporting a material handling box, the frame including a pivotally mounted box support for supporting and moving the box between a horizontal position and a tilted position, and a releaseable lock for holding the support and box in a tilted position.

Accordingly, one of the primary objects of this invention is to provide apparatus for supporting a material handling box in a position for facilitating removal of the material therein.

Another object of this invention is to provide support 3,430,907 Patented Mar. 4, 1969 apparatus of the type described which, when supporting a material handling box in one position, permits the material to slide toward the lower end of the box so that such material may be easily reached by a workman.

A further object of this invention is to provide apparatus of the class described which is adapted to perform its intended function without requiring any alteration of material handling boxes adapted to be supported by the apparatus.

Still another object of this invention is to provide apparatus such as described which is simple and economical in construction and effective in operation.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be made apparent as the description progresses.

Description of the drawings In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possible embodiments is illustrated:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of support apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention, with a material handling box being shown supported by the apparatus in a generally horizontal position;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation similar to FIG. 1 showing the material handling box in a raised or tilted position;

FIG. 3 is an end view of FIG. 2, taken from the lefthand end of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a section taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged section taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

Like parts are indicated by corresponding reference characters throughout the several views of the drawings.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring now to the drawings, the support apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention is indicated at 1. Generally, the apparatus comprises a fixed bed 3- supported by a frame 5, a movable bed 7 pivotally connected to the fixed bed, and a releaseable lock 9 for locking the movable bed 7 in an inclined position.

Fixed bed 3 is generally rectangular in shape and comprises side members or angle irons 11 and 13 (FIG. 4) connected by welding, for example, to a front end member or angle iron 15 and a rear end member or angle iron 17. The generally vertically extending portion of front end member 15 is cut-out as indicated at 19 (FIG. 3) for a purpose to be made apparent hereinafter.

Extending between front and rear members 15 and 17 adjacent side members 11 and 13 are two

channels

21 and 23, respectively. The side flanges 25 of each channel extend downwardly from the respective base or web 27 of the channel so the web presents a fiat face at the upper edge of the channel.

Frame 5' comprises a plurality of legs 29 and a plurality of braces 31 interconnecting legs 29. A brace 33 extends between the upper ends of the front legs 29 and provides support for the front end member 15 of bed 3-.

Movable bed 7 is generally rectangular in shape and includes two side channel members 35 and 37 joined at their front and rear ends by

plates

39 and 41, respectively (FIG. 3). The side flanges of the channel members 35 and 37 extend upwardly from the webs of the channel members with forward and rearward portions of the inside flanges 43 removed as indicated at 45 and 47, respectively. A backing plate 49 extends between the rear ends of channel member 35 and 37 in a generally vertical direction and gussets 51 extend between channel members 35 and 37 and plate 49. Front and rear end channels 55 and 57, respectively, are attached to the lower sides of

plates

39 and 41 with the side flanges of the channels extending downwardly.

Movable bed 7 is pivotally connected to bed 3 by a hinge indicated at 59. The lock 9 includes a shaft 61 rotatably connected to the lower side of the webs of channel member 35 and 37 by journals 63. Arms or

braces

65 and 67 are connected to the outer ends of shaft 61 outwardly of journals 63. Latching plates 69 and 71 are secured to the upper side of webs 27 of

fixed bed channels

21 and 23. When the lower ends of

arms

65 and 67 are located behind latching plates 69 and 71, i.e., to the right of the plates 69 and 71 as viewed in FIG. 2, the arms form braces and maintain the movable bed 7 in an inclined position.

Lock 9 also includes means 73 for moving the lower ends of

arms

65 and 67 forwardly of the rearward edge of latching plates 69 and 71 when the movable bed 7 is inclined slightly more than the inclination shown in FIG. 2. Means 73 includes a plate or finger 75 to which one end of an L-shaped 'arm 77 is secured. Arm 77 has a handle portion 78 and is rotatably journaled in a bearing member 79 secured to the lower side of side member 13. One end of a tension spring 81 is connected to finger 75 at a point spaced outwardly from the arm 77. The other end of spring 81 is connected to the lower end portion of brace or arm 67. The finger 75 is rotatable from a first position (FIG. 1) wherein the distance between the points at which spring '81 is connected to finger 75 and brace 67 is less than the untensioned length of the spring to a second position (FIGS. 2 and wherein the distance between said points is greater than the untensioned length of the spring. The outer end of finger 75 is tapered as indicated at 83 to permit the spring 81 to overcenter, i.e., pass over the axis of rotation of L-shaped arm 77 and finger 75, as shown in FIG. 5, when the end portion of the finger engages front end stop member 15.

Assuming the apparatus is in the position shown in FIG. 1, without a material handling box B thereon, placement of a box on the apparatus and operation of the latter are as follows:

First a material handling box full of parts is lifted with a fork-lift truck and delivered to the support apparatus 1. The box B is then lifted up until the fork of the lift truck is horizontally aligned with the upper edge of the bed 7. The lift truck is moved forward with the fork thereof passing over the movable bed 7 and the box B is set on the bed and the fork withdrawn.

If the level of the parts in the box B is sufiiciently high, the workman may reach into the box while the latter is in a generally horizontal position to grasp the parts. However, if the level of parts in the box is low or as the level recedes as the parts are used the workman can signal a fork-lift truck driver. The fork of the lift truck is then raised until it is horizontally aligned with the cutout 19 in front end member and the forward ends of the fork are slipped through cutout 19 beneath front cha nnel 55 on movable bed 7. The fork is then raised, thereby causing the bed 7 and box B thereon to swing upwardly about hinge 59. As the bed swings upwardly the arms or

braces

65 and 67 swing downwardly relative to bed 7 so that the lower ends of the braces drag along the upper surfaces 27 of

channels

21 and 23. The untensioned length of spring 81 is such that the latter does not exert any spring biasing force on brace 67 at this time. After the lower ends of

braces

65 and 67 ride over latching plates 69 and 71, the latter prevent forward movement of the braces and the fork of the lift truck may be withdrawn. The bed 7 and box B are then in an inclined position which causes the parts in the box to slide toward the lower end thereof to be easily accessible by the workman.

After the lower ends of

braces

65 and 67 firmly engage the latching plates 69 and 71, the workman swings the L-shaped arm lever 77 and finger 75 from the position shown in FIG. 1 to the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 5. As the lever 77 is swung in this direction the spring 81 is extended and exerts a tensioning force on the lower ends of the brace 67. However, the weight of the box B maintains the lower end of the brace 67 against the edge of latching plate 71. The spring 81 passes over the axis of rotation of lever 77 before tapered portion 83 of finger 75 engages front end member 15 so that after such engagement the spring maintains the finger in such position.

When it is desired to remove the box B, the fork of a lift truck is raised until it engages the channel member of bed 7. The fork is then raised a slight amount to increase the inclination of the bed 7 and box B, thereby raising the lower ends of braces and 67 above the latching plates 69 and 71. As soon as this has occurred, spring 81 pulls the lower end of brace 67, and consequently the lower end of brace 65, forwardly of the rearward edge of latching plates 69 and 71. The fork of the lift truck may then be lowered and withdrawn. As this is done, the bed 7 and box B return to generally horizontal positions and the lower ends of

braces

65 and 67 slide forward.

As the bed 7 and box B return to these generally horizontal positions, the spring 81 shortens and the finger and lever 77 fall back to their original positions. The fork of the lift truck is then inserted between the bottom of the box B and the upper surface of the bed 7 and the box is lifted off the bed.

It will thus be seen that the support apparatus of this invention is adapted to support a material handling box in either a generally horizontal position or an inclined position for facilitating the removal of the material there- In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that the several objects and other advantages of this invention are accomplished.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact constructions shown and described, but that various Changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Support apparatus for a material handling box comprising a fixed bed, a movable bed pivotally connected to said fixed bed, said movable bed being adapted to receive a material handling box thereon, and being movable between a generally horizontal position and an inclined position, a releaseable lock means extending between said fixed bed and said movable bed for holding the latter in said inclined position, said releaseable lock means including a brace pivotally connected to said movable bed and adapted to be swung downwardly therefrom, latching means secured to said fixed bed, the lower end of said brace being engageable with said latching means for maintaining said movable bed in an inclined position, said releasable lock means further including a plate, means pivotally connecting said plate to said fixed bed, and resilient means connected between the outer end portion of said brace and said plate at a point spaced from the means pivotally connecting the plate to the fixed bed.

2. Support apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means pivotally connecting said plate to said fixed bed includes an arm having a handle thereon adapted to be rotated manually for rotating said plate from a first position wherein said resilient means is relatively untensioned to a second position wherein said resilient means is tensioned.

3. Support apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said fixed bed includes a member against which the outer end portion of said plate is engageable when said resilient means is tensioned, said resilient means holding said plate against said member when said plate is moved against said member.

4. Support apparatus for a material handling box comprising a fixed bed, a movable bed pivotally connected to said fixed bed, said movable bed being adapted to receive a material handling box thereon, and being movable between a generally horizontal position and an inclined position, a releasable lock means extending between said fixed bed and said movable bed for holding the latter in said inclined position, said releasable lock means including a shaft rotatably connected to said movable bed, brace members connected to opposite end portions of said shaft and adapted to be swung downwardly from said movable bed, said fixed bed having latching members secured thereto vertically aligned with the planes in which said braces swing, the lower ends of said braces being engageable with the edges of said latching members for maintaining said movable bed in an inclined position, said releaseable lock means further including a rigid finger, means pivotally connecting said finger to said fixed bed, and a spring connected between the outer end portion of one of said braces and said finger at a point spaced from the means pivotally connecting the finger to the fixed bed.

5. Support apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means pivotally connecting said finger to said fixed bed includes an L-shaped arm having a handle portion adapted to be rotated manually for rotating said finger from a first position wherein the distance between the points at which said spring connected to said finger and one brace is less than the untensioned length of said spring to a second position wherein the distance between said points is greater than the untensioned length of said spring.

6. Support means as set forth in claim 5 wherein said fixed bed includes a stop member against which the outer end portion of said finger is engageable when the latter is in said second position, said spring holding said outer end portion of said finger in engagement with said stop member when said finger is moved against said stop member and the lower ends of said braces are engaged with the edges of said latching members, said spring pulling the lower ends of said braces over said latching members when the inclination of said movable bed is increased over the inclination of said movable bed when the latter is in said inclined position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 343,267 6/1886 Bishop et al. 248-140 692,434 2/1902 Elliott 248-140 715,018 12/1902 Campbell 248-140 ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

FRANK DOMOTOR, Assistant Examiner.