US3434612A

US3434612A - Tilting arc device having improved trolley carrier

Info

Publication number: US3434612A
Application number: US541911A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward C Schmidt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1966-03-23
Filing date: 1966-03-23
Publication date: 1969-03-25
Anticipated expiration: 1986-03-25

Description

March 25, 1969 E. c. SCHMIDT TILTING ARC DEVICE HAVING IMPROVED TROLLEY CARRIER Filed March 23. 1966 INVENTOR fpwqeo C. SCHMIDT BY 4,414 7 ATTORNEYS United States Patent OfiFice 3,434,612 Patented Mar. 25, 1969 U.S. Cl. 214-458 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tilting arc device adapted to hold and tilt a container in a vertical plane generally coinciding with the plane of the arc device, an actuator engaging the arc device for tilting the same and container held thereby, a driving mechanism for driving the actuator, the driving mechanism having a wheel rotatable on an axis generally disposed on said plane, a chain engaging the wheel for rotating the same, the chain having portions falling from the wheel on opposite sides of said plane to embrace a container held by the arc device, and guiding means carried by the arc device and slidably engaging said chain portions, respectively, for providing a bearing for the chain in side movements of the chain.

My invention relates to tilting are devices and particularly the trolley carrier portion thereof, and is of the class of United States Patents Nos. 2,399,360 and 3,100,123.

An object of my invention is to provide an improvement upon the tilting arc device of my United States Patent No. 3,100,123.

Another object is to improve the handling characteristics of such a tilting arc device, to aid in its manipulation, to permit ready revolving of the same on the vertical axis of a supporting chain or cable, to steady the tilting device and drum or container carried thereby, to provide yieldable resistance against rapid or uncontrolled tilting of the device, and to help in providing increased safety and stability for such tilting arc device.

By means of the improvement, the actuating chain pulled by the operator may be utilized not only in tilting the arc device but also for embracing the drum or container to steady the same and to enable the device with drum or container to be manipulated and laterally moved.

My invention includes means for facilitating the foregoing objects.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view in elevation of a device embodying my invention, and showing a drum clamped thereto in an upright position;

FIGURE 2 is a view somewhat similar to that of FIG- URE 1, and showing my device and the drum carried thereby in a tilted or discharging position;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view partially in section of the improved trolley carrier portion of my tilting are device, the section being taken through the line 33 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken through the line 44 of FIGURE 3.

With reference to the several views of the drawings, my device has an arcuate rail 11 made up of rail portions 19 and 20 disposed close to each other, but with a space 21 therebetween. The rail portions 19 and 20 making up the arcuate rail 11 are in the form of an are or segment of a circle generated around a center indicated by reference character 10 in FIGURE 1.

The two parallel rail portions 19 and 20 are joined at spaced intervals by the U-shaped members 22. At the one end of the rail 11, the :U-shaped member joining the portions 19 and 20 is somewhat longer and has been denoted by reference character 22A.

A boom member 12 is disposed radially inward of the curve of the rail 11 and in a plane transversing the curve of the rail as illustrated in the drawings. The boom member 12 is connected at its upper end to a U-shaped member 22 at that point and is supported and braced in rigid position relative to the rail 11 by means of brace members 15, 16, 17 and 18, which in turn are connected at their outer ends to U-shaped members 22. and the U- shaped member 22A at the upper end of the rail 11.

To provide ready means for grasping the rail 11, there is provided a handle 23 which extends outwardly from the portion 20 near the bottom thereof. Secured to the rail 11 adjacent to the bottom end, as seen in FIGURE 1 is an anchor piece 24 and threadably secured to the anchor piece 24 is an anchor bolt 25. Secured to the opposite end of the rail 11, that is near its upper end, seen in FIG- URE 1, is an anchor piece 26 and secured to the anchor piece 26 is an anchor bolt 27. 6

My device, in its preferred form, includes a sprocketchain 28, which has a plurality of links formed thereon with rollers mounted on the crosspieces. Such a sprocket chain is commonly referred to as a bicycle chain and is so adapted to be enmeshed with the teeth of a sprocket wheel or gear. One end of the sprocket chain 28, that is, the lowermost end shown in FIGURE 1, is firmly secured to the anchor piece 24 by means of the anchor bolt 25. The opposite end of the sprocket chain 28, that is, the end near the upper end of the are 11 shown in FIGURE 1, is firmly secured to the anchor piece 26 by means of the anchor bolt 27. The sprocket chain 28 is generally of the same length as the rail 11 along its length around the curve thereto. As the anchor sprocket chain 28 is secured only at its opposite ends to rail 11, it rests upon the three U- shaped members 22 intermediate of the ends of the rail 11. Thus, as seen in the drawings, the weight of the chain 28 tends to make it disposed in a series of chords to the arc of the rail 11 between its points of support thereon.

A drum or container 14 which it is desired to raise and tilt for dumping the contents thereof is secured to my device by means of a clamping mechanism attached to the member 12.

Secured to the bottom end of the boom member 12, in its position shown in FIGURE 1, is a bottom piece 30. Standing up from the bottom piece 30 is an arcuate portion 31 which fits within the chime 14A of the drum 14- at the lower end thereof. The fit of the portion 31 with the chime 14A is such as to firmly hold the drum 14 against lateral displacement relative to the boom member 12.

A rod 39 is secured to the bottom piece 30 in such a manner that the rod 30 extends upwardly therefrom. The upper portion of the rod 39 is threaded. Aligned with the bottom piece 30, at an elevation above the same, is a top piece 33. The top piece 33 has an upright portion 33A which butts against and slidably engages the boom member 12. The boom member 12 has a longitudinal slot 35 extending therealong and

bolts

36 and 36A extend through the portion 33A and through the elongated slot 35. The

' two

bolts

36 and 36A are spaced apart longitudinally of the portion 33A and both are slidably mounted within the slot 35 to move within limits therein. A plate 37 is secured by nuts on the ends of the

respective bolts

36 and 36A in such manner that the plate 37 slides upwardly and downwardly along the boom member 12 with the

bolts

36 and 36A and hence with the top member 33 secured to the

bolts

36 and 36A.

The inner edge portion 34 of the top piece 33 is in arcuate form and extends downwardly to fit within the chime 1413. At the upper end of the drum 14, the top piece 33 is moved downwardly to the position illustrated in FIGURE 1, for example, with the portion 34 disposed adjacent the inner surface of the chime 14B so as to hold the drum 14 against lateral movement relative to the boom member 12. A cross brace piece 38 secured to the boom member 12 and the rod 39 provides means for maintaining the rod 39 upright and parallel to the boom member 12.

A threaded member 41 is threadably secured to the threaded upper end of the rod 39 in such manner that rotation of the member 41 moves the member 41 along the rod 39. Extending in wing-like fashion from the thread member 41 are handles 42 provided for ready turning of the threaded member 41. It is seen that the top piece 33 is slidable upwardly and downwardly along the boom member 12 relative to the bottom piece 30. Upon raising the top piece 33 so as to insert the portion 34 inwardly of the drum 14 adjacent to the chime 14B and the portion 31 adjacent the chime 14B as illustrated in FIGURE 1, the drum 14 is confined between parts and 33 and held against displacement. By turning the threaded member 41 downwardly to the position shown in FIGURE 1, then the top piece 33 is held against sliding upwardly and the drum is firmly locked in position.

Extending outwardly from the top piece 33 and in the same arcuate shape as the portion 34 are side extensions 44. Threadably engaged in each side extension 44 is a bolt 45 having a crank handle 46 at its end remote from the drum 14. By turning the handles 46, the bolts 45 may be turned against the side of the drum 14 and thus to firmly clamp the drum 1-4 in position, that is, to hold the chime 14B against the portion 34.

The structure of the trolley carrier 13 is better illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4. The carrier 13 includes a block portion 48 made up of spaced plates welded to filler blocks and

portions

49 and 53. The tongue portion 49 welded to the block 48 extends downwardly to within the space 21 between the rail portions 19 and 20. As seen in the drawings, there are two pairs of trolley rollers carried by the tongue 49 by means of shafts 50 extending through the tongue 49 at spaced locations. One pair of trolley rollers 51 is on one shaft 50 and another pair of trolley rollers 52 is mounted on another shaft 50 carried by the tongue 49. The two pairs of rollers engage the under surface of the rail portions 19 and 20 and are confined between the downwardly extending fianges thereto. The rollers are rotatably mounted on the respective shafts so that the rollers give rolling support to the rail 11. In other words, the arcuate rail 11 may move along the are or curve of its formation while supported on the two pairs of rollers which in turn are carried by the trolley carrier.

The portion 53 welded to block 48 extends upwardly therefrom and an eye 54 is secured to the upwardly extending portion 53 by means of a bolt 55. As seen in FIGURES 1 and 2, the eye or shackle 54 is hung on a hook 56 which in turn is secured to a chain 57. Chain 57 is suspended from a hoist (not shown). Thus the trolley carrier 13 is hung in a vertical reference line from a hoist or other suitable support.

A sprocket wheel or toothed gear 59 is journaled on the block 48 by means of a shaft 61 extending through aligned openings in the block 48. The sprocket wheel 59 is held by a nut-and-bolt assembly 60 extending through the hub portion 59A of the sprocket wheel and through the shaft 61 so as to provide nonrotative engagement of the sprocket wheel 59 and the shaft 61.

Also non-rotatively mounted on shaft 61 is a worm wheel or gear 62 by means of a nut-and-bolt assembly 63 securing hub portion 62A of wheel 62 to the shaft 61. Rotation of worm wheel 62 causes simultaneous rotation of sprocket wheel 59 with the shaft 61 which is journaled in block 48.

A worm 64 is nonrotatively mounted on shaft 65 by means of nut-and-bolt assembly 66 so as to rotate therewith. The shaft 65 is also journaled on the block 48 so as to be rotatable relative thereto. The axis of shaft 65 is in a plane disposed normal to the axis of shaft 61 disposed therebelow. Worm '64 is enmeshed with the gear teeth of worm wheel 62, in the usual manner whereby rotation of worm 64 causes rotation of wheel 62, which in turn rotates shaft 61 and sprocket Wheel 59. The gear ratio between worm 64 and wheel 62 is such that shaft 61 rotates at a considerably slower speed than does shaft 65, as for example shaft 65 preferably rotates at twice, or more preferably at three times, the speed of rotation of shaft 61. Also the bearing of worm 64 on wheel 62 and the friction thereof is such that wheel 62 cannot freely rotate unless and until worm 64 is rotated, and until worm 64 is rotated it provides the effect of a drag or yieldable resistance to rotation of wheel 62.

An actuating wheel 67 of the toothed variety is secured on and in axial alignment with shaft 65 by means of set screws 68 interengaging the hub portion 67A of wheel 67 and shaft 65. The actuating wheel has a plurality of equidistantly spaced teeth protruding radially outward thereof and extending around its peripheral circumference. The teeth interengage with links of an endless chain 69 in such manner that by pulling on the chain 69 in one direction, as by seizing chain portion 69A falling from one side of wheel 67 and pulling it downwardly thereon, the wheel 67, shaft 65 and worm 64 are correspondingly rotated in one direction. Upon pulling downwardly on chain portion 69B falling from the other side of wheel 67, the wheel 67, shaft 65 and worm 64 are correspondingly rotated in an opposite direction.

Mounted on the outer or free end of shaft 65 so as to be revolvable or swingable relative thereto, and so that shaft 65 may rotate the rein on its axis, is collar 71. Extending downwardly from the collar 71 is a bifurcated arm 72. The ends of the two lower portions of arm 72 carry ring or sleeve guides 73, each of which accommodates the portion of chain 69 on that side of wheel 67. The fit of the chain in the guides 73 is such as to freely slide or move therethrough. The guides 73 maintain the chain 69 on the wheel 67 even though the chain is manually pulled or moved from below in directions which would normally tend to cause the chain to be displaced from its normal plane and around the wheel 67 and hence to become disengaged from wheel 67 It is to be noted that the axis of wheel 67 and the size and disposition of its circumference are such that roughly half of the chain, such as side portion 69A, and another roughly half of the chain, such as side portion 69B, is disposed on opposite sides of, and substantially equidistantly from, the vertical plane through the arcuate rail member 11 and through the drum 14 held on the tilting device by the clamping arrangement shown. This arrangement is such that the chain 69 embraces the tilting device and drum 14 held thereby so that chain por tion 69A may bear against one side of drum 14 and chain portion 69B may bear against the other side of drum 14.

By the axis of wheel 67 being in a plane normal to the axis of shaft 61 and by the arrangement of the wheel 67 and chain 69 as shown and described, the tilting device is manipulated and handled more easily. The drum 14 is steadied by being embraced between chain portions 69A and 69B when the operator holds the chain 69 from below. Also, the whole tilting device with the drum carried thereby may be easily revolved around the axis of the supporting chain 57 by pulling sidewards in an appropriate direction on the lower portion of chain 69. Safety, maneuverability and convenience are greatly enhanced by the arrangement shown and described. Also, the drag and yieldable resistance that is added, and the gear motion between the worm 64 and worm wheel 62, as heretofore described, add to the safety, utility and practical importance of the present improvement.

The present disclosure includes that contained in the posed in a first plane, holding means carried by the arcuate rail for holding a container within the curve of the rail at an angle to the vertical in accordance with the tilt of the rail in said first plane relative to the vertical, a trolley carrier movable along the arcuate rail in said first plane and engaging the rail to support the same upon suspension of said carrier, said carrier having a block portion disposed radially outward of the rail and in said first plane, a sprocket wheel journaled on said block portion and having its axial normal to said first plane, a sprocket-chain having its ends anchored adjacent opposite ends of said rail and enmeshed with said sprocket wheel whereby rotation of the sprocket wheel pulls on said sprocket-chain and moves the rail in said first plane relative to said block portion and tilts the rail relative to the vertical, a rotative member journaled on said block portion and having its axis disposed in a plane normal to the axis of said sprocket wheel, gear means carried by the block portion and operatively connecting the rotative member and sprocket wheel to turn the sprocket wheel upon rotation of the rotative member, said rotative member having a circumferential peripheral toothed portion in a second plane normal to said first plane and extending beyond the opposite sides of said rail in said first plane, and an actuating chain enemeshed with the peripheral toothed portion of said rotative member to rotate the same in accordance with the direction of pull on said actuating chain, said actuating chain having spaced portions extending downwardly from the rotative member on opposite sides of said rail to embrace between said spaced portions of the chain a said container carried by said rail.

2. A tilting arc device as claimed in claim 1 and in which said gear means includes a worm gear axially aligned with and rotated by the rotative member and a pinion gear enmeshed therewith an axially aligned with and rotatable in unison with said sprocket wheel.

3. A tilting arc device as claimed in claim 1 and in which the axis of said rotative member is disposed substantially in said first plane and the peripheral toothed portion thereof extends substantially equal distances from said plane, and the spaced portions of said actuating chain fall from said peripheral toothed portion substantially equidistantly from the opposite sides of said rail.

4. A tilting arc device as claimed in claim 1 and ineluding guide means carried by said carrier for slidably guiding the spaced portions of said actuating chain in moving toward and away from the rotative member and for providing a bearing against which the actuating chain may bear to move the carrier upon lateral movement of actuating chain.

5. The combination of a tilting arc member for holding a container to tilt the same in a vertical first plane relative to the vertically disposed actuating mechanism supporting and moving said are member to tilt the same in said first plane, a driving mechanism operatively engaged with said actuating mechanism for operating the same, said actuating mechanism having a first axis of rotation and said driving mechanism having a second axis of rotation, said first axis being normal to said first plane and said second axis being disposed substantially in said first plane, said driving mechanism having a controlling member pivotal on an axis aligned with said second axis, said controlling member extending substantially equally on opposite sides of said first plane whereby a downward pulling force may be applied on either side of said first plane to pivotally turn the same, and down- Wardly extending flexible elongated member engaged to said controlling member for pivotally turning the same to control the operation of said driving mechanism, said elongated member having portions disposed on opposite sides of said first plane in position to embrace therebetween a container held by the tilting arc member for stabilizing the container.

6. The combination claimed in claim 5 and including worm-and-pinion means operatively connecting said actuating mechanism and said driving mechanism.

7. The combination claimed in claim 5 and in which said controlling member has a toothed circumferential portion adapted to engage a pull chain for pivotal swinging thereof by pull on said chain, and in which said elongated member is a pull chain enmeshed. with said toothed circumferential portion.

8. The combination claimed in claim 5 and including a carrier adapted to be suspended and engaging the arc member for suspending therewith the arc member, said carrier carrying said actuating mechanism and said driving mechanism.

9. A tilting arc device as claimed in claim 1 in which said gear means include a worm gear aligned with and rotated by the rotative member and a pinion gear enmeshed therewith and axially aligned with and rotatable in unison with said sprocket wheel, and. in which the axis of said rotative member is disposed substantially in said first plane and the peripheral toothed portion thereof extends substantially equal distances from said plane, and the spaced portions of said actuating chain fall from said peripheral toothed portion substantially equidistantly from the opposite sides of said rail, and including guide means carried by said carrier for slidably guiding the spaced portions of said actuating chain in moving toward and away from the rotative member and for providing a bearing against which the actuating chain may bear to move the carrier upon lateral movement of the actuating chain.

10. The combination claimed in claim 7 and including a carrier adapted to be suspended and engaging the arc member for suspending therewith the arc member, said carrier carrying said actuating mechanism and said drivin g mechanism.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,913,276 ll/ 1959 Collings. 3,075,664 1/1963 Collings 214-658 3,100,123 8/1963 Schmidt 294-403 HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner.