US3471193A

US3471193A - Resilient support for lift magnet suspension

Info

Publication number: US3471193A
Application number: US692950A
Authority: US
Inventors: Donald J Hayes
Original assignee: DONALD J HAYES
Current assignee: DONALD J HAYES
Priority date: 1967-12-22
Filing date: 1967-12-22
Publication date: 1969-10-07
Anticipated expiration: 1986-10-07

Description

Oct. 7, 1969 D. J. HAYES 3,471,193

RESILIENT SUPPORT FOR LIFT MAGNET SUSPENSION Filed Dec. 22, 1967 INVENTOR DONALD J. HAYES Attorney United States Patent 3,471,193 RESILIENT SUPPORT FOR LIFT MAGNET SUSPENSION Donald J. Hayes, 85 Glenwood Ave., Griiiith, Ind. 47616 Filed Dec. 22, 1967, Ser. No. 692,950:

' Int. Cl. B66c 1/04 U.S. Cl. 29465.5 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates generally to materialhandling equipment and more particularly to an improved lift chain arrangement especially suitable for attaching a lift magnet to the lift hook of an overhead crane.

The lift chain assembly commonly used to attach a lift magnet to the book of an overhead crane consists of a bull ring mounted upright on a base and a plurality of lift chains each attached by one end to the bull ring base and anchored at its other end on the face of the magnet opposite its work-engaging face. When it is desired to attach the magnet to the lift hook of an overhead crane, the crane operator lowers the lift hook and manipulates the lift block of the crane in an effort to engage the bull ring with the crane hook. Prior to my invention, more often than not this operation was unsuccessful on the first try and only resulted in the upright bull ring being knocked over by the crane hook. When this happened, it was necessary for the floorman or crane follower to pick up the bull ring and manually place it on the lowered crane hook. Since the lift chain assembly, of which the bull ring was a part, was relatively heavy, manual placement of the bull ring on the crane hook frequently resulted in injury to the workman performing the task. Such manual hook-up procedure also delayed the crane for a longer time than was necessary.

It is, accordingly, the primary object of my invention to provide a novel and unique support arrangement for the lift chain assembly of a lift magnet wherein the bull ring of the lift chain assembly is resiliently supported above the non-working face of the magnet.

As a corollary to the object above, it is a more specific object of my invention to provide a support arrangement as set forth in which the bull ring is supported on a spring-loaded pedestal projecting upwardly and centrally of the non-working face of the magnet which pedestal constantly urges the bull ring away from the magnet and maintains the lift chains attached thereto taut so that the bull ring is kept in upright position.

These and other objects will become more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view partly in section of a lift magnet having the support of the invention incorporated therein; and

FIGURE 2 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line IIII of FIGURE 1, with parts removed for clarity.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, reference numeral 2 designates generally a lift magnet having a magnetic work-engaging face 4 and a non-magnetic, nonwork-engaging face 6 opposite face 4. Three upwardly pro ecting chain anchor clevises 8 are provided on the 3,471,193 Patented Oct. 7, 1969 face '6 of magnet 2 equally spaced adjacent the periphery thereof.

A plate 10, which may be integral with the face 6 of the magnet or welded thereto, is disposed centrally of the magnet face 6. A hollow tube 12 is welded in upright position on the plate 10 extending substantially normal to the face 6. A helical compresion spring 14 is seated in the tube 12 with its upper end projecting axially beyond the tube. A hollow tube 16 having an inside diameter slightly greater than the outside diameter of tube 12 is slidingly telescoped over the projecting portion of spring 14 and tube 12. A platform plate 18 is welded or otherwise rigidly attached to tube 16 spanning the end thereof remote from the tube 12.

A lift chain assembly, designated generally by reference numeral 20, including a bull ring 22 rigidly mounted in upright position on a base 24, and three lift chains 26, is provided for suspending the magnet from the lift hook 28 of an overhead crane. Each of the lift chains 26 is anchored at its lower end to a clevis 8 by means of a bolt 30 which extends through each side of the clevis and the bottom link of the chain received therebetween. The upper end of each lift chain is secured to the base 24 of the bull ring 22 by means of bolts 32. The lift chains 26 are spaced around the base 24.

The base 24 with bull ring 22 upright thereon rest on the platform plate 18. The upper portion of spring 14 bears against the underside of platform plate 18 so that the platform plate and the bull ring thereon are constantly urged upwardly of the face 6 of the magnet 2 and the lift chains 26 are maintained taut so that the bull ring may be easily engaged by the crane hook 28 solely by manipulation of the crane lift block (not shown) and hook 28 by the crane operator. If the crane hook accidently strikes the bull ring or any other part of the lift chain assembly the bull ring will remain upright due to the taut condition of the lift chains 26 and the resilient nature of the spring-loaded pedestal formed by the spring 14, the platform plate 18 and the

telescoped tubes

12 and 16.

The platform plate 18 may be of substantially a three leaf clover design, as best shown in FIGURE 2, so as to provide peripheral notches 34 for receiving the lift chains 26. It will be understood that the chain assembly may include more than three lift chains in which case the platform plate may be shaped accordingly to accommodate more than three lift chains.

When the bull ring 22 is engaged by the lift hook 28, as explained above, and the magnet is lifted, there is no jerking action on the lift chains 26 since they are maintained taut by the spring-loaded pedestal formed by the tele scoped

tubes

12 and 16 and the spring 14. As a result, the lift chains 26 have a longer service life than was possible heretofore.

It is believed that the operation of the apparatus of the invention is clearly apparent from the foregoing description, and, therefore, further elaboration thereof is not thought to be necessary.

While I have shown but one embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a lift magnet having a work-engaging face and non-workengaging face opposite thereto, and a lift chain assembly connected with said non-work-engaging face adapted to be engaged by a lift hook to lift said magnet, said lift chain assembly including an upright bull ring and a plurality of lift chains each attached by one end to said bull ring and anchored at its other end to said magnet, the improvement therewith of a spring-loaded pedestal projecting from the non-work-engaging face of said magnet substantially centrally thereof, said bull ring being disposed on and supported by said pedestal whereby said bull ring is resiliently supported and is constantly urged away from said magnet and said lift chains are maintained taut.

2. Apparatus as defined by claim 1 in which said spring-loaded pedestal includes a first hollow tube fixedly attached by one end to said non-work-engaging face of said magnet substantially centrally thereof and projecting normal thereto, a helical compression spring seated in said tube with one end projecting outwardly thereof, a second hollow tube slidably telescoped over the projecting end of said spring and said first tube, a platform rigidly attached to said second tube spanning the end thereof remote from said first tube, said bull ring being disposed on and supported by said platform, the projecting end of said spring bearing against said platform to thereby constantly urge said platform and said second tube away from said magnet.

7 References Cited I UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,529,440 11/1950 Willis 294-65.5 10 3,299,628 1/1967 Chisler 29465.5

ANDRES H. NIELSEN, Primary Examiner