US3541963A - Tow truck switching means - Google Patents

Tow truck switching means Download PDF

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Publication number
US3541963A
US3541963A US730881A US3541963DA US3541963A US 3541963 A US3541963 A US 3541963A US 730881 A US730881 A US 730881A US 3541963D A US3541963D A US 3541963DA US 3541963 A US3541963 A US 3541963A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
latch
tow
tow truck
path
signal reader
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US730881A
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English (en)
Inventor
Karl R M Karlstrom
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
FKI Industries Inc
Original Assignee
American Chain and Cable Co Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by American Chain and Cable Co Inc filed Critical American Chain and Cable Co Inc
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3541963A publication Critical patent/US3541963A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/34—Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor 
    • B65G47/46—Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor  and distributing, e.g. automatically, to desired points
    • B65G47/48—Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor  and distributing, e.g. automatically, to desired points according to bodily destination marks on either articles or load-carriers
    • B65G47/482—Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor  and distributing, e.g. automatically, to desired points according to bodily destination marks on either articles or load-carriers using exclusively mechanical transmitting means between destination marks and switching means
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B61—RAILWAYS
    • B61B—RAILWAY SYSTEMS; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B61B10/00—Power and free systems
    • B61B10/04—Power and free systems with vehicles rolling trackless on the ground

Definitions

  • a tow truck conveyor system comprising a track defined by slots in the floor including a main track portion and a branch track portion.
  • a plurality of tow trucks with tow pins extending downwardly in the slots are movable along the main track portion by a chain operating beneath the floor.
  • a switch tongue is provided at the area of juncture of the main track portion and the branch track portion. The switch tongue is operated when signal reader elements in the floor are engaged by signal members on the tow truck.
  • a simple low cost system for actuating the switch tongue in response to signals from the tow truck which system utilizes a minimum number of parts, is easy to maintain, occupies a small space vertically in the floor, and has long life.
  • FIG. l is a fragmentary plan view ofa system embodying the invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. I of a modified system showing the parts in a different position.
  • FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical view through a portion of the system.
  • FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. I on an enlarged scale with parts broken away.
  • FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 4.
  • FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the line 6-6 in FIG. 4.
  • FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 7-7 in FIG. 4.
  • the system embodying the invention comprises a-floor 10 having a slot 11 therein which defines a main track and a slot 12 intersecting the slot 11 and defining a branch track.
  • a plurality of carriers in the form of tow trucks 13 having wheels 14 are provided.
  • Each tow truck 13 includes a tow pin 15 extending downwardly through the slot 11 into engagement with a trolley or pusher 16 that is fixed to a chain 17 driven in a manner not shown.
  • a switch tongue 18 is provided at the area of juncture of the main track 11 and branch track 12 .
  • the switch tongue 18 is provided with a tube 19 which is telescoped over a fixed shaft 20 that extends between a floor plate 10a and a frame or housing 21.
  • a latch lever 22 is also fixed to the tube 19/ Latch lever 22 is yieldingly urged in a direction tending to move the switch tongue into position where itwill divert a tow pin 15 by a spring 23 that is fixed at one end to the latch lever 22 and at the other end to a support 24 fastened to the housing 21.
  • the switch tongue 18 is normally held out of the position wherein it would divert the tow pin ofa tow truck by a plurality of latches 25 which are pivoted on a shaft 26 that is fixed to the housing 21 and extends vertically.
  • Each latch 25 includes a notch 26 that engages a roller 27 on the latch lever 22.
  • the rollers 27 are rotatably mounted on a pin 28 that extends vertically upwardly from the latch lever 22 (FIG. 7).
  • Each latch 25 is urged against the roller 27 of its respective latch lever 22 by a spring 251; which is connected at one endto the latch 25 and at the other end to the housing 21.
  • each latch 25 has a signal reader element 29 associated therewith.
  • Each signal reader element is pivoted to a bracket 30 fixed to housing 21 and is adapted to swing upwardly and rearwardly to the broken line position shown in FIG. 5 through an opening 32 in the fioor plate 10a into the path of a signal member 33 on the tow truck.
  • Each signal reader element 29 is urged toward a position downwardly and forwardly within the floor by a tension spring 34 that is fixed at one end to the signal reader element 29 and at the other end to a bracket 35 on housing 21.
  • a cable C is fixed at one end to each latch 25 by a lever 36 and at the other end to its respective signal reader element 29 as at 37.
  • Each cable C is trained over a pair of pulleys 38, 39 mounted on brackets 40, 41 fixed t0 the frame 21 for rotation about vertical axes.
  • Each cable C is further trained over a pulley 42 rotatably mounted on a bracket 43.
  • a spring 36a has one end thereof connected to lever 36 and the other end thereof connected to housing 21 to take up any slack in cable C.
  • a conditioning lever 44 is pivoted about a vertical axis on a pin 45a and extends in the direction of travel of the tow trucks for swinging movement into and out of the path of the tow pin as it moves in the slot 11.
  • An idler pulley 45 for each cable C is mounted on a bracket 46 on lever 44. The reach R of each cable C between its pulleys 38, 39 extends adjacent its respective pulley 45.
  • Lever 44 is normally in the path of the tow pins 15. As a tow truck approaches and its tow pin 15 engages the lever 44. the lever is swung laterally or downwardly as viewed in FIG. 4, bringing the pulley 45 into contact with the cables and applying tension to the cables to elevate the signal reader elements 29 to the broken line position shown in FIG. 5. As the tow truck is moved further along the slot, if the signal reader elements 33 are properly positioned and correspond in position to the position of the signal elements 33 on the tow truck, the signal reader elements 29 will be engaged and swung downwardly and forwardly.
  • This movement of signal reader elements 29 applies tension to the cables C to pull the latch elements 25 out of engagement with the rollers 27 on latch lever 22 releasing the latch lever 22 to permit the spring 23 to swing the switch tongue 18 into the path of the tow pin and thereby divert the tow truck (FIG. 1). If the signal elements 33 on the tow truck are not positioned properly, for example, if only one of a plurality of signal reader elements are engaged or none is engaged, at least one of the latches 25 will remain in engagement with the latch lever '22 so that the switch tongue will not be actuated.
  • a choke system which includes choke latch 50 pivoted on the shaft 26 and having a notch therein engaging one of the rollers 27 on latch lever 22.
  • the choke latch 50 is normally held out of engagement with its respective roller by a spring 51 operating through a lever 52.
  • a tow truck is present in the branch'slot 12, its tow pin will engage a lever 52 in the slot 12 applying tension to a cable 53 trained over a pulley 54 to urge the choke lever 50 into engagement with the latch lever 22 thereby preventing the latch lever 22 from moving and, in turn, the switch tongue from moving to the diverting position.
  • Iclaim 1. The combination comprising: a track including a main track portion and a branch track portion; a carrier movable along said track; switch means at the area of juncture of the main track portion and branch track portion for diverting the carrier from the main track portion to the branch track portion;
  • At least one signal reader element movable into and out of the path of the carrier
  • signal means on the carrier operable when properly positioned to engage said signal reader element and apply further tension to said flexible element to disengage said latch means and permit said switch means to move to its other position under the action of said yielding means.
  • said switch means comprises a switch tongue pivotally mounted adjacent the area of juncture of-said main track portion and branch track portion, said latch, means including latch elements pivoted adjacent said s'witch tongue and engaging said switch tongue.
  • a floor having slots therein defining a main track portion and a branch track portion;
  • said tow truck having a tow pin extending downwardly through said slot in said floor into engagement with said conveyor;
  • switch means at the area of juncture of the main track portion and branch track portion for diverting the tow pin of the tow truck from the main track portion to the branch track portion;
  • latch means for holding said switch means in one of its two positions
  • At least one signal reader element movable upwardly into and out of the path of the tow truck
  • said flexible element being attached to said signal reader element
  • signal means on the tow truck operable when properly positioned to engage said signal reader element and apply further tension to said flexible element to disengage said latch means and permit said switch means to move to its other position under the action of said yielding means.
  • said switch means comprises a switch tongue pivotally mounted adjacent the area of juncture of said main track portion and branch track portion, said latch means including latch elements pivoted adjacent said switch tongue and engaging said switch tongue.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Branching, Merging, And Special Transfer Between Conveyors (AREA)
  • Control Of Conveyors (AREA)
US730881A 1968-05-21 1968-05-21 Tow truck switching means Expired - Lifetime US3541963A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US73088168A 1968-05-21 1968-05-21

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3541963A true US3541963A (en) 1970-11-24

Family

ID=24937164

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US730881A Expired - Lifetime US3541963A (en) 1968-05-21 1968-05-21 Tow truck switching means

Country Status (3)

Country Link
US (1) US3541963A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE1925192A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1225213A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3691959A (en) * 1971-05-05 1972-09-19 Fmc Corp Truck tow conveyor switching apparatus
US3699895A (en) * 1971-05-05 1972-10-24 Fmc Corp Truck tow conveyor switching apparatus

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE19532281A1 (de) * 1995-09-01 1997-03-06 Guehring Egon Transfersystem
GB0226408D0 (en) * 2002-11-13 2002-12-18 Johnson Matthey Plc Catalyst and process

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3691959A (en) * 1971-05-05 1972-09-19 Fmc Corp Truck tow conveyor switching apparatus
US3699895A (en) * 1971-05-05 1972-10-24 Fmc Corp Truck tow conveyor switching apparatus

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE1925192A1 (de) 1969-11-27
GB1225213A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1971-03-17

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