US3549192A

US3549192A - Article clamping and hoisting apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3549192A
Application number: US790596A
Authority: US
Inventors: Neely E Cassady
Original assignee: CASSADY BROILER CO
Current assignee: CASSADY BROILER CO
Priority date: 1969-01-13
Filing date: 1969-01-13
Publication date: 1970-12-22
Anticipated expiration: 1987-12-22

Description

United States Patent [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS [72] Inventor Neely E. Cassady Nashville, Ark.

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Att0rney-Robert Brown, Jr.

ABSTRACT: Apparatus for clamping and hoisting a plurality of substantially horizontally align characterized by a pair of opposi [54] ARTICLE CLAMPING AND HOISTING APPARATUS 6 Claims, 10 Drawing Figs.

ed articles. The apparatus is tely disposed spaced jaws for grated beam assembly and by 294/63 clamping the articles into an inte 1366c 1/10 a retractable auxiliary unit for vertically supporting the intermediate portion of the assembl ing thereof.

y during the subsequent hoist- [50] Field I I I l PATENTEUUEBZZIEWU 3549,1292

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A TTORNIY PATENTEBUEBZEJBYB 7 3549.192

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2 or 2 Eg PWM ATTORNtY ARTICLE CLAMPING AND IIOISTING APPARATUS This invention relates .to article-handling apparatus and more especially to means for simultaneously loading a plurality of prearranged objects such as poultry coops, crates, cartons, packages, and the like.

It is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus of the class described having means for integrating a plurality of load components into a substantially self-supporting beam assembly prior to the hoisting thereof, in combination with retractable means for vertically supporting theintermediate portion of the assembly during the subsequent t hoisting operation. I

It is another object of this invention to provide an article clamping and hoisting apparatus comprising a pair of pivoted clamping jaws engageable with the opposite ends of a horizontally disposed load assembly, in combination with means for maintaining the engaging jaw faces in an upwardly and outwardly divergent relationship during the clamping operation to thereby afford vertical support underneath the assembly ends when hoisting. I

It is another object of this inventionto provide an apparatus of the type described in the immediately preceding paragraph wherein means are provided for adjusting the divergency relationship during the clamping operation or cycle to thereby vary the amount of vertical support at the assembly ends.

Some of the objects of invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a top plan view of a clamping and hoisting apparatus according to my invention, with portions thereof broken away; I

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of FIG. I, with portions thereof broken away; v 7

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the left-hand end of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a sectional detail view taken along line 4-4 in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a sectional plan view taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a sectional plan view taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a transverse FIG. 2; V

FIG. 8 is a detail view similar to the left-hand portion of FIG. 2, but showing the clamping mechanism and load components in hoisting position; I

FIG. 9 is a sectional plan view similarto FIG. 5, showing means for adjusting the-divergency relationship between the clamping jaws, and

FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 10-10 in FIG. 9.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a turnhead mount of a conventional hydraulic leader. The mount 10 has framework 11 secured to the lower portion thereof which, in turn, supports assemblies 12 and 13 for engaging and supporting anassembly 14 of load components 140 such as poultry coops, crates or cartons in a manner hereinafter described in detail. 7

The assembly 12 clamps a plurality of the separate components 14a into an integrated, substantially self-supporting beam assembly 14 and, further, provides a V-type cradle or support for the opposite ends of the horizontal assembly during hoisting maneuvers. Prior to clamping, the components 140 are aligned in a horizontal row or rows, each consisting of one or more layers, after which, suitable spaced

clamping jaws

17 and 17 are lowered in substantially parallel vertical positions adjacent the opposite ends of .the rows as shown in FIG. 2, preparatory to the inward movement of the jaws toward one another to compress the components into a beam as shown in FIG. 8. Y

The parts of clamping assembly 12 are symmetrical about its vertical center line and, therefore, one side only of this assectional view taken along line 7-7 in sembly will be described in detail since the other side operates Jaw 17 comprises resilient layer 18 for engaging the lefthand end of assembly 14, a plate 19 for supporting the layer, and a bracket 20 for supporting the plate, said bracket being pivotally secured as at 21 to the lower end of depending bellcrank leg 22 of bellcrank lever 23. Lever 23 is pivotally mounted as at 24 to framework 11 and has a laterally and inwardly extending leg 25, the inner end of which is secured as at 26 to vertically disposed links 27; The upper ends of the links 27 are pivotally secured as at 28 to horizontal rocker.

lever pivot 24 from the position shown in FIG. 2 to'that shown in FIG. 8 during the clamping operation, it is necessary to provide the pivot 21 to permit the face of jaw to adjust itself against the end face of assembly 14 in a well-known manner (See US. Pat. No. 3,273,931). Nevertheless, it is of critical importance to preserve said V-shaped position of the

jaws

17 and 17, particularly, in the event the end pressure against the components 14a should occur below the

jaw pivots

21 and 21. For this purpose, a U-shaped bracket 35is positioned about the bellcrank leg 22 and has the bracket legs secured to the upper portion of jaw plate 19, thereby limiting the clockwise rotation of jaw plate 17 about its pivot 2l and also relative to the associated bellcrank leg 22. The depth of the U- shaped bracket 35 such that jaw 17 will be disposed at an angle A at the beginning of the clamping action, which angle will progressively increase thereafter.

Angles A and A1 (FIG. 8) are each measured from a vertical line 33 and, when the

parts

17, 22 and 23 are in the initial unclamping positions as shown in FIG. 2, theseangles are substantially zero. It will be noted that, prior to the occurrence of clamping engagement between jaw 17 and the end of assembly 14, the bellcrank leg 22 may rotate inwardly through the first part of angle A1 without producing any jaw angularity A. This absence of angularity A is the result of clearance'36 provided between leg 22 and bracket 35 (FIGS. 2and 5). After the inward rotation of leg 22 has taken up the clearance 36, the

angle A will increase at the same rate as angle A1. Thus, the jaw 17 will become rigidly attached'to leg 22 to maintain a progressively increasing angle A during endwise clamping pressure as leg 22 swings farther inwardly. Angle A2 is always equal to angle A, and angle A3 equal to angle A1, said angles A2 and A3 being measured from horizontal lines 34 and said angles A and A1 from vertical lines 33. Angles A2 and A3, like angles A and A1 described above, are substantially zero when the clamp assembly is in initial unclamped position as shown in FIG. 2.

The lift assembly 13 is employed for adjustably supporting the intermediate portion of the clamped load component assembly 14 at different heights relative to the assembly ends. More specifically, the assembly 13 comprises an inverted L- shaped lever 38 having upwardly and laterally disposed

legs

39 and 40 respectively, said leg 40 extending transversely of the clamping axis of

jaws

17 and 17 and being pivotally secured as at 41 to framework 11. The inner end of leg 40 has a pin 44 which fits into upright slot 45 in the lower end of portion of piston rod 46 of hydraulic cylinder 47, the upper end of the cylinder being pivotally secured um 48 to framework 11.

The lower end of upright leg 39 has pivotally secured thereto as at 51 one end of an inwardly extending lever 52, the

inner end of the lever having integral therewith a bar 53 extending substantially parallel to the clamping axis of jaws 17 and 17'. A spring perch 51a is secured to lever 52 adjacent pivot 51, said perch having the lower end of a spring 66 secured thereto as at 69, the upper end of the spring being secured to the intermediate portion of lever leg 38 as at 70.

, by previor' sl'y described spring 66.

Bar'53-slidably supports a plurality of spaced fingers 55 in a I position normal to theelamping axis of jaws 17 and 17' (FIG. 7 Theinnerend's 'of fingers 55are adapted to fit between the spaced vertical rods 56 which form the walls of 'coops" 14a and at the same time underneath the top bars 57 of the lowermost raw of coops. Fingers 55 areyieldingly urged inwardly toward said clamping axis by compressionsprings 59, one end of each the other spring end abutting the inside wall surface of bar 53. One end of a strand' 62 is connected tobar 53 as at 63 and the other endtothelower portion of pistonrod 46 as at 64, the intermediate portion'pf said strand passing over a pulley 65 I such spring abutting 'a.collar55a" integral with finger 55, and r mounted approximately midway the upper and lower ends of lever leg '39. Strand 62 -ismaintained under constant tension when assembly, 13.178 in; the bold line position shown in Pro.

tionsthereby permitting membefs 52, 52a," 53 and 55 to assome the extreme counterclockwise position relative to pivot 51 During the initial upward movement of piston rod 46 from position 'showninFlG 3, the assembly 13 rotates from the 3,- fthe piston rod 46 and the point 64Yarein lowermost'posibold-lineto thedotted line position during which the.pin 44 remains in engagenient with the upperportion of slot 45. Still farther upward nioverrient of rod'46 will elevate slot 4 while and L shape'd lever 38fremain's in the'dotted line positionflandruntilithe pinireachesthe bottom. of the slot as shown in FIG.'4;During thelattermovement of rod 46, however; the strand 62 'vvill be drawn upwardlyto thereby rotate lever52,

bar 53 and prongs 55in a clockwiseldii'ection about pivot 51 from the horizontal dotted line position totherehy elevate the i r movement'ofrod-M win rotate theentire assembly l3 bo dily iri a clocltwise directionaboutpivotil.

bellcranlt leg 22' has'moved inwardly to clamping position alongiwith jaw 17'. For this purpose amodified u-shaped osL-sanai marrow a modified construction which may b coopsto the desired higherele'vatiom when rod is elevated 7 more, position shown. in FIG. 4,. the maximum rotation of I mer'nbers52f53fand 55, has occurred. Any farther upward employed' to adjust the-amount of; clearance 36-whichvdetera miijes ztheinstant angle-A startsto accumulate and after the bracket 35'a'has a cam plate mounted therein as at'6; said plate having radially disposed" cam surfaces 5a, 5b, 5c and v5d located at progressively increasing distances from point 6. Four radiallygdisposed holes 7 ;'respe'ctiv ely corresponding to surfacesSQSb, 5c andYSd, are equidistantly spaced from point 6, and aholt8 is employed to selectively penetrate these holes sozas to hold the desired cams'urface opposite mereg 22.

[,Iheoperation of the apparatus is as follows: A hydraulic.

loader;(not shown-)attached to turnhead lll is used as a sup:

port fo rrat he' previously described assemblies duringyloadin'g maneuvers; Asthe" cage frame '11 is lowered about the unclampedc oop assembly, the'clamps 17' and '17 are posi-' tion'ed opposite the' ends of the lowerrnostrow of coopsl 4a' r.

andwith clamping'faces l8 and 18f iii-parallel vertical positionfs. The lowering of frarnework l1 and clamping assembly l-Zjs performedwhiletth'e hydraulicpist'on' rod 31 andbellgaged'positions against the assembly end in response to the incrinlr arm'sZ'S, 25"are in the lowered positions shown in FIS.2. Afterthecage frame 1'1 and assemblies 12 and 13 are rawn, positionedabout the'horizontally arranged coop ass? bly 1'4, x the cylinder 32 is activated toward up-position c: sing .thecomponents of clamp assembly/ 12 to assume the position shown in FIG 8to thereby compress the'coops 140 raise strand I into an integratedbeamlike construction, and concurrently to form a .V-shaped cradlesupport for the assembly ends with the proximate faces of jaws 17'and-l7". j

After clamping the coop assembly 14 into a horizontally. disposed V-shaped cradle, "the hydraulic cylinder 47 is ac tivated to raise piston rod 46. During the initial upward moveg; 4 ment of rod 46, the pin 44 remainsin theupp er portion of slot 45'while the lever 39 rotates by gravityfsubstantially'tq the position shown in dotted lined ,andwith the fingers s iengaging the coops 14aasshown in F1657, Additionalfupward i a movement offigiston rod v46 forthe lengthof slot 45 will then to produce cloc ltwrserotation of fingers which, in turn, elevate the intermedi'ate portion of the coop 'as'- semblyl4 to the desiredadjustedQposition v lclaimz" .s

1. Article clamping andhoisting apparatus comprising a"v means for clamping a'plurality of articles into a self-supporting hem assembly substantially aligned with a horizontal'axis,

releasable means operable independently of said first means and movable transversely of said 'axis'for vertically supporting V the intermediateportion of said clamped assembly, and hoisting means for supporting said twofirst-named means.

2. Article v clamping and hoisting apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said clamping means comprises' '-a-'"pair-of spaced arms swingablyqmounted'ifor movement 't'o'ward one anothen'a pair of oppositely disposed clamping jaws pivotally mounted'on the free ends of saidlarmsres'pectively, the proxi-' mate facesfof said jaws being engageable with the opposite means on the 'free 4. Article clamping. and hoisting in? V claim-S and further comprising means for adjus'ting said prong means and theengaged intermediate assembly portion'to dif-' ferent elevations relative to said engaged assembly ends.

5. Article clamping and hoistingrapparatus comprising means for clamping a plurality of articles into an integrated assembly substantially aligned with a horizontal axis, *means movable transversely of said axis for supporting the intermediateportion of said-assembly, and hoisting means for supportingsaid two, first-named-means, said clamping means comprising a pair: of dependingl nspaced arms swingably mounted for movement toward one another about horizontal axes respectively, a pair ofoppositelyvdisposed clamping jaws pivotally inounted on horiaontal axesatthe lower free ends of said arms respectively,- each of said jaw pivots being disposed intermediate the upper and lower ends of the associated jaw whereby the proximate faces of the jaws rotate to adjusted enitial clamping pressure, andmeans formaintaining said proximate jawfaces in upwardly and outwardly relative'divergent positions in the succeeding clamping pressure.

6. Apparatusas defined inclairn 5 and further comprising 7 means for adjusting the amplitude of jaw divergency.