US722166A - Truck. - Google Patents

Description

CHARLES E. TAFT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 722,166, dated March 3, 1903. Application filed October 25, 1902. Serial No. 128,792. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. TAFT,a citizen of the United States,residing at NewYork,

in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Trucks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to trucks, and is particularly designed to provide a truck which can be readily elevated and lowered.

The peculiar manner of accomplishing the result to be attained will be specifically described hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a truck constrncted in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings by numerals of reference, 1 designates a base-platform, which is supported on suitable casters 2.

The reference-numeral 3 designates a journal-oearing having a longitudinal bore, in which is mounted a rotating shaft 4, having threaded portions 5 and 6 intermediate its ends, the portions 5 and 6 being threaded in opposite directions. The shaft 4 is also journaled in bearings 7 and 8 on the respective ends of the platform. Internally-threaded blocks 9 and 10 are engaged by the threaded portions 5 and 6, respectively, of the shaft 4, so that when the shaft is rotated the blocks will move toward or away from the respective ends of the platform. These blocks are provided with oppositely-disposed flanges, which form guide arms, slidably secured in the slotted ends 11, carried by the respective sides of the base. The blocks are also provided with upwardly-projecting fingers or bearings 12, arranged in pairs and formed on the guide-arms on either side of the blocks. These fingers or bearings are arranged in pairs, and between them are pivoted the ends of the levers. The lazy-tongs are connected at their upper endsto similar bearings, carried by the oppositely-disposed flanges carried by the sliding guide- bars 14 and 15, the respective ends of which fit in the slotted guides 16 and 17. The levers 18 and 19 at the upper end of the tongs are connected to a rigid bearing 20, secured to the platform 21 between guides 16 and 17, while the levers 22 and 23 are pivotally connected to the arms 24 of the bearing 3. On the end of the shaft 4 is a lever 25, provided with an elongated slot 26, through which the shaft 4 projects. This lever carries a rigid dog or pawl 27, designed to engage the ratchet-wheel 2b.

Assuming the truck to be in a position shown in Fig. 1, suppose it is necessary to lower the platform 21. The operator can grasp the handle 25 and turn the shaft 4, so as to increase the distance between the blocks 9 and 10. Then the lever is forced down, the dog 27 can be drawn out of engagement with the teeth of the wheel 28 through the medium of the slot 26. The lever can then be caused to engage the wheel at a proper point on its periphery, so that the shaft can be further rotated, whereby the platform 21 can be lowered to rest upon the platform 1. By rotating the shaft in the opposite direction the platform can beelevated back to the position shown in Fig. 1.

It will be apparent that a truck constructed in accordance with this invention can be readily elevated or lowered as occasion may demand.

On the bearing 8 are fitted two oppositelydisposed dogs 29 and 30, which engage or can engage teeth 31 on the ratchet wheel 32, rigidly secured to the shaft 4. When the truck is adjusted to its proper position and the dogs thrown into engagement with the ratchet 32, the shaft 4 will be securely held against rotating, whereby the platform 21 will be retained in its proper relative position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- In a truck the combination of a base, a platform normally resting thereon, and a hoisting device interposed between the platform and base, a revoluble shaft carried by the base and provided with threads adapted to engage corresponding threads in the hoisting device, a ratchet-wheel on one end of the shaft, a lever provided with a longitudinal slot fitting over one end of the shaft, an integral lug or projection carried by the lever for engagement with the ratchet-wheel, the slotted portion of the lever permitting the projection to be drawn from engagement with the ratchetwheel.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES E. TAFT.

XVitnesses:

R. P. HOVEY, A. M. TIMPSON.

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