US781007A - Elevating-truck. - Google Patents

Description

No. 781,007.V f PATENTED JAN. s1, 1905.

j A. KoBELT,

^ BLBVATING TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2,1904.

Witnesses v Invtor.

b 9 f Attorneys PATENTBD JAN. 31, 1905,

Wltness 7 0 'I vnventor.

l y I Httornegs A. KOBELT.

ELEVATING TRUCK. APPLIOATION FILED JIII.Y2,1901.

' PATENTED JAN. 3l, 1905.

sHBn'rs-SHBET s.

Anw-fz ff@ elim Witness l I Ventor.

l g ,f1/f l f l UNTTED STATES Patented January 31, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE;

ELEVATlNG-TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 781,007, dated January 31, 1905. Application ned my z, 1904. seria No. 215,175.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARNOLD KoBnLT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lowry City, in the county of St. Clair and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Elevating-Truck, of which the following is a speci- Iication.

This invention relates to trucks for moving baggage and the like in railroad-depots, warehouses, and other places where it is necessary to have means for the speedy and convenient transfer of more or less heavy or bulky goods.

The invention has for its object to provide a device of this class which shall possess superior advantages in point of simplicity, durability, and general efliciency.

A further object is to provide a devicev in which the platform or floor of the truck may be speedily and quickly raised or lowered to any desired position and, if required, be held or suspended in such position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a truck of the class described which shall be provided with two supporting-wheels and with a balancing-wheel at each end thereof, the construction being such that when the supporting-platform is raised or lowered the balancing-wheels shall be adjusted therewith.

With these and other ends in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention becomes better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of embodiment of the invention, it being understood, however, that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that the right is reserved to any changes, alterations, and modilications which come fairly within the scope of the invention and which may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and vsacricing any of the advantages of the same.

Irl-said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an elevating-truck `constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention,

showing the platform of said truck in an elevated position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the platform in a partly-lowered position. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View. Fig. A is a longitudinal sectional detail view. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated by similar characters of reference.

My improved truck includes in its construction a vertically-movable platform P, which comprises a frame consisting of side pieces 1 l and end pieces 2 2 and flooring 3 suitably laid upon said frame.

l designates a shaft or aXle extending transversely through and beyond the side pieces 1 lof the platform, said shaft being provided near each of its ends with a ratchet-wheel 5 and a spur-wheel 6, the spur-Wheels 6 6 being placed near the extremities of the shaft.

7 y7 designate a pair of standards or uprights, each of which is provided, upon the rear side thereof,with a rack 8, engaging one of the spur-wheels. Upon the inner sides of the upright 7 7 are secured guide-plates 9. It

will be understood that the uprights 7, racks ratchet-wheels 5 and the spur-wheels 6 andv having hook-shaped front ends 1, which einsitions.

As will be seen from the foregoing, the plat-I form Pis supported in such a manner as to be vertically adjustable with relation. to the sup- Collars or washers 14 are placed IOO porting and transporting wheels 13. Means are, however, to be provided for the purpose of adjusting the platform and also for the purpose of retaining the same in adjusted position, and these means will now be more fully described.

Pivotally mounted upon the shaft 4 between the side pieces 1 of the frame and the ratchetwheels 5 are a pair of levers 15, the free ends of which extend a short distance beyond the front end of the truck-platform and are connected by means of a handle-bar 16, whereby the levers may be operated or moved in unison. Each of the levers 15 is provided with guides 17 for the accommodation of a slidable pawl element 18, which is actuated by means of a spring 19, whereby it is automatically held in engagement with a ratchetwheel 5. The levers 15 being connected by the handle-bar, it follows that they are operated in unison and that the ratchet-wheels 5 at both ends of the shaft will be simultaneously engaged to rotate the shaft. The pawl and ratchet elements are so arrangedthat the shaft will be rotated on the downstroke of the free ends of the levers 15, while on the upstroke the pawls 18 will slide idly over the ratchets of thewheels 5. For the purpose of preventing the latter from rotating in a reverse direction dogs 20, engaging the rear sides of the ratchets, are pivotally connected with the frame in rear of the shaft 4, said dogs being actuated by springs 21 to hold them in engagement with the ratchet-wheels 5. The levers 15 15 are provided near their free ends with perforations 22, affording bearings for a rod 23, the ends of which are provided with cranks 24, connected by rods or wires with the sliding spring-actuated pawls 18. The rod or rock-shaft 23 is provided with a handle 24/, by means of which it may be actuated wlien necessary to withdraw the pawls 18 from engagement with the ratchet-wheels 5.

The sides of the frame a short distance in rear of the cross-bar 16, connecting the levers 15, are provided with bearings for a rockshaft 25', having at one end a hand-lever 26 and at its opposite end a short crank 27. Connecting rods or wires 28 connect the lever 26 and the crank 27 with the spring-actuated dogs 20, which engage reverse sides of the ratchet-wheels 5, and by raising or pulling upon the free end of the lever 26 the wires 28 will be actuated to release the dogs or pawls 20, and if at the same time the handle .24 of the rock-shaft 23 be operated the sliding pawls 18 will be released from the ratchet-wheels 5, and the platform of the truck will thus be permitted to drop to the lower ends of the uprights or standards 7.

For the purpose of regulating the rapidity of the descent of the truck-platform I provide upon the shaft 4 a friction wheel or member consisting of a drum 29, having a peripheral groove 30, with a plurality of transversely-disposed staggered lugs 30, coperating to form a rough surface. Suitably connected with a permanent part of the truckplatform is one end of a chain 31, which after being looped around the friction member 29 extends in a forward direction and is connected with a crank-arm 32, extending from the rock-shaft 25'. 1t follows that when the rock-shaft is actuated to release the springactuated dogs 2O it will simultaneously exert a degree of tension upon the chain 31, whereby the latter will be tightened upon the friction member 29 and the revolution of the shaft 4 will be retarded and regulated, so that the platform, with any load that may have been piled thereon, will be lowered at a controllable rate of speed and will not be caused to dump suddenly, with the danger of injury either to the goods piled thereon or to the truck itself. The inner sides of the side members of the truck are provided with longitudinal slots 33, affording guides for transverse shaft members l34, provided near their ends with rotatable collars 35, having fiat under sides to which are secured the upper ends of downwardly-eonverging yokes 36, provided at their lower ends with frames 37, in which the end wheels or balancing-wheels 38 are journaled. Exteriorly of the collars the shafts 34 are provided with washers 39 for the purpose of steadying the motion of the shafts 34 as the latter are adjusted in the slots The lower ends of the yoke-frames 36 are connected, by means of rods or pivoted braces 40, with the truck-platform.

The platform body, which has been described as being` composed of the flooring 3, is wider at the rear than at the front end, and the front end of said platform is provided with supporting members 42, adjustable in staples or keepers 43 for the purpose of supporting wings or extensions 44, which may be connected adjustably with the narrow part of the flooring 3 of the platform by means of hooks 45 and eyes 46.

The rear end of the platform P is preferably inclined, as shown at 47, so that it may be conveniently loaded. The side pieces of the platform are provided near their front ends with recesses or brackets 48 for the reception of the levers 15 and 26 when not in operation.

The shaft 4 is provided with a centrallydisposed cog-wheel 50, engaging oppositelydisposed racks 49, which are connected, by means of links 51, with the shafts 34. Then the shaft 4 is rotated to raise or lower the platform, it is obvious that the racks 49 will be operated to adjust the yokes 34, carrying` the balancing-wheels 38, thus sustaining the said balancing-wheels at the proper adjustment above the ground in order that the truck may be conveniently manipulated when loaded IOC IOS

and while the platform isl suspended or supported at any desired distance above the ground.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed, the operation and advantages of this invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains. It is obvious that the truck may be loaded either when` the platform is in a lowered or in an elevated position or when it is temporarily supported in a position between the two extremes. The truck may be transported upon the wheels 13 and balancing-wheels 38 while the platform is in any position, and when the point of unloading has been reached it may be raised or lowered, as may be desired. If the platform with its contents is to be raised, the frame, including the 'levers 15 andthe cross-piece 16, is simply operated with an up-and-down motion, thereby causing the shaft 4 to be rotated and moved in an upward direction by the engagement of the spur-wheels 6 with theracks 8. Should it be desired to lower the platform, the handle 24/ of the rock-shaft 23 is operated to oscillate said shaft and to cause the sliding pawl members 18 to be'withdrawn from engagement with the spur-wheels 5. The lever 26 at the end of the shaft 25 is then raised, thus causing the spring actuated dogs or pawls 2O to be thrown out of engagement with the ratchet-wheels 5; but at the same time the brake-chain 31 will be tightened Aupon the friction-drum 29, thereby checking the rotation of the shaft 4 and causing the platform with its load to be lowered gradually and slowly until it safely reaches the ground or any desired elevation,` at which it may be supported lby restoring the pawls `18 and 2O to operative engagement with the ratchetwheels. It follows as amatter of course that when the platform is raised or lowered the link-rods 40, connecting the body of the platform with the balancing wheels carrying yokes 36, will adjust said yokes so that the balancing-wheels shall be supported at the proper elevation from the ground with regard to the platform of the truck. The movement of these members is made absolutely sure and certain by the rack-bars 49 engaging the upper and lower sides of the cog-wheel 50 and having their ends connected, by means of rods 51, with the shafts 34.

As will be seen from the foregoing description, my improved elevating-truck is simply constructed, durable. easily operated, and wellv truck-platform movable with relation to said uprights, and housings secured to said platform and engaging and guiding the uprights, the rack-bars and the guide-bars.

2. In an elevating-truck, apair of uprights having axles and transporting-,wheels journaled thereon, rack-bars and guide-bars secured to said uprights, a platform, housings connected with said platform and embracing the uprights, the rack-bars and the guide-bars,

a shaft journaled transversely in the platform, spur-wheels upon said shaft engaging the rackbars upon the uprights, and means for rotating the shaft and for retaining it at any desired point of adjustment.

3. In a truck,'a vertically-adjustable platform, rotary supporting' means for the same, balancing-wheels at the ends of the truckplatform, and means for adjusting said balancing-wheels when the platform is raised or lowered.

4. In an elevating-truck, a vertically-adjustable platform, shafts longitudinally slidable in slots in the side pieces of said platform, oppositely-movable racks, connecting means between said racks and longitudinallyslidable shafts, means for simultaneously acy tuating said racks when the platform is raised or lowered, yokes suspended from the shafts and carrying balancing-wheels, and link connections between said yokes and the platform.

5. In an elevating-truck, a pair of standards having rotary supporting means and provided with rack-bars and guiding-bars, a verticallyadjustable platform, a shaft journaled in said platform and having housings engaging the standards, the rack-bars and the guide-bars, spur-wheels upon theshaft and engaging the rack-bars, ratchet-wheels upon said shaft, le-

vers journaled upon said shaft and having spring-actuated pawls engaging the ratchetwheels, a rod connecting the free ends of said levers, a rock-shaft journaled in said levers adjacent to said rod and having cranks formed thereon, and connecting means between said cranks and the spring-actuated pawls.

6. In an elevating-truck, wheel-supported uprights having racks and guide-bars, a vertically-adjustable platform, a transverse shaft in the latter yhaving spur-wheels engaging the racks of the uprights, ratchet-wheels upon said shaft, levers connected pivotally with the latter and having spring-actuated pawls engaging the ratchet-wheels and means for releasing said pawls, spring-actuated dogs engaging the reverse sides of said ratchet-wheels, and means for releasing said spring-actuated dogs and for simultaneously checking the-rotation of the shaft under the impulse of the weight of the load.

7. In an elevating-truck, wheel-supported standards having rack-bars and guide-bars, a platform having housings engaging said stand- IOO IO upon the platform and the other end of Said ehain secured to an arm extending from a rock-shaft at the front end ol the platform.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own l have hereto afixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

ARNOLD KOBELI.

fitnessesz A. L. fENENSCHWANDER, E. A. NVIDMAN.

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