WO2005071167A1

WO2005071167A1 - Device and method for picking up a pylon

Info

Publication number: WO2005071167A1
Application number: PCT/NL2005/000058
Authority: WO
Inventors: Theodorus Carolus Joseph Simons; Richard Keijser
Original assignee: Simons Theodorus Carolus Josep; Richard Keijser
Priority date: 2004-01-27
Filing date: 2005-01-26
Publication date: 2005-08-04
Also published as: NL1025330C2

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device (1) for picking up a pylon (2) placed, in particular, on a road, the device (1) comprising: - a hold (3) for storing one or more pylons (2); - a lifting arm (4) for removing a pylon (2) from the road surface (5), the lifting arm (4) being provided with a pylon gripper (6); - a conveying device (8) for conveying a pylon (2) between the hold (3) and the lifting arm (4); it being possible for the pylon gripper (6) on the lifting arm (4) to grip the pylon (2) from the inside of the pylon (2). Preferably, the pylon gripper (6) comprises an expansion member (7) which, during use, can expand against the inner wall of a pylon (2) .

Description

Short title: Device and method for picking up a pylon The present invention relates to a device for picking up a pylon, in particular on a road. A device of this type is known in practice and is used for automatically placing and removing pylons, for example in case roadworks need to be carried out or a section of the road needs to be closed off in the case of an accident. Employing such a device ensures that the individuals involved are not at risk from passing traffic when placing or removing pylons. One drawback of the known devices is that the pylons are gripped on their outer side, for example by clamping the flange present at the bottom of the pylon. As the pylons may become soiled with, for example, oil or dirt during use, it cannot be ensured that the pylon is gripped securely. The risk of such problems is higher after precipitation, which leads to the exterior of the pylons being wet and therefore slippery. A further problem with the known devices is that they are usually very dimensionally sensitive, that is to say they are generally only suitable for pylons of specific dimensions. Thus, using pylons with different flange dimensions usually leads to severe problems with the known devices. It is an object of the invention to overcome one or more of the abovementioned problems . To this end, the present invention provides a device for picking up a pylon, in particular on a road, said device comprising: - a hold for storing one or more pylons; - a lifting arm for removing a pylon from a road surface, the lifting arm being provided with a pylon gripper; - a conveying device for conveying a pylon between the hold and the lifting arm; it being possible for the pylon gripper on the lifting arm to grip the pylon from the inside of the pylon. One particular advantage of the device according to the present invention is that the pylons can be gripped in a very secure manner, even if the outside of the pylon has become slippery as a result of the precipitation or dirt present thereon . A further advantage of the device according to the present invention is that pylons of different dimensions can also be gripped with one and the same device. Generally, the device according to the invention is designed in the form of a displaceable vehicle onto which a hold for pylons is placed. It will be clear that the hold can be designed in many different ways. The conveying device, such as a conveyor belt or any other suitable means, may also be designed in many different ways in order to move pylons out of and into the hold. Likewise, the lifting arm may be designed in many different ways, as long as it is suitable for the intended purpose. The lifting arm is generally used to transport the pylon between the road surface and the vehicle on which the lifting arm is installed. Those skilled in the art will quickly understand that the lifting arm and the conveying device may, if desired, form part of one and the same component. The pylon gripper may also be designed in many different ways, provided it can grip the pylon from the inside. Those skilled in the art will quickly understand that in this case, the pylon gripper may, at least partially, enter the pylon both via the (relatively narrow) top and via the (relatively wide) bottom. However, it is preferable if the pylon gripper is designed to at least partially enter the pylon from the bottom, i.e. that side of the pylon which is generally provided with a circumferential flange. It is preferable for the pylons to be stored in an overturned fashion inside the hold. In order to save space, the pylons are preferably stored one pushed inside the other. According to a preferred embodiment of trie device according to the invention, the pylon gripper comprises an expansion member which, during use, can expand against the inner wall of the pylon. In this case, the expansion member preferably comprises one or more walls which can press against the inner wall of the pylon. If desired, one or more of these walls may be provided with relief or structured in order to provide a more improved grip. Furthermore, it is preferable if the pylon gripper is provided with an abutting surface, on which the underside of the pylon can rest. In this way, in use, the pylon is positioned in a predetermined position on the pylon gripper on the lifting arm and can be manoeuvred very securely and precisely. According to an advantageous embodiment, the pylon gripper is in this case provided with a sensor which can detect whether the pylon gripper is at least partially positioned inside the pylon. Preferably, at least the abutting surface comprises a sensor. If required, the sensor can interact with the expansion member when picking up a pylon, for example, in such a manner that the expansion member expands as soon as the sensor detects that the underside of the pylon abuts the abutting surface. If desired, electronics may be present for this purpose. If desired, the device may furthermore comprise a pylon overturner. When the pylons are being picked up, this ensures that the pylons are first turned over so that it is easier for the pylon gripper to reach the underside of the pylon. The pylon overturner can in this case be designed in many different ways, provided that the intended effect is achieved. The device may also comprise a member for putting an overturned pylon upright. A member of this type ensures that the overturned pylon is returned to its upright position. In addition, the device may be provided with a pylon aligner which positions the pylons in a suitable manner so that the pylon gripper can enter the pylon more easily. A pylon will thus preferably be positioned with its top side in the direction of movement of the device. According to another aspect, the present invention relates to a pylon gripper described as a component of the device according to the invention. Preferably, the pylon gripper is provided with an expansion member. According to a further aspect, the present invention relates to a method for picking up a pylon, in particular on a road, using the device according to the invention, the method comprising: - if required, overturning a pylon situated on a road surface ; - if required, aligning tlie pylon; - gripping the pylon by at least partially inserting a pylon gripper into the pylon; - raising the pylon from the road surface; and - conveying the pylon to a hold. It will be very clear to a person skilled in the a_rt that the optional overturning and aligning of the pylon may also be carried out in reverse order. The invention will be explained below with reference to a non-limiting drawing, in which: Fig. 1 shows a diagrammatic plan view of the device according to the invention in use while picking up pylons; Fig. 2 shows a diagrammatic plan view of the device according to the invention in use while placing pylons; Fig. 3 shows a diagrammatic perspective view of the pylon gripper with expansion member; Fig. 4 shows a diagrammatic perspective view of the pylon gripper of Fig. 3 with the expansion member in the expanded state; and Figs. 5a-c show diagrammatic partial views of the operation of the pylon overturner, the pylon uprighter and pylon aligner according to the invention. Similar parts are referred to by identical reference numerals. Fig. 1 shows a diagrammatic plan view of the device 1 according to the invention in υse while picking up substantially hollow and cone-shaped pylons 2. The displaceable device 1 (the direction of travel o f which is indicated by an arrow in Fig. 1) , which usually is embodied by a lorry, comprises a hold 3 , such as a store or the li ke, for storing a number of pylons 2. In the embodiment shown, the pylons are stored in a horizontal position and in three parallel lines . Furthermore, the device 1 comprises a lifting arm 4 on either side of the lorry for moving pylons 2 away from and onto a road surface 5 (viewed from the device 1) . In this case, the lifting arm 4 is provided with, a pylon gripper 6 (which will be described in more detail with reference to Figs. 3 and 4) provided with an expansion member 7. The pylon gripper 6 of the lifting arm 4 can grip the pylons 2 via the inside of the pylon 2. Furthermore, Fig. 1 shows that the pylon gripper 6 comprises an abutting surface 9 against which the underside 10 of the pylon 2 can rest. Furthermore, the device 1 comprises a conveying device 8, such as a conveyor belt for conveying pylons 2 between trie hold 3 and the lifting arm 4. Those skilled in the art will quickly understand that the lifting arm 4 may in this case also be designed in such a manner that it also forms the conveying device 8. Incidentally, in the embodiment shown, the conveying device 8 comprises a first part 8a which transports pylons 2 at right angles to the direction of travel of the device 1 and a second part 8b which transports pylons 2 in (or counter to) the direction of travel of the device 1. Furthermore, the device shown in Fig. 1 also comprises two projecting rod-shaped elements 11 (of. Figs. 5a-c) which serve as pylon overturners 11 when the pylons 2 are being picked up, as shown in Fig. 1. Those skilled in the art will quickly understand that the pylon overturner 11 may be designed in many other ways . During use, the device 1 is moved in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1. In the process, the upright pylons 2 on the road surface 5 are overturned with the aid of the pylon overturner 11, so that the top 12 of the pylon 2 comes to lie in the direction of movement of the device 1. Now, if the device 1 is moved along further, the pylon gripper 6 can grip the pylon 2 via the inside thereof, as the pylon gripper 6 comprises, for example, an expansion member 7 (cf. Figs. 3 and 4) which can expand in use and thus clamp the pylon 2 securely. Said expansion of the expansion member 7 may be initiated, for example, by the underside of the pylon 2 contacting the abutting surface 9 which is optionally equipped with a sensor (13, cf. Fig. 3) which may interact with the expansion member 7 (for example with the aid of electronics) . Subsequently, the pylon 2 is raised from the road surface 5 and transferred to the conveying device 8 which places the pylons 2 into the storage hold 3 with the aid of the first and second parts 8a, 8b. As, in the embodiment shown, the device 1 is provided on either side with lifting arms 4 with pylon grippers 6, the pylons 2 can be introduced via both longitudinal sides of the device 1. Figure 2 shows a diagrammatic plan view of the device 1 according to the invention in use while placing pylons 2. In this case, the pylons 2 are removed from the hold 3 and placed on the road surface 5, optionally with the aid of the lifting arm 4 with pylon gripper 6. If desired, means other than the lifting arm with pylon gripper can be used for this purpose as well. Thus, it is possible, for example, to use a sliding device 17 in order to make the pylons 2 slide onto the road surface 5. Fig. 3 shows a diagrammatic perspective view of the pylon gripper 6 with expansion member 7. Fig. 3 furthermore shows the abutting surface 9 (on which the underside 10 of the pylon 2 may rest) with the sensor 13 fitted thereon. The sensor 13 is able to detect whether the pylon gripper 6 is at least partially positioned inside the pylon 2. Of course, sensors 13 may also be installed in other positions. The expansion member 7 comprises one or more walls 14 which can press against the inner wall of the pylon 2 after expansion (cf . Fig. 4) . Fig. 4 shows a diagrammatic perspective view of the pylon gripper 6 of Fig. 3 with the expansion member 7 in its expanded state. Figs. 5a-c, finally, show diagrammatic perspective views of the operation of the pylon overturner, the pylon uprighter and the pylon aligner according to the invention. Fig. 5a shows how an upright pylon 2 may be toppled over with the aid of the rod-shaped pylon overturner 11 (cf . Fig. 1) . In Fig. 5b, the longitudinal axis of the pylon 2 is laid parallel to the direction of movement of the device 1 using the same pylon overturner 11 as that used in Fig. 5a. To this end, the pylon overturner 11 is provided with a likewise rod-shaped pylon aligner 16 which is placed substantially at right angles to the pylon overturner 11 and connected to the latter. Fig. 5c shows the same rod-shaped elements as in Figs . 5a and 5b, and also a folded-out rod-shaped projecting element 15 for putting an overturned pylon 2 upright. This element 15 can, if desired, be used with the method shown in Fig. 2 if the pylons 2 are in this case laid in a horizontal position on the road surface 5 (such elements should then be positioned in a position on the device 1 which is located behind the position where the pylons 2 are placed on the road surface 5) . In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5c, the element 15 interacts with the pylon overturner 11, as a result of which a pylon 2 which is facing the wrong way ("contra") can be turned around. Those skilled in the art will quickly understand that many variations of the invention are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

C L A I M S

1. Device (1) for picking up a pylon (2), which pylon (2) is placed, in particular, on a road, the device (1) comprising: - a hold (3) for storing one or more pylons (2) ; - a lifting arm (4) for removing a pylon (2) from a road surface (5) , the lifting arm (4) being provided with a pylon gripper (6) ; - a conveying device (8) for conveying a pylon (2) between the hold (3) and the lifting arm (4) ; wherein the pylon gripper (6) on the lifting arm (4) is configurated to grip the pylon (2) from the inside of the pylon (2) .

2. Device (1) according to claim 1, in which the pylon gripper (6) comprises an expansion member (7) which, during use, can expand against the inner wall of a pylon (2) .

3. Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, in which the expansion member (7) comprises one of more walls (14) which can press against the inner wall of the pylon (2) .

4. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the pylon gripper (6) is provided with an abutting surface (9) , on which the underside of the pylon (2) can rest.

5. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the pylon gripper (6) is provided with a sensor (13) which can detect whether the pylon gripper (6) is at least partially positioned inside the pylon (2) .

6. Device (1) according to claim 5, in which the abutting surface (9) comprises a sensor (13) .

7. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the device (1) furthermore comprises a pylon overturner

(ID • 8. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the device (1) comprises a member (15) for putting an overturned pylon (2) upright. 9. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the device (1) is provided with a pylon aligner (16) . 10. Pylon gripper (6) described as a component of the device (1) according to one of the preceding claims 1-9. 11. Pylon gripper (6) according to claim 10 provided with an expansion member (7) . 12. Method for picking up a pylon (2) placed, in particular, on a road using the device (1) according to one of the preceding claims 1-9, the method comprising: - if required, overturni g a pylon (2) situated on a road surface (5) ; - if required, aligning the pylon (2) ; - gripping the pylon (2) by at least partially inserting a pylon gripper (6) into the pylon (2); - raising the pylon (2) ffrom the road surface (5) ; and - conveying the pylon (2) to a hold (3) . 13. Method according to ciaim 12, in which the pylon gripper (2) comprises an expansion member (7) which expands against the inner wall of the pylon (2) when the pylon (2) is gripped.