US3667618A

US3667618A - Mechanism for lifting and conveying materiel

Info

Publication number: US3667618A
Application number: US851356A
Authority: US
Inventors: Peter H Bertola
Original assignee: GENERAL CONVEYOR Inc
Current assignee: GENERAL CONVEYOR Inc
Priority date: 1969-08-19
Filing date: 1969-08-19
Publication date: 1972-06-06
Anticipated expiration: 1989-06-06

Abstract

An overhead travelling crane movable along a path of travel, and also from side to side along the path has fixed to it a depending boom or mast which carries a movable section which can be raised and lowered to pick up materiel from either side of the path by means of a fork-like device near the bottom of the movable section. In the usual arrangement there are two such masts provided with lifting forks spaced apart from each other along the path, such that the forks can lift the two ends of cylindrical or pipe-like objects having cylindrical or tubular end members which can be grasped by the two spaced forks. Objects thus lifted by the forks can be carried along the path to some other location. A guide means equipped with wheels and rollers provides ease of movement of the movable mast sections up and down the fixed mast section without binding even under eccentric loading.

Description

United States Bertola atent MECHANISM FOR LIFTING AND CONVEYING MATERIEL [72] Inventor: Peter H. Bertola, Arcadia, Calif.

[73] Assignee: General Conveyor, Inc., El Monte, Calif.

[22] Filed: Aug. 19, 1969 [21] Appl. No.: 851,356

2,982,425 5/1961 Moore..... 214/16 4 3,107,803 10/1963 Glosup et al. ..,.2l4/73l 3,174,634 3/1965 Peck ...214/l6.4 X 3,235,108 2/1966 Drakulich. ..214/731 [451 June 6, 1972 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza Assistant ExaminerRaym0nd B. Johnson Att0rneyAngus and Mon [5 7] ABSTRACT An overhead travelling crane movable along a path of travel, and also from side to side along the path has fixed to it a depending boom or mast which carries a movable section which can be raised and lowered to pick up materiel from either side of the path by means of a fork-like device near the bottom of the movable section. In the usual arrangement there are two such masts provided with lifting forks spaced apart from each other along the path, such that the forks can lift the two ends of cylindrical or pipe-like objects having cylindrical or tubular end members which can be grasped by the two spaced forks. Objects thus lifted by the forks can be carried along the path to some other location. A guide means equipped with wheels and rollers provides ease of movement of the movable mast sections up and down the fixed mast section without binding even under eccentric loading.

1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures MECHANISM FOR LIFTING AND CONVEYING MATERIEL This invention relates to lifting and conveying mechanisms and more particularly to devices for moving objects and material from one place to another within a local area.

An object is to provide a mechanism of this character having improved versatility and load-carrying capacity.

Mechanical devices have long been in use in places such as factories and other industrial premises for moving materiel from one place to another. Examples are overhead travelling cranes movable in one or more directions and having depending receptacles or scoops which lift and transport objects from place to place within the range of the crane. The lifting elements of such devices have been limited in the extent of their lifting capability and in their directions of movement.

In accordance with the present invention, the versatility of operation of such lifting and conveying mechanisms is greatly enhanced. The invention is carried out by use of a boom or mast fixed to and suspended from a movable overhead support. The mast is of a telescoping type having a movable section slidable up and down along the section fixed to the overhead supports. The boom may thus be effectively raised and lowered. The movable section is provided with a materiel support means such as a fork or the like. The overhead support is a crane trolley or the like capable of carrying the mast in its vertical attitude, from one place to another.

According to a preferred feature, the support means is constructed to support materiel on either side of the mast so that the travelling overhead support can be moved to either side to pick up materiel.

A preferred feature resides in the use of two such masts such that their movable sections may be raised or lowered in unison, or independently of each other.

Another preferred feature resides in the use of two masts held at a definite distance apart from each other and movable from side to side, either in unison, or independently of each other as desired.

Another feature resides in the construction of roller and guide means permitting free movement of the movable mast section relative to the fixed mast section even when under eccentric loading.

Use of the present invention makes it possible to pick up materiel or objects stored on either or both sides of an aisle and transport it to another location along the aisle.

The foregoing and other features and advantages will be better understood from the following description and the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is an end view of a materiel handling mechanism according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of part ofthe mechanism of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section view taken at line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section view taken at line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 shows a detail of an optional modification which may be used in the mechanism; and

FIG. 6 shows a detail of another optional modification which may be used in the mechanism.

The drawings show an overhead travelling crane 10 having a trolley 11 movable to the left and to the right (with reference to FIG. 1) on a horizontal bridge girder 12 having a central vertical web 14 and upper and lower

horizontal plates

15 and 16, the lower plate 16 of which provides a track on which

rollers

17 and 18 of the trolley roll.

Girder beam 12 has fixed near the ends of its upper plate 15, supports 19, 20, 21 and 22 to which are fixed respective pairs of

spindles

23, 24, 25 and 26 on which are rotatably mounted respective pairs of

rollers

27, 28, 29 and of a trolley 9.

Rollers

27 and 28 ride on a track provided by the lower horizontal plate 31 of a beam 34, having a web 32 and an upper plate 33.

Rollers

29 and 30 similarly roll on the lower horizontal plate 31a of another beam 34a having a web 32a and an upper plate 33a. The

beams

34 and 34a are spaced apart and extend parallel to each other and perpendicular to beam 12 and are near the ends of beam 12. The spacing of

beams

34 and 34a is approximately the width of a path or aisle along which beam 12 can move to the left or right, with reference to FIG. 2.

The two

beams

34 and 34a are fixed to an upper beam 35 which extends across the aisle or path, perpendicular to

beams

34 and 34a. Cross beam 35 is supported in its position by a pair of rigid opposite towers 36 and 36a placed across the aisle from each other and fastened to a solid floor or foundation 38. By this tower arrangement the beam 35 is firmly held in its horizontal overhead position so that it can firmly support the

beams

34, 34a and 13 in their overhead positions.

For the purpose of supporting the

beams

34 and 34a along the path or aisle, there is provided another pair of towers like towers (of which tower 36' is shown in FIG. 2) 36 and 36a on opposite sides of the aisle and these last-mentioned towers will carry a cross beam 35 and will be placed at another desired distance from towers 36, 36a, to the right with reference to FIG. 2. Depending on the length of the aisle, a number of other pairs of the towers with their cross-beams 35 are provided to the left or right, with reference to FIG. 2. Inspection of the structure thus far described shows that the bridge 12 can be carried by

rollers

27, 28, 29 and 30 to the left and right, with reference to FIG. 2, for a distance only limited by the number and positions of pairs of towers 36, 36a. Furthermore, the trolley 11 can be moved to the left and right (with reference to FIG. 1) across the aisle by

rollers

17, 17a, 18 and the counterpart of 18 (not shown) by a distance limited by the length of beam 12.

The trolley carries a depending mast 37 which carries a lifting fork arrangement 38. To support this mast the trolley wheels are rotatable on spindles 39 fixed to U-members 40 and 40a to the base of which is fastened a bar 41 to the underside of which are fastened

lugs

42 and 42a to which are attached strips or plates 43 and 43a joined by a cross-brace or plate 44.

A hollow tubular vertical mast section 45 of rectangular cross section is securely fastened to member 44 and braced for rigidity by braces 46 and 46a. A movable mast section 47 also of hollow tubular rectangular cross-section is slidably attached to fixed mast section 45. This sliding attachment is formed by provision of a pair of guides in the form of

U-channels

48 and 49 facing each other and fastened vertically along the face of mast section 45 which faces in the direction in which beam 34 extends. The face of mast section 47 which faces section 45 has fastened to it a rectangular piece 50 located between the outer sides of the U-channels, serving as a spacer plate for a spindle 51, the inner end of which carries a load-bearing wheel 52 which engages the bases of the U-channels 48 and 49, the spindle being held in position by a nut 53. A second load-bean ing wheel arrangement also comprising

elements

50, 51, 52 and 53 is placed along mast member 47 at some distance from the wheel 52 just described, as shown in FIG. 2. The couple provided by the two spaced wheels 52 serves to restrain any tendency of mast section 47 to rotate relative to section 45, when loaded eccentrically.

To prevent any tendency of mast section 47 to bind against section 45, there is provided a pair of spaced extensions 54 and 55 from mast section 47 which enter into the region between the

U-channels

48 and 49. A spindle 56 passing in a direction perpendicular to spindle 51, through these extensions carries a pair of

rollers

57 and 58 which engage the inner sides of the U-channels. Collar and set

screw arrangements

59 and 60 keep the rollers in position. If smoother sliding be desired, a second roller assembly like

members

56, 57 and 58 may be provided at some distance along the mast from the first-mentioned assembly, as shown in FIG. 2.

The lower end of mast section 47 has a fork member 61 attached to it and rigidly supported by torque-resisting member 62. The fork member extends laterally in both directions from the mast so that a load can be picked up either near tower 36 or 36a, or both. Recesses 63 and 63a serve to aid in holding the load.

The mast section 47 can be raised by a hoist mechanism. For this purpose a beam 64 attached below bar 41 extends parallel to beam 34 to a second crane trolley 9a similar to crane trolley 9, the second crane trolley being supported by another pair of towers like 36 and 36a located across the aisle from each other and to the right, with reference to FIG, 2. Tower 36' of this other pair of towers is shown in FIG. 2,

A cable hoist 65 attached to beam 64 is provided with a drum device 66 mounted on a shaft 67 in the hoist. The drum has wound around it a number of turns of cable 68 which passes over a pulley 69 which is freely rotatable and mounted by a suitable mounting 70 on top of beam 64 with the left edge of the pulley directly over the upper end of mast section 47, so that the cable 68 is brought down to pass under a pulley 71 freely rotatable on a pin 72 mounted in a slot 73 at the top of mast section 47. After passing under pulley 71, the cable 68 is brought up and fastened to a fastening member 74 fixed to the head member 44 of the travelling crane. The shaft 67 on which the hoist drum 66 is mounted constitutes the shaft of an electric motor, the wiring for which is not shown. lt will be recognized that operation of the motor will turn the drum to wind up more of the cable 68 and thereby raise the mast section 47 vertically upward along the upper mast section 45. Suitable locking means for the drum 66 is provided so that when the motor is not being operated, the lock can be applied to prevent the weight of mast section 47 from unwinding the cable drum to drop the mast section. The shaft and drum of the hoist are also provided with a suitable braking means such that when it is desired to lower the mast section 47 the locking mechanism can be unlocked while the braking mechanism is applied, in such a manner that the weight of mast section 47 will unwind the drum against the frictional force of the brake and allow the mast section to come down slowly to any desired level at which the drum may again be locked in place to prevent further drop of the mast section.

Another drum 66a like drum 66 may also be attached to the hoist shaft 67, as shown in FIG. 5, and this second drum carries a cable 75 wound on the drum in the opposite direction from the cable winding on drum 66. The cable 75 passes over a pulley 69a corresponding to pulley 69 located on beam 64 at a position over the lower mast section of the mast which is suspended at the right end of beam 64 (with reference to FIG. 2). Thus, rotation of the drums in the same direction serves to raise and lower the mast section 47 and the movable mast section of its counterpart simultaneously and by the same amount per revolution of the drums.

An alternative hoist arrangement, shown in FIG. 6, would be to make the drums 66 and 66a of hoist 65 separately operable, each having its own driving motor, M and M respectively, so that for particular applications it would be possible to raise or lower only one of the two masts at a time or even to raise or lower the two masts at different rates.

An electric motor 76 supported by a member 77 depending from member 40 of the trolley is suitably belted or geared to the shafts of rollers 17 and 17a, and the electric power line 78 from this motor is brought up from a suitable operating switch 69 to the motor so that turning on or ofi the switch will operate the motor to more the trolley along beam 12 as desired. The motor is of the reversable type and the switch device 79 is arranged with the cable 78 to run the motor in either direction so that the trolley can be sent in either direction along the beam. The trolley 11a which is located at the mast structure at the right of FIG. 2, is operated by a similar motor from the same switch 79 to move the two trolleys simultaneously in the same direction along their track beams.

The

parallel beams

34 and 34a can be made of any desired length, which will ordinarily be determined by the distance it is desired to have the travelling masts move along their path or aisle. Ordinarily, there will be a number, and often a considerable number, of the opposite pairs of towers like 36 and 36a which support the

beams

34 and 34a. Thus, these pairs of spaced uprights like 36, 36a in effect form the aisle along which the bridges 12 carrying the depending masts will travel.

The travelling movement of these masts by means of the

rollers

27, 28, 29 and 30 can be done in any desired manner. For example, there can be provided a pair of cables 100, 100a extending parallel to

beams

34 and 34a and attached at 100' and 100'a, respectively, near the respective ends of beam 12. Where it is desired that each mast shall move along the aisle independently of the other, these two cables can be attached only to the beam 12 which supports the trolley for the one mast. The cables can extend the full length of the aisle formed by the uprights 36, 36a and be pulled by a drum operated by an electric motor at each end of the aisle. Thus, when one of these drum motors is operated it will pull the mast toward it and when the motor at the other end of the aisle is operated it will pull the mast toward it. If it is desired that the two masts be maintained at the same distance from each other along the aisle, the cables can be attached to the beam 12 for each mast.

From the foregoing description, it will be recognized that the depending masts can be moved from one side of the aisle formed by uprights 36, 36a to the other side, as desired, and also that the two masts may be moved in unison or independently, according to the attachments of their driving mechanisms. Furthermore, the telescoping mast section 47 may be raised or lowered vertically to any desired degree within the limitations of its dimensions. It will also be recog nized that the masts may be moved down the aisle either in unison or independently, depending on the attachments of their driving mechanisms. These permissible movements of the masts permit the handling of material located at either side of the aisle and at various heights off the floor; and the material thus picked up by one or both forks from one or both sides of the aisle can be brought back to the center of the aisle and carried any desired distance down the aisle and placed again in a desired position at the side of the aisle and at some desired height above the floor.

Such movement is adapted for the handling of such materiel as mandrels some of which can be very large and heavy, and are provided with end shafts for handling and attachment.

The towers 36 and 36a are especially designed for storing materiel of a type having a shaft or pipe-like structures which in this case are shown as large cylindrical mandrels having end portions fitted with extending shafts. Such mandrels are used for manufacturing such products as resin-impregnated fiber pipe. For the purpose of storing such mandrels, each of the towers 36 and 36a is provided with a number of racks 80 arranged one under the other on the tower. For supporting these racks, the lower portion of each tower is constructed with an outer vertical plate 81 and an inner vertical plate 82, each plate having side flanges 83. The racks 80 are formed of horizontal strips 84 attached on the outside of the flanges 83 of each of the outside plates 81 and inside plates 82. The innermost portion of each strip 44 is dished to form a semicylinder 85 of the proper dimensions to receive an end shaft of a mandrel to be stored. Each receptacle 85 is braced by a strut 86 attached to its underside and extending obliquely downwardly to the outermost plate 81 where it is attached.

One of the mandrels 87 is shown with one of its protruding mandrel shafts 88 rested in one of the receptacles 85. The cylindrical member 89 is rigidly held to its shaft 88 at each end of the mandrel by three webs or spokes 90; and to prevent a mandrel shaft 88 from sliding out of its receptacle 85 which would cause the mandrel to drop, there is provided a pin 91 fitted through each mandrel shaft 88 near its outer end.

Each mandrel to be stored is ordinarily symmetrically constructed, that is, with the shaft and pin protruding from each end thereof, and furthermore each mandrel will ordinarily be of the same length. In fact, the spacing of the opposite pairs of towers along the aisle will be established to conform with the length of the mandrels. Thus, the mandrel 87 shown in FIG. 2 will extend from a receptacle of a tower 36 to a similar receptacle located at the same height above the floor of the next tower to the right (with reference to FIG. 2).

FIG. 1 shows five racks, one above the other along each side of plate 82. This allows five such mandrels to be stored in the horizontal position shown, one above the other between one tower 36 and the next. Similarly, the five racks, one above the other, located at the left side of the tower (with reference to FIG. 2) will extend to the left with reference to FIG. 2, and be supported so that the mandrels supported at one end in these receptacles will have their other ends supported in the receptacles of the next tower down the aisle on the same side of the aisle.

The machine or equipment to which the material is to be conveyed, which will be pipe winding machines in the case of the mandrels illustrated, will be located adjacent the aisle but along the aisle from the storage area. Thus, for lifting one of the mandrels and transporting it to its winding machine, the usual operation will be to fix the distance along the aisle of the two masts 37 by a suitable bar or beam or cable arrangement so that the receptacle 63 of the fork member 61 of each mast will coincide with the region 92 of each mandrel shaft 88. The movable mast section 47 of each mast will then be lowered so that it is somewhat below the level of the shaft 88, and the two trolleys will be moved to the left (with reference to FIG. 1) until a 'fork receptacle 63 is directly beneath each mandrel shaft at the ends of the mandrel. Then the movable shaft 47 will be raised to lift the mandrel off its racks, in which case the mandrel shafts at both ends will be resting in the two fork receptacles 63 which are on the same side of the mast. The two masts will then be carried down the aisle along

tracks

34 and 34a on the

rollers

27, 28, 29 and 30, until the mandrel arrives at its machine. Thereupon the mandrel will be raised sufficiently by its mast hoists and the trolleys will carry the mast over to the machine at the side of the aisle and set it in place.

Although the receptacle arrangements of the mast forks and the storage towers have been shown especially designed to accept end shafts of mandrels, it will be recognized that other materiel than mandrels can be lifted and transported; for example, pipe or other materiel having generally cylindrical or similar parts. For handling materiel which does not have cylindrical parts like shafts or piping, other shapes can be given to the fork and storage receptacles.

Use of the invention is especially advantageous for the handling of heavy and unweildy objects such as elongated man drels which cannot easily be handled manually. Furthermore, use of the invention makes possible the handling of either double or single loads, that is, a load on either or both sides of the mast.

The structural members will ordinarily be made of steel, capable of handling heavy loads.

It will be recognized that variations in the mechanism can be introduced without departing from the scope of the invention. Variations may readily suggest themselves in the construction of the overhead support arrangement from which the masts are suspended and also in the paths of travel of these overhead mast supports or trolleys. Variations may likewise be made in the powering units for powering the hoists as well as for moving the mast supports. For example, the hoist units may comprise an air hoist drum unit, or alternatively air or hydraulic cylinder, or hydraulic rams could be used to operate the hoist cables.

It will be recognized that use of this invention makes possible the provision of masts which are independent of each other rather than being a pair of interconnected or braced units as is usually the case. It will further be recognized that use of the invention makes possible a unique construction of a telescopic lifting device or mast provided with sheaves, guides and rollers, constructed as an integral unit which can be independently fastened to an overhead load bar travelling crane.

What is claimed is:

1. A mechanism for lifting and conveying objects comprising means defining a first overhead path of travel, a movable support frame having means thereon defining a second overhead path of travel disposed transversely relative to said first path of travel, means for moving said support frame along said first overhead path of travel, means mounted on said support frame for moving a mast along said second overhead path of travel, a mast having a pair of spaced first sections fixed to said last named means and depending downwardly therefrom and a second pair of spaced sections mounted on and movable up and down relative to said first sections, load handling means attached to and extending laterally from opposite sides of each of said second sections, said load handling means having recessed portions adjacent each end thereof operative to handle cylindrical objects, means for raising and lowering said second sections independently of each other and relative to said first sections, each of said first section of said mast comprising a tubular member with two horizontally spaced U- shaped channel members attached to one side of the tubular member, the openings of said U-shaped channel members being disposed in a facing relationship to each other and thereby defining a vertical guide channel for said second mast sections, each of said second mast sections comprising a tubular member with vertically spaced guide wheel means mounted thereon, said wheel means being rotatable on a horizontal axis so that the circumference of said wheel means enters between the sides of the U-shaped channel members and engages the base of each of said U-shaped channel members of said first sections, vertically spaced pairs of rollers mounted on each of said second sections and rotatable about a horizontal axis perpendicularly to the axis of said wheel means so that one of the rollers of each of said pairs of rollers engages a respective adjacent side of the two sides the U-shaped channel members of said first mast section whereby the second sections and load handling means thereon can be moved vertically to facilitate a load handling operation.

STATES PATENT oTTTcTs CET TEFEZCATE CCRIECTICN Pat-666m. 3,667,618 f Dated June 6, 1972 Inv ntofls) Peter H. Bertola It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the Patent Column 1, line 5 Change "material" to --materiel--.

Column 2, line 10 Af ter"towers" insert --(o f which tower 36' is shown in FIG.Z)--. I

Column 2, line 11 After "towers" cancel "(of which tower 36' is shown in FIG. .2)".

Column 2, line 13 Cancel "a" and substitute --an0ther-- before'"cross beam 35"; same line, cancel "another" and substitute --a-- before "desired".

Column 3, line 54 Change "more" to --move-.

Column 4, line 25 Change "material" to "materiel".

Column 4,

lines

26 and 27 Change "material" to --materiel--.

Column 5, line 5 Change "material" to --materiel--.

Signed and sealed this 2nd day of January 1973.v

EDWARD M .,PLETCHER,JR ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents USCOMM-DC 60376-1 69 v u.S, GOVERNMENT PINTIN OFICE 11969 0-356-334

Claims

1. A mechanism for lifting and conveying objects comprising means defining a first overhead path of travel, a movable support frame having means thereon defining a second overhead path of travel disposed transversely relative to said first path of travel, means for moving said support frame along said first overhead path of travel, means mounted on said support frame for moving a mast along said second overhead path of travel, a mast having a pair of spaced first sections fixed to said last named means and depending downwardly therefrom and a second pair of spaced sections mounted on and movable up and down relative to said first sections, load handling means attached to and extending laterally from opposite sides of each of said second sections, said load handling means having recessed portions adjacent each end thereof operative to handle cylindrical objects, means for raising and lowering said second sections independently of each other and relative to said first sections, each of said first section of said mast comprising a tubular member with two horizontally spaced U-shaped channel members attached to one side of the tubular member, the openings of said U-shaped channel members being disposed in a facing relationship to each other and thereby defining a vertical guide channel for said second mast sections, eacH of said second mast sections comprising a tubular member with vertically spaced guide wheel means mounted thereon, said wheel means being rotatable on a horizontal axis so that the circumference of said wheel means enters between the sides of the U-shaped channel members and engages the base of each of said U-shaped channel members of said first sections, vertically spaced pairs of rollers mounted on each of said second sections and rotatable about a horizontal axis perpendicularly to the axis of said wheel means so that one of the rollers of each of said pairs of rollers engages a respective adjacent side of the two sides the U-shaped channel members of said first mast section whereby the second sections and load handling means thereon can be moved vertically to facilitate a load handling operation.