Material or article handling – Self-loading or unloading vehicles – Having elevating load body
Patent
1987-08-24
1989-06-20
Werner, Frank E.
Material or article handling
Self-loading or unloading vehicles
Having elevating load body
248181, 414590, 414632, B65G 4100
Patent
active
048405337
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to an apparatus for transporting load units, particularly for relocating belt drive stations by means of a drive system. In order to lift the load, the drive system can be driven into a free space between the load and the ground and a lifting platform is raised until it lies against a load supporting face which forms the upper limit of the free space by means of at least one lifting element which extends essentially perpendicularly in the region of the drive system carrier.
German Pat. No. 2,416,642 and the associated German Patent of Document No. 2,539,098 already disclose devices for transporting a load unit, particularly for moving belt drive stations in surface mining operations. These devices are composed of a drive system which is moved into a free space of the load unit so as to lift the load unit. A lifting platform is provided with a plurality of lifting elements extending between the lifting platform and the drive system carrier. These lifting elements are arranged in such a manner that their center lines form the edges of a prism. By means of a centering body formed by a shaft stub, the lifting platform is rotatable with respect to the drive system carrier about a perpendicular axis disposed within the prism. This centering element is guided in the perpendicular direction so as to be displaceable and fixable with respect to a cylinder disposed within the drive system carrier. On the one hand, the lifting platform can be locked with the load unit and, on the other hand, is connected with the centering element by means of a ball bearing. In this structural configuration, the drive system moves into the free space, which customarily extends transversely to the load unit. By means of the lifting elements which are disposed approximately in the corner regions of the lifting platform, the latter is raised until it lies against the supporting face and is then locked to the load unit by means of clamps or the like. Then the pistons of the lifting cylinders are moved in so that the tracked vehicle is connected with the load unit only by the cylinder equipped with the shaft stub. Now the tracked vehicle can be turned about the longitudinal axis of the stub shaft in any desired direction of travel by moving the tracks in opposite directions.
The drawback noted here is that a plurality of working steps are required to bring the load unit into its direction of travel. Moreover, the orienting and raising functions are separated in a complicated manner and simultaneously involve a complicated structural configuration. Another drawback is that if the lifting platform is inclined due to the rigid lifting elements being raised to different heights, unintended forces are introduced into the lifting elements which result from the changing distances between the lifting elements (hypotenuse). Considered over a longer period of time, these unintentional forces lead to damages which, under certain circumstances, may cause the transporting means to prematurely malfunction. In contrast thereto, it is the object of the invention to provide a device of the stated type which realizes pivotability by way of a preferably not fixed, approximately perpendicular axis and an additionally possible displaceability of the lifting platform, preferably in all directions with respect to the drive system carrier. At the same time, the disadvantageous relative movements, as they occur in prior art devices, between lifting elements which are fixedly clamped to the drive system carrier and the lifting platform, are to be excluded.
This is accomplished by the invention by a rigid centered arrangement of a single lifting element in the region of the lifting platform and mounting of the lifting element so as to move in all directions with respect to the drive system carrier. At least two variable length supporting elements are provided between the drive system carrier and the lifting element for the displacement of the lifting platform in all directions with respect to the drive system carrier. The advantages with respec
REFERENCES:
patent: 673262 (1901-04-01), Hine
patent: 3612312 (1971-10-01), Behrmann
patent: 4036377 (1977-07-01), Weber
patent: 4157876 (1979-06-01), Digiulio
O & K Orenstein & Koppel AG
Werner Frank E.
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