Conveyors – chutes – skids – guides – and ways – Rollerways – Submerging and rising
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-03
2002-06-04
Valenza, Joseph E. (Department: 3651)
Conveyors, chutes, skids, guides, and ways
Rollerways
Submerging and rising
C186S002000, C186S059000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06397999
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a baggage receiving device specifically designed for airport passenger luggage handling, although it could easily be employed at a train station or other transport facility. The baggage receiving device comprises a receiving base, at least one carriage, and means for slidably connecting the at least one carriage to the receiving base. It provides a telescoping conveyor system which can be installed in an airport terminal in connection with an airline ticket counter to assist airline personnel in initially processing a passenger's luggage without the need to lift the luggage between the baggage platform of the counter and the take-away conveyor running behind the ticket counter.
It is a telescoping roller system which is installed on the baggage platform of any airport ticket counter. When the ticket counter position is in operation, the baggage receiving device is placed in an extended position, allowing the ticket counter agent to slide passenger's baggage to the baggage take-away conveyor without the need to lift it.
The device consists of a series of roller carriages. Each pair of devices consists of a receiving base and a series of roller carriages. The first carriage is housed in the receiving base and subsequent carriages are practically housed in the carriage unit from which they are retracted. As the device is extended, each of the roller carriages slides out until a conveyor system is established.
The baggage receiving device allows for regular airport personnel traffic behind the ticket counter as the device can be contracted to allow workers an unobstructed walk way. This device will save the aviation industry millions of dollars in work related back and shoulder injuries due to lifting bags at the airports around the country.
The receiving base has a front end, a top surface, and a rear end, with the rear end having an entryway. Each carriage has bi-directional rollers disposed on an upper surface of the carriage.
The carriage can move between a closed position in which the carriage is nested substantially below the top surface of the receiving base and an extended operating position in which the trailing end of the carriage protrudes through the entryway and extend away from the receiving base. In the operating mode, an object, such as a parcel of luggage, can be disposed on the top surface of the receiving base, slide off the top surface at the rear end of the receiving base onto the upper surface of the carriage disposed in the extended position, and transported on the roller means toward the trailing end of the carriage. The trailing end of the carriage is designed to extend over the take-away conveyor, where upon leaving the carriage the parcel falls onto the take-away conveyor—all without any lifting being required of the airport personnel.
A disadvantage in the concept underlying the present device is the fact that the necessary height for the receiving base requires the passengers to lift their baggage to a higher elevation in order to deposit their baggage on to the baggage receiving device. A number of modifications can be made to the instant system to ameliorate this concern. One is for the top surface of the receiving base to be sloped at its front end so that the height addition can be minimized. The more that the depth of the nesting carriages are reduced, the shallower the slope angle can be made to similarly reduce and enhance the ergonomics in utilizing this system.
Another preferred embodiment for reducing the initial height of the receiving base is to provide for an inclined conveyor that slopes upwardly from the front of the receiving base to the end that is proximate to the take away conveyor. That this embodiment not only reduces the initial height threshold required for depositing a parcel on the receiving base, the fact that the height of the take away conveyor is generally higher then the ticket counter baggage platform, thus the incline of each receiving device provides for dual advantage. Obviously, these various embodiments can be combined.
The variable height support legs will provide necessary support for the extended carriages regardless whether they are fully extended. An alternative to the manual release system for the support leg that is installed in the handle would be a release associated with the movement of the wheel disposed on the lower end of the support leg. Where movement of the wheel beyond a predetermined threshold would release said legs so that it may retract as carriages are retracted into a closed position.
Still other advantages will be apparent from the disclosure that follows.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a baggage receiving device comprising a receiving base, at least one carriage, and means for slidably connecting the at least one carriage to the receiving base. The receiving base has a front end, a top surface, and a rear end, with the rear end having an entryway. Each carriage has a bi-directional roller disposed on an upper surface of the at least one carriage.
The at least one carriage can move between a first position in which the at least one carriage is nested substantially below the top surface of the receiving base and a second position in which the trailing end of the at least one carriage protrudes through the entryway and extend away from the receiving base. Thus, an object can be disposed on the top surface of the receiving base, slide off the top surface at the rear end of the receiving base onto the upper surface of the at least one carriage disposed in the second position, and transported on the roller means toward the trailing end of the at least one carriage.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
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McKenna Michael R.
Valenza Joseph E.
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