Material or article handling – Elevator or hoist and loading or unloading means therefor – Comprising means enabling additional movement of carrier or...
Patent
1980-02-07
1982-11-23
Love, John J.
Material or article handling
Elevator or hoist and loading or unloading means therefor
Comprising means enabling additional movement of carrier or...
92118, 308 72, B66F 900
Patent
active
043603092
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
DESCRIPTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention is related to hydraulic cylinder mounts.
2. Background Art
Present side shiftable carriage assemblies for lift trucks include a first carriage which is mounted to a mast and a second carriage which is mounted on and side-shiftable via hydraulic cylinders with respect to the first carriage. Such an arrangement places the load carried by the lift truck further forward from the center of gravity of the truck than would normally occur with a lift truck having a single non-side-shiftable, carriage. Accordingly, the lift truck with the side shiftable carriage is unable to lift as large a load the truck with the non-side-shiftable carriage owing to that increased distance. Thus, there is a need to provide the side-shift capability while keeping the load as close as possible to the center of gravity of the lift truck.
One solution to this problem has been to mount forks for the lift truck directly to a single carriage which is mounted to the mast, and then to actuate the forks with hydraulic cylinders to provide shifting of the load relative to the carriage. In the first presented side-shiftable carriage assembly, due to the depth of both the first and second carriages, the hydraulic cylinders, using conventional cylinder mounts, can be conveniently housed between the carriages. However, with the mounting of the forks directly onto a single carriage, the depth of the carriage assembly is reduced and the conventional hydraulic cylinder mounts are too large to be used economically and efficiently.
One traditional cylinder mount includes a trunnion mount, which is generally located about the cylinder, midway along the length thereof, and which allows the hydraulic cylinder to pivot about a transverse axis. As previously indicated, this mount is too bulky when incorporated in a carriage having the forks mounted side-slidably on a single carriage. Further, since the trunnion mount only allows the cylinder to pivot about a transverse axis, the cylinder must be sufficiently massive and sturdy to resist bending forces perpendicular to the transverse axis.
Another type of cylinder mount includes a bifurcated end mount located at the head end of the cylinder and adapted to receive a member extending from the carriage. A pin is provided through the bifurcated end to pivotally mount the bifurcated end to the members extending from the carriage. The axis of the pin is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder and allows the cylinder to pivot about a transverse axis. The rod end of the cylinder is affixed to the fork to be actuated. Such an arrangement has all the disadvantages of the above trunnion mounts.
Another prior art cylinder mount is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,031,967 l issued to Robert Allen Atherton et. al. on June 28, 1977. This mount includes a spherical bearing mount located about the cylinder housing. Accordingly, the mount is large and would be inappropriate for the above carriage and fork arrangement.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more the problems as set forth above.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect of the present invention, a mount assembly for a cylinder having a housing with an axis and first and second ends and a predetermined diameter comprises a bracket located adjacent to the cylinder and a mount having a spherical load bearing surface having a diameter that is less than the predetermined diameter and an axis positioned generally in line with the axis of the housing. The mount is held in the bracket and is connected to one of the first and second ends.
In another aspect of the invention, the cylinder has a rod extending from one of the first and second ends of the housing and the mount is positioned about the rod.
The present invention is more compact than prior art devices as it is located at an end of the cylinder housing and has a diameter which is less than the cylinder housing. The mount having a spherical load bearing surface allows three degrees of freedom, and thus the cylinder is self-cent
REFERENCES:
patent: 1747968 (1930-02-01), Braven
patent: 3166207 (1965-01-01), Quayle
patent: 3184088 (1965-05-01), Berge
patent: 3311030 (1967-03-01), Halstead
patent: 3819078 (1974-06-01), Walsh
patent: 3923349 (1975-12-01), Herbst
patent: 3980149 (1976-09-01), Blomstrom et al.
patent: 4031967 (1977-06-01), Atherton et al.
patent: 4125199 (1978-11-01), Abels et al.
Love John J.
Towmotor Corporation
Williams L. E.
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