Railways – Suspended – Single-rail type
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-14
2001-12-04
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Railways
Suspended
Single-rail type
C104S089000, C104S095000, C104S106000, C191S02300R, C191S0330PM, C191S02300R
Reexamination Certificate
active
06324989
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, generally, to material handling systems and more specifically, to material handling systems having pneumatic, electrical as well as load bearing capabilities.
2. Description of the Related Art
Industrial environments including, for example, light and heavy manufacturing, distribution and even sales of various industrial equipment and components typically involve pneumatically and/or electrically powered equipment as well as material handling applications. Among other things, industrial environments of this type generally include a source of pneumatic power, also known as “shop air” typically employed to operate pneumatic equipment, a source of electrical power used for operating electrical equipment and material handling systems such as cranes and rails having trolleys for supporting equipment and moving material about the shop or plant.
In the related art, pneumatic power is often delivered to the shop via steel conduits called “black pipe.” The black pipe is typically elevated above the shop floor and crisscrosses the plant. A plurality of branch lines are fixed to the black pipe and provide ½″ ID air to pneumatically powered tools and other equipment throughout the shop. However, the pneumatic power delivery systems employed in the related art suffer from various disadvantages. For example, the air flowing through the black pipe generally includes moisture which often condenses in the pipe resulting in rust and corrosion. Due in part to this corrosion, the steel black pipe and the many branch lines extending therefrom sometimes leak, often resulting in thousands of dollars of lost power in certain industrial environments. Where many pneumatically operated tools or other equipment are employed, a given shop may become cluttered with a spaghetti-like array of branch lines and connections to branch lines hanging overhead all providing shop air to the tools. This is due, in part, because the pneumatic tools in general are not easily moved from work station to work station without disconnecting the tool from one branch line and reconnecting it to another. This situation contributes to a multiplicity of branch lines and pneumatic tools required to adequately perform given tasks. Where overhead material handling systems are employed, the plant environment becomes even more cluttered.
Electrical power is delivered throughout the shop in a number of ways. Electrical outlets are strategically placed throughout the plant. Power cords and extension cords are employed to connect various electrically operated tools and equipment to these outlets. But, where a number of electrically operated tools are employed, power cords and extension cords litter aisle ways and work areas creating safety hazards and a less than ergonomic work environment.
Attempts have been made at simplifying these conditions in the related art. Heretofore, it has been proposed to provide a pneumatic conduit including a branch line capable of being detachably coupled to the conduit and movable relative to the conduit to provide greater flexibility and ease of mobility relative to supplying pressure to pneumatically actuated equipment. U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,774 issued Oct. 27, 1981; U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,775 issued Oct. 27, 1981; U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,822 issued Mar. 8, 1983; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,424,827 issued Jan. 10, 1984 all to Kagi et al. each disclose examples of such devices.
While, in principal, the devices disclosed in the above-identified patents provide operational improvements over the prior art, some disadvantages remain. For example, the devices disclosed in the Kagi et al. patents do not assist in supplying electrical power in any given application. Further, the movable branch lines are limited in their pneumatic capacity. Additionally, while tools and other light components may be carried on the pneumatic conduit, the devices disclosed by Kagi et al. are generally not adapted for use in load bearing material handling applications. Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a load bearing material handling system including integrated pneumatic and electrical power source capabilities.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the related art in a load bearing material handling system including a pneumatic trolley and a load bearing trolley, both of which may be supported on a bridge and runway system and/or a tool rail having both pneumatic and electrical power delivery capabilities. The bridge rail, runway rail and tool rail have essentially the same structure and only vary in size depending on the loading capacity desired for the rail. Each rail includes a hanger portion by which the rail is supported over a work area via an I-beam or some other structure. In addition, each rail has a flange portion by which the trolleys are supported for rectilinear movement thereon. Finally, each rail has a body portion. The body forms a conduit through which pressurized air is delivered to pneumatically actuated tools. The rails and trolleys also have the capability of supplying electrical power to electrically actuated tools which are operatively connected to the trolleys. More specifically, the flange portion includes at least one runway surface extending for at least a portion of the length of the rail and laterally outward with respect to the body. In addition, the flange portion includes at least one kick up surface extending for at least a portion of the length of the rail and disposed in spaced relationship with respect to the runway surface so as to define a mounting surface located therebetween. The mounting surface is adapted to support an electrical bus along at least a portion of the length of the rail.
Furthermore, the load bearing material handling system of the present invention also includes a rail having a hanger portion that is adapted to interconnect the rail to a support structure. The rail has a body portion that defines a conduit extending for at least a portion of the length of the rail and through which pressurized air may be delivered to pneumatically actuated tools. In addition, the rail includes a flange portion that is adapted to moveably support a trolley thereupon. The conduit includes a plurality of openings disposed in spaced relationship with respect to one another along the length of the rail. A plurality of valves is supported in the conduit through the openings. A source of pressurized air is in fluid communication with the conduit such that the conduit provides fluid communication between the source of pressurized air and the plurality of valves. The flange portion of the rail includes at least one runway surface extending for at least a portion of the length of the rail and the laterally outward with respect to the body. At least one kick-up surface extends for at least a portion of the length of the rail and is disposed in spaced relationship with respect to the runway surface so as to define a mounting surface disposed therebetween and which is adapted to support and electrical bus along at least a portion of the length of the rail.
The rails do not corrode like the black pipe of the prior art. Thus, leaks due to corrosion are eliminated thereby significantly reducing associated power losses. Cluttered work environments due to the spaghetti-like array of branch lines, hoses and connectors to branch lines like the related art are also eliminated. These results are achieved in a pneumatic rail and trolley system which provides the sufficient air flow and pressure necessary to power pneumatic tools. In addition, electrical power may also be supplied to the power tools as the trolley is moved along the rail. This feature greatly reduces the need for power cords and extension cords which typically litter aisleways and work areas in the art.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3345471 (1967-10-01), Kilburg
patent: 3772482 (1973-11-01), Ross, Jr.
patent: 3834315 (1974-09-01), Warnet
patent: 4166419 (1979-09-01), Ardeleanu
patent: 4296774 (1981-10-01), Kagi et al.
pa
Haas Gary
Owsen Stan
Taylor Blake
Bliss McGlynn & Nolan, P.C.
Jules Frantz F.
Morano S. Joseph
Three One Systems, LLC
LandOfFree
Load bearing material handling system having pneumatic and... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Load bearing material handling system having pneumatic and..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Load bearing material handling system having pneumatic and... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2602170