Material or article handling – Self-loading or unloading vehicles – Loading or unloading by other carrier or mover means – and...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-21
2001-03-27
Keenan, James W. (Department: 3652)
Material or article handling
Self-loading or unloading vehicles
Loading or unloading by other carrier or mover means, and...
C414S555000, C212S258000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206627
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a loading device for containers or the like, comprising a pair of loading units to be mounted on an undercarriage, which each have a telescopic column supported on a bracket so as to be swivelled about a common swivel axis extending in the longitudinal center of the undercarriage, which telescopic column consists of a lower portion pivotally mounted on the bracket, an upper portion movably guided in the lower portion, and a column cylinder moving the upper portion with respect to the lower portion, where actuating cylinders act on the lower portion on both sides, and the upper portion accommodates an extension arm which can be swivelled to both sides about a swivel axis parallel to the swivel axis of the telescopic column and has an abutment for connection of a load lifting means.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Such loading device is known for instance from EP 0 705 179 A, and it is also well-tried because of its relatively simple and compact design, its sturdiness and its small space requirement as compared to the loading area. However, in the known loading device the extension arm of the telescopic columns can only be swivelled from one side to the other free from load, so that for a loading operation where a container must be moved from one side of the undercarriage to the other the container must be deposited on the undercarriage to relieve and swivel the extension arm, which is time-consuming and complicated. And under load, the extension arm can only be used in its stop-limited lateral swivel position, which involves a certain restriction of the loading possibilities.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore the object underlying the invention to create a loading device as described above, which allows to swivel containers through from one side of the undercarriage to the other, and by swivelling the extension arms even under load involves an expansion of the loading area and the prerequisite for stacking the containers.
This object is solved by the invention in that the upper portion of the telescopic column carries a column head which forms a slot-shaped swivel guide with cam tracks limiting the swivelling range on both sides for the extension arm, that the extension arm has guide members associated to the cam tracks and is pivotally connected with a sliding piece movably seated inside the upper portion which opens towards the swivel guide of the column head, where in the vicinity of the orifice a constriction is provided between the cam tracks, so that the guide members of the extension arm aligned in a position stretched with respect to the telescopic column simultaneously contact both cam tracks, and that on the side of the upper portion the column cylinder acts on the sliding piece which can be moved upwards in a stop-limited way.
The actuating cylinders can swivel the telescopic column towards both sides in the usual way about the common swivel axis extending in the longitudinal center of the undercarriage, where independent of the respective swivel position the column cylinder inside the telescopic column remains actuatable in both directions. When the column cylinder has been retracted to its starting position, it has on the one hand brought the upper portion to its lowermost position and on the other hand retracted the extension arm into the upper portion via the sliding piece, so that the extension arm moving together with the guide members along the cam tracks is in alignment with the telescopic column. When the column cylinder is extended, the sliding piece is moved upwards, so that corresponding to the swivel position of the telescopic column the extension arm moving upwards swivels towards the one or the other side corresponding to the cam track guiding the guide pieces and swings to the corresponding side. When the lateral swivel limit has been reached because the sliding piece strikes against the limit stop, the upper portion is lifted out of its basic position when the column cylinder is extended further via the sliding piece, and can be moved upwards with respect to the lower portion up to a desired extended position. Along with the possibilities for swivelling the telescopic column to the side there are thus obtained the different loading possibilities, where the movements of the telescopic column and also of the extension arm can easily be effected even under load due to the correspondingly strongly dimensioned column cylinder. It is thus also easily possible to for instance pick up a container standing on the one side of the undercarriage, then lift it up and swivel it to the other side of the undercarriage and let it down again and deposit it, or to bring a container from the loading surface of an adjacent vehicle to the opposite side of the undercarriage, and the like.
To ensure that the extension arm can be swivelled properly by means of the column cylinder, the upper portion of the telescopic column must be firmly supported with respect to the lower portion, which support is provided from the start in the retracted telescope position. To be able to perform a swivel movement of the extension arm also in various extended positions of the telescopic column, the lower portion of the telescopic column is equipped with a locking device for selectively locking the upper portion in one or more extended positions, so that the swivel height of the extension arm and thus also the loading height of the containers can be chosen as desired. With such a predeterminable working height of the telescopic column and of the extension arm it is now also possible to lift containers to such an extent and swivel them to the side that a container can be deposited on a ramp of a corresponding height, a loading surface of a vehicle, but also for stacking purposes on a container already deposited there, or can be picked up from a storage area of a corresponding height.
As guide members for the extension arm there might be provided suitable sliding surfaces or the like, but as guide member the extension arm expediently has a guide roller rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation parallel to the swivel axis of the extension arm, which guide roller has a diameter adapted to the constriction between the cam tracks. Such guide roller provides for a smooth, low-noise relative movement between extension arm and column head and also ensures an exact guidance of the extension arm when swivelling the same and when aligning the same in the vicinity of the constriction.
To prevent that in the case of a swivel movement of the telescopic column during the actuation of the column cylinder an undesired reversal of the extension arm from one swivel side to the other takes place, which in the case of a higher load might lead to a damage of the loading device, the extension arm movement along a corresponding connecting link guide might be forcibly controlled, which would, however, involve the risk of jams and the like. It would therefore be more expedient to equip the extension arm with a locking bar associated to a locking projection of the column head as a protection against reversal, which locking bar strikes against the locking projection when the extension arm swivels upwards before reaching the stretched position, and prevents a further movement. Only when a deliberate unlocking is effected can the lock be removed and the reversal be effected.
When in accordance with a further aspect of the invention the telescopic column together with the actuating cylinders is mounted on a carriage of the bracket which is movable transverse to the swivel axis, the loading area can be expanded further to the side due to this transverse adjustability, and there is an increase in the possible uses of the loading device.
It is also expedient when in accordance with the invention the bracket has an upper structure to be folded down about a lying transverse axis, which upper structure carries the telescopic column together with the actuating cylinders, so that the parts of the loading device usually protruding above the dri
Martin Werner
Schabelreiter Johann
Winter Udo
Wunder Johannes
Collard & Roe P.C.
Keenan James W.
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