Transporting apparatus

Feb. 6, 1940.

2,189,010

J. W. LEWIS

TRANSPORTING APPARATUS

Filed Oct. 19, 1938

Sheets-Sheet 1

<img file="US2189010A_D0001.tif" />

Feb. 6, 1940

2,189,010

J. W. LEWIS

TRANSPORTING APPARATUS

Filed Oct. 19, 1938 ³ Sheets-Sheet 2

<img file="US2189010A_D0002.tif" />

Feb. 6, 1940.

J. W LEWIS

2,189,010

TRANSPORTING APPARATUS

<img file="US2189010A_D0003.tif" />

<img file="US2189010A_D0004.tif" />

Attorney

Patented Feb. 6, 1940

2,189,010

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,189,010 TRANSPORTING APPARATUS James W. Lewis, Spartanburg, S. C.

Application October 19, 1938, Serial No. 235,791

Claims.

This invention relates to a hoist and conveyor for transporting warp beams and the like to and from looms In a mill and for handling beams or web rolls in cloth finishing plants, shearing ma5 chines, inspecting machines, dye houses, paper mills, and in fact, in any place where web rolls are to be transported from place to place. It is a well known fact that warp beams and cloth beams in a cotton or woolen mill are disposed adjacent 10 an alley or an aisle. Looms are placed upon each side of the alley in such a manner that the beams will be disposed in opposite sides of the alley as close together as practical, so that the maximum number of looms may be placed in a given floor 1· space in a building. In other words, when the looms are installed in position, the aisle is so narrow that there is barely enough space to transport a beam at a low elevation between the looms without contacting or abutting one of the beams 2® on the adjacent looms. There has recently arisen a practice of placing over-sized warp beams in looms in order to decrease losses and increase production. In a weave room where the looms are spaced to provide an aisle for warp trucks, it is 25 evident that the installation of larger warp beams closes the aisles so that a warp beam cannot be transported therealong unless the same is raised to a substantial distance above the floor. Therefore, it is necessary to remove or install these 3® beams from the loom and then transfer them upon a suitable truck at an elevation so as to clear the warp beams in the looms.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a beam hoist and conveyor comprising a 3* cradle for supporting a beam, said cradle being pivotally mounted upon one end of a boom which boom is adapted to be raised or lowered by a suitable lifting mechanism. This assembly is supported by suitable caster wheels, whereby the 40 beam can be moved from place to place.

It is another object of this invention to provide a hoist and conveyor of the class described having a rotatably mounted cradle on the upper end thereof for supporting a beam, with means for 45 locking the cradle in fixed positions. This locking feature is very essential, especially while the warp beam is being transferred down the aisle between the looms. Were this locking feature not provided, there would be a tendency for the cradle 50 to rotate laterally and thereby cause the beam which is carried thereby to project into such a position that it would contact the looms adjacent the aisle.

The purpose of providing a pivoted cradle of 55 this type is to facilitate the handling of the beam.

(Cl. 254—2)

For example, when the beam is being installed in a loom it frequently becomes necessary to release the locking means and rotate the leading end of the beam spindle into its bearing. In other words, by releasing the locking means the cradle has a 5 certain amount of lateral play which is essential to the proper positioning of the beam. Also when a beam is being loaded, it is necessary to lower the cradle and then position the cradle at right angles to the longitudinal center line of the truck 10 and then roll the truck to place the cradle beneath the beam. When the beam has been loaded, it is then necessary to lock this cradle in a position so that the longitudinal center line of the beam will be parallel to the longitudinal center line of the 15 truck, because when the beam is in this position it will occupy less space and can be carried more easily down a narrow aisle without abutting an adjacent loom.

It is a further object of this invention to pro- 20 vide a portable truck for warp beams and the like having suitable caster wheels on the lower portion thereof for supporting the same with means for adjusting the height of the truck supported by said caster wheels. By providing this adjustment 25 it is found possible to lower the framework to a very low elevation, thereby enabling an operator to place the cradle under or remove it from beneath a very low warp beam.

Some of the objects of the invention having 80 been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which—

Figure 1 is an elevation of my invention shown in conjunction with a hoisting mechanism; 35

Figure 2 is a plan view taken along the line 2—2 in Figure 1 showing the cradle in dash-dot lines when it is disposed at right angles to the longitudinal center line of the truck and showing it in bold lines when its center line is parallel; _&lt;0

Figure 3 is an end elevation taken along the line 3—3 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 4—4 in Figure 2, showing the locking means for the cradle; ..

Figure 5 is a sectional plan view taken along the line 5—5 in Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 6—6 in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a schematic view showing the ar- ₆₀rangement of looms in a mill and also showing a beam supported by my invention in a position prior to installation of the same upon the beam lock bearings.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, _w

1»

3,189,010 the cradle is positioned at right angles to the longitudinal center line of the framework the plunger will penetrate one of the cavities 38. In other words, the cradle will assume the position shown in dot-dash lines in Figure 2. ®

The bracket 28 has suitable drag links 50 pivoted thereto as at 51 and these drag links project downwardly in parallel relation to the boom 28 and are pivoted as at 52 to the side plates 16. These drag links serve to maintain the cap 29 1® and its cradle 36 in a horizontal position while the same is being lowered or raised. Pivoted as at 53 to the lower end of boom or power arm 26 are links 54, said links projecting horizontally to the left (Figures 1 and 5) and having their other ends pivoted as at 55 to a connecting bar 56. This bar has pivoted to its intermediate portion, as at 57 a power piston 58, said piston projecting to the right (see Figures 5 and 6), and being adapted to slidably penetrate bore 58 in housing 60. A suitable packing nut 61 and packing gland 62 are provided for maintaining the pressure within bore 59. Leading into the bore 59 is a smaller bore 63, which communicates with a vertically disposed bore 64. The bore 64 has a restricted bore 65 communicating therewith which is normally closed by ball 66, said ball being pressed downwardly against the upper part of the bore by means of spring 67. A nut 68 closes the upper end of bore 64 and serves to hold the spring 67 in position. The lower end of restricted bore 65 communicates with a restricted horizontal bore 69, the right-hand end of said bore 69 communicating with an enlarged bore 70 in which one end of pump plunger 71 is adapted to reciprocate. A packing nut 72 and packing gland 73 are disposed around plunger 7 8 to help maintain the pressure within bore 70. A vertically disposed bore 75 is adapted to intersect the restricted bore 69 at substantially right angles and the upper restricted port 75α of this bore communicates with oil reservoir 80. A suitable ball 77 is disposed in the upper end of the bore 75 and serves to normally close the port 75α between the bore 75 and the reservoir 80. A compression spring 76 normally holds the ball 77 against port 75α and a suitable nut 79 holds the compression spring in position within the bore 75.

The right hand end of the pump plunger 71 has pivoted thereto as at 82 arms 83. These arms have slots 84 therein which are penetrated by pins 85 on the lower end of arms 86α on operating handle 86. The handle 86 is pivoted as at 87 to the side plates 10. Also a suitable compression spring 89 is disposed around the right hand end of pump plunger 71 to normally force the plunger to the right (Figures 5 and 6). It is seen that as the operating handle 86 is oscillated about its pivot point 87 that the plunger 71 will be reciprocated back and forth in the bore 70. As the plunger 71 moves to the right, oil within the reservoir 80 will be drawn downwardly into bore 69 and enlarged bore 70. Then as the plunger moves to the left in Figure 6, this oil will be expelled from these bores and forced upwardly through bore 65, bore 64, bore 63 and into bore 59, which, in turn, will force the operating piston 58 to the left to cause the links 54 to rotate boom 26 in a clockwise manner in Figure 1 and raise the cradle 36 to the desired 70 elevation.

If it is desired to employ foot operated means for the pump instead of the oscillation of the handle 86, it is only necessary for the operator to oscillate the lever 90 with his foot; which 75 the numeral 10 denotes the side frame members which support the hoisting mechanism. The members are, in turn, supported by fixed wheels II and caster wheels 12, the fixed wheels being @ secured to brackets 14, said brackets being pivoted as at 15 to the side frames. The brackets 14 also have suitable spaced holes 16 therein which are adapted to be penetrated by stud bolts 87 to secure the brackets in position relative to 20 the side plates. For example, when it is desired to raise or to lower the elevation of the side plates 10 relative to the floor line, it is only necessary to remove the stud bolts 17 and rotate the brackets 14 to the position where the desired holes 16 can be penetrated by the stud bolts and again'fastened to the side plates 10. The casters 12 are pivoted as at 18 to brackets 19. These brackets have suitable spaced holes 20 in their vertical legs, one set of which in each bracket are adapted to be penetrated by stud bolts 21, to fasten the bracket to the side of the plate 10. Likewise the elevation of this end of the side plate iO may be varied relative to the floor line by removing the stud bolt 21 from the holes shown and placing it in the adjacent high or low holes 20.

Pivoted between the plate 80 as at 25 is a boom, ' or power arm 26, which arm projects upwardly and has pivoted to its upper end as at 27 a bracket 28. This bracket supports a cap 29 which, in 30 turn, has rotatably mounted upon its upper portion as at 30, a plate 31. The plate 38 is welded or otherwise secured to the lower side of a pair of parallel channel members 32. The channel members 32 have arcuate members 33 secured to 33 the upper portion of each end thereof, said arcuate members being adapted to support suitable saddles 34 which in turn support a beam 35. The cradle comprising members 31 to 34, inclusive, is broadly designated by reference character 36.

4® As heretofore stated, it is desirable to have the cradle assembly 36 disposed at right angles to the longitudinal center line of the hoisting mechanism, when the beam is being loaded prior to transportation along the aisles between rows of 45. looms. For this reason, it is necessary to have the cradle 36 rotatably mounted upon the upper portion of the cap 29.

It is also desirable to have means for locking this cradle in a position at right angles to the 50 longitudinal center line of the framework and also in a position where the longitudinal center line of the cradle is parallel to the longitudinal center line of the framework. In order to provide this locking means, suitable cavities 37 con55 centric to point 30 are provided in the top of cap member 29 (Figure 2). The plate 31 also has a perforation therein which is disposed along the .same radius relative to the pivot point 30 as the cavities 37 and 38. This perforation in the plate 60 is adapted to be slidably penetrated by a plunger 40, which plunger has a transverse slot 41 in its upper end (Figure 4). The slot 41 is penetrated by a pin 42 in the free end of lever 43. This lever is supported by brackets 44 and 45 which are secured to one of channel members 32. The lever 43 also has a suitable handle 43α which may be engaged by the operator when it is desired to remove the plunger 40 from the cavities 37 and 30. A torsion spring 46 normally forces the plunger 40 into one of the cavities 38 or 37 when handle 48α is released. If the cradle 36 is disposed in a position where its longitudinal center line will be parallel to the longitudinal center line of the supporting framework, the plunger 40 will penetrate one of the cavities 37, whereas if

3,189,010 lever is pivoted as at 91 to the operating handle. The lower end of this lever is pivoted as at 92 to the plates 83. It will be noted by referring to Figures 5 and 6 that the reservoir 80 has a suit• able cap 95 secured thereto which cap has a plug 96 in the upper portion thereof which may be removed for adding oil. Also this cap has suitable lugs 97 thereon which are penetrated by pin 25, to support the housing 60 and its assoM ciated parts.

When the cradle 36 is to be lowered it is necessary to provide means for returning the oil to the reservoir 80. In order to provide for the escape of the oil from the chamber 59 a suitable bore 99 is provided which leads from the chamber 59 to the reservoir 80. One end of the bore 89 is normally closed by the end of a pin 100, which pin projects to the right and is slidably mounted in cap 95. This pin has a compression spring 101 mounted therearound for normally forcing the left-hand end of this pin into the bore 99 to close it. The right hand end of pin 100 has pivoted thereto as at 103, a suitable lever 104, said lever being pivoted as at 105 to the cap or * cover 95 and the lower end of lever 104 is connected to a suitable push wire 106 which is mounted in a flexible casing 107, said casing projecting upwardly within operating handle 86 and having its upper end fastened as at (08 to •° the upper end of the handle. The upper end of the push wire 106 projects beyond the casing 107 and is adapted to be contacted by the lower end of release screw 110, said release screw being threadably mounted in the upper end of the han^M die 86. When this release screw is turned to the right, the push wire 106 is moved downwardly, thus causing the lever 164 to rotate in a clockwise manner and withdraw the left hand end of pin 160 from the bore 99. This will allow the 68 oil in compartment 59 to escape back into the reservoir 80. As the oil escapes, the boom 26 and its associated cradle 36 will move downwardly by virtue of its own weight.

Figure 7 shows a schematic view of a plurality 4® of looms 112, each loom having a cloth beam f 13 and the warp beam 35. The looms are alined in parallel rows with an aisle i 16 therebetween. Near the center of this view is shown my improved hoist with a warp beam 35 thereon in ®® position just prior to placing the leading spindle 36α of said beam into the bearing I (2α of the loom. It is noted here that the cradle 36 is disposed in parallel relationship to the longitudinal center line of the hoisting mechanism so that it M can be easily transported in elevated position down the aisle 116 between the looms. The leading spindle 35α of the warp beam 35 is headed into the position shown in Figure 7 where it win be close to the bearing I (2α. Then enough oil 0® is allowed to escape from the compartment 59 to aUow the beam spindle 31α to be lowered to substantially the same elevation as these bearings 112α at which time the rear end of the truck is rotated laterally, allowing the leading M end thereof to act as a center of rotation and this lateral rotation is continued until the rearmost spindle 36α is substantially in position for being placed in its bearings I (2α. At this time, it is usually necessary to release the locking pin 70 46 so that the cradle 36 can be oscillated back and forth about its pivot point 30 until the spindles 36α exactly coincide with the bearing portions (13α, after which the cradle 36 is lowered still farther until it is free to move from beneath the installed 7® warp beam.

The beam is loaded with the cradle substantially at right angles to the longitudinal center line of beam, then when it is ready for transportation this beam and cradle is rotated to the position shown in Figure 1, and locked, after 6 which it is elevated. After the elevation has been effected the beam is transferred at a high elevation along aisle 116 and the foremost spindle 35α of the beam is directed obliquely to the loom bearing 112α. 10

In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense, and not for purposes of limitation, the 16 scope of the invention being set forth in the appended claims.