EP0343804A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Load positioning assembly and method
Assignee: Caterpillar Industrial Inc
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Filing: 1989-05-05
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-05-05
Abstract
Abstract An assembly and method (59) for locating and maintaining a load supporting device (44) on a material handling vehicle (10), includes a load carrying device (12) mounted on a frame (14) and a load carrying portion (16) elevationally movable along an elevationally oriented axis (26). A pilot member (70) which is freely movably supported on a carrier (68) connected to the load carrying portion (16) is elevationally movable with the load carrying portion (16) between first and second preselected elevationally spaced apart positions (28,30) relative to the frame (14). A first engaging device (72) moves the pilot member (70) in directions transverse to the axis (26) in response to movement of the pilot member (70) toward the first elevational position (28) and maintains the pilot member (70) at a first preselected transverse location relative to the axis (26) and the load supporting device (44) at a preselected transverse location at the first elevational position of the load carying portion (16). The load positioning assembly (59) is particularly suited for use on an SGV (10).
Inventors
- 👤 Adam James Smith
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 17:27
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23Q; B23Q16/00; B23Q16/001; B23Q7/00; B23Q7/14; B23Q7/1426; B23Q7/1442; B60; B60P; B60P1/00; B60P1/64; B60P1/6418; B60P1/649; B66; B66F; B66F9/00; B66F9/06; B66F9/063
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
165 words
A load positioning assembly (59) for a material handling vehicle (10) having a frame (14), comprising: a load carrying device (12) having a load carrying portion (16) mounted on the frame (14) and movable in directions along an elevationally oriented axis (26); a carrier (68) having a support portion connected to and movable with the load carrying portion (16) and having a support portion (80); a pilot member (70) freely carried on the support portion (80) of the carrier (68) and being elevationally movable with the load carrying portion (16) between first and second preselected elevationally spaced apart positions (28,30) relative to the frame (14); and first means (72) for engaging the pilot member (70), for moving it in directions transverse to the axis (26) in response to movement of the pilot member (70) towards the first elevational position (28), and for maintaining the pilot member (70), when in the first elevational position (28), at a first preselected transverse location relative to the axis (26).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
165 words
A load positioning assembly (59) for a material handling vehicle (10) having a frame (14), comprising: a load carrying device (12) having a load carrying portion (16) mounted on the frame (14) and movable in directions along an elevationally oriented axis (26); a carrier (68) having a support portion connected to and movable with the load carrying portion (16) and having a support portion (80); a pilot member (70) freely carried on the support portion (80) of the carrier (68) and being elevationally movable with the load carrying portion (16) between first and second preselected elevationally spaced apart positions (28,30) relative to the frame (14); and first means (72) for engaging the pilot member (70), for moving it in directions transverse to the axis (26) in response to movement of the pilot member (70) towards the first elevational position (28), and for maintaining the pilot member (70), when in the first elevational position (28), at a first preselected transverse location relative to the axis (26).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
68 words
An assembly (59), as set forth in claim 1, including a second means (74) for engaging the pilot member (70), moving it in directions transverse to the axis (26) in response to movement of the pilot member (70) toward the second elevational position (30), and maintaining the pilot member (70), wherein in the second elevational position (30), at a second preselected transverse location relative to the axis (26).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
An assembly (59), as set forth in claim 2, wherein the pilot member (70) has a tapered end portion (86) and a bearing end portion (88), the bearing end portion (88) being slidably engaged with the carrier support portion (80) and the pilot member (70) being engaged with the first engaging means (72) at the first elevational position (28).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
An assembly (59), as set forth in claim 3, wherein the pilot member (70) has a tapered bore (100), the pilot member tapered recess (100) being engaged by the second engaging means (74) at the second elevational position (30).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
51 words
An assembly (59), as set forth in claim 3, including a planar bearing member (94) affixed to the bearing end portion (88) of the pilot member (70), the planar bearing member (94) having a tapered recess (100) and the tapered recess (100) being adapted to receive the second engaging means (74).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
72 words
An assembly (59), as set forth in claim 3, wherein the load carrying device (12) includes a deck (18) extending in a direction transverse to the axis (26) and a bore (112) disposed through the deck (18), the pilot member (70) having a cylindrical shank portion (90) extending from the tapered end portion (86) and a chamfered end portion (92), the cylindrical shank portion (90) being disposed in the deck bore (112).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
99 words
An assembly (59), as set forth in claim 4, wherein the carrier (68) has first and second spaced apart side portions (76,78) connected to and between the load carrying portion (16) and the support portion (80), the support portion (80) having an aperture (82) disposed therethrough for receiving the second engaging means (74) at the second elevational position (30) of the load carrying portion (16), the pilot member (70) being disposed between the first and second side portions (76,78), the tapered bore (100) of the pilot member (70) and the aperture (82) of the carrier (68) being axially aligned.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
78 words
An assembly (59), as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first engaging means (72) includes a guide member (102) having an aperture (104) and being connected to the frame (14) at a location adjacent the carrier (68), the pilot member (70) being disposed in and engageable with the guide member aperture (104) at the first elevational position (28) and disposed in and free from engagement with the guide member aperture (104) at the second elevational position (30).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
An assembly (59), as set forth in claim 8, wherein the first engaging means (72) includes first and second spaced apart sides (106,108) connected to and between the guide member (102) and the frame (14), the pilot member (70) being disposed between the first and second guide member sides (106,108).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
85 words
An assembly (59), as set forth in claim 4, wherein the second engaging means (74) includes a spigot (96) having a conically shaped end portion (98) and being mounted on the frame (14) at a preselected location on the frame (14), the spigot (96) being oriented in a direction substantially parallel to the elevational axis (26) and the conically shaped end portion (98) being disposed in the pilot member tapered bore (100) and engaged with the pilot member (70) at the second elevational position (30).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
117 words
An assembly (59), as set forth in claim 1, including a load supporting device (44) having a top member (54) and a bore (84) disposed at a preselected location in the top member (54), the load carrying device (12) having a deck (18) and a plurality of bearing assemblies (32,34) mounted on the deck (18), the top member (54) being supported on the bearing assemblies (32,34) and the pilot member (70) being disposed in the bore (84) of the load supporting top member (54) at the first elevational position (28), the pilot member (70) maintaining the load supporting device (44) at a preselected transverse location relative to the vehicle frame (14) at the first elevational position (28).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
110 words
An assembly (59), as set forth in claim 11, including a second means (74) for engaging the pilot member (70) and moving the pilot member in directions transverse to the axis (26) in response to movement of the pilot member (70) towards the second elevational position (30), the second means maintaining the pilot member (70) at a second preselected transverse location relative to the axis (26) at the second elevational position (30), the pilot member (70) being free from disposition in the load supporting top member bore (84) and the load supporting device (44) being free from restraint relative to the vehicle frame (14) at the second elevational position (30).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
65 words
An assembly (59), as set forth in claim 11, wherein the load supporting device (44) is free to move on the bearing assemblies (32,34) in directions transverse the axis (26), the pilot member (70) being free to move on the carrier (68) in directions transverse the axis (26) in response to the pilot member (70) being located between the first and second elevational positions (28,30).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
78 words
An assembly (59), as set forth in claim 11, wherein the load supporting member (44) includes a plurality of legs (56) connected to the top member (54), the legs (56) being engaged with and supporting the load supporting member (44) on an underlying surface (58) at the second position (30) of the load carrying portion (16) and being free from supporting engagement with the underlying surface (58) at the first position (28) of the load carrying portion (16).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
89 words
An assembly (59), as set forth in claim 11, wherein the pilot member (70) has a tapered end portion (86), a bearing end portion (88), and a shank portion (90) extending from the tapered end portion (86), the bearing end portion (88) being slidably engaged with the carrier support portion (80), the tapered end portion (86) being engaged with the first engaging means (72) at the first elevational position (28), and the shank portion (90) being engaged in the top member bore (84) at the first elevational position (28).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
62 words
An assembly (59), as set forth in claim 11, wherein the top member bore (84) has a conical bore portion (85), the conical bore portion (85) urging the pilot member (70) transverse to the axis (26) and guiding the pilot member (70) into the top member bore (84) in response to movement of the pilot member (70) toward the first position (28).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
72 words
An assembly (59), as set forth in claim 16, wherein the first engaging means (72) includes a guide member (102), the guide member (102) engaging the pilot member (70) and moving the pilot member (70) to the first transverse location and the load supporting device (44) to the preselected transverse location relative to the frame (14) in response to elevational movement of the pilot member (70) towards the first elevational position (28).
Claim 19
Independent Claim
169 words
A method for positioning a load supporting device (44) on a frame (14) of a material handling vehicle (10) including a load carrying portion (16) and a pilot member (70), comprising the steps of: moving the load carrying portion (16) and the pilot member (70) in an elevational direction toward a first elevational position (28) and engaging the pilot member (70) with the load supporting device (44); guiding the pilot member (44) in directions transverse the direction of elevational movement and into a bore (84) in the load supporting device (44); engaging the load supporting device (44) and elevating the load supporting device (44) for free movement in directions transverse to the direction of elevational movement of the load carrying portion (16); and engaging the pilot member (70) and urging the pilot member (70) to a first preselected transverse location relative to the direction of elevational movement of the load carrying portion (16) and the load supporting device (44) to a preselected transverse location relative to the frame (14).
Claim 20
Independent Claim
169 words
A method for positioning a load supporting device (44) on a frame (14) of a material handling vehicle (10) including a load carrying portion (16) and a pilot member (70), comprising the steps of: moving the load carrying portion (16) and the pilot member (70) in an elevational direction toward a first elevational position (28) and engaging the pilot member (70) with the load supporting device (44); guiding the pilot member (44) in directions transverse the direction of elevational movement and into a bore (84) in the load supporting device (44); engaging the load supporting device (44) and elevating the load supporting device (44) for free movement in directions transverse to the direction of elevational movement of the load carrying portion (16); and engaging the pilot member (70) and urging the pilot member (70) to a first preselected transverse location relative to the direction of elevational movement of the load carrying portion (16) and the load supporting device (44) to a preselected transverse location relative to the frame (14).
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
63 words
A method, as set forth in claim 18, further including an initial step of moving the load carrying portion (16) from a second elevated position (30) toward a first elevated position (28) and freeing the pilot member (70) from being maintained at a second tranverse location relative to the direction of elevational movement of the load carrying portion (16) on the frame (14).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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