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US3561623A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Article-handling system for baggage or other cargo
Assignee: Jervis B Webb Co
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Filing: 1969-01-07
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Granted: 1971-02-09
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Expires: 1989-01-07
Abstract
Abstract A system for handling baggage or other cargo of a vehicle such as an aircraft equipped with cargo containers. Each container is provided with a number of removable cargo trays. A terminal includes a vehicle loading and unloading dock, conveyorized for moving containers, and having a container storage area and a station where trays are unloaded from or loaded into containers. A tray conveyor extends between the container loading and unloading station and a tray transfer station. Carriers of a tray transporting conveyor selectively operate between the transfer station, where trays are automatically transferred to or from the carriers, and tray loading and unloading stations in the terminal. Operation of the system in an unloading direction results in loaded trays being delivered by the carriers to selected unloading loops at a delivery area where carriers circulate until unloaded. In the loading operation of the system, loaded trays are transported by the carriers, transferred to the tray conveyor and forwarded to the container loading station.
Inventors
- 👤 Edward W Mccaul
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 11:52
CPC Classifications
B; B64; B64F; B64F1/00; B64F1/36; B64F1/368; B64F1/32; B64F1/324; B65; B65G; B65G67/00; B65G2814/00; B65G2814/03; B65G2814/0398
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
123 words
An article handling system for cargo such as baggage of a transport vehicle having one or more cargo containers, comprising: a plurality of cargo trays adapted to be removably carried in each container; a dock having a container and vehicle transfer station and a container and tray transfer station; a plurality of propellable tray carriers each having a bed adapted to engage and support a tray; tray conveyor means arranged between the container and tray transfer station and a tray and carrier transfer station; means at the tray and carrier transfer station for automatically transferring a tray between the tray conveyor means and a carrier; and means for guiding the carriers between the tray and carrier transfer station and a cargo delivery station.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
123 words
An article handling system for cargo such as baggage of a transport vehicle having one or more cargo containers, comprising: a plurality of cargo trays adapted to be removably carried in each container; a dock having a container and vehicle transfer station and a container and tray transfer station; a plurality of propellable tray carriers each having a bed adapted to engage and support a tray; tray conveyor means arranged between the container and tray transfer station and a tray and carrier transfer station; means at the tray and carrier transfer station for automatically transferring a tray between the tray conveyor means and a carrier; and means for guiding the carriers between the tray and carrier transfer station and a cargo delivery station.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
An article-handling system according to claim 1 wherein the means for guiding the carriers includes a plurality of guide paths at the cargo delivery station to which carriers can be selectively dispatched.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
And An article-handling system according to claim 2 wherein each of the guide paths at the delivery station comprises a loop around which a carrier can circulate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
An article-handling system according to claim 3 wherein each loop includes means for sensing the unloaded condition of a tray on a carrier, and switch means for diverting a carrier from the loop in response to such unloaded condition.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
An article-handling system according to claim 1 wherein the means for guiding an the carriers extends to a carrier storage station.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
An article-handling system according to claim 1 wherein the means for guiding the carriers extends to a carrier loading station.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
An article-handling system according to claim 6 wherein the carrier loading station includes means for automatically transferring a tray to a carrier.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
An article-handling system according to claim 1 wherein each container is constructed to carry trays in tiers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
An article-handling system according to claim 8 including elevator means at the container and tray transfer station whereby the tray conveyor means is capable of handling trays at the level of each tier of a container.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
An article-handling system according to claim 9 wherein the tray conveyor means is supported by the elevator means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
An article-handling system according to claim 1 wherein the dock includes two container storage areas and is conveyorized for the movement of containers between said storage areas, the container and vehicle transfer station and the container and tray transfer station.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
An article-handling system according to claim 1 wherein the means for guiding the carriers comprises a monorail track system.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
An article-handling system according to claim 12 wherein each tray carrier is motorized.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
54 words
An article-handling system according to claim 1 wherein each tray has a transverse dimension greater than the transverse dimension of the bed of a carrier, and interengageable means on the tray and carrier for locating a tray on the bed with the sides of the tray extending outwardly of the sides of the bed.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
115 words
An article-handling system according to claim 14 wherein the tray conveyor means at the tray and carrier transfer station includes tray-conveying devices spaced apart transversely a distance greater than the transverse dimension of the carrier bed but less than the transverse dimension of the tray, a carrier support, the carrier support and tray-conveying devices extending through the station in vertically changing relation between an elevation at which the bed of a carrier is above the tray-conveying devices and an elevation at Which the carrier is below the tray-conveying devices, and the means for guiding the carriers extends through the tray and carrier transfer station to position the bed of the carrier between the tray-conveying devices.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
66 words
An article-handling system according to claim 15 wherein the direction of movement of a carrier and of the tray-conveying devices at the tray and carrier transfer station is reversible whereby movement in one direction transfers a tray from the tray-conveying devices to the bed of a carrier and movement in the other direction transfers a tray from the bed of a carrier to the tray-conveying devices.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
133 words
An article-handling system according to claim 15 wherein the means at the tray and carrier transfer station for automatically transferring a tray between the tray-conveyor means and a carrier includes means for relatively positioning a tray and empty carrier with the carrier located in advance of the tray and extending from an elevation below the tray to an elevation at which a portion of the carrier is engageable by the leading end of a tray, and indexing means operable in response to the presence of a properly positioned tray and carrier to advance a tray into engagement with a carrier and advance the tray and carrier to a position at which the elevation of the bed of a carrier is above the tray-conveying devices and the tray is supported on the carrier bed.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
48 words
An article-handling system according to claim 17 wherein the indexing means comprises a pair of chains each having a tray pusher mounted thereon, means mounting the chains on either side of the path of travel of a tray over the conveying devices, and means for driving the chains.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
53 words
An article-handling system according to claim 1 wherein the tray conveyor means includes a reversible driving device and is operable in one direction to receive trays from a container at the container and tray transfer station, and is operable in the opposite direction to delivery trays to the container and tray transfer station.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
93 words
An article-handling system according to claim 19 wherein the direction of movement of a carrier through the tray and carrier transfer station is reversible, the means at the tray and transfer station for automatically transferring a tray between the tray conveyor means and a carrier being responsive to the direction of carrier movement whereby carrier movement in one direction results in the transfer of a tray from the tray conveyor means to a carrier and movement in the opposite direction results in transfer of a tray from a carrier to the tray-conveyor means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1577184A
Cited
US3260349A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-02-08 | 1974-08-10 | 1975-02-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-02-08 | 1978-08-10 | 1979-02-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-02-08 | 1982-08-10 | 1983-02-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |