Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
198 words
An article handling construction for moving articles vertically from one level to another comprising opposed upright frame members, a surrounding main frame structure, means connecting said upright frame members to said main frame structure whereby said upright frame members are suspended within said main frame structure and supported by said main frame structure, endless conveyor means carried by each of said frame members, each of said conveyor means carrying a plurality of article supporting elements located at spaced intervals thereon, and drive means for said conveyor means, each article supporting element on one of the conveyor means being located in opposed, transversely spaced relation ship with a corresponding article supporting element on the other conveyor means during movement of the article supporting elements along the inwardly facing sides of the conveyor means, said article supporting elements engaging articles at the ends of the articles with the remaining portions of the articles being suspended, unsupported between the article supporting elements, and including additional drive means mounted between said main frame structure and said upright frame members, said additional drive means operating to provide relative movement between said upright frame members to vary the spacing between the upright frame members.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
198 words
An article handling construction for moving articles vertically from one level to another comprising opposed upright frame members, a surrounding main frame structure, means connecting said upright frame members to said main frame structure whereby said upright frame members are suspended within said main frame structure and supported by said main frame structure, endless conveyor means carried by each of said frame members, each of said conveyor means carrying a plurality of article supporting elements located at spaced intervals thereon, and drive means for said conveyor means, each article supporting element on one of the conveyor means being located in opposed, transversely spaced relation ship with a corresponding article supporting element on the other conveyor means during movement of the article supporting elements along the inwardly facing sides of the conveyor means, said article supporting elements engaging articles at the ends of the articles with the remaining portions of the articles being suspended, unsupported between the article supporting elements, and including additional drive means mounted between said main frame structure and said upright frame members, said additional drive means operating to provide relative movement between said upright frame members to vary the spacing between the upright frame members.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
A construction in accordance with claim 1 wherein said article supporting elements comprise inclined roller beds.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
102 words
A construction in accordance with claim 2 wherein the article supporting elements are employed for lifting articles vertically from a lower level to an upper level, a loading station located on one side of the construction at said lower level, and a discharge station located on the other side of the construction at said upper level, said inclined roller beds having their raised ends on said one side of the construction in the course of upward movement, and including means for retaining articles in position on said roller beds as said articles are moved from said lower level to said upper level.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A construction in accordance with claim 3 wherein said means for maintaining the articles in position comprise stop means located on said other side of the co construction and extending from said lower level to said upper level.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
A construction in accordance with claim 1 wherein said conveyor means comprise endless chains, sprockets for carrying the chains and for imparting driving movement thereto, and brackets attached at spaced intervals to said chains for holding said article supporting elements.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
A construction in accordance with claim 1 wherein said additional drive means are supported by said surrounding main frame and said upright frame members, said additional drive means serving as the means for connecting said upright frame memberS to said main frame.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
A construction in accordance with claim 6 wherein said additional drive means include pinions carried by said upright frame members and rack means mounted on said main frame for engagement by said pinions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
59 words
A construction in accordance with claim 7 wherein said main frame includes a plurality of transversely extending members at different levels of the construction, said racks being located on said members transversely extending and wherein the pinions engaging said racks serve to hold the upright frame members and associated conveyor means in suspended relationship relative to said main frame.