Patent US3603263A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3603263A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Tow vehicle and signal adjusting system therefor
Assignee: SI Handling Systems Inc
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Filing: 1969-07-28
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Granted: 1971-09-07
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Expires: 1989-07-28
Abstract
Abstract The tow vehicle system disclosed includes pivotably mounted cams above floor level and responsive to discrete power cylinders below floor level. The cams move selector pins on a tow vehicle in a transverse direction to a guide slot along which the vehicle is propelled. The extent of movement of the cams is controlled by discrete selectively operable limit stops in the path of movement of the cams. The location of the limit stops corresponds to the predetermined transverse positions of the selector pins. Movement of the cams into the path of the selector pins is initiated by a switch means responsive to the presence of the vehicle at that location. The cams are reset by another switch means responsive to passage of the vehicle past the location thereof. The selector pins on the front of the vehicle are mounted for pivotable movement about a vertical axis adjacent the rear of the vehicle.
Inventors
- 👤 Egidio Lucas Deoliveira
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 17:01
CPC Classifications
B; B61; B61B; B61B10/00; B61B10/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
189 words
A tow vehicle system comprising a reference surface having a slot, a tow vehicle having a tow pin extending into said slot for guiding the vehicle as it is propelled along the slot, said vehicle having a downwardly extending selector pin positionable at selected transverse positions on said vehicle, said selector pin being pivotably mounted on said vehicle about a vertical axis adjacent the rear of the vehicle, means for selectively changing the transverse position of said selector pin while the vehicle is being propelled along said slot, said position changing means including a cam supported by said surface, means mounting said cam for pivotable movement about a vertical axis, circuitry including a motor means connected to said cam for moving the cam from an initial position and positioning said cam in the path of said selector pin to cause said selector pin to pivot and move in a direction transverse to said slot, and means associated with said cam and responsive to the passage of said vehicle for causing said cam to return to its initial position after the vehicle is moved downstream beyond said position changing means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
189 words
A tow vehicle system comprising a reference surface having a slot, a tow vehicle having a tow pin extending into said slot for guiding the vehicle as it is propelled along the slot, said vehicle having a downwardly extending selector pin positionable at selected transverse positions on said vehicle, said selector pin being pivotably mounted on said vehicle about a vertical axis adjacent the rear of the vehicle, means for selectively changing the transverse position of said selector pin while the vehicle is being propelled along said slot, said position changing means including a cam supported by said surface, means mounting said cam for pivotable movement about a vertical axis, circuitry including a motor means connected to said cam for moving the cam from an initial position and positioning said cam in the path of said selector pin to cause said selector pin to pivot and move in a direction transverse to said slot, and means associated with said cam and responsive to the passage of said vehicle for causing said cam to return to its initial position after the vehicle is moved downstream beyond said position changing means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system in accordance with claim 1 including a rack at the front end of said vehicle, said rack having notches defining the selected transverse positions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system in accordance with claim 1 including limit stop means for selectively limiting the extend of movement of said cam as it moves from said initial position in a transverse direction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said circuitry includes a device responsive to the presence of the vehicle for initiating movement of said cam from its initial position to a preselected position to thereby move the selector pin to a preselected transverse position on said vehicle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
74 words
A system in accordance with claim 1 including limit stop means for selectively limiting the extent of movement of the cam as it moves from said initial position, said limit stop means including a plurality of plungers at different distances from said slot, and means for selectively and independently moving said plungers from a retracted position to a position wherein they contact the cam and limit the extent of pivotable movement of the cam.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
77 words
A system in accordance with claim 1 including a second cam identical with said first cam, said cams being on opposite sides of said slot, said truck having a second selector pin, the selector pins being on opposite sides of the tow pin, said second cam being adapted to cooperate with said second selector pin in the same manner as said first cam cooperates with said first selector pin while being completely independent of said first cam.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
107 words
A vehicle comprising a base mounted on wheels, a tow pin at the front center of the base and extending downwardly so that it may enter a guide slot, an upright selector pin extending downwardly for a distance sufficient so that its lower end will be adjacent a floor, said selector pin being located adjacent the front of the vehicle between the center of the base and a side edge of the base, means defining preselected transverse positions for said selector pin, and means mounting said selector pin for pivotable movement of said selector pin about a vertical axis on said base remote from said selector pin.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
107 words
A vehicle comprising a base mounted on wheels, a tow pin at the front center of the base and extending downwardly so that it may enter a guide slot, an upright selector pin extending downwardly for a distance sufficient so that its lower end will be adjacent a floor, said selector pin being located adjacent the front of the vehicle between the center of the base and a side edge of the base, means defining preselected transverse positions for said selector pin, and means mounting said selector pin for pivotable movement of said selector pin about a vertical axis on said base remote from said selector pin.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
56 words
A vehicle in accordance with claim 7 including a second selector pin, said selector pins being on opposite sides of the tow pin, said second selector pin being parallel to said first-mentioned selector pin, said second selector pin being mounted for pivotable movement about a vertical axis on said base remote from said second selector pin.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
175 words
A tow vehicle system comprising a reference surface having a slot adapted to receive a tow pin on a vehicle which is to be guided by and propelled along the slot, means for selectively changing the transverse position of a selector pin on a vehicle while the vehicle is being propelled along the slot, said means including a cam supported by the surface, circuitry including a motor means below the plane of the surface and connected to the cam for moving a portion of said cam from an initial position in a direction transverse with respect to said slot, said circuitry including a device responsive to the presence of a vehicle for initiating movement of said cam from its initial position to a preselected position to thereby move the selector pin on the vehicle to a preselected transverse position on the vehicle, and means associated with said cam and responsive to the passage of said vehicle for causing said cam to return to its initial position after a vehicle has moved downstream beyond said means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
175 words
A tow vehicle system comprising a reference surface having a slot adapted to receive a tow pin on a vehicle which is to be guided by and propelled along the slot, means for selectively changing the transverse position of a selector pin on a vehicle while the vehicle is being propelled along the slot, said means including a cam supported by the surface, circuitry including a motor means below the plane of the surface and connected to the cam for moving a portion of said cam from an initial position in a direction transverse with respect to said slot, said circuitry including a device responsive to the presence of a vehicle for initiating movement of said cam from its initial position to a preselected position to thereby move the selector pin on the vehicle to a preselected transverse position on the vehicle, and means associated with said cam and responsive to the passage of said vehicle for causing said cam to return to its initial position after a vehicle has moved downstream beyond said means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
A system in accordance with claim 9 including means mounting said cam for pivotable movement about a vertical axis, said motor means including a power cylinder mounted for pivotable movement and pivotably coupled to said cam.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
A system in accordance with claim 9 including limit stop means, said limit stop means including a row of plungers in said surface, means for selectively and independently raising said plungers to a position for contact with said portion of said cam.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
94 words
A system in accordance with claim 9 incluDing a second pivotably mounted cam, said cams being opposite sides of the slot, and a separate motor means below the plane of the surface and connected to the second cam for moving a portion of the second cam from an initial position in a direction transverse with respect to said slot, and means associated with said second cam and responsive to the passage of said vehicle for causing said second cam to return to its initial position after the vehicle has moved downstream beyond said means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system in accordance with claim 11 including a pit in said surface, a housing in said pit, said housing containing said position changing means and said limit stop means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3200767A
Cited
US3174439A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-06 | 1975-03-08 | 1975-09-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-06 | 1979-03-08 | 1979-09-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-06 | 1983-03-08 | 1983-09-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |