US3628678A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Hydraulic load carrier
Assignee: Acme Steel Co
•
Filing: 1970-04-21
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Granted: 1971-12-21
•
Expires: 1990-04-21
Abstract
Abstract A hydraulic load carrier having a hydraulic powered lift platform, forks and horizontal drive includes variable proportional flow valves to variably control the flow of hydraulic power fluid to the lift platform, forks and drive and an electrical control circuit to variably operate each of the valves. The control circuit is constructed to require the load carrier operator to maintain both hands on manual operating handles in order to effect movement of the lift platform or horizontal movement of the load carrier. In addition, the control circuit includes switches which prevent horizontal movement of the load carrier when the forks are not centered and movement of the forks when the load carrier is moving horizontally. End of run slowdown and cutout means are also provided in the circuit to slow and stop movement of the forks and the load carrier when they have reached their end of run and the forks are operable either manually or automatically after manual movement has been initiated.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul E Redelman
- 👤 Gerald M Kwiatkowski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 16:28
CPC Classifications
B; B66; B66F; B66F9/00; B66F9/06; B66F9/07; F; F15; F15B; F15B11/00; F15B11/16; F15B2211/00; F15B2211/20; F15B2211/205; F15B2211/20507; F15B2211/20515; F15B2211/20523; F15B2211/30; F15B2211/305; F15B2211/30505; F15B2211/32; F15B2211/327; F15B2211/40; F15B2211/405; F15B2211/40515; F15B2211/415; F15B2211/41509; F15B2211/41527; F15B2211/455; F15B2211/46; F15B2211/50; F15B2211/505; F15B2211/50509; F15B2211/50518; F15B2211/50527; F15B2211/515; F15B2211/5153; F15B2211/60; F15B2211/665; F15B2211/6651; F15B2211/70; F15B2211/705; F15B2211/7051; F15B2211/7052; F15B2211/7058; F15B2211/71; F15B2211/75; F15B2211/78
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
245 words
In a load carrier including load supporting lift means and movable article handling means mounted thereon for storing and retrieving articles in a storage installation which includes drive means for manipulating the articles in at least two of three directions including a vertical direction, a direction transverse to the load carrier and a horizontal direction, a control arrangement comprising in combination therewith: power circuit means for supplying power to said drive means from a power source to manipulate the articles in said two directions, said power circuit means including power control means for selectively introducing the power to the respective drive means for manipulating the articles in said two directions, at least a pair of electrical control circuits for selectively energizing said Power control means to manipulate the articles in said two directions, respectively, electrical control means in each of said pair of control circuits moveable between a first position in which said power control means are operated to secure power to said drive means and a second position in which said power control means are operated to selectively introduce power to said drive means, and switching means in said pair of control circuits, said switching means opening both of said control circuits when the electrical control means of either of the circuits are in said first position, whereby manipulation in either of said two directions can only occur when the electrical control means of both of said circuits are each in said second positions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
245 words
In a load carrier including load supporting lift means and movable article handling means mounted thereon for storing and retrieving articles in a storage installation which includes drive means for manipulating the articles in at least two of three directions including a vertical direction, a direction transverse to the load carrier and a horizontal direction, a control arrangement comprising in combination therewith: power circuit means for supplying power to said drive means from a power source to manipulate the articles in said two directions, said power circuit means including power control means for selectively introducing the power to the respective drive means for manipulating the articles in said two directions, at least a pair of electrical control circuits for selectively energizing said Power control means to manipulate the articles in said two directions, respectively, electrical control means in each of said pair of control circuits moveable between a first position in which said power control means are operated to secure power to said drive means and a second position in which said power control means are operated to selectively introduce power to said drive means, and switching means in said pair of control circuits, said switching means opening both of said control circuits when the electrical control means of either of the circuits are in said first position, whereby manipulation in either of said two directions can only occur when the electrical control means of both of said circuits are each in said second positions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said power circuit means comprises a hydraulic circuit and said power control means comprise proportional flow hydraulic valve means, said valve means including motor means in and responsive to the condition of said electrical control circuits respectively.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said electrical control means of each of said control circuits comprises a gapped rheostat, whereby said electrical control means are moveable to a plurality of said second positions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
68 words
The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said drive means manipulates the articles in said vertical and horizontal directions and said switching means opens both of said control circuits when the electrical control means of either of the circuits are in said first position, whereby said vertical and horizontal manipulation can only occur when the electrical control means of both of said circuits are each in said second positions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
104 words
The arrangement of claim 1 including drive means, power circuit means, power control means and a third electrical control circuit and control means for manipulating the articles in each of said three directions, manipulation prevention means for preventing operation of said power control means from introducing power to the drive means for manipulating said load in the horizontal when said drive means is in a transverse position other than centered on said load carrier and for preventing operation of said power control means to move said drive means transverse of said load carrier when said load carrier is in motion in the horizontal direction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The arrangement of claim 5 wherein said manipulation prevention means includes switch means in at least one of the transverse and horizontal electrical control circuits.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
The arrangement of claim 6 wherein said switch means comprises a speed responsive switch in said transverse circuit which breaks the circuit to said power control means when said load carrier is in motion in the horizontal direction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
111 words
The arrangement of claim 6 wherein said switch means comprises a pair of switches one of said switches being in said transverse control circuit and the other of said switches being in said horizontal control circuit, said switch in said transverse circuit being operable in response to transverse movement of said drive means to close when said transverse drive means is centered on the load carrier and to open when said transverse drive means is not centered on the load carrier, coupling means coupling said pair of switches together for simultaneous operation, whereby when the switch in said transverse control circuit closes the switch in said horizontal control circuit is opened.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said pair of control circuits include means for independently varying the speed of said vertical and horizontal drive means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
56 words
The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the control circuit for controlling manipulation in said transverse direction includes means for manually moving and controlling said drive means in the transverse direction between an extended and a centered position relative to the load carrier and means for automatically continuing said transverse movement once movement has been initiated mAnually.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The arrangement of claim 10 wherein said manual means includes means to override said automatic means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
72 words
The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the control circuit for controlling manipulation in said transverse direction includes speed varying means for gradually slowing the speed of said drive means in the transverse direction, as the drive means approaches either a fully extended position or a position in which said drive means is centered on the load carrier, and for stopping said drive means when said drive means reaches either of said positions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the control circuit for controlling manipulation in said horizontal direction includes speed varying means for automatically slowing and stopping movement of the load carrier in the horizontal direction when said load carrier approaches the end of its horizontal run.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
210 words
In a load carrier for storing and retrieving articles in a storage installation which includes a fluid powered fork means on a lift platform for moving the articles transversely between a centered position on the load carrier and an extended position and fluid-powered drive means for moving the load carrier horizontally, a control arrangement comprising in combination therewith: at least a pair of proportional fluid control valves for selectively controlling the supply of power fluid to said fork means and said drive means respectively, motor means on each of said valves for variably opening said valves to vary the power fluid supplied to said fork means and said load carrier drive means, an electrical control circuit for controlling the operation of said motor means, said motor means being located in said control circuit, variable resistance means in said control circuit for variably and independently operating said motor means of each valve to vary the flow of the power fluid to said fork means and said drive means respectively, and movement prevention means in said control circuit for preventing movement of said fork means out of its centered position when said load carrier is in motion and for preventing movement of said load carrier when said fork means are not centered.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
210 words
In a load carrier for storing and retrieving articles in a storage installation which includes a fluid powered fork means on a lift platform for moving the articles transversely between a centered position on the load carrier and an extended position and fluid-powered drive means for moving the load carrier horizontally, a control arrangement comprising in combination therewith: at least a pair of proportional fluid control valves for selectively controlling the supply of power fluid to said fork means and said drive means respectively, motor means on each of said valves for variably opening said valves to vary the power fluid supplied to said fork means and said load carrier drive means, an electrical control circuit for controlling the operation of said motor means, said motor means being located in said control circuit, variable resistance means in said control circuit for variably and independently operating said motor means of each valve to vary the flow of the power fluid to said fork means and said drive means respectively, and movement prevention means in said control circuit for preventing movement of said fork means out of its centered position when said load carrier is in motion and for preventing movement of said load carrier when said fork means are not centered.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
The arrangement of claim 14 wherein said control circuit includes means for manually moving said fork means and means for automatically moving said fork means once movement has been initiated manually.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
The arrangement of claim 15 wherein said manual means is capable of overriding said automatic means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
166 words
In a load carrier for transporting articles in a storage installation, said load carrier including load supporting lift means mounted thereon for manipulating the articles vertically relative to the load carrier and means for operating the load carrier horizontally, comprising in combination therewith: first manual operating means for selectively manually operating said load supporting lift means for manipulating the articles vertically of the load carrier, second manual operating means for selectively operating the load carrier horizontally, and first and second manual switching means operatively associated with each of said first and second manual operating means respectively, said first manual operating means being operative to manipulate the load supporting lift means vertically relative to the load carrier only when said second manual switching means is manually operated simultaneously therewith, and said second manual operating means being operative to manipulate the load carrier horizontally only when said first manual switching means is manually operated simultaneously therewith, whereby both hands of the personnel operator are occupied during said manipulations.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
166 words
In a load carrier for transporting articles in a storage installation, said load carrier including load supporting lift means mounted thereon for manipulating the articles vertically relative to the load carrier and means for operating the load carrier horizontally, comprising in combination therewith: first manual operating means for selectively manually operating said load supporting lift means for manipulating the articles vertically of the load carrier, second manual operating means for selectively operating the load carrier horizontally, and first and second manual switching means operatively associated with each of said first and second manual operating means respectively, said first manual operating means being operative to manipulate the load supporting lift means vertically relative to the load carrier only when said second manual switching means is manually operated simultaneously therewith, and said second manual operating means being operative to manipulate the load carrier horizontally only when said first manual switching means is manually operated simultaneously therewith, whereby both hands of the personnel operator are occupied during said manipulations.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-12-20 | 1975-06-21 | 1975-12-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-12-20 | 1979-06-21 | 1979-12-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-12-20 | 1983-06-21 | 1983-12-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |