Apparatus for moving a vehicle along a path of travel

Claim 2

Apparatus for moving a wheeled vehicle across a ground-level transport surface bounded by the paths of travel of the wheels of the vehicle comprising an endless drive chain constrained for movement in a horizontal plane upon a ground-level support surface adjacent the transport surface, means mounted upon said support surface and connected with said endless drive chain for applying motive power thereto whereby the vehicle moving apparatus may be mounted entirely above the ground, roller means including coupling means movable between a retracted position and a chain engaging position being operatively coupled with said endless drive chain for movement thereby from said support surface onto said transport surface to engage a wheel of the vehicle for moving the same across the transport surface, control means holding said coupling means in said retracted position and energizable to release the same to said chain engaging position, and lubricating means responsive to energization of said control means for applying lubricant to said drive chain.

Claim 3

The invention as recited in claim 1 wherein said motive power means comprises a hydraulic motor directly connected with said endless drive chain.

Claim 4

The invention as recited in claim 1 wherein said control means includes pneumatic release means adapted to selectively receive a supply of pressurized air and responsive thereto for releasing said coupling means to said chain engaging position, and wherein said lubricating means includes a closed lubricant holding tank having inlet means adapted to receive said supply of pressurized air and having outlet means disposed adjacent said drive chain for applying lubricant thereto upon pressurization of said holding tank.

Claim 5

The invention as recited in claim 3 wherein said outlet means of said lubricating means is disposed in superposition with said drive chain for applying lubricant to both said drive chain and said roller means.

Claim 6

The invention as recited in claim 1 wherein said roller means includes a push roller journalled for rotation about a horizontal axis for directly engaging a wheel of the vehicle, and a roller wheel for supporting said push roller in spaced relation with said support surface for movement therealong, and further including guide means for the wheel of the vehicle disposed above said roller wheel to shield the same from contact with the wheel of the vehicle.

Claim 7

Apparatus for moving a wheeled vehicle over a preselected path of travel comprising a drive chain connected at its ends to form an endless loop, guide means for said endless drive chain mounted in a horizontal plane upon a ground-level support surface adjacent the preselected path of travel of the vehicle and guiding said endless drive chain along first and second spaced lines of travel, roller means operatively coupled with said endless drive chain for movement thereby from a terminal area, said roller means engaging a wheel of the vehicle as said endless drive chain moves along said first line of travel to move the vehicle along the preselected path of travel, said endless drive chain returning said roller means to said terminal area as said drive chain moves along said second line of travel, and drive means mounted upon said support surface and connected with said endless drive chain to move the same along said first and second lines of travel whereby the preselected path of travel of the vehicle is unobstructed by the vehicle moving apparatus, said guide means including first and second spaced track means cooperating to form a closed guide path for said roller means, said first and second track means having staggered, overlapping ends whereby said roller means is supported upon at least one of said first and second track means as it moves about said closed guide path.

Claim 8

Apparatus for moving a wheeled vehicle over a preselected path of travel comprising a drive chain connected at its ends to form an endless loop, guide means for said endless drive chain mounted in a horizontal plane upon a ground-level support surface adjacent the preselected path of travel of the vehicle and guiding said endless drive chain along first and second spaced lines of travel, roller means operatively coupled with said endless drive chain for movement thereby from a terminal area, said roller means engaging a wheel of the vehicle as said endless drive chain moves along said first line of travel to move the vehicle along the preselected path of travel, said endless drive chain returning said roller means to said terminal area as said drive chain moves along said second line of travel, and drive means mounted upon said support surface and connected with said endless drive chain to move the same along said first and second lines of travel whereby the preselected path of travel of the vehicle is unobstructed by the vehicle moving apparatus, said guide means including first and second spaced track means cooperating to form a closed guide path for said roller means, said first and second track means having staggered, overlapping ends whereby said roller means is supported upon at least one of said first and second track means as it moves about said closed guide path.

Claim 9

The invention as recited in claim 6 wherein said roller means includes a plurality of roller assemblies, each of said roller assemblies including coupling means selectively engagable with said drive chain and a release arm cooperating with the coupling means of the following roller assemBly to disengage said following roller assembly from said drive chain as said following roller assembly moves into contact therewith.

Claim 10

The invention as recited in claim 7 further including control means connected with said roller means and said drive means for simultaneously energizing said drive means and engaging the coupling means of one of said roller assemblies with said drive chain.

Claim 11

The invention as recited in claim 6 wherein said guide means comprises a plurality of spaced sprocket wheel disposed in a horizontal plane and constraining said drive chain for movement therearound and wherein said drive means comprises a hydraulic motor directly connected with one of said plurality of sprocket wheels.

Claim 12

The invention as recited in claim 6 wherein said second track means is disposed inboard of said first track means whereby the vehicle is moved over said second track means.

Claim 13

The invention as recited in claim 6 wherein said second track means is disposed outboard of said first track means whereby the vehicle is moved along side of said second track means.

Claim 14

Apparatus for moving vehicles along a preselected path of travel comprising an endless drive chain driven in a horizontal plane on spaced sprocket wheels, a plurality of roller means, each selectively engagable with said drive chain for pushing one of the vehicles along the preselected path of travel, each of said roller means including coupling means movable between a chain-engaging position and a retracted position, release means disposed adjacent said drive chain and sequentially cooperating with each one of said coupling means to hold said coupling means in its retracted position and energizable to release said coupling means to its chain-engaging position, lubricating means mounted adjacent said drive chain and energizable to apply a preselected amount of lubricant to said drive chain, and control means connected with said release means and said lubricating means and selectively operable to energize both said release means and said lubricating means whereby said preselected amount of lubricant is applied to said drive chain upon the release of each of said coupling means of said roller means.

Claim 15

Apparatus for moving vehicles along a preselected path of travel comprising an endless drive chain driven in a horizontal plane on spaced sprocket wheels, a plurality of roller means, each selectively engagable with said drive chain for pushing one of the vehicles along the preselected path of travel, each of said roller means including coupling means movable between a chain-engaging position and a retracted position, release means disposed adjacent said drive chain and sequentially cooperating with each one of said coupling means to hold said coupling means in its retracted position and energizable to release said coupling means to its chain-engaging position, lubricating means mounted adjacent said drive chain and energizable to apply a preselected amount of lubricant to said drive chain, and control means connected with said release means and said lubricating means and selectively operable to energize both said release means and said lubricating means whereby said preselected amount of lubricant is applied to said drive chain upon the release of each of said coupling means of said roller means.

Claim 16

The invention as recited in claim 12 wherein said lubricating means comprises a lubricant holding tank having inlet means adapted to be connected with a source of pressurized air by said control means and outlet means for applying lubricant to said drive chain whenever said control means supplies pressurized air from said source to said holding tank.

Claim 17

The invention as recited in claim 13 wherein said outlet means is disposed in superposition with said drive chain and said roller means for applying lubricant to said drive chain and said roller means.

Claim 18

The invention as recited in claim 12 further including guide means cooperating with said sprocket wheels for constraining said drive chain for movement along first and second substantially parallel, spaced lines of travel and wherein said release means and said lubricating means are mounted between said first and second lines of travel.

Claim 19

The invention as recited in claim 15 wherein said guide means is mounted adjacent the preselected path of travel of the vehicle such that said path of travel is unobstructed thereby.

Claim 20

In a vehicle conveyor assembly, the combination comprising, an endless drive chain driven in a horizontal plane on at least two spaced sprocket wheels, roller means operatively coupled with said endless drive chain for pushing a vehicle along a preselected path of travel, said roller means having first and second spaced load-bearing wheel means, guide means for said roller means and having at least one load-receiving track for cooperation with said first wheel means of said roller means, adjustment means for adjustably presetting the spacing between said sprocket wheels, said adjustment means including carriage means for one of said sprocket wheels and Adjustable in said horizontal plane with respect to its distance from the other of said sprocket wheels, and said carriage means including another load-receiving track for said roller means cooperating with said second wheel means and further cooperating with said load-receiving track of said guide means to provide a closed guide path for said roller means, adjacent ends of said load-receiving tracks being disposed in staggered relationship therebetween whereby loads applied by said roller means are received by at least one of said load-receiving tracks regardless of the horizontal adjusted spacing between said guide means and said carriage means.

Claim 21

In a vehicle conveyor assembly, the combination comprising, an endless drive chain driven in a horizontal plane on at least two spaced sprocket wheels, roller means operatively coupled with said endless drive chain for pushing a vehicle along a preselected path of travel, said roller means having first and second spaced load-bearing wheel means, guide means for said roller means and having at least one load-receiving track for cooperation with said first wheel means of said roller means, adjustment means for adjustably presetting the spacing between said sprocket wheels, said adjustment means including carriage means for one of said sprocket wheels and Adjustable in said horizontal plane with respect to its distance from the other of said sprocket wheels, and said carriage means including another load-receiving track for said roller means cooperating with said second wheel means and further cooperating with said load-receiving track of said guide means to provide a closed guide path for said roller means, adjacent ends of said load-receiving tracks being disposed in staggered relationship therebetween whereby loads applied by said roller means are received by at least one of said load-receiving tracks regardless of the horizontal adjusted spacing between said guide means and said carriage means.

Claim 22

The invention as recited in claim 17 further including a hydraulic motor for said endless drive chain mounted upon said carriage means and directly connected with said one sprocket wheel for rotation thereof.