Shuttle car mechanism for transferring loads between two stations

Claim 2

In a load transfer mechanism for moving loads relatively from a first elevated station of relatively open construction to a similarly elevated second station of relatively open construction and having a bed portion which is movable in a vertically arcuate manner through such stations to effect the pick-up from said first station of a load and the subsequent deposit of the same on the second such station as the transfer mechanism is moved through a load transfer cycle of operation, a combined drive and bed elevating-and-lowering means for such mechanism which comprises a two-way power driven lineal member extending between such stations and operatively coupled at an intermediate portion with said transfer mechanism to propel such mechanism for two-way travel between such stations, a cam follower means supported in said transfer mechanism for angular displacement realtively in either direction about a horizontal axis extending laterally of the mechanism as respects its direction of travel between said stations, a fixed cam means mounted adjacent the first station and engageable by said cam follower means upon said transfer mechanism being moved relatively through a given portion of its travel path along said first station to effect a limited angular displacement of said cam follower means in a first direction of movement about its axis, and means for transmitting such angular displacement of said cam follower means into arcuately upward swing movement of the bed portion of said transfer mechanism whereby to cause said bed portion to engage with and effect the pick-up and removal from such first station of a load previously positioned at such station.

Claim 3

The structure of claim 1 wherein the bed portion of said transfer mechanism remains in a raised swing position as the mechanism moves from said first station to said second station and which further includes a tripper means at such second station for returning said bed portion to a lowered swing position in the transfer mechanism as the latter moves relatively away from such second station whereby to cause the load carried by said transfer mechanism to be deposited on said second platform.

Claim 4

The structure of claim 2 wherein said tripper means comprises block-like means positioned at such second station to engage the bed portion along one side thereof as the transfer mechanism commences to move relatively away fRom such second station whereby to force the bed portion to return by gravity action to a lowered position in the transfer mechanism, said block-like means being spring loaded and configured so as to be non-obstructive to movement therepast of the bed portion of said transfer mechanism during movement thereof in a direction towards such second station.

Claim 5

The structure of claim 3 in which said block-like means is positioned to engage the load along one side thereof following return of the bed portion to a lowered position in the transfer mechanism and during the movement of such mechanism from such station to also effect a squaring of the load with respect to such station.

Claim 6

The structure of claim 2 wherein said tripper means comprises a second cam follower means having a common support in said transfer mechanism with said first mentioned cam follower means, a second fixed cam means mounted adjacent the second station and engageable by said cam follower means upon said transfer mechanism being moved relatively through a given portion of its travel path along said second station to effect a limited angular displacement of said second cam follower means in a contrary direction to that caused in the first-mentioned cam follower means upon the latter engaging its associated cam means, with such angular displacement of the second cam follower roller being effective to cause the bed portion of the load transfer mechanism to return to a lowered position therein, said second cam follower means positioned on said common support arcuately out of phase with said first-mentioned cam follower means by the amount of the angular displacement imparted to the first cam follower means by the first-mentioned fixed cam means.

Claim 7

The construction of claim 1 wherein said cam follower means is supported in said transfer mechanism on a first horizontal shaft journalled transversely in said mechanism and wherein the means for transmitting angular displacement of said cam follower means into arcuately upward swing movement of the bed portion of the transfer mechanism comprises a first sprocket keyed for rotation with said first shaft, a second sprocket keyed for rotation with a second horizontal shaft journalled transversely in said mechanism adjacent to said first shaft, a lineal member trained between said first and second sprockets to transmit rotational movement of the first sprocket to the second sprocket, and pairs of radius arm elements supporting said bed portion for vertically arcuate swing movement in the load transfer mechanism, at least one pair of said radius arm elements connected for rotation with said second horizontal shaft.

Claim 8

The construction of claim 6 wherein the last-mentioned lineal member constitutes an integral extension of the two-way power driven lineal member which extends between the first and second stations.

Claim 9

In a load transfer mechanism for moving loads relatively from a first elevated station of relatively open construction to a similarly elevated second station of relatively open construction and having a bed portion which is movable in a vertically arcuate manner through such stations to effect the pick-up from said first station of a load and the subsequent deposit of the same on the second such station as the transfer mechanism is moved through a load transfer cycle of operation, a combined drive and bed elevating-and-lowering means for such mechanism which comprises: a two-way power driven lineal member of endless construction extending between such stations; means operatively coupling said lineal member to said load transfer mechanism to power the same for two-way travel between said first and second stations, said means including a first sprocket keyed for rotation with a first horizontal shaft journalled transversely in said load transfer mechanism as respects the direction of travel of the mechanism between said stations and a second sprocket supported in said transfer mechanism in longitudinally aligned relation with said first sprocket by A second horizontal shaft journalled transversely in such mechanism adjacent to said first shaft, with said lineal member extending partly around and diagonally between said sprockets to thereby operatively couple the lineal member to said transfer mechanism while at the same time operatively coupling the first and second sprockets to one another; and means operative through said lineal member and said first and second sprockets to effect a controlled lifting and lowering movement of the bed portion of the transfer mechanism as the latter moves through a load transfer cycle of operation, said means comprising pairs of radius arm type support assemblies mounting the bed portion for vertical arcuate travel in said transfer mechanism with at least one pair of such assemblies connected with said second shaft, cam follower means carried by said first shaft, and fixed cam means located adjacent the first and second stations in positions to engage with and cause an angular displacement of said cam follower means upon the load transfer mechanism being moved through a load transfer cycle of operation whereby to effect through said cam follower means and said lineal means an angular displacement both of said first shaft and the sprocket secured thereto and said second shaft and its associated sprocket, with angular displacement of said second shaft being translated through said pairs of radius arm type support assemblies into vertical arcuate movement in the load transfer mechanism of the bed portion.

Claim 10

In a load transfer mechanism for moving loads relatively from a first elevated station of relatively open construction to a similarly elevated second station of relatively open construction and having a bed portion which is movable in a vertically arcuate manner through such stations to effect the pick-up from said first station of a load and the subsequent deposit of the same on the second such station as the transfer mechanism is moved through a load transfer cycle of operation, a combined drive and bed elevating-and-lowering means for such mechanism which comprises: a two-way power driven lineal member of endless construction extending between such stations; means operatively coupling said lineal member to said load transfer mechanism to power the same for two-way travel between said first and second stations, said means including a first sprocket keyed for rotation with a first horizontal shaft journalled transversely in said load transfer mechanism as respects the direction of travel of the mechanism between said stations and a second sprocket supported in said transfer mechanism in longitudinally aligned relation with said first sprocket by A second horizontal shaft journalled transversely in such mechanism adjacent to said first shaft, with said lineal member extending partly around and diagonally between said sprockets to thereby operatively couple the lineal member to said transfer mechanism while at the same time operatively coupling the first and second sprockets to one another; and means operative through said lineal member and said first and second sprockets to effect a controlled lifting and lowering movement of the bed portion of the transfer mechanism as the latter moves through a load transfer cycle of operation, said means comprising pairs of radius arm type support assemblies mounting the bed portion for vertical arcuate travel in said transfer mechanism with at least one pair of such assemblies connected with said second shaft, cam follower means carried by said first shaft, and fixed cam means located adjacent the first and second stations in positions to engage with and cause an angular displacement of said cam follower means upon the load transfer mechanism being moved through a load transfer cycle of operation whereby to effect through said cam follower means and said lineal means an angular displacement both of said first shaft and the sprocket secured thereto and said second shaft and its associated sprocket, with angular displacement of said second shaft being translated through said pairs of radius arm type support assemblies into vertical arcuate movement in the load transfer mechanism of the bed portion.

Claim 11

The construction of claim 8 wherein said fixed cam means are of a construction and location relatively to the first and second stations such that vertical swing movement of the bed portion of the load transfer mechanism at said first and second elevated stations occurs after the mechanism itself is moving relatively away from such stations after having completed movement in one direction of its travel between such stations.

Claim 12

The construction of claim 9 wherein said pairs of radius arm type support assemblies and said cam follower means and fixed cam means are arranged and constructed such that the bed portion of the load transfer mechanism in swinging arcuately through said first and second stations has a horizontal component of motion which is directly opposite to the direction of horizontal motion of the transfer mechanism itself at the time of such swing motion in the bed portion.

Claim 13

The construction of claim 8 wherein said fixed cam means are mounted for free pivotable movement in one direction about a horizontal, transverse axis while being restrained against pivoting movement in the opposite direction about such axis and wherein the cam follower means of said load transfer mechanisms in engaging said fixed cam means in one direction of travel of the load transfer mechanism effect a tilting of the cam means in moving therepast while the cam means themselves remain in an angularly fixed position.

Claim 14

The construction of claim 11 wherein the fixed cam means are counterweighted in a manner as to cause the same to return to a given position on their respective tilt axes following tilting movement by the cam follower means.

Claim 15

In a load transfer mechanism for moving loads relatively from a first elevated station of relatively open construction to a similarly elevated second station of relatively open construction and having a bed portion which is movable in a vertically arcuate manner through such stations to effect the pick-up from said first station of a load and the subsequent deposit of the same on the second such station as the transfer mechanism is moved through a load transfer cycle of operation, a combined drive and bed elevating-and-lowering means for such mechanism which comprises a two-way, power driven lineal member of endless construction extending between such stations, means operatively coupling an intermediate portion of said lineal member to said load transfer mechanism to power the same for two-way travel between said first and second stations, saId means including a first sprocket keyed for rotation with a first horizontal shaft journalled transversely in said load transfer mechanism as respects the direction of travel of the mechanism between said stations, and a second sprocket supported in said transfer mechanism in longitudinally aligned relation with said first sprocket by a second horizontal shaft journalled transversely in such mechanism adjacent to said first shaft with said lineal member extending partly around and diagonally between said sprockets to thereby operatively couple the lineal member to the transfer mechanism while at the same time operatively coupling the first and second sprockets to one another, and means operative through said lineal member and said first and second sprockets to effect controlled lifting and lowering movement of the bed portion in the transfer mechanism as the latter moves through a load transfer cycle, said means including a pair of cam follower means dependingly secured to said first shaft to opposite sides of the first sprocket, first and second fixed cam means mounted adjacent to a respective one of the first and second stations and engageable by individual cam follower means upon said transfer mechanism being moved relatively through a given portion of its travel path along said stations to effect an angular displacement of the respective cam means about the mounting axis thereof with such displacement in the separate cam follower means being uniform but in 180* opposite direction, and with the cam follower means positioned out-of-phase with one another on such first shaft by the amount of such angular displacement so that as one such cam follower means is displaced angularly by its associated cam means the other of the cam follower means will be caused to move to the angular position previously occupied by the other, and pairs of radius arm type connectors supporting said bed portion for vertical arcuate travel in said load transfer mechanism with at least one pair of such connectors attached to the second shaft whereby to translate any rotary movement being imparted to said second shaft through said lineal member and sprockets by the co-action between said cam follower means and said fixed cam means into vertical movement of the bed portion.

Claim 16

In a load transfer mechanism for moving loads relatively from a first elevated station of relatively open construction to a similarly elevated second station of relatively open construction and having a bed portion which is movable in a vertically arcuate manner through such stations to effect the pick-up from said first station of a load and the subsequent deposit of the same on the second such station as the transfer mechanism is moved through a load transfer cycle of operation, a combined drive and bed elevating-and-lowering means for such mechanism which comprises a two-way, power driven lineal member of endless construction extending between such stations, means operatively coupling an intermediate portion of said lineal member to said load transfer mechanism to power the same for two-way travel between said first and second stations, saId means including a first sprocket keyed for rotation with a first horizontal shaft journalled transversely in said load transfer mechanism as respects the direction of travel of the mechanism between said stations, and a second sprocket supported in said transfer mechanism in longitudinally aligned relation with said first sprocket by a second horizontal shaft journalled transversely in such mechanism adjacent to said first shaft with said lineal member extending partly around and diagonally between said sprockets to thereby operatively couple the lineal member to the transfer mechanism while at the same time operatively coupling the first and second sprockets to one another, and means operative through said lineal member and said first and second sprockets to effect controlled lifting and lowering movement of the bed portion in the transfer mechanism as the latter moves through a load transfer cycle, said means including a pair of cam follower means dependingly secured to said first shaft to opposite sides of the first sprocket, first and second fixed cam means mounted adjacent to a respective one of the first and second stations and engageable by individual cam follower means upon said transfer mechanism being moved relatively through a given portion of its travel path along said stations to effect an angular displacement of the respective cam means about the mounting axis thereof with such displacement in the separate cam follower means being uniform but in 180* opposite direction, and with the cam follower means positioned out-of-phase with one another on such first shaft by the amount of such angular displacement so that as one such cam follower means is displaced angularly by its associated cam means the other of the cam follower means will be caused to move to the angular position previously occupied by the other, and pairs of radius arm type connectors supporting said bed portion for vertical arcuate travel in said load transfer mechanism with at least one pair of such connectors attached to the second shaft whereby to translate any rotary movement being imparted to said second shaft through said lineal member and sprockets by the co-action between said cam follower means and said fixed cam means into vertical movement of the bed portion.

Claim 17

A load transfer mechanism of the track mounted type and which is operative to move loads relatively between a first elevated platform located above one end of the mounting track for such mechanism and a second similarly elevated platform located above the opposed end of such track, comprising a frame portion having pairs of wheels mounted therein in rotatably engaging relation with the mounting track of such mechanism whereby to support the mechanism for two-way guided travel between such platforms, a bed portion supported in said frame portion for arcuate swing movement relatively of a horizontal pivot axis extending transversely of such mechanism as respects the direction of movement thereof on said mounting track and movable vertically upwardly through said first and second platforms as said load transfer mechanism is moved to and between end positions on said mounting track whereby to effect the pick-up from the first platform of a load and its subsequent deposit on the second platform, said bed portion including longitudinally extending roller means defining a support surface in the mechanism for the loads being transferred thereby which has as a characteristic thereof a low resistance to lateral slide movement thereon of the loads being transferred by such mechansim, and deflector plate means positioned along one side of the mounting track for such transfer mechanism to engage the loads along one side thereof during transfer from said first platform to said second platform and urge the loads into a preselected, given lateral position on the transfer mechanism prior to the load being deposited on such second platform whereby to attain accuracy in the placement of the loads on such second platform in at least one directiOn.

Claim 18

A load transfer mechanism of the track mounted type and which is operative to move loads relatively between a first elevated platform located above one end of the mounting track for such mechanism and a second similarly elevated platform located above the opposed end of such track, comprising a frame portion having pairs of wheels mounted therein in rotatably engaging relation with the mounting track of such mechanism whereby to support the mechanism for two-way guided travel between such platforms, a bed portion supported in said frame portion for arcuate swing movement relatively of a horizontal pivot axis extending transversely of such mechanism as respects the direction of movement thereof on said mounting track and movable vertically upwardly through said first and second platforms as said load transfer mechanism is moved to and between end positions on said mounting track whereby to effect the pick-up from the first platform of a load and its subsequent deposit on the second platform, said bed portion including longitudinally extending roller means defining a support surface in the mechanism for the loads being transferred thereby which has as a characteristic thereof a low resistance to lateral slide movement thereon of the loads being transferred by such mechansim, and deflector plate means positioned along one side of the mounting track for such transfer mechanism to engage the loads along one side thereof during transfer from said first platform to said second platform and urge the loads into a preselected, given lateral position on the transfer mechanism prior to the load being deposited on such second platform whereby to attain accuracy in the placement of the loads on such second platform in at least one directiOn.

Claim 19

The construction of claim 14 which further includes a fixed plate means forming a stop for the loads at such second platform and engageable by the leading face of the loads as respects the direction of load movement to initially, accurately locate the loads on the second platform in a second direction and which is 90* to the first mentioned direction.