Patent US3777916A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3777916A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Article handling system
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-11-24
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Granted: 1973-12-11
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Expires: 1991-11-24
Abstract
Abstract An article handling system for vehicles for moving articles through an endless, generally rectangular path comprising a pair of spaced, parallel walking beam conveyors which intersect with a pair of tranversely extending conveyors at the respective ends of the walking beam conveyors.
Inventors
- 👤 D Lutz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 18:19
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G1/00; B65G1/02; B65G1/04; B65G1/06; B60; B60P; B60P1/00; B60P1/36; B65G63/00; B65G63/02; B65G63/022; B65G63/025
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
266 words
A vehicle having a load carrying section with a front end and a rear end and a floor at least a pair of independently operable conveyor means mounted on said floor and extending from said front end to said rear end in parallel relationship, each of said conveyor means comprising a plurality of stationary elongated beams affixed to said floor and extending from the front to the rear of said load carrying section, a plurality of movable elongated beams interspaced with and generally parallel to said stationary beams and extending from the front to the rear of said load carrying section, ramp means affixed to said floor and generally underlying said movable beams, a plurality of intermediate elongated beams vertically interposed between said movable beams and said ramp means, first roller means journaled to said intermediate beams for rolling engagement with said ramp means, second roller means on said intermediate beams for supporting said movable beams for relative reciprocatory movement, first drive means for reciprocating said intermediate beams up said ramp means whereby said movable beams are moved generally vertically from a position wherein the upper surfaces of said movable beams are below those of said fixed beams to a position wherein said upper surfaces of said movable beams are above those of said second beams, and second drive means for reciprocating said movable beams in one direction on said second roller means when the upper surfaces of the movable beams are above those of the fixed beams and to return the movable beams when the upper surfaces thereof are below those of the fixed beams.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
266 words
A vehicle having a load carrying section with a front end and a rear end and a floor at least a pair of independently operable conveyor means mounted on said floor and extending from said front end to said rear end in parallel relationship, each of said conveyor means comprising a plurality of stationary elongated beams affixed to said floor and extending from the front to the rear of said load carrying section, a plurality of movable elongated beams interspaced with and generally parallel to said stationary beams and extending from the front to the rear of said load carrying section, ramp means affixed to said floor and generally underlying said movable beams, a plurality of intermediate elongated beams vertically interposed between said movable beams and said ramp means, first roller means journaled to said intermediate beams for rolling engagement with said ramp means, second roller means on said intermediate beams for supporting said movable beams for relative reciprocatory movement, first drive means for reciprocating said intermediate beams up said ramp means whereby said movable beams are moved generally vertically from a position wherein the upper surfaces of said movable beams are below those of said fixed beams to a position wherein said upper surfaces of said movable beams are above those of said second beams, and second drive means for reciprocating said movable beams in one direction on said second roller means when the upper surfaces of the movable beams are above those of the fixed beams and to return the movable beams when the upper surfaces thereof are below those of the fixed beams.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said ramp means and said fixed beams are integral.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said first and second drive means are hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblies.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
134 words
The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said ramp means comprises a plurality of wedge-shaped members for each of said movable beams and spaced longitudinally of the length thereof, and wherein each of said intermediate beams comprise two elonGated side wall plates joined together in spaced relationship by spacer means and each having top and bottom edges, said first roller means comprising a first set of axles at least one for each wedge-shaped member journaled at each end thereof in said side wall plates and first rollers on said axles, the peripheries of said first rollers extending below the bottom edges of said side plates, and said second roller means comprising a second set of axles journaled between said side plates, second rollers on said axles, the peripheries of which extend above said top edges.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
250 words
A vehicle having a load carrying section with a front end and a rear end and a floor, conveyor means mounted on said floor, said conveyor means comprising a plurality of stationary elongated beams affixed to said floor and extending from the front to the rear of said load carrying section, a plurality of movable elongated beams interspaced with and generally parallel to said stationary beams and extending from the front to the rear of said load carrying section, first roller means affixed to said floor and generally underlying said movable beams, a plurality of intermediate elongated beams vertically interposed between said movable beams and said first roller means, ramp means on said intermediate beams for rolling engagement with said first roller means, second roller means on said intermediate beams for supporting said movable beams for relative reciprocatory movement, first drive means for reciprocating said intermediate beams and said ramp means on said first roller means whereby said movable beams are moved generally vertically from a position wherein the upper surfaces of said movable beams are below those of said stationary beams to a position wherein said upper surfaces of said movable beams are above those of said fixed beams, and second drive means for reciprocating said movable beams in one direction on said second roller means when the upper surfaces of the movable beams are above those of the stationary beams, and to return the movable beams when the upper surfaces thereof are below those of the stationary beams.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
250 words
A vehicle having a load carrying section with a front end and a rear end and a floor, conveyor means mounted on said floor, said conveyor means comprising a plurality of stationary elongated beams affixed to said floor and extending from the front to the rear of said load carrying section, a plurality of movable elongated beams interspaced with and generally parallel to said stationary beams and extending from the front to the rear of said load carrying section, first roller means affixed to said floor and generally underlying said movable beams, a plurality of intermediate elongated beams vertically interposed between said movable beams and said first roller means, ramp means on said intermediate beams for rolling engagement with said first roller means, second roller means on said intermediate beams for supporting said movable beams for relative reciprocatory movement, first drive means for reciprocating said intermediate beams and said ramp means on said first roller means whereby said movable beams are moved generally vertically from a position wherein the upper surfaces of said movable beams are below those of said stationary beams to a position wherein said upper surfaces of said movable beams are above those of said fixed beams, and second drive means for reciprocating said movable beams in one direction on said second roller means when the upper surfaces of the movable beams are above those of the stationary beams, and to return the movable beams when the upper surfaces thereof are below those of the stationary beams.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
264 words
A vehicle having a load carrying section with a front and a rear end and a floor, at least a pair of independently operable conveyor means mounted on said floor, and extending from said front and to said rear end in parallel relationship, each of said conveyor means comprising a plurality of stationary elongated beams affixed to said floor and extending from the front to the rear of said load carrying section, a plurality of movable elongated beams interspaced with and generally parallel to said stationary beams and extending from the front to the rear of said load carrying section, a plurality of intermediate elongated beams vertically interposed between said movable beams and said ramp means, first roller means journaled to said intermediate beams for rolling engagement with said floor, second roller means on said intermediate beams, ramp means on the underside of said movable beams for movement over said second roller means, first drive means for reciprocating said movable beams and said ramp means over said second roller means whereby said movable beams are moved generally vertically from a position wherein the upper surfaces of said movable beams are below those of said fixed beams to a position wherein said upper surfaces of said movable beams are above those of said second beams, and second drive means for reciprocating said movable beams in one direction on said second roller means when the upper surfaces of the movable beams are above those of the fixed beams, and to return the movable beams when the upper surfaces thereof are below those of the fixed beams.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
264 words
A vehicle having a load carrying section with a front and a rear end and a floor, at least a pair of independently operable conveyor means mounted on said floor, and extending from said front and to said rear end in parallel relationship, each of said conveyor means comprising a plurality of stationary elongated beams affixed to said floor and extending from the front to the rear of said load carrying section, a plurality of movable elongated beams interspaced with and generally parallel to said stationary beams and extending from the front to the rear of said load carrying section, a plurality of intermediate elongated beams vertically interposed between said movable beams and said ramp means, first roller means journaled to said intermediate beams for rolling engagement with said floor, second roller means on said intermediate beams, ramp means on the underside of said movable beams for movement over said second roller means, first drive means for reciprocating said movable beams and said ramp means over said second roller means whereby said movable beams are moved generally vertically from a position wherein the upper surfaces of said movable beams are below those of said fixed beams to a position wherein said upper surfaces of said movable beams are above those of said second beams, and second drive means for reciprocating said movable beams in one direction on said second roller means when the upper surfaces of the movable beams are above those of the fixed beams, and to return the movable beams when the upper surfaces thereof are below those of the fixed beams.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
189 words
A vehicle having a load carrying section with front and rear ends and a floor, conveyor means particularly adapted for moving uniform load units in an endless, substantially rectangular path on said floor, said load units being arranged in aligned parallel rows on said floor and substantially covering said fLoor with the exception of at least a single void area approximately the size of the area covered by a single load unit, said conveyor means comprising a pair of adjacent elongated walking beam conveyors underlying said rows, first and second independent drive means for actuating each of said walking beam conveyors to shift said units in said rows in longitudinal directions, a pair of traverse conveyor units at opposite ends of said rows and extending between adjacent ends of said walking beam conveyors, third and fourth independent drive means for actuating each of said traverse conveyors to shift a load unit from one walking beam conveyor to the other, and control means for actuating said drive means in a predetermined sequence utilizing said void space to shift said units intermittently in said continuously generally rectangular path over said floor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
189 words
A vehicle having a load carrying section with front and rear ends and a floor, conveyor means particularly adapted for moving uniform load units in an endless, substantially rectangular path on said floor, said load units being arranged in aligned parallel rows on said floor and substantially covering said fLoor with the exception of at least a single void area approximately the size of the area covered by a single load unit, said conveyor means comprising a pair of adjacent elongated walking beam conveyors underlying said rows, first and second independent drive means for actuating each of said walking beam conveyors to shift said units in said rows in longitudinal directions, a pair of traverse conveyor units at opposite ends of said rows and extending between adjacent ends of said walking beam conveyors, third and fourth independent drive means for actuating each of said traverse conveyors to shift a load unit from one walking beam conveyor to the other, and control means for actuating said drive means in a predetermined sequence utilizing said void space to shift said units intermittently in said continuously generally rectangular path over said floor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
226 words
The vehicle of claim 7 wherein each of said walking beam conveyors comprises a plurality of stationary elongated beams affixed to said floor and extending from the front to the rear of said load-carrying section, a plurality of movable elongated beams interspaced with and generally parallel to said stationary beams and extending from the front to the rear of said load-carrying section, ramp means affixed to said floor and generally underlying said movable beams, said ramps being inclined in the direction of elongation of said movable beams, a plurality of intermediate elongated beams vertically interposed between said movable beams and said ramp means, first roller means journaled to said intermediate beam for rolling engagement with said ramp means, second roller means on said intermediate beams for supporting said movable beams for relatively reciprocatory movement, said first and second drive means each including means for reciprocating said intermediate beams up said ramp means whereby said movable beams are moved generally vertically from a position wherein the upper surfaces of said movable beams are below those of said fixed beams, and means for reciprocating said movable beams in one direction on said second roller means when the upper surfaces of the movable beams are above those of the fixed beams, and to return the movable beams when the upper surfaces thereof are below those of the fixed beams.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The vehicle of claim 8 wherein said transverse conveyors are driven power roll conveyors.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The vehicle of claim 8 wherein said means for reciprocating said intermediate means and said movable beams are hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblies.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
57 words
The vehicle of claim 10 wherein said control means includes a series of pressure responsive means in the hydraulic circuit leading to said piston-cylinder assemblies for automatically actuating the assemblies in a predetermined sequence in response to the sensing of a pressure buildup due to the piston of the preceding assembly having reached its limit of travel.
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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) | 1976-12-10 | 1977-06-11 | 1977-12-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-10 | 1981-06-11 | 1981-12-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-10 | 1985-06-11 | 1985-12-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |