Boom conveyor

Claim 2

In a conveyor system for transferring goods between a container and a goods handling facility, a longitudinally adjustable boom conveyor having a pair of elongate parallel side frames, pivot means supporting one end of said boom conveyor above the level of the ground surface at said goods handling facility while permitting elevational movement of the opposite end portion of said boom conveyor, ground supported power means straddling said opposite end portion of said boom conveyor for elevational adjustment of the latter above the ground surface and for permitting the surface of the boom conveyor to be moved close to the ground surface at said power means, means connecting said power means to each side frame for accommodating elevational movement of said boom conveyor with said power means being supported in a fixed position relative to said ground surface, a carriage supporting said pivot means, and a pair of laterally spaced elongate arms connected to said carriage, each of said arms being laterally spaced from an adjacent side frame of said boom conveyor and having a distal end connected to said power means, said power means and said arms being in vertically unobstructing relation with said boom conveyor.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 including a bracket connected to the distal end of each of said arms, a pivot shaft mounted in each bracket, the axes of said pivot shafts extending normal to the longitudinal dimension of said boom conveyor, and a pivot shaft mounted to each of said side frames above the adjacent bracket, said power means comprising a fluid operated cylinder interconnecting said pivot shafts at each side of said boom conveyor.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said carriage is supported for lateral rolling movement relative to the longitudinal dimension of said boom conveyor, a support wheel for each of said brackets, and individual power means connected to at least one of said support wheels, said support wheels accommodating unitary lateral movement of said boom conveyor.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said boom conveyor is longitudinally extensible and retractable and includes a telescopic conveying section mounted between said side frames, a ramp conveyor extending from said telescopic conveying section, a hinge interconnecting said ramp conveyor and said telescopic conveying section for relative swinging movement about a horizontal axis, aNd support wheels connected to said ramp conveyor for rolling movement of the latter upon said ground surface during telescopic extending movement of said boom conveyor.

Claim 6

Apparatus for moving goods across a loading dock between a goods container parked adjacent the edge of the loading dock and a goods handling facility, said apparatus comprising a boom conveyor being longitudinally adjustable with at least one extensible section, pivot means for supporting one end of said boom conveyor adjacent the goods handling facility at a fixed elevation above the surface of the loading dock and enabling elevational adjustment of the opposite free end thereof, said extensible section projection from the free end of the boom conveyor, a pair of powered jacks means supporting said free end of the boom conveyor for adjusting said boom conveyor about said pivot means to slope upwardly or downwardly therefrom, said pair of powered jack means supporting said free end of the boom conveyor at the sides thereof and enabling the conveying surface of the boom conveyor to be moved between said jack means to a position close to the surface of said loading dock at the said supporting position, a ramp conveyor pivotally connected to the extensible section at the free end of said boom conveyor for movement about a transversely horizontal axis, and support wheels connected to said ramp conveyor for rollably supporting the ramp conveyor in the goods container and enabling ready longitudinal adjustment of said boom conveyor while said ramp conveyor remains in contact with the floor surface of said goods container.

Claim 7

Apparatus for moving goods across a loading dock between a goods container parked adjacent the edge of the loading dock and a goods handling facility, said apparatus comprising a boom conveyor being longitudinally adjustable with at least one extensible section, pivot means for supporting one end of said boom conveyor adjacent the goods handling facility at a fixed elevation above the surface of the loading dock and enabling elevational adjustment of the opposite free end thereof, said extensible section projection from the free end of the boom conveyor, a pair of powered jacks means supporting said free end of the boom conveyor for adjusting said boom conveyor about said pivot means to slope upwardly or downwardly therefrom, said pair of powered jack means supporting said free end of the boom conveyor at the sides thereof and enabling the conveying surface of the boom conveyor to be moved between said jack means to a position close to the surface of said loading dock at the said supporting position, a ramp conveyor pivotally connected to the extensible section at the free end of said boom conveyor for movement about a transversely horizontal axis, and support wheels connected to said ramp conveyor for rollably supporting the ramp conveyor in the goods container and enabling ready longitudinal adjustment of said boom conveyor while said ramp conveyor remains in contact with the floor surface of said goods container.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said ramp conveyor tapers to an edge at its free end, said edge being formed by a plurality of replaceable hardened teeth cumulatively extending across the width of said ramp conveyor.

Claim 9

A boom conveyor for transferring goods across a loading dock between a fixed terminal facility and a cargo container, said conveyor comprising a longitudinally extending endless conveyor portion, means mounting one end of said endless conveyor portion at a fixed elevation for pivotal movement of the conveyor portion in a vertical plane, and power means positioned near said cargo container for mounting the other end of said conveyor portion for vertical movement, said power means comprising a pair of hydraulic power cylinders rotatably secured at each side of said other end of said conveyor portion with said conveyor portion depending from said cylinders, each of said cylinders being provided with a piston including a projecting piston rod which extends downwardly therefrom, and frame means for individually pivotally supporting the distal end of each of said piston rods upon the surface of said dock at a position closely spaced from said cargo container, said other end of said conveyor portion being movable to said dock surface between said power cylinders and their associated supporting frame means in order to bring the conveying surface of said boom conveyor close to the dock surface to permit said conveyor to receive or deposit articles at the rearward end of said cargo container directly adjacent to said dock.

Claim 10

A boom conveyor for transferring goods across a loading dock between a fixed terminal facility and a cargo container, said conveyor comprising a longitudinally extending endless conveyor portion, means mounting one end of said endless conveyor portion at a fixed elevation for pivotal movement of the conveyor portion in a vertical plane, and power means positioned near said cargo container for mounting the other end of said conveyor portion for vertical movement, said power means comprising a pair of hydraulic power cylinders rotatably secured at each side of said other end of said conveyor portion with said conveyor portion depending from said cylinders, each of said cylinders being provided with a piston including a projecting piston rod which extends downwardly therefrom, and frame means for individually pivotally supporting the distal end of each of said piston rods upon the surface of said dock at a position closely spaced from said cargo container, said other end of said conveyor portion being movable to said dock surface between said power cylinders and their associated supporting frame means in order to bring the conveying surface of said boom conveyor close to the dock surface to permit said conveyor to receive or deposit articles at the rearward end of said cargo container directly adjacent to said dock.

Claim 11

A boom conveyor according to claim 7 wherein said conveyor portion includes at least one extensible section for permitting the selective extension of the conveyor in cantilever fashion past said power means and into said cargo container.

Claim 12

A boom conveyor according to claim 8 including a pair of longitudinally extending frame members individually connecting each of said supporting frame means to the means mounting said one end of said endless conveyor portion.