Thrusting device

Claim 2

A thrusting device comprising a plurality of fixed rail plates for shifting an article to be shifted thereon, each of said fixed rail plates being formed therein with substantially equally spaced pin holes arranged substantially along the center line thereof, and at least one thrusting unit striding over a selected one of said fixed rail plates and comprising running wheels provided at the bottom thereof for running along said fixed rail plate, one front block and one rear block arranged in opposed relation to each other, one thrusting hydraulic cylinder having one end connected to said front block and the other end to said rear block for thrusting said front block with said other end bearing against said rear block, supporting means for securing both of said blocks alternately to said fixed rail plate through said pin holes, two guide beams each having one end fixed to said front block and the central portion slidably supported by a bearing portion formed integrally with said rear block, and anti-stumbling means connected to said rear block rearwardly of said supporting means.

Claim 3

Apparatus for shifting a heavy object across a substantially horizontal surface, by a plurality of successive increments of forward movement, comprising: plate means extending on said surface and possessing at least one row or regularly spaced upwardly open openings, said row longitudinally extending in the direction of said forward movement; carriage means for bearing the heavy object thereupon; rolling support means provided between the plate means, flanking said at least one row, and the carriage means; a frame having rolling support means for rolling across said surface in said direction; a front block provided with a generally vertically directed, downwardly extensible and upwardly retractable pin for insertion into and withdrawal from successive ones of said upwardly open openings; a rear block provided with a generally vertically directed, downwardly extensible and upwardly retractable pin for insertion into and withdrawal from successive ones of said upwardly open openings; a hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement extending generally longitudinally, horizontally on said frame, the forward end thereof being connected to the front block and the rear end thereof being connected to the rear block; hydraulic system means for extending and retracting said hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement; a pair of longitudinally slidable guide members respectively transversally offset from the hydraulic piston and cylinder and having the forward ends thereof fixed to the front block; guide bearings on the frame and fixed to the rear block for supporting the hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement, front block, rear block and guide members with respect to the frame, the guide members being slidably received in the guide bearings for essentially longitudinal sliding; connector means for securing the carriage means to the front block, whereby the heavy object, supported on the carriage means may be shifted across the surface in said direction, by extending the pin of the rear block down into an upwardly open opening while said hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement is retracted and said connector means is connected and the pin of the front block is retracted, operating the hydraulic system to extend said hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement and thus thrust the front block, carriage and heavy object forwardly, extending the pin of the front block down into an upwardly open opening and retracting the pin of the rear block from the opening into which it had been extended, operating the hydraulic system to retract said hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement and thus recover the rear block toward the front block to prepare for the next increment of forward movement.

Claim 4

Apparatus for shifting a heavy object across a substantially horizontal surface, by a plurality of successive increments of forward movement, comprising: plate means extending on said surface and possessing at least one row or regularly spaced upwardly open openings, said row longitudinally extending in the direction of said forward movement; carriage means for bearing the heavy object thereupon; rolling support means provided between the plate means, flanking said at least one row, and the carriage means; a frame having rolling support means for rolling across said surface in said direction; a front block provided with a generally vertically directed, downwardly extensible and upwardly retractable pin for insertion into and withdrawal from successive ones of said upwardly open openings; a rear block provided with a generally vertically directed, downwardly extensible and upwardly retractable pin for insertion into and withdrawal from successive ones of said upwardly open openings; a hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement extending generally longitudinally, horizontally on said frame, the forward end thereof being connected to the front block and the rear end thereof being connected to the rear block; hydraulic system means for extending and retracting said hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement; a pair of longitudinally slidable guide members respectively transversally offset from the hydraulic piston and cylinder and having the forward ends thereof fixed to the front block; guide bearings on the frame and fixed to the rear block for supporting the hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement, front block, rear block and guide members with respect to the frame, the guide members being slidably received in the guide bearings for essentially longitudinal sliding; connector means for securing the carriage means to the front block, whereby the heavy object, supported on the carriage means may be shifted across the surface in said direction, by extending the pin of the rear block down into an upwardly open opening while said hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement is retracted and said connector means is connected and the pin of the front block is retracted, operating the hydraulic system to extend said hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement and thus thrust the front block, carriage and heavy object forwardly, extending the pin of the front block down into an upwardly open opening and retracting the pin of the rear block from the opening into which it had been extended, operating the hydraulic system to retract said hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement and thus recover the rear block toward the front block to prepare for the next increment of forward movement.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 2 further including surface engaging means rigged by hydraulic piston and cylinder means to trail the rear block and means for extending the last-mentioned piston and cylinder means when the heavy object is being moved an increment forwardly to maintain the apparatus in a generally level condition with respect to the surface, countering a tendency of the rear block to be pushed downward by the rear end of the first-mentioned piston and cylinder arrangement.