Loader/unloader conveyor system

Claim 2

In a dock located conveyor system for loading and unloading cargo in a cargo shipping device by slidably engaging the underside of the cargo, the combination comprising: a. an elongate horizontal main frame assembly with front and rear ends; b. conveyor means with a horizontal top plane mounted on and extending longitudinally of said frame assembly; c. fork-type lift means mounted at the front end portion of said frame assembly means mounting said lift means on said frame assembly for vertical and longitudinal movement relative to said frame assembly: d. first drive means to move the lift means longitudinally relative to the frame assembly and the conveyor means between an extended position where it projects forward from the front end of the frame assembly and conveyor means and a retracted position where it occurs coextensive with the front end portion of the frame assembly and conveyor means; and e. second drive means to move the lift means vertically relative to said frame assembly and conveyor means from a down position where said lift means occurs below the top plane of the conveyor means to elevated positions where it occurs above the top plane of the conveyor means.

Claim 3

The combination according to claim 1 wherein said conveyor means includes a plurality of powered reversible rollers spaced longitudinally of the frame assembly.

Claim 4

The combination according to claim 1 wherein said lift means includes at least a pair of laterally spaced, elongate, horizontal, generally wedge-shaped tines extending longitudinally of the axis of the frame assembly

Claim 5

The combination according to claim 3 wherein there are two tines positioned generally parallel to each other and positioned at opposite sides of the conveyor means.

Claim 6

The combination according to claim 1 wherein the main frame assembly includes a pair of parallel generally C-shaped longitudinal rail members and the lift means includes movable carriage means having portions thereof positioned within the rail members for longitudinal movement therein.

Claim 7

The combination according to claim 5 wherein the movable carriage means carries a pair of elongate actuating arms with ends pivotally connected with the carriage means and having a free end connected with said tines for limited pivotal movement.

Claim 8

The combination according to claim 6 wherein the actuating arms and the tines occur on laterally spaced vertical planes spaced laterally outward of the conveyor means.

Claim 9

The combination according to claim 7 wherein at least one of said actuating arms has a sector gear portion adjacent the actuating arm pivotable mounting thereof, said sector gear portion engaging a rack gear havIng drive means associated therewith for varying the elevation of the tines.

Claim 10

The combination according to claim 8 wherein said lift means includes stabilizing means for maintaining the tines generally horizontal and parallel to the plane of the conveyor means.

Claim 11

The combination according to claim 9 wherein said stabilizing means includes a stabilizing arm pivotally mounted at one end thereof to the carriage means, said tines include an oppositely disposed aligned extension arm with the free end thereof pivotally secured to the other end of said stabilizing arm; the stabilizing arm, the actuating arm and the extension arm being so connected to form a parallelogram with a line intersecting the pivotal mounting points of the stabilizing arm and the actuating arm on the carriage member.

Claim 12

The combination according to claim 1 wherein the main frame assembly includes a pair of elongate telescoping members to engage the underside of cargo and means for moving the said members longitudinally of the frame assembly from a position within the frame assembly to a position where they project from the front end of the frame assembly.

Claim 13

The combination according to claim 11 wherein the telescoping members are shiftable between a first position below the top plane of the conveyor means and a second position above the top plane of the conveyor means.

Claim 14

The combination according to claim 12 wherein each of the telescoping members includes a first inverted generally U-shaped blade positioned within and slidable with respect to the upper arms of a generally H-shaped extrusion, the blade and the extrusion being substantially coextensive with an inflatable bag extending the length thereof in the space between the bight portion of the blade and the cross portion of the extrusion.

Claim 15

The combination according to claim 13 wherein the main frame assembly includes a generally U-shaped rail member and the lower arms of the extrusion have a plurality of rollers rotatably secured thereto for coacting with the bight portion of the generally U-shaped rail member.

Claim 16

In a dock located conveyor system for loading and unloading cargo in a shipping device by slidably engaging the underside of the cargo, the combination comprising: a. an elongate horizontal main frame assembly with front and rear ends and including a pair of generally paralled beams; b. longitudinally extending powered reversible conveyor means with a cargo supporting top plane mounted on said frame assembly and positioned between said beams; c. rail members secured to said beams; d. carriage means movable on said rail members; e. lift means having a first member pivotally secured at one end thereof to said carriage means, said lift means having a pair of elongate horizontal tines secured to the other end of said member for limited pivotal movement, said tines occurring at opposite sides of the conveyor means at least partially straddling said beams and being adapted for slideably engaging the underside of cargo; f. first drive means coupled to said carriage means for moving said carriage means between a first position where said tines extend forwardly beyond the front ends of said beams and a second position where said tines are positioned rearwardly of the front ends of the beams; g. second drive means for rotating said first member of said lift means about its pivot point to shift the tines above and below the top plane of the conveyor means; and h. stabilizing means coacting with said first member of said lift means and said tines to maintain said tines generally parallel to said beams as said first portion is rotated about its pivot point, whereby cargo engaged and supported on the tines can be transferred between the top plane of the conveyor means and a position spaced forward of said conveyor means.

Claim 17

In a dock located conveyor system for loading and unloading cargo in a shipping device by slidably engaging the underside of the cargo, the combination comprising: a. an elongate horizontal main frame assembly with front and rear ends and including a pair of generally paralled beams; b. longitudinally extending powered reversible conveyor means with a cargo supporting top plane mounted on said frame assembly and positioned between said beams; c. rail members secured to said beams; d. carriage means movable on said rail members; e. lift means having a first member pivotally secured at one end thereof to said carriage means, said lift means having a pair of elongate horizontal tines secured to the other end of said member for limited pivotal movement, said tines occurring at opposite sides of the conveyor means at least partially straddling said beams and being adapted for slideably engaging the underside of cargo; f. first drive means coupled to said carriage means for moving said carriage means between a first position where said tines extend forwardly beyond the front ends of said beams and a second position where said tines are positioned rearwardly of the front ends of the beams; g. second drive means for rotating said first member of said lift means about its pivot point to shift the tines above and below the top plane of the conveyor means; and h. stabilizing means coacting with said first member of said lift means and said tines to maintain said tines generally parallel to said beams as said first portion is rotated about its pivot point, whereby cargo engaged and supported on the tines can be transferred between the top plane of the conveyor means and a position spaced forward of said conveyor means.

Claim 18

The combination according to claim 15 wherein the rail members are generally C-shaped in cross-section and the carriage member is providEd with a plurality of rollers engaging the upper and lower arms of the rail members.

Claim 19

The combination according to claim 15 wherein said stabilizing means includes a stabilizing bar pivotally mounted at one end thereof to said carriage means, said tines include an oppositely disposed aligned extension arm with the free end thereof pivotally secured to the other end of said stabilizing bar, the stabilizing bar, the first member, and the extension arm being so connected to form a parallelogram with a line intersecting the pivotal mounting points of the stabilizing bar and the first member on the carriage means.

Claim 20

The combination according to claim 15 wherein the first drive means is a hydraulic cylinder mounted on the main frame assembly and having a ram coupled to the carriage means.

Claim 21

The combination according to claim 18 wherein the second drive means includes a second hydraulic cylinder having a ram-operated rack gear driven thereby, the first member of the lift means having a sector gear portion adjacent its carriage means pivot, the sector gear engaging the rack gear to provide angular displacement of the first member about its pivot.

Claim 22

A combination conveyor and forklift system comprising: an elongate horizontal main frame assembly with front and rear ends including an elongate conveyor means with a cargo supporting top plane mounted thereon and extending longitudinally thereof; a plurality of laterally spaced, horizontal longitudinally extending cargo supporting tines mounted relative to said frame assembly for independent vertical and longitudinal movement relative to said frame assembly and conveyor means; and drive means for driving the tines vertically between positions above and below the top plane of the conveyor means and longitudinally between positions rearward and forward of the front ends of the frame assembly and conveyor means.

Claim 23

A combination conveyor and forklift system comprising: an elongate horizontal main frame assembly with front and rear ends including an elongate conveyor means with a cargo supporting top plane mounted thereon and extending longitudinally thereof; a plurality of laterally spaced, horizontal longitudinally extending cargo supporting tines mounted relative to said frame assembly for independent vertical and longitudinal movement relative to said frame assembly and conveyor means; and drive means for driving the tines vertically between positions above and below the top plane of the conveyor means and longitudinally between positions rearward and forward of the front ends of the frame assembly and conveyor means.

Claim 24

The combination of claim 20 wherein the drive menas includes means for driving the tines to transfer cargo between the conveyor means and a storage position beyond the front end of the conveyor and above the top plane thereof.

Claim 25

The combination of claim 21 wherein said last-mentioned means establishes a transfer path for said cargo which does not rise higher than said storage position upon longitudinal movement of the cargo from or to said storage position.

Claim 26

The combination of claim 20 wherein the drive means includes means for moving the tines to transfer cargo between the conveyor means and a storage position beyond the front end of the conveyor means and below the top plane thereof.