Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
153 words
A container and pick-up assembly comprising in combination a container and a pick-up apparatus, the container having a top and bottom and a plurality of tubular members between the top and bottom, the pick-up apparatus having a pick-up arm, means for raising and lowering the pick-up arm, a pair of clamping arms movably mounted on the pick-up arm for movement toward and away from each other, means for moving the clamping arms toward and away from each other, each of the clamping arms having a plurality of spaced-apart flexible and resilient projections mounted thereon and extending toward the other clamping arm, the spaced-apart projections on each clamping arm providing grooves therebetween for receiving the tubular members on the container whereby the container may be lifted by positioning the container between the clamping arms and moving the clamping arms toward each other to clamp the projections thereon about the tubular members of the container.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
153 words
A container and pick-up assembly comprising in combination a container and a pick-up apparatus, the container having a top and bottom and a plurality of tubular members between the top and bottom, the pick-up apparatus having a pick-up arm, means for raising and lowering the pick-up arm, a pair of clamping arms movably mounted on the pick-up arm for movement toward and away from each other, means for moving the clamping arms toward and away from each other, each of the clamping arms having a plurality of spaced-apart flexible and resilient projections mounted thereon and extending toward the other clamping arm, the spaced-apart projections on each clamping arm providing grooves therebetween for receiving the tubular members on the container whereby the container may be lifted by positioning the container between the clamping arms and moving the clamping arms toward each other to clamp the projections thereon about the tubular members of the container.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The structure of claim 1 in which the minimum spacing at the base between adjacent projections on each of the clamping arms is less than the diameter of the tubular members.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The structure of claim 1 in which the maximum spacing at the peaks between adjacent projections on each of the clamping arms is greater than the diameter of the tubular members.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The structure of claim 1 in which the projections are formed from molded urethane material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
11 words
The structure of claim 1 in which the projections are cone-shaped.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
The structure of claim 1 in which the container includes a pair of opposed generally vertically extending sides, the tubular members being mounted on each of the sides and extending generally vertically between the top and the bottom of the container.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The structure of claim 6 including a tubular member on each of said opposed sides which extends generally diagonally between the top and the bottom of the container.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
75 words
The structure of claim 1 including a cover hingedly mounted on the top of the container and an inertia latch movable between a locking position and an unlocking position for releasably locking the cover in a closed position, the inertia latch maintaining the cover closed when the latch is in its locking position while the container is raised and inverted by the pick-up arm until movement of the container is brought to an abrupt stop.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The structure of claim 8 in which the inertia latch is pivotally mounted on the cover and includes a weight spaced from the pivot.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
The structure of claim 1 in which the means for moving the clamping arms toward and away from each other is at least one piston and cylinder assembly for each clamping arm.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The structure of claim 1 in which the pick-up apparatus includes means for extending and retracting the pick-up arm toward and away from the container.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The structure of claim 1 in which the pick-up apparatus includes means for rotating the pick-up arm in a generally horizontal plane for positioning the clamping arms adjacent the container.