US3670912A - Container handling apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

This invention relates to a container handling apparatus for use with a container having opposed geometrically enclosed female members on its sidewalls. Two opposed shoulder members extend outwardly from a support frame. A cylinder and guiding mechanism equally and simultaneously move the shoulder members. A depending arm is attached to each of the shoulder members and a rotatable male engaging member is connected to the distal end of each of the depending arms. The male engaging members have a shape complementary with the enclosed female members and power cylinders are provided for rotating the male engaging members.

Description

[ 1 June20, 1972 [54] CONTAINER HANDLING APPARATUS 1,855,862 4/1932 McCannetal.

mm e a su 3 r mm mm am m Wm Attomey-Owen & Owen [22] Filed: March 16, 1970 7] ABSTRACT This invention relates to a container handling apparatus for use with a container having opposed geometrically enclosed female members on its sidewalls. Two opposed shoulder members extend outwardly from a support frame. A cylinder and guiding mechanism equally and simultaneously move the shoulder members. A depending arm is attached to each of the [21] Appl. No.:

[56] References Cned shoulder members and a rotatable male engaging member is UNITED STATES PATENTS connected to the distal end of each of the depending arms.

The male engaging members have a shape complementary with the enclosed female members and power cylinders are provided for rotating the male engaging members.

D823 ow 4% 944 11 m2 2 "n k kmc yhm an uu QDS PATENTEDJUR 20 1912 SHEET 10F 4 INVENTOR. 1 GLENN E. DUNBAR. I BY .A T T ys.

PATENTEDJUH 20 1912 SHEET 20F 4 .AT rys INVENTOR: ELENN EDUNBAR.

PATENTEmum 1912 SHEET 3 0F 4 3,670,912

I V KL M 1 INVENTOR. GLENN G. DUNBAR.

ATTYB.

CONTAINER HANDLING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The handling of containers, for example factory waste containers, has been a problem. If truck mounted units, for example fork lift trucks, are utilized they often create a safety hazard. On the other hand, if a standard chain hoist is utilized, it is very difficult to discharge the contents of the container.

Furthermore, in a construction yard situation container handling equipment should be quick, efficient and relatively inexpensive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a container handling apparatus which is suitable for use in a factory in connection with, for example, a chain hoist or alternatively in a yard in connection with, for example, a truck mounted yard crane.

A container handling apparatus, according to the present invention, includes a longitudinally extending support frame. Two opposed shoulder members extend outwardly from the support frame and guiding means are provided for equally and simultaneously moving said opposed shoulder members inwardly and outwardly relative to the support frame. A depending arm is attached to each of the shoulder members and a rotatable male engaging member is operatively connected adjacent the distal end of each of the depending arms. The male engaging members have a shape complementary with the enclosed female members which are mounted on the sidewalls of the container and power means are provided for rotating the male engaging members.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide container handling apparatus for the moving and dumping of large containers. It is another object of the present invention to provide apparatus for lifting, moving and emptying containers of various sizes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a container handling ap paratus according to the present invention and showing a pair of superposed movable containers;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 2 and shown on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the apparatus;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a rack and pinion mechanism;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, elevational view of a depending arm of the apparatus;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the depending arm shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary, side view of the depending arm of the apparatus and showing a movable container in an inverted position; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary, side view of the depending arm of the apparatus, similar to FIG. 9, with the movable container in an upright position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A container handling apparatus, according to the present invention, is generally indicated in the drawings by the reference number 10. The container handling apparatus 10 includes a longitudinally extending support frame 11 which preferably has an attaching bracket 12 located at its midpoint. The attaching bracket 12 includes a lifting rod 13 (see FIG. 10) which is suitable for engagement by a lifting hook 14 of, for example, a chain hoist or a yard crane.

A pair of opposed shoulder members 16 and 17 extend outwardly from the support frame 11. In the present embodiment, the support frame 11 includes an upper tubular member 18 which receives and guides the two opposed shoulder members 16 and 17. (See FIG. 3) The shoulder members 16 and 17 are constructed of channels which are welded together forming a rectangular cross section (see FIG. 4). The support frame 11 also includes a bottom channel support 19 which is supported below the upper tubular member 18 by a plurality of side plates 20. A cylinder 21 is positioned on the bottom channel support 19. Components of the cylinder 21 are free to move with respect to the bottom channel support 19. A depending arm 22 is mounted on the outer end of the shoulder member 16 and, in like manner, a depending arm 23 is mounted on the outer end of the shoulder member 17. A mounting bracket 24 is fixed to the depending arm 22 and a mounting bracket 25 is fixed to the depending arm 23. The cylinder 21 is' connected between the- brackets 24 and 25.

Referring specifically to FIGS. 2-5, a geared rack 27 is mounted on the shoulder member 16 and extends inwardly. Similarly, a geared rack 28 is mounted in an opposed manner on the shoulder member 17 and also extends inwardly. Referring to FIG. 5, a rectangular mounting box 29 having a transverse opening 30 is welded or otherwise afiixed to the midpoint of the upper tubular member 18. An idler pinion 31 is mounted for rotation within the box 29 by a pin 32 which extends through the opening 30. The teeth of the idler pinion 31 mesh with the teeth of the opposed geared racks 27 and 28. Therefore, when the cylinder 21 is actuated, any movement of the shoulder member 16 and its rack 27 results in an equal and opposite movement of the opposed shoulder 17 and its rack 28. Therefore, the idler pinion 31 and its associated racks 27 and 28 serve as part of the guiding means for equally and simultaneously moving the opposed shoulder members 16 and 17 inwardly and outwardly relative to the support frame 1 1.

The arm22hasadistal end34andthearm23hasadistal end 35. A triangularly shaped male engaging member 36 is mounted for rotation adjacent the distal end 34 and a male engaging member 37 is mounted for rotation adjacent the distal end 35.

Referring specifically to FIGS. 6-8, the distal end 34 of the depending arm 22 has an opening 38 (see FIG. 8) which receives sleeves 39 and 40. A shaft 41 extends through the sleeves 39 and 40 and the sleeves 39 and 40 are pinned or otherwise aflixed to the shaft 41. The male engaging member 36 is fixably mounted adjacent the inner end of the shaft 41. The male engaging member 36 is spaced from the sleeve 40 by a spacer washer 42. The male engaging member 37 is mounted on the distal end 35 of the depending arm 23 in a similar manner.

Mounting brackets 44 and 45 are provided adjacent the upper end of the arms 22 and 23. A cylinder 46 is connected to the mounting bracket 44 and a cylinder 47 is connected to the mounting bracket 45. Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the lower end of the cylinder 46 is connected to a crank member 48. In a similar manner, the lowermost end of the cylinder 47 is connected to a crank member 49. The crank members 48 and 49 are operatively connected to the rotatable male engaging members 36 and 37, respectively.

More specifically, the crank member 48 has an upper leg section 50 (see FIG. 7) and a perpendicular lower leg section 51. The leg section 51 is welded or otherwise fixed to the sleeves 39 and 40.

The cylinders 46 and 47 act as power means to rotate the male engaging members 36 and 37. Referring to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, when the cylinder 46 is extended or retracted, force is transferred to the crank member 48. The cylinder force, acting through its leg section 51, rotates the sleeves 39 and 40 which are pinned to the shaft 41. The triangular shaped male engaging member 36 rotates with the shaft 41. The male engaging member 37 is rotated in a similar manner.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 9 and 10 a container 53, suitable for use with the container handling apparatus 10, is shown. The container 53 has opposed sidewalls 54 and 55. A pair of converging angle members 56 and 57 are mounted on the opposed sidewalls 54 and 55. A bottom member 58 extends between the angle members 56 and 57. The angle members 56 and 57 together with the bottom member 58 form an enclosed female member 59. In the present embodiment, the geometrically enclosed female members 59 are triangular in shape, however, other types of geometric shapes may be utilized, for example, pentagonal shapes.

In a typical operation, the container handling apparatus is moved into position over the container 53. The cylinder 21 is extended and the depending arms 22 and 23 assume the solid lineposition shown in FIG. 1. Thecylinder 21 is then retracted. The rotatable male engaging members 36 and 37 move inwardly and are received by the enclosed female members 59, as shown by the dashed lines in FIG. 1. The hoist, chain lift or other lifting means moves the container 53 to a discharge location. At that time an actuator 61 (shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1), which is operatively connected to the cylinders 46 and 47, is energized and the cylinders 46 and 47 are extended. Extension of the cylinders 46 and 47 rotates the respective crank members 48 and 49 to the position shown in FIG. 9. When in this position, the contents of the container 53 fall outwardly under the force of gravity, however, the container 53 is restrained from falling by the mating relationship of the rotatable male engaging members 36 and 37 and the respective female members 59. After the contents have been removed from the container 53 the cylinders 46 and 47 are retracted and the container 53 assumes its upright position, shown in FIG. 10. At this time, the cylinder 21 is extended and the rotatable male engaging members 36 and 37 are moved outwardly from the female members 59.

It has been found that a container handling apparatus, constructed according to the present invention, provides a very efficient structure for the handling of container borne materials.

What I claim is:

l. A container moving and dumping apparatus for use with a movable container having opposed female members on its sidewalls, each of the female members comprising a triangularly enclosed receptacle, said apparatus comprising a longitudinally extending support frame, two opposed shoulder members extending outwardly from said support frame, said support frame including channel means for supporting and guiding said opposed shoulder members, means for equally and simultaneously moving said opposed shoulder members inwardly and outwardly relative to said support frame, said means including a geared rack connected to each of said shoulder members, an idler pinion mounted on said channel means adjacent said geared racks, said geared racks riding equally and oppositely relative to said idler pinion for equally and simultaneously moving said opposed shoulder members relative to said support frame and cylinder means for moving said shoulder members, a depending ann attached to each of said shoulder members, a triangular shaped male engaging member pivotally connected adjacent the distal end of each of said depending arms, said male engaging members being movable into and out of the female members of the container, power means for rotating said male engaging member, and a crank member operatively connected between each of said rotatable male engaging members and the distal end of a respective one of said depending arms, said power means comprising a cylinder operatively connected to one of said cranks for rotating the respective male engaging member.

2. A container moving and dumping apparatus, according to claim 1, including actuating means operatively connected to said power means for equal and simultaneous rotation of said male engaging members.

3. A container moving and dumping apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cylinder means includes a cylinder operatively connected to each of said depending arms for operatively moving said opposed shoulder members relative to said support frame.

Claims (3)

1. A container moving and dumping apparatus for use with a movable container having opposed female members on its sidewalls, each of the female members comprising a triangularly enclosed receptacle, said apparatus comprising a longitudinally extending support frame, two opposed shoulder members extending outwardly from said support frame, said support frame including channel means for supporting and guiding said opposed shoulder members, means for equally and simultaneously moving said opposed shoulder members inwardly and outwardly relative to said support frame, said means including a geared rack connected to each of said shoulder members, an idler pinion mounted on said channel means adjacent said geared racks, said geared racks riding equally and oppositely relative to said idler pinion for equally and simultaneously moving said opposed shoulder members relative to said support frame and cylinder means for moving said shoulder members, a depending arm attached to each of said shoulder members, a triangular shaped male engaging member pivotally connected adjacent the distal end of each of said depending arms, said male engaging members being movable into and out of the female members of the container, power means for rotating said male engaging member, and a crank member operatively connected between each of said rotatable male engaging members and the distal end of a respective one of said depending arms, said power means comprising a cylinder operatively connected to one of said cranks for rotating the respective male engaging member.

2. A container moving and dumping apparatus, according to claim 1, including actuating means operatively connected to said power means for equal and simultaneous rotation of said male engaging members.

3. A container moving and dumping apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cylinder means includes a cylinder operatively connected to each of said depending arms for operatively moving said opposed shoulder members relative to said support frame.

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