US3203010A

US3203010A - Load tipping device

Info

Publication number: US3203010A
Application number: US272489A
Authority: US
Inventors: Russell S Smith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-04-11
Filing date: 1963-04-11
Publication date: 1965-08-31
Anticipated expiration: 1982-08-31

Description

1965 R. 5. SMITH 3,203,010

LOAD TIPPING DEVI CE Filed April 11, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 /n vpn for:

1965 R. s. SMITH 3,203,010

LOAD TIPPING DEVI GE Filed April 11, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 F/g. i #2 #6 v i L /22 MA .5 i

1965 R. 5. SMITH 3,203,010

LOAD TIPPING DEVICE Filed April 11, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 /n Vf) for:

1, 1965 R. 5. SMITH 3,203,010

LOAD TIPPING DEVICE Filed April 11, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I /n yen for:

MQJQZEAZQ United States Patent 3,203,010 LGAD THPING DEVICE Russell Smith, RED. 3, Alford, Mass. Filed Apr. 11, 1963, Ser. No. 272,489 Claims. (Cl. 5-86) The invention relates to a machine or device for load tipping preferably built in oblong structural form and adapted and shaped to receive and support a comparatively heavy load body, and to be tipped lengthwise with the load by manual or power operated means, into different angular positions, such as may facilitate the placing on or the removal from the structure of the load.

In accordance with a principal feature of the invention the oblong load-carrying structure, normally positioned on or close to the floor, is provided with mechanical means for lengthwise tipping of the structure and load by raising one end of the structure and at the same time lowering the other end thereof for the purpose of changing the position of the structure between or including the horizontal and vertical, in order to facilitate the loading and unloading.

As an additional feature the structure is constructed for tipping movement about a fixed or varying axial pivoting line in either direction by said mechanical means, said line being located near the front end of the structure and at a point lower than the center of gravitation of load and structure.

In accordance with a more particular feature the axial or pivoting center for the tipping movement is established by a curved portion of the load structure, which continuously engages the floor during its movements between the horizontal and vertical.

In accordance with another important feature the mechanical means for effecting the tipping action includes a manually or power driven operating unit located on the floor, a rigid lever member connected between the load structure, near the rear end thereof, and the said unit, and forming an angle with the structure, and expanding or contracting connecting means connected be tween said operating unit and said structure, near the front end thereof, said connecting means being operative by said operating unit to vary the distance between the unit and the front end, thereby varying said angle for raising or lowering the rear end and lowering or raising the front end.

In accordance with a more specific feature the struc ture is provided with a plurality of wheels, normally effective for rolling the structure between, for example, loading and unloading locations and removably mounted for placing the load structure directly on the floor during the tipping action.

Further features will appear from the following detail description and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are plan side-views, schematic, of three different types of apparatus adapted to operate in accordance with and for the purposes of the invention;

FIG. 1A is a similar type cross-sectional view, particularly taken on line 1A1A in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a general side-view of the device in horizontal position;

FIG. 5 is an end-view of the right-hand or pivoting end of the device, as it appears in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the right-hand or pivoting end of the frame, showing in detail the mechanism for raising and lowering the frame with the frame positioned off the floor;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are detail views of parts shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 6 but show- 3,2@3,l Patented Aug. 31, 1965 ing the mechanism in two positions with the frame lowered to rest on the floor;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the left-hand or raising end of the device;

FIGS. 9, l0 and 11 are sectional views of the lefthand or raising end of the frame in raised position, showing various details of the raising mechanism;

FIG. 12 is a general side-view of the device as raised in vertical position.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 1A the load carrying structure proper for carrying the load L comprises a load bed or frame 10 shown raised above the fioor in horizontal position. The bed 10 may be made up of two or more lengthwise bars 1212 interconnected by end bars 14-14 and two or more cross-bars 16-16 for rigid support of the load. At the left or rear end suitable handles 18 may be part of the load bed and at the right or front end some suitable end stop 20 may also be part of the bed for preventing the load from sliding off the bed when out of the horizontal.

Provided for support on the floor is another frame 39 made up of two lengthwise bars 3232 rigidly connected to the rear end of bed 10 by two vertical spacing bars 34 and to the front end of the bed through upwardly curved sections 36 ending flush with the end stop 20.

Thus the bed may be tipped by a partial wheel action, or rolling, along the floor over the two curved sections 36 into the vertical position, as shown in dot-dash, somewhat further to the right than in the horizontal.

The curved section 36 may be shaped into a quarter circle, causing the gravity point P of the load to be at the same distance from the floor in vertical and horizontal, requiring lifting force only during the first part of the movement. However, the curved section may be shaped to have different radii at its ends with some advantage in special cases, such as in hospital beds. By such difference the lifting force may be distributed to be greater during raising of the bed or during lowering thereof. This is illustrated in FIG. 1, where, in the horizontal position of the bed, the horizontal radius R is somewhat larger than the vertical radius r. The required lifting force will of course vary with the changing position of the pivoting center C during tipping.

It should be understood that for the raising and lowering of the bed 10 the pivoting center C may be supported by other means than the curved frame section, such as in bearings mounted in a wheel 38 or mounted in a wheeled support 39 standing on the floor, as indicated schematically in FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively.

In accordance with the invention mechanism is provided for applying power to the load structure for the purposes already described.

Thus a power supplying mechanism 40 is located on the floor some distance to the left 'of the load structure and includes a power applying device 42 connected to one or two lifting rods 44 extending at an angle up to fixed pivot joints 46 on the raising or rear end of the load bed 10.

The object is for the power supplying device W to move the power applying device 42 along the floor toward the load bed 10 and thereby exerting longitudinal force through the rods 44 which in turn exert a raising force at points 46 to the raising'end of the load bed 10. Thus the bed, as pivoted at center C, will be moved gradually into the vertical position, shown in dot-dash lines in FIG. 1. This action thus is effected by reducing the obtuse angle X between the raising rods 44 and the bed frame 10 to a much smaller or acute angle Y.

The

equipment

40, 42, 44 may form a permanent part of the load structure or may be detachable therefromtand remain available at the places of loading or'unloading for future use.

The necessary action of the power applying device 42 against the floor may of course be secured by friction. Or

devices

40 and 42 may be drawn along the floor toward a point near the load structure in its vertical posi- .tion allowing for the full movement :of the

parts

40, 42, 44 to establish the angle Y, a suitable cable 50 and wind ing :dr-um 52 being part of the equipment for the raising action.

The power supply device 40 may be a push button controlled power engine or it may be a hand-driven mechanrsm.

The loading of the load structure may of course be made by a crane While the structure is horizontal. When it is set vertical for receiving the load on ground level the tipping action into horizontal may be started by some force until the load center P passes over the pivot center C, whereupon the

equipment

40, 42 may be operated to counteract the further movement for a slow return to the horizontal and the floor.

FIGS. 4 to 11 present various views and details of a somewhat modified form of the invention which is particularly adapted for holding a bed-spring and for an endwise tipping action intended for helping a patient with a weak back or other defect to get into or out of the horizontal position, and out of or into the vertical position.

This load structure, as will appear particularly from FIGS. 4 and 12, is essentially of the type shown more schematically in FIG. 1.

The two side frames 100 each include the same elements for the same functions as in FIG. 1, namely the horizontal bar 102, adapted for mounting of bed-spring and mattress; the curved bar 104 for floor support and tipping action; various horizontal cross-bars, such as 106, 106', 107, 107' for inter-connecting the side frames; the vertical bars 108 and various other effects, as described hereinafter.

Each side frame 100 in addition includes

handle bars

110, 112 for safeguarding the patient during the tipping action.

The bars 102 includes fixed connectors 114 for attachment of the bed-spring (not shown).

The vertical parts 104 of bars 104 are extended upward for suitable mounting of a foot-board 116.

In horizontal position the load structure is supported on two pairs of

wheels

120 and 122 which both are removable from the position shown in FIG. 4, for the load structure to rest directly on the floor during the tipping action.

Referring more particularly to the adjustable supporting wheel equipment shown in detail in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7, the wheels 120 are shown in FIG. in position for holding the frame structure off the floor at the right-hand or foot end.

For this purpose the cross-bars 106 and 106', fixedly attached to the two bars 104, serve as support for the two wheel mechanisms, which are separately adjustable for their removal from the floor.

Each wheel mechanism at the foot end, as shown in FIGS. 5, 6, 7 includes a U-shaped mounting 123 for the wheel 120, pivotally fastened at 124 to a vertical rod 125 and a-horizontal rod 126 the far ends of which are interconnected by a rod or bar 128 to form a rigid triangle therewith. The free end of rod 126 is pivotally mounted on cross-bar 106 for pivotal movement of the triangle .and wheel 120 into the two positions shown in FIG. 7.

The wheel mechanism further includes a control handle 130 with a long screw-rod 132 which passes through a threaded disc 134 pivotally mounted in a U-bracket 136 fixed on the upper end of rod 125, as shown more in detail in FIG. 6A. A disc 138 with a hook-formed extension 140 is held close to the handle 130 free to swing about rod 132 by a disc 142 fastened to the rod 132.

With the load structure at rest in its horizontal position, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the wheel mechanism in both units will be posed with bars or

rods

125, 126 and 132 in substantially horizontal and vertical positions; the rod being held in engagement with cross-bar 106 by pressure applied by the handle turned so as to screw the rod 132 tight in the threaded disc 134, and the hooked disc 138, acting as a bearing for the rod 132, being held stationary by pressing as a clamp against crossbar 106.

Thus the rod 125 carries the weight of the foot end of the load structure 100 through the clamp and also through the rod 126 and bar 128 attached to the structure 100 through the cross-rod 106'. The pressure on the triangles is of course extended to the wheels 120.

When the load structure is to be raised into the vertical position the right hand end will first be lowered into contact with the floor.

For this purpose the handle 130 is turned to permit the upper end of rod 125 to move toward the left under the weight acting on rod 106' With respect to the center of wheel 120, the clamp 140 remaining in pressure contact with rod 106. This action will be continued by the turning of handle 130 until the position, shown in dotdash in FIG. 7, is reached, when the structure will be on the floor.

With the cross-bar 106 lowered, the screw rod will be reaching upward to the pivoted disc 134, thereby still having control of the position of the triangle. After a few more turns of the handle the hook 140 may be removed from contact with cross-bar 106 and the triangle with its associated parts, including the handle and the wheel may be swung fully inside the curved bar 104, as shown in full in FIG. 7, for free action in the raising of the load structure 100. In this position a pin 144 extending from the fixed rod 106 may be aligned by hand with a slot 148 in a suitable locking bushing 150 fastened on the mounting bracket 146 for the triangle. The mounting 146 being slideable on bar 106' the whole triangle structure, with handle included, may be moved along the bar until the pin 144 passes into the slot 148, :so that the whole triangle structure will be an-gu'larly locked in the position shown in full in FIG. 7, during the raising of the bedstructure into vertical position.

Referring now more particularly to the supporting wheel equipment for the left or head end, shown in detail in FIGS. 8, 9, l0 and 11, the wheels 122 are shown in position for holding the frame structure off the floor at this end.

For this purpose a rigid, movable frame is provided for the two wheels 122, which comprises two horizontal cross-bars 107 and 107' fixedly inter-connected by two lengthwise bars 162 disposed at adjustable angles with respect to the floor. The frame, thus formed, is somewhat narrower than the bed structure and the two crossbars are extended beyond this frame for adjustable attachment to the horizontal bars 102 and the vertical rods 108.

The two wheels 122 are pivotally mounted on the bar 107 between the rods 108 and bars 162. On each vertical structure rod 108 is mounted a vertically disposed latch 164, pivoted at point 166 to be able to swing away from rod 108. The lower edge of the latches is shaped for normal engagement with the end portions of the rods 107 and thus the latches serve to apply the weight of the bedstructure to the wheels 122. The latches may however be fastened rigidly to rod 108 for this purpose.

This

lifting frame

107, 107, 162 normally extends upward from the wheels at an angle with the fioor to a point on the bars 102 where the two extended ends of bar 107' are joined with bars 102 by slideable mounting 170 which may be fixed in different positions to the bars 102 by means of hand screws 172. The lifting frame may be swung to diiferent angles about the center of this mounting by means of T -s1eeves 173.

With the wheels 122 in normal position, as shown in FIG. 4, the rods 162 extend through almost the whole length of the bed structure, and thus the frame is stored out of the way. In this position the cross-bar 107 may be held close to vertical bars 108 by tightening at the mountings 170. Each latch 164 may have a suitable clasp 174 to hold the latch in normal vertical position by its clasp on bar 108.

When it becomes desirable to lower this head end of the bed to the floor after the foot end has been lowered the hand screws 172 are loosened from the bars 102 permitting mounting 170 to slide to the left and permitting the frame, by hand force, to push the bar 107, wheels 122 and latches 164 toward the left away from the bar 108, thereby causing the bed to land on the floor, as shown in dot-dash in FIG. 11. The bed may be eased down by easing the screws 172 and thereby applying resistance to the rolling of the wheels 122. When the wheels are moved further away the latches 164 will fall back on their clips 174.

From this position the bed may of course be raised to the vertical position, shown in FIG. 12, by direct manual force. However, for easing the raising action mechanism may be provided which may use mechanical power or may reduce the needed manual force.

For this purpose a mechanism 180 may be provided for activating the

lifting frame

107, 107', 162, the mechanism being fixedly mounted at the middle of the bar 107 by means of a mounting 182.

The mounting holds a pivoted spool 184 of rope, wire or cable 186 which can be wound or unwound by a handle 188. A ratchet wheel 100 may normally be held in tightening position by a pawl 192, with knob 194 for release by hand.

The rope 186 is brought out of the mechanism through opening 196 and is strung to the cross bar 106 at the far end of the bed, where it is fastened by suitable means. The rope thus may be tightened by handle 188 to secure the wheels in their position against the bed frame in its lifted position. The rope is brought down past cross bar 106' to clear this bar during the raising action, as shown in FIG. 12.

When it becomes desirable to raise the bed into the vertical position the following procedure may be used: loosen hand screws "172, release ratchet 100 and, by handle 188, slowly relax cable 186; slide mountings 170 along bars 102 forcing the wheels and latches away from the structure, which will move about the wheel centers down into contact with the floor; roll the lifting frame to the left far enough for fastening of the mountings 170 fairly close to the left end of bars 102, at the same time unwinding the rope; with the friction of curved bars 104 against the floor, enhanced by the weight of bed and person, the bed may now be raised into the vertical by continued winding of the rope onto spool 184, thereby shortening the distance between the wheels 122 and the floor contact of the bars 104 and thus forcing the raised end of the lifting frame higher from the floor and forcing the bed into the vertical position, as shown in FIG. 12, the bed structure having contacted the floor progressively with successive portions of the curved bars 104 toward the landing portions thereof.

It will be noted that the lifting action takes place only up to the point where the load center P passes over the pivot center C; thereafter and until the landing on the floor the weight takes over. This may be counter balanced by a smaller weight mounted on the cross-rod 106', which thus would have the effect of moving the center P further to the left.

In the case of loading in the vertical and tipping into the horizontal, the cable 186 may be gradually loosened for free movement while at first the weight is lifted over the point C, as by hand power or otherwise, and thereafter the further controlled loosening of the ca-ble'may be used for easing the device down to the floor.

Thereafter the lifting mechanism may be stored away inside the load structure and the four wheels connected up for transportation.

'For this purpose the front wheels are first swung outward, the hooks 140 placed on cross-bar 106 and bandle turned to bring the U-bracket 136 back against bar 106 thereby forcing the wheels 120 against the floor, thus raising the front end of the load structure off the floor.

As to the rear wheels their shafts are brought in under the latches and forced in under them by means of the pull on the cable 186 by the handle 188; this must be done before the front end is raised.

What is claimed:

'1. A load tipping device comprising an oblong flat frame for carrying a load normally at a distance above floor level, an oblong curved frame attached to said flat frame for support of said flat frame in different angular positions with respect to floor level, mechanical operating means including a raising frame extending lengthwise and outward from said device and being hinged at its inner end to said flat frame, said raising frame being operable for tipping said flat frame and said curved frame lengthwise over a curved portion of said curved frame and therebytipping said flat frame into a substantially vertical position from a substantially horizontal position or vice versa.

2. A load tipping device in accordance with claim 1 in which said operating means includes a power applying spool with cable means connected between the other end of said raising frame and the far end of said curved frame and operable to shorten by power the distance between sa1d two points connected by said cable means, thereby forcing upward the said hinged ends for tipping of the load carrying frame. 3. A load tipping device comprising an oblong carrymg frame for -a load having a raising end and a pivoting end, an oblong supporting frame having a curved portion and connected to said carrying frame for support thereof and for tipping thereof over said curved portion into various angular positions, a raising frame extending outwardly from and being hinged at one end to said raising end at an obtuse angle therewith and power applying means connected between the distant lower end of said raising frame and said curved portion for raising the hinged ends of sand carrying frame and said raising frame into an acute angle between them, thereby pivoting the carrying frame about said curved portion of the supporting frame into different raised positions including the vertical.

4. A load tipping device according to claim 3 further comprising a plurality of carrying wheels for said device mounted on said raising frame and a corresponding plurality of lifting jacks hinged on said supporting frame at said raising end, said power applying means being connected to said wheels through said raising frame for forcmg the pivots of said wheels in under said lifting jacks and thereby lifting said raising end off the floor.

5. load tipping device according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality of supporting wheels, a rigid mounting frame for each of said wheels pivotally attached to said curved frame for swinging of said wheel into and locking it in rolling engagement with the floor for transportation purposes and alternately unlocking and swinging it out of said engagement for lowering of said curved frame into contact with the floor for the tipping action, said rigid mounting frame including clamping means for variable attachment of a swinging part of said mounting frame to said curved frame and screw means operable for forcing said wheel into engagement with the floor by action of said screw means between said clamping means and said swinging part, thereby to raise said curved frame from cont-act with the floor.

(References on following page) References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Hadley 297131 Leland 5-62 Shaw 28043.19 Schwartz 586 Forrest 5317 Stryker 5-62 X 8 FOREIGN PATENTS 152,53 6 2/38 Austria. 63 2,018 7/3 6 Germany.

5 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A LOAD TIPPING DEVICE COMPRISING AN OBLONG FLAT FRAME FOR CARRYING A LOAD NORMALLY AT A DISTANCE ABOVE FLOOR LEVEL, AN OBLONG CURVED FRAME ATTACHED TO SIAD FLAT FRAME FOR SUPPORT OF SAID FLAT FRAME IN DIFFERENT ANGULAR POSITIONS WITH RESPECT TO FLOOR LEVEL, MECHANICAL OPERATING MEANS INCLUDING A RAISING FRAME EXTENDING LENGTHWISE AND OUTWARD FROM SAID DEVICE AND BEING HINGED AT ITS INNER END TO SAID FLAT FRAME, SAID RAISING FRAME BEING OPERABLE FOR TIPPING SAID FLAT FRAME AND SAID RAISING FRAME BEING OPERABLE FOR TIPPING SAID FLAT FRAME AND SAID CURVED FRAME LENGTHWISE OVER A CURVED PORITON OF SAID CURVED FRAME AND THEREBY TIPPING SAID FLAT FRAME INTO A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL POSITION FROM A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL POSITION OR VICE VERSA.