US3616952A

US3616952A - Pallet puller for heavy equipment

Info

Publication number: US3616952A
Application number: US16511A
Authority: US
Inventors: Andres Aguilar; Gerald E Gerke
Original assignee: US Air Force
Current assignee: US Air Force
Priority date: 1970-03-04
Filing date: 1970-03-04
Publication date: 1971-11-02
Anticipated expiration: 1988-11-02

Abstract

A structure is disclosed for quickly unloading trucks of heavy equipment and their support pallets. The structure comprises two composite beams formed of iron, integrally joined, and extending at about 135* with respect to one another. At the places where the beams meet, there is a relatively large roller which sets on the floor of the truck and permits the entire structure to move over the floor or platform. The horizontal beam is formed in two spaced arms or fork members formed of U-shaped iron and spanned by a metal plate, the members being adapted to be inserted into the usual slot in the sides or end of the pallet. Each horizontal arm is provided with three or more upstanding teeth portions secured within the legs of the U-shaped members and project a short distance above the upper edge of each member. When the equipment is loaded on top of the teeth by inserting the fork members into the pallet slots, a chain is connected to the uppermost end of the angularly extending beam and is attached to a simple and inexpensive pulling machine. A pull in the forward direction causes the angularly extending arm to move downwardly slightly as well as forwardly to cause the teeth to press into the bottom surface of the pallet at the slot and thus hold the equipment steady. The pallet and its load can then be pulled out of the truck by the machine mentioned and deposited at any desired position.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventors Andres Aguilar;

Geraldj l. Gerke, both of Boonville, Mo.

[21] Appl. No. 16,511

[22] Filed Mar. 4, 1970 [45] Patented Nov. 2, 1971 [73] Assignee The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force [54] PALLET PULLER FOR HEAVY EQUIPMENT 2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 214/372, 214/506, 214/384 [51] Int. Cl B60p l/04 [50] Field of Search 214/370,

372, 506, 750, 384; 280/4724, 47.3, 43.12; 254/3 R, 3B,3C,8R,8B,8C

Primary Examiner- Albert J. Makay Attorneys-l-larry A. Herbert, Jr. and Herbert H. Brown ABSTRACT: A structure is disclosed for quickly unloading trucks of heavy equipment and their support pallets. The structure comprises two composite beams formed of iron, integrally joined, and extending at about 135 with respect to one another. At the places where the beams meet, there is a relatively large roller which sets on the floor of the truck and permits the entire structure to move over the floor or platform. The horizontal beam is formed in two spaced arms or fork members formed of U-shaped iron and spanned by a metal plate, the members being adapted to be inserted into the usual slot in the sides or end of the pallet. Each horizontal arm is provided with three or more upstanding teeth portions secured within the legs of the U-shaped members and project a short distance above the upper edge of each member. When the equipment is loaded on top of the teeth by inserting the fork members into the pallet slots, a chain is connected to the uppermost end of the angularly extending beam and is attached to a simple and inexpensive pulling machine. A pull in the forward direction causes the angularly extending arm to move downwardly slightly as well as forwardly to cause the teeth to press into the bottom surface of the pallet at the slot and thus hold the equipment steady. The pallet and its load can then be pulled out of the truck by the machine mentioned and deposited at any desired position.

PATENTEDHuv 2 ml SHEET 2 BF 2 PALLET PULLER FOR HEAVY EQUIPMENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The problem of moving heavy equipment out of a backedup truck onto a warehouse platform is serious. Some of the unloading difficulties are that the trucks are relatively narrow and long, also the carton units are snugly positioned against one another to conserve space. This situation makes it difficult to maneuver a forklift machine within the confined space. Besides, a machine of this character is not only expensive on account of the fork elevator equipment but, in addition, in bringing the load out of the truck, the operator has necessarily to run the machine backward which could be dangerous. This backward movement also applies to the hand-operated hydraulic jack which has been used for this purpose and in addition, is also not readily maneuverable in the limited space of the truck. The trucks, particularly those containing military equipment, are always on a tight schedule and the equipment must be moved quickly so as to release the truck.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive but highly efi'ective lifting and moving structure for palletized equipment and in which slots are provided in the pallet to receive a pronged portion of the structure.

Another object is to provide an improved lifting and moving structure for heavy loads, particularly from military trucks and which is readily maneuverable within the confined space of the truck.

Still another object is to provide an improved combined lifting and pulling device for unloading a truck of equipment in fast time without the use of expensive fork machines or hydraulic jack apparatus, manually or automatically operated. These objects are attained in brief, by providing a structure with two beams, welded together at their inner ends and extending angularly with respect to one another. One beam is formed of two arms of U-shape section, spaced apart to constitute broadly a fork structure which can enter the lifting slot of a pallet. The other arm constitutes essentially a triangularly shaped bridle of angle iron brought to a hitching ring for pulling the structure. A large roller extends across the two arms and carries the weight of the entire structure. There are also upstanding teethmembers fitted in each U-shaped arm which can dig into the under surface of the pallet at the position of the lifting slot when a pulling force is exercised at the hitching ring of the bridle structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I represents a plan view of the improved unloading device.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the device.

FIG. 3 represents a section taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a similar section taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 shows the manner in which the improved lifting and pulling device can be used.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the structure as shown in constituted of elongated beams, broadly indicated at I, 2 in FIG. 2, the adjacent ends of which are integrally joined as by welding indicated at 3. The beams extend from one another at an angle, exemplified as about 135 and the low or horizontal beam 1 is constituted of two parallel spaced arms 4, 5. The angularly extending beam is formed as a triangularly shaped bridle constituted of two lengths 6 of single right-angle (FIG. 4) iron, welded to a brace member 7 which spans the arms 4, 5 and is secured thereto. A flat plate member 8 is welded at one end to the brace member 7 and extends in a median direction to the junction of the two lengths 6. This member is welded to these lengths so as to provide a point of attachment for a triangularly shaped ring 9. The arms 4 of the lower beam are constituted of U-shaped angle iron (FIG. 3) so that both the beams are extremely rigid. The arms 6 are connected to the arms 4, 5 at positions so as to leave a knob 10, the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter. Within the spaced legs of each angle iron member 4, 5 there are three or more equidistantly spaced square studs 11 of metal, wedged b between and welded to said legs. Each stud terminates at the top in a slanting surface, similar to that of ratchet teeth and which extend a short distance above the upper edges of the angle iron members. The purpose of these teeth will also be explained hereinafter. Each member 4, 5 is provided with a round bearing 12 fitted between the legs and positioned near the position where the two sets of beams l, 2 are joined together. The two bearing members I12 have openings at the center for rotatably receiving a shaft 13 on which is mounted a large roller 14, the periphery of which extends below the arms 4, 5 and is free to turn between the arms. The entire unloading device is therefore movable horizontally by hand on the roller. We have obtained good results by employing a roller of about 4 inches in diameter spanning the arms 4, 5 and the latter has a 2-inch web and 2-inch legs. The arms are spaced about l8 inches apart and are about 2 feet long. The beam or triangular bridle member has a length of approximately 20 inches as measured along the median plate 8 and such beam is conveniently formed of Z-inch angle iron.

OPERATION Assume that a loaded truck is backed up against the receiving or supply platform of a warehouse with its rear end open. The load usually consists of a large number of cartons 15 of the type shown in FIG. 5. Each carton is usually protected by a plastic covering, held by metal straps 16. The cartons are each supported on pallets 17 of wood, made in any well-known and suitable manner, and each being provided with a slot 18 extending from one end to the other and from one side to the other side of the pallet. The height and width of the slot 18 are of standard lifting fork size, a few inches above the floor. An operator can pull down on the beam 2 sufliciently to raise the arms 4, 5 to a horizontal position with the aid of the roller, as shown in FIG. 2. It was then rolled to a position such that the arms 4, 5 readily enter one of the available slots in the nearest pallet and are moved into the slot to the full length of each arm. A vehicle 19 which may be electrically or gasoline driven having a short chain 20 extending from the rear end of the vehicle and hitched to the loop 9. As shown, the chain 20 should assume a relatively horizontal position so that the pull by the vehicle 19 will move the entire unloading device in the horizontal direction. As the vehicle moves forward, i.e., toward the open end of the truck, there will be a tendency for then beam 1 to swing about the roller in the vertical direction, and this slight but sudden upward movement of the arms 4, 5 would cause the teeth to dig into the pallet at the uppermost surface of the slot. This upward movement of the teeth would be in addition to the tooth entry brought about by the weight of the load. Thus, the latter is securely held onto the lifting structure. Should the knob 10 touch the fioor during the moving operation, this would serve as an indication that the arms 4, 5 and supported load are at a precarious angle and should be lowered. This can be accomplished by changing the posi tion where the load is attached to the vehicle. The pallet and its load can be moved quickly from the truck to any assigned position on the platform or taken a greater distance within the warehouse. Unless the teeth on the studs 11 have entered the pallet too far, the latter can be dragged off the arms 4, 5 at the destination without difficulty and in any case the fork of a regular forklift machine may be inserted into a slot not occupied by the arms 4, 5 and thus disengage the teeth from the pallet.

It is apparent that we have disclosed an inexpensive lifting and wheeling device for handling heavy equipment standing on the floor of a truck or about to be loaded on a truck. The improved device can be moved into position by hand to place the arms 4, 5 in a lifting slot of the pallet so that the device is readily maneuverable in the confined space within the truck. The moving force exerted on the loading and unloading apparatus can be an inexpensive machine, completely devoid of a lifting accessory since the device provides its own lifting function. Moreover, the operator of the pulling machine, can face the direction in which he is pulling the heavy load which adds to the safety of the operation.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for lifting and moving a load carried on a pallet having a lifting slot therein; said apparatus comprising two composite beam members; each of said beam members having a pair of arms joined in substantial end-to-end relation with corresponding arms of each of the composite beam members being joined together and extending angularly with respect to one another and the other corresponding arms of the composite beam members being spaced apart in parallel relation to each other; said angularly extending arms being constituted of right-angle irons, means for temporarily holding the pallet on the parallel extending arms when they are inserted into the pallet slot; a roller member journaled in said parallel extending arms spanning them at a position near the junction of the angularly extending arms and the parallel extending arms with the roller member having a diameter such that its periphery extends below the lower surface of the parallel extending arms, the angularly extending anns having an attachment ring at the free end for receiving a pull cable which is adapted to move the apparatus on its roller support; said arms being constituted of U-shaped angle iron and said means for holding the pallet on said arms being constituted of studs positioned along the legs of the U-shaped iron members and terminate above the upper edge of the members in teethlike projections that dig into the pallet when the arms are inserted in said slot.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 and in which the single right-angle iron beams are welded on top of the U-shaped iron beams to leave a knob which in effect extends below the lower surface of the right-angle iron beams.

Claims

1. Apparatus for lifting and moving a load carried on a pallet having a lifting slot therein; said apparatus comprising two composite beam members; each of said beam members having a pair of arms joined in substantial end-to-end relation with corresponding arms of each of the composite beam members being joined together and extending angularly with respect to one another and the other corresponding arms of the composite beam members being spaced apart in parallel relation to each other; said angularly extending arms being constituted of right-angle irons, means for temporarily holding the pallet on the parallel extending arms when they are inserted into the pallet slot; a roller member journaled in said parallel extending arms spanning them at a position near the junction of the angularly extending arms and the parallel extending arms with the roller member having a diameter such that its periphery extends below the lower surface of the parallel extending arms, the angularly extending arms having an attachment ring at the free end for receiving a pull cable which is adapted to move the apparatus on its roller support; said arms being constituted of U-shaped angle iron and said means for holding the pallet on said arms being constituted of studs positioned along tHe legs of the U-shaped iron members and terminate above the upper edge of the members in teethlike projections that dig into the pallet when the arms are inserted in said slot.