GB899484A - Vehicle for gripping, stacking and transporting building elements and other objects - Google Patents

Abstract

899,484. Load-handling machines; gripping articles. MOSKOPF, P. Nov. 14 1960, No. 39022/60. Classes 78 (3) and 78 (4). A self-loading vehicle 1, Fig. 1, has a twopiece jib 6, 11 which supports, by a suspension device 16, a grab 28, 30 which extends parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and has resilient jaws 24, mechanism 21 for forming gaps between the objects lifted and means for adjusting the orientation of objects carried thereby. As described, the jib members 6, 11 are turned about pivots 5, 10 by rams 8, 13. The jaws 28, 30, Fig. 5, of the grab are held open by a manually releasable pawl 34 and the gripping action is produced automatically when the grab is lifted. The resilient jaws 24 comprise tubes partially filled with liquid. In an alternative embodiment, Fig. 7d, resilient spheres 41 connected to resilient pressure distributing means 43 by conduits 42 are provided. So that the grab can be accurately aligned with the objects to be lifted a frame 44 Fig. 8 with a handle 50 can be manually pivoted about a pin 47 to twist the grab. When objects 18, Fig. 10b, have been set down they can be pushed apart to a predetermined spacing by spreaders 60 pivoted to arms 57, 58 which are adjustably connected to arms 54, 55. Cams 64 65 attached to one of the gripper arms, push arms 54, 55 outwards when the grab is raised. A resilient guide plate 66 facilitates insertion of the spreaders 60. The objects 18 when on the vehicle can be pushed into contact with each other by an end wall 73, Fig. 12, moved by a ram 74 and the platform 3 is raised and lowered by rams 69 which urge rollers 70 against inclines 72. The vehicle may be unloaded by a ram-operated lazy-tongs mechanism which pushes the load on to an adjacent platform with which the vehicle platform has been aligned. The vehicle is particularly adapted for handling building elements.