US2842391A - Grapples - Google Patents

Description

July 8, 1958 R. c. HERMANN 2,842,391

GRAPPLES Filed April 15, 195e A. /NVENI'OR R C. HERMANN y,a Won/ver GRAPPLES Richard C. Hermann, Belleville, N. J., assigner to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 13, 1956, Serial No. 578,125

2 Claims. (Cl. 294-67) moved.

The object of the present invention is a grapple which is simple in structure, continuously balanced and readily actuable for loads of various sizes.

In one embodiment of the invention according to the object, the grapple includes a main frame for attachment to a transporting means and adapted for interconnection with auxiliary frames, having supporting heads for -receiving the ends of articles to be transported, and operatively connected for adjustment relative to each other for loads of various sizes.

More specifically the grapple includes a main frame with guide ways for sliding movement of the auxiliary frames with their respective article supporting heads rela- `tive to each other, and a driving mechanism under the control of a handwheel for adjusting the auxiliary frames like distances toward or away from each other and the connecting center of the main frame to maintain a balance in the grapple and adjust the grapple for loads of various sizes.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational View of the grapple supporting articles of a given length to be transported;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan View of the grapple;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 4-,4 of Fig. 2.

The grapple includesva main frame indicated generally at 10, auxiliary frames 11 with depending article supporting heads 12 carried thereby and a mechanism under the control of a handwheel 14 to bring about like adjustments of the auxiliary frames 11 and their heads relative to the main frame for receiving and supporting, in the heads 12, articles 15 of different lengths.

The main frame 10 is composed of pairs of back-toback angular members which, in the present instance, may -be identified as outer channel members 17 and inner channel members 1S disposed as illustrated in Fig. 3 parallel with each other but in a staggered arrangement to receive `Z-shaped members 19 of the auxiliary frames 11. The channel members 17 and 18 of each pair are properly spaced fromI each other by lateral members 22 having end contours as illustrated in Fig. 3 welded to the channel members. Openings 23 in the ends of the lateral members 22 provides space for lthe upper portions 2,842,391 Patented July 8, 1958 ice 24 of the Z-shaped members 19 which rest upon and also ride upon the inner channel members 18. A central pair of lateral members 25, having their ends xed to the outer channel members 17 of the main frame, are connected at their centers with a suitable pin 26 adapted for connection to a hook 27 which may be a part of any suitable transporting means such as a monorail type of conveyor or any desiredhoist or transporting truck. The main frame 10 is also provided with a number of inner lateral members 30 having their ends welded to the inner channel members 18 and provided with bearings 31 for a shaft 32.

The auxiliary frames 11 have the box type heads 12 xed in any suitable manner to the Z-shaped members 19. The 'heads 12 have lower portions 33 for supporting the ends of articles 15, side members 34 to retain the articles against displacement laterally and closed ends 35 to engage and force the ends of the articles into alignment with each other and to maintain the articles against displacement longitudinally during transporting of the articles.

The adjusting means originates with the handwheel 14 which is mounted on a shaft 38 with a gear 39. The shaft 38 is supported by suitable bearings and is held against axial movement by suitable means not shown. The gear 39 has pinions 40 disposed in interengagement therewith, the pinions being mounted on the adjacent ends of threaded shafts or screws 41. The screws 41 are held against axial movement and extend through threaded elements 42, Figs. 2 and 4, which are supported for rocking movement in bearings 43. Rotation of the handwheel 14 will cause rotation of the screws 41 in like directions simultaneously to move the right hand auxiliary frame relative to the main frame.

Additional driving means including the shaft 32 connects the two auxiliary frames 11 to assure like movements thereof relative to the main frame. This is brought about through the provision of racks 45 mounted on the undersurface of the innermost portion of each Z-shaped member 19 asshown in Fig. 3. Each auxiliary frame 11 has its racks 45 interengaging pinions 46 which are mounted in pairs on shafts 47, the ends of which are journalled in bearings 48, only one of which is shown in Fig. 3. The bearings 48 are lixedly mounted in their respective channel members 18. The shafts 47 have bevelled gears 49 mounted thereon and disposed in interengagement with companion bevelled gears 5d mounted on the adjacent ends of the shaft 32.

Considering now the function of the grapple, let it be assumed that the grapple is loaded with the parts 15 of the lengths shown in Fig. l, and that it is being moved to a position where the parts are needed for their next processing steps. When arriving at this position, the grapple is lowered to position the articles 15 on a suitable support and the handwheel 14 is rotated in a direction to cause the auxiliary frames 11 to move outwardly relative to the main frame 10 to free the ends `12 from the ends of the articles 15. The grapple then may be raised and transported to the next group of articles which for the purpose of illustration may be of shorter lengths than the rst articles 15. The grapple may be lowered to align the ends 12 with the ends of a `group of articles after which the handwheel 14 may be actuated to move the auxiliary frames 11 inwardly toward each other simultaneously like distances, for example, to the dotted line positions of the heads 12 after which the group of articles may be transported to another position.

Attention is directed to the fact that the close positioning of the lateral members 25 upon each side of the transporting hook 27 assures balancing of the main frame 1t) on its support 27. Furthermore, the driving connection between the auxiliary frames carried by the main frame 3 assures accurate positioning of the auxiliary frames relative to each other and the main frame to, not only balance the parts of the grapple in the main frame, but to balance the load carried by the grapple by positioning itcentrally of the lifting means 27. Suitable means 54 mounted on the end opposite the handwheel 14 may counterbalance the grapple for the portions present in the right hand section thereof that are not present in the left hand section. Furthermore, the interfitting arrangement of the auxiliary frames with the main frame add strength to the structure. The necessary clearance between the channel members 17 and 18 of the main frame for the Z- shaped members of the auxiliary frames to assure ,relative movements of the frames may allow some out of line positioning of the frames during transporting of a heavy load but the rocking supports for the threaded elements 42 prevent this action from causing damage to the screws 41 and the threaded elements.

It is to be understood that the above described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

l. A grapple comprising a centrally supported elongate main frame including pairs of equally spaced back-toback angular members forming end-to-end parallel guide ways between the backs of the members and endato-end out-of-plane guide surfaces on respective upper and lower portions of the pairs of members, auxiliary frames formed of pairs of elongate Z-shaped elements positioned with central portions thereof longitudinally movable in their respective guide ways from opposing ends thereof and top and bottom lateral portions thereof riding respectively upon and beneath their out-of-plane upper and lower guide surfaces, the Z-shaped elements of the auxiliary frames having inner and outer ends, load supporting heads mounted on the outer ends of the elements, the inner ends of the elements being disposed in the main frame equal distances from the central support thereof, and means supported by the main and auxiliary frames to maintain the frames relatively positioned and actuable `to move the auxiliary frames like distances toward each other, until the aligned Z-shaped members thereof meet in alignment with the central support, and away from each other predetermined distances to receive loads of different lengths in the heads.

2. A grapple comprising a centrally supported elongate main frame including pairs of equally spaced backto-back angular members forming end-to-end parallel guide ways between the backs of the members and end-toend out-of-plane guide surfaces on respective upper and lower portions of the pairs of members, auxiliary frames formed of pairs of elongate Z-shaped elements positioned with central portions thereof longitudinaly movable in their respective guide ways from opposing ends thereof and top and bottom lateral portions thereof riding respectively upon and beneath their out-of-plane upper and lower guide surfaces, the main frame having connecting members extending between the pairs of angular members and having offset end portions secured to their respective angular member of each pair and intermediate notches to receive their respective lateral portions of the Zshaped elements, the Z-shaped elements of the auxiliary frames having inner and outer ends, load support heads mounted on the outer ends of the elements, the inner ends of the elements being disposed in the main frame equal distances from the central support thereof, and means supported by the main and auxiliary frames to maintain the frames relatively positioned and actuable to move the auxiliary frames like distances toward each other, until the aligned Z-shaped members thereof meet in alignment with the central support, and away from each other predetermined distances to receive loads of different lengths in the heads.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 978,858 Devitt Dec. 20, 191() 1,753,400 Bryson Apr. 8, 1930 1,807,124 Meyer May 26, 1931 1,830,264 Edwards Nov. 3, 1931 2,276,905 Windsor Mar. 17, 1942 2,284,238 Todd May 26, 1942

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