US2859937A - Hoist chain container - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 11, 195 E. E. ROBINS ET AL 2,859,937

HOIST CHAIN CONTAINER Filed Dec. 15, 1955 fl frowevs INVENTORS E/m'onn f. Roe/M: take 144 LEICH 54 BY @ZM, @156 am United States Patent 2,859,937 HOIST CHAIN CONTAINER Erford E. Robins, North Tonawanda, and Loren W. Lerch, Buffalo, N. Y., assignors to Columbus McKinnon Chain Corporation, Tonawanda, N. Y.

Application December 13, 1955, Serial No. 552,933

2 Claims. (Cl. 254-167) This invention relates to chain hoists, and more particularly to improved means for temporarily storing the loose end of the load lift chain as the load lift hook rises; whereby the slack chain strand is reservoired closely adjacent the hoist mechanism instead of dangling in undesirable manner therefrom.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a structurally improved and simplified, detachable chain container as aforesaid for chain hoists or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a container device as aforesaid a novel combination mounting bracket and chain funnel and container support means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device as aforesaid which is detachably mounted on the hoist frame in lieu of the conventionally employed chain dead end anchor bolt.

Another object is to provide a container as aforesaid which is self-stabilized against swinging into interferences with the load lift operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the specification hereinafter.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through a chain hoist and a chain receiver of the present invention; and

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view thereof.

As shown in the drawing herewith, the invention is illustrated as being applied to a chain hoist comprising generally a frame designated mounting a rotating lift wheel 12 over which the load lift chain trains as indicated at 14. At one end, the load lift chain 14 carries the load lift book 15, and as the load lift chain 14 trains through the chain guide 16 of the hoist and over the load lift wheel 12, the free end thereof cascades downwardly as indicated at 18 (Fig. 1). In accord with the present invention, the conventional chain dead end anchor bolt is removed from its socket in the hoist frame, and either the same bolt or a substitute bolt is then employed as indicated at 20 to mount in depending relation from the hoist frame a combination mounting bracket and chain funnel device as indicated at 22.

The member 22 may be conveniently cast or otherwise fabricated of suitable metal so as to comprise a yoke portion 24 dependent from a mounting eye portion 25 and having formed integrally therewith a chute or partifunnel portion 26 which is open at its top and reaches rearwardly into position under the discharge side of the load lift wheel 12. Hence, the loose end of the load lift chain drops by gravity into the top of the chute device 26 and then slides down the inclined bottom surface thereof as shown in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 2, the chute device 26 of the member is relatively narrow in width and centrally disposed so that the discharging chain run is thereby carefully guided to descend into the approximate center of a cylindrical can or metal box 28 which hangs from the bracket 22 by means of diametri- 2,859,937 Patented Nov. 11, 1958 "ice cally opposed chain links 29-29 interconnecting opposite sides of the container 28 with a pair of registering lobes 30-30 extending from opposite sides of the bracket 22. 7

It will of course be appreciated that the container 28 may be fabricated in any preferred form and of any preferred material; but as illustrated herein the container is'essentially a cylinder having an enlarged head or diameter portion 33 around the bottom end thereof, into which press-fits a sheet metal disc 35 forming the bottom of the container. As shown in Fig. 1, the container 28 is preferably dimensioned vertically so that the upper edge thereof reaches into abutting relation under the sloping wall of the chute portion 26 of the bracket 22. This bearing action, in combination with the paired links 29-29 tends to provide a stabilized mounting for the container 28 relative to the bracket 22, which is in turn, rigidly mounted to the hoist frame by means of the bolt 20.

Hence, although the container 28 may be readily swung outwardly at its bottom end upon the support links 29-29 when occasion requires, it will not swing inwardly at its bottom end toward the load lift chain and hook, beyond a straight hanging vertical position as shown in the drawing. Thus, by reason of this mounting arrangement the chain loose end container device will avoid any interferences with the load chain and load lift hook and/or with the load lifting operations generally. Furthermore, the arrangement operates to keep the entire loose end portion of the load lift chain reservoired in closely compacted arrangement positionally adjacent to the hoist frame, whereby to avoid any interferences between the chain loose end and the container with the hoist load lifting operations.

It will of course be appreciated that whereas only one specific form of the chain container and guide chute arrangement of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited but that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a chain hoist mechanism comprising a frame, a load lift wheel rotatably mounted in said frame and a load lift chain training over said load lift wheel and having its loose end discharging therefrom downwardly through an opening in the chain hoist frame, the improvement comprising in combination a chain loose end guide and reservoir device including a bracket member con-- nected to a side portion of said hoist frame and having a parti-funnel portion formed integrally with said bracket; member and reaching underneath said hoist to a pointbelow the region of discharge of the chain loose end from said load lift wheel, said parti-funnel portion having: a sloping bottom portion inclined downwardly away from said load lift wheel for free sliding of the chain loose end thereover, and a chain reservoir suspended from said bracket member by means of freely pivoting links whereby said reservoir is swingable below said bracket under varying load conditions, a top edge portion of said reservoir being disposed beneath said sloping bottom of said funnel portion, said bracket member and said resermounted upon-said hoist-frame and having a -gu1de por tion -forrnedintegrally with said-bracket--rnemberand reaching underneath the region ofidischarge-of' thechain loose end from said load lift wheel, said guide portion having aslopingbottom'portion inclineddownwardly for free sliding -0f'-the chain loose end ther-cover, 1 and a -ehain' reservoir suspended-from said 'bracketmember by -means of swingconnectiommeans whereby said reservoir is swingable below said bracket responsive to varying--lo'ad conditions, a top edge portion of said reservoir being disposed beneath said sloping-bottom of said-guide portion, said bracket member and said reservoir being so dimensioned and arranged that said guide portion discharges said chain loose end and following run to fall substantially into the center of said reservoir and to descend along the vertical center. line thereof while being free to reverse-lap fold as it runs into said reservoir.

References Cited in the fileof thisv patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,286,388 Smith June 16,1942

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