US3025996A - Material handling system - Google Patents

Description

March 20, 1962 E. HABICHT ETAL MATERIAL HANDLING SYSTEM Original Filed May 8, 1958 United States Patent ()fiice 3,025,996 Patented Mar. 20, 1962 3,025,996 MATERIAL HANDLING SYSTEM Ernst Habicht, Paulusstr. 35, Bielefeld, Germany, and

Georg Meinas, Hillegpssen 419, near Bielefeld, Germany Original application May 8, 1958, Ser. No. 734,385.

Divided and this application May 21, 1959, Ser. No 818,243

3 Claims. (Cl. 220-94) The present invention relates to containers for material handling systems.

More particularly, the present invention relates to containers for use with a material handling system of the type described and claimed in our copending application Serial No. 734,385 of which the present application is a division.

It is an object of the present invention to provide containers or receptacles for transporting by a material handling system material which is worked on, the containers being constructed in such a way that they need never be raised or moved by the operators at the several work stations along the system.

With the above object in view the present invention resides in the provision of an open-top container for use in a material handling system, the container adapted to hold a material and having a pair of opposite end walls and a pair of side walls extending between the end walls, each having top and bottom edges. Between the edges is an outer, downwardly directed shoulder also extending between the end walls. The end walls are formed with cut outs passing through them and have threaded openings at their top ends. A pair of elongated arms is threadedly connected with and extends upwardly from the top ends of the end walls, each arm having a top end and a plurality of openings distributed longitudinally along the arm and adapted to be selectively joined with the threaded openings of the end walls, so that the elevation of the arms may be regulated. The topmost opening of the openings distributed longitudinally along each arm is located at a substantial distance below the top end of the respective arm. An elongated bar having a convex outer surface extends between and is fixedly carried by the arms at a level above the openings thereof and is located above the container. The arms extend upwardly beyond the bar through distances substantially greater than the thickness of the arms so that, when a material such as a fabric is draped over the bar the arms prevent the fabric from slipping off the ends of the bar.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a container used in the material handling system of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a container used in the material handling system of the present invention.

Referring now in greater detail to the illustrated embodiments, FIGS. 1 and 2 show two possible containers which may be used with the material handling system described and claimed in our aforementioned copending application. The container 331 of FIG. 1 is provided at its opposite sides with downwardly directed shoulders ST which cooperate with the rollers on the ends of the cross arm of a lever in the system (not shown) which moves the container onto a conveyor. The container is provided at its side which is engaged by the aforementioned lever with a downwardly directed shoulder ST against which the aforementioned rollers bear, the width of the shoulder being at least as great as the diameter of the rollers so that the latter are maintained in reliable engagement with the shoulder.

In use, the aforementioned lever turns and raises one end of the container so that the container is in a substantially horizontal position at the time when its other end has reached the conveyor and the lever pushes the substantially horizontal container onto the conveyor so that with this arrangement the container cannot be tilted so as to strike downwardly against the conveyor. Thus, the height of the shoulders ST is determined by the arc of movement of the top end of the turning lever.

It will be noted from FIG. 1 that the end walls 332 of the container 331 are formed with large cutouts, so that through these cutouts the interior of the container 331 is easily visible. At their top ends the end walls 332 are respectively formed with threaded openings 333 which receive screws 334 which in turn extend threadedly into selected threaded openings of arms 335 which extend upwardly from the end walls 332 and which are fixed to these end walls by the screws 334. By passing these screws through one of the plurality of openings of the arms 335, the extent to which the latter extend upwardly from the top ends of the end walls of the container, respectively, can be regulated. An elongated bar 336 extends between and is fixed with the arms 3'35, and it will be noted that these arms extend through a substantial distance upwardly beyond the bar 336. This bar preferably has an exterior convex surface. This container of FIG. 1 is particularly suited for fabrics which may be draped over the arm or bar 336. As a result of the extending of the arms 335 upwardly beyond the bar 336, if the container 331 should be tilted downwardly at either of its ends the fabric will not be able to slip off from either end of the bar 336.

The container which is shown in FIG. 2 also has the downwardly directed shoulders ST which cooperate with the aforementioned lever in the manner described above, and this container is a simple open-top container which may contain any type of material or workpieces.

It should be noted that the container of the invention is capable of receiving any type of material, whether the material be separate workpieces, fabrics, leathers, plastics, or even liquids.

It will be understood that each of the containers described above, or both together, may also find a useful application in other types of material handling systems differing from the type described and claimed in our aforementioned copending application.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in containers for use with automatic material handling systems, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. For use in a material handling system, in combination, an open-top container adapted to hold a material, said container having a pair of opposite end walls and acaaeae a pair of side Walls extending between said end walls and each having top and bottom edges and between said edges an outer, downwardly directed shoulder also extending between said end walls; a pair of arms fixed to and extending upwardly from said end walls; and an elongated bar extending between and carried by said arms and located over said container, said arms extending upwardly beyond said bar by distances substantially greater than the thickness of said arms, respectively, so that when a material such as a fabric is draped over said bar said arms will prevent the fabric from slipping off the ends of said bar.

2. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said bar has a convex outer surface.

3. For use in a material handling system, in combination, an open top container having a pair of opposite end Walls formed with cutouts passing therethrough and having threaded openings at their top ends, respectively; a pair of elongated arms threadedly connected with said top ends of said end walls and extending upwardly therefrom, each arm having a top end and a plurality of openings distributed longitudinally along said arm and adapted to be selectedly joined with said threaded openings of said end walls, so that the elevation of said arms may be regulated, the topmost opening of each arm being located at a substantial distance below the top end thereof; and an elongated bar extending between and fixed to said arms at an elevation higher than said openings thereof and located over said container, said arms extending upwardly beyond said bar by a distance substantially greater than the thickness of said arms to prevent a material such as a fabric which is draped over said bar from slipping off the ends of said bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,323,094 Levin June 29, 1943 2,616,600 Morgan Nov. 4, 1952 2,740,517 Evans Apr. 3, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 668,241 Great Britain Mar. 12, 1952

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