AUTOMATIC LOADING AND SIGNALING SYSTEM FOR DRIVER OPERATED VEHICLES

• US 3,666,119 A
• Filed: 09/25/1970
• Issued: 05/30/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ward H. Parsons
• Original Assignee: Ward H. Parsons
• Inventors: Parsons, Ward H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheridan, Robert G.
• Application Number:
  US05/075,404
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• Field of Search: 214/41,42R 340/246
• US Class Current: 414/328
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 90/623 having a rotational motion

Abstract

A truck loading system for loading an open top truck with material discharged from an overhead bin at a loading station. The bin has a gate operated by electromechanical means. An omnidirectional loading probe is connected in a circuit with the electromechanical means and with a signal lamp visible to the driver for closing the gate and turning on the lamp when the probe is tilted by material in the truck. A second omnidirectional probe is connected in the circuit with a second signal lamp to signal when the second probe is tilted by the truck body after the truck is fully loaded, and to lock the gate closed as the truck is driven away from the loading station. A start switch in the circuit initiates opening the gate. The start switch and probes can be mechanically interconnected so that adjusting the position of the start switch selectively positions the probes in the truck body.

Claims

1. A truck loading system comprising support;

a bin carried by said support in an elevated position at a truck loading station for discharging flowable material into a truck disposed under the bin, said bin having a gate openable and closable to control flow of said material out of the bin and into the truck;

electromechanical means arranged to open and close the gate;

electrically operated signal means connected in circuit with said electromechanical means to signal when the gate is closed upon filling the truck to a predetermined level at any loading position;

a tilt switch loading probe suspended below the bin to sense when the truck is filled to said predetermined level, said probe containing switch means responsive to tilt of said probe at an angle in a vertical plane through a horizontal range of 360*; and

circuit means interconnecting the probe signal means and electromagnetic means, so that the gate is closed and the signal means is actuated when the probe is tilted by said mAterial rising to said level in the truck, said truck having a rear wall, and further comprising another tilt switch probe suspended below the bin to contact said wall and sense when the truck has moved in to a final fully loaded position;

other signal means connected in circuit with the other probe to signal that the truck is fully loaded; and

other circuit means interconnecting said other tilt switch probe, other signal means, and first named circuit means to actuate said other signal means and to lock said gate closed, while the loaded truck is driven away from said loading station.

2. A truck loading system as defined in claim 1, wherein said other probe contains other switch means responsive to tilt of said other probe at any angle in a vertical plane through a horizontal range of 360*.

3. A truck loading system as defined in claim 1, wherein the truck is driven by a driver who remains in the truck cab at all times during loading of the truck, said system further comprising start switch means disposed under the bin and connected in circuit with said first named circuit means and other circuit means for opening the gate and deactivating the first named and other signal means when the truck is located at a first loading position under the bin, said start switch means being located so that it can be operated by the driver of the truck while he is in the truck cab.

4. A truck loading system as defined in claim 3, further comprising suspension means mechanically interconnecting the start switch means, said loading probe and said other probe so that adjusting the position of the start switch means by the driver of the truck selectively adjusts the elevational positions of the probes in the truck.

5. A truck loading system as defined in claim 4, further comprising counting means connected in circuit with the start switch for counting numerically the number of truck loads discharged from said bin into a succession of trucks.

6. A truck loading system as defined in claim 1, wherein the first named and other signal means are lamps respectively emitting light of different colors, said lamps being disposed for viewing by the driver of the truck at all times while he is in the truck cab.

7. A truck loading system as defined in claim 6, wherein the first named circuit means comprises relay means arranged to actuate the electromechanical means for opening the gate and turning off the first named signal means when said loading probe is tilted by material in the truck, said relay means being further arranged to turn on the first signal means while the gate closes as the driver drives the truck forwardly a distance sufficient to disengage the loading probe from material in the truck to allow the loading probe to assume a vertical position.

8. A truck loading system as defined in claim 7, wherein said other circuit means comprises other relay means arranged to actuate said other signal means to signal that the truck is fully loaded when the other probe is tilted by the rear wall of the truck.

9. A truck loading system as defined in claim 8, wherein said other relay means is further arranged to deenergize the first named relay means for locking the gate closed while the truck is driven away from the loading station in response to actuation of said other signal means.