HEAVY DUTY SWIVEL PLATFORM CONVEYOR

• US 3,785,316 A
• Filed: 04/21/1972
• Issued: 01/15/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donelson C. Glassie, John C. Leming, Roy M. Jahnel
• Original Assignee: Donelson C. Glassie, John C. Leming, Roy M. Jahnel
• Inventors: Leming, John C., Glassie, Donelson C., Jahnel, Roy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reger, Duane A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barefoot, Galen L.
• Application Number:
  US05/246,460
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 114/43.5 244/114,115,116 214/83.24 74/89.15,58,479 115/1R 105/367,368R,455
• US Class Current: 114/261
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/24 Adaptations of turntables
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/1832 Multiple screw
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18648 Carriage surrounding, guided by, and primarily supported by member other than screw [e.g., linear guide, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20207 Multiple controlling elements for single controlled element

Abstract

A heavy-duty swivel platform conveyor such as may serve as a helicopter landing pad on a ship deck includes a platform structure, transporting longspan screw device under the platform fixed to the deck or other base and with driving couplings with the platform enabling swiveling of the platform relative to the path along which the platform is adapted to be transported by operation of the longspan screw.

Claims

1. A conveyor system for handling a heavy object which must be transported along a path between spaced positions and which may necessarily be oriented angularly relative to said path on approach to or departure from at least one of said positions, comprising:

a platform on which the object is supported bodily for transportation along said path;

a pair of spaced parallel tracks along said path between said positions under said platform;

a respective member to run along each of said tracks;

means for selectively driving said members along the respective tracks;

means swivelly connecting one of said members to the underside of said platform;

guide track means carried by the underside of said platform operatively aligned with said swivelly connecting means and extending transversely relative to said pair of tracks; and

a runner block running along said track means and swivelly connected to the other of said members;

whereby the platform can be moved along said parallel tracks by operating the driving means for both of said members in unison, and the platform can be swivelly moved by selectively operating the driving means for either of said members, the platform swiveling about said swivelly connecting means and said runner riding along said track means to compensate for changes in angularity of the track means relative to the tracks during the swivelling movements of the platform.

2. A conveyor system according to claim 1, including stabilizing track means carried by the platform, additional members running along said tracks, runner blocks running in said stabilizing track means, and swivel connections between said runner blocks and said additional members.

3. A conveyor system according to claim 2, having a pair of the additional members spaced from said respective members along said tracks, and said stabilizing track means extending angularly relative to the direction of the guide track means.

4. A conveyor assembly according to claim 2, wherein said stabilizing track means comprise generally V-shaped inverted channel-shaped runner bar assemblies in allochiral relative relationship at each side of said guide track means and with each leg of each of the assemblies accommodating a separate one of the runner blocks swivelly connected to said additional members.

5. A conveyor system according to claim 1, wherein said driving means comprise respective rotary screws and means mounting the screws along said tracks, said respective members hAving follower means engaging the screws for actuation of the respective members by rotation of the screws, means for driving the screws respectively in either opposite rotary direction, and means for selectively controlling said driving means.

6. A conveyor system according to claim 5, wherein said means for driving the screws comprise reversible motors, and brake means for holding either respective screw non-rotatively when its motor is non-operating.

7. A conveyor system according to claim 6, wherein said controlling means comprise an electrical circuit for controlling the degree of swivelling motion of said platform through control of operation of said motors and brake means.

8. A conveyor system according to claim 1, including hinged side extensions on said platform projecting substantially laterally beyond the respective opposite sides of the platform and hingedly swingable into clearance relation over the sides of the platform from an extended position wherein the lateral dimensions of the platform are substantially increased.

9. A conveyor system according to claim 1, wherein said platform comprises a landing pad including a rugged frame and a deck structure on said frame, the landing pad being especially adapted for handling aircraft of the vertical take-off and landing type and including means for anchoring the aircraft to the platform for transportation on the platform between said positions.

10. A conveyor system according to claim 9, including a landing target indicia on the upper surface of said platform to facilitate landing of an aircraft accurately for support upon the platform.

11. In combination with a conveyor system according to claim 1, a flight deck having one of said spaced positions in a landing area on said flight deck, an aircraft hanger spaced from said one position and covering the other of said positions with an opening facing toward said one position, said platform comprising a vertical take-off and landing aircraft landing pad having means for anchoring an aircraft thereon in supported relation on said platform, and said driving means operating to effect transportation of the platform and an aircraft carried thereon to and between the interior of the hanger and said one position on the flight deck.

12. A conveyor system according to claim 1, wherein said platform comprises a rugged frame including longitudinal and transverse frame bars, said track means comprising bar structure secured to the transverse frame bars, and a deck structure carried on top of the frame bars.

13. A conveyor system according to claim 1, wherein said tracks comprise longitudinally extending upwardly opening channels having longitudinally extending vertical side walls, track bars extending longitudinally on said walls within said channels above the bottom of the channels, said members having wheels thereon engaging upper and lower track surfaces of said track bars.

14. A conveyor system according to claim 13, wherein said track means on the platform comprise a downwardly opening elongated channel having side walls, longitudinally extending track bars on said track means channel side walls, and said runner block having rollers engaging said track means channel track bars.

15. A method of handling a heavy object which must be transported along a path between spaced positions and which article may necessarily be oriented angularly relative to said path on approach to or departure from at least one of said positions, comprising:

placing said object on a platform which is operatively coupled with a pair of transporting long span screws extending along a pair of spaced parallel tracks extending along said path;

operating said screws in unison to effect traverse of the platform along said path and thereby transportation of the article along said path; and

relatively operating said screws to effect swivelling movement of the platform;

16. A method according to claim 15, including signalling the degrees of swivelling movement of the platfOrm relative to said path.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein said object is an aircraft and said platform comprises a landing pad, said spaced positions comprising a hanger and a landing and take-off area respectively, and including supporting the aircraft on the platform, connecting the aircraft releasably to the platform, and transporting the aircraft on said platform between said hanger and said area by operating said screws in unison to effect transporting of the platform.

18. A method according to claim 15, wherein said platform comprises an aircraft landing pad and said object comprises an aircraft, including supporting said aircraft on said platform, and securing said aircraft to the platform for transportation on the platform.