Rack and pinion drive counterbalanced hoist systems

• US 3,878,916 A
• Filed: 02/07/1973
• Issued: 04/22/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gerome R. White Jr
• Original Assignee: Gerome R. White Jr
• Inventors: White, Gerome R. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Machado, Reinaldo P.
• Application Number:
  US05/330,237
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 182/145,146,141-144,148,63,103,102,178 187/2,6,9 52/749,741
• US Class Current: 182/145
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 9/022 by rack and pinion drives

Abstract

An improved hoist system is provided comprising the usual vertical supporting tower, a hoist cage or lifting platform, and a counterweight trolley operatively connected to the cage in movable relation therewith for decreasing the power requirement of the cage lifting or drive motor. In accordance with the invention the drive motor and its associated components are directly mounted on and supported by the counterweight trolley and are adapted for driving a series of pinion gears cooperatively engaging a gear-toothed rack member vertically affixed to the tower adjacent to the path of travel of the counterweight trolley, the weight of the drive motor and its associated components thereby serving as the counterweight for the hoist system. The height of the hoist tower may selectively be increased by adding suitable sections thereto and a novel method of erecting the tower is disclosed wherein both the hoist cage and the counterweight support trolley may be positioned at the same height on the tower to provide dual working platforms for this purpose.

Claims

1. A hoist system comprising, a substantially vertically disposed tower, lifting means adapted to be supported on said tower for conveying personnel and/or material vertically along a first path of movement defined by one portion of said tower, counterweight means supported on said tower and being adapted for controlled powered movement vertically along a second path of movement defined by another portion of said tower, means adapted to be connected between said lifting means and said counterweight means for causing related movement of said lifting means along said first path in response to powered movement of said counterweight means along said second path, said lifting means including control means thereon, said hoist system further including means coupled to said counterweight means and being responsive to actuation of said control means on said lifting means for effecting controlled powered movement of said counterweight means along said second path, said hoist system further including control means on said counterweight means, said means for effecting controlled powered movement of said counterweight means along said second path of movement being responsive to said last-mentioned control means for effecting controlled powered movement of said counterweight means along said second path independent of actuation of said first-mentioned control means on said lifting means.

2. The hoist system of claim 1 further including a horizontally disposed work platform fixed to said counterweight member for movement therewith.

3. The hoist system of claim 1 wherein said tower comprises a plurality of individual tower sections affixed together one above the other, each of said individual tower sections including a vertically disposed rack member section affixed thereto, said rack member sections defining a unitary rack member affixed to said another portion of said tower when said plurality of individual tower sections are affixed together as aforesaid, said counterweight member having a horizontally disposed working platform, and at least one Motor driven pinion gear assembly supported thereon, said motor driven pinion gear assembly cooperatively engaging said unitary rack member for effecting said controlled movement of said counterweight member along said second path.

4. The hoist system of claim 1 wherein said last-mentioned control means is manually actuatable.

5. The hoist system of claim 4 further including control cable means extending from a position remote from said tower to said last-mentioned control means on said counterweight member for controlling powered movement of said counterweight member from said remote position.

6. The hoist system of claim 1 wherein said tower includes a vertically disposed rack member affixed to said another portion thereof, and said means coupled to said counterweight means includes at least one motor driven pinion gear cooperatively engaging said rack member for effecting said controlled powered movement of said counterweight means along said second path of movement.

7. The hoist system of claim 1 wherein said means adapted to be connected between said lifting means and said counterweight means includes cable means and means supported by said tower for guiding said cable means from said one portion of said tower to said another portion of said tower.

8. The hoist system of claim 1 wherein said tower includes a cable guiding assembly mounted on the upper portion thereof, said means adapted to be connected between said lifting means and said counterweight means including at least one lifting cable adapted to be directly connected between said lifting platform and said counterweight member, said at least one lifting cable extending upwardly from said lifting platform through said cable guiding assembly and downwardly to said counterweight member.

9. A hoist system comprising, a substantially vertically disposed tower;

a lifting platform adapted for conveying personnel and/or material upwardly and downwardly along a first path of movement defined by one portion of said tower;

a counterweight member adapted for controlled powered movement along a second path of movement defined by another portion of said tower; and

means operatively coupling said lifting platform with said counterweight member such that powered movement of said counterweight member along said second path causes related movement of said lifting platform along said first path, said counterweight member simultaneously serving as a counterweight for said lifting platform during said related movement;

said tower including a first cable guiding assembly mounted on the upper portion thereof, said operatively coupling means comprising at least one lifting cable directly connected between said lifting platform and said counterweight member, said at least one lifting cable extending upwardly from said lifting platform through said cable guiding assembly and downwardly to said counterweight member, said lifting platform including control means thereon, said hoist system further including means coupled to said counterweight member and being responsive to actuation of said control means on said lifting platform for effecting controlled powered movement of said counterweight member along said second path, said tower further including a second cable guiding assembly, said hoist system further including a control cable connected at one end thereof to said control means on said lifting platform and at the other end thereof to said means coupled to said counterweight member, said control cable extending from said lifting platform through said second cable guiding assembly to said means coupled to said counterweight member.

10. The hoist system of claim 9 wherein said second cable guiding assembly is mounted at the lower portion of said tower, said control cable extending downwardly from said lifting platform through said second cable guiding assembly and upwardly to said means coupled to said counterweight member, said control cable serving the dual function of counTerbalancing the weight of said at least one lifting cable.

11. The hoist system of claim 9 wherein said second cable guiding assembly is mounted at the upper portion of said tower, said control cable extending upwardly from said lifting platform through said second cable guiding assembly and downwardly to said means coupled to said counterweight member.

12. The hoist system of claim 9 wherein said counterweight member includes a horizontally disposed work platform supported thereon.

13. A hoist system comprising, a substantially vertically disposed tower, means for conveying personnel and/or material upwardly and downwardly along a first path of movement defined by one portion of said tower, means adapted for controlled powered movement along a second path of movement defined by another portion of said tower, and means operatively coupling said first-mentioned means with said second-mentioned means such that powered movement of said second-mentioned means along said second path causes related movement of said first-mentioned means along said first path, said second-mentioned means simultaneously serving as a counterweight for said first-mentioned means during said related movement, wherein said tower comprises a plurality of individual tower sections affixed together one above the other, each of said individual tower sections including a vertically disposed rack member section affixed thereto, said rack member sections defining a unitary vertically disposed rack member affixed to said another portion of said tower when said plurality of individual tower sections are affixed together as aforesaid;

said second-mentioned means comprising a frame member including means for guiding said frame member along said second path of movement, and a plurality of motor-driven pinion gear assemblies, said plurality of pinion gear assemblies being mounted on said frame member in substantially vertically disposed longitudinal displacement with respect to each other, said longitudinal displacement being at least greater than the height of each of said individual tower sections whereby each of said plurality of pinion gear assemblies is maintained at any given moment in cooperative engagement with the rack member section on a different one of said individual tower sections respectively.

14. The hoist system of claim 13 wherein said frame member includes a horizontally disposed work platform laterally extending therefrom.

15. In a hoist system comprising a substantially vertically disposed tower, said tower comprising, a plurality of individual tower sections affixed together one above the other, a lifting platform for conveying personnel and/or material upwardly and downwardly along a first path of movement defined by one portion of said tower, a counterweight member adapted for controlled powered movement along a second path of movement defined by another portion of said tower, said counterweight member having a substantially horizontally disposed work platform, means operatively coupling said lifting platform with said counterweight member such that powered movement of said counterweight member along said second path causes related movement of said lifting platform along said first path, said counterweight member simultaneously serving as a counterweight for said first-mentioned means during said related movement, said tower including a cable guiding assembly mounted on the upper portion thereof, said operatively coupling means comprising at least one lifting cable directly connected between said lifting platform and said counterweight member, said at least one lifting cable extending upwardly from said lifting platform through said cable guiding assembly and downwardly to said counterweight member, the method of raising the height of said tower comprising the steps of:

a. effecting controlled powered movement of said counterweight member to the upper portion of said second path whereby said lifting platform is positioneD at the lower portion of said first path, b. loading a plurality of said individual tower sections onto said lifting platform, c. effecting controlled powered movement of said counterweight member to said lower portion of said second path whereby said lifting platform is positioned at the upper portion of said first path, d. temporarily anchoring said lifting platform to said first guide means supported on said one portion of said tower, e. disconnecting said at least one lifting cable from said counterweight member, f. effecting controlled powered movement of said counterweight member to a position on said tower substantially equal in height to that of said anchored lifting platform, g. removing said cable guiding means from the upper portion of said tower and temporarily storing same on said lifting platform, and h. affixing said plurality of said individual tower section on said lifting platform on said tower one above the other by effecting controlled powered movement of said counterweight member upwardly along said second path as said individual tower sections are affixed together one above the other until the new height of said tower is reached, said counterweight member horizontally disposed work platform serving as a mobile work platform for raising each individual tower section as it is affixed in place on each previously installed tower section.

16. Apparatus for lifting personnel and/or material from a first position to a second position elevated with respect to said first position comprising, a supporting mast, said mast having first and second vertically disposed guide means, a lifting platform adapted to be movably displaced along said first guide means between said first position and said second position, counterweight means adapted to be movably displaced along said second guide means between said first position and said second position, means supported on said mast for operatively connecting said lifting platform to said counterweight means, and drive means carried by said counterweight means for causing movable displacement of said counterweight means and of said lifting platform along said second and first guide means respectively, wherein said counterweight means comprises first and second counterweight members adapted to be movably displaced along said first guide means between said first and second positions on said mast, said first counterweight member carrying said drive means and being connected to said operatively connecting means, and said second counterweight member carrying a series of dead weights and being connected to said first counterweight member.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said second counterweight member is adapted to be disconnected from said first counterweight member to permit the latter to be movably displaced between said first and second positions independent of said second counterweight member.

18. Apparatus for lifting personnel and/or material from a first position to a second position elevated with respect to said first position comprising, a supporting mast, said mast having first and second vertically disposed guide means, a lifting platform adapted to be movably displaced along said first guide means between said first position and said second position, counterweight means adapted to be movably displaced along said second guide means between said first position and said second position, disconnectable means adapted to be supported on said mast for connecting said lifting platform to said counterweight means, drive means carried by said counterweight means for causing movable displacement of said counterweight means along said second guide means, first control means on said counterweight means, said drive means being operatively responsive to actuation of saif first control means to cause said movable displacement of said counterweight means along said second guide means, and second control means on said lifting platform, said drive means being operaTively responsive to actuation of said second control means to cause related movable displacement of said counterweight means and of said lifting platform along said second and first guide means, respectively, when said disconnectable means supported on said mast is connecting said lifting platform to said counterweight.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 in which said disconnectable means adapted to be supported on said mast for connecting said lifting platform to said counterweight means includes a cable guide assembly adapted to be mounted on the upper portion of said mast and disconnectable cable means extending between said lifting platform through said cable guide assembly to said counterweight means.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 in which said mast supports a vertically disposed gear-toothed rack member in substantially juxtaposed relation to said second guide means, and said drive means includes at least one pinion gear assembly cooperatively engaging said gear-toothed rack member and motor drive means for causing said at least one pinion gear assembly to ride upon said gear-toothed rack member thereby causing said movable displacement of said counterweight means.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said second guide means comprises a pair of spaced apart substantially vertically disposed guide rails supported by said mast, and said counterweight means comprises a substantially rectangularly-shaped frame member adapted for up and down movement relative to said guide rails in juxtaposed relation to said gear-toothed rack member, said drive means being supported on said frame member.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein each of said guide rails includes a transverse extremity extending forwardly and laterally with respect to said mast and said frame member includes a plurality of guide roller units cooperatively engaging each of said guide rail extremities respectively.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein each of said guide rails has a substantially Z-shaped transverse cross-section defining two spaced apart parallel portions, one of said portions being integral with said mast and the other of said portions comprising said transverse extremity extending forwardly and laterally with respect to said mast.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein each of said guide rails has a substantially U-shaped transverse cross-section defining two spaced apart parallel portions, one of said portions being integral with said mast and the other of said portions comprising said transverse extremity extending forwardly and laterally with respect to said mast.

25. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said mast comprises a plurality of individual mast sections connected together one above the other, each of said individual mast sections comprising a plurality of vertically disposed corner post members and a plurality of substantially horizontally disposed rib members connected between said corner post members, each of said individual mast sections including fastening means enabling it to be connected to neighboring individual mast sections.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 in which said pair of guide rails comprises individual guide rail sections connected to a like plurality of said corner post members respectively.

27. The apparatus of claim 25 in which said pair of guide rails comprises individual guide rail sections integral with a like plurality of said corner post members respectively.

28. The apparatus of claim 26 in which each one of said pair of individual guide rail sections has a transverse cross-section defining two parallel spaced apart laterally extending portions, one of said portions being connected to a corner post member, the other of said portions defining a transverse extremity extending forwardly and laterally with respect to said corner post member.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 in which said transverse cross-section is substantially Z-shaped.

30. The apparatus of claim 28 in which said transverse cross-section is substantially U-shaped.

31. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said like plurality of said corner post members each has a transverse cross-section defining two parallel spaced apart laterally extending portions, one of said portions defining said corner post member, the other of said portions defining said individual guide rail section wherein said individual guide rail section comprises a transverse extremity of said corner post member extending forwardly and laterally with respect to said one portion defining said corner post member.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said transverse cross-section is substantially Z-shaped.

33. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said transverse cross-section is substantially U-shaped.

34. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said pair of guide rails comprises individual guide rail sections adapted to be connected to a like plurality of said corner post members respectively, said fastening means being adapted to connect said individual guide rail sections to corresponding corner post members respectively, and to simultaneously connect the corner post members on said individual mast section to corresponding corner post members on neighboring individual mast sections.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein each of said corner post members on said individual mast sections includes a hollow bore portion in its upper and lower extremities respectively, said fastening means comprising a longitudinally extending member adapted to be receivably engaged in telescoping relation within each of the hollow bore portions common to a pair of corresponding corner post members located on neighboring individual mast sections respectively, and means connecting each of said pair or corresponding corner post mast members to said longitudinally extending member.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 in which said connecting means comprises a pair of bolt fastening elements extending through said pair of corresponding corner post members respectively, and said longitudinally extending member.