Lift mechanism
First Claim
1. A lift mechanism including in combination:
- a frame member having at least one linear vertical column attached to a base portion adapted to rest on a support surface;
cantilevered, low-lifting platform means having first and second ends and adapted for carrying a load, the weight of which varies inversely in direct proportion to the height of said platform means;
lift means coupled with the first end of said load-lifting platform means for raising and lowering said load-lifting platform means, the second end of said load-lifting platform means being deflected downwardly by said load in amounts directly proportional to the weight of said load; and
an inclined face cam means and cam follower means interconnecting said load lifting platform means and said vertical column of said frame member for supporting said platform means on said vertical column of said frame member and for maintaining level said load on said load lifting platform means, said cam means being on one of said load lifting platform means and the vertical columm of said frame member and said cam follower means on the other of said load-lifting platform means and the vertical column of said frame member, said cam means and said cam follower means operating to pivot upwardly the second end of said load-lifting platform means in an amount to compensate for the downward deflection of the second end of said load-lifting platform means as said deflection varies in response to variations in the weight of said load thereon.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A lift mechanism of a "fork-lift" type is capable of use on the input and output sides of machines for processing sheets of particle board, plywood and similar products. The mechanism itself has the sheets of product to be processed stacked on a pair of spaced-apart lifting arms which are hydraulically raised and lowered from one end, leaving the other end open to permit loading of stacks of product sheets or to permit removing stacks of product sheets from the arms by means of a conventional fork-lift truck. The lifting arms deflect under load in direct proportion to the amount of load on them, and a cam and cam-follower mechanism is provided to compensate for this deflection. Thus, the top sheet of the stack load always is presented at a horizontal orientation.
28 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A lift mechanism including in combination:
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a frame member having at least one linear vertical column attached to a base portion adapted to rest on a support surface; cantilevered, low-lifting platform means having first and second ends and adapted for carrying a load, the weight of which varies inversely in direct proportion to the height of said platform means; lift means coupled with the first end of said load-lifting platform means for raising and lowering said load-lifting platform means, the second end of said load-lifting platform means being deflected downwardly by said load in amounts directly proportional to the weight of said load; and an inclined face cam means and cam follower means interconnecting said load lifting platform means and said vertical column of said frame member for supporting said platform means on said vertical column of said frame member and for maintaining level said load on said load lifting platform means, said cam means being on one of said load lifting platform means and the vertical columm of said frame member and said cam follower means on the other of said load-lifting platform means and the vertical column of said frame member, said cam means and said cam follower means operating to pivot upwardly the second end of said load-lifting platform means in an amount to compensate for the downward deflection of the second end of said load-lifting platform means as said deflection varies in response to variations in the weight of said load thereon. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification