Visual indicator with aligning ridges for indicating the status of a carriage lock for a mobile storage system having a rotatable lock actuator knob
First Claim
1. A mobile storage system comprising:
- a. a plurality of rails embedded in a building floor;
b. at least one mobile carriage that spans the rails;
c. wheel means for rollingly supporting the mobile carriage on the rails;
d. drive means mounted to the mobile carriage and connected to the wheel means for moving the mobile carriage along the rails in response to manual actuation of the drive means, wherein the drive means comprises;
i. a shaft fixed to the mobile carriage and having a longitudinal axis;
ii. handwheel means for rotating on the shaft; and
iii. chain and sprocket means connected between the wheel means and the handwheel means for transferring rotation of the handwheel means to the wheel means to move the mobile carriage along the rails in response to rotation of the handwheel means;
e. lock means received within the drive means for being selectively operable to a locked status whereat the drive means is locked against rotation to thereby prevent moving the mobile carriage along the rails and to an unlocked status whereat the drive means is unlocked for rotation to thereby enable moving the mobile carriage, wherein the lock means comprises;
i. a lock plate held stationarily to the shaft;
ii. pin means for sliding within the handwheel means between a first position whereat the pin means is disengaged from the lock plate to enable rotation of the handwheel means and a second position whereat the pin means is in engagement with the lock plate to prevent rotation of the handwheel means; and
iii. knob means rotatably received within the handwheel means for sliding the pin means between the first and second positions thereof in response to rotation of the knob means between first and second angularly spaced end positions, respectively; and
f. indicator means in operative association with the drive means and the lock means for providing visual information regarding the locked or unlocked status of the lock means, wherein the indicator means comprises;
i. at least one ridge on the handwheel means; and
ii. at least one ridge on the knob means, the ridge on the knob means being in alignment with the ridge on the handwheel means when the knob means is in a selected one of the first and second end position thereof and the ridge on the knob means being misaligned with the ridge on the handwheel means when the knob means is in the other of the selected first and second end positions thereof relative to the handwheel means.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A mobile carriage is movable along rails by manual rotation of a handwheel. The mobile carriage comprises a visual indicator that instantly informs a person of the locked or unlocked status of the mobile carriage. The visual indicator comprises at least one ridge on the handwheel and another ridge on a locking knob. The locking knob is loosely captured between the handwheel and a hub for selective rotation relative thereto between first and second end positions. The locking knob has a cam that slides a pin within the hub between first and second positions whereat the pin disengages and engages a stationary lock plate. When the locking knob is manually rotated to the first end position thereof, the pin disengages from the lock plate to enable handwheel rotation and carriage movement. Manually rotating the locking knob to the second end position thereof causes the pin to engage the lock plate and prevent handwheel rotation and carriage movement. The ridges on the handwheel and locking knob are radially aligned when the locking knob is rotated to its first end position, indicating that the carriage is unlocked. The ridges on the handwheel and locking knob are radially misaligned when the locking knob is rotated to its second end position, indicating that the carriage is locked against movement. Closely spaced end surfaces on the two ridges are coated with a bright material to provide enhanced indication when the ridges are misaligned that the mobile carriage is locked against movement.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A mobile storage system comprising:
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a. a plurality of rails embedded in a building floor; b. at least one mobile carriage that spans the rails; c. wheel means for rollingly supporting the mobile carriage on the rails; d. drive means mounted to the mobile carriage and connected to the wheel means for moving the mobile carriage along the rails in response to manual actuation of the drive means, wherein the drive means comprises; i. a shaft fixed to the mobile carriage and having a longitudinal axis; ii. handwheel means for rotating on the shaft; and iii. chain and sprocket means connected between the wheel means and the handwheel means for transferring rotation of the handwheel means to the wheel means to move the mobile carriage along the rails in response to rotation of the handwheel means; e. lock means received within the drive means for being selectively operable to a locked status whereat the drive means is locked against rotation to thereby prevent moving the mobile carriage along the rails and to an unlocked status whereat the drive means is unlocked for rotation to thereby enable moving the mobile carriage, wherein the lock means comprises; i. a lock plate held stationarily to the shaft; ii. pin means for sliding within the handwheel means between a first position whereat the pin means is disengaged from the lock plate to enable rotation of the handwheel means and a second position whereat the pin means is in engagement with the lock plate to prevent rotation of the handwheel means; and iii. knob means rotatably received within the handwheel means for sliding the pin means between the first and second positions thereof in response to rotation of the knob means between first and second angularly spaced end positions, respectively; and f. indicator means in operative association with the drive means and the lock means for providing visual information regarding the locked or unlocked status of the lock means, wherein the indicator means comprises; i. at least one ridge on the handwheel means; and ii. at least one ridge on the knob means, the ridge on the knob means being in alignment with the ridge on the handwheel means when the knob means is in a selected one of the first and second end position thereof and the ridge on the knob means being misaligned with the ridge on the handwheel means when the knob means is in the other of the selected first and second end positions thereof relative to the handwheel means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A mobile storage system comprising:
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a. a plurality of rails embedded in a building floor; b. at least one mobile carriage that spans that rails; c. wheel means for rollingly supporting the mobile carriage on the rails; d. drive means mounted to the mobile carriage and connected to the wheel means for moving the mobile carriage along the rails in response to manual actuation of the drive means; e. lock means received within the drive means for being selectively operable to a locked status whereat the drive means is locked against rotation to thereby prevent moving the mobile carriage along the rails and to an unlocked status whereat the drive means is unlocked for rotation to thereby enable moving the mobile carriage; and f. indicator means in operative association with the drive means and the lock means for providing visual information regarding the locked or unlocked status of the lock means, wherein the indicator means comprises; i. at least one first generally rectangular raised ridge on the drive means; and ii. at least one second generally rectangular raised ridge on the lock means, the first and second raised ridges being aligned in end-to-end relation when the lock means is operated to the unlocked status thereof to enable rotation of the drive means, the first and second raised ridges being misaligned end-to-end when the lock means is operated to the locked status thereof. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. In a mobile carriage having a frame;
- wheel means for rollingly supporting the mobile carriage on rails embedded in a building floor;
drive means for rotating the wheel means to roll the mobile carriage along the rails, wherein the drive means comprises a handwheel having a bore with a longitudinal axis, the handwheel being rotatable about the bore longitudinal axis; and
lock means for selectively unlocking and locking the drive means to enable and prevent, respectively, rotation of the drive means,a visual indicator that informs a user of the unlocked or locked status of the lock means comprising; a. a locking knob captured in the drive means and rotatable within the handwheel bore about the handwheel bore longitudinal axis and having a first face with cam means for contacting the lock means and a second face that defines at least one first ridge thereon visible to the user, the first ridge radiating from the handwheel longitudinal axis, the locking knob being selectively rotatable relative to the drive means between a first end position whereat the locking knob cam means causes the lock means to disengage from the drive means and thereby unlock the lock means to enable rotation of the drive means and a second end position whereat the locking knob cam means causes the lock means to engage the drive means and thereby lock the lock means to prevent rotation of the drive means; and b. at least one second ridge formed on the handwheel and radiating from the handwheel longitudinal axis for aligning with the first ridge when the locking knob is rotated to a selected one of the first and second end positions thereof and for misaligning with the first ridge when the locking knob is rotated to the other of the end positions thereof, so that the first and second ridges are radially aligned with each other when the locking knob is rotated relative to the handwheel to the selected one of the first and second end position thereof and the first and second ridges are radially misaligned with each other when the locking knob is rotated to the other of the first and second end positions thereof, and the user can determine whether the lock means is in the unlocked status or in the locked status by looking at the alignment or misalignment of the first and second ridges. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
- wheel means for rollingly supporting the mobile carriage on rails embedded in a building floor;
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10. Apparatus for locking a handwheel against rotation about a fixed shaft having a longitudinal axis comprising:
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a. a lock plate stationarily held to the shaft; b. hub means fastened to the handwheel for rotation therewith on the shaft; c. pin means received within the hub means for sliding therein; d. a locking knob captured between the hub means and the handwheel and being rotatable relative thereto about the shaft longitudinal axis, the locking knob having cam means for sliding the pin means between a first position whereat the pin means is disengaged from the lock plate to enable rotation of the handwheel when the locking knob is rotated to a first end position thereof relative to the handwheel and the hub means, and a second position whereat the pin means is engaged with the lock plate to thereby prevent rotation of the handwheel when the locking knob is rotated to a second end position relative to the handwheel and the hub means, the locking knob having at least one elongated ridge thereon; and e. at least one ridge formed on the handwheel, the handwheel ridge and the locking knob ridge being aligned with each other when the locking knob is rotated to a selected one of the first and second end positions thereof relative to the handwheel and hub means, and the handwheel ridge and the locking knob ridge being misaligned when the locking knob is rotated to the other of the end positions thereof.
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11. Apparatus for locking a handwheel against rotation about a fixed shaft having a longitudinal axis comprising:
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a. a lock plate stationarily held to the shaft; b. hub means fastened to the handwheel for rotation therewith on the shaft; c. pin means received within the hub means for sliding therein; d. a locking knob captured between the hub means and the handwheel and being rotatable relative thereto about the shaft longitudinal axis, the locking knob having cam means for sliding the pin means between a first position whereat the pin means is disengaged from the lock plate to enable rotation of the handwheel when the locking know is rotated to a first end position thereof relative to the handwheel and the hub means, and a second position whereat the pin means is engaged with the lock plate to thereby prevent rotation of the handwheel when the locking knob is rotated to a second end position relative to the handwheel and the hub means, the locking knob having at least one elongated ridge thereon, wherein the locking knob ridge radiates from the shaft longitudinal axis and terminates in an outer surface located at a first predetermined distance from the shaft longitudinal axis; and e. at least one ridge formed on the handwheel, the handwheel ridge and the locking knob ridge being aligned with each other when the locking knob is rotated to a selected one of the first and second end positions thereof relative to the handwheel and hub means, and the handwheel ridge and the locking knob ridge being misaligned when the locking knob is rotated to the other of the end positions thereof, wherein the handwheel ridge radiates from the shaft longitudinal axis and terminates in an inner surface located at a second predetermined distance slightly greater than the firs predetermined distance from the shaft longitudinal axis, the handwheel ridge inner surface and the locking knob ridge outer surface being in close proximity to each other when the locking knob ridge and handwheel ridge are aligned with each other. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A method of visually indicating the locked or unlocked status of a mobile carriage comprising the steps of:
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a. mounting a hub and handwheel for rotation on the mobile carriage about a shaft longitudinal axis; b. providing a first ridge on the handwheel; c. providing a drive mechanism for moving the mobile carriage in response to rotation of the handwheel; d. capturing a locking knob having a second ridge thereon between the hub and the handwheel; e. providing a pin slidable within the hub between a first position whereat the pin is disengaged from the shaft to enable rotation of the hub and handwheel on the shaft in an unlocked status of the mobile carriage, and a second position whereat the pin is engaged with the shaft to prevent the handwheel and hub rotation on the shaft in a locked status of the mobile carriage; and f. rotating the locking knob relative to the handwheel and hub to a first end position whereat the second ridge is aligned with the first ridge and simultaneously sliding the pin to a selected one of the first and second positions thereof, so that alignment or misalignment of the first and second ridges provides a visual indication of a user of the locked or unlocked status of the mobile carriage. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification