Cascade Corporation

Tidland Corporation

John E Olson

Richard D Seaberg

William R Miller

Timothy J Becker

Donald E Van Beek

An expansible shaft assembly has core-engagement shoes pivotally mounted to a shaft for pivoting outwardly into tight engagement with the interior of a roll core automatically in response to the application of torque to the shaft. The core-engagement shoes have core-engaging surfaces, some being pivotable outwardly in response to torque applied to the shaft in one axial direction and others being pivotable outwardly in response to torque applied in the opposite axial direction. The respective oppositely-actuated core-engaging surfaces can both be on the same engagement shoe or, alternatively, on different shoes spaced axially along the shaft. For maximizing the speed with which the core-engagement shoes engage the core in response to torque application, the core-engaging surfaces are preferably angularly offset significantly from a radial direction extending between the axis of rotation of the shaft and the pivot axis of the engagement shoe.

Torque-actuated expansible shaft assembly for roll core

A load push-pull slipsheet handler is disclosed having automatic features adapting it particularly for use with driverless, automatically-guided vehicles. These features include proximity sensors which sense the distance between the slipsheet handler and a vertically-oriented external surface so as to deposit a load in a predetermined relationship to the surface either on the floor or atop another load. Load contact sensors also are provided for enabling the device to gauge the distance to a load to be picked up so as to control the approach thereto. Further sensors sense the transversely-opposite extremities of a load prior to engagement, and transversely center the push-pull assembly relative to the load. Other features include a system associated with the slipsheet clamp for sensing the presence or absence of a slipsheet tab prior to clamping, and a device for permanently deforming the tab to facilitate subsequent regrasping after the load has been deposited. A vertical heght sensor ensures proper elevation of the slipsheet handler for depositing a load atop another load.

Automatic load push-pull slipsheet handler

A load push-pull slipsheet handler is disclosed having automatic features adapting it particularly for use with driverless, automatically-guided vehicles. These features include proximity sensors which sense the distance between the slipsheet handler and a vertically-oriented external surface so as to deposit a load in a predetermined relationship to the surface either on the floor or atop another load. Load contact sensors also are provided for enabling the device to gauge the distance to a load to be picked up so as to control the approach thereto. Further sensors sense the transversely-opposite extremities of a load prior to engagement, and transversely center the push-pull assembly relative to the load. Other features include a system associated with the slipsheet clamp for sensing the presence or absence of a slipsheet tab prior to clamping, and means for permanently deforming the tab to facilitate subsequent regrasping after the load has been deposited. A vertical height sensor ensures proper elevation of the slipsheet handler for depositing a load atop another load.

An electric motor-actuated load clamp for automatically-guided vehicles has clamp arms which are selectively opened and closed by a plurality of rotary electric motors connected to the clamp arms by ball screws. Clamping force is accurately controlled by regulation of current to the electric motors, any of a number of different predetermined clamping forces being selectively obtainable. During clamping of a load, the electric motors are energized only a small fraction of the time according to a time-sequenced clamping and reclamping procedure, clamping force being otherwise maintained by a one-way brake. Further control features ensure against inaccuracy and overclamping due to current in-rush, and against malfunctions which could cause safety hazards.

Electric motor-actuated load clamp with clamping force control

An automatically-guided, driverless vehicle for handling loads has a selectively openable and closeable load clamp. The clamp is equipped with various sensors for automatically sensing the load and other objects and surfaces surrounding the load, and controlling the movement of the clamp along a load-engaging direction, the vertical reciprocation of the clamp, and the opening and the closing of the clamp in response thereto.

Automatically-guided vehicle having load clamp

A carton clamp having a frame adapted to be mounted on a materials-handling machine, especially an automatically guided vehicle, includes clamp arms coupled directly together, independently of the frame, by motor-driven screw-type linear actuators which selectively open and close the arms. A centering assembly coupled to each clamp arm corrects for any imbalance of clamp arm speeds relative to the frame which may occur due to the fact that the screw actuators are free to move relative to the frame. The direct interconnection of the clamp arms by the screw actuators effectively doubles the clamping force which would otherwise be obtainable if the actuators were fixed to the frame.

Load clamp having motor-powered screw-type clamping actuator capable of

An apparatus for a lift truck, of the type equipped with a push frame, for extending the push frame at a predetermined speed of extension with respect to the lift truck while simultaneously causing the lift truck to move rearwardly at a predetermined reverse speed equal to the speed of extension of the push frame so as to deposit a load in a predetermined position. The apparatus is actuated automatically in response to extension of the push frame.

Apparatus for automatically depositing a load in a predetermined position

A mobile lift truck for handling unpalletized loads comprising a tiltable load-carrying platform projecting forwardly from the main frame of the truck rotatably mounted so as to permit rotation of the platform about a generally vertical axis of rotation between respective rotatable positions substantially 90.degree. apart. A forwardly-facing push-pull frame having a slip sheet clamp is provided which does not rotate in unison with the platform, enabling the push frame to push loads forwardly off of the platform in both of the rotatable positions of the platform. Power-actuating circuitry is provided interconnecting the platform rotation function, push frame retraction function and slip sheet clamp release function so that the platform is prevented from rotating until the slip sheet clamp has been released and the push frame has been retracted off of the platform. Methods of application of the lift truck are also disclosed.

Lift truck having rotatable platen for handling unpalletized loads and

A light assembly specially mounted upon a lift truck load carriage at a position adjacent the bottom thereof and rearwardly of the forward end a load fork or other similar forwardly-extending load-engaging member, for forwardly projecting a shadow of the load-engaging member to aid the lift truck operator in determining the position thereof relative to a vertical array of stacked loads such as in a warehouse. A transfer mechanism is provided wherein the light assembly is removably mounted upon the carriage and, when the carriage is lowered beyond a predetermined position relative to the mast, the light assembly is transferred from its removable mount on the carriage to a fixed mount on the mast so that it does not follow the carriage downwardly. Upon elevation of the carriage above the aforementioned position, a reverse transfer takes place whereby the light is retransferred from the mast to the carriage and thus follows the carriage upwardly. The light assembly projects light forwardly in a substantially horizontal direction when on the carriage, but assumes a downwardly-tilted attitude after is has been transferred to the mast.

Light assembly for positioning lift truck load-handling device

A load push-pull assembly for a lift truck having a main frame and a tiltable load-supporting frame. The push-pull assembly comprises a push frame connected by a selectively extensible and retractable linkage to a rear mounting frame which does not tilt in unison with the tiltable load-supporting frame but rather maintains a constant angular attitude with respect to the truck-supporting surface regardless of the tilting attitude of the load-supporting frame. The linkage maintains the push frame in a constant angular attitude with respect to the rear mounting frame such that the push frame is maintained perpendicular with respect to the truck-supporting surface during the tilting of the load-supporting frame. The push frame is freely movable vertically with respect to the rear mounting frame, and is supported vertically by the tiltable load-supporting frame, such that it moves vertically with a rectilinear motion in response to the tilting movement of the load-supporting frame without changing its angular attitude with respect to the truck-supporting surface. A slip sheet clamp is mounted on the bottom of the push frame such that both jaws of the clamp move vertically in unison with the vertical movement of the push frame.

Push-pull assembly for lift trucks

A multistage, extensible-contractible hydraulic ram assembly for use in conjunction with a triple-lift-type mast in a lift truck. The assembly is designed for mounting in such a truck in a so-called inverted position. It is constructed with special, externally actuated, internal valving which, through controlling the action of pressure fluid within the assembly, assures positive control over the sequence of movements of the sections in a mast as such are raised and lowered, without requiring latching and interlocking of these sections. Further, the assembly features the capability of producing substantially uniform or constant lifting and lowering speeds for a load which is carried on the usual carriage mounted on a mast of the type indicated.

Telescopic ram

A fluid control valve which operates accurately in response to the pressure difference that exists between a pair of ports in the valve. The valve features a spool which is normally biased to one control position wherein it remains with the sensed pressure difference being below one preselected amount. The spool shifts rapidly to another control position on the sensed pressure difference exceeding this amount. In this other control position, the spool remains until the sensed pressure difference drops to another preselected amount which is significantly lower than the first-mentioned preselected amount. On this latter event occurring, the spool returns to its first-mentioned control position.

Sequence valve for clamping apparatus

A load-clamping apparatus wherein the loaded and unloaded condition of the clamping arms (respecting their contacting an external body) is automatically sensed, and used to determine the type of fluid connections which exist at any given moment between fluid motors that move the arms. With the arms moving toward one another, so long as the movement of neither arm is hindered by an external body, a series connection exists between the motors producing relatively high-speed low-power relative movement between the arms. When such hindering occurs, a parallel connection is produced which results, during clamping, in lower-speed higher-power relative movement between the arms. One embodiment of the invention takes the form of apparatus capable simply of producing relative movement between clamping arms toward and away from one another to clamp and release a load. Another embodiment enables this action, plus reversible, common-direction side-shifting of the arms.

Growing community of inventors

Portland, OR, United States of America

John E Olson