Allis-chalmers Corporation

Thomas J Finlayson

Michael H Grace

George H Smith

A high density, high lift storage loader having facilities for sideloading, floor loading and front loading a standard beam-type pallet rack and also having a capability of providing means for order picking adjacent the operation. The arrangement provides a straddle-type high-lift apparatus provided with straddles which are located at the height of the first shelve of the storage structure. The load is carried on a chain-type mechanism and is rotatably mounted to the lifting carriage of the machine by a drive ring. The drive ring is movable longitudinally along the carriage support arms and is coordinated with locating and reaching movements. An operator carriage moves with the load carrier so that the operator controls the apparatus at all times with the load in view. Floor loading is accomplished without the necessity of a counterbalance.

Straddle-type lift truck with a apparatus for handling loads at the

The operator's station of a lift truck is optionally elevatable with the carriage and the electric control interconnection between the operator's station, and the truck main frame includes a novel reel mechanism for the multiple lead electric conduit which does not use slip rings. The reel mechanism includes two drums which rotate together on a stationary shaft secured to the main frame. One drum is for coiling a flexible multi-lead round conduit which has its free end connected to the electric control console at the operator's station. The other drum contains a multiple lead flexible ribbon having its outer end connected to the inner end of the round conduit. The ribbon is coiled about the stationary shaft with its radially inner end passing through a hollowed portion of the stationary shaft and thence to a point of connection to a terminal block on the main frame. As the operator's station is raised with the carriage the round conduit is reeled out from the primary drum thereby rotating it against the bias of a windup spring. As the round conduit is reeled out from the primary drum the secondary drum is coiling the loosely wound ribbon about the shaft thus increasing the number of turns of its coil. The use of ribbon type electric conduit in the loosely wound secondary drum obviates the binding and jamming incurred when round conduit is used.

Growing community of inventors

Palos Hills, IL, United States of America

Thomas J Finlayson