J. I. Case Company

William K Holmes

Michael James

Philip R Pueschner

Thomas F Gaasch

Lynn L Keller

Norbert W Lenius

Richard A Stearn

Duane L Thiele

A hydraulic circuit is provided to prevent overspeeding the prime mover powering a hydrostatic transmission. The hydrostatic transmission includes a hydraulic motor fluidly coupled to a hydraulic pump. The hydraulic pump is driven by the prime mover and the hydraulic motor drives a rotational load. The hydraulic pump includes a swash plate tilted by a servomechanism. The servomechanism receives hydraulic fluid from a pump powered by the prime mover. A valve is operated to shut-off the hydraulic fluid to the servomechanism in the event that the pressure in either of the two conduits joining together the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motor exceeds a pre-set maximum value or if the pressure in an auxiliary line exceeds the same pre-set maximum value or if the sum of the two pressures exceeds the pre-set maximum value. The pre-set maximum value is a variable quantity having its maximum value when the angle of tilt on a swash plate within the hydraulic pump is zero or when the plate is approximately perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the plate. It is proportional to the horsepower demanded from the prime mover. By shutting off the supply of hydraulic fluid to the servomechanism when the auxiliary pressure or any of the two pressures in the two lines coupling hydraulic motor with the hydraulic pump becomes excessive, the hydraulic pump is precluded from being operated to load the prime mover in such a matter that the prime mover and pump would accelerate to an overspeed condition. This circuit is superior to those devices which sense an engine overspeed condition and then react because this circuit prevents the overspeed condition from occurring in the first place.

Hydrostatic transmission overspeed prevention circuit

A latching mechanism for attaching a spreader to corner castings of a container includes an elongated shank having locking lugs at one end thereof with a locator member surrounding the shank and mounting means for mounting the shank and locator member on the spreader frame. The mounting means is designed to accommodate universal movement of the shank about a fixed point on the frame and also accommodate axial movement of the shank with respect to the fixed point so that the spreader is capable of being utilized with different types of standard castings having apertures with different transverse spacings.

Latching mechanism for spreader

A spreader for lifting containerized cargo includes a base section and a pair of extensible sections telescoped on the base section with independent drive means for extending and retracting each of the sections with respect to the base section. A synchronizing mechanism for controlling extension and retraction of the two extensible sections on the base section includes first and second cables respectively interposed between the base section and each of the extensible sections to produce equal increments of movement of both extensible sections with respect to the base.

Synchronized expandable spreader

A control system for extending and retracting a spreader having a base section and a pair of extensible sections includes a hydraulic circuit for supplying pressurized fluid to fluid rams to extend and retract the sections with an electric control circuit for actuating a control valve. The electric control circuit includes a manual switch having extend and retract positions energizing extend and retract solenoids on the valve. The electric circuit also includes holding means for maintaining either solenoid energized and position control means for automatically deenergizing either solenoid when the sections reach a predetermined position with respect to each other. A single two-position switch is utilized as the position control means cooperates with the hydraulic circuit which locks the spreader sections in predetermined position with respect to each other. These predetermined positions are defined by an elongated rod having detents spaced thereon and secured to one extensible section with an electrical cable surrounding the rod and extending to the outer end of the extensible section to define the electrical connections between the switches on the extensible sections and the remainder of the electrical circuit and the hydraulic circuit on the base section.

Expandable spreader control circuit

An exhaust system for withdrawing exhaust gases as well as combustion materials from a crankcase of an engine for a U-shaped straddle carrier includes an engine exhaust line which as an exhaust outlet adjacent the engine and an elongated pipe extending from the outlet of the exhaust line to an area above the frame structure for the carrier. A tube leads from the crankcase vent outlet to the exhaust line and has an open end which is located within the line spaced inwardly from the exhaust outlet of the exhaust line. The enlarged pipe creates a venturi effect adjacent the outlet of the exhaust line which produces a negative pressure at the outlet end of the tube and sucks the combustible materials from the crankcase vent into the exhaust line where they are ignited by the high temperature exhaust gases and are burned before exiting from the enlarged pipe.

Exhaust system for straddle carrier engines

A spreader assembly adapted to be attached to containers for raising and lowering the containers in the bay of a straddle carrier is provided herein. The spreader assembly includes a pair of spaced generally parallel beams that extend through openings in a spreader with the spreader being shiftable on the beams. A cable assembly is interposed between the respective beams and a center part of the spreader to limit the longitudinal movement of the spreader with respect to the beams while accommodating transverse movement of the spreader on the beams.

Spreader assembly for straddle carriers

A straddle carrier consisting of an inverted U-shaped frame, having a pair of vertically extending legs that define an elongated container carrying bay with each leg supported by a plurality of wheels is disclosed herein. First and second engines are respectively supported on the legs and each engine drives a plurality of pumps which supply pressurized fluid for driving and steering the vehicle, as well as pumps for supplying fluid to a plurality of other functions. The hydraulic circuit for performing the plurality of other functions as well as the steering function is designed so that all of the functions may be operated from the pumps driven by one of the engines in case of power failure in the other engine.

Straddle carriers for containers

A straddle carrier having a generally U-shaped frame with a spreader supported in the opening of the U-shaped frame is disclosed herein. The spreader is raised and lowered by two fluid rams which respectively cooperate with opposite ends thereof and hydraulic fluid is supplied to the fluid rams by a hydraulic circuit that includes an electrical circuit which automatically prevents the spreader from tilting beyond a maximum angular attitude with respect to a horizontal reference plane.

Hoisting mechanism for spreader with automatic attitude control means

A straddle carrier including a spreader in a bay that is raised and lowered by two fluid rams cooperating with opposite ends of the spreader is disclosed herein. The hydraulic circuit supplying fluid to the fluid rams includes a valve that prevents flow of hydralic fluid from the rams when the conduits leading to the rams are not pressurized but also includes an electrically actuated valve that allows the spreader to be lowered without hydraulic power.

Growing community of inventors

Schofield, WI, United States of America

William K Holmes