The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 21, 2003
Filed:
Jan. 05, 2000
Klaus Nerger, Neukirchen-Vluyn, DE;
Mannesmann AG, Düsseldorf, DE;
Abstract
An overhead clamp-type gripping device for gripping a load from above, includes a carrier frame which is movable in a vertical direction and has support elements positioned on both sides of a center plane and extending downwards from the carrier frame for movement relative to one another. The support elements have longitudinal guides which define an upwardly open angle with respect to the center plane. Received in the longitudinal guides of the support elements is a gripper unit which includes gripping elements for laterally contacting a load. The gripping elements are movable in load direction from a ready position in which the gripping elements are disposed at an upper end of the longitudinal guides and securable by a locking mechanism, to an active position in which the gripping elements grab the load whereby during lifting of the carrier frame the gripping elements move relative to the support elements in the load direction to thereby automatically apply a clamping action at a clamping force which depends on the weight of the load.