Barrel handling apparatus

A device for barrel handling comprising:

• a) a support beam having a vertical portion for coupling to a forklift truck and a laterally extending portion coupled to extend away from a top of the vertical portion to have a distal end opposite the vertical portion,
• b) a common bracket member having opposing ends that is coupled in rotary engagement to the distal end of the support beam for being disposed between a vertical position and a horizontal position,
• c) upper and lower support armatures each being disposed at opposing ends of the common bracket member, each of the upper and lower support armatures having;
• i) at least one grip actuator,
• ii) a pair of opposing arcuate grips, each opposing arcuate grip of the pair having a proximal end in rotary engagement with a portion of the support armature so as to oppose the other arcuate grip of the pair, and a distal end opposite the proximal end,
• iii) wherein the at least one grip actuator is operative to cause the distal end of each opposing arcuate grip to move towards and away from the distal end of the other arcuate grip of the pair,
• d) a principal actuator for rotating the common bracket member from vertical to horizontal for rotating a barrel grasped by the each pair of arcuate grips from a vertical to a horizontal orientation.

A method of moving barrels comprising the steps of:

• a. providing a device for barrel handling comprising
• i) a transportable support member,
• ii) a common bracket member having opposing ends that is coupled in rotary engagement with the support member for being disposed between a vertical position and a horizontal position,
• iii) upper and lower support armatures each being disposed at opposing ends of the common bracket member, each of the upper and lower support armatures having;
• 1) at least one grip actuator,
• 2) a front edge with a first radius of curvature
• 3) a pair of opposing arcuate grips, each arcuate grip having a proximal end in rotary engagement with a portion of the support armature so as to oppose the other arcuate grip of the pair, and a distal end opposite the proximal end, in which an inside edge of each arcuate grip has first radius of curvature for engaging a portion of a perimeter of a side edge of a barrel,
• 4) wherein the at least one grip actuator is operative to cause the distal end of each arcuate grip to move towards and away from the distal end of the other arcuate grip, wherein when each grip actuator is engaged to move each arcuate grip toward the other arcuate grip of the pair, the front edge of the support armature and each arcuate grip of the pair form a continuous arc with the first radius of curvature,
• iv.) a principal actuator for rotating the common bracket member from vertical to horizontal for rotating a barrel grasped by the grip actuators at the top and bottom edge of the barrel from a vertical to a horizontal orientation,
• b. providing at least one barrel having a bilge disposed between an upper and a lower chime, in which the bilge has a second radius of curvature to have a wider diameter than each chime, in which each chime has a radius of curvature substantially the same as the first radius of curvature,
• c. approaching the at least one barrel to position the front edge of each support armature adjacent a portion of the upper and lower chime of the barrel and the opposing arcuate grips of each support armature about one of the upper and lower chimes of the barrel
• d. energizing the at least one actuator of the upper and lower support armatures to grasp the upper and lower chimes of the barrel such that the front edge of the support armature and the arcuate grip actuators contact each chime of the barrel about the continuous arc that is at least about 50 percent of a perimeter of the upper and lower chimes.