Elevating cage apparatus with alternative powered or manual input
AssigneeSafe Rack LLC
InventorsJames Michael O'Keefe, Jeffrey David Scott
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An elevating cage apparatus includes a support structure and a carriage that is operable to move vertically with respect to the support structure. The carriage is configured to be alternatively raised and lowered via a first driver and a second driver. The first driver may comprise a powered (electric, hydraulic, or pneumatic) motor, and the second driver may comprise a manual actuation mechanism including a hand crank. Both input drivers may be operable to move the carriage through a dual input worm drive gear box.
Claims23
An elevating cage apparatus for use in conjunction with a shipping container, said apparatus comprising:
- a support structure;
- a carriage coupled to the support structure so that the carriage is movable vertically with respect to the support structure when the support structure is in an upright position;
- a first drive mechanism operative to raise and lower the carriage;
- and
- a second drive mechanism operative to raise and lower the carriage.
An elevating cage apparatus comprising:
- a support structure;
- a carriage coupled to the support structure so that the carriage is movable vertically with respect to the support structure when the support structure is disposed in an upright position:
- a gear assembly having:
- an output shaft operatively coupled to the carriage so that rotation of the output shaft in one direction raises the carriage with respect to the support structure and rotation of the output shaft in an opposite direction lowers the carriage with respect to the support structure,
- a first input shaft in rotationally driving engagement with the output shaft through the gear assembly, and
- a second input shaft in rotationally driving engagement with the output shaft through the gear assembly;
- a first driver in rotationally driving engagement with the first input shaft;
- and
- a second driver in rotationally driving engagement with the second input shaft.
An elevating cage apparatus for use in conjunction with a shipping container, said apparatus comprising:
- a support structure;
- a carriage coupled to the support structure so that the carriage is movable vertically with respect to the support structure when the support structure is in an upright position, said carriage defining a railing structure about a periphery thereof;
- a shared gear assembly having a first input shaft, a second input shaft, and a shared output shaft, the first input shaft and the second input shaft each being operative to rotate the shared output shaft;
- a powered motor in operative engagement with the first input shaft of the gear assembly;
- and
- a manual actuation mechanism in operative engagement with the second input shaft of the gear assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.