Warp beam dolly

#At the warping station in a cloth mill, yarn sheets are disposed upon a warp beam which is a large horizontal roll carried on its two protruding axle ends. Thereafter, the yarn is subject to several successive operations carried out at separate stations in the mill before being conveyed to the loom machine. The purpose of the warp beam is to allow the yarn to be wound and unwound at each station and to transport the yarn from one station to the next.

#The diversity of the processing apparatus requires that the warp beam unwind at different levels of height and in transporting the warp beam it is often necessary to move along narrow passages between the machinery. Thus, it is necessary to have apparatus for handling and supporting the warp beam which is capable of raising and lowering the warp beam and of being highly maneuverable in narrow spaces. Since a full warp beam may weigh as much as 3,200 pounds, the wheeled support members must be of high structural strength to withstand such heavy loads daily.

#Prior devices have been developed for handling and transporting warp beams such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,574,907 wherein two rolling supports for the two warp beam axle-ends are provided. This device includes a rather elaborate series of linkage mechanisms and a wormed axle for raising and lowering the warp beam.

#The construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features thereof.

#The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown and wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a top plan view illustrating a wheeled supporting member constructed in accordance with the present invention for supporting one end of a warp beam axle,

#The drawings illustrate an apparatus for handling and supporting a warp beam 10 and the like comprising a pair of wheeled frame support members wherein each of the support members, designated generally as 11, includes a cross-frame bottom portion having an upper platform 12 and a lower transverse platform 14 with roller members 16 and 18, respectively, carried thereon. The lower transverse platform is carried by and spaced vertically below the platform and an upwardly extending housing 20 is carried on the upper platform defining a horizontally extending slot 22 therein. A cradle member 24 for receiving an end of a warp beam axle is slideably carried in the slot for vertical displacement therein. A means 26 is carried on the lower platform engaging a surface of the cradle member for raising and lowering the cradle member in the slot. When the two support members are attached to the ends of the warp beam axle, so as to support the warp beam above the floor surface, the warp beam may be transported by a tow vehicle and the like. Each of the wheeled support members 11 is identical except for the coupling latch 28 which is hinged to one of the support members for coupling the members together during storage.

#The upper platform 12 and the lower transverse platform 14 define a cross-frame bottom portion having a general configuration of a cross thereby preventing the support member from tipping over when standing alone. The upper platform 12 carries a pair of wheels 16 which swivel and they may also be locked in position. The lower transverse platform 14 carries a pair of ball roller casters 18 for multi-directional movement. When the support members are in a vertically upright position, as for example when attached to the ends of the warp beam axle, the roller members of the lower platform will be out of contact with the floor surface. Thus, the rolling force will be concentrated on the two large hard rubber wheel members 16 carried by the upper platform, as is apparent in FIG. 3.

#The lower transverse platform is carried by and spaced vertically below the upper platform and is attached thereto by a pair of substantially U-shaped bolt members 30 having a bottom portion 32 welded to the lower platform and a pair of vertical legs 34 which pass through openings in the upper platform member and are fastened thereto in any suitable manner as by nut means 36.