US 4,621,972 AGranted

Silo mover

OwnerWalter D. Grotteinventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A silo mover apparatus comprising a main frame that is movable across the ground on a plurality of support wheels, and which has a subframe pivotallymounted thereon adjacent one end. The subframe can be raised about the pivot to a substantially vertical position through the use of hydraulic cylinders, stabilized in position adjacent to a silo to be moved, clamped to the silo by straps, after the silo has been suitably reinforced, and then the silo can be lifted and tilted downwardly with the subframe to rest on the main frame for transport to a new location. At the new location the silo is then raised by raising the subframe about its pivot, to place the silo onto the desired platform, after which the members that clamp the silo and subframe together are removed. The device is capable of extending to support and lift substantially 90 foot long silos, and the subframe is made into two sections so that it can be extended and retracted in length to shift the supported silo into a desired longitudinal location relative to the main frame. Hydraulic steering is provided for the support wheels on the main frame, so that the wheels can be steered to aid in maneuvering the main frame as it is pulled along the ground.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A machine for moving elongated cylindrical objects, such as farm silos, comprising:

a main frame having longitudinal main frame side members having a first length, and having front and rear ends and wheel means;
a subframe pivotally mounted on said main frame adjacent the rear end of the main frame, the subframe comprising a first subframe section having longitudinally extending first subframe side members which are pivotally connected to the rear ends, lie above and extend along the main frame side members, respectively, the first subframe side members each having an I-beam comprising a lower flange connected by a web to an upper flange and extending for substantially the entire length of the first subframe side members, and having first and second ends, and a second subframe section having second subframe side members slidably mounted on the upper flanges of the first subframe side members for slidably moving along the first subframe side members and being substantially the same length as the first subframe side members, and the second subframe being selectively moveable to positions extending beyond each of the first and second ends of the first subframe side members, the second subframe side members having substantially continuous outwardly facing surfaces, facing generally in direction away from the first subframe side members;
hydraulic cylinder means for raising and lowering said subframe about the pivotal mounting to the main frame from a first position wherein the first subframe side members are resting on the main frame side members to a second position wherein the subframe is substantially vertical, the upper flanges on the first subframe side member being substantially horizontal with the subframe in its first position and the lower flanges being offset from the pivotal mounting;
means to clamp a cylindrical object to be moved against the outwardly facing surfaces of said second subframe side members;
and
means for slidably moving said second subframe section relative to the first subframe section so that the first and second subframe side members are substantially in registry with each other to a position wherein an outer end of the second subframe section extends outwardly from the first end of the first subframe section in an upward direction when the subframe is substantially vertical, and to permit moving the second subframe section and a supported cylindrical object to position an end of the second subframe section side members opposite from the outer end to extend outwardly from the second ends of the first subframe side members with the subframe in its lowered position to thereby place a supported cylindrical object in position overlying the pivot between the main frame and the first subframe section and to move a base of the supported cylindrical object rearwardly relative to the main frame.

3 more elements

A machine for moving elongated cylindrical objects, such as farm silos, comprising a main frame having longitudinally extending side members with front and rear ends, wheel means to support said main frame, a subframe pivotally mounted on said main frame adjacent the rear end of the main frame, means to raise and lower said subframe about the pivotal mounting from a position wherein the subframe is substantially vertical with the main frame adjacent the ground to a position wherein the subframe is resting on the main frame in a substantially horizontal lowered position, means to clamp a cylindrical object to be moved against surfaces of said subframe in its raised position, to move the object with such subframe between the vertical and lowered positions, said subframe having first and second subframe sections that telescopically move relative to each other, means for slidably moving said first and second subframe sections relative to each other from a superimposed position to a position where a portion of one of the subframe sections extends beyond the other section in an upward direction when the subframe is substantially vertical, and also in rearward direction when the subframe is in lowered position, a plurality of cross members extending between the longitudinal main side frame members, said cross members being spaced in longitudinal direction and positioned adjacennt the rear of the main frame, said wheel means including a plurality of wheel assemblies arranged in pairs, and each pair being supported on one cross member, each pair comprising a separate wheel assembly adjacent each of the longitudinally extending side frame members of the main frame, said wheel assemblies each including an arm extending rearwardly from and pivotally mounted on the respective cross member for movement about a generally horizontal axis, and a wheel support and wheels mounted to the rearward end of the respective arm about a generally upright pivot axis so that each said wheel support and wheels mounted thereon will pivot about said upright pivot for steering movement, a link extending rearwardly of said wheel support for each of the wheel assemblies, and means connected between rear ends of the links of each pair, so that upon movement of one of the links to move the connected wheel support about an upright axis the other wheel support in that pair will move about its upright axis as well, and means for selectively raising and lowering all of the wheel assemblies adjacent one side of the main frame with respect to the other side about the generally horizontal axis to permit leveling the main frame.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 06/702,478Filed 19 Feb 1985
Granted: 11 Nov 1986
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

B60P 1/64
Vehicles predominantly for transporting loads and modified to facilitate loading, consolidating the load, or unloading: the load supporting or…
Y10S 414/123
Material or article handling: hollow cylinder handlers
Y10S 414/132
Material or article handling: vehicle-carried storage member, e.g. portable silo and means for erecting member from attitude during transport to…
B60P
Vehicles adapted for load transportation or to transport, to carry, or to