Battery handling machine

Conveying apparatus for servicing a battery in a vehicle of the type having a battery entered horizontally through a side opening in the vehicle, the battery, in use, sitting on a battery support bed in the vehicle and the apparatus comprising:

• a framework having a longitudinal axis which includes a floor positioned to be in substantial alignment with the battery support bed so as to receive and support the battery, the floor including a plurality of parallel rollers located transverse to the longitudinal axis of the framework to facilitate movement of the battery across the floor;
• longitudinal track means forming part of the framework and spaced from the floor to accomodate the battery between the track means and the floor;
• a transport mechanism including rack and pinion drive means having pinion means carried by a body, the pinion means being coupled to rack means provided on the track means for operation to move the body longitudinally along the track means in either direction;
• rail means on the track means to guide wheels provided on the body;
• a coupling assembly attached to the transport mechanism for movement with the body and including a connector adapted to releasably engage the battery whereby on operation of the drive means the battery may be loaded onto or unloaded from the floor, the connector being a rigid member extending along the axis of the framework between the track and the floor and the connector being attached to an upwardly biased vertically extending plunger rotatable in a housing attached to the body of the transport mechanism whereby the position of the connector may be adjusted for engaging the battery and irregularities in the floor or the bottom of the battery will be compensated during loading or unloading of the battery.

Conveying apparatus for servicing a battery in a vehicle of the type having a battery entered horizontally through a side opening in the vehicle, the battery, in use, sitting on a battery support bed in the vehicle and the apparatus comprising:

• a framework having a longitudinal axis which includes a floor positioned to be in substantial alignment with the battery support bed so as to receive and support the battery, the floor including a plurality of parallel rollers located transverse to the longitudinal axis of the framework to facilitate movement of the battery across the floor;
• longitudinal track means forming part of the framework and spaced from the floor to accomodate the battery between the track means and the floor;
• a transport mechanism including rack and pinion drive means having a pair of spaced parallel pinion means carried by a body, the pinion means being coupled to a pair of correspondingly spaced parallel rack means provided on the track means for operation to move the body longitudinally along the track means in either direction;
• rail means on the track means to guide wheels provided on the body;
• and
• a coupling assembly attached to the transport mechanism for movement with the body and including a connector adapted to releasably engage the battery whereby on operation of the drive means the battery may be loaded onto or unloaded from the floor, the connector being a rigid member extending along the axis of the framework between the track and the floor and the connector being attached to an upwardly biased vertically extending plunger rotatable in a housing attached to the body of the transport mechanism whereby the position of the connector may be adjusted for engaging the battery and irregularities in the floor or the bottom of the battery will be compensated during loading or unloading of the battery.