Load handling apparatus
OwnerMichael Squiresinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A suspension frame for raising or lowering by a crane or hoist carries an assembly of depending limbs or legs which are power operated by a ram for extension apart or retraction and when retracted have a detachable hook engagement with load bearing portions of a split pallet assembly. On extension of the legs the pallet portions are withdrawn apart from under the load in order to deposit it on the ground after which the separated pallet portions are raised clear of the load. An assembly of load holding or steadying plates also depend from the suspension structure and are power operated by a ram against the load to hold or steady the latter during withdrawal of the pallet portions from under the load and its deposit on the ground or other surface, on or after which the plates are released from the load.
Claims14
Load handling apparatus comprising:
- a) a suspension structure adapted to be raised or lowered by a hoisting means for raising or lowering said suspension structure;
- b) opposed limbs depending from said suspension structure and movably carried thereby, said limbs thus having lower ends;
- c) power operation means carried by the suspension structure for effecting lateral extension apart of the opposed limbs or their retraction towards one another;
- d) a split pallet assembly providing two substantially rectangular load bearing portions adapted to be detachably engaged by the lower ends of the opposed depending limbs when the latter are retracted towards one another in order to enable lifting and lowering of said pallet portions when closed together to take place in a load supporting condition with the suspension structure, lateral extension of the opposed limbs apart from one another effecting withdrawal of the pallet portions apart from under a load thereon in order to gravitationally deposit the load and whereby the withdrawn and separated pallet portions can be subsequently lifted and moved clear of the deposited load.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.