Adjustable conveyor system for man-loaded cargos

A conveyor system for transporting and positioning cargo items to be manually loaded or unloaded by a cargo worker which comprises:

• powered positioning means for adjustably positioning a worker and the cargo items, said positioning means including a mobile base frame, an adjustable platform for supporting said worker during the loading and unloading of cargo, and adjustable support means for supporting said platform on said base frame at variable heights, said support means being mounted on said positioning means between said platform and said base frame;
• first conveyor means mounted on said platform for transporting the cargo directly to and from the worker;
• second conveyor means for transporting the cargo items to and from a loading area, said second conveyor means being connectable at one end to said positioning means so that the connected end of said second conveyor means remains at the same height as the first conveyor means on the platform to allow the cargo to be directly transported between a cargo worker on said platform and a cargo worker at the opposite end of said second conveyor means;
• and
• control means for adjustably controlling the location and operation of said positioning means and said first and second conveyor means;
• wherein the first conveyor means is a vertically adjustable belt conveyor pivotally mounted on said operator platform;
• and
• wherein the vertically adjustable belt conveyor further comprises a fixed ramp conveyor, the fixed ramp conveyor being mounted on said mobile base frame and disposed at an angle between the adjustable belt conveyor and the second conveyor means.

A conveyor system for transporting and positioning cargo items to be manually loaded or unloaded by a cargo worker which comprises:

• an electrically powered mobile base frame for adjustably positioning a worker and the cargo items, said mobile base frame being mounted on a pair of front wheels and a pair of steerable rear wheels for steering the mobile base frame in any direction;
• an adjustable platform for supporting said worker during the loading and unloading of cargo, said platform being mounted on said base frame, said platform comprising a worker area, an upper bracket, and a lower bracket, each of said upper bracket and lower bracket being pivotally mounted at a first end to said base frame and at a second end to said worker area so that the worker area remains in an upright position as the operator platform is being raised or lowered;
• a ball screw assembly for supporting and positioning said platform on said base frame at variable heights, said ball screw assembly being connected at a first end to the upper bracket of said platform and at a second end to said mobile base frame;
• a first conveyor means comprising a vertically adjustable belt conveyor and a stationary ramp belt conveyor, said ramp conveyor being mounted at an angle on said mobile base frame so that a first end of said ramp conveyor is positioned to receive cargo from a second conveyor means and a second end of the ramp conveyor is positioned to deliver cargo to said vertically adjustable belt conveyor, and said vertically adjustable belt conveyor being mounted on the upper bracket of said platform for transporting the cargo to and from the upper end of said ramp conveyor to said worker area;
• a second expandable conveyor means for transporting the cargo items to and from a loading area, said second conveyor means being connectable at one end to said mobile base frame;
• and
• control means for adjustably controlling the location and operation of said mobile base frame, said operator platform and said first conveyor means.

A conveyor system for transporting and positioning cargo items to be manually loaded or unloaded by a cargo worker which comprises:

• powered mobile base frame for adjustably positioning a worker and the cargo items, an adjustable platform for supporting said worker during the loading and unloading of cargo, an adjustable support mechanism for supporting said platform on said mobile base frame at variable heights, said adjustable support mechanism being mounted on said powered mobile base frame and extending between said powered mobile base frame and said adjustable platform;
• first conveyor mounted on said platform for transporting the cargo directly to and from the worker supported by said adjustable platform, said first conveyor member having one end disposed adjacent said worker supported by said adjustable platform at an optimum height for manual movement of the cargo to minimize stretching or excessive lifting motions by said worker supported by said adjustable platform;
• second conveyor for transporting the cargo items to and from a loading area, said second conveyor member being connectable at one end to said powered mobile base frame so that the connected end of said second conveyor member remains at the same height as the first conveyor member on the adjustable platform to allow the cargo to be directly transported between the cargo worker on said adjustable platform and a cargo worker at the opposite end of said second conveyor member;
• and
• control means for adjustably controlling the location and operation of said positioning means and said first and second conveyor members.