Industrial Machine Assembly
An industrial machine assembly includes an industrial machine and a handle. The industrial machine includes an upper wall and a side wall. The side wall and upper wall cooperate to define a corner. The handle includes a grasping portion, a first flange, and a second flange. The handle is configured for attachment to the industrial machine in one of a first position and a second position. When the handle is in the first position, the first and second flanges straddle the corner such that the first flange is adjacent to the upper wall and the second flange is adjacent to the side wall. When the handle is in the second position, the first and second flanges straddle the corner such that the first flange is adjacent to the side wall and the second flange is adjacent to the upper wall.
An industrial machine assembly includes an industrial machine and at least one handle releasably attached to the industrial machine.
BACKGROUNDCertain conventional industrial machines can include handles that permit a user to lift and/or move the industrial machine.
SUMMARYIn accordance with one embodiment, an industrial machine assembly comprises an industrial machine and a handle. The industrial machine comprises a frame, an upper wall, and a side wall. The side wall and upper wall are coupled with the frame. The side wall and upper wall cooperate to define a corner. The handle comprises a grasping portion, a first flange, and a second flange. The handle is releasably attached to the industrial machine and is configured for attachment to the industrial machine in one of a first position and a second position. When the handle is in the first position, the first and second flanges straddle the corner such that the first flange is adjacent to the upper wall and the second flange is adjacent to the side wall. When the handle is in the second position, the first and second flanges straddle the corner such that the first flange is adjacent to the side wall and the second flange is adjacent to the upper wall.
While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the invention, it is believed that the same will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Embodiments are hereinafter described in detail in connection with the views of
The industrial machine 12 can include four side walls and an upper wall. For example, as shown in
In one embodiment, as illustrated in
The left side wall 18 and the upper wall 20 of the industrial machine 12 can cooperate to define a left corner 36. The right side wall and the upper wall 20 of the industrial machine 12 can cooperate to define a right corner 33. The left and right handles 14, 16 can be releasably attached to the industrial machine 12 such that the left and right handles 14, 16 straddle the respective left and right corners 36, 38 in either a first position (as illustrated in
The left and right handles 14, 16 can accordingly be configured for attachment to the industrial machine 12 in each of the first position (as illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The right handle 16 can be configured similar to the left handle 14 and releasably attached to the industrial machine 12 in a similar manner as described above with respect to the left handle 14. For example, the first and second flanges 30, 34 of the right handle 16 can be arranged in an L-shape. As illustrated in
The left and right handles 14, 16 are shown to be identical and thus interchangeable between left and right sides of the industrial machine 12. This interchangeability can allow for improved inventory and ease of assembly of the industrial machine assembly by not requiring selection of a distinct handle for left and right sides of the industrial machine 12. It will be appreciated, however, in an alternative embodiment, left and right handles can be distinct from each other such that each handle is designated for either the left or right side of the industrial machine 12.
It will be appreciated that the left and right handles 14, 16 can be positioned in one of the first and second positions to facilitate more effective and efficient lifting and/or moving of the industrial machine 12. For example, when the left and right handles 14, 16 are in the first position, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
The threaded apertures (e.g., 54, 58) are illustrated in
As illustrated in
Although the embodiments above have been described with respect to a left and right handle, it will be appreciated that handles can be provided on an industrial machine in any of a variety of arrangements. For example, as illustrated in
It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the industrial machine assembly 10 can include more than or less than one pair of handles. It will also be appreciated that, although the left and right handles 14, 16 are shown to be in the same relative position, it will be appreciated that handles on an industrial machine can be attached in differing positions (e.g., the left handle 14 in the first position and the right handle 16 in the second position). While various embodiments of an industrial machine assembly have been illustrated by the foregoing description and have been described in detail with respect to
Claims
1-18. (canceled)
19. An industrial machine assembly comprising:
- an industrial machine comprising: a frame; an upper wall coupled with the frame; and a side wall coupled with the frame, the side wall and upper wall cooperating to define a corner; and
- a handle comprising a grasping portion and a flange, the handle being configured for attachment to the industrial machine in one of a first position and a second position; wherein: the flange is configured for releasable attachment to the upper wall when the handle is in a first position; and the flange is configured for releasable attachment to the side wall when the handle is in the second position.
20. The industrial machine assembly of claim 19 further comprising a fastener that facilitates releasable attachment of the flange to one of the upper wall and the side wall when the handle is in the first position and the second position, respectively.
21. The industrial machine assembly of claim 19 wherein the flange defines an aperture.
22. The industrial machine assembly of claim 21 wherein:
- the fastener comprises a threaded male fastener;
- the frame defines a first threaded aperture and a second threaded aperture;
- the upper wall defines a first opening;
- the side wall defines a second opening;
- when the handle is in the first position, the fastener passes through the aperture of the flange, through the first opening, and at least partially into the first threaded aperture; and
- when the handle is in the second position, the fastener passes through the aperture of the flange, through the second opening, and at least partially into the second threaded aperture.
23. The industrial machine assembly of claim 22 wherein the frame comprises a first weld nut and a second weld nut, and the first and second threaded apertures are respectively defined by the first and second weld nuts.
24. The industrial machine assembly of claim 19 wherein the flange defines a flange surface, and, when the handle is in the first position, the flange surface directly contacts the upper wall, and, when the handle is in the second position, the flange surface directly contacts the side wall.
25. The industrial machine assembly of claim 24 wherein the grasping portion extends laterally with respect to the industrial machine and beyond the corner when the handle is the first position and the grasping portion extends upwardly with respect to the industrial machine and beyond the corner when the handle is in the second position.
26. The industrial machine assembly of claim 19 wherein the industrial machine comprises one of a welding machine and a plasma cutting machine.
27. An industrial machine assembly comprising:
- an industrial machine comprising: an upper wall; and a side wall, the side wall and upper wall cooperating to define a corner;
- a handle comprising a grasping portion and a flange, the handle being configured for attachment to the industrial machine in one of a first position and a second position; and
- a means for releasably attaching the handle to the industrial machine; wherein: the flange is configured for releasable attachment to the upper wall when the handle is in a first position; and the flange is configured for releasable attachment to the side wall when the handle is in the second position.
28. The industrial machine assembly of claim 27 wherein the means for releasably attaching the handle to the industrial machine comprises a fastener.
29. The industrial machine assembly of claim 27 wherein when the handle is in the first position, the grasping portion extends outwardly with respect to the industrial machine, and when the handle is in the second position, the grasping portion extends upwardly with respect to the industrial machine.
30. The industrial machine assembly of claim 27 wherein the industrial machine comprises one of a welding machine and a plasma cutting machine.
31. An industrial machine assembly comprising:
- an industrial machine comprising: an upper wall; a first side wall, the first side wall and the upper wall cooperating to define a first corner; and a second side wall, the second side wall and the upper wall cooperating to define a second corner;
- a first handle comprising a first grasping portion and a first flange, the first handle being releasably attached to the industrial machine and configured for attachment to the industrial machine in one of a first position and a second position;
- a second handle comprising a second grasping portion and a second flange, the second handle being releasably attached to the industrial machine and configured for attachment to the industrial machine in one of a third position and a fourth position; wherein: when the first handle is in the first position, the flange is releasably attached to the upper wall; and when the first handle is in the second position, the flange is releasably attached to the first side wall; when the second handle is in the third position, the flange is releasably attached to the upper wall; and when the second handle is in the fourth position, the flange is releasably attached to the second side wall.
32. The industrial machine assembly of claim 31 wherein the first side wall comprises a left side wall, the first handle comprises a left handle, the second side wall comprises a right side wall, and the second handle comprises a right handle.
33. The industrial machine assembly of claim 31 further comprising a plurality of fasteners, wherein respective pairs of the fasteners releasably attach the first and second handles to the industrial machine.
34. The industrial machine assembly of claim 33 wherein said fasteners comprise threaded male fasteners.
35. The industrial machine assembly of claim 31 wherein when the first handle is in the first position, the first grasping portion extends outwardly with respect to the industrial machine, when the first handle is in the second position, the first grasping portion extends upwardly with respect to the industrial machine, when the second handle is in the third position, the second grasping portion extends outwardly with respect to the industrial machine, and when the second handle is in the fourth position, the second grasping portion extends upwardly with respect to the industrial machine.
36. The industrial machine assembly of claim 31 wherein the first side wall comprises a front side wall, the first handle comprises a front handle, the second side wall comprises a rear side wall, and the second handle comprises a rear handle.
37. The industrial machine assembly of claim 31 wherein the industrial machine comprises one of a welding machine and a plasma cutting machine.
38. The industrial machine assembly of claim 31 wherein the first grasping portion and the second grasping portion define respective contoured gripping surfaces.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 20, 2012
Publication Date: Dec 6, 2012
Inventors: Thomas David Williams (Hudson, OH), Bruce John Chantry (Solon, OH)
Application Number: 13/589,450
International Classification: B23K 10/00 (20060101); B23K 9/00 (20060101); A47B 95/02 (20060101);