Clamshell Patents (Class 414/624)
  • Patent number: 9004843
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for handling aerogenerator blades that provide a versatile means for handling aerogenerator blades without an unbalanced distribution of the loads in the blade. The method comprises positioning an upper mounting part (103) over the blade after the upper mold has been retracted; lifting the blade with the upper mounting part from the under mold using a lifting means; positioning the blade over an under mounting part (104) which is fixedly attached to an inferior movable support (102); attaching the upper mounting part to the under mounting part, wherein the upper and under mounting parts together have the inner surface substantially corresponding to the shape of the blade outer profile section. The invention further comprises an apparatus for handling aerogenerator blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Tecsis Tecnologia E Sistemas Avançados S.A.
    Inventors: Phillips Antonio Da Costa Lemos, Caio Teruo Hideshima, Tatiane Rabello Koga, Tomaz Schmidt Cavalcante
  • Patent number: 7422409
    Abstract: A device for gripping and displacing material, such as roughage for animals, which device is provided with a gripper (2) for gripping and subsequently displacing the material, and with a collecting device (5) comprising a collecting element (6) for collecting material falling unintentionally from the gripper (2). The device is further provided with an operating element (7) such that, after the material has been gripped by the gripper (2), the collecting element (6) is capable of being brought from an inactive position into a further position in which the collecting element (6) is able to collect material that is lost unintentionally by the gripper (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Lely Enterprises Ag
    Inventor: Greorgius Rudolphius Bos
  • Patent number: 5934858
    Abstract: A loading device mounted to a collection vehicle is disclosed. The loading device may comprise several embodiments for scooping a soft-sided object through either a horizontal or vertical plane. The loading device is attached to a mechanized arm for compound angular displacement and operable between a stowed, extended, lift, and dump positions. A swivel mount interconnects the mechanized arm to the collection vehicle and further compounds the angular displacement and operating positions of the loading device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: McNeilus Truck and Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald E. Christenson
  • Patent number: 5919027
    Abstract: A loading device mounted to a collection vehicle is disclosed. The loading device may comprise several embodiments for scooping a soft-sided object through either a horizontal or vertical plane. The loading device is attached to a mechanized arm for compound angular displacement and operable between a stowed, extended, lift, and dump positions. A swivel mount interconnects the mechanized arm to the collection vehicle and further compounds the angular displacement and operating positions of the loading device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: McNeilus Truck and Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald E. Christenson
  • Patent number: 5299905
    Abstract: A rope drum gear for a child's toy, for example a toy crane, is constructed such that a child can operate an elevating mechanism and a grab spade by way of ropes via the drum gear. A crank handle for actuating the mechanisms is connected to a split rotating drum by way of crank case wheel. The hub of the crank case is constructed as a sun wheel of a planetary wheel gear, which planetary wheel gear is in turn connected with a first half of the split rope drum. The first half of the split rope drum is connected via a rope to the grab spade operating mechanism. The first half of the drum when rotated engages the second hair by way of a clutch mechanism, the second half of the drum connected by a rope to the elevating mechanism of the crane. In this way, a child can reproduce the operation of a full-scale crane in a manner easy to operate and understand for the child.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1994
    Assignee: BIG-Spielwarenfabrik Dipl.-Ing. E.A.Bettag
    Inventor: Albert Rademacher
  • Patent number: 5257887
    Abstract: A collection container adapted to be lifted and emptied with a grasping device. The container forms an enclosure with two sections each having a projection and being pivotally connected to each other. The sections are held together with a spring. The container includes an opening to receive objects. The spring tension is set so that the grasping device can lift the container by the projections without the section separating. The projections are angled on the enclosure so that if the grasping device were to squeeze the projections together the two sections would pivotally open and dump the objects in a bin. A trough is coupled to a slot on the container to prevent the container's contents from being pilfered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1993
    Assignee: Petersen Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: John W. Kregl
  • Patent number: 4826109
    Abstract: A material handling assembly primarily in the form of a clamshell structure being hyraulically activated and used in combination with a helicopter for the support of the clamshell structure and its operation thereof between a closed and an open position. The height and actual positioning of the clamshell relative to any applicable types of materials being handled or transferred is regulated by the height and positioning of the helicopter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1989
    Inventor: Mark D. Camus
  • Patent number: 4528893
    Abstract: A hydraulic motor either of the radial or axial piston type is used for swivelling a hanging load about an upright axis. The motor has a distributor for controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid to the input and drain ducts of the motor. The motor further has hydraulic ducts extending from the stator to the rotor for transmitting fluid required for operation of the actuator of a gripping device or bucket. The distributor floats, so that radial and axial play as well as deformation of the rotor relative to the stator may be taken up without stress. At least some of the hydraulic ducts pass through the distributor, connections being made by suitable rotary transmissions and connecting points within the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1985
    Assignee: Heinz Thumm Oelhydraulische Antriebe GmbH
    Inventor: Gunther Neumann
  • Patent number: 4497608
    Abstract: A digger for digging out substantially vertically-sided holes e.g. for gravestone monument foundations, is in the form of an attachment adapted to be connected on the dipper stick of a backhoe machine. The attachment has a downwardly-depending digger frame pivoted at its upper end to an attachment frame which is connected to the free end of the dipper stick. A vertically extending operating shaft extends upwardly relative to the digger frame and is connected through a pair of lower linkages to the sections of a clam shell bucket mounted on the lower end of the digger frame. The upper end of the operating shaft connects through a connecting link and a rocking lever to the piston of the dipper stick piston and cylinder arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1983
    Date of Patent: February 5, 1985
    Assignee: The Trustees of The Toronto General Burying Grounds
    Inventors: Roy J. P. Sheppard, Howard S. Thornhill, Mark S. Francis
  • Patent number: 4385780
    Abstract: Two nested half cylinders, having a concentric axis and closed ends, are pivoted together on aligned pivot pins mounted in the closed ends and on the concentric axis. The nested half cylinders are actuated to pivot 90 degrees oppositely around the concentric axis and aligned pivot pins to close non-compressively around free flowing granular material in a closed cylindrical hoist bucket, thereby saving the additional weight and strength of material and the actuating energy therefor required for compressive loading of hoist buckets having off center or non-concentric axis of pivot. Additionally, the non-compressive loading does not move the granular material nor overflow the closed cylindrical hoist bucket to pollute the environment with dust therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 31, 1983
    Inventor: Robert J. Grush
  • Patent number: 4364704
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a grab bucket suspended from the cable of a hoisting means. The hosting means includes a first reversible motor drive means to raise and lower the grab bucket and a second motor drive means is associated with the grab bucket for opening and closing the bucket. Pursuant to the invention, a slack line limit switch is arranged and configured to detect a slackening condition in the cable as when the bucket reaches a pile of material. Upon said slackening condition, the limit switch operates to stop the first reversible motor drive means and to start the second reversible motor drive means to commence the closing of the bucket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1982
    Assignee: Mannesmann-Demag AG
    Inventors: Peter Dreesen, Klaus Kiessling
  • Patent number: 4265579
    Abstract: A bulk material unloader in which a clamshell bucket is suspended from a boom which is luffed from a position over the material to be unloaded through the vertical to a position over a bulk material receiving hopper. The hoists and/or the anchors for the bucket hold and close ropes are mounted on the unloader base on the opposite side of the hopper from the boom pivot such that the suspended length of the hold and close ropes is increased as the boom is luffed through the vertical and the bucket is thereby lowered into the hopper with the hoists remaining inactive until the bucket is in position to be opened and discharged with minimum dusting effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1979
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1981
    Assignee: Dravo Corporation
    Inventors: Laimons Naruns, Dennis W. Terry, Samuel K. Stellfox
  • Patent number: 4231698
    Abstract: The invention relates to cranes or the like in which two hoist lines control a clamshell bucket. If the winch for one line is operated to draw in this line, it closes the clamshell bucket and hoists it. During this hoisting, the winch for the other line must also be operated to pull in the slack. If this other line is reeled in excessively, it will dump the bucket. A system is provided for automatic control of the winch being used for slack-takeup, thus avoiding the need for great care and delicate finesse by an experienced hand on a second control lever. The system puts the slack-takeup winch in hydraulic series or tandem with the discharge from the hoisting winch, but limits the hydraulic pressure supplied to the slack-takeup winch so that it is barely enough to accomplish the takeup of its line, and cannot cause dumping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1978
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1980
    Assignee: Pettibone Corporation
    Inventor: William J. Lado
  • Patent number: 4189386
    Abstract: A system for the removal and disposal of debris from the water intake of power plants or the like is disclosed. The system includes a strainer basket having pivoted, separable sections movable from an abutting position to an open position; the sections are biased to the abutting position, in the preferred form, by gravitational forces acting upon the basket sections and their contents. The system further includes structure for opening the separable portions of the basket to empty the contents into a suitable disposal receptacle; a preferred opening device is a member adapted to be positioned on the debris-receiving receptacle and having cam surfaces for separating the basket sections. The system contemplates placement of the strainer basket in a bellow-ground location and a hoist for lifting the basket for emptying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1980
    Inventor: Arcadio J. Aman
  • Patent number: 4181291
    Abstract: The one ends of the closing rope and holding rope of the jib or other hoisting gear-suspended grab of a winch are wrapped about a common drum and travel equivalent paths for syncronization of rope movement as the grab is raised and lowered. The opposite end of the closing rope is wrapped about an auxiliary drum or other extensible, retractible load rope anchoring device, equipped to be rotated, on command by an amount sufficient to open or close the grab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1980
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget Hagglund & Soner
    Inventor: Sture G. Gulliksson