Patent ID: 9604828
Date: 2017-03-28
CPC Classifications: B66F

Claim:
1. Apparatus comprising: a structural frame having: a top, longitudinal sides and first and second open ends, and further comprising: four spaced pillars having pairs of opposite teeth parallel to the sides of the structural frame, the teeth in each pair being longitudinally spaced, first and second cross beams at tops of the pillars at the first end and at the second end, horizontal beams connecting the cross beams at the top of the structural frame and connecting the pillars at the sides of the structural frame, truss beams connecting the horizontal beams at angles on the top and the sides of the structural frame, climbing assemblies on insides of each of the pillars, each of the climbing assemblies comprising upper and lower plate assemblies, each plate assembly having front plates extending along an inner side of the teeth on a pillar and having back plates behind the teeth on the pillar, each front plate in each of the upper plate assemblies having a roller axle-supporting groove in an upper surface of the front plate, double-acting hydraulic cylinders and piston rods mounted between the upper and lower front plates, each double-acting cylinder connected to one of the upper plates, and each cylinder having a piston rod connected to one of the lower front plates, sliding locks connected to the plates between the front plates and the rear plates of each plate assembly for selectively and concurrently engaging or disengaging the teeth from opposite directions and alternatively locking the upper plates and the lower plates with the locks and the teeth, upper and lower pneumatic actuators connected to the upper and lower plate assemblies and connected to the locks for timely inserting and withdrawing the locks into and out from the teeth, hydraulic lines connected to upper and lower ends of the double-acting cylinders for raising the cylinders and the upper plates when hydraulic pressure is applied to the upper ends of the double-acting cylinders while the lower plates are locked with the teeth, and for raising the lower plates when hydraulic pressure is applied to the lower ends of the hydraulic cylinders while the upper plates are locked with the locks in the teeth, controller operatively connected to valves in the pneumatic lines and to valves in the hydraulic lines for sequencing, inserting the locks and locking all plate assemblies with the pneumatic actuators, withdrawing locks in the upper plate assemblies from the teeth, admitting hydraulic pressure to upper ends of the hydraulic cylinders to raise the upper plate assemblies, inserting locks in the upper plate assemblies into the teeth, withdrawing locks in the lower plates assemblies from the teeth, admitting hydraulic pressure to lower ends of the hydraulic cylinders and raising the lower plate assemblies, and sensors connected to the plate assemblies, actuators, cylinders and pillars and to the controls for providing input to the controller thereby actuating the controls.