Scrapper type vehicle

An improvement in scrapper type vehicle, for handling junk cars and the like, having a frame mounted on wheels and having a prime mover powering the vehicle, characterized by a pair of beams having their inner ends pivotally attached to the frame at a pair of respective first points for pivotal movement about the first transverse, horizontal axis thereat; a lifting fork pivotally attached to the main beams at their respective outer ends at a pair of respective second points and having lift prongs adapted to load the junk cars onto a transport vehicle; elevating rams connected with the main beams and the frame for elevating the junk cars; and load fork tilting rams attached to the main frame at a pair of respective third points for pivotal movement about a second transverse, horizontal axis thereat. The lift fork tilting rams are attached to the lift fork at a pair of respective fourth points. The respective first and third points are disposed vertically with respect to each other in the same respective directions that the second and fourth points are disposed with respect to each other when the lift fork prongs are neutrally tilted, or substantially horizontal such that the lift fork can be moved from ground level to maximum height with the neutral tilt maintained by only raising the outer ends of the main beams.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to so called scrapper type vehicles and, particular, 
to self-propelled, wheeled type vehicles having lifting prongs or the like 
attached for lifting junk cars or the like onto a transport vehicle, the 
lifting prongs being powered for tilting or relative pivoting movement 
about a transverse horizontal axis as well as being moved upwardly and 
downwardly for loading the junk car or the like onto the transport 
vehicle. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
In the prior art, junk cars or the like have been mangled, shreaded, 
compressed, handled with electromagnet pick-ups on cranes, booms and the 
like. One of the problems that has compounded the crushing of the 
relatively thin cosmetic skin of the vehicles has been the engine or the 
like. Consequently, it has been part of the prior art to have engine 
pullers to pull the structurally strong engine out of the vehicle to allow 
the vehicle to be more readily handled in whatever fashion it was desired. 
The inventor herein has served as a consulant in designing new approaches 
in which front end loaders had their bucket replaced with forklifts or 
similar apparatus for handling the junk cars. There have been two 
recurring problems that needed a solution. The first was the need to be 
able to load the cars to the legal height of about thirteen feet six 
inches in most states. The second has been the need to be able to raise 
the lifting fork without having the lifting fork prongs change their angle 
such that the car would slide downwardly off of the lifting prongs as it 
was being raised. The first problem has not been solved until this 
invention. The second problem was only partially solved, before this 
invention, by supplemental controls for altering the tilting angle of the 
lifting prongs. The supplemental controls required skilled operators who 
can operate, simultaneously, the elevating means for elevating the lifting 
prongs and the automobile as well as changing the controls to keep the 
tilt the same, if sufficient production was to be made; rather than 
erratic stop and go operation. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a scrapper type 
vehicle that can alleviate the deficiencies of the prior art apparatus. 
It is a specific object of this invention to provide a scrapper type 
vehicle that can load junk cars or the like to the legal height and that 
can raise the cars to the desired height when they are impaled on lifting 
forks without having to have two sets of controls to maintain the neutral 
tilt of the lifting fork to keep the cars from falling off thereof as they 
are lifted upwardly. 
These and other objects will become apparent from the descriptive matter 
hereinafter, particularly when taken in conjunction with the appended 
drawings. 
In accordance with this invention, there is provided an improvement in a 
scrapper type vehicle for handling junk cars and the like and having a 
frame mounted on wheels and having a prime mover powering the vehicle. The 
improvement comprises; 
a. a pair of main beams attached at an inner end portion to a pair of 
respective first points on the frame for pivotal movement about a first 
transverse, horizontal axis thereat; 
b. a lifting fork means pivotally attached to the main beams at their 
respective outer ends at a pair of respective second points and having 
lift prongs adapted to penetrate laterally through the junk cars to lift 
the junk cars and to load the junk cars onto a transport vehicle; 
c. elevating means connected with the main beams and the frame for 
elevating the outer ends of the main beams and the lifting fork means with 
any junk car thereon; 
d. lift fork tilting means attached to the frame at a pair of respective 
third points for pivotal movement about a second transverse, horizontal 
axis thereat; the lifting fork tilting means being pivotally attached to 
the lifting fork means at a pair of respective fourth points; the lifting 
fork tilting means including extensible and retractable means that can be 
locked into a given length for fixing an angle of tilt such as a neutral 
angle, to the lifting fork means; the pairs of first and third points 
being disposed vertically with respect to each other and at the same angle 
and in the same respective direction that the pairs of second and fourth 
points are disposed to each other when the lift fork prongs are 
substantially horizontal such that the lift fork means can be moved from 
ground level to maximum height with a neutral tilt maintained by only 
raising the outer ends of the beams. 
By neutral tilt is meant when the lifting prongs are substantially 
horizontal, as for passing through the windows of a junk car or the like.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
This invention can be understood by referring to the Figs. In FIG. 1, the 
scrapper type vehicle 11 has its frame 13 mounted on wheels 15 and a 
primer mover 17 is mounted on the opposite end of the vehicle 11 from the 
lift fork means 19. 
A variety of different types of vehicles 11 with different types of frames 
13 can be employed. As illustrated, the vehicle 11 is an articulating 
vehicle that steers by pivotal movement, responsive to hydraulic rams, 
about a vertical axis formed by pins through suitable hinge, or steering, 
brackets. The plurality of wheels 15 may comprise 3 or more to impart 
stability. As illustrated, there are four wheels having large rubber 
tires. The prime mover 17 may be an internal combustion engine. It 
develops the power required for locomotion as well as to operate the 
various accessories, such as hydraulic pumps (not shown). The locomotion 
may be from hydrostatic system in which the prime mover drives a main pump 
and in which respective wheels are powered by hydraulically operable 
motors. On the other hand, electric generator-motor drive combinations may 
be employed if desired. 
In accordance with this invention, the lift fork means 19 is moved through 
an arc by at least one main beam 21. Preferably there are a pair of main 
beams 21 that are pivotally attached at their inner end portions to a pair 
of respective first points, or shafts, 23 for pivotal movement about a 
first transverse horizontal axis thereat. The main beams 21 are formed of 
metal, such as steel, and are structurally adequate to bear the load of 
the lifting fork means 19 and any junk car or the like that is emplaced 
thereon such that the junk car can be lifted to the legal height and 
loaded onto a transport vehicle. To this end, the first points, or shafts, 
23 are located at sufficient height above the ground to enable elevating 
the car to as high as thirteen feet six inches, or the legal limit. As 
illustrated, the shafts 23 are located about 12-15 feet above the ground; 
and, preferably, about 14 feet above the ground. This represents a good 
compromise that allows attaining the legal height without having to have 
unduly long main beams 21 that makes for a cumbersome vehicle. 
The operator then sits in a cab, or console, 27 so as to be able to see 
over the frame with the relatively high point of attachment. In the 
operator's console 27 there are provided the respective controls for the 
vehicle as well as the hydraulic ram controls noted hereinafter for 
operating the elevating means and the tilting means controlling the lift 
fork means 19. 
The lift fork means 19 is pivotally attached to the main beams at their 
respective outer ends at a pair of respective second points, or pivot 
shafts, 29. The respective second pivots shafts are transversely located 
with respect to each other so as to define a transverse horizontal axis 
for tilting of the lift fork means thereabout. The lifting fork means has 
lift prongs 31 adapted to penetrate laterally through junk cars or the 
like to lift the junk cars and to load the junk cars onto a vehicle. As 
illustrated, a pair of lift prongs 31 are employed. The lift prongs are 
made of suitably strong material for penetrating through the junk cars or 
the like. Ordinarily, the lift prongs may be inserted through window 
openings in the junk car but should have adequate strength to penetrate 
through the thin metal doors or the like if necessary. As illustrated, the 
lift prongs are formed of steel members although other metallic types of 
construction may be employed. It is vital, however, that the lift prongs 
maintain the junk car in position to prevent its falling off of the lift 
prongs as the junk car is raised by an elevating means 33. 
The elevating means 33 is connected with the main beams 21 and the frame 13 
for elevating the outer ends of the main beams and the lifting fork means 
with any junk car thereon. As illustrated, the elevating means 33 
comprises a pair of hydraulic rams 35 that are connected, respectively, as 
by pivot shafts 37, 39, with the frame and the main beam 21. A lifting pad 
41 is provided on the main beam 21 for added strength and to facilitate 
attachment with the cylinder rod of the hydraulic ram 35. The hydraulic 
ram is powered by hydraulic fluid, as by way of hoses 43. As illustrated, 
one hydraulic ram 35 is connected with each of the main beams for 
providing substantially uniform lift responsive to power from the 
hydraulic pump controlled by hydraulic controls in the operator's console. 
It is desirable that the lifting means be able to raise the outer ends of 
the main beams without significantly altering the tilt effected by tilting 
means 45, FIG. 2. 
The lift fork tilting means 45 are attached to the frame at a pair of 
respective third points, or pivot shafts, 47 for pivotal movement about a 
second transverse, horizontal axis thereat. The lifting fork tilting means 
is pivotally attached to the lift fork means at a pair of respective 
fourth points, or pivot shafts, 49. The lift fork tilting means includes 
extensible and retractable means that can be locked into a given length 
for fixing an angle of tilt to the lift prongs of the lift fork means. As 
illustrated, the extensible and retractable means comprises respective 
hydraulic rams 51. Each hydraulic ram 51 is powered by high pressure 
hydraulic fluid supplied, as by hoses 53 from the controls in the 
operator's console 27. The high pressure hydraulic fluid is powered by 
suitable pumps (not shown). Preferably, lock valves are employed to 
maintain the hydraulic rams 51 in a preset length configuration, such as 
that attaining neutral tilt on the lift fork prongs 31. Specifically, the 
lift fork tilting means comprise a pair of lineal members coextensive with 
the main beams 21 and incorporating the hydraulic ram 51 as a part of 
their length. Thus, when the hydraulic ram 51 is extended, the tilt of the 
prong 31, FIG. 4, is moved downwardly to facilitate sliding off the prongs 
any load or the like. Conversely, retraction of the hydraulic ram 51 
shortens the tilt means and effects an upward tilt of the prongs 31. As 
illustrated in FIG. 4, the prongs 31 frequently are given a substantially 
neutral tilt with prongs substantially horizontal for loading. 
As can be seen in FIG. 3, the prongs 31 can be elevated to their top 
position and maintain the neutral tilt by simply extending the hydraulic 
ram 35 to raise the outer most ends of the main beams 21. 
In operation, the scrapper type vehicle is assembled as illustrated and 
described hereinbefore. The operator may tilt the lift prongs 31 to 
neutral position and insert them appropriately for lifting of a junk car 
or the like. For example, the lift prongs can be inserted beneath the junk 
car; can be inserted through the window of the junk car, whether or not it 
is wrecked, crushed or otherwise altered from its normal appearance; or 
can be even inserted through the thin metal side walls of doors and the 
like if necessary. Thereafter, the elevating means 33 is operated to raise 
the junk car to a desired height, as for stacking on a transport vehicle, 
such as a flatbed truck or the like. The junk car is deposited. The 
elevating means is lowered if necessary to lower the lifting prongs 31 
sufficiently to take the weight from them and to remove them from the junk 
car. The scrapper type vehicle is backed up and moved to pick up another 
junk car for stacking and the cycle is repeated. As long as the lifting 
prongs 31 remain in about the neutral position, all that is necessary is 
to operate the hydraulic ram 35 serving as a significant portion of the 
elevating means to raise and lower the prongs to raise the junk cars for 
loading. 
Even when the tilting prongs are tilted slightly, substantially the same 
angle of tilt is maintained when raised or lowered because the combination 
of the vertically spaced first and third points and the substantially 
vertically spaced second and fourth points approach a parallelogram 
linkage that does not sacrifice strength and flexibility, yet enables 
raising the lifting prongs without significantly changing the angle of 
tilt. Moreover, the first points, or pivot shafts 23 are emplaced high 
enough that the junk cars can be stacked to the legal height on a 
transport vehicle. 
One of the advantages of this invention is that it provided an 
exceptionally flexible vehicle to which can be attached a variety of 
accessories or the like. For example, a bucket can be attached instead of 
the lifting fork means to enable the operator to scoop up broken glass, 
damaged chrome parts and the like that may fall from the junk cars as they 
are being loaded. On the other hand, blades; such as, dozer blades and the 
like; can be attached for minor grading. These are usually attached to the 
main beams and to the tilting means 45 such that the same controls can be 
employed. 
In addition, accessories such as an engine puller 59, FIG. 3, can be 
attached. As illustrated, the engine puller 59 is pivotally mounted 
intermediate the main beams 21 and has a psuedo bell crank portion 61 that 
is pivotally connected with a hydraulic ram 63. The hydraulic ram can then 
be operated from controls (not shown) in the operator's console to effect 
tilting movement of the engine puller. The engine puller is conventional 
and need not be described in detail. It is sufficient to note that it has 
a pair of jaws 65 that can reach into the engine compartment and literally 
pull an engine or engine and transmission from a car in a few seconds; in 
contrast to the two hours or more that the operation formerly took. The 
engine can then be deposited at a suitable point; such as, in the junk 
metal bin, parts bin, or the like. 
From the foregoing, it can be seen that this invention provides the objects 
delineated hereinbefore. 
Although the invention has been described with a certain degree of 
particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure is made only 
by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction 
and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without 
departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention, reference for 
the latter being had to the appended claims.