A FLUID PRESSURE OPERATED PUSH BEAM AND APPARATUS COMPRISING ONE OR MORE OF SUCH PUSH BEAMS

Abstract: A fluid pressure operated push beam is disclosed which comprise a plurality of similar rigid open-ended tube sections (1) articulated in head-to-tail relationship around hinge pins (3) perpendicular to a longitudinal median plane of the push beam (10). A number of plates (2) corresponding to the number of hinge pins (3) are each connected for tilting movement to one of the hinge pins (3), with the plate portions situated on either side of the hinge pins (3) disposed in the tubular section (1) located on the corresponding side, and having a width smaller than the width of the section (1). An inflatable hose, such as an inner-arc hose, which may be segmented, said hose having a length shorter than the total length of the series of sections but exceeding the distance between the outer or outermost hinge pins is provided within the series of sections to extend in longitudinal direction in the space on the same side of the hinge pins (3). The hose has closable supply means for a pressure fluid operative for inflating the hose.

Description: This invention relates to a fluid pressure operated push beam comprising a plurality of similar rigid open-ended tube sections articulated in head-to-tail relationship around hinge pins perpendicular to a longitudinal median plane of the beam, an inflatable hose or hose segments interconnected to form a hose, said hose having a length which is longer than the distance between the first and last hinge pins of the beam, the hose being provided within the sections of the beam in longitudinal direction and further having closable supply means for a pressure fluid for inflating the hose. Such a beam is known from US-A-3420331. The known beam IS in a coiled configuration when the hose extending through the pivotally connected tubular sections is deflated. By inflating the hose the beam will uncoil and straighten. Though such a beam may have its uses it is often not possible to use a beam which in rest is coiled. Moreover it is difficult to bring the known beam from the uncoiled position again into the coiled position. The present invention therefore provides a push beam which avoids the above problems and which is of simple construction and operation. According to the present invention a push beam of the type disclosed above is characterized by a number of tiltable elements (2) each provided with at least one hinge pin (3), wherein each tiltable element extends on either side of its at least one hinge pin (3) in the adjacent tubular sections and has a width smaller than the width of the sections in such a manner that the tubular sections and the tiltable elements are pivotable with respect to each other, and wherein the inflatable hose (4) is located at the same side of all of the tiltable elements. The operation of the push beam according to the present invention is controlled by the operation of the inflatable hose or hoses of the push beam. By inflating or deflating the hose within the scope of the present invention the hose will expand or shrink in radial direction, said inflation or deflation being effected by supplying to, or discharging from, the hose a pressure fluid, e.g. a gas, such as air, or a liquid, such as water. Explained, for the sake of simplicity, on the basis of an air-operated hose, the operation of a push beam according to the present invention is such that by inflating the hose, it will tend to expand on all sides. This increase in volume, however, is impeded adjacent the hinge pins, so that the hose is constricted at that location relatively to those portions of the hose located in the areas between the hinge pins, where the transverse expansion of the hose can develop much further. Due to the unequal transverse expansion, the hose gets an irregular contour as viewed in longitudinal direction. In the areas between the hinge pins, the pressurized hose will press forcibly on one side against the plates, and on the other side against the inner wall of the tube sections, whereby each plate relative to the two tube sections connected to the hinge pin of the plate, will eventually occupy a position of equilibrium that fits in the combined action of forces acting on the plate and the sections. In its totality, the push beam will become curved to a rigid arc by the forces exerted by the inflated hose, with the inner arc being formed on the side of the hose abutting against the inner wall of the tubular sections of the push beam. In the cavity within the series of tubular sections there may be provided a second inflatable hose on the other side of the hinge pins. By regulating the compressed-gas control for the two hoses in mutually dependent relationship, e.g. via a known per se five-way valve, the functioning of the two hoses can be adjusted to one another in such a manner that e.g. a push beam bent into an arcuate shape is stretched again by inflating the hose present on the side of the outer arc of the push beam, or the outer arc hose, with concomitant deflation of the hose present on the inner arc side, i.e. the inner arc hose. Through a coupled compressed gas control of the inner arc and outer hoses, it is also easier to accomplish fine adjustment of the working position of the push beam, so that, all in all, an embodument of the push beam according to the present invention with two hoses is preferred. The present invention also relates to an apparatus comprising one or more, mostly three, push beams according to the present invention which cooperate, for example, to support a loading platform, with the resulting apparatus being useful as an aid in loading and unloading. The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic, longitudinal section of a push beam in operating position, having a single inflatable hose; Fig. 2 is a perspective side view of an apparatus comprising a pallet loading platform supported by four push beams erected in operating position, only two of which are shown, which apparatus is usable especially as an aid in loading and unloading a so-called three-or five-door station wagon cum passenger car; and Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line III-III of Fig. 2. The same reference numerals in Figs. 1-3 of the drawings relate to members having analogous functions. Fig. 1 shows at 10 a push beam in a position wherein hose 4 is inflated with a gas. The push beam 10 is composed of a plurality of sections 1, each having the form of a flat tube of rectangular cross section, made from construction metal. Sections 1 are articulated through hinge pins 3. The hinge pins are situated a short distance below the centre of the sections between the outer and inner arcs formed by push beam 10. Fig. 1 shows at 2 sheet iron plates tilting around hinge pins 3. In the space within the push beam, a dotted line indicates the contours of the inflated inner arc hose 4. In the spaces 8 of the tubular sections 1 on the other side of hinge pins 3, a second inflatable hose or outer arc hose may be provided, analogously to the inner arc hose 4, and which can also be inflated with a compressed gas, such as compressed air. The compressed air control of the separate hoses can be interconnected, with advantage, e.g. via a five-way valve, for purposes to be explained hereinafter. In the erected position of the push beam, it can be moved over the ground, e.g. a floor, on which it is installed, by means of one or more wheels or rolls 5 provided on the ends of the push beam. In the apparatus shown in Fig. 2, suitable in particular as an aid in loading and unloading a station wagon, two push beams 10 according to the present invention are mounted underneath each of the loading beams 7, only two of said beams 10 being shown for the sake of convenience. Loading beams 7 are constructed as flat members usable as guide channels and which are mounted with the bottom upwards and in which push beams 10 are slidable as in slides. Loading beams 7 are interconnected by means of bridge beam 6 to form a rigid construction. The apparatus shown in Fig. 3 is in the operating position, in which inner arc hoses 4,4″, abutting against the inner arc of push beam 10, are inflated with compressed air. When push beam 10 is in the rest position, i.e. the hose or hoses of the push beam have been deflated, push beams 10 are in a stretched position and are locked in that position within loading beams 7, as indicated at 10′. A substantial part of road transport of goods takes place in station wagons or in vans. Due to the presence of an upwardly hinging tail board as a third or fifth door, mechanical loading or unloading of such wagons or vans by means of a fork lift truck is not possible. For such a truck has a vertical upright and, as a result, cannot approach sufficiently close the station wagon, whose tail board is hinged upwards. A so-called hand pallet truck, it is true, lacks an upright, but cannot sufficiently lift the load, so that in actual practice, station wagons are loaded and unloaded manually. Naturally, this creates a problem in the case of heavy loads, so that often more persons are needed. The loading of the station wagon can take place in a simple manner, however, when use is made of an apparatus according to the present invention, as shown in Fig. 2, in the following manner. The load to be transported is placed on the loading platform 9, which is lifted to the appropriate level by inflating inner arc hoses 4, 4″ (Fig. 3). If placed on a pallet the load can be easily supplied by a fork lift truck and be placed, together with the pallet, on loading platform 9. Subsequently, the loading apparatus is pushed in the direction of the station wagon (arrow P). By means of compressed air, and by adjustment of the pressure of the air in the outer-arc and inner-arc hoses 4, 4′, 4″, 4‴ (Fig.3), loading platform 9 is brought to a level slightly above the floor level of the station wagon and the loading apparatus is then pushed further until the ends of loading beams 7 are above the floor of the station wagon, after which the relevant push beams 10 facing the station wagon are stretched by inflation of the outer arc hose 4′, with simultaneous deflation of the inner-arc hose 4, i.e. are collapsed in the load beams 7 to about the position indicated in Fig. 2 at 10′, in which the ends of loading beams 7 are lowered onto the floor of the wagon. Subsequently, the two push beams are moved substantially horizontally in stretched form in the loading beam in the direction of the station wagon until the rolls 5' at the end of the two push beams are disposed above the floor of the wagon. Then, the loading apparatus is entirely lifted again somewhat in horizontal position by slightly inflating the inner arc hoses 4, 4" so that the whole is pushed by loading 7 over the ground floor or over the push beam rolls 5' in the wagon, further into the wagon until the push beam still outside the wagon prevents this. At this moment, the load is already in the wagon and the loading apparatus can be lowered onto the loading floor by again simultaneously stretching the relevant push beams 10. Then, the push beams with the rolls 5 are deflated and stretched in the loading beams 7 and pushed horizontally with the loading platform further into the wagon until said rolls 5 are present above the loading floor. Now that all rolls are jointly present in the wagon, the entire loading apparatus, together with the load, after having been lifted slightly, and after supply of a little air to the hoses, is pushed further into the wagon. By subsequently deflating all inner and outer arc hoses 4,4′,4″,4‴, the loading apparatus rests entirely on the loading floor of the wagon. The unloading of the load and the loading apparatus takes place in reverse order. The inflation of the outer and inner arc hoses 4,4′,4″,4‴ (Fig. 3) can be performed with a simple commercially available compressor, driven by power supplied from the battery of the station wagon. It is observed that, depending on the height of a tubular section 1, the position of the hinge pin 3 and hence of the plate 2 connected tiltingly to the hinge pin, is variable within given limits, with the eventually chosen position of the tilting plates 2 determining the extent of hinging of two adjoining sections relative to one another. It is then possible to select the position of the tilting plate 2 within the radial dimension of the section in such a manner that in the presence of an outer-arc hose and an inner-arc hose, the push beam is bendable to two sides relatively to the stretched position thereof. Based on the above described effect on the behaviour of the push beam according to the present invention upon the supply or discharge of pressure fluid, e.g. compressed air, to or from the hoses, other applications of a push beam according to the present invention are possible in addition to that described for supporting a loading and unloading apparatus. For instance, the free end of such a push beam will execute a reciprocating movement when the position of one of the ends is fixed during inflation or deflation of the hose or of either of the two hoses. Due to this reciprocating movement of a push beam according to the present invention, the function of a cylinder-and-piston assembly can be taken over by such a push beam. Thus, a push beam according to the present invention can be used effectively for the pneumatic remote control of a valve in piping. The advantage of the use of a push beam in this case is that the friction effect, as encountered in the piston of a piston-and-cylinder assembly, in particular when little use is made thereof, as a result of which such a cylinder-and-piston assembly has to be overdimensioned, is absent in the push beam according to the present invention. Another advantageous application of a push beam according to present invention is that for a bed-lifting device, in particular a hospital bed. In principle, such an application can be explained with reference to the apparatus shown in Fig. 2. When this apparatus shown in Fig. 2 is placed with the loading beams 7 on the ground, e.g. a floor, and the ends of the push beams are hinge-connected to rods provided e.g. at the head end and foot end of the bed between the legs of the bed, the bed will be lifted or lowered as a result of the curving and stretching of the push beams via the inflation or deflation of the hoses. The major advantage of this application according to the present invention is that the bedded patient can himself operate the lifting device without help from a nurse, which was not possible up to now. For instance, in analogy thereto, it is possible to operate a lifting floor in a water-containing practice bath for disabled persons, in which case the water available in the bath can itself be used as the pressure fluid to be supplied to, or removed from, the hose or hoses of one or more push beams. Naturally, modifications can be made on the push beam according to the present invention, as described hereinbefore and as shown in the accompanying drawings, without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed. For instance each plate 2 could have two parallel hinge pins, so that each tube section would be connected to a plate by its own hinge pin.

Claims: A fluid pressure operated push beam (10) comprising a plurality of similar rigid open-ended tube sections (1) articulated in head-to-tail relationship around hinge pins (3) perpendicular to a longitudinal median plane of the beam, an inflatable hose (4) or hose segments interconnected to form a hose (4), said hose having a length which is longer than the distance between the first and last hinge pins of the beam, the hose being provided within the sections of the beam in longitudinal direction and further having closable supply means for a pressure fluid for inflating the hose, characterized by a number of tiltable elements (2) each provided with at least one hinge pin (3), wherein each tiltable element extends on either side of its at least one hinge pin (3) in the adjacent tubular sections and has a width smaller than the width of the sections in such a manner that the tubular sections and the tiltable elements are pivotable with respect to each other, and wherein the inflatable hose (4) is located at the same side of all of the tiltable elements. A push beam as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the sections (1) are tube lengths made from a metal having sufficient natural solidity to resist the occurring forces. A push beam as claimed in claims 1-2, characterized in that each plate (2) has two parallel hinge pins (3) for hinge-connecting per each hing pin (3) a section (1) to the plate (2). A push beam as claimed in claims 1-3, characterized in that within the series of sections, there is provided a second inflatable hose or outer arc hose or interconnected hose segments (4' ,4"') longitudianally within the space (8) on the other side of the hinge pins (3), said outer arc hose also being provided with closable supply means for the pressure fluid. A push beam as claimed in claims 1-4, characterized in that the ends of the series of sections are provided with travelling means (5,5'). A push beam as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the inner and outer arc hoses (4,4",4',4"') are connected to a multi-way valve for the fluid pressure control thereof. Apparatus comprising a lifting platform and suitable for use as an aid in loading and unloading, characterized in that the lifting platform (9) is operatively associated with one or more push beams (10) as claimed in claims 1-6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the lifting platform (9) comprises two parallel, interconnected loading beams (7) to be placed unterneath a pallet, and that at least one push beam (10) is placed underneath each loading beam (7) thereof. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the loading beams (7) are constructed as flat members usable as guide channels, said members being mounted bottoms up and the push beams (10) being mounted for sliding movement therein. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the apparatus is connected to a bed, in particular a hospital bed, optimally mounted on wheels or rollers, for lifting and lowering the bed. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the loading beams (7) are disposed with their bottoms facing the floor and the ends of the respective push beams (10) are hinge-connected to the bed at the level of the head end and the foot end, respectively. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the bed is connected to a frame resting on the floor and the bed is provided with four legs mounted telescopically in four complementary, vertically arranged tubes connected to the frame. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the apparatus is connected to a lifting floor provided in a water-containing practice bath for disabled persons, for lifting and lowering said lifting floor. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that means are provided for supplying and discharging the water available in the practice bath to and from the hoses for curving and stretching the push beams, respectively.

Inventors: BLOEMENDAL, BEREND JAN, GROOTTE BROMHAAR, MARINUS JOHANNUS
Applicants: PERSLUCHTRING ADVIES B.V.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: B66F3
IPC codes: B66F3, B66F13, F16M11, A61G7, B66F7