Abstract:
An air hoist, also referred to as a winding machine, includes an air motor with a manifold thereon, a valve plate and an operating valve. The air motor includes a reversably rotatable drum about which an elongated load-carrying element, such as a chain or cable, is wound to permit lifting or lowering of a load. The drum is driven in either a clockwise or counterclockwise manner, thereby causing lowering or lifting, by fluid pressure supplied by a pneumatic or air supply. The lowering or lifting is controlled by fluid direction through the manifold, valve plate and operating valve which is controlled by the position of the operating valve. The manifold, valve plate and single operating valve being of a unique design and configuration.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Technical Field  
           [0002]    This invention relates to an improved pneumatic powered drive such as an air hoist using pressurized air to lift or lower a load. The lifting or lowering is controlled by fluid pressure and direction through the manifold, valve plate and operating valve which is controlled by the position of the operating valve causing alignment of various passages. The hoist including a unique air flow passage design defined by the manifold, valve plate and operating valve which when in a certain position causes lifting while in another lowering.  
           [0003]    2. Background Information  
           [0004]    Air hoists or like devices have been known and used for years. General air hoists are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,566,675 and 5,725,199. Air hoists, which are often referred to as winding machines, are basically hoists driven by an air motors. The air motors use air to drive a rotatable drive wheel or the like which rotates causing a chain, belt or other drive device wrapped therearound to move. Such air motors are typically operated using manual throttle valves operated by a worker by hand to actuate an air cylinder to control or direct fluid flow in the air motor. The air drives the lifting or lowering.  
           [0005]    In U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,199 for instance, the winding machine includes a chain, a winding portion with the chain wound around its outer periphery, and an air motor for rotating the winding portion with high-pressure air supplied from an air supply source. The air motor includes a rotary air motor capable of rotating in normal and reverse directions. An air amount adjustment mechanism is also provided an includes an air supply valve, a first operation unit, and a second operation unit. The first operation is operated so as to rotate the air motor in a normal direction, thereby raising the load; while the second operation is operated so as to rotate the air motor in a reverse direction, thereby lowering the load. The result is a complex structure requiring duplicative parts and passages to accomplish bidirectional operation (that is lifting and lowering).  
           [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,675 similarly requires multiple, in its case three, throttle valves to perform lifting, lowering and holding. Thus, many air hoists designs exist; however, it is desirous to invent an air hoist of a simplified design which includes only one operating valve.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    Objectives of the invention include providing a new pneumatic powered drive that may be used as an air hoist.  
           [0008]    These and other objectives of the invention are obtained by the improved pneumatic powered drive of the present invention including an operating valve with an elongated interior chamber that has a plurality of intersecting valve ports. The operating valve further has a baffle slidable in the elongated chamber by a handle extending outside of the interior chamber. The pneumatic powered drive also includes a valve mount plate with a plurality of passages therein where each passage is aligned with one of the valve ports in the operating valve when the operating valve is mounted on the valve mount plate. The pneumatic powered drive also has a manifold with a plurality of channels each having-a plate end and an air motor end where each plate ends aligns with one of the passages when the valve mount plate is mounted on the manifold. The aligned plurality of passages and channels define a plurality of fluid passage one of which is an inlet fluid passage. The pneumatic powered drive also has an air motor that includes an air inlet connected to an air passage connectable the inlet fluid passage when the manifold is mounted on the air motor. The air motor also includes a plurality of motor ports where each are aligned with a different fluid passage and where the motor ports provide fluid access to a drive chamber in the air motor in which motor shaft is drivable. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    Preferred embodiments of the invention, illustrative of the best modes in which the applicant has contemplated applying the principles, are set forth in the following description and are shown in the drawings and are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is an overall view of the pneumatic powered drive of the present invention including an air motor with a manifold, a valve plate and an operating valve;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a top view of the operating valve of the pneumatic powered drive of FIG. 1;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2A is a bottom view of the operating valve of the pneumatic powered drive of FIG. 1;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a top view of the valve plate of the pneumatic powered drive of FIG. 1;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a top view of the manifold of the pneumatic powered drive of FIG. 1;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4A is a top view of one embodiment of the top surface of the air motor against which manifold seats;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the pneumatic powered drive of FIG. 1 in a neutral position;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the pneumatic powered drive of FIG. 1 in a lifting or up travel position; and  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the pneumatic powered drive of FIG. 1 in a lowering or down travel position. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0019]    Referring now to the drawing, the overall arrangement of the preferred embodiment of the pneumatic powered drive  10  is shown in FIG. 1. This new pneumatic powered drive  10  uses a single operating valve  12  fluidly coupled with a valve mount plate  14  fluidly coupled with a manifold  16  to control the air hoist between lifting, neutral and lowering motions. The manifold  16  is attached and fluidly coupled to an air motor  18  which receives pressurized fluid such as air from a pressurized fluid source (not shown).  
         [0020]    Air motor  18  as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 5- 7  is a body  30  which includes an air inlet  32 , an optional air filter  34 , an optional air lubricator  36 , a first air motor-manifold port  38 , a second air motor-manifold port  40 , a third air motor-manifold port  42 , a fourth air motor-manifold port  44 , a fifth air motor-manifold port  46 , a drive chamber  48 , a first air outlet or exhaust  50 , and a second air outlet or exhaust  52 .  
         [0021]    Manifold  16  as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 is a rigid plate that is securely attached or integrally molded to a surface of air motor  18  in which ports  38 - 46  exist. Manifold  16  includes a first manifold channel or passage  60 , a second manifold channel or passage  62  with a spoke passage  64  optionally extending therefrom, a third manifold channel or passage  66 , a fourth manifold channel or passage  68 , and a fifth manifold channel or passage  70 .  
         [0022]    Valve mount plate  14  as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 is a rigid plate that is securely attached to manifold  16  opposite air motor  18 . Valve plate  14  includes a first mount plate passage  80 , a second mount plate passage  82 , a third mount plate passage  84 , a fourth mount plate passage  86 , and a fifth mount plate passage  88 .  
         [0023]    Operating valve  12  as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is an elongated structure that is securely attached to the valve mount plate and includes a first valve port  100 , a second valve port  102 , a third valve port  104 , a fourth valve port  106  and a fifth valve port  108 . The operating valve further includes an elongated chamber therein in which a baffle such as a piston sealably slides and extends from and is attached to a handle  120 . The valve ports  100 - 108  all fluidly interconnect to the elongated chamber. The piston slides within the chamber and includes sealable parts and open or fluid flowing parts where the fluid flowing parts are either reduced diameter areas, sections removed from the piston or passages within the piston.  
         [0024]    In more detail in one preferred embodiment, the passages or channels of manifold  16  are of specific configurations. First manifold channel or passage  60  is of an arcuate nature as best shown in FIG. 4. Channel  60  is an elongated channel of a cross section that is generally semi-circular except that one end of the channel includes a circular port alignable with port  38 . The channel arcs in a ¼ circular manner from the circular port and then at its other end straightens out. The channel, except for the circular port that substantially perpendicularly passes through manifold  16 , is planar in nature to the substantially planer manifold  16 .  
         [0025]    Second manifold channel or passage  62  is a port perpendicularly passing through the planer manifold. The optional spoke passage  64  radially extends from the port-like passage  62  and then arcs slightly until it concludes in a port perpendicular to the planar manifold which is connected to a braking system. As a result, when pressurized air passes through the passage  62 , the brake spoke also receives the air and communicates with an air or pneumaitc actuated braking system.  
         [0026]    Third manifold channel or passage  66  is a short slot that is planar with the manifold, and includes a port perpendicular to the manifold at one end thereof. The cross section of the slot is semi-circular.  
         [0027]    Fourth manifold channel or passage  68  is very similar to passage  66  except that it is a longer slot that is planar with the manifold, and includes a port perpendicular to the manifold at one end thereof. The cross section of the slot is semi-circular.  
         [0028]    Fifth manifold channel or passage  70  is arcuate in nature. Channel  70  is an elongated channel of a cross section that is generally semi-circular (but of a lesser diameter than the other channels) except that one end of the channel includes a circular port alignable with port  46 . The channel arcs in less than a ¼ circular manner at one end and then straightens out for a long leg that concludes with the circular port alignable with port  46 . The channel, except for the circular port that substantially perpendicularly passes through manifold  16 , is planar in nature to the substantially planer manifold  16 .  
         [0029]    Numerous other ports or the like are within the manifold as shown in the Figures. These are necessary for part connection purposes such as connecting the manifold to the air motor. The manifold also includes seal grooves along the periphery of every channel  60 - 70  for the purpose of receiving a seal when the valve plate is engaged therewith. This provides for sealed connection therebetween. Such sealing arrangement is also provided between the other key parts such as the operating valve and the valve plate.  
         [0030]    In assembly, operating valve  12  is securely attached to and aligned with valve mount plate  14  which in turn is securely attached to and aligned with manifold  16  which is securely attached to and aligned with the air motor  18 . As a result, first air motor-manifold port  38  is fluidly coupled to first manifold passage  60  which is fluidly coupled to first mount plate passage  80  which is fluidly coupled to first valve port  100  defining an input or first fluid passage P 1  to the operating valve. Four other fluid passages are similarly defined, namely a second fluid passage P 2  defined by the fluid connection of second air motor-manifold port  40 , second manifold passage  62 , second mount plate passage  82 , and second valve port  102 ; a third fluid passage P 3  defined by the fluid connection of third air motor-manifold port  42 , third manifold passage  66 , third mount plate passage  84 , and third valve port  104 ; a fourth fluid passage P 4  defined by the fluid connection of fourth air motor-manifold port  44 , fourth manifold passage  68 , fourth mount plate passage  86 , and fourth valve port  106 ; and a fifth fluid passage P 5  defined by the fluid connection of fifth air motor-manifold port  46 , fifth manifold passage  70 , fifth mount plate passage  88 , and fifth valve port  108 .  
         [0031]    In operation, when the operating valve  12  is in a neutral or braked position, the handle  120  is in a resting or center position as shown in FIG. 5. Air provided to air inlet  32  proceeds into air filter  34 , air lubricator  36  and into the input or first fluid passage P 1  (first air motor-manifold port  38 , first manifold passage  60 , first mount plate passage  80 , and first valve port  100 ). Once the air reaches first valve port  100  it is contained, stopped or otherwise blocked from further advancement by a piston, gate or other structure within operating valve  12 . In addition, a brake is in its default position which is always an applied position as a safety feature. As a result, the motor shaft or other drive device such as drive wheel or the like (so long as it is drivable by air pressure) is not driven or rotated and thus any elongated load carrying element such as a chain, belt, or other drive device wrapped therearound is not advanced so its load thereon is not lifted or lowered.  
         [0032]    When the operating valve  12  is in an up travel position, the handle  120  is in a pulled back position as shown in FIG. 6 by arrow  128 . Air provided to air inlet  32  proceeds into air filter  34 , air lubricator  36  and into the input or first fluid passage P 1  (first air motor-manifold port  38 , first manifold passage  60 , first mount plate passage  80 , and first valve port  100 ). Once the air reaches first valve port  100  it is directed by the piston, gate or other structure within operating valve  12  into and through the second fluid passage P 2  (second air motor-manifold port  40 , second manifold passage  62 , second mount plate passage  82 , and second valve port  102 ). Once the air reaches second air motor-manifold port  40 , it is released into the drive chamber  48  on a first side of the motor shaft thereby driving it in an up travel direction or counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 6 by arrow  130 . In addition, as the air passed through second manifold passage  62 , a small portion is directed into passage  64  thereby releasing the air brake fluidly connected thereto. The air continues out of the drive chamber  48  and into third fluid passage P 3  (third air motor-manifold port  42 , third manifold passage  66 , third mount plate passage  84 , and third valve port  104 ) where once it reaches third valve port  104  it is directed by the piston, gate or other structure within operating valve  12  into and through the fourth fluid passage P 4  (fourth air motor-manifold port  44 , fourth manifold passage  68 , fourth mount plate passage  86 , and fourth valve port  106 ). After the air passes through this fourth fluid passage P 4  and specifically through fourth air mount-manifold port  44 , it is released into the atmosphere at first air outlet  50 . As long as the handles remains pulled back and the operating valve open as defined above in this paragraph, the motor shaft is rotated causing lifting or up travel. As soon as the handle  120  is released, it springs back to the neutral position and all travel stops.  
         [0033]    When the operating valve  12  is in a down travel position, the handle  120  is in a pushed forward position as shown in FIG. 7 by arrow  138 . Air provided to air inlet  32  proceeds into air filter  34 , air lubricator  36  and into the input or first fluid passage P 1  (first air motor-manifold port  38 , first manifold passage  60 , first mount plate passage  80 , and first valve port  100 ). Once the air reaches first valve port  100  it is directed by the piston, gate or other structure within operating valve  12  into and through the third fluid passage P 3  (third air motor-manifold port  42 , third manifold passage  66 , third mount plate passage  84 , and third valve port  104 ). Once the air reaches third air motor-manifold port  42 , it is released into the drive chamber  48  on a second side of the motor shaft thereby driving it in a down travel direction or clockwise as shown in FIG. 7 by arrow  140 . The air continues out of the drive chamber  48  and into second fluid passage P 2  (second air motor-manifold port  40 , second manifold passage  62 , second mount plate passage  82 , and second valve port  102 ). As the air passed through second manifold passage  62 , a small portion is directed into passage  64  thereby releasing the air brake fluidly connected thereto. Once the air reaches second valve port  102  it is directed by the piston, gate or other structure within operating valve  12  toward the fifth fluid passage P 5  (fifth air motor-manifold port  46 , fifth manifold passage  70 , fifth mount plate passage  88 , and fifth valve port  108 ). After the air passes through this fifth fluid passage P 5  and specifically through fifth air mount-manifold port  46 , it is released into the atmosphere at second air outlet  52 . As long as the handles remains pushed forward and the operating valve open as defined above in this paragraph, the motor shaft is rotated causing lowering or down travel. As soon as the handle  120  is released, it springs back to the neutral position and all travel stops.  
         [0034]    As is readily apparent from the above description, the pneumatic powered drive  10  is operated between a lifting, neutral or braked, and lowering action by only one operating valve  12  using a unique operating valve construction fluidly connected to a unique valve mount  14  and manifold  16  defining unique fluid passages therein.  
         [0035]    Accordingly, the improved air hoist is simplified, provides an effective, safe, inexpensive, and efficient device which achieves all the enumerated objectives, provides for eliminating difficulties encountered with prior devices, and solves problems and obtains new results in the art.  
         [0036]    In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding; but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art, because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.  
         [0037]    Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is by way of example, and the scope of the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.  
         [0038]    Having now described the features, discoveries and principles of the invention, the manner in which the improved bat and ball game is constructed and used, the characteristics of the construction, and the advantageous, new and useful results obtained; the new and useful structures, devices, elements, arrangements, parts and combinations, are set forth in the appended claims.