Patent Publication Number: US-2003223848-A1

Title: Sheet material transferring apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates to an apparatus utilized to transfer or transport a sheet of material.  
       [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art  
       [0004] Transferring a sheet of material, such as wood or metal, can be difficult and awkward. A typical sheet of wood is 4×8, ¾″ thick and weighs approximately 110 lbs. If a single worker attempts to manually transfer or transport the sheet of material, the sheet of material may be dropped and damaged. If the sheet of material is damaged, a new sheet of material will need to purchased which can be very expensive. Furthermore, the worker can become injured while attempting to transfer the sheet of material.  
       [0005] Currently, there are devices that assist in the transferring of a sheet of material. The problem with these transferring devices is that there is no mechanism that allows the sheet of material to be moved conveniently from the transferring device to the top surface of a table. Therefore, the worker would need to lift the sheet of material from the transferring device and place the sheet of material onto the work table so that the worker can work on the sheet of material. As described above, improper lifting or dropping the sheet of material can possibly damage the sheet of material, as well as, possibly injure the worker. The present invention solves the problems of possibly damaging the sheet of material, as well as, possibly injuring the worker lifting the sheet of material.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006] The present invention comprises, in one form thereof, a sheet material transferring apparatus having a shaft and a clamping means that is rotatably connected to the shaft for clamping a sheet of material and rotating the sheet of material into a desired orientation to allow movement of the apparatus and sheet of material about the shop floor. Also, a wheel is connected to the shaft.  
       [0007] The present invention comprises, in another form thereof, a sheet material transferring apparatus having a first shaft and a second shaft wherein the second shaft is connected to the first shaft. Also, a clamping means is rotatably connected to the first shaft for clamping a sheet of material and setting the clamp to various orientations. Two or more wheels are connected to the second shaft.  
       [0008] The present invention, comprises, in yet another form thereof, a sheet material transferring apparatus having an adjustable first shaft perpendicularly connected to a second shaft. Two wheels are connected on opposing ends of the second shaft. A clamp is rotatably connected to the first shaft and a knob is connected to the rotatable clamp for adjusting the rotatable clamp and setting the clamp to various orientations.  
       [0009] An advantage of the present invention is that a worker is able to transfer a sheet of material across a room and place that sheet of material onto a table without any assistance from another worker.  
       [0010] Another advantage of the present invention is that a worker is able to transfer a sheet of material onto the work table without damaging the sheet of material.  
       [0011] A further advantage of the present invention is that a worker is able to transfer a sheet of material onto a work table with less risk of injury to themself.  
       [0012] Yet another advantage of the present invention is that a worker is able to work on the sheet of material, such as with a table saw, without an additional worker to guide the sheet of material into the table saw. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0013] The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
     [0014]FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of the sheet transferring apparatus carrying a sheet of material in one form of the present invention;  
     [0015]FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic side view of the sheet transferring apparatus carrying a sheet of material in another form of the present invention;  
     [0016]FIG. 3 is a top view of another form of the present invention; and  
     [0017]FIG. 4 is a front view of yet another form of the present invention. 
    
    
     [0018] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates one preferred embodiment of the invention, in one form, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.  
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0019] Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown a sheet transferring apparatus  10  of the present invention carrying an item, for example a sheet of material  26 . Sheet of material  26  can be formed from wood, metal, glass, plastic or an elastomeric material. The present invention is not limited to these particular materials and other materials can be utilized as well. Furthermore, sheet of material  26  is not limited to the shape as shown in FIG. 1, but can be different sizes and dimensions than that shown in FIG. 1.  
     [0020] In one embodiment, sheet transferring apparatus  10  has a first shaft  12  and a clamping means  16  rotatably connected to first shaft  12 . Clamping means  16  is utilized to clamp sheet of material  26 . As shown in FIG. 3, clamping means  16  is U-shaped but can be other shapes, such as square or circular shaped. Clamping means  16  is rotatably connected to first shaft  12  SO that once sheet of material  26  is clamped, sheet of material  26  can be rotated into different positions relative to first shaft  12 . Sheet of material  26  can be rotated onto the top surface of a workbench, or rotated to be worked on with a machine, such as a table saw. Sheet of material  26  while gripped in clamping means  16  can be rotated into other positions as well.  
     [0021] First shaft  12  has a small opening (not shown) formed therethrough utilized for mounting clamping means  16 . An adjustment knob  20  has a threaded member  30 , as shown in FIG. 3, that is inserted into the opening formed in first shaft  12  is attached into the back of clamping means  16 . Adjustment knob  20  is rotated in a clockwise direction causing threaded member  30  of knob  20  to travel through the bottom of clamping means  16 . Prior to or after threaded member  30  of knob  20  goes through the bottom of clamping means  16 , a pad  28  can be connected to the end of threaded member  30 . Pad  28  will ensure that sheet of material  26  is not damaged when clamped by clamping means  16 . Clamping means  16  can be connected to first shaft  12  in other ways, such as using a fastener to connect clamping means  16  to first shaft  12  that allows clamping means  16  to rotate relative to first shaft  12 .  
     [0022] In one form of the present invention, clamping means  16  has spring loaded cams  18  as shown in FIG. 3 and will be described in more detail in the description of the operation of the present invention. If sheet of material  26  is plastic or glass, clamping means  16  can have suction cups on the end of clamping means  16  to securely hold sheet of material  26 . Clamping means  16  can also be a vice having jaws wherein a spindle is connected to the vice and the spindle is rotated clockwise to tighten the jaws of clamping means  16  and the spindle is rotated counterclockwise to loosen the jaws of clamping means  16 . Other types of clamping means can be utilized as well.  
     [0023] A handle  24 , as shown in FIG. 4, can be connected to first shaft  12 . Handle  24  can be a part of first shaft  12  with an opening in the center, as shown in FIG. 4, in which a worker can insert their hand into the opening and grip handle  24 . Handle  24  can also be a member extending from first shaft  12 , as shown in FIG. 1, and a worker can grip the extended member which acts as handle  24 .  
     [0024] In one form of the present invention, a wheel  22  is connected to the distal end of first shaft  12 , as shown in FIG. 1 using a bolt, fastener or welding. Wheel  22  swivels in relation to the longitudinal axis of first shaft  12  but alternatively, wheel  22  can be stationary in relation to the longitudinal axis of first shaft  12 . Other methods of connecting wheel  12  to the distal end of first shaft  12  can be utilized as well.  
     [0025] In another form of the present invention, a second shaft  14  can be connected to first  12 , as shown in FIG. 2. Second shaft  14  connects to first shaft  12  using a T-shaped handrail connector (not shown). The T-shaped handrail connector has an opening in the horizontal direction and an opening in the vertical direction. Second shaft  14  is inserted into the horizontal opening and first shaft  12  is inserted into the vertical opening of the T-shaped connector. First shaft  12  and second shaft  14  are held into place within the T-shaped connector using a lock screw connection. First shaft  12  can be moved and screwed into place anywhere along the entire longitudinal axis of the T-shaped connector surrounding the opening allowing for the adjustment of the height of sheet transferring apparatus  10 .  
     [0026] Another way to adjust the height of sheet transferring apparatus  10  is to use a straight line connector  32  which can be used to connect first shaft  12  and second shaft  14 , as shown in FIG. 5. The straight line connector has a single opening in which one end of each of first shaft  12  and second shaft  14  can be inserted into each side of straight line connector  32 . After first shaft  12  and second shaft  14  are inserted into straight line connector  32 , tightening screws  34  are used to secure first shaft  12  and second shaft  14  to straight line connector  32 . To adjust the height of sheet transferring apparatus  10 , either of tightening screws  34  can be loosened and one or more of the shafts can be moved within straight line connector  32  and then tightening screws  34  are used to secure first shaft  12  and second shaft  14  to straight line connector  32 .  
     [0027] Also, one end of first shaft  12  can be filleted. The filleted end of first shaft  12  can then be welded to the outer diameter of second shaft  14   e .s. FIGS. 2, 3, and  4 .  
     [0028] Another means of connecting first shaft  12  and second shaft  14  is to have first shaft  12  larger in diameter than second shaft  14 . Holes can be drilled into the outer diameter of first shaft  12  and a screw can be inserted into one of the holes on the exterior of shaft  12  to secure first shaft  12  to second shaft  14 . The shafts can then be adjusted in relation to one another based on where first shaft  12  is screwed into contact with the outer diameter of second shaft  14 .  
     [0029] In various forms of the invention, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, second shaft  14  is connected perpendicular at its appropriate midpoint to first shaft  12 . Wheel  22  is connected to each end of second shaft  14  using bolts, fasteners or welding. First shaft  12  can be inserted into an opening in the outer diameter of second shaft  14 . In one form of the present invention, one or more of wheels  22  connected to second shaft  14  are co-linear to a line  36  parallel to first shaft  12 . An example of at least one of wheels  22  being co-linear to line  36  parallel to first shaft  12  is shown in FIG. 2. Wheels  22  do not need to be co-linear to line  36  and other arrangements of wheels  22  can be utilized as well.  
     [0030] In operation, sheet of material  26  is inserted into clamping means  26  as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and  4 . Knob  20  is turned in a clockwise direction causing threaded member  30  to protrude through the bottom of clamping means  16 . Threaded member  30  has pad  28  on the end protruding through the bottom of clamping means  16 . As knob  20  continues to be turned clockwise, pad  28  comes into contact with the end of sheet of material  26  that was inserted into clamping means  16 . As knob  20  continues to be turned in a clockwise direction, threaded member  30  pushes the end of sheet of material  26  away from clamping means  16 . This pushing of sheet of material  26  away from clamping means  16  causes cams  18  to rotate slightly creating a gradually tighter grip onto sheet of material  26 . Once a desired grip is applied to sheet of material  26 , the worker moves to the end of sheet of material  26  distal to sheet transferring apparatus  10 . The worker picks up the end of sheet of material  26  distal to sheet transferring apparatus  10  and pulls clamped sheet of material  26  in the direction of the desired destination for sheet of material  26 . Wheels  22  on sheet transferring apparatus  10  allow for ease of transfer of sheet of material  26  to a worktable (not shown) or other desired destination. Once the worker gets clamped sheet of material  26  to the worktable, sheet of material  26  is rotated either by manually grabbing clamped sheet of material  26  and rotating it or by manually rotating clamping means  16  until sheet of material  26  is parallel to the top surface of the worktable. The distance between the top of the worktable and bottom of sheet of material  26  is minimal. Knob  20  is turned in a counterclockwise direction gradually loosening the grip on sheet of material  26 . Once threaded member  30  and pad  28  are no longer in contact with sheet of material  26 , the worker manually releases one or more of cams  18  and sheet of material  26  can be removed from sheet transferring apparatus  10 . Sheet transferring apparatus  10  is then moved away from sheet of material  26  and the worker can begin to operate on sheet of material  26 .  
     [0031] While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.