System and Apparatus for Loading and Unloading Storage Batteries from Motor Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 17th Mar., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 17th Mar., 1899-Accepted, 1st July, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
System and Apparatus for Loading and Unloading Storage Batteries
from Motor Vehicles.
I, GEORGE HERBERT CONDICT, of 1684, Broadway, New York, U.S.A., Electrical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:—
My invention relates to a new and improved system of loading and unloading
storage batteries from motor vehicles which are fitted with electric motors
arranged to propel the vehicle when energized by current supplied from batteries
carried thereby. The invention also includes various mechanical contrivances
designed, constructed and arranged to embody the invention and form parts
thereof.
According to the present system, I provide mechanical means for placing the
vehicle to be loaded or unloaded in definite predetermined position with respect
to loading apparatus and this positioning of the vehicle I term " centering," by
which term this portion of the operation will be hereinafter referred to.
The vehicles to be supplied with storage batteries vary in type, some of them
carrying the battery in a space below the vehicle between the wheels into which
the battery is placed from below, and others being provided with a battery box
in the rear of the vehicle into which the load of batteries is placed from the rear
and in a horizontal plane. In some instances the vehicle is placed upon a later-
ally movable loading table and then moved with the table into the predetermined
position by appropriate apparatus, but the battery may be placed in the vehicle
by hand or with the assistance of any desired mechanism.
Apparatus for performing the various operations of loading and unloading by
mechanical means is hereinafter described and illustrated, together with apparatus
for centering the vehicle irrespective of the mechanism by which it is loaded.
The vehicle may be centered by means of a single ram or elevating device
extending upward underneath the vehicle and engaging it from below by sloping
or wedge shaped parts between which the body of the vehicle will rest in a pre-
determined position. The body of the vehicle may also be brought to a pre-
determined position or centered by wedge shaped blocks forced under the body
from the sides, or the same result may be accomplished by means of swinging
levers engaging the body of the vehicle from opposite sides and bringing it to
a predetermined position between them. The centering apparatus may also be

page_text: in the form of horizontally moving rams arranged at one or both sides of the
vehicle to push it into the desired position. All of these forms are hereinafter
illustrated and described, together with an arrangement in which two sets of rams
are employed in connection with a laterally moving loading table arranged to
receive the vehicle, and in this connection an auxiliary apparatus for handling
a load of storage batteries and for loading and unloading the vehicle will be
described and claimed. The other method of loading, namely from below, is
shown, described and claimed in an Application No. 6136 of 1899, and will not,
therefore, be here specifically set forth.
When used in connection with loading and unloading apparatus of the type
hereinafter referred to, the vehicle is provided with a battery box which opens
at the end and carries the batteries in a tray removable therefrom in a horizontal
plane. Immediately adjacent to the rear end of the loading table where the open
end of the battery box upon the vehicle is located, is a transfer table which extends
at right angles to the loading table and is greater in length than the width of the
table and the vehicle upon it. At one or both sides of the loading table are
hydraulic rams which when extended engage and press laterally against the hubs
of the vehicle and move both it and the table until the vehicle is in a predeter-
mined position with respect to the transfer table. Other hydraulic rams are pro-
vided below the loading table and project upward through openings therein and
when the vehicle has been centered by the side rams, the vertically moving rams
are brought into action to slightly raise the vehicle until the battery box thereof
is in a proper horizontal plane with respect to the transfer table.
The transfer table is provided with a travelling chain or chains upon which are
secured carriers. The chains are propelled in either direction by a suitable motor,
and automatic stops are provided which are arranged to hold the chains at pre-
determined points.
The storage batteries to be handled are contained in trays of substantially
uniform size and the carriers upon the chains are spaced to receive and hold the
trays of batteries, the loads, between them. The automatic catches are so placed
as to engage the chains when the tray of storage battery is directly opposite to
the battery box of the vehicle to be loaded and conversely, a set of carriers opposite
to the battery box to be unloaded.
An hydraulic ram is located on the side of the transfer table opposite to the
battery box upon the vehicle when the latter is in position and is adapted to thrust
a tray of battery from the transfer table into the battery box on the vehicle, or
to draw a tray of battery from the vehicle on to the transfer table between the
carriers upon the travelling chains which have previously been positioned to
receive it. When the vehicle has been loaded the side rams are withdrawn, and
the elevating rams are lowered, when the vehicle is run off the table, which then
automatically centers itself ready for future use..
In a separate and accompanying application, filed 17th March 1899 No. 5839, I
have shown described and claimed the battery box and tray which will be hereinafter
referred to, and in another separate and accompanying application for Letters
Patent, No. 5838 of 1899, I have shown, described and claimed an elevator and
transfer crane for storage batteries, which is suitable to be employed for conveying
the trays of charged battery to and placing them upon the transfer table herein
referred to and for moving the spent batteries therefrom to the place of charging.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. I is an end view in elevation showing an
apparatus for lifting and centering the body of the vehicle.
Fig. 2 is also an end elevation and shows another construction of apparatus
also for elevating and centering the vehicle.
Fig. 3 is a view in elevation showing a modified construction of apparatus,
also for centering the body of the vehicle.
Fig. 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing a vehicle in position, upon
the loading table. Also a pair of elevating rams, and the transfer table and load-
ing ram, many of the details being omitted for convenience of illustration.

page_text: Fig. 5 is a plan view of the loading table and appu
Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional elevation on the line 6, 6, of Fig. 5, showing
he loading table, its centralizing mechanism, and the elevating rams.
Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional elevation of the loading table and its centralizing
nechanism on line 7, 7, of Fig. 6, and showing also a modified arrangement of
he vehicle centering rams.
Fig. 8 is an enlarged detailed view of one of the elevating rams, and
Fig. 9 is a similar view of the other elevating ram.
Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the loading table arranged for loading from
below.
Fig. 11 is a longitudinal section of the loading table Fig. 10, on line 10, 10.
Fig. 12 is a longitudinal elevation of the transfer table.
Fig. 13 is a plan view of the transfer table, showing also two loading rams
and portions of two loading tables.
Fig. 14 is a plan view of an automatic circuit breaker, and
Fig. 15 is a side elevation of the same.
Fig. 16 is an end view of the transfer table and loading ram.
Fig. 17 is a plan view of the transfer table and loading ram shown in Fig. 16,
the transfer table being contracted for convenience of illustration.
Fig. 18 is an end view in elevation of a transfer table showing the stop mechan-
ism for positioning the carriers.
Fig. 19 is an enlarged detailed plan view partly in section, showing one of the
battery tray carriers, together with the movable stop for positioning the same.
Fig. 20 is an end view of the carrier shown in Fig. 19.
In said drawing, Fig. 1, A is the body of the vehicle to be placed in a pre-
determined position, or centered. The means for accomplishing this, as indicated,
comprise a vertically acting ram or the like of which B' is the cylinder and b
is the piston or piston rod. The ram B' is located beneath the place where the
vehicle is to be loaded or unloaded. The upper end of the piston bis provided
with a cross head or frame 1 having two or more upwardly and outwardly
inclined arms 2, 63. The upper ends of these arms are wider than the lower
portion of the vehicle so as to embrace the same, and as the piston brises, will,
on account of their inclined surfaces move it to one side or the other, or forward
or backward until it rests upon the intervening frame b which should be of the
proper width to correspond with the width of the body of the vehicle, so as to
hold it firmly in position. The arms 62, 63, may be of any desired length and
should be long enough to form a bed or support which will sustain the body of
the vehicle without strain.
The vehicles usually are supported on springs which vary in tension so that
when resting upon said springs the vehicle bodies would vary in height. There-
fore in centering the vehicle body as described, it is also lifted a short distance as
indicated by the dotted lines, bringing it always into the same plane. Two of
the rams B may be employed, but a single one will answer the purpose being
arranged to engage the body of the vehicle between the axes of its supporting
wheels bt.
In Fig. 2 another construction is shown which comprises two horizontal
rams B2 B3 on opposite sides of the vehicle. bare the piston rods of said rams
and they are connected at their outer ends to wedge blocks B B which are later-
ally movable towards and away from the body A¹ of the vehicle. These wedge
blocks B B are arranged to be forced laterally under the body of the vehicle so
that they will lift and sustain the same as indicated in the dotted lines. They,
the wedge blocks, are also desirably provided with adjustable stops b which
come up against the sides of the vehicle and force it into central position between
them.
Another arrangement of apparatus for centering the bedy of a vehicle is
indicated in Fig. 3, in which two rams a¹ a² are each provided with a rocking
lever a, the outer ends of which are connected by suitably hinged connecting

page_text: .
rods with the outer ends of the piston rods a³ a of the rams a¹ a². The inner ends
of the rocking levers are provided with extending arms and stops a a. When
the vehicle body A³ is placed between the arms in the positions indicated in the
full lines, the rams are operated to draw down the piston rods a³. a. This will
cause oscillation of the levers as a bringing their inner ends under the lower edges
or bottom of the vehicle body, raising it between them and centering it as indicated
by the dotted lines.
The running gear is in this instance omitted for convenience of illustration.
I have thus shown several constructions of apparatus for centering the body of
a vehicle in order to mechanically place it in a predetermined position so that t
can be loaded by mechanical means installed at some particular point and will
describe still other constructions for this purpose, since so far as this important
feature of the invention is concerned, it makes no difference how the loading or
unloaded is accomplished or whether the load is applied from below, or at the
sides or ends of the vehicle.
In the accompanying claims therefore, mechanical means for centering the body
of the vehicle to receive or discharge its load is broadly claimed without restric-
tion to the particular arrangement or details of construction present in the devices
illustrated in the drawings.
In Fig. 4, A is the body of a vehicle to be supplied with a tray of storage
batteries. The vehicle has in this instance at its rear end a battery box or recep-
tacle a, within which a tray of storage batteries B is indicated in dotted lines.
The vehicle is represented as upon a laterally movable loading table C where it
has been raised until the battery box is in the desired horizontal plane with
respect to the transfer table I to which it is at right angles, with its rear end
in close proximity. The loading ram N is also shown with its piston rod extended
across the transfer table and engaging the tray of batteries in the vehicle ready
to draw the same on to the transfer table or as they have just been loaded into
the vehicle therefrom.
One form of the loading table C, Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 13, comprises a platform
large enough to receive all four wheels of the vehicle to be supplied with battery
and it is desirably arranged upon the general floor level directly in front of the
transfer table and at right angles thereto. The loading table C is formed in two
adjoining parts 0, 0, each portion being separately sustained by suitably
.journalled carrying wheels D D', d d', which move upon tracks d, d³, d³, d³,
arranged below and transversely of the table so that same may move freely to the
right or left.
Below the loading table at or near its center are journalled two sets of
pulleys D2 D3, and two chains D D are secured respectively to the outer portions
or opposite sides of the loading table, whence they pass over the pulleys D² 10³.
Their inner ends are both united to a centralizing weight D. Each half C₁ Cª
of the loading table is similarly provided with chains and centralizing weights,
so that if the table has been moved laterally, the weights D6 acting through the
chains D D³, bring it back to normal position, when it is free to be moved thereby.
An hydraulic or other elevator E, here shown in the form of a ram is located
in the pit C under the forward portion C¹ of the loading table in position to
engage and raise the end of the vehicle upon that part of the table. E' is the
cylinder of the ram elevator which is provided with the piston e, to the upper end
of which is pivotally connected a cross head e. Vertically moving rods
suitable guides ee are hinged to the outer ends of the cross head e² and provided
at their upper ends with recessed blocks el e², which are spaced so as to fit around
the corners of the body of the vehicle, so as to do the least injury thereto and at
the same time to hold the same securely between them to prevent displacement
during the operation of loading.
in
The forward part C of the loading table is formed with a large opening E²
above the forward elevator E just described, sufficiently large to permit it to pass
upward therethrough in any position which the table can assume, and the said

page_text: opening E is closed by a number of small independent doors E³, which are
arranged close together so as to effectually cover said opening when the ram is
down, only so many of them being elevated by the ram in its upward movement
as are necessary to allow it to pass through, thus avoiding the difficulty attending
the use of a single large door. The doors E³ are preferably of metal or may be
weighted to insure their closing by gravity when the elevator is lowered.
F is a second hydraulic elevator of which f is the cylinder and f¹ the piston.
This elevator is located under the back part of the loading table passing upward
through a permanent opening F" therein, which is directly under the rear end of the
battery box when the vehicle is in position. The piston f' is provided with two
arms ff in the outer ends of which are pivoted stirrups f f which are
arranged to connect with other arms which extend from the transfer table and
engage parts of the vehicle. In their retracted positions, the parts connected with
the elevators E F are below the general level of the loading table and do not
interfere with the placing of the vehicle thereon.
G G and H H are hydraulic rams placed on opposite sides of the loading
table C but independent thereof. The pistons g g¹ of the two rams on one side of
the table are pivotally connected to a bar G2 and the pistons h h¹ of the opposite
pair of rams are similarly secured to a corresponding bar H2. Counterweights g² g³
h2 h³ are connected with the bars G H by chains g h running over suitable
pulleys and serve to draw back the bars G2 H2 and pistons thereto connected when
the pressure is withdrawn from the rams. In the present instance single acting
rams are shown, but double acting rams may be substituted therefor and the
counterweights dispensed with. When the bars G2 H2 are fully drawn back,
the bar H2 being so indicated in dotted lines, a vehicle to be loaded with battery
can be readily run on to the loading table and when said vehicle has been so placed
upon the table as nearly as may be, the bars G2 H2 are moved forward by the rams
until they engage the hubs or other projecting parts of the vehicle, when by.con-
tinued movement, one or other of the bars G2 H2 pushes it, the vehicle, together
with the loading table into the desired position with respect to the transfer table
and the loading ram.
While in some instances I may prefer the precise arrangement just described,
one of the sets of rams may be dispensed with, as indicated in connection with
Fig 7, where the ram G and bar G2 of Fig. 5 is shown, as indicated in said Fig. 5,
but the opposite set of rams H H are omitted and replaced by an adjustable
rail H which takes the place of the bar H2 and is adjusted into the desired position
by means of screws h5 passing through suitable supporting posts H³. The rail H
is adjusted to such a point that when vehicles of the same size are pushed over
against it by the rams G G¹ on the opposite side of the table, they will be in the
desired position.
Great damage would undoubtedly result to the special tires with which many
of the vehicles are provided, if they were pushed across the table into loading
position. A particular feature of my invention, the laterally movable loading
table entirely overcomes this difficulty, so that when the side rams are brought
into action, the bars which are of suitable dimensions, push against the vehicle,
and move it together with the loading table to one side or other as may be needed
to secure exact position. Having been centered or brought to the predetermined
position by the action of the rams through the bars G2 H2, the vertically moving
elevators EF are then brought into play to raise the vehicle a short distance until
the battery box is in the desired horizontal plane, while at the same time the
vehicle is suspended immovably upon the elevators and between the bars G2 H2
of the centering rams. In this position, the work of the transfer table and its
auxiliaries begins.
Before describing the transfer table, it should be noted that, as indicated in
Figs. 10 and 11, the loading table may be modified to admit of the load being
applied to the vehicle in a vertical plane instead of in a horizontal plane. The
two portions of the table C, Fig. 5, are shown in Figs. 10 and 11 as separated

page_text: parts, CC between which exists an opening C into the pit C³, in which 'may
be rails to carry the elevator transfer car referred to in my said prior application.
Parts CC of the divided loading table are provided with carrying wheels and
centralizing devices as already described, and the single or double centering
rams may be employed as preferred, the rams as indicated, being substantially as
in Fig. 5, but are omitted from Fig. 11. Suitable flooring is placed at the
margins of the opening "C,' on the same general level as the rest of the table
to support the wheels of the vehicle in passing, and said flooring is sufficiently
wide to prevent the wheels from entering the pit.
The transfer table I is a narrow frame work of any desired length, in the
present instance shown as sufficiently, long to accommodate two loading tables
in front of it, and fitted to carry eight trays of batteries.
The transfer table I is provided with two tracks or ways i on its upper portion.
Upon these tracks travel carriers J which are strong metallic frames extending
across the table I and provided, with small wheels or rollers jj which run on
tracks. These carriers are all attached to suitable link belts, or chains KK'
which run upon sprocket wheels L L at opposite ends of the table I. The
carriers J are secured in pairs to the chains K K¹ and are at such a distance apart
that a tray of storage batteries of uniform size will rest upon them and be securely
held laterally but free to be moved endwise between the prongs with which
the carriers are provided. The chains and carriers constitute an endless belt and
in addition to being moved forward and back, loaded, may travel the entire circuit
of the machine. In order to support the weight of the carriers when it is found
necessary to run them under the table, I provide a second set of supporting
rails at a suitable distance below the top of the table to support a set of
carriers in an inverted position through their wheels jj without undue strain
upon the chains K K¹.
The sprocket wheels L L¹ of which there is a set at each
end of the table I, are carried upon shafts L³ which are sustained in suitable
bearings secured to the table. The sprocket wheel shafts L2 are provided at
their outer extremities with beveled gear driving pinions L³ which are in mesh
with the driving pinions .
The chains KK are driven back and forth through the sprocket wheels, driving
gears and pinions, and driving shaft m to which power may be furnished from
any suitable source, that illustrated, comprising an electric motor M, the armature
shaft of which is provided with a pinion m which engages a driving gear. L'
upon the shaft m.
Directly opposite to the battery box of the vehicle to be loaded or unloaded
when it has been centered or positioned as described, and upon the opposite side
of the transfer table, is placed the loading ram N, the cylinder n and piston rod n¹
of which are of such length as to extend entirely across the transfer table, so as,
when fully extended, to push the tray of battery into the vehicle or withdraw it
therefrom.
The piston rod n' is provided with a pair of hooked arms 0 0 hinged thereto
and provided with hooks at their outer extremities corresponding with and adapted
to engage catches upon the battery tray B. The hooked arms 00' are con-
nected by a bail 02 which extends over the front end of the loading ram in
position to be conveniently reached by the operator for lifting the said arms
whenever desired, as indicated in Fig. 16. This bail 02 is broken away in Fig. 17
for convenience of illustration.
Upon the opposite side of the transfer table I is a frame or bridge P to span the
space between the transfer table and the vehicle. At the ends of said bridge are
two arms P1 P2 formed with notches P³ near their outer extremities, which are
adapted to fit under a bar or bolster Q with which the vehicle is provided, to
prevent the vehicle moving while the battery is being handled. Rollers 9 are
mounted in bridge P and help to support the battery tray in its passage to or from
the battery box and transfer table.
The stirrups f f in the ends of the arms carried by the piston f¹ correspond

page_text: with the arms p¹³ and when said piston is raised they fit into and engage the
notches under the ends of said arms, raising them and the end of the vehicle,
as indicated in Fig. 16.
RR are tappets arranged in the path of one of the hook arms 0 0¹ for raising
them and disengaging the hooks when the tray has been pushed into the battery
box, and vice versa.
The tappets R R' are carried upon stem rr, the lower ends of which rest upon
rock arms which are attached to the ends of a rock shaft R2 which is suitably
journalled upon the frame of the transfer table and provided with an actuating
lever R connecting with a foot lever 2 in position to be reached by the operator,
and which may of course be replaced by a hand lever, if preferred.
Figs. 14 and 15 show an automatic circuit breaking switch one of which is
placed at each end of the conveyor table in the circuit supplying the motor M by
which the transfer table is operated. A pivoted lever S is normally held in
position to close the switch, by spring s. A suitably insulated stationary contact
is indicated at s¹ and s is the other contact which is attached to the rocking lever T
and engages the stationary contact s¹. The lever T is connected with the lever S
by a connecting rod t. One pole of the supply circuit is connected to the switch
as shown at 1 and 2, so that the current will be entirely cut off from the motor
when the switch is open. The lever S is provided with an extension S¹ which is
located in the path of the tray of batteries carried on the transfer table, so as to
be automatically thrown and the switch opened when the tray has arrived at the
limit of its travel, thereby cutting the current off from the motor and stopping
the conveyor, thus preventing the tray from being carried over the ends of the
conveyor.
The carriers are held in desired position with respect to the vehicle by a stop
pin T, Figs. 18, 19, 20. This pin is mounted in a suitable counterbored block U
secured upon the frame of the transfer table I. An actuating spring is placed
behind the pin T¹ a spindle u extending therefrom through the end of the block
and being there pivotally connected to a rocking lever V. The lever V is
journalled in suitable supports W also secured to the transfer table, and, for con-
venience of operation is connected by the rod w with the releasing lever Y which
is pivotally mounted in the support y secured to the opposite side of the transfer
table and within convenient reach of the operator. Each one of the carriers is
formed with a hole Z adapted to receive the stop pin T and the portions on the
end of the carrier y1 y2 in the same horizontal line with the opening Z are sloped
off as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 14, to afford an easy path for the end of
the stop pin T, which however can be retracted whenever desired by the lever Y.
It will be apparent that in view of the foregoing description many of the details
of construction of the apparatus embodying my new and improved system of load-
ing and unloading storage batteries may be altered to secure similar results with-
out the exercise of invention, and I therefore do not limit myself to the details
of construction through which I have pointed it out, the same being indicated in
the appended claims.
my said
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The combination with a vehicle to be loaded and with loading apparatus, of
mechanism for acting mechanically against the vehicle to force it into desired
position with respect to the loading apparatus.
2. The combination with a vehicle to be loaded and with loading apparatus, of
stationary mechanism adjacent to the loading apparatus, adjacent to which the
vehicle is placed, said mechanism adapted to act against the vehicle to move the
same into desired position for loading.
3. The combination with a vehicle to be loaded, of mechanism for placing the

page_text: same in the desired position, and moving carriers adapted to place the object to
be loaded upon the vehicle in the desired relation thereto.
4. The combination with a vehicle to be loaded, of mechanism for placing the
same in desired position, and a transfer table provided with moving carriers
adapted to receive and move the object to be placed upon the vehicle into the
desired relation thereto.
5. The combination with a vehicle to be loaded, means for placing the vehicle
in the desired position, moving carriers adapted to receive and move the object
to be placed upon the vehicle in the desired relation thereto, and means for
forcing said object on to the vehicle or withdrawing it therefrom.
6. The combination with a vehicle to be loaded, of a laterally movable loading
table adapted to receive and support the vehicle and means for moving the vehicle
and table together laterally to a predetermined position for loading the vehicle.
7. The combination with a vehicle to be loaded, of a laterally movable loading
table adapted to receive the vehicle, and means adjacent to the loading table
arranged to engage the vehicle to move it together with the table into the pre-
determined position with respect to the positioning devices.
8. A storage battery loading and unloading apparatus, comprising a vehicle
to be loaded and means for moving the vehicle into a predetermined position, a
carrier arranged to support and move the load into juxta-position to the positioned
vehicle, and a ram or the like, arranged to engage the load and to push it into
or draw it from the vehicle.
9. The combination with a vehicle to be loaded, of a laterally movable loading
table and a ram or rams at the side thereof, said ram or rams adapted to engage
the vehicle upon the table to move said vehicle together with the loading table
into the central or loading position.
10. The combination with a loading table adapted to receive a vehicle, to be
loaded, of a transfer table arranged at right angles thereto and provided with
laterally moving carriers adapted to receive and to move the object to be placed
upon the vehicle into the desired relation thereto.
11. A storage battery loading and unloading apparatus comprising a vehicle
to be loaded, a table adapted to receive the vehicle and to be moved laterally
together therewith, means for moving the table and vehicle together laterally into
a predetermined position, a carrier arranged to support and to move the load
into juxta-position to the positioned vehicle and means for mechanically pushing
the load into the vehicle or withdrawing it therefrom.
12. The combination with a loading table, a vehicle thereon to be loaded, a
transfer table at right angles to the loading table, travelling carriers upon the
transfer table, said carriers adapted to receive and convey the load for the vehicle
and to sustain the same in the desired horizontal position with respect thereto,
and a loading ram on the opposite side of the loading table and in line with the
receptacle upon the vehicle, and means for operating the ram to force the load into
the vehicle or withdraw it therefrom.
13. The combination with a vehicle to be loaded, of a laterally movable loading
table adapted to receive the same and subdivided to separately sustain the separate
sets of wheels of the vehicle.
14. The combination with a vehicle to be loaded, of a laterally movable loading
table and means for automatically returning said table to a predetermined
position.
15. A loading table adapted to receive the four wheels of a vehicle and con-
structed in two parts adapted to support the front and rear wheels respectively,
supports upon which each portion of the loading table move laterally, and means
connected with each portion of the loading table for automatically returning the
same to normal position.
16. The combination with a vehicle to be loaded, of a loading table adapted to
receive the four wheels thereof, said table being subdivided to separately sustain
each pair of wheels, suitable supporting wheels and tracks therefor for the table;

page_text: and means for automatically returning the table to predetermined position when
the vehicle is removed.
17. A loading table comprising front and rear portions suitably journalled sup-
porting wheels for each portion, tracks for sustaining the supporting wheels and
a centering weight for each portion of the table, said weight being connected by
chains to both ends thereof for automatically returning the same to predetermined
position.
18. The combination with a vehicle to be loaded, of a transfer table and
moving carriers thereon for positioning the load, an extension or bridge attached
to the transfer table and hinged arms connected with the bridge and adapted to
engage the vehicle, thereby connecting the transfer table therewith.
19. The combination with a vehicle to be loaded, of a transfer table and movable
carriers thereon, an extension or bridge adapted to engage the vehicle and to con-
nect the transfer table therewith, and a stop arranged to engage the carrier upon
the transfer table when in desired position with respect to the bridge and vehicle.
20. The combination with a loading table, a vehicle thereon, a transfer table
at right angles thereto and provided with movable carriers adapted to sustain
a load for the vehicle, of an extension or bridge projecting from the transfer table,
hinged arms connected with the bridge and extending under the vehicle, a hoist-
ing ram adapted to engage said hinged arms and to raise them together with the
portion of the vehicle engaged thereby to bring the end of the vehicle and the
bridge into the desired horizontal plane with respect to the load upon the carrier.
21. The combination with a loading table and a vehicle thereon, of a vertically
moving ram or rams located below the table and adapted when raised, to engage
the vehicle, and to lift the same into the desired position.
22. The combination with a loading table and a vehicle thereon to be loaded, of
an elevating ram located below said table and provided with recessed blocks
adapted, when said ram is elevated, to engage, lift and hold the body of the
vehicle in desired position.
23. In combination, a vertically moving elevating device, a laterally movable
loading table above the same and having an opening therein through which the
elevating device can pass upward, and a plurality of hinged metallic or weighted
covers for closing said opening.
24. The combination with
loading table, a transfer table adapted to sustain
the load, an elevating ram arranged to engage the portion of the vehicle furthest
from the transfer table and located below the same, an opening in the table above
the ram and a plurality of hinged metallic or weighted covers for closing said
opening, whereby the elevating device is adapted to pass upward through the
loading table raising the covers above it.
25. The combination with a vehicle to be loaded and centering apparatus there-
for, of a loading ram adjacent to the centering apparatus and provided with
gripping devices connected with its moving part and adapted to engage the load
to be placed upon or withdrawn from the vehicle.
26. In combination with the transfer table, vehicle and centering apparatus,
a loading ram adjacent to the transfer table and located opposite to the center-
ing apparatus, gripping devices connected with the piston rod of the loading ram
and adapted to engage the load, and automatic tripping devices for the gripping
apparatus adapted to disengage the same from the load at the desired point and
means for manually operating the tripping devices as desired.
Dh 17th day of March 1899
or the Applicant.
GEDGE & FEENY,
Chartered Patent Agents,
60, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.,