mon The present invention relates to a nut housing for a lifting motor. More particularly, the improved housing allows for vertical space savings by providing a nut housing that straddles the gearbox/motor.
Lifting devices, such as those used in the railway industry, are often located in pits due to the necessity to provide sufficient power and gearing capabilities below the element to be lifted to enable the lift to align in one position with track level.
However, creation of pits often requires environmental permits, excavation permits, and specialized contractors to create the pit that will hold the lifting device. This results in an inflexible design of the rail yard because lifting devices must often be positioned in fixed locations based on the locations of the pits. Furthermore, pits often create hazards that must be protected to stop people from inadvertently falling into them.
Thus, it is desirable to avoid use of pits where possible to provide increased flexibility at the rail yard and to avoid hazards.
In further embodiments, it may be desirable to eliminate pits all together and utilize portable jack systems such that each jack is on wheels and can be placed independently. However, in such a situation, it is necessary to have the lifting point on the jack very low to or nearly on the ground to enable the jack to lift e.g. a rail car or rail car truck assembly from the appropriate point.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a reduced vertical profile lifting apparatus. It is yet another object of the present invention to minimize the distance from the base of the apparatus to the minimum position of the lifting support.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by providing a lifting apparatus having at least one column. The at least one column includes a drive that rotates a screw. The drive has a first width in a first area. The column also includes a nut housing having a support connected to a nut. The nut is threaded around the screw such that rotation of the screw moves the nut and support along a first axis. The support includes two parallel walls spaced apart a distance larger than the first width such that when the support is positioned at a bottom end of the screw, the two parallel walls fit over the first area.
In some embodiments, the lifting apparatus further includes at least one roller on at least one of the two parallel walls, and a rail spaced apart from and extending parallel to the screw. The rail is configured to interact with the at least one roller.
In some embodiments, the support further includes a bracket positioned within a width of the screw. The bracket is connected to a plate, which is connected to the nut and the two parallel walls.
In some embodiments, the lifting apparatus further includes at least one roller on each of the two parallel walls, and two rails spaced apart from and extending parallel to the screw. Each of the at least one roller is configured to press against the corresponding one of the two rails upon a force being applied to the bracket in a direction along the first axis to thereby resist rotation of the support about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis.
In some embodiments, the lifting apparatus further includes two rollers on each of the two parallel walls, and two rails spaced apart from and extending parallel to the screw. One of the two rollers is positioned below the nut on one side of one of the two rails and another of the two rollers is positioned above the nut on an opposite side of the one of the two rails.
In some embodiments, the lifting apparatus further includes a minimum height of the support measured from a base of the column to a lower point of the support. The minimum height is between zero and a width between the two parallel walls. In some embodiments, the minimum height is between zero and a thickness of the nut measured along the first axis. In other embodiments, the minimum height is between zero and a thickness of the base measured along the first axis.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, a lifting apparatus having at least one column is provided. The at least one column includes a drive that rotates a screw. The drive has a first width in a first area. The column also includes a nut housing having a support connected to a nut. The nut is threaded around the screw such that rotation of the screw moves the nut and support along a first axis. The support includes two parallel walls spaced apart a distance larger than the first width such that when the support is positioned at a bottom end of the screw, the two parallel walls fit over the first area. The support also includes a bracket positioned within a width of the screw. The bracket is connected to a plate, which is connected to the nut and the two parallel walls. The support has a minimum height measured from a base of the column to a lowest point of the support. The minimum height is between zero and a width between the two parallel walls.
In some embodiments, the minimum height is between zero and a thickness of the nut measured along the first axis. In other embodiments, the minimum height is between zero and a thickness of the base of the column measured along the first axis.
In some embodiments, the lifting apparatus further includes at least one roller on at least one of the two parallel walls, and a rail spaced apart from and extending parallel to the screw. The rail is configured to interact with the at least one roller.
In some embodiments, the lifting apparatus further includes at least one roller on each of the two parallel walls, and two rails spaced apart from and extending parallel to the screw. Each of the at least one roller is configured to press against the corresponding one of the two rails upon a force being applied to the bracket in a direction along the first axis to thereby resist rotation of the support about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis.
In some embodiments, the lifting apparatus further includes two rollers on each of the two parallel walls, and two rails spaced apart from and extending parallel to the screw. One of the two rollers is positioned below the nut on one side of one of the two rails and another of the two rollers is positioned above the nut on an opposite side of the one of the two rails.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a lifting device is provided. The lifting device includes a drive that rotates a screw. The drive has a first width in a first area. The lifting device also includes a nut housing having a support connected to a nut. The nut is threaded around the screw such that rotation of the screw moves the nut and support along a first axis. The support includes two parallel walls spaced apart a distance larger than the first width such that when the support is positioned at a bottom end of the screw, the two parallel walls fit over the first area. The support also includes a bracket positioned within a width of the screw. The bracket is connected to a plate, which is connected to the nut and the two parallel walls.
In some embodiments, the lifting device further includes at least one roller on at least one of the two parallel walls, and at least one rail spaced apart from and extending parallel to the screw. The at least one rail is configured to interact with the at least one roller.
In some embodiments, the lifting device further includes a column connected to the lifting device. The column has a base. The support has a minimum height measured from the base to a lowest point of the support.
In some embodiments, the minimum height is between zero and a width between the two parallel walls. In other embodiments, the minimum height is between zero and a thickness of the nut measured along the first axis. In yet other embodiments, the minimum height is between zero and a thickness of the base measured along the first axis.
The invention and its particular features and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description considered with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The present invention is directed to a nut housing for a lifting column designed to lift a load such as a train or train car or parts thereof such as a wheel assembly (rail car truck). A threaded lifting nut is attached to the housing and allows it to traverse up and down along a threaded drive screw. The nut housing straddles around the outside of the gearbox and is able to traverse farther downward along the screw than traditional nut housings, such that the lowest point of vertical travel for the nut housing is defined by the base of the lifting column rather than the height of the gearbox. All structural supports of the nut housing are positioned such that they do not interfere with the gearbox or gearmotor when the nut housing travels to its lowest position.
In preferred embodiments, the nut housing utilizes support rollers with this nuts to minimize the necessary width of the housing. The column has a width larger than the width of the housing with the required clearances between the rollers and the column walls. The vertical spacing between the rollers is determined by the lifting capacity of the jack and the resulting torque on the housing. Preferably, the lifting nut is positioned between the rollers with clearance from the gearbox without interfering with the upper set of rollers.
Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding structures throughout the views. The following examples are presented to further illustrate and explain the present invention and should not be taken as limiting in any regard.
The figures show exemplary embodiments of the present invention.
Support 204 is connected on opposite sides to walls 206. In preferred embodiments, walls 206 are parallel to each other and generally extend parallel to the lifting screw 106. Walls 206 are spaced apart a nut housing width 216 between their inner facing surfaces, as depicted in
Nut housing 200 also includes lift bracket 212. Preferably, lift bracket 212 is generally aligned along the plane coincident with the central axis of the lifting screw 106 such that the lift bracket 212 and the lifting screw 106 generally align. In some embodiments, lift bracket 212 has a plurality of holes for connecting to external supports or other parts of the lifting apparatus, as depicted in
In preferred embodiments, walls 206 include rollers 208 that hold nut housing 200 between two lifting rails 210. Lifting rails 210 generally run vertically, extending parallel to the lifting screw 106. In preferred embodiments, lifting rails 210 connect lifting device 100 to column walls 14 of lifting column 10 through any known fastening means, such as nuts and bolts, rivets, or screws, as depicted in
Each roller 208 is configured to press against its corresponding lifting rail 210 to resist rotation of the support 204 about an axis perpendicular to the axis of the lifting screw 106 when a force is applied to the lifting bracket 212 in a direction along the axis of the lifting screw 106. In some embodiments, each wall 206 has one roller 208. In other embodiments, each wall 206 has multiple rollers 208. In other embodiments, only one lifting rail 210 is used and the corresponding wall 206 has at least one roller 208. Preferably, nut housing 200 includes two lifting rails 210 and each wall 206 has two rollers 208 positioned on opposite sides of their respective lifting rail 210, with one roller 208 positioned above lifting nut 202 and the other roller 208 positioned below lifting nut 202, as depicted in
In preferred embodiments, lifting column 10 has a base 12. Column base 12 can be used to attach the lifting column 10 in a releasable manner, via nuts and bolts and the like, to a foundation or movable base. When nut housing 200 is at its lowest, or bottom, position, it has a minimum height 220 measured from the bottom edge 218 of the nut housing 200 to the top surface of the column base 12, as seen in
As seen in
Although the invention has been described with reference to a particular arrangement of parts, features, and the like, these are not intended to exhaust all possible arrangements or features, and indeed many other modifications are variations will be ascertainable to those of skill in the art.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62529642 | Jul 2017 | US |