Cascade Corporation Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20160122167 | Pivoting Load-bearing Assembly with Force Sensor - A load-bearing assembly including a clamping-force sensor in a pivoting support assembly that is adjustable to vary a radial spacing between a pivot pin and a clamp pad mounted on the support assembly. A plurality of clamping-force sensors may be included in a plurality of pivoting clamp pad support assemblies to support a clamp pad and may be arranged to sense the magnitude of a clamping force exerted by a particular adjustable pivoting clamp pad support assembly and send signals indicative of the magnitude of the force to a controller. A load sensor may be located between a pivot pin and a bearing block, or strain gauges may be mounted in the pivoting bearing block so as to measure forces carried through the bearing block. Force values sensed and transmitted to the controller may be used to evaluate and adjust the clamp arm assembly to grasp a load with a desired clamping force or distribution of clamping forces. | 05-05-2016 |
20160122166 | Pivoting Load-bearing Assembly with Force Sensor - A load-bearing assembly including a clamping-force sensor in a pivoting support assembly that is adjustable to vary a radial spacing between a pivot pin and a clamp pad supported on the support assembly. A plurality of clamping-force sensors may be included in a plurality of pivoting clamp pad support assemblies to support a clamp pad and may be arranged to sense the magnitude of a clamping force exerted by a particular adjustable pivoting clamp pad support assembly and send signals indicative of the magnitude of the force to a controller. Force values sensed and transmitted to the controller may be used to evaluate and adjust the clamp arm assembly to grasp a load with a desired clamping force or distribution of clamping forces. | 05-05-2016 |
20140353993 | SWING FRAME ROLL CLAMP - A modular face plate for mounting swing frame roll clamp to a rotator reduces the cost of the face plate and simplifies hydraulic connections to the clamping rams. | 12-04-2014 |
20140244025 | INTERACTIVE CLAMP FORCE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR LOAD HANDLING CLAMPS - Improvements are disclosed for a load-clamping system with variable clamping force control by which a wide variety of dissimilar loads of different types, geometric configurations and/or other parameters can be accurately clamped at respective variable optimal clamping force settings. An operator terminal cooperates with a controller to translate one or more possible load parameters into a form easily discernible visually by a clamp operator and preferably easily comparable by the clamp operator, from his visual observation, to each particular load which he is about to engage, so that the clamp operator can interactively guide the controller in its selection of an optimal clamping force setting for each particular load. | 08-28-2014 |
20140240117 | CLAMPING SURFACE POSITIONING SYSTEM FOR MOBILE LOAD-HANDLING CLAMPS - A control system is provided for a load-handling clamp mountable on a vehicle, the clamp having a pair of opposed load-engagement clamping surfaces capable of clamping opposite sides of different types and configurations of loads. At least one of the clamping surfaces is closeable toward the other clamping surface along a direction which extends substantially laterally across a direction of forward approach of the clamp toward the load. The control system is capable of generating a variable signal indicating a desired forward, vertical and/or lateral pre-engagement position of the clamp from which the clamping surfaces can correctly engage the load. | 08-28-2014 |
20140159329 | ROLLER LOAD SUPPORT - A roller load support, for mounting on a load carrying vehicle such as a lift truck, has an elongate frame with a forwardly tapering vertical thickness and an upper surface for insertion beneath the underside of a load. Different longitudinally spaced pluralities of transverse upper rollers are movable upwardly to protrude through the frame's upper surface to engage the underside of the load during the insertion process. During the insertion process, the upper rollers are pushed upward by corresponding different pluralities of transverse lower rollers which rotatably engage the floor or other surface beneath the frame and frictionally counter-rotate the upper rollers. The lower rollers are spaced nonuniformly relative to each other along the length of the frame, with such spacings increasing progressively in size, within each plurality of lower rollers, in a forward direction toward the front end of the frame. Conversely, each such plurality of lower rollers has sequentially corresponding nonuniform spacings which decrease progressively in size, from plurality to plurality, in the forward direction. | 06-12-2014 |
20140121825 | INTERACTIVE CLAMP FORCE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR LOAD HANDLING CLAMPS - Improvements are disclosed for a load-clamping system with variable clamping force control by which a wide variety of dissimilar loads of different types, geometric configurations and/or other parameters can be accurately clamped at respective variable optimal clamping force settings. An operator terminal cooperates with a controller to translate one or more possible load parameters into a form easily discernible visually by a clamp operator and preferably easily comparable by the clamp operator, from his visual observation, to each particular load which he is about to engage, so that the clamp operator can interactively guide the controller in its selection of an optimal clamping force setting for each particular load. | 05-01-2014 |
20140121824 | INTERACTIVE CLAMP FORCE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR LOAD HANDLING CLAMPS - Improvements are disclosed for a load-clamping system with variable clamping force control by which a wide variety of dissimilar loads of different types, geometric configurations and/or other parameters can be accurately clamped at respective variable optimal clamping force settings. An operator terminal cooperates with a controller to translate one or more possible load parameters into a form easily discernible visually by a clamp operator and preferably easily comparable by the clamp operator, from his visual observation, to each particular load which he is about to engage, so that the clamp operator can interactively guide the controller in its selection of an optimal clamping force setting for each particular load. | 05-01-2014 |
20140121823 | INTERACTIVE CLAMP FORCE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR LOAD HANDLING CLAMPS - Improvements are disclosed for a load-clamping system with variable clamping force control by which a wide variety of different load types in a wide variety of different load geometric configurations can be accurately clamped at respective variable optimal clamping force settings dependent on each load's respective load type and geometric configuration in combination. An operator display and input terminal cooperates with a controller to translate assortments of possible load variables into a form easily discernible visually by a clamp operator and preferably easily comparable by the operator, from his visual observation, to each particular load which he is about to engage, so that the operator can interactively guide the controller in its selection of an optimal clamping force setting for each particular load. | 05-01-2014 |
20130341943 | Carton Clamp Arm with Adjustable Pivot Block - A lift truck clamp arm assembly for engaging large cartons, which may contain large household appliances. Pivoting clamp pad support assemblies are adjustable to vary a radial spacing between a pivot pin and a clamp pad supported on the clamp arm assembly by attachment to the adjustable clamp pad support assembly, to provide desired pressure concentrations at selected parts of a carton to be gripped. | 12-26-2013 |
20130209206 | ROTATOR BRAKING SYSTEM FOR A LIFT TRUCK LOAD HANDLER - A hydraulic rotating and braking system for a lift truck-mountable load handling assembly has a hydraulically-driven worm screw with a hydraulic motor located adjacent one end of the screw and a friction brake located adjacent the opposite end of the screw. The system includes a friction brake having a brake controller located at least partially within the worm screw. The friction brake is releasable by the exhaust of fluid without the need for a fluid exhaust line extending to the lift truck's reservoir tank. | 08-15-2013 |
20100089704 | EQUALIZED HYDRAULIC CLAMP FORCE CONTROL - Hydraulic valve circuitry adapted for automatic weight-responsive control of load-clamping members of a load-lifting system having a free lift mast. The load-lifting system generally includes one or more fluid power actuator for applying a gripping force to a load, at least one elongate, longitudinally-extensible fluid power lifting device having a free lift range of motion and at least one main lift range of motion, and manually operated load-clamping and load-lifting selector valves. The hydraulic valve circuitry provides, independently, weight-responsive control of the load-clamping members when lifting a load, full-time automatic weight-responsive force control of the load-clamping members without concurrent manual actuation of load-clamping or load-lifting selector valves, and equalization of sensed load weight so that the sensed load weight is substantially independent of the longitudinally-extensible position of the lifting device. | 04-15-2010 |
20090281655 | CONTROL SYSTEM FOR A LOAD HANDLING CLAMP - A control system for a load-handling clamp includes first and second load-engaging surfaces for selectively gripping and releasing a load disposed between said surfaces. At least one of said surfaces is selectively movable toward the other by a hydraulic actuator. At least one fluid valve assembly variably regulates a maximum hydraulic clamping pressure capable of causing the actuator to move one of the surfaces toward the other in a load clamping movement. Preferably, a load geometry sensor produces an electrical effect that varies as a function of the geometric profile of the load. A data receiver preferably also obtains load identification information related to at least one characteristic of the load, other than the load's geometry. A controller, in response to the data receiver and load geometry sensor, operates to control the valve assembly's regulation of the maximum hydraulic clamping pressure. In order to prepare for the load clamping movement, the controller is preferably also capable of enabling the actuator to move one of said surfaces toward the other in an initial clamp closing movement at a maximum hydraulic closing pressure greater than the maximum hydraulic clamping pressure. Thereafter the controller enables the load clamping movement at a pressure level substantially no greater than the maximum hydraulic clamping pressure. | 11-12-2009 |
20090272257 | HYDRAULIC VALVE CIRCUIT WITH DAMAGE-CONTROL OVERRIDE - Hydraulic valve circuits capable of variably limiting respective maximum hydraulic pressures at which an assembly of bidirectional hydraulic power devices can move respective clamping members, such as forks or clamp arms, selectively in a closing movement toward each other, in an opening movement away from each other, or in a side-shifting movement in unison with each other, so as to provide damage-control capabilities for the control of the clamping members. The circuits preferably include one or more pressure-regulating valves interconnected with the assembly of power devices, and capable of variably limiting a maximum side-shifting pressure, at which said assembly can cause said side-shifting movement, in response to a maximum pressure selection. The circuits preferably include at least one override assembly, capable of overriding the maximum pressure selection to thereby lower the maximum side-shifting pressure automatically irrespective of the maximum pressure selection. | 11-05-2009 |
20090116945 | LOAD-LIFTING MEMBER WITH BOLTED JOINT - Improved bolted joint designs are used for a joint between a bolt-on load-lifting member such as a fork or clamp arm and a carriage or carrier associated with a material handling device. In various embodiments, an elongate rear vertical shank of one or the other of the load-lifting member or the carrier may have a plurality of mounting bolt holes spaced longitudinally along its length, each mounting bolt hole extending from a respective recessed area formed in one or both of the joined surfaces. Each bolt hole has a respective bolt-hole width dimension transverse to the elongate member, and each recessed area has a recess width dimension parallel to and greater than the bolt-hole width dimension. | 05-07-2009 |