| Cascade Corporation Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
|---|
| 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 |
