lifting gear

Abstract

To efficiently perform lifting operations suited to transported items of various widths.SOLUTION: A lifting tool comprises a pair of gripping means for gripping a transported object by the operation of a pantograph mechanism, a rail member 64 to which at least one of the pair of gripping means is connected and which has a plurality of first insertion holes, a retaining cylinder 71 that slidably holds the rail member 64 and has a second insertion hole that can face any one of the first insertion holes when the rail member 64 is slid, positioning pins 95, 96 inserted into the second insertion hole and the first insertion hole facing the second insertion hole, knob member 93, 94 for moving the positioning pins 95, 96 from an inserted state in which the positioning pins 95, 96 are inserted into the second insertion hole and the first insertion hole facing the second insertion hole to a retracted state in which the positioning pins are pulled out of the insertion holes, and torsion springs 97, 98 that bias the knob members 93, 94 to hold the positioning pins 95, 96 in the inserted state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a lifting appliance that clamps and lifts a conveyed object.

Background Art

[0002] Various lifting appliances that clamp and lift conveyed objects of different sizes (widths) have been proposed. As such a lifting appliance, for example, like the lifting tool described in Patent Document 1, a rotating arm 4 rotatably provided on one end side of a horizontal main cylinder 1 and a moving arm 3 provided on the other end side of the horizontal main cylinder 1 are disposed, and by the rotation of a rotating screw rod 2 provided inside the horizontal main cylinder 1, the moving arm 3 is moved in the direction approaching the rotating arm 4 or in the direction separating from the rotating arm 4, so that the width of the clamping plates 6 and 7 provided on the respective arms can be adjusted to match the size (width) of the conveyed object (see Patent Document 1). In this lifting tool, when lifting the conveyed object, the self-weight of the conveyed object causes the rotating arm 4 to rotate in the direction in which the clamping plate 7 provided on the rotating arm 4 approaches the clamping plate 6 provided on the moving arm 3, so that the conveyed object is clamped by the clamping plates 6 and 7.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, when performing the work of lifting conveyed objects of various widths using this lifting tool, the operator needs to continuously rotate the operation handle provided at one end of the rotating screw rod 2 in accordance with the widths of various conveyed objects to be lifted, which takes time and effort to adjust the position of the moving arm 3, and has a problem of low efficiency in the lifting work. In addition, with this lifting tool, when lifting the conveyed object, the rotating arm 4 is rotated by the self-weight of the conveyed object, and the conveyed object is clamped by the clamping plate 7 provided on the rotating arm 4 and the clamping plate 6 provided on the moving arm 3, so that the conveyed object may not be properly clamped in some cases.

[0005] This invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide a lifting device that enables efficient lifting operations for objects of various widths. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In solving the above problems, according to one aspect of the present invention, the lifting device comprises: a pair of upper links, one end of which is pivotally attached to a connecting fitting connected to a conveying means; a pair of lower links, each connected to the other end of the pair of upper links, forming a pantograph mechanism with the pair of upper links; a pair of gripping means provided on each of the pair of lower links for gripping a conveyed object by the operation of the pantograph mechanism; a rail member to which at least one of the gripping means of the pair is connected, and to which a plurality of first insertion holes are provided along its own extending direction; and a rail member that holds the rail member while attached to at least one of the lower links of the pair of lower links, and in the extending direction of the rail member The present invention is characterized by comprising: a holding member that slidably holds a rail member and has a second through-hole that can face any one of a plurality of first through-holes provided in the rail member when the rail member is slid; a positioning pin that is inserted through the second through-hole and any of the plurality of first through-holes facing the second through-hole; a moving member that can move the positioning pin from an inserted state in which the positioning pin is inserted through the second through-hole and any of the plurality of first through-holes facing the second through-hole to a retracted state in which the positioning pin is pulled out of the first through-hole; and a biasing means that biases the moving member to hold the positioning pin in the inserted state. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, lifting operations can be efficiently performed to accommodate objects of various widths. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1]This figure shows one configuration of the suspension device shown in this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of the rail component. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing a partially disassembled view of the position adjustment mechanism. [Figure 4] This is a side view showing the configuration of the position adjustment mechanism when the clamp is positioned. [Figure 5] This is a side view showing the configuration of the position adjustment mechanism when the clamp positioning is released. [Figure 6] This diagram shows the bracket's insertion hole aligned with the insertion hole provided on the side of the rail member. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, a lifting device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The lifting device shown in Figure 1 allows the positions of the clamp portions 16 and 17 relative to the lower links 14 and 15, which will be described later, to be adjusted according to the width of the object being transported.

[0010] As shown in Figure 1, the suspension device 10 includes a connecting fitting 11, a pair of upper links 12 and 13, a pair of lower links 14 and 15, and a pair of clamping parts 16 and 17. Here, the pair of upper links 12 and 13 and the pair of lower links 14 and 15 constitute the pantograph mechanism A. The suspension device 10 also includes a connecting mechanism 30 and an operating lever 40 that performs the opening and closing operation of the pantograph mechanism A. The pair of clamping parts 16 and 17 correspond to a pair of gripping means.

[0011] The connecting fitting 11 is a component that is connected to a conveying device such as a hoist. The upper end of the connecting fitting 11 is provided with an insertion hole 11a through which a hook of the hoist or the like is inserted. At the lower end of the connecting fitting 11, for example, the upper links 12 and 13 are connected by a pivot pin 21, with the upper end of the upper link 12 positioned on the front side of the connecting fitting 11 and the upper end of the upper link 13 positioned on the rear side of the connecting fitting 11.

[0012] The upper links 12 and 13 are made of roughly rectangular, thick plate members with the same or approximately the same length in the extending direction. As described above, the upper ends of the upper links 12 and 13 are connected to the connecting fitting 11 by a pivot pin 21. This allows the upper links 12 and 13 to rotate individually around the pivot pin 21 as the pivot point.

[0013] The lower links 14 and 15 are thick plate members whose central portion is bent in a roughly crank shape. In a plan view of the suspension device 10, the lower links 14 and 15 are connected by a pivot pin 24 at the roughly crank-shaped curved portion, so as to be symmetrical with respect to the line L passing through the center of the pivot pin 21 (hereinafter referred to as the center line). Therefore, the lower links 14 and 15 can rotate individually around the pivot pin 21 as the pivot point. The upper end of the lower link 14 is connected to the lower end of the upper link 13 by a pivot pin 22. The upper end of the lower link 15 is connected to the lower end of the upper link 13 by a pivot pin 23.

[0014] The clamping portions 16 and 17 are, for example, roughly L-shaped members formed by bending one end of a flat plate downwards at a 90° angle. The configuration of the clamping portions 16 and 17, and the configuration for attaching the clamping portions 16 and 17 to the lower links 14 and 15, are identical. Therefore, the following description will focus on the clamping portion 16, and in the descriptions common to both the clamping portion 16 and the clamping portion 17, the configuration of the clamping portion 17 will be indicated in parentheses.

[0015] A slip prevention member 51(61) is provided at the tip (lower end in Figure 1) of the bent portion 16a(17a) of the clamp portion 16(17) to prevent the object being clamped from slipping. Brackets 52, 53(62, 63) are attached to the other end 16b(17b) of the clamp portion 16(17). One end of a rail member 54(64) is connected to the brackets 52, 53(62, 63) by a pivot pin 55(65).

[0016] As shown in Figure 2, the rail member 54(64) is a member that is inserted into and held by a retaining cylinder 81(71), which will be described later. Multiple through holes 56, 57(66, 67) are provided at predetermined intervals on opposing sides 54a, 54b of the rail member 54(64) in the direction of extension of the rail member 54(64). The through holes 56, 57(66, 67) are, for example, elongated holes (slotted holes) whose longitudinal direction is perpendicular to the direction of extension of the side surface 54a(64a) of the rail member 54(64). Positioning pins 95, 96 of the position adjustment mechanism 90, which will be described later, are inserted into one of these through holes 56, 57(66, 67), respectively. As will be described in detail later, the knob members 93, 94 that constitute the position adjustment mechanism 90 rotate with the direction of extension of the rail member 54(64) as the axis of rotation. Therefore, by making the insertion holes 56, 57 (66, 67) elongated holes with their longitudinal direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the rail member 54 (64), the insertion and removal of the positioning pins 95, 96 is facilitated. The insertion holes 56, 57, 66, 67 correspond to the first insertion holes described in the claim. Furthermore, the insertion hole 56 (66) provided on the side surface 54a (64a) of the rail member 54 (64) and the insertion hole 57 (67) provided on the side surface 54b (64b) are located at the same position in a plan view of the suspension device 10.

[0017] Furthermore, the side surfaces 54a, 54b (64a, 64b) of the rail member 54 (64) are provided with downward-extending tongue-shaped pieces 54c, 54d (64c, 64d). Through holes 58, 59 (68, 69) are provided in the tongue-shaped pieces 54c, 54d (64c, 64d), respectively. A pivot pin 55 (65) is inserted through the through holes 58, 59 (68, 69).

[0018] Returning to Fig. 1 for description, the connection mechanism 30 has a configuration in which, for example, two cylindrical members 31 and 32 having different cross-sectional areas perpendicular to the extending direction are nested. One end of the cylindrical member 31 is connected, for example, on the front side of the lower link 14, to a bracket 34 attached to the upper end of the lower link 14 via a rotation pin 35. Further, one end of the cylindrical member 32 is connected, for example, on the front side of the lower link 15, to a bracket 36 attached to the upper end of the lower link 15 via a rotation pin 37. Although not illustrated, the connection mechanism 30 incorporates a stopper mechanism, and the movement amount of the cylindrical member 31 is restricted to a predetermined length by this stopper mechanism.

[0019] The operation lever 40 is operated when performing the opening and closing operation of the pantograph mechanism. The operation lever 40 includes a guide portion 40a made of a thick plate member, and a grip portion 40b. Although not illustrated, one end of the guide portion 40a is connected to the rotation pin 23 that connects the upper link 13 and the lower link 15. Further, an elongated hole 41 extending in the extending direction of the guide portion 40a is provided at the other end of the guide portion 40a. The rotation pin 22 that connects the upper link 12 and the lower link 14 is inserted through the elongated hole 41.

[0020] The grip portion 40b is a member that is gripped by an operator when performing the opening and closing operation of the pantograph mechanism A described above. When the grip portion 40b is gripped and the operation lever 40 is moved leftward in Fig. 1, the pantograph mechanism A described above operates to perform the closing operation of the clamp portions 16 and 17. Further, when the operation lever 40 is moved rightward in Fig. 1, the pantograph mechanism A operates to perform the opening operation of the clamp portions 16 and 17.

[0021] At the lower end portions of the lower links 14 and 15 described above, holding cylinders 71 and 81 for inserting and holding the rail members 64 and 54 are provided. The holding cylinders 71 and 81 correspond to the holding member recited in the claims. Figure 3 is a view showing the configuration of the holding cylinder 71 provided at the lower end portion of the lower link 14. The configuration of the holding cylinder 71 provided at the lower end portion of the lower link 14 and the configuration of the holding cylinder 81 provided at the lower end portion of the lower link 15 are the same or substantially the same. Therefore, only the configuration of the holding cylinder 71 provided at the lower end portion of the lower link 14 will be described.

[0022] As shown in Figure 3, the holding cylinder 71 is composed of, for example, brackets 72 and 73. The bracket 72 (73) is composed of a mounting portion 72a (73a) and a bent portion 72b (73b). The bent portion 72b (73b) is bent into, for example, a U-shape. The brackets 72 and 73 are fixed to the lower link 14 using a screw 59 and a nut (not shown) such that the recesses respectively formed by the bent portion 72b of the bracket 72 and the bent portion 73b of the bracket 73 face each other. In this manner, by fixing the brackets 72 and 73 to the lower link 14, a space through which the rail member 64 is inserted is formed. Although the holding cylinder 71 is configured from the brackets 72 and 73, it may be configured from a single cylindrical member.

[0023] The bent portion 72b(73b) of the bracket 72(73) is provided with an insertion hole 74(75). The positioning pin 95 of the position adjustment mechanism 90, described later, is inserted into the insertion hole 74. The positioning pin 96 (see Figure 4) of the position adjustment mechanism 90, described later, is also inserted into the insertion hole 75. The insertion hole 74(75) provided in the bent portion 72b(73b) of the bracket 72(73) is an oval-shaped hole (elongated hole) whose longitudinal direction is perpendicular to the direction in which the side surface 54a(64a) of the rail member 54 extends, similar to the insertion hole 66(67) provided on the side surface of the rail member 64. The insertion holes 74 and 75 correspond to the second insertion hole described in the claim. The knob members 93 and 94 constituting the position adjustment mechanism 90 rotate with the direction in which the rail member 54(64) extends as the axis of rotation. Therefore, by making the insertion holes 74 (75) elongated, the insertion and removal of the positioning pins 95 and 96 is facilitated. Although not shown in the diagram, the positions of insertion hole 74 and insertion hole 75 are located at the same position in a plan view of the suspension device 10.

[0024] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the position adjustment mechanism 90 adjusts the relative position of the rail member 64(54) with respect to the holding cylinder 71(81) to match the width of the object being lifted. The position adjustment mechanism 90 includes support members 91, 92, knob members 93, 94, positioning pins 95, 96, torsion springs 97, 98, and rotation pins 99, 100. The configuration of the position adjustment mechanism 90 provided on the lower link 14 will be described below. Here, the knob members 93, 94 correspond to the moving members described in the claim. Also, the torsion springs 97, 98 correspond to the biasing means described in the claim.

[0025] Support member 91 is positioned outside the mounting portion 72a of bracket 72 which constitutes the retaining cylinder 71. Support member 92 is positioned outside the mounting portion 73a of bracket 73 which constitutes the retaining cylinder 71. Support members 91 and 92 are fixed to the upper part of the retaining cylinder 71 by screws 101 and nuts (not shown). Since the configurations of support members 91 and 92 are the same, only support member 91 will be described below, and the description of support member 92 will be omitted. Support member 91 has two bearing portions 91a and 91b spaced a predetermined distance apart. Through holes 91c and 91d are provided in the two bearing portions 91a and 91b. The through hole 91c in bearing portion 91a and the through hole 91d in bearing portion 91b are coaxial.

[0026] The knob member 93 is, for example, a flat plate-shaped member that extends in the vertical direction in Figure 3. The knob member 93 has a knob body 93a that is generally L-shaped and two bearing portions 93b and 93c provided on the knob body 93a. One end of a torsion spring 97 is in contact with the inside of the upper end of the knob body 93a. The bearing portions 93b and 93c are provided in a part of the knob member 93 that is closer to the center in the extending direction (vertical direction in Figure 3). These bearing portions 93b and 93c are provided so as to bend in the same direction from both edges of the knob body 93a. The bearing portions 91a and 91b of the support member 91 are located between these bearing portions 93b and 93c when the knob member 93 is pivotally supported on the support member 91. An insertion hole 93d is provided in the bearing portion 93b. Although not shown in the diagram, an insertion hole is also provided in the bearing portion 93c. The insertion hole 93d in the bearing portion 93b and the insertion hole in the bearing portion 93c are coaxial. The pivot pin 99 is inserted through the insertion hole 93d in the bearing portion 93b and the insertion hole in the bearing portion 93c, while being held coaxially with the insertion hole 91c in the bearing portion 91a of the support member 91 and the insertion hole 91d in the bearing portion 91b of the support member 91. Although not shown in the diagram, a male threaded portion is provided at the tip of the pivot pin 99, and a nut 102 is tightened on the male threaded portion at the tip of the pivot pin 99 when the knob member 93 is pivotally supported on the support member 91.

[0027] The lower end of the knob body 93a in its extending direction (up and down direction in Figure 3) is provided with a tongue-shaped piece 93e that extends to the left in Figure 3. A positioning pin 95 is fixed to the back side of this tongue-shaped piece 93e using a nut 103.

[0028] The torsion spring 97 is inserted between the two bearing portions 91a and 91b of the support member 91. When the knob member 93 is pivotally supported on the support member 91, the pivot pin 99, which is inserted across the insertion hole 91c of the bearing portion 91a and the insertion hole 91d of the bearing portion 91b, is inserted into the internal space of the wound portion 97a of the torsion spring 97. In this state, one end 97b of the torsion spring 97 is in contact with the support member 91, and the other end 97c is in contact with the upper end of the knob body 93a of the knob member 93. As a result, the knob member 93 is biased in the direction C shown in Figure 4.

[0029] Next, we will explain the position adjustment of the clamp section 17, which is performed before lifting the object being transported. Note that before lifting the object, not only is the position of the clamp section 17 adjusted, but the position of the clamp section 16 is also adjusted.

[0030] As shown in Figure 4, before the position of the clamp portion 17 is adjusted, the knob member 93 is biased in direction C in Figure 4 by the torsion spring 97. Therefore, the positioning pin 95 fixed to the knob member 93 is held in a state where it is inserted through either the insertion hole 74 of the bracket 72 or one of the multiple insertion holes 66 provided in the rail member 64. Similarly, the knob member 94 is biased in direction D in Figure 4 by the torsion spring 98. Therefore, the positioning pin 96 fixed to the knob member 94 is held in a state where it is inserted through either the insertion hole 75 of the bracket 73 or one of the multiple insertion holes 67 provided in the rail member 64.

[0031] When adjusting the position of the clamp portion 17, the operator, for example, places their thumb against the upper end of the pinching member 93 and their index finger against the upper end of the pinching member 94, and moves their thumb and index finger toward each other, that is, when the operator pinches the pinching members 93 and 94 with their thumb and index finger, the pinching member 93 rotates in the direction of E in Figure 4, with the pivot pin 99 (100) as the pivot point, against the biasing force of the torsion spring 97. At the same time, the pinching member 94 rotates in the direction of F in Figure 4, with the pivot pin 100 as the pivot point, against the biasing force of the torsion spring 98. By rotating the knob member 93(94), the positioning pin 95(96) moves from a state where it is inserted into the insertion hole 74(75) of the bracket 72(73) and the insertion hole 66(67) of the rail member 64 to a state where it is withdrawn from these insertion holes (see Figure 5).

[0032] With the gripping members 93 and 94 held in place, the rail member 64 connected to the clamp part 17 is moved in the direction of extension of the rail member 64 (direction G or H in Figure 6). Then, the movement of the rail member 64 is stopped at a position that matches the width of the transported object, and the position of the insertion hole 74(75) of the bracket 72 is aligned with the position of the insertion hole 66(67) provided on the side of the rail member 64. Note that in Figure 6, the configuration of the position adjustment mechanism 90 is omitted in order to explain the alignment of the insertion hole 74(75) of the bracket 72 and the insertion hole 66(67) provided on the side of the rail member 64.

[0033] After aligning the position of the insertion hole 74(75) in the bracket 72 with the position of the insertion hole 66(67) provided on the side of the rail member 64, the thumb and index finger are released from the gripping members 93 and 94. When the thumb and index finger are released from the gripping members 93 and 94, the gripping member 93 rotates in direction C in Figure 5 due to the biasing force of the torsion spring 97. This rotation causes the positioning pin 95 fixed to the gripping member 93 to be inserted through the insertion hole 74 in the bracket 72 and then through the insertion hole 66 provided in the rail member 64. At the same time, the gripping member 94 rotates in direction D in Figure 5 due to the biasing force of the torsion spring 98, causing the positioning pin 96 fixed to the gripping member 94 to be inserted through the insertion hole 75 in the bracket 73 and then through the insertion hole 67 provided in the rail member 64. This fixes the position of the rail member 64 relative to the retaining cylinder 71. With the position of the rail member 64 fixed, the position adjustment of the clamp portion 17 is completed. Similarly, the position adjustment of the clamp portion 16 is performed.

[0034] After the position adjustment of the clamp sections 16 and 17 is completed, the operator uses the lifting device 10 to lift the object being transported. During the lifting operation of the object being transported, the pantograph mechanism A is extended by moving the operating lever 40 to the right in Figure 1. This extension of the pantograph mechanism A causes the clamp sections 16 and 17 to move closer to each other, clamping both sides of the object being transported. After lifting the object, it is transported to the desired location and then placed in that location. Finally, the pantograph mechanism A is retracted by moving the operating lever 40 to the left in Figure 1. This retraction of the pantograph mechanism A causes the clamp sections 16 and 17 to move further apart, releasing the clamping on both sides of the object being transported.

[0035] In this embodiment, the angle at which the knob members 93 and 94 are rotated is not particularly limited. For example, if the positioning pin 95 fixed to the knob member 93 is completely withdrawn from the insertion hole 74 of the bracket 72 and the insertion hole 66 provided on the side surface 64a of the rail member 64, the angle at which the knob member 93 is rotated is not particularly limited. However, if the length of the positioning pin 95 is slightly longer than the sum of the thickness of the bracket 72 and the thickness of the side surface 64a of the rail member 64, the angle at which the knob member 94 is rotated is preferably about 30°.

[0036] In this embodiment, a lifting device 10 equipped with a position adjustment mechanism 90 on each of the lower links 14 and 15 is used as an example. However, a lifting device may also be provided with a position adjustment mechanism 90 on either one of the lower links 14 or 15 to adjust the position of the clamp portion relative to the lower link.

[0037] In this embodiment, the upper ends of the knob members 93 and 94 are pressed in directions toward each other, thereby rotating the knob members 93 and 94 and pulling out the positioning pins 95 and 96 fixed to the knob members 93 and 94 from the insertion holes of the retaining cylinder 71 (81) and the rail member 64 (54). However, instead of rotating the knob members 93 and 94, they may also be moved in the direction of the central axis of the positioning pins to pull them out from the insertion holes of the retaining cylinder 71 (81) and the rail member 64 (54).

[0038] In this embodiment, the positions of the insertion hole 74 in the retaining cylinder 71 and the insertion hole 66 on the side surface 64a of the rail member 64, through which the positioning pin 95 is inserted, and the positions of the insertion hole 75 in the retaining cylinder 71 and the insertion hole 67 on the side surface 64b of the rail member 64, through which the positioning pin 96 is inserted, are the same in a plan view of the suspension device 10. However, the positions of the insertion hole 74 in the retaining cylinder 71 and the insertion hole 66 on the side surface 64a of the rail member 64, and the positions of the insertion hole 75 in the retaining cylinder 71 and the insertion hole 67 on the side surface 64b of the rail member 64, through which the positioning pin 96 is inserted, do not need to be the same in a plan view of the suspension device 10.

[0039] In this embodiment, the knob members 93 and 94, which are held in a retracted state, are moved by the biasing force of the torsion spring 97(98) to insert the positioning pins 95 and 96 provided on the knob members 93 and 94 into the insertion holes of the retaining cylinder 71(81) and the rail member 64(54). In this case, the rail member 64(54) must be held in a position relative to the retaining cylinder 71(81) such that the insertion hole of the rail member 64(54) faces the insertion hole of the retaining cylinder 71(81).

[0040] Therefore, a positioning pin (not shown) separate from the positioning pin 95(96) may be provided on the knob member 93(94) so ​​that, during the process of the knob member 93(94) moving from the retracted state to the inserted state, the holding cylinder 71(81) and the rail member 64(54) can be positioned by the positioning pin separate from the positioning pin 95(96). For example, the positioning pin separate from the positioning pin 95(96) has a length in the direction of its central axis that is longer than that of the positioning pin 95(96). Also, the positioning pin separate from the positioning pin 95(96) has a circular cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the direction of its central axis. Also, the positioning pin 95(96) has a circular or oval cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the direction of its central axis. In this case, the outer diameter of the positioning pin separate from the positioning pin 95(96) is formed to be smaller than that of the positioning pin 95(96). Furthermore, a positioning pin other than positioning pin 95(96) corresponds to the second positioning pin described in the claim, and positioning pin 95(96) corresponds to the first positioning pin described in the claim.

[0041] For example, a positioning pin separate from the positioning pin 95(96) positions the retaining cylinder 71(81) and the rail member 64(54). This positioning is performed by inserting the positioning pin separate from the positioning pin 95(96) into, for example, an insertion hole (not shown) provided in the bracket 72(73) and an insertion hole in the rail member 54(64). The insertion hole (not shown) provided in the bracket 72(73) corresponds to the third insertion hole described in the claim. After this positioning, the positioning pin 95(96) is inserted into the insertion hole of the retaining cylinder 71(81) and the insertion hole of the rail member 64(54). With this configuration, the positioning pin separate from the positioning pin 95(96) positions the retaining cylinder 71(81) and the rail member 64(54), so that the insertion hole of the retaining cylinder 71(81) is held facing the insertion hole of the rail member 64(54). In this case, the positioning pin 95(96) can be made to have the same cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the central axis direction as the insertion hole 74(75) provided in the bracket 72(73) or the insertion hole provided in the rail member 54(64), thereby preventing rattling when the positioning pin 95(96) is inserted into the insertion hole 74(75) provided in the bracket 72(73) or the insertion hole provided in the rail member 54(64).

[0042] (Regarding the effects) According to one embodiment of the present invention, the lifting device comprises a pair of upper links 12, 13 pivotally attached to a connecting fitting 11 connected to a conveying means, a pair of lower links 14, 15 connected to each of the pair of upper links 12, 13 to form a pantograph mechanism A with the pair of upper links 12, 13, a pair of clamp portions 16, 17 provided on each of the pair of lower links 14, 15 to grip the conveyed object when the pantograph mechanism A operates, rail members 54, 64 to which at least one of the clamp portions 16, 17 is connected and which have a plurality of through holes 56, 57, 66, 67 along its extending direction, and the rail members 54, 64 are held in place when attached to at least one of the lower links 14, 15, and when the rail members 54, 64 are moved in the extending direction of the rail members 54, 64, the rail portion A retaining cylinder 71, 81 is provided with through holes 74, 75 that can face any one of the multiple through holes 56, 57, 66, 67 provided in the material 54, 64; a positioning pin 95, 96 is inserted into the through hole 74, 75 and any of the multiple through holes 56, 57, 66, 67 that face the through hole 74, 75; and a positioning pin is inserted into the through hole 74, 75 and any of the multiple through holes 56, 57, 66, 67 that face the through hole 74, 75. The device is characterized by having a knob member 93, 94 that can move the positioning pins 95, 96 from an inserted state in which the pins 95, 96 are inserted to a retracted state in which the positioning pins 95, 96 are pulled out from any of the insertion holes 74, 75 and a plurality of insertion holes 56, 57, 66, 67 facing the insertion holes 74, 75, and a torsion spring 97, 98 that biases the knob member 93, 94 to hold the positioning pins 95, 96 in the inserted state.

[0043] According to this, since it only requires the operation of pinching the knob members 93 and 94 and then releasing that operation, the work of adjusting the position of the clamp part can be simplified compared to conventional methods, for example, by rotating the rotating rod while moving the movable arm in a direction that brings it closer to or further away from the rotating arm to adjust the position of the movable arm.

[0044] Furthermore, the rail members 54 and 64 are positioned opposite each other and have sides 54a, 54b, 64a, and 64b, each having a plurality of insertion holes 56, 57, 66, and 67, respectively. The retaining cylinders 71 and 81 have a cylindrical shape through which the rail members 54 and 64 can be inserted and have insertion holes 74 and 75, respectively, positioned to face the plurality of insertion holes 56, 57, 66, and 67 provided on the sides 54a, 54b, 64a, and 64b of the rail members 54 and 64. The positioning pins 95 and 96, the knob members 93 and 94, and the torsion springs 97 and 98 are arranged corresponding to the insertion holes 74 and 75 provided in the retaining cylinders 71 and 81, respectively.

[0045] According to this, for example, by operating the knob members 93 and 94, the amount of movement of the positioning pins 95 and 96, which move between the inserted state and the retracted state, can be shortened, and by inserting the positioning pins 95 and 96 from both sides of the retaining cylinders 71 and 81, the positioning of the rail members 54 and 64 relative to the retaining cylinders 71 and 81 can be reliably achieved.

[0046] Furthermore, the knob members 93 and 94 are flat plate-shaped members extending in one direction, and the knob members 93 and 94 are pivotally supported by the support members 91 and 92 provided on the holding cylinders 71 and 81, respectively, at a position closer to the center in that direction, the positioning pins 95 and 96 are provided at one end of the knob members in that direction, the torsion springs 97 and 98 bias the knob members 93 and 94 at the other end of the knob members 93 and 94 in that direction so that the positioning pins 95 and 96 are held in an inserted state, and the knob members 93 and 94 move the positioning pins 95 and 96 from the inserted state to the retracted state by pressing the other end of the knob members 93 and 94 in that direction against the biasing force of the torsion springs 97 and 98.

[0047] According to this, the amount of movement of the positioning pins 95 and 96, which rotate together with the knob members 93 and 94, can be made shorter compared to when the positioning pins 95 and 96 are moved in the direction of their central axis. Therefore, the position adjustment mechanism 90 can be made more compact.

[0048] Furthermore, in the knob members 93 and 94, which are pivotally supported on the support members 91 and 92 located at positions corresponding to the insertion holes 74 and 75, pressing the other ends of the knob members 93 and 94 in one direction toward each other causes the positioning pins 95 and 96 fixed to each of the knob members 93 and 94 to move from the inserted state to the retracted state.

[0049] According to this, by pinching the upper ends of the gripping members 93 and 94 with the thumb and index finger and pressing the upper ends of the gripping members 93 and 94 together, the positioning pins 95 and 96 can be easily moved from the inserted state to the retracted state. Also, when moving the positioning pins 95 and 96 from the inserted state to the retracted state, the action of pinching the upper ends of the gripping members 93 and 94 with the thumb and index finger is released. This makes it possible to simplify the position adjustment of the clamp parts 16 and 17 during the lifting operation of transported objects. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0050] 10...Hanging tool 12, 13… Top link 14, 15… See links below 16, 17… Clamp section (gripping means) 54, 64… Rail components 56, 57, 66, 67… (First) Through Holes 71, 81... Retaining cylinder (retaining member) 74, 75… (Second) Through Holes 91, 92… Support members 93, 94... Knob parts (movable parts) 95, 96… Positioning pins 97, 98… Torsion spring (biasing mechanism) A...Pantograph mechanism

Claims

1. A pair of upper links, one end of which is pivotally attached to a connecting fitting connected to a transport means, A pair of lower links, each connected to the other end of the pair of upper links, and together with the pair of upper links, form a pantograph mechanism. Each of the pair of lower links is provided with a pair of gripping means for gripping the transported object by the operation of the pantograph mechanism, A rail member to which at least one of the pair of gripping means is connected, and to which a plurality of first insertion holes are provided along its own extending direction, A holding member that holds the rail member while attached to at least one of the lower links of the pair of lower links, and that holds the rail member slidably in the extending direction of the rail member, and has a second through hole that can face any one of the plurality of first through holes provided in the rail member when the rail member is slid, A positioning pin inserted into the second insertion hole and one of the plurality of first insertion holes facing the second insertion hole, A movable member capable of moving the positioning pin from an inserted state, in which the positioning pin is inserted into one of the second insertion hole and one of the plurality of first insertion holes facing the second insertion hole, to a retracted state, in which the positioning pin is withdrawn from the first insertion hole, A biasing means that biases the moving member to hold the positioning pin in the inserted state, A suspension device characterized by having the following features.

2. In the suspension device according to claim 1, The rail member is provided in a position opposite to one another and has a pair of sides, each of which is provided with a plurality of the first insertion holes. The retaining member has a cylindrical shape through which the rail member can be inserted, and each of the second insertion holes is positioned to face the plurality of first insertion holes provided on the pair of sides of the rail member. The positioning pin, the moving member, and the biasing means are arranged in accordance with each of the second insertion holes provided in the holding member. A lifting device characterized by the following features.

3. In the suspension device according to claim 2, The aforementioned moving member is a flat plate-shaped member extending in one direction. The movable member is pivotally supported by each of the support members provided on the holding member at a position that is closer to the center in one direction. The positioning pin is provided at one end of the moving member in the aforementioned direction, The biasing means biases the moving member at the other end of the moving member in the one direction such that the positioning pin is held in the inserted state, The lifting device is characterized in that the moving member moves the positioning pin from the inserted state to the retracted state by pressing the other end of the moving member in the one direction against the biasing force of the biasing means.

4. In the suspension device described in claim 3, A lifting device characterized in that, in each of the support members provided at a position corresponding to the second insertion hole, the movable members are pivotally supported on each of the movable members, and by pressing the other end of each movable member in one direction toward each other, the positioning pins provided on each of the movable members are moved from the inserted state to the retracted state.

5. In the suspension device according to claim 1, The positioning pin includes a first positioning pin inserted through the second insertion hole and one of the plurality of first insertion holes facing the second insertion hole, and a second positioning pin having an outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the first positioning pin and being longer than the first positioning pin. The second positioning pin is inserted into a third insertion hole provided in the holding member and a first insertion hole communicating with the third insertion hole, as the moving member moves from the retracted state to the inserted state, thereby positioning the rail member and the holding member. The second positioning pin is inserted into the second insertion hole and the first insertion hole facing the second insertion hole, after the rail member and the holding member have been positioned by the first positioning pin during the process in which the movable member moves from the retracted state to the inserted state. A lifting device characterized by the following features.

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