Hydraulic Pull and Lift System for Roofing Pallets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for transporting roofing materials to elevated roof levels are inefficient, requiring excessive manual labor and posing safety risks due to the need for ladder use and limited capacity per hour, with existing devices often colliding with truck frames or using jerky chain drives.
Innovation Solution
A pull and lift system featuring a pull bar with hydraulic rams and a lift table with spaced-apart legs that smoothly pulls pallets along a truck bed and elevates them to the base of a pedestal conveyor without tipping, allowing for precise positioning and reduced worker bending.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If workers manually carry roofing materials up ladders or stairs to the roof, then the method is simple and requires minimal equipment, but the productivity is extremely low and safety risks increase due to ladder mishaps and excessive manual labor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a conveyor system as an intermediary device between the ground level and the roof. The conveyor belt transports roofing materials automatically, eliminating the need for workers to manually carry materials up ladders or stairs. This mediator device significantly increases productivity while maintaining relatively simple equipment requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical system of carrying materials up ladders with an automated conveyor system. The conveyor uses a continuous belt mechanism driven by a motor, substituting human physical effort with mechanical automation, thereby increasing productivity without proportionally increasing device complexity.
2Productivity
If early conveyors with bases upon the ground near the motive power were used, then the setup was simple, but the conveyors could not efficiently deliver materials to the eave level and required workers to walk the length of the flat bed multiple times
Solution Approach 1:
The patent elevates the conveyor base from ground level to the eave level of the roof, utilizing the vertical dimension. This dimensional change allows the conveyor to directly deliver materials to the required height, eliminating the need for workers to repeatedly walk the length of the flat bed and manually transfer materials, thereby improving unloading efficiency and reducing worker effort.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyor system is positioned and configured in advance to reach the eave level directly. By preparing the conveyor's location and angle beforehand, the system is ready to efficiently transport materials from the flat bed to the roof without requiring intermediate manual handling steps, thus improving productivity and ease of operation.
3Productivity
If conveyors were extended from the pedestal outwardly and upwardly to the eave, then materials could be delivered to the roof, but workers still had to unload each pallet manually by placing packs onto the conveyor
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor system is designed to perform multiple functions: it not only transports materials from the flat bed but also receives and conveys materials directly from pallets placed on the flat bed. This multi-functional design allows the conveyor to handle the entire unloading process, reducing manual effort while maintaining high material delivery capability.
4Productivity
If existing lift devices were used, then materials could be elevated, but the devices often collided with the truck frame or used jerky chain drives that caused instability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a hydraulic lift system to elevate the conveyor pedestal and materials to the eave level. The hydraulic mechanism provides smooth, controlled, and stable movement without the jerky motion associated with chain drives. This ensures reliable and safe material elevation while maintaining high productivity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system efficiently transfers roofing materials from the truck bed to the conveyor, reducing manual labor and safety risks by enabling smooth, controlled movement and elevation of pallets, doubling the load capacity and eliminating excessive bending for workers.
Implementation Method 1
two hydraulic rams connecting to the pull bar in a spaced apart arrangement and the frame of the truck
Implementation Method 2
at least one hydraulic ram connecting to the table and the frame of a truck
Data Source
AI summary
The pull and lift system for transporting roofing materials includes a pull bar upon a flat bed of a truck, two rams connecting to the pull bar, controls for the rams, two pairs of mutually spaced apart legs, a table connecting between the pairs of legs, at least one ram connecting to the table, and controls for this ram. The first controls engage the pull bar against a pallet then draw it towards the table. The pull bar has an L shaped cross section with the lower portion sliding upon the flat bed and the upper portion engaging a pallet. The table has a first position coplanar with the flat bed and a second position above the flat bed and proximate a conveyor. The table elevates, while loaded with cargo, and remains level during its transition from the first position to the second position.