System for transporting and manipulating tires and wheels
A factory layout including a track circuit, one or more wheeled carts for traversing the track circuit and a tire/wheel assembly carried by the wheeled cart. One or more work stations can be positioned at locations along the track circuit. Various wheeled cart embodiments are disclosed and various work station configurations are disclosed.
1. A wheeled cart, comprising:
a work platform member having an upper surface and a lower surface;
a base support member having an upper surface, wherein a plurality of wheels are connected to the base support member;
at least one vertical support member extending between the base support member and the work platform member, wherein a first end of the at least one vertical support member is connected to the upper surface of the base support member, wherein a second end of the at least one vertical support member is connected to the lower surface of the work platform member;
wherein said lower surface of the work platform member includes one of a female recess and a male projection that provides
means for matingly-engaging the other of a corresponding female recess and a male projection of a work station.
2. The wheeled cart of claim 1 , wherein said vertical support member includes
an urging device disposed within the at least one vertical support member.
3. The wheeled cart of claim 2 , wherein said urging device includes
a mechanical coil spring that provides
means for resisting telescopingly-collapsing of the at least one vertical support member, wherein the at least one vertical support member includes
a first telescoping member having a passageway, wherein the first telescoping member is connected to and extends away from the upper surface of the base support member, and
a second telescoping member having a passageway, wherein the second telescoping member is connected to and extends away from the lower surface of the work platform member, wherein at least a portion of an end of one of the first telescoping member and the second telescoping member is arranged within the passageway of the other of the first telescoping member and the second telescoping member to provide
means for telescopingly-collapsing the at least one vertical support member.
4. The wheeled cart of claim 2 , wherein said urging device includes
a compressed gas cylinder that provides
means for resisting telescopingly-collapsing of the at least one vertical support member, wherein the at least one vertical support member includes
a first telescoping member having a passageway, wherein the first telescoping member is connected to and extends away from the upper surface of the base support member, and
a second telescoping member having a passageway, wherein the second telescoping member is connected to and extends away from the lower surface of the work platform member, wherein at least a portion of an end of one of the first telescoping member and the second telescoping member is arranged within the passageway of the other of the first telescoping member and the second telescoping member to provide
means for telescopingly-collapsing the at least one vertical support member.
5. The wheeled cart of claim 1 , the at least one vertical support member includes
a first telescoping member having a passageway, wherein the first telescoping member is connected to and extends away from the upper surface of the base support member, and
a second telescoping member having a passageway, wherein the second telescoping member is connected to and extends away from the lower surface of the work platform member, wherein at least a portion of an end of one of the first telescoping member and the second telescoping member is arranged within the passageway of the other of the first telescoping member and the second telescoping member to provide
means for telescopingly-collapsing the at least one vertical support member.
6. The wheeled cart of claim 1 , further including
at least one motor coupled to at least one wheel in said plurality of wheels, wherein the at least one motor provides
means for powering the movement of said wheeled cart.
7. The wheeled cart of claim 1 , wherein said wheeled cart includes
a device that provides
means for determining a position of the wheeled cart with respect to a prescribed path.
8. The wheeled cart of claim 1 , further including
a vertical post attached to and extending away from said upper surface of said work platform member, wherein said vertical post provides
means for engaging a lifting mechanism of a work station for lifting the work platform member away from a surface upon which the wheeled cart traverses.
9. A wheeled cart, comprising:
a work platform member having an upper surface and a lower surface;
a base support member having an upper surface, wherein a plurality of wheels are connected to the base support member;
at least one vertical support member extending between the base support member and the work platform member, wherein a first end of the at least one vertical support member is connected to the upper surface of the base support member, wherein a second end of the at least one vertical support member is connected to the lower surface of the work platform member, wherein the at least one vertical support member includes
a first telescoping member having a passageway, wherein the first telescoping member is connected to and extends away from the upper surface of the base support member, and
a second telescoping member having a passageway, wherein the second telescoping member is connected to and extends away from the lower surface of the work platform member, wherein at least a portion of an end of one of the first telescoping member and the second telescoping member is arranged within the passageway of the other of the first telescoping member and the second telescoping member to provide
means for telescopingly-collapsing the at least one vertical support member; and
a vertical post attached to and extending away from said upper surface of said work platform member, wherein said vertical post provides
means for engaging a lifting mechanism of a work station for lifting the work platform member away from a surface upon which the wheeled cart traverses.
10. The wheeled cart of claim 9 , wherein said vertical support member includes
an urging device disposed within the passageway of each of the first and second telescoping members.
11. The wheeled cart of claim 10 , wherein said urging device includes
a mechanical coil spring that provides
means for resisting telescopingly-collapsing of the at least one vertical support member.
12. The wheeled cart of claim 10 , wherein said urging device includes
a compressed gas cylinder that provides
means for resisting telescopingly-collapsing of the at least one vertical support member.
13. The wheeled cart of claim 9 , wherein said lower surface of the work platform member includes one of a female recess and a male projection that provides
mean for matingly-engaging the other of a corresponding female recess and a male projection of a work station.
14. The wheeled cart of claim 9 , further including
at least one motor coupled to at least one wheel in said plurality of wheels, wherein the at least one motor provides
means for powering the movement of said wheeled cart.
15. The wheeled cart of claim 9 , wherein said wheeled cart includes
a device that provides
means for determining a position of the wheeled cart with respect to a prescribed path.
16. A wheeled cart, comprising:
a work platform member having an upper surface and a lower surface;
a base support member having an upper surface, wherein a plurality of wheels are connected to the base support member;
at least one vertical support member extending between the base support member and the work platform member, wherein a first end of the at least one vertical support member is connected to the upper surface of the base support member, wherein a second end of the at least one vertical support member is connected to the lower surface of the work platform member,
a vertical post attached to and extending away from said upper surface of said work platform member, wherein said vertical post provides
means for engaging a lifting mechanism of a work station for lifting the work platform member away from a surface upon which the wheeled cart traverses.
17. The wheeled cart of claim 16 , wherein the at least one vertical support member includes
a first telescoping member having a passageway, wherein the first telescoping member is connected to and extends away from the upper surface of the base support member, and
a second telescoping member having a passageway, wherein the second telescoping member is connected to and extends away from the lower surface of the work platform member, wherein at least a portion of an end of one of the first telescoping member and the second telescoping member is arranged within the passageway of the other of the first telescoping member and the second telescoping member to provide
means for telescopingly-collapsing the at least one vertical support member.
18. The wheeled cart of claim 17 , wherein said vertical support member includes
an urging device disposed within the passageway of each of the first and second telescoping members.
19. The wheeled cart of claim 18 , wherein said urging device includes
a mechanical coil spring that provides
means for resisting telescopingly-collapsing of the at least one vertical support member.
20. The wheeled cart of claim 18 , wherein said urging device includes
a compressed gas cylinder that provides
means for resisting telescopingly-collapsing of the at least one vertical support member.
21. The wheeled cart of claim 16 , wherein said lower surface of the work platform member includes one of a female recess and a male projection that provides
mean for matingly-engaging the other of a corresponding female recess and a male projection of a work station.
22. The wheeled cart of claim 16 , further including
at least one motor coupled to at least one wheel in said plurality of wheels, wherein the at least one motor provides
means for powering the movement of said wheeled cart.
23. The wheeled cart of claim 16 , wherein said wheeled cart includes
a device that provides
means for determining a position of the wheeled cart with respect to a prescribed path.