Leveling foot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10660438-B2
Application number	US-201716300063-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2017
Priority date	May 20, 2016
Publication date	May 26, 2020
Grant date	May 26, 2020

Abstract

A leveling foot having a base section with a raised, hollow column. A spring is arranged in the hollow column. A moveable top piece engages the column, and is movable in the vertical direction against the force of the spring. The top piece is slightly larger than the column, such that side walls of the top piece overlap the sides of the column when the spring is compressed. The bottom edges of the side walls of the top piece are angled. A generally U-shaped wedge device is provided that may be pressed into engagement with the base section, whereby a leg of the U engages each side of the column. The top surfaces of the legs of the U-shaped device are angled in the form of wedges, the angles of the top surfaces of the legs corresponding to the angles of the side walls of the movable top piece, such that the side walls of the top piece will rest upon the angled top surfaces of the legs of the wedge device when the top piece is under load.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A leveling foot device for leveling a structure, comprising a spring arranged to expand the device to fill a gap between the structure to be leveled and a surface, wherein the foot comprises:
a. a base section,
b. a hollow column extending upwardly from the base section,
c. the spring arranged in the hollow column,
d. a movable top piece arranged to engage with the hollow column, said top piece movable in a vertical direction, wherein said top piece has an internal cavity for receiving the hollow column when the top piece is pressed downward against the force of spring,
e. the movable top piece is equipped with one or more side walls, said side walls having a lower angled surface, and
f. a generally U-shaped wedge device having two legs, a distance between the legs corresponding to a width of the hollow column, an upper surface of the two legs are wedge shaped, having an angle that corresponds with the lower angled surface of the one or more side walls, wherein the U-shaped wedge device comprises teeth arranged on inside surfaces of the legs of the U-shaped wedge device, said teeth arranged to lockingly engage with corresponding teeth arranged on the hollow column and
whereby, when under load, the top piece is pressed downward such that the lower angled surface of the one or more side walls rest upon an angle of the upper surface of the legs of the U-shaped wedge device.

2. A leveling foot device according to claim 1 , wherein the base section further comprises upwardly projecting lips spaced a distance from the teeth of the column, said lips arranged to press the teeth of legs of the U-shaped wedge device into engagement with the teeth of the column.

3. A leveling foot device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the top piece is arranged to securely engage with an underside of the structure to be leveled.

4. A leveling foot device according to claim 3 , wherein the structure to be leveled comprises support legs having an internal opening at the bottom of the legs, and wherein the top piece further comprises an upwardly extending protrusion corresponding to the opening of the legs, and further wherein the top piece comprises upwardly projecting wings spaced a distance from the upward protrusion, said distance from the upward protrusion corresponding to the width of the leg, whereby inside surfaces of the wings engage outside surfaces of the legs in order to provide lateral stability.

Assignees

• Autostore Tech As

Inventors

• Hognaland Ingvar
• Fjeldheim Ivar
• Austrheim Trond
• Bekken Borge

Classifications

• F16M7/00

  Details of attaching or adjusting engine beds, frames, or supporting-legs on foundation or base; Attaching non-moving engine parts, e.g. cylinder blocks (elastic or equivalent mounting for absorbing vibrations F16F, especially F16F15/04) · CPC title

• A47B91/02 Primary

  Adjustable feet (self-levelling A47B91/16) · CPC title

• A47B91/16 Primary

  Self-levelling legs · CPC title

• B65G1/0464

  with access from above · CPC title