Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
1 325~86
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention pertains to apparatus and method for
material handling, and especially for the palletizing and
depalletizing of materials, and, optionally, the distribution
of those materials to specific locations. The invention
especially pertains to apparatus and processes for the handling
of stacks of loose materials such as newspaper and loose sheets
of paper, and the like, in conjunction with loading the
materials onto a pallet and subsequently unloading the materials
using a depalletizer, and optionally distributing them to a
subsequent work station, and loading them into a hopper.
Apparatus for palletizing bundles of newspaper into a
pallet load are known in the art. U.S. Patent No. 4,?04,060
teaches apparatus and methods for palletizing loose stacks of
paper such as newspaper. To the inventor's knowledge, apparatus
for unloading a pallet load of loose materials is unknown, as
is unloading a pallet load by sliding the load off the pallet.
Palletizers have achieved substantial use for loading
cases of material onto a pallet in layers typically with a slip
sheet on the bottom of the load and tie sheets between the
layers. In U.S. Patent No. 4,704,060 there is disclosed
palletizing apparatus for loading layers of loose paper, such
as sta~ks of newspaper, onto a pallet.
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1 325986
2~ 21
It i~ Deliev~d th~t the unlo~din~ of p~llst~, ~nd
particularly pallet~ of loosely stacked materials, i~
gener~lly done by h~nd. The problem w1th handlin~ loose
materials with a pallet unloading apparatus is that each
unit of m~terial must be acted upon in some way, by th~
apparatus, to effect the desired movement. With the smal]
thicknesa of, for example, p4per, it i~ e~sy for ~heets
near particularly the bottom of a sthck, to be missed by
that material handlin~ apparatus which functions ~y
~ction on a ~ide of the stack, at the edges of th~
sheet~. Yet, efficient material h4ndlin4 of thin sheetc
typically i~ done through interaction~ at the sheet edges.
P~pers are conventionally taken ~anually from a
pallet load and stacked into a hopper for further process-
ing. Since remov 1 of nsterial from the pallet load undplacing it in the hopper are manual operations, it would
be de~irable to provide apporatu~ to perform each of those,
opor~tions, 4s well ~c 4ppurntu~ to transport the m~terial
from the dep411etizing 4ppAr~tus to the hopper 104ding
apparat
It is an ob~ect o thi~ invention to provide appara-
tU5 and me~hods for automatically unloading material, and
e5~ecially stacks of looae m4teri41a such aa newspaper,
~rom ~ ~llet. In some cmbodimsnt~, the mor-t sfficient
unlo4din9 ~o~ina with a particul~r msthod of lo~din~ the
it which ic conduciYs to e~sr unlo~din~.
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1 325980
Anoth~.r o~.~ect. i5 pro~ision of apparatus and ~roceas
for d}strlbuting stacks of material to selected ones of a
pi~lrality of workstations.
Yet another ob~ect is provision of apparatus and
rrocess ~or loading stacks of paper into a hopper.
Finally. it is an ob~ect o the invention to provide
a system of apparatus and process for depalletizing mater- . :
lal. transporting lt to a ~ubaequent workstation, which
Tnay be selected from a plurality of workatations, and
loading it into a hopper at the workatation~
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1 325986
2~,~21
SI~MMARY OF THE INVENTION
" ~ ~
These and other ob~ect~ are seen to be embodied in -
depalletizing apparatus for removing a load of material -~
from a pallet. The apparatus includes, first, means or
-: . .
noldin~ a pallet having a load, in a predetermin~d : -
location ,3s by ret~ining bars ~nd otopa about the sides
and ends of a pallet, on a pallet carrier. Secondly, the
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deDalletizing apparatus includes a removal conveyor which
is horizontally, and by vertical pro~ectionr ad3acent to
the pallet holding means, although the removal conveyor
may ba, and usually i8~ in a plane ~ertically above the
pallet. ~hirdly, the apparatus includes a pushin~ means,
usually a pushing plate, for puahing the materials off the
pallet load and onto the removal conveyor means. The
pushing means preferably hao finger extenaions spaced
along one edge for pro~ection tow~rd the pallet when the
pus~ing means is pu~hing materlal off the pallet.
Particulsrly or uae with pallet loada having a
plurality of layers, and wherein the load is to be
unloaded a layer at ~ time, the apparatus ha~ the capabil-
ity for effectin~ vertical movement o the pallet relative
~o the remoYal conveyor. Either the pallet, or the
removal conveyor, or both, may move vertically.
Usually~ in convention~l pallet loadin~, 8 slip sheet
is uaed under the bottom layer of material and tie sheets
~re ue~d urlder ~11 other layero In pre~erred em~odiment~
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2~,821
cf t}.e invention. the p~llet lo~d incl~des ~peci~l sp~cing
sheets of the invention under each layer of material, in
place of ~ slip sheet and tie sheets.
There are many known and contemplated embodiment~ and
features of the spacinq sheet. It generally has a first
upper facinq surface ha~ing ~ relatively low coefficient
of friction. The spacing sheet preferably has an overDll
,. . .
minimum thickne~ of at leaat about 0.25 inch, ~t leaat
about 0.375 inch being better, with a preferred thickness
of about 0.75 inch, and most prefer~bly about 1.0 inch,
or reasons which are explained hereinafter. In the
preferred embodiments o the invention, the spacing sheet
has sufficient thickne~a and rigldity that movement
o the sheet may be prevented while a load is being slid
off it, by holding a retainer bar, or the like, against
the correaponding edge of the spacing ~heet to keep it
fr~m sliding with the load.
The sp~cing sheet usually has a plurality of ~eneral-
ly par~llel ch~nnels extending generally acro~s~ its upper
surfzce and terminating at one of the top edges. The
lower surface may also have a plurality of spaced spart
surface elements, which may define a pattern having
parallel relationships and a second definable parallel
direction. It is preferred that the parallel direction
defin~d by the pattern of surface elements on the lower
surface be substantislly diferent from the direction of
~he channels in the upper surface: most preferably the two
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direction~ sre perpendicul~r to e~ch other. In some
embodiment6 the lower f~cin~ curfoce h~ more csp~bility
to resiat sliding thsn does the upper surface. This m~y
t~ke the form of a hlgher coefficient of friction. It msy
5~150 t~ke the for~ of 8 mu~ltiplicity of pro~ections from
the lower surf~ce. - . -
The ~p~cin~ ~heet ~ay comprise first cnd second
aheeta of corrug~ted media f~stened to esch other st e
co~on interf~ce, to form the apacin~ sheet, with the
corrug~tion~ facing outwardly from the common inter~ace.
In the e e~bodiments the corrug~tions in the ~edis sre
aub~t~nti~lly perpendiculsr to esch other, snd o th~ckness
of st le~at ~bout 0.375 inch ia preferred. - --
In preferred psllet losding of the invention, the
~p~cing sheet i~ oriented in the p~llet lo~d auch that the -
ch~nnela in the upper aurfsce sre generslly sligned wlth
wh~t will be the remov~l direction of the removcl conveyor
in depslleti-ing operstions uaing this inventlon.
Preferred dep~lletizing Jpp~rstus of the invention
20includes a retaining mesns for preventing movement of ~n
underlying portion of the psllet load, such ag a sp~cin~
~heet ~nd underlying layer~ of m~terial, while an over~
- lylng portlon of the load ls being removed. It is
-preferred th~t the retaining me~ns ia ~ ~r, ~nd th~t it
25be comp~tible with surfsce-to-surface cont~ct with sn edae
of the apscing aheet when contents of the psllet losd sre
being removed.
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In conjunction with the use of the removal conveyor,
the depalletizing apparatus may use a spacing conveyor at the
discharge end of the removal conveyor. The spacing conveyor is
driven at a faster linear speed than the linear speed of the
removal conveyor. Finally, there may be a take-away conveyor
at the discharge end of the spacing conveyor. The take-away
conveyor has a direction of conveyance generally angular, and
preferably perpendicular, to the direction of conveyance of the
spacing conveyor.
In a preferred embodiment, the invention comprises a
depalletizing apparatus for removing a load of material from a
pallet, the load comprising at least one layer having a trailing
surface, the trailing surface having a height dimension and a
width dimension, the depalletizing apparatus comprising:
(a~ means for pushing the load in a predetermined
direction from the pallet one layer at a time
at a predetermined feed location, the pushing
surface
(l) having height and width dimensions
generally corresponding with those of
the load lay r trailing surface, and,
(2) having a lower edge and a plurality of
laterally spaced fingers depending from
the lower edge,
(b) a spacing sheet under each layer of the
pallet load, the sheet having an upwardly
facing surface provided with a plurality of
generally parallel spaced channels
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7 1 325~86 -
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thereacross andwith uppermost sheetportions
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therebetween disposed against the bottom
surface of a load layer thereon, the channels . .
being disposed in general alignment with the
5predetermined load pushing direction and
having a spacing corresponding substantially -~
to that of the fingers, . :
(c) means for positioning the pallet having the .
load in a predetermined load layer removal ;
,
lOlocation with respect to the pushing means ~: -
to dispose the lower edge of the continuous ::.
pushing surface close to but spaced from the ~
uppermost spacing sheet portions with the .
fingers engaging a minor lowermost portion
15of the layer trailing surface, and with the ;.:.
. ,
fingers extending into the channels of the .~:.
spacing sheet and beneath the lower surface
of the load layer, and
(d) means precluding movement of the spacing :~
sheet in thepredetermined pushing direction, -~
whereby the load layer is readily and fully pushed
from the pallet to leave the spacing sheet thereon for ;:
. ~ .
subsequent handling. ~.
Preferred embodiments also include means for removing . -
~5the spacing sheet from the top of the remainder of a pallet --
load, and means for moving it laterally away from the pallet~
They also include means for removing an empty pallet from the
pallet holding area, and pallet collecting means, including a
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' 1325986
carriage and carriage lift means for lifting a pallet from a
lower position of the carriage lift means into the bottom of a
stack of pallets, whereby the pallet becomes part of the stack,
and pallet stack holding means for holding a stack of pallets
above the carriage lift means as determined when the carriage
lift means is in the lowered position.
Some embodiments of the depalletizing apparatus have
a plurality of pallet holders on a pallet carrier, such that a
plurality of pallets may be loaded onto the pallet carrier for
feeding pallet loads, or parts thereof, through the
depalletizer.
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1325986
~,8~1
T;ne dsp~lleti~inq ~pp~r~tus m~y ~lso include ~ -~
~iurallty ~f accumulators beyond the discharge locus of
tne removal conveyor.
The invention includes methods o~ removing a losd of
material from a pallet. The steps include holding the
r,allet in ~ predetermined feed location, pushing material, - -
wrlic~, is on the pallet, off the pallet load and ontc, a -~
removal conveyor, and conveying the material away from the
pallet. ~or most efective operation of the removal, the
relative vertical height o the p~llet and remo~al
conveyor are ad~usted or effective sliding of a row of
the pallet load onto the conveyor. L{kewise, it is
aesirable that underlying portions o~ the pallet loacl be `-~ :
held, ~o they are prevented from moving off the pallet 8g ': ,
the top row is being pushed of~ Typical holding is by
means of a retaining bar in surace-to-surf~ce contact
with either ~n edge of the spacing sheet or a portion of
the underlying layer.
The ~dv~nt~g~s ~nd fautur~s of the inv~ntion ~re most
eaaily seen when the invention is applied to a load o~ -
material which i~ loosely stacked on the pallet; and
particularly loosely stacked newspaper or ne~paper
- sections. ~n this ~se, the mo~ement of an entire layer of
stac~ed newspaper, for example, requires the p~shing of
~5 the paper by a pusher at every elevation alon~ the
r~eight cf 3 st~ck. In ~ convention~l p~shin~, the ~ottom
o~oers ~y slip und0r th0 push0r. In this in~ntion,
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1 325986
21 ~
~,eci~l s~cinq aheet is u~ed under the loo~ely atacked
mater;al. The sDacing sheet has a plurality of gener~lly
.~r~ 1 ch~nnels in its top surf~ce: and the top of the
~Dacinq sheet is su~stantially coincident with the bottom
of the overlying layer. The pusher has a plurality of
fingers which extend into the channels. -- -
. . ~ . .
The bottom~ of the ch~nnels and the ends of the fi~ers
are ooth below the ~ottom of the layer being pushed, such
that the pusher efectlvely puahes the bottom of the leo
stack as well as the middle snd top of the looae stack.
A method of the invention typically includes dis-
charging the ~aterial from the remov~l conveyor onto a
spacing conveyor which is running at a higher linear speed
than the removal conveyor: and finally the material may be
~is~harged from the spucin~ conveyor onto a take-away
conveyor for conveysnce in a direction generally angular
tG the direction of convey~nce of the sp~cin~ conv0yor,
pre~erably in a dlrection perpendicular to the direc-
tlon of conveyance of the apacing conveyor.
After re~oval o the contenta of a layer of the load,
the underlying spa~ing aheet, now on top of the load is
removed by liftin~ the spscing ~heet and moving it
laterally ~ay from the pallet. The pallet height may
then De ad3usted, as necea~ry, to preaent the next layer
at a vertical height cooperative with sliding movement o
the neY.t layer onto the removal conveyor. The above steps
~f presenting and unloading layers are repeated until the
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13259~6
21 ~ -
llet is empty, inclu~ing removi~l of the l~t sp~in~
sheet. The empty pallet is then removed laterally from
re lec~tic.n to ~ carriage in a pallet collector. There
~he Dallet is lifted on the carriage into the bottom of a
5stack of ~allets whereby the pallet becomes part of the ~;
st~ck. The stack is held there above the carriage by
stack holdlng means,
In ~nothsr embodimsnt o~ the method, a plurality of
~,ailet ioads may be staged sequentially into tha depallet~
, .
10lzer ~or partial depalletizing. Specifically, when a ` -
portion of a pallet load, such as a layer, has been -
removed, the pallet, and its remaining load, are moved
:: :,--. :.
from the fead location and a second pallet and its load
are brought to the eed location snd any necessary height
15~?l~stment made. MateriMl is then pushed off the second
load and onto the removal conveyor. Additional psllet
lo~ds or lo~d portion~ are Gequenced into the feed
~ocatlon as desired, preferably by u~e of a p~llet carrier
wnich carries the affected pallets to and rom the feed
20location. As material is re~oved from the several pallet
loads~ it may be fed to a corresponding number o~ accum~-
1 at ors ~
The msthod of the in~ention has its ~eginninq in the
loading o~ the material onto the pallet. An important
25~art o;~ the invenlion, as it appliea to u~-e with 1005ely -.' ' `'
stacked 3rticles such as newspaper, is in placing one of
.he s~eci~l sp~cinq she~t~ of the invention, h~vin~ tho
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1 325986
2~3~A21
.-rl.~nn~ n ths top fiurf~ce, ~Inder each layer, such th~t
the top surface of each spacing sheet is coincident wlth
th~ bottom of the corresponding overlying layer. The
~macing sheets on any given pallet load are oriented
accoraing to the direction predetermined to ~e the
direction of sliding movement when the material on the
spacing sheets is removed.
The advantages of the invention are seen in unloading
the pallet. The pallet is held in po~ition, is adJ~sted
~or vertical height, and the top layer is pushed of.
Fingers on the pusher extend into the channels, effect- -
lvely reaching below the lower-most paper in the stack,
such that the entire stack i8 reli~bly removed from the ;
D Zl 1 1 et .
Another em~odiment of the invention is in ~ lo~dad
pallet using special spacing sheets of the invention. The
pallet is loaded with one or more layer~ of m~terial, and
at tne bottom of each layer ia a spacing sheet. The load, -~
th~n, from bottom to top is:
2G (a~ pallet ;~ ~-
(b) spacing sheet
~c) layer of material
~d) spacing sheet
(e) layer of material
alt~rnatin~ spacing sheets with layers of material.
.~noth~r portion of the invention is in a m~thod of
nandlinq pallets with a pallet handling device. The fir-~t
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1 325986
~fl,a21
zte~ in the method is liftins a pallet by a carriage from
a lower position to a higher position at the bottom o~ a
stack of pallets which are being held by a pallet stack
nolder. The pallet stack holder has a plurality of
flngers for holding the stack. As the pallet is lifted by
the carria~e the fingers are withdrawn from the stack
and the pallet is lifted into the bottom of the stack
thereby becoming a part of the stack. The flngera are
then reinserted into the stack, namely into that bottom
pallet which has ~ust been lifted into the stack, thus
ho1ding the stack once a~ain. The carriage may then be
returned to its lower position.
The pallet handling device includes a drive means
which has a circular motion member attached to the
carriage. The circular motion member ~lso has a cam on it
for interaction with the stack holder. The method
inclu~es drivin~ the circul~r motion member in on~
direction one rotation to collect ~ pallet rom the
carria~e lower position into the atJck, and driving the
circular motion means in the opposite direction one
rotation to dispense a pallet from the stack onto the
carriage and lower the carriage to the lower position.
Another portion o the invention is in a distributor
for distributing loose stacks o material. The distri~
butor has a staging area, means for receiving material
onto the staging area at a firat elevation, means for
chan~ing the st~ging area to a second elevation and
1 325986 ~ 21
rt~tin~ it about ~ vertic~l axis, means f~r chan~in~ the
elevation of the staqing area from the second elevation
after rotation ~bout the vertical axis, and means for
~iacharqin~ material from the staging area. Typically the
means ~or receiving and discharging the material is a
two--way conveyor. The procesa for using the distributor
is as indicated in the functional description of its
varlous parts.
Another portion of the invention i-~ in a hopper
lo~der. The loader ha~ receiving mean~ for receiving
load of material onto the lo~der. When the loader has A
load of material on it the receiving means is under the
load and supports the lo~d. The hopper further has means
fnr laterally moving the receiving means out from under
the received material, and reatr~ining mean~ for prevent-
inq l~ter~l movement o the materinl with the receiving
~eans during the later~l movement of the receiving meana~
Particularly where the hopper loader ia to ~e us~d
with looee stscks o papers, the receiving means has a
definable top surface, which may be conpoaed of ~ plural-
ity of surface elements, having a plurality of chsnnel
me~ns therein extendin~ in tho direction of later~l
~ovement of the receiving me~ns. Where the receivin~
me~3ne haa the ch~nnels in it~ top surface, the restraining
~eans may have a plurality o fingers extending into the
ch~nnzla. The receiving means typically is a roller
conYeyor with the rollers including the above described
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1 325986
2~,821
cr,~nnels. The roller conveyor and the restraining me~na
typically are connected to a common framework. The hopper
lc,~der m~y include an accumulator, as in the form of a
driven conveyor for feeding a load of materi~1 onto th
receiving means.
The lo~ding of ~ hopper, u~ing the hopper conv~yor, - -~
begina by receiving a lo~d of material onto the receiving
meana. Where the driven conveyor i~ uaed the material is
received first onto the driven conveyor and ia delivered
from the driven conveyor onto the receiving m~na. Wh~n
the material is received on the receiving means it ia -
su~ported ~r the receiving means. The recei~ing ~esna i~ -;
then laterally moved out from under the material whil~ ~ -
areventing the later 1 movement of m~terial with the ~ -;
receiving means during that lateral movement. The . .;:
material ia prevented from moving ~y the restraining means - -
whic}. is properly positioned for r~tr~ining the materi- :
~1. ' :,.-
Another portion of the inv~ntion i~ embodied in ~
co~ination of ~pp~ratus for distributing materi31 to a
plurality of workst-tions and loading that material into
hoppers at the workstations. The apparatus, then, -~
includes a distributor for distributing a plurality of ~ -
- lo~s of materi~l to a plurality of work~tations, by
~5 receiving the material onto a ~taging area, and changing ~ `
the elevation of that staging area ~nd rotating it about
vertical ax7s in order to present it to the appropriste
- 15 - -
- 1 325986 :::
2e
workst~tion, ~nd adJ~cent disch~rge loci of the di~tribu-
tor, hopper loadera c~pable of roceiving ~teri~l dia-
charged fro~ the distributor ~nd lo~ding it into th~
re3pective hoppera The bopper lo~dera ~ay co~prise
~ncu~ul~tore between the difftributor and receiving ~re~ of
the hoppor lo~der The hopper lo~der~ a~y further include
level detector~ for detecting the lev-l o~ a~teri~l in a
gi~en hopper
The invention i~ also s-on to be eabodied ln ~ ~y~tem
of ~tori~l h~ndling ~pparotus which co~priso- ~ dep~llet-
lzer, ~ di~tributor for roc-ivlng a~teri~l fro~ the
dep~lletizer ~nd distributing it to ~ elect-d one of the
plur~lity of workat~tiona, ~nd ~ lo~dor for lo~ding
~torial into ~ hopp-r ~t e~ch of th- workst~tions The
~ystem ~y option~lly includ- ~ccuaul~tor app~r~tua
between the dopalletizer ~nd the dl-tributor ~nd between
the distributor ~nd the lo~d-r
In the proc-r- of u-lng thl- ayst~ t-ri~l ia
d~p~llotized fro~ ~ p~llot lo~d by ~osns o~ pushing
ele~ents oi the lo~d off tho lo~d snd dolivering the~ to
di~tributor The distributor diatribut-- ooch lo~d
ele~nt to one of a plur~lity of work st~tions nnd the
corro~ponding hopper losder of the work at~tion Th~
correffpondin~ lo~dorc lo~d th- lo~d ele~onts into tho
corrosponding hopp~rs
The d~p~llotizin~ ~pp~rstus r~y doli~or load olo~onta
to one or ~oro sccu~ul~tors betwoon tho dop~ll~tizor ~nd
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1 3 2 5 9 8 6
28,8
the dictributor The load el-~ent~ ~r- th-n r-le~od fro~
the accuaulatora to tho diatributor at tho ~pproprlate
ti~e The diatributor ~ay deliver tho load ~I-aents to
~ccu~ul~tora on the reapoctivo hoppor lo~der~ Tho lood
ele~on~s arQ thon doliverod froa the accurulator to the
.::
hopper loader rec~iving ~o~n- ~t tho appropri~to ti~e ~
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1 325~86
28,~21
~RIEF ~F~RIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
. :
FIGURE 1 shows ~ top view of an overall layout
including material handling ayatem of this invention.
FIGURE 2 shows a side elevation view o a dep~llet~
izer of the invention h~ving a pallet in position for
5unlo~ding a portion o the pallet lo~d.
FIGURE 3 shows a top view of the depalletizer of ;~
FIGURE 2.
FIGURE 4 show~ ~ pictori~l ~iew of ~ spacin~ r-heet of
this invention; while FIGURE 4A ahowa ~ pictorial view of
10the ~ottom of ~ portion of the apscing sheet of FIGURE 4.
FIGURE 5 ahows a losded p~llet wherein the load
. ::::: . .
includes spacing ~heets of FIGURE 4. `~
FIGURE 6 shows u side ele~ation viaw us in FIGURE 2
with the top layer being pushed of the pallet.
15FIGURE 7 is ~ partial ele~tion YieW taken at 7-7 of - -
FIGURE 6.
FIGUkE 8 is a side elevation view as in FIGVRE 6 with
~he pallet having been further rAised for removal of the ;-
bottom layer.
20FIGURE~ g ~nd 1~ show ths su~ponsion of p~llets in
the vallet collector.
:,
FIGURES 11 and 12 show the mech~nical connection
~etween the drive motor, the lifting c~rriage, and the
~allet holding fingers, all in the psllet collector.
25FIGURE llA show~ the method of use of such ~pp~ratus in
th~ prior ~rt.
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1 325986
~IGURE l~ show the side elev~tion view of ~ m~teri~
distributor of thi~ invention.
FI~U~E 14 show ~ p~rtially cut-~w~y side elev~tion
~iew o a hopper loader of the invention.
FIGURE 15 shows the hopper loader of FIGURE 14 taken
at 15-15 of FIGURE 14.
FIGU~ES 16, and 17 show the hoppor lo~d0r of FI~URES .
14 and 15 in oper~tion, ~s it receives ~ stack of m~terial
and lo~d~ it into the hopper.
. ~.:,
FIG~ shows the hopper lo~der in its re~t :~
po~ition during the feeding of the material through the
. . .
hopper. :~ -
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,, , . ~,,, .,, A . ,, . . ,. ~. ,,; . . .. .. .
l 325q86
28,821
~ETAILE~ ~ESCRIPTION OF_SHE lLLU5TRATED E~BO~IMENT
-. ~ '
Th~ ~torial h~ndling ay-t-~ of tho lnv-ntion
addr~ssas tho oporations of unlo~ding ~ p~llot, in ~o~o
c~e~ aepnrating le~nt~ of th- losd ro~ oach othor, or
~le~ent~ of a plur~lity of lo~da froa e~ch othor, diatri- ;
buting th~ ~ovoral lo~d- to ~ ct~d ono- of ~ plur~lity `~
o~ work~tationa, and lo~ding th- lo~d ~ ents into
hoppsre ~t th- workst~tion~ In de~ling with theae
~:
v~riou~ aapects, th- in~entor h~ ~ddro--~d a plur~lity of
pro~le~, nnd h~s dovoloped olutions to thoae probl~n-
Thue tho do~cription b-roin nddr--s-~ ~ plur~lity of
: ............................................................................ ... . .
portiona o thQ inv~ntion Sho ov all inv~ntion i8
illuetr~tod in ~ top viow in FI~URE 1, wh-r-in app~ratu~
'"'-''--' - -
of th~ ~terial h~ndling ~yston is g-nor~lly indic~ted 8~
10 Tho ~torial handling sy~ton includ~- thro~ b~ic
oo~pon~nt~, n~n~ly ~ depsll-tiz-r 12, a di~tributor
1~, and hoppor lood-r- 16 Sh- y-t-~ optlon~lly includo~
~ plur~lity of accu~ul~tors 18 b-tw--n d-p~lletizQr 12 ~nd
di~tributor 14 The g-nor~l flow of n~t-ri~l in the
~aterial handling ~yst-u i- fron tho d-psllotizor 12 to
one or ~ore of tho ~ccu~ulotora 18, frou the ~ccurulator
18 to di-tributor 14, fro~ distributor 14 to sn appropri-
:,:
~te o~e of tha hopp-r lo~dor~ 16
, -.'
- 20 -
,' :
' ,,''
1 3 2 5 9 8 6 ~ 21
THE ~EPALLETI~ER
FIGURES 2 and 3 ~how ~ide elevation and top views o
the pri~ry component~ of a preferrad depslleti~er of the
inven~ion.
The dep~lletizer 12 i~ useful for removin~ st~ckc 20
or other layera, of moterials auch as paper~, from a
pallet load 22 ~nd delivering them onto ~ re~oval conveyor
: ::- -
24 for transport aw~y from the pallet. Spacing conveyor --
.
26 is at the dischsrge end of the conveyor 24, n~mely that
end of conveyor 24 which is remOtQ from the pallet load
22. T~ke-away conveyor 28 is ~t the discharge end of
spacing conveyor 26.
The dep~lletizer 12 includea a fr~me 30 having
generally vertic~l members or po~t~ 32~ Po-ts 32 ~re
~onnect~d in the upper portion o~ ~he depalletizer by a
plurality of upper horizontal frame member~ 33. The
dep311etizer includea a load ret~lner 34 mounted ~dJacent
rsmoval conveyor 24. The depslletizer urther includes ~
pusher 36 h&ving finger~ 38. Puaher 36 i~ mounted on the
end of rod 40 of retractable cylinder 42. Cylinder 42 i~
~ounted to frame 30 at horizontal member 43. Optionally a
s~cond, and comp~nion, cylinder 42 may be used on th~
opposite sid~ of the depolletizer and imilarly connected
to ~usher 36. Pu~her 36 i~ rotated about its axis of
~ot~tion by ~ctiv~tion of cylinder 44, een in ~IGURE 3.
A p~ilet c~rrier 46 has o plur~lity of pallet ta~las
4~ ~or receiYin~ p~llet loads ~2. E~ch pallet table has ~
1 325986 ::
2~,~21
plur~lity of p~llet quides 50 for locating the pallet into
an appropriate position when it is lo~ded onto the pallet
table. Appropriate ones of p~llet guides 50 are retract-
able in a nor~al manner, in order to f~cilitate loading o
the pallets onto the pallet tables. C~rrier tr~ck 52 is ~
track~ or other ~ppropriately defined means of guiding ths
movements of carrier 46.
Each pallet table haa a liting me~ns~ auch ~s the
scissor~ ~ck 54 shown.
Removal conveyor 24 i8 preferably compriaed of one or
more endless belts 56 which move in a generally horizontal
poaition, to pick up and transport material removed from
the pallet load 22. Removal conveyor 24 transports the
~aterial tow~rd~ ap~cing conveyor 26 ~ ahown by the
arrows in FIGURE 3 ~nd dischargea the m~terial onto
spacing conveyor 26. Spacing conveyor 26 is preferubly
co~prised o one or more endles3 be}tQ S8. Sp~cing
ConVQyOr 26 tr~naporta the msterlsl in ths aame gener~
direction ~s removal conveyor 24~ and at a higher rate of
speed, and di~chargea it onto take-away conveyor 28.
Take-away conveyor 28 collects the material and takes it
~ ::. ..
away rom the dep~lletizer ~rea.
Side guides 60 seen in FIGURE 3 on either side o
conveyors ~4 and 26 cont~in the m~terial, guide it, and
prevent i~ from alling off the sides of conveyors 24 and
~6. -
- 22 -
1 325986 28,821
In th~ proferred o~bodi~-nt~ of d-pnll-tizing
~c~ording to th- lnv-ntion, the pallet load 22 a~ n in
FIGURE 5 is ~d~ up of ono or ~or- layora 62 of ~4toriol
E~ch lay~r Ray includ- ~ plurality of ~taeks, bundlea, or
ca~es 20 or the liko, of ~atorlal FIGURE 5 ~howa two --~
14y~r~ 6~ of looae aat-rial, aueh ~- new~p~por, aeh lay-r
62 having tw-l~e tack- 20 Und-r aeh lay-r 62 ia a
~p4cing h--t 66
A~ b~t ~-en in FIGURE 4, ~pacing h-et 66 ha- an
upp~r fnclng ~urfaco 68 having 4 plurality of g~n-rally
psr41101 ehann-la 70 ~xtonding g-n rally acro~ tha uppor
surfaco ~ low0r fsoing surfac- 72 haa a plurality of -~
ch~nnola 74 oxtending g n r~lly aero ~ it- low r urfae~
Th0 upp-r and lower faeing urfae-a of paeing ah--t 66
~re g~nerally d~fin d at th- oxtr-~iti-- of thos ~urfae a ~ ;-
th-y aro farths~t pae d fro~ ach othor Thus th~
upp~r and low-r faeing urfaco~ ar- phy-ically dl eontinu- ~
ou~ ov~r th- nr-a~ of ehann-l- 70 and 74, but ar- gon-ral- ~ -
ly doinod a~ tho plano in whieh tho phy-ieal upp~r and
lower f~ing urfaea l-a-nt- ro~id- -
Channol~ 70 and 74 in th- upp~r nnd lowor urfaeQs
reap~etively ~r~ oriont d p rp ndieular to ~eh othQr in
tho preforrsd n-thod of using spaelng hoæt~ 66 in the
depall~tizing op~ration
A~ n in FI6U~E ~ ont- of low~r surfnco 72
~ay hnvo proJ~ction- 76 th-r-on Tho pro~eGtion- ~y
oo~pri~ roughn-s~ of th~ ~urfnc~ of th- ~t~ri~l fro~ ~ -
- 23 - ~
~ 1 325986 ~821
which th~ elo~ont~ of the lowcr ~urfuce ar~ ~do It ray
altern~tely include rat-rid ~ ~dhorad to tbe olorenta o~
th~ lower surf~ce 72 Typical of such ~ateri~ls would b~
~and, grlt, or the llko, adh~si~ely att~ch~d to the
~urf~ce ele~ent~ -
Referring now to FIGURE S, it is ~oen th~t upper
ch~nnel~ 70 in tho upp-r ~pacing sh-ot 66 urs orisnted in
tho ~e direction ~a upper ch~nn-l- 70 ln tha lower
apMcing ~heet 66 It will be ~o-n horein~ftor th~t, in ;;
~o~e e~bodi~ents of the in~-ntion, th- oriQnt~tion of
ch~nnel 70 deter~ines th- direction in which th~
l~yerG sre prqfor~bly r-~ov-d ~ro~ th- p~llet Thua when
all ~ateri~l ia to be ~o~-d th- sa- dir-ction, ~ll tho
~ -
~p~cing ah~et~ 66 hould be orient~d in th- s~o direc-
tion
The depnllotiz-r 12 furth-r includo- ~ p~llot
collsctor 78 so~n in FIGURE~ 9, 10, 11, and 12 Th- -~
p~llet collector has a drivo r~an~ not hown conn ct~d to ~ -
a p~ir of diska 80 on eith~r sid- of tho p~llet collector,
2~ one of which i~ ~hown $n FI6URE 11
E~ch di~k has n stud 82 conn-ctod to ~ p~ir of ch~in- 84
which p~a ~round pullcys 86 ~nd aro ~tt~ch0d to p~ll~t
c~rri~ge 88 Disk ao also ho~ ~ can 90 which int-rnct-
wi~h ca~ follower 92 ~a di-k 80 i- rot~tod ~ ollower
92 i~ ~tt3ched to rod 94 which i- rot~t~bly ~ounted to
fr~o 96 of the p~llot coll~ctor Ar~ 98 ~xt nd fro~ rod
g4 ~nd hold fingors lO0, which extend through slots 102
- 24 -
1 32 59 ~ 6 28~821
~nd proJ~ct ov~r ~rri~ge 88 os ~e-n in FIGURE 9 ~s
aeen in FIGURE 12, pring 104 exQrts pro-auro b0twe~n
br~cket 106 ~nd nr~ 98 such th~t fingor- 100 ~ro nor~lly
h~ld, by th~ pr~ssure of tbo spring~ 104, in 8 po~ition
proJecting over c~rri~go 88 ~ aeen in FIGURE 9 Aa a~-n
in FI6UR~S 9 ~nd 10, tho fingora 100 ~r- thus urg~d into
the at~ck of p~llot-, ~nd hold th- poll-ta ~ ~eon in
FIGURE 10
When ~ p~llot is r-cei~-d on ¢arria~- ~8, disk 80 i~
pow~red through o ~ingl~ r-volution in tho diroction shown
by th~ arrow on di~k 80 in FIGURE 11 A- the disk
rot~t~s, stud 82 lifts on ch4in~ 84 thus lifting carri~g~
8~ toward ing~rs 100 ~a th~y proJ~ct into tho pall~t
receiving ~r~ C~ 90 ncount-r~ follow-r 92 a- it
r~ch~ tho top of th- disk dur~ng th- dl~k rot~tion At
- ~ -
about ~h~ ~Q~O ti~o, tud 82 h4s r-~ch-d approxl~at-ly th~
three o'clock position on disk 80, ~- it i~ liftiny
c~rringo 88 throu~h choin- 84 ~nd pull-y~ 86 Caa 90
coaprisa~ ~n o~tr~ thlckno-a to di-k 80 ~- c~a 90
int~rsctA with follow-r 92, follow r 92 is forcod outword-
ly fro~ diak 80, thua rot4ting rod 94 and th~r~by r-tract-
ing fing~r~ 100 through arns 98, fro~ thoir po~ition ovor
c~rriage 88 thu~ providing ~ clear p~th for carri~ge 88
to lift the p~llot which i- on it into tho bottoa of
~5 ~h~ ~-t ck of pd lots such ~s th4t which is s- n in FIGUR~S
~ and 10 By tho ti~o atud 82 h~s r~uchad tho top o~ disk
B~ ca~ gO i~ no longor inter4ctin~ with co~ ~2, ~nd
- 2~ -
','~
1 3259~6 2~,~21 ;~ ~
~prin~a 10~ have puahed fingera 100 b~ck into the pall~t
stack, thus capturing the lower- ~ost pullet in the atack
which has been poaitioned there by carriage 88. With the
continued rotation of diak 80, carriage 88 i5 again
iowered to it~ lower poaition aa seen in FIGURE 11;
while fingers 100 continue to hold -11 the p~lleta
including the p~llet which has ~ust been n~wly lifted into
the bottom of the at~ck, thereby ~kin~ it ~ p~rt of th~
st~ck o pallet~.
10The prior art appsr~tus aeen in ~IGURE llA i~
believed to be structurally very simllar to the pallet
collector of FIGURES 11 and 12. The primary differenc*
known to the inventor ia in the oper~tion of the appara- ~ ~
,. ,,,, ., i. .,
tua; wherein the app~ratua of the prior art was used aa a
~ : ..:-. .....
15 pallet diapenser and wherein the diak operated in a ;
clockwiae ~nner for firat raising the c~rrisge, and while ,!,~
I ' . .'....
the carriDge waa in the r~ised poaition, c~mming the ~ ~
.. . .
~ingers out of the p~llet at~ck ~nd then c~m~ing the~ b~ck
.. . . .
in n~ the csrri~ge wsa lowered. In the psllet colle~tor '~
of the invention diak 80 ia rotated counter-clockwise,
, . -- . . ..
such that, a~ the c~rriage ia r~iaed, th- fingers 100 are
- retracted fro~ the pallet at~ck auch that ~n addition~l
pallet can be added to the atsck from the bottom. The
pallet fingera are then reinaerted into the pallet atack
when the c~rriage is near ita upper~oat poaition accompan-
ied by the rot~tion of the diak. ~
.,~, . .
,. : .
- 26 -
'.
1325986 2~.821 : ;-
Referring now to FIGURES 1, 2, 6, cnd 8, n ~pacing ::.
aheet removal cpparotus 108 1~ att~ched through cppropri~
ate aupport~ to one or more of upper horizontal frame :
~e~ber~ 33. The epacing ~heet remover 108 include~ M
prlmary re~over rame 110 'and a pickup framework 112
~ncluding ~uction cup~ 114. Pickup fromework 112 i8 , .
: . ,` ,.
~tt~ched to frame 110 through ch~ins 116 and pulleys 118. ; .
Chalns 116 extend fron ramework 112 over pulleys I18 to
~otor 120. Motor 120 dispenses ~nd winds up chalns 116
lO ln rol~ing and iowering plckup framework 112. Plckup ~::
.: ..
fr~mework llZ, chain~ 116, pulley~ , Dnd motor 120 are ~:~
~lld~bly mounted on fr~me 108 ~uch th~t they can be moved
along frome 108 ~uch a~ to the phantom posltion ag ahown
ln FIGURE 2.
FIGURE 2 ~howa the dep~lletizer ,wlth ~ loaded pallet
:: . ::: -
havlng been put in loc~tion on a pallet tcble 48 end .:
.- .
ral~ed ~nto o po~ition for unlo dlng. The pallet l~ held .:-:
.
ln lt~ po~itlon by atop~ 50- The apaclng ~heet 66 under .
the top l~yer 62 of the locd l~ ~g~in~t retainer 34. .
20 Referring now to FIGURE 6, pu~her 36 ha~ been rotated i -~
.. .
downwurdly into contact wlth the lo~d and 1~ puahlng layer .~:
6~ of lGad 22 onto remo~al conveyor 24. A~ best ~een in
FI5URE 7, flnger~ 38 on pu~her ~6 extend into the channel~
- ~ . .
70 on the upper ~urf~ce of ~pacing aheet 66, ln~urlng ~
25 that the bottom ~heet~ of ~aterial on l~yer 62 ~re pu~hed .::
along with th~ m~terial ~ it i~ remo~ed from the p~llet
and onto con~eyor 24. . ~-~
'.~. :'
- Z7 - -
, :.
1 325986 28 821
A dep~llntiziny opar~tlon will now be de~cribed in
a~quence. A looded pcllet la lo~dsd onto o p~llet t~ble.
The p~llet is poaitioned through eng~ge~ent of atopa 50.
If the re~pective p~llet t~ble 48 on whlch the p~llet h~a
be~n looded la not horlzont~lly edJ~cent renov~l conveyor
24 auch th~t lt c~n be r~i~e'd to ~ positlon directly
~d~cent the re~ov~l convsyor then c~rrler ~6 18 ~oved ln
tho appropri~te dlrectlon to bring the p~llet lnto
posltlon horlzont~lly od~cent re~ov~l c~nveyor 24.
"~orizont~lly ~d~cent" refera to a posltlon pro~ected
onto the floor without respect to the ~erticul loc~tion of
the p~llet ~nd the renovol conveyor. Once the loaded
.
p~llet ~nd ita psllet toble h~ve been brought lnto
poaitlon horlzont~lly ndJ~csnt re~ov~l conveyor 24 psllet
t~ble 48 ~nd the p~llet wlth lts load ~re ralsod lnto
poaitlon phyalcolly ~d~ocsnt renovol conveyor Z4 c~ aeen
in FI5URE 2. In th~t poaitlon the botton of l~yer 62
1~ ~ore or lea~ level wlth belt 56 on re~ovol conveyor
24~ Preferobly the botto~ o~ the top loyer la sllghtly
~bove the pl~ne of belt 56. Cylinder 44 i~ then ~ctlvsted
. .~ .
~ov~ng puaher 36 lnto ~ vertlc~l poaitlon. Cyllnder 42 la
~ctlv~ted withdr~wing rod 40 ~nd dr~wlng pusher 36 with
~t thu pushing the top l~yer 62 off the lo d 22 ond onto
r~o~l conveyor 24. As pusher ~6 pushe~ the l~yer off
fingera 38 extend below the botto~ of the l~yor ~nd into
ch~nne~ 70 to ~n~ure th~t the bottom nen~er~ of the l~yer
~re ~oved concurrently. See FIGURE 7. -Whlle oontents '-~
- 2~ -
- .
1 325~86 28 82l
of th~ pallet are boing puehed off, retslner 34 abut~
ap.~cing ~h~et 66 ~long one of lta edgea, ~nd prevent~ lt,
~nd the rest of the losd, froa being puahed off the pallet
~t the ~ane tl~e.
Wher~ loo~e ~at~risls, ~uch ~ stacks of new~paper~,
~re ~eing depslletized, it 1~ i~portcnt th~t retainer 3~
b~ ~blo to reatraln nove~ent cf ~sterlala underlylng the
~ateri~l being ~o~ed, by ~eons of ~ sp~cing ~heet. In
ordsr for ret~lnor 34 to sct ~pproprl~tely on ~ sp~clng
1~ ~heat, the sp~clng ~heet ~ust hove enough thlckne~s ~nd
rlgidlty th~t lt can be poaitloned in aurfcce-to-aurfsce
contact with retalner 34, and ~ointsin thst cont~ct whlle - ;
the overlylng l~yer la belng re~oved, wlthout ~llppsge,
buckllng, or other d~sgQ to the apaclng aheet or the
rat~lner. A ~inl~u~ thlcknesa for apcclng aheet 66 la
~bout 0.25 lnchea. Thlnner apDcing aheets could concel~
~bly be uaed, but the difflculty in properly loc~ting the~
vertlcully with respect to retsiner 34 ~akea their use
l~pr~ctlc~l. A ~paclng aheet:hsvlng a thicknea~ of 0.375
inCheB i8 better. 0.75 lnches i8 pre~erred, ~nd thlck-
neaaea ~a high na 1 lnch sre contenplsted a~ bsing
practical. Thickneas gre~ter than 1 inch will work, but
ap~cing aheet~ of tho~e de~lgna would be excen~ively
co~tly ~nd would unnsceas~rlly lncres~e th~ over~ll height
of the pallet load~ ~n which they sre uaed.
After the top layer ia re~oved, psllet table 48 ia
r~ised to ~n ~pproprl~te height for re~ov~l of the
- 29 -
~ . , ~. . . . . . .
1 325986 ~B,821
undsrlying lsyer Pickup fra~-work 112 of ap~cing sh-et
r~over 108 co~ea down to op~cing ahoet 66 ~nd picka it up
~y suction cups 114 After spacin~ sh--t 66 is adoquat-ly
r~i~d, it i~ mo~ed lsterolly ~w-y fro~ tho p~llet load a~
s~en in ph~nto~ in FIGVRE 2 and ia lower-d onto the t~ck
122 of ~p~cing sh~ete
After the p~cing ~h--t h~s bo-n r-nov-d, pu-har 36
pu~he~ tho rs~ining l~yer 62 off the pall-t in a ~nner
~i~ilar to th~ pushing of of the pr-vlous layer Tho
re~ining apacing ahoet is ro~ovsd ~a d~cribed ~bov-
P~llet t~ble 48 thon r-turna to its low~rod or ho~
height, ~s expr-so-d at 48L for ~ diffor-nt p~ t tobl~
in FIGURE 2 After the psllot t~bl~ 48 has be n r-turnQd
to it~ lowsred poaition, ~pty pallet 124 is ng~ged by
~ pop-up conv~yor, not shown, ~nd ~ov-d l~tcr~lly aw~y
from p~ t t~bl- 48 by pallet convoyor 126 to pallet
collector 78
In the p~ll~t coll ctor, th- pd l-t is lit-d up into
the botto~ of ~ fit~ck o~ pallet~ by carri~ge 88, and ~t ck
holding fi~ers lOO eng~ge th- pcllet, holding it ao tho
bstto~ of tho ~t~k, and ~bov- th- low-r-d height of th~
c~sri~ge 88 high enough to provid- clo~r~nco ~or the next
s~pty p~llet fro~ the dsp~ll-tizor ~11 aa doscrib-d
hereinabov~ for the operation of th- p~llat coll-ctor
As uaterial ia push-d off ~ p~ll-t load, it ia
d~poaited onto ro~ov~l convoyor 24 which la ~oving fro~
r ~ht to left ~ seen in FIGURES ~, 6, ~nd B, ~nd ~ccord-
-- 30 --
1 325986 28,~21
inq to the ~rrowc in FIGURE 3 On conv-yor 24, the
~steri~l is tr~veling ~ore or leas in rows ~croas the
width of the conveyor When the ~teri~l r-achea the
di~ch~rge end of re~oval conveyor 24 (hidden by po~t 32 ln
FIGURES 2, 6, and 8; aeo FIGURE 3), it ia deposited onto
~p~cing co~eyor 26 Spocing conv~yor 26 is driven ~t a
higher apeed th~n re~ov~l conveyor 24, thu~ incronsing the
diat~nce between subaoquent rowa of ~at-rlol Sp~cing
conveyor 2~ diAchsrges tho rstsrial onto tak0-swsy
conv~yor 28, which i5 drivsn in 8 dir-ction gonerslly
perpendicul~r to the direction of conv-yoro 24 snd 26
Sse FIGURES l ~nd 3 A row of noteriol travorsing
8p~cing conveyor 26 side-by-~ide beco~es a front-to-
back line of ~teri~l trcvor-ing tak--swoy conveyor 28
b~c~u~e of the perpondicul~r chsnge in direction Tho
incre~ed ~p~cing betwe n rows which ia provid-d by the
gre~ter speod of sp~cing conv-yor 26 provide- ti~e for a
line of R~t-r~l on ts~ woy convoyor 28 t~ closr the
receiving ~rea on conveyor 28 by the tia- tho next row
~rrives fro~ spoclng conveyor 26 Th- rel~tive apo-ds of
the conveyors ~ay, of cours-, b~ odJu-tod for the desirod
ti~ing~ In so~ c~ses the spscing conveyor 26 ia pre~er-
~bly a pop-up conveyor, ~nd it a~y co~prise n plur~lity of
O-belt~ ~s the conveying ~eona
- 31 -
1325986
~8,821
THE ~ISTRIBUTOR
Diatributor 14 ia ahown in top viow in FIGURE 1 and
in Gide elev~tion view ln FIGURE 13 Dlstributor 14 ha- a
vertic~l ne~ber 127 to which i~ nount-d a ~taglng ar~a
128 Vertic~l ~eaber 127 is c~pabl~ of rot~tion about
it~ vertical ~xia auch that t~ging aroa 128 ~y bo -~
presented to any of a p}urallty of work-t~tion~ 16
R~ferrlng to FIGURE 1 workstations A, B, C, and D hnve
: . .
~ccu~ul~tor~ 1~0 for ussociotion with dl-trlbutor 14
The re~inder of workst~tion~ 16 h~vo aecu~ulators 130,
not ~hown
A~ soon in FIGURE 13 di~trioutor 14 d $o h~ tho
cap~bility of changing th~ olsvation or h-ight, of st~ging
~reo 128
In oper4tlon o~ distributor 14, th- at~ging aroa 128
is r~ised to its upp-r~o~t po~ition ahown in phanto~ in
FIGURE 13 whoro it r-c-iv-- lo~d- o ~t-rid -, ~uch ~-
~t~cks of p~por ~0 fro~ convoyor 132 Aft-r r-c-ivin~
lo~d of ~teri~l fro~ convayor 132, th- at~ging ar-a 128
is lowored Qnd rotAt-d obout its v-rtic~l ~xis to an
~ngul~r poaition for f-oding tho lo~d to ~ work-t~tion
such ~ is so~n ln ph~ntou in FIGURE 1 Rototion a~y tako
pl~ce any tiae aftcr l~ing tho uppor olovstion and
~foro ~rriving ~t tho low~st ol-v~tion, ~nd ~y includo
tho c~so of ~ st~tic int ~di~to lov~tion for tbo
~ot~tion, ~s aaon in FIGURE 13 In th~ Jbodi~snt ~hown
- 32 -
1 325986 ~8~821 ~
in FI~RE 1, which is ~l~o seen in ~IGURES 14 snd 16 - 18,
the receiving area of the workat~tion ls ~ccu~ul~tor 130
Di~tributor 14 distribute~ tho load to sccu~ulator 130,
after which it returna to ita position ad~scent conveyor
132 for receiving the next lo~d, going through the height ~-
ad~u~tment ~nd rot~tion ~bout the vertic~l ~xia in the
procasU As ~een in FIGURE5 14 ond 16 - 18, ~taging srea
128 of diatributor 14 ls a convoyor Sp-cific~lly st~ging
~re~ 128 i~ preferred to be s two-w~y driv-n conveyor ~-
i .
auch thzt the conveyor is drivon in th~ ~ar- d~roction ~s
conveyor 132 when tho ~teri~l i~ roceiv-d fron convsyor
13~ and is driven in the oppo~ite diroction wh-n it
distributes ~teri~l to th- ~ccunul~tor 130
' . ,''
THE HOPPER LOADER -
;. ..:~
Hopp~r loader 16 is oon in th- gen-r~ yout of th~
~terial hnndling ~ystev, ~nd showing it- ovorsll r01~-
tionahip to the re~t of th- ~y~ten, in FIGURE 1 The
hopper lo~d~r h~s a frs~e 134 Ch~nn-ls 136 ~re ~ounted
to fr~e 134 through br~ck-ts 138 which ~l-o ~ount the
entire hoppQr lo~der to hopper 140 Wheel~ 142 rido in
channels 136 ~nd su~pend roceiving conveyor 144 fro~ ~ -
ch~nnei~ '~36 and over hopp~r 140 Receiving conveyor 14~
~y be ~ovad l~terolly with rsApect to hopper 140 ~y
th0 extension of rod 146 o~ cylindor 148 35 ~een in
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2~,8~1
FIG~IRES 17 and l~. 5ylinder 14~ ie mountod to hopper
140. Retainer 150 i~ ~tt~ched to rame 134 by f~steners
151 ~s seen in FIGURES 14 ~nd lS, ~nd h~ fingers 152
disposed from one edge thereof tow~rd receiving conveyor
144, Rollers 154 on conveyor 144 have channela lS6 for~ed
into their circumference, such that they accommodate and
receive fingers lS2. A detector 158 prefer~bly having a
sender 158A and ~ receiver 15~B ia positioned below
receiving conveyor 144 ~nd ~bove the top of hopper 140.
Arrows between the sender and receivsr show line-of-sight
travel of sign~ls.
Frame 134 h~a been deleted from the hopper lo~der in
FIGURES 17 ~nd 18 for cl~rity.
FI6URE 14 show~ a ~tack of m~terial being received
from staginy are~ 128 of distributor 14 onto accumulator
130. As shown in FI6~RE 14 the loader rec-iving conveyor
144 is positioned over the hopper loader and in ~ position
to receive the atock o m~teriAl rom ~ccumulator 130.
FIG~RE 16 shows the m~terial ~ein~ received onto receiving
conveyor 144 from driven conveyor 132 of accumulator 130.
When the ~t~ck of m~teri~l 20 ha~ ~een received fro~
~ccumulator 130, cylinder 148 i~ activated, extending rod
l46 and moving receiving conveyor 144 l~terally out
from under ~t~ck ~0. St~ck 20 is prevented from movin~
~ith conveyor 144 as it abut~ ret~iner lS0. Finger& 152
ex~end into ch~nnele 156 in conveyor 144 ~nd prevent the
b~ttom-mGet l~yers o~ mat~ri~l fro~ e~caping throu~h the
clear~nce q~p 16~ ~etwsen retainer 150 ~nd conveyor 14~.
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2~,~21 .
As seen in FIGURE 18, conveyor 144 h~s ~een withdr~wn .;
from over hopper 140. Conveyor 144 remains in the
position shown in FIGURE 18 until the load in hopper 140
h~s been reduced to the point where ths top of the lo~d ia
5 below the bottom of conveyor 144. At that point detector -`
158 detects that the load in the hopper is below conveyor --~
144 and initi~tea movement of conveyor 144 b~ck over the
hopper ~ in FI6~RE 1~ ~uoh that it is ready to recei~e :
~nother lo~d. The normal rest position, then, of conveyor
lO 144, while hopper feeding is in operation, is that shown ~: -
in FIGURE 1~. When the detector detect~ th~t the top of -
the material in the hopper ia below the level indic~ted, .
elevator 144 ia moved to the po~ition ahown iD FIGURE 14 ,~
for receiving another lo~d. Typic~lly u soon as convsyor
15144 reachea the poaition ahown in FI6URE 14 snother load ~-.~.-
is pl~ced on it aa ~hown in FIGURE 16 and thst load is ` ~`
then loaded into the hopper a~ in FIGURE 17 snd 18.
20THE MATERIAL HANDLING SYSTEM : .
~ ',.' -
The o~er~ ystem of h~ndling m~terial ~y at~rt a5 ` ~.
eArly ~s the oper~tion of p~tting the ~sterial on the
pallet, wherein the ap~cing ~heeta of the invention ~re
used in or~er to provide for appropriate depalletizin~ ~ .
25 op6ration~. Lo~ded p~ll~tc 22 are pl~ce~ on dep~lletizin~ .
." ~
- 35 -
t~Dlez 48. Lo~ded p~lletz 22 ~re ~een prior to being
pl~ced on t~blea 48 ln FIGURE 1. Two p~llet~ ~rs aeen
h~vlng been pl~ced on the psllet tables in FIGURE 2. One
of the p~llet~ h~a been r~iqed to 8 poffitlon for the
dep~lletizing oper~tion to proceed. The other p&llet la
~een at the lower level. -
As the dep~lletizing operstion ia proceed~ng, pu~her36 rot~tez to itq vertic~l po~ition ~nd pu~hsz ~terisl
of~ p~llet lo~d 22 ca aeen ln FIGURE 6. Aa the dep~llet-
ized ~teri~l i8 t~ken ~w~y by conveyors 24, 26, ~nd 28,
the pallet table 48 i~ further r~i~ed into ~ position for
re~ovnl of the next layer of m~terisl from the p~llet
lo~d. The ~p~cing ~heet remover dec~nda ~nd removes the
apacing 6heet. Puzher 36 then pushes the next l~yer of
~teri~l off the p~llet. After the l~st l~yer of mnteri~lh~s been removed from the lo~d, the ~p~cing sheet remover
rC~ovea the l~st zp~cing sheet, t~ble 48 ~ lowered ~nd
ths smpty p~llet 124 is deposited onto conveyor 126 ~nd
c~rried into the pnllet collector where it i~ received
lnto the 6tnck of p~lletz. P~llet c~rrier 46 then moves
nnother p~llet t~ble into position for dep~lletizing ~8 in
FIGURE 2.
In the me~ntime the dep~lletized m~teri~l h~z been
tr~vellng along tnke-~w~y conveyor 26 ~nd ia delivered to
the ~ppropri~te ones of ~ccumul~tora l~A through 18D.
Mnteri~l ia rela~zed from ~ccumul~tora 1~ onto conveyor
132 for delivery to diatributor 14, ~ccording to t~e needa
- ~6 -
,, , ~ ........... . .
-, ":, -- . .. . . .
1 32 5q 86 28,B21
of di~tributor 14 and at workatation~ 16. M~terial
rele~ed fro~ ~ccumulator,~ 18 tr~vela along conveyor 132
toward di~tributor 14 snd ia depoalted on diatrlbutor 14.
A~ ~aterlal 1~ recelved onto the ataging srea 128 of
diatrlbutor 14 the two-way conveyor of atsging areu 128 i~
activated ln order to receive the m8terial snd poaition it
properly on the at~ging sre~. Distributor 14 then change~
the elevation of atsging sres 128, rotste~ to the appro-
priate workatatlon, and reveraea dlrectlon of the two-way
con~eyor, thua delivering the ~aterisl to the sppropriste
work~tation 16 at ita accumul~tor 130. As the material i~
delivered from diatributor 14 by cn activstion of its
two-w~y conveyor on at~ging area 128, driven conveyor 132
on ~ccumulator 130 ia likewise activated ln order to
receive the m~terlal. The ~aterial i8 then delivered to
the hopper loader ~a called for by the hopper lo~der.
The operatlon of the depalletizer as aeen ln FIGURES
2, 6, and 8, ahowa the unlo~ding o ull the m~terlsl from
one p~llet. Alternatlvely, less than ~11 of the mater1~1
~ay be re~oved from one pallet loud, sfter whlch th t ~ -
pallet lo~d m~y be removed rom the feed atstion ~een in
FIGU2ES 2, 6, ~nd 8, ~nd another psllet lo~d ~ay be
pre~ented for unloading. In thi~ way, psrta of pallet h
loada ~y be removed-aequenti~lly in order to deliver and -- -
dlstrlbute materi~l~ in the order in which they srQ
needed. a~ aeen in FI~URE 1, ~ pal1et lo~d on pallet
table 48A ~ay be delivered to the dep~llet~zer feed
;', = --
~ . .
`
1 325986
2~,~21
etation ~s aeen in FIG~RE 2, purti~lly unlo~ded, ~nd
p~llet loed on toble 48B then preaented ond aone of it~
lood re~oved. Thua the procesa contenplotes the parti~l
unlooding of one or ~ore polleta without totolly unlooding
a pallet. Aa the naterial~ are unlo~ded, they ~oy be ~e-
quenced into the appropriate ~ccumul~tora. For exa~ple
m~teri~la fro~ p~llet t~ble 48A auy be aequenced into
~ccu~ulator 18A, ~teriol from p~llet t~ble 48B ~oy be
aequenced into accu~ulotor 18B, etc.. The uppropriate
~teriols nay then be aelected fro~ the accu~ulotor 18 snd
d~ ered to distri~utor 14 for distribution to the
appropr~cte work~tation ~6. ~-
It i~ onticipated thot the dep llstizing oper~tion
will typicolly be perforaed ~t o aubatontiAl vertic~l
elev~tion, auch oa 6 to lO feet obove the floor. The
~teriol h~ndling ~yate~ a~y be de~igned for bringing the ~-
dep~lletiz~d ~ateri~l to within nor~l working height,
auch ~ 2-4 ~eet obo~e the floor, ~t ~ny of ~ plurolity of
loc~tione. As ~hown in FIGURE 13, the ~ateri~
prefer~bly lowered At diatributor 14.
In connection with tbe depolletizing being done at
elevotion, there ore a plur~lity of posaibilitiea for
~equencing p~ll8t looda ond feeding the~ into the depol-
letizer feed atation, eapecially when pollet ore being
~aquenced out o~ the feed orea with port of the lood atill
on the pallet. For exo~p~e, oll looded pollet toblea
could be r~i ed to 4 gener~l unloading height ond held by
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1 325986
2~,~21
~n upper c~rrier, ~uch th~t the prim~ry ~o~ement to the
dep~lletizer feed ata~ion would be horizont~l. In that
e~odim~nt, the p~llet tablea would be lowered for
lo~diny ~nd unlooding p~llet~ ~nd their reapective loads,
~a appropri~te. In general, though, in that enbodi~ent,
the loaded p~llet t~blea would gener~lly be at the
~ppropri~te elevation for reaoving the pallet load.
Thua it ia ~een that the invention provides ~pparatua
and ~ethoda for ~uto~atically unloading ~aterial, ~nd
e~pecially stacka of loo~e n~ter~al auch a~ newapoper from
a p~llet. It ia seen th~t the RoSt efficient unlo~dlng
~egina with ~ ~ethod of losding the pallet which ia
conducive to easy unloading. It ia further aeen that
ther~ ia proviaion in the inv-ntion of ~pp~ratus and
proceea for diatributing atacks of ~ateri~l to selected
one~ of a plur~lity of workatation-.
Further tbere ia providod opparotua and proceaa ~or
lo~ding stacka of nateria1 into a hopper.
Fin~lly there ia provided a ayate~ of h~ndling
~teri~l which providea for dep~lleti~ing ~teri~l,
tr~naporting it to ~ aubaequent workatation, which ~ay be
selected fro~ ~ plurolity of work~tation~, and loading it
into ~ hopp~r ~t th~ work~tation.
- 3~ -
