GB2182306A

GB2182306A - Apparatus for handling stacked elements

Info

Publication number: GB2182306A
Application number: GB08526641A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Harry Davenport; Steven Wildgoose
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-10-29
Filing date: 1985-10-29
Publication date: 1987-05-13
Also published as: GB8526641D0; AU6445386A

Abstract

Apparatus for handling stacked elements comprising an assembly 6 having an inner support supported through ball bearings on an outer support and pivotable about a base frame 8 by means of hydraulic rams 10. The supports are relatively movable by means of a hydraulic ram. The outer support includes a base 3 and the inner support stops short of this base leaving a gap which enables a pallet supporting a stack of elements to be supported on the outer support whilst the stack is supported on the inner support. A pallet supporting a stack of elements may be placed on the apparatus with the inner and outer supports substantially vertical and these supports pivoted to a substantially horizontal position. Moving the supports relatively moves the stack away from the pallet allowing the pallet to be removed or replaced. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for handling stacked elements The present invention relates to apparatus for hand- ling stacked elements, particularly, but notex- clusively, stacked boxes of meat.

Such stacks may be moved from location to Iqcation on pallets. At times, removal ofthe pallet, either for repair and/or replacement, is necessary. This may be difficult to achieve.

According to the present invention, there is proyided apparatus for handling stacked elements com- prising support means for supporting the stack, means for moving the support means from a first position in which the stack is upright two a second position in which the stack is substantially horizontal, the support means comprising two partswhich maybe moved relative to one another two separate the stack from a pallet in the second position.

In a preferred embodimentofthe invention, the support means comprise inner and outer supports of V-shaped cross section. These supports are relatively movable. A hydraulically operable ram is provided for moving the supports relative to each other. One or more hydraulically operable rams are provided for moving the support means betweenfirstand second positions. The support means may be pivotallyconnected to a base frame to which the rams may be con nected. The innersupport maybesupported onthe outersupportthrough ball bearings.

In orderthat the invention may be more clearly un- derstood, one embodiment thereof wi li now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a side elevational view of a carton/ pallet separator, and Figure2 shows a plan view ofthe separator shown in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, the separator comprises outer and inner continuous plateform supports 1 and 2 of substantially right angled V-shaped crosssection. The inner support is movable with respect to the outer support and is supported on ball bearings housed in the outer support. The inner support is open ended at both ends, but the outer is closed at one end to form a substantiallytriangular base 3. The inner support stops short of the base 3 so thatthere is a gap 3a between the end of support 2 and base 3. A hydraulic ram 4 is connected between the supports which, when operated, moves the inner supportwith respectto the outer support.This ram 4comprises a pressure fluid operable piston and cylinder device, the piston and cylinderofwhich are respectively con- nected to the inner and outer supports orvice-versa.

This device is supplied with pressure fluid by a pump driven by an electric motor indicated generally by the reference numeral 5.

The assembly, generally referenced 6, comprising the supports 1 and 2 and ram 4 is pivotally mounted at 7 on a base frame 8 which is adapted to fixing to a concrete floor orthe like. Two hydraulically operable rams 9 and 10 each comprising a pressure fluid operable piston and cylinder device are disposed on opposite sides respectively of the assembly 6. In the arrangement shown, the pistons of these devices are pivotally connected to the assembly 6 and the cylinders to the frame 8, although the reverse arrangement may be used. A hand rail 11 is connected to the base frame 8 and an emergency foot operable push stop box 12, in addition to the normal hand operable stop start control 13, is provided.

In use, in the handling for example of boxes of meat, a blast frozen stack of boxes comprising several layers separated by moulded plastics material separators are supported on a wooden pallet and moved to the separator by means of a fork lift truck.

The assembly 6 of the separator is in the vertical position with the base 3 substantially horizontal. After depositing the stack on the base, the assembly 6 is pivoted to the horizontal position by the rams 9 and 10 in which position the base 3 is then substantiallyverti cal.This releases the pressure on the separators which may then be removed or replaced. To enable the pallet to be removed or replaced, the inner su p- port 2 is moved relative to the outer support 1 by the ram 4, thus moving the complete stack of boxes away from the base 3 and therefore away from the pallet in the base which lies in the gap 3a and therefore is not moved.A replacement pallet, for example, can then be inserted and the process reversed whereby the stack is once again oriented to the vertical position for subsequenttransferto a cold store or cold store vehicle for example.

It will be appreciated that the above embodiment has been described by way of example only and that many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

1. Apparatus for handling stacked elements comprising support means for supporting the stack, meansfor moving the support meansfrom afirst position in which the stack is upright to a second position in which the stack is substantially horizontal,the support means comprising two parts of V-shaped cross section which in use partially encompass the stackandwhich may be moved relativeto one another to separate the stack from a pallet in the second positiontoenablethepalletto be removed.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the two parts of the support means comprise inner and outer supports.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which means are provided for moving the parts relative to one another.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, in which the means comprises a hydraulically operable ram.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, inwhichthe meansfor moving the support means comprise at least one hydraulically operable ram.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim Sin which the support means is pivotally connected to a base frame to which the at least one ram is connected.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which one of the two parts comprises a base and the other of the two parts is spaced away from that base leaving a gap in which the pallet may be supported on the said one part whilst a stack is supported on

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Apparatus for handling stacked elements The present invention relates to apparatus for hand- ling stacked elements, particularly, but notex- clusively, stacked boxes of meat. Such stacks may be moved from location to Iqcation on pallets. At times, removal ofthe pallet, either for repair and/or replacement, is necessary. This may be difficult to achieve. According to the present invention, there is proyided apparatus for handling stacked elements com- prising support means for supporting the stack, means for moving the support means from a first position in which the stack is upright two a second position in which the stack is substantially horizontal, the support means comprising two partswhich maybe moved relative to one another two separate the stack from a pallet in the second position. In a preferred embodimentofthe invention, the support means comprise inner and outer supports of V-shaped cross section. These supports are relatively movable. A hydraulically operable ram is provided for moving the supports relative to each other. One or more hydraulically operable rams are provided for moving the support means betweenfirstand second positions. The support means may be pivotallyconnected to a base frame to which the rams may be con nected. The innersupport maybesupported onthe outersupportthrough ball bearings. In orderthat the invention may be more clearly un- derstood, one embodiment thereof wi li now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a side elevational view of a carton/ pallet separator, and Figure2 shows a plan view ofthe separator shown in Figure 1. Referring to the drawing, the separator comprises outer and inner continuous plateform supports 1 and 2 of substantially right angled V-shaped crosssection. The inner support is movable with respect to the outer support and is supported on ball bearings housed in the outer support. The inner support is open ended at both ends, but the outer is closed at one end to form a substantiallytriangular base 3. The inner support stops short of the base 3 so thatthere is a gap 3a between the end of support 2 and base 3. A hydraulic ram 4 is connected between the supports which, when operated, moves the inner supportwith respectto the outer support.This ram 4comprises a pressure fluid operable piston and cylinder device, the piston and cylinderofwhich are respectively con- nected to the inner and outer supports orvice-versa. This device is supplied with pressure fluid by a pump driven by an electric motor indicated generally by the reference numeral 5. The assembly, generally referenced 6, comprising the supports 1 and 2 and ram 4 is pivotally mounted at 7 on a base frame 8 which is adapted to fixing to a concrete floor orthe like. Two hydraulically operable rams 9 and 10 each comprising a pressure fluid operable piston and cylinder device are disposed on opposite sides respectively of the assembly 6. In the arrangement shown, the pistons of these devices are pivotally connected to the assembly 6 and the cylinders to the frame 8, although the reverse arrangement may be used. A hand rail 11 is connected to the base frame 8 and an emergency foot operable push stop box 12, in addition to the normal hand operable stop start control 13, is provided. In use, in the handling for example of boxes of meat, a blast frozen stack of boxes comprising several layers separated by moulded plastics material separators are supported on a wooden pallet and moved to the separator by means of a fork lift truck. The assembly 6 of the separator is in the vertical position with the base 3 substantially horizontal. After depositing the stack on the base, the assembly 6 is pivoted to the horizontal position by the rams 9 and 10 in which position the base 3 is then substantiallyverti cal.This releases the pressure on the separators which may then be removed or replaced. To enable the pallet to be removed or replaced, the inner su p- port 2 is moved relative to the outer support 1 by the ram 4, thus moving the complete stack of boxes away from the base 3 and therefore away from the pallet in the base which lies in the gap 3a and therefore is not moved.A replacement pallet, for example, can then be inserted and the process reversed whereby the stack is once again oriented to the vertical position for subsequenttransferto a cold store or cold store vehicle for example. It will be appreciated that the above embodiment has been described by way of example only and that many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. CLAIMS

7. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which one of the two parts comprises a base and the other of the two parts is spaced away from that base leaving a gap in which the pallet may be supported on the said one part whilst a stack is supported on the said other partwherebythe stack may be moved relative to the pallet by relative movement of the two parts.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which the inner support is supported on the outer support through bearings.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim Sin which the bearings are ball bearings.

10. Apparatus for handling stacked elements substantially as hereinbefore described with refer encetothe accompanying drawings.