JPS6310055B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a depalletizer, a device for unloading stages of cargo from a pallet, here a bulk pallet, onto a take-off surface, and a palletizer for loading stages of cargo onto pallets from the take-off surface. be.

GB 1494832 discloses a vertically movable horizontal platform, a lifting device for aligning the horizontal platform with the topmost tier and a cargo removal surface in sequence, and a lifting device for aligning the horizontal platform with the topmost tier of cargo. A transfer shaft movable with the horizontal platform to transport the cargo of the top tier from the pallet of cargo to the horizontal platform when aligned with the cargo removal surface, and from the horizontal platform to the cargo removal surface when the horizontal platform is aligned with the cargo removal surface. A depalletizer is described for unloading stages of cargo from a pallet onto a take-off surface, with an air device.

The above British patent specification also teaches providing means for stabilizing and supporting the cargo tiers directly below the top tier so as to stabilize and support each tier on the bulk pallet during transport of the top tier. are doing. It is necessary to stabilize the top tier of bulk pallets during cargo transport to prevent all or part of the bulk pallets from tipping over. The means for stabilizing the cargo tier directly below the top tier includes a plurality of plates mounted on the horizontal platform and laterally movable to stabilize the next tier from the top.

A problem that arises with the device described in the above British patent specification is that the plate for stabilizing the next stage on top of the cargo becomes an obstruction to the lowering of the platform to ground level. It is not possible to transport cargo from the lowest tier to the platform by supporting the tiers of cargo on pallets placed directly on the platform.

In order to overcome the drawbacks of the device described in the above-mentioned British patent specification, according to the invention the plate positioned around the next top step is movable in a direction perpendicular to the platform. There is. This is accomplished either by configuring the support plate so that it can pivot about a horizontal axis when the lowest position is reached, or by mounting it slidably relative to the platform. .

In the above-mentioned British patent specification, when the platform from which the cargo is conveyed from the pallet is aligned with the removal surface, a flap is lowered to connect the gap between the platform and the removal surface. ing. Further, since another bridge is provided between the pallet and the platform, it is necessary that the pallet be accurately positioned with respect to the platform to ensure smooth conveyance.

Although such a bridge between the pallet and the platform can also be provided in the preferred embodiment of the invention, in order to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages, the invention provides that the platform is connected to each stage of the pallet. Not only can it be moved vertically to align with the platform, but it can also be moved horizontally to align the platform with each tier and then with the extraction surface.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The depalletizer, designated as a whole by the reference numeral 10 in the drawings, is adapted to remove successive cargo tiers 12, 14, . is illustrated in FIG. 1 as a small fixed transfer platform 18, which may be a conveyor belt or stacking table on a factory line. The depalletizer 10 is a horizontal table or platform 20 mounted on a subframe, generally designated by the reference numeral 22.
It is equipped with The subframe 22 is vertically movable on a pair of posts 24 by an electric motor 26 coupled to the subframe 22 by a suitable transmission. As an example, the subframe 22 includes the electric motor 2
The subframe 22 can be moved vertically by a chain 27 driven by the motor 26, but as an alternative, a rack and pinion or a screw jack or the like can be used to move the subframe 22 vertically.
It can also be driven by The subframe 22, pillar 24, electric motor 26, and chain 27 constitute a lift device.

The platform 20 itself can move up and down together with the subframe 22 and can also move horizontally with respect to the subframe 22. platform 2
This horizontal movement of zero is accomplished by a pneumatic cylinder or hydraulic jack 32 shown in FIG.

Transfer equipment, designated generally by the reference numeral 40, is used to transfer cargo from pallets 16 to platform 20 and from platform 20 to a removal surface or fixed transfer platform 18. This transfer device 40 includes a carriage 41 that is slidably supported by a support arm 28 and a bearing 30 on a horizontal rail 44 that is movable up and down together with a subframe 22, and a sweep arm 42 that is mounted on the carriage 41. It is equipped with Sweep arm 42 is driven horizontally along horizontal rail 44 by a chain 43 or other transmission device driven by an electric motor 46 supported on horizontal rail 44 .

Stabilization arm 4 for stabilizing the cargo stage during transport
8 extends perpendicularly and horizontally on an adjustable, removably retractable telescopic extension 50 supported on the carriage 41 and is mounted for relative movement to the sweep arm 42. When transporting tall or unstable bottles, etc., the stabilizing arm 48 cooperates with the sweep arm 42 to sandwich a tier of bottles between them, so that the row of bottles at the front end of the tier is moved by the sweep arm 42. It is used to prevent it from turning over while being pushed forward.

If necessary, flap 70 may be installed to bridge the gap between platform 20 and pallet 16.
can be provided.

Cargo is transferred from the top step 12 to platform 20.
Plate 60 is placed on platform 2 in order to stabilize the immediately lower tier 14 while being transported to platform 2.
pneumatic pressure on the underside of platform 20 to prevent plate 60 from hitting the ground when platform 20 is lowered to its lowest position to ground level. It is arranged so that it can be rotated upward by a cylinder or hydraulic jack. That is, plate 6
0 are respectively disposed on both sides of the pallet 16 and can be moved laterally to grip the pallet 16 by arms 62, which are connected to a pneumatic cylinder or a hydraulic jack (not shown) provided on the underside of the platform 20. ) is connected to. The plate 60 is also rotatably mounted by a universal joint 64 to operate in a direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 1 to grip the pallet 16;
It can also be rotated up and down by a universal joint 64 about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in FIG. 1, and normally occupies the position shown in FIG. 1 due to its own weight. The joint between plate 60 and arm 62 that acts to move plate 60 laterally is also designed to allow vertical movement of plate 60.

In operation of the illustrated depalletizer of the present invention, the pallets 16 are in position. The height of subframe 22 is adjusted by actuation of electric motor 26 until platform 20 is flush with the bottom surface of top step 12. This position can be determined manually by the operator or automatically if a sensor is conventionally provided to detect the level of the top step 12. A plate 60 is positioned below the horizontal platform 20 at a suitable height distance and is adapted to cover the sides of the next topmost tier. Next, when the platform 20 is horizontally moved to the left to close the gap with the pallet 16, the plate 60
is also moved horizontally.

The plates 60 are then actuated toward each other via the arms 62 by operation of a pneumatic cylinder or hydraulic jack connected to the plates 60 so that the plates 60 are moved laterally toward the pallet 16. will support this aspect.
Once the pallet 16 is firmly clamped and properly stabilized by the plates 60, the sweep arm 42 is moved from left to right in FIG. will be moved to At this time, the bottom plate of the pallet 16 is prevented from being moved together with the cargo, and the plates 60 that sandwich the pallet 16 from both sides prevent the cargo on the pallet 16 from falling laterally from the pallet 16. Ru. Sweep arm 42
The gap between the stabilizing arm 48 and the cargo is adjusted by extending and retracting the retractable extension 50 so as to sandwich the cargo therebetween, so that the stabilizing arm 48 does not hold the cargo during this transfer. It serves to stabilize the front row of cargo being transported by clamping it.

When all of the cargo on the top tier 12 has been placed on the platform 20, the plate 60 releases the pallet 16 and the platform 20 releases the pallet 16.
After being moved horizontally away from 6, platform 20 is moved up and down until it is aligned with fixed transfer platform 18, or a conveyor or stacking table. Finally, the sweep arm 42 is swept to transfer the cargo from the platform 20 onto the removal surface or fixed transfer platform 18.

The above operation continues until the lowest cargo level is reached.
The sequence is repeated to transport the next lower stage of cargo.

Before transferring the cargo of the lowermost tier to the platform 20, a microswitch is actuated in connection with the movement of the platform 20 to actuate the pneumatic cylinder for the plate 60, so that the plate 60 is hinged in the direction of the arrow 60a. The plate 60 is rotated about the universal joint 64 so that the plate 60 automatically retracts so that the lowering of the platform 20 is not impeded. be done.

Although the invention has been described above in connection with a depalletizer, palletizers embodying the invention can also be constructed similarly to the embodiments described above, and simply require a number of different features for loading to take place. It is only that.

That is, in the case of a palletizer, the sweep arm 42 is provided on the transfer platform side, which is opposite to that of the depalletizer. A stock conveyor, for example, which is large enough to hold and retain the material is suitable. First, the platform 20 is positioned at the same height as the transfer platform 18, and the required number of one-stage cargo accumulated on the transfer platform 18 is moved to the sweep arm 42 of the transfer device 40. It is moved onto the platform 20 by movement along the horizontal rail 44, and then the platform 20 is brought into position by moving it up and down along the column 24 flush with the plane of the pallet 16 to be loaded. Arm 42 transfers the cargo on platform 20 onto pallet 16. In this way, cargo can be sequentially loaded onto the pallet in the required number of stages. Further, the plate 60 stabilizes the load by sandwiching the stage directly below the stage being loaded.
When the horizontal platform 20 is in the lower position, the plate 60 pivots upward so that the plate 60 does not hit the ground surface and prevent the horizontal platform 20 from lowering.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a depalletizer according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an end view of the depalletizer of FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 is a plan view thereof. In the figure, 10: depalletizer, 12, 14: cargo stage, 16: pallet, 20: platform, 22: subframe, 26: electric motor, 42:
Sweep arm, 48: stabilization arm, 60: plate.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A vertically movable horizontal platform, a lifting device for sequentially aligning the horizontal platform with a top step and a cargo removal surface, and a lift device for aligning the horizontal platform with the top step and a cargo removal surface; a transfer plane movable with said horizontal platform for conveying the cargo of the top tier from said pallet to said horizontal platform when said horizontal platform is aligned with said unloading surface, and from said horizontal platform to said unloading surface when said horizontal platform is aligned with said unloading surface; and a pair of plates mounted on the horizontal platform, the plates moving laterally toward each other to grip the second cargo tier from the top. A depalletizer for unloading a tier of cargo from a pallet onto an unloading surface, the depalletizer stabilizing the pallet during the conveyance of the tier of cargo and being movable vertically relative to the horizontal platform. 2. The depalletizer according to claim 1, further comprising a flap connecting the gap between the pallet and the horizontal platform. 3. A depalletizer according to claim 1, characterized in that the horizontal platform is movable in the horizontal direction to close gaps between the horizontal platform and the pallet and between the horizontal platform and the take-out surface. 4. The depalletizer according to claim 1, wherein the plate is supported by an arm and a hinge and is rotatable about a horizontal axis so as to be movable in a direction perpendicular to a horizontal platform. 5. Claim 4 comprising a microswitch that energizes a pneumatic cylinder or a hydraulic jack to rotate the plate about the horizontal axis when the horizontal platform approaches its lowermost position. Depalletizer as described in section. 6. A depalletizer according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the transfer device has a continuous chain or pneumatic cylinder and a sweep arm extending across a horizontal platform. 7. The depalletizer according to claim 6, characterized in that a stabilizing arm is provided that is movable with respect to the sweep arm in order to stabilize the front row of cargo in each stage transported by the transfer device. . 8 The stabilizing arm is operated by a telescoping mechanism attached to a removable support and can move in coordination with the sweep arm, stabilizing a stage where the distance between the stabilizing arm and the sweep arm is unstable. 8. A depalletizer according to claim 7, characterized in that it can serve as a depalletizer. 9. A patent claim characterized in that the horizontal platform is fixed to the subframe only on one side so as to be movable horizontally relative to the subframe, and the subframe is mounted so as to be movable vertically on the support. The depalletizer according to item 1. 10 a vertically movable horizontal platform;
a lifting device for sequentially aligning the horizontal platform with the feed section and the top rung of the pallet; and lifting the top of the top rung of the pallet from the horizontal platform when the horizontal platform is aligned with the top rung. a transfer device movable with said horizontal platform for transporting one stage of cargo on said horizontal platform and for transporting one stage of cargo from said supply surface to said horizontal platform when said horizontal platform is aligned with said supply surface; , a pair of plates attached to said horizontal platform, said pair of plates being connected to the top tier and the next tier after the top tier while transporting one tier of cargo on top of the top tier of cargo. said pair of plates can be moved vertically relative to the horizontal platform to align the lowermost step with the actual wooden pallet. A palletizer for loading stages of cargo from a supply section onto pallets.