US3499554A - Stacker crane and warehouse system and method for stacking and storing rolls of material - Google Patents

Description

A. A. DAVIS ETAL STACKER CRANE AND WAREHOSE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR STACKING' AND STORING' ROLLS OF MATERIAL Filed Feb. 21, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 10, 1910 March 10, 1910 A. A. DAVIS ETAL STACKER CRANE AND WAREHOUSE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR STACKING 'ND STORING ROLLS OF MATERIAL F1ed Febl 21, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ARTHUR A. DAVIS y MARTIN L.LEIBWITZ 4%!WEX March 10, 1970 A. A. DAVIS ETAL 3499,554

STACKER CRANE AND WAREHOUSE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR STACKING AND STORING ROLLS OF MATERIAL Filed Feb. 21, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet :s

MARTIN v LE|BOWITZ BY United States Patent U.S. Cl. 214-16.4 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention relates to stacking, storage, and marshalling for delivery rolled material such as carpeting, textile material, or the like, rolled and preferably packaged around a core through which a ram of the crane may be inserted for lifting and moving same. The method is to pick up such rolled units fiom a pick-up and delivery station to be placed onto storage racks by means of the crane system. The essence of the apparatus of the invention is the provision of a load carriage adapted to be moved by the crane apparatus to-ditferent points and at different levels within the pick-up, delivery and storage areas of the warehouse, said load carriage being mounted on a mast, said mast being capable of 360 degrees rotation, said load carriage being adapted to move to different height levels with relation to the mast, and said load carriage having a plurality of rams horizontally disposed, and each adapted to 90 degree rotation in a horizontal plane, said mast being adapted to be moved throughout the area of the pick-up and delivery and warehouse portions covered by the crane.

This invention relates more particularly to stacker cranes and warehouses, and most particularly to such equipment for storing carpets or rolled material having an internal core, and the methods of storing such materials.

Stacker cranes of various types are well known in the art and may be operated either manually or by mechanical means, or usually by electrical propulsion. These cranes may be supported from the roof or ceiling of the warehouse area, as well as trom columns, rack or fl001', and may comprise at least one set of rails on which a bridge may travel to and fro in one direction, a trolley mounted on the bridge to travel to and from in a perpendicular direction, and a mast or other means depending fiom the trolley on which a load carriage is mounted, being adapted to move up and down on the mast. In this way the load carriage may be moved to practically any portion of the warehouse area within the area defined by the rails on which the bridge is supported.

In the stacker crane described in the invention, the various parts may be moved by means of electric motors and electrical controls. Inasmuch as the actual propulsion units and the controls therefor are well known in the art, these units and their means of control will not be shown in any detail, and may be referred to in the drawings and specification hereinbelow to indicate their presence and purpose with respect to the invention. However, if such units and control means are not mentioned with respect to any particular part of the invention, it is to be understood that they may be incorporated or employed where usual or necessary in accordance with the manner, means and teachings of the prior art.

Stacker cranes of the type described are suited for the handling of many types of material and placing such material on racks for storage for future needs. However, most of the types of material stored by such cranes in 3,499554 Patented Mar. 10, 1970 warehouses are in square packages or in packages which may otherwise be handled in multiple by a fork lift or the like; or if the merchandise -to be handled is a rolled article rolled around a core, it may be lifted and moved by a stacker crane by means of a ram which is inserted into the core. When using a ram accessory on the equipment of the prior art, it is usually possible to handle only one package at a time, and there must be suflicient aisle Width between racks to permit the prior art equpment room to operate.

In an average warehouse, there may be rows of racks several hundred feet long along which the bridge must travel, and then there is the sidewise distance which the trolley must travel for placing and removing each package. With a bridge travel speed of approximately 200 feet per minute in the usual type of stacker crane, if the distance to be travelled into each aisel of racks is only 150 feet, it will be seen that over one minute is required for travel from the pick-up and delivery area into the storage area and return. It would, therefore, be of great advantage 1f a device could be devised which could handle more than one package with ram means for each trip into the stacks and back.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a stacker crane for use in warehousing in which there is PI'OVISOII for a plurality of rams on the load carriage so that more than one package having a center core can be handled by the load carriage for each run.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a stacl er crane with a load carriage having a plurality of rams 111 which each of the rams is adapted to rotate degrees on a horizontal plane so that individual packages may be turned and moved in a different direction for stackrng without rotating the entire load carriage thereby permrtting narrower aisle space between racks.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the speciticat1on hereinbelow. These objects are attained with the mvention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a warehouse and factory area;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the stacker crane apparatus and portionof the storage racks;

F IG. 3 is a top plan view of the load carriage of the device With parts dotted to show different positions;

FIG. 4 is a detail of the pick-up and delivery station;

FIG. 5 is a detail of FIG. 1 with the load carriage and the rams shown in different positions;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 with the load carriage and the rams shown in different positions; and

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 with the load carriage and the rams shown in different positions.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, we see a warehouse layout 20 adjoining a factory or processing plant 22. Packaged materials 46 such as carpets in packages rolled around a hollow core are conveyed from the factory or finishing plant 22 in the direction of arrow A by means of a usual type of conveyor mechanism 24 to the warehouse building, or room, 20 where they continue in the direction of arrows B, on a conveyor mechaherein are packages such as the rolled type packages 3 illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4 of the drawings in which there is a hollow central core form 40 around which carpeting 42 is rolled, and having an outer covering 44 to protect the carpeting; with all of these components being made into a package 46 around the hollow core 40. Although packages 46 may be of various sizes, the invention will be illustrated with a package 46 which is approximately feet long and approximately 2 to 2%. feet in diameter, as this size package Will usually result from rolling up a standard length of 4'6 width carpet ing which is a very popular width in the carpeting trade.

While description of the invention is made in connection with rolled carpeting of this size, the invention may be used with any similar type of rolled package material and with such packages of various sizes. It is, there .fore, to be understood that the term carpet package or any other term as included here in which would refer to carpets or carpeting may be applied equally to similar rolled materials. It is also to be understood that the invention may be used with any packaged material which may be packaged in a package having a hollow central core adapted to be lifted and moved by the ram of a crane or other such machinery, and the term rolled package or package with hollow core shall be understood t0 mean any package made by either placing materials around a core or by packing materials in a container around a core.

The method of the invention provides for the steps of providing a warehousing space which may be a separate warehouse 01 adjacent to a factory or finishing plant or the like, or adjacent to a retail establishment. The next step is to provide the warehouse area with storage racks such as racks 32 through 38 inclusive to store the rolled packages 46. The storage racks 32 through 38 should be substantially as wide as the length of the packages 46 as the packages are placed transversely across the shelves 50 of the racks.

In a preferred form of the invention, racks are provided with upright standards 52 to support the shelf means 50. A suflicient distance between supports 52 to provide for five rolls 46 between supports gives sufficient room for maneuvering the packages 46 onto and ofi the shelves 50. The type and construction of the racks 32 through 38 is optional. We have found that steel racks are admirably suited to the invention. The number of tiers or shelves 50 and the positioning of the supports 52 is also optional, the parameters given being preferred for the type of operation illustrated.

While we are illustrating the invention with respect to four racks 32 through 38 inclusive, which we shall term a. bridge stacking unit 54, there may be many other additional bridge stacking units such as the one illustrated at reference numeral 56 lateral to illustrated bridge staaking unit 54. It is to be understood that whatever is said about bridge stacking unit 54 would also apply to bridge stacking unit 56 and any other similar unit combined into the warehouse arrangement. The term bridge stacking unit is used because the racks included therein can be serviced by a single bridge of the crane assembly as Will be pointed out hereinbelow. Trolleys of the crane assembly can be moved trom one bridge stacking unit to another by the usual bridge cross-evers which are well known to the art.

The next step of the method of the invention includes the provision of a crane assembly and its mechanism including a load carriage 70 with a plurality of rams 72 having 90 degree horizontal rotation. The crane assembly comprises a pair of rails 60 disposed at the sides of each bridge stacking unit 54 or 56. A bridge means 62 is suspended from the overhead rails 60 and is adapted to move throughout the length of the bridgestacking unit 54. Bridge 62 has a trolley 64 mounted on it which is adapted to move for the length of the bridge 62 in direc tions perpendicular to the direction of the movement of the bridge on the rails. The trolley 64 is provided with a mast 66 which depends downwardly toward the floor of the warehouse, and the mast 66 is adapted for 360. degree rotation with respect to the trolley.The mast 66 is usually provided with a pair of upright members or guides 68 onto which a load carriage 70 is movably supported for movement in a vertical direction along support members 68. Load carriage 70 is provided with a plurality of ram means 72 which are rotatably supported by means of hinge assemblys 74, and are adapted for 90 degree rotation as indicated in FIG. 3 of the drawings. Dotted ram 72a has been rotated 45 degrees and dotted ram 72b has been rotated 90 degrees on their respective hinges 74. We have found that the preferred number of rams 72 to be placed on the load carriage is f0ur, one being placed at each corner.

We refer now to FIG. 1 of the drawings in whichthere is a load carriage disposed between two racks such as racks 32 and 34. All four rams 72 are disposed in longitudinal parallel relationship parallel to the direction of travel of the load carriage down the aisle 76 between the racks. Load carriage 70 has four rolled units 46 disposed on its rams 72.-These have been designatedas 16a, 46b, 46c and 46d. These rolled units are being carried down aisle 76 to be placed within the racks 32 and 34 respectively at positions marked a, b and c respectively as shown in FIG. 1. The rolled units 46 have already been picked up from pick-up and delivery stations 28 and 30 as follows:

Reference is now made to the dotted line portion of bridge 62 which is now located on its pair of rai s or bridge travel guide means 60 at the extreme right hand portion of FIG. 1. The load carriage has been moved to be level with the lower level 80 of pick-up station 30 at which rolled units 46a and 46b were stationed after having been delivered along conveyor 26. These rolled units 46a and 46b were picked up by moving rams 72 into their cores 40, and raising the load carriage slightly, and.then moving it along the bridge together with the mast and the trolley toward pick-up and delivery station 28. Just before reaching pickup and delivery station 28, load carriage 70 was again lowered slightly so as .to be in a position to pick up rolled units 46c and 46d .from the lower level 80 of pick-up station 28. This is the-position as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1. Immediately afterward, the load carriage 70 is continued in its movement toward pick-up station 28 until rams 72 are placed within cores 40 of rolled units 460 and 46d. Then load carriage 70 is again raised slightly to lift the rolled units 46c and 46d, and is again moved back along the bridge pathway. At the same time, the bridge 62 may be moved toward the left of FIG. 1 until the load carriage 70 has its center portion immediately over dotted circle R as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings.

When in such position, the load carriage may be rotated degrees in a counter clockwise direction to point the rams and their load in a direction parallel to the length of aisle 76. Bridge 62 is then moved further to the left and at the same time load carriage 70 is moved toward the top of FIG. 1 until it is aligned in the center of aisle 76 as shown in the solid lines of FIG. 1. It is to be understood that bridge 62, trolley 64, mast66, load carriage 70 and rams 72 are all moved by conventional means well known in the art which need not be described at length herein. Suffice it to say that sufficient structure and power mechanism is provided so that the load carriage can be moved to substantially any portion within the area defined by a bridge unit such as bridge unit 54 01 56, and substantially for the height of the area in which the bridge unit is contained.

One way of doing this is, of course, to provide rails such as rails 60 along which the bridge may move together with cables or other means attached to drive mechanisms and motors and control devices adapted to move the bridge 62 along its rails 60. In the same manner, trolly 64 is adapted to move along bridge 62 by drive mechanisms and power means and drive control means. Mast 68 is also adapted to rotate for at least 360 degrees on a proper pivotting or rotating means connected to trolley 64 and through a proper drive mechanism and control mechanism.

Load carrage 70 is adapted to be raised and lowered in a manner similar to that of an elevator cab along mast 68 by cables, drive transmissions, motors, control means or other means well known to the art. Finally, rams 72 are adapted to rotate laterally on theirhinges 74 by drive mechanisms and control mechanisms also well known to the art.

It is to be understoo'd that the power to drive the various mechanisms may be in the form of any motive power known to the art including animal or human power, and that any suitable drive transmissions and control mechanisms can be supplied. It is preferable that the control mechansms be placed within the load carrage in which provsion may be made for an operator of the apparatus to be stationed as at reference numeral 82.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the load carrage 70 is now moving in a direction identified by arrow L. In order to place rolled unit 46a in space a on rack 34, the load carrage 70 is moved as close to rack 32 as possble and ram 72, on which unit 4611 is being carried, is rotated (as shown in FIG. 5) from its position parallel to asle 76, laterally for 90 degrees so that ram 72 will point directly toward space a in rack 34 (as illustrated in FIG. 5 of the drawings). Then load carrage 70 is moved toward rack 34 until rolled unit 46a is directly over a shelf 50 (as shown in FIG. 6). Load carrage 70 is then lowered slghtly to permit ram 72 to be withdrawn from the core 40 of rolled unit 46a and ram 72, upon which rolled unit 46b is placed, is rotated 90 degrees in a clockwise direction, as shown in FIG. 6. Load carrage 70 is then moved toward rack 32 whle raising it slghtly so that rolled unit 46b can be placed over shelf 50 as shown in FIG. 7. The first ram 72 can then be returned to a parallel position to asle 76, and the third ram 72, on which unit 46c is carried, may be rotated 90 degrees in a clockwise direction. Load carrage 70 is again lowered slghtly to permit Withdrawal of the second ram 72 and moved again across asle 76 to be raised slghtly to place rolled unit 46c over shelf 50, again in the position designated C, at which time the load carrage is again lowered slghtly to permit withdrawal of the third ram 72, leaving load carrage 70 with only rolled unit 46d on a ram. Rolled unit 46d may then be moved on the load carrage 70 to a position in asle 78 and placed in position d of shelf 50 of rack 38 in the same manner.

Thus, roller units 46 can be picked up from the pick-up and delivery stations and stacked on any shelf of any rack within any bridge unit of the warehouse. The aisles such as aisles 76 and 78 may be made as narrow as the width of the load carrage 70 plus one loaded ram extended laterally, thereby providing a great economy of saving in asle space. In addition, at least four rolled units may be moved at one time by the apparatus.

A master chart may be kept of the varous shelf spaces in the warehouse so that the operator can place any given rolled unit on any given shelf space for future reference. When it is desired to remove one or more rolled units 46 from the shelves, the proper units are picked up by the load carrage 70 and its rams 72 by reversing the above described procedure. Since the mast can rotate 360 degrees and each ram can rotate 90 degrees, and rolled unit 46 may be picked up from any portion of the warehouse and delivered to a delivery station such as the upper station portion 84 of either pick-up or delivery station 28 or 30. Such units 46 may then be easily rolled to upper conveyor 26a and then moved off in the direction of arrows D to a delivery vehicle or other delivery pont.

Wherefore we claim:

1. The combination of a storage structure having a main frame comprising at least one pair of facing storage stacks with an asle between said pair of storage stacks, and a crane apparatus comprising bridge means, bridge travel guide means, trolley means adapted to ride the bridge means comprising rotatable mast means with load carrage means adapted to traverse said mast means, said load carrage means comprising a plurality of corners with vertical hinge means mounted adjacent at least two of said corners of said load carrage means, ncluding a ram mounted on each of said hinge means for rotaton about a vertical axis, and means for rotating said rams on said hinge means independently of each other, and control means for the combination associated with said load carrage.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1 in further combination with at least one package having a centrally located hollow core, said combination being adapted to move a selected ram into the core of the package whereby to lift said package by raising said load carrage and to move said package by moving said trolley from a position within an area defined by the travel of said bridge means to another position within said area to place said package at such other position, with said apparatus being further adapted to lower said load carrage and move said load carrage away from said package leaving said package at said second mentoned position.

3. The combination as defined in claim 2, in which the package is comprised of rolled material having a hollow central core.

4. The combination as defined in claim 3, in which the package contains rolled carpeting material or the like packed as a rolled unit with a hollow core.

5. A method for storing and stacking and handling packages having a hollow core which comprises the steps of providing at least one storage stack, having a plurality of racks and having a front edge on which to store a plurality of hollow core packages, and at least one load carrage having a plurality of corners with vertical ram hinge means mounted adjacent at least two corners hav ing a ram mounted on each of said ram hinge means for rotaton about a vertical axis, each of said rams being adapted to fit in the hollow core of a package; then moving said load carrage with a ram substantially perpendicular to said front edge toward said storage stack to place a first ram within the hollow core of a first package stored at a first position on the stack, then lifting the load carrage until the hollow core of the package rests on said first ram, then moving the load carrage away from said first storage stack position, then rotating said first package on said first ram on the vertical axis of said ram hinge until the ram is substantially parallel t0 said front edge, then rotating a second ram to a position substantially perpendicular to said front edge of said storage stack, then movng said load carrage toward said storage stack to place said second ram within the hollow core of a second package stored on a second position of said storage stack, then lifting the load carrage until the hollow core of the second package tests on said second ram, then moving the load carrage away from said second storage stack position, then rotating said second ram on the vertical axis of its ram hinge until the second ram is substantially parallel to the front edge of the storage stack.

6. The method as defined in claim 5 which includes' the preliminary steps of placing hollow core packages on the storage stack by rotating a pair of rams on said load carrage to positions parallel with each other and then lifting a pair of hollow core packages on said rams, then rotating each of said rams degrees and moving said load carrage toward said front edge so that said rams are parallel to said front edge, then rotating a first ram so that it is substantially perpendicular to said front edge and I'noving the load carrage to place a package over a first rack position, then lowering the load carrage to leave the package on said rack position, and then repeating the steps necessary to unload the second package on FOREIGN PATENTS a second rack position. 690 736 6/1930 F 7. The method as defined in claim 5 whch includes 232336 the steps of moving the load carriage to a postion 808338 7 /1951 Germany remote from the storage stack and rotatng the sad rams 5 1 45 4 11/1966 German to a posrnon 1n wh1ch they are substant1ally parallel to 573 683 4/1959 Canada each other, and then unloading the packages in parallel relaflonshlP- GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 2,271,624 2/1942 COChIaII 214731 2765,928 10/1956 Riemenschneder 214-16.4 X 731 3,268,97 8/1966 Armington et al 214-730 0 R. B. JOI-INSON, Assistant Examiner

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