CA1049576A - Apparatus for stacking and unstacking sheet material, more particularly glass sheets - Google Patents
Apparatus for stacking and unstacking sheet material, more particularly glass sheetsInfo
- Publication number
- CA1049576A CA1049576A CA250,208A CA250208A CA1049576A CA 1049576 A CA1049576 A CA 1049576A CA 250208 A CA250208 A CA 250208A CA 1049576 A CA1049576 A CA 1049576A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- pressure
- vacuum
- suction plate
- stack
- arm
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
- B65G49/00—Conveying systems characterised by their application for specified purposes not otherwise provided for
- B65G49/05—Conveying systems characterised by their application for specified purposes not otherwise provided for for fragile or damageable materials or articles
- B65G49/06—Conveying systems characterised by their application for specified purposes not otherwise provided for for fragile or damageable materials or articles for fragile sheets, e.g. glass
- B65G49/068—Stacking or destacking devices; Means for preventing damage to stacked sheets, e.g. spaces
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
- B65G61/00—Use of pick-up or transfer devices or of manipulators for stacking or de-stacking articles not otherwise provided for
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H3/00—Separating articles from piles
- B65H3/08—Separating articles from piles using pneumatic force
- B65H3/0808—Suction grippers
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
- B65G2249/00—Aspects relating to conveying systems for the manufacture of fragile sheets
- B65G2249/04—Arrangements of vacuum systems or suction cups
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
- B65G2249/00—Aspects relating to conveying systems for the manufacture of fragile sheets
- B65G2249/04—Arrangements of vacuum systems or suction cups
- B65G2249/045—Details of suction cups suction cups
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Sheets, Magazines, And Separation Thereof (AREA)
- Discharge By Other Means (AREA)
- Joining Of Glass To Other Materials (AREA)
Abstract
Abstract The specification describes an apparatus for stacking and unstacking sheet material, more particularly glass sheets, com-prising one or more suction plates, capable of moving towards a sheet material stack and adapted to be moved by a pressure cylinder actuator, and with a sensing member, which on making contact with the stack, whose height changes on the stacking or unstacking of a sheet generates a pulse adapted to control the piston rod of the pressure cylinder actuator. As a sensing mem-ber a switch (vacuum monitor, pressure monitor) responding to changes in pressure is provided in the suction duct system of the suction plates and/or in the pressure duct system of the pressure cylinder actuator.
Description
~4957~;
The present invention relates to an apparatus for stacking and unstacking sheet material, more particularly glass sheets, comprising one or more suction plates, capable of moving to-wards a sheet material stack and adapted to be moved by a pres-sure cylinder ~ctuator, and with a sensing member~ which on making contact with the stack, whose height changes on the ;
stacking or unstacking of a sheet generates a pulse adapted to control the piston rod of the pressure cylinder actuator.
~orms of apparatus of this type are used for example for the stacking and unstacking o~ glass sheets or panes when theglass sheets are placed individually in production premises on . .
a horizontal conveyor and are stacked on a stack standing generally vertically or when the glass sheets are removed in-dividually from the stack.
Since the height of the sheet stack is changed with the stacking of every new sheet, the suction plate or, respectively, the frame or arm carrying the suction plate or plates mu t travel through a distance which is continuously changing. In the case of previously proposed stacking apparatus the above-mentioned sensing member serves for controlling this distance travel. ~or this purpose mechanical sensors or feelers have `',~. "
- ~49~
been used, for example in the form of limit switches, which on contact with the sheet surface provide the control pulse.
Apparatus of this type is described for example in the German Patent Specifications (Offenlegungsschriften) 2,130,591 and
The present invention relates to an apparatus for stacking and unstacking sheet material, more particularly glass sheets, comprising one or more suction plates, capable of moving to-wards a sheet material stack and adapted to be moved by a pres-sure cylinder ~ctuator, and with a sensing member~ which on making contact with the stack, whose height changes on the ;
stacking or unstacking of a sheet generates a pulse adapted to control the piston rod of the pressure cylinder actuator.
~orms of apparatus of this type are used for example for the stacking and unstacking o~ glass sheets or panes when theglass sheets are placed individually in production premises on . .
a horizontal conveyor and are stacked on a stack standing generally vertically or when the glass sheets are removed in-dividually from the stack.
Since the height of the sheet stack is changed with the stacking of every new sheet, the suction plate or, respectively, the frame or arm carrying the suction plate or plates mu t travel through a distance which is continuously changing. In the case of previously proposed stacking apparatus the above-mentioned sensing member serves for controlling this distance travel. ~or this purpose mechanical sensors or feelers have `',~. "
- ~49~
been used, for example in the form of limit switches, which on contact with the sheet surface provide the control pulse.
Apparatus of this type is described for example in the German Patent Specifications (Offenlegungsschriften) 2,130,591 and
2,130,592 and the German Patent Specification (Auslegeschrift) 1,155,396. -~he limit switches or other mechanical feelers are arranged in the case of the known apparatus in such a manner that they either make contact with the uppermost glass sheet themselves or that they are actuated by the frame carrying the suction plates and in this case the frame is mounted in a yielding manner on the arm carrying the frame so that owing to the relative movement between the suction frame lying -against the glass sheet stack and the supporting arm actuation of the end switch becomes possible. In both cases it may be that the mechanical feeler becomes loose or owing to uninten-tional external action is caused to change its position. ~he consequence o~ this will be that the relationship between the `
position of the feeler and the position of the suction plates is no longer the optimum position just at that instant in which the control pulse for engagement and backward movement of the suction plates is generated so that disfunction of the apparatus may occur. Furthermore, in the case of previously proposed form~ of apparatus o~her causes may lead to the suc-tion plate not making reliable en~agement with the sheet to be removed but nevertheless the sensing member generates the con-trol pulse so that for this reason as well disfunction is un-avoidable.
One aim of the present invention is that of constructing an apparatus of the described type in such a manner that dis-îunction owing to unintended displacement of the sensing mem-, , , . ,: . :. ; , . " , , ~ 49576 ber are excluded and that simultaneously the control pulses are generated with a high degree of reliability and with optimum timing.
In accordance with the invention this aim is to be achieved in that as a sensing member a switch responding to pressure changes (~acuum monitor, pressure monitor) is pro-vided in the vacuum duct system of the suction plates and/or in the pressure duct system of the pressure cylinder actuator.
In accordance with a stacking device constructed in accordance with the invention the suction plate engaging the uppermo~t sheet, for example, is connected with the vacuum source even before it draws up to the sheet stack and the vacuum resulting on full contact of the suction plate or of the suction plates respectively with the uppermost sheet in the duct system is detected by a vacuum monitor, which gene-rates the pulse for termination of forward movement of the piston rod carryin~ the suction plate or plates. In ~his manner it is possible to ensure reliabl~ that the control pulse is precisely timed with the instant of engagement of the suc-tion plates with the sheet. Faults in the course of movement, which could be produced by the generation b~ the sensing mem-ber of the co~trol pulse ~ithout it being ensured that the suction plate has made reliable engagement with the sheet, can therefore no longer occur.
The switch responding to pressure changes can be arranged as a pressure monitor or pick up in the pressure duct, bring-ing about the forward movement of the piston rod, of the pres-sure cylinder actuator. Accordingly owing to the pressure monitor the increase in pressure arising on engagement of the ~0 suction plate or, respectiYel~, of the glass sheet carried by the suction plate on the stack in the pressure duct of the pressure cylinder actuator is detected and as a result the 4 ~
:',' -: , ~ 4957i6 pulse is generated for the control or actuation of the pressure cylinder actuator.
~he invention will now be described in detail with refe- -rence to preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying draw-ings.
Figure 1 shows a general view of the novel stacking appa-ratus as regards its mechanical structure.
Figure 2 is a diagrammatic representation of the manner- ;
of operation of the novel apparatus with a vacuum monitor or ~ -puck up in the vacuum duct of the ~uction platesq in the form of a block diagram.
Figure 3 is a diagrammatic representation o~ a manner of operation of the new apparatus with a pressure monitor or pick up in the pressure duct of the pressure cylinder actuator, also represented in the form of a block diagram.
~ he apparatus as shown in figure 1 will ~irstl~ be des-cribed as one for carrying out removal from a stack. On the stand trolley 1 there is a ~lightly sloping stack 2 of glass ~heets 2a, which are to be deposited one by one on the horizon- ;
tal conveyor 3. The shest un~tackin~ apparatu~, provided for the removal of the individual glas~ sheets 2a comprise~ the ~tand 4, on which the angled arm 5 i~ arranged for pivotal movement about the ~haft 6. On the arm 5 the pneumatia cylin-der actuator 7 is arranged, who~a pi3ton rod 14 move~ the ~uction plate 8 to and fro~ ~he ~uide rod 9 serves simultane-ou~l~ as a vacuum duct, with which the suction plate 8 i~ con-nected with the vacuum container 18 (fi~ure 2). The pivotal movement of the pivoting arm 5 is initiated by the geared motor 10, which transmits the rotary movement to the crank 11.
~he thrust rod 12 transmits the movement to th~ crank 13, which is connected via the shaft 6 with the arm 5 in ~uch a . ' ~ o~ag~7~;
manner as to prevent relative pivotal movement between these parts.
In the right-hand end position, in which the operating cam 53 actuates the limit switch 55, the glass sheet 2a held by 5 the suction plate is deposited on the horizontal conveyor 3. ;
~he horizontal conveyor is in the form of a flat bent conveyor with belts 22, the buide rollers 23 and the frame 2~ so that the arm 5 with the suction plate 8 can move between the con-veyor belts 22. In the left-hand receiving position shown in broken lines the uppermost glass sheet 2a of the stack 2 is engaged by the suction plate 8. For this purpose, as soon as .
the arm 5 has reached its end position on the left, via the limit switch 50 actuated by the operating cam 53 and the multi-way valve 16 the pneumatic cylinder 7 is actuated so that the suction plate 8 moves in a horizontal direction towards the stack 2. As soon as the suction plate 8 has reliable engaged the uppermost glass plate 2a, the movemen~ to the rear indicated by the arrows is started. he suction plate 8 is itself not rigidly fixed in its holder and instead is carried in a yield-ing manner (using the spring 15 and the joint 49) so that it can be tilted in all directions freel~ to allow a small angular movement. Consequentl~ it ca~ make sealing engagement without any forcible displacement being re~uired even if the slope of the glass plates 2a should not alwa~s be the same~
As will be seen from figure 2, in which the pneumatic ` -cylinder 7 is shown in its right-hand end position, the advance of the pneumatic cylinder 7 is controlled using a pressure force 44, a duct 38, which has the pressure reducing valve 36 and the oiler 37 connected in it, and the ducts 25 and 26 and finall~ the valve 16. In the duct 26 a pressure reducing valve 30 is connected having a built-in pressure gauge, while the throttle check valves 31 and 32 serve for venting the ducts 25 ~ ~-6 ~
.. : .:
~L~49S76 : ~
and 26 and simultaneousl~ serve to ensure the retention of a defined residual pressure in the cylinder on both sides of the piston in it 'thalt"-position. Simultaneously with the actuation of the valve 16 for the forward movement of the suction plate 8 5 against the glass plate stack 2 via the slgnal line 60 and the --multi-way valve 17 the vacuum circuit 9, 29, 28, 29, and 19 i8 .
opened so that the suction plate 8 becomes co~nected with the vacuum container 18. When the suction plate 8 has become applied against the glass surface, vacuum becomes ~stablished in the duct system. ~he vacuum monitor 19 re~ponds to ~he vacuum which becomes established since it is connected in the duct system.
By means of the electrical contact in the vacuum monitor 19 via the signal line 39 the multi-way valve 16 is reversed to stop the advancing movement of the piston rod 14 of the cylinder 7 and backward movement is initiated. ~he speed of reverse move-ment of the ~uction plate 8 can be set via the throttle check valve 20. AYter a short delay the rotary movement of the arm 5 is then started. Shortly be~ore the glass plate 2a reaches tha horizontal conveyor 3 via the swibch 52, actuated by the switch cam 53, and the ~ignal line 61 the valve 17 i~ closed and the vacuum i~ thus ~witched off and simultaneousl~ via the solenoid valve 21 and the pres~ure reducing valve 33, the duct 34 and the filter 35 with a water trap the suotion plate 8 i8 con~ected with compressed air 90 that tha gla3s plate 2a become`s detached from the suction plate and is received by the conveyor 3.
~ he apparatus represented in figure 1 can however also serve to stack glass plates 2a, which arrive on a horizontal conveyor 3, on the stand trolley 1 to form a stack 2~ In this case in lieu of a vacuum monitor in the duct system of the suc-tion plate 8 a pressure monitor i~ provided in the pressuredu¢t s~stem of the pre~sure cylinder. As will be gathered mors particularly from figure 3 during the forward movement o~ the ':, .
, , .. . . .. . . . ~
~ 04~576 piston rod 14 a pressure becomes established in the pressure line 26~ which is substantiall~ equal to the frictional resis-tance in the pres~ure cylinder 7. As soonras the piston rod 14 senses a resistance due to the stack at the instant of engage-ment of the glass plate 2a with the stack, the pressure in thepressure duct or line 26 increases and it would ultimately reach the value which is set at the pr.essure reducing valve.
The pressure monitor 40 connected with the pressure line 26 measures this increase in pressure, which ~ecomes established when the piston rod 14 engages the glass plate stack 2, in the line. At the pressure monitor 40 that pressure is set, on reach-ing which the plate is deposited and the piston rod 14 is to be driven back into its starting position. When this pressure set at the pressure monitor 40 has been reached, the pressure monitor 40 reverses the multi-way valve 42 b~ means of an electric following control system (not shown) and a signal line 45 so that the forward movement of the piston rod 14 is inter-rupted. Following this via the electrical following control qystem and the signal line 46 the multi-way valve 43-is actuated ;.
so that the backward movement of the piston 14 is started via the pre~sure line 25.
On the other hand, by means of the pre~sure monitor 40 ~. .
and the sign~1 line~ 53, 54 t~e.multi~way valves21 and 17 are :~
switched in the line system 28 leading to the suction plate 8 so that owing to the valve 17 the connection with the vacuum chamber 18 is interrupted and by means of the valve 21 the line 28 is connected with the pressure source 30 and the pressure line 34 i9 placed under gauge pressure for a short time so .
that the glass sheet 2a is released from the suction plate 8. : .
The pressure monitor 19 in the line system 28, whose :
function has.been described in detail with reference to figure 2, ensures that the movement to the rear of the piston rod 14 ~49576 only starts, on engagement of a glass plate by the suction plate 8, when the vacuum set at the pressure monitor 19 has actually become established in the line 28, that is to say when the glass plate is reliably engaged.
Satisfactory results are obtained in the case of an embo-diment of the invention if at the pressure reducing valve 41 a pressure of approximately 2 atmospheres gauge i8 set while at the pressure monitor 40 a pressure of approximately 1.3 at-mospheres gauge is set. ~he pressure, which becomes established during the forward movement of the piston rod 14 in the duct 26 amounts to approximately 0.5 atmosphere gauge, this pressure being due to frictional resistance in the system.
.. .. . .
position of the feeler and the position of the suction plates is no longer the optimum position just at that instant in which the control pulse for engagement and backward movement of the suction plates is generated so that disfunction of the apparatus may occur. Furthermore, in the case of previously proposed form~ of apparatus o~her causes may lead to the suc-tion plate not making reliable en~agement with the sheet to be removed but nevertheless the sensing member generates the con-trol pulse so that for this reason as well disfunction is un-avoidable.
One aim of the present invention is that of constructing an apparatus of the described type in such a manner that dis-îunction owing to unintended displacement of the sensing mem-, , , . ,: . :. ; , . " , , ~ 49576 ber are excluded and that simultaneously the control pulses are generated with a high degree of reliability and with optimum timing.
In accordance with the invention this aim is to be achieved in that as a sensing member a switch responding to pressure changes (~acuum monitor, pressure monitor) is pro-vided in the vacuum duct system of the suction plates and/or in the pressure duct system of the pressure cylinder actuator.
In accordance with a stacking device constructed in accordance with the invention the suction plate engaging the uppermo~t sheet, for example, is connected with the vacuum source even before it draws up to the sheet stack and the vacuum resulting on full contact of the suction plate or of the suction plates respectively with the uppermost sheet in the duct system is detected by a vacuum monitor, which gene-rates the pulse for termination of forward movement of the piston rod carryin~ the suction plate or plates. In ~his manner it is possible to ensure reliabl~ that the control pulse is precisely timed with the instant of engagement of the suc-tion plates with the sheet. Faults in the course of movement, which could be produced by the generation b~ the sensing mem-ber of the co~trol pulse ~ithout it being ensured that the suction plate has made reliable engagement with the sheet, can therefore no longer occur.
The switch responding to pressure changes can be arranged as a pressure monitor or pick up in the pressure duct, bring-ing about the forward movement of the piston rod, of the pres-sure cylinder actuator. Accordingly owing to the pressure monitor the increase in pressure arising on engagement of the ~0 suction plate or, respectiYel~, of the glass sheet carried by the suction plate on the stack in the pressure duct of the pressure cylinder actuator is detected and as a result the 4 ~
:',' -: , ~ 4957i6 pulse is generated for the control or actuation of the pressure cylinder actuator.
~he invention will now be described in detail with refe- -rence to preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying draw-ings.
Figure 1 shows a general view of the novel stacking appa-ratus as regards its mechanical structure.
Figure 2 is a diagrammatic representation of the manner- ;
of operation of the novel apparatus with a vacuum monitor or ~ -puck up in the vacuum duct of the ~uction platesq in the form of a block diagram.
Figure 3 is a diagrammatic representation o~ a manner of operation of the new apparatus with a pressure monitor or pick up in the pressure duct of the pressure cylinder actuator, also represented in the form of a block diagram.
~ he apparatus as shown in figure 1 will ~irstl~ be des-cribed as one for carrying out removal from a stack. On the stand trolley 1 there is a ~lightly sloping stack 2 of glass ~heets 2a, which are to be deposited one by one on the horizon- ;
tal conveyor 3. The shest un~tackin~ apparatu~, provided for the removal of the individual glas~ sheets 2a comprise~ the ~tand 4, on which the angled arm 5 i~ arranged for pivotal movement about the ~haft 6. On the arm 5 the pneumatia cylin-der actuator 7 is arranged, who~a pi3ton rod 14 move~ the ~uction plate 8 to and fro~ ~he ~uide rod 9 serves simultane-ou~l~ as a vacuum duct, with which the suction plate 8 i~ con-nected with the vacuum container 18 (fi~ure 2). The pivotal movement of the pivoting arm 5 is initiated by the geared motor 10, which transmits the rotary movement to the crank 11.
~he thrust rod 12 transmits the movement to th~ crank 13, which is connected via the shaft 6 with the arm 5 in ~uch a . ' ~ o~ag~7~;
manner as to prevent relative pivotal movement between these parts.
In the right-hand end position, in which the operating cam 53 actuates the limit switch 55, the glass sheet 2a held by 5 the suction plate is deposited on the horizontal conveyor 3. ;
~he horizontal conveyor is in the form of a flat bent conveyor with belts 22, the buide rollers 23 and the frame 2~ so that the arm 5 with the suction plate 8 can move between the con-veyor belts 22. In the left-hand receiving position shown in broken lines the uppermost glass sheet 2a of the stack 2 is engaged by the suction plate 8. For this purpose, as soon as .
the arm 5 has reached its end position on the left, via the limit switch 50 actuated by the operating cam 53 and the multi-way valve 16 the pneumatic cylinder 7 is actuated so that the suction plate 8 moves in a horizontal direction towards the stack 2. As soon as the suction plate 8 has reliable engaged the uppermost glass plate 2a, the movemen~ to the rear indicated by the arrows is started. he suction plate 8 is itself not rigidly fixed in its holder and instead is carried in a yield-ing manner (using the spring 15 and the joint 49) so that it can be tilted in all directions freel~ to allow a small angular movement. Consequentl~ it ca~ make sealing engagement without any forcible displacement being re~uired even if the slope of the glass plates 2a should not alwa~s be the same~
As will be seen from figure 2, in which the pneumatic ` -cylinder 7 is shown in its right-hand end position, the advance of the pneumatic cylinder 7 is controlled using a pressure force 44, a duct 38, which has the pressure reducing valve 36 and the oiler 37 connected in it, and the ducts 25 and 26 and finall~ the valve 16. In the duct 26 a pressure reducing valve 30 is connected having a built-in pressure gauge, while the throttle check valves 31 and 32 serve for venting the ducts 25 ~ ~-6 ~
.. : .:
~L~49S76 : ~
and 26 and simultaneousl~ serve to ensure the retention of a defined residual pressure in the cylinder on both sides of the piston in it 'thalt"-position. Simultaneously with the actuation of the valve 16 for the forward movement of the suction plate 8 5 against the glass plate stack 2 via the slgnal line 60 and the --multi-way valve 17 the vacuum circuit 9, 29, 28, 29, and 19 i8 .
opened so that the suction plate 8 becomes co~nected with the vacuum container 18. When the suction plate 8 has become applied against the glass surface, vacuum becomes ~stablished in the duct system. ~he vacuum monitor 19 re~ponds to ~he vacuum which becomes established since it is connected in the duct system.
By means of the electrical contact in the vacuum monitor 19 via the signal line 39 the multi-way valve 16 is reversed to stop the advancing movement of the piston rod 14 of the cylinder 7 and backward movement is initiated. ~he speed of reverse move-ment of the ~uction plate 8 can be set via the throttle check valve 20. AYter a short delay the rotary movement of the arm 5 is then started. Shortly be~ore the glass plate 2a reaches tha horizontal conveyor 3 via the swibch 52, actuated by the switch cam 53, and the ~ignal line 61 the valve 17 i~ closed and the vacuum i~ thus ~witched off and simultaneousl~ via the solenoid valve 21 and the pres~ure reducing valve 33, the duct 34 and the filter 35 with a water trap the suotion plate 8 i8 con~ected with compressed air 90 that tha gla3s plate 2a become`s detached from the suction plate and is received by the conveyor 3.
~ he apparatus represented in figure 1 can however also serve to stack glass plates 2a, which arrive on a horizontal conveyor 3, on the stand trolley 1 to form a stack 2~ In this case in lieu of a vacuum monitor in the duct system of the suc-tion plate 8 a pressure monitor i~ provided in the pressuredu¢t s~stem of the pre~sure cylinder. As will be gathered mors particularly from figure 3 during the forward movement o~ the ':, .
, , .. . . .. . . . ~
~ 04~576 piston rod 14 a pressure becomes established in the pressure line 26~ which is substantiall~ equal to the frictional resis-tance in the pres~ure cylinder 7. As soonras the piston rod 14 senses a resistance due to the stack at the instant of engage-ment of the glass plate 2a with the stack, the pressure in thepressure duct or line 26 increases and it would ultimately reach the value which is set at the pr.essure reducing valve.
The pressure monitor 40 connected with the pressure line 26 measures this increase in pressure, which ~ecomes established when the piston rod 14 engages the glass plate stack 2, in the line. At the pressure monitor 40 that pressure is set, on reach-ing which the plate is deposited and the piston rod 14 is to be driven back into its starting position. When this pressure set at the pressure monitor 40 has been reached, the pressure monitor 40 reverses the multi-way valve 42 b~ means of an electric following control system (not shown) and a signal line 45 so that the forward movement of the piston rod 14 is inter-rupted. Following this via the electrical following control qystem and the signal line 46 the multi-way valve 43-is actuated ;.
so that the backward movement of the piston 14 is started via the pre~sure line 25.
On the other hand, by means of the pre~sure monitor 40 ~. .
and the sign~1 line~ 53, 54 t~e.multi~way valves21 and 17 are :~
switched in the line system 28 leading to the suction plate 8 so that owing to the valve 17 the connection with the vacuum chamber 18 is interrupted and by means of the valve 21 the line 28 is connected with the pressure source 30 and the pressure line 34 i9 placed under gauge pressure for a short time so .
that the glass sheet 2a is released from the suction plate 8. : .
The pressure monitor 19 in the line system 28, whose :
function has.been described in detail with reference to figure 2, ensures that the movement to the rear of the piston rod 14 ~49576 only starts, on engagement of a glass plate by the suction plate 8, when the vacuum set at the pressure monitor 19 has actually become established in the line 28, that is to say when the glass plate is reliably engaged.
Satisfactory results are obtained in the case of an embo-diment of the invention if at the pressure reducing valve 41 a pressure of approximately 2 atmospheres gauge i8 set while at the pressure monitor 40 a pressure of approximately 1.3 at-mospheres gauge is set. ~he pressure, which becomes established during the forward movement of the piston rod 14 in the duct 26 amounts to approximately 0.5 atmosphere gauge, this pressure being due to frictional resistance in the system.
.. .. . .
Claims (11)
1. In an apparatus for adding to and removing glass sheets from a stack of glass sheets arranged in vertically inclined position, one upon another, the apparatus having a pivotally mounted arm with a free end, means for reciprocating said arm between advanced and retracted positions, a pneumatic cylinder mounted on said arm adjacent said free end and having a telescoping piston rod and a vacuum plate mounted on said rod, means for supplying air under pressure to said cylinder to thereby shift said piston rod and means for evacuating said vacuum plate, means for accommodating variations in spacing between the face of the stack of sheets and the limit of travel of said arm toward the face of said stack, the spacing between said arm and the face of said stack changing from sheet to sheet; said accommodating means including a first pressure sensitive sensor means communicating with said vacuum plate for reading the magnitude of the vacuum established therein when said vacuum plate engages a sheet; a second pressure sensitive sensor means communicating with said pneumatic cylinder for reading the change in pressure when forward movement of the piston encounters resistance of a magnitude in excess of a predetermined value; said first and second sensor means limiting the outward extension travel of said piston rod and preventing said piston rod from exerting excessive pressure against the glass sheets.
2. An apparatus as described in Claim 1 wherein said cylinder is double acting; a reversing valve is provided in the pneumatic supply line for said cylinder; said first sensor and said reversing valve being interconnected whereby said reversing valve is actuated to reverse the direction of movement of said piston upon said first sensor means detecting a vacuum of a predetermined magnitude.
3. An apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein means are provided for establishing a predetermined maximum working pressure for the air supplied to the cylinder while the piston is being advanced, a valve controlling the supply of air to said cylinder; said second sensor means being connected to said valve and actuating said valve to close upon said second sensor means sensing a pressure increase in excess of said predetermined maximum whereby extension of said piston rod is stopped.
4. An apparatus as described in Claim 1 wherein a conveyor is provided, said conveyor having a pair of spaced conveyor tracks, one on each side of said pivoted arm, said conveyor tracks having their upper surfaces in a common plane;
as said pivot arm approaches the limit of its retraction move-ment away from the stack of sheets, said vacuum plate passing between said conveyor tracks and below said plane of said tracks for receiving from or depositing sheets on said conveyor.
as said pivot arm approaches the limit of its retraction move-ment away from the stack of sheets, said vacuum plate passing between said conveyor tracks and below said plane of said tracks for receiving from or depositing sheets on said conveyor.
5. An apparatus as described in Claim 4 wherein stop switches limit the pivotal movement of said arm to an iden-tical arc of travel at all times irrespective of the spacing of the stack of sheets from said arm; the switch limiting advance movement of said arm initiating the creation of the vacuum in said vacuum plate when it terminates advance of said arm.
6. An apparatus as described in Claim 5 wherein a contact switch terminates the vacuum in said vacuum plate as said vacuum plate passes between said conveyor tracks during retraction movement and connects said vacuum plate with said air supplying means.
7. An apparatus for moving individually sheets of glass stacked in a first location to a second location, the apparatus comprising suction plate means, a pressure cylinder actuator, a fluid pressure system comprising a suction duct system, associated with the suction plate means, enabling the latter to grip or to release individual sheets of material, and a pressure duct system, associated with the pressure cylinder actuator, for moving the suction plate means towards and away from the first location, and switching means responsive to changes in pressure in the pressure duct system for gene-rating a signal to control movement of said suction plate means by said pressure cylinder actuator, a vacuum source which is adapted to be connected to the suction plate means before the latter reaches the stack of sheets in said first location on movement of a piston rod of said actuator in a forward direction which moves the suction plate means towards said first location, and in which the switching means comprise a vacuum monitor which senses a vacuum resulting at the instant of complete contact of the suction plate means with the endmost sheet in the stack and generates said signal to terminate said forward movement of the piston rod.
8. An apparatus according to claim 7 in which the suction plate means is arranged in holding means so as to be able to tilt to a small angle in all directions.
9. An apparatus for moving individually sheets of material from a first location into a stack in a second location, the apparatus comprising suction plate means, a pressure cylinder actuator, a fluid pressure system comprising a suction duct system, associated with the suction plate means, enabling the latter to grip or to release individual sheets of material, and a pressure duct system, associated with the pressure cylinder actuator, for moving the suction plate means towards and away from the second location, and switching means responsive to changes in pressure in the suction duct system for generating a signal to control movement of said suction plate means by said pressure cylinder actuator, a piston rod for moving the suction plate means and in which the switching means comprises a pressure monitor which generates said signal on sensing pressure changes in the duct which supplies fluid to said actuator to move the piston rod in a direction to move the suction plate means towards said location.
10. An apparatus according to Claim 9, in which the pressure monitor controls multipath valves connecting the suction plate means with a vacuum source and, respectively, a pressure duct.
11. An apparatus according to Claim 8, 9 or 10, in which the suction plate means are arranged in holding means so as to be able to tilt to a small angle in all directions.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE19752516884 DE2516884A1 (en) | 1975-04-17 | 1975-04-17 | Glass plate stacking device - with suction lifting head and attached variable pressure touch sensor |
| DE19762613322 DE2613322C2 (en) | 1976-03-29 | 1976-03-29 | Device for stacking individual panels, in particular for stacking glass panes |
| FR7612005A FR2348875A1 (en) | 1975-04-17 | 1976-04-23 | Glass plate stacking and lifting machine - has ram operation controlled by feeler detecting vacuum or pressure alterations |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1049576A true CA1049576A (en) | 1979-02-27 |
Family
ID=43033397
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA250,208A Expired CA1049576A (en) | 1975-04-17 | 1976-04-13 | Apparatus for stacking and unstacking sheet material, more particularly glass sheets |
Country Status (8)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPS51137272A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1049576A (en) |
| ES (1) | ES447020A1 (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2348875A1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB1538125A (en) |
| IT (1) | IT1059088B (en) |
| NL (1) | NL7603948A (en) |
| SE (1) | SE7604319L (en) |
Families Citing this family (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPH01162649A (en) * | 1987-12-15 | 1989-06-27 | Nippon Sheet Glass Co Ltd | Attracted glass sheet handover device |
| WO1991005722A1 (en) * | 1989-10-20 | 1991-05-02 | Societe Generale Pour Les Techniques Nouvelles Sgn | Polyvalent device for fast lifting of glass plates |
| JP5380785B2 (en) * | 2007-04-25 | 2014-01-08 | 村田機械株式会社 | Board processing system |
| CN105923449B (en) * | 2016-06-08 | 2017-05-03 | 江苏科技大学 | Full-automatic discharging-receiving device and method for creasing machine for multi-species soft packaging paper |
| JP6702065B2 (en) * | 2016-08-01 | 2020-05-27 | 日本電気硝子株式会社 | Glass plate manufacturing method and glass plate manufacturing apparatus |
Family Cites Families (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPS506997A (en) * | 1973-05-23 | 1975-01-24 |
-
1976
- 1976-04-13 SE SE7604319A patent/SE7604319L/en unknown
- 1976-04-13 CA CA250,208A patent/CA1049576A/en not_active Expired
- 1976-04-14 NL NL7603948A patent/NL7603948A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1976-04-14 GB GB15224/76A patent/GB1538125A/en not_active Expired
- 1976-04-14 ES ES76447020A patent/ES447020A1/en not_active Expired
- 1976-04-14 IT IT22292/76A patent/IT1059088B/en active
- 1976-04-16 JP JP51043469A patent/JPS51137272A/en active Granted
- 1976-04-23 FR FR7612005A patent/FR2348875A1/en active Granted
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| JPS5612590B2 (en) | 1981-03-23 |
| NL7603948A (en) | 1976-10-19 |
| GB1538125A (en) | 1979-01-10 |
| JPS51137272A (en) | 1976-11-27 |
| ES447020A1 (en) | 1977-09-16 |
| FR2348875A1 (en) | 1977-11-18 |
| FR2348875B1 (en) | 1979-03-23 |
| IT1059088B (en) | 1982-05-31 |
| SE7604319L (en) | 1976-10-18 |
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