CA2215759A1 - Pallet stacking and dispensing unit - Google Patents
Pallet stacking and dispensing unit Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2215759A1 CA2215759A1 CA002215759A CA2215759A CA2215759A1 CA 2215759 A1 CA2215759 A1 CA 2215759A1 CA 002215759 A CA002215759 A CA 002215759A CA 2215759 A CA2215759 A CA 2215759A CA 2215759 A1 CA2215759 A1 CA 2215759A1
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- Prior art keywords
- pallet
- stack
- pallets
- frame
- fingers
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- Abandoned
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- 238000006073 displacement reaction Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 13
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims description 13
- 230000003213 activating effect Effects 0.000 claims description 12
- 238000003780 insertion Methods 0.000 claims description 5
- 230000037431 insertion Effects 0.000 claims description 5
- 238000012544 monitoring process Methods 0.000 claims description 5
- 238000000605 extraction Methods 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000003550 marker Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 206010052428 Wound Diseases 0.000 description 6
- 208000027418 Wounds and injury Diseases 0.000 description 6
- 210000003414 extremity Anatomy 0.000 description 4
- 230000000007 visual effect Effects 0.000 description 4
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 3
- 241001272720 Medialuna californiensis Species 0.000 description 2
- 239000002023 wood Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229910000831 Steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 230000004913 activation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000012423 maintenance Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000000284 resting effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000010959 steel Substances 0.000 description 1
- 210000001364 upper extremity Anatomy 0.000 description 1
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
- B65G57/00—Stacking of articles
- B65G57/30—Stacking of articles by adding to the bottom of the stack
- B65G57/301—Stacking of articles by adding to the bottom of the stack by means of reciprocatory or oscillatory lifting and holding or gripping devices
- B65G57/303—Stacking of articles by adding to the bottom of the stack by means of reciprocatory or oscillatory lifting and holding or gripping devices the stack being lowered by mobile grippers or holders onto added articles
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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
- B65G59/00—De-stacking of articles
- B65G59/06—De-stacking from the bottom of the stack
- B65G59/061—De-stacking from the bottom of the stack articles being separated substantially along the axis of the stack
- B65G59/062—De-stacking from the bottom of the stack articles being separated substantially along the axis of the stack by means of reciprocating or oscillating escapement-like mechanisms
- B65G59/063—De-stacking from the bottom of the stack articles being separated substantially along the axis of the stack by means of reciprocating or oscillating escapement-like mechanisms comprising lifting means
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- De-Stacking Of Articles (AREA)
- Stacking Of Articles And Auxiliary Devices (AREA)
Abstract
The self-standing pallet stacking and dispensing unit has a U-shaped frame defining a pair of side walls and a rear wall. A stack of empty article-carrying pallets is vertically installed between the frame walls. A pair of fingers are pivoted on a carriage member vertically movable along the outer surface of each side wall. The fingers can be pivoted between an inner pallet engaging position, in which they project inside the frame wall through slots located therein, and an outer pallet clearing position, in which they are located entirely outside the frame wall. The carriage member, along with the fingers, is movable between an upper and a lower position. In use, the stack of pallets can be engaged by the fingers, either at its lowermost pallet or its second lowermost pallet, and lifted slightly above ground by the carriage members lifting the fingers in their common vertical displacement. If the lowermost pallet is engaged, then an additional pallet may be inserted under the stack of pallets. If the second lowermost pallet is engaged, then the lowermost pallet may be removed, free from the load of the overlying, spaced stack of pallets.
Description
CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 TITr~T~ OF T~T~ T~VT~NTION: p~T T-~T STACKING AND DISPENSTNG UNIT
FIT~T~n OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a pallet stacking and dispensing apparatus.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is common practice to use pallets, usually made of wood, to store or carry articles thereon. Most of the pallets used, at least in the North American market, are of standard size: 40" by 48" effective storing area, 5.5" thick, and they each weigh approximately 100 pounds. These pallets are provided with wide rectangular widthwise entries on their longer sides, destined to be engaged either by the forks of a forklift truck, or by the forks or deck of a manual pallet pushcart, for carrying the pallets, especially when they are loaded with articles. The shorter sides of the pallets are provided with small half-moon shaped openings, that are destined to be engaged by the forks of a forklift truck.
When the pallets are not loaded with articles, they are usually stacked on the warehouse floor at a suitable selected location. Usually, about ten pallets are stacked in this manner, forming approximately a stack of six feet in height. When a pallet is needed for carrying an article thereon, the top pallet from a stack will be manually grabbed, CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 preferably by a pair of persons, since trying to single-handedly move the rather heavy pallets can bring about serious back wounds to the work person accomplishing this task due to the strenuous effort resulting therefrom. Thus, to move a single pallet, the combined effort of two work persons is required.
While they are handling a pallet, the work persons are subjected to several hazards from their task, namely extreme physical strain resulting from a strenuous effort, especially back wounds, or feet or leg wounds resulting from one of the workmen dropping the pallet, wood splinters lodging themselves in the hands of the workmen, or other wounds resulting from the pallet handling operation.
Large automated pallet dispenser units are available, for dispensing pallets at a regular rythm, these units being particularly advantageous in industrial applications, where a large number of pallets has to be regularly provided for articles to be loaded thereon. These pallets dispenser units are often combined with an article dispenser, for automatically loading the articles on the pallets. However, these automated pallet dispenser units require a very large area in a warehouse, and are very expensive.
OBJ~CTS OF THE T~VENTION
It is the gist of this invention to provide a pallet stacking and dispensing unit that may dispense or receive a CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 pallet without requiring manual handling thereof.
It is an important object of this invention that the pallet stacking and dispensing unit allow stacking of the pallets over a small floor area.
It is another object of this invention that the said pallet stacking and dispensing unit allow operation thereof by a single work person.
It is yet another object of the present invention that the pallet stacking and dispensing unit be as inexpensive as possible.
SU~MA~Y OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a pallet stacking and dispensing unit, for vertically stacking a number of pallets over ground, the stack of the type having a first lowermost pallet and a second pallet located directly over the first pallet, said unit comprising:
a) a frame for surrounding at least partially the stack of pallets and thus for laterally at least partly supporting the stack of pallets;
b) pallet engaging means mounted on said frame, vertically movable therealong and horizontally movable relative to said frame between an inner pallet engaging position and an outer pallet clearing position, for selectively engaging a single selected pallet in the stack of pallets among the first and the CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-lX
second pallet, in a stable fashion;
c) actuating means, for vertically moving said pallet engaging means along said frame; and d) power means, for powering at least said actuating means;
wherein the stack of pallets above and including the selected single pallet can be vertically moved upon the selected single pallet being engaged by said pallet engaging means and upon said actuating means accordingly vertically moving said pallet engaging means along said frame, thereby allowing the first pallet to be removed from the stack, or raised for insertion under the stack of an additional pallet.
Preferably, said frame defines an inner housing destined to receive said pallets and two opposite sides, said pallet engaging means comprising a pair of fingers on each said frame side destined to selectively engage opposite sides of the selected single pallet.
Advantageously, said pallet engaging means further comprises pivoting means for pivoting said fingers between a pallet engaging position in which they project inside said housing, and a pallet clearing position in which they are located outside said housing, said stack of pallets above the selected single pallet being vertically moved upon said fingers being concurrently vertically moved by said actuating means, when said fingers are in said pallet engaging position and when CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 they engage the selected single pallet in said housing.
Preferably, said actuating means comprises a U-shaped lever having two ends and an intermediate portion located intermediate said two ends, said U-shaped lever being pivotally mounted to said frame at said two ends, said actuating means further comprising two carriage members each pivotally holding a pair of said fingers, said two carriage members being rigidly and hingedly attached to said U-shaped lever at said intermediate portion thereof for vertical linear displacement of said carriage members upon pivotal displacement of said U-shaped lever.
Preferably, said power means comprises a first electrically powered cylinder having a piston rod hingedly attached to said U-shaped lever at said intermediate portion thereof, for a corresponding pivotal displacement of said U-shaped lever upon extraction or retraction of said piston rod, said cylinder being either one of a hydraulic cylinder and a pneumatic cylinder.
Preferably, said power means comprises a second and a third electrically controlled cylinders having piston rods each hingedly linked to one of said pair of fingers, for pivotal displacement of said fingers between said pallet engaging position and said pallet clearing position upon extraction and retraction of said second and third cylinders, said second and third cylinders being either one of a hydraulic cylinder and a CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 pneumatic cylinder.
Preferably, said frame is generally U-shaped and comprises two opposite side walls and a rear wall linking said side walls, said side walls and said rear wall defining said housing and being destined to receive the stack of pallets in adjacent fashion therebetween, said actuating means being located outside said housing, each said side wall defining a lower portion and having at least one opening at its said lower portion to allow passage therethrough of said fingers upon same being pivoted by said pivoting means into said pallet engaging position, and vertical displacement therein of said fingers upon same being vertically displaced by said actuating means.
In a first embodiment, each said side wall lower portion comprises two vertical slots each destined to be engaged by one of said fingers.
Alternately, a second embodiment is disclosed in which each said side wall lower portion opening is wider than one pallet, said unit further comprising a rail member transversely crossing said housing parallel to said rear wall and through said wide openings, and a dispenser arm member movable along said rail member from a retracted position to a dispensing position located on one side and the other of said housing, said dispenser arm member being destined to selectively laterally push the first pallet out of said housing upon it moving from its retracted to its extracted position, and upon said fingers CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 engaging and upholding the second pallet and the stack of pallets thereabove to remove the load from the first pallet.
In a third embodiment, said side wall lower portion opening is at least as wide as one pallet, said unit further 5comprising conveying means located under said frame and laterally extending beyond said one wide side wall lower portion opening, wherein the first pallet can be conveyed out from under the stack of pallets through said one wide side wall lower portion opening by said conveying means upon said fingers 10engaging and upholding the second pallet and the stack of pallets thereabove to remove the load from the first pallet.
Preferably, said unit further comprises marker means for monitoring the vertical position of said pallet engaging means relative to the stack of pallets.
15The present invention also includes a method for inserting an additional pallet under a vertical stack of pallets with a pallet stacking and dispensing unit, the stack of the type having a lowermost pallet, said unit comprising:
- a frame wall partly surrounding said pallets;
20- pallet engaging means mounted adjacent said frame wall and vertically movable therealong;
- actuating means, for vertically moving said pallet engaging means along said frame;
- pivoting means, for pivoting said pallet engaging means 25between a pallet engaging position in which they project inside CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 said frame wall and a pallet clearing position in which they are located outside said frame wall; and - power means, for powering said actuating means and said pivoting means;
wherein said method comprises the following steps:
a) aligning said pallet engaging means with said lowermost pallet;
b) activating said pivoting means for engagement of said engaging means with said lowermost pallet;
c) activating said actuating means so as to raise said engaging means and concurrently the stack of pallets over ground, and support said stack of pallets over ground; and d) inserting an additional pallet under the stack of pallets.
The invention further discloses a method for removing the lowermost pallet from under a vertical stack of pallets with a pallet stacking and dispensing unit, the stack of the type having the lowermost pallet and a second pallet located directly above the lowermost pallet, said unit comprising:
- a frame wall partly surrounding said pallets;
- pallet engaging means mounted adjacent said frame wall and vertically movable therealong;
- actuating means, for vertically moving said pallet engaging means along said frame;
- pivoting means, for pivoting said pallet engaging means CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 between a pallet engaging position in which they project inside said frame wall and a pallet clearing position in which they are located outside said frame wall; and - power means, for powering said actuating means and said pivoting means;
wherein said method comprises the following steps:
a) aligning said pallet engaging means with said second pallet;
b) activating said pivoting means for engagement of said pallet engaging means with said second pallet;
c) activating said actuating means so as to raise said engaging means and concurrently the second pallet together with the stack of pallets located above the second pallet over ground, and support same over ground; and d) removing the now unloaded lowermost pallet from under the stack of pallets.
Generally, the present invention discloses a pallet stacking and dispensing unit for stacking a number of pallets over ground, comprising:
a) a frame for at least partially surrounding a stack of pallets and substantially maintaining the latter in vertical alignment;
b) pallet engaging means mounted on said frame, vertically movable on opposite sides of said the stack and horizontally movable relative thereto between an inner pallet engaging CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 position and an outer pallet clearing position, for selectively engaging any single selected pallet of the stack;
c) powered actuating means for vertically moving said pallet engaging means along said frame; and d) actuating means for horizontally moving said pallet egaging means between said inner and outer positions independently of said powered actuating means;
wherein any selected pallet and the pallets stacked over the same can be raised by said unit for insertion or removal of at least one pallet into or from the stack.
D~.~CRIPTION OF T~ DRAWINGS
In the annexed drawings:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the stacking and dispensing unit of the invention, with the U-shaped arm in raised position and the pallet supporting fingers in pallet-engaging position;
Figures 2 and 3 are partly broken perspective views, at an enlarged scale, of the stacking and dispensing unit of the invention, with the U-shaped arm in lowered position, sequentially suggesting the outward pivotal movement of the pallet support fingers from a pallet engaging position to a pallet clearing position.
Figures 4 and 5 are schematic side elevations of the stacking and dispensing unit of the invention, with the U-shaped CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 arm in raised and lowered position, respectively;
Figures 6 to 8 are perspective views of the stacking and dispensing unit of the invention, in which are stacked a number of pallets, sequentially suggesting how a pallet may be 5added to the pallet stack;
Figures 9 to 11 are perspective views of a second embodiment of a pallet stacking and dispensing unit according to the invention, equipped with a first automatic dispenser device, sequentially suggesting the dispensing of one pallet, with the 10pallet stack not being shown in figures 9 and 10 for clarity of the drawings; and Figure 12 is a perspective view of yet a third embodiment of a pallet stacking and dispensing unit, with a second automatic dispenser device comprising conveyor means 15being provided thereto.
D~TAILED D~CRIPTION OF THE p~ERR~n ~BODI~TS
Figures 1 to 8 show a first, preferred embodiment of the invention.
20Referring more particularly to figures 1 to 5, and according to the objects of the present invention, there is disclosed a pallet stacking and dispensing unit 20 comprising a U-shaped frame 22 having two opposite facing side walls 24, 26 and a rear wall 28 integrally linking side walls 24, 26. Frame 2522 thus defines a front opening 30, and is further opened at its CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 lower end 32 and topped at its upper end by an integrally attached overlying steel rod 34. Rear wall 28, as seen in figure 1, can have a large vertical opening 28a therein. Side walls 24, 26 have short, outturned flanges at their front extremities, for an enhanced stability and structural integrity of unit 20, the flanges helping the pallet alignment and insertion into the pallet stacking unit 20 in the method that will be explained hereinafter. Unit 20 is self-standing, resting on the ground on the lower edges of walls 24, 26, 28.
Pallet unit 20 further comprises actuating means in the form of a U-shaped lever 36 having two extremities 36a, 36a pivotally anchored to the frame side walls 24, 26, respectively, near front opening 30. Lever 36 defines an intermediate portion between extremities 36a, 36a. One lever extremity 36a is not shown in drawings, being hidden behind side wall 24. U-shaped lever 36 horizontally straddles frame 22 on the exterior side thereof, with its side arms being parallel to side walls 24, 26 and with its web parallel to rear wall 28.
The actuating means further comprises a pair of identical carriage members 38, 38, with only one carriage member 38 being seen in the drawings since the other one is hidden behind side wall 24. Each carriage member 38 is a substantially rectangular flat sheet having integral perpendicular upper and lower edges 38a, 38b (figures 2 and 3) for an enhanced rigidity thereof. Carriage member 38 is vertically movable along CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 vertical guide rails 40, 42 fixedly attached to side wall 26 (or 24 for the other carriage member 38), and is linked to the side arm of lever 36 (thus at its intermediate portion), spaced from pivoted extremity 36a by a rod 44 which is hingedly attached to lever 36 at 46.
A permanent motionless visual mark 48 is inscribed on the frame side wall 26 (though not on side wall 24), and a movable visual mark 50 is fixedly installed on rod 44 and vertically moves therewith.
As shown in figures 4 and 5, a first large cylinder 51 is provided adjacent rear wall 28, outside frame wall 22, though fixed thereto. Large cylinder 51 is destined to rest on - and be supported by - the ground, as seen in figures 4 and 5. The piston rod 51a of cylinder 51 is hingedly attached to the web of U-shaped lever 36, i.e. at the intermediate portion of lever 36.
Cylinder 51 can be either one of a hydraulic cylinder and a pneumatic cylinder. By extracting or retracting cylinder 51, pivotal movement of the U-shaped lever is acquired upwards or downwards, respectively. Figures 4 and 5 sequentially show the piston rod 51a in its extracted and retracted position, with the lever 36 being downwardly pivoted accordingly from its upward position in figure 4 to its downward position in figure 5.
Pallet engaging means are provided in the form of two pairs of fingers 52, 54 and 56, 58 (figures 1 to 3) having a flat upper surface. Fingers 52, 54, 56, 58 can project inside CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 frame wall 22 through vertical slots 60, 62, 64, 66 correctly sized therefor, slots 60, 62 being located on the lower portion of side wall 24 and slots 64, 66 being located on the lower portion of side wall 26.
Pivoting means allow fingers 52, 54, 56, 58 to pivot in and out of slots 60, 62, 64, 66, i.e. from a pallet engaging position in which they project inside their respective side wall 24, 26 through slots 60, 62, 64, 66, to a pallet clearing position in which they are located outside the housing of frame wall 22. The pivoting means, shown inter alia in figures 2 and 3 adjacent side wall 26, are identically provided on the other side of side wall 24. The pivoting means include extensions 68, 70 integrally projecting upwardly from fingers 56, 58, and fixedly installed on a horizontal pivot rod 72, which is in turn pivotally mounted on carriage member 38. A rigid crossbar 74 also rigidly links fingers 56, 58 in a common pivotal movement.
A small L-shaped hinge member 76 has a lower cross pin which is pivotable around the outer end pivot holes of a double plate 77 perpendicularly projecting away from the flat outer surface of carriage member 38 and integrally fixed thereto, and is downwardly limited in its pivotal displacement by its abutment on a short transversely projecting edge plate 78 fixed on carriage member 38, parallel to and intermediate upper and lower edges 38a, 38b. The elbow of L-shaped hinge member 76 iS also rigidly and pivotally linked by pivot 79 to crossbar 74. A
CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 cylinder 80 is hingedly attached to carriage member 38 at 82, and its piston rod is hingedly attached at its outer end to L-shaped hinge member 76, so as to pivotally rotate the latter around its pivot 79. Cylinder 80 can be either one of a hydraulic cylinder and a pneumatic cylinder.
As shown sequentially in figures 2 and 3, the retraction of the piston rod of cylinder 80 rotates L-shaped hinge member 76 around its lower pivot at 77 and pulls it upwardly; pivot 79 moves outwardly and this results in an outward pivotal movement of fingers 56, 58. Fingers 56, 58 are thus movable between their pallet engaging position, in which they project through slots 64, 66 into the housing of unit 20, i.e. inside frame wall 22 (figures 1 and 2), and their pallet clearing position in which they are located outside the housing or frame wall 22 of unit 20 (figure 3). It is understood that the pivoting means behind the other side wall 24 is identical thereto.
Controls 84 are installed on the exterior of frame wall 22 on side wall 26 (only), with which it is possible to selectively control cylinders 51 and 80, 80 through control air tubes 85a, 85b, respectively (figures 4 and 5). The two smaller cylinders controlling the pivotal movement of fingers 52, 54, 56, 58 are controlled simultaneously, i.e. activation of both cylinders together is compulsory, while it is possible to control the larger cylinder 51 independently.
CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 Cylinders 51, 80, 80, as already explained, can be either hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders. The hydraulic cylinders will provide more power and more reliability to the unit, and will accordingly increase its speed, while pneumatic cylinders will reduce the production cost of the unit.
The actuating means are thus used to both raise and lower the stack of pallets by means of the pallet engaging fingers. Generally, the vertical movement of the pallet engaging means of unit 20 along frame 22, more particularly at its bottom portion along grooves 60, 62, 64, 66, is acquired by means of the corresponding vertical displacement of actuating means, since the actuating means support the pallet engaging means.
Locking means (not shown) are envisioned to prevent the pivoting means from being activated while the fingers are loaded with a stack of pallets, for preventing the stack of pallets from being dropped from a position spaced over ground.
In use, as shown in figures 6 to 8, the unit 20 is destined to receive a stack of conventional pallets P, of the type described in the background of the invention section of the present document. Thus, pallets P are of conventional rectangular dimensions and have on each small side a pair of half-moon shaped openings H and on each long side a pair of large rectangular openings R. The pallets are stacked in the housing defined by the inner surfaces of frame wall 22, which is CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 correctly dimensioned to receive snugly in a non-friction fit the pallets therein. The pallets P are pushed against rear wall 28 with their opening H facing the respective side walls 24, 26.
In proper position, fingers 52, 54, 56, 58 are vertically 5 aligned with openings H. As shown, the stack of pallets rests on a lowermost pallet, which in turn rests directly on the floor, and are located adjacent walls 24, 26, 28.
To add a pallet P' (figure 8) to the stack of pallets P, the controller of the unit 20 must:
a) activate the small cylinders 80, 80 SO as to retract their piston rods and consequently pivot the fingers 52, 54, 56, 58 into their pallet clearing position;
b) activate large cylinder 51 SO as to retract its piston rod and thus downwardly pivot U-shaped lever 36, concurrently 15 downwardly displacing in a vertical, linear movement carriage members 38, 38 and at the same time fingers 52, 54, 56, 58, until the fingers are at ground level;
c) activate the small cylinders so as to extract their piston rods to pivot the fingers into their pallet engaging 20 position: the configuration of figure 6 iS acquired at this stage, in which the fingers engage openings H in the lowermost pallet;
d) activate the large cylinder 51 SO as to extract its piston rod and concurrently upwardly pivot lever 36, thus vertically upwardly moving carriage members 38, 38 and the CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-lX
fingers, until the mark 50 on rod 44 vertically moves beyond the permanent motionless mark 48, at which time the controller knows that the pallet stack has been raised of a distance which is more than the thickness of a pallet: the configuration of figure 7 is acquired at this stage, in which the whole pallet stack is supported by the fingers engaging the lowermost pallet, which itself is held spacedly over ground;
e) insert an additional pallet P' under the stack of pallets through the frame front opening 30, e.g. with a conventional pallet pushcart C (as shown in figure 9).
Depending on the initial position of the pivoting means, i.e. whether the fingers are in their pallet clearing or pallet engaging position, and on the initial position of the actuating means, i.e. whether the fingers are raised or lowered, some of the above-mentioned steps may be unnecessary.
Therefore, the following steps may generally describe the process for inserting an additional pallet under the stack of pallets:
a) aligning the pallet fingers, while pivoted outwardly, ~0 with the lowermost pallet;
b) activating the small cylinders 80, 80 for engagement of the fingers with the lowermost pallet;
c) activating said the large cylinder 51 for raising the fingers and concurrently the stack of pallets over ground, and supporting said stack of pallets over ground; and CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 d) inserting an additional pallet under the stack of pallets.
To remove a pallet from the pallet stack, the controller must:
a) activate the small cylinders 80, 80 to pivot the fingers in their pallet clearing position;
b) activate the large cylinder 51 to raise the fingers, until the movable mark 50 comes in register with the motionless mark 48, in which case the fingers have been raised of a distance approximately equal to the thickness of one pallet;
c) activate the small cylinders 80, 80 to pivot the fingers in their pallet engaging position: the fingers will then engage the second pallet from ground level, i.e. the one just above the lowermost pallet;
d) activate the large cylinder 51 to raise the fingers once again, though this time the whole stack from the selected second pallet and above will be raised; and e) remove the lowermost pallet, now free from the load of the pallet stack now spacedly located above it, e.g. by means of a pushcart.
Again, it may be that some of the above-mentioned steps are unnecessary to insert a pallet in the stack. The following steps generally describe the process for removing the lowermost pallet from under the stack of pallets:
a) aligning the fingers with the second lowermost pallet;
CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 b) activating the pivoting means, i.e. the small cylinders, to pivot the fingers into engagement with the second lowermost pallet;
c) activating the large cylinder 51 so as to raise carriage members 38, 38 and concurrently the fingers and the second pallet together with the stack of pallets located above the second pallet, and support same over ground; and d) removing the now unloaded lowermost pallet from under the stack of pallets.
To insert or remove a pallet from the stack in the methods described hereinabove, it is understood that either a lift truck, a manual pushcart or any other suitable means can be used.
The opened front face 30 of frame 22 allows access to the stack of pallets to remove/insert a pallet therein. Thus, opening 30 must be at least as wide as a pallet and at least slightly higher than the thickness of a pallet, at the bottom portion of the frame front face where the lowermost pallet is located, to allow the inserting/removal of a pallet. It would be possible to partly close with a frame front wall (not shown) the front face 30 of frame 22, to frontwardly support the stack of pallets, through this front wall would have to downwardly extend short of the bottom portion of unit 20, to define an opening having minimum dimensions as described hereinabove. In the preferred mode to carry out the invention illustrated in the CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 drawings, the upper rod 34 linking side walls 24, 26 has a structural purpose, in that it helps to prevent accidental spacing of side walls 24, 26.
Concerning marks 48 and 50, their relative position is very important. Their purpose, as suggested in the description of the process for inserting/removing a pallet in the stack of pallets, is to allow a rather precise visual monitoring of the vertical position of the pallet engaging fingers at all times, and more particularly to monitor the position of the fingers relative to the lowermost pallet and to the second lowermost pallet. Indeed, with marks 48, 50, the operator is able to know without looking at the pallet engaging fingers themselves where they are positioned relative to the pallets. When the fingers are positioned at their lowermost position (e.g. to engage the lowermost pallet), the main large cylinder 51 is lowered to its minimum height. The distance between movable mark 50 and motionless mark 48 is then equal to the thickness of one pallet, e.g. 5.5". If the fingers are raised until the two marks 48, 50 register with one another, then the fingers are aligned with the second lowermost pallet. If the fingers are raised to their uppermost position, i.e. until the movable mark 50 is located higher than the motionless mark 48, then the space under the fingers is equal to more than the thickness of a pallet (e.g. 8"
over its lowermost position). It is then possible to insert or remove a pallet from under the stack of pallets, since there CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 exists a play between it and the proximate, spaced, overlying pallet, e.g. of approximately 2.5". This play allows:
a) a pallet to be inserted between the ground and the overlying pallet stack without frictional engagement therebetween; or b) a pallet to be removed from under the overlying, vertically spaced stack of pallets by slightly raising it over ground, though short of the overlying stack of pallets, and then pulling it out from under the stack of pallets, again without any frictional engagement therebetween.
It is understood that marks 48, 50 are very helpful in monitoring the vertical position of the pallet engaging fingers, but that unit 20 can function without them, the operator then having to visually evaluate the position of the pallet engaging fingers relative to the two lowermost pallets in the pallet stack.
With the pallet stacking and dispensing unit according to the present invention, it can be seen that, during the pallet inserting/dispensing operations, at no time does the controller manually manipulate one or more pallets, and thus excess physical strain or body wounds are very unlikely, if not completely prevented.
Figures 9 to 11 show a second embodiment of the invention. The pallet stacking and dispensing unit 120 of this embodiment comprises an automated dispenser apparatus 121 for CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 automatically dispensing a pallet out of unit 120.
More particularly, unit 120 comprises a frame 122 having two opposite side walls 124, 126 and a rear wall 128 integrally linking side walls 124, 126. Frame 122 defines an opened front face 130, and opened upper and lower ends 132, 134.
The actuating means, the pivoting means, the pallet engaging fingers, are all identical to the ones described in the first embodiment.
Vertical slots 136, 136 and 138, 138 (with only the ones located at the bottom part of side wall 124 being seen in figure 9) which receive the pallet engaging fingers 140, 140 and 142, 142 are very short, just long enough to allow fingers 140, 142 to snugly fit therein and clear the area under frame lower end 134. Frame 122 is mounted spacedly over ground on a number of short posts 144, with one post 144a supporting the large rear cylinder 146. As shown in the drawings, there is preferably provided five posts 144, one at each corner of the substantially rectangular frame 122, and one (144a) under cylinder 146 for supporting same. Wide side openings are formed under side walls 124, 126 by the fact that it is mounted spacedly over ground, with these openings being wider than the width of a pallet, for reasons which will become obvious hereinafter.
Dispenser device 121 comprises a rail member 148 transversely installed under frame 122, parallel to rear wall 128 and adjacent thereto, rail member 148 being fixed to the CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 three rear posts 144, 144, 144a, and vertically aligned with rear wall 128. A dispenser arm member 150 is movable along rail member 148, and is destined to sidewardly flatly engage the lowermost pallet P' of the stack of pallets P (see figures 10 and 11). Indeed, once all the above-mentioned steps for removing a pallet have been accomplished except for seizing the pallet itself, the lowermost pallet rests on the ground, free of the load of the spacedly overlying stack of pallets which is now supported by fingers 140, 142. By raising fingers 140, 142 into their upper position, a path is cleared for the transversal course of dispenser arm member 150 which will move along rail member 148, to flatly engage the lowermost pallet and slide the latter out from under frame 122, as shown in figures 10 and 11.
The dispenser device 121 of this second embodiment can thus dispense a pallet laterally out from under frame 122, for example onto an endless conveyor belt.
Figure 12 shows a third embodiment of a pallet stacking and dispensing unit 220 according to the invention.
Unit 220 is similar to the unit 120 of the second embodiment, except that it comprises conveyor means 221 instead of the dispenser arm member 150 and rail member 148 of the dispenser device 121 of the second embodiment.
Conveyor means 221 are shown in this embodiment to be a plurality of horizontally diposed, tangentially adjacent though slightly spaced rollers 222 which will receive the CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 lowermost pallet P' when it is dropped thereon by the actuating means, once the fingers (not shown) disengage the pallet P'.
Thus, the pallet P' can be conveyed with the conveyor means 221 to a remote, suitable location, to be loaded with articles.
The rollers 222 can be electrically powered to roll continuously to automatically convey the pallets to the said remote location, or they can remain motionless until a person manually pushes the pallet P' on them to move pallet P' without having to lift it above ground.
The main advantages of the pallet stacking and dispensing unit of the present invention, in all three embodiments, are thus as follows:
a) the unit is self standing, and retrofit installation in a warehouse is easily accomplished, without any modifications to lS the warehouse floor or walls;
b) the unit is rather small, i.e. it does not take up much space around an existing stack of pallets;
c) the unit prevents any manual handling of the pallets during either the stacking operation or the dispensing operation thereof, and thus excessive physical strain or wounds are very unlikely, if not completely prevented;
d) the unit can be used with only minor modifications thereto in combination with existing conveyor means - perhaps only the distance between the supporting posts in the embodiment of figure 12 may have to be adjusted to fit over existing CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 conveyor means;
e) the unit is very easy to operate, since only two bi-directional buttons (e.g. labelled "extract/retract") are present in the first embodiment of the invention, i.e. one for 5large cylinder 51 and one for the simulatneously controlled small cylinders 80, 80; moreover, the visual marks on the side wall of the unit help the monitoring of the position of the fingers and help prevent any height adjustment errors by the operator during use;
10f) the unit is rather simple, in that it does not comprise a large number of components, and thus the breakage of the unit is less likely, and its maintenance is made easier; and g) the production cost of the present unit is relatively low, when compared to industrial-type units.
15It is understood that any minor modifications which do not extend beyond the scope of the present invention are considered to be included therein.
For example, a conveyor belt could be used instead of rollers 222.
20Also, the frame could be made differently than with full side wall panels. Indeed, a few vertical posts transversely attached to one another would suffice.
It is also envisioned that the pallet engaging fingers be manually operated, e.g. with a handle lever, which would 25lower the production cost of the unit due to the absence of the CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 now useless small cylinders 80, 80.
Large, main cylinder 51 has been shown to be installed under U-ch~pe~ lever 36, in all three embodiments. However, it is envisioned that cylinder 51 could be mounted at any suitable position. For example, a ceiling structure or panel could be provided on top of frame 22, and cylinder 51 could then be installed thereon. Of course, different actuating means would then have to be provided, for example a cross-rod installed on top of the cylinder piston and link at its two opposite ends to the side rods which are attached to the carriage members. This particular configuration would limit the number of pallets which could be stacked in a particular unit due to the fixed ceiling panel, but would reduce the floor area which is used by the unit, since the large, main cylinder would overlie the frame structure of the unit.
It is further understood that the pallet stacking and dispensing unit could be designed to allow any one of the stacked pallets to be engaged by the pallet engaging fingers, by providing actuating means that are movable along the whole height of the frame and by providing slots or similar through ways that allow the fingers to be horizontally moved or pivoted in their inner pallet engaging position at any vertical position along the frame.
FIT~T~n OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a pallet stacking and dispensing apparatus.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is common practice to use pallets, usually made of wood, to store or carry articles thereon. Most of the pallets used, at least in the North American market, are of standard size: 40" by 48" effective storing area, 5.5" thick, and they each weigh approximately 100 pounds. These pallets are provided with wide rectangular widthwise entries on their longer sides, destined to be engaged either by the forks of a forklift truck, or by the forks or deck of a manual pallet pushcart, for carrying the pallets, especially when they are loaded with articles. The shorter sides of the pallets are provided with small half-moon shaped openings, that are destined to be engaged by the forks of a forklift truck.
When the pallets are not loaded with articles, they are usually stacked on the warehouse floor at a suitable selected location. Usually, about ten pallets are stacked in this manner, forming approximately a stack of six feet in height. When a pallet is needed for carrying an article thereon, the top pallet from a stack will be manually grabbed, CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 preferably by a pair of persons, since trying to single-handedly move the rather heavy pallets can bring about serious back wounds to the work person accomplishing this task due to the strenuous effort resulting therefrom. Thus, to move a single pallet, the combined effort of two work persons is required.
While they are handling a pallet, the work persons are subjected to several hazards from their task, namely extreme physical strain resulting from a strenuous effort, especially back wounds, or feet or leg wounds resulting from one of the workmen dropping the pallet, wood splinters lodging themselves in the hands of the workmen, or other wounds resulting from the pallet handling operation.
Large automated pallet dispenser units are available, for dispensing pallets at a regular rythm, these units being particularly advantageous in industrial applications, where a large number of pallets has to be regularly provided for articles to be loaded thereon. These pallets dispenser units are often combined with an article dispenser, for automatically loading the articles on the pallets. However, these automated pallet dispenser units require a very large area in a warehouse, and are very expensive.
OBJ~CTS OF THE T~VENTION
It is the gist of this invention to provide a pallet stacking and dispensing unit that may dispense or receive a CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 pallet without requiring manual handling thereof.
It is an important object of this invention that the pallet stacking and dispensing unit allow stacking of the pallets over a small floor area.
It is another object of this invention that the said pallet stacking and dispensing unit allow operation thereof by a single work person.
It is yet another object of the present invention that the pallet stacking and dispensing unit be as inexpensive as possible.
SU~MA~Y OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a pallet stacking and dispensing unit, for vertically stacking a number of pallets over ground, the stack of the type having a first lowermost pallet and a second pallet located directly over the first pallet, said unit comprising:
a) a frame for surrounding at least partially the stack of pallets and thus for laterally at least partly supporting the stack of pallets;
b) pallet engaging means mounted on said frame, vertically movable therealong and horizontally movable relative to said frame between an inner pallet engaging position and an outer pallet clearing position, for selectively engaging a single selected pallet in the stack of pallets among the first and the CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-lX
second pallet, in a stable fashion;
c) actuating means, for vertically moving said pallet engaging means along said frame; and d) power means, for powering at least said actuating means;
wherein the stack of pallets above and including the selected single pallet can be vertically moved upon the selected single pallet being engaged by said pallet engaging means and upon said actuating means accordingly vertically moving said pallet engaging means along said frame, thereby allowing the first pallet to be removed from the stack, or raised for insertion under the stack of an additional pallet.
Preferably, said frame defines an inner housing destined to receive said pallets and two opposite sides, said pallet engaging means comprising a pair of fingers on each said frame side destined to selectively engage opposite sides of the selected single pallet.
Advantageously, said pallet engaging means further comprises pivoting means for pivoting said fingers between a pallet engaging position in which they project inside said housing, and a pallet clearing position in which they are located outside said housing, said stack of pallets above the selected single pallet being vertically moved upon said fingers being concurrently vertically moved by said actuating means, when said fingers are in said pallet engaging position and when CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 they engage the selected single pallet in said housing.
Preferably, said actuating means comprises a U-shaped lever having two ends and an intermediate portion located intermediate said two ends, said U-shaped lever being pivotally mounted to said frame at said two ends, said actuating means further comprising two carriage members each pivotally holding a pair of said fingers, said two carriage members being rigidly and hingedly attached to said U-shaped lever at said intermediate portion thereof for vertical linear displacement of said carriage members upon pivotal displacement of said U-shaped lever.
Preferably, said power means comprises a first electrically powered cylinder having a piston rod hingedly attached to said U-shaped lever at said intermediate portion thereof, for a corresponding pivotal displacement of said U-shaped lever upon extraction or retraction of said piston rod, said cylinder being either one of a hydraulic cylinder and a pneumatic cylinder.
Preferably, said power means comprises a second and a third electrically controlled cylinders having piston rods each hingedly linked to one of said pair of fingers, for pivotal displacement of said fingers between said pallet engaging position and said pallet clearing position upon extraction and retraction of said second and third cylinders, said second and third cylinders being either one of a hydraulic cylinder and a CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 pneumatic cylinder.
Preferably, said frame is generally U-shaped and comprises two opposite side walls and a rear wall linking said side walls, said side walls and said rear wall defining said housing and being destined to receive the stack of pallets in adjacent fashion therebetween, said actuating means being located outside said housing, each said side wall defining a lower portion and having at least one opening at its said lower portion to allow passage therethrough of said fingers upon same being pivoted by said pivoting means into said pallet engaging position, and vertical displacement therein of said fingers upon same being vertically displaced by said actuating means.
In a first embodiment, each said side wall lower portion comprises two vertical slots each destined to be engaged by one of said fingers.
Alternately, a second embodiment is disclosed in which each said side wall lower portion opening is wider than one pallet, said unit further comprising a rail member transversely crossing said housing parallel to said rear wall and through said wide openings, and a dispenser arm member movable along said rail member from a retracted position to a dispensing position located on one side and the other of said housing, said dispenser arm member being destined to selectively laterally push the first pallet out of said housing upon it moving from its retracted to its extracted position, and upon said fingers CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 engaging and upholding the second pallet and the stack of pallets thereabove to remove the load from the first pallet.
In a third embodiment, said side wall lower portion opening is at least as wide as one pallet, said unit further 5comprising conveying means located under said frame and laterally extending beyond said one wide side wall lower portion opening, wherein the first pallet can be conveyed out from under the stack of pallets through said one wide side wall lower portion opening by said conveying means upon said fingers 10engaging and upholding the second pallet and the stack of pallets thereabove to remove the load from the first pallet.
Preferably, said unit further comprises marker means for monitoring the vertical position of said pallet engaging means relative to the stack of pallets.
15The present invention also includes a method for inserting an additional pallet under a vertical stack of pallets with a pallet stacking and dispensing unit, the stack of the type having a lowermost pallet, said unit comprising:
- a frame wall partly surrounding said pallets;
20- pallet engaging means mounted adjacent said frame wall and vertically movable therealong;
- actuating means, for vertically moving said pallet engaging means along said frame;
- pivoting means, for pivoting said pallet engaging means 25between a pallet engaging position in which they project inside CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 said frame wall and a pallet clearing position in which they are located outside said frame wall; and - power means, for powering said actuating means and said pivoting means;
wherein said method comprises the following steps:
a) aligning said pallet engaging means with said lowermost pallet;
b) activating said pivoting means for engagement of said engaging means with said lowermost pallet;
c) activating said actuating means so as to raise said engaging means and concurrently the stack of pallets over ground, and support said stack of pallets over ground; and d) inserting an additional pallet under the stack of pallets.
The invention further discloses a method for removing the lowermost pallet from under a vertical stack of pallets with a pallet stacking and dispensing unit, the stack of the type having the lowermost pallet and a second pallet located directly above the lowermost pallet, said unit comprising:
- a frame wall partly surrounding said pallets;
- pallet engaging means mounted adjacent said frame wall and vertically movable therealong;
- actuating means, for vertically moving said pallet engaging means along said frame;
- pivoting means, for pivoting said pallet engaging means CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 between a pallet engaging position in which they project inside said frame wall and a pallet clearing position in which they are located outside said frame wall; and - power means, for powering said actuating means and said pivoting means;
wherein said method comprises the following steps:
a) aligning said pallet engaging means with said second pallet;
b) activating said pivoting means for engagement of said pallet engaging means with said second pallet;
c) activating said actuating means so as to raise said engaging means and concurrently the second pallet together with the stack of pallets located above the second pallet over ground, and support same over ground; and d) removing the now unloaded lowermost pallet from under the stack of pallets.
Generally, the present invention discloses a pallet stacking and dispensing unit for stacking a number of pallets over ground, comprising:
a) a frame for at least partially surrounding a stack of pallets and substantially maintaining the latter in vertical alignment;
b) pallet engaging means mounted on said frame, vertically movable on opposite sides of said the stack and horizontally movable relative thereto between an inner pallet engaging CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 position and an outer pallet clearing position, for selectively engaging any single selected pallet of the stack;
c) powered actuating means for vertically moving said pallet engaging means along said frame; and d) actuating means for horizontally moving said pallet egaging means between said inner and outer positions independently of said powered actuating means;
wherein any selected pallet and the pallets stacked over the same can be raised by said unit for insertion or removal of at least one pallet into or from the stack.
D~.~CRIPTION OF T~ DRAWINGS
In the annexed drawings:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the stacking and dispensing unit of the invention, with the U-shaped arm in raised position and the pallet supporting fingers in pallet-engaging position;
Figures 2 and 3 are partly broken perspective views, at an enlarged scale, of the stacking and dispensing unit of the invention, with the U-shaped arm in lowered position, sequentially suggesting the outward pivotal movement of the pallet support fingers from a pallet engaging position to a pallet clearing position.
Figures 4 and 5 are schematic side elevations of the stacking and dispensing unit of the invention, with the U-shaped CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 arm in raised and lowered position, respectively;
Figures 6 to 8 are perspective views of the stacking and dispensing unit of the invention, in which are stacked a number of pallets, sequentially suggesting how a pallet may be 5added to the pallet stack;
Figures 9 to 11 are perspective views of a second embodiment of a pallet stacking and dispensing unit according to the invention, equipped with a first automatic dispenser device, sequentially suggesting the dispensing of one pallet, with the 10pallet stack not being shown in figures 9 and 10 for clarity of the drawings; and Figure 12 is a perspective view of yet a third embodiment of a pallet stacking and dispensing unit, with a second automatic dispenser device comprising conveyor means 15being provided thereto.
D~TAILED D~CRIPTION OF THE p~ERR~n ~BODI~TS
Figures 1 to 8 show a first, preferred embodiment of the invention.
20Referring more particularly to figures 1 to 5, and according to the objects of the present invention, there is disclosed a pallet stacking and dispensing unit 20 comprising a U-shaped frame 22 having two opposite facing side walls 24, 26 and a rear wall 28 integrally linking side walls 24, 26. Frame 2522 thus defines a front opening 30, and is further opened at its CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 lower end 32 and topped at its upper end by an integrally attached overlying steel rod 34. Rear wall 28, as seen in figure 1, can have a large vertical opening 28a therein. Side walls 24, 26 have short, outturned flanges at their front extremities, for an enhanced stability and structural integrity of unit 20, the flanges helping the pallet alignment and insertion into the pallet stacking unit 20 in the method that will be explained hereinafter. Unit 20 is self-standing, resting on the ground on the lower edges of walls 24, 26, 28.
Pallet unit 20 further comprises actuating means in the form of a U-shaped lever 36 having two extremities 36a, 36a pivotally anchored to the frame side walls 24, 26, respectively, near front opening 30. Lever 36 defines an intermediate portion between extremities 36a, 36a. One lever extremity 36a is not shown in drawings, being hidden behind side wall 24. U-shaped lever 36 horizontally straddles frame 22 on the exterior side thereof, with its side arms being parallel to side walls 24, 26 and with its web parallel to rear wall 28.
The actuating means further comprises a pair of identical carriage members 38, 38, with only one carriage member 38 being seen in the drawings since the other one is hidden behind side wall 24. Each carriage member 38 is a substantially rectangular flat sheet having integral perpendicular upper and lower edges 38a, 38b (figures 2 and 3) for an enhanced rigidity thereof. Carriage member 38 is vertically movable along CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 vertical guide rails 40, 42 fixedly attached to side wall 26 (or 24 for the other carriage member 38), and is linked to the side arm of lever 36 (thus at its intermediate portion), spaced from pivoted extremity 36a by a rod 44 which is hingedly attached to lever 36 at 46.
A permanent motionless visual mark 48 is inscribed on the frame side wall 26 (though not on side wall 24), and a movable visual mark 50 is fixedly installed on rod 44 and vertically moves therewith.
As shown in figures 4 and 5, a first large cylinder 51 is provided adjacent rear wall 28, outside frame wall 22, though fixed thereto. Large cylinder 51 is destined to rest on - and be supported by - the ground, as seen in figures 4 and 5. The piston rod 51a of cylinder 51 is hingedly attached to the web of U-shaped lever 36, i.e. at the intermediate portion of lever 36.
Cylinder 51 can be either one of a hydraulic cylinder and a pneumatic cylinder. By extracting or retracting cylinder 51, pivotal movement of the U-shaped lever is acquired upwards or downwards, respectively. Figures 4 and 5 sequentially show the piston rod 51a in its extracted and retracted position, with the lever 36 being downwardly pivoted accordingly from its upward position in figure 4 to its downward position in figure 5.
Pallet engaging means are provided in the form of two pairs of fingers 52, 54 and 56, 58 (figures 1 to 3) having a flat upper surface. Fingers 52, 54, 56, 58 can project inside CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 frame wall 22 through vertical slots 60, 62, 64, 66 correctly sized therefor, slots 60, 62 being located on the lower portion of side wall 24 and slots 64, 66 being located on the lower portion of side wall 26.
Pivoting means allow fingers 52, 54, 56, 58 to pivot in and out of slots 60, 62, 64, 66, i.e. from a pallet engaging position in which they project inside their respective side wall 24, 26 through slots 60, 62, 64, 66, to a pallet clearing position in which they are located outside the housing of frame wall 22. The pivoting means, shown inter alia in figures 2 and 3 adjacent side wall 26, are identically provided on the other side of side wall 24. The pivoting means include extensions 68, 70 integrally projecting upwardly from fingers 56, 58, and fixedly installed on a horizontal pivot rod 72, which is in turn pivotally mounted on carriage member 38. A rigid crossbar 74 also rigidly links fingers 56, 58 in a common pivotal movement.
A small L-shaped hinge member 76 has a lower cross pin which is pivotable around the outer end pivot holes of a double plate 77 perpendicularly projecting away from the flat outer surface of carriage member 38 and integrally fixed thereto, and is downwardly limited in its pivotal displacement by its abutment on a short transversely projecting edge plate 78 fixed on carriage member 38, parallel to and intermediate upper and lower edges 38a, 38b. The elbow of L-shaped hinge member 76 iS also rigidly and pivotally linked by pivot 79 to crossbar 74. A
CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 cylinder 80 is hingedly attached to carriage member 38 at 82, and its piston rod is hingedly attached at its outer end to L-shaped hinge member 76, so as to pivotally rotate the latter around its pivot 79. Cylinder 80 can be either one of a hydraulic cylinder and a pneumatic cylinder.
As shown sequentially in figures 2 and 3, the retraction of the piston rod of cylinder 80 rotates L-shaped hinge member 76 around its lower pivot at 77 and pulls it upwardly; pivot 79 moves outwardly and this results in an outward pivotal movement of fingers 56, 58. Fingers 56, 58 are thus movable between their pallet engaging position, in which they project through slots 64, 66 into the housing of unit 20, i.e. inside frame wall 22 (figures 1 and 2), and their pallet clearing position in which they are located outside the housing or frame wall 22 of unit 20 (figure 3). It is understood that the pivoting means behind the other side wall 24 is identical thereto.
Controls 84 are installed on the exterior of frame wall 22 on side wall 26 (only), with which it is possible to selectively control cylinders 51 and 80, 80 through control air tubes 85a, 85b, respectively (figures 4 and 5). The two smaller cylinders controlling the pivotal movement of fingers 52, 54, 56, 58 are controlled simultaneously, i.e. activation of both cylinders together is compulsory, while it is possible to control the larger cylinder 51 independently.
CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 Cylinders 51, 80, 80, as already explained, can be either hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders. The hydraulic cylinders will provide more power and more reliability to the unit, and will accordingly increase its speed, while pneumatic cylinders will reduce the production cost of the unit.
The actuating means are thus used to both raise and lower the stack of pallets by means of the pallet engaging fingers. Generally, the vertical movement of the pallet engaging means of unit 20 along frame 22, more particularly at its bottom portion along grooves 60, 62, 64, 66, is acquired by means of the corresponding vertical displacement of actuating means, since the actuating means support the pallet engaging means.
Locking means (not shown) are envisioned to prevent the pivoting means from being activated while the fingers are loaded with a stack of pallets, for preventing the stack of pallets from being dropped from a position spaced over ground.
In use, as shown in figures 6 to 8, the unit 20 is destined to receive a stack of conventional pallets P, of the type described in the background of the invention section of the present document. Thus, pallets P are of conventional rectangular dimensions and have on each small side a pair of half-moon shaped openings H and on each long side a pair of large rectangular openings R. The pallets are stacked in the housing defined by the inner surfaces of frame wall 22, which is CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 correctly dimensioned to receive snugly in a non-friction fit the pallets therein. The pallets P are pushed against rear wall 28 with their opening H facing the respective side walls 24, 26.
In proper position, fingers 52, 54, 56, 58 are vertically 5 aligned with openings H. As shown, the stack of pallets rests on a lowermost pallet, which in turn rests directly on the floor, and are located adjacent walls 24, 26, 28.
To add a pallet P' (figure 8) to the stack of pallets P, the controller of the unit 20 must:
a) activate the small cylinders 80, 80 SO as to retract their piston rods and consequently pivot the fingers 52, 54, 56, 58 into their pallet clearing position;
b) activate large cylinder 51 SO as to retract its piston rod and thus downwardly pivot U-shaped lever 36, concurrently 15 downwardly displacing in a vertical, linear movement carriage members 38, 38 and at the same time fingers 52, 54, 56, 58, until the fingers are at ground level;
c) activate the small cylinders so as to extract their piston rods to pivot the fingers into their pallet engaging 20 position: the configuration of figure 6 iS acquired at this stage, in which the fingers engage openings H in the lowermost pallet;
d) activate the large cylinder 51 SO as to extract its piston rod and concurrently upwardly pivot lever 36, thus vertically upwardly moving carriage members 38, 38 and the CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-lX
fingers, until the mark 50 on rod 44 vertically moves beyond the permanent motionless mark 48, at which time the controller knows that the pallet stack has been raised of a distance which is more than the thickness of a pallet: the configuration of figure 7 is acquired at this stage, in which the whole pallet stack is supported by the fingers engaging the lowermost pallet, which itself is held spacedly over ground;
e) insert an additional pallet P' under the stack of pallets through the frame front opening 30, e.g. with a conventional pallet pushcart C (as shown in figure 9).
Depending on the initial position of the pivoting means, i.e. whether the fingers are in their pallet clearing or pallet engaging position, and on the initial position of the actuating means, i.e. whether the fingers are raised or lowered, some of the above-mentioned steps may be unnecessary.
Therefore, the following steps may generally describe the process for inserting an additional pallet under the stack of pallets:
a) aligning the pallet fingers, while pivoted outwardly, ~0 with the lowermost pallet;
b) activating the small cylinders 80, 80 for engagement of the fingers with the lowermost pallet;
c) activating said the large cylinder 51 for raising the fingers and concurrently the stack of pallets over ground, and supporting said stack of pallets over ground; and CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 d) inserting an additional pallet under the stack of pallets.
To remove a pallet from the pallet stack, the controller must:
a) activate the small cylinders 80, 80 to pivot the fingers in their pallet clearing position;
b) activate the large cylinder 51 to raise the fingers, until the movable mark 50 comes in register with the motionless mark 48, in which case the fingers have been raised of a distance approximately equal to the thickness of one pallet;
c) activate the small cylinders 80, 80 to pivot the fingers in their pallet engaging position: the fingers will then engage the second pallet from ground level, i.e. the one just above the lowermost pallet;
d) activate the large cylinder 51 to raise the fingers once again, though this time the whole stack from the selected second pallet and above will be raised; and e) remove the lowermost pallet, now free from the load of the pallet stack now spacedly located above it, e.g. by means of a pushcart.
Again, it may be that some of the above-mentioned steps are unnecessary to insert a pallet in the stack. The following steps generally describe the process for removing the lowermost pallet from under the stack of pallets:
a) aligning the fingers with the second lowermost pallet;
CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 b) activating the pivoting means, i.e. the small cylinders, to pivot the fingers into engagement with the second lowermost pallet;
c) activating the large cylinder 51 so as to raise carriage members 38, 38 and concurrently the fingers and the second pallet together with the stack of pallets located above the second pallet, and support same over ground; and d) removing the now unloaded lowermost pallet from under the stack of pallets.
To insert or remove a pallet from the stack in the methods described hereinabove, it is understood that either a lift truck, a manual pushcart or any other suitable means can be used.
The opened front face 30 of frame 22 allows access to the stack of pallets to remove/insert a pallet therein. Thus, opening 30 must be at least as wide as a pallet and at least slightly higher than the thickness of a pallet, at the bottom portion of the frame front face where the lowermost pallet is located, to allow the inserting/removal of a pallet. It would be possible to partly close with a frame front wall (not shown) the front face 30 of frame 22, to frontwardly support the stack of pallets, through this front wall would have to downwardly extend short of the bottom portion of unit 20, to define an opening having minimum dimensions as described hereinabove. In the preferred mode to carry out the invention illustrated in the CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 drawings, the upper rod 34 linking side walls 24, 26 has a structural purpose, in that it helps to prevent accidental spacing of side walls 24, 26.
Concerning marks 48 and 50, their relative position is very important. Their purpose, as suggested in the description of the process for inserting/removing a pallet in the stack of pallets, is to allow a rather precise visual monitoring of the vertical position of the pallet engaging fingers at all times, and more particularly to monitor the position of the fingers relative to the lowermost pallet and to the second lowermost pallet. Indeed, with marks 48, 50, the operator is able to know without looking at the pallet engaging fingers themselves where they are positioned relative to the pallets. When the fingers are positioned at their lowermost position (e.g. to engage the lowermost pallet), the main large cylinder 51 is lowered to its minimum height. The distance between movable mark 50 and motionless mark 48 is then equal to the thickness of one pallet, e.g. 5.5". If the fingers are raised until the two marks 48, 50 register with one another, then the fingers are aligned with the second lowermost pallet. If the fingers are raised to their uppermost position, i.e. until the movable mark 50 is located higher than the motionless mark 48, then the space under the fingers is equal to more than the thickness of a pallet (e.g. 8"
over its lowermost position). It is then possible to insert or remove a pallet from under the stack of pallets, since there CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 exists a play between it and the proximate, spaced, overlying pallet, e.g. of approximately 2.5". This play allows:
a) a pallet to be inserted between the ground and the overlying pallet stack without frictional engagement therebetween; or b) a pallet to be removed from under the overlying, vertically spaced stack of pallets by slightly raising it over ground, though short of the overlying stack of pallets, and then pulling it out from under the stack of pallets, again without any frictional engagement therebetween.
It is understood that marks 48, 50 are very helpful in monitoring the vertical position of the pallet engaging fingers, but that unit 20 can function without them, the operator then having to visually evaluate the position of the pallet engaging fingers relative to the two lowermost pallets in the pallet stack.
With the pallet stacking and dispensing unit according to the present invention, it can be seen that, during the pallet inserting/dispensing operations, at no time does the controller manually manipulate one or more pallets, and thus excess physical strain or body wounds are very unlikely, if not completely prevented.
Figures 9 to 11 show a second embodiment of the invention. The pallet stacking and dispensing unit 120 of this embodiment comprises an automated dispenser apparatus 121 for CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 automatically dispensing a pallet out of unit 120.
More particularly, unit 120 comprises a frame 122 having two opposite side walls 124, 126 and a rear wall 128 integrally linking side walls 124, 126. Frame 122 defines an opened front face 130, and opened upper and lower ends 132, 134.
The actuating means, the pivoting means, the pallet engaging fingers, are all identical to the ones described in the first embodiment.
Vertical slots 136, 136 and 138, 138 (with only the ones located at the bottom part of side wall 124 being seen in figure 9) which receive the pallet engaging fingers 140, 140 and 142, 142 are very short, just long enough to allow fingers 140, 142 to snugly fit therein and clear the area under frame lower end 134. Frame 122 is mounted spacedly over ground on a number of short posts 144, with one post 144a supporting the large rear cylinder 146. As shown in the drawings, there is preferably provided five posts 144, one at each corner of the substantially rectangular frame 122, and one (144a) under cylinder 146 for supporting same. Wide side openings are formed under side walls 124, 126 by the fact that it is mounted spacedly over ground, with these openings being wider than the width of a pallet, for reasons which will become obvious hereinafter.
Dispenser device 121 comprises a rail member 148 transversely installed under frame 122, parallel to rear wall 128 and adjacent thereto, rail member 148 being fixed to the CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 three rear posts 144, 144, 144a, and vertically aligned with rear wall 128. A dispenser arm member 150 is movable along rail member 148, and is destined to sidewardly flatly engage the lowermost pallet P' of the stack of pallets P (see figures 10 and 11). Indeed, once all the above-mentioned steps for removing a pallet have been accomplished except for seizing the pallet itself, the lowermost pallet rests on the ground, free of the load of the spacedly overlying stack of pallets which is now supported by fingers 140, 142. By raising fingers 140, 142 into their upper position, a path is cleared for the transversal course of dispenser arm member 150 which will move along rail member 148, to flatly engage the lowermost pallet and slide the latter out from under frame 122, as shown in figures 10 and 11.
The dispenser device 121 of this second embodiment can thus dispense a pallet laterally out from under frame 122, for example onto an endless conveyor belt.
Figure 12 shows a third embodiment of a pallet stacking and dispensing unit 220 according to the invention.
Unit 220 is similar to the unit 120 of the second embodiment, except that it comprises conveyor means 221 instead of the dispenser arm member 150 and rail member 148 of the dispenser device 121 of the second embodiment.
Conveyor means 221 are shown in this embodiment to be a plurality of horizontally diposed, tangentially adjacent though slightly spaced rollers 222 which will receive the CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 lowermost pallet P' when it is dropped thereon by the actuating means, once the fingers (not shown) disengage the pallet P'.
Thus, the pallet P' can be conveyed with the conveyor means 221 to a remote, suitable location, to be loaded with articles.
The rollers 222 can be electrically powered to roll continuously to automatically convey the pallets to the said remote location, or they can remain motionless until a person manually pushes the pallet P' on them to move pallet P' without having to lift it above ground.
The main advantages of the pallet stacking and dispensing unit of the present invention, in all three embodiments, are thus as follows:
a) the unit is self standing, and retrofit installation in a warehouse is easily accomplished, without any modifications to lS the warehouse floor or walls;
b) the unit is rather small, i.e. it does not take up much space around an existing stack of pallets;
c) the unit prevents any manual handling of the pallets during either the stacking operation or the dispensing operation thereof, and thus excessive physical strain or wounds are very unlikely, if not completely prevented;
d) the unit can be used with only minor modifications thereto in combination with existing conveyor means - perhaps only the distance between the supporting posts in the embodiment of figure 12 may have to be adjusted to fit over existing CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 conveyor means;
e) the unit is very easy to operate, since only two bi-directional buttons (e.g. labelled "extract/retract") are present in the first embodiment of the invention, i.e. one for 5large cylinder 51 and one for the simulatneously controlled small cylinders 80, 80; moreover, the visual marks on the side wall of the unit help the monitoring of the position of the fingers and help prevent any height adjustment errors by the operator during use;
10f) the unit is rather simple, in that it does not comprise a large number of components, and thus the breakage of the unit is less likely, and its maintenance is made easier; and g) the production cost of the present unit is relatively low, when compared to industrial-type units.
15It is understood that any minor modifications which do not extend beyond the scope of the present invention are considered to be included therein.
For example, a conveyor belt could be used instead of rollers 222.
20Also, the frame could be made differently than with full side wall panels. Indeed, a few vertical posts transversely attached to one another would suffice.
It is also envisioned that the pallet engaging fingers be manually operated, e.g. with a handle lever, which would 25lower the production cost of the unit due to the absence of the CA 0221~7~9 1997-09-18 now useless small cylinders 80, 80.
Large, main cylinder 51 has been shown to be installed under U-ch~pe~ lever 36, in all three embodiments. However, it is envisioned that cylinder 51 could be mounted at any suitable position. For example, a ceiling structure or panel could be provided on top of frame 22, and cylinder 51 could then be installed thereon. Of course, different actuating means would then have to be provided, for example a cross-rod installed on top of the cylinder piston and link at its two opposite ends to the side rods which are attached to the carriage members. This particular configuration would limit the number of pallets which could be stacked in a particular unit due to the fixed ceiling panel, but would reduce the floor area which is used by the unit, since the large, main cylinder would overlie the frame structure of the unit.
It is further understood that the pallet stacking and dispensing unit could be designed to allow any one of the stacked pallets to be engaged by the pallet engaging fingers, by providing actuating means that are movable along the whole height of the frame and by providing slots or similar through ways that allow the fingers to be horizontally moved or pivoted in their inner pallet engaging position at any vertical position along the frame.
Claims (15)
1. A pallet stacking and dispensing unit, for vertically stacking a number of pallets over ground, the stack of the type having a first lowermost pallet and a second pallet located directly over the first pallet, said unit comprising:
a) a frame for surrounding at least partially the stack of pallets and thus for laterally at least partly supporting the stack of pallets;
b) pallet engaging means mounted on said frame, vertically movable therealong and horizontally movable relative to said frame between an inner pallet engaging position and an outer pallet clearing position, for selectively engaging a single selected pallet in the stack of pallets among the first and the second pallet, in a stable fashion;
c) actuating means, for vertically moving said pallet engaging means along said frame; and d) power means, for powering at least said actuating means;
wherein the stack of pallets above and including the selected single pallet can be vertically moved upon the selected single pallet being engaged by said pallet engaging means and upon said actuating means accordingly vertically moving said pallet engaging means along said frame, thereby allowing the first pallet to be removed from the stack, or raised for insertion under the stack of an additional pallet.
a) a frame for surrounding at least partially the stack of pallets and thus for laterally at least partly supporting the stack of pallets;
b) pallet engaging means mounted on said frame, vertically movable therealong and horizontally movable relative to said frame between an inner pallet engaging position and an outer pallet clearing position, for selectively engaging a single selected pallet in the stack of pallets among the first and the second pallet, in a stable fashion;
c) actuating means, for vertically moving said pallet engaging means along said frame; and d) power means, for powering at least said actuating means;
wherein the stack of pallets above and including the selected single pallet can be vertically moved upon the selected single pallet being engaged by said pallet engaging means and upon said actuating means accordingly vertically moving said pallet engaging means along said frame, thereby allowing the first pallet to be removed from the stack, or raised for insertion under the stack of an additional pallet.
2. A pallet stacking and dispensing unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame defines an inner housing destined to receive said pallets and two opposite sides, said pallet engaging means comprising a pair of fingers on each said frame side destined to selectively engage opposite sides of the selected single pallet.
3. A pallet stacking and dispensing unit as defined in claim 2, wherein said pallet engaging means further comprises pivoting means for pivoting said fingers between a pallet engaging position in which they project inside said housing, and a pallet clearing position in which they are located outside said housing, said stack of pallets above the selected single pallet being vertically moved upon said fingers being concurrently vertically moved by said actuating means, when said fingers are in said pallet engaging position and when they engage the selected single pallet in said housing.
4. A pallet stacking and dispensing unit as defined in claim 3, wherein said actuating means comprises a U-shaped lever having two ends and an intermediate portion located intermediate said two ends, said U-shaped lever being pivotally mounted to said frame at said two ends, said actuating means further comprising two carriage members each pivotally holding a pair of said fingers, said two carriage members being rigidly and hingedly attached to said U-shaped lever at said intermediate portion thereof for vertical linear displacement of said carriage members upon pivotal displacement of said U-shaped lever.
5. A pallet stacking and dispensing unit as defined in claim 4, wherein said power means comprises a first electrically powered cylinder having a piston rod hingedly attached to said U-shaped lever at said intermediate portion thereof, for a corresponding pivotal displacement of said U-shaped lever upon extraction or retraction of said piston rod, said cylinder being either one of a hydraulic cylinder and a pneumatic cylinder.
6. A pallet stacking and dispensing unit as defined in claim 5, wherein said power means comprises a second and a third electrically controlled cylinders having piston rods each hingedly linked to one of said pair of fingers, for pivotal displacement of said fingers between said pallet engaging position and said pallet clearing position upon extraction and retraction of said second and third cylinders, said second and third cylinders being either one of a hydraulic cylinder and a pneumatic cylinder.
7. A pallet stacking and dispensing unit as defined in claim 3, wherein said frame is generally U-shaped and comprises two opposite side walls and a rear wall linking said side walls, said side walls and said rear wall defining said housing and being destined to receive the stack of pallets in adjacent fashion therebetween, said actuating means being located outside said housing, each said side wall defining a lower portion and having at least one opening at its said lower portion to allow passage therethrough of said fingers upon same being pivoted by said pivoting means into said pallet engaging position, and vertical displacement therein of said fingers upon same being vertically displaced by said actuating means.
8. A pallet stacking and dispensing unit as defined in claim 7, wherein each said side wall lower portion comprises two vertical slots each destined to be engaged by one of said fingers.
9. A pallet stacking and dispensing unit as defined in claim 7, wherein each said side wall lower portion opening is wider than one pallet, said unit further comprising a rail member transversely crossing said housing parallel to said rear wall and through said wide openings, and a dispenser arm member movable along said rail member from a retracted position to a dispensing position located on one side and the other of said housing, said dispenser arm member being destined to selectively laterally push the first pallet out of said housing upon it moving from its retracted to its extracted position, and upon said fingers engaging and upholding the second pallet and the stack of pallets thereabove to remove the load from the first pallet.
10. A pallet stacking and dispensing unit as defined in claim 7, wherein one said side wall lower portion opening is at least as wide as one pallet, said unit further comprising conveying means located under said frame and laterally extending beyond said one wide side wall lower portion opening, wherein the first pallet can be conveyed out from under the stack of pallets through said one wide side wall lower portion opening by said conveying means upon said fingers engaging and upholding the second pallet and the stack of pallets thereabove to remove the load from the first pallet.
11. A pallet stacking and dispensing device as defined in claim 1, further comprising marker means for monitoring the vertical position of said pallet engaging means relative to the stack of pallets.
12. A pallet stacking and dispensing unit, for vertically stacking a number of pallets over ground, the stack of the type having a first lowermost pallet and a second pallet located directly above the first pallet, said unit comprising:
a) a vertical, self-standing, transversely U-shaped frame wall including a pair of opposite side walls having lower portions and a rear wall linking said sides walls, for surrounding the stack of pallets on three sides and for laterally partly supporting the stack of pallets;
b) a number of pallet engaging fingers mounted adjacent said frame side walls and vertically movable along said side walls lower portions, for selectively engaging a single selected pallet in the stack of pallets among the first and the second pallet;
c) actuating means, for vertically moving said pallet engaging fingers along said frame;
d) pivoting means, for pivoting said fingers between a pallet engaging position in which they project inside said frame wall and a pallet clearing position in which they are located outside said frame wall; and e) power means, for powering at least said actuating means;
wherein the stack of pallets including and above the selected single pallet can be vertically moved upon said fingers being vertically moved by said actuating means when they are in said pallet engaging position and when they engage the selected single pallet inside said frame wall.
a) a vertical, self-standing, transversely U-shaped frame wall including a pair of opposite side walls having lower portions and a rear wall linking said sides walls, for surrounding the stack of pallets on three sides and for laterally partly supporting the stack of pallets;
b) a number of pallet engaging fingers mounted adjacent said frame side walls and vertically movable along said side walls lower portions, for selectively engaging a single selected pallet in the stack of pallets among the first and the second pallet;
c) actuating means, for vertically moving said pallet engaging fingers along said frame;
d) pivoting means, for pivoting said fingers between a pallet engaging position in which they project inside said frame wall and a pallet clearing position in which they are located outside said frame wall; and e) power means, for powering at least said actuating means;
wherein the stack of pallets including and above the selected single pallet can be vertically moved upon said fingers being vertically moved by said actuating means when they are in said pallet engaging position and when they engage the selected single pallet inside said frame wall.
13. A method for inserting an additional pallet under a vertical stack of pallets with a pallet stacking and dispensing unit, the stack of the type having a lowermost pallet, said unit comprising:
- a frame wall partly surrounding said pallets;
- pallet engaging means mounted adjacent said frame wall and vertically movable therealong;
- actuating means, for vertically moving said pallet engaging means along said frame;
- pivoting means, for pivoting said pallet engaging means between a pallet engaging position in which they project inside said frame wall and a pallet clearing position in which they are located outside said frame wall; and - power means, for powering said actuating means and said pivoting means;
wherein said method comprises the following steps:
a) aligning said pallet engaging means with said lowermost pallet;
b) activating said pivoting means for engagement of said engaging means with said lowermost pallet;
c) activating said actuating means so as to raise said engaging means and concurrently the stack of pallets over ground, and support said stack of pallets over ground; and d) inserting an additional pallet under the stack of pallets.
- a frame wall partly surrounding said pallets;
- pallet engaging means mounted adjacent said frame wall and vertically movable therealong;
- actuating means, for vertically moving said pallet engaging means along said frame;
- pivoting means, for pivoting said pallet engaging means between a pallet engaging position in which they project inside said frame wall and a pallet clearing position in which they are located outside said frame wall; and - power means, for powering said actuating means and said pivoting means;
wherein said method comprises the following steps:
a) aligning said pallet engaging means with said lowermost pallet;
b) activating said pivoting means for engagement of said engaging means with said lowermost pallet;
c) activating said actuating means so as to raise said engaging means and concurrently the stack of pallets over ground, and support said stack of pallets over ground; and d) inserting an additional pallet under the stack of pallets.
14. A method for removing the lowermost pallet from under a vertical stack of pallets with a pallet stacking and dispensing unit, the stack of the type having the lowermost pallet and a second pallet located directly above the lowermost pallet, said unit comprising:
- a frame wall partly surrounding said pallets;
- pallet engaging means mounted adjacent said frame wall and vertically movable therealong;
- actuating means, for vertically moving said pallet engaging means along said frame;
- pivoting means, for pivoting said pallet engaging means between a pallet engaging position in which they project inside said frame wall and a pallet clearing position in which they are located outside said frame wall; and - power means, for powering said actuating means and said pivoting means;
wherein said method comprises the following steps:
a) aligning said pallet engaging means with said second pallet;
b) activating said pivoting means for engagement of said pallet engaging means with said second pallet;
c) activating said actuating means so as to raise said engaging means and concurrently the second pallet together with the stack of pallets located above the second pallet over ground, and support same over ground; and d) removing the now unloaded lowermost pallet from under the stack of pallets.
- a frame wall partly surrounding said pallets;
- pallet engaging means mounted adjacent said frame wall and vertically movable therealong;
- actuating means, for vertically moving said pallet engaging means along said frame;
- pivoting means, for pivoting said pallet engaging means between a pallet engaging position in which they project inside said frame wall and a pallet clearing position in which they are located outside said frame wall; and - power means, for powering said actuating means and said pivoting means;
wherein said method comprises the following steps:
a) aligning said pallet engaging means with said second pallet;
b) activating said pivoting means for engagement of said pallet engaging means with said second pallet;
c) activating said actuating means so as to raise said engaging means and concurrently the second pallet together with the stack of pallets located above the second pallet over ground, and support same over ground; and d) removing the now unloaded lowermost pallet from under the stack of pallets.
15. A pallet stacking and dispensing unit for stacking a number of pallets over ground, comprising:
a) a frame for at least partially surrounding a stack of pallets and substantially maintaining the latter in vertical alignment;
b) pallet engaging means mounted on said frame, vertically movable on opposite sides of said the stack and horizontally movable relative thereto between an inner pallet engaging position and an outer pallet clearing position, for selectively engaging any single selected pallet of the stack;
c) powered actuating means for vertically moving said pallet engaging means along said frame; and d) actuating means for horizontally moving said pallet egaging means between said inner and outer positions independently of said powered actuating means;
wherein any selected pallet and the pallets stacked over the same can be raised by said unit for insertion or removal of at least one pallet into or from the stack.
a) a frame for at least partially surrounding a stack of pallets and substantially maintaining the latter in vertical alignment;
b) pallet engaging means mounted on said frame, vertically movable on opposite sides of said the stack and horizontally movable relative thereto between an inner pallet engaging position and an outer pallet clearing position, for selectively engaging any single selected pallet of the stack;
c) powered actuating means for vertically moving said pallet engaging means along said frame; and d) actuating means for horizontally moving said pallet egaging means between said inner and outer positions independently of said powered actuating means;
wherein any selected pallet and the pallets stacked over the same can be raised by said unit for insertion or removal of at least one pallet into or from the stack.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002215759A CA2215759A1 (en) | 1997-09-18 | 1997-09-18 | Pallet stacking and dispensing unit |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002215759A CA2215759A1 (en) | 1997-09-18 | 1997-09-18 | Pallet stacking and dispensing unit |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2215759A1 true CA2215759A1 (en) | 1999-03-18 |
Family
ID=29275023
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002215759A Abandoned CA2215759A1 (en) | 1997-09-18 | 1997-09-18 | Pallet stacking and dispensing unit |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2215759A1 (en) |
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| CN103287861A (en) * | 2013-05-31 | 2013-09-11 | 湖州德能物流设备有限公司 | Empty pallet splitting and stacking machine and using method thereof |
| CN104129653A (en) * | 2014-08-06 | 2014-11-05 | 无锡顺达智能自动化工程股份有限公司 | Tray stacking and unstacking device |
| US20150023773A1 (en) * | 2013-07-16 | 2015-01-22 | Paul W. Redman | Pallet dispenser and method thereof |
| WO2015008172A1 (en) * | 2013-07-16 | 2015-01-22 | Paul Redman | Pallet dispenser and method thereof |
| WO2017021432A1 (en) * | 2015-08-03 | 2017-02-09 | Wilhelm Kamm | Pallet stacking device |
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1997
- 1997-09-18 CA CA002215759A patent/CA2215759A1/en not_active Abandoned
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| US10046926B2 (en) * | 2013-07-16 | 2018-08-14 | Paul W. Redman | Pallet dispenser and method thereof |
| US10427895B2 (en) | 2013-07-16 | 2019-10-01 | Paul Redman | Pallet dispenser and method thereof |
| US9181047B2 (en) | 2013-07-16 | 2015-11-10 | Paul W. Redman | Pallet dispenser and method thereof |
| US20150023773A1 (en) * | 2013-07-16 | 2015-01-22 | Paul W. Redman | Pallet dispenser and method thereof |
| WO2015008172A1 (en) * | 2013-07-16 | 2015-01-22 | Paul Redman | Pallet dispenser and method thereof |
| CN104129653B (en) * | 2014-08-06 | 2016-06-08 | 无锡顺达智能自动化工程股份有限公司 | Pallet stacking de-stacking device |
| CN104129653A (en) * | 2014-08-06 | 2014-11-05 | 无锡顺达智能自动化工程股份有限公司 | Tray stacking and unstacking device |
| WO2017021432A1 (en) * | 2015-08-03 | 2017-02-09 | Wilhelm Kamm | Pallet stacking device |
| US11498782B2 (en) * | 2016-12-30 | 2022-11-15 | Sidel Canada Inc | Robotic palletizing |
| CN111655084A (en) * | 2018-01-24 | 2020-09-11 | Gpcp知识产权控股有限责任公司 | Cutlery dispenser with rail system |
| US11230442B2 (en) | 2018-10-24 | 2022-01-25 | Paul Redman | Pallet exchanger and load splitter |
| DE102022107414B3 (en) | 2022-03-29 | 2023-05-25 | Deutsche Post Ag | pallet transport |
| RU216464U1 (en) * | 2022-11-18 | 2023-02-07 | Общество с ограниченной ответственностью "АРКОДИМ-Про" | PALLET DISPENSER |
| CN116331852A (en) * | 2022-12-30 | 2023-06-27 | 西安外事学院 | Commodity circulation hacking machine carriage |
| CN116331852B (en) * | 2022-12-30 | 2023-09-22 | 西安外事学院 | Commodity circulation hacking machine carriage |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Discontinued | ||
| FZDE | Discontinued |
Effective date: 20000918 |
|
| FZDE | Discontinued |
Effective date: 20000918 |