DE9208080U1 - Device for loading and unloading long goods cassettes - Google Patents

Description

DEVICE FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING LONG PRODUCT CASSETTES

When processing rod material such as semi-finished products in the form of rails, pipes, profiles and the like, cost-effective further processing is advantageous if the rods are available near a processing location to which they can be transported for further processing, processed, e.g.

cut to length and then, if a bar has not been used up, deposited again near the processing area so that it is available for further processing. Shelving systems are suitable for depositing the bars, in which they can be deposited in groups in so-called long goods cassettes.

The invention is based on the object of designing a device for loading and unloading long goods cassettes in such a way that the long goods cassettes can be loaded and/or unloaded with long goods of the same and/or different type and the same and/or different length in a safe, efficient and targeted manner.

This object is achieved by the features of claim 1. Advantageous further developments of the invention are described in the subclaims.

In the device according to the invention, a long goods gripper and a long goods lifting device are provided for loading and unloading at least one long goods cassette at at least one cassette supply station, which correspond to one another at a transfer position for the long goods arranged above the long goods cassette, wherein the long goods are fed to or removed from the transfer position by the long goods gripper and are raised and lowered by the long goods lifting device between the transfer position and the associated storage position in the long goods cassette. The design according to the invention enables safe and efficient loading of the long goods cassettes and removal of the long goods, because two means are present, namely the long goods gripper and the long goods lifting device, which divide the respective transport path and can work independently of each other, with the exception of the transfer position, so that during the feeding or removal by means of the long goods gripper, the long goods can be stored in the long goods cassette or removed from it by means of the long goods lifting device. The device according to the invention is efficient and

They function reliably, so that faults are largely avoided and loading and unloading can be carried out automatically and safely.

Loading and unloading takes place from or upwards using the long goods gripper and the lifting device, which are adjustable vertically and horizontally, in order to be able to place a bar in a specific position row in the long goods cassette or to remove it from the long goods cassette and to be able to hand it over to one another. The long goods cassette is located at a cassette supply station to which it has been transported in order to remove the desired bar, e.g. from a shelf warehouse.

When a rack warehouse is in place, two organisation systems must be taken into account, namely the organisation system for long goods in the long goods cassette and

s other, the organization system for the long goods cassettes in the rack storage. Especially in

For automatic loading and unloading of both the shelf storage with or from long goods cassettes and the long goods cassettes with or from long goods, the respective type and position of the long goods and the long goods cassettes must be saved in order to enable targeted loading and unloading.

The subclaims contain features that contribute to solving the problem and also lead to simple, small or compact, yet stable and inexpensive designs that enable fast and safe operation, while also taking into account adaptation to different width and/or length dimensions of the long goods. In addition, the capacity of the long goods cassette is increased or optimally utilized.

£ 25 The invention is explained in more detail below using preferred embodiments and a drawing. It shows

Figure 1 shows a device according to the invention with a long goods lifting device and a long goods gripper for loading and unloading long goods cassettes in a front view;

Figure 2 shows section H-II in Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows a long goods cassette in cross section;
35

Figure 4 shows the front end area of the long goods cassette in longitudinal section;

Figure 5 shows a comb rail in side view for positioning the long goods in the long goods cassette;

Figure 6 shows a long goods cassette in cross section with long goods lifting device and long goods gripper in a modified design.

The device 1 has a portal-shaped frame 2, on the side support parts 3 of which consist of vertical support profiles 4 spaced apart from one another, to which a common or individual support 5 for several long goods cassettes 6 is attached at approximately mid-height of the frame 2 on the inside, which extend transversely to the side support parts 3 and have their front ends 7a, 7b a small distance from the side support parts 3. In the present embodiment, four storage spaces 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d for four long goods cassettes 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d are provided on the supports 5, which are arranged parallel one behind the other in the transverse direction of the long goods cassettes 6 and are spaced apart from one another and each form a cassette station for the long goods cassettes (Figure 2). The long goods lifting device 9 is arranged below the parking spaces 8 and can be moved horizontally at right angles to the long goods cassettes 6 so that it can optionally serve any long goods cassette. For this purpose, rails 11 fastened to the floor are provided near the inside of the side support parts 3, the length of which is large enough that the long goods lifting device 9 can optionally be moved under any long goods cassette and can be locked in the correct travel position.

Above the parking spaces 8, the long goods gripper 12 is arranged in a similar manner to the long goods lifting device 9, so that it can be moved parallel to it and can be locked in the respective travel position. This is done by means of travel rails 13 which are attached to the lateral support parts 3 above the parking spaces 8.

The long goods lifting device 9 has an approximately square, horizontal support frame 14, which consists of two lateral frame pieces 15 extending over the rails 11 and two frame pieces that are transverse to these and connect them to one another, namely a front frame piece 16 and a rear frame piece 17. Four wheels are mounted in the end areas of the lateral frame pieces 15, with which the support frame 14 can be moved on the rails 11. This is done by an electric motor drive 19 attached to the rear of the support frame 14, which is connected by two connecting shafts, in particular cardan shafts 22 and two bearing shafts with two arranged on the outside of the lateral frame pieces 15.

Drive wheels 24 are connected in a driving manner. Each drive wheel 24 is a gear which meshes with a rack 25 which is preferably arranged and fastened to the supporting parts 3. The bearing shafts pass through the frame pieces 15 into the rear frame pieces 17 in the rearward projecting sections 15a.
5

The long goods lifting device 9 has a plurality of vertical lifting rods 26, which are arranged in a row extending parallel to the longitudinal direction of the long goods cassettes, each at a distance from one another. The lifting rods 26 are designed identically to one another and each consist of a vertical bar, the width of which is a multiple of its thickness, and which is mounted so as to be rotatable about its vertical longitudinal axis in a pivot bearing 28, which extends over the entire length of the row.

, extending lifting beam 29. To stabilize the bar, in its

lower area, gusset plates arranged at right angles to it are provided. At their upper ends, the lifting rods 26 have centering recesses 32 which are open on the top, e.g. formed by equally inclined flanks, for rod-shaped long goods with which the long goods cassettes 6 are fed or which are to be removed from the long goods cassettes 6. The centering recesses 32 are aligned with one another.

The lifting beam 29 has guide parts at its ends which are mounted vertically displaceably on column-shaped, stationary, vertical guide rails 34 which are attached to the side frame pieces 15. The lifting beam 29 can be moved vertically with the lifting rods 26 by a motor drive 35 to such an extent that the lifting rods 26, which are located in their lower starting position below the associated long goods cassette 6, reach through the long goods cassette and the

C 25 can lift long goods located therein in the centering recesses 32 in a centered manner into a transfer position 37 arranged above the cassette (shown in outline in Figure 1). For this purpose, several vertical cable or chain drives 38 are arranged along the lifting beam 29 on both sides and at a distance from one another, which are connected by cardan shafts 39 and a chain drive 40 to the motor drive 35, which is preferably arranged on the front of the support frame 14. The identically designed chain drives 38 each consist of a deflection shaft 41 which engages under the lifting beam in its initial position and has chain wheels 42 arranged at its ends and on both sides of the lifting beam 29, and a drive shaft 43 which crosses the lifting beam 29 in its upper lifting position and has drive chain wheels 44 attached to it at the ends, with a drive chain running around each of the associated chain wheels 42, 44. The lifting beam is supported by support beams 46 which are present in the number of chain drives 38 and which

engage underneath in a load-bearing manner and are attached to the corresponding chain strands of the drive chain 45.

The size of the centering recesses 32 in the lifting rods 26 can preferably be adapted to the width of the long goods. This can be achieved in a simple manner by rotating the lifting rods 26, which causes a change in the profile of the centering recesses 32. In the position shown in Figure 1, in which the strip-shaped lifting rods are arranged in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the long goods cassettes or to the rod 47 to be transported, the centering recesses 32 have their greatest width. The more the strip-shaped lifting rods 26 are rotated about their vertical center axes, the more the effective width of the centering recesses 32 and the strip-shaped lifting rods 26 is reduced, so that the effective width of the lifting beams 26 can be adapted to the width or cross-sectional dimension of the rod 47 to be transported in such a way that the effective width is not significantly larger than the cross-sectional dimension of the rod 47. As a result, the rods 47 in the long goods cassettes 6 can be arranged fairly close to one another and thus save space, thereby increasing the capacity of the long goods cassettes. All lifting rods 26 can be rotated by the same angle of rotation by a common, indicated motor drive 48 and can be locked in the respective rotation position. For this purpose, the lifting rods 26 are connected to one another by crank arms 49 and crank rods 51 connecting them to one another, which are preferably arranged below the lifting beam 29 at the lower ends of the bearing parts supporting the lifting rods 26. The motor drive 48 is attached to the lifting beam 29 and is thus moved vertically with it. The motor drive 48 is formed by a gear motor arranged laterally in an end region of the lifting beam 29, which is connected in terms of drive to one of the lifting rods 26 located nearby or to its pivot bearing part by a cable or chain drive.

The long goods gripper 12 has a support frame 52 arranged in a manner comparable to the support frame 14 of the long goods lifting device 9, which can be moved in the sense of an upper trolley by means of normally four wheels parallel to the support frame 14 on the travel rails 13. The drive is not shown.

The long goods gripper 12 has a plurality of gripping elements 54, in particular hook-shaped ones, the number of which can correspond to the number of lifting rods 26 +1 if necessary, and which in the transfer position 37 are connected to the lifting rods 26 in a comb-like manner.

interact, whereby they are located next to or between the latter. The gripping elements 54 consist of angle strips with a vertical shaft 55 and an approximately horizontal support leg 56, on the top of which a positioning element 57 for the long goods, e.g. a recess with sloping flanks or a U-shaped recess, the width of which is adapted to the respective cross-sectional dimensions of the long goods, is provided. The shaft 55 of the gripping elements 54 is mounted vertically displaceably on a guide 58, which is attached to an upper lifting beam 59. A cylinder piston drive 61 is used for vertical displacement of the gripping elements 54, which is attached directly or indirectly to the lifting beam 59, preferably to its top, and whose piston rod engages the upper end of the shaft 55. The upper lifting beam 59, the length of which is approximately the same as the

f~ length of the lower lifting beam 29, is vertically

slidably mounted on the approximately square, horizontal support frame 52. For this purpose,

e.g. two guide rails 63, preferably of square cross-section, attached to the lifting beam 59 in an off-centre position and projecting upwards from it, which extend through two bush-shaped guide bodies 64, preferably with guide rollers, attached to the support frame 52 and are guided by them. A chain hoist with two chains is used to raise and lower the upper lifting beam 59, which run from two wheels arranged on either side of the associated gear motor attached to the support frame 52, are each deflected downwards on a deflection roller 65 mounted on the support frame 52 and are attached to the upper lifting beam 59.

The long goods gripper 12 is also provided with securing elements for the gripped rod 47 in order to prevent it from falling down during transport. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 25, vertical pressure rods 66 are provided for this purpose, which are mounted on the lifting beam 59 so that they can move vertically and, when actuated, press the rod 47 from above into the positioning elements 57. The pressure rods 66 are preferably arranged between the gripping elements 54 in a row in the middle of the lifting beam 59, and they are preferably formed by piston-cylinder units 67, the piston rods of which form the pressure rods 66 and preferably extend from above through the pressure beam 59. Since the shafts 55 of the gripping elements 54 are mounted laterally next to the lifting beam 59, the pressure rods 66 can be arranged centrally to the support legs 56 of the gripping elements 54 that engage under the pressure beam 59 and thus also approximately centrally to the positioning elements 57. The motor drive 62 is sufficient for a stroke of the gripping elements 54 between the upper stroke position shown in Figure 1 with solid lines and a lower transfer position shown in dash-dotted lines. The additional,

The vertical displaceability of the gripping elements 54 makes it possible, in the case of short long goods bars 47, to move only those gripping elements 54 that are in the range of the length of this bar 47 into their ready position. The other gripping elements 54 can be in their uppermost rest position, as shown in Figure 1.

The device 1 is designed to transport bars 47 of long goods of different lengths. The arrangement is such that all bars 47, regardless of their length, lie with their one reference end in one and the same reference plane E, which extends vertically across the long goods cassettes 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d in the area of one cassette end 7a. In order to be able to grip short bars 47 securely, the lifting bars 26 and, if necessary, the gripping elements 54 are arranged at progressive distances from one another from the reference plane E.

As can be seen from Figures 3 and 4, the long goods cassettes 6 consist of a horizontal, elongated square frame with long side walls 68 and short web walls 69 arranged parallel to one another, the side walls 68 being connected to one another in their lower region by pairs of cross struts, the cross struts 71, 72 of which are formed by strips or angle profiles arranged on edge, which have a certain distance a from one another and whose lower edges are a short distance from the underside of the long goods cassette 6. In addition, the side walls 68 are stiffened on the inside by vertical web strips 73, the upper ends of which are bevelled in the sense of introduction bevels. Since the length of the long goods cassettes 6 is approximately 6.5 meters, a stable design of the side walls 68 is required. These are therefore preferably formed by C- shaped profiles 68 with a rectangular basic shape, the flat web walls 68a of which delimit the free interior of the long goods cassette 6, and the free profile ends of which are first bent outwards and then again in a box shape. Flat baseboards 74 with a width corresponding to the profile width are arranged and welded to the undersides of the C-profiles, which extend over the entire length of the C-profiles 68 and the long goods cassette 6 and give the long goods cassette a high moment of resistance to bending.

Horizontal support strips with a U-shaped cross-section extending over the entire width are arranged and welded to the front sides of the long goods cassettes 6, the webs of which protrude from the front side and also have a preferably small distance from the underside or top of the long goods cassettes

8 ., %,/ %.-■ ^S - ^J -■■■■ ■■ '■

and which serve to hold the long goods cassettes in a cassette rack. In such a cassette rack, the long goods cassettes are placed with their support strips 75 on cantilever arms attached to the rack uprights in the cassette rack.

In their position placed at the associated parking space 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d, the long goods cassettes 6 are centered or positioned. For lateral positioning or limitation, stop plates 76 attached to the supports 5 can be provided, between which the long goods cassettes 6 can be inserted or set down. In the area of the end arranged in the reference plane E, the long goods cassettes 6 have a transversely extending, inclined introduction leg 77, which is preferably detachably attached, in particular screwed, to the outermost cross strut 71 and forms an upwardly divergent introduction slope for the long goods. In particular, the introduction leg 77 is formed by an acute-angled angle profile, the lower horizontal leg of which is screwed to the upper horizontal leg of an angle-shaped cross strut 71. The introduction leg 77 is arranged so that in the position parked at the associated parking space 8, its lower end area is in the reference plane E.

The long goods cassettes 6, designed so far in their basic equipment, are identical to one another. In order to ensure orderly loading or storage of the long goods in the long goods cassettes, positioning elements are required that hold the rods 47 in certain positioning rows PR. The positions depend on the width of the long goods, which in the present embodiment is stored in only one horizontal position in the long goods cassette. Narrow rods 47

f 25 can be stored in several rows next to each other in the long goods cassette. The positioning elements 78 are formed by the comb recesses 79 of comb rails 81, which can preferably be fixed interchangeably transversely in the long goods cassette.

The comb rails 81 are preferably formed by a right-angled angle profile, in the vertical profile leg 82 of which the comb recesses 79 are arranged, preferably formed by oblique flanks 83 enclosing an obtuse angle. On the underside of the horizontal profile leg 84, two locking pins 85 are attached, in particular welded, preferably arranged in the end areas of the comb rail 81, the width of which is so large that they can be inserted between the cross struts 71, 72 of a pair of cross struts from above with little play. The width of the horizontal profile leg 84 is larger than the distance a between the cross struts 71, 72, so that the comb rail 81 can be placed on the tops of the cross struts.

71, 72. This plug-in socket for the comb rails 81 ensures that they are fixed in the longitudinal direction of the long goods cassette and are secured against tipping. The comb rails 81 can be fixed in their longitudinal direction by fitting their ends between the side walls 68 with little play.
5

The comb rails 81 described so far are identical to one another. However, with regard to their positioning elements 78, the comb rails 81 can be different and each adapted to the cross-sectional shape and cross-sectional size of the long goods and have different distances b from one another. For example, the obtuse angles enclosed by the flanks 83 can be approximately 90° to 150°, preferably in steps of 120°, 130° and 140°. The distance b between the comb recesses 79 is measured according to the cross-sectional dimension of the rods 47 and is dimensioned so large that the rods are only a small distance from one another in their position centered in the comb recesses 79. It is also possible to use different positioning elements 78, e.g. B. comb recesses 79, to be arranged on one and the same comb rail 81 in order to store bars of different cross-sectional shape and different cross-sectional size in one and the same long goods cassette 6. The comb rails 81 can also have different heights. The comb rails 81 assigned to one and the same long goods cassette 6 and lying one behind the other in their longitudinal direction are, however, identical to one another.

In order to prevent the comb rails 81 from being pulled out of the associated socket upwards for unforeseeable reasons, e.g. when laying down and lifting the long goods, it is advantageous to provide fixing elements that prevent this. In the present design, vertical elongated holes 86 are provided in the web strips 73 for this purpose, into which screws can be mounted and screwed tight at a height at which they overlap the associated comb rail 81, in particular the horizontal profile leg 82, in an upward locking manner.

Due to the height adjustability of these screws in the elongated holes 86, this locking mechanism can be adapted to comb rails 81 of different heights.

Like the lifting rods 26 and the gripping elements 54, the cross brace pairs 71, 72 or comb rails 81 are arranged at distances from each other, which increase with increasing distance from the reference plane E or from the introduction leg 77. Preferably, the different distances between the comb rails 81 correspond to the distances between the

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Lifting rods 26 from each other. The minimum distance between two adjacent cross-brace pairs 71, 72 is larger than the corresponding cross-sectional dimension of the associated lifting rod 26, so that the latter can pass through the long goods cassette 6 from bottom to top in a through hole 80.
5

The function of the device 1 for feeding or loading long goods cassettes 6 is described below. One or more empty long goods cassettes 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d are pushed into the frame 2 and positioned at the corresponding location 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d. This can be done using conveyors (not shown), e.g.

Chain conveyor (not shown). Then a bar 47 is moved with the long goods gripper 12 over a certain position row PR and into the

, transfer position 37. At the same time or afterwards, the

Long goods lifting device 9 is moved to the same position row PR and raised to the transfer position 37 so that the rod 47 lifts off the gripping elements 34, and then the long goods gripper 12 is moved horizontally out of the vertical path of movement of the rod 47. The lifting rods 26 are then retracted, whereby the rod 47 is automatically placed and fixed in the positioning elements 78 of this position row PR. In this way, the position rows PR of all existing long goods cassettes 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d can be targeted and loaded.

The unloading takes place in the opposite direction. The function of the device 1 is not limited to loading and unloading per se, but it is also possible to unload and re-deposit certain desired bars 47. For example, a certain bar 47 can be removed, moved to a processing station with the long goods gripper 12 &zgr; 25 and deposited, processed there, e.g. cut to length on a saw 87, 88 and then deposited again in the long goods cassette if the bar 47 still has a predetermined length.

The device 1 is assigned an automatic electronic control device which coordinates and controls the individual movement sequences and in which the desired positions in the long goods cassettes and the existing types of long goods can be pre-programmed, whereby not only the cross-sectional dimensions of the long goods but also the respective length are taken into account. A length changed at a further processing point (saw) is preferably automatically determined and communicated to the control device.

In the embodiment of a long goods cassette 6 according to Figure 6, in which identical and comparable parts are provided with identical reference numerals, the positioning elements 78 in the long goods cassette 6 are formed by vertical shafts 91 or quivers that extend over the entire length of the long goods cassette and whose width is so large that the associated long goods can be inserted from above and removed again from above with little play. As already described for the positioning elements 78, the center distance of the shafts 91 or position rows PR can also be different from one another. The boundary walls 92 of the shafts 91 are advantageously not continuous in the longitudinal direction of the cassette. The boundary walls 92 can also be formed by columns. In this design, too, corresponding access openings are provided.

, 80 for the lifting rods 26 in the long goods cassette 6 between transversely extending

Support rails 93 are present, which basically correspond in design and arrangement to the cross struts 71, 72.

The main advantage of this design is that the long goods can be stored in the shafts 91 one above the other and thus in several layers, thus increasing the capacity of the long goods cassette 6 many times over. This design is particularly suitable for long goods made of light materials such as light metals, non-metals and profiles, in particular hollow profiles.

In this embodiment, the long goods lifting device 9 is raised or lowered accordingly, taking into account the respective vertical position at which a bar 47 is to be deposited or removed. In this case, the lifting bars ζ 25 26 each reach under the lowest bar 47. In this case, the existing row of bars 47 arranged one above the other is lowered or raised piece by piece. These movement sequences are also coordinated and controlled by the control device.

Since in this embodiment the rod 47 in the transfer position is not vertically spaced from the rod 47 arranged underneath, two interacting gripping elements 94 are required here, which clamp the rod 47 between them in a force-fitting or form-fitting manner. One or both gripping elements 94 are therefore horizontally adjustable in the sense of a pliers jaw and can be clamped against one another.

In the embodiments according to the invention, the gripping elements 54, 94 do not need to be immersed in the long goods cassette. They are therefore independent of the structural conditions and the shape and size conditions of the long goods cassette and can therefore

can be manufactured more simply and be dimensioned to be wide and stable. If necessary, grippers from other handling devices can also be used.

Claims (1)

MITSCHERLICH & PARTNER ^^ ^- ^PATENT ATTORNEYS ; :/>*.., _; &Igr; !&Ggr;'- - "*<■{ EUROPEAN PATENT ATTORNEYS Dipl.-Ing. H. Mitscherlich Dipl.-Ing. K. Gunschmann ■**>«« Dipl.-Ing. Dr.rer.nat W. Körber Dipl.-Ing. J. Schmidt-Evers Dipl.-Ing. W. Melzer LINGL SYSTEMTECHNIK GMBH Dipl.-Phys. Dr.rer.nat. R. Schulz ^Nordstraßel ° also lawyer Krumbach 16 June 1992 Dr.Kö/pie/fa EXPECTATIONS 1. Device (1) for loading and unloading long goods cassettes (6) with - at least one cassette supply station (8) for stationing at least one long goods cassette (6) open at the top with several position rows (PR) arranged parallel next to one another for rod-shaped long goods, a long goods lifting device (9) arranged under the cassette provision station (8) which, for lowering and lifting a long goods item (47) between a transfer position (37) arranged above the cassette provision station (8) and a storage position in the long goods cassette (6), has lifting elements (26) which protrude upwards and are arranged in a row running in the longitudinal direction of the long goods cassette (6) and can be extended and retracted vertically for the passage of the long goods cassette (6) in vertical passage holes (80) from below, - and a long goods gripper (12) arranged above the cassette provision station (8) for feeding or removing the long goods to or from the transfer position (37), which has gripping elements (54) arranged in a row running in the longitudinal direction of the long goods cassette (6), which are preferably vertically adjustable, - wherein the long goods lifting device (9) and the long goods gripper (12) are arranged transversely to the long goods cassette (6) in its position in the cassette provision station (8) Postal address: Office address: Telephone 089/ 29 66 84 Accounts for official fees: P.O. Box 26 01 32 SteinsdorfktrartiJO ... Telex. 5 23J55 withsh d Postgiro Munich, Account 195 75-803 (Bank Code 700 100 80) D-8000 Munich 26 D-8000 MunichT22 : iTeJefe« ^: '0&psgr;)&Igr;'11 '«6,8 3:1 '; EPAKto. 28 000 206 are guided in a displaceable manner and can be adjusted with the lifting elements (26) or gripping elements (54) into the vertical planes containing the position rows (PR), - and wherein positioning elements (32) for the long goods are assigned to the upper ends of the lifting elements (26). 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the lifting elements (26) are arranged on a lifting beam (29) which is mounted on a carriage (14) in a vertical guide so as to be vertically displaceable by a motor drive (35), which can be pushed by a further motor drive transversely to the position of the long goods cassette (6) in the cassette provision station (8). 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the lifting beam (29) is held on the chains of several vertical chain drives (38) distributed along its length, to which a common motor drive (35) is assigned. 4. Device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the positioning elements (32) are formed by upwardly open recesses with preferably oblique recess surfaces, in particular enclosing an obtuse angle. 5. Device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lifting elements (26) are formed by vertically standing strips whose width is a multiple of their thickness, the broad sides of the strips extending in a horizontal direction transverse to the position of the long goods cassette (6) in the cassette provision position (8). 6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the lifting elements (26) are mounted so as to be rotatable about their vertical central axes and can be rotated by a preferably common motor drive (48) and locked in the respective rotational position. 7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the lifting elements (26) preferably have crank arms (49) on the underside of the lifting beam (29), which are connected to one another from lifting element to lifting element by articulated pull and push rods (51). 8. Device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gripping elements (54) are arranged on a lifting beam (59) which is mounted on a carriage (52) so as to be vertically displaceable by a motor drive (62) in vertical guides (63, 64) and which can be moved by a drive transversely to the position of the long goods cassette (6) in the cassette provision station (8). 9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the gripping elements (54) are each guided vertically displaceably by their own drive in a vertical guide (58) arranged on the lifting beam (59). 10. Device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gripping elements (54) are designed in an angular manner with an approximately vertical shaft (55) and an approximately horizontal support leg (56). 11. Device according to claim 10, characterized in that the gripping elements (54) with their shafts (55) are mounted laterally next to the lifting beam (59) so as to be vertically displaceable and the support legs (56) engage under the lifting beam (59) at a vertical distance. 12. Device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gripping elements (54) have approximately horizontal support legs (56), on the upper side of which positioning elements (57) for the long goods (47) are arranged, which are preferably each formed by a recess, in particular with oblique, upwardly diverging flanks. 13. Device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that several fixing devices distributed along the row of gripping elements (54) are provided for fixing the long goods in the gripping elements (54). 14. Device according to claim 13, characterized in that the fixing devices have plungers (66) which can be pressed against the long goods from above and which are formed in particular by the piston rods of cylinders (67) arranged on the lifting beam (59). 15. Device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lifting elements (26) and the gripping elements (54) are arranged at one end their respective rows are spaced a short distance apart and are thus designed to receive short, long items, and that the respective distance between the lifting elements (26) and between the gripping elements (54) increases with increasing distance from this end of the row. 16. Device according to at least one of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that the fixing devices also have a small distance from each other at the associated end of their row and an increasing distance from each other with increasing distance from this end. 17. Device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that several cassette provision stations (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) are provided which are spaced horizontally from one another and the long goods lifting device (9) and the long goods gripper (12) can be moved horizontally over the entire area of the cassette provision stations. 18. Device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carriage (14) carrying the long goods lifting device (9) and the carriage (52) carrying the long goods gripper (12) are arranged in the region of a portal-shaped frame (2) and at least the carriage (52) carrying the long goods gripper (12) can be moved on rails of the frame, wherein the at least one cassette provision station (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) is formed by supports, preferably provided with positioning elements, for the long goods cassette (6) on the inner sides of the side parts of the frame (2). 19. Device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one long goods cassette (6) has positioning elements (78) in its position rows (PR) for lateral positioning of the long goods. 20. Device according to claim 19, characterized in that the long goods cassette has transversely extending support arms or support rails (81), on the upper sides of which the positioning elements (78) are arranged. 21. Device according to claim 19 or 20, characterized in that the positioning elements (78) are formed by upwardly projecting projections or by recesses, in particular with oblique, upwardly diverging flanks. 22. Device according to at least one of claims 19 to 21, characterized in that the horizontal support rails (81) are exchangeably attached to the cassette body. 23. Device according to claim 22, characterized in that plug-in sockets are provided for holding the support rails (81), into which the support rails can preferably be inserted from above. 24. Device according to at least one of claims 19 to 23, characterized in that the long goods cassette (6) has its side and end walls >- forming horizontal square frame, the side walls of which are The long goods cassette is stabilized by pairs of cross struts which are spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction, the cross struts (71, 72) of which are always spaced apart from one another at the same distance, and pins (85) are arranged on the underside of the support rails (81) which can be inserted between the cross struts (71, 72). 25. Device according to claim 24, characterized in that the support rails (81) are each formed by a profile, preferably an angle profile with a vertical and a horizontal leg, that the positioning elements (78) are arranged on the upper edge of the vertical leg and the pins (85) are arranged on the underside of the horizontal leg, the width of the horizontal leg being greater than the distance (a) between the cross struts (71, 72). &zgr; 26. Device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that at one end of the long goods cassette (6) the support rails (81) are a small distance apart from one another and are designed to support short long goods and are a larger distance apart from one another at a greater distance from this end. 27. Device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the long goods cassette (6) in the end region in which the support rails (81) are a small distance from each other has a cross rail (77) whose inside forms a reference plane (E) for the long goods and which preferably extends upwards at a divergent angle and forms an introduction slope for the long goods. 28. Device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the long goods cassette (6) has vertical shafts (91) extending in the longitudinal direction of its position rows (PR) for receiving a plurality of long goods pieces (47) lying one above the other, and the gripping elements have lateral gripping jaws (94) which clamp the long goods pieces horizontally between them. 29. Device according to claim 28, characterized in that the lateral boundary walls of the shafts (91) run continuously in their longitudinal direction or are interrupted several times, in particular are formed by vertical bars or columns. 30. Device according to claim 28 or 29, characterized in that the long goods cassette (6) has shafts (91) of the same or different width for long goods pieces (47) of the same or different cross-sectional dimensions. 31. Long goods cassette, characterized in that it is designed according to at least one of claims 19 to 30.