EP0125256A1

EP0125256A1 - An arrangement for a materials handling appliance

Info

Publication number: EP0125256A1
Application number: EP83903432A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Rune Malmbom
Original assignee: Ingeniorsbyra Rune Malmbom Hb
Current assignee: Ingeniorsbyra Rune Malmbom Hb
Priority date: 1982-11-01
Filing date: 1983-10-28
Publication date: 1984-11-21
Also published as: WO1984001766A1; SE8304807D0; SE8304807L; SE8206184D0; SE8206184L; SE445446B; SE436275B

Abstract

Un agencement d'un appareil de manipulation de matériaux (2), de préférence un chariot élévateur à fourche, pour déplacer des palettes (4) et des éléments analogues portant des charges dans une pluralité de directions (52-54) comprend, à proximité de l'appareil de manipulation de matériaux (2) et monté sur celui-ci, un agencement de déplacement de charge (30) permettant de soulever une palette (4), etc., et pouvant être déplacé entre une position proche dudit appareil (4) et l'emplacement de réception ou de déchargement d'une palette (4). Cet agencement permet d'obtenir un rangement compact des matériaux par des moyens simples. L'agencement de déplacement de charge (1) se compose de préférence d'un organe supérieur coulissant de sommet (37) et de préférence d'un organe inférieur coulissant de base (29) et d'un organe coulissant intermédiaire (32) reliant les organes coulissants (29, 37), les organes coulissants (29, 32, 37) pouvant être reliés à des dispositifs d'entraînement qui permettent le déplacement relatif des organes coulissants l'un par rapport à l'autre ainsi que la rotation del'organe coulissant de sommet (37) autour d'un axe de rotation sensiblement vertical (31) par rapport à un cadre (7, 40), permettant ainsi le déplacement d'une palette (4), etc., à l'aide de l'agencement coulissant (30) de manière à l'éloigner ou à la rapprocher d'une position décalée latéralement selon un angle désiré par rapport à la direction de transport (50) de l'appareil de manipulation de matériaux, et/ou la rotation de l'organe coulissant de sommet dans une position désirée par rapport à l'appareil (2).An arrangement of materials handling apparatus (2), preferably a forklift, for moving pallets (4) and the like carrying loads in a plurality of directions (52-54) comprises, near of the materials handling apparatus (2) and mounted thereon, a load moving arrangement (30) for lifting a pallet (4), etc., and movable between a position close to said apparatus ( 4) and the location for receiving or unloading a pallet (4). This arrangement makes it possible to obtain compact storage of the materials by simple means. The load moving arrangement (1) preferably consists of an upper top sliding member (37) and preferably of a lower base sliding member (29) and an intermediate sliding member (32) connecting the sliding members (29, 37), the sliding members (29, 32, 37) being connectable to drive devices which allow the relative movement of the sliding members with respect to each other as well as the rotation of the top sliding member (37) around a substantially vertical axis of rotation (31) with respect to a frame (7, 40), thus allowing movement of a pallet (4), etc., using of the sliding arrangement (30) so as to move it away from or towards a position laterally offset at a desired angle with respect to the direction of transport (50) of the materials handling apparatus, and/or rotating the top slider into a desired position relative to the apparatus (2).

Description

An Arrangement for a Materials Handling Appliance

The present invention relates to an arrangement for a materials handling appliance which can be moved over a base surface, particularly a fork-lift truck, for moving pallets (4) and similar load-bearing elements in a plurality of directions, wherein, in the vicinity of the materials handling appliance and mounted thereon there is a load-moving arrangement for lifting a pallet, etc., and consisting preferably of an upper top slide member and preferably a lower base slide member, with an intermediate slide member connecting the said slide members, the said slide members being able to be connected to drive devices which enable the slide members to be displaced relative to each other and/or to be rotated around a substantially vertical axis of rotation relative to a frame, and the said slide members forming the slide arrangement can be connected to a lifting arrangement by means of which the slide arrangement can be lifted to a desired height relative to the frame so that a pallet, etc. can be moved by means of the said slide arrangement away from and towards a laterally offset position at a desired angle relative to the transportation direction of the materials handling appliance, to the location for receiving or unloading a pallet, and can be rotated into a desired position relative to the said appliance and adjacent thereto. The main object of the present invention is primarily to provide an arrangement of the above-described kind with which it is possible to accomplish compact materials handling with the aid of simple means, and with which pallets can be moved both in the movement direction of the materials handling appliance along a base surface as well as at an angle to the said movement direction.

The said object is achieved with an arrangement according to the present invention which is essentially characterised in that between two storage stand girders or similar frame parts which project in the movement direction in front of the said appliance, extending longitudinally substantially horizontally from the appliance, there is a receiving space into which the slide members can be lowered for receiving, and that supports which can coact with the said girders are disposed on the slide arrangement, so that when the slide arrangement is in the lowered position in the said receiving space the top slide member is able to be displaced into and away from a position under the load surface of a pallet in the direction of movement of the appliance, and when the slide arrangement is in the position into which it is raised up from the receiving space and after rotation relative to the storage girders and subsequent resting of the supports against the girders, the top slide member can be moved into and away from a position under the load surface of a pallet at an angle to the direction of movement of the appliance.

The invention is described in the following by way of a preferred embodiment example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, on which

Figure 1 is a basic sketch showing the loading and unloading area, with the arrangement according to the present invention,

Figure 2 shows a loading and unloading area with the previously known arrangement,

Figure 3 shows a load-moving arrangement constructed according to the present invention, viewed from the side,

Figure 4 is a view from above onto the load-moving arrangement, Figure 5 is a sectioned view of the arrangement, viewed along the section A-A in Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a view of the part of the arrangement shown in the area ringed round in Figure 3, in crosssection, Figure 7 is a view of the part of the arrangement shown ringed round in Figure 4,, Figure 8 is a schematic view of the arrangement from above, with the latter held in a pivoted, extended position,

Figure 9 is a side view, of the arrangement with the load element pivoted into a laterally offset position,

Figure 10 is a side view of the arrangement mounted on a materials handling appliance,

Figure 11 is a cross-section view of the arrangement along the section B-B in Figure 10, with the arrangement held in a lowered position,

Figure 12 shows the drive device for effecting the displacement of the arrangement,

Figure 13 is a perspective view of a top slide member appertaining to the arrangement, Figure 14 is a perspective view of an intermediate slide member appertaining to the arrangement, partially sectioned,

Figure 15 is a perspective view of a base slide member appertaining to the arrangement, partially sectioned, in the rotated position, and showing it supported on the stand girders,

Figure 16 is a perspective view of the arrangement being used with a fork-lift truck in the position for moving pallets in the direction of movement of the truck, and

Figure 17 is another perspective view of an arrangement being used with a fork-lift truck, but rotated into a position for moving pallets transverse to the movement direction of the fork-lift truck. The arrangement 1 according to the present invention is designed to be mounted on an supported by a materialshandling appliance 2, especially a fork-lift truck. In this case the arrangement 1 is designed to replace the loading forks 3 normally located at the front 2A of the truck, and to take over their function of loading and unloading pallets 4 and similar load-bearing elements which may be stored packed close together in a warehouse 5. The arrangement 1 is composed of a load-moving arrangement, for example of the type which is illustrated on the drawings in Figures 3, 4 and 10, and which is equipped with a supporting arrangement 6 which is expediently designed to be connected to the materials handling appliance 2 and to the lifting arrangement provided for the load forks 3, and thus serves as supplementary truck equipment for moving pallets 4, etc., preferably of the two-way type.

A horizontal lifting yoke 7 projecting at rightangles to the said supporting arrangement 6 is connected via a lifting screw 8 or some other suitable lifting device to the said supporting arrangement 6. The lifting screw 8 is supported at its two respective ends by brackets 9 which are fixed to the supporting arrangement 6. A hydraulic motor 10 or some other suitable drive mechanism which is mounted on a bracket 11 connected to the supporting arrangement 6 is connected via a power transmitting sleeve 12 or some other suitable coupling device to one end 8A of the lifting screw 8. A nut-type lifting element 13 which can be moved along the said lifting screw 8 and is provided with a thread which can co-act with the threads on the screw 8 which is connected to the said lifting yoke 7 is designed to form a bearing part for the said lifting yoke 7. Drive by means of motor 10 enables the lifting yoke 7 to be lifted to the desired level by displacing the element 13 along the screw 8.

Guiding of the movement of the lifting yoke in the vertical direction is accomplished by means of a guideway 14 located on either side of the said screw 8 and connected to the supporting arrangement 6, extending over the latter, in which a plurality of complementary guide elements 15 connected to the lifting element 13 are designed to be mounted and guided along.

The upper of the brackets 9 which bear the screw 8 bears a mounting arrangement 16 in the vicinity of the said end 8A of the screw, comprising an axial thrust plate, a running thrust plate and an axial needle roller bearing. In the vicinity of the centre of the lifting yoke a pivot device in the form of a pivot pin 17, for example, or some other suitable pivot articulation, which has a toothed pinion 19 on one of its ends, preferably the lower end. A toothed rack 20 or some other suitable movement- transmitting arrangement which is mounted on the lifting yoke 7 is mounted rotationally fixed by means of a lock nut 18 so thatit can move in the longitudinal direction of the said yoke, and is designed to be acted upon by a toothed pinion 21 which is mounted on the shaft 22 of a hydraulic motor 23, etc. which is connected to a bracket 24 which is mounted on a supporting part connected to the lifting yoke 7. Actuation of the motor 23 brings about movement of the toothed rack 20 and rotation of the pivot pin 17 in the desired rotary direction as shown by the arrow 25 in Figure 8. A supporting disc 26 surrounds the said pivot pin 17, and a combination bearing 27 which is connected to a bearing part 28 forms the mounting for the said pin 17. The said pivotably mounted pin 17 is designed to extend in its longitudinal direction, for example by making the pin 17 telescopic. A so-called "base slide member" 29 which is preferably located the lowest down in a slide arrangement 30 consisting of a plurality of slide members, is connected to the said bearing part 28 and can be rotated together with the pivot pin 17 when the latter is caused to rotate around the central axis 31 with the pin held in a projecting extended position, for example as shown in Figure 9 on the drawings.

A so-called "intermediate slide member" 32 is supported along its two respective longitudinally extending side edges, on which there are guide strips 33 in the form of tongue-shaped elements 33 projecting laterally over the length of the slide member and co-acting with complementary guideways 34 on the base slide member 29, for example in the form of strips to which supporting lugs 36 disposed on either side of the "base slide member" 29 are connected via fixing pins 35.

Preferably, an upper so-called "top slide member" 37 is mounted on the said "intermediate slide member " 32 via guideways 39 extending in its longitudinal direction and projecting laterally, for example towards the guideways 38 on the "intermediate slide member" 32. In the embodiment example shown the said "top slide member" 37 is formed of a substantially flat plate 37A which is adapted to be introduced into the hollow space under the loading surface of a pallet, or supported resting on the upper surface 40A of the respective, preferably hollow, storage stand girders 40 or the like connected to the bearing arrangement 6, extending longitudinally substantially horizontally, and projecting out from the supporting arrangement 6 mutually spaced apart from each other. Two side parts 37B projecting downwards from the said plate 37A are designed to lie along their respective beams 40 when the "top slide member" 37 is held in its said resting position. The said slide arrangement 30 has a drive device which enables it to be extended by the desired amount, as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 8 on the drawings. A drive device 41 acts between the base slide member 29 and the intermediate slide member 32, and an additional drive device 42 acts between the intermediate slide member 32 and the top slide member 37. A hydraulic motor 43 with reversible drive which is expediently mounted on the base slide member 29 is designed to transmit drive movement via a plurality of toothed wheels 44 or similar devices which are mounted on the base slide member 29 in a row along its longitudinal extent and which are mutually connected with each other via interposed intermediate toothed wheels 45, to the intermediate slide member 32 by means of a toothed rack 46 or a similar power-transmitting arrangement. At the same time as the intermediate slide member 32 is caused to move along in its longitudinal direction by the said drive moment from the motor 43, a plurality of toothed wheels 47, preferably also mounted in a row on the intermediate slide member 32 and mutually connected via interposed toothed wheels 48, are rotated, expediently by co-action with a toothed rack 49 connected to the base slide member 29. The rotary movement of the toothed wheels 47 is thereby transmitted to a toothed rack 50 which is mounted on the lower face of the top slide member 37. The said toothed wheels may consist of toothed components 47A, 47B which are connected to each other as shown in Figure 5.

The functioning of the above-described arrangement is as follows: When moving pallets 4 in a warehouse as shown in Figure 1, the truck 2 is driven along the truck gangway 51 in the direction of the filled-in arrow 52 to the desired stack of pallets. After this, the arrangement is operated so that the pivot articulation 17 is extended and the slide arrangement 30 is raised up from the supporting arrangement 6 out of the accommodating space designed to receive the slide members 29, 32, 39, which is formed between the two storage stand girders 40 which project in the movement direction in front of the appliance 2, extending longitudinally substantially horizontally, in the direction away from the stand girders 40 so that the top slide member 37 is moved free of the girder 40 lying below, on top of which it normally rests. Then, by causing the toothed rack 20 to be driven via the motor 23 to rotate the slide arrangement 30 around the pivot axis 31 into the desired rotary position, for example as illustrated in Figure 9 where the slide members 37, 32, 29 have been rotated through 90° relative to the transportation direction 52 of the truck, the slide arrangement 30 is aligned exactly in the direction in which it is desired it should be extended. By the effect of the motor 10 after the said rotation of the slide arrangement 30 the latter can be lowered so that it rests via the supporting lugs 36 on the girders 40. After this, the loading arrangement 1 is raised to the desired height setting for the slide arrangement 30, exactly on a level with a pallet 4 which it is desired to take out from the storage stack 5. A pressure monitor on the control valve of the hydraulic system for lifting the arrangement 30 be fore it is rotated restricts the lifting force so that the permitted lateral loading moment on the truck 2 is not exceeded. The lifting movement of the slide arrangement 30 before and after its rotation respectively in a direction away from and towards the girders 40 is accomplished by means of the preferably trapezoidal threaded screw 8 which is self-sustaining, so that the hydraulic lifting motor 10 can be relieved while the slide arrangement 30 is still held firmly locked against the girders 40. The drive of the screw 8 is linked to the drive arrangement

23 which effects rotation of the slide arrangement 30, so that the movements automatically occur in the correct order.

Via the associated drive device, the motor 43 is then operated to effect the extension of the slide arrangement 30 at an angle to the movement direction of the appliance so that the top slide member 37 is extended in the direction of either arrow 53 or 54 in Figure 1 and comes into position on the lower face of the said pallet 4. After this the pallet 4 is raised by means of the lifting arrangement of the truck. By operating the motor 43 in the opposite direction to the above-mentioned extending direction the slide arrangement 30 is retracted so that when the top slide member 37 is located in its original position above the gangway 51 the pallet 4 can be rotated by operating the motor 23. Thereafter, the slide arrangement 30 is lowered into its resting position on the girders 40 by retracting the pivot pin 17 by making the screw 8 lower the slide arrangement 30 via the nut 13. Since the sliding movements can be reversed, the pallet 4 can be moved across from one side of the truck gangway 51 to the opposite side without the need to turn the attachment 1. The pallets 4 or similar load-bearing elements can also be taken up from and unloaded onto floor level since it is possible to have the arrangement 1 at a low level, and the lifting capacity remains the same as the nominal lifting power when the slide arrangement 30 is located in its lowered receiving position in the space between the girders 40. Thus, when the slide arrangement 30 is located in the said lowered receiving position it can be displaced into and away from a position under the loading surface of a pallet in the movement direction of the appliance, i.e. in the direction of the gangway in the example shown, by operating the appliance 2 in the said desired transportation direction. Previous loading and unloading processes with trucks such as are illustrated in Figure 2 on the drawings and which are regarded as being already known, required amongst other things a wide gangway, and time-consuming manipulation is therefore eliminated by means of the present invention.

When moving pallets 4 in the normal movement direction of the appliance 2, i.e. straight ahead in the example shown, the arrangement 1 replaces, for example, the ordinary load forks 3 on a truck, and displacement of the slide arrangement towards and away from a pallet which has been set on the floor is accomplished by driving the truck in the said desired direction. The lowest height above the floor which the arrangement is able to cope with when the load yoke of the truck is fully lowered is designated h₁ on the drawings and is lower than the free height above the floor with standard two-way pallets. This means that the arrangement according to the invention can be used for picking up or setting down a pallet at floor level.

When moving pallets 4, etc. at an angle to the normal movement direction of the appliance, for example across a gangway, the dimension designated h₂ on the drawings which is obtained due to the co-action of the supports 36 with the girders 40, means that the slide arrangement 30 can be displaced into the desired position, rotated around the axis 31 in the desired direction, and can set the pallets in the pallet rack in compact storage operation, after picking them up from floor level, or take pallets out of the rack and set them down on the floor. A further possibility is that with the truck stationary a pallet can be taken out of a pallet rack, turned round, and then put into the pallet rack again, which is advantageous when storing items to be selected.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment example described above and shown on the drawings, but its details may be modified within the frame of the following Patent Claims. For example, the slide members may be positioned in another way than one above the other.

Claims

P a t e n t C l a i m s

1. An arrangement for a materials handling appliance (2) which can be moved over a base surface, preferably a fork-lift truck, for moving pallets (4) and similar loadbearing elements in a plurality of directions, wherein, in the vicinity of the materials handling appliance (2) and mounted thereon there is a load-moving arrangement (1) for lifting a pallet (4), etc. and consisting preferably of an upper top slide member (37) and preferably a lower base slide member (29), with an intermediate slide member (32) connecting the said slide members (29, 37), the said slide members (29, 32, 37) being able to be connected to drive devices (23, 43) which enable the slide members (29, 32,37) to be displaced relative to each other and to be rotated around a substantially vertical axis of rotation (31)relative to a frame (7, 40) respectively, and wherein the said slide members (29, 32, 37) forming the slide arrangement (30) can be connected to a lifting arrangement (8, 17) by means of which the slide arrangement (30) can be lifted to a desired height relative to the frame (40, 7) so that a pallet (4), etc. can be moved by means of the said slide arrangement (30) away from or towards a laterallyoffset position at a desired angle to the transportation direction (52) of the materials hahdling appliance, to the location for receiving or unloading a pallet (4), and can be rotated into a desired position relative to the said appliance (2) and adjacent thereto, characterised in that between two storage stand girders (40) or similar frame parts which project in the movement direction of the said appliance (2), extending longitudinally substantially horizontally from the appliance (2) a receiving space is provided into which the slide members (29, 32, 37) can be lowered for receiving, and that supports (36) which can co-act with the said girders (40) are provided on the slide arrangement (30) so that when the slide arrangement is in the lowered position in the said receiving space the top slide member (37) can be displaced into and away from a position under the load surface of a pallet in the direction of movement of the appliance, and when the slide arrangement is in the position into which it is raised up from the receiving space and after subsequent rotation relative to the storage girders (40) and subsequent resting of the supports (36) on the girders (40) the top slide member can be moved into and away from a position under a load surface of a pallet at an angle to the movement direction of the appliance.

2. An arrangement according to Patent Claim 1, characterised in that the base slide member (29) is connected to a lifting arrangement, preferably in the form of a self-sustaining lifting screw (8), enabling the slide arrangement (30) to be raised to the desired level relative to the frame (7, 40) in order to lift up the slide arrangement (30) from the said frame (7, 40) before the rotating phase and/or enabling it to be lowered towards the frame (7, 40) before the displacement phase.

3. An arrangement according to either of the above Patent Claims, characterised in that a lifting yoke (7) or the like is connected to the said frame and bears a pivot device (17) which can be connected to the slide arrangement (30) to effect rotation of the top slide member (37) around the said pivot device (17).

4. An arrangement according to any of the above Patent Claims, characterised in that a pivot actuating device acts between the frame (6, 7, 40) and the base slide member (29), preferably consisting of a hydraulic motor (23) with reversible drive which co-acts with a movement transmission device (20) such as a toothed rack (20) for example, which can co-act with a rotary arrangement (19) mounted on the base slide member (29), such as a toothed pinion (19), for example.

5. An arrangement according to Patent Claim 4, characterised in that the pivot arrangement (19) is mounted on a pivot pin (17) which is telescopically extensible and which has a rotary device which can co-act with the base slide member (29) to rotate the latter.

6. An arrangement according to any of the above Patent Claims, characterised in that drive devices (41,42) act between the base slide member (29) and the intermediate slide member (32), and between the intermediate slide member (32) and the top slide member (37), respectively.

7. An arrangement according to Patent Claim 6, characterised in that a toothed rack (46; 49; 50) or a similar power-transmitting arrangement extends in the displacement direction of the base slide member (29) and the intermediate slide member (32), and along the top slide member (37) and the intermediate slide member (32), respectively, a hydraulic motor (43) preferably being mounted on one of the said slide members, preferably on the base slide member (29), and that toothed wheels (44;47) ov similar devices which connect the said motor (43) with one toothed rack (46) or connect two toothed racks (49,50) to each other, respectively, transmit drive movement from the said motor (43) to the said slide arrangement (30) in order to effect the extension or retraction of the latter in its longitudinal direction.

8. An arrangement according to Patent Claim 7, characterised in that a plurality of toothed devices (46; 47) are mounted in a row along the displacement path of the said toothed racks (46; 49; 50) and are connected to each other via interposed intermediate toothed wheels (44; 48).

9. An arrangement according to any of the above Patent Claims, characterised in that the slide members (29, 32, 37) are mutually connected to each other via guideways (33, 34; 38, 39), preferably with tongue-like shaping, and extending horizontally.

10. An arrangement according to any of the above Patent Claims, characterised in that the said supports (36) consist of supporting lugs (36) which are connected via fixing pins (35) to the base slide member (29), preferably on either side of the base slide member (29).