EP0441990B1 - Method for putting reels into chaotic interim storage and device for storing and clearing out for this - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for the chaotic intermediate storage of reels (6) and a storing and clearing-out device for carrying out this method are characterised in that a plurality of load-receiving means (19, 20, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81) raisable and lowerable independently of one another are provided on a crane device, and by means of which reels (6) can be removed in succession from the entry point and/or received in succession from the storage point and transported jointly to the exit point. The throughput capacity is increased substantially thereby in comparison with known methods of this kind. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a method for the chaotic intermediate storage of winding bodies according to the preamble of claim 1 and a storage and retrieval device for carrying out this method according to the preamble of claim 4.

Intermediate storage, also known as buffer storage, is particularly necessary for paper production and processing, because two manufacturing processes usually follow one another according to different criteria. In such intermediate stores, paper rolls are stacked on a storage surface to form a multiplicity of towers by the winding bodies being placed one on top of the other on the end face. Interim storage facilities of the usual size have, for example, 350 tower spaces, the rollers being between 500 and 3000 mm high and the towers having a height of approx. 11 m. The conveyor width is about 25 m and the length is 65 m. In this way, about 6000 tons of paper can be stored. Such interim storage facilities can of course also be used for rolls made of metal or foil strips or textile webs.

A crane device is provided for the storage and retrieval of the bobbins, which consists of a crane bridge extending between two rails and a trolley which can be moved on the crane bridge (see special print from "Wochenblatt für Papierfabrikation" 113, 1985 No. 14, pages 523 to 525 , Biberach, DE; E. Fähnle et al .:
"Computer-controlled Wöhr storage system with integrated Bartholomy vacuum lifter"). A load handler is suspended from the trolley, with which one winding body can be picked up. Known load handling devices are vacuum lifters, which are placed on the end face of a winding body and then hold the winding body by negative pressure, or also internal grippers. The latter are used in winding bodies in which the material web is mostly wound on a sleeve. The inner gripper has a gripping mandrel, which is then inserted and spread from above into the sleeve or into the central, axial hole of a body wound without a sleeve.

Such a storage and retrieval device also includes a data processing system that takes over the warehouse management. All winding bodies with certain properties, such as diameter, height and paper type, as well as the respective storage location are stored in it. By means of subroutines, a certain order can also be generated in the interim storage facility, for example by combining rolls of the same diameter in a tower, providing storage areas for certain types of paper and arranging bobbins with a high throughput frequency in preferred zones of storage and retrieval in order to maximize the crane cycle times to keep small. By means of the data processing system, a specific winding body can then be outsourced on the basis of the programmable logic controller by entering its properties and, if applicable, its position in the warehouse according to the grid and the height. If the desired bobbin is not on top of a tower, the crane device is controlled by a subroutine in such a way that the bobbins stacked over the desired bobbin are picked up and moved to another storage location until the desired bobbin is exposed.

This type of interim storage facility has become particularly popular in the The paper industry has proven itself since large quantities of packages can be stored in the smallest possible space, but the crane guidance is fully automatic. Only the throughput is not yet satisfactory. It is true that efforts are made to directly attach a removal process to a storage process and thereby better utilize the crane device. However, this is not always sensible and presupposes that a removal command is available at least at the end of the storage process. The throughput capacity is limited in particular by the high masses of the movable crane part to be accelerated, i.e. the bridge, the trolley and the load handling device with the load itself.

In addition, crane devices are known in the prior art in which a plurality of load suspension devices are suspended from a carrier (PCT publication WO 86/02915; US Pat. No. 3,831,992; US Pat. No. 3,955,843; US Pat. No. 3,858,926; DE-PS 1 923 558). The load handling devices are suction heads or vacuum lifters, which are arranged next to one another at the same height, the distance between which is partially adjustable. These crane devices are designed to simultaneously pick up and transport a number of winding bodies standing next to one another and of the same height, such as paper rolls. They are used in particular for ship loading. They are not suitable for interim storage facilities of the type mentioned at the outset, since they do not selectively select specific winding bodies and cannot be used at different tower heights.

The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a method and a device which is suitable for carrying out the method, with which the throughput performance in interim storage facilities with chaotic storage can be significantly improved.

This object is achieved procedurally in that a plurality of bobbins is picked up and raised at the point of entry or at points of entry during storage and that this plurality of bobbins is transported together in at least one direction in such a way that the bobbins are successively deposited at their intended storage locations, and that during the retrieval one after the other, winding bodies are picked up from their storage locations, lifted and transported and deposited together to the starting location or to the starting locations, the storage and retrieval of the winding bodies taking place in a time-saving manner.

The storage and retrieval should preferably be combined with one another in such a way that winding bodies provided for the retrieval are already taken up during storage, the storage also being to take place in a time-saving manner.

A device suitable for carrying out the method is characterized in that a plurality of load suspension devices are suspended from the crane device, which can be raised and lowered independently of one another and can be transported together with the crane device, and in that the data processing system is a time optimization program for calculating time-saving paths for the Has load handler.

According to the invention, a plurality of load suspension devices are therefore provided which can be raised and lowered independently of one another and are therefore suitable, one after the other, in any case independently of one another, to take up a corresponding number of winding bodies at the respective storage locations and then to transport these together to the starting location. Conversely, a number of bobbins corresponding to the number of load suspension devices can be picked up at the point of entry and, independently of one another, to the through the Data processing system are given predetermined locations. There may also be several storage or retrieval locations.

According to the invention, this includes a time optimization program for the data processing system, which controls the movements of the movable part of the crane and thus the load handling device in such a way that the storage or retrieval takes place in a time-saving manner. Time-saving is to be understood here to mean any series of paths and / or each path with which time can be saved compared to the most unfavorable path combination or the most unfavorable path. Depending on the scope of the program and the speed of the computing system, the optimization is carried out in such a way that the shortest possible route for the respective storage and / or retrieval process is actually determined. Storage and retrieval processes can also be combined with one another in such a way that, during storage, certain winding bodies which are essentially on the way between two storage locations are picked up for retrieval by means of already free load suspension means.

In an embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the crane device has at least one crane bridge and on each crane bridge at least one trolley which can be moved thereon and on which at least one load suspension device is or are suspended. It will usually be beneficial to provide only one crane bridge, since two crane bridges can hinder each other. However, it is also conceivable to provide a plurality of crane bridges, each of which processes an area of the interim storage facility, it being favorable to arrange the entry and exit location between the areas.

The crane bridge or bridges should or should be movable, namely on rails at both ends.

The multiple arrangement of load handling devices can for example, that at least two trolleys are arranged on each crane bridge, which can be moved on a number of different lanes corresponding to the number of trolleys, which allow the trolleys to move past one another. In this case, several load suspension devices, which can be raised and lowered independently of one another, can be suspended from each trolley. There is also the possibility of arranging two or more trolleys on a lane, which are then controlled by the data processing system in such a way that they do not collide or interfere with one another.

In a further embodiment of the invention it is provided that the crane bridge or bridges each have a trolley with a plurality of load suspension means suspended thereon, which are expediently arranged in a line next to one another. The load suspension means can, however, also be suspended in at least two lines running parallel to one another, each with at least two load suspension means. The distances between the load-carrying means should preferably correspond to the grid dimension of the towers from the winding bodies, which opens up the possibility of simultaneously taking up or depositing two winding bodies deposited next to one another. In order to be more free, the distance between the load suspension devices should be adjustable.

The crane bridge or bridges is or are advantageously constructed from two crane girders which run parallel and at a distance from one another, the suspension of the load suspension means passing between the crane girders.

Finally, it is provided according to the invention that the time optimization program is designed in such a way that during the storage of winding bodies, the winding bodies to be retrieved are taken up in a time-saving manner in succession. Furthermore, that should Time optimization program be designed such that the trolley or trolleys can be controlled in the next position during the movement of the crane bridge for the purpose of moving.

Figur (1)

eine Draufsicht auf einen Teil eines Zwischenlagers;

Figur (2)

einen Querschnitt durch die Kranvorrichtung des Zwischenlagers gemäß Figur (1);

Figur (3)

eine andere Ausführung einer Kranvorrichtung. in der Seitenansicht und

Figur (4)

in der Draufsicht.

In the drawing, the invention is illustrated in more detail using exemplary embodiments. Show it:

Figure (1)

a plan view of part of an intermediate storage;

Figure (2)

a cross section through the crane device of the intermediate storage according to Figure (1);

Figure (3)

another version of a crane device. in the side view and

Figure (4)

in the top view.

The intermediate storage (1) shown in Figure (1) has a bearing base (2) and only partially shown side walls (3, 4). The roof of the interim storage facility (1) is omitted. In a certain grid, represented by a network of lines, there are towers - designated by way of example (5) - which consist of paper rolls stacked one on top of the other. The paper rolls have different diameters, but a tower (5) is stacked as possible from paper rolls of approximately the same diameter. The paper rolls can also have different heights and consist of different types of paper.

Outside the intermediate storage (1) are paper rolls - designated by way of example with (6) - mounted horizontally. You come on a conveyor belt (7) which leads to a tilting device (8). The respective paper roll (6) is opened onto this tilting device (8) and then tilted by 90 ° so that it stands vertically (shown in broken lines). In the conveying direction to the right of the tilting device (8) two further conveyor belts (9, 10̸) are provided, which form the entry point for paper rolls (6). There the paper rolls (6) are waiting to be picked up.

Another conveyor belt (11), which is only partially shown, serves as a starting point, d. H. With this conveyor belt (11), paper rolls (6) placed thereon are transported out of the intermediate store (1).

Rails (12, 13) are arranged on the side walls (3, 4) and extend over the entire length of the intermediate store (1). A crane bridge (14) runs on these rails (12, 13) and is supported there via trolleys (15, 16). On this crane bridge (14) two angular trolleys (17, 18) are arranged so that they can pass each other. They carry - as can be seen in more detail from figure (2) - internal grippers (19, 20̸) with which paper rolls (6) can be picked up and transported.

As can be seen in more detail from Figure (2), the crane bridge (14) has a trapezoidal profile. The angular trolleys (17, 18) run on the top of the crane bridge (14) on rails (21, 22) inclined to one another and are also supported on the side surfaces of the crane bridge (14) via rails (23, 24), in each case via Rollers (25, 26) or (27, 28). The upper rollers (25, 26) are each connected to a drive motor (31, 32) via a gear (29, 30̸). The drive motors (31, 32) can be controlled independently of one another.

The angular trolleys (17, 18) are open at the bottom Guide baskets (33, 34) suspended. Both guide baskets (33, 34) are each penetrated by four rope strands (35, 36) of a rope, of which only two rope strands (35, 36) can be seen here. The ends of the ropes are attached to an eyelet (37, 38) on the angular trolleys (17, 18) and are wound on winches (39, 40̸) with the other end. The cable winches (39, 40̸) can be rotated clockwise and counterclockwise with the help of an electric motor (41, 42).

The inner gripper (19) or (20̸) are suspended from the rope strands (35, 36) in that each rope loops around a roller (43, 44) which is freely rotatable on the inner gripper (19, 20). The inner gripper (19, 20) consists of a guide body (45, 46) that fits snugly into the guide cage (33, 34) and a gripper mandrel (47, 48) protruding on the underside. Each gripper mandrel has at least three spreading teeth (49, 50̸, 51, 52), of which only two are visible here. In the case of the left inner gripper (19), the gripper mandrel (47) is inserted into a paper roll (6), specifically into the winding tube (53) onto which the paper web is rolled up. The spreading teeth (49, 50̸) are extended laterally so that they press firmly against the inside of the winding tube (53). In this way, the paper roll (6) could be lifted into the raised transport position shown, the guide body (45) of the inner gripper (19) being partially retracted inside the guide basket (33) and being prevented from pivoting movements by the latter. The right-hand inner gripper (20̸) is just being lowered and moves with spreading teeth (51, 52) into a paper roll (6) in order to also lift it upwards into the transport position. When this has been done, both paper rolls (6) can be moved together to the starting point by appropriate movement of the crane bridge (14), the angular trolleys (17, 18) being brought into the correct position while the crane bridge (14) is moving, so that they are above the conveyor belt (11) at the point of departure when the crane bridge (14) has arrived. The paper rolls (6) can then by lowering the inner grippers (19, 20̸) the conveyor belt (11) are deposited.

After setting down, the crane bridge (14) is moved further in the direction of the entry point in order to be able to pick up and deposit new paper rolls (6) there.

In the embodiment shown in Figures (3) and (4) nothing has been changed on the intermediate storage itself. A crane bridge (54) is provided here, which consists of two crane bridge girders (55, 56) arranged at a distance from one another. Rails (57, 58) on which a trolley (59) can be moved are arranged on both crane bridge girders (55, 56). The trolley (59) consists of two longitudinal beams (60̸, 61) and their ends connecting cross beams (62, 63). The trolley (59) is driven by an electric motor (64).

A total of five cable drums (65, 66, 67, 68, 69) are mounted on the side members (60̸, 61) of the trolley (59) and extend over the space between the side members (60̸, 61). For the sake of clarity, three of the five cable drums (65, 66, 67, 68, 69) are omitted in FIG. (4). Each cable drum (65, 66, 67, 68, 69) is driven by a drive motor (70̸, 71), both clockwise and counterclockwise.

On the cable drums (65, 66, 67, 68, 69) support cables (72, 73, 74, 74, 76) are wound, which go down between the side members (60̸, 61) and the ends of which on suction pads (77, 78 , 79, 80̸, 81) are attached and carry them. The suction plates (77, 78, 79, 80̸, 81) are connected to a vacuum generator (82) via lines shown only in broken lines, as is usually provided in vacuum lifters. The suction plates (77, 78, 79, 80̸, 81) can be supplied with vacuum independently of one another by means of appropriate valve controls.

Using the second rope drum (68) from the right is also shown that the suction plate (80̸) has a guide body (83) which fits into a support basket (84). In the other suction plates (77, 78, 79, 81), the guide bodies and support baskets are also available, but omitted for the sake of clarity.

The middle cable drum (67) is fixed in place. The remaining cable drums (65, 66, 68, 69) can be moved with their bearings in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the crane bridge (54), with the aid of servomotors (85, 86, 87, 88). In this way, the distance between the suction plates (77, 78, 79, 80̸, 81) can be set so that they correspond to the grid dimension of the intermediate storage (1) in the direction of travel of the crane bridge (54). For the common transport, the suction plates (77, 78, 79, 80ger, 81) are moved together, especially if it is useful for a tight positioning of the paper rolls (6) to the storage location or after the storage location.

The suction plates (77, 78, 79, 80̸, 81) can be raised and lowered independently of each other. By creating a vacuum on the underside, such a suction force can be developed that paper rolls (6) can be transported.

With the aid of a data processing system, the crane bridge (54) and the trolley (59) are controlled in such a way that the desired paper rolls (6) are picked up one after the other in the shortest possible way and transported together to the point of departure. The same applies to storage.

Claims (18)

1. Method for the random intermediate storage of wound bodies (6), in which the wound bodies (6) are stacked on a storage surface (2) end face to end face to form towers (5), by picking them up from an entry point, transporting them in a raised position to a specific point, lowering them again there and setting them down on the storage surface (2) or a tower (5), and in which the wound bodies (6) to be taken out of storage are raised from their storage point, if necessary after the lifting off of wound bodies (6) stacked above them and the depositing of these at another point, and are transported in the raised position to an exit point and set down there, characterized in that, during putting into storage, a plurality of wound bodies (6) is picked up and raised at the entry point or at entry paints, and in that this plurality of wound bodies (6) is jointly transported in at least one direction, in such a way that the wound bodies (6) are set down in succession at their storage points provided, and in that, during taking out of storage, wound bodies (6) are successively picked up from their storage points, raised and transported jointly to the exit point or to the exit points and set down, the putting into storage and taking out of storage of the wound bodies being carried out on time-saving paths.
2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the putting into storage and taking out of storage are combined with one another in such a way that wound bodies (6) intended to be taken out of storage are already being picked up during the putting into storage.
3. Method according to Claim 2, characterized in that the pick-up of the wound bodies (6) intended to be taken out of storage is carried out on time-saving paths.
4. Apparatus for putting into and taking out of storage for the intermediate storage of wound bodies (6), consisting especially of paper webs, stacked to form towers (5), with a crane device (14, 17, 18, 54, 59), on which at least one load pick-up means (19, 20, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81) is suspended so as to be raisable and lowerable, there being provided a data-processing system which can memorize the properties and storage point of each wound body (6) during the putting into storage and which has a control, programmable as a result of the memorizing, for the movement of the crane device (17, 18, 54, 59) and of the load pick-up means during the putting into storage and taking out of storage, for carrying out the method according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that there are suspended on the crane device (17, 18, 59) a plurality of load pick-up means (19, 20, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81) which can be raised and lowered independently of one another and which can be transported jointly with the crane device (14, 17, 18, 54, 59), and in that the data-processing system has a time-optimizing program for computing time-saving paths for the load pick-up means (19, 20, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81).
5. Apparatus for putting into and taking out of storage according to Claim 4, characterized in that the crane device has at least one crane bridge (14, 54) and, on each crane bridge (14, 54), at least one travelling trolley (17, 18, 59) which is movable on this and on which at least one load pick-up means (19, 20, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81) is suspended.
6. Apparatus for putting into and taking out of storage according to Claim 5, characterized in that the crane bridge or crane bridges (14, 54) is or are movable.
7. Apparatus for putting into and taking out of storage according to Claim 6, characterized in that the crane bridge or crane bridges (14, 54) is or are mounted at their ends located on both sides so as to be movable on rails (12, 13).
8. Apparatus for putting into and taking out of storage according to one of Claims 5 to 7, characterized in that there are arranged on each crane bridge (14) at least two travelling trolleys (17, 18) which are movable on a number of different running tracks which corresponds to the number of travelling trolleys (17, 18), the said running tracks allowing the travelling trolleys (17, 18) to move past one another
9. Apparatus for putting into and taking out of storage according to one of Claims 5 to 8, characterized in that at least two travelling trolleys are arranged on at least one of the running tracks.
10. Apparatus for putting into and taking out of storage according to Claim 8 or 9, characterized in that at least two load pick-up means raisable and lowerable independently of one another are suspended next to one another on at least one of the travelling trolleys.
11. Apparatus for putting into and taking out of storage according to one of Claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the crane bridge or crane bridges (54) has or each have a travelling trolley (59) with a plurality of load pick-up means (77, 78, 79, 80, 81) suspended on it.
12. Apparatus for putting into and taking out of storage according to Claim 11, characterized in that the load pick-up means (77, 78, 79, 80, 81) are arranged next to one another in one line.
13. Apparatus for putting into and taking out of storage according to Claim 11, characterized in that the load pick-up means are suspended in at least two lines extending parallel to one another and each have at least two load pick-up means.
14. Apparatus for putting into and taking out of storage according to one of Claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the distances between the load pick-up means (77, 78, 79, 80, 81) correspond to the grid spacing of the towers (5).
15. Apparatus for putting into and taking out of storage according to one of Claims 11 to 14, characterized in that the distance between the load pick-up means (77, 78, 79, 80, 81) is adjustable.
16. Apparatus for putting into and taking out of storage according to one of Claims 11 to 15, characterized in that the crane bridge or crane bridges (54) is or are constructed from two crane girders (60, 61) extending parallel to and at a distance next to one another, and the suspensions (72, 73, 74, 75, 76) of the load pick-up means (77, 78, 79, 80, 81) pass through between the crane girders (60, 61).
17. Apparatus for putting into and taking out of storage according to one of Claims 5 to 16, characterized in that the time-optimizing program is designed in such a way that the travelling trolleys (17, 18, 59) which are already being activated can move into their next position or positions while the crane bridge or crane bridges (14, 54) are moving.
18. Apparatus for putting into and taking out of storage according to one of Claims 4 to 17, characterized in that the time-optimizing program is designed in such a way that a pick-up of wound bodies (6) intended to be taken out of storage takes place on time-saving paths while winding bodies (6) are being put into storage.

Images