EP0565062B1 - Apparatus for the transport of a product intended to be strapped - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for the transport of one-part or multi-part, especially stack-shaped products (10) to be strapped, from a delivery point to a depositing point, which apparatus, with the aim of the least possible outlay in terms of time and space, contains as an integral part a strapping device (4) which carries out the strapping in the course of the transport operation. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a device for the transfer of one-piece or multi-part goods to be strapped - for example at the same time at least one stack of sheets delivered upright in wide assignment of plates - from a delivery point to a storage point, transport pallet or the like, on which the goods are conveyed through a vertical plane, with simple strapping around a central plane of the goods or the longitudinal central plane of the stack is strapped by means of a plastic or steel band, multipart goods can be bundled or stabilized together to form a transport unit, with a gripper movable between a pick-up position and a setting position for the one to be moved Well with the opposite sides of the goods in the gripping direction, for example the end plates of the stack in the stacking direction, pressure jaws that can be put on and removed under pressure, and a strapping device, by means of which the strapping of egg ner storage drum device removably guided around the goods and can be firmly connected to the goods to form a self-contained loop.

Such a device is described for example in DE-A-31 16 566.

There are a variety of goods that are strapped for transportation purposes in the broadest sense by means of a steel or plastic strap and the like. It can be individual items such as boxes, boxes or the like, which are secured by strapping with regard to their cohesion. In many cases, however, the strapping first forms a transport unit from several or a large number of individual parts. There are those that have special features in terms of their summary, as described below using the stacking of concrete slabs:
The concrete slabs handled by devices of the type mentioned at the outset are manufactured, for example in a hermetic press, in such a way that an upper slab layer in the position of use is entered very fluidly into the mold frame as a so-called attachment, whereupon the mold space is filled with dry (earth-moist) back concrete. whose surface facing upwards forms the underside of the plate. This is done by means of a dispenser moved over the hermetic press mold, which, in the course of filling the mold, distributes the concrete mass along the rear, rubbing it radially outwards, which results in a corresponding increase in the plate thickness in this direction. As a result of this production, the plates are not uniformly thick with respect to their width, that is to say with regard to their wide areas, but are designed in a wedge shape. A stack of such due to the usual radial removal of the plates from the press and in the same direction on the upright storage on a conveyor thus shows in the vertical direction a summation of this deviation from the plane parallelism of the plates, so that a stack formed from a plurality of such plates in seen in the vertical direction has a certain trapezoidal shape. This fact alone means that the stack of plates is strapped with a steel or plastic band in a horizontal plane, approximately in the mid-height region of the plate, is disadvantageous insofar as there is a tendency that the plates, due to their wedge-shaped structure, can come loose from such strapping. In addition, the strapping in the horizontal plane is unfavorable because the strapping itself forms a kind of tilting threshold for the strapped plates of a stack.

Plates of this or a similar type are therefore preferably packaged with a strapping tape, particularly from the point of view of transport or delivery to the construction site until the stack is dissolved, in a vertical plane that extends in the longitudinal central direction of the sequence of the individual plates forming the stack extends to loop around the stack. It is advantageous if this wrapping band is guided as tightly as possible around the stacked plates, in particular under a pretension as can be achieved by a corresponding elastically stretchable plastic band.

Such strapping in the vertical longitudinal center plane of a plate stack is known, but basically in the form of separate strapping devices.

If one considers the removal of pressed, removed from the press area and placed upright to form stacks with regard to their further handling, regularly to a drying station, in which the plates finally set and are stored for the transport to the place of use or stored immediately on objects prepared for transport, such as pallets or other transport surfaces, there is regularly a successive transfer process that is stacked one after the other accumulated - possibly by incremental feed - instead of a device with a gripper grabbing such a stack of plates, which is determined in terms of the number of plates, lifting it off the delivery surface, moving it sideways over a certain distance and placing it on the transport or drying surface. If the stacks are to be appropriately fixed, ie strapped, in this setting position, namely by strapping in the vertical longitudinal center plane of the stack, it has hitherto been necessary to interpose a corresponding strapping station. This means a further step in the production cycle and additional space requirements.

The invention is based on the object of transferring one-part or multi-part goods, in particular accumulated stacks of plates, into the transport or drying or depositing station or corresponding delivery devices in which the goods - stacks - also in the vertical plane, in particular the longitudinal center plane, continuous strapping which ensures the piece goods or stack configuration with the least possible expenditure of time and space.

Starting from a device with the features mentioned above, this object is achieved according to the invention in that the strapping device is combined with the gripper in the device and one between an operating position for positioning the strapping with one below the goods in the case of a stack in the longitudinal direction thereof Run and in a rest position laterally from the area below the delivery level of the goods movable tape guide device which is controlled so that it moves from the rest position after gripping the goods by the gripper and lifting from the delivery surface into the operating position and after performing the re-gripping of the good is moved back into the rest position with the strapping before the gripper places the goods on the surface of the bearing point, pallet or the like transport device.

By integrating the strapping device together with the gripper into the device designed according to the invention for simultaneously transferring at least one single or multi-part good - a stack of plates - it is possible, in the case of only one strapping band, in the vertical longitudinal center plane of the good - the stack - Strapping takes place during the transfer process from the delivery area, on which the single or multi-part goods are delivered - the upright delivered individual plates are collected in stacks of the respective specified length - to the transport, drying or storage area of whatever type. So during a movement process of a good - a stack of plates - which must be provided anyway from the timing. In this way, it is possible to save a separate work cycle for the strapping and the space required in this connection for a separate strapping station.

The integration of the strapping device together with the gripper in one device is characterized in particular by the fact that the strapping device has a strap guiding device which can be moved between two layers, in one of which the strapping tape prepares in a vertical plane, with only one strapping tape in the vertical plane Longitudinal center direction of the stack, is held - so-called operating position - and in the other this band guiding device is removed from the placement level below the goods - the stack of plates - so that the gripper can lift the goods - the stack of plates - on the one hand from the delivery level, whereupon the band guiding device moves into its operating position takes and the strapping - preferably during the transfer movement of the gripper - takes place and the strap guide device is returned from the operating position to its rest position, so that the gripper can place the goods - the stack of plates - on a transport, storage surface or the like without hindrance after the transfer movement.

As is known, there are basically two ways of carrying out such strapping, namely once from the idea of an endless belt, in such a way that a belt is pulled off two storage drums and, after being wrapped around the material - stack - and connected to a self-contained strapping, also with regard to it released ends is reconnected so that there is always a self-contained tape in the area of the tape guide device; these strapping ideas are generally known. On the other hand, a receiving channel is formed within the scope of the strap guide device, into which a strap that is only stored on one end on a storage drum is stripped and inserted per strapping operation, whereupon the connecting operation between the end of the inserted strap and the area that occurs after wrapping and, if necessary, tensioning the Wrapping area adjusts to this end, takes place. This idea is also known in principle.

Basically, all types of tapes that can be used in this context can be used, in particular steel tapes and plastic tapes known for such purposes, it being possible for the tape end regions, which are basically overlapping in the wrapping state, to be connected by welding, pushing through and the like in a dimensionally stable combination. For tapes made of plastic, with regard to this connection is regularly welded or clamp-connected by a separate element, there is the advantage that these plastic straps are stretched under appropriate tension - as is known - so that after the connection under an elastic tension the material - the plate stack - with that Cover power reserve. Steel strips, which are often positively connected by deformations that are approximately perpendicular to the strip direction, do not show such elasticity. The material properties of the plastic straps on the one hand and the steel straps on the other hand can be important for handling within the scope of the strap guiding device according to the invention, but are not mutually exclusive.

In a preferred embodiment, the strap guiding device also carries the strapping outside of the operating position with it into the rest position, that is, displaces it laterally to the strap from the storage drum via the pretensioning roller device, which is important in "endless belt technology", which is what a plastic strapping is for particularly suitable.

In another embodiment, the tape guide device has a receiving channel into which a tape drawn off from only one take-up drum is inserted in the length required per strapping process, preferably when the tape guide device is in the operating position. Due to its dimensional stability, this training is particularly suitable for the use of steel strapping.

In a first embodiment, the gripper is provided with scissor-shaped gripping jaws. This is preferred in terms of Gripping distance constant goods, for example, stacks of plates of certain stack lengths, handled. A change in gripping distance is possible to a certain extent by adjusting the gripping jaws on their scissor arms.

In a further preferred embodiment, the gripper is provided with gripping jaws which are guided linearly towards and away from one another and can be driven.

The linear movement of the gripping jaws leads to a straightforward introduction of the gripping force into the goods to be lifted, which is particularly important for the safe pick-up and the safe transfer from the delivery point to a deposit point, particularly in the case of individual parts arranged in series in the longitudinal direction, such as plates and the like is.

The linear guidance of the gripper jaws of the gripper also enables goods of different dimensions in this direction or different stack lengths of individual goods to be treated like plates, depending on the available or available path of the linear movement.

In a further embodiment, the possibility of strapping several goods or stacks that are delivered in parallel in the course of the simultaneous repositioning process can be created by moving the band guide device with an associated band connecting device perpendicular to the direction of movement of the gripping jaws in different working positions.

Basically, any strapping devices can be used, preferred is one that is addressed in connection with FIG. 5 of the main patent and is generally known per se.

Especially in the form of this latter preferred embodiment or in training for the strapping of differently sized goods (stack), the device according to the invention is particularly suitable both for strapping one-piece goods such as boxes or cartons and for strapping several individual goods such as bricks and also the stack of plates in the foreground as an example.

Figur 1

eine schematische Seitenansicht auf das Gerät gemäß einem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel senkrecht zur Längsrichtung eines Plattenstapels gesehen;

Figur 2

eine Stirnansicht des Gerätes gemäß Figur 1 in Längsrichtung des Plattenstapels gesehen;

Figur 3

eine Draufsicht von oben auf das Gerät nach den Figuren 1 und 2;

Figur 4

eine vergrößerte Teilansicht der Einrichtung zur Schlaufenverbindung des Umreifungsbandes bei einem Gerät nach den Figuren 1 bis 3;

Figur 5

eine schematische Teilansicht entsprechend derjenigen der Figur 1 beschränkt auf die Bandführungsvorrichtung in Ausführung mit einem Aufnahmekanal für das Einführen eines nur einendig bevorrateten Bandes;

Figur 6

eine Seitenansicht (senkrecht zur Bewegungsrichtung der Greifbacken) eines weiteren Ausführungsbeispieles;

Figur 7

eine zu Figur 6 um 90° gedrehte weitere Seitenansicht des Ausführungsbeispieles gem. Figur 6;

Figur 8

eine vergrößerte Teilansicht der Zusammenfassung aus Umreifungseinrichtung und Greifer des Ausführungsbeispieles gem. Figur 6.

Preferred embodiments of the invention result from the subclaims, in particular with reference to the exemplary embodiments shown in the drawing figures, the following description of which explains the invention in more detail. Show it

Figure 1

seen a schematic side view of the device according to a first embodiment perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of a plate stack;

Figure 2

an end view of the device according to Figure 1 seen in the longitudinal direction of the plate stack;

Figure 3

a plan view from above of the device of Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4

an enlarged partial view of the device for loop connection of the strapping a device according to Figures 1 to 3;

Figure 5

a schematic partial view corresponding to that of Figure 1 limited to the tape guide device in execution with a receiving channel for the insertion of a tape only stored at one end;

Figure 6

a side view (perpendicular to the direction of movement of the gripping jaws) of a further embodiment;

Figure 7

a further side view of the embodiment according to FIG. 6 rotated by 90 °. Figure 6;

Figure 8

an enlarged partial view of the summary of strapping device and gripper of the embodiment according. Figure 6.

The first exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 4 shows a gripper, generally designated 1, which can be moved in the manner of a transfer device in a manner not shown, after gripping a plate stack, for example, perpendicular to its longitudinal direction between the delivery location of the plate stack and one of whatever type Settling point for storage and / or transportation of the plate stack. Such conversion tasks and devices used for this are fundamentally known.

The gripper 1 has a gripper scissor linkage 2, by means of which gripping jaws 3, 3 ′ acting on both end faces of the plate stack 10 are operable. The scissors linkage 2 causes the lifting of the gripping jaws correspondingly attacking the outside broad sides of the end plates 11, 11 'of the stack of plates during a lifting process, so that the upright ends are pressed together with their broad sides in succession to form a stack of a certain number or length of plates and thus from their delivery surface as Stack 10 can be raised. After relocating or transferring the stack of plates gripped in this way by the gripper onto a transport or depositing surface, the gripping jaws are released from the end faces of the stack by corresponding downward movement of the scissor linkage actuating part and are returned via the transfer path to pick up a further stack. Of course, several, in particular two, parallel stack of plates of this type can also be handled simultaneously, for which purpose the gripper is designed in several parts; this also applies to the following description of the device designed according to the invention, also with regard to its strapping device.

A strapping device, generally designated 4, is assigned to the gripper 1 and has a strap guiding device 5. Furthermore, with the gripper the device according to the embodiment is assigned a pair of storage drums 14 and 14 ', only the latter of which is shown in more detail. Of these supply drums 14, each of which holds one end of the strapping band 12 - here in particular plastic band - stored in stock, the band is in each case via a pretensioning device 20, only one of which is shown, which comprises a plurality of “fixed” and “loose” rolls, the the latter can be acted upon by means of a hydraulic piston-cylinder device in the sense of a belt tension, guided to a belt guide roller 15 or 15 ', which are located at the lower end of arms 8, 8'. These arms are an integral part of the tape guide device 5. The arms 8, 8 ' are each longitudinally displaceable in bearings 9, 9 ', which in turn are designed to be pivotable about the longitudinal axis of a shaft 18. Piston-cylinder devices (hydraulic) 16 or 16 'act on the arms 8 or 8' or regions of the associated bearings 9 or 9 'located outside the pivot axis, by means of which the arms move between an operating position 6 in which the tape guide rollers 15 and 15 'are located below the delivery level of the plate stack, and a rest position 7, in which these tape guide rollers are pivoted out of the space below the plate stack 10, can be moved in a controlled manner. The arms 8, 8 'have, on one of their sides pointing in the pivoting direction, a toothed rack formation, into which pinions engage, which are arranged at the ends of the shaft 18 such that they cannot rotate. The shaft 18 is connected to the output of an electric motor unit 17 consisting of the motor and the output gear. With the cylinder devices 16, 16 'on the one hand - swiveling - and the electric motor unit 17 - vertical displacement movement - on the other hand, the arms 8, 8' and thus the band guide rollers 15, 15 'receiving the band 12 can be moved such that the band 12 or the arms 8, 8 ', after gripping and lifting the stack 10 by means of the gripper 1, can be pivoted from the delivery surface (not shown in detail) from the rest position 7 of the belt guide device 5, which is pivoted laterally, into the working position 8, whereupon the arms 8, 8' with the help of the motor unit 17, the shaft 18 and the rack and pinion drive, not shown, are moved upward, so that the band strand 12 'running between the band guide rollers 15 and 15' bears against the longitudinal central region of the underside of the stack 10 and the band along the two end faces of the Stack 10 (outer broad sides of the stack end plates 11 and 11 ') up to the area from above that of the Ob recognized the driving elements described plane of the stack described level is performed, whereupon with the aid of a piston-cylinder device 22 these elements move towards one another and are brought together in a known manner in the context of a welding device such that welding of the end regions of the band loop surrounding the stack, which overlap in this position, are welded to one another and at the same time the thus released band ends of the band drums coming from the storage drums 14, 14 'are connected to each other at the same time, so that the arms 8, 8' now descending with their band guide rollers 15, 15 'in turn grip an endless band, pull them down and with the help of Swing piston-cylinder devices 16, 16 'sideways out of the area below stack 10. All of this happens while the gripper has lifted the stack from the delivery surface and set it down on the storage surface, that is to say in the course of the transfer movement of the stack.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the two gripping jaws are each divided into two, namely into parts 3 and 3 ', so that the area to be occupied by the strapping band also remains free from the actuating devices of these jaw parts.

Figure 5 shows schematically another embodiment of the strapping device or in particular the strap guide device such that it can be pivoted between a working position below the stack and a rest position laterally displaced from the area below the stack in a manner comparable to the exemplary embodiment according to Figures 1 to 4 is pivotable, but does not require any height adjustment, because the application or tensioning of the band around the stack is carried out by tensioning the band itself. The tape is wound on one side on a storage drum, not shown, and is with its free end in one of the tape guide device carried or formed receiving channel 19 initiated, separately for each strapping process and preferably when the tape guide device is in its working position below the stack 10, so that a rigid band against lateral deflections, such as steel tape, can be used. This receiving channel releases the inserted tape after wrapping the stack and corresponding tensile load on the tape by swiveling counter spring-loaded locking webs or the like in the direction of the stack, so that the tape can be inserted around the stack without the height adjustment of this tape guide device. This strapping technique is basically known.

In FIG. 6, a frame 31 is indicated, on which a cross member 32 in frame guides 33 is held in a horizontal direction by means of a traversing drive - electric motor 34, the driven pinion 34 ', rack 34' '. A lifting device, designated overall by 35, is arranged on the crossbeam 32, which comprises a lifting motor 36 with chain pinion 36 ′ and two feed wheels 37 per lifting chain 38. As can be seen from FIG. 7, in which the frame is largely omitted, at least two lifting chains 38 are provided. Each lifting chain 38 is connected at one end to a walking beam frame 58, around the first feed wheel 37, then around the chain sprocket 36 'and then around the further feed wheel 37, and at the other end connected to a balance weight 39 so that the lifting chain engages around the chain sprocket 36 'is safely guided. At 40 stroke guides are indicated, which guide the walking beam frame 58 in the vertical direction.

The total designated 41 gripper comprises linear, horizontally extending guide rails 42 on which the gripping jaws 43 and 43 'are linearly guided towards and away from one another, with the aid of carriages 54, on which, as shown, chains 55 engage, each of which is guided via deflection wheels 56 and is connected at the other end to the walking beam frame 58. The chain center engaging on the carriage 54 runs approximately horizontally and the chain center engaging on the walking beam frame approximately vertically and can be fixed at the end of the vertical run at vertically different locations 59 on the walking beam frame 58, as a result of which the spreading width of the gripping jaws and thus that seen in their direction of movement Dimension of the goods to be gripped is variable; Instead of the stepped fixing possibility of the chain end, a stepless fixing can also be provided, as indicated for the other end of the respective chain for the purpose of fine adjustment by a fixing screw 59 '. A chain 55 is provided for each slide 54. The carriages are each urged into their spread position by springs 57, ie in the direction in which they move away from one another. In the present example, two pairs of gripping jaws with associated slides and chains are provided, as can be seen in FIG. Details can be found more precisely from the enlarged partial representation according to FIG. 8. The gripping device itself - guide rails, slides, gripping jaws and guiding on the gripper side for the strapping band and the band connecting device - are held in association with one another by means of a support frame 60.

The strapping device, designated as a whole by 44, has a strap guide frame 45 which - FIG. 7 - can be pivoted about an axis 51 between an operating position 46 and a rest position 47 by means of a pivot cylinder 50. The strap guide frame 45 comprises a strap guide channel 19 into which a strapping strap 52 is inserted, which is drawn off from a storage drum 48 via a Biasing device 49 is directed. Such a device is generally known and does not require any further explanation here; for the rest, reference is made to the comments on FIG. 5. In particular, the mode of operation of the tape guide frame with regard to the chronological sequence of the pivoting between the rest position and the operating position largely corresponds to the statements made in connection with the exemplary embodiments according to FIGS. 1 to 5. In the present example, it is also possible to move the belt guide frame 45 in its operating position 46 in the horizontal direction, so that successively parallel stacks or goods can be strapped, which at the same time from their delivery point to a storage point or the like with the aid of the gripper, the lifting device and the movable traverse can be implemented. Since the strapping device is carried as a whole, strapping takes place in the course of the repositioning process.

Claims (19)

1. Apparatus for reloading one-piece or multi-piece products to be hoop-cased, for example simultaneously at least one stack (10) of slabs delivered edgeways in a wide flat relation to each other, from a delivery location onto a storage location, transfer palette or similar means on which the product is hoop-cased in a vertical plane, which in case of single hoop-casing is approximately a center plane of the product or the longitudinal center plane (13) of the stack (10), by means of a plastic or steel hoop (12;52), wherein a multi-piece product may be bunched or stably held together, wherein there are provided a grab (1;41) for the product to be reloaded movable between a pick up position and a drop position and having clamping jaws (3,3',43,43') which under pressure and in the direction of the stack are engageable with and disengageable from the product such as for example the end plates (11,11') of the stack (10) at the broadsides thereof mutually opposite in the clamping direction and a hoop-casing device (4;44) by means of which device the hoop (12;52) guided to be drawn off a feed drum (14,14',48) may be applied around the product and may be stably connected to form a loop closed in itself, thereby engaging the product, characterized by said hoop-casing device (4;44) being combined with said grab (1;41) in the apparatus and having a hoop guide means (5;45) movable between an operating position (6;46) for positioning the hoop (12;52) with a trunk extending below the product and in case of a stack (10) in the longitudinal direction thereof, and a rest position (7;47) laterally out of the zone below the delivery sub-plane of the product, said hoop guide means being controlled so that upon clamping of the product by the grab (1;41) and lifting the same off the delivery surface it is moved into the operating position (6;46) and upon completion of hoop-casing of said product with the hoop (12;52) it is moved back into the rest position (7;47) before the grab (1;41) drops the product onto the surface of the storage location, palette or similar transfer means.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by said hoop guide means (5;45) being pivotably supported to reciprocate between the operating position (6;46) and the rest position (7;47).
3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by said hoop guide means (5) guides the hoop (12) taken up in the operating position (6) also in the rest position (7), which hoop (12) is drawn as an endless hoop off two feed drums (14,14') and after connection of a hoop portion drawn around a product - a stack of slabs (10) - is again connected by the ends thereof which thus become free at the connecting point, the hoop guide means (5) in addition to its capacity of pivoting between the rest position (7) and the operating position (6) being guided so as to be height-adjustable in said latter position.
4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized by the hoop guide means (5) comprising two arms (8,8') respectively having a hoop guide roller (15,15') on the ends thereof below the dropping plane of the stack of slabs (10) in the operating position and being pivotably supported about coaxial bearings (8,9').
5. Apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, characterized by the hoop guide means or the arms thereof together with the bearings being guided to be height-adjustable in the totality thereof.
6. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized by the arms (8,8') being guided to be height-adjustable via a rack drive mechanism with said rack formed on said arms (8,8') and a pinion rotatably supported and driven within the pivot bearings (9,9').
7. Apparatus according to any one of the claims 4 to 6, characterized by the pivoting movement being effected by means of a piston-cylinder unit (16,16') - especially of hydraulic configuration - and the height-adjusting movement being effected by means of an electric motor unit (17), preferably acting on both pinions of the rack drive mechanism through a continuous shaft (18).
8. Apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, characterized by the axis of the driving shaft (18) for the pinions at the same time being the pivot axis for the arms (8,8').
9. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the hoop guide means (5) having a receiving channel (19) for a hoop (52) drawn off the feed drum (48), e.g. a steel hoop, adapted to be introduced per hoop-casing operation with one end ahead into the receiving channel (19) and adapted to be engaged to the product by being released from the receiving channel (19), especially on swinging out resilient locking webs, after it has been guided around said product.
10. Apparatus according to any one of the claims 1 to 9, characterized by each of the clamping jaws (3,3') being divided into two with view to the vertical center plane (13) of the stack (10) extending in the longitudinal direction thereof and being held and operated separately on both sides of said plane by means of the grab (1).
11. Apparatus according to any one of the claims 1 to 10, characterized by the clamping jaws (3,3') of the grab (1) being operated by means of cross rods (2).
12. Apparatus according to any one of the claims 1 to 10, characterized by the clamping jaws (43,43'9 of the grab (41) being guided (42,54) and driven (55,57) to be linearly movable towards and away from each other.
13. Apparatus according to claim 12, characterized by the clamping jaws (43,43') being supported on carriages (54) adapted to be longitudinally displaced in guide rails (53).
14. Apparatus according to claim 12 or 13, characterized by the clamping jaws (43,43') being drawn towards each other into their clamping position by means of chains (55) and being urged away from each other towards the spread position thereof by means of springs (57).
15. Apparatus according to claim 14, characterized by the chains (55) engaging the carriages (54) by one end thereof being respectively guided around a reversing wheel (56) and being connected to a walking beam frame (58) locating above the grab (41) by the other end thereof.
16. Apparatus according to claim 15, characterized by the fixing of one of the chain ends being adapted to be stepped (59) or continuous and changing in the effective longitudinal direction of the chain.
17. Apparatus according to any one of the claims 12 to 16, characterized by the movement of the clamping jaws (43,43') towards each other and the pressure exerted on the product being derived from the power required for the stroke of the grab (41) to lift the product.
18. Apparatus according to claims 15 and 17, characterized by the lifting means (35) for raising and lowering the grab (41) being engaging the walking beam frame (58).
19. Apparatus according to any one of the claims 1 to 18, characterized by the hoop guide frame (45) being adapted to be displaced in its operating position (46) vertically to the linear guide means of the clamping jaws (43,43') to different positions of operation.

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