FR2545460A1 - Installation for the automatic loading of vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an installation for automatic loading of vehicles, characterised in that it comprises, in combination, at least one conveying path U1... carrying the pallets G1 G2..., extending over a transfer platform T1 and a vehicle support which is movable in rotation, driven by mechanical means M which are located at the centre of the said vehicle support. The vehicle support may, for example, be a carousel K carrying a plurality of wagons or a platform K' carrying a single wagon W. During operation, the said support K or K' is immobilised in at least two positions: entry position P0 and loading position P2. Moreover, the load of a vehicle is preconstituted and introduced automatically via the rear of a vehicle in loading position P2. Application: production of systems for automatic loading of vehicles for any type of industry.

Description

 The present invention relates to an installation for the automatic loading of vehicles.

 Different automatic loading systems exist which, by a series of operations such as grouping of pallets, positioning of the load, then transfer of the load on a wagon, result in the loading onto a wagon, of a batch of pallets, by the side of the wagon.

 These devices are characterized by the large number and the complexity of the operations to be carried out, and the difficulty of automating all these operations.

 The lateral side never retracts completely (typ "débach'vit" registered trademark), loading can only be done at once.

 An additional disadvantage: the front side and the rear side of the wagon both have a projection on the side face of the wagon, so that the load is not in contact with the two end walls of the wagon. Either a new, manual operation must be carried out to push the load against the wall, or a vacuum is left between the load and the wall, and during the tremors to which the wagons are subjected during transport, there is a risk that the load breaks up and the goods are damaged. If one wants to avoid this, one is brought to carry out a "padding" between the wall and the load, in order to prevent the floating of 1 load inside the wagon.

 The aim of the system described is both to avoid the complexity of the operations and to ensure the complete occupation of the wagon along its length in order to suppress the floating of the load. I1 makes it possible to unload the wagon in a single operation, easily automated.

 The automatic vehicle loading installation according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises in combination at least one routing path carrying the pallets and extending on a transfer platform, and a mobile vehicle support in rotation , driven by mechanical means located in the center of said vehicle support.

The invention will be better understood using the description below made with reference to the appended figures
- Figure 1 is a schematic overview of the routes to the transfer platform.

FIG. 2 shows in schematic top view, a device for loading wagons according to the invention, comprising a carousel and a transfer platform,
FIGS. 3a and 3b show a schematic top view of a turntable system which can replace the carousel of FIG. 2,
- Figure 4 is a section along a vertical plane
AA of figure Sa.

 According to a first embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 and 2, the loading installation consists of a plurality of palletizers (Q1) '(Q2)' (Q3) '(Q4) ... arranged respectively at the output of the chains (C1), (C2), (C3), (C4), ..., or possibly in recovery from stocks (not shown), of a plurality of channels (V1, V2, V3, V4 ...) converging by means of a system of converging switches (A1, A2, A3 ...) according to known techniques, of a route U which can possibly be separated into a plurality of routes routing (U1), (U2), by means of an alternative switch (B).

 The routing path (U1) and / or the routing path (U2) convey pallets (Gl, G2 ...) to a transfer platform (T).

The installation further comprises a carousel (K) driven by mechanical means (M) located for example in the center of the carousel (K), said carousel carrying the wagons (W1), (W2), (w3), (W4) , (W5) -
The loading installation in accordance with this first embodiment operates as described below and a distinction is made:
1) a pallet routing operation. At the end of a chain (C1) or (C2) ..., after palletizing in (P1), (P2) ... or in stock recovery, the pallets (G1) (G2) ...

are routed, via a raceway (V1), (V2) ... (or magnetic rail, or air cushion ...) to a transfer platform (T).

 By the converging switch system (A1) (A2) ...

several palletizers, or both palletizers and a stock, can simultaneously supply the platform (T), hence the possibility of constituting heterogeneous loads.

 The platform (T) is fixed. Pallets (G1) (G2) ...

are therefore always sent to the same place. It is the wagon which goes towards the preconstituted load, and no longer the load which goes towards the wagon. Before arriving on the platform (T), by the alternative switch (B), place the pallets (G1) (G2) ...

on two lines (or several lines depending on the relative width of the pallets and the opening of the wagon) and, taking into account the length (L) of the wagon, lots of 2 x
X pallets, (where L is the length of a pallet), for example 2 x 18 pallets for a loading of 36 pallets.

2) an operation for placing a vehicle in front of the transfer platform. This operation is broken down into successive stages
- admission
The wagons (W1) (W2) ... are moved on rails (E) to arrive one by one on a carousel system (I () where they take place, in cells prepared for this purpose.

 Once the wagon (W1) on the carousel in the intake position (P0), the carousel (K) turns by one notch, for example 450 or 1 / 8th of a turn.

- opening
Another wagon (W2) is allowed on the carousel in position (P0), while in position (P1) there is opening of the rear face of the wagon (W1) (by lateral sliding, or flapping of two half-sides , or vertical sliding of the back of the wagon, or rotation of the door on its lower edge ...).

The opening of the bottom of the wagon can be neutral or partial (metal curtain or hatch, etc.) provided that the opening thus released is of sufficient size for the passage of the load. The opening must not be towards the inside of the wagon.

 The operator finished, the carousel turns a notch.

- loading
Another wagon (W3) is allowed in position (Po),
the wagon (W2) is in turn open, in position (P1) and,
the wagon (W1) is, by its open rear ace opposite the transfer platform which performs the transfer of the load by known means, in position (P2).

 Then the carousel turns a new notch.

- closing
a wagon (W4) is allowed in position (P,),
the wagon (143) is open in position (P1),
the wagon (W2) is loaded in position (P2), and
wagon closure (1) in position (P3),
then the carousel moves up a notch.

- end of operation
a wagon (W5) is allowed on the carousel (K) in position (P0),
the wagon (W4) is open in position (P1),
the wagon (W3) is loaded in position (P2),
the wagon (W2) is closed in position (P3) and
in position (P4) the wagon (Wl) leaves the carousel to resume its journey on rail, at the outlet (S).

According to variants of this first embodiment of the invention, the loading installation comprises the same elements as in the first embodiment but provision may be made in the operation of placing vehicles, stages or operations additional, which we add, individually or in combination, to the steps (P0, P1, ...)
- in the unloading position (P2) of the wagpn, the load can be lifted by means of forks slid into the pallet holes, then slide the transfer device under the load in the wagon, then take out the assembly.

 - Between the opening position (P1) and the loading position (P2), there can be a position (P1 bis) fitted with an unloading device.

 - between (P1 bis) (unloading) and (P2) (loading) we can provide intermediate positions for cleaning, disinfection ... of the wagon.

 - if the same platform can ensure, successively, loading and unloading: one can place on the carousel (K) one behind the other, a wagon (to be unloaded) then a truck (to be reloaded). The platform will be able to unload the wagon and then, immediately after, transfer its load (or a part only) to the truck.

 According to a second embodiment of the invention, the carousel is replaced by a turntable (K ') shown in Figures 3a and 3b whose diameter corresponds to the length of a wagon.

 The installation in accordance with the first embodiment being large, costly, and requiring a lot of space, the same principle can be used in a system which is less efficient, but more economical in terms of space and financial means and which would be more suitable for companies having more modest loading (unloading) problems.

 It will thus be possible to load wagons with batches of pallets while occupying a less taxable floor area and using less expensive means.

 Conveying the pallets to the platform (T) the loading platform (T) (or unloading) are identiq in the two embodiments.

 The carousel (K) is replaced by a turntable (K ') having a hollow area (Z) shown in Figure 4, corresponding to a section (A-A) of Figure 3a.

The floor of the wagon stationing in zone (Z) is the same level as the loading platform (T), the rails at 1 rieur of the plate being in trench, as well as the acul (E) and exit rails (S ). To take into account, however, the fact that not all the vehicles to be treated necessarily have the same weight on the ground, it is possible to provide, by a system of jacks for example, the possibility of raising or lowering the level of the platform or the level of the ground in zone Z where the vehicle is parked
Only one wagon (W) is processed at a time, for example following the same succession of steps as previously. But it would not go beyond the scope of the invention to treat the wagon by another succession of positions such as for example
- entry of the wagon into position (PO) by track (E)
- opening then loading then closing in position
- return to position (PO) and exit via track (E).

Finally we note that
- the installations described can be used to load both trucks and wagons.

 - the arrangement of the turntable (K ') to raise or lower the ground level or the loading platform (T) can also exist in the carousel (K).

- we can group several operations on the same position, and for the two embodiments, until we only distinguish positions (PO) and (P2)
- the entry and exit routes are always available in a radial direction outside the vehicle support.

Claims (9)

CLAIMS. 1. Automatic vehicle loading installation characterized in that it comprises in combination at least one routing path (ut) ... carrying the pallets (Gl) (G2) ..., extending onto a transfer platform (T), and a vehicle support (K), mobile in rotation, driven by mechanical means (M) located in the center of said vehicle support. 2. Installation for automatic vehicle loading, according to claim 1, characterized in that the vehicle support is a carousel (K) carrying a plurality of wagons. 3. Automatic vehicle loading installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the vehicle support is a platform (K ') carrying a wagon. 4. Automatic vehicle loading installation according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each vehicle carried by the mobile support in rotation, is immobilized in at least two positions, entry position (PO), loading position (P2), 5. Installation of automatic-vehicle loading, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the load of a vehicle is set and introduced automatically by the quarry of a vehicle in the loading position (P2). 6. Automatic vehicle loading installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the entry way (E) and the exit way (S) are both arranged, in a radial direction, at the outside of the vehicle mount. 7. Automatic vehicle loading installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vehicle support (K) (K ') has a recessed area (Z). 8. Automatic vehicle loading installation according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises means for varying the distance between the ground level of the zone (Z) and the level of the platform. 9. Automatic vehicle loading installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises a plurality of tracks (V1) (V2) ... arranged at the end of devices such as chain and stock , so as to constitute a heterogeneous load.