FR2849648A1 - Unloading device for grape harvesting case, has gripping unit to catch cases and suspension unit, and to associate with transfer unit to take cases on drive unit, which drives cases one behind other to wine press - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a gripping unit (2) to catch cases (30) juxtaposed on a pallet. The gripping unit is associated with a transfer unit (10) to take cases (3) on a drive unit (4). The drive unit has disassembling units (40, 43, 46, 47) disassembling the cases (3) to drive the cases one behind the other to a wine press. The gripping unit catches a suspension unit that is horizontally displaced.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for

  unloading of vintage crates.

  The present Applicant has already proposed in the documents FR 2,687,940 and FR 2,706,164, respectively, an automatic washing device for boxes, particularly suitable for washing vintage cases, and a device for emptying vintage cases into a press. . The object of the device according to the invention is to be associated with the aforementioned devices to constitute an automatic harvest processing unit.

  After picking, the grapes are placed in rectangular plastic boxes, which replace the traditional wicker baskets. These boxes are juxtaposed by four, and stacked on handling pallets. They are thus transferred from the vine to the press by transport vehicles, and unloaded to be emptied into said press.

  Currently the pallet unloading operation is carried out by means of a forklift, however the handling of each of the boxes is carried out manually. The transfer of the boxes to the press and the emptying of the harvest therein has been automated, in particular by the device described in the aforementioned document FR 2,706,164, so that, on a pressing site equipped with the aforementioned device, the only manual operation remains depalletizing the boxes to place them one by one on the conveyor leading to the emptying device. This operation is tedious because it must be carried out quickly.

  The object of the present invention is to remedy this drawback by proposing a device for unloading vintage cases, particularly suitable for being combined with a device for emptying vintage cases in a press such as that described in document FR 2.706. 164.

  The device for unloading harvest crates according to the invention is essentially characterized in that it comprises means for gripping, from above, at least one crate, associated with a means capable of lifting and supporting said crate in view of its transfer to a press.

  According to a first embodiment of the device according to the invention, the gripping means is capable of gripping all of the boxes juxtaposed on a pallet, and it is associated with a transfer means capable of bringing said boxes to a means of conveyor comprising means provided for disassembling said boxes in order to convey them one behind the other to the press.

  According to an additional characteristic of the device according to the invention, it comprises means capable of gripping the pallet after removal of the harvesting crates which it supported, and of producing a stack of pallets.

  According to another additional characteristic of the device according to the invention, the means capable of carrying out the stacking of pallets comprises means capable of lifting the stack being built up and of placing another pallet under it and so on.

  Advantageously, the means capable of gripping the pallets and stacking them are associated with means for washing the pallets before stacking.

  According to an additional characteristic of the device according to the invention, it comprises a gantry under which the harvest crates are brought after unloading of the transport vehicle, and on which the gripping means which can also be moved vertically can move.

  According to another additional characteristic of the device according to the invention, the gripping means is pivotally movable along a vertical axis.

  This characteristic makes it possible to have a quarter turn carried out by all of the cases after it has been seized, in particular for a certain type of case, such as those sold under the brand "ALLIBERT" which are embolable when they are in the same direction and 35 stackable when they are angularly offset by a quarter turn. Also, the pivoting ability of the gripping means allows these boxes to be placed in the right direction on the conveying means.

  According to another additional characteristic of the device according to the invention, the means provided for disassembling the boxes and conveying them one behind the other towards the press, consist of a set of parallel and successive conveyors, capable of advancing at different speeds to allow certain cases to be exceeded by others.

  According to a particular embodiment of the device according to the invention, the gripping means is capable of simultaneously gripping a set of four boxes arranged so as to form a square, it comprises four horizontal bars arranged in a square, movable in approach or in distance 15 from the center of said square, so that it can enclose said set of four boxes.

  According to another particular embodiment of the device according to the invention, the gripping means is capable of grasping a box from the inside, comprising holding means capable of locking on the handles of said box, said gripping means being attached to a suspension means capable of being moved horizontally.

  This embodiment of the device according to the invention is the simplest, it is intended to be operated manually. In practice, the gripping means is placed on the box, the locking means are actuated and grips the handles of the latter which is then lifted and kept suspended and moved to the press or to a conveyor leading to the press. This device according to the invention makes it possible to considerably lighten the task of the workers who only have to bring the boxes, practically without effort, to the press. According to an additional characteristic of the device according to the invention, the gripping means comprises a part 35 intended to be placed transversely on the edge of the box, and having below at each of its ends a movable locking means on a handle of said box controlled by a motor means, and above a fixing means by means of suspension.

  According to another additional characteristic of the device according to the invention, the parts of the part intended to come to bear on the body each have an opening opposite the handle in order to allow the passage of the movable locking means.

  According to another additional characteristic of the device according to the invention, the drive means consist of pneumatic cylinders.

  It will be noted that in an alternative embodiment, provision is made to be able to simultaneously grasp two aligned boxes, the device then comprising two gripping means from the inside, such as that described above, abutted or juxtaposed.

  The advantages and characteristics of the device according to the invention will emerge more clearly from the description which follows and which relates to the appended drawing, which represents several non-limiting embodiments thereof.

  In the accompanying drawing: - Figure 1 shows a partial schematic plan view of a device for unloading harvest boxes according to the invention.

  - Figure 2 shows a schematic elevational view of the same device.

  - Figures 3a, 3b and 3c each show a schematic plan view of the palletized harvest box.

  - Figure 4 shows a schematic plan view from below of part of another embodiment of the device according to the invention.

  - Figure 5 shows a partial schematic view in elevation and in section of the same embodiment.

  With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, one can see a device for unloading harvest boxes according to the invention. This device comprises a frame consisting essentially of a gantry 1 equipped with a bracket 10 along which a carriage 11 can move, supporting a means 2 for gripping boxes 3.

  The gripping means 2 comprises a mobile structure 20 in vertical displacement and having the shape of a cross with four branches 21, of which only three are visible in each of FIGS. 1 and 2, which are mobile in elongation and in shortening, while each carries, at its free end and below, a transverse bar 10 22, so that the four bars form a square.

  The boxes 3 are placed by four in a square or rectangular assembly 30 on a pallet P, which is placed under the gantry 1, vertically of the gripping means 2.

  In practice, the gripping means 2 is lowered until the structure 20 comes into contact with the boxes 3 and the transverse bars 22 are placed outside the assembly 30 of four boxes 3, then, by shortening the branches 21, the square or rectangle formed by the transverse bars 22 closes until it encloses the 20 boxes 3. Then, the gripping means 2 is raised, thereby lifting the assembly 30, while the carriage 11 moves along of the bracket 10 to take the assembly 30 onto a conveying means 4.

  It will be noted that reference is made above to the lowering of the gripping means 2, but it is quite possible that the latter is stationary in the vertical direction, but that on the other hand the boxes are supported by an elevator means. The conveyor means 4 comprises a succession of 30 conveyor type conveyors or rollers. In the embodiment shown, it comprises a pair 40 of two parallel conveyors 41 and 42 going at the same running speed, followed by a pair 43 of parallel conveyors 44 and 45 going at different running speeds, it even followed a conveyor 46.

  The gripping means 2 deposits the assembly 30 on the pair 40, that is to say two successive cases 3 on the conveyor 41 and two successive cases 3 on the conveyor 42, the cases 3 then advance at the same speed. When passing over the 5 pair 43 of conveyors 44 and 45, due to the different running speeds of these, two boxes 3 exceed the other two and reach the conveyor 46 first, the latter being equipped with means 47 for pushing transverse allowing the alignment of four boxes 3 in order to bring it to the press.

  The transverse thrust means 47 can consist of a ramp or a movable plunger, they can also be replaced by transverse drive means such as belts or chains transversely cutting the conveyor 15 46.

  It will be noted that other configurations and uses of conveyors with different running speeds are possible. It will also be noted that the boxes 3 for turning the boxes 3 can be inserted between the different conveyors, this depending on the type of boxes used and / or the type of pallets P. Thus, with reference now to FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c, one can see some ways of placing the boxes 3 on a pallet, not shown.

  Figure 3a shows the most common way to arrange the boxes 3 on a pallet, to form a rectangle. FIG. 3b represents four rectangular boxes 3, 30 which form a square assembly 30, which is obtained by not placing all the boxes 3 in the same orientation, but by systematically bringing the short side of a box into contact with the long side from the neighboring cash register and vice versa. Such an arrangement requires some boxes to be turned upside down when passing over the conveyor means 4.

  The reversal can be obtained by using sensor means making it possible to recognize the orientation of the boxes 3, associated with pivoting means. It is also possible to arrange laterally on the transfer path stops 5 intended to retain by an angle the boxes arranged transversely in order to force them to pivot.

  FIG. 3c shows another configuration where the boxes 3 are rectangular and are assembled to form a rectangle, but where stacking requires rotating each of the boxes 3 by 900 relative to that on which it is stacked. This scenario is notably that encountered with cases of the type of those sold under the brand "ALLIBERTII. To overcome this drawback, that is to say, to turn the set 30 of cases 3 once in two, there 15 is planned to rotate the structure 20 by 900. This operation can be performed automatically after detection of the shape and orientation of the assembly 30, by means of sensors arranged at the branches 21 of the structure 20, capable to carry out this detection from the shortening length of the branches 21.

  The device according to the invention as just described has many advantages in that it allows the almost automatic unloading of the harvest crates, to bring them to the press or to the conveying device of a picking device. emptying of vintage crates as mentioned above. Advantageously, the device according to the invention can have other equipment, in particular a device for automatically removing the pallets after emptying them, as well as washing and stacking devices for these. In practice, the device according to the invention as described in FIGS. 1 and 2, is completed on either side of the gantry 1, by placing itself in the direction of movement of the carriage 11, on one side a station for unloading loaded pallets, and the other for a pallet stacking station.

  These two stations are connected by means of conveying transverse to the direction of movement of the carriage 11, crossing the zone of action of the gripping means 2.

  Thus, the pallet unloading station is supplied by means of a forklift, then the transverse conveying means brings the loaded pallet vertically to the gripping means 2, after the pallet is completely unloaded, it is brought by the transverse conveying means at the stacking station while another loaded pallet 10 is placed under the gripping means 2.

  The pallet stacking station can include means making it possible to raise the stack of pallets being built up, the time required to supply the pallet to be stored.

  Advantageously, means may be provided for washing the pallet, by means of jets of pressurized water for example, intervening during its transfer to the stacking station. The entire device as described is of course provided movable to adapt to the configuration of the installation where it is used.

  It will be noted that it can also be provided over the entire installation, downstream of the box washing station and of the pallet washing and stacking station, a box stacking station after washing, and a 25 palletizing station for stacked boxes, operating in the reverse mode to that of depalletization.

  It should also be noted that the device according to the invention as shown in Figures 1 and 2 relates to an installation particularly intended for loading 30 presses arranged at a lower level which are accessed for example via a hopper in the ground.

  There are of course other types of facilities, for which it is necessary to raise the crates of grape harvests above the presses to empty them. In this case, an inclined plane is provided to bring the boxes of the conveyor to the presses, or to carry out the various operations at a height higher than that of the openings of the presses, for this the different conveyors are in height and it elevators and / or descenders are provided. The embodiment of the device according to the invention as described as a whole previously is particularly intended for the use of large producers, given the cost that it can represent. Also, another embodiment of the device according to the invention, simpler and therefore less expensive, also makes it possible to remedy the drawbacks of the usual techniques used.

  This embodiment, partially shown in Figures 4 and 5, is intended to allow to unload and transfer the boxes 3 one by one.

  This device comprises a gripping means 5 of a box 3, which is in the form of an elongated piece intended to be placed on the box 3, opposite the handles 31 thereof.

  It should be noted that in FIG. 5, two different types of box 3 are represented, in this case the boxes A and S sold respectively under the brands "ALLIBERT" and "STAMP", the gripping means 5 being able to grab both.

  The gripping means 5 comprises a body 50, each of the ends 25 of which has a large bearing surface 51 intended to come into contact with the edge 32 of the body 3, and which has an opening 52 opposite the handle 31 of the latter . In the embodiment shown, the hollowed-out bearing surface 51 is obtained by folding a bar encircling the body 50.

  Each of the ends of the body also includes a movable hook 53 able to hook the handle 31 opposite, under the action of a motor means such as a pneumatic cylinder 54.

  The gripping means 5 further comprises a handle 55 in the form of a ring, as well as a point 56 for fixing a suspension cable 57 itself mounted movable in transfer by its other end, on a bracket 10 for example, allowing, after gripping a box 3, to lift it and then transfer it from the pallet to the press.

Claims (13)

  1) Device for unloading harvest boxes, characterized in that it comprises a gripping means (2; 5), from above, of at least one case (3), associated with a means (1) capable of lifting and supporting said box (3) for its transfer to a press.   2) Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the gripping means (2) is capable of gripping the assembly (30) of the boxes (3) juxtaposed on a pallet (P), and it is associated with a means of transfer (10, 11) capable of bringing said 10 boxes (3) onto a conveying means (4) comprising means (40, 43, 46, 47) provided for disassembling said boxes (3) in order to convey them one behind the others towards the press. 3) Device according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises means capable of gripping the pallet (P) after removal of the vintage crates (3) which it supported, and in producing a stack of pallets (P) .   4) Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the means capable of producing the stack of pallets (P) 20 comprises means capable of lifting the stack being formed and placing another pallet (P) below and thus right now.   5) Device according to claim 3 or claim 4, characterized in that the means capable of gripping the pallets (P) and stacking them are associated with means for washing the pallets (P) before stacking.   6) Device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that it comprises a gantry (1) under which are brought the vintage crates (3) after unloading the transport vehicle, and on which can be horizontally move the gripping means (2) which is also movable vertically.   7) Device according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the gripping means (2) is pivotally movable along a vertical axis.   8) Device according to any one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that the means provided for disassembling the boxes and conveying them one behind the other to the press, consist of a set of parallel conveyors 10 and successive (41, 42, 44, 45), capable of advancing at different speeds to allow certain boxes (3) to be exceeded by others.   9) Device according to any one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that the gripping means is capable of simultaneously gripping a set (30) of four boxes (3) arranged in a square, it comprises four horizontal bars (22 ) arranged so as to form a square, movable towards or away from the center of said square, so that being able to grip said set (30) of four boxes (3).   10) Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the gripping means (5) is adapted to grip a box (3) from the inside, comprising holding means (53) capable of locking on the handles (31 ) of said box (3), said gripping means (5) being hooked to a suspension means (57) capable of being moved horizontally.   11) Device according to claim 10, characterized in that the gripping means (5) comprises a part intended to be placed transversely on the edge (32) of the body (3), and having below each of its ends a 30 movable means (53) for locking on a handle (31) of said body (3), controlled by a motor means (54), and above a fixing means (56) by means of suspension   (57). (57). 12) Device according to claim 11, characterized in 35 that the parts (51) of the part (5) intended to come in 12) Device according to claim 11, characterized in 35 that the parts (51) of the part ( 5) intended to come to bear on the body (3) each have an opening (52) support on the body (3) each have an opening (52) opposite the handle (31) in order to allow the passage of the look of the handle (31) in order to allow the passage of the movable locking means (53). movable locking means (53). 13) Device according to claim 11 or the   13) Device according to claim 11 or claim 12, characterized in that the drive means claim 12, characterized in that the drive means consist of pneumatic cylinders (54). consist of pneumatic cylinders (54).