FR3029515A1 - DEVICE FOR TRANSFERRING A PUSHED AND TRACTED LOAD IN THE SAME PLAN AND HANDLING EQUIPMENT EQUIPPED WITH SUCH A DEVICE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a transfer device (10) intended to be mounted on a handling machine (1) for transferring a load from said handling machine to a machine tool table and vice versa. It comprises a handling arm (20) provided at its free end (21) with coupling means (40) intended to cooperate with complementary coupling means provided on said load to be transferred. They comprise a thrust bar (41) mounted transversely to the free end (21) of the handling arm (20) and two gripping parts (42) mounted free to rotate and translate on the thrust bar (41). to be able to be adjusted and hooked on shouldered screws fixed in the sides of said load. The handling arm (20) comprises a deformable lever mechanism (22, 24) actuated by a jack (51), all articulated on a mounting frame (60) attached to the handling machine (1).

Description

1 TECHNICAL FIELD: The present invention relates to a device for transferring a load by pushing and pulling in the same plane, called transfer plan, this device being intended to be mounted on a handling machine for transferring a tool, a mold, a metal mass or the like from said handling machine to a machine tool or press table and vice versa, said device for transfer comprising a handling arm provided at its free end with coupling means intended to cooperate with complementary coupling means provided on said load, said handling arm being coupled to actuating means to be moved between at least one retracted position and an extended position and vice versa, between which said coupling means move in a plane parallel to said pl transfer year. The present invention also relates to a handling machine comprising at least one sliding apron along a substantially vertical mast, said deck carrying forks or the like arranged to carry a load. PRIOR ART: The transfer devices of the type mentioned above are known and in particular described in publications FR 2 747 381 and FR 2 972 003 of the same applicant. The coupling means provided at the free end of the handling arm and intended to cooperate with complementary coupling means provided on the load are generally formed by a bayonet system. This bayonet system has the advantage of not requiring any source of energy for its operation, but 3029515 2 requires to provide on the load of the hanging parts complicated and expensive to manufacture. More particularly, this bayonet system comprises two cylindrical bayonets, pins or stepped screws, fixed or retractable, which extend symmetrically and transversely to the end of the handling arm. Therefore, the fastening parts to be fixed on the load are in the form of two double-aperture angles or hooks, that is to say open upwards and downwards, to allow attachment and stalling bayonets during the rising and falling phases of the on-board transfer device on the handling equipment. However, these fasteners may represent a brake on the sale of the transfer device, because it is necessary to multiply the cost of these fasteners by the number of tools to be equipped. In addition, these attachment parts must be positioned and fixed on the front face of the load. Consequently, they penalize the load capacity of the handling machine. Indeed, for a type of "cantilever" type of handling equipment, that is to say provided with gripping forks, its capacity of 15 loads is given by the maximum permissible load and the distance from the center. gravity of the load relative to the mast of elevation of said machine. Finally, these hooking parts must be arranged relative to each other at a predetermined spacing by the span of the bayonets, otherwise the attachment of the transfer device is not possible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention aims at overcoming these drawbacks by proposing a transfer device equipped with very simple coupling means that are economical, reliable and do not require any source of energy, and which can be easily adapted to all load widths, which can also equip any type of handling machine without penalizing their load capacity, and can be provided at the front of any type of handling arm.

For this purpose, the invention relates to a transfer device of the type indicated in the preamble, characterized in that the coupling means comprise at least one thrust bar mounted transversely to the free end of said handling arm and at least two attachment pieces mounted on said push bar and arranged to be moved between a rest position in which the attachment pieces are not coupled to said load, and a working position in which the attachment pieces are coupled to said load to be transferred. In a preferred embodiment, the hooking pieces are mounted free in translation on said push bar so as to adjust the spacing of said hooking parts to the width of the load to be transferred. In this case, the push bar may comprise two end rings arranged to limit the translational movement of said attachment parts.

The coupling means may comprise rotational stop means for immobilizing said attachment pieces in the rest position, for example in the form of at least two permanent magnets on which the attachment pieces can bear in contact with each other. rest position.

In the preferred embodiment, the fasteners each comprise at least one bore defining a pivot axis and arranged to receive said thrust bar, and a hook off-center with respect to said pivot axis. In this case, the attachment pieces can be rotatably mounted on the push bar defining said pivot axis, so that they can be tilted between said rest position and said working position. The transfer device according to the invention may comprise a mounting frame intended to be mounted on said handling machine and the handling arm may comprise a deformable lever mechanism actuated by at least one jack, said mechanism and said jack being in this case, articulated on said mounting frame. The deformable lever mechanism may comprise at least one main lever of length L, one end of which is hinged to said mounting frame about a first pivot axis A1, which is slidable in a vertical rail of said frame between at least said retracted position and said extended position of said deformable arm, and the other end of which comprises said coupling means, and a secondary lever of a length equal to half the length of said main lever, one end of which is hinged to said vertical rail around a second pivot axis A2 and whose other end is articulated on said main lever around a third pivot axis A3 in the center of said main lever, the three pivot axes A1, A2, A3 defining a deformable isosceles triangle.

The jack may comprise an end hinged to said mounting frame about a fourth pivot axis A4 and the other end hinged to said main lever about a fifth pivot axis A5 eccentric with respect to said third pivot axis A3. .

For this purpose also, the invention relates to a handling machine of the kind indicated in the preamble, characterized in that it comprises a transfer device as defined above and arranged to transfer a tool, a mold, a metal mass or the like of such a handling machine at a machine tool or press table and vice versa.

In a preferred embodiment, the transfer device comprises at least one mounting frame arranged to be mounted either at the front or at the rear of said sliding apron.

The present invention and its advantages will become more apparent in the following description of two embodiments given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: FIG. transfer device according to a first embodiment of the invention mounted at the front of a sliding apron of a handling machine, the transfer device being in extended position, Figure 2 is a front view of the device of FIG. 1 in the retracted position, FIG. 3 is a view from above of FIG. 2, FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C are side views of the device of FIG. 1 respectively in the retracted, semi-extended and extended position, - Figure 5 shows in perspective a transfer device according to a second embodiment of the invention mounted at the rear of a sliding apron 15 of a handling machine, the dispo FIG. 6 is a front view of the device of FIG. 5 in the retracted position, FIG. 7 is a top view of FIG. 6, FIGS. 8A, 8B and 8C are views of FIG. 5A and 9B are side views of the transfer device according to the first embodiment in the retracted position, coupled to a load equipped respectively, respectively, in the retracted, semi-extended and extended position of the device of FIG. of lateral shoulder screws and a frontal latching bar, and - FIGS. 10A and 10B are enlarged views of detail X of FIG. 9A showing respectively the working position and the rest position of a part 25 of FIG. attachment of the transfer device. Illustrations of the invention and various ways of carrying it out: With reference to the figures, the transfer device 10, 11 according to the invention is intended to equip any type of handling equipment 1 (not shown), such as forklifts, pallet trucks or stackers, provided with load-bearing means such as horizontal forks (not shown) supported by a sliding apron 2 along a mast (not shown) substantially vertical provided on the handling equipment 1. To simplify the understanding of the figures, the handling machine 1 is represented only by its sliding apron 2, generally consisting of at least two horizontal sections 3 which may be standardized profiles. The transfer device 10, 11 according to the invention is therefore intended to be mounted directly on the existing sliding aprons 2 or made specifically for transferring a tool, a mold, a metal mass or the like from a handling machine 1 to a machine tool or press table (not shown) and vice versa from the machine tool or press table to the handling machine 1. It can be mounted on the front of the sliding apron 2 in accordance with FIG. transfer device 10 shown in Figures 1 to 4, or be mounted at the rear of the sliding deck 2 between the vertical profiles of the mast (not shown) of the handling machine 1 according to the transfer device 11 shown in Figures 5 to 8. The identical parts of the two embodiments of the transfer device 10, 11 according to the invention bear the same reference numbers.

This transfer device 10, 11 comprises a handling arm 20, 30 provided at its free end with coupling means 40 intended to cooperate with complementary coupling means 70 provided on the load C. These coupling means 40 comprise at least one push bar 41 mounted transversely to the free end 21, 31 of the handling arm 20, 30 and on which are mounted at least two attachment pieces 42 arranged to be displaced between a rest position (FIG. 10A) in which the attachment pieces 42 are not coupled to the load C, and a working position (Figures 1 to 9 and 10B) in which the attachment pieces 42 are coupled to the load C to be transferred.

In the examples shown, the thrust bar 41 is cylindrical and defines a pivot axis A0. And the attachment pieces 42 are each formed of a metal plate having at least one cylindrical bore 43 to be rotatably mounted on the thrust bar 41 about the pivot axis A0. Thus, the attachment pieces 42 naturally adopt a rest position in which they are oriented substantially vertically downwards. However, these attachment pieces 42 may be immobilized in a rest position in which they are oriented substantially vertically upwards as shown in Figure 10A. In either of the rest positions, the thrust bar 41 may be used to push a load by bearing directly on the front face of the load, avoiding any handling hooking or hitching. However, when the attachment pieces 42 are moved to the working position in which they are oriented substantially horizontally and forward of the push rod 41, they can also be used to push a load after having been moved. coupled to the coupling means complementary to the load to be transferred. In the examples shown, the attachment pieces 42 each comprise a hook 44 in the shape of a U, decentered with respect to the pivot axis AO and arranged 20 for, in working position, to be hooked to the coupling means 70 complementary provided on the load C. The movement of the attachment pieces 42 from their rest position to their working position is done manually by the operator. More particularly, the coupling means 70 complementary to provide on the load C can be reduced to their simplest expression. They may comprise only two stepped screws 71, for example of the ISO 7379 type, screwed into two threaded holes provided on each side on the edge of the lower flange of the load C according to FIG. 9A. They may also include a hook bar 72 attached to the front face of the lower sole of the load C according to Figure 9B. The attachment pieces 42 are also mounted 3029515 8 movable in translation along the push bar 41, which allows to move them in translation so as to adjust very easily the distance between these attachment pieces 42 to the width of the load C to be transferred. This simple construction mode, without mechanism or maintenance makes the coupling means 40 versatile and compatible with any type of load C and any load width at lower cost. Of course, any other coupling means 40 equivalent may be suitable. The thrust bar 41 comprises two end rings 45 to limit the translational movement of the attachment parts 42. These coupling means 40 may further comprise means for stopping in rotation to immobilize the attachment parts. 42 in the rest position according to Figure 10A. In the example shown, these rotational stop means comprise at least two permanent magnets 46 provided on the sides of the handling arm 20 and on which the attachment pieces 42 bear in the rest position. These permanent magnets 46 may or may not be combined with a rotational stop 47 which is in the form of a tab extending laterally from said handling arm 20 at the rear of each permanent magnet 46 to define the rest position. said attachment pieces 42.

The transfer device 10, 11 according to the invention comprises a mounting frame 60 for mounting it on a handling machine 1, either at the front or at the rear of the sliding apron 2. This mounting frame 60 comprises in the examples shown, two upright rails 61 U-shaped and opposite back-to-back, to form two lateral slides open to the outside, the two vertical rails 61 being held by spacers 62 and mounting pieces 63 in L or U forming jaws arranged to fit and attach to the horizontal sections 3 of the sliding apron 2.

The transfer device 10, 11 is also distinguished from the state of the art by its handling arm 20, 30 described below. Of course, the hitching means 40 described above do not apply exclusively to the handling arm 20, 30 which will be described, but to any type of handling arm, such as for example the handling arms of the publications FR 2,747,381 and FR 2,972,003 of the same applicant. The handling arm 20, 30 is conventionally coupled to actuating means 50, to be moved between at least one retracted position and an extended position and vice versa, between which the coupling means 40 move in a plane parallel to the load transfer plan. The handling arm 20, 30 comprises a deformable lever mechanism actuated by at least one jack 51 forming the actuating means 50. The deformable lever mechanism and the jack 51 are both embedded and articulated on the mounting frame 60.

The deformable lever mechanism of each handling arm 20, 30 comprises at least one main lever 22, 32 having a length L, one end of which is hinged to the mounting frame 60 about a first pivot axis A1 and the other. other end 21, 31 is free and comprises the coupling means 40 of pivot axis 20 A0. The articulated end of the main lever 22, 32 comprises a roller 23, or any other equivalent rolling member, whose axis of rotation coincides with the first axis of pivot Al. This roller 23 is arranged to slide in one of the rails. vertical members 61 of the mounting frame 60 between at least the retracted position and the extended position of the handling arm 20, 30. The deformable lever mechanism 25 further comprises a secondary lever 24, 34 of a length 1 equal to the half of the length L of the main lever 22, 32. One end of this secondary lever 24, 34 is articulated on one of the vertical rails 61 around a second pivot axis A2 fixed and the other end is articulated on the main lever 22, 32 about a third fixed pivot axis A3, disposed at the center of the main lever 22, 32. The three pivot axes A1, A2, A3 advantageously define a deformable isosceles triangle. Preferably, the deformable lever mechanism is doubled and cooperates with the two vertical rails 61 of the mounting frame 60 to balance the actuating forces developed by the jack 50 and the pushing and pulling forces exerted by the handling arm 20, 30. One or more spacers 25, 35 are provided to ensure the parallelism between the two main levers 22, 32 and the two secondary levers 24, 34. The cylinder 51 is therefore disposed in the center of this lever mechanism 10 deformable , and extends between the two vertical rails 61 of the mounting frame 60. It has an articulated end on the mounting frame 60 about a fourth pivot axis A4 and the other end articulated on the main lever 22, 32 around a fifth pivot axis A5, eccentric with respect to the third pivot axis A3. In the examples of the figures, the rear end of the jacket 52 of the jack 51 is hinged to the rear of the vertical rails 61 and the front end of the rod 53 of the jack 51 carries a pivoting sleeve 54 articulated around a shaft 55 defining the fifth pivot axis A5, between two centering struts 56. The cylinder 51 is positioned to be inclined relative to the vertical above the deformable lever mechanism. Its point of application of its push and pull force coincides with the fifth pivot axis A5 and creates a moment of rotation about the third pivot axis A3, in one direction and then in the other direction depending on whether the rod 53 of the cylinder 51 extends or retracts, to unfold and fold the deformable lever mechanism.

The handling arm 20, 40 according to the invention has the advantage of constituting a very simple, inexpensive and maintenance-free mechanism, in particular to make up for the operating clearances, since there is no chain or gear, but only axes of articulation, not likely to generate operating clearances.

In addition, the handling arm 20, 40 according to the invention is compact and does not penalize the load capacity of the handling machine 1. FIGS. 4A and 8A illustrate the handling arm 20, 40 of the transfer 10, 11 according to the invention in the retracted position, in which the first pivot axis A1 is in the high position Ph in the vertical rail 61 of the mounting frame 60 and the coupling means 40 are brought close to the sliding apron 2 of the handling machine 1. In this position, the apex angle A3 of the isosceles triangle formed by the three hinge axes A1, A2 and A3 is very open while remaining less than 180 ° to ensure the deployment 10 of the mechanism in extended position. FIGS. 4B and 8B illustrate the handling arm 20, 40 in semi-extended position, in which the first pivot axis A1 is in an intermediate position between the high position Ph and the low position Pb in the vertical rail 61 and the means 4C and 8C illustrate the handling arm 20, 40 in the extended position, in which the first pivot axis A1 is in the lower position Pb in the vertical rail 61. after having traveled a height H and the coupling means 40 have traveled all of their stroke C necessary to transfer a load, with C = Cl-00. In this position, the apex angle A3 of the isosceles triangle formed by the three hinge axes A0, A2 and A3 is very open while remaining less than 180 ° to ensure the return of the mechanism in the retracted position. Possibilities of industrial application: As explained above, the transfer device 20, 40 according to the invention can be mounted on any type of handling machine 1. The transfer device 20 illustrated in FIGS. applies to the front of the sliding apron 2 by the mounting parts 63 for fixing the mounting frame 60 to the horizontal sections 3. In this configuration, the vertical rails 61 of the mounting frame 60 are 3029515 12 the front of the apron sliding 2 and accessible directly through the corresponding ends of the main lever 22 and the secondary lever 24, which are formed in the extension of said levers. The transfer device 30 illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 8 is mounted at the rear of the sliding apron 2 by the mounting pieces 63. In this configuration, the vertical rails 61 of the mounting frame 60 are arranged at the rear of the apron. sliding 2 and are not directly accessible. The main lever 32 and the secondary lever 34 then comprise a curved end zone arranged to circumvent the horizontal sections 3 of the sliding apron 2 so as to allow the corresponding ends to be coupled to the vertical rails 61 as in the example previous. In all cases, the axes Al, A3 and AO of the main lever 22, 32 are located in the same plane. It is clear from this description that the invention achieves the goals. The present invention is not limited to the described embodiments but extends to any modification and variation obvious to a person skilled in the art.

Claims (13)

REVENDICATIONS1. Device for transferring (10, 11) a load (C) by pushing and / or pulling in the same plane, called a transfer plane, this transfer device (10, 11) being intended to be mounted on a handling machine (1) for transferring a tool, a mold, a metal mass or the like from said handling machine to a machine tool or press table and vice versa, said transfer device (10, 11) having a handling arm (20, 30) provided at its free end (21, 31) with coupling means (40) intended to cooperate with complementary coupling means (70) provided on said load (C), said handling arm (20, 30). being coupled to actuating means (50) to be moved between at least one retracted position and an extended position and vice versa, between which said coupling means (40) moves in a plane parallel to said transfer plane, characterized in what said coupling means (40) comprise at at least one push bar (41) mounted transversely to the free end (21, 31) of said handling arm (20, 30) and at least two attachment pieces (42) mounted on said push bar (41) and arranged to be displaced between a resting position in which the hooking pieces (42) are not coupled to said load (C), and a working position in which the hooking pieces (42) are coupled to said load (C) to transfer. 2. Transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that said hooking parts (42) are mounted free in translation on said push rod (41) so as to adjust the spacing between said hooking parts (42). ) to the width of said load (C) to be transferred. 3. Transfer device according to claim 2, characterized in that said push bar (41) comprises two end rings (45) arranged to limit the displacement in translation of said attachment parts (42). 3029515 14 4. Transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that said coupling means (40) comprise rotational stop means arranged to immobilize said attachment parts (42) in the rest position. 5 5. Transfer device according to claim 4, characterized in that said rotation stop means comprise at least two permanent magnets (46) on which the attachment parts (42) bear in the rest position. 10 6. Transfer device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said attachment parts (42) each comprise at least one bore (43) defining a pivot axis (A0) and arranged to receive said bar thrust (41), and a hook (44) off-center with respect to said pivot axis (A0). 15 7. Transfer device according to claim 6, characterized in that said hooking parts (42) are rotatably mounted on said push rod (41) defining said pivot axis (A0). 20 8. Transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a mounting frame (60) intended to be mounted on said handling machine (1) and in that said handling arm (20, 30) comprises a deformable lever mechanism actuated by at least one jack (51), said mechanism and said jack being hinged to said mounting frame (60). 25 9. Transfer device according to claim 8, characterized in that the deformable lever mechanism comprises at least one main lever (22, 32) of length L whose one end is articulated on said mounting frame (60) around a first pivot axis (A1), which is slidable in a vertical rail (61) of said mounting frame (60) between at least said retracted position and said extended position of said handling arm (20, 30), and whose other end comprises said coupling means (40), and a secondary lever (24, 34) of a length 1 equal to half the length L of said main lever (22, 32), one end of which is articulated on said 5 vertical rail (61) around a second pivot axis (A2) and whose other end is articulated on said main lever (22, 32) around a third pivot axis (A3) in the center said main lever (22, 32), the three pivot axes (Al, A2, A3 ) defining a deformable isosceles triangle. 10 10. Transfer device according to claim 9, characterized in that said cylinder (51) has an end hinged to said mounting frame (60) about a fourth pivot axis (A4) and the other end hinged to said main lever (22, 32) about a fifth pivot axis (A5) eccentric with respect to said third pivot axis (A3). 15 11. A handling device (1) comprising at least one sliding apron (2) along a substantially vertical mast, said sliding apron (2) carrying forks or the like arranged to carry a load, characterized in that it comprises a transfer device (10, 11) according to any one of the preceding claims arranged to transfer a tool, a mold, a metal mass or the like from said handling machine (1) to a machine tool or press table and Conversely. 12. A handling device according to claim 11, characterized in that said transfer device (10) comprises at least one mounting frame (60) arranged to be mounted at the front of said sliding apron (2). 13. A handling device according to claim 11, characterized in that said transfer device (11) comprises at least one mounting frame (60) arranged to be mounted at the rear of said sliding apron (2).