GB1111620A - Improvements relating to the handling and storing of materials - Google Patents

Abstract

1,111,620. Storage apparatus; hauling articles; load-handling pallets; platform elevators; lift trucks; endless conveyers. PHOENIX TIMBER CO. Ltd. 3 Feb., 1967 [3 Nov., 1965], No. 46641/65. Headings B8A, B8B, B8E and B8H. [Also in Division B7] A storing and handling apparatus for elongated articles, e.g. lengths of timber, comprises a main rail track 10, Fig. 1, a plurality of transversely extending side rail tracks 13, a transporter 16, Fig. 2, movable along the track 10 and having rails 20 which can be brought into alignment with any of the tracks 13 by movement of the transporter 16 along the main track, and a plurality of post pallets 17 mounted on wheels for running on the tracks 13, the articles being disposed on the pallets which can be run between the tracks 13 and the rails 20 on the transporter. The track 10 comprises four rails 11 on sleepers 12 and the transporter 16 comprises a rectangular frame mounted on eight wheels 19. Each pallet 17 comprises two four-wheeled trolleys 21 interconnected by two coupling bars 22, each trolley carrying a stack of post pallet members 23. Each member 23 comprises four corner posts 25 interconnected by transverse bars 24, 26, the lower ends of the posts 25 being bell-mouthed to engage the upper ends of the posts 25 of the member 23 therebelow. The trolleys 21 have spigots for engaging the lowest members 23. If a pallet 17 is to be replenished the transporter 16 is moved along the track 10 until its rails 20 are aligned with the track 13 carrying the pallet which is then moved on to the transporter. The latter carries the pallet to one end of the track 10 where it is serviced by a fork-lift truck 28. The pallets may be moved by a winch. The transporter may be self-propelled by a motor mounted thereon and driving one or more of the wheels 19. In a modification, Fig. 4, the transporter comprises a base 30 mounted on wheels 31 on the track 10 and is self-propelled. Secured to the base 30 are uprights 32 providing guides for pulleys 35 on a lift 33 which is moved vertically by cables 32a extending from a winch (not shown); the lift extends across the transporter and has guard rails 37. Sets of laterally spaced roller conveyers 39 extend downwards from the lift to a tree conveyer having supports 41 carried by endless chains 42 to move upwardly and lift lengths of timber from the conveyers 39 which have stops 44 for the timber. The chains 42 extend round sprockets 45, 46 mounted on shafts carried by uprights (not shown) connected to the base 30. Arms 47 on the chains have the supports 41 pivoted thereto at 48, the supports 41 being kept in an upright attitude when carrying the timber. The supports 41 deposit the timber on a slide (not shown) leading to a lorry or trailer disposed on the transporter. Transversely extending rails 50 are similar to the rails 20 shown in Fig. 2 and a winch 51 operates in cooperation with a pair of pulleys 52 to move the pallets 17. For replenishing the pallets the transporter is used as above described with reference to the transporter 16. For assembling a load of timber from a pallet the transporter is moved along the track 10 to align the lift 33 with a track 13, the lift being then raised to enable a length of the timber to be manually drawn out of the pallet until a leading edge of the timber enters the nip of snatch rollers 38 on the lift. The rollers 38 pull the timber on to the lift from which it moves on to the roller conveyers 39. In this way a load of different sizes of timber can be assembled. The lorry or track can be run on and off the transporter along ramps 29, or a single ramp may be disposed at one end of the track 10. The latter may lead to a loading and unloading yard and may form part of a complex track system serving a plurality of storing apparatuses. The elongated articles may be rails, bars, pipes or tubes.