GB1209442A - Improvements in or relating to pallet loading apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1,209,442. Stacking articles on pallets. BRITISH MATHEWS Ltd. 19 Oct., 1967 [20 July, 1966], No. 32672/66. Headings B8C arid B8H. A pallet is fed horizontally in steps by pawls on a reciprocating carriage 234 (Fig. 5) and is loaded from above either during its movement (Fig. 5) or during its rest periods (Fig. 14). General arrangement.-In the construction illustrated the bottom pallet from a stack 101 (Fig. 1) is delivered to a station 201 where it receives several rows of casks, and the loaded pallets are then stacked in pairs in a device 301 before delivery by a conveyer 310. Removing pallets from the stack.-The nextto-bottom pallet of the stack is supported by retracting members 112 while the bottom pallet is lowered by pivoted members (105), (106) (Fig. 3, not shown) operated by hydraulic rams and located between parallel endless chains 103 by which the bottom pallet is removed. Assembling the casks on the pallet.-Casks 20 (Fig. 5) are delivered by chains 202 from which they are then lifted by vertical movement of rollers 203, 204. Rollers 223 on a swinging arm 221 (plan view in Fig. 7, not shown) then push the row of casks into an elevator 226 by which they are lowered to a position immediately over the pallet 11. The counterweight 232 of the elevator serves as a stop for the casks. The carriage 234 then simultaneously pushes the row of casks, which it engages by a shaped surface 240, from the elevator, at the same time as pawls on the carriage 234 feed the pallet 11 over rollers 233. After a first row of casks has been placed on the pallet in this way the carriage 234 is retracted so that it can feed a further row of casks from the elevator, simultaneously feeding the pallet 11 through a further increment. Where the casks are delivered with their axes horizontal as shown at 420 in Fig. 14, the elevator is replaced by a cradle 405 pivoted at 406. A stop 414 for preventing the casks rolling off the cradle moves downwardly as the cradle delivers the row of casks to the pallet while the pallet is stationary. Stacking the loaded pallets.-The loaded pallet is positioned over a lifting frame 32 (Fig. 12) by which it is raised to a position where it can be held by swinging latches 306. A second loaded pallet is similarly raised into contact with the first, the latches 306 are retracted, and the pair of pallets is lowered on to the delivery conveyer. Automatic control.-The feed of the drums is initiated when each of several switches detecting drums correctly positioned at the point 20 (Fig. 5) have all been operated. Stacking of the pallets is initiated when a stop (not shown) is deflected by positioning of a loaded pallet A swinging bell crank (not shown) detests when the magazine 101 (Fig. 1) is empty. Construction of pallets.-Where the pallets are to receive casks with their axes horizontal, the pallets include parallel longitudinal planks arranged in vertical planes and with concave depressions on both faces of the pallet to receive the casks above and below in a stack.