GB1423611A - Shuttle car mechanism for transferring loads between two stations - Google Patents

Abstract

1423611 Chain driven load transfer system A-T-O Inc 7 March 1973 [8 March 1972] 11075/73 Heading B7L [Also in Division A4] A transfer mechanism, e.g. for transferring loads from a supply conveyer 14 to means 10 for placing the loads in a rack structure 2 or for returning the loads to a discharge conveyer 16, comprises a shuttle car 24, Fig. 5, on rails 12a, 12b, a load support bed 36 arranged to be raised or lowered on links 68, 74 to pick up or set down a load, a linear driving member, e.g. a chain 80, attached to the car 24, and means 18 for cooperating with means 88, 90 on the car 24 to pivot the links 68, 74 to pick up or set down the load at respective ends of the path of the car 24. The chain 80 may be endlessly trained over sprockets 82, 84 one of which is driven by a motor 86, and engages around sprocket wheels 46, 48, 50 of the car 24 so that movement of the chain 80 moves the car 24 between its end positions. Raising or lowering of the bed 36 is effected by pivoting the wheel 46 to turn a respective one of the links 74, this pivoting being actuated by movement of the wheel 48 to pull the chain 80 about the wheel 46. With the bed 36 located below the conveyer 14, as movement of the car 24 towards the rack structure 2 is started a cam follower 88 engages a portion 98 of a cam 92, causing the shaft 54 bearing the wheel 48 to pivot anti-clockwise as seen in Figs. 6B and 9. The resultant relative movement between the car 24 and chain 80 causes the wheel 46 to turn clockwise, thus raising the bed 36 on the links 74 to pick up any load suitably positioned on the conveyer 14. Approaching the rack structure 2, a second cam follower 90 runs over a pivotable tripper arm portion 98 of a cam 94, so that the car 24 is located with the load adjacent support means 8a, and on reversing the car movement, the arm portion 98 is struck by the follower 90, the follower in this direction being constrained to rotate, so that the links 74 pivot to lower the bed 36, depositing the load on the means 8a as the car moves away. Approaching the conveyer 14, the follower 88 runs over the cam 92, which pivots in this direction, the bed 36 remaining in lowered position as it runs in below the conveyor, and on reversing the car 24, the cam follower 90 is engaged by the cam 92, raising the bed 36 to pick up a further load. Transfer from the rack structure 2 to the discharge conveyer is controlled by analogous cam means.