GB1576676A - Apparatus for handling flat articles - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO APPARATUS FOR HANDLING FLAT ARTICLES (71) We, REED INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, a British company of 82 Piccadilly, London W1A JEl do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to apparatus for handling flat articles, such for example as sacks and tubes intended to be made into sacks by sewing or otherwise closing an end of such tubes.

Such apparatus is used in particular in the manufacture of sacks, in which the material from which the sacks are to be made, for example one or more plies of paper, is formed at high speed into a tube and the tube is cut into desired lengths corresponding to the lengths of the finished sacks. These tubes are then delivered to a sewing head where the ends of the tubes are sewn up to form sacks. The apparatus of the present invention is intended to facilitate the receiving of stacks of sack tubes from the tubing machine and the delivery of the tubes individually to the sewing head.

In one known machine for carrying out this function, it is necessary for an operator to shingle the successive stacks of sack tubes so that the rear end of each stack rests on the front end of the following stack. Then, when teh last sack tube of a stack has been delivered, it is necessary to push forward all the shingled stacks of sacks, resulting in a delay between the delivery of the last sack tube from one stack and the delivery of the first sack tube from the next stack.

The apparatus of the present invention seeks to avoid such a delay by enabling a fresh stack to be introduced to means for removing individual sack tubes from the stacks without interrupting the delivery of individual sack tubes and without waiting for the last sack tube of a stack to be delivered.

According to the invention, there is provided an apparatus for receiving stacks of flat articles and delivering such articles individually, such apparatus comprising feed means for supplying said stacks of flat articles in succession to a conveyor arranged to receive the stacks singly from the feed means, said conveyor having a plurality of spaced endless belts, a plurality of vertically movable lift members arranged to pass between said spaced belts so as to raise a stack above said conveyor, a plurality of horizontally reciprocable tines arranged to pass between said lift members so as to receive a stack when said lift members are lowered, and means for removing said articles individually from a stack supported on said tines.

The feed means preferably comprises a conveyor. The conveyor may have a plurality of endless belts so that the rollers of the downstream end of the conveyor may be coaxial with the rollers of the upstream end of the first-mentioned conveyor. Alternatively, the feed means could be a gravity feed, for example an inclined chute terminating in a table which is provided with displaceable abutments for halting the stacks.

The reciprocable tines may be arranged on a pair of endless chains passing around gear wheels, or alternatively can be reciporcated by means of a piston and cylinder arrangement.

The means for removing the articles individually from the stack preferably comprises suction means which is capable of lifting the top article from the stack and delivering the article for example, to a pair of nip rollers. Preferably the suction means are disposed to engage the leading half of the topmost article in a stack and then to pull such article into nip rollers to feed the article onwards. Lifting, bowing and pulling as opposed to pushing the article, e.g. a sack tube, gives improved control over the article as it is fed forward.

There is further provided a method of delivering flat articles individually from stacks thereof, comprising supplying said stacks of flat articles singly to a conveyor, said conveyor having a plurality of spaced endless belts, lifting a stack above the conveyor by means of lift members passing between said spaced belts, moving a plurality of tines horizontally between said lift members, lowering said lift members whereby said stack is supported on said tines, removing said flat articles indvidually from said stack supported on said tines, and, when said stacks is at least partially depleted, withdrawing said tines and raising said depleted stack and a fresh stack on said lift members, whereby the method may be carried out continuously.

In the accompanying drawings: Figures 1 to 6 show a schematic elevational view of an embodiment of the invention in six sequential operating positions; Figure 7 shows an end view on line VII-VII of Fig. 1; and Figure 8 shows a plan view of the embodiment of Figures 1 to 7, partly broken away.

As shown in the drawings, an apparatus according to the invention comprises feed means namely a conveyor 1 having a plurality of spaced endless belts for delivering stacks of sack tubes 2 to a conveyor 3. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the conveyor 3 comprisese a plurality of spaced endless bells 4, each of which passes over a roller at each end of the conveyor, one of the sets of rollers at one end of the conveyor being driven by a common drive shaft 5.

A plurality of longitudinally extending vertically movable lift members 6 are arranged to pass between the spaced belts 4.

The lift members 6 are supported on a frame 8 by vertically extending members 9. The frame 8 is vertically movable.with respect to a fixed frame 11 by means of a piston and cylinder arrangement. 12 and a scissors arrangement 10 at each end thereof.

A plurality of. horizontally reciprocable tines 13 are arranged to pass between the lift members 6. The tines 13 are interconnected by a transversely extending member 14 which is reciorocable in the longitudinal direction of the aDparatus by means of a piston and cylinder arrangement 15. As an alternative to the piston and cylinder, the member 14 could extend between a pair of endless belts or chains so as to enable the tines 13 to be reciprocated in a longitudinal direction. These tines are disposed to move in a horizontal plane which is immediately beneath a stack of articles in the lift members 6 in their raised position.

The apparatus further comprises a fixed forward stop and switch 16 which prevents further movement of a stack of sack tubes on conveyor 3; a pivotable frontstop 17, which prevents a stack of sack tubes supported on tines 13 from moving forwardly as shown in Figures 1 to 6 and an adjustable backstop 18 which is also pivotable fbr bringing a stack of sack tubes in to vertical alignment. Members 18, 17 are pivotable respectively about axes 19, 20 by means of piston and cylinder arrangements 21, 22.

Feed means provided for removing ar ticles individually from the stack, such means including suckers 23 which are caused to reciprocate under the action a hydraulic piston and cylinder 24. It will be seen that the suckers 23 engage the leading half of each article and then serve to lift, bow and pull the article off the stack. Cylinder 24 is mounted pivotally about point 25 and a further piston and cylinder 27 causes cylinder 24 to move (see Fig. 3) as the size of a stack varies.

Suckers are also carried by an articulated arm 26 to enable the suckers to engage in a horizontal plane on each article at whatever level it occupies. The feed means above mentioned are mounted in a manner, not shown in detail, enabling them to be moved across the apparatus to a position depending on the length of the articles being delivered. A pair of nip rollers 28 deliver the sacks individually for instance to a sewing table.

The apparatus functions as follows.

Stacks of sack tubes 2 are delivered by the conveyor 1 to the conveyor 3. Conveyor 3 operates at a faster rate than conveyor 1, thus opening up a gap between the stack on conveyor 3 and the stacks remaining on conveyor 1, as shown in Figure 1.

The conveyors are then halted, When this takes place a further stack of sack tubes 2 is already supported on the tines; 13 and the suckers 23 are being reciprocåted and raised and lowered by means of piston and cylinder arrangements 24,. 27 so as to draw the sack tubes individuålly from the.

top of the stack and into . the nip roller.s 28. .

The delivery of the sack tubes to the nip rollers continues, until the stack supported on the tines 13 onlv contains a few sack tubes. as shown in Figure 2.

Then, as shbwn in Figure 3, the tines 13 are withdrawn rearwardly, allowing the remainder of the sack tubes supported thereon to drop onto the stack supported on the conveyor 3, as shown in Figure 3.

As soon as the tines 13 are completely withdrawn the augmented stack 2 is raised by the lifting members 6, as shown in Figure 4, the backstop 18 being swung back. This augmented stack 2 is then aligned by the backstop 18 which is swung forward to engage the rear edge of the sack tubes.

The reciprocable tines 13 are then moved forwardly between the lifting members 6 into the position shown in Figure 5. As soon as this occurs, the lifting members 6 are lowered, leaving the stack of sack tubes supported on the tines 13. The conveyors 1, 3 are then started again, so that a fresh stack of sack tubes takes its place on conveyor 3 against forward stop and switch 16 thus restoring the position shown in Figure 1.

In this way, fresh stacks of sack tubes are introduced into the apparatus without the feeding of sack tubes individually through the nip rollers being interrupted.

The apparatus can be operated by fewer operators than hitherto and can be integrated in an automatic line for the manufacture of sacks.

Furthermore, the apparatus can readily be adjusted to handle sack tubes of different widths by adjusting the backstop and for different lengths by adjusting the position of the feed head across the apparatus.

Each sack or sack tube removed by the suckers 23 and delivered to the nip rollers 28 may be conveyed to whatever subsequent operation is required.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. An apparatus for receiving stacks of flat articles and delivering such articles individually, such apparatus comprising feed means for supplying said stacks of flat articles in succession to a conveyor arranged to receive the stacks singly from the feed means, said conveyor having a plurality of spaced endless belts, a plurality of vertically movable lift members arranged to pass between said spaced belts so as to raise a stack above said conveyor, a plurality of horizontally reciprocable tines arranged to pass between said lift members so as to receive a stack when said lift members are lowered, and means for removing said articles inidividually from a stack supported on said tines.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1.

wherein said feed means comprises a feed conveyor.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said feed conveyor comprises a plurality of spaced endless belts which at one end of the feed conveyor pass over a plurality of rollers coaxial with a plurality of rollers over which the belts of the first-mentioned conveyor pass.

4. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising means for aligning a stack of flattened tubes supported on said tines.

5. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said means for removing articles individually comprises reciprocally mounted suckers arranged to lift an article from a stack and deliver the article to a pair of nip rollers.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said suckers are arranged to engage on the leading portion of an article and to lift, bow and pull the article towards said rollers.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 or 6 wherein said suckers are mounted on an articulated arm so as to enable them to engage in a horizontal plane on each article in a stack as the level of articles changes.

18. An apparatus gs claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said lift members are elongate members arranged parallel to said endless belts of the conveyor.

9. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said lift members are mounted on a frame supported on a scissors arangement, the frame being movable by means of a piston and cylinder.

10. An appartus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A method of delivering flat articles individually from stacks thereof, comprising supplying said stacks of flat articles singly to a conveyor, said conveyor having a plurality of spaced endless belts, lifting a stack above the conveyor by means of lift members passing between said spaced belts, moving a plurality of tines horizontally between said lift members, lowering said lift members whereby said stack is supported on said tines, removing said flat articles individually from said stack supported on said tines, and, when said stack is at least partially depleted, withdrawing said tines and raising said depleted stack and a fresh stack on said lift members, whereby the method may be carried out continuously.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said flat articles are sack tubes which are delivered individually to a sewing head so as to produce sacks.

13. A method as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein said stacks are fed to said conveyor by a feed conveyor, and when said conveyors are operated, said firstmentioned conveyor moves at a faster rate than said feed conveyor whereby said single

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (14)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. are withdrawn rearwardly, allowing the remainder of the sack tubes supported thereon to drop onto the stack supported on the conveyor 3, as shown in Figure 3. As soon as the tines 13 are completely withdrawn the augmented stack 2 is raised by the lifting members 6, as shown in Figure 4, the backstop 18 being swung back. This augmented stack 2 is then aligned by the backstop 18 which is swung forward to engage the rear edge of the sack tubes. The reciprocable tines 13 are then moved forwardly between the lifting members 6 into the position shown in Figure 5. As soon as this occurs, the lifting members 6 are lowered, leaving the stack of sack tubes supported on the tines 13. The conveyors 1, 3 are then started again, so that a fresh stack of sack tubes takes its place on conveyor 3 against forward stop and switch 16 thus restoring the position shown in Figure 1. In this way, fresh stacks of sack tubes are introduced into the apparatus without the feeding of sack tubes individually through the nip rollers being interrupted. The apparatus can be operated by fewer operators than hitherto and can be integrated in an automatic line for the manufacture of sacks. Furthermore, the apparatus can readily be adjusted to handle sack tubes of different widths by adjusting the backstop and for different lengths by adjusting the position of the feed head across the apparatus. Each sack or sack tube removed by the suckers 23 and delivered to the nip rollers 28 may be conveyed to whatever subsequent operation is required. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. An apparatus for receiving stacks of flat articles and delivering such articles individually, such apparatus comprising feed means for supplying said stacks of flat articles in succession to a conveyor arranged to receive the stacks singly from the feed means, said conveyor having a plurality of spaced endless belts, a plurality of vertically movable lift members arranged to pass between said spaced belts so as to raise a stack above said conveyor, a plurality of horizontally reciprocable tines arranged to pass between said lift members so as to receive a stack when said lift members are lowered, and means for removing said articles inidividually from a stack supported on said tines.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1.

wherein said feed means comprises a feed conveyor.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said feed conveyor comprises a plurality of spaced endless belts which at one end of the feed conveyor pass over a plurality of rollers coaxial with a plurality of rollers over which the belts of the first-mentioned conveyor pass.

4. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising means for aligning a stack of flattened tubes supported on said tines.

5. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said means for removing articles individually comprises reciprocally mounted suckers arranged to lift an article from a stack and deliver the article to a pair of nip rollers.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said suckers are arranged to engage on the leading portion of an article and to lift, bow and pull the article towards said rollers.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 or 6 wherein said suckers are mounted on an articulated arm so as to enable them to engage in a horizontal plane on each article in a stack as the level of articles changes.

18. An apparatus gs claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said lift members are elongate members arranged parallel to said endless belts of the conveyor.

9. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said lift members are mounted on a frame supported on a scissors arangement, the frame being movable by means of a piston and cylinder.

10. An appartus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A method of delivering flat articles individually from stacks thereof, comprising supplying said stacks of flat articles singly to a conveyor, said conveyor having a plurality of spaced endless belts, lifting a stack above the conveyor by means of lift members passing between said spaced belts, moving a plurality of tines horizontally between said lift members, lowering said lift members whereby said stack is supported on said tines, removing said flat articles individually from said stack supported on said tines, and, when said stack is at least partially depleted, withdrawing said tines and raising said depleted stack and a fresh stack on said lift members, whereby the method may be carried out continuously.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said flat articles are sack tubes which are delivered individually to a sewing head so as to produce sacks.

13. A method as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein said stacks are fed to said conveyor by a feed conveyor, and when said conveyors are operated, said firstmentioned conveyor moves at a faster rate than said feed conveyor whereby said single

stack on the first-mentioned conveyor is separated from a subsequent stack on the feed conveyor.

14. A method substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.