GB2078650A - Storage tower for vehicle panels - Google Patents

Storage tower for vehicle panels Download PDF

Info

Publication number
GB2078650A
GB2078650A GB8019180A GB8019180A GB2078650A GB 2078650 A GB2078650 A GB 2078650A GB 8019180 A GB8019180 A GB 8019180A GB 8019180 A GB8019180 A GB 8019180A GB 2078650 A GB2078650 A GB 2078650A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
support members
panels
panel
tower
storage tower
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB8019180A
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Rover Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Rover Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Rover Co Ltd filed Critical Rover Co Ltd
Priority to GB8019180A priority Critical patent/GB2078650A/en
Publication of GB2078650A publication Critical patent/GB2078650A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G37/00—Combinations of mechanical conveyors of the same kind, or of different kinds, of interest apart from their application in particular machines or use in particular manufacturing processes
    • B65G37/005—Combinations of mechanical conveyors of the same kind, or of different kinds, of interest apart from their application in particular machines or use in particular manufacturing processes comprising two or more co-operating conveying elements with parallel longitudinal axes
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G1/00—Storing articles, individually or in orderly arrangement, in warehouses or magazines
    • B65G1/02—Storage devices
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/34—Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor 
    • B65G47/46—Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor  and distributing, e.g. automatically, to desired points
    • B65G47/51—Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor  and distributing, e.g. automatically, to desired points according to unprogrammed signals, e.g. influenced by supply situation at destination
    • B65G47/5104—Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor  and distributing, e.g. automatically, to desired points according to unprogrammed signals, e.g. influenced by supply situation at destination for articles
    • B65G47/5109—Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor  and distributing, e.g. automatically, to desired points according to unprogrammed signals, e.g. influenced by supply situation at destination for articles first In - First Out systems: FIFO
    • B65G47/5113—Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor  and distributing, e.g. automatically, to desired points according to unprogrammed signals, e.g. influenced by supply situation at destination for articles first In - First Out systems: FIFO using endless conveyors
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/52—Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors i.e. discharging or feeding devices
    • B65G47/60—Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors i.e. discharging or feeding devices to or from conveyors of the suspended, e.g. trolley, type
    • B65G47/61—Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors i.e. discharging or feeding devices to or from conveyors of the suspended, e.g. trolley, type for articles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G2207/00—Indexing codes relating to constructional details, configuration and additional features of a handling device, e.g. Conveyors
    • B65G2207/14—Combination of conveyors

Abstract

Vehicle panels such as roofs 1 are stored in a closely spaced fashion in a vertical stack. In the illustration, they are fed into the tower from the bottom and removed from the top, but they could equally travel in the opposite direction. In the illustration, there are two sets of conveyors. First, a set 5 of four arranged near the corners of the stack which carry regularly spaced support members. Second, a set 7 of four transport conveyors arranged near the centre of the stack for lifting successive panels. The transport conveyors 7 lift each panel from a lower conveyor 2 and carry it up until a panel in the next highest position is sensed: the transport conveyors then reverse direction to pick up the next panel. The support members on the conveyors 5 pivot up clear of the panels as they rise through the stack and then drop back under gravity. The panels are removed from the stack by an upper conveyor 3. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Storage tower for vehicle panels This invention relates to a storage tower for vehicle panels.
The invention provides a storage tower for vehicle panels which comprises two vertical rows of support members, the rows being spaced apart and the support members of one row being level with those in the other row so that in use the panels are carried between the rows in the stack, the support members being pivotable so that in use panels can pass unoccupied support members to the support members next to last ones to be occupied, and each row being carried on an endless conveyor so that the panels can be fed out of the stack.
The storage tower of the invention provides for compact storage since the stored panels are located on adjacent support members.
Advantageously, two further vertical rows of support members are provided, arranged so that the panels are in use supported by two support members on & ch side.
Advantageously, there is provided a pair of transport carrying members arranged to carry a panel and move it through the tower to the next unoccupied set of support members.
The tower may be filled from the lower end. In this case, the support members may be pivotable upwardly by a panel as it moves up the tower to the next position. The support members may be so mounted that their return to their initial position after the panel has passed is due to gravity. The transport carrying members may move a panel to the next position and then reverse direction to receive the next panel. The reversal may be as a result of sensing the last panel in the stack.
Alternatively, the tower may be filled from the upper end. In this case, the support members may pivot downwardly to allow the panels to pass.
Advantageously, the support members each comprise a support finger and a priming finger, arranged so that when a panel rests on a pair of support fingers, it actuates the priming fingers of the support member next above so that the next panel to pass down will rest on the support fingers of those support members.
Storage towers for vehicle panels, constructed in accordance with the invention, will now be described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a general view of a first storage tower; Figure 2 is a side view of the tower of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an enlarged view of a part of the tower shown in Figure 2: and Figure 4 shows a part of a second storage tower in side view.
Referring to Figures 1 to 3, completed car panels (for example roofs) 1 are transported on a horizontal conveyor 2 to the first storage tower.
The tower consists of a number of sets of endless conveyor chains, between which the panels are stacked. From the top of the stack the panels are fed to an overhead conveyor 3 where the panels are held by hangers 4.
The tower has two pairs of conveyors for stacking the panels and two pairs for transporting the panels. Figure 2 shows one pair of stacking conveyors 5. These are located at one end of the panel and another pair of stacking conveyors is located at the other end of the panel.
The stacking conveyors 5 are each in the form of an endless chain and bear a large number of support members 6 on which the panels are supported. In Figure 3, it can be seen that the support members 6 normally rest in a horizontal position, but that they can be pivoted upwardly by a panel as it is moved up the stack, to allow the panel to pass. After the panel has passed, the support members 6 drop back to the horizontal position under the force of gravity.
The storage tower also has two pairs of transport conveyor chains 7. These are located between the stacking conveyors, with two on each side of the panels. The transport conveyors each have a single carrying member 8, and they extend slightly below the horizontal conveyor in order that panels can be lifted from it. The carrying members 8 have a probe associated with them which senses when a panel is immediately above.
In operation, panels 1 are fed along the horizontal conveyor 2. When they reach the storage tower, they are engaged by the carrying members 8 of the transport conveyors 7, which lift them up the tower. As each panel passes up the tower, it pushes the support members 6 upwardly to allow it to pass, and the support members 6 then drop back to their original position. The probe associated with the carrying members 8 responds when the panel has just cleared the first free set of support members, by virtue of sensing the lowest panel on the stack, and at that position the conveyors 7 reverse their movement. The panel is thus lowered onto the first free set of stacking support members 6, which have by now dropped back to the horizontal position.The transport conveyors continue their reverse movement until their carrying members lie below the level of the horizontal conveyor 2, so that a further panel can be lifted. In this way a stack of closely spaced panels accumulates.
To feed panels from the stack to the overhead conveyor 3, the stacking conveyors are advanced until the top panel in the stack reaches the top of the tower, and is then advanced one further step so that the panel is received by the overhead conveyor.
The second storage tower, a part of which is shown in Figure 4, is for storing the panels received from the overhead conveyor of Figure 1.
In this tower, the panels are fed in at the top and removed from the bottom.
The second storage tower also consists of two pairs of conveyor chains for stacking the panels and two pairs of conveyor chains for transporting the panels. The stacking conveyors bear a large number of pivotable support members 9 (Figure 4). Identical support members are located at the right hand end (as seen in the drawing) of each panel. One such pair of supports is located at the front of the panel and another such at the rear, so that each panel rests on four support members.
The transport conveyors (not shown) each has a single carrying member so that the panels are transported down the stack on four carrying members, two on each side.
The support members 9 of the stacking conveyor each include two fingers at right angles to each other, viz., a longer priming finger 10 and a shorter support finger 1 The support members are counter-baianced into the position occupied by the uppermost support member, where the shorter finger 9 bears against a stop 12.
Alternate support members are located in front of and behind the chain 13 to prevent them fouling when they pivot.
In operation, panels are lowered on the transport carrying members from the overhead conveyor and travel down the storage tower. As they travel down the storage tower successive priming fingers 10 are pivoted downwardly to allow the panels to pass. (The support members 9 can pivot through 900.) Thereafter they return to the position occupied by the support member 9 shown at the top of the drawing under the force of gravity.
However, when the panel reaches the next unoccupied storage position, for example, as illustrated by the top panel 14 in the drawing, the priming fingers 10 for the support member 9 immediately above are held in a downwardly directed orientation by the panel. Thus, when the next panel is transported down the stack, it meets the support fingers 11 rather than the priming fingers 10 and the support member 9 comes to rest in a position turned through 900 from its free position. The priming fingers 10 then rest against the stops 12. In coming to rest on the support fingers 11 , the panel has pivoted a further set of priming fingers 10 downwardly, and the associated support fingers 11 project into the storage tower ready to receive the next panel.
The transport carrying members travel on their chains continuously in one direction unlike those of the first embodiment. When the panel being carried has come to rest on a set of support fingers, the transport carrying members pivot upwardly as they traverse the panels in the stacks.
They then travel up the outside of the conveyor chains and fall back to their horizontal position when they have passed over the top of the conveyor and begin another downward run.
To remove panels from the stack thus formed in the storage tower, the conveyor chains bearing the support members 9 are advanced one step, and one panel is delivered from the bottom of the tower.

Claims (1)

1. A storage tower for vehicle panels, which comprises two vertical rows of support members, the rows being spaced apart and the support members of one row being level with those in the other row so that in use the panels are carried between the rows in a stack, the support members being pivotable so that in use panels can pass unoccupied support members to the support members next to the last ones to be occupied, and each row being carried on an endless conveyor so that the panels can be fed out of the stack.
2. A storage tower as claimed in claim 1, wherein two further vertical rows of support members are provided, arranged so that the panels are in use supported by two support members on each side.
3. A storage tower as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein there is provided a pair of transport carrying members arranged to carry a panel and move it through the tower to the next unoccupied set of support members.
4. A storage tower as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the tower is filled from the lower end.
5. A storage tower as claimed in claim 4, wherein the support members are pivotable upwardly by a panel as it moves up the tower to the next position.
6. A storage tower as claimed in claim 5, wherein the support members are so mounted that their return to their initial position after the panel has passed is due to gravity.
7. A storage tower as claimed in claim 6, wherein the transport carrying members are arranged to move a panel to the next position and then reverse direction to receive the next panel.
8. A storage tower as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the tower is filled from the upper end.
1 0. A storage tower as claimed in claim 9, wherein the support members are pivotable downwardly to allow the panels to pass.
1 A storage tower as claimed in claim 10.
wherein the support members each comprise a support finger and a priming finger arranged so that when a panel rests on a pair of support fingers, it actuates the priming fingers of the support members next above so that the next panel to pass down will pass onto the support fingers of those support members.
12. A storage tower for vehicle panels substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to. and as shown in, Figures 1 to 3, or Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.
GB8019180A 1980-06-12 1980-06-12 Storage tower for vehicle panels Withdrawn GB2078650A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8019180A GB2078650A (en) 1980-06-12 1980-06-12 Storage tower for vehicle panels

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8019180A GB2078650A (en) 1980-06-12 1980-06-12 Storage tower for vehicle panels

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB2078650A true GB2078650A (en) 1982-01-13

Family

ID=10513993

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB8019180A Withdrawn GB2078650A (en) 1980-06-12 1980-06-12 Storage tower for vehicle panels

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2078650A (en)

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2525569A1 (en) * 1982-04-26 1983-10-28 Sedis Transmissions Mec Parts magazine and supply for assembly post - uses pair of vertical chains to hang storage bins over post served by second pair of parallel chains
FR2611674A1 (en) * 1987-03-02 1988-09-09 Humery Freres Ets Container comprising a loading and unloading device for the storage or transport of fragile parts, in particular of sheet steel parts for motor cars
EP0609521A1 (en) * 1993-02-01 1994-08-10 DaimlerChrysler Aerospace Airbus Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung Device to deliver food and beverage in a passenger aircraft
WO2006006941A1 (en) * 2004-07-12 2006-01-19 Sentinel Engineering (M) Sdn Bhd The arrangement and method of assembling former holders
CN101832084A (en) * 2010-05-18 2010-09-15 张帆 Unattended full-automatic safe deposit box system
CN102849279A (en) * 2012-08-31 2013-01-02 张家港市德顺机械有限责任公司 Vertical shifting and carrying device for box body in full automatic box loader
CN103896010A (en) * 2014-04-10 2014-07-02 上海电力学院 Energy-saving elevating conveyor
CN105947628A (en) * 2016-05-26 2016-09-21 镇江市经纬工程机械有限公司 Workpiece lifting and temporary storing device for production line

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2525569A1 (en) * 1982-04-26 1983-10-28 Sedis Transmissions Mec Parts magazine and supply for assembly post - uses pair of vertical chains to hang storage bins over post served by second pair of parallel chains
FR2611674A1 (en) * 1987-03-02 1988-09-09 Humery Freres Ets Container comprising a loading and unloading device for the storage or transport of fragile parts, in particular of sheet steel parts for motor cars
EP0609521A1 (en) * 1993-02-01 1994-08-10 DaimlerChrysler Aerospace Airbus Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung Device to deliver food and beverage in a passenger aircraft
WO2006006941A1 (en) * 2004-07-12 2006-01-19 Sentinel Engineering (M) Sdn Bhd The arrangement and method of assembling former holders
CN101832084A (en) * 2010-05-18 2010-09-15 张帆 Unattended full-automatic safe deposit box system
CN101832084B (en) * 2010-05-18 2012-10-10 张帆 Unattended full-automatic safe deposit box system
CN102849279A (en) * 2012-08-31 2013-01-02 张家港市德顺机械有限责任公司 Vertical shifting and carrying device for box body in full automatic box loader
CN103896010A (en) * 2014-04-10 2014-07-02 上海电力学院 Energy-saving elevating conveyor
CN105947628A (en) * 2016-05-26 2016-09-21 镇江市经纬工程机械有限公司 Workpiece lifting and temporary storing device for production line

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)