GB2092117A - Apparatus for transferring battery plates from one location to another - Google Patents

Abstract

The transfer apparatus 10, which is provided for removing the top battery plate 12 from a pile 13 of plates and dropping it at another location for further processing, includes a pick-up conveyor 11 which moves vertically downward to engage the top plate 12, then lifts the top plate 12 from the pile 13 of plates, moves the plate 12 laterally and then drops it. An elevator 14 supporting the pile 13 of plates is located beneath the pick-up conveyor 11 and its vertical movement is synchronized with the vertical movement of the pick-up conveyor 11 for maintaining the top plate 12 of the stack 13 at a position where it can be lifted by the pick-up conveyor 11. The transfer apparatus 10 also includes a conveyor 15 for moving successive stacks 13 of plates into position over the elevator 14. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION An apparatus for transferring battery plates from one location to another This invention generally relates to a transfer apparatus for moving plate like articles from one point to another, and more particularly, to an apparatus for successively picking-up and moving the top battery plate from a stack of plates to another location.

While the instant invention has features that make it applicable for many purposes in various fields, the present disclosure is directed particularly to the handling of flat grid plates used in manufacturing lead-acid batteries. As is well known, present day automotive and industrial batteries are made up of a number of cells, wherein each cell includes a plurality of alternately arranged positive and negative plates. In the handling of these flat plates, it is often necessary to transfer them one at a time from vertical stacks of such plates. The positive plates, in particular, have a relatively fragile coating thereon hence it is necessary to gently effect the transfer. The handling of these plates manually is tedious and expensive. Accordingly, it is desirable to automate the process.

In a transfer apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention, the top battery plate is continuously removed from a stack of flat plates by a pick-up device and transferred, laterally, to another location.

Briefly, the apparatus effects a transfer of each top battery plate by a group of vacuum cups carried on an endless belt. The belt travels over a vacuum box which is pivotally mounted at one end. The vacuum cups are hollow and communicate with apertures in the bottom of the vacuum box so that vacuum may be applied to a picked up plate as the vacuum cups move over the bottom surface of the vacuum box.

A stack of battery plates is moved laterally into a position underneath the free end of the vacuum box, hence beneath the path of movement of the vacuum cups carried by the endless belt. A cam mechanism is driven in synchronism with the belt carrying the vacuum cups to intermittently effect the lowering of one end of the pick-up device to bring four such cups into engagement with the top battery plate of the stack of battery plates. The vacuum effects the engagement of the four cups with the top plate and concurrently the cam elevates the lowered end of the pick-up device about its pivot mounting to lift the top plate from the stack. The picked-up plate is then transferred laterally and is dropped at the desired location by the vacuum cups passing beyond the apertures in the vacuum box.

A first proximity switch maintains the height of the stack so that the top plate of the stack of plates is at an elevational level where it can be picked up by the lowering movement of the vacuum box and vacuum cups, and a second proximity switch detects when all plates of a stack are transferred and effects movement of a new stack to the transfer position. Conventional electrical controls coordinate the operation of the various components of the transfer apparatus so that the overall operation thereof is continuous.

An object of this invention is to provide a transfer apparatus hy which the top plate of a stack of plates can be continuously gently removed and transferred to a desired location.

Another object of this invention is to provide a transfer conveyor which moves downwardly to pick up a plate and then moves upwardly and then laterally to transport the picked-up plate to a desired location.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent during the course of the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a transfer apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the movable end of the pick-up device; Fig. 3 is a side elevational view with parts thereof broken away, looking in the direction of line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a front elevational view with parts thereof broken away, looking in the direction of line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1 , there is illustrated a transfer apparatus designated in its entirety by the reference numeral 10 which generally comprises a pick-up conveyor 11 for picking up and transporting the top battery plate 12 from a stack 13 of such plates supported on an elevating device 14, and a feeding conveyor 15 for moving another stack of battery plates onto the elevating device 14 after the last plate of the previous stack of battery plates has been removed. All the aforementioned components are mounted in an operational relationship in an L-shaped housing 16.

As best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the pick-up conveyor 11 generally comprises an elongated box shaped member 17 having an endless belt 18 entrained over the length thereof.

More specifically, the box member 17 includes a chamber 19 connected to a source of vacuum (not shown) by a flexible hose 20 (See Fig. 1). The bottom of the box member 1 7 is provided with an elongated plate 21 (Fig. 2) which is detachably secured along the chamber 19 for defining the bottom chamber wall. The plate 21 is provided with a pair of longitudinal extending rows of apertures 22 and 22a opening into a pair of longitudinally extending grooves 23 and 23a, respectively, the purpose of which will be described hereinafter.

Referring now to Fig. 1. one end of the box member 17 is provided with an idler pulley 24 journalled on an idler shaft 25 and the other end of the box member 17 is provided with a drive pulley 26 mounted on an indexing driven shaft 27 for rotation therewith.

The endless belt 18 is entrained over the idler pulley 24 and the driven pulley 26 and carries a plurality of sets 28 of four suction cups 29. Each suction cup 29 is provided with a duct 30 extending therethrough (See Fig. 2). The cups 29 are arranged on the belt 18 in a manner so that two cups 29 of each set 28 communicate with the groove 23 while the other two cups of the set 28 communicate with the group 23a. Accordingly, when vacuum is present in the chamber 19, each set 28 of the cups will pick up the top battery plate 12 from the stack as it moves into contact therewith.

As best illustrated in Fig. 1, the ends of the idler shaft 25 are mounted in a pair of spaced apart support plates 31 and 31 a extending upwardly from one leg 1 6a of the housing 1 6 for pivotally supporting that end of the pick-up conveyor 11 so that the other end thereof may move vertically into and out of contact with the top plate 12 of the stack of plates located therebeneath. To this end, one end of the indexing driven shaft 27 is journalled in a vertically, reciprocal indexing trolley 32 (See particularly Fig. 3).

Referring now to Figs. 1, 3, and 4, the juncture of the legs 1 6a and 1 6b of the L-shaped housing 16 is provided with an upstanding framework 33 for movably mounting trolley 32 and supporting its associated operating mechanism 34. As best illustrated in Fig. 4, the framework generally comprises a pair of spaced apart rear columns 35 and 35a extending above the housing 16 and top and bottom support plates 36 and 37, respectively, which project horizontally therefrom (See Fig. 3).

A pair of parallel, spaced apart cylindrical columns 38 and 38a are fixably secured to and extend between the top plate 36 and the bottom plate 37 for serving as guide rails for the indexing trolley 32. For this purpose, each vertical side of the trolley 32 is provided with two sets of cooperating rollers 39 and 39a which roll along the columns 38 and 38a. Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, the trolley 32 is reciprocally moved along its vertical path of travel by a plate cam 40 rotatably driven by the drive mechanism 34 and a roller follower 41 rotatably mounted on the vertical face of the trolley 32 adjacent the cam 40.

In order to permit vertical movements of the trolley 32 but yet periodically rotate the drive pulley 26 for moving the endless belt 1 7 along its path of travel, the end of the indexing shaft 27 is provided with means comprising a driver 42 having a pair of diametrically spaced cam followers 43 and 43a rotatably mounted on its face 44 (See Fig. 2). A drive sprocket 45 mounted on a stubshaft 46 that is rotatably supported from the frame columns 35 and 35a, is provided with a pair of parallel, spaced-apart rails 47 and 47a on the side facing the cam followers 43 and 43a for engagement therewith. Accordingly, when the rails 47 and 47a lie in a vertical plane, the trolley 32 is free to move along its vertical path of travel.

The drive mechanism 34 driving the sprocket 45 is provided with a sprocket 48, connected by an endless chain 49 to the drive sprocket 45. The drive mechanism 34 is driven by a conventional gear reduction drive unit 50 through a chain and sprocket arrangement 51. It should be noted that the drive mechanism 34 drives the endless belt 18 of the pick-up device in a timed intermittent sequence relative to the vertical movement of the trolley 32.

Referring now to Fig. 3, the elevating device 14 positioning the top plate 12 of a stack of battery plates 13 at an elevation where it can be picked up by the sets 28 of vacuum cups 29, includes an elevator trolley 52 that is mounted for guided vertical movement in a manner substantially as that previously described for the indexing trolley 32. Accordingly, no further discussion of this feature.is deemed necessary. The elevator trolley 52 is provided with an angular support bracket 53 having an offset portion 54 (See Fig. 4) and is fixably secured to the trolley 52. Preferably the offset portion 54 includes a non-metallic support plate 55 as illustrated in the drawings which is positioned to lie directly beneath the sets 28 of the vacuum cups 29.

A linear actuator 56 of the type generally disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,272,021 issued to M. N. Weber on September 13, 1966 is provided for moving the elevator trolley 52 in reciprocating vertical paths. More specifically, the linear actuator 56 includes a vertically extending actuator shaft 57 which extends through the trolley 52 and has its upper end journalled for rotation in a tie bar 58 which extends between and is clamped to the columns 38 and 38a in a conventional manner. The other end of the actuator shaft 57 is journalled for rotation in a flange bearing 59 mounted on the bottom plate 37 of the framework 33 and extends therethrough.The bottom plate 37 also supports a reversible servo motor 60 having a downwardly depending output shaft 61 which is provided with a drive pulley 62, such as a gear belt pulley, for driving a pulley 63 provided on the depending end of the actuator shaft 57 through a gear belt 64.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the conveyor 15 is located in the leg 16b of the L-shaped housing and preferably includes two conveyor flights having a spacing therebetween so as to pass along opposed sides of the support plate 55 of the elevating device 14. More specifically, the conveyor 15 may comprise two flights of endless chains 65 and 65a entrained about a sprocket wheel 66 and 66a and sprocket wheel 67 and 67a, respectively. Each endless chain is driven by a conventional drive mechanism 68. Stacks 13 of battery plates from a previous operation are placed on the conveyor flight so as to be moved into position over the elevating support plate 55 as they are needed for continuous operation of the transfer apparatus.

Two proximity switches 69 and 69a determine the feeding of the stack 13 of plates upwardly so as to maintain the top plate 12 in essentially the same vertical position. One proximity switch 69 is disposed in a non-metallic base located at the foot of the stack 13 of plates and the other 69a is located near the top of the stack 13 of the plates (See Fig. 3). The linear actuator 1 5 elevating the non-metallic support plate 55, supporting a stack of plates, is driven by the reversible servo motor 60 which is controlled by the proximity switch 69a.Thus, whenever the upper proximity switch 69a is de-energized due to the fact that the level of the top of the stack 1 3 of plates is below the effective range of such switch, the servo motor 60 is actuated to raise the entire stack 13 until the proximity switch 69a is again energized, whereupon the elevational movement is stopped, and in this manner a continuous supply of battery plates is provided for the vacuum cups.

After the last plate is picked up, the proximity switch 69 in the non-metallic stack supporting base, energizes an electrical circuit (not shown) which effects the reversal of servo motor 60, hence the vertical retraction of elevator trolley 52, and thus, the non-metallic support plate 55 is lowered to its lower starting position (shown in full lines in Fig. 3).The feed conveyor 15 is then operated to move a new stack of plates onto the non-metallic support plate 55 to continue the feeding operation.

Referring now to Fig. 1, it should be noted that the battery plates 12 are successively dropped from the pick-up conveyor 11 onto a conventionally driven, belt conveyor 70 for transport or to a subsequent operation. More particularly, each battery plate 12 is dropped at a desired point over the transport conveyor 70 by the set 28 of vacuum cups 29 passing beyond the grooves 23 and 23a which terminate at a short distance from the pivoted end of the vacuum box, whereby the vacuum is effectively shut-off to that set of cups.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described to be taken only as an illustrative embodiment thereof and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of the parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims (11)

1. A transfer apparatus for removing the top battery plate from a stack of plates and dropping it at a remote location comprising: a. an elongated pick-up conveying means having a horizontally pivotally mounted end and a free end reciprocally movable in a substantially vertical path; b. first means for reciprocally moving the free end of said pick-up conveying means into a position for removing the top plate of said stack of plates; c. an elevator for supporting the stack of plates beneath the free end of said pick-up conveying means; d. second means for reciprocally moving said elevator in a vertical path; and e. means for synchronizing said first moving means with said second moving means whereby the top plate of the stack of plates is maintained at an elevation where it can be removed from the stack by said pick-up conveying means and moved to another location.

2. A transfer apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said pick-up conveying means comprises an endless belt conveyor carrying a suction type pick-up device.

3. A transfer apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 wherein said endless belt conveyor is provided with a plurality of sets of suction cups and is entrained over an elongated box connected to a source of vacuum, and conduit means connecting said cups to the interior of said box.

4. A transfer apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said first reciprocal moving means comprises a cam and follower mechanism.

5. A transfer apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said second reciprocal moving means comprises a linear actuator.

6. A transfer apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said synchronizing means comprises a pair of proximity switches.

7. A transfer apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 including means for successively moving stacks of plates into a position beneath the free end of said pick-up conveying means and over said elevator.

8. A transfer apparatus as claimed in Claim 7 wherein said moving means comprises a pair of spaced, parallel conveyor flights surrounding the plate stack supporting portion of said elevator.

9. A transfer apparatus for removing the top battery plate from the stack of plates and dropping it at a remote location comprising: a. an elongated pick-up conveyor having a horizontal pivotally mounted end and a free end reciprocally movable in a substantially vertical path, said pick-up conveyor comprising an endless belt carrying a suction-type pick-up device; b. a cam and follower mechanism for reciprocally moving the free end of said pick-up conveyor into a position for removing the top plate of said stack of plates; c. an elevator for supporting the stack of plates beneath the free end of said pick-up conveyor; d. a linear actuator for reciprocally moving said elevator in a vertical path; and e. first and second proximity switches for synchronizing the movement of said linear actuator with said cam and follower mechanism whereby the top plates of the stack of plates are successively maintained at a position where it can be removed from the stack by said pick-up conveyor and moved to another location.

10. A transfer apparatus as claimed in Claim 9 wherein said endless belt conveyor is provided with a plurality set of suction cups and is entrained over an elongated box connected to a source of vacuum, and conduit means connecting said cups to the interior of said box.

11. Apparatus for transferring battery plates from one location to another having its parts constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.