GB2201658A

GB2201658A - Load handling apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2201658A
Application number: GB08805348A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Mackean Agnew
Original assignee: METAL PLANT Ltd
Current assignee: METAL PLANT Ltd
Priority date: 1987-03-06
Filing date: 1988-03-07
Publication date: 1988-09-07
Anticipated expiration: 2008-03-07
Also published as: GB2201658B; GB8705237D0; GB8805348D0

Abstract

A load handling apparatus includes a column structure (6) mounting support means (16) adapted for carrying the load (4) in cantilever fashion, the column is arranged for displacement in a direction transverse to the direction of lift of the load, between stop positions which define locations at which it is required to position a load. The load support means (16) is lifted and lowered by first ram assembly (13) and is counterpoised by a gas cylinder unit (25), the assembly and gas cylinder being carried by the column structure (8). The load is a top section of a two-part mould whose bottom section (1) is located at one stop position. <IMAGE>

Description

LOAD HANDLING APPARATUS This invention relates to load handling apparatus.

In particular, but not exclusively, the present invention is concerned with apparatus for handling or positionally manipulating a load formed by the upper section of a two part mould of the kind used in the production of articles by resin transfer moulding processes.

Conventionally, the moulds for such processes incorporate a bottom mould section supported by a support frame and an upper mould section which needs to be separable and displaceable from the bottom section for the purposes of loading the moldable materials into the mould, which needs to be placed upon the bottom section in the correct position for the purposes of the actual moulding; which needs to be firmly connected to the bottom section; and then after moulding separated from the bottom section and displaced away from the lower mould section for removal of the moulded article from the bottom section.

Since the actual moulds used, in practice, can be of considerable size and weight it is not always possible for an individual to handle upper mould sections with ease or without assistance. Furthermore, there is also the inherent difficulty that in order to separate the upper mould section from the lower mould section after a moulding operation a mould break open force is required in addition to the force required to lift the upper section.

It is known to provide lifting tackle to lift and separate the two mould sections and to move the upper mould section to a location in which access to the lower section is facilitated. However, such known apparatus has not adequately provided for the requisite accurate positioning of the mould upper sections and/or fully controlled effective access capability to both sections of the mould working surfaces.

It is an object of the present invention to provide article handling apparatus which facilitates the handling of the article.

According to the invention there is provided a load handling apparatus including; a column structure for mounting support means,adapted to carry the load to be handled in cantilever fashion; means for so connecting the column structure to a reference location for displacement, between predetermined locations at which it is required to position the load, in a direction transverse to the direction of lift of the load with respect to the column structure; means for enabling lifting and lowering of the support means; and means mounted from the column structure for counterpoising the support means and any load carried thereby with respect to the column structure.

For better understanding of the invention and to show how to carry the same into effect reference will now be made to the accompanying drawing which is a highly schematic representation of apparatus incorporating the features of the invention.

Referring now to the drawing a bottom section 1 of a mould arrangement 2 for use in a resin transfer moulding process is mounted upon a support frame 3.

Only fragmentary portions of the bottom section and frame are shown. The top section 4 of the mould arrangement 1 is intended to be manipulated with respect to the bottom section 2 by means of a handling unit 5 constructed and arranged in accordance with the concepts of the invention.

The handling unit 5 incorporates a main support column 6. Upper and lower pivot plates 7 and 8 provided on the support column 6 are pivotally/rotatably connected to complementary pivot plates 9 and 10 mounted to the support frame 3 so that the support column 6 can be pivoted/rotated about a vertical axis with respect to the frame 3.

The pivot plates 7 and 8 are so angularly set with respect to the support column 6 that mutual cooperation between the frame 3 and the support column 6 acts as limit stops thereby automatically to limit the extremes of any pivotal/rotatable movement of the unit 5 with respect to the support frame 3 and thereby accurately to position the support column 6 in a required setting with respect to the frame 3.

The support column 6 mounts a pneumatic or hydraulic ram assembly or unit 13 whose cylinder 14 is externally secured to the support column 6 and whose ram rod 15 connects with and supports a carrier frame assembly 16 for the upper mould section 4. The carrier frame assembly 16 serves to carry the upper mould section 4 cantilever fashion with respect to the support column 6. The weight of the carrier frame assembly 16 and the mould section 4 carried thereby is balanced by a counterpoising arrangement 17 which is mounted to the support column 6 and is such as to be able to accommodate the operational stroke of the ram rod 15 necessary to raise the top mould section 4 away from the lower section 1 sufficiently to allow the support column 6 to be pivoted/rotated to its location at which access to the bottom mould section is possible.

The support column 6 is vertically mounted from the intersection of two base plates 18 and 19 which are set at right angles to each other. The lower pivot plate 8 is mounted to the base plate 18 and projects outwardly from the said intersection and in the opposite direction to the plate 18.

The counterpoising assembly 17, in a preferred arrangement, includes a vertically arranged tubular member 20 of rectangular cross section which is mounted to the support column 6 for vertical movement with respect to the support column 6 by means of upper and lower guide brackets 21 and 22. The upper guide bracket cooperates with a roller 23 rotatably mounted on the upper end of the support column 6 and acts as a rotatable guide surface cooperating with the inside surface of the member 20. The lower guide bracket carries a second roller 24 which provides a second rotatable guide surface, this latter mentioned roller co-operating with the outer surface of the member 20.

A gas cylinder force controlling ti.e., restraining, unit 25 is located internally of the member 20. The rod 26 of the unit 25 cooperates with an abutment plate 27 provided upon the plate 8. The gas cylinder unit 25 is preset as to counterpoise the weight of the upper mould section 4, the weight of the carrier frame assembly 16 and also to accommodate any forces required to produce the initial breaking force required to open the mould sections after a moulding operation.

The carrier frame assembly 16 incorporates U-shaped hangers 28 for supporting stub arms 29 provided upon the mould section 4.

The unit 5 is intended to facilitate the carrying out of the major operations involved in the handling of the upper mould section 4 with respect to the lower mould section 1. These operations are the correct positioning of the mould section 4 above the lower mould section 1; the lowering of the upper mould section 4 relative to the lower mould section 1, enabling the interconnection of the mould sections, enabling the mould release operations, raising the upper mould section from the lower section 1, enabling the upper mould section 4 to be swung/moved from the superposed position over the lower mould section 1 to a predetermined upper mould location allowing access to the lower mould section and to enable the upper mould section to be returned to the accurately correct position over the lower section.

The control of the position of the upper mould section 4 relative to the lower mould section 1 is achieved by the utilisation of the actual structure of the handling unit 5 as limit stops on the pivotal/rotational movement of the support column 6 and thus the upper mould section 4 towards and away from the lower mould section location. The dimensions and angling of the pivot plates 7 and 8 are such that, when the support column 6 is pivoted in a direction transverse to the mould lifting and lowering directions to thereby to swing the carrier frame assembly 16 towards or away from the bottom mould section 1, the correct setting for the upper mould section displacement in either direction is automatically and accurately attained when selected portions of the support column 6 abuts the frame 3.

In addition, the operational stroke of the rod 15 of the cylinder unit 13 is so inter-related with the stroke of the gas cylinder unit 25 that the latter is able to counterpoise the above discussed weight of the carrier frame 16 and mould upper section 4 throughout the pivotal/rotational movement of the support unit structure 5.

It will be understood that suitable adjustment of the gas cylinder unit 25 will enable the counterpoising achieved to be set for different loads to be accommodated.

It will also be appreciated that whilst the above discussed embodiment has related to a support unit structure that is rotated to move the upper mould section away from or towards the lower section, the support unit structure could be such that the support column is mounted for a linear translation between its limit settings.

Claims

CLAIMS.

1 A load handling apparatus including; a column structure for mounting support means adapted to carry the load to be handled in cantilever fashion; means for so connecting the column structure to a reference location for displacement, between predetermined locations at which it is required to position the load, in a direction transverse to the direction of lift of the load with respect to the column structure; means for enabling lifting and lowering of the support means; and means mounted from the column structure for counterpoising the support means and any load carried thereby with respect to the column structure.

2. A load handling apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the column, structure is mounted for pivotal/rotational movement about a vertical axis with respect to the reference location.

3. A load handling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein a first ram assembly is provided for raising and lowering the support means with respect to the column structure, and wherein a second ram assembly or the like is provided for counterpoising the weight of the support means and any load carried thereby.

4. A load handling apparatus as claimed in claim 3, and wherein the second ram assembly is a gas cylinder device.

5. A load handling apparatus, constructed and arranged to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.