GB2263459A

GB2263459A - Transferring articles.

Info

Publication number: GB2263459A
Application number: GB9226612A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Wolfgang Mueller
Original assignee: Mannesmann AG
Current assignee: Vodafone GmbH
Priority date: 1991-12-30
Filing date: 1992-12-21
Publication date: 1993-07-28
Anticipated expiration: 2012-12-21
Also published as: GB9226612D0; ITMI922993A1; ES2063673R; GB2263459B; DE4143282C1; FR2685683A1; ES2063673A2; IT1256261B; ITMI922993A0; ES2063673B1; FR2685683B1

Description

2263459 1 -- I- APPARATUS FOR THE TRANSFER OF ARTICLES The invention

relates to an apparatus for the transfer onto a conveyor of articles to be conveyed located on tables, especially for unloading parcels from a table onto a roller conveyor.

An apparatus for transferring articles to be conveyed, especially parcels, by means of a combined lifting and displacing device is known in which a table is provided with slit-form recesses in its base which are distributed evenly over said base. Shaped members conformed to the dimensions of these recesses can be moved in and out thereof vertically from below. To unload the table, the shaped members are raised and the articles to be conveyed are thereby lifted and may be transferred by a lateral displacement device horizontally from the shaped members thereunder onto an adjacent conveyor.

The known apparatus for unloading articles to be conveyed from tables operates satisfactorily for a plurality of possible applications. With the known apparatus, however, the whole base of the table is usually provided with slits, holes, etc. The base is deformed and/or weakened thereby. As a rule, this leads disadvantageously to deformation and the use of a relatively large material thickness for the base is, therefore, necessary.

It is amongst the objects of this invention to provide an improved apparatus of the above type by which articles may be quickly conveyed and in which weakening of the base and resultant deformation of the table are substantially prevented.

Apparatus for the transfer of articles, according to the invention, comprises a table having a base with a raised rim along at least part of the edge thereof and at least one recess therein adjacent the rim, at least one member shaped such as to be moveable into and out of the recess by a lifting device therebelow, and, a device for lateral displacement of articles on the table positioned opposite the rim wherein the shaped member(s) is raisable by the lifting device at the side thereof adjacent the rim i 2 to at least the height of the upper edge of the rim to form a transport surface sloping from the base towards the rim for articles to be moved by the lateral displacement device.

Very preferably, the shaped member(s) are so arranged that, on raising thereof by the lifting device, articles located on the table are partially raised by the member(s).

In one embodiment, a single recess is arranged parallel to the rim opposite the lateral displacement device, in and out of which recess a conformed shaped member can be moved.

In an alternative embodiment, at least two shaped recesses are arranged in the base, in and out of which recesses shaped members can be moved. In an economic fashion, the shaped members may be driven in common by a single lifting device.

Very suitably, the recess(es) is rectangular and the shaped member(s) is in the form of a right-angled triangle whose hypotenuse forms the transport surface. The angle between the base and the transport surface may suitably be between 10 and 20 degrees. This angle is preferred since it ensures reliable displacement of the articles to be conveyed over the transport surface without the article being damaged.

The apparatus for the transfer of articles to be conveyed, comprising a shaped member extending from the base of the table and adjustable by means of a lifting device at least to the level of the table on the side thereof adjoining the rim of the table, enables the articles to be conveyed to be quickly and reliably displaced literally from the table. Because not the whole article to be conveyed is raised from the table by the shaped members, but only part thereof, i.e. it is tipped slightly on the table, the displacement movement in the direction of the further conveyor can be initiated more quickly.

3 Through the construction of the shaped member, which in the inserted state forms a transport surface rising from the base towards the rim of the table, such that the transport surface adjoins the upper edge of the rim, it is ensured that the articles to be conveyed can be displaced reliably onto an adjacent conveyor. The provision of a shaped member which runs over the whole length of one rim when in the inserted position proves advantageous if the conveyed articles to be displaced are small. In contrast, with relatively large articles to be conveyed, it is advantageously possible to dispense with these continuous shaped members and to arrange at least two narrow, plateform shaped members along the rim.

At the same time, it is hereby advantageously ensured that articles to be conveyed with uneven surfaces, e.g. tied parcels, are prevented from becoming caught on the shaped members during the displacement process or being damaged thereby.

The invention will now described by way of the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is a lateral, partially sectional view of an apparatus for the transfer of articles in accordance with the invention; Figure 1; Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of Figure 3 is a view of the table of the apparatus of Figure 1 from the displacement direction.

Figure 1 is a lateral view of a schematic representation of the apparatus with a table 1 for transportation of the articles to be conveyed. The table 1 consists of a flat, rectangular base 2, which has a raised rim 3 round it and adjoining it. Recesses 4 (see Figure 2) are arranged in the base 2, directly adjacent a rim 3 running in the longitudinal direction of the table 1. The table 1 rests on an accommodating device 5, onto which it 4 was conveyed, for example, from the elevating platform of a storage and retrieval unit (not shown). To initiate the unloading process, shaped members 7 conformed to the recesses 4 are inserted vertically from below into the base 2 of the table 1.by means of a lifting device 15. In this way, the otherwise rectangular transition from the base 2 to the rim 3 is bridged by a transport surf ace 8 constructed as a sloping plane and the article 10 to be conveyed is partially lifted by the shaped members 7, the other part of the article 10 to by conveyed still resting on the base. When the shaped members are in the displacement position, i.e. the shaped members 7 are at at least the same height as the upper edge 9 of the rim 3, the article 10 to be conveyed is transferred by a device 11 for lateral displacement of the article 10, arranged next to the accommodating device 5, laterally onto a conveyor 12 adjoining the accommodating device 5 and constructed as a roller conveyor 12.

Figure 2 shows a plan view of the apparatus comprising the table 1. It may be seen that the recesses 4 in the base 2 of -the table 1 are rectangularly aligned, extending longitudinally towards the rim 3 over which the articles to be conveyed have to be displaced, and spaced with respect to each other in such a way that they form a ladder-type area in the base of the table 1 along the rim 3. The table 1 can be aligned, via four centring elements 6 constructed as bolts, in the transfer position in which the shaped members 7 can be inserted without difficulty. The centring elements 6 can be inserted into funnel-shaped grooves 16 open on one side and arranged laterally in the area of the four corners of the table 1.

Figure 3 shows a lateral view of the table 1 with inserted shaped members. Six plates 14 in the form of right-angled triangles are provided as shaped members and connected with a base plate 13, the plates 14 being arranged at right angles to the base plate and parallel to each other and spaced with respect to each other. The 1 member formed thus is comparable to a comb or a rake.

Although the described apparatus has table recesses along only one rim, the provision of recesses on the opposing rims is also possible, to ensure displacement in two directions. Furthermore, in place of the plurality of recesses along a rim, a single recess and shaped member could be employed.

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Claims

1 - Apparatus for the transfer of articles comprising a table having a base with a raised rim along at least part of the edge thereof and at least one recess therein adjacent the rim, at least one member shaped such as to be moveable into and out of the recess by a lifting device therebelow, and, a device for lateral displacement of articles on the table positioned opposite the rim wherein the shaped member(s) is raisable by the lifting device at the side thereof adjacent the rim to at least the height of the upper edge of the rim to form a transport surface sloping from the base towards the rim for articles to be moved by the lateral displacement device.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the shaped member(s) is so arranged that, on raising thereof by the lifting device, articles located on the table are partially raised by the member(s).

3. Apparatus as claimed in either Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the shaped member(s) is vertically insertable into the recess(es) from below the lifting device.

4. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein a single recess is arranged parallel to the rim opposite the lateral displacement device, in and out of which recess a shaped member can be moved.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein at least two spaced recesses are arranged in the base, in and out of which recesses shaped members can be moved.

6. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the shaped members are driven in common by a single lifting device.

11

7. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the recess(es) is rectangular and theshaped member(s) is in the form of a right-angled triangle whose hypotenuse forms the transport surface.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the angle between the base and thetransport surface is between 10 and 20 degrees.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim including an accommodating device for the table with centring elements for aligning the table into a transfer position for the articles to be conveyed.

10. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.