GB848804A - Apparatus for loading and unloading materials-handling pallets - Google Patents

Abstract

848,804. Loading and unloading pallets. TISS-METAL LIONEL-DUPONT & CIE. March 4, 1958 [March 13, 1957], No. 6946/58. Class 94(1). A device for loading or unloading pallets includes means for clamping together a layer of parallelepipedic articles for removal from or stacking on a pallet. In the loading operation, articles such as boxes 1a move along a roller conveyer 2 to a driven accelerating roller 11 which passes them to a stop 13 against which they form a row. The row is transferred by a reciprocating pusher 14 to a horizontal sliding plate 16 and is followed by further rows until a layer is formed. The plate moves horizontally to bring the layers between the arms 23a, 23b of a vertically slideable carrier 22, the latter being in its upper position 22a. Plates 24 mounted on the carrier arms advance inwards to clamp the layer, the arm 23 carrying two such plates pivotally mounted to accommodate minor irregularities in the layer side. The carrier is raised slightly, the plate 16 withdraws, and the carrier descends releasing the layer when it rests on the pallet 19, on an earlier deposited layer. The carrier may have a layer locating stop ,Fig. 11 (not shown), positioned by movement of the plate 16. the stop contacting the leading articles as the plate 16 advances towards the carrier and the plate 16 carrying stops which engage the trailing articles to consolidate the layer against the first stop. In unloading, the carrier clamps the uppermost layer resting on a pallet and raises it. The plate 16 advances beneath the layer and carries it, after release, opposite the pusher 14 for ejection a row at a time onto a further conveyer (not shown) opposite the conveyer 2. In an alternative form (not detailed) the plate 16 may be stationary and the carrier have both vertical and horizontal motion.