JPH0130736B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an automatic metal plate feeding device, and its purpose is to be attached to a metal plate printing machine or coating machine to fully automatically and continuously feed metal plates one by one, thereby improving work efficiency. This is an attempt to improve the results.

Generally, to feed metal plates to a metal plate printing or coating machine, approximately 1000 metal plates (1
The piles are stacked and transported to the supply section, where they are peeled off one by one by a suction device using a vacuum suction device, sandwiched between feed rolls and pinch rolls, and fed onto a feed conveyor.

In this case, if the stacked metal plates on the pallet, which are carried into the lifting device by the loading roller conveyor, are not placed in the correct position relative to the supply unit, it will have an adverse effect on printing or painting, and the empty If there is a time lag when exchanging pallets and stacked pallets, the printing press or coating machine will be in dry run mode during that time, and in order to guarantee printing quality, especially on printing lines, printing must be done through a test plate after dry run. It is necessary to check the quality before starting the actual printing, which requires time and trial printing each time, and there is a lot of waste such as the loss of trial printing plates.

The present invention provides an automatic feeding device that solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and its feature is to detect the carrying posture of the stacked metal plates on the pallet carried into the lifting device and automatically control it correctly. In addition, the supply of metal plates is maintained even when replacing pallets, eliminating the need for dry running.Furthermore, an extremely rational supply cycle is implemented in which empty pallets are automatically pulled out of the supply section and stored. That's what I did.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.
As shown in FIG.
, an elevating device section B that feeds the pallet P upward to the metal plate supply position, and a metal plate W on the pallet P.
A fork device section C holds a pallet P loaded with remaining metal plates for pallet replacement when there are few left, and an empty pallet storage section that pulls out empty pallets P from the lifting device section B and stores them in a stack. It is composed of a device section D.

Next, the specific configuration of each of the above parts will be explained. As is well known, in the carry-in roller conveyor section A, rollers on a roller stand 1 are rotated by a drive device to convey the pallet P in the direction of the lifting device section B.

In the elevating device section B, an elevator frame 2 is guided so as to be movable up and down, and an elevating motor 3 and a chain 4 provide upward movement from a lower end position. Reference numerals 16a and 16b are upper and lower limit confirmation switches of the elevator frame 2. As is clear from FIG. 2, a roller stand 5 is mounted on the elevator frame 2 so that its movement can be adjusted in the lateral direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the loading roller conveyor by means of guide rollers 6. . The lateral movement of the roller table 5 is carried out by using a detection device (not shown) to control the traverse motor 8 in the forward or reverse direction based on a detection signal when the loaded pallet P is displaced to the left or right. This is done by a shaft 9.

A pair of left and right roller conveyors 7a and 7b for receiving pallets P are disposed on the roller stand 5. The roller conveyors 7a and 7b are configured to be driven synchronously or only one of them by a drive motor 10 and a bevel gear 11, each with separate drive devices for the left and right sides. This drive motor 1
0 control is performed by a device 12 that detects the inclination by coming into contact with the front surface of the metal plates W stacked on the pallet P carried on the roller conveyors 7a and 7b. This detection device is shown in Figures 3 and 4.
As shown in the figure, a pair of left and right stopper members 23 are supported on the frame by a shaft 24 so as to be movable back and forth, and are constantly pushed forward by a spring 25. The structure includes a limit switch 26 that is energized by the backward movement of the stopper member 23. Therefore, when the stopper member 23 is pressed by the front surface of the metal plate W on the pallet P and the limit switch 26 is energized, the roller conveyor 7
The rotational drive of pallets a and 7b is stopped, but if there is an inclination, the one that was pushed first will stop, but the one that has not been pushed will continue to rotate, and the inclination of pallet P will be automatically corrected. Then, the stopper member 23 is pushed to stop it in the correct posture.

13 is a feed roll, and 14 is a pinch roll, which pinches a metal plate W between them and sends it to a feed conveyor 15 to be supplied to a printing machine or the like. For this purpose, the elevator frame 2 is given an upward feed to the feeding position where the top of the metal plates W on the pallet P always corresponds to the feed roll 13, and the side guide plate 17 and rear guide 18 for aligning the metal plates W are provided. and a limiting lever 19, and vacuum suckers 20a, 20b for peeling off the metal plates W one by one and feeding them toward the feed roll 13.

The side guide plate 17 can be adjusted to move left and right by an adjustment motor 23 according to the size of the metal plate W, and the rear guide 18, limit lever 19 and rear follower 20b are adjusted by an adjustment motor 22 and a screw shaft. 21, it is possible to adjust the movement back and forth.

Next, the configuration of the fork device section C is shown in Figures 1 and 5.
As shown in the figure, an automatically movable trolley 28 is installed on a horizontal frame 27 located above and parallel to the loading roller conveyor section A. This trolley 28 has a trolley frame 34, a guide roller 35 running on the horizontal frame 27, a pinion 36 that meshes with a rack 37 provided parallel to the horizontal frame 27, and a running motor 38 that rotates this pinion 36. , Folk 29, which will be described later.
A feed screw shaft 44 that is rotated in forward and reverse directions by the inching motor 43 and the inching motor 43, a feed nut 48 that is screwed onto the feed screw shaft 44, and a feed nut 48 that is engaged with the feed nut 48. It has a guide lever 42 that pivots in the front-back direction. Reference numerals 45a and 45b are limit switches for checking the forward and backward turning ends of the guide lever 42.

Further, a fork support 40 is suspended from the trolley frame 34 by a pair of parallel links 47a and 47b, and a fork 29 is suspended from the fork support 40.
The base of is fixed. One end of an elevating link 46 is pivotally attached to the fork support 40, and an elevating lever 41 connected to the guide lever 42 is connected to the upper end of the elevating link 46.

As is clear from FIG. 8, the tip of the fork 29 is provided with a hook 29a that engages with the pallet P and a guide roller 29b, which supports the guide roller 29b at the forward end of the fork 29 and guides the upward feed. A support member 48 is provided with an inclined surface 48a formed thereon. 30 is trolley 28
31 is a bumper for regulating the forward end of the trolley 28.
A stopper 39 provided on the trolley frame 34 comes into contact with this bumper 31.

Further, below the horizontal frame 27, a conveyor 32 for carrying out empty pallets is installed extending from the lifting device section B to the empty pallet storing device section D. 3
3 is a drive motor for the conveyor 32 for carrying out.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the structure of the empty pallet storage unit D includes a roller conveyor 50 located on a roller stand 49 corresponding to the conveyor 32 for carrying out. On this roller conveyor 50, a pair of left and right fork frames 51 are mounted on the lifting shaft 5.
6. It is suspended from a guide bar 58 via a guide roller 59. The fork frame 51 is equipped with a fork 52 which is moved forward and backward by a solenoid 53 to support the empty pallet P on the roller conveyor 50 at both ends.

The guide bar 58 is integrally connected to an elevating member 57 guided by a pair of left and right guide rods 65 vertically fixed to the frame 64, and the elevating member 57 is connected to an elevating screw 60 attached to the center thereof. The fork frame 51 is moved up and down together with the fork 52 and the solenoid 53 by a lifting motor 61 with a predetermined lifting stroke.

Reference numeral 54 denotes guide plates for guiding both left and right ends of empty pallets P that are stacked and stored. This guide plate 54 is provided so as to be adjustable in its movement in the lateral direction to correspond to the size of the pallet P, and the fork frame 51 is also moved in synchronization with the movement adjustment of the guide plate 54. In this structure, a feed screw shaft 62 is rotatably supported on a frame 64 along an axis parallel to the lower side of the guide bar 58. Threaded portions 62a and 62b in opposite directions are provided at the left and right ends of the feed screw shaft 62, and a nut 55a is screwed into these.
The guide plate 54 is suspended from the support shaft 55 on the support shaft 5a. Further, the guide plate 54 is provided with a bracket 66, and the elevating shaft 56 for suspending the fork frame 51 is passed through a hole 67 made in the bracket 66, so that the fork frame 51 can be lifted and lowered only when the guide plate 54 moves laterally. The shaft 56 is moved integrally. 63 is a motor for rotating the feed screw shaft 62.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be explained. In the carrying-in roller conveyor section A, a pallet P in which one pile (approximately 1000 sheets) of metal plates W is stacked is successively conveyed to the lifting device section B at regular intervals.

The pallet P carried into the elevator unit B is received by a pair of left and right roller conveyors 7a, 7b on the elevator frame 2 and conveyed to a fixed position.
At this time, if there is a horizontal displacement of the pallet P, this is detected by the detection device, and the roller table 5 is moved to the left or right to correct it to the correct position. Further, when the pallet P has an inclination, the detection device 1 is operated by the stopper member 23 against which the metal plate W comes into contact.
2, either the left or right roller conveyor 7a, 7
Correct posture is corrected by controlling the rotation drive to stop and continue rotation in b.

Next, the elevator frame 2 moves up in rapid traverse, and when the uppermost metal plate W on the pallet P reaches the supply position, it switches to slow inching up, and the pickers 20a and 20b pick up the metal plates one by one and roll them into the feed roll. 13 and pinch roll 14 to operate.

When the number of metal plates W remaining on the pallet P reaches a few, the pallet P is replaced. In other words, the trolley 28 is
moves forward, and the fork 29 is inserted into the lower surface of the rising pallet P to support the pallet P, and at the same time, the fork 29 is inched upward to continue the feeding operation of the remaining metal sheets W. During this time, the elevator frame 2 rapidly descends, and the loading pallet P is carried in again from the carrying roller conveyor section A. If correction of the lateral position and inclination is required, correction operations are performed, and then the pallet is rapidly moved up. The metal plate W on the pallet P supported by the fork 29 is synchronized with this rapid rise.
are completely supplied, and at the same time, the fork 29 is moved backward by the trolley 28, so that the tip hook 29a is
The empty pallet P is pulled out of the lifting device B, and is placed on the carrying-out conveyor 32 by lowering the fork 29 to its original position.

The empty pallet P placed on the carry-out conveyor 32 is carried to the empty pallet storage unit D and is transferred onto the roller conveyor 50. The empty pallet P transferred onto the roller conveyor 50 is removed by the forks 52, which had been retreating from the fork frame 51, being moved forward by the operation of the solenoid 53.
Support both ends. and fork frame 5
1 rises by a predetermined height (the height of one empty pallet) and lifts up the empty pallet P supported by the fork 52, and the next empty pallet P is moved to the roller conveyor 50.
Hold the lifted state until it reaches the top. When the next empty pallet P arrives on the roller conveyor 50, the fork 52 retreats, and the empty pallet P that has been supported so far is stacked on top of the empty pallet P that has entered the lower stage. Then, the fork frame 51 is lowered, and at the lower end, the fork 52 is again projected forward to support the lower empty pallet P and hold it together with the upper empty pallet P in the raised position again. By repeating this operation, several empty pallets P are stacked and stored, and when a predetermined number is reached, they are taken out by a forklift vehicle or transported to an empty pallet collection site by a conveyor device.

As described above, the present invention has the following effects.

That is, overall, each pile of metal plates is carried into the supply section, and the feeding operation is performed one by one, and the feeding operation is continued even when changing pallets, causing the printing machine or coating machine to run idle. This eliminates the need for test printing after empty operation and the wasteful use of test printing plates, which was required in the past, and automated the entire cycle from empty pallet removal to storage.

Next, regarding the individual equipment parts, first of all, in the elevating equipment part B, the roller conveyor installed on the elevator frame has a pair of left and right rollers that can be driven synchronously or on one side by separate drive devices, respectively.
In addition, since the roller stand of this roller conveyor can adjust the movement in the lateral direction, it automatically corrects and positions the inclination or lateral displacement of the pallet carried in to the correct position, so it can be used to support the pallet. When the fork moves forward, the tip of the fork is supported by a support member with a roller and an inclined surface, so the pallet carrying a heavy metal plate can be stably supported and upward feeding (inching) can be done smoothly. Operate. Further, the fork performs a rational work movement in which the empty pallet is pulled out by the fork's retreating movement to its original position and transferred onto the carry-out conveyor.

Finally, when installing the empty pallet storage unit D, the metal plates can be correctly supplied to the printing machine and the coating machine, eliminating printing and coating misalignment.

Furthermore, while the fork is supporting the ascending pallet, the fork device section C is replaced with the pallet to be used next time, and during that time, the metal plate on the pallet supported on the fork is supplied. As mentioned above, continuous supply can be obtained without running the printing machine or coating machine idly, and the empty pallets from the delivery conveyor can be automatically stacked and stored one after another, so that multiple empty pallets can be grouped together. Since the pallets are taken out at the point where they are empty, labor is saved in processing empty pallets.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is a side view of the entire device of the present invention, Figure 2 is a front view of the area around the roller conveyor part of the lifting device, and Figure 3 is a side view of the entire device of the present invention.
The figure is a front view of the pallet inclination detection device, Figure 4 is a partially sectional side view of the main parts, Figure 5 is a side view of the fork trolley, Figure 6 is a front view of the empty pallet storage device, and Figure 7 is a front view of the pallet tilt detection device. The same side view, FIG. 8, is a detailed view of the fork tip. A... Carrying-in roller conveyor section, B... Lifting device section, C... Fork device section, D... Empty pallet storage device section, 2... Elevator frame, 5... Roller stand, 6... Traverse roller, 7a , 7b...Roller conveyor, 12...Tilt detection device, 13...Feed roll, 14...Pinch roll, 20a,
20b... Stop car, 23... Stopper member, 2
6...Limit switch, 27...Frame, 2
8... Trolley, 29... Fork, 32... Unloading conveyor, 34... Trolley frame, 35
... Traveling roller, 36 ... Pinion, 37 ... Rack, 40 ... Fork support, 41 ... Lifting lever, 42 ... Guide lever, 44 ... Feed screw shaft, 46 ... Lifting link, 47a ,47b...
...Parallel link, 48...Feed nut, 50...Roller conveyor, 51...Fork frame, 52
... fork, 53 ... solenoid, 54 ... guide plate, 55 ... support shaft, 56 ... lifting shaft, 58 ... guide bar, 59 ... guide roller, 60 ... lifting screw.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A device that continuously carries in a pallet of stacked metal plates and supplies the metal plates on the pallet one by one at a supply position, which includes a roller conveyor section for carrying in the pallet of stacked metal plates, and a roller conveyor section for carrying in the pallet of stacked metal plates, an elevating device that provides upward feed to the metal plate supply position; and a fork device that holds the pallet on which the remaining metal plates are placed for pallet conversion when the remaining amount of metal plates on the pallet becomes low. and an empty pallet storage unit that sequentially stacks a plurality of empty pallets, and the lifting unit includes a roller stand that can be moved and adjusted in the lateral direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the loading roller conveyor. , a pair of left and right roller conveyors for receiving pallets, each rotated by a separate drive device, and detecting the carrying posture by coming into contact with the front end surface of the metal plate on the pallet carried on the roller conveyor for receiving pallets. and a pallet position correction device that controls the drive device, and the fork device section includes a fork that moves forward and backward in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the lifting direction of the lifting device, and that moves upward and forward at the forward position. , and an actuating device for the fork, at the tip of the fork, a roller is guided by an inclined guide surface to move the fork up and down when the fork moves forward, and a roller that engages with an empty pallet when the fork retreats to move the fork upward. a hook for pulling out the empty pallet to the empty pallet storage unit, and the empty pallet storage unit includes an empty pallet conveyor for receiving the empty pallet pulled out by the fork;
An automatic metal plate feeding device comprising a roller conveyor for receiving empty pallets at the conveyance end of the empty pallet conveyor, and forks for supporting and lifting the empty pallets on the roller conveyor and stacking them one after another.