JPH0812083A - Stacking device and transfer device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enhance the processing ability and the durability by furnishing a hook which is displaced to the attitude to hold an object on the elevation side of the circulating path of an endless chain and also to the attitude to release the object on the sink side. CONSTITUTION:A hook 50 of a clamp unit 40 moved to the incoming side of the circulating path of an endless chain 30 is swung in the specified direction centering on a pin 51 and displaced to the holding attitude with a guide roller 52 guided by a guide plate and held in such a way as hitching a case 10 while the detention part 53 is detained with a projection 12 on the case 10 on a draw-in conveyor in association with the clamp unit 40. When the clamp unit 40 is moved to the outgoing side of the circulating path of the chain 30 and sinks toward an inter-device conveyor 25, the case 10 held by the hook 50 is placed on the inter-device conveyor 25, and the detention part 53 of the hook 50 separates from the projection 12.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stacking device and a transfer device for vertically stacking articles such as plastic cases.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a stacking device for vertically stacking plastic cases (hereinafter referred to as cases), there is a stacking apparatus having a holding mechanism capable of moving up and down while holding the cases. In such a stacking device, when the cases carried in by a conveyor or the like are vertically stacked, the cases are held by the holding mechanism and then the holding mechanism is lifted and lifted. Then, after the next case is loaded under the lifted case, the holding mechanism is lowered to lower the lifted case onto the newly loaded case. After that, the cases are vertically stacked by repeating the same operation.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional stacking apparatus, since the holding mechanism repeats the lifting operation every time one case is stacked, it is difficult to improve the processing capacity, and the lifting operation is difficult. There is a problem that the life of the device is shortened due to the shock associated with, that is, the shock at the time of starting and stopping. In addition, the conveyor for loading cases must be installed at a fairly low position in order to secure the height of cases that can be stacked, and therefore, when the loading conveyor is at a high position, it must be installed separately from the loading conveyor. It is necessary to lower the case to the required low position before carrying it in by using a lifting conveyor. In other words, if the height of stackable cases is secured, the height position of the carry-in conveyor will be limited. On the other hand, if the height position of the carry-in conveyor is allowed to have flexibility, the height of stackable cases will be increased. Is limited. Furthermore, if cases where the stacking order has been set need to be stacked manually due to some trouble occurring during stacking, lift all the cases already stacked. The next case is carried in under the other case, but it is actually extremely difficult to manually lift the stacked cases, and therefore it is difficult to deal with troubles during the stacking.

It is an object of the present invention that the height of stackable articles can be sufficiently secured without being limited by the height position where articles are loaded, and the endless chain can be stopped without stopping. It is an object of the present invention to provide a stacking apparatus that can stack articles continuously and thereby can significantly improve the processing capacity and durability.
Another object of the present invention is to stack articles stacked by a stacking device without causing a load collapse, a fall, or the like.
An object of the present invention is to provide a transfer device capable of transferring smoothly and quickly onto a pallet.

[0005]

The above object of the present invention is achieved by the following constitution. An endless chain (30) that moves along a predetermined circulation path that extends in the vertical direction, and a plurality of endless chains (30) that are provided at predetermined intervals and that are always kept in a horizontal posture. ), The clamp unit (40) that is moved along with the movement of the endless chain (30) is provided so as to be oscillated by the contact and separation of the guide plate (54) with each clamp unit (40). A hook (50) displaced on the ascending side of the path to a posture for holding the article (10) and displaced on a descending side of the circulation path of the endless chain (30) to a posture for releasing the article (10); On the ascending side of the circulation path, the articles (10) are sequentially held by the hooks (50) of the clamp units (40) and conveyed to the descending side of the circulation path for circulation. In descending side of the path, Danseki device from the hook (50) to release the article (10) characterized by stacking sequentially stage to a predetermined position (20).

The hook (50) swings to the article holding position by being guided by the guide plate (54) in the article holding area to hold the article (10). Loading device. The stacking device according to the above or the above, wherein the hook (50) has a center of gravity set such that the hook (50) is in an article release position within the swinging region in a naturally hanging state.

Articles (10) provided with the stacking device (20) according to any one of (1) to (5) and stacked.
A transfer conveyor (61) for transferring the stacked articles (10) from the stacking device (20), and a pallet for sequentially transferring the pallets (11) to predetermined positions. A conveyor (64), a carriage (70) movable between the carry-in conveyor (61) and the pallet conveyor (64), and a height lower than the carrying surface of the carry-in conveyor (61) by a predetermined amount on the carriage (70). (76), which is provided at the height position and on which stacked articles (10) can be placed
On the carriage (70), the carriage (70) is provided so as to be able to come into contact with the side surface of the stacked article (10) placed on the cargo reception portion (76) along a direction intersecting with the cargo reception portion (76). ), And a pressing plate (77)
7) and a position regulating plate (90) which is provided at a position opposed to the pallet conveyor (64) so that the stacked articles (10) can be pressed by the pressing plate (77). Transfer device (60).

[0008]

In the stacking apparatus according to the present invention, a plurality of endless chains are provided at predetermined intervals on the ascending side of the circulation path of the endless chain which is moved along a predetermined circulation path extending in the vertical direction. The hook of the clamp unit holds the articles in sequence and conveys them to the lower side of the circulation path along with the movement of the endless chain, and further releases the articles from the hooks on the lower side of the circulation path to sequentially stack the articles at predetermined positions. Let Since the hook is provided in the clamp unit in a swingable hanging state, by guiding the hook to the article holding position or the article releasing position by the guide plate while moving the endless chain,
The article can be easily held or released.

Further, in the transfer apparatus according to the present invention, the stacking articles carried by the carry-in conveyor are moved in the moving direction of the carriage on the carry-in conveyor by the pressing plate of the carriage that is moved from the carry-in conveyor side to the pallet conveyor side. It is pressed and is slid on the loading conveyor onto the load receiving portion fixed to the carriage, and is conveyed until it comes into contact with the position regulating plate as the carriage moves to the pallet conveyor side. After that, the pressing plate that advances to the position regulating plate side on the cargo receiving part of the truck pushes it against the position regulating plate, and in this state, the space between the truck and the cargo receiving part of the truck is returned to the carry-in conveyor side. While sliding on the pallet, it is transferred onto the pallet carried in by the pallet conveyor from the load receiving part.

[0010]

The present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments.
FIG. 1 is an overall plan view showing a case stacking facility to which a stacking apparatus 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. In this figure, the cases 10 are vertically stacked in the stacking device 20 (six in this embodiment) and then transported to the transfer device 60, where the pallets remain stacked in the transfer device 60. Reprinted in.

In the stacking device 20, as shown in FIG. 2, the hook 50 of each clamp unit 40 is connected to the belt feeder 21 on the storage side (right side in FIG. 2) which is the rising side of the circulation path of the endless chain 30. (FIG. 6) and the case 10 carried in by the pull-in conveyor 24 are sequentially held, and are conveyed to the exit side (the left side in FIG. 2) which is the lower side of the circulation path as the endless chain 30 moves, and On the delivery side, the cases 10 are released and sequentially stacked on the inter-device conveyor 25.

As shown in FIG. 6, the belt feeder 21
Is configured by winding an endless belt 23 between rollers 22 arranged at a predetermined interval in the conveyance direction of the case 10, and the pull-in conveyor 24 and the inter-apparatus conveyor 25 each include a conveyor frame 26. , 27 are a roller conveyor in which a large number of rollers (not shown) are rotatably supported in the carrying direction of the case 10. The belt feeder 21 and the pull-in conveyor 24 carry the cases 10 one by one according to the circulation timing of the endless chain 30. The inter-device conveyor 25 includes the stacked cases 10
Are transferred to a transfer device 60 (FIG. 22) described later.

The endless chain 30, as shown in FIG.
The sprocket 32 is rotatably supported on the upper and lower parts of the frame 31, respectively. In the case of this example, the sprocket 32 on the upper part is fixed to the frame 31 by being rotated by the motor 33. While being guided by the chain guide 34, it is moved along a predetermined circulation path extending in the vertical direction.

The clamp unit 40 is used for the endless chain 3
A plurality of 0s are provided at a predetermined interval. In each clamp unit 40, the planar U-shaped frame 42 connected to the endless chain 30 via the arm 41 is always kept in a horizontal posture by the guide wheel 43 being guided by the guide rail 44. As it is, endless chain 30
Moved in conjunction with. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a pair of arms 41 is provided on each side of the frame 42 (upper and lower sides in FIG. 3), and two pairs are provided in total. The base end is swingably supported by the pin 45. As shown in FIG. 4, the tip of each arm 41 is swingably connected to a triangular connecting plate 46 via a pin 47. The connection plate 46 is provided on the endless chain 30 with a predetermined space. The guide wheel 43 is rotatably supported by pins 45 and 48 that are horizontally provided on both upper and lower sides of the frame 42, and has a substantially U-shaped cross section shown in FIG. Will be guided to. As shown in FIG. 2, the guide rail 44 is fixed to the frame 31, and is arranged in a loop shape outside the circulation path of the endless chain 30,
The loop center of the guide rail 44 is substantially aligned with the loop center of the circulation path of the endless chain 30.

As shown in FIG. 5, one pair of hooks 50 are provided on each side of the frame 42 (on the left and right sides in FIG. 5) for each clamp unit 40. It is supported so as to be swingable in the left and right directions. Each of the hooks 50 is formed in a substantially V shape, a guide roller 52 is rotatably supported at the base end portion and the tip end portion outside the frame 42, and a case is provided at the tip end portion inside the frame 42. 10
Engaging portions 53 that can be engaged with the convex portions 12 on the side surface are formed.
As shown in FIG. 12, the guide roller 52 is guided by the guide plate 54 provided above the drawing conveyor 24 only on the storage side of the circulation path of the endless chain 30. Referring again to FIG. 5, the hooks 50 are arranged such that the guide rollers 52 are not guided by the guide plates 54, and
The pin 51 is locked to a stopper (not shown) by its own weight balance on the left and right, and the engaging portion 53 is separated from the case 10 and is in a releasing posture shown by a solid line in FIG.
On the receiving side of the circulation path of the endless chain 30, FIG.
As shown in FIG.
When guided by, the pins 51 are each swung in a predetermined direction, and are displaced to a holding posture in which the case 10 is held by being hooked on the engaging portion 53 (FIG. 5).
At the posture indicated by the alternate long and short dash line). When the hook 50 on the left side in FIG. 5 is displaced from the released position to the holding position, the swinging direction of the hook 50 is clockwise in FIG. 5, and the hook 5 on the right side in FIG.
The swinging direction of 0 is the counterclockwise direction in FIG.

The operation of the stacking device 20 will be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIG. The case 10 is sequentially carried in one by one by the belt feeder 21 and the retracting conveyor 24 in synchronism with the circulation of the endless chain 30, temporarily stopped at a predetermined position by the stopper 35, and then sequentially by the hook 50 of each clamp unit 40. It is held and conveyed along a predetermined circulation path as the endless chain 30 moves (FIGS. 6 and 7). The timing of loading the case 10 by the belt feeder 21 and the retracting conveyor 24 is such that each case 10 has each clamp unit 40.
Is held and the timing is controlled to be delayed by one for every six cases. That is, one clamp unit 40 out of every six units, that is, the clamp unit 40 next to the clamp unit 40 that holds the uppermost case 10 of the stacked case 10 does not hold the case 10 and is in an empty state. To move. The first case 10 transported to the delivery side of the circulation path of the endless chain 30 is placed on the inter-device conveyor 25 (FIG. 8), and the second and subsequent cases 10 are placed immediately before. They are sequentially stacked on the case 10 (FIG. 9). And the sixth case 10
When the stacks are stacked, the gate guide 36 is opened (see FIG. 1).
0), the stacking case 10 is transported to the transfer device 60 (FIG. 22) side (left side in FIG. 11) by the inter-device conveyor 25 while the empty clamp unit 40 passes through the shipping side of the circulation path. (Fig. 11).

Next, the operation of holding and releasing the case 10 by the hook 50 of the clamp unit 40 will be described with reference to FIGS.
~ It demonstrates with reference to FIG. Referring to FIG. 2, in each clamp unit 40, the frame 42 connected to the endless chain 30 via the arm 41 is always kept in a horizontal posture by the guide wheel 43 being guided by the guide rail 44. The endless chain 30 is moved as it is along the circulation path.

Referring to FIG. 12, the hook 50 of the clamp unit 40, which is moved to the storage side of the circulation path of the endless chain 30, has the guide roller 52, the guide plate 54 and the guide roller 52.
By being guided to each other, the pins 51 are each swung in a predetermined direction and displaced to the holding posture (see FIG. 1).
3) As the clamp unit 40 (FIG. 12) rises, the engaging portion 53 is engaged with the convex portion 12 of the case 10 on the pull-in conveyor 24 to hold the case 10 in a hooked manner (FIG. 14). ). Clamp unit 40 in this state
(FIG. 12) is moved to the delivery side of the circulation path along with the movement of the endless chain 30, and the case 10 is moved to the inter-device conveyor 2
5 (FIG. 16) to carry (FIG. 15). Since there is no guide plate 54 on the receiving side of the circulation path other than above the pull-in conveyor 24, the guide roller 52 is not guided by the guide plate 54 during the movement from the receiving side to the delivery side of the circulation path. 50 is a case where the left and right of the pin 51 (FIG. 12) is balanced by the case
It can be changed depending on the weight of, and the holding posture can be maintained.

The clamp unit 40 is used for the endless chain 3
Moved to the exit side of the circulation route of 0, and the inter-device conveyor 25
16 (FIG. 16), the case 10 held by the hook 50 is placed on the inter-device conveyor 25 (FIG. 17), and then the engaging portion 53 of the hook 50 is removed from the convex portion 12 of the case 10. Separate. Then, the hook 50 whose weight is not applied to the case 10 is oscillated in the opposite direction to the above with the pin 51 as a center due to its own weight balance between the left and right of the pin 51 and is displaced to the release position (FIG. 1).
8). Thereafter, the cases 10 are stacked in the same manner. That is, the clamp unit 40 holding the second case 10 is moved to the delivery side of the circulation path of the endless chain 30 and lowered toward the inter-device conveyor 25 (see FIG. 1).
9) After the case 10 held by the hook 50 is placed on the first case 10, the engaging portion 53 of the hook 50 separates from the convex portion 12 of the case 10. And hook 50
Are oscillated around the pins 51 by the self-weight balance on the left and right of the pins 51 and displaced to the release posture (FIG. 20), and then move without contacting the first case 10 on the inter-device conveyor 25. To be done.

In the stacking device 20 described above, the hook 50 of the clamp unit 40 is guided by the guide roller 52 by the guide plate 54, so that the pin 5
1 is swung in a predetermined direction and displaced to the holding posture, and the case 10 is moved to the inter-device conveyor 25.
Since the engaging portions 53 are placed on the case 10 stacked on the top or immediately before and the engaging portion 53 is separated from the convex portion 12 of the case 10, the balance between the left and right of the pin 51 causes the pin 51 to be the center, and the above description is different. Although it swings in the opposite direction and is displaced to the release posture, the self-weight balance between the left and right of the pin 51 of the hook 50 is changed, that is, by making the engaging portion 53 side of the hook 50 heavier than the guide roller 52 side. The hook 50 may be maintained in the holding posture when the roller 52 is not guided by the guide plate 54, and may be displaced in the releasing posture when the guide roller 52 is guided by the guide plate 54. . In this case, by providing a guide plate (not shown) for displacing the hook 50 to the release posture also near the inter-device conveyor 25 on the delivery side of the circulation path, the posture of the hook 50 near the inter-device conveyor 25 is released. To hold. As a result, the hook 50 that releases the case 10 is prevented from coming into contact with the case 10 and the inter-apparatus conveyor 25 that are already stacked, and noise and the like are prevented from occurring.

In the stacking apparatus 20, after the case 10 which is the uppermost stage of the stacking case 10 is held by the clamp unit 40, the next clamp unit 40 is not held by the case 10 and an empty clamp is provided. While the units 40 are configured to be carried out from the gate guide 36 while the units 40 pass through the delivery side of the circulation path, all the clamp units 40 sequentially hold the cases 10 and are stacked. While the case 10 is unloaded from the gate guide 36, the endless chain 3
The movement of the clamp unit 40 by 0 may be stopped.

Further, in the stacking apparatus 20, the frame 42 of the clamp unit 40 is connected to the endless chain 30 via the arm 41, and the guide wheel 43 is guided by the guide rail 44 so that the frame is always horizontal. Although it is configured to be moved in conjunction with the endless chain 30 while being kept in a proper posture (so-called carousel type), any configuration is possible as long as the frame 42 of the clamp unit 40 can always be kept in a horizontal posture. May be
Various conventionally known mechanisms and the arrangement of the endless chain 30 can be applied. As an example, as shown in FIG. 21, the base end portion of the frame 100 having an inverted V-shaped side surface is provided with the guide 10
The structure may be such that the intermediate portion of the frame 100 is connected to the endless chain 104 while being connected to the endless chain 104. Frame 100
The clamp unit 40 is provided in the second embodiment, and this modified example is different from the above-described embodiments in the shape of the frame 100 and the support structure and guide structure of the frame 100. In the stacking device of the above-described embodiment, the loop center of the circulation path of the endless chain 30 and the loop center of the guide rail 44 that guides the guide roller 52 are substantially aligned with each other.
In the configuration shown in (1), the loop center of the circulation path of the endless chain 104 and the loop center of the guide 102 do not match.

Next, the transfer device 60 will be described. In the transfer device 60, as shown in FIG. 22, the cases 10 stacked by the stacking device 20 (FIG. 2) described above are stacked.
From the inter-device conveyor 25 (FIG. 1) to the carry-in conveyor 61
After being loaded by the pallet 11 by the trolley 70
Reprinted on top. The pallet 11 is the pallet conveyor 6
4 is carried in to a predetermined position.

The carry-in conveyor 61, as shown in FIG.
A stacking case in which a large number of transport rollers 62 are rotatably supported by a conveyor frame 63 along a predetermined direction (horizontal direction in FIG. 1) and are transported from a stacking device 20 by an inter-device conveyor 25. 10 for dolly 7
It is carried in to the upper part of the load receiving part 76 (FIG. 22) of 0 (FIG. 22).

The pallet conveyor 64 is a chain conveyor in which a pair of transfer chains 65 are supported by a conveyor frame 66 so as to be circulatively movable along a predetermined direction (horizontal direction in FIG. 1), and the stacking case 10 is transferred. The empty pallets 11 (FIG. 22) to be carried in are sequentially carried into predetermined positions.

Referring again to FIG. 22, in the carriage 70, the carriage main body 71 arranged so as to straddle the carry-in conveyor 61 and the pallet conveyor 64 has a sprocket 72.
Wheels 7 that are connected to a drive chain 73 that is wound around the wheel 7 and that are rotatably supported by the carriage main body 71 as the drive chain 73 is moved by a motor (not shown).
4 is rolled on the rail 75 and reciprocated between the carry-in conveyor 61 and the pallet conveyor 64. The dolly 70 has
A load receiving portion 76 is provided at a height position lower than the upper surface of the carry-in conveyor 61 by a predetermined amount H, and a pressing plate 77 is provided above the load receiving portion 76 and orthogonal to the load receiving portion 76.

The load receiving portion 76 is composed of a large number of comb-shaped forks fixed to the carriage main body 71 in a substantially horizontal state, and is capable of mounting the stacking case 10. Receiving section 76
When the carriage 70 is moved from the carry-in conveyor 61 side to the pallet conveyor 64 side, the stacking case 10 pressed by the pressing plate 77 that moves with the movement of the carriage 70 slides on the carry-in conveyor 61. Will be reprinted.

The pressing plate 77 is formed so as to be slightly higher than the height of the stacking case 10 on the carry-in conveyor 61, and can be pressed by contacting the left side surface of the stacking case 10 in FIG. . That is, the pressing plate 77 is
Is moved from the side of the carry-in conveyor 61 to the side of the pallet conveyor 64, it is moved along with the movement of the carriage 70, and abuts against the left side surface of the stacking case 10 on the carry-in conveyor 61 in FIG. The stacking case 10 is slid on the carry-in conveyor 61 and transferred onto the load receiving section 76. Further, when the carriage 70 is returned from the pallet conveyor 64 side to the carry-in conveyor 61 side, the pressing plate 77 is located above the load receiving portion 76 in a direction opposite to the moving direction of the carriage 70 due to the extension of the scissors link mechanism 78, that is, the pallet. It advances to the conveyor 64 side and presses the stacking case 10 against the position regulating plate 90. The stacking case 10 pressed against the position regulation plate 90 has the load receiving portion 76 accompanying the movement of the carriage 70.
As the sheet is moved to the carry-in conveyor 61 side, the sheet is slid on the load receiving section 76 and transferred onto the pallet conveyor 64.

A pair of scissors link mechanisms 78 for moving the pressing plate 77 forward and backward above the load receiving portion 76 are provided on both sides of the carriage main body 71 in the moving direction (left and right direction in FIG. 22). In each scissors link mechanism 78, two link arms 79 are suspended between the carriage main body 71 and the pressing plate 77 in a hooked manner, and each link arm 79 is driven by an air cylinder 80. That is, of the link arms 79, one link arm 79 has its upper end connected to the tip of the cylinder rod 81 of the air cylinder 80, and its lower end connected to the lower end of the pressing plate 77.
The other end of the link arm 79 is slidably supported in the vertical direction by a slider cylinder 82 provided on the back surface of the pressing plate 77, and the lower end of the link arm 79 is connected to the carriage main body 71.
The scissors link mechanism 78 is contracted when the air cylinder 80 is inactive (indicated by a solid line and a dashed line in FIG. 22), and when the air cylinder 80 is activated and the cylinder rod 81 is housed in the cylinder body. ,
It is extended rightward in FIG. 22 (shown by a chain double-dashed line in FIG. 22), and the pressing plate 77 is advanced to the pallet conveyor 64 side.

The position regulating plate 90 is a pressing plate 77 of the carriage 70.
And the pallet conveyor 64 is sandwiched between them. When the pressing plate 77 is advanced to the pallet conveyor 64 side by the scissors link mechanism 78, the position regulating plate 90 is pressed against the right side surface of the stacking case 10 in FIG. Even if the load receiving section 76 moves to the carry-in conveyor 61 side, the stacking case 10 is pressed against the pressing plate 77 while the scissors link mechanism 78 is continuously extended.
Position it so that it is sandwiched between and.

Next, the operation of the transfer device 60 will be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIG. The cases 10 stacked by the stacking device 20 (FIG. 2) are transferred from the inter-device conveyor 25 (FIG. 1) to the loading conveyor 61 by the load receiving portion 7 of the carriage 70.
6 It is carried to the upper part. Then, when a predetermined number of stacked cases 10 are stacked on the carry-in conveyor 61, the carriage 70 is moved from the carry-in conveyor 61 side to the pallet conveyor 64 side. Along with the movement of the carriage 70, the stacking case 10 on the carry-in conveyor 61 is pressed by the pressing plate 77 that is in contact with the left side surface.
The carriage 70 is pressed in the moving direction of the carriage 70, is slid on the carry-in conveyor 61, is transferred onto the load receiving portion 76 of the carriage 70, and is then conveyed above the pallet conveyor 64 until it comes into contact with the position regulating plate 90. (FIG. 23).

The right side surface of the stacking case 10 is the position regulating plate 9
When it comes into contact with 0, the carriage 70 is moved to the carry-in conveyor 61 side so as to return in the opposite direction. At this time, as the scissors link mechanism 78 of the carriage 70 is extended, the pressing plate 77 is advanced to the position regulating plate 90 side opposite to the moving direction of the carriage 70, and the stacking case 10 is moved to the position regulating plate 9.
Press on 0 (Fig. 24). While the scissors link mechanism 78 is continuously extended, the load receiving unit 7 is moved as the carriage 70 moves.
Even when 6 is moved to the carry-in conveyor 61 side, the stacking case 10 is held above the empty pallet 11 so as to be sandwiched between the stacking case 10 and the pressing plate 77. As a result, the stacking case 10 is transferred from the load receiving portion 76 onto the pallet 11 of the pallet conveyor 64 while sliding with the load receiving portion 76 of the carriage 70 (FIG. 25). Then the trolley 70
It returns to the original position on the side of the carry-in conveyor 61, contracts the scissors link mechanism 78, and waits until a predetermined number of stacked cases 10 are stacked (FIG. 26).

In the transfer device 60 described above, the stacking case 10 on the carry-in conveyor 61 is pressed in the moving direction of the carriage 70 by the pressing plate 77 that abuts on the left side surface, and slides on the carry-in conveyor 61. The loading conveyor 61 is configured to be movable up and down, and the stacking case 10 is lowered to move the loading conveyor 61 from the loading conveyor 61 to the loading portion of the carriage 70. It may be transferred onto the 76. According to this, since the stacking cases 10 do not slide on the carry-in conveyor 61, it is possible to significantly reduce the load on the bearings of the carry-in conveyor 61, especially when the heavy case 10 is transferred. It is possible to improve durability.

As described above, according to the above-described embodiment, the stacking device 20 has the hook 50 of each clamp unit 40 on the storage side which is the rising side of the circulation path of the endless chain 30.
The case 10 carried in by the belt feeder 21 and the pull-in conveyor 24 is sequentially held, and is conveyed to the delivery side which is the lower side of the circulation path along with the movement of the endless chain 30, and at the delivery side of the circulation path,
Since the cases 10 are released from the hooks 50 and sequentially stacked on the inter-device conveyor 25, the stackable cases 1
A pull-in conveyor 24 into which the case 10 is loaded at a height of 0
It can be sufficiently secured without being restricted by the height position of. In addition, the cases 10 can be stacked in succession without stopping the endless chain 30, and thus the processing capacity can be significantly improved, and the shock due to the start and stop of the device does not occur. The durability and energy efficiency can be greatly improved. Furthermore, even if it is necessary to manually stack the cases 10 due to a trouble or the like, the case 1
Since the 0s can be stacked by stacking them one by one, troubles and the like can be easily dealt with manually.

The transfer device 60 is loaded from the device conveyor by the carry-in conveyor 61.
Is pressed in the moving direction of the carriage 70 on the carry-in conveyor 61 by the pressing plate 77 of the carriage 70 that is moved from the carry-in conveyor 61 side to the pallet conveyor 64 side, and the carry-in conveyor is mounted on the load receiving portion 76 fixed to the carriage 70. 61 is slid and transferred, and as the carriage 70 moves to the pallet conveyor 64 side, it is conveyed until it comes into contact with the position regulation plate 90, and then the position regulation is performed on the load receiving portion 76 of the carriage 70. The pressing plate 77 that advances to the plate 90 side presses it against the position regulating plate 90, and in this state, with the movement of the carriage 70 that is returned to the carry-in conveyor 61 side, slides between the carriage 70 and the load receiving portion 76 of the carriage 70. When the cases 10 are stacked high by the stacking device 20, since they are transferred from the load receiving portion 76 onto the pallet 11 of the pallet conveyor 64 while being generated. Oite also the stacking casing 10, without causing the collapse of cargo and falling like, and leads smoothly and quickly transferred onto the pallet 11.

Further, in the transfer device 60, the load receiving portion 76
Since there is no need to raise and lower the fork which is
The configuration of can be simplified. Further, the carriage 70 presses the stacking cases 10 against the position regulating plate 90 by the pressing plate 77 which is advanced and retracted by the scissors link mechanism 78,
By moving to the carry-in conveyor 61 side, the cargo receiving unit 76
As the stacking case 10 is transferred from the load receiving portion 76 onto the pallet 11 by pulling out the stacking case 10 from below, even if the stop position accuracy of the carriage 70 is low,
The stacking case 10 can be placed on the pallet 11 in an orderly manner, so that the traveling control of the carriage 70 can be simplified. In addition, the carriage main body 71 is the carry-in conveyor 6
1 and the pallet conveyor 64 are arranged so as to straddle, so that compared to the conventional type that is suspended from a large gate frame, vibration and deformation are extremely small, and the structure is lightweight, small and simple. You can

[0037]

As described above, according to the stacking apparatus of the present invention, an endless chain is formed on the receiving side which is the ascending side of the circulation path of the endless chain which is moved along a predetermined circulation path extending in the vertical direction. The hooks of a plurality of clamp units provided at predetermined intervals hold the articles sequentially, and convey the articles to the exit side, which is the lower side of the circulation path, along with the movement of the endless chain. Since it is released from the hook on the side and stacked in order at predetermined positions, the height of stackable articles can be sufficiently secured without being limited by the height position at which articles are loaded. The articles can be continuously stacked in a stack without stopping the endless chain, which can greatly improve the processing capacity and the durability.

Further, according to the transfer device of the present invention, the stacked articles stacked by the stacking device and carried in by the carry-in conveyor are moved by the pressing plate of the carriage that is moved from the carry-in conveyor side to the pallet conveyor side. , Pressing in the moving direction of the carriage on the carry-in conveyor, and sliding it on the carry-in conveyor onto the load receiving part fixed to the carriage, and with the movement of the carriage to the pallet conveyor side,
The sheet is conveyed until it comes into contact with the position regulation plate. After that, by the pressing plate that advances to the position regulating plate side on the cargo receiving part of the trolley,
Since it is pressed against the position control plate and is slid between the load receiving part of the dolly and the pallet conveyor along with the movement of the dolly returned to the carry-in conveyor side in this state, it is transferred onto the pallet conveyor pallet from the load receiving part. Even when articles are stacked high by the stacking device, the stacked articles can be smoothly and quickly transferred onto the pallet without causing a load collapse and a fall.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall plan view showing a case stacking facility to which a stacking apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is an AA showing a stacking device of the case stacking facility of FIG.
It is an arrow view.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a clamp unit of the stacking apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a view of the clamp unit of FIG. 3 as seen in the direction of arrow B.

FIG. 5 is a right side view of the clamp unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a view for explaining the operation of the stacking device of FIG. 2, and is a view showing a state where the first case is held by the hook of the clamp unit.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a state where the second case is held by a hook of the clamp unit from the state shown in FIG.

8 is a diagram showing a state in which six cases are held by hooks of a clamp unit and the first case is placed on the roller conveyor from the state shown in FIG. 7.

9 is a diagram showing a state where the second case is stacked on the first case on the roller conveyor from the state shown in FIG.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which cases are further stacked from the state shown in FIG. 9 to form a stacked case of 6 stages.

11 is a diagram showing a state in which the stacking case is carried out by the inter-device conveyor from the state shown in FIG.

12 is a view for explaining the holding and releasing operation of the case by the hook of the clamp unit of FIG. 3, and is a view showing a state before the case is held by the hook.

13 is a diagram showing a state in which the clamp unit is lifted from the state shown in FIG. 12 and the hook is displaced to the holding posture.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a state in which the clamp unit is further raised from the state shown in FIG. 13 and the engaging portion of the hook is engaged with the convex portion of the case.

15 is a diagram showing a state in which the clamp unit is further raised from the state shown in FIG. 14 and the case is raised.

16 is a diagram showing a state in which the clamp unit has moved along a predetermined circulation path from the state shown in FIG. 15 and has descended toward the inter-device conveyor.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a state in which the clamp unit is further lowered from the state shown in FIG. 16 and the case is placed on the inter-device conveyor.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a state in which the clamp unit is further lowered from the state shown in FIG. 17, the hook is disengaged from the case, and is displaced to the release posture.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a state in which the clamp unit holding the next case on the hook has descended from the state shown in FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a state in which the clamp unit holding the next case on the hook further descends from the state shown in FIG. 19 and the cases are stacked on the case placed on the inter-device conveyor. Is.

FIG. 21 is a schematic configuration diagram of a modified example of the stacking device.

FIG. 22 is a C- showing the transfer device of the case loading facility of FIG. 1;
It is a C arrow line view.

23 is a view for explaining the operation of the transfer device of FIG. 22, and is a view showing a state in which the carriage is moved to the pallet conveyor side.

24 is a view showing a state in which the carriage has started to be moved to the carry-in conveyor side while extending the scissor link mechanism from the state shown in FIG. 23;

FIG. 25 is a diagram showing a state in which the carriage is further moved to the carry-in conveyor side from the state shown in FIG. 24, and the stacking case is transferred onto the pallet.

26 is a diagram showing a standby state in which the carriage is moved to the original position from the state shown in FIG. 25 and the scissors link mechanism is contracted.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 goods (case) 11 pallet 20 stacking device 30 endless chain 40 clamp unit 50 hook 60 transfer device 61 carry-in conveyor 64 pallet conveyor 70 trolley 76 load receiving part 77 pressing plate 90 position regulating plate

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An endless chain (30) moved along a predetermined circulation path extending in a vertical direction, and a plurality of endless chains (30) provided at predetermined intervals so that a horizontal posture is always maintained. Endless chain (3
0) The clamp unit (4
0) and a guide plate (54) on each clamp unit (40)
The endless chain (30) is provided in a hanging state capable of swinging by contact and separation with the article (1
(0) is held and the end of the endless chain (30) is lowered on the lower side of the circulation path (1).
0) is disengaged in a posture to release the article (10) by the hooks (50) of the respective clamp units (40) in sequence on the ascending side of the circulation path. The stacking device (20), which conveys the articles (10) from the hooks (50) and sequentially stacks the articles (10) at predetermined positions on the descending side of the circulation path. 2. The hook (50) swings to an article holding position and holds the article (10) by being guided by the guide plate (54) in an article holding area. 1. The stacking device (20) according to 1. 3. The stacking apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the hook (50) has a center of gravity set so as to be in an article releasing position within the swing region in a state of being naturally suspended. 20). 4. Articles (10) provided with the stacking device (20) according to any one of claims 1 to 3 and stacked.
Is a device for transferring the stacked articles to the pallet (11), and a carry-in conveyor (61) for loading the stacked articles (10) from the stacking device (20), and a pallet for sequentially loading the pallets (11) at predetermined positions. A conveyor (64), a carriage (70) movable between the carry-in conveyor (61) and the pallet conveyor (64), and a height lower than the carrying surface of the carry-in conveyor (61) by a predetermined amount on the carriage (70). Is installed in the stack position, and stacked articles (1
0) on which the load receiving part (76) can be placed, and the stacked article (1) placed on the load receiving part (76) along the direction intersecting the load receiving part (76) on the carriage (70).
0) is provided so as to be able to come into contact with the side surface of the trolley, and the pallet conveyor (64) is sandwiched between the pressing plate (77) and the pressing plate (77) that can move back and forth in the moving direction of the carriage (70). And a position regulating plate (9) which is provided on the base plate and against which the stacked articles (10) are pressed by the pressing plate (77).
0) and a transfer device (60).