JPH1035825A - Crane - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To carry out loading and unloading on storing shelves on both sides of shelf clusters, reduce a crane width, and drastically increase work storing efficiency for a given size of space while providing a work receiving fork substantially only on one side of a fork frame. SOLUTION: A gate type running frame 17 astridingly running between shelf clusters 5 opposing each other is provided with a fork frame 19 capable of traveling up and down. The fork frame 19 is provided with a plurality of work receiving forks 21. Each work receiving fork 21 is shorter than the distance between shelf ends of the opposing shelf clusters 5. Work receiving portions of each work receiving fork 21 are equidistantly located on both sides of its center. Each work receiving fork 21 is slidably inserted in the fork frame 19 to penetrate it at specified intervals in the running direction of the running frame 17. A driving means is provided to synchronously project the plurality of work receiving forks 21 and their work receiving portions S to one or both sides of the shelf clusters 5.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a crane for transferring a work to and from a plurality of fork-like storage shelves vertically arranged facing each other.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The above cranes are, for example, round steel, square steel,
Bar-shaped material (work) such as flat steel is sorted by shape and size, and is sorted into the above-mentioned storage shelf installed in a warehouse or the like, and the desired work is taken out from the storage shelf as needed. This is used in the next process, for example, to release the work to the work cutting line, etc., and the loading and unloading of the work tends to be controlled by computer, and the crane's arrangement with the work storage rack group is as follows. there were.

That is, as shown in FIG. 12, a large number of fork-shaped work storage shelves 56 are provided on both sides of the post 63 and in the vertical direction in order to increase the storage efficiency of the work A by dividing the space. A plurality of shelves 55 are installed with their storage shelves 56 facing each other, and a pair of legs (a pair of legs of a gate-shaped traveling frame (a crane 57) for traveling over the above shelves 55... Fork frame 69 is provided on both sides of fork frame 69 so as to be able to move up and down, and to transfer work A to both of storage shelves 56 facing each other. The work receiving forks 71, 71 having a length of about the fork of the container housing shelf 56 are provided.

When the work A is stored in the work storage shelf 56 by the crane, the work A is
In this state, the work receiving fork 71 is lifted, and the work receiving fork 71 is moved to a predetermined shelf group 55,5.
Then, the gate-shaped traveling frame is run across the group of shelves 55 so as to be located between the five, and the work receiving fork 71 is lowered to be positioned on the storage shelf 56 at a predetermined height, and then run again. The work is performed by moving the frame, moving the work A on the fork to the transfer position on the storage shelf 56, and lowering the work receiving fork 71 here.
Delivery is performed in the reverse order.

[0005]

However, as described above, the work receiving forks 71, 56 are provided so that the work A can be transferred to both of the facing storage shelves 56, 56.
Since the 71 is provided on both sides of the fork frame 69, the width of the entire crane becomes large, and it is necessary to increase the installation pitch of the shelf groups 55. There is a problem in that the number of installations is limited to a small number and the work accommodation efficiency is reduced.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, a crane is provided so that one work receiving fork is substantially omitted and the installation pitch of a group of shelves can be reduced. The crane has a unique configuration so that the work can be transferred to and from any of the facing storage shelves while reducing the overall width, so that the efficiency of storing the work in a limited space can be increased. It was.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the present invention, as a crane for transferring a work to and from a plurality of fork-shaped storage shelves vertically arranged facing each other, a gate traveling across a group of shelves facing each other. A plurality of fork frames are provided so as to be able to move up and down over a pair of legs of the mold traveling frame. The fork frame is shorter than the dimension between the leading ends of the opposing shelves and the work receiving portion is formed at the center. The work receiving forks are slidably inserted in the traveling direction of the traveling frame at predetermined intervals, and the plurality of work receiving forks are connected to one side or the other side of the shelf group. Is characterized in that a driving means for synchronously projecting is provided.

According to the above arrangement, the work receiving portions of the work receiving forks are synchronously projected to one side or the other side of the group of shelves so as to correspond to the accommodating shelves to which the work is to be transferred. Work can be transferred to and from any of the shelves. Therefore, since one work receiving fork is substantially omitted, the width of the entire crane is correspondingly reduced, and the shelf group is installed. Since the pitch can be reduced, it is possible to greatly increase the efficiency of accommodating the work in a limited space.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show the entirety of a system for storing and cutting and boxing a bar-shaped work A such as a round steel, a square steel, a flat steel, etc., and a bar-shaped work (hereinafter only shown in FIGS.
A, which transports the workpiece A in the radial direction, a distribution cart 3 which transports the workpiece A from the conveyor 1 to the first stock unit 2, and an end face of the workpiece A during the feeding of the workpiece A to the first stock unit 2. It comprises a device 4 for measuring the shape and size, and a crane 7 for sorting the work A stored in the first stock unit 2 according to shape and size and storing the work A in a predetermined storage shelf 6 of a shelf group 5. ing.

Further, a changer 9 for feeding out the work A taken out of the storage shelf 6 by the crane 7 and feeding it to the conveyor 8, and an automatic control type and a manual control type for cutting the work A sent out from the conveyor 8 to a predetermined length. The apparatus includes band saw devices 10 and 10A and a device 11 for packing cut workpieces into boxes.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the shelf group 5 has posts 13 connected by a number of horizontal bars 12.
And a fork-shaped storage shelf 6 in which bars are arranged in the left-right direction on both sides of the storage shelf. A plurality of rails 15 are provided on the left and right sides along the plurality of shelves 5 with the vertical frame 14 as a base.
Is provided.

The work transfer crane 7 has a pair of legs mounted on a gate-type traveling frame 17 which travels on rails 15 by using a servo motor 16 as a drive source and straddling the plurality of shelves 5. A fork frame 19 is provided so as to be able to ascend and descend over the bodies 18, 18, and a servo motor 20 for driving and elevating the fork frame 19 is mounted on the traveling frame 17.
A plurality of work receiving forks 21 shorter than the distance between the leading ends of the shelves 5 facing each other and having the work receiving portions S arranged at the center are moved by the traveling frame 17 at predetermined intervals. The plurality of work receiving forks 21 are provided with a driving means 22 for synchronously projecting the work receiving portions S thereof to one side or the other side of the shelf group 5.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, H-shaped guide rails 23 are provided at opposing portions of the pair of legs 18, 18 so as to be able to move up and down along four-point rollers 24, respectively. A weight 25 for lifting and biasing the guide rail 23 is provided. On the fork frame 19, a flanged roller 26 for guiding the other web of the H-shaped guide rail 23 is provided. The fork frame 19 is moved up and down using the guide rail 23 as a guide until the guide member 26 contacts the lower stopper 27 (see FIGS. 3 and 5). The fork frame 19 is configured to move up and down integrally with the guide rail 23 by using the flanged roller 24 as a guide.

On the other hand, a rack gear 28 is provided below the plurality of work receiving forks 21, and a counter shaft 30 to which a pinion gear 29 meshing with the rack gear 28 is fixedly mounted on the fork frame 19,
A motor 31 for driving and rotating the work group 0 is provided to constitute a driving means 22 for synchronously projecting the work receiving portion S of the work receiving fork 21 to one side or the other side of the shelf group 5.

The work receiving portion S of the work receiving fork 21 has a slightly downwardly inclined angle (for example, 3.6 degrees) so that the work A rolls when the work A is circular but does not slip when the work A is square. , And a stopper 32 is provided at the tip end for preventing falling.

The height of the stopper 32 is adjusted so that the pitch between the upper and lower sides of the storage shelf 6 is not widened from the viewpoint of storage efficiency.
The work A is made as low as possible at a height that does not drop from the work receiving fork 21. Therefore, when the work A is a round bar, as the diameter increases, a part of the work A will overhang. .

As shown in FIG. 4, the changer 9 comprises
Work A taken out of storage shelf 6 by crane 7
Or the crane 7 picks up the work A taken out of the storage shelf 6 and deposited in the second stock unit 33, and supplies the work A to the work delivery conveyor 8; A guide post 35 is erected on a carriage 34 that can travel in the direction, and a work receiving fork 36 is provided along the post 35 so as to be able to move up and down.

In the above configuration, the loading of the work A into the predetermined storage shelf 6 and the removal of the work A from the storage shelf 6 to the work delivery conveyor 8 are performed by the crane 7 based on a command from the host computer. This is automatically performed by the changer 9.

That is, when the work A stored in the first stock unit 2 is stored in the storage shelf 6, if the storage shelf 6 to be stored is on the conveyor 1 side with respect to the post 13 of the shelf group 5, That is, in FIG.
Is located on the left side of the post 13, the workpiece receiving portions S of the plurality of workpiece receiving forks 21 project to the right side of the fork frame 19 (see FIGS. 4, 9 and 11).

The work A stocked in the first stock unit 2 is scooped by the work receiving portion S protruding to the right side of the fork frame 19 by matching the lifting and lowering of the fork frame 19 and the forward and backward movement of the traveling frame 16. The traveling frame 16 is once moved to the conveyor 1 side and the fork frame 19 is lifted so that the lifting of the work A is not hindered by the upper storage shelf 6 and the fork frame 19 is lifted. Shelf group 5
Travel toward.

The fork frame 19 is provided with a predetermined group of shelves 5,5.
When the fork frame 19 reaches the intermediate position, the fork frame 19 descends toward the storage shelf 6 to be stored, and the work A scooped up to the work receiving portion S by matching the forward and backward movement of the traveling frame 16 and the fork frame 19 up and down. Are stored in the storage shelves 6, whereby the storage in the predetermined storage shelves 6 is completed.

When the storage shelf 6 to be stored is on the right side of the post 13 in FIG.
In the state where the work A is taken out of the fork 21 and the work receiving portions S of the plurality of work receiving forks 21 are protruded to the left of the fork frame 19, entry into the predetermined storage shelf 6 is performed in a procedure according to the above. .

On the other hand, when unloading the work A from the storage shelf 6, when the storage shelf 6 to be unloaded is on the left side of the post 13, the work receiving portions S of the plurality of work receiving forks 21 are on the right side of the fork frame 19. The work A on the storage shelf 6 is scooped by the work receiving portion S by the matching of the lifting and lowering of the fork frame 19 and the forward and backward movement of the traveling frame 16, and the lower storage shelf 6
As a result, the traveling frame 16 once moves to the conveyor 1 side so that the lowering of the work A is not hindered, and the fork frame 19 lowers, and the work A is deposited on the work receiving fork 36 of the changer 9.

Alternatively, when the storage shelf 6 to be stored is on the right side of the post 13 in FIG. 1, the work receiving portions S of the plurality of work receiving forks 21 are connected to the fork frame 19.
The work A is taken out to the second stock portion 33 by the procedure similar to the above, and is matched with the forward and backward movement of the changer trolley 34 and the lifting and lowering of the work receiving fork 36, so that the second stock portion 33 The work A taken out of the changer 9 is the work receiving fork 36 of the changer 9.
Will be replaced.

The work A thus taken out to the work receiving fork 36 of the changer 9 is fed into the work delivery conveyor 8 by matching the forward and backward movement of the carriage 34 and the lifting and lowering of the work receiving fork 36. Thus, the unloading of the work A from the predetermined storage shelf 6 to the work delivery conveyor 8 is completed.

After completion of the above-mentioned loading and unloading, the fork frame 19 is raised to a predetermined height to prepare for the next loading or unloading of the work A.
This position is the home position of the crane 7.

According to the above configuration, the work receiving fork 21 is associated with the accommodation shelf 6 to which the work A is to be transferred.
The workpiece A can be transferred to any of the facing storage shelves 6 by synchronously projecting the work receiving portion S to one side or the other side of the shelf group 5. Compared to a crane having a conventional configuration in which work receiving forks are provided on both sides of a fork frame so that workpieces can be transferred to and from any one, substantially one work receiving fork 21 is omitted. , That much,
Since the width of the entire crane can be reduced and the installation pitch of the group of shelves 5 can be reduced, the efficiency of accommodating the work A in a limited space can be greatly increased.

In the above-described configuration, when the information on the work stock quantity by the computer and the actual work stock quantity are out of order for some reason, for example, when the work A is stored in the storage shelf 6, the work A is stored. If there is no storage space for the work A in the storage shelf 6 to be handled, the work A in the storage shelf 6 and the work receiving fork 21 or the work A in the fork 21 may collide with each other.

In order to avoid such a situation,
Fixed and movable in-shelf work detection means (see FIGS. 6 and 10 and 11) 37 and 38 for detecting whether or not the work A exists at a predetermined position of the storage shelf 6 with a fork tip portion are provided. Further, a work detecting means in the fork for detecting whether or not the work A exists in the work receiving fork 21 (FIG. 9)
39) are provided.

In constituting the fixed-type in-shelf work detecting means 37 shown in FIG.
Is set longer than the length of the longest work A to be stored with respect to the storage shelf 6, and the work receiving forks 21 are provided on both sides in the longitudinal direction of the fork frame 19 on one side and the other side of the fork frame 19. In either case, the sensor frames 40, 40 are provided so that the tip thereof projects beyond the tip of the work receiving fork 21, and the light emitting element a is mounted on one tip side of the sensor frames 40, 40. And sensor frames 40 and 4
A plurality of light receiving elements b are provided at predetermined intervals on the other end side of the zero.

According to the above configuration, a plurality of upper and lower elements a,
b (work presence / absence detection means), the work in the storage shelf 6 is detected based on the fact that at least one of the optical paths is shielded from light. If the information on the stock quantity of the work A by the computer and the actual stock quantity of the work A are correct at the time when the detection means 37 detects the work A, the operation of automatic stocking is continued as it is.

However, the information on the work stock quantity by the computer and the actual work stock quantity are out of order for some reason, and according to the information from the computer, the work A is located in the accommodation shelf 6 at the position where the work A is to be stored. When the work A is present at that position in spite of the absence of the work A, it is considered that the computer has issued incorrect information based on the work A in the shelf detecting the work A,
The fork frame 19 that has received the work A on the work receiving fork 21 is returned to the home position described above.

On the contrary, according to the information from the computer, the work A should be present at a predetermined position in the storage shelf 6, but in a situation where the work A does not exist at that position, the work detection means in the shelf should be originally provided. Since the work A is not detected although the work A is detected by the computer 37, it is considered that the computer has issued incorrect information based on the detection result, and the fork frame 19 is moved as described above. I try to return to my home position.

Although a detailed description is omitted, when the work A is taken out of the vehicle, the control is performed in the same manner as described above, and if it is considered that the computer has issued erroneous information, the fork frame 19 is removed. I try to return to my home position.

In the work detecting means 37 in the shelf having the above structure,
When the work A to be detected is a thin plate such as a flat steel, it is difficult to reliably detect the work A. Therefore, the movable in-shelf work detection means 38 is provided.

The movable in-shelf work detecting means 38 is constructed as follows. That is, as shown in FIG.
Sensor arm 4 which is shorter than the distance between the leading ends of shelves 5 facing each other and slightly longer than work receiving fork 21
1 is slidably inserted in the traveling direction of the traveling frame 17 with respect to the fork frame 19, and the sensor arm 41 is synchronized with the work receiving fork 21 by the driving means 20 so that one of the shelves 5 It protrudes to the side or the other side.

At both ends of the sensor arm 41, for example, two light-reflection sensors c and d having different detection ranges are combined so as to substantially increase the detection range. The parts are polymerized.

According to such a configuration, the light is emitted upward from the two light reflection type sensors (work presence / absence detection means) c and d, and the work A is positioned within a substantially widened detection range.
Exists, the light is reflected by the work A, and the reflected light is caught by the sensors c and d.
The presence of a thin plate such as flat steel in the storage shelf 6 is detected. Like the above-described fixed-type in-shelf work detection means 37, information on the stock quantity of the work A and the actual work A If the stock quantity is correct, the automatic loading or unloading operation is continued as it is, but if it is deemed that the computer has issued incorrect information, the fork frame 19 is returned to the home position.

As shown in FIG. 9, the in-fork work detecting means 39 includes a beam reflecting mirror 42 and this mirror 42.
And a mirror reflection type beam sensor 43 which detects the absence of the work A by emitting a beam toward the work receiving fork 21 and detecting the absence of the work A. 2 which emits a beam toward the mirror 42
The beam sensors 43 are provided on both sides of the fork frame 19 with their beam incident and exit angles inclined with respect to the work receiving surface of the work receiving portion S so that the beam reflected by the work A is not incident. .

[0040]

The present invention is embodied in the form described above, and in the work transfer crane described at the beginning, it is possible to ascend and descend with respect to the portal-type traveling frame traveling across a group of shelves facing each other. A plurality of work receiving forks whose work receiving portions are formed at the center are penetrated in the fork frame. By projecting synchronously to the side or the other side, it is possible to transfer the work to any of the facing storage shelves. Therefore, according to the conventional configuration in which the work receiving forks are provided on both sides of the fork frame. Compared with a crane, the width of the entire crane can be reduced to a small extent because one work receiving fork can be substantially omitted. Because it can reduce the location pitch, it has become possible to significantly up the limited accommodation efficiency of the work for a certain space.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a storage and cutting / boxing system for a bar-shaped work.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a storage and cutting / boxing system for a bar-shaped work.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a shelf group shown together with a gate-shaped traveling frame.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a changer.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the portal traveling frame.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a fork frame including a work receiving fork and the like.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line XX of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a driving unit in which one of the work receiving forks is cut away.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the work receiving fork shown together with the work detecting means in the fork.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a movable in-shelf work detecting means.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory view of a fixed-type in-shelf work detecting means.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory view of a conventional example in which a crane is attached to a work accommodation rack group.

[Explanation of symbols]

5: shelf group, 6: accommodation shelf, 17: gate-shaped traveling frame, 18
... Legs, 19 ... Fork frame, 20 ... Drive means, 2
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Work receiving fork, 39 ... Work detecting means in a fork, 41 ... Sensor arm, 42 ... Beam reflection mirror, 43 ... Mirror reflection type beam sensor, S ... Work receiving part, a, b, c, d ... Work existence detection means.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A pair of legs of a gate-shaped traveling frame, which is a crane for transferring a work to and from a plurality of fork-shaped storage shelves installed vertically in a mutually facing manner, wherein the crane travels over a group of shelves facing each other. A fork frame is provided so as to be able to move up and down over the body. Drive means for slidably penetrating in the traveling direction of the traveling frame at an interval of, and for synchronously projecting the plurality of workpiece receiving forks to one side or the other side of the group of shelves. A crane characterized by being provided. 2. A sensor arm, which is shorter than the dimension between the leading ends of the opposing shelves, is slidably provided in the traveling direction of the traveling frame with respect to the fork frame, and the sensor arm is The drive means synchronizes with the work receiving fork so as to protrude to one side or the other side of the shelf group. With the receiving fork protruding from the slide end, a work presence / absence detection means for detecting the presence / absence of a work in the shelf at a position slightly forward of the tip is provided, and the presence / absence detection of work from these work presence / absence detection means is provided. A crane characterized in that a work transfer operation to and from a storage shelf is controlled based on information. 3. A means for detecting a work in a fork, comprising: a beam reflection mirror; a mirror reflection type beam for emitting a beam toward the mirror and receiving a beam reflected by the mirror to detect the absence of a work. And two mirrors for emitting beams toward the mirrors. The two beam sensors for emitting beams toward the mirrors are configured to detect the beam incident / exit angle of the workpiece in the workpiece receiving part. 3. The crane according to claim 1, wherein the crane is provided on both sides of the fork frame so as to be inclined with respect to the receiving surface.