JPH1045253A - Pallet changing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a pallet to be changed in a state where a load is placed on it. SOLUTION: A drum-shaped frame body 2 is supported on a machine table 1 by placing its axis horizontally. The frame body 2 is placed on a pair of right and left rollers 3 axially mounted on the machine table and can be freely rotated. In a driving device 4 for rotating the frame body 2, a chain 5 is loosely laid around the machine body 2, and both ends of the chain are fixed to the frame body 2. An electric motor 6 is installed on the machine table 1, the chain 5 is meshed with a sprocket 7 attached to an output shaft of the motor. Two upper and lower load tables 10a, 10b are provided in the frame body 2, and a load table opening and closing device for vertically moving the upper and lower load tables toward the center of the machine body 2 is provided in the machine body 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for replacing a pallet on which goods are actually loaded with another pallet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A pallet as shown in FIG. 1 is convenient and widely used because it can be moved by a forklift with a load placed thereon. By the way, when a package is shipped on a pallet owned by the sender, the pallet often goes missing without returning to the sender.
Although such problems can be solved by using a pallet owned by the shipper at the time of shipment, it takes a lot of trouble to replace a pallet under a load with another pallet having the load.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which can easily change a pallet while a load is loaded.

[0004]

A pallet changer according to the present invention rotatably supports a drum-shaped frame on a machine base with its axis directed horizontally. The frame may be configured such that a roller is mounted on a machine base and mounted thereon.

The frame is made rotatable by a driving device. For example, a chain is suspended around the frame, and the chain is meshed with a sprocket that is rotationally driven by a motor on the machine base. It can be driven to rotate.

In the frame, two upper and lower carriers are provided, and a carrier opening / closing device for raising and lowering the upper and lower carriers toward the center of the frame is provided. The carrier opening / closing device may support each carrier in a vertically symmetric manner on the frame via the X link, and change the opening angle of the X link by a hydraulic cylinder. It is also possible to provide a side plate perpendicular to the loading platform between the upper and lower loading platforms, and to provide a driving device for moving the side plate to the left and right.

[0007]

Function The pallet-loaded luggage is placed together with the pallet on the lower carrier, and the upper and lower carriers are moved in the direction of the center so as to be pinched, and the drum frame is rotated by 180 degrees so as not to collapse.
Next, the upper and lower loading platforms are opened, and the pallet that has been turned upside down and placed on the load is replaced with another one. Again, the luggage is sandwiched between the upper and lower luggage carriers, the frame is rotated 180 degrees in the reverse direction to return to the original state, the luggage rack is opened, and the luggage is taken out with the pallet.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a drum-shaped frame 2 (having a diameter of, for example, 2.5 m) is supported on a machine base 1 with its axis oriented horizontally. The frame 2 is placed on a pair of left and right rollers 3 that are mounted on a machine base so as to be freely rotatable. Frame 2
Is loosely suspended around the frame 2, and both ends of the chain are fixed to the frame 2. The electric motor 6 is installed on the machine base 1, and the chain 5 is engaged with the sprocket 7 attached to the output shaft of the motor. Therefore, when the motor 6 is driven, the frame 6 rotates slowly.

A rectangular opening 9 is provided on the front surface of the frame 2, and the rear surface is closed with a plate. In the frame 2, two upper and lower carriers 10 are provided.
a and 10b are provided, and a loading / unloading device 12 for vertically moving these loading and unloading carriers toward the center of the frame 2 is provided. The loading platform opening / closing device 12 uses an X link 16 in which the center of the two links 13 is pivotally connected to each other with a pin 15 and the opening angle θ can be freely changed, thereby connecting the upper and lower loading platforms and the front and rear columns 17 of the frame body. It is mounted vertically symmetrically on the connecting rail 19. That is, the lower end rear side of the upper X-link 16a is pivotally supported on the rail 19 by a pin 20, the lower end front side is pivotally supported on a slider 21 slidable along the rail 19 by a pin 22, and the upper end rear side is an upper part. Bed 1
0a, which is pivotally supported by a pin 23 and is fixed to the upper front side.
Are slidably supported along the upper carrier.

Similarly, the lower X-shaped link 16b is pivotally supported on the rail 19 by a pin 25 on the upper rear side, is pivotally supported on the slider 21 by a pin 26 on the upper front side, and is mounted on the lower carrier 10 by a pin 26 on the lower rear side.
b is pivotally supported by a pin 27, and a pin 28 fixed to the lower front side is slidably supported along the lower carrier.

A hydraulic cylinder 29 is mounted between the slider 21 and the rear support 17. When this cylinder is expanded and contracted, the slider 21 moves back and forth along the rail 19, and the opening angle θ of the upper and lower X links 16 changes accordingly.
When the cylinder is contracted, the opening angle θ of the X-link 16 is small as shown by a solid line in FIGS. 1 and 2, and the upper and lower loading platforms 10a and 10b are at positions away from each other. When the hydraulic cylinder 29 is extended from this state, the opening angle θ increases, as shown by the chain line in FIG.
Can approach each other and sandwich the luggage from above and below.

A hydraulic cylinder 30 is provided on the left inside the frame 2.
Are fixed horizontally, and side plates 31 are attached to the ends of the piston rods.

The operation will be described with reference to FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 4A, the hydraulic cylinder 29 is contracted to widen the space between the upper and lower carriers, and in this state, the load 34 placed on the pallet 33 is transferred to the pallet. Each of them is placed on the lower carrier 10b using a forklift. Then, as shown in FIG.
The cylinder 29 is extended, the distance between the upper and lower loading platforms 10a and 10b is reduced, and the load 34 is sandwiched from above and below. Further, the cylinder 30 is extended to extrude the side plate 31, which is brought into close contact with the load.

In this way, the motor 6 is driven to rotate the frame 180 degrees as shown in FIG. Since the load 34 is sandwiched between the upper and lower loading platforms 10 and is also supported by the side plates 31, the load does not collapse during rotation. When rotated by 180 degrees, the load is turned upside down and supported by the upper carrier 10a, as shown in FIG. 4D, and the pallet 33 comes up. Next, as shown in FIG.
Remove 3 and place another pallet on the luggage. After replacing the pallet in this way, the space between the upper and lower loading platforms 10 is narrowed again, the luggage 34 is sandwiched, and the pallet is rotated 180 degrees in the opposite direction.
Open the upper and lower loading platforms 10 and take out the luggage together with the pallet using a forklift.

[0016]

As described above, the load placed on the pallet is placed between the upper and lower carriers, and the load is turned over by rotating the frame by 180 degrees. Can be easily replaced. Moreover,
Since there is a carrier opening / closing device for raising and lowering the upper and lower carriers toward the center of the frame, and the cargo can be sandwiched between the upper and lower carriers, the collapse of the cargo is less likely to occur during the inversion. In addition, since both the upper and lower carriers move toward the center of the frame, when the luggage is sandwiched, the center of gravity of the luggage comes near the center of the frame,
The power for rotating the frame is small.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a roller is mounted on a machine base,
Since the frame is mounted thereon, the structure is simpler than in the case where the frame is supported by the central axis, and the frame can be provided at low cost. The pallet changer according to the third aspect is configured such that each loading platform is supported vertically and symmetrically on the frame via the corresponding X-link, and the opening angle of the X-link is changed by a hydraulic cylinder. It is certain.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the chain is suspended around the frame, and the chain is meshed with a sprocket that is driven to rotate by a motor on the frame. can do. The pallet changer according to the fifth aspect is provided with side plates perpendicular to the platforms between the upper and lower carriers, and the side plates are moved left and right by the driving device, which is effective for preventing the collapse of the loads during the reversal. It is.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pallet.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the pallet changer.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the pallet changer.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the operation of the pallet changer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 frame 2 frame 3 roller 4 drive 5 chain 6 motor 7 sprocket 10a upper carrier 10b lower carrier 12 carrier opening / closing device 16 X link 19 rail 29 hydraulic cylinder 30 hydraulic cylinder 31 side plate θ opening angle

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A drum-shaped frame (2) supported on a machine base (1) with its axis oriented horizontally and rotated by a driving device (4).
And two upper and lower carriers (10a, 10a,
10b) and a pallet changer comprising a carrier opening / closing device (12) for raising and lowering these upper and lower carriers toward the center of the frame. 2. The pallet changer according to claim 1, wherein a roller (3) is mounted on the machine base, and the frame is supported thereon. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each loading platform is vertically symmetrically supported on the frame via a corresponding X-link, and an opening angle (θ) of the X-link is changed by a cylinder (29). Item 3. A pallet changer according to item 1 or 2. 4. The drive (4) suspends a transmission chain (19) around the frame and a motor (6) on the platform.
4. The pallet changer according to claim 1, wherein the chain is meshed with a sprocket (7) which is driven to rotate. 5. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a side plate (31) perpendicular to the loading platform between the upper and lower loading platforms, and a driving device (30) for moving the side platform to the left and right. Pallet changer.