US2667259A - Sheet handling apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 26, 1954 c. E. PARKER SHEET HANDLING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet l i Filed Sept. l, 1951 INVENTOR.

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Jan. 26, 1954 C. PARKER SHEET HANDLING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet n 2 Filed Sept. l, 1951 Jan. 26, 1954 c. E. PARKER 2,667,259

SHEET HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. l, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 D T e 0 R. MPN- m E m A WP e HIIIII IE 5 z M m |I n C iw mr w a IIIIUUIII. m mln' 6. .m r 25 i 77 Jm m v e. Q 0 w Jan. 26, 1954 c. E. PARKER SHEET HANDLING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. l, 1951 Patented Jan. 26, l954 UNITED STATES PATENT oEEicE SHEET HANDLING APPARATUS Clarence E. Parker, Painesvlle, Ohio, assigner to VThe Coe Manufacturing Company, Paincsville, Ohio, a. corporation of Ohio y Application September 1, 1951, Serial No. 244,843

(c1. ies- 33) 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to sheet material handling apparatus and, more particularly, to apparatus for overturning sheets of material, such as plasterboard, during the manufacture thereof.

Plasterboard is usually manufactured in long lengths on plasterboard machines and while still wet cut into smaller sizes, after which these plasterboard units are fed into a multiple deck drier, etc. for further processing. During manufacture, one surface of the plasterboard is ordinarily made smoother than the other surface to provide a finished wall surface of a room or the like and this side of the plasterboard is referred to as the nished side or surface. To prevent the finished surfaces from becoming marred or dirty, etc., pairs of plasterboards are usually placed with the finished surfaces thereof together immediately after the plasterboards leave the drier.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved apparatus for overturning one plasterboard vunit or the like onto another to place -thenshed surfaces together, which apparatus includes a conveyor for transporting vplasterboards in-a generally horizontal plane, and a member associated with the conveyor and normally below the planeA of travel of the plasterboards, which member is adapted to be power moved upwardly to raise one end or side of a plasterboard unit to thereby cause the plasterboard to be overturned, and preferably the plasterboards travel on the conveyor in closely spacedpairs and the overturning member is synchronized withA the conveyor andY controlled by the plasterboard thereon to overturn only the leading plasterboards of each pair of plasterboards.V

Another object of the invention is the provision of a new and Vimproved apparatus of the character described having the board turning member extending transversely of the conveyor and supported by power driven'arms which are normally below the level of the conveyor top and the sides of the conveyor are accessible to enable plasterboards to be removed fromV the sides of the conveyor, if desired.

A still further object of the invention Yis the provision of a new and improved apparatus of the character described which has power means to raise and lower the board turning member rapidly but with a minimum of shock to the plasterboards and the parts of the apparatus The invention resides in certain constructions and combinations and arrangementsof parts and 5.5. Sheet--matg1ralnd Marionssunmanagers.;19s

2 further objects and advant,ages..will.be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates from the following description of, the preferred embodiment described withreference tothe accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which,

Figs. 1 and 2 are elevational side views of a plasterboard turner apparatus embodying the invention, and showing certain parts of the apparatus in different positions;

Fig. 3 is a plan view o`f;the turner apparatus; Fig. 4 is an end View of the4 turner apparatus; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan ViewY of the plasterboard conveyor section of anV unloader mechanism of a plasterboard drier vand ay combination discharge table and transfer section mechanism for transferring plasterboards from the drier to the conveyor section ofthe plasterboard turner apparatus;

Fig. 6 is a View taken substantially along line 6-6 of Fig. 5 and showing certain parts broken away;

Fig. '7 is a sectional view ltaken Vsubstantially alo-ng line 1--1 of Fig. 3 buton a larger scale; and K. H

Fig. 8 is a sectional view. taken substantially along line 3-8 of Fig. '7.1

The invention contemplates apparatus' particularly suitable for overturning one of a pair of plasterboards moving sidewise. and in tandem from an unloading rack orotherapparatus with the finished surfaces thereof facing upwardly so that'the finished surface of the overturned board rests on the finished surface'of the otherv of theV pair. In general, the invention contemplates the provision of a conveyor arrangedto move plasterboard units, preferably in pairs arranged in tandem, and which conveyor has also-called board turning member lying transversely' of the path of movement of the boards which is raised and lowered relative to the" conveyor by suitable mechanism so that the forward edge ofthe leading plasterboard may be raised to cause theboard to topple rearwardly onto the following plasterboard when the lower edge moves beneath the member on thegconveyor.-V ,Themechanism to raise and lower the-boardturning-member is controlled by means responsive to the position of the plasterboards on the conveyor so that the board turning member is raised and lowered in proper sequence to effect *plasterboardA turning without otherwise interfering with the boards.

Although the invention may-be employed in an apparatus for overturning Jdifferent types of the purpose of illustration it is herein shown embodied in an apparatus A for overturning plasterboard. The apparatus A comprises a table-like structure I having a power driven conveyor at the top thereof which includes a series of parallel endless belts II which are each supported by series of spaced wheels I2, I3 attached to shafts I4, I5 suitably journalled on the table I6. The upper reaches of the conveyor belts II ride on a support plate or table top I6 and they serve to transport plasterboards B in a horizontal plane when the wheels I2, I3 are driven.

Preferably the shaft I4 is driven by an electric motor I1 which is supported by the table I0 and which is constantly energized during the operation of the apparatus and drives the shaft clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 1, thereby moving plasterboards along the conveyor as indicated by the arrows b.

The table I0 includes an overhanging structure at one end, comprising a'plurality of L-shape bars pivoted by bearings 2| formed at the ends of the feet thereof and journalled on the shaft I4. The bars 26 are normally held with the longer portions thereof horizontal by tension springs 23 which are arranged to draw the bars counterclockwise, as seen in Fig. 2, and against suitable stops. The bars 20 thus form supports for plasterboards moving from the right-hand end of the conveyor table but can be deflected downwardly on occasions described hereinafter.

A board turning member 30 extends transversely of the right-hand end of the conveyor table and adjacent to the ends of the upper reaches of the belts II. The member 30 is journalled at its ends in bearings in the ends of a pair of arms 3|, 3|', which are pivoted by bearings 32, 32 on standards 33, 33' supported on opposite sides of the table I0. The arms 3|, 3| are swung in unison about their pivots to raise and lower the member 30 by power means which includes a pair of cams 34, 34' attached to opposite ends of a shaft 35 rotatably supported on the lower structure of table I0. The cams 34, 34 are connected to the arms 3|, 3| by connecting links 36, 36', the free ends of which have flanged wheels 31 which ride on the cams. Links 38 interconnect the respectivelinks 36, 36 and the standards 33, 33 to hold the latter mentioned links to the cams., The cams are shaped l plasterboards on December 1, 1944.

soV that as they rotate through 360 they move the `arms 3|, '3|' from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2, and return. The

cams preferably provide a slight dwell when the arms are uppermost. Preferably, the member '30 is counterbalanced somewhat by springs 39,

39 attached to the arms 3|,. 3I; the weight of, member 30, however, causes the'links 36, 36 to `ride on the cams at all times. As seen in Fig. 2, when the member 36 is in its lowermost position,

its top is at or below the level of the upper reach of the conveyor belts II and it depresses the bars 20.

The shaft 35 is adapted to be rotated inter- `mittently through 360 by a single revolution clutch further-includes a latch member 41 which f ripheries of the rollers 66.

4 is spring biased to engage a shoulder 48 on a cam 49 to lock the driven sprocket 44 against rotation in one direction, and the latch member is adapted to be released from the shoulder by a solenoid 56. The operation of the clutch is such that the driven sprocket 44 rotates through 360 only, each time the` latch member 41 is tripped by the solenoid. A second cam 5I is connected with shaft 42 and has a shoulder 52 adapted to be engaged by a roller carrying lever 53 spring pressed to hold the roller to the periphery of the cam and to cooperate with the cam shoulder to maintain the cam in a position to cause the shoulder 48 of cam 43 to bear slightly against the latch 41. The circuit for the solenoid includes power lines LI, L2, and it is controlled by a normally open switch 54.

VThe driven sprocket 44 drives the shaft 35 for the cams 3|, 3|' through a chain 55 and sprocket Y 56 which is connected to the shaft. The diameters of the sprockets 44 and 56 are the same, so that the shaft 35 is rotated through 360 only each time the clutch latch 41 is actuated.

The switch 54 for controlling the operation of the clutch is preferably located at one side of the table I0 and is adapted to be closed by a cam 56 on a shaft 51 which is journalled on the table structure and extends transversely of the conveyor. The shaft 51 has two curved ngers 58, 59 which normally projectabove the conveyor belts II and are adapted to be -depressed by the belts to rock the shaft and close switch 54. The shaft 51 is resiliently urged to a position to hold the fingers in the path of the plasterboards by suitable springs, not shown.

Plasterboards are adapted to be fed onto the conveyor belts II in pairs moving sidewise and in tandem, the space between the plasterboards of each pair preferably being about 12 inches or less. Preferably, plasterboards are removed from a drier by an unloading mechanism, part of which is shown at U, and discharged side by side onto a combination discharge table and transfer section 'I'. The details of the unloader U and transfer section T are more fully described in my copending application SerialV No. 566,060, filed Suffice to say, a pair of dried plaster-boards move side by side with the finished surfaces upwardly along the conveyor section of the unloader U and onto the split rollers 66 of the transverse section T. The plasterboards roll freely on the rollers 60 until they Vengage stop mechanisms 52. At this point the plasterboards are side by side and approximately twelve inches apart. The transfer includes a number of endless belts 63 which extend normal to the direction of travel of the plasterboards on the rollers 6i) and they extend around pulleys 64, 65 located at opposite sides of the discharge table on shafts 66,61, and the upper reaches of the belts are supported on l-b'eams 58 and are normally slightly below the plane of the upper pe- The I-beams ISB are supported on transverse beams 63 and 10 which are carried by bell crank levers 1|. The levers 1I are rotated by a pneumatic motor 12 to raise and lower the beams 69, 16 thereby causing the I-beams 68 to'raise the upper reaches Vof belts 63 above the rollers 6I) and move the plasterboards sidewise onto the conveyor belts I, when the levers are moved in one direction. The pulley shaft 61 is driven by a motor 13 and the rate of travel of the belts 63 is the same as that of the beltsII. Y'

- In operation,-pairs of :plasterboards B having I their finished surfaces uppermost, move sidewise and in closely spaced tandem relation from the transfer mechanism T onto the conveyor belts The leading board B depresses the fingers 58, 59 causing the switch 54 to close and energize the solenoid 50, which releases the clutch 41 and causes cams 34, 34 to rotate through one complete revolution only. The upward movement of the arms 3|, 3|', and consequently the member 30, by the cams 34, 34' is synchronized with the travel of the conveyor belts I so that the leading plasterboard is over the member 30 at the time the latter begins its upward movement. As the member 30 moves upwardly it raises the forward edge of the leading plasterboard, and since only the lower edge of the plasterboard now engages the belts slippage occurs between it and the belts until the next or following plasterboard en gages the trailing edge of the leading plasterboard and urges it forwardly and upwardly on the roller 30. It will be noted that the member 30 comprises a roller which permits the leading board to roll thereon with a minimum of resistance. As the following board moves the lower end of the leading board beneath the upraised member 30, the leading board topples rearwardly, nished face downwardly, onto the following board and the two boards are then carried by the conveyor belts beneath the raised member 30 and onto a suitable transfer mechanism R, after which the arms 3|, 3|' lower the member 30 to the position shown in Fig. 1 prior to the time the succeeding pair of plasterboards reach the fingers 58, 59.

The use of cams to actuate the arms 3|, 3| has the advantage of controlling the oscillatory movement of the arms about their pivots so that the member 30 is moved at maximum speed but with a movement which minimizes the possibility of damage to the plasterboards. That is to say, the contours of the cams 34, 34' as may be seen in the drawings, are such that the initial upward movement of the member 30 is gradual so that the movement imparted to the plasterboard is not such as to crack or otherwise damage the plasterboard. Likewise, the member 30 is decelerated as it approaches its uppermost and lowermost positions thereby avoiding shocks to the parts of the apparatus. Furthermore, the actuating mechanism for the arms 3|, 3 is normally below the upper level of the conveyor belts so that access may be had to the conveyor belts from the sides of the conveyor which facilitates removal of defective plasterboards.

It will be apparent that the objects and advantages enumerated have been achieved, as well as others, and that there is provided a new and improved board turning mechanism which is relatively simple in operation and which is capable of automatically overturning one of two 6 The manner in which the board turning mechanism operates enables it to operate at a maximum speed with a minimum possibility of injury to the material handled thereby.

While the preferred form of the invention has been described in considerable detail, it will be apparent that the invention is not limited to the constructions shown and it is my intention to cover hereby all adaptations, modifications and changes therein which come within the practice of those skilled in the art to which the invention relates and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Apparatus for turning plasterboard and the like comprising, a conveyor adapted to move plasterboard units therealong in a generally horizontal plane, a member associated with the conveyor and normally below the plane of travel of the plasterboard, power actuated means to elevate said member above said plane to raise the leading edge of a plasterboard vertically from said conveyor with the trailing edge remaining thereon, said means including a lever normally extending in the direction of movement of said conveyor, means for connecting said member to the forward end of said lever, means for supporting said lever for rotation about an axis spaced rearwardly of said member when in its normal position and extending transversely of the path of travel of the plasterboard, a cam, a link interconnecting said cam and lever for Y swinging said lever on its pivot, and means retandem boards or sheet material onto the other.

sponsive to the presence of a plasterboard on said conveyor for intermittently rotating said cam.

2. Apparatus for turning plasterboard and the like comprising, a conveyor adapted to move plasterboard units therealong in a generally horizontal plane, a pair of pivoted arms at opposite sides of said conveyor, a member attached to said arms and extending transversely of said conveyor and adapted to be swung from a position below the plane of travel of the plasterboard on said conveyor, cam means to operate said arms during a predetermined angular rotation thereof to raise and lower said member, means operable intermittently to drive said cam through said predetermined degree only, and means responsive to a plasterboard unit on said conveyor to initiate operation of the rst-mentioned means.

CLARENCE E. PARKER.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,859,486 Aimes May 24, 1932 1,859,501 Durbin May 24, 1932 2,255,635 Walter Sept. 9, 1941 2,293,192 Campbell Aug. 18, 1942 2,581,598 Parker Jan. 8, 1952

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