US3535733A

US3535733A - Unshackling apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3535733A
Application number: US755906A
Authority: US
Inventors: Joseph C Hamaj; Richard J Mellinger
Original assignee: ST JOHN AND CO
Current assignee: ST JOHN AND CO
Priority date: 1968-08-28
Filing date: 1968-08-28
Publication date: 1970-10-27
Anticipated expiration: 1987-10-27

Description

oct. 27, r1970 QHAMAJ Em 3,535,733

UNSHACKLING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 28, 1968 ZSheetS-Sheet 1 Inventors JOSEPH c. HAMAJ RfcHARo J. MELLINGER Oct. 27, 1970 J. c. HAMAJ ETAI- 3,535,733

n UNSHAGKLING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 28, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1I-g2 31 l se Inventors JosEPH C. HAMAJ RICHARD d. MELLINGER United States Patent O 3,535,733 UN SHACKLING APPARATUS Joseph C. Hamaj and Richard J. Mellinger, Chicago,

lll., assignors to St. John & Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Aug. 28, 1968, Ser. No. 755,906 Int. Cl. B65g 65/00 U.S. Cl. 17-24 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention is an improvement on an abattoir apparatus such as that described in U.S. Pat. 3,111,706. The chain-and-sleeve-type shackles used in such equipment have means for engaging the sleeve, generally a peripheral flange at an upper portion of the sleeve. The apparatus for releasing these self-securing shackles comprises sleeveengaging jaws and means for at least momentarily raising the sleeve-engaging jaws during their engagement with the sleeve. Such equipment has been found to be extremely useful in conjunction with a high speed conveyor such as a monorail conveyor. In such commercial embodiments the releasing apparatus is frequently required to release shackles which secure carcasses weighing in the neighborhood of -600 pounds at the rate of 600 carcasses per hour and higher. We have found that in prolonged use, particularly when exceptionally heavy carcasses are involved, the upward motion of jaws supported on rollers, as described in the aforesaid patent, tends to cause a cranking action, i.e. a bottom roller presses against the outer wall and an upper roller presses against an inner wall. The result is that the jaws tend to tilt downward. In extreme cases, sleeves have slipped through the downwardly tilting jaws with the result that the carcass is not released from the shackle. The result is that the entire conveying system must be halted until the missed carcass is released manually, in spite of the resulting disruption of production. It will be appreciated that even rare failures of the unshackling apparatus will be of significant economic importance when the apparatus is used in a production system involving a rate of kill of 600I per hour or more.

Furthermore, it has been observed that at these high rates of production that massive cooking, twisting, and sliding forces are exerted upon the shackle release equipment. At these very high rates of production using positive drive conveyors, the engagement of the shackle by the jaw preferably occurs in the first 25 percent of the region on the jaws on which the shackle ange can slide, and the weight-bearing shackle is dragged across a portion of the jaws before the weight is released. This causes exertion of great twisting or flexing forces on the overall apparatus. In addition, even the momentary exertion of the dragging force causes exertion of considerable lateral stresses on supporting members of the movable frame, particularly on the axles of any ywheels used therein. The use of wheels or rollers in the vertically movable jaw-supporting frame, in accordance with the above mentioned prior art, requires Patented Oct. 27, 1970 ice considerable machining or the use of machined parts in the fabrication of the shackle releasing apparatus.

One of the steps taken to ameliorate some of the undesirable attributes of the otherwise very useful and beneficial apparatus referred to above is the attaching or supporting of stationary frame elements thereof by connection of these elements to the structural elements in the enclosing building.

One of the advantages of the structure of this invention is not only the ease of manufacture of the apparatus itself, but moreover the adaptability and versatility in terms of incorporating the apparatus into existing conveyor systems standing in a relatively open bay.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an improvement in which the movable frame which carries the shackle-engaging jaws is an integral unit supported by a stationary frame which is rigid in a vertical plane perpendicular to the direction of the conveyor, the movable frame being mounted between closely tting stationary vertical channels xed to the stationary frame. In a preferred embodiment the stationary frame has an inverted U shape in which the cross member of the U rests upon, and is fixed to, the overhead structure which supports the conveyor track.

DESIGNATION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the improved apparatus of this invention viewed from the direction from which the shackles are conveyed into the apparatus;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the apparatus taken from the right side of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a plan view taken approximately along the line 3-3 in FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken approximately along the line 4-4 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing major stationary frame elements.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Although the following disclosure offered for public dissemination, in return for the grant of a patent, is detailed to ensure adequacy and aid understanding, this is not intended to prejudice thatV purpose of a patent which is to cover each new inventive concept therein no matter how others may later disguise it by variations in form or additions or further improvements. The claims at the end hereof are intended as the chief aid toward this purpose; as it is these that meet the requirement of pointing out the parts, improvements, or combinations in which the inventive concepts are found.

Chain and sleeve shackles generally 10 secure and convey carcasses 11 along a monorail 12 by means of a trolley `13. Start switch 14 is secured to monorail 12 in a position in which it is thrown by passage of trolley 13. Base plate 15 is secured to monorail 12 by welding these components together. Platform plate 16 supporting air cylinder 17 is secured to base plate 15 by bolts 18. Limit switch mechanism generally 20 which operates one of the functions of control valve 21 is supported by platform plate 16. In a vertical plane perpendicular to the direction of monorail 12 are a pair of inverted U-shaped stiffening plates generally 22. Stiifening plates 22 have Wide vertical legs 23 and also wide horizontal connecting top portions 24. The U-shaped stiffening member can be fabricated as illustrated by welding the top portion 24 to legs 23 along lines 30'. In the illustrated embodiment horizontal member 24 is provided by the sides of an upright U-shaped framing member generally 31 having sides 24 and bottom 16. Welded along the entire bottom of platform member 16 along line 32 is front stiffener plate 33. Plate 33 is also provided by a U-shaped frame structure generally 34 having sides 23 and cross piece 33. The preferred rigid stationary frame structure is fabricated, as illustrated in FIG. 5, from three U-shaped structures welded together to form an overall U-shaped frame. Sides 24 of U-shaped structure 31 and sides 23 of U-shaped structure 34 form front and back U-shaped frame facing generally 22. Shelf 35 for supporting valve 21 is welded between the tops of sides 24.

Piston rod 36 of double acting air cylinder 17 has a shoulder 37 and a threaded portion 38 near its end. Cross pieces 40 are supported on shoulder 37 and secured on the end of the piston rod by nut 41. Cross pieces 40 support tie rods 44 which pass downwardly through openings in bottom 16 of frame members 31, and are attached to the sliding frame, generally `45. At each side of the apparatus of this invention we prefer to use two tie rods 44.

Integral movable frame 45 comprises two elongated vertical travelers or U-shaped channels 50 at each side thereof and top and

bottom cross members

51 and 52 respectively. A cross member 53 also is secured to channels 50 and a large plate 54 is welded between cross members for greater structural stiffness and rigidity. Upward motion limit switch 20 is secured to the stationary frame and switch arm 56 obstructs the path of some portion of the movable frame. A trip lever 57 is secured t0 an upwardly moving component such as tie rod 44, to engage arm 56, and thus activate switch 20 to reverse the direction of movement of sliding frame 45.

Cross members

51, 52 and 53 of sliding frame 45 are fabricated from angular metal with one leg of the angle laying in a plane parallel to the general plane of the frame (i.e. vertical) and the other leg of the angle being perpendicular thereto (i.e. horizontal). They are secured to the vertical members 50 by welding. Jaws 60 can be the horizontal leg of the angle which constitutes bottom cross member 52. The angles referred to above may be conventional angle stock or they may be fabricated by making appropriate bends in plate stock. A vertical reinforcement 61 runs along the entire length of jaws 60 to increase the strength of the jaws. A stilfener plate 54 is welded to middle cross member 53 at its top, and to the top of stiffener piece 61 at its bottom. Wear bars 62 are secured to jaws 60 along the inner edge thereof. The wear bars 62 are secured to jaws 60 by screws or other means (not shown) and are replaced without removal of jaws 60.

Vertical members 50 are U-shaped channels which are movably seated in stationary frame guides, or channels 70. Channels 70 are welded to the stationary frame alone line 71. Grease fittings 73 permit lubrication of the interface between

channels

70 and 50.

By its very nature, a straight U-shaped channel, or similar structure, has a plane of bilateral symmetry. In accordance with this invention, the plane of bilateral symmetry of elongated traveler or channel 50 and guide, or channel 70 is vertical and parallel to the direction of the conveyor. The open portions of the Us in each pair either point toward each other or away from each other.

OPERATION In operation, trolley 13 moves along monorail 12 at relatively high speed and trips start switch 14 immediately prior to its entry into the unshackling apparatus of this invention. Start switch 14 is so positioned that by the time air cylinder 17 builds sufficient pressure to drive piston 36 in an upward direction, forcing movement of cross members 40 and tie rods 44 and movable frame 45 in an upward direction, sleeve portion 75 of the chain end sleeve shackle, generally 10, is in position between opposing jaws 60. If the conveyor is positively driven, it is preferred that upwardly moving jaws 60 engage sleeve 75 when the sleeve is within the first 25 percent of wear bars 62. The details of the construction of sleeve 75 are provided in U.S. Pat. 3,111,706, referred to above, and do not constitute part of this invention. As slideable carriage 45 continues to move upward, sleeve portion 75 of sleeve and chain shackle 10 is raised upwardly with respect to chain 76 thereby opening the loop of' chain 76 in which carcass 11 was previously secured. Carcass 11 drops, due to gravity, and the upward movement of sliding frame 45 is stopped when trip lever 57 activates switch 56 of switch means 20. The moved position at the upper limit of movement of the jaws 60 and shackle 10 is shown by broken lines in FIG. 1.

In those embodiments in which trolley 13 is drawn through by positive force, its movement causes sleeve to be dragged to some extent over wear bar 62. It will be appreciated that the initial contact of the sleeve 75 takes place at the entry side of the jaws 60` on wear bar 62 in a way which would tend to wrench the apparatus in a circular motion. As the sleeve 75 is dragged across wear bar 62, substantial forces are exerted which would tend to shift the entire apparatus at the level of the jaws in the direction of travel of the trolley 13. During a majority of the time the vertical load imposed by sleeve 10` is not centered (longitudinally of rail 12) between rods 44. The initial contact in which jaws 60 lift sleeve 75 generates forces which would tend to pivot the sliding frame, generally 45, and tie rods 44 outwardly, similar to a pair of pendulums, around the points at which tie rods 44 are secured to cross pieces 40. This outwardly pivoting force continues to be exerted until the carcass 11 is released at which time the stress is suddenly relieved causing a reverse wrenching effect. It will be appreciated that the unique structure of this invention in which the movable fra-mes supporting the jaws are movably mounted between channels in accordance with this invention at either edge thereof and in which the entire frame structure, though extremely simple in construction, provides extreme structural stability in spite of the great forces repeatedly applied at high frequency. It eliminates the downward tilting of jaws 60, and thus provides the highest degree of dependability even at high production levels.

Therefore we claim:

1. In an apparatus for automatically unshackling self securing shackles of the chain-and-sleeve-type, such shackles having an external peripheral flange on the sleeve thereof and being movably suspended from overhead conveyor means, which apparatus comprises spaced jaws movably supported from the overhead conveyor means and disposed to receive a sleeve subjacent the flange thereof, said conveyor means guiding the sleeve of a shackle between said jaws, power-actuated means mounted on the overhead conveyor means for lifting and lowering said jaws, and switch means for activating said power-actuated means, one portion of said switch means being activated by substantially-horizontal motion of a shackle as the sleeve of a shackle is engaged by said jaws whereby said power-actuated means lifts said jaws, and another portion of said switch means being activated by terminal upward movement of said jaws whereby said upward movement is terminated and said power-actuated means lowers said jaws, the improvement comprising: each of said jaws being supported on a movable frame which is rigid in the vertical plane parallel to the conveyor means, said movable frame having a pair of vertical travelers integral therewith at the vertical edges thereof, said movable frame being supported by a stationary frame which is rigid in a vertical plane perpendicular to the direction of the conveyor means and is rigid in a vertical plane which is parallel to the conveyor means, said stationary frame having secured thereto a pair of vertical guide means for preventing horizontal motion of said travelers, said guide means being in close engagement with said travelers for movably securing said movable frame to said stationary frame, said power actuated means being secured to said movable frame whereby said jaws,

secured to said movable frame, are moved upwardly and downwardly by said power-actuated means.

2. The improvement in claim 1 in which said stationary frame is an inverted U-shaped structure, and is made up of three broad U-shaped channel structures integrally joined together, each of said U-shaped channel structures having a generally flat bottom plate and two generally at side plates which extend perpendicularly from opposite edges in the same direction from one surface, of the bottom, a first of said channels being at the top of the frame with its sides extending upwardly and being oriented above the entrance and exit of the conveyor means from the apparatus, the second and third broad U-shaped channels being welded to the bottom of the top channel in such position that the bottoms of the second and third broad U-shaped channels define the side walls of the stationary frame, and the side plates of said second and third broad U-shaped channels extend laterally away from said conveyor means, the upper edges of the side plates of said second and third broad U-shaped channels being fixed to the bottom of the first channel whereby all the side plates, at each side of the three broad U-shaped channels form a large U-shaped fiat surface at the entrance side and exit side of the apparatus.

3. In an abattoir apparatus for conveying an animal from one location to a second location, said apparatus comprising in combination: a conveyor trained for movement along a predetermined path in a given direction, said conveyor at a first point in said path having a comparatively low elevation and gradually increasing to a greater elevation in said direction from said point; a plurality of shackles each including a tubular member having an engaging portion on the exterior thereof, and an elongated non-rigid member having a lower end and an upper end, the upper ends of said non-rigid members being attached at spaced intervals to said conveyor, said non-rigid member of each shackle extending from said upper end through its respective tubular member, forming a loop and being afiixed to said tubular member, whereby when said loop is slipped over an animals extremity at said point the upward movement of the conveyor thereafter will tighten the loop about the extremity and pick up the animal; and an unshackling device located below said conveyor at a second point along said path, said device including means to engage said engaging portion, power-actuated means connected to said engaging means to raise and lower the same, and switch means for activating said power-actuated means, one portion of said switch means being activated by substantially-horizontal motion of a shackle as the sleeve of a shackle is engaged by said engaging means, whereby said power-actuated means lifts said engaging means, and another portion of said switch means being activated by terminal upward movement of said engaging means to terminate said upward movement and to lower said engaging means, the improvement in which said engaging means is supported on an integral movable frame which is rigid in the vertical plane parallel to the conveyor means, said movable frame having a first vertical U-shaped slide channel means at the vertical edges thereof said movable frame being supported by a stationary frame which is rigid in a vertical plane perpendicular to the direction of the conveyor means as well as rigid in a vertical plane which is parallel to the conveyor means, said stationary frame having a second vertical U-shaped slide channel means fixed thereto in close engagement with said first U-shaped slide channel means for movably securing said movable frame, said power-actuated means being secured to said movable frame whereby said jaws,

4. The improvement of claim 3 in which the shackles are carried on a trolley which rides on an I-beam conveyor track and in which the stationary frame is a U- shaped structure, and is made up of three broad U-shaped channel structures integrally joined together, each of said U-shaped channel structures having a generally flat bottom plate and two generally flat side plates which extend perpendicularly from opposite edges in the same direction from one surface of the bottom, a first of said channels being at the top of the frame with its sides extending upwardly and being oriented above the entrance and exit of the conveyor from the apparatus, the second and third broad U-shaped channels being welded to the bottom of the top channel in such position that the bottoms of the second and third broad U-shaped channels define the side walls of the stationary frame, and the side plates of said second and third broad Ushaped channels extend laterally away from said conveyor means, the upper edges of the side plates of said second and third broad U- shaped channels being fixed to the bottom of the first channel whereby all the side plates, at each side of the three broad U-shaped channels form a large U-shaped at surface at the entrance side and exit side of the apparatus.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,317,745 10/1919 Watson et al 17-24 2,846,721 8/ 1958 Schonwise 17-24 3,022,745 2/ 1962 Roberts 17-24 X 3,111,706 11/1963 Kopp 17--24 LUCIE H. LAUDENSLAGER, `Primary Examiner