WO1997008086A1 - Handling apparatus and system - Google Patents

Handling apparatus and system Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO1997008086A1
WO1997008086A1 PCT/GB1996/002073 GB9602073W WO9708086A1 WO 1997008086 A1 WO1997008086 A1 WO 1997008086A1 GB 9602073 W GB9602073 W GB 9602073W WO 9708086 A1 WO9708086 A1 WO 9708086A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
attachment means
pallet
attachment
moveable
moveable member
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB1996/002073
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Christopher E. J. Blackstone
Geoffrey Williams
Original Assignee
Chep Uk Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Chep Uk Limited filed Critical Chep Uk Limited
Publication of WO1997008086A1 publication Critical patent/WO1997008086A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G17/00—Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface
    • B65G17/30—Details; Auxiliary devices
    • B65G17/32—Individual load-carriers
    • B65G17/323—Grippers, e.g. suction or magnetic
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/74—Feeding, transfer, or discharging devices of particular kinds or types
    • B65G47/84—Star-shaped wheels or devices having endless travelling belts or chains, the wheels or devices being equipped with article-engaging elements
    • B65G47/841—Devices having endless travelling belts or chains equipped with article-engaging elements
    • B65G47/842—Devices having endless travelling belts or chains equipped with article-engaging elements the article-engaging elements being grippers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/74—Feeding, transfer, or discharging devices of particular kinds or types
    • B65G47/90—Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G2201/00—Indexing codes relating to handling devices, e.g. conveyors, characterised by the type of product or load being conveyed or handled
    • B65G2201/02—Articles

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to handling apparatus and systems and relates primarily to handling systems for pallets.
  • Pallets may be and are manufactured from various materials such as steel, wood and plastics materials or a combination of such materials, their purpose being to provide a load supporting upper surface, or deck, spaced from a lower, for example ground-engaging surface, such space permitting of the entry of forks of a fork-lift truck so that the load supported by the pallet may be moved by the fork-lift truck from one position to another.
  • a typical form of pallet may comprise a multi-boarded deck, the boards all having the same orientation and being secured to two or more further boards, known as stringers, orientated at 90° to the boards forming the deck.
  • the stringers are secured to an upper side of spacer blocks, the underside of the spacer blocks being secured to a further structure providing a ground-engaging surface so as to provide a strong and substantially rigid structure.
  • the typical pallet is of a weight that it can be handled manually, however there are instances where handling of large numbers of empty pallets could more efficiently and economically be managed by a more mechanised form of handling.
  • a pallet handling system comprising mechanised conveying means, said conveying means carrying attachment means, said attachment means being adapted to engage with a pallet and provide sufficient support to said pallet to enable the conveying means to move said pallet from one location to another without the need for further support for the pallet.
  • the conveying means may comprise an overhead chain or cable conveyor, or alternatively, may comprise a pneumatic or hydraulic movement system.
  • an attachment means adapted to engage with a pallet and having at least one movable part, movable between a first position to permit of engagement of the attachment means with said pallet and a second position in which separation of the pallet from the attachment means is prevented, said attachment means being adapted for connection to a conveyor or other movement system.
  • Manually operable means may be provided to cause movement of said movable member, or alternatively, the movable member may be operable by mechanical, hydraulic or electro-mechanical means.
  • said movable member may be biased to either its first or its second position and possibly both and is movable against said biasing means to the other of its two positions.
  • the movable member may be provided with locking means to lock it in its first or second position.
  • said attachment means comprises two movable members, each having a first and second position so as to contribute to the security of the attachment means to the pallet.
  • said attachment means comprises a swivel member so as to allow at least partial movement about a substantially vertical, rotation axis relative to the said conveying means.
  • said attachment means is provided with a pivot member enabling a pivotal movement of said pallet about a substantially horizontal axis relative to said conveying means.
  • the orientation of the pallet relative to the conveying means may be biased into a particular position and biasing means may be provided on said fixing means to bias said pallet into a predetermined orientation relative to the conveying means.
  • biasing means may be provided on said attachment means to bias the orientation of said pallet into one of a predetermined number of different positions relative to the conveying means.
  • said biasing means may take the form of a spring loaded cam follower bearing on a cam provided on said swivel member.
  • the attachment means comprises a body part from which extends one or more elongate members adapted to engage with an external surface of said pallet.
  • said external surface comprises the load bearing surface or deck.
  • said body has mounting means for said one or more movable members and conveniently includes one or more bushes in which the or each movable member is located for at least limited rotational movement between said first and second position.
  • each movable member is interconnected so as to enable each movable member to move together between their first and second positions.
  • the or each movable member extends in a direction substantially parallel to the or each elongate member and is movable between said first and second positions by rotational movement about an axis extending in said direction.
  • the or each movable member has a transversely extending part which in its first position enables the attachment means to take up an attachment position on a pallet and in its second position, engages with a surface of one element of the pallet in a manner to prevent separation of the attachment means from the pallet.
  • the element of the pallet is a stringer and the arrangement is such that the body of the attachment means abuts or is in close proximity to one surface of the stringer, the transverse extension on the or each movable member abuts or is in close proximity to an opposite surface of the stringer and the movable member and said elongate member extend along opposite sides of said stringer, said sides interconnecting said surfaces, such that when said the or each movable member is in its second position, a transverse section of said stringer is substantially surrounded by said attachment means.
  • each elongate member may be secured to said body in a manner so as to be relatively immovable relative thereto or may be pivotally or otherwise movably connected to the body and biased into a position to further enhance the securement of the pallet to said attachment means.
  • the or each movable member may be provided with an arm and the or each arm may be provided with abutments or projections such as elongate pins rods or other projections which may be contactable by a fixed or moveable striker member to automatically move the or each moveable member between its first and second position and vice versa to enable automatic securing of the pallet to the attachment means or release of the pallet from the attachment means.
  • abutments or projections such as elongate pins rods or other projections which may be contactable by a fixed or moveable striker member to automatically move the or each moveable member between its first and second position and vice versa to enable automatic securing of the pallet to the attachment means or release of the pallet from the attachment means.
  • said attachment means includes means for connection to conveying means which permits of two point attachment to said conveying means said two point attachment being spaced in the direction substantially in accordance with the direction of travel of the conveying means.
  • FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of attachment means of the invention
  • FIGURE 2 is a partial front elevation of the attachment means shown in Figure 1.
  • FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of part of the attachment means shown in Figure 1 but modified to show pivotally mounted spring-biased elongate members.
  • the pallet 10 comprises a plurality of boards generally indicated at 11 which are secured to a plurality of stringers, one of which is shown at 12, the stringers 12 being provided with spacer blocks, one of which is shown at 13, which in turn are secured to a lower ground-engaging structure, generally indicated at 14.
  • the presence of the blocks 13 leave a gap indicated at 15 to enable load supported by the boards 11 which form a deck, to be lifted by the insertion of the forks of a fork lift truck into the gap 15.
  • the attachment means comprises a body part 16 which has a swivel member 17, which passes through a through-bore on the body part 16 and is secured thereto with a nut 18 and locking nut 19 and is mounted so that the swivel member 17 may rotate about its longitudinal axis relative to the body part.
  • a cam 20 mounted on said swivel member 17 is a cam 20 having a cam surface 21.
  • a cam follower element 21a Pivotally mounted on the body part 16 is a cam follower element 21a. having a cam follower surface 22 in the form of a wheel, biasing means in the form of spring 23 biasing the cam follower wheel 22 into contact with the cam surface 21.
  • the cam surface 21 is provided with two recesses 24 and 25 so that the orientation of the swivel member 17 relative to the body member 16 has two stable positions in either of which the orientation of a pallet 10 relative to the direction of travel of a conveying means may be biased.
  • one or a plurality of different positions may be provided on the cam surface 21, so as to bias the orientation of a pallet 10 carried by the attachment means to any one of a number of different positions.
  • locking means may be provided to lock the orientation of the swivel member 17 relative to the body part 16 so as to prevent movement of the body part relative to the swivel member 17.
  • the upper end of the swivel member 17 is provided with a bush 26 having a through-bore 27, through which is adapted to pass a pin 28 which in turn fastens and is secured in through-bores 29 and 30, provided in bars 31 and 32 of a carrier member 33, such that the body part 16 is capable of at least limited movement about a horizontal pivotal axis relative to the carrier member 33.
  • the carrier member 33 is provided with end bushes 34 and 35 secured by welding to the bars 31 and 32 into which end bushes 34 and 35 pins 36 and 37 of a chain conveyor may be secured, thereby securing of the fixing means to a conveying means.
  • the conveying means does not need to be a chain conveyor but any suitable conveying means will suffice and whereas two fixing means relative to the chain conveyor as shown, it is envisaged that in some circumstances, a single attachment may suffice, whereas in other circumstances, more than two fixing means may be appropriate.
  • the body part 16 has two elongate members, 40 and 41 which in Figure 1 are shown secured to the body part 16 in fixed relation.
  • the elongate members one of which is shown at 42', may be pivotally mounted via pivot member 43 to the body part 16 and biased by a helical spring 44 acting on connecting rod 45, which in turn has an abutment 46, which bears on the elongate member 42'.
  • the body part 16 is provided with two elongate bushes, 47 and 48 carrying elongate movable members 49 and 50.
  • the movable member 49 has at its lower end a transverse tongue 51 and the movable member 50 has a similar transverse tongue 52.
  • the upper ends of the movable members 49 and 50 each carry an arm 53 and 54 respectively, which arms are interconnected by a link member 55 which is pivotally mounted to each of the arms 53 and 54 so that movement about the longitudinal axis of one of the moveable members will cause movement about the longitudinal axis of the other elongate member, such movement being in an opposite rotational direction.
  • Each of the movable members 49 and 50 move between a first position shown in dotted outline and a second position shown in bold outline, the first position being illustrated in Figure 2 and the second position being illustrated in Figure 3.
  • the movable members are maintained in their first position and relative movement between a pallet and the attachment means is caused to enable the attachment means to take up a position relative to the pallet as shown in the drawings.
  • the movable members 49 and 50 are then rotated to take up their second position as shown in Figure 3, for example, and it can thus be seen that the stringer 12 has its lower edge 60 abutted by the upper edge 61 of the transverse abutment 51, the lower edge of the body part is either in contact or in close proximity to the upper edge 62 of the stringer 12, the bush 47 carrying movable member 49, is in close proximity or contact with the side 64 of the stringer 12 and the elongate member 42 bears on the board 11 which is attached to the stringer 12 and hence the stringer 12 is substantially surrounded by the attachment means preventing separation of the attachment means from the pallet 10.
  • the movable members 49 and 50 are moved back to their first position (see Figure 2) and the attachment means may be withdrawn from the pallet 10 by causing relative vertical movement between the pallet 10 and the attachment means.
  • the arms 53 and 54 secured to the upper end of the movable members are provided with projections such as the pins shown at 66 and 67, which are adapted to be contacted by abutments or strikers on the conveyor system to cause appropriate movement of the movable members 49 and 50 between their first and second positions and vice versa, so as to cause automatic engagement or release of the pallet from the attachment means.
  • manually operable means or automatic means may be provided to cause movement of the or each movable member when so required.
  • attachment means may be adapted to contact and substantially surround an alternative element in the pallet. It is further envisaged that only one movable member may be provided and the means for moving the movable members may take any desired form.
  • the attachment means of the present invention has been found to provide very reliable attachment to a pallet since the transverse extensions 51 and 52 on the movable members 49 and 50 engage with the underside of the stringer 12 at a position spaced inwardly from the outside edge region of the pallet, hence they engage with a surface that is unlikely to be damaged during use of the pallet.
  • the size of the stringer 12 may vary from one construction of pallet to another and it is envisaged that the projection of the movable members relative to the body part may be adjustable so as to ensure that the attachment device securely locates relative to the stringer 12.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Pallets (AREA)

Abstract

An attachment means adapted to engage a pallet has at least one movable part movable between a first position to engage and securely hold the pallet and a second position in which separation of the pallet from the engagement means is possible. The attachment means is meant to be used in a conveying system to enable the pallets to be moved efficiently and safely from one station to another, in for example a repair workshop.

Description

Title: Handling apparatus and system Description of Invention
The present invention relates to handling apparatus and systems and relates primarily to handling systems for pallets.
Pallets may be and are manufactured from various materials such as steel, wood and plastics materials or a combination of such materials, their purpose being to provide a load supporting upper surface, or deck, spaced from a lower, for example ground-engaging surface, such space permitting of the entry of forks of a fork-lift truck so that the load supported by the pallet may be moved by the fork-lift truck from one position to another.
Typically, such pallets provide a load supporting surface of lm2 or 1.2 m2. A typical form of pallet may comprise a multi-boarded deck, the boards all having the same orientation and being secured to two or more further boards, known as stringers, orientated at 90° to the boards forming the deck. The stringers are secured to an upper side of spacer blocks, the underside of the spacer blocks being secured to a further structure providing a ground-engaging surface so as to provide a strong and substantially rigid structure.
Once the load has been removed from the pallet, the typical pallet is of a weight that it can be handled manually, however there are instances where handling of large numbers of empty pallets could more efficiently and economically be managed by a more mechanised form of handling.
It is one object of the present invention to provide a new or improved system for handling pallets.
According to one aspect of the present invention, we provide a pallet handling system comprising mechanised conveying means, said conveying means carrying attachment means, said attachment means being adapted to engage with a pallet and provide sufficient support to said pallet to enable the conveying means to move said pallet from one location to another without the need for further support for the pallet. Preferably, the conveying means may comprise an overhead chain or cable conveyor, or alternatively, may comprise a pneumatic or hydraulic movement system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an attachment means to enable attachment of a pallet to a movement system.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, we provide an attachment means adapted to engage with a pallet and having at least one movable part, movable between a first position to permit of engagement of the attachment means with said pallet and a second position in which separation of the pallet from the attachment means is prevented, said attachment means being adapted for connection to a conveyor or other movement system.
Manually operable means may be provided to cause movement of said movable member, or alternatively, the movable member may be operable by mechanical, hydraulic or electro-mechanical means.
It is envisaged that said movable member may be biased to either its first or its second position and possibly both and is movable against said biasing means to the other of its two positions.
The movable member may be provided with locking means to lock it in its first or second position.
Preferably, said attachment means comprises two movable members, each having a first and second position so as to contribute to the security of the attachment means to the pallet.
Preferably, said attachment means comprises a swivel member so as to allow at least partial movement about a substantially vertical, rotation axis relative to the said conveying means.
Preferably, said attachment means is provided with a pivot member enabling a pivotal movement of said pallet about a substantially horizontal axis relative to said conveying means.
Preferably, the orientation of the pallet relative to the conveying means may be biased into a particular position and biasing means may be provided on said fixing means to bias said pallet into a predetermined orientation relative to the conveying means.
Conveniently, biasing means may be provided on said attachment means to bias the orientation of said pallet into one of a predetermined number of different positions relative to the conveying means.
Preferably, said biasing means may take the form of a spring loaded cam follower bearing on a cam provided on said swivel member.
Preferably, the attachment means comprises a body part from which extends one or more elongate members adapted to engage with an external surface of said pallet.
Conveniently, said external surface comprises the load bearing surface or deck.
Preferably, said body has mounting means for said one or more movable members and conveniently includes one or more bushes in which the or each movable member is located for at least limited rotational movement between said first and second position.
Where more than one movable member is provided, conveniently, the movement of each movable member is interconnected so as to enable each movable member to move together between their first and second positions.
Preferably, the or each movable member extends in a direction substantially parallel to the or each elongate member and is movable between said first and second positions by rotational movement about an axis extending in said direction.
Preferably, the or each movable member has a transversely extending part which in its first position enables the attachment means to take up an attachment position on a pallet and in its second position, engages with a surface of one element of the pallet in a manner to prevent separation of the attachment means from the pallet.
Conveniently, the element of the pallet is a stringer and the arrangement is such that the body of the attachment means abuts or is in close proximity to one surface of the stringer, the transverse extension on the or each movable member abuts or is in close proximity to an opposite surface of the stringer and the movable member and said elongate member extend along opposite sides of said stringer, said sides interconnecting said surfaces, such that when said the or each movable member is in its second position, a transverse section of said stringer is substantially surrounded by said attachment means.
The or each elongate member may be secured to said body in a manner so as to be relatively immovable relative thereto or may be pivotally or otherwise movably connected to the body and biased into a position to further enhance the securement of the pallet to said attachment means.
The or each movable member may be provided with an arm and the or each arm may be provided with abutments or projections such as elongate pins rods or other projections which may be contactable by a fixed or moveable striker member to automatically move the or each moveable member between its first and second position and vice versa to enable automatic securing of the pallet to the attachment means or release of the pallet from the attachment means.
Preferably said attachment means includes means for connection to conveying means which permits of two point attachment to said conveying means said two point attachment being spaced in the direction substantially in accordance with the direction of travel of the conveying means.
The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of attachment means of the invention,
FIGURE 2 is a partial front elevation of the attachment means shown in Figure 1.
FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of part of the attachment means shown in Figure 1 but modified to show pivotally mounted spring-biased elongate members. Referring first to Figure 1, one embodiment of attachment means and part of a pallet 10 is shown. The pallet 10 comprises a plurality of boards generally indicated at 11 which are secured to a plurality of stringers, one of which is shown at 12, the stringers 12 being provided with spacer blocks, one of which is shown at 13, which in turn are secured to a lower ground-engaging structure, generally indicated at 14. The presence of the blocks 13 leave a gap indicated at 15 to enable load supported by the boards 11 which form a deck, to be lifted by the insertion of the forks of a fork lift truck into the gap 15.
The attachment means comprises a body part 16 which has a swivel member 17, which passes through a through-bore on the body part 16 and is secured thereto with a nut 18 and locking nut 19 and is mounted so that the swivel member 17 may rotate about its longitudinal axis relative to the body part. Mounted on said swivel member 17 is a cam 20 having a cam surface 21.
Pivotally mounted on the body part 16 is a cam follower element 21a. having a cam follower surface 22 in the form of a wheel, biasing means in the form of spring 23 biasing the cam follower wheel 22 into contact with the cam surface 21. The cam surface 21 is provided with two recesses 24 and 25 so that the orientation of the swivel member 17 relative to the body member 16 has two stable positions in either of which the orientation of a pallet 10 relative to the direction of travel of a conveying means may be biased.
It will be appreciated, depending upon the circumstances, that one or a plurality of different positions may be provided on the cam surface 21, so as to bias the orientation of a pallet 10 carried by the attachment means to any one of a number of different positions.
Furthermore, locking means may be provided to lock the orientation of the swivel member 17 relative to the body part 16 so as to prevent movement of the body part relative to the swivel member 17.
The upper end of the swivel member 17 is provided with a bush 26 having a through-bore 27, through which is adapted to pass a pin 28 which in turn fastens and is secured in through-bores 29 and 30, provided in bars 31 and 32 of a carrier member 33, such that the body part 16 is capable of at least limited movement about a horizontal pivotal axis relative to the carrier member 33.
The carrier member 33 is provided with end bushes 34 and 35 secured by welding to the bars 31 and 32 into which end bushes 34 and 35 pins 36 and 37 of a chain conveyor may be secured, thereby securing of the fixing means to a conveying means.
It will be appreciated that the conveying means does not need to be a chain conveyor but any suitable conveying means will suffice and whereas two fixing means relative to the chain conveyor as shown, it is envisaged that in some circumstances, a single attachment may suffice, whereas in other circumstances, more than two fixing means may be appropriate.
The body part 16 has two elongate members, 40 and 41 which in Figure 1 are shown secured to the body part 16 in fixed relation. However, as shown in Figure 3, the elongate members, one of which is shown at 42', may be pivotally mounted via pivot member 43 to the body part 16 and biased by a helical spring 44 acting on connecting rod 45, which in turn has an abutment 46, which bears on the elongate member 42'.
The body part 16 is provided with two elongate bushes, 47 and 48 carrying elongate movable members 49 and 50.
The movable member 49 has at its lower end a transverse tongue 51 and the movable member 50 has a similar transverse tongue 52.
The upper ends of the movable members 49 and 50, each carry an arm 53 and 54 respectively, which arms are interconnected by a link member 55 which is pivotally mounted to each of the arms 53 and 54 so that movement about the longitudinal axis of one of the moveable members will cause movement about the longitudinal axis of the other elongate member, such movement being in an opposite rotational direction.
Each of the movable members 49 and 50 move between a first position shown in dotted outline and a second position shown in bold outline, the first position being illustrated in Figure 2 and the second position being illustrated in Figure 3.
In use of the attachment means, the movable members are maintained in their first position and relative movement between a pallet and the attachment means is caused to enable the attachment means to take up a position relative to the pallet as shown in the drawings. The movable members 49 and 50 are then rotated to take up their second position as shown in Figure 3, for example, and it can thus be seen that the stringer 12 has its lower edge 60 abutted by the upper edge 61 of the transverse abutment 51, the lower edge of the body part is either in contact or in close proximity to the upper edge 62 of the stringer 12, the bush 47 carrying movable member 49, is in close proximity or contact with the side 64 of the stringer 12 and the elongate member 42 bears on the board 11 which is attached to the stringer 12 and hence the stringer 12 is substantially surrounded by the attachment means preventing separation of the attachment means from the pallet 10.
In order to release the pallet 10 from the attachment means, the movable members 49 and 50 are moved back to their first position (see Figure 2) and the attachment means may be withdrawn from the pallet 10 by causing relative vertical movement between the pallet 10 and the attachment means.
The arms 53 and 54 secured to the upper end of the movable members are provided with projections such as the pins shown at 66 and 67, which are adapted to be contacted by abutments or strikers on the conveyor system to cause appropriate movement of the movable members 49 and 50 between their first and second positions and vice versa, so as to cause automatic engagement or release of the pallet from the attachment means.
Alternatively, manually operable means or automatic means may be provided to cause movement of the or each movable member when so required.
It will be appreciated that the embodiment illustrated includes variations as shown in the Figures are merely examples of the attachment means of the present invention, and it is envisaged that the attachment means may be adapted to contact and substantially surround an alternative element in the pallet. It is further envisaged that only one movable member may be provided and the means for moving the movable members may take any desired form.
The attachment means of the present invention has been found to provide very reliable attachment to a pallet since the transverse extensions 51 and 52 on the movable members 49 and 50 engage with the underside of the stringer 12 at a position spaced inwardly from the outside edge region of the pallet, hence they engage with a surface that is unlikely to be damaged during use of the pallet.
It will be appreciated that the size of the stringer 12 may vary from one construction of pallet to another and it is envisaged that the projection of the movable members relative to the body part may be adjustable so as to ensure that the attachment device securely locates relative to the stringer 12.
The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. An attachment means adapted to engage with a pallet and having at least one moveable member moveable between a first position to permit of engagement of the attachment means with said pallet and a second position in which separation of the pallet from the attachment means is prevented, said attachment means being adapted for connection to a conveying means or other movement system.
2. Attachment means as claimed in Claim 1 wherein manually operable means are provided to cause movement of said moveable member.
3. Attachment means as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said moveable member is operable by mechanical, hydraulic or electro-mechanical means.
4. Attachment means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said moveable member is biased to either its first or its second position and is moveable against biasing means to the other of its two positions.
5. Attachment means as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein said moveable member is biased to both its first and second positions.
6. Attachment means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the moveable member is provided with locking means to lock it in its first or second position.
7. Attachment means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said attachment means comprises two moveable members each having a first and second position.
8. Attachment means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said attachment means comprises a swivel member to allow at least partial movement about a substantially vertical, rotational axis relative to said conveying means.
9. Attachment means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the attachment means is provided with a pivot member enabling a pivotable movement of said pallet about a substantially horizontal axis relative to said conveying means.
10. Attachment means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the orientation of the pallet relative to the conveying means may be biased into a particular position, and biasing means are provided on said attachment means to bias said pallet into a predetermined orientation relative to the conveying means.
11. Attachment means as claimed in Claim 10 wherein the biasing means is provided on the said attachment means to bias the orientation of said pallet into one of a predetermined number of different positions relative to the conveving means.
12. Attachment means as claimed in Claim 10 or Claim 11 wherein said biasing means takes the form of a spring loaded cam follower bearing on a cam provided on said swivel member.
13. Attachment means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims comprising a body part from which extends one or more elongate members adapted to engage with an external surface of said pallet.
14. Attachment means as claimed in Claim 13 when said external surface comprises the load bearing surface or deck.
15. Attachment means as claimed in Claim 13 or Claim 14 wherein said body part has mounting means for said one or more moveable members said mounting means comprising one or more bushes in which the or each moveable member is located for at least limited rotational movement between said first and second positions.
16. Attachment means as claimed in Claim 15 wherein more than one moveable member is provided each of said moveable members being inter¬ connected so as to enable each moveable member to move together between their first and second positions.
17. Attachment means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the or each moveable member extends in a direction substantially parallel to the or each elongate member and is moveable between first and second positions by rotational movement about an axis extending in said direction.
18. Attachment means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the or each moveable member has a transversely extending part which in its first position enables the attachment means to take up an attachment position on a pallet and in its second position engages with a surface of one element of the pallet in a manner to prevent separation of the attachment means from the pallet.
19. Attachment means as claimed in Claim 18 wherein the element of the pallet is a stringer the arrangement being such that the body of the attachment means abuts or is in close proximity to one surface of the stringer, a transverse extension on the or each moveable member abuts or is in close proximity to an opposite surface of the stringer and the moveable member and said elongate member extend along opposite sides of said stringer, said side inter-connecting said surfaces such that when the or each moveable member is in its second position a transverse section of said stringer is substantially surrounded by said attachment means.
20. Attachment means as claimed in Claim 19 wherein the or each elongate member is secured to said body in a manner so as to be relatively immovable relative thereto or is pivotally or otherwise movably connected to the body and biased into a position to further enhance the securement of the pallet to said attachment means.
21. Attachment means as claimed in Claim 19 or Claim 20 wherein the or each moveable member is provided with an arm and the or each arm is provided with abutments or projections such as elongate pins, rods or other projections which are contactable by a fixed or moveable striker member to automatically move the or each moveable member between its first and second positions.
22. Attachment means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said attachment means comprises means for connection to conveying means which permits two point attachment to said conveying means said two point attachment being spaced in the direction substantially in accordance with the direction of travel of the conveying means.
23. A pallet handling system comprising mechanised conveying means, said conveying means carrying attachment means, said attachment means being adapted to engage with a pallet and provide sufficient support to said pallet to enable the conveying means to move said pallet from one location to another without the need for further support of the pallet.
24. A pallet handling system as claimed in Claim 23 wherein said conveying means comprises an overhead chain or cable conveyor.
25. A pallet handling system as claimed in Claim 23 wherein said conveying means comprises a pneumatic or hydraulic movement system.
26. A pallet handling system incorporating attachment means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 22.
27. Attachment means substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
28. A pallet handling system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
29. Attachment means including any novel feature or any novel combination of features as described herein and/or illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
30. A pallet handling system including any novel feature or novel combination of features as described herein and/or illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
PCT/GB1996/002073 1995-08-25 1996-08-23 Handling apparatus and system WO1997008086A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9517481A GB2304679B (en) 1995-08-25 1995-08-25 Handling apparatus and system
GB9517481.9 1995-08-25

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1997008086A1 true WO1997008086A1 (en) 1997-03-06

Family

ID=10779786

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB1996/002073 WO1997008086A1 (en) 1995-08-25 1996-08-23 Handling apparatus and system

Country Status (2)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2304679B (en)
WO (1) WO1997008086A1 (en)

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR1287442A (en) * 1961-01-30 1962-03-16 Fenwick Manutention Ste Indle Lifting device intended to work with a handling machine
US3513999A (en) * 1968-03-27 1970-05-26 William H Schwartz Lifting and carrying vehicle
DE3507283A1 (en) * 1985-03-01 1986-09-04 Unima Maschinenbau Gmbh, 6603 Sulzbach Apparatus for receiving a platelike body, especially a pallet
US5052735A (en) * 1988-10-14 1991-10-01 Tsudakoma Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Auto-clamper for pallets
DE9017733U1 (en) * 1990-11-22 1992-01-02 Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forschung Ev, 8000 Muenchen, De
WO1992013792A1 (en) * 1991-02-08 1992-08-20 Heppenstall Holding Ag Load-lifting device
EP0543474A1 (en) * 1991-11-15 1993-05-26 Rud-Kettenfabrik Rieger & Dietz Gmbh U. Co. Pallet-gripping device

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB188163A (en) * 1921-10-10 1922-11-09 Llewellyn Morgan Davies Improvements in the method of and means for transporting goods, cargo or the like
US4167996A (en) * 1978-03-27 1979-09-18 General Motors Corporation Suspension type clamping transport hook
EP0131082B1 (en) * 1983-07-06 1987-03-04 Fabriques De Tabac Reunies S.A. Device for placing pallets on a loading area
AT389481B (en) * 1984-02-08 1989-12-11 Voest Alpine Ag SYSTEM FOR FEEDING AT LEAST ONE MACHINE TOOL WITH WORKPIECES PROVIDED ON PALLETS
EP0291083B1 (en) * 1987-05-14 1991-03-27 Erwin Jenkner Method and installation for transferring transportation platforms to a lifting table of a stacking station
GB9313374D0 (en) * 1993-06-29 1993-08-11 British Nuclear Fuels Plc Safety devices for lifting apparatus

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR1287442A (en) * 1961-01-30 1962-03-16 Fenwick Manutention Ste Indle Lifting device intended to work with a handling machine
US3513999A (en) * 1968-03-27 1970-05-26 William H Schwartz Lifting and carrying vehicle
DE3507283A1 (en) * 1985-03-01 1986-09-04 Unima Maschinenbau Gmbh, 6603 Sulzbach Apparatus for receiving a platelike body, especially a pallet
US5052735A (en) * 1988-10-14 1991-10-01 Tsudakoma Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Auto-clamper for pallets
DE9017733U1 (en) * 1990-11-22 1992-01-02 Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forschung Ev, 8000 Muenchen, De
WO1992013792A1 (en) * 1991-02-08 1992-08-20 Heppenstall Holding Ag Load-lifting device
EP0543474A1 (en) * 1991-11-15 1993-05-26 Rud-Kettenfabrik Rieger & Dietz Gmbh U. Co. Pallet-gripping device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2304679A (en) 1997-03-26
GB2304679B (en) 1999-06-30
GB9517481D0 (en) 1995-10-25

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US5253972A (en) Roll dolly
EP0863839B1 (en) Shipping frame for fan section of aircraft engine
CA1046018A (en) Low lift truck
US6152674A (en) Truck deck mounted cargo handling apparatus with ground level loading and unloading position
US5186588A (en) Ladder rack ladder latch
EP0384850B1 (en) Automatic stopping device for a vehicle in particular for a truck in front of a loading bay
JPH0696440B2 (en) Slip sheet processing equipment
CN111164042A (en) Industrial vehicle shelving system
US20070234926A1 (en) Lid securement device and method
US6474047B1 (en) Robotic end effector with counter-rotating fingers
CA1267111A (en) Combination trailer and forklift
WO2001058789A1 (en) Vehicle loading and unloading system
WO1997008086A1 (en) Handling apparatus and system
US5775865A (en) Manually operated, mechanically adjustable, quick lifter support arm for loading equipment onto pickup trucks
EP0651725B1 (en) Lift truck accessories for stacking and moving stacks of tires
US5230599A (en) Trailer chassis handling apparatus
GB2137956A (en) Apparatus comprising a load engaging member
EA001239B1 (en) Apparatus for transportation of a working machine
US3581923A (en) Forklift trucks
US2981350A (en) In-hold cargo handling device
EP0376720B1 (en) Carrier pallet
US6619905B2 (en) Drum handling device
EP0009921A2 (en) Wheel means for container handling
FR3113017A1 (en) DEVICE FOR CLAMPING A REMOVABLE GUARDRAIL SECURE ON A STEP OF A WAGON OF A RAIL TRANSPORT VEHICLE AND GUARDRAIL EQUIPPED WITH SUCH A CLAMPING DEVICE
US3331520A (en) Freight pallet and carrier

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AK Designated states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): CA NO US

AL Designated countries for regional patents

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AT BE CH DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LU MC NL PT SE

DFPE Request for preliminary examination filed prior to expiration of 19th month from priority date (pct application filed before 20040101)
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application
122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase
NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: CA