Rotary rack stock

A rotary stock rack in which a plurality of racks having wheels at the underside thereof are connected with one another in endless series by means of connecting links, and the plurality of racks are adapted to reversely travel on an elliptic orbit along the outer periphery of a frame body in which rotary cradles support the racks on semicircular portions of the frame body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a one stage type rotary rack stock 
comprising a plurality of racks which can detect and pick up articles in 
the plurality of racks automatically by moving the plurality of racks in 
which articles are accommodated circularly. 
PRIOR ART 
One of examples of this kind of one stage type rotary rack has been 
disclosed in the Japanese patent publication No. 51-26707. In the one 
stage rotary rack stock of this kind there are provided, as shown in FIG. 
8, a plurality of racks (c) movably between an endless guiding rail (a) 
mounted on the upper portion and a tubular rail (b) having a circular 
section, each of driving pins (e) which serves as an axis of respective 
connecting links of each of the racks engages with a sprocket (f) 
connected with driving means and by being revolved together with the 
sprocket (f), the plurality of racks (c) endlessly connected with one 
another are adapted to travel along the guiding rail (a). 
In addition, each of the racks (c) has a pair of wheels (g) at the lower 
portion thereof, and each of them has a groove (h) with which each of the 
wheels (g) can ride on the tubular rail (b) so that movement of the racks 
may be regulated. 
However, in the rotary rack stock of the type above described construction, 
when each of the racks of the rotary rack stock is being traveled on each 
of end portions among an elliptic orbit, that is, in the case when it is 
being at each of semi-circularly configured turning portions of the orbit, 
between the orbit of the racks (c) and a traveling orbit of the wheels (g) 
there occurs discrepancy, and especially, the smaller radius of rotation 
becomes, the greater this discrepancy becomes. 
Because of the above described reason there are disadvantages in the above 
mentioned conventional type rotary rack stock that an excessive load is 
liable to occur at the portion where the sprocket (f) which drives the 
racks (c) engages with the driving pins (e) of the racks (c), an 
apprehension of occurring such an accident as damaging the sprocket by 
dint of concentration of forces applied thereon is still remained etc. 
further, there is another disadvantage that since the wheels (g) are 
compulsorily traveled along the tubular rail (b), creaks are also liable 
to be generated. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the present invention is to provide a rotary rack stock in 
which rotary cradles on which racks can be mounted are disposed at 
semi-circular portions of an elliptic traveling orbit for the racks, so 
that the racks thereon can be smoothly transported. 
The rotary rack stock according to the present invention has the following 
construction, that is, it comprises a plurality of racks having wheels 
undersides thereof being connected with one another endlessly in series by 
means of connecting links, and the plurality of racks being adapted to 
turningly travel along the outer round of a frame body on the elliptic 
orbit composed of linear portions and semi-circular portions, and is 
characterized in that rotary cradles which support the racks on the 
semi-circular portions of the frame body and are reversibly movable 
according to the semi-circular orbit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The present invention will be described minutely by referring to a 
preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings. 
The reference number (1) indicates fixed plates or base plates disposed in 
parallel with each other having an interval therebetween, and on these 
base plates (1) there is erected a frame body (2) of a rectangular 
parallelepiped shape. 
The frame body (2) comprises a plurality of floor rods (3) directed to the 
front and rear direction and disposed in parallel with each other having 
an interval in lateral direction therebetween, struts (4) erected at the 
front and the rear end portions of the floor rods (3), ceiling rods (5) 
supported on the upper surfaces of the struts (4)(4) and projecting into 
the front and rear direction of the struts (4) with desired length and 
guiding rails (6)(6) of rectangular channel shape which direct downwardly 
secured in parallel with each other to the underside surface of the 
ceiling rods (5) at the front and the rear ends. 
A pair of roller guides (7)(7) of which material and shape are same as 
those of the guiding rails (6)(6) but direct upwardly are secured between 
the lower ends of the outer sides of the struts (4) through a fitting 
plate (8) so as to oppose to the guiding rails (6)(6). Between each front 
end surface and rear end surface of the floor rods (3) there are laid 
orbits (9)(9) which are composed of angular tubes. 
As shown in FIG. 5, a vertical bearing (10) is mounted at the central 
portion of the ceiling rod (5) positioned at the right end of the frame 
body (2), and on the base plate (1) which is opposite to the bearing (10) 
a vertical thrust bearing (11) is mounted, and on both of them a 
rotational axis (12) is erected rotatably about the vertical axis (10). 
A rotary plate (13) having six recessed portions (13a) separated with an 
equidistance from each other on the outer peripheral surface thereof and 
each of which has an outwardly opened notch of an angle of 60 is secured 
on the outer periphery of the upper end portion of the rotational axis 
(12). 
At the outer periphery of the lower portion of the rotational axis (12) 
there are mounted a rotary plate (14) oppositely disposed to the rotary 
plate (13) and having six recessed portions (14a) having the same shape as 
those of the rotary plate (13), and a rotary cradle (15) disposed at the 
underside thereof and comprising a plurality of ribs each of which extends 
radially in the aslantly downward direction and has a horizontal ring 
portion (15b) supported at the tip end of each of said ribs (15a). 
On the outer periphery of the rotational axis (12) at the upper portion of 
the cradle (15), there is secured a sprocket (16) of small diameter for 
connecting with a chain, and between the sprocket (16) and a driving 
means, that is, a sprocket of a motor (17) mounted on the frame body (2) 
an endless chain (18) is bridged. Between a vertical bearing (19) mounted 
on the ceiling rod (5) at the left end portion of the frame body (2) and a 
vertical thrust bearing (20) a rotational axis (21) is rotatably erected. 
A follower rotary plate (22) having the same shape as that of the 
afore-mentioned rotary plate (13) is mounted on the upper portion of the 
rotational axis (21), and a rotary cradle (24) on the upper surface of 
which a plurality of rotary plates (23) are disposed is mounted rotatably 
integrally with them. 
The reference number (25) indicates a rack. It comprises, as shown in FIG. 
3, a ceiling plate (26) on which three pieces (26a) which are drooped from 
three edge portions in the different directions except the front edge 
portion are mounted, a bottom plate (27) on which three raising walls 
(27a) are erected at the rear part and the both sides except the front 
part thereof, and a shelf unit (28) of a rectangular shape inserted 
vertically between these ceiling and bottom plates (26),(27) and the rear 
end. 
On the rear upper portion of the ceiling plate (26) a pair of axes (29) 
which serve also as a pair of driving pins by having a predetermined pitch 
(P) are erected, and to the bottom plate (27) a pair of axes (30) having 
the same predetermined pitch (P) are also erectingly provided. 
As shown in FIG. 4, said respective axes (29) and (30) of the adjacent 
racks (25)(25) oppositely erected with each other are connected with one 
another having the predetermined pitch (P) by means of a connecting link 
(31) having a penetrating hole at both ends thereof, thus each of these 
racks (25) and each of the connecting links (31) are connected endlessly 
so that an endless rotary shelf (32) may be formed. 
In addition, a tubular roller (33) which engages detachably with said 
recessed portions (13a) (14a) is rotatably provided on the intermediate 
part of the outer periphery of each of the axes (29). A guiding portion, 
i.e., a horizontal roller (34) is provided on the outer periphery of the 
upper end portion of each of the axes (29). Quite same as the 
afore-mentioned, on the outer periphery of each of the axes (30) a tubular 
guiding portion, i.e., a roller (35) is rotatably provided. 
On the underside surface slightly nearer to the front side of the bottom 
plate (27) than the axes (30) there are secured a pair of wheels (36) 
comprising a bracket (36a) of downwardly opened channel like shape, a 
shaft (36b) which penetrates both side walls of the opened portion of the 
bracket (36a) and a vertical roller (36c) pivotally mounted on the shaft 
(36b). 
Each of the wheels (36) of the outer racks (25) is mounted freely movably 
on the orbit (9) at linear portions of the front and the rear parts of the 
frame body (2), each of the rollers (35) is inserted into the roller 
guides (7) so that it may freely roll therein, and because each of the 
horizontal rollers (34) being inserted into the guiding rails, each of the 
wheels (36) is vertically supported. 
Each of the wheels (36) is mounted on the horizontal ring portions 
(15b)(24b), as shown in FIG. 5, at the both end portions of the frame body 
(2), and the lower roller (35) engages with each of the recessed portions 
(14a) of the rotary plate (14). In addition, the upper roller (33) engages 
with each of the recessed portions (13a) of the upper rotary plate (13). 
Thus, the endless rotary shelf (32) is appeared, when it is seen from the 
above, as shown in FIG. 1, an elliptic shape which comprises linear 
portions at the front and the rear portions and two semi-circular portions 
at left and right end portions, and is wound around the frame body (2). 
Nextly, hereinafter description will be given regarding a rack positioning 
means for stopping a desired rack at a picking up position, i.e., the 
right side of the frame body (2). 
As shown in FIG. 4, on the horizontal ring portion (15b) of the rotary 
cradle (15) there are disposed three projecting pieces (37) separated 
angularly with one another (in the present embodiment the separating angle 
being 120 degree) and each having L shaped section. 
A pair of transparent type photoelectric tubes (38)(38) having downwardly 
opened channel shape are secured to a strut (40) erected at the center of 
the floor rod (3) positioned in the left hand side of the rotational axis 
(12) shown in FIG. 5 by means of a fitting plate (39) so that the tubes 
(38)(38) may stride a circular orbit which is drawn as an orbit of 
rotation of the projecting pieces (37). In the present invention it is 
adapted that when lights coming from those photoelectric tubes (38)(38) 
are interrupted by a tongue piece (37), a rack (25) which corresponds to 
the tongue piece (37) is brought to the right side of the frame body (2), 
that is, the picking position. The reference number (39) in FIG. 1 
indicates a control panel which is mounted at the right side of the frame 
body (2) except for the frame body (2). By the control panel speed of 
revolution of the motor (17) and detection of the rack, i.e., positioning 
of the rack to be stopped can be performed by utilizing a computer. 
Hereinafter, description of operation of the rotary rack stock constructed 
as the above mentioned will be given. 
As the addresses of the racks (25) are previously registered in the control 
panel (41), when a number of the rack (25) now being at the picking gate 
is input to the control panel (41), any desired rack (25) can be brought 
to the right side of the frame body (2). When the motor is revolved, the 
endless rotary shelf (32) which engages with both the rotary plates (13) 
and (14) is revolved in the clockwise direction or in the counterclockwise 
direction. 
At the linear portions of both the front and the rear part of the frame 
body (2), the vertical rollers (36c) of the wheels (36) roll on the orbit 
(9) and on the upper portion of the racks (25) the horizontal rollers (34) 
roll in the guiding rails (6). Quite same as the afore-mentioned, at the 
lower portion of the racks (25) the rollers (35) roll in the roller guides 
(7). Thus, the racks (25) are traveled in vertically standing condition. 
As shown in FIG. 4, in the semi-circular portion at the right side, each of 
rollers (35) of the respective racks (25) is engaged with each of the 
recessed portions (13a) and (14a) sequentially, and according to rotation 
of the rotary axis (12), the wheel (36) rolls from the right end of the 
orbit (9) to the horizontal ring portion (15b) of the rotary cradle (15). 
Each of the racks (25) mounted on the cradle (15) in a stationary state is 
moved around the outer periphery of the semi-circular portion of the 
rotary plates (13) and (14), after the wheel (36) has ridden on the rear 
side of the orbit (9), it travels on the orbit (9) again. Same as the 
above described, at the semi-circular portion in the left end side of the 
frame body (2), each of the racks (25) mounted on each of the horizontal 
ring (24b) of the rotary cradle (24) is again traveled after having been 
moved on the orbit (9). 
When the desired rack (25) reaches the picking gate, as shown in FIG. 4, at 
the state that the tongue piece (37) is between the photoelectric tubes 
(38), rotation of the motor (17) stops and the opening part of the rack 
(25) is to precisely direct to the picking gate. 
FIGS. 6 and 7 show another embodiment in which a supporting construction of 
the rotary cradle (15) and a wheel are different from those of shown in 
FIG. 1, that is, the supporting construction of the cradle (15) and the 
wheel (36) in the first embodiment. However, hereinafter descriptions are 
given therefor by marking same numbers to the same members. 
A pair of integrally connected a longer and a shorter tubular bodies (43) 
and (44) are rotatably inserted into each of longitudinal axes (42) 
supported its upper end portion by the frame body (2) and its lower end on 
a floor plate (41) and erected on the floor plate (41). 
On the longer tubular body (43) inserted into the upper part of the 
longitudinal axis (42) a ring shaped rotary plate (46) and a sprocket (47) 
are secured respectively to the outer peripheries of the upper and the 
lower end portions horizontally. To the outer periphery of the upper end 
portion of the shorter tubular body (44) which is inserted into the lower 
end portion of the longitudinal axis (42) a ring shaped rotary plate (48) 
is secured horizontally, and also a ring shaped rotary plate (49) is 
secured horizontally to the outer periphery of the lower end portion of 
the shorter tubular body (44). As afore-mentioned, the rotary cradle is 
constructed. 
The underside near the outer edge of the rotary plate (49) is supported by 
a plurality of vertical rollers (50) appropriately provided on the floor 
plates (41) at the semi-circular portion of the frame body (2). 
With the above mentioned simple construction, rigidity of the rotary cradle 
is increased and manufacture of the same becomes facile. 
In FIG. 7 there is shown the wheel (36) to which a vertical roller (36') 
having substantially elliptic section along the shaft thereof is attached 
instead of the vertical roller (36c) of the wheel (36) of the first 
embodiment. By making all edge portion of the roller to curved surfaces, 
sliding resistance generated at the case when the wheel (36) is going to 
ride on the rotary cradle (15) becomes small. Further, if a channel member 
(55) having an L shaped cross section which is bolted with a bolt (53) and 
a nut (50) to the floor material (3) is used, as shown in FIG. 7, instead 
of the orbit (9) having a rectangular channel shape of the first 
embodiment, it is also possible to reduce manufacturing cost. 
In the embodiments the rack is mounted on the rotary cradle through its 
wheel, however, it is also possible to construct the present invention so 
that the bottom plate of the rack may be supported by the rotary cradle. 
Further, the rotary cradle has been integrally made with the rotary 
plates, however, of course, it is possible to construct it so that the 
bottom plate of the rack may support the cradle. It is also possible to 
provide the rotary plate and the rotary cradle arranged vertically 
parallel with each other on the rotational axis. 
In the embodiment it is adapted that the wheel rolls on the orbit made of 
rectangular tube, however, as having been shown in the conventional 
example, at the linear portion of the frame body a tubular rail(s) may be 
equipped to travel pulleys on the tubular rail(s). In this case there is 
another advantage that the roller guides (7) of the lower portion of the 
frame body having been shown in the embodiment can be omitted. In the 
embodiment it is also adapted that the roller is inserted into the axis 
projecting upwardly and downwardly from the rack so that the roller may 
engage with the recessed portions of the rotary plates, however, it is 
also possible to eliminate the roller and immediately engage the axis with 
the rotary plate. 
As minutely described heretofore, the rotary rack stock according to the 
present invention is constructed that rotary cradles which integrally 
rotate with a pair of rotary plates to which endless chain of the rotary 
shelf is wound, and two rotary cradles which mount the racks of the 
endless rotary shelf and convey them on the semi-circular orbit are 
provided on the both end portions of the frame body, so that no excessive 
load can be burdened to the rotary plates even at the semi-circular 
reversing portions of the orbit. Further, even in the case when the racks 
are traveled on the orbit with their wheels equipped underside portions 
thereof, the wheels do not roll on the rotary cradles, so that in 
comparison with the construction in which the wheels of the racks roll on 
the semi-circular orbit, in the former no excessive force is added, which 
results in lengthening durable lives of the wheels and preventing creak 
from occurrence.