METHOD, APPARATUS AND STORAGE SHELVING FOR STORING PAPER ROLLS

Abstract: Method for storing paper rolls in a storage where the rolls are brought in and stored one above the other and from where they are retrieved for further processing. The storing means (2) comprises a separate transport carriage (3) for moving the paper rolls from the storing means into longish corridors in the storage shelving and back from the storage to the storing means (2). To obviate the need for pallets, the paper rolls are stored in a recumbent position on a carrier surface which, supported on each side by a high supporting wall forming part of the running track of the transport carriage (3), adapts to the form of the circumference of the paper roll (2). Thus, being stored in a recumbent position, the paper rolls are easy to handle. In addition, deformations of the circumference of the rolls during storage are avoided. The storage shelving of the invention is mainly used in the manufacture of paper.

Description: Method, Apparatus and Storage shelving for storing paper rolls. The present invention relates to a method for storing paper rolls in a storage where the rolls are brought in and stored one above the other and from where they are retrieved for further processing. A similar method and a similar apparatus are proposed in the Finnish patent application 864705. The object of the present invention is to further develop this method and apparatus. The method of the invention is characterized in that the stor¬ ing means comprises a separate transport carriage for moving paper rolls from the storing means into the longish corridors in the storage shelving and back from the storage to the stor¬ ing means. The invention makes it possible to optimize the utilization of the storage space in both vertical and horizon-' tal directions. Thus, e.g. in the lengthwise direction of a shelving corridor, the corridor may accommodate a larger num¬ ber of short rolls than of long rolls, which means that the utilization rate of the store can be optimized. The utiliza¬ tion rate is calculated and optimized by a computer. A preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the paper rolls are brought into the store in a recumbent position by a ' forklift truck and deposited on a reception station, where the transport carriage of the storing means picks them up either singly or several rolls at a time and takes them to the storing means, which then moves to a defi¬ nite place in the store, whereupon the transport carriage takes the roll(s) into a shelving corridor reserved for the sort of roll in question. As the rolls are thus held in a recumbent position throughout the storage process, they are very unlikely to be damaged and the storage space in the shelving can be utilized to the optimum. Paper rolls of a given size are always stored in the same shelving corridor, reserved for the roll size in question. The invention also relates to an apparatus for implementing the method described above. The apparatus comprises a storing means, such as a stacker, by means of which the incoming paper rolls can be placed in the store and retrieved for delivery to a processing machine. The apparatus of the invention is characterized in that the storage space consists of longish shelving corridors known in themselves, where the transport carriage of the stacker can drive in to deposit or retrieve paper rolls. The .invention permits optimal utilization ' of the storage, space in vertical .as well as lengthwise and sideways directions. In principle, such a store with the necessary equipment can be.built in any space. An embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the carriage support of the stacker can be rotated through 180° around its vertical axis so as to allow the transport carriage resting on it to be turned in such manner that the carriage is able to move forwards, i.e. with the lifting fork first, into the shelving corridors on both sides of the stacker. Thus the transport carriage can serve two separate sets of storage shelves on either side of the stacker. An embodiment of the invention is further characterized in that each shelving corridor is provided with a pair of U- shaped tracks connected to each other by a concave carrier surface on which the paper rolls can be deposited for storage, said U-shaped tracks serving as running tracks for the wheels of the transport carriage. Such a solution is cheap and prevents the outer layer of the paper roll from being damaged by the weight of the roll itself, because the supporting surface of the roll is sufficiently large. The carrier surface may also consist e.g. of a bandlike or similar structure which is attached to a supporting wall and sustains high tensile stresses. Due to the weight of the paper roll, the carrier surface undergoes an elastic deformation that allows it to adapt to the circular form of the roll. For this adaptation, the elasticity of the supporting wall itself is also utilized. Another possibility, represented by the features in claims 8-10, is to use an elastic steel plate as a carrier surface, said plate being of- a sufficiently thin construction to permit elastic deformation and adaptation to the circumferential form of the paper roll as required. Since the carrier surface is only subject to tensile forces, a relatively thin plate can be used in this solution. The- features in claims 12 and 13 represent structural simpli¬ fications and possibilities of achieving the desired adapta¬ tion of the carrier surface to the cirucmferential form of the paper ' rolls in ' a simple manner. The features of the solution in claim 15 prevent deflection of the carrier surface at the supporting walls. The invention is described in the following by the aid of an example, referring to the drawings attached, wherein: Fig. 1 represents the store in top view. Fig. 2 shows a section through the store in fig. 1 along line II-II. Fig. 3 shows a section through the store in fig. 1 along line III-III. Fig. 4 shows the transport carriage with a paper roll in an oblique top view. Fig. 5 shows a magnified section through the running track in fig. 4 along line V-V. Fig. 6 shows a corresponding section through the running track of a different embodiment. The store is filled using a fork-lift truck by bringing one or more paper rolls at a time to the reception station 4, where the rolls are deposited in succession, forming a line. The rolls are held in a recumbent position when they are brought in. At this stage, the data relating to the dimensions and paper quality of each roll are automatically read from a bar code into the memory of the control system of the store, or the data are input via a manual switch by the truck operator. The transport carriage 3 of the stacker 2 takes the paper roll from the reception station to the stacker which then moves the carriage and the paper roll resting on it to a given location in the store, from where the transport carriage 3 takes the roll further into the appropriate corridor in the shelving. In this manner, the corridors are filled with paper rolls. When a processing machine needs a given paper roll, the stacker first finds the right corridor, whereupon the transport carriage 3 fetches the paper roll from the corridor and brings it to the stacker, which then takes the carriage and the paper roll resting on it to the delivery station 5, from where the roll is further transported to the processing machine with a fork-lift truck or an automatically guided vehicle. The store consists of two opposite shelving blocks, between which the stacker moves. The stacker is provided with a carriage support which can be rotated through 180° around its vertical axis so as to allow the transport carriage resting on it to be turned in such manner ' that it is able to enter the shelving corridors on both sides of the stacker moving, forwards, i.e. with the lifting fork first. The shelving corridors are provided with U-shaped tracks connected to each other by a concave surface on which the paper rolls can be deposited for storage, said U-shaped . tracks serving as running tracks for the wheels of the transport carriage. Since the paper rolls are held in a recumbent position at all stages of the storage process, there is no risk of rolls falling over, which is often possible when the rolls are stored in an upright position one above the other. The method and apparatus of the invention permit an optimal utilization of the capacity of the store. As illustrated by fig. 5, showing only the left-hand profile 7 of the running track 4 - the right-hand profile 8 is arranged in . mirror symmetry on the other side of the mirror plane 24 - the profile 7 is a rectangular U-profile provided with a high supporting wall 9 on the side facing the other rectangular profile 8, said supporting wall 9 being higher than the other side wall 25 of the profile. The rectangular profiles 7 and 8,. the latter being omitted in the figure, are fixedly mounted on the bottom 26 of. the storage shelf 3. In a certain embodiment, the. profiles 7 and 8 are made of a steel plate. The top edge of the supporting wall 9 of the rectangular profile 7 is bent into an angle towards the other profile 8 (riot shown), so as to form a protrusion 14 serving as a seat for . the carrier plate 10. The bent edge 12 of the carrier plate is attached to the upper part of the supporting wall 9 e.g. with screws, said plate 10 consisting of an elastic steel plate which is thinner than the material of the rectangular profile 7. The carrier plate 10 is provided with a deflection 16 along the line of. the mirror plane 24, said deflection 16 being produced when the two equal portions 10a and 10b of the plate meet in an obtuse angle α of about 170°. Thus, a carrier surface 10 for the paper rolls is provided in the middle of the running track 4 thus formed. Fig. 5 illustrates the defor¬ mations of the elastic plate 10 caused by the weight of the paper roll 2, and also the deformations occurring simulta¬ neously in the upper part 9b of the supporting wall 9. When a paper roll 2 of diameter R is placed on the carrier plate 10, the weight of the roll causes the plate 10 to adapt to the form of the circumference 27 of the roll. The same occurs when a roll of a smaller diameter R' is deposited on the plate, but in this case both the carrier plate 10 and the supporting wall 9 undergo a larger deformation than in the case of a roll with a larger diameter. In any case, the result is that the carrier surface 10 is adapted in the required manner to the form of the circumference 27 or 28 of the paper roll. Thus, the bearing surface at the circumference of the paper roll 2 is large enough to prevent any flattening or undesirable deformation of the outer layer of the roll 2. Instead of a steel plate 10, it is also possible to use a mat made of a plastic or textile material and having a sufficient tensile strength. As the mat is essentially subject only to the tensile forces resulting from the weight of the paper rolls, such a mat may be applicable as a carrier surface 10. Fig. 6 " shows, how the mounting of the carrier surface 10, again consisting of a plate, can be implemented in a very simple manner by bending the edges 12' of the plate 10' around a step-shaped protrusion . 13 pointing outwards toward the other side 25 r of the rectangular profile 7'. hen the upper edge of the supporting wali , 9' is -folded as shown, the result is a seat protrusion 1 ' which is analogous to the protrusion 1 in fig. 5, transmitting the undesirable deformation of the carrier plate 10' in the seat region to the supporting wall 9 r . In other respects, the design of the carrier plate 10' is analogous to the embodiment in fig. 5. Naturally the deflec¬ tion .16 can be omitted. However, the embodiment presented provides the advantage that, when a paper roll is first de¬ posited on the plate 10, it touches the plate along two lines of contact instead of one. This makes it possible to avoid undesirable effects on the outer layer of the paper roll.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Method for storing paper rolls in a storage where the rolls are brought in and stored one above the other and from where they are retrieved for further processing, characterized in that the storing means (2) comprises a separate transport carriage (3) for moving paper rolls from the storing means into 'longish corridors in the storage shelving and back from ' he ' storage to the storing means (2) . 2. Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the paper rolls are brought into the store in a recumbent position by a forklift truck and deposited on a reception station (4), where the transport carriage (3) of the storing means (2) picks them up at least one at a time and takes them to the storing means, which then moves to a definite place in the store, whereupon the transport carriage (3) of the storing means (2) takes the roll(s) to a given location in a shelving corridor reserved for the roll size in question, the location being determined by a storage control computer. 3. ' Apparatus for implementing the method of claim 1 , comprising a storing means, such as a stacker (2), with which the incoming paper rolls can be placed in the store and re¬ trieved for delivery, characterized in that the storage space consists of longish shelving corridors known in themselves, in which the transport carriage (3) of the stacker (2) can enter to deposit and retrieve paper rolls. 4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the carriage support of the stacker can be rotated through 180° around its vertical axis so as to allow the transport carriage (3) resting on it to be turned in such manner that the car¬ riage is able to enter the shelving corridors on both sides of the stacker moving forwards, i.e. with the lifting fork first. 5. Apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the shelving corridors are provided with a combined storage support (7) for the paper rolls and a running track (6) for the transport carriage. 6. Apparatus according to claim 3, 4 or 5, characterized in that each shelving corridor is provided with a pair of U- shaped tracks (6) connected to each other by a concave surface (7) on which the paper rolls can be deposited for storage, ' said ■ U-shaped tracks serving as running tracks for the wheels of the transport carriage. 7. Apparatus according to claim 3, 4 or 5, characterized in that each running track (6) consists of two parallel members, both of which are provided with a high supporting wall (9, 9a, 9' ) on the side facing the other member, said wall serving as a support for a flexible carrier surface (10) between the two members, the paper rolls (2) being placed on said carrier sur¬ face with their rolling axis (11) parallel to the track (6). 8. Storage shelving according to claim 7, characterized in that, the carrier surface (10.) consists of. an elastic plate. 9. Storage shelving according to claim 8, characterized in that the plate (10) is provided with a deflection (16) along the middle line between the supporting walls (9,9a). 10. Storage shelving according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the deflection (16) is formed by two essentially planar portions of the plate (10) meeting at an obtuse angle ( ) of approx. 160 - 170°. 11. Storage shelving according to any one of the claims 7-10, characterized in that the plate (10) is provided with bent longitudinal edges (12) " which serve to attach it to the supporting walls (9, 9a). 12. Storage shelving according to claim 11, characterized in that the bent longitudinal edges (12') are suspended on pro¬ trusions (13) of the supporting walls (9,9'), said protrusions pointing in the direction away from the adjacent supporting wall. 13. Storage shelving according to any one of the claims 7-12, characterized in that the supporting walls (9,9a) consist of tall, vertical, elastically flexible fillets of laminated springs. 14. Storage shelving according to claim 13, characterized in that the supproting walls (9, 9a) are parts of U-profile tracks guiding the' wheels of the transport carriage (3) . 15. Storage shelving according to any one of the claims 7-13, characterized in that the upper ends of the supporting walls (9, 9a) are provided with transverse protrusions (14) serving as seats for the two portions of the carrier surface (10). 16. Storage shelving according to claim 12 or 15, characterized in that the seat protrusions (14) or the protrusions (13) consist of bent or folded upper edges (15) of the supporting walls (9, 9a).

Inventors: HILBER WALTHER, VAINIO FRANS, HILBER, WALTHER, VAINIO, FRANS
Applicants: KONE OY
Application year: 1988
Main classification: B65G1
IPC codes: B65G1