Patent GB-1238953-A (GB)
IPC: B65G57/18
Filed: 1968-10-08
Abstract: 1,238,953. Stacking machines. SCHLOEMANN A.G. 8 Oct., 1968 [2 Nov., 1967], No. 47636/68. Heading B8C. In a machine for stacking angle, channel or like section bars 2 comprising a bar-transfer appliance located between a feed chain conveyer 1 and a stacking table 20 arranged for vertical and horizontal stepwise movement, the bar-transfer appliance comprises a pair of rotary star wheels 4 for removing individual bars from the conveyer on to a track 5, a rotary head 8 revolving at a uniform speed and having a plurality of uniform pockets 9 each adapted to receive a respective bar from the track, a stripping mechanism for individually removing each bar from its respective pocket and depositing it on the stacking table, and an inverting mechanism for selectively inverting some of the bars as they move along the track prior to their reception into the pockets of the rotary head so that bars of alternate layers stacked on the table are inverted. The rotary head, star wheels and stripping mechanism may have a common drive. In the embodiment shown, the rotary head 8 is formed by a plurality of disc members mounted on a common shaft 7, and each pocket 9 is provided with a magnet 10 retaining the respective bar disposed therein. The stripping mechanism comprises a pair of magnet arms 11 which are rockable on a pivot 13 by one or more cams (not shown) on shaft 6 of the star wheels 4 to lift a bar from the pocket of the rotary head approaching its lowermost position, the bars being detached from the magnet arms so as to drop on to the table by the ends 19 of a pair of levers 17, which are themselves pivoted at 16 on the magnet arms and moved downwardly by a further cam disc (not shown) of shaft 6 acting on roller 18. Transverse movement of the table is controlled by a rotary switch (not shown) so that the table is moved stepwise each time a bar is deposited thereon, switches 21 being provided to reverse table movement and to lower the table through a set distance at the end of table movement in either direction. The mechanism inverting the bars of alternate stacked layers comprises a pair of levers 24 which are pivotable by a piston and cylinder unit 26 into a position so that a bar moving down the track engages lever ends 23. Striking levers 25 rockable on the shaft 7 and actuated by cam discs (not shown) then engage the bar and tip it over the said lever ends so that it slides into the pocket of the rotating head in the inverted position. The piston and cylinder unit is controlled by switch contacts 21a so that the inverting mechanism is brought into or out of operation when the last bar of the layer being stacked is removed from the rotary head. In alternative embodiments, Figs. 2, 3 and 4 (not shown), the inverting mechanism is constituted by the lower part of the track 31, which is machined to provide a notched portion 43, and a removable slide track 42 for bridging or unbridging the notched portion so that when the slide track is in a bridging position, the bars slide down the track into the rotary head without being inverted, and when the slide track is removed, the bars engage the notched portion and topple over to slide into the pockets in an inverted position. In these embodiments, the stripping mechanism comprises a rotary head 38 carrying magnets 35, 36, and 37 to remove the bars from their respective pockets, and a cam-operated lever 41 for detaching the removed bars from said magnets. In the embodiment of Fig. 4, the bars are of channel section, the pockets of the rotary head 33 being adapted therefor by rotatable star wheels 44.