Patent GB-1345463-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for palletising containers
IPC: B65G59/06
Filed: 1972-05-30
Abstract: 1345463 Apparatus for palletizing containers W G FRISH 30 May 1972 [1 June 1971] 25149/72 Heading B8C Apparatus for palletizing containers in which a pallet lift is lowered automatically the desired increment for each pallet layer prior to depositing a succeeding layer comprises a vertically reciprocable pallet lift 20 with a cantilever pallet fork 24 and guided by sets of rollers 36- 40 for vertical movement in spaced U-shaped channels 26, 28 of a frame 12 defining a pallet loading chamber 18, a retractable apron slide 54 for use in arranging articles in a pattern prior to deposition on a pallet, and a ball nut assembly 44 rockably mounted on the pallet lift 20 in threaded engagement with a screw 42 which is rotatably driven by a motor 43. Programme means, Figs. 14, 15, not shown, is provided for counting the revolutions of the drive screw 42 and is coupled, electrically, to the latter to rotate it and cause downward movement of the pallet lift a preselected increment followed by an upward return movement of the pallet lift a predetermined distance. The apron 54 is mounted by rollers 64 in side rails 60, 62 cantilevered from the frame 12 and is horizontally movable, by a screw 76 rotatable by a motor 78, between an advanced position over the chamber 20 and a retracted position along the rails 60, 62. The apparatus also includes a pallet dispenser 140, Figs. 11, 12, which is located adjacent the loading chamber 18 and which includes fingers 164, Fig. 11, which are movable, by link mechanism 160, 170, 171, 172 operable by a motor (168) Fig. 10, not shown in and out of openings 163 in side walls 144, 146 of the dispenser to separate, from a stack of pallets 148 housed in the dispenser, the lowermost pallet. The latter is urged on to the fork 24 of the pallet lift by one of a plurality of push bars 176, Fig. 12, mounted on endless chains 178 driven by a motor 180 when the fork 24 is in its lowermost position at the base of the chamber 18. In a modification, Fig. 17 not shown, lift bars (181) assist the fingers 164. In operation the pallet selected from the dispenser 140, is raised on the fork 24 to a position just beneath the apron 54 which is in its advanced position over the chamber 18. An operator, standing upon a platform 118, Fig. 1, adjusts the positions of pallet forming bars 114, 116 and places a layer of articles, for example cartons with their upper flaps open, upon the apron 54. The motor 78 is actuated to withdraw the apron 54 and the motor 43 is energized to rotate the screw 42 and lower the pallet lift and loaded fork 24 until it reaches a distance programmed on a counter (206), Fig. 14, not shown. The apron 54 is then moved back into its advanced position and the pallet lift 20 is raised a preselected distance as programmed. With the cartons having open flaps the lowering distance of the lift 20 is sufficient for the apron 54, in its advanced position, just to clear the flaps, the return upward movement of the lift 20 being programmed to move the cartons against the apron 54, and compress the flaps. The operator then loads a second pattern layer of cartons on the apron 54 and pushes an index button (262) to continue the loading sequence. As the lift 20 recesses between the rollers of a main take-out conveyer 52, Fig. 4, a motor 91 is switched on to drive the conveyer 52 and an extension 86 thereof, the latter, in its uppermost tiltable position, having its delivery end 90 movable up-and-down by cam mechanism 92, 94. As the loaded pallet moves out of the chamber 18 a limit switch 215 is closed to activate a motor 180 so that the blades 176 on the chains move the next pallet, ejected by the dispenser 140, on to the fork 24, a photo-cell unit (270), Fig. 9, not shown, being interrupted to switch on the motor 43 and raise the lift 20 carrying the empty pallet. When the loaded pallet reaches the end 90 of the extension conveyer 86 conveyers 52, 86 are stopped and the end 90 of the extension conveyer is lowered. The drive 108 for the chains 104 of a cross conveyer 100 is then started to move the loaded pallet on to the cross conveyer 100, the end 90 of the extension conveyer 86 then being raised to its upper position so that the next loaded pallet remains at the elevated end of the extension conveyer 86.