Patent GB-1323357-A (GB)
Title: Materials handling device
IPC: B65G21/20
Filed: 1970-10-15
Abstract: 1323357 Stacking steel sections; retaining articles magnetically on belt conveyers BRITISH STEEL CORP 15 Oct 1971 [15 Oct 1970] 49098/70 Headings B8A and B8C Lengths 2 of ferromagnetic material are lifted consecutively to the under surface of a conveyer 3 to which each length is held crosswise thereof magnetically, each length then travelling with the conveyer to a position above a receiving surface at which position it is arrested, the magnetic force is removed and the length is allowed to drop to the receiving surface. As shown, the conveyer 3 travels below permanent magnets 6, 8, 10 and control magnets 7, 9, the latter being located above bogies 26, 29 having vertically adjustable tables 27 constituting receiving surfaces, below which are provided holding magnets (not shown) to prevent displacement of deposited sections 28. An arm 12 at each side of the conveyer is mounted on a driven axle 13 and carries an electromagnet 16, which in use, lifts a length 2 from a table 1 to the undersurface of conveyer 3 to which the length is then held by the magnet. The magnet 16 is then de-energized and the length 2 is carried under the control magnet 7 to a stop 20 at each side of the conveyer which is either fixed to arrest further movement of the length along the conveyer 3 or is freely pivoted to allow the length to proceed to the next stop 21 beneath the magnet 9. The stops are adjustable along the lengths of the magnets 7, 9 and when a length 2 abuts either of the pairs of stops 20, 21, the associated magnets 7 or 9 are deenergized to allow the length to drop on to the adjacent table 27. The length 2 may be inverted, before it is lifted by the magnet 16 on to the belt 3, by a device 33 comprising a freely rotatable electromagnet 35, 36 on to which each length 2 is moved by a pusher 31 whereby the length is deposited in an inverted position against a stop 40 and from which position it is lifted by the magnet 16. The device 33 may be replaced by the alternative according to Fig. 3 (not shown) in which the length 2 is pushed on to an electromagnet (46) which is then pivoted downwardly and de-energized to release the length in an inverted position (2<SP>111</SP>). In the arrangement according to Fig. 4, L-section lengths 75 are lifted from a table 1 by means of a conveyer 63 at each side of conveyer 3 running beneath an electromagnet 67 and supported on a frame 60 which is adjustably pivotally supported by a driving pulley 61 and an hydraulically controlled linkage 72, 73. In operation, the conveyer is held stationary until the length 75 is pushed to a position 77 where it is attracted by the magnet 67 and is then carried by the conveyer 63 to position 79 on conveyer 3. If the section is to be inverted, Fig. 5 (not shown), the conveyer 63 is not stopped whereby the action of the pusher 76 and the drag of the conveyer 63 pulls the leading edge of the section which then moves towards the conveyer 3 where the section is removed by the magnet 6 in an inverted orientation. Preferably, two parallel conveyers 3 are used for each length and a nine parallel conveyer arrangement may be used in which two bogies, which may be arranged in six lines, span the nine conveyers.