Patent GB-1275506-A (GB)
Title: Pallet loading apparatus
Inventor: ALDUK FRANK PETER
IPC: B65G57/03
Filed: 1970-05-28
Abstract: 1275506 Pallet loading apparatus F P ALDUK 28 May 1970 [3 Sept 1969] 25687/70 Heading B8C Pallets, warehouse bins, freight trucks, conveyers are loaded by manually arranging at least one layer of articles, e.g. cartons O upon a friction-driven shuttle table 6 mounted on a horizontal cross-frame 5, adjusting the vertical height of the frame 5 relative to a stack of articles, driving the shuttle-table 6 across the top of the stack, lowering a pneumatically operated, frame-mounted stripper 80 and retracting the shuttle table 6. As shown, the frame 5 comprises two longitudinal beams 40, end buffers 43, 62, 63 and two side plates 44 interconnected by a brace 75 which carries a piston and cylinder unit 83 for actuating the stripper 80 via a double-forked sleeve 78. Each side plate 44 also carries at least three staggered, lipped rollers 47 which run along tracks 48 within H-sectioned columns 25, 26 to maintain the frame 5 horizontal, the columns 25, 26 also accommodating a frame chain drive comprising a reversible motor 30, a shaft 32 and chains 35. To accommodate slack each roller 47 is carried on a shaft 50 passing through a hole 51 eccentrically set in a circular block 52 rotatably mounted on the appropriate side plate 44. The shuttle table 6 which comprises a metal plate 60 and adjustable load guides 64, is driven across frame-mounted idle rollers 56 by two friction wheels 70 mounted on a spindle 69 powered by a reversible motor 71 supported on a bar 66 suspended from frame beams 40 by an adjustable double-spring suspension 67. The shuttle table 6 carries a shoe 95 which trips frame-mounted pneumatic valves 94, 97 and electric switches 127, 130 as the table moves back and forth to appropriately actuate the stripper 80 and motor 70 respectively. Upper and lower frame travel limit switches (124, 125, Fig. 9), a load switch (120, Fig. 10) and automatic up and down switches (121, 122, Fig. 10) are adjustably carried on parallel rods supported on the side of a column and are actuated by a contact (123, Fig. 10) projecting from the appropriate side plate 44. The frame 5 is also provided with two pairs of diagonal photo-electric devices 136, 136a, 135a (135, Fig. 13), for automatically positioning the frame relative to the stack. A pair of safety switches (131, 131a, Fig. 13) may be provided on the shuttle table 6 to prevent lateral shuttle table 6 movement against a stack and downward movement of the frame 5 and shuttle table 6 prior to shuttle table withdrawal. One of the above pair of switches (i.e. 131a) may have a foreward arm which strikes the rear edge of a stack of cartons having slightly upstanding cover flaps to actuate the motor 70 and retract the shuttle table 6. This switch (131a) overides an adjustable timer which may be provided so that the frame 5 may be lowered a further small distance after the shuttle table has moved forwardly across a stack of cartons having slightly upstanding cover flaps. A panel (100, Fig. 10) having adjustable visual stack level indicators may be provided on a column. The pallet roller table 4 which comprises three sets of rollers 18 which may be power driven and side guides 20 may be rotated through 90 degrees to accommodate take-off conveyers positioned differently with respect to the base 2 of the apparatus. The base 2 which has a pivotable pallet stop (21, Fig. 8) may be provided with wheels or rollers. The apparatus may have the various loading steps controlled manually or automatically. A circuit (Fig. 16) giving the essential features required is described.