Patent GB-1383397-A (GB)
Title: Centralised control for an automatic system of handling pallets
Inventor: COPPEL G
IPC: B65G1/04
Filed: 1972-03-30
Abstract: 1383397 Selective signalling CONSTRUCTIONS MILLS K 30 March 1972 [12 May 1971] 15195/72 Heading G4H A centralized control station is based on a synoptic panel fitted with electrical switches to simulate and programme the movements of a transfer device provided with an automatic loadcarrier serving the gangways of a storage installatiori, the control station comprising; a frame 3 containing at least one row of parallel channels 9 connected to a main channel 4 substantially at right-angles thereto, the channels having slots opening to the front of the frame and so designed as to retain lugs 10 which slide in the channels in order to pass from one to another, the main channel 4 having at least one opening 11 in the frame for the insertion or withdrawal of the lugs 10; a plurality of lugs 10 each provided with a head which represents the loads to be transferred and with a foot which is fitted with a device to actuate electrical contacts; contact fitments close to the junctions of the channels 4, 9 and also to the openings 11 in the main channel 4 for sensing the movement of the lugs 10 manipulated by an operator; electromagnetic locking devices at the ends of the channels 9 and at the openings 11 to automatically prevent movements of the lugs 10 which would command movements of the load carrier impossible for the system to produce (given the existence of movements already commanded and in process of implementation, for example); means for storing signals resulting from the movement of the lugs 10; and means for comparing such stored signals with position signals of the transfer device to control the latter. Two contact fitments are provided for each channel 9, so the sequence in which they are actuated by the foot of a lug 10 indicates whether the lug is being moved into or out of the channel. The operator moves a lug 10 from one channel 9 to another via channel 4, to command a corresponding movement in the storage installation. The storage installation is on two levels (upper and lower), each level having a number of parallel gangways on one side of a transfer track which is perpendicular to the gangways (though as a modification, gangways could be provided on both sides of the transfer track). The transfer track is used by both levels, and a transfer device runs along it so that rails on it (at two levels) register with rails in the gangways in turn. Each gangway can hold a series of load-bearing pallets (represented by lugs at the control station) and the one of these nearest the transfer track can be transferred to the transfer device by an automatic load-carrier (a trolley) which runs from the transfer device (when this is in registry with the gangway), is raised under the pallet, and runs back with it to the transfer device which can then move to the destination gangway, and so on. There is one trolley per level. The position of the transfer device is indicated by a counter counting pulses produced by switches along the length of the transfer track. At the control station, up to five transfers can be set in at a time, the source and destination gangways being displayed at I-V. The counter reading is displayed at 16, and the direction of movement of the transfer device, whether the trolley is raised or lowered, and end of cycle are displayed at 15. Fig. 2 shows the channels 9 &c. corresponding to both levels. Each lug 10 may bear a load identifying card.