Patent GB-1381373-A (GB)
Title: Transfer and stacking apparatus
IPC: B65G25/02
Filed: 1972-07-21
Abstract: 1381373 Conveying and stacking rows of elongate elements MORGAN CONSTRUCTION CO 21 July 1972 [21 July 1971] 34198/72 Headings B8A and B8C  An apparatus for transferring, and stacking, rows of laterally-arranged, elongate elements E, such as rolled sections from a rolling mill, not shown, comprises a roller table 12, for receiving the elements one at a time, a carrier 14 vertically movable, in steps and in which the rows of elements are stacked, and a transfer apparatus 10 located between the roller table 12 and the carrier 14. The apparatus 10 includes a plurality of laterally-extending support members 46 which are adapted to collect thereon a plurality of laterally-aligned elements and which are movable in unison, from a receiving position adjacent the table 12, to a delivery position where a pre-selected number of juxtaposed elements, adjacent the ends of the elements, overlie the carrier 14. In operation, before the support members 46 are retracted from their advanced positions over the carrier 14 stop members 142, Fig. 2, 7E, are raised to project above the level of the support members 46 so that, when the latter members are subsequently retracted towards the roller table 12, the preselected set of elements on the end portions of the support members 46 is stripped from these members and is deposited, as a row, on the carrier 14, which is then lowered a step. As shown in Fig. 7E, when the stop members 142 are raised they trap a succeeding set of elements between their ends 144a, 144b, the stop members 142 remaining elevated while the support members 46 are retracted so that the trapped set of elements are laterally compacted as they are shunted towards the ends 144b of the stop members 142. Each support member 46 is mounted upon a carriage (52), Fig. 6 (not shown) which carriage has wheels (54) which run along parallel track members (56a, 56b) and which is movable to-and-fro by a rack-and-pinion mechanism 72, 74, If elements approaching the roller table 12 are sound a series of plates 26a along the table 12 remain pivoted upwardly so that the sound elements are deposited, one-byone, on to a slide surface 22a. Unsound elements cause an alternate series of plates 26b to be raised so that each unsound element is discarded on to a slide surface 22b. Picker devices 86 are adapted to be moved, in generally elliptical paths, to transfer each element from the slide surface 22a and on to a series of alignment rollers 78 which are rotatable by respective motors 80 to align the left hand end of each element, as seen in Fig. 1 against a stop, not shown, before it is transferred from the conical surfaces 78b of the rollers 78 and on to the elements 46. Each picker device 86 comprises a curved arm 86 which is pivoted at 88 to an arm 100 on yoke 102 which surrounds an eccentric drive 104 and which is also pivoted, at 108, to a link 110 the other end of which is pivoted to a fixed bracket 114. One end of the arm 86 has an element engaging notch 116 the other end being pivoted, at 118, to an arm 120 on a collar 122 rotatably mounted on the drive shaft 76 for the carriages (52). Guide members 128 are positioned on either side of the support members 46. Each stop member 142 is movable vertically by a double-acting cylinder 161b which acts through a lever 162 and a push-rod 158, and which carries an adjustable stop member on its piston-rod 161a. The stop members 142 are each maintained in a generally horizontal plane during vertical movement by pairs of parallel links 148a, 148b. The carrier 14 includes a plurality of platforms 166 mounted upon a housing 170 which is movable vertically, in steps, by rack- and-pinion mechanism 174, 176, Fig. 2. The housing 170 includes opposed sets of fence members 178, 180 the latter being adjustably mounted upon a walk-way 186. A transfer car 194, having a plurality of stock-receiving cradles is located beneath the walk way. The intermediate support members 46 may be shorter, longer, than those at either end of the row so that middle, or end, portions respectively of the elements are allowed to sag downwards at their middle, or end, portions before the corresponding end, or middle, portions are released. The front sections 46b of the support members 46 pivot upwardly, Fig. 3 (not shown), should they foul the carrier 168.