EP0570880A2 - Gripper for storage container - Google Patents

Abstract

A gripper for stackable storage containers consists of a support frame (1) with a horizontally aligned support beam (2) and a support beam (3) parallel to it, the support beam (2) on the front of the container (5) just below the upper container edge (6 ) and the support beam (3) can be placed on the lower region of the container wall (8). On the frame (1) above the half-beam (2) two pawls (4) are pivotally mounted, which engage automatically when the gripper approaches the container (5) with a common pawl beam (10) on the upper edge of the container (6). The gripper thus only needs one front side for gripping and transporting the container, so that several containers can be stored close together on the shelf. A special locking mechanism also ensures that unwanted disengagement of the retaining pawl is avoided during transport. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a gripper for stackable storage containers, in particular those made of plastic with a rectangular base area and two walls parallel to each other.

These grippers have the task of gripping storage containers filled with finished products, transporting them to predetermined storage locations and storing them there safely in order to pick them up again when they are called up and lead them away.

For this purpose, a so-called handling device with lifting claws is known, which can be snapped into the upper edge areas of the container (DE - GM 88 16 030). There are also grippers that are designed with a horizontally projecting fork that grips the container on the side walls. For this purpose, the containers have two grooves below the upper edge, into which the fork arms arranged and aligned at the appropriate distance are inserted horizontally (DE 29 45 053 C2).

Because of the complex gripping mechanisms, these grippers are not only expensive to manufacture, but also require the necessary accessibility for the gripping elements, so that valuable stacking space is lost for stacking the containers. If you want to store the containers on shelves, for example, then the first-mentioned grippers are completely unusable because the lifting claws only act from above, while the fork grippers are laterally relative require a lot of space and the containers can therefore only be parked with the appropriate side clearances.

The object of the invention is to design the gripper in such a way that the storage containers can be inserted into the shelves from the side without any problems and can be stored with the smallest possible distances and are kept absolutely secure during transport.
To solve this problem, a front gripper designed according to the features of claim 1 is proposed, which is able to grip and hold the container only on one side. A further advantage is seen in the fact that the gripper can grip the container equally well on both the broad side and the narrow side. In this way, for example, two smaller containers can be placed on a larger container if the container sizes are coordinated accordingly.

Further features of the invention are specified in the subclaims, with the embodiment according to claim 2 providing additional security for the duration of the transport, by ensuring that the latch can only be disengaged after the container has been put on. Claim 3 shows how this protection against unwanted release can be achieved in a simple manner by means of a further pawl.

In the drawing, an embodiment of the invention is shown and will be explained in more detail below.

Fig. 1

den Greifer in Seitenansicht,

Fig. 2

den Greifer in perspektivischer Darstellung,

Fig. 3

den Greifermechanismus beim Heranfahren des Greifers an den Behälterrand,

Fig. 4

den Greifermechanismus nach dem Einrasten der Klinke am oberen Behälterrand,

Fig. 5

den Greifermechanismus nach dem Absenken des Behälters und

Fig. 6

den Greifermechanismus beim Ausrasten aus dem oberen Behälterrand nach dem Hochschwenken der Klinke.

It shows

Fig. 1

the gripper in side view,

Fig. 2

the gripper in perspective,

Fig. 3

the gripper mechanism when the gripper approaches the container edge,

Fig. 4

the gripper mechanism after the latch has clicked into place at the top of the container,

Fig. 5

the gripper mechanism after lowering the container and

Fig. 6

the gripper mechanism when disengaging from the upper edge of the container after swinging the pawl up.

The gripper shown in the figures essentially consists of a support frame 1 with an upper, horizontal support beam 2 and a lower, also horizontal support beam 3, as well as two pawls 4 pivotably mounted above the support beam 2 in the support frame 1.

As can be seen from FIG. 3, the holding beam 2 and the support beam 3 are intended to be supported on the front side of a container 5, the upper holding beam 2 immersed just below the upper edge of the container 6 in a groove 7 provided for this purpose, while the lower support beam 3 rests on the lower region of the container wall 8.

The pawls 4, which are pivotably mounted above the holding beam 2, have bevelled edges 9 from the front end to the frame 1 and are connected to one another at the lower end of the edges 9 by a pawl beam 10 running above the holding beam 2 and parallel to this.

The carrier frame 1 has on its upper cross frame 11 a hook 12 for hanging in a lifting device, not shown, and has two tubular brackets 13 and 14 which project approximately horizontally from the frame 1 and which serve as handles for the horizontal movement of the suspended gripper.

The pawls 4 and the holding beam 2 are matched to the container 5 in such a way that when the gripper approaches the front of the container 5, the pawls 4 slide with their oblique edges 9 over the upper edge 6 of the container 5, while the holding beam 2 simultaneously dips into the groove 7 (Fig. 3). As soon as the support beam 3 bears against the container wall 8 and the support beam 2 is fully immersed in the groove 7, the latch beam 10 automatically engages with the upper container edge 6 (FIG. 4).

The container 5 can now be lifted with the gripper over the lifting device and set down again at its destination. There, however, the pawl 4 must first be raised before the gripper can be moved away from the container 5 (FIGS. 5 and 6).

In order to prevent the pawl 4 from being accidentally disengaged during the transport of the suspended container 5, a special mechanism is provided which improves the user-friendliness of the gripper and at the same time ensures safe transport of the suspended container 5.

For this purpose, an arm 15 is provided on the pawl 4 which is extended to the rear and has a laterally projecting pin 16 which engages in the trough 18 of a tab 17. The tab 17 is in turn articulated to an operating lever 19 pivotally mounted in the frame 1. In addition to the recess 18, a kidney-shaped pawl 20 is pivotally suspended, which has the task of guiding the pin 16 past the recess 18 after leaving the recess 18.

The operating lever 19 is connected via a tension spring 21 to the frame 1 above and is held in its upper position by this spring 21, which is fixed by a stop 22 attached to the bracket 13. The tab 17 is in turn connected to the operating lever 19 via a further tension spring 23 such that the tab 17 always abuts the pin 16 with slight force.

The pawl 20 is also held with a tension spring 24 suspended on the tab 17 under slight pretension, so that the pawl 20 is always pivoted by the spring 24 towards the trough 18.

The locking and locking mechanism interact as follows:
When the gripper approaches the container 5 (arrow "A" in FIG. 3), the pin 16 is locked in the trough 18 and the pawl 20 is pivoted against the pin 16 from below. While the pawls 4 are pushed up from the edge 6 into the upper position shown in broken lines, the elongated arm 15 lowers. The pin 16 slides out of the trough 18 and presses the pawl 20 backwards. As soon as the pin 16 has reached the lowest position, the pawl 20 swings forward again and thereby blocks access to the trough 18.

When the pawl bar 10 is engaged at the upper edge 6, the arm 15 pivots with the pin 16 into the upper position past the outer arch of the pawl 20 and lies against the tab 17 on the outside (FIG. 4). An unwanted lowering of the operating lever 19 would now have no effect on the pawl 4, since the pin 16 is in front of the trough 18.

If the container 5 is lowered by the gripper, then the pawl 4 lifts something when the container 5 is placed on the base; the arm 15 lowers somewhat together with the pin 16, as a result of which the pawl 20 is simultaneously pressed down and thereby clears the way into the trough 18, so that the pin 16 can enter the trough 18 (FIG. 5).

Now the operating lever 19 can be lowered, the arm 15 being carried along via the pin 16 and the tab 17 at the same time, so that the pawls 4 are lifted over the edge 6 (FIG. 6). In this open position, the gripper can be pulled away from the container 5 and is again free for a new gripping insert (FIG. 3).

Claims (3)

Grippers for stackable storage containers with a rectangular base and two walls parallel to each other,
characterized by a support frame (1) with a horizontally oriented support beam (2) and a support beam (3) parallel thereto, the support beam (2) on the front of the container (5) just below the upper container edge (6) and the support beam ( 3) can be placed on the lower area of the container wall (8), and by means of two pawls (4) pivotably mounted above the holding bar (2), which when the gripper approaches the container (5) with a common latch bar (10) on the upper edge of the container (6) engage automatically. Gripper according to Claim 1, characterized in that an arm (15) which is extended beyond the pivot bearing and extends approximately horizontally over the frame (1) is fastened to one of the pawls (4) with a laterally projecting pin (16), which with one Tab (17) can be connected, which in turn is articulated to an operating lever (19) pivotally mounted in the frame (1). Gripper according to claim 2, characterized in that a trough (18) for engaging the pin (16) is provided in the tab (17) and next to the trough (18) a kidney-shaped pawl (20) is pivotally suspended, which is by spring force constantly bears against the pin (16) and, after the pin (16) emerges from the trough (18), blocks access to it.

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