EP0682632A1 - Transporteur par gravite avec utilisation des niveaux - Google Patents

Transporteur par gravite avec utilisation des niveaux

Info

Publication number
EP0682632A1
EP0682632A1 EP92907211A EP92907211A EP0682632A1 EP 0682632 A1 EP0682632 A1 EP 0682632A1 EP 92907211 A EP92907211 A EP 92907211A EP 92907211 A EP92907211 A EP 92907211A EP 0682632 A1 EP0682632 A1 EP 0682632A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
load
support
runway
loads
trolley
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP92907211A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0682632A4 (fr
Inventor
Theodore A. Hammond
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of EP0682632A4 publication Critical patent/EP0682632A4/fr
Publication of EP0682632A1 publication Critical patent/EP0682632A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G1/00—Storing articles, individually or in orderly arrangement, in warehouses or magazines
    • B65G1/02—Storage devices
    • B65G1/04—Storage devices mechanical
    • B65G1/06—Storage devices mechanical with means for presenting articles for removal at predetermined position or level

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a gravity-type transporting or conveying system which is desirable for use as part of a first in-first out storage rack arrangement for storage and transporting of palletized loads and, more particularly, to a system which extends horizontally between input and output: ends thereof but permits gravity-induced advancing of loads therealong.
  • 4 044 876, 4 304 521 and 4 759 676 disclose pulsating gravity-type conveyors which are particularly desirable for conveying palletized loads, and which are also highly desirable for use in storage-rack systems for permitting "first in-first out" storage of palletized loads.
  • the loaded pallets are supported directly on conveyor rollers, which rollers are disposed in longitudinally adjacent relationship and are supported by a carriage or rail structure which enables the rollers to vertically reciprocate in a cyclic or repetitive manner.
  • This arrangement physically causes the palletized loads to be intermittently lifted and lowered relative to a longitudinally extending stationary brake which extends at a slight decline relative to the horizontal.
  • the slope of the roller arrangement enables limited gravity-induced forward advancing of the pallets when the rollers are in their raised positions.
  • the known arrangement described above has proven highly successful and desirable for transporting and storing palletized loads, particularly in storage rack arrangements, nevertheless in some storage racks the spacial or size requirements prevent optimum utilization of such systems in terms of permitting maximum utilization in the number of vertically stacked bays, or use of the system due to the extensive length of the individual bays.
  • the slope of the conveyor as it extends longitudinally along the bay typically involves a vertical drop of about six inches for each ten feet of horizontal conveyor length.
  • the present invention thus represents an improved gravity-type conveyor which is believed to improve upon known conveyors of this general type by permitting more efficient utilization of vertical height available within a building, and hence permitting utilization of a larger number of vertically stacked bays in a storage rack within the same amount of available vertical space then was previously possible.
  • the gravity-type conveying system is again associated with each bay of a storage rack, which bays are stacked vertically one above the other, with several stacks or columns being disposed horizontally adjacent.
  • the individual inventive conveyor as associated with each bay extends horizontally between input and output ends so that a palletized load as positioned on the conveyor at the input end is at the same elevation as the palletized load stored at the output end.
  • the conveyor incorporates a pulsating load- engaging arrangement which enables the loads to be vertically raised and lowered in a pulsating or cyclic manner, and at the same time enables the individual palletized loads to be gravity-urged forwardly along the conveyor through sequential small distances or steps to effect forward advancing of the loads from the input to the output end of the conveyor.
  • the overall available height can be more efficiently utilized since the individual bays do not require additional height at one end to compensate for slope inasmuch as the individual conveyors extend horizontally. This enables a greater number of bays to be vertically stacked within a predetermined height, and thus enables higher density storage of palletized loads within a particular building volume.
  • the improved arrangement results in the input ends of the bays being generally lowered than previously possible, and thus facilitates the positioning of loads onto the input ends of the bays.
  • This arrangement also enables .the palletized loads to remain horizontal at all times, even during the gravity-urges advancing of the palletized loads along the conveyor. This thus avoids having to tip to tilt the loads, thereby providing greatly improved load stability. This is particularly desirable in situations where the loads are pallets having other objects such as bottles or the like loaded thereon, since the continual horizontal stability of the loads provides greater safety of handling and less tendency for the objects to slip or move off of the pallet.
  • the improved conveyor arrangement as associated with the storage rack, employs a plurality of individual trolleys or cars supported on sloped runway segments which in turn are supported on a pulsating or cyclically-actuated vertical lifting arrangement, with the complete arrangement being supported within a rail having upper edges which function as supporting flanges for the palletized loads.
  • the lifting device When the lifting device is activated to lift the inclined runways and cars upwardly, the pallets are lifted away from the supporting flanges, whereby the weight of the pallets causes the cars to move downwardly by gravity along the sloped runways whereby the loads are forwardly advanced a small amount, until the pallets again contact the support flanges.
  • Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a typical storage rack modified to include the inventive conveyors associated with the individual bays.
  • Figure 2 is a end elevational view of the storage rack which is diagrammatically illustrated by Figure 1.
  • Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view which illustrates a conveyor as associated with one bay of the rack, and having a palletized load associated therewith.
  • Figure 4 is a side elevational view which diagrammatically illustrates, in the longitudinal extent thereof, the improved gravity-type conveyor of the present invention.
  • Figure 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view illustrating one of the trolleys associated with the conveyor of this invention.
  • Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view which is taken generally along line 6-6 of Figure 4.
  • FIGS l and 2 illustrate a storing and transporting rack system 11 designed specifically for handling and storing palletized loads 12, which loads in the illustrated embodiment comprise suitable articles or goods 13 stacked on conventional pallets 14.
  • the storing and transporting system 11 incorporates a rack-type framework 16 which includes a plurality of horizontally adjacent columns 17, each including a plurality of bays or tiers 18 disposed vertically one above the other.
  • Each bay has a gravity-type conveyor or transporter 21 associated therewith and extending longitudinally along the framework from an input end 22 to an output end 23.
  • the conveyor or transport 21 is designed to provide for "first in-first out" storage of palletized loads.
  • the conveyor or transporter 21 includes a pair of generally parallel, sidewardly-spaced, horizontally elongate support rails 26 and 27 which extend longitudinally between the input and output ends of the respective bay.
  • These support rails are identical except for being mirror images of one another, and are suitably fixedly secured to and supported on appropriate transverse frame members 28 associated with the framework 16.
  • These support rails 26 and 27 extend horizontally throughout the length thereof between the input end 22 and the output 23. That is, the support rails are not inclined or sloped, and thus the input and output ends 22 and 23 are at the same elevation.
  • Each support rail 26 and 27 includes a generally upwardly-opening, U-shaped channel defined by a substantially horizontal bottom wall 29 which fixedly and rigidly joins to the bottom edges of a pair of upwardly projecting and sidewardly spaced side walls 31.
  • the channel defines therein a horizontally elongated channellike space 32 which opens upwardly.
  • Each side wall 31 has a flange 33 fixed to the upper edge thereof, which flange extends horizontally along the entire length of the support rail and projects horizontally sidewardly in an outward direction (that is, away from the channellike space 32) .
  • the pair of flanges 33 project sidewardly in opposite directions from the upper edges of the channel member, and define thereon upper horizontally-extending surfaces 34 which function as support or brake surfaces for engagement with the under ⁇ -de of the pallets 14.
  • the outermost flange 33 adjacent its outer edge, is also rigidly joined to an edge flange 35 which slopes upwardly at an angle of about 45° as it also projects further outwardly.
  • the pair of edge flanges 35 as defined on the pair of support rails 26 and 27 are hence disposed outermost and function both so sidewardly confine the pallet 14 therebetween, and to effect sideward recentering of the pallet during lowering thereof.
  • Each of the support rails 26 and 27 mounts therein a load advancing arrangement 37 which extends longitudinally throughout the length of the respective support.rail and is adapted to provide for a gravity-induced incremental or steplike forward advancing movement of the loads from the input end 22 toward the output end 23.
  • This load advancing arrangement 37 includes a declining track or runway structure 38 which is horizontally elongated and extends throughout substantially the entire horizontal length of each of the support rails 26 and 27.
  • This runway arrangement 38 is positioned within the channellike space 32 and is supported on the respective support rail so as to permit limited vertical displacement therebetween, while being restrained from horizontal movement.
  • the opposite ends of the pins 39 project outwardly beyond the runway and are confined within vertically elongate slots 41 formed in the adjacent side walls 31. These slots 41 normally have closed upper and lower ends to permit only limited vertical displacement of the runway arrangement relative to the support rail.
  • the runway arrangement 38 is defined by a plurality of ramplike segments 42 which are positioned adjacent and fixedly and rigidly connected together so as to extend throughout the horizontal length of the respective support rail 26, 27.
  • Each ramp segment 42 includes a rearwardly facing shoulder 43 which, at its upper edge, joins to an upper declining surface 44 which slopes downwardly at a small angle as it project forwardly (that is, as it projects toward the output end 23) .
  • This declining surface 44 preferably slopes downwardly at a small angle, such as a downward slope in the range of about 2° to about 5° relative to the horizontal, with the lowermost and forwardmost end of this declining surface terminating at the shoulder 43 of the next forwardmost adjacent ramp segment 42.
  • the elongate declining runway structure 38 is preferably formed in lengths which individually comprise a plurality of ramp segments, with the lengths being suitably rigidly secured together using conventional constructional techniques so that the overall runway arrangement, as it extends throughout the length of the support rail, effectively functions as a unitary structure.
  • the individual ramp segments 42 themselves, however, are normally of rather short horizontal length, such as in the neighborhood of about 12 inches.
  • the load advancing arrangement 37 also includes a plurality of load-engaging units 45 rollingly supported on the declining runway arrangement 38. In fact, preferably at least one such load-engaging unit 45 is associated with each ramp segment 42.
  • the load-engaging unit 45 functions substantially .as and is formed similar to a trolley or car, and includes a top wall 46 which is rigidly joined to a pair of sidewardly-spaced side flanges 47 which project downwardly from the top wall.
  • the side flanges 47 and top wall 46 define a generally inverted channellike structure which is positioned within the channellike space 32 in vertical disposition about the runway arrangement 38.
  • Each trolley frame 46-47 is rollingly supported by front and rear rollers or bearings 48 and 49, respectively. These rollers 48 and 49 are confined between the side flanges 47, and are supported for rotation about respective front and rear axes 51 and 52, whereby the rollers are disposed for rolling engagement with the upper declining surface 44 of the respective ramp segment 42.
  • the front and rear axes 51 and 52 are disposed in parallel relationship, and are horizontally and vertically sidewardly displaced, whereby a line extending perpendicularly between the axes 51 and 52 extends in parallel relationship to the declining surface 44.
  • Each load-engaging unit or trolley 45 is normally urged or biased toward an uppermost position adjacent the upper end of the respective declining surface 44, and this is accomplished in the illustrated embodiment by a conventional compression spring 53 which coacts between the respective trolley and the rearward end of the forwardly adjacent ramp segment.
  • the trolley 45 defines thereon an upper surface 54 which is adapted to directly contact the underside of the load or pallet 14.
  • This upper surface which is substantially horizontally straight when viewed sidewardly, is preferably of an upwardly convex configuration when viewed sidewardly, as illustrated by Figure 5.
  • This upwardly curved configuration of the upper surface helps to distribute loads, particularly by ensuring that the trolley contacts the load or pallet at a point located somewhere between the front and rear rollers, rather than permitting contact at either the front or rear edge of the trolley.
  • the load advancing arrangement 37 also includes a reciprocating vertical lifting arrangement 56 which cooperates between the runway arrangement 38 and the respective support rail 26 or 27 so as to effect cyclic raising and lowering of the load advancing arrangement 37.
  • This vertical lifting arrangement 56 in the illustrated embodiment, includes an elongate gas (i.e. air) inflatable hose 57 (such as a fire hose) disposed within the bottom of the respective support rail and extending longitudinally throughout the entire horizontal extent thereof.
  • This inflatable hose 57 is normally supported directly on the bottom wall 29 of the support rail and in turn supports thereon the flat bottom surface 58 of the runway arrangement 38.
  • the hose 57 is connected to a suitable power source 61, such as an air compressor, the latter being activated and regulated by a suitable control unit 62, such as a conventional time-control valve, so that the hose 57 can be cyclicly inflated and deflated in an intermittent yet regulated manner, such as for example approximately 15 to 25 cycles per minute, whereby the load advancing arrangement 37 (that is, the runway arrangement 38 and the load- engaging trolleys 45) are cyclicly raised and lowered in a reciprocating and repetitive manner relative to the support rails 26 and 27 at a rate corresponding to the pulse rate of the hose 57.
  • a palletized lo ⁇ In operation, a palletized lo ⁇ .
  • the weight of the pallet thus causes the trolleys 45 to roll forwardly by gravity along the downward incline of the declining surfaces 44, thereby forwardly advancing the pallet through a small steplike distance which may be in the order of about three inches to about six inches.
  • the forward advancing of the pallet due to rolling movement of the trolleys downwardly along the declining surfaces, will continue either until the declining movement of the trolleys causes the pallet to reengage the support surfaces 34, or until the hose 57 is deflated and lowers the pallet back into engagement with the support surfaces 34.
  • the continued deflation of the hose 57 tends to effect further lowering of the trolleys 45 away from the underside of the pallet, whereupon the springs 53 then urge the respective trolleys upwardly along the respective declining surfaces 44 back toward their uppermost position whereby the upper surfaces 54 thereof are again contacted with the underside of the pallet.
  • the system is then in a position to repeat the cycle in that the hoses are again inflated so that the trolleys again lift the pallet away from the support surfaces and then permit a forward gravity- urged steplike advance of the pallet in the same manner as described above.
  • a palletized load can be moved forwardly along the conveyor in a steplike fashion. This forward stepping of the load will continue until the load abuts against a stationary object, such as a front stop or the next forwardly positioned pallet. For example, if no other pallets are positioned forwardly on the conveyor, then the pallet will be moved forwardly until it contacts a stop disposed at the forward end of the bay. This stop will hold the pallet horizontally stationary, even though the pallet may continue to cycle up and down in response to the pulsing of the inflatable hoses. The pallet is then in a position to be removed when desired, such as by use of a forklift.
  • the pallets themselves remain in a horizontal orientation at all times, even during the lifting and lowering thereof due to the pulsing of the hoses, and also during the forward advance thereof as the trolleys move downwardly along the declining ramps.
  • the articles or goods supported on the pallets also remain horizontal, and thus are not subjected to tilting or tipping forces induced or created by an inclined orientation of the pallet.
  • the improved conveyor or transporter of the present invention is its incorporation into a first in-first out storage rack system employing several bays stacked vertically on top of one another, with each bay employing one of the transporters therein for forwardly advancing and storing loads, nevertheless it will be understood that the improved transporter can also be desirably utilized in nonstorage rack applications, such as more conventional conveying applications.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Warehouses Or Storage Devices (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention se rapporte à un agencement transporteur (21) qui est associé à une étagère de stockage (11) et qui utilise plusieurs chariots individuels (45) roulant sur des segments inclinés (42) d'une piste de roulement, lesquels à leur tour sont soutenus par un agencement de levage vertical actionné cycliquement ou à mouvement pulsé (56), l'agencement dans sa totalité étant quant à lui soutenu sur un rail (26, 27) qui comporte des bords supérieurs servant de brides de support (33) pour les charges. Lorsque le dispositif de levage (56) est activé pour lever les pistes de roulement inclinées (42) et les chariots (45) par un mouvement ascendant, les charges (12) sont éloignées par levage des brides de support (33), de sorte que le poids des charges amène les chariots (45) à se déplacer vers le bas par gravité le long des pistes de roulement inclinées (42), les charges avancant alors sur une petite distance jusqu'à venir à nouveau en contact avec les brides de support (33). Lorsque les chariots (45) sont abaissés en raison de l'abaissement de l'agencement de levage (56), les chariots (45) sont amenés à retourner de force dans une position surélevée le long de l'extrémité supérieure de la piste de roulement (42) où ils s'engagent à nouveau sous la charge pour permettre une répétition du cycle.
EP92907211A 1991-02-19 1992-02-14 Transporteur par gravite avec utilisation des niveaux Withdrawn EP0682632A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US65772491A 1991-02-19 1991-02-19
US657724 1991-02-19
PCT/US1992/001209 WO1992014662A1 (fr) 1991-02-19 1992-02-14 Transporteur par gravite avec utilisation des niveaux

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0682632A4 EP0682632A4 (fr) 1993-12-22
EP0682632A1 true EP0682632A1 (fr) 1995-11-22

Family

ID=24638419

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP92907211A Withdrawn EP0682632A1 (fr) 1991-02-19 1992-02-14 Transporteur par gravite avec utilisation des niveaux

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0682632A1 (fr)
JP (1) JPH06505689A (fr)
CA (1) CA2104301A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO1992014662A1 (fr)

Family Cites Families (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1139823A (en) * 1966-03-29 1969-01-15 Davy & United Eng Co Ltd Walking beam conveying apparatus
GB1286324A (en) * 1968-09-07 1972-08-23 Nippon Steel Corp Transportation method in equipment of walking beam type
US4205740A (en) * 1973-10-23 1980-06-03 Hammond Theodore A Pulsating gravity conveyor with load alignment means
US4044876A (en) * 1976-04-30 1977-08-30 Hammond Theodore A Fail-safe gravity conveyor
US4304521A (en) * 1978-12-08 1981-12-08 Hammond Theodore A Method for handling palletized loads
NL8004549A (nl) * 1980-03-06 1981-10-01 Elten Tech Ontwickel Bv Opslaginrichting voor produkten met behulp van steunorganen.
FI76040C (fi) * 1984-05-24 1988-09-09 Kone Oy Bro- och stoppmekanism foer rullpallars transversalfoerflyttningsanordning.
US4759676A (en) * 1984-08-31 1988-07-26 Hammond Theodore A Wheeled vehicle conveying system
FR2585459B3 (fr) * 1985-07-24 1987-09-25 Stein Heurtey Four a longerons mobiles

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
No further relevant documents disclosed *
See also references of WO9214662A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0682632A4 (fr) 1993-12-22
WO1992014662A1 (fr) 1992-09-03
CA2104301A1 (fr) 1992-08-20
JPH06505689A (ja) 1994-06-30

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