DE29621596U1 - Device for sorting wood cuttings - Google Patents

Description

Equipment for sorting wood cuttings Description

The invention relates to a device for sorting wood cuttings delivered from a profile forming station, in particular beams, boards or the like.

&iacgr;&ogr; The term "profile forming station" is to be understood in the broadest sense, namely as a station that shapes incoming wood material into a profile and delivers it in the form of cuttings. This can be a sawmill that processes tree trunks into beams or boards, a station that further processes already cut material, for example trimming slabs, or a gluing station that glues individual pieces of wood together.

For small-format wood cuttings, there are already largely automated sorting systems. These are usually designed to process mass-produced goods, i.e. slats, strips or thin boards that are produced in large quantities. Changing formats of the cuttings to be sorted are very rare. As a rule, large quantities of cuttings of a certain format always have to be sorted and stacked. Small-format cuttings are understood to mean flat pieces of wood with a maximum length of around 2 to 3 meters, which, due to their weight, can easily be processed by conventional sorting systems designed for high throughput speeds.

However, these known devices are not suitable for large-format wood chips. Large-format wood chips within the meaning of the invention are considered to be wooden components with a length of several meters, which are used, for example, as load-bearing structural components in buildings.

can be used. For example, beams with a length of 6 to 8 meters, sometimes even 10 to 12 meters or more, are often required to build roofs or ceilings. These wooden components are usually much too heavy to be sorted using the usual sorting equipment. Therefore, they are usually picked up individually by hand at the exit of the profile forming station and carried away and stacked in designated locations. This requires a high level of personnel expenditure, which is extremely costly. In addition, the workers can suffer significant physical impairments or even health damage due to the high weight of the cuttings to be sorted. Transporting such wooden components by hand is also not without risk.

The invention is therefore based on the object of reducing personnel expenditure and enabling largely automated sorting.

To solve this problem, a device is proposed which is characterized by the following features:

a) a support device receiving the cuttings from the profile forming station with a support surface for the cuttings, this support surface having a horizontal x _A axis parallel to the longitudinal axis and a horizontal y _A axis orthogonal to the x _A axis,

b) a track arrangement with at least one primary track overlapping the support device if desired for a primary carriage movable along this primary track, whereby the primary carriage can be moved on the primary track to the support device, preferably above the support surface,

c) a cuttings pick-up device arranged on the primary carriage in a height-adjustable manner and having a horizontal x _B axis which is essentially parallel to the x _A axis in the area of the support surface in a cuttings pick-up position - this axis corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the picked-up cuttings

guts - and an orthogonal horizontal y _B axis,

d) in the movement area of the primary carriage moving on the primary track, a plurality of stacking boxes that can be fed by the cuttings receiver, each with a horizontal x _Cn axis parallel to the x _B axis of the cuttings receiver located at the respective box location, this corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the cuttings to be stacked - and a horizontal y^ axis orthogonal to this and

e) a program-based remote control device, if required for remotely controlling the movement of the primary carriage along the primary track and/or the height adjustment of the cuttings collector relative to the primary carriage and/

is or the capture of the cuttings by the cuttings collector in the area of the support surface and/or the release of the cuttings from the cuttings collector at the selected stacking box.

The remote control device can preferably be operated by an operator who can oversee what is happening and intervene if necessary. The device is preferably operated semi-automatically, whereby the operator enters a desired box on the remote control device depending on the length of the cuttings and then a program runs that positions the primary carriage and the cuttings collector accordingly. However, fully automatic operation with sensor recording of all relevant operating parameters is also conceivable. Personnel are otherwise only required for monitoring tasks and carrying out corrective measures, for example if the cuttings are jammed or crooked.

The invention is particularly useful where cuttings of different dimensions arrive on the support device in a frequently changing sequence. This represents a particular advantage in the case of the large formats of the cuttings considered.

This is a regularly recurring situation. One reason for this is that the sawn material in the formats in question is normally only produced in small quantities, but sometimes a wide variety of different wooden components have to be produced as part of a customer order. On the other hand, sawmills often face the problem that a certain order cannot be carried out with the tree trunks currently in the sawmill because their dimensions are too small. In this case, the order must be postponed and another order brought forward that can be carried out with the tree trunks available. This can lead to the sawmill delivering a wide variety of sawn material in an irregular sequence, which then has to be sorted according to length and/or cross-section or according to recipients, i.e. customers.

Since the cuttings in the profile forming station are usually transported in their longitudinal direction, it is proposed that a cuttings feed line coming from the profile forming station enters the support device essentially parallel to the x _A axis. Conveying means with a conveying direction parallel to the y _A axis are then expediently provided between the junction point of the cuttings feed line and the receiving area of the support surface that can be operated by the cuttings receiver, so that the cuttings have the orientation suitable for detection by the cuttings receiver when they reach the receiving area that can be operated by the cuttings receiver.

The primary track can run essentially parallel to the y _A axis or parallel to the x _A axis over its entire length. If a multi-coordinate movement system is then provided for the cuttings collector, in which the primary carriage comprises a bridge girder which is elongated in a horizontal plane in a direction transverse to, in particular perpendicular to, the primary track, and on which the cuttings collector is arranged by means of a primary runner which is guided along the bridge girder and can be moved along this, the result is, with a simple construction,

the clippings collector can be adjusted to any position both horizontally and vertically. The primary runner is comparable to a trolley on a gantry crane, whose movement relative to the bridge girder can also be remotely controlled by the remote control device.

It has been shown that it is sufficient if the cuttings collection length of the cuttings collector in the direction of its

β x _B -axis is significantly smaller than the length of the cuttings to be regularly collected in the direction of their respective longitudinal axis, but is large enough that the expected cuttings of the greatest length can be collected in a substantially horizontally stabilized manner. Even if the cuttings are only loosely

is resting on the clippings collector, there is essentially no danger of the clippings tipping over and falling down, even with heavy clippings, if they have been caught by the clippings collector at least approximately in the area of their center of gravity.

Different lengths of the cuttings can be taken into account in that the cuttings pick-up device can be adjusted in the direction of the x _A axis - if necessary by making use of the mobility of the trolley on the bridge girder - in such a way that it detects the cuttings to be picked up in a central longitudinal area that ensures its horizontal stabilization, whereby the cuttings pick-up device can either be adjusted to such a central longitudinal area in a program-supported manner in accordance with a length monitoring of the cuttings to be picked up or can be remotely controlled by an operator with the provision of a remote control station for the operator from which the length of the cuttings to be picked up and the setting of the cuttings pick-up device to the central longitudinal area of this cuttings can be overlooked.

In a similar way, the cuttings receiver can also be adjusted in the direction of the Xc _n axis and/or the y^ axis of each of the stacking boxes - if necessary by making use of the mobility of the trolley on the bridge girder - in such a way that it places the cuttings to be stacked at a stacking point which ensures orderly stacking within the selected stacking box without significant corrections. In contrast to randomly throwing out the cuttings with subsequent manual alignment and layering, it should therefore be possible for the cuttings receiver to place the cuttings in a targeted manner. In this case too, the adjustment of the cuttings receiver relative to the stacking boxes can be carried out at least partially on the basis of a control program, in accordance with length monitoring of the picked up cuttings and position monitoring of the cuttings receiver relative to the selected stacking box. However, it can also be fully or partially remote-controlled by an operator if a remote control station is provided for this operator from which the length of the picked-up cuttings and the setting of the cuttings collector to the selected stacking box can be overseen.

A key idea of the invention is that the clippings receiver not only serves to transport individual clippings elements or packages from the support device to the stacking boxes, but can also be used to transport finished clippings stacks from the stacking boxes. In this case, it is proposed that at least one stack transfer point that can be operated by the clippings receiver is provided in the movement area of the primary carriage moving on the primary track, that the clippings receiver is also designed to receive a clippings stack that is to be transported from a stacking box and that, if desired, the clippings receiver can also detect the clippings stack in a stacking box and/or release the clippings stack

can be remotely controlled by the cuttings receiver at the stack transfer point using the remote control device. It goes without saying that for this purpose of using the cuttings receiver, a sufficiently stable dimensioning of the cuttings receiver is necessary, as are sufficiently powerful power devices for positioning the cuttings receiver.

If the cuttings pickup is also to be used in the above manner to transport finished cuttings stacks, it is recommended that the cuttings pickup is adjustable in the direction of the x^-axis of each stacking box - if necessary by making use of the mobility of the trolley on the bridge support - in such a way that it can pick up the cuttings stack

is captured in a middle longitudinal area that ensures its horizontal stabilization, whereby the clippings collector can either be set to such a middle longitudinal area by means of a program based on the length monitoring of the stack of clippings to be picked up, or can be remotely controlled by an operator with the provision of a remote control station for the operator from which the setting of the clippings collector to the middle longitudinal area of this stack of clippings can be overlooked. It must be taken into account that in order to capture a stack of clippings to be transported away, the clippings collector may have to be positioned much more precisely, since a wildly swaying or even falling stack of clippings can pose much greater dangers than a single clippings element that has not been captured by the clippings collector exactly in the area of its center of gravity.

A vertical guide allows the clippings collector to move parallel to a vertical axis, but essentially prevent rotation around this vertical axis and essentially prevent tipping around a horizontal axis relative to the primary carriage, which prevents potentially dangerous rocking

of the cuttings collector is prevented. The vertical guide enables the cuttings to be sorted to be safely lifted up on the support device and these cuttings to be safely placed in the selected stacking box. A cable hoist can be provided on the primary carriage to adjust the height of the cuttings collector. However, a hydraulically operated power device, such as a piston-cylinder unit, is also conceivable to adjust the height of the cuttings collector.

In addition to the translational mobility of the clippings receiver in the horizontal and vertical direction, a rotational degree of freedom can also be useful for the clippings receiver in some cases, for example when the clippings receiver is also designed to transport finished clippings stacks away and a stack transfer point at which such finished clippings stacks are deposited in order to then be transported away by a forklift or other suitable conveyor requires a different orientation of the clippings stacks than the stack formation boxes. For this purpose, in a further development of the invention, it is proposed that the clippings receiver is arranged on the primary carriage so that it can rotate about a vertical axis relative to it and that a locking mechanism that prevents unwanted rotation of the clippings receiver is used for the rotary drive of the clippings receiver.

or a brakeable, in particular motor-driven rotary drive device is provided, which, if desired, can also be remotely controlled by the remote control device.

The stacking within the stacking boxes is made easier if the stacking boxes have essentially vertical side boundaries parallel to their respective x _Cn axis. In order not to restrict the mobility of the clippings receiver by the side boundaries and to ensure that the stacking boxes can be easily loaded by the clippings receiver, it is preferably provided that at least one of the side boundaries is at least

has at least one through-opening for the cuttings collector, which allows the horizontal and vertical passage of the cuttings collector during its movement along the primary track or during its vertical movement.

With cuttings pick-ups that can pick up several cuttings at the same time, it can occasionally happen that the cuttings picked up have to be sorted into different stacking boxes. This can happen especially if the profile forming station outputs the cuttings in a random sequence with varying cross-sections and lengths, depending on the raw materials available. In order to ensure that the sorting processes run smoothly, it can then be

It may be sensible to assign intermediate storage means to at least one stacking box, which allow the temporary storage of individual cuttings elements or packages by the cuttings receiver and the subsequent retrieval of these cuttings elements or packages by the cuttings receiver for sorting in a desired stacking box. A solution has proven to be practical and structurally simple in which the intermediate storage means assigned to a stacking box comprise at least one intermediate storage surface, which is arranged on at least one side boundary of this stacking box parallel to the x^ axis.

The clippings receiver can be designed in various ways. One possibility is to design the clippings receiver as a single receiver for receiving individual clippings elements or packages. Such a clippings receiver could be particularly suitable for very heavy, large-format clippings. Alternatively, the clippings receiver can also be a collective receiver for receiving a plurality of clippings elements or packages lying one behind the other in the direction of the y _B axis. This is particularly the case when there is space between the support device and the stacking device.

boxes, comparatively long distances have to be covered, this embodiment - as it is efficient - will be advantageous.

The clippings receiver can be a clamping receiver with a horizontal clamping effect, whereby this horizontal clamping effect is supported by clippings holding means if required. The clamping effect can be generated by any suitable power device, for example by a

&iacgr;&ogr; piston-cylinder unit. The clippings pick-up can have several clamping jaws or tongs arranged at a distance from one another along the clippings to be picked up, which can be distributed over a large part of the length of the clippings to be picked up. On the other hand, it is particularly important for a

A collection collector is advantageous if the clippings collector can grip the clippings with a horizontal gripping surface on which the clippings rest. With regard to the stability of the clippings, a solution is preferred for such a gripping clippings collector in which the gripping surface is divided into at least two gripping strips that are approximately parallel to the y _B axis and spaced apart from each other in the direction of the x _B axis. For example, a conventional load fork, known from forklifts, can be used. With suitable suspension, loads weighing several tons can be transported with such load forks.

In a further development of the invention, it is provided that the receiving surface is formed on a support structure, the length of which can be used to receive cuttings in the direction of the y _B axis, whereby this change in the length of the support structure can also be remotely controlled by the remote control device if desired. This measure can be suitable for adapting the cuttings receiving device to stacking boxes of different sizes. It has also been found that this measure results in a smaller area requirement for the device according to the invention.

is possible by placing the stacking boxes at a smaller distance from each other. At least two stacking boxes can then be arranged at a distance from each other in the direction of their respective y^-axis, which is smaller than the dimension of at least one of these two stacking boxes that can be used for sorting the cuttings in the direction of their respective y^-axis. The support structure of the cuttings receiver will then be variable in length in such a way that the minimum total length of the

&iacgr;&ogr; supporting structure in the direction of the y _B axis is smaller than or equal to the distance between the two stacking boxes and the maximum total length of the supporting structure in the direction of the y _B axis is greater than or equal to the dimension of the stacking box that can be used for sorting the cuttings.

is larger in terms of this dimension. The clippings receiver can then move between two stacking boxes with the support structure retracted, i.e. shortened, in order to then extend its support structure in a stacking box and use its entire length. With such a clippings receiver it is also possible to move individual clippings elements or packages within a stacking box without simultaneous horizontal movement of the primary carriage or the trolley. A design is proposed for the support structure in which it comprises at least two telescopic members which are adjustable in the direction of the y _B axis relative to one another, preferably by hydraulic force, and on which the receiver surface is formed.

Another essential idea of the invention is to be seen in the proposal to arrange a cuttings ejector on the cuttings receiver, which is designed to convey cuttings to be ejected from the cuttings receiver on the receiver surface in a direction parallel to the y _B axis to a discharge edge of the cuttings receiver. The underlying idea is to simultaneously collect a plurality of cuttings elements or packages of possibly different formats and to specifically

Cuttings or packages are to be dropped off at selected stacking boxes. The cuttings pick-up is moved from one stacking box to the next until all of the picked-up cuttings have been dropped off. It does not have to be moved back to the support device after each individual cutting that has been dropped off in order to pick up a new cutting. This results in a significant reduction in the time and effort required for sorting.

The cuttings ejector, the operation of which can also be remote-controlled by the remote control device, can be designed as a single ejector, which only ejects one of the cuttings elements or packages lying on the pickup surface

is pushed forward towards the discharge edge. However, it has proven to be particularly advantageous if the cuttings ejector is a collective ejector for collectively pushing forward a plurality of cuttings elements or packages towards the discharge edge, wherein it is designed, if desired, to reclaim cuttings pushed forward towards the discharge edge but not thrown away against the direction of ejection to a positioning stop on the cuttings receiver. The positioning stop can be used to bring the cuttings elements into contact with one another. In this way, any misalignment of the longitudinal direction of the cuttings elements to the x _B axis of the cuttings receiver can be corrected, which may have arisen during the previous pushing forward of the cuttings elements during a discharge process or during the collection of new cuttings on the support device. A cuttings ejector, which is able to reclaim pushed cuttings back to a positioning stop, also opens up the possibility of picking up individual cuttings elements or packages piece by piece from the support device and transporting them to the positioning stop, so that space is always created before further cuttings elements are picked up.

An endless conveyor closed in a loop with a loop axis parallel to the x _B axis can serve as a cuttings ejector. With such a conveyor, such as a chain conveyor, even very heavy loads can be transported safely on the pickup surface. An electric motor can be provided on the cuttings pickup or on the primary carriage to drive the conveyor. Alternatively, a slider that can be moved using a piston-cylinder unit, for example, can also serve as a cuttings ejector. A solution that

&iacgr;&ogr; avoids constructive interventions in the area of the pickup surface, can consist in the cuttings ejector comprising at least one ejection arm which can be pivoted about a pivot axis essentially parallel to the x _B axis and is preferably hydraulically actuated. It has proven to be expedient in this case to

ls when the pivot axis of the discharge arm, when viewed in a vertical projection, is in front of the edge of the pickup surface opposite the discharge edge. With such a positioning of the discharge arm, it is ensured that the entire pickup surface from the edge furthest from the discharge edge to the discharge edge can be served by the discharge arm.

It is desirable not only to allow the cuttings or packages to be discarded to fall into a selected stacking box, but also to deposit them at a specific location in the stacking box, in particular directly adjacent to the cuttings that have already been stacked. This is achieved by the measure that the receiving surface is designed on a support structure whose overall height is such that, taking into account the smallest profile dimensions of the cuttings in the direction of the y _B axis, a targeted depositing of the respective cuttings or packages in the selected stacking box is possible by pushing this cuttings or packages in the direction of the discharge edge and, if necessary, by a simultaneous counter-movement of the discharge edge, whereby the mutual coordination of the movements of the cuttings

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material ejector and the discharge edge is either program-protected or can be remotely controlled after observation by an operator.

If the clippings receiver is to be designed exclusively for receiving clippings from the support device and not for removing finished clippings stacks, the sorting device according to the invention for emptying the stacking boxes can have the following features: a) the track arrangement additionally comprises at least one secondary track, which overlaps the stacking boxes if desired, for a secondary carriage that can be moved along this secondary track, whereby the secondary carriage can be moved on the secondary track to the stacking boxes, preferably above them,

b) a stack pick-up device is arranged on the secondary carriage and is adjustable in height, and

c) in the movement area of the secondary carriage moving on the secondary track (17) there is at least one stack transfer point that can be operated by the stack pickup,

wherein the movement of the secondary carriage along the secondary track and/or the height adjustment of the stack pickup relative to the secondary carriage and/or the detection of the stack of cuttings in a stack formation box by the stack pickup and/or the release of the picked-up stack of cuttings at the stack transfer point can be remotely controlled by the remote control device.

To save space and without mutual interference during conveying, the primary and secondary tracks can be arranged in horizontal planes one above the other. Preferably, the secondary track is arranged above the primary track. A simple construction is obtained if the secondary track runs parallel to the primary track for essentially its entire length. It should not be ruled out that several secondary carriages are provided, through

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which can only serve a portion of the boxes at a time. In a similar way, several primary carts can of course also be provided, each of which is only responsible for a portion of the boxes.

Like the primary carriage, the secondary carriage can also comprise a further bridge girder that is elongated in a horizontal plane in a direction transverse to, in particular perpendicular to, the secondary track, whereby the stack pick-up can be arranged on the further bridge girder by means of a secondary runner that is guided along the further bridge girder. Preferably, the movement of the secondary runner relative to the further bridge girder can in turn be remotely controlled by the remote control device.

The measure for the safe and hazard-free transport of the finished stack of cuttings is that the stack pick-up device can be adjusted in the direction of the x^ axis of each stack formation box - if necessary using the mobility of the secondary runner on the other bridge support - in such a way that it grasps the stack of cuttings to be picked up in a central longitudinal area that ensures its horizontal stabilization, whereby the stack pick-up device can either be adjusted to such a central longitudinal area using a program in accordance with length monitoring of the stack of cuttings to be picked up or can be remotely controlled by an operator by providing a remote control station for the operator from which the adjustment of the stack pick-up device to the central longitudinal area of this stack of cuttings can be overlooked.

A stack pick-up device can carry large loads with a small horizontal space requirement. The pick-up device has a pick-up frame that can be lowered vertically over the stack of cut material to be picked up, with movable, in particular flat, stack gripping means being arranged on the pick-up frame under the stack to be picked up. The through openings are expediently

openings in the side boundaries of the stacking boxes also allow the horizontal and vertical passage of the stack pick-up during its movement along the secondary track or during its vertical movement.

From a workflow perspective, it has proven to be advantageous if at least some of the stacking boxes are arranged one behind the other in the direction of the y _A axis at essentially equal distances. It is not necessary to

&iacgr;&ogr; that the stacking boxes are arranged in a single row. Rather, they can also be arranged in at least two rows parallel to each other in the direction of the x _A axis. In this case, an appropriately adapted primary or secondary track will ensure the accessibility of the stacking boxes in different

is rows of adjacent stacking boxes ensured by the primary or secondary carriage.

If at least one hydraulically actuated power device is arranged on the primary carriage or on the clippings receiver for adjusting the height of the clippings receiver and/or for rotating the clippings receiver about a vertical axis relative to the primary carriage and/or for operating the clippings ejector and/or for changing the length of the support structure, a hydraulic supply for supplying this power device with a hydraulic fluid is preferably also arranged on the primary carriage, in particular on the trolley. In this way, hydraulic supply lines between the primary carriage and a stationary hydraulic supply of the sorting device are unnecessary. A sorting device can then be built in which only electrical control and/or supply lines run between the stationary areas of the sorting device and the primary carriage or the clippings receiver.

It is understood that the device according to the invention, although it is particularly suitable for large-format wooden parts, can also be used for smaller slats or boards and other small-format

It is particularly useful where the cuttings are delivered from the profile forming station in frequently changing formats and the high sorting speeds that are usual for the small-format wooden parts mentioned are not required.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. They show:

Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of a first embodiment of the inventive

Sorting device,

Fig. 2 is a schematic plan view of the sorting device of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a view of the sorting device of Fig. 1 in the direction of arrow III, whereby the overview

some components are omitted for the sake of simplicity,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of an embodiment of a cuttings collector in the form of a fork, which is currently sorting a wooden beam into a partially filled stacking box,
Fig. 5 shows schematically an embodiment of a cuttings receiver in the form of a single receiver with clamping jaws for clamping a single wooden beam,

Fig. 6 is a schematic plan view similar to Fig. 2 of a further embodiment of the sorting device according to the invention,
Fig. 7 is a schematic side view similar to Fig. 1 of the sorting device of Fig. 6,

Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of the cuttings collector used in the sorting device of Figs. 6 and 7 and

Fig. 9 is a view of the clippings collector of Fig. 8 in the direction of arrow IX.

1 to 3, wooden beams or boards 1 coming from a profile forming station (not shown), in particular a sawmill, are conveyed via a conveyor line 3 serving as a cuttings feed line to a support device 5, where the wooden beams 1 come to rest on a support surface 7. The wooden beams 1 have, as can be seen from Fig. 2, a wide variety of lengths and can arrive at the support device 5 in random order. On the conveyor line 3, the wooden beams 1 are conveyed in their longitudinal direction until they are gripped by a cross conveyor 9, for example a chain conveyor, and are conveyed transversely to their longitudinal direction against a stop 11 delimiting the support surface 7, so that the wooden beams are aligned parallel to one another and lie close together. The support surface 7 formed by the cross conveyor 9 can be assigned a horizontal x _A axis and a horizontal y _A axis orthogonal to the x _A axis (Fig. 2). The wooden beams 1 lie on the support surface 7 with their longitudinal direction essentially parallel to the x _A axis, the conveying direction of the cross conveyor 9 is parallel to the y _A axis.

The wooden beams 1 supplied by the profile forming station are several meters long, roughly in the range of 6 to 12 m. Their cross-sectional area can be correspondingly large. Beams of this kind and other wood chips of a similar format can often only be produced in relatively small quantities, for example if they are intended for use in a roof truss. However, beams in many different formats are usually required. If an order from a particular customer cannot be processed with the raw material currently available, for example if the required beams cannot be found in the existing

If the logs are to be cut from logs, the process in the profile forming station will be controlled in such a way that other orders are given priority that can be carried out with the raw material available. The raw material used here is not only unprocessed logs, but also pre-cut, edged or unedged pieces of wood. Ultimately, all of this can lead to the most varied cuttings being placed on the support surface 7 in a random and irregular sequence, which must be sorted according to format and/or order and the irregularity of this can be caused by the different formats of logs processed one after the other.

In the direction of the x _A axis, the sorting device is laterally delimited by two frameworks 13 which, in a first horizontal plane, have a straight primary track 15 running parallel to the y _A axis and, in a second horizontal plane above this, a secondary track 17 parallel to the primary track 15. On the primary track 15, a bridge girder 19 which is elongated in the direction of the x _A axis is movably guided in the direction of the y _A axis by means of primary rollers 21. In the same way, a second bridge girder 23 is movably guided on the secondary track 17 by means of secondary rollers 25. The primary and secondary tracks 15, 17 can, as can be seen from Fig. 3, be formed by I-profile elements 27 which are arranged on support strips 29 carried by the frameworks 13.

A trolley 31 is guided on the bridge girder 19 so that it can move in the longitudinal direction of the bridge girder 19. Likewise, another trolley 33 is guided on the bridge girder 23 assigned to the secondary track 17 so that it can move relative to the latter in the longitudinal direction. The trolley 31 carries a cuttings receiver 35 in the form of a load fork, which can be adjusted in height relative to the trolley 31 via a hoist cable 37 by a lifting mechanism 39 arranged on the trolley 31. In order to prevent the load fork 35 from rocking on the hoist cable 37,

the former is guided vertically with guide struts 41 in a guide of the trolley 31 (not shown in detail). The fork arms 43 of the load fork 35 form a receiving surface 45 for the wooden beams 1 to be picked up. The latter, when picked up by the load fork 35, lie with their longitudinal direction parallel to an x _B axis parallel to the x _A axis. A horizontal y _B axis can be defined orthogonal to the x _B axis.

In the movement area of the bridge girder 19 along the primary track 15, a plurality of stacking boxes Al ₁ to 47 ₅ are arranged on the floor. Each of the stacking boxes Al ₁ to 4 7 ₅ can be assigned an X _0n -AChSe parallel to the x _A axis, whereby the lower case letter η in the drawings is replaced by the respective box index. In Figure 2, the X _0n -AChSe is only shown for boxes Al ₁ and Al _5. A y^ axis can be defined orthogonal to the respective X _0n -AcIiSe, which is only shown for box Al ₅ in Figures 1 and 2. The boxes Al _n are arranged in a row one behind the other in the direction of the V _0n axis. They can also be arranged in two or more rows next to each other. As can be seen from Fig. 1 and 2, each of the stacking boxes Al ₁ to Al ₅ is formed by several U-beams 4 9 arranged in the direction of the X _0n -AChSe at a distance from one another and parallel to one another, the vertically upright legs 51 of which serve as side boundaries 53. The base 55 of the U-beams 4 9 serves as a support for the stacked wooden beams 1. The distance between the U-beams 49 in the direction of the respective X ₀₁ -AChSe is dimensioned such that a passage 59 is created between each two U-beams 4 9, through which the load fork 3 5 can be moved horizontally and vertically. Furthermore, the base 55 of the U-beams 49 is higher than the fork arms 43 of the load fork 45, so that the load fork 35 can move into and out of the stacking boxes 47 _n from below, even if wooden beams are already stored in them, such as in the boxes 4 7 ₂ , 4 7 ₃ and 47 ₄ in Fig. 2.

Before the sorting operation of the device shown in Fig. 1 to 3 is explained, reference should first be made to Fig. 4. The load fork 35 is shown enlarged there. It can be seen that a conveyor chain 61 which serves as an ejector and is closed into a loop is inserted into the fork arms 43 and can be driven both clockwise and anti-clockwise by means of an electric motor 63 and a rotary coupling 65 via a gear wheel 67. The conveyor chain 61 extends essentially over the full length of the fork arms 43 and is deflected close to a discharge edge 69 of the load fork 35. The discharge edge 69 is formed by an inclined surface of the fork arms 43 which is at an acute angle to the y _B axis.

All movements and actions of individual components of the sorting device according to the invention described below can be remotely controlled by a remote control device not further explained. The remote control can be based either on visual monitoring of the process by an operator or on a stored program, which may be accompanied by visual or sensory monitoring of the length of the bars to be sorted. The operator will advantageously carry a portable control device connected to a control center via cable or radio and control the sorting processes from a seating area 71 provided, for example, to the side next to the framework 13.

Beams ready for support on support surface 7

I the bridge girder 19 is moved so far over the support device 5 that the load fork 3 5 is under the stop

II can grip the wooden beam 1. The trolley 31 is adjusted in the longitudinal direction of the bridge girder 19 in such a way that the fork arms 43 grip the wooden beams 1 to be picked up approximately in their longitudinal center. For this purpose, the cross conveyor 9 is formed by several individual conveyor chains 73 running in the direction of the y _A axis, which in

Direction of the x _A axis at least at such a distance from one another that the load fork 35 can move with its fork arms 43 between two conveyor chains 73 each. The lifting mechanism 3 9 is then actuated, whereupon the load fork 35 is raised from the support surface 7, lifting the wooden beams 1. If, as particularly indicated in Fig., wooden beams of different lengths follow one another on the support surface 7, the wooden beams 1 can also be picked up individually by the load fork 3 5 by moving the load fork 35 with only the tip of its fork arms 43 under the foremost wooden beam 1 and lifting it off. By actuating the conveyor chain 61 embedded in the fork arms 43, this beam, which is initially located far forward on the fork arms 43, can be conveyed further back to make room for further beams. A positioning stop 75 (Fig. 4) on the load fork 35 limits this backward movement of the beams. Finally, by being conveyed against the positioning stop 75, the beams are aligned so that their longitudinal direction is parallel to the x _B axis. In this way, a series of beams can be picked up by the load fork 35 at the same time or, if they have different lengths or different cross-sections (see in particular Fig. 4), one after the other.

The beams picked up by the load fork 35 are then sorted into the individual boxes 4 7 _n according to the customer orders to be carried out or only according to length or cross-section. This is done by moving the bridge girder 19 over the desired box 47 _n and adjusting the trolley 31 so that on the one hand the load fork 35 can move between two U-beams 4 9 of this box 4 7 _n and on the other hand the beams to be deposited come to rest securely on the base 55 of the U-beams 49 at a desired location within the box 47 _n . To deposit the beams, the load fork 35 is inserted from above into the respective box 47 _n so that the beams lying on the fork arms 43 are between the legs 51 of the

U-beams 49 are located. When the bridge girder 19 is then moved in the direction of arrow 76, the beams strike the longer leg 51 ¹ of the two legs 51', 51 ¹¹ of the U-beams 49, are stripped off the load fork 35 and fall over the discharge edge 69. The beams can be deposited in the same way by moving the conveyor chain 61 in an anti-clockwise direction (as shown in Fig. 4) until the beam designated l' is pushed forward so far that it falls down. In this way, it is possible in particular to specifically fill existing gaps in a layer of beams 1 in the respective box 47 _n .

Corrective movements of the load fork 35, the trolley 31 and the bridge girder 19 when sorting the wooden beams into the various boxes 47 _n can easily be effected by an operator via the remote control device.

As soon as a box 47 _n is full, the stack formed in it must be removed. This can again be done with the help of the load fork 35. However, this requires sufficient stability of the load fork 35 and sufficient lifting power of the lifting gear 39. Another possibility for removing a finished stack is provided by a stack pick-up 77 arranged on the second bridge support 23 by means of the trolley 33. This stack pick-up 77 can be seen in particular in Fig. 3. It is held on a lifting gear 81 via several lifting cables 79 and has a frame 83 which is provided at its lower end with inwardly pivoting support brackets 85 (see Fig. 1). To pick up a stack, the support brackets 85 are pivoted outwards so that the frame 83 can be lowered onto the stack to be picked up. The support brackets 85 are then pivoted inwards under the stack to be picked up. The stack can thus be grasped by the stack pick-up 77 and lifted out of the respective stack formation box 47 _n . This situation is clearly shown in Fig. 1. By moving the bridge support 23, this stack is formed into a

Stack transfer point 86, where it is set down and can be transported away by a transport vehicle, for example a forklift truck. This situation is also shown in dashed lines in Fig. 1.

The box 47 ₅ in Fig. 1 shows that bars of different cross-sections can also be sorted in one and the same stacking box 4 7 _n .

In Fig. 5, as an alternative to the load fork 35

Fig. 1 to 4 show an individual pick-up device 87, which can be used to pick up individual wooden beams 1. This individual pick-up device 87 comprises a support frame 89, on which several clamps 91 are arranged, which can be actuated by a power device 93, for example a piston-cylinder unit. The support frame 89 is vertically movable with a guide arm 95, but is guided on the trolley 31 so that it cannot rotate about a vertical axis, and can in turn be adjusted in height by means of a hoist cable 97.

It should be added at this point that a significant advantage of the device according to the invention is that the risk of damaging the cutting edges of the cuttings, which is omnipresent in conventional manual sorting, can be largely avoided because the cuttings are handled with considerably greater care. It is also important for this purpose that, insofar as transport chains are used, they have contact surfaces that are as large and edge-free as possible for contact with the cuttings.

For the description of Figs. 6 to 9, where the embodiments shown there contain identical or equivalent components as in Figs. 1 to 5, the same reference numbers are used, but supplemented by a lowercase letter. To avoid repetition, only the differences from the embodiments shown in Figs. 1 to 5 are essentially explained below. For the rest, reference is made to the preceding parts of the description.

&iacgr;&ogr; In the embodiment of Figs. 6 and 7, the supply of the wood cuttings la to the support device 5a takes place in the same way as in the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 3. However, the arrangement of the framework 13a and the bridge support 19a is 90° compared to the embodiment

is rotated in Fig. 1 to 3. This means that the frameworks 13a are now essentially parallel to the x _A axis and accordingly define a horizontal primary track 15a for the bridge girder 19a, which runs parallel to the x _A axis. The bridge girder 19a in turn extends parallel to the y _A axis and accordingly provides for the mobility of the trolley 31a guided on it in the direction of the y _A axis. The primary track 15a overlaps the support device 5a above the latter in such a way that the multi-coordinate chassis comprising the bridge girder 19a and the trolley 31a with the cuttings receiver 35a hanging from the trolley 31a can be moved over the support device 5a in order to receive cuttings la coming from the profile forming station. The stacking boxes 47^ to 47 ₆ a are arranged in two rows of three, with a first row of three stacking boxes 47^ to 47 ₃ a directly adjoining the support device 5a in the direction of the y _A axis and a second row of three stacking boxes 47 ₄ a to 47 ₆ a arranged in the direction of the x _A axis parallel to the first row of three. Accordingly, the primary track 15a is extended from the support device 5a in the direction of the x _A axis in such a way that the stacking boxes 47 ₄ a to 47 ₆ a can also be reached by the cuttings receiver 35a. It is understood that in

- 26 - ■·

More than three stacking boxes can be arranged in each row and these can also be divided into more than two adjacent rows.

The cuttings receiver 3 5a also serves to receive finished cuttings stacks that are located in the stacking boxes 47 ₂ a to 47 ₆ a and are to be transported to a stack transfer point 86a, from where they are fed to their further destination. The design effort

γ for the sorting device is therefore significantly reduced compared to the embodiment of Fig. 1 to 3, because the stack pick-up 77, the chassis consisting of the bridge support 23 and the trolley 33 for the stack pick-up 77 and also the secondary track 17 can be omitted. In Fig. 6

Two stack transfer points 86a are shown, one of which (occupied with a stack to be transported away) is directly adjacent to the stack formation box 47 ₃ a in the direction of the y _A axis, while the other is located in the direction of the x _A axis - seen from the support device 5a - behind the group of stack formation boxes 47 ₄ a to 47 ₆ a. This latter stack transfer point 86a is formed by support beams 99a fastened to the floor, which are arranged in such a way that a stack of clippings taken out of one of the stack formation boxes 47 _x a to 47 ₆ a by the clippings pick-up device 35a must first be rotated by 90° in the horizontal direction before it can be placed on the support beam 99a. For this purpose, the clippings receiver 35a is held in a height-adjustable manner on an intermediate support 101a, which is connected to the trolley 31a via a swivel joint 103a (see Fig. 7). The swivel joint 103a allows the intermediate support 101a to be rotated about a vertical axis relative to the trolley 31a, which is guided non-rotatably on the bridge support 19a, and is formed by a slewing ring 105a comprising a plurality of gear wheels, which can be actuated by means of an electric motor 107a attached to the intermediate support 101a. So that the clippings receiver 35a cannot carry out any rocking movements that endanger the working personnel, the slewing ring 105a is not

operated electric motor 107a creates an essentially torsionally rigid connection between the intermediate support 101a and the trolley 31a. Means are also provided on the trolley 31a to enable a smooth, rocking-free movement of the cuttings collector 35a. For this purpose, driven rollers 109a are attached to the trolley 31a, which run on the top of the bridge support 19a and drive the trolley 31a, while additional, non-driven support rollers purple rest on the underside of the bridge support 19a &iacgr;&ogr; and secure the trolley 31a against tipping.

Intermediate storage plates 113a are attached, for example welded, to the upper ends of the longer rear beams 51'a of the U-beams 51a forming the stacking boxes 47 _x a to 47 ₆ a - as seen from the support device 5a. These intermediate storage plates form a horizontal intermediate storage surface 115a on their upper side. Individual cuttings elements or packages can be temporarily deposited on this intermediate storage surface 115a in a stacking box if they are to be transported to this stacking box but not yet sorted. This can be the case, for example, if there are other cuttings elements or packages on the cuttings receiver that are to be sorted into other stacking boxes first. In Fig.

6, the stacking boxes 47 ₄ a to 47 ₆ a are shown without such intermediate storage plates 113a. It is understood that these stacking boxes can also be equipped with such an intermediate storage option.

From Fig. 8 and 9 it can be seen that the cuttings collector 35a, designed as a load fork, is height-adjustable by means of a hydraulically actuated piston-cylinder unit 117a. This piston-cylinder unit 117a is housed in the intermediate support 101a, designed in the manner of a hollow box, and is supplied with hydraulic fluid and controlled by a hydraulic supply unit 119a, also housed in the intermediate support 101a, as shown by a

• ■ ·

Hydraulic line 121a is indicated by dashed lines in Fig. 8. The load fork 35a comprises a fork mast 123a and two fork tines 125a attached to the lower end of the fork mast 123a. A piston rod 127a of the piston-cylinder unit 117a engages a crossbar 129a of the fork mast 123a and can thus adjust the load fork 35a in the vertical direction when the piston-cylinder unit 117a is controlled accordingly by the hydraulic supply unit 119a. The fork mast 123a is arranged in a position shown schematically in Fig. 9. The vertical guide device 131a shown in the intermediate support 101a is guided vertically movably, which secures the fork mast 123a against undesired rotation about a vertical axis and also against tipping or rocking about a horizontal axis.

The two fork tines running in the direction of the y _B axis, on the top of which the pickup surface 45a is formed, each have a telescopic shoe 133a at their free ends, the top of which forms part of the pickup surface 45a. This telescopic shoe 133a can be extended and retracted relative to the associated fork tine 125a by means of a further piston-cylinder unit 135a, whereby the total length of the load fork 35a designated by L in Fig. 8 in the direction of its y _B axis and thus also the size of the pickup surface 45a in the direction of this y _B axis can be changed. This variable length of the load fork 35a enables a denser arrangement of the stack formation boxes. Fig. 6 illustrates this using the stack formation boxes 47 ₄ a and 47 ₅ a. The distance between these two stacking boxes 47 ₄ a, 47 ₅ a is designated there with A. The usable width of the stacking box 47 ₅ a in the direction of its y _C5 axis for receiving the cuttings is designated with N. This width N is greater than the distance A. The same applies to the usable width of the stacking box 47 ₄ a. The total length L of the load fork 35a can now be shortened by retracting the telescopic shoes 133a in such a way that the load fork 35a can move unhindered between two stacking boxes, even if these

are already filled with cuttings up to their side boundaries 53a formed by the beams 51'a and 51''a, as is the case with the stacking boxes 47 ₂ a and 47 ₃ a. The telescopic shoes 133a can then be extended again within the stacking box so that the entire width N of this stacking box can be served. The piston-cylinder unit 135a for the telescopic shoes 133a can also be actuated and controlled by the hydraulic supply unit 119a. For this purpose, hydraulic lines 137a are led from the piston-cylinder units 135a along the fork mast 123a to the intermediate support 101a, where they are connected to the hydraulic supply unit 119a in a manner not shown in more detail.

is To throw off the cuttings lying on the pickup surface 45a, the load fork 35a comprises an arrangement of two throwing arms 139a, each assigned to one of the fork tines 125a, which are connected to one another by two connecting rods 141a and 143a so that they can be moved synchronously. The two throwing arms are approximately L-shaped, with the free end of their shorter L-leg 145a being pivotably attached to a nose 147a of the fork mast 123a and their longer L-leg 149a hanging downwards and serving to push the cuttings to be thrown forward to the throwing edge 69a of the load fork 35a. The nose 147a is approximately as long as the shorter L-leg 145a of the discharge arms 139a, so that the longer L-legs 149a are approximately in lateral alignment with the fork mast 123a when the discharge arms 139a are swung back and do not interfere with the loading of the collector surface 45a with cuttings. This attachment of the discharge arms 139 with a swivel axis, which is formed here by the connecting rod 141a and, when viewed in vertical projection, lies within the collector surface 45a, in particular in a central area thereof, enables the discharge free ends of the longer L-legs 149a to be comparatively close to the collector surface 45a even when the discharge arms 139a

are pivoted far towards the discharge edge 69a, so that even those cuttings that have already been pushed forward to just before the discharge edge 69a can be safely ejected by the discharge arms 13 9a. The discharge arms 13 9a of Figs. s and 9 make it possible in particular to eject a complete layer of cuttings that are located on the receiving surface 45a in one pivoting movement. To actuate the discharge arms 13 9a, a further piston-cylinder unit 151a is provided, which is attached with its cylinder to the crossbar

β 129a of the fork mast 123a and with its piston rod centrally engages the connecting rod 143a. As can be seen from Fig. 8, the point of engagement of this piston-cylinder unit 151a on the discharge arms 139a is in the transition area between their shorter L-legs 145a and their

is longer L-legs 14 9a. The piston-cylinder unit 151a is in turn supplied with hydraulic fluid and controlled by the hydraulic supply unit 119a via hydraulic lines not shown in detail.

By arranging the hydraulic supply unit 119a in the intermediate support 101a, hydraulic lines can be avoided that would otherwise have to be laid between a stationary hydraulic supply and the trolley 31a. Only electrical supply and/or control lines need to be laid between a stationary control center and the trolley or the intermediate support in order to supply the electric motor 107a and the hydraulic supply unit 119a with electrical energy and to control their operation. However, it is also conceivable to accommodate an electrical energy supply in the intermediate support 101a and to control the electric motor 107a and the hydraulic supply unit 119a via radio signals, so that such electrical supply and/or control lines could also be omitted.

Finally, it can be seen from Fig. 9 that the bridge girder 19a has two parallel I-beams 153a.

between which the trolley 31a is arranged and which provide on their upper and lower sides the tracks for the rollers 109a and the support rollers lila of the trolley 31a.

Regarding Figures 6 to 9, it should be added that the slewing ring 105a forming the swivel joint 103a naturally also allows a rotation of the intermediate support 101a and thus of the cuttings receiver 35a relative to the trolley 31a by more

β‚‚ than 90°. In particular, the slewing ring 105a can have a rotation angle range of 360° or even an unlimited rotation angle range, so that the intermediate support 101a can then be rotated unhindered in any direction and to any distance relative to the trolley 31a.

Instead of the electric motor 107a, a hydraulic motor can also be used to drive the slewing ring 105a, the supply of hydraulic oil to which can also be provided via the hydraulic supply unit 119a.

Claims (42)

Protection claims 1. Device for sorting wood cuttings (1) delivered from a profile forming station, in particular beams, boards or the like,
characterized by the following features: a) a support device (5) receiving the cuttings (1) from the profile forming station, with a &iacgr;&ogr; support surface (7) for the cuttings (1), whereby this support surface (7) has a horizontal x _A axis parallel to the longitudinal axis and a horizontal y _A axis orthogonal to the x _A axis, b) a track arrangement (15, 17) with at least one primary track (15) overlapping the support device (5) if desired for a primary carriage (19) movable along this primary track (15), wherein the primary carriage (19) can be moved on the primary track (15) towards the support device (5), preferably above the support surface (7), c) a cuttings pick-up device (35) arranged on the primary carriage (19) in a height-adjustable manner and having a horizontal x _B axis which is essentially parallel to the x _A axis in a cuttings pick-up position in the region of the support surface (7) - this corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the picked-up cuttings (1) - and a horizontal y _B axis which is orthogonal thereto, d) in the movement area of the primary carriage (19) moving on the primary track (15), a plurality of stacking boxes (47 _n ) which can be fed by the cuttings receiver (35), each with a horizontal X _0n -AChSe - parallel to the x _B -axis of the cuttings receiver (35) located at the respective box location. these according to the longitudinal axis of the respective of the cuttings to be stacked (1) - and an orthogonal horizontal y^-axis and e) a program-based remote control device, if desired for remotely controlling the movement of the primary carriage (19) along the primary track (15) and/ or the height adjustment of the clippings receiver (35) relative to the primary carriage (19) and/or the detection of the clippings (1) by the clippings receiver (35) in the area of the support surface (7) &iacgr;&ogr; and/or the release of the clippings (1) from the Cutting material collector (35) on the selected stacking box (47 _n ). 2. Device according to claim 1, is characterized in that a cutting material feed line (3) coming from the profile forming station opens into the support device (5) essentially parallel to the x _A axis. 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that conveying means (9) with a conveying direction parallel to the y _A axis are provided between the junction of the cuttings feed section (3) and the receiving area of the support surface (7) which can be served by the cuttings receiver (35). 4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the primary track (15) runs parallel to the y _A axis essentially over its entire length. 5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the primary track (15a) runs parallel to the x _A axis essentially over its entire length. 6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the primary carriage (19) comprises a bridge girder (19) which is elongated in a horizontal plane in a direction transverse, in particular perpendicular, to the primary track (15), that the clippings receiver (35) is arranged on the bridge girder (19) by means of a primary runner (31) - hereinafter referred to as trolley - which is guided along the bridge girder (19), i.e. transversely to the primary track (15), and that if desired, the movement of the trolley (31) relative to the bridge girder (19) can also be remotely controlled by the remote control device. 7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, is characterized in that the cuttings collection length of the cuttings pickup (35) in the direction of its x _B axis is substantially smaller than the length of the cuttings (1) to be regularly collected in the direction of its respective longitudinal axis, but is so large that the expected cuttings (1) of the greatest length can be collected in a substantially horizontally stabilized manner. 8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the cuttings receiver (35) is adjustable in the direction of the x _A axis - if necessary by utilizing the mobility of the trolley (31) on the bridge girder (19) - in such a way that it grasps the cuttings (1) to be picked up in a central longitudinal region ensuring its horizontal stabilization, wherein the cuttings receiver (35) is either adjustable in such a central longitudinal region in accordance with a program-supported length monitoring of the cuttings (1) to be picked up or is remotely controllable by an operator with the provision of a remote control station (71) for the operator from which the length of the cuttings to be picked up material (1) and the setting of the clippings collector (3 5) to the middle longitudinal area of this clippings (1) are clearly visible. 9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the cuttings receiver (35) in the direction of the x^-axis and/or the y^-axis of each of the stacking boxes (47 _n ) - optionally using the mobility of the trolley (31) on the &iacgr;&ogr; bridge support (19) - is adjustable in such a way that it deposits the cuttings (1) to be stacked at a stacking point that ensures orderly stacking within the selected stacking box (47 _n ) without significant corrections, wherein the cuttings is material receiver (35) either program-supported according to a length monitoring of the picked up cuttings (1) and a position monitoring of the cuttings receiver (35) relative to the selected stacking box (47 _n ) can be set to such a stacking point or the cuttings receiver (35) can be remotely controlled by an operator with provision of a remote control station (71) for the operator from which the length of the picked up cuttings (1) and the setting of the cuttings receiver (35) relative to the selected stacking box (47 _n ) can be overlooked. 10. Device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that in the movement area of the primary carriage (19a) movable on the primary track (15a) at least one stack transfer point (8 6a) operable by the clippings receiver (35a) is provided, that the clippings receiver (35a) is also designed to receive a stack of clippings to be transported away from a stacking box (47 _n a) and that, if desired, the detection of the stack of clippings by the clippings receiver (3 5a) in a stacking box (4 7 _n a) and/or the release of the stack of clippings from _ ₃₆ - the cuttings receiver (35a) at the stack transfer point (86a) can be remotely controlled by the remote control device. 11. Device according to claim 10, characterized in that the cuttings receiver (35a) in the direction of the X ₀₁ axis of each stacking box (47 _n a) - if necessary by utilizing the mobility of the trolley (31a) on the bridge support (19a) - &iacgr;&ogr; is adjustable in such a way that it grasps the stack of cuttings to be picked up in a central longitudinal region that ensures its horizontal stabilization, whereby the cuttings pick-up device (35a) can either be adjusted to such a central longitudinal region in a program-supported manner in accordance with a length monitoring of the stack of cuttings to be picked up or can be remotely controlled by an operator with the provision of a remote control station for the operator from which the adjustment of the cuttings pick-up device (35a) to the central longitudinal region of this stack of cuttings can be overseen. 12. Device according to one of claims 1 to 11, further characterized by a vertical guide (131a) for the clippings receiver (35a), which guides the clippings receiver (35a) so that it can move parallel to a vertical axis, but is essentially secured against rotation about this vertical axis and is essentially secured against tipping about a horizontal axis relative to the primary carriage (19a). 13. Device according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the clippings receiver (35a) is arranged on the primary carriage (19a) so as to be rotatable relative to the latter about a vertical axis and that a rotary drive unit, in particular a motor-driven rotary drive unit, which can be locked or braked against undesired rotation of the clippings receiver (35) is provided for the rotary drive of the clippings receiver (35a). - 37 - device (105a, 107a) is provided, which, if desired, can also be remotely controlled by the remote control device. 14. Device according to one of claims 1 to 13, further characterized by a cable lifting mechanism (37, 39) on the primary carriage (19) for adjusting the height of the cuttings collector (35). 15. Device according to one of claims 1 to 13, further characterized by at least one hydraulically actuated power device (117a) on the primary carriage (19a) for adjusting the height of the clippings receiver (35a). is 16. Device according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the stack-forming boxes (47 _n ) have substantially vertical side boundaries (53) parallel to their respective x^-axis and that at least one of these side boundaries (53) has at least one through opening (59) for the clippings receiver (35), which allows the horizontal and vertical passage of the clippings receiver (35) during its movement along the primary track (15) or during its vertical movement. 17. Device according to one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that at least one stacking box (47 _n a) is assigned intermediate storage means (113a) which allow the temporary storage of individual cuttings elements (la) or packages by the cuttings receiver (35a) and the subsequent retrieval of these cuttings elements (la) or packages by the cuttings receiver (35a) for sorting in a desired stacking box (47 _n a). - 38 - 18. Device according to claim 17, characterized in that the intermediate storage means (113a) associated with a stack-forming box (47 _n a) comprise at least one intermediate storage surface (115a) which is arranged on at least one side boundary (53a) of this stack-forming box (47 _n a) parallel to the x^-axis. 19. Device according to one of claims 1 to 18, &iacgr;&ogr; characterized in that the cuttings receiver (87) is an individual receiver (87) for receiving individual cuttings elements or packages. 20. Device according to one of claims 1 to 18, is characterized in that the cuttings receiver (35) is a collecting receiver (35) for receiving a plurality of cuttings elements or packages lying one behind the other in the direction of the y _B axis. 21. Device according to one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that the clippings receiver (87) is a clamping receiver (87) with a horizontal clamping effect, this horizontal clamping effect being supported if desired by clippings holding means. 22. Device according to claim 20, characterized in that the clippings receiver (35) is a receiver (35) which engages underneath the clippings (1) with a horizontal receiver surface (45) on which the picked-up clippings (1) rests. 23. Device according to claim 22, characterized in that the pickup surface (45) is divided into at least two pickup strips (43) which are approximately parallel to the y _B axis and spaced apart from one another in the direction of the x _B axis. 24. Device according to claim 22 or 23, characterized in that the receiving surface (45a) is formed on a support structure (125a, 133a) whose length usable for receiving cuttings can be changed in the direction of the y _B axis, wherein this change in length of the support structure (125a, 133a) can also be remotely controlled by the remote control device if desired. &iacgr;&ogr; 25. Device according to claim 24, characterized in that at least two stack-forming boxes (47 _n a) are arranged at a distance (A) from one another in the direction of their respective y^-axis, which is smaller than the dimension (N) usable for sorting the cuttings of at least one of these two stack-forming boxes (47 _n a) in the direction of their respective yen-axis, and in that the minimum overall length of the support structure (125a, 133a) in the direction of the y _B axis is less than or equal to the distance (A) between the two stack-forming boxes (47 _n a) and the maximum overall length of the support structure (125a, 133a) in the direction of the y _B axis is greater than or equal to the dimension (N) usable for sorting the cuttings of that stack-forming box (47 _n a) which is larger with respect to this dimension (N). 26. Device according to claim 24 or 25, characterized in that the support structure (125a, 133a) comprises at least two telescopic members (125a, 133a) which are adjustable relative to one another in the direction of the y _B axis, preferably by hydraulic force, on which the receiving surface (45a) is formed. 27. Device according to one of claims 22 to 26, characterized in that on the cuttings receiver (35) a cuttings ejector (61) is arranged, which is designed to eject from the cuttings receiver (3 5) to convey the cuttings (la) to be thrown on the pickup surface (45) in a throwing direction parallel to the y _B axis to a throwing edge (69) of the cuttings pickup (35), and that if desired, the actuation of the cuttings ejector (61) can also be remotely controlled by the remote control device. 28. Device according to claim 27, characterized in that the cuttings ejector (61) is a collective ejector for collectively pushing forward a plurality of cuttings elements or packages towards the ejection edge (69), wherein it is designed, if desired, to reclaim cuttings (1) pushed forward towards the ejection edge (69) but not to be thrown back against the ejection direction to a positioning stop (75) of the cuttings receiver (35). 29. Device according to claim 27 or 28, characterized in that the cuttings ejector (61) has an endless conveyor means (61) closed to form a loop with a loop axis parallel to the x _B axis. 30. Device according to claim 27 or 28, characterized in that the cuttings ejector comprises at least one ejection arm (139a) which can be pivoted about a pivot axis substantially parallel to the x _B axis and which can preferably be actuated hydraulically. 31. Device according to claim 30, characterized in that the pivot axis of the discharge arm (139a) lies above the pickup surface (45a), specifically when viewed in a vertical projection in front of the edge of the pickup surface (45a) opposite the discharge edge (69a). - 41 - 32. Device according to one of claims 22 to 31, characterized in that the receiving surface (45) is formed on a support structure, the total height of which is dimensioned such that, taking into account the smallest profile dimensions of the cuttings (1) in the direction of the y _B axis, a targeted depositing of the respective cuttings element or package in the selected stacking box (47 _n ) by pushing this cuttings element or package in the direction of the discharge &iacgr;&ogr; edge (69) and, if necessary, by a simultaneous opposite movement of the discharge edge (69), whereby the mutual coordination of the movements of the cuttings ejector (3 5) and the discharge edge (69) is again either program-protected or can be remotely controlled after observation by an operator. 33. Device according to one of claims 1 to 32, further characterized by the following features: a) the track arrangement (15, 17) additionally comprises at least one secondary track (17) which, if desired, overlaps the stacking boxes (47 _n ) for a secondary carriage (23) movable along this secondary track (17), wherein the secondary carriage (23) can be moved on the secondary track (17) to the stacking boxes (47 _n ), preferably above them,
b) a stack pick-up device (77) is arranged on the secondary carriage (23) and is adjustable in height, and c) in the movement range of the stack pick-up device on the secondary track (17) movable secondary carriage (23) there is at least one stack transfer point (86) that can be operated by the stack pickup (77), wherein the remote control device controls the movement of the secondary carriage (23) along the secondary track (17) and/or the height adjustment of the stack pickup (77) relative to the secondary carriage (23) and/or the detection of the stack of cuttings in a stack formation box (47 _n ) by the stack pickup (77) and/or the release of the picked up stack of cuttings at the stack transfer point (86) can be remotely controlled. 34. Device according to claim 33, characterized in that the primary (15) and the secondary track (17) are arranged in horizontal planes lying one above the other, with the secondary track (17) preferably being arranged above the primary track (15). 35. Device according to claim 33 or 34, characterized in that the secondary track (17) runs essentially parallel to the primary track (15) over its entire length. 36. Device according to one of claims 33 to 35, characterized in that the secondary carriage (23) comprises a further bridge support (23) that is elongated in a horizontal plane in a direction transverse to, in particular perpendicular to, the secondary track (17), that the stack receiver (77) is arranged on the further bridge support (23) by means of a secondary runner (33) that is guided along the further bridge support (23) and that, if desired, the movement of the secondary runner (33) relative to the further bridge support (23) can also be remotely controlled by the remote control device. 37. Device according to one of claims 33 to 36, characterized in that the stack pick-up (77) is adjustable in the direction of the x _Cn axis of each stack forming box (4 7 _n ), optionally using the mobility of the secondary runner (33) on the further bridge support (23), in such a way that it grasps the stack of cuttings to be picked up in a central longitudinal region ensuring its horizontal stabilization, - 43 - wherein the stack pick-up (77) can either be adjusted to such a central longitudinal region in a program-supported manner in accordance with a length monitoring of the stack of cuttings to be picked up or can be remotely controlled by an operator with the provision of a remote control station (71) for the operator from which the adjustment of the stack pick-up (77) to the central longitudinal region of this stack of cuttings can be overlooked. 38. Device according to one of claims 33 to 37, characterized in that the stack pick-up (77) has a pick-up frame (83) which can be lowered vertically over the stack of cuttings to be picked up and on which is pickup frame (83) under the stack to be picked up movable, in particular flat stack gripping means (85) are arranged. 39. Device according to one of claims 33 to 38, characterized in that the through openings (59) in the side boundaries (53) of the stack forming boxes (47 _n ) also allow the horizontal and vertical passage of the stack receiver (77) during its movement along the secondary track (17) or its vertical movement. 40. Device according to one of claims 1 to 39, characterized in that at least some of the stack-forming boxes (47 _n ) are arranged one behind the other in the direction of the y _A axis at substantially equal distances. 41. Device according to one of claims 1 to 40, characterized in that the stack-forming boxes (47 _n a) are arranged in at least two rows lying parallel to one another in the direction of the x _A axis. 42. Device according to one of claims 1 to 41, characterized in that for the height adjustment of the cuttings receiver (35a) and/or for the rotation of the cuttings receiver (35a) about a vertical axis relative to the primary carriage (19a) and/or for the actuation of the Cuttings ejector (13 9a) and/or for changing the length of the support structure (125a, 133a), at least one hydraulically actuated power device (117a, 135a, 151a) is arranged on the primary carriage (19a, 31a, 101a) or on the cuttings receiver (35a), and that a hydraulic supply (119a) for supplying this power device (117a, 135a, 151a) with a hydraulic fluid is arranged on the primary carriage (19a, 31a, 101a), in particular on the trolley.