GB801623A - Improvements in or relating to machines for handling packages - Google Patents

Abstract

801,623. Stacking-machines. PACKAGE STACKER, Inc. March 2, 1955, No. 6164/55. Class 94(1). A machine for stacking articles in a warehouse comprises a frame 10, an article supporting plate 13 carried by rails 14 slidable in the frame and a pusher unit 21 comprising a rear member 22 and inwardly movable arms 23, 24 carried by rails 42<SP>1</SP> which are also slidable in the frame. Air cylinder and piston units 43, 44 are coupled at one end to the plate 22 and at their other ends respectively to a cross member 46 of the frame and a member 45 interconnecting the rails 14. The frame is suspended by air cylinder and piston units 53 from uprights 50 supported by a floor engaging plate 97, Fig. 1, or tracks 11, Fig. 6, the piston rods 54 and cylinders 53 carrying pivoted dogs 55, 56 which engage racks formed in the uprights. The arrangement is such that when air is admitted below the pistons in cylinders 53 the dogs pivot downwardly to allow upward movement of the pistons and when air is admitted above the pistons the dogs operate with a wedging action so that downward movement of the pistons is prevented and the cylinders and frame are raised. Means are provided for releasing the dogs to allow descent of the frame after a stack has been completed. The articles are delivered in succession by a roller-way 38 onto a depressible central section 18 of the plate 13, depression of this section opening a valve to cause operation of an air cylinder 35 supported from the member 22 which actuates a pusher 36 to displace the articles alternately to right and left. During the delivery of each article the line of articles on the roller-way is held back by an automatically operating arm 40. When the platform 13 is full, the arms 23 and 24 are moved inwardly by air cylinders to grip the row of articles and air is admitted to one end of the cylinder 43 to move the platform 13 and pusher unit forwardly and to the lower ends of cylinders 53 to raise the piston rods 54. Air is then admitted to the cylinder 44 to cause rearward withdrawal of the platform 13 leaving the row of articles on the warehouse floor, pressure exerted by the arms 23, 24 is relieved and air is admitted to the upper ends of cylinders 53 to raise the frame to the height of one article and to the other end of cylinder 43 to return the pusher unit to its original position. The cycle of operations is then repeated to form a stack of superposed articles. The sequence of operations is controlled automatically by a pneumatic circuit which is described in detail. The plate 13 and rear member 22 comprise telescopic sections so that they can be adjusted to suit rows of articles of different lengths. If the machine is required to stack superposed layers of articles each comprising several rows, a further air cylinder 92 is arranged in tandem with the cylinder 43 as shown in Fig. 6.