CA1173070A

CA1173070A - Turret stacker

Info

Publication number: CA1173070A
Application number: CA000397036A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Lawrence J. Richards
Original assignee: BRANER ENTERPRISES Inc
Current assignee: BRANER ENTERPRISES Inc
Priority date: 1981-07-30
Filing date: 1982-02-25
Publication date: 1984-08-21
Also published as: GB2104469B; GB2104469A; DE3224431A1

Abstract

TURRET STACKER

Abstract of the Disclosure A transporting device for lifting and relocating material from one position to another. The transporting device comprises a stationary central support pedestal and a rotatable turret situated at the top of the pedestal. The turret has at least a pair of arms which extend radially outwardly from the pedestal. Each arm has an adjustable lifting and stacking mechanism for gripping and transporting of material as the turret is rotated. The turret is driven by a motor situated in the pedestal.

Description

1~7~3~70 TU_RE'r S'r~CKhR

Background of the Invention This invention relates to material transporting devices, and in particular to a device for relocating stacks of material from one position to a second position. In the disclosed embodiment, the invention pertains to equipment for handling coils of slit metallic sheet material.
In the coil slitting and processing industry, and as set forth in somewhat greater detail in the following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, large rolls of sheet material are unrolled, then passed through a slitter which longitudinally cuts the sheet material into a plurality of thinner strips of metal, then recoiled, and then handled downstream as required, normally by stacking, palletizing and weighing.
U.S. Patent No. 3,861,536, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, describes one type of device for transporting coils of material and stacXing the coils onto a turntable, the stacked coils being later removed from the turntable at one or more locations. The transporting device of this patent, while representing a significant advance over stacking equipment then in existence, itself can prove to be a bottleneck in a complete line for slitting and processing metal coil since the stacker must reciprocate between an inlet conveyor and the turntable directly beneath the stacker. Thus, while material is being lowered to the turntable, upstream coils are prevented from entering the stacker until the stacker returns to a position to accept 7~70 the next coil or several coils of material.

Surnmary of the Invention The transporting device according to the invention eliminates the above-delineated deficiencies of the prior art and other by providing an apparatus which, at one side, can accept incoming coils of material while, at the same time, the other side can independently place previously retrieved coils onto a turntable or other conveying equipment. Thus, the invention is able to perform two functions simultaneously which, in accordance with the prior art, could be accomplished only in serial fashion.
In accordance with the invention, a transporting device is provided comprising a stationary central support pedestal and a rotatable turret situated at the top of the pedestal.
The turret includes at least two arms, each of which extends radially outwardly from the pedestal. A lifting and stacking mechanism is located beneath each arm. The turret is rotated by driving means situated in the pedestal and attached to the turret.
The lifting and stacking mechanism includes a support for the coiled material, means to raise and lower the material support, and means to enlarge and contract the material support to accommodate coils of varying diameters.
In accordance with the preferred embodiment, the material support comprises a beam beneath each arm and a pair of carriages movable along the beam in opposite directions, each of the carriages including rests for holding material to be relocated by the transporting device.

73~70 In order to raise and lower the beam, a clouble acting cylinder is connected between each he~am and its associated arm. ~ pair of upstanding guides are attached to opposite ends of the top of the beam and extend through corresponding-guideways formed in the arm in order to guide the beam as it is raised and lowered.
The invention includes a motor mounted on the beam to enlarge and contract the material support. The motor is drivingly attached to the carriages by an endless chain passing over sprocXets at opposite ends of the beam, one side of the chain being attached to one of the carriages and the other side of the chain being attached to the other of the carriages such that rotation of the chain in one direction drives the carriages toward one another and rotation of the chain in the opposite direction drives the carriages away from one another.
Each of the rests attached to each carriage comprises a leg pivotally affixed to the carriage. A double acting cylinder is connected between the carriage and the leg for pivoting of the leg toward and away from material to be transported. With the legs pivoted away from the material, the material support can be raised and the turret rotated, leaving the material at a desired location for further handling.
While the rotatable turret may include more than two arms, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the turret comprises two arms. The arms are oppositely situated, comprising opposite halves of an elongated frame.
One arm is therefore situated to receive a coil of material, while the other is situated to simultaneously place a previously-received coil of material onto a downstream :1173~70 turntable for further handling and transportation.
If desired, the rotatable turret can comprise any number of such arms in order to handle a greater number of coils of material at any one time.

Thus, according to the present invention, there is provided a transporting de~ice for relocating material from one position to a second position. The transporting device comprises a stationary central support pedestal with a rotatable turret situated at the top of the pedestal. The turret includes at least two arms each of which extends radially outwardly from the pedestal. A material support for each arm, a means to raise and lower the arm to raise and lower the material support, and a means to enlarge and contract the material support to accommodate material of varying horizontal dimensions are provided. A
bearing means is located between the pedestal and the turret to facilitate rotation of the turret, and a driving means is situated in the pedestal and attached to the turret to rotate the turret.
The material support of the transporting device comprises a beam beneath the arm and a pair of carriages movable along the beam in opposite directions. The carriages include rests for holding material to be relocated.
Each of the rests of the carriages comprises a leg pivotally attached to the carriage, and further includes a means connected between the carriage and the leg for pivoting the leg toward and away from the material to be transported.

3(~70 Brief Description of the Drawing~

One embodiment o~ the invention is set forth in greater detail in the following description of the preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a typical coil slitting, processing and pacXaging line including the transporting device according to the invention,.
Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevational illustration, with portions in cross section, illustrating the transporting device according to the invention, Figure 3 is a top plan illustration of the coil transporting device of Figure 2, Figure 4 is an enlarged end illustration of the coil lifting and stacking mechanism, and Figure 5 is a top schematic illustration of the means for enlarging and contracting the material support, appearing with Figure 1.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings. Turning first to Figure 1, a typical line for coil slitting, processing and pac~aging is depicted. Of ~L7;~6~7V
course, depending on the ~artic~ r rc~ irelnellts of the user, other equipment components might be employ~d in the line of equipment.
The line begins with an uncoiler 10 having a mandrel 12 upon which coils 14 of sheet metal are mounted for downstream processing. A coil car 16, carrying another coil 14, is employed to reduce line downtime as one coil 14 is exhausted and another situated in its place upon the mandrel 12.
Sheet metal 18 is withdrawn from the coil 14 within the uncoiler 10 and passed through a crop shear 20. The shear 20 is activated periodically to sever the metal sheet 18 into predetermined lengths.
From the crop shear 20, the sheet 18 passes throuyh a slitter 22, such as the turret-type slitter described in U.S. Patent No. 3,727,503, assigned to the assignee of the present invention. In the slitter 22, the metal shect 18 is slit into a plurality of ribbons of metal 24 of desired widths. The metal ribbons 24 are then rewound into individual coils in a recoiler 26.
Often, although the great majority of the sheet 18 i8 slit in the slitter 22, a small marginal edge portion is not desired and it is, therefore, directed to a scrap winder 28 where it is collected and later removed for disposal.
Coils are removed from the recoiler 26 onto a transfer horn 30. ~he transfPr horn 30 includes one or more lateral arms 32 which, when aligned with the recoiler 26, permit an overarm separator 34 to remove one or ~nore coils from the recoiler 26 onto the arm 32. Coils on the arms 32 of the transfer horn 30 are removed by a downender 36, which receives individual coils from the transfer horn 30 in their ~1~3(~0 vertical orientation and reclines the coil~ to a hori~ontal orientation.
From the downender 36, individual coils are conveyed to a banding machine 38. The individual coils are banded with metal strapping or the like in the banding machine 38 and the banded coils, one of which i5 shown at 40 in Figure l, are then conveyed to a transporting device 42 according to the invention.
In the transporting device 42, individual coils are removed from the upstream conveyor and are placed upon skids 44 situated on a turntable 46. As many coils as desired are stacked on each skid 44 by the transporting device 42 and then the turntable 46 is indexed a desired amount (90 degrees in the turntable 46 illustrated), in order to place a succeeding skid 44 beneath the transporting device 42.
From the turntable 46, the stacks of coils 40 pass on to a scale conveyor 48 where the individual coil stacks are weighed. Finally, the coil stacks pass on downstream for banding, shipping, or other handling as required.
Figures 2 through 5 illustrate the transporting device 42 in greater detail. The transporting device 42 includes, as primary components, a stationary central support pedestal 50, a rotatable turret 52 situated at the top of the pedestal 50 and a pair of lifting and stacking mechanisms 54 extending from each arm of the turret 52.
The pedestal SO has an integral base 56 which sits upon a factory floor or some other substantial location. Gussets 58 may be employed to strengthen the junction between the pedestal 50 and base 56 and assure rigid placement of the pedestal 50.

:~173C~70 The pedestal S0 includes a horizontal plate 60 attached near the top, such as by wel~1ln~, bolting, or other appropriate means~ A driving means i9 attached to the plate 60 and the turret 52 for rotation of the turret. In the embodiment illustrated, the driving means comprises a rotary hydraulic actuator 62 attached by bolts 64 to the plate 60.
A coupling 66 joins the output shaft of the actuator 62 to a shaft 68 affixed to a plate 70 securely attached to the turret 52. A ring bearing 72 is situated between the plate 70 and the top of the pedestal 50 to support the turret 52 and permit location of the turret by the hydraulic actuator 62.
The actuator 62, which is conventional, is designed to rotate its output shaft in predetermined increments, such as 180. Reverse actuation of the actuator 62 causes return rotation. Thus, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, when the actuator 62 is activated, the turret 52 is therefore rotated 180~. Reverse activation of the actuator 60 causes the turret 52 to rotate 180~ in the opposite direction. Of course, if desired, the actuator 62 can be replaced by a motor or other driving means which can rotate the turret 52 in desired increments in one direction rather than the two-directional rotation of the actuator 62.
The rotatable turret 52 is comprised of a pair of vertically oriented support members 74 which are joined by a pair of horizontally oriented support members 76. The support members 74 and 76 preferably are made of metal and are joined at their abutting locations by welding or other appropriate means to form a box beam. The metal thickness of the support members 74 and 76 depends on the material to ~173(~70 be supported and handled by the liti.nc3 ~nd st.l(ki.ng mechani.sm 54.
As best illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the turret 52 is symme~rically situated upon the support pedestal 50, each half of the turret 5~ therefore comprising an arm which extends radially outwardly from the pedestal 50. Each of the arms is the sole support for each ~f the lifting and stacking mechanisms 54. Of course, depending upon the requirements of the transporting device 42, the rotatable turret 52 can be composed of more than two arms, the number of arms being determined by the requirements of the transporting device 42. Normally, however, since materials of great weight are handled by the transporting device 42, the arms of the rotatable turret 52 are symmetrically situated to provide the best possible weight distribution.
Each of the lifting and stacking mechanisms 54 is composed of a beam 78 beneath the rotatable turret 52.
Similar to the structure of the rotatable turret 52, and as best illustrated in Figure 4, the beam 78 cornprises a pair of vertical support members 80 separated by a pair of horizontal support members 82.
The beam 78 is supported beneath the turret 52 by a double acting cylinder 84. The shaft 86 of the cylinder 84 is attached to the top horizontal support member 82 of the beam 78. The housing of the cylinder 84 is firmly mounted to and through the two horizontal support members 76 of the turret 52.
A pair of guides 88 are attached to opposite ends of the top hori~ontal support member 82 of the beam 78. The guides 88 pass through guideways 90 situated in the rotatable turret 52 between the spaced horizontal support ~i73~70 members 76. Thus, as the cylinder ~4 i6 actllated to raise and lower the beam 78 (actuating mcans not illustr~ted), the guides ~8 assure that the beam 7~ is firmly aligned directly beneath the rotatable turret 52.
The lifting and stacking mechanism 54 also includes a pair of carriages 92 mounted on the beam 78. ~s shows in greatest detail in Figure 4, each of the carriages 92 is composed of a pair o~ vertical plates 94, the spacing of which is maintained by a separator 96. Each of the vertical plates 94 includes wheels 98 which are rotatably mounted upon shafts 100 and which bear on opposite edges o~ the vertical support members ~0. Shoes 102, attached to the plates 94 and butting against the vertical support members 80, maintain the proper orientation of the carriage 92 on the beam 78.
Each of the carriages 92 includes a pair of downwardly depending legs 104. Legs 104 are pivotally mounted on a central axle 106 which pass,es through and is firmly attached to the base of the vertical plates 94. Spacing of the legs 104 is maintained by a brace 108.
A double acting cylinder 110 is mounted between each of the vertical plates 94 and legs 104 in order to permit pivoting of the legs 104 toward and away from the coils 40 (Figure 1). Means for actuating the cylinders 110 is not illustrated, but is conventional. As best shown in Figure 4, one end of each of the cylinders 110 is pivotally attached to a brac~et 112 affixed to a vertical plate 94.
The opposite end of the cylinder 110 is attached to a U-shaped bracXet 114 which~ in turn, is pivotally attached to a bar 116 affixed to the leg 104. Thus, actuation of the cylinder~ 110 will cause the legs 104 to pivot about the axles 106.

1~ 3~1i70 The two carriages 92 on each l~eam 7~ are driven toward and away from each other in orde~r to accormnodate coils 40 of varying diameter~. ~ motor 118 is located within the beam 78, at one end thereof, and i8 drivingly attached to a sprocket 120. A similar sprocket 122 is located at the opposite end of the beam 78. An endless chain 124 passes over the sprockets 120 and 122. The chain is attached to one of the vertical plates 94 in each of the carriages 92 on opposite sides of the beam 78. Thus, as shown in Figure 4, the chain 124 is attached to the left vertical plate 94 by means of an anchor 126. The chain is not attached to the right vertical plate 94. In the corresponding carriage 92 at the opposite end of the beam 78, the chain 124 is attached to an anchor 128 attached to the right vertical plate 94. Thus, as best shown in Figure 5, when the motor 11~3 is driven in one direction, by virtue of the location of the anchors 126 and 128 on opposite sides of the carriages 92, the carriages are driven toward each other. When the motor is driven in the opposite direction, the carriages 92 are driven away from one another. Thus, the spacing between the carriages 92 on each of the beams 78 can be enlarged or contracted to accommodate material of various diameters.
Each of the legs 104 includes rests 130 for support of the coils 40. As shown in Figure 2, the rests 130 may be tapered to help the rests 130 slip beneath the coils 40 when the legs 104 are pivoted to the vertical position.
As shown in Figures 2 and 4, each separator 96 extends vertically downwardly from the carriage 92. The separators 96 serve as limits for the carriages 92 so that the carriages 92 can be drawn toward each other only to the limit of the diameter of the coil 40 located between the :~ 7~3~70 separators 96. The separator~ 96, when drawn ~g~lin~t a coil 40, also help stabilize the coil when it i8 raised and transportea.
As shown in Figures 1 through 3, the transporting device 42 is situated to relocate the coils 40 from an upstream conveyor and place them on skids 44 located on the turntable 46. The coils enter the transporting device 42 on a conveyor section 132. Then, with the legs 104 separated a sufficient distance, either by pivoting of the legs 104, or by separating of the carriages 92, or a combination thereof, the cylinder 84 is activated and the beam 78 is lowered.
The carriages 92 and legs 104 are appropriately adjusted so that -the rests 130 are located beneath the coil 40. Then, the cylinder B4 i3 again activated to raise the coil 40 above the conveyor section 132 to the position shown in Figure 2.
With the coil 40 firmly held in place, the actuator 62 is activated, rotating the turret 180-. The sequence is then reversed. The cylinder 84 is activated to lower the coil 40 onto the skid 44. The legs 104 are then pivoted and the cylinder 84 is reactivated to raise the beam 78 above the coil. The actuator 62 is then again activated to return the turret 180~ to pick up the next coil 40 from the conveyor section 132. Of course, at the same time, while one coil 40 is being lifted from the conveyor section 132, another is being lowered onto a skid 44 on the turntable 46.
Normally, the coils 40 enter the transporting device 42 on the conveyor section 132 in a single file fashion.
~owever, one or more of the coils 40 may be stacked on one of the sXids 44. Accordingly, after a desired number of coils 40 are stacXed on a skid 44, the turntable 46 is indexed a sufficient amount to locate another skid 44 in 13l~73~70 place for receiving of the coil.s 40. In the c~x;lMple f.hown in Figure 1, indexing would normally be 90~, altho~gh, depending on several factors including the size of the turntable and the next desired location for the coil 40, indexing can be as much rotation of the turntable 46 as required. ~le number of coils 40 stacked upon a skid 44 is dictated only by the thickness of the coils and the limiting height of the lifting and stacking mechanism 54 when raised to its full extent within the rotatable turret 52.
Various changes may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit thereof or scope of the following claims.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A transporting device for relocating material from one position to a second position, said transporting device comprising:
a. a stationary central support pedestal, b. a rotatable turret situated at the top of said pedestal, said turret including i. at least two arms each of which extends radially outwardly from said pedestal, ii. a material support for each arm, means to raise and lower said arm to raise and lower said material support, and means to enlarge and contract said material support to accommodate material of varying horizontal dimensions, c. bearing means between said pedestal and said turret to facilitate rotation of said turret, and d. driving means situated in said pedestal and attached to said turret to rotate said turret.

2. A transporting device according to claim 1 in which said material support comprises a beam beneath said arm and a pair of carriages movable along said beam in opposite directions, said carriages including rests for holding material to be relocated.

3. A transporting device according to claim 2 in which each said rest comprises a leg pivotally attached to said carriage, and further including means connected between said carriage and said leg for pivoting said leg toward and away from the material to be transported.

4. A transporting device according to claim 1, claim 2, or claim 3 including two of said arms, said arms being oppositely situated and comprising opposite halves of an elongated frame.

5. A transporting device according to claim 2 or claim 3 in which said means to raise and lower comprises a double-acting cylinder connected between said beam and said arm.

6. A transporting device according to claim 2 or claim 3 including a pair of upstanding guides attached to opposite ends of the top of said beam, said guides extending through corres-ponding guideways formed in said arm.

7. A transporting device according to claim 2 in which said means to enlarge and contract comprises a motor mounted on said beam and means drivingly attaching said motor to said carriages.

8. A transporting device according to claim 3 in which said means to enlarge and contract comprises a motor mounted on said beam and means drivingly attaching said motor to said carriages.

9. A transporting device according to claim 7 or claim 8 in which said means for drivingly attaching said motor to said carriages comprises an endless chain passing over sprockets at opposite ends of said beam, one side of said chain being attached to one of said carriages and the other side of said chain being attached to the other of said carriages such that rotation of said chain in one direction drives said carriages toward one another and rotation of said chain in the opposite direction drives said carriages away from one another.

10. A transporting device according to claim 3 in which said pivoting means comprises a double-acting cylinder connected between said carriage and said leg.

11. A transporting device for relocating material from one position to a second position, said transporting device comprising:
a. a stationary central support pedestal, b. a rotatable turret situated at the top of said pedestal, said turret including i. an elongated frame mounted at its center on said pedestal, each half of said frame comprising an arm extending radially outwardly from said pedestal, ii. a material support beam located beneath each said arm, iii. means connected between said beam and said arm to raise and lower said material support beam, iv. a pair of carriages for accommodation of material to be relocated and each carriage being movable along said beam in a direction opposite to the other carriage, said carriages having rests for holding the material to be relocated, c. bearing means between said pedestal and said turret to facilitate rotation of said turret, and d. driving means situated in said pedestal and attached to said turret to rotate said turret.