Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
  • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
  • B65G47/74—Feeding, transfer, or discharging devices of particular kinds or types
  • B65G47/90—Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials
  • B65G47/91—Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials incorporating pneumatic, e.g. suction, grippers

Definitions

• a goods handling device including a lifting head having a multiplicity of discrete suction devices for lifting engagement with an article or articles to be lifted.
• each suction device includes a flexible device, for example a flexible bellows device, for engagement with an article to be lifted, thereby allowing small differences in the height of the goods to be accommodated.
• a flexible device for example a flexible bellows device
• each suction device includes a check valve to prevent air flowing through any suction device that is not in sealed contact with the goods, so preventing any reduction in the vacuum.
• said suction devices are connected to a common suction chamber.
• said goods handling device includes a plurality of goods receiving stations, said lifting head being mounted for movement between positions directly above each of said goods receiving stations, this arrangement allowing the lifting head to transfer goods readily from one station to another.
• the goods handling device includes a control device for adjusting the position of the lifting head, to compensate for any offset in the position of the lifted load relative to the lifting head as sensed by the sensing device.
• Figure 1 is side view of a pallet stacked with layers of goods
• Figure 3 is a front view of a lifting gantry forming part of the goods handling device
• a fourth chain conveyor 20 for delivering empty pallets 21 to the installation extends parallel to the three chain conveyors 12a.12b.12c on one side of the installation 10.
• a gantry 22 extends over the four chain conveyors 12a, 12b.12c and 20.
• the gantry 22 supports a goods handling device including a lifting head 24 that is mounted for movement along the gantry, perpendicular to the chain conveyors.
• the central section 26a.26b.26c.26d of each conveyor 12a.12b.12c.20 is provided with a scissor lift that can lift that section of the conveyor and any pallet on that section upwards to meet the lifting head 24.
• a vacuum is applied to the lifting head to support the top layer of goods.
• the position sensing device 50 shown in Figures 7 to 9 may be replaced by an optical system, for example using laser photocells.
• This optical system may either be statically mounted or mounted on the lifting head 24.
• the lifting mechanism 56, 58, 60 may then be omitted.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• De-Stacking Of Articles (AREA)
• Stacking Of Articles And Auxiliary Devices (AREA)
• Warehouses Or Storage Devices (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=10863223

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Family Cites Families (9)

• 1999
  • 1999-10-23 GB GB9925057A patent/GB2355447A/en not_active Withdrawn
• 2000
  • 2000-10-19 EP EP00968146A patent/EP1222129A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2000-10-19 WO PCT/GB2000/004015 patent/WO2001030675A1/en active Search and Examination
  • 2000-10-19 AU AU78098/00A patent/AU7809800A/en not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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