GB1401979A - Stacking of articles - Google Patents

Abstract

1401979 Forming a stack of regular stackable articles; transferring stacks of articles between conveyers METAL BOX Ltd 17 Nov 1972 [3 Dec 1971] 56236/71 Headings B8A and B8C In a method of forming a stack of substantially identical articles 12 of regular, and consistent, shape, such as tiles, boxes, &c. each of a pair of conveyers 10, 11, one above the other, is adapted to convey a single layer of packs 12 arranged in transverse rows of three and six respectively, to a shingling unit 13 or 14, each having a plurality of article-receiving surfaces and each said surface, that precedes another such surface, in the direction of transferring the articles from the unit, having a downstream end at a higher level than the upstream end of said other surface. The packs 12 are piled on top of one another, as they are removed from the units 13, 14, by transfer mechanisms 13, 14, on to horizontal platforms 23 of the units 13, 14 and on to conveyers 15 which deliver the stacks 24 so formed to a machine 16 or 17, where they are either boxed, or shrink-wrapped, the stacks 24 formed being respectively three, or six, packs high. Each shingling unit 13 or 14 includes two fixed collecting platforms 19 which extend parallel to the associated conveyers 15 and which includes a series of articlereceiving ramps, numbered two for the unit 13, and five for the unit 14, and a horizontal platform 23, Fig. 3. Each transfer mechanism 24, Figs. 2, 3, comprises a pair of rotatable endless chains 25, located above each platform 19, and skid bars 37, downstream of the platforms 19, the chains 25 carrying equallyspaced dogs 31 which are adapted to straddle the respective platforms 19 and transfer the pack, or packs, on each ramp surface on to the pack, or packs, collected on the ramp surface immediately downstream thereof. The stacks 24 are in this manner continuously formed on the horizontal platforms 23 and moved successively along the skid bars 37 and into trays 39, carried by a synchronously moving conveyer 40 which transfers the stacks into the respective packaging machines 16, 17. As the dogs 33 move each pack 12 from a platform on the unit a pack from the conveyer 10 or 11 is immediately pushed into its place the end of the conveyer 11 adjacent the unit 13, 14 being twisted to align with the ramp surfaces each of which may carry more than one pack. In a modification, Fig. 6, not shown, each platform is of staircase form (60) the conveyer 10 or 11 having inclined ramps (70) adjacent the platforms (61). The shingling unit can be arranged to form a stack of any desired number of packs and may comprise one, or more than two, collecting platforms. More than one layer of packs may be presented to the shingling unit in which case each platform should be adapted to accommodate the layers on each pack receiving surface.