GB2379650A

GB2379650A - Rotary box tippler

Info

Publication number: GB2379650A
Application number: GB0118291A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Ian Haith
Original assignee: Tickhill Engineering Co Ltd
Current assignee: Tickhill Engineering Co Ltd
Priority date: 2001-07-27
Filing date: 2001-07-27
Publication date: 2003-03-19
Also published as: GB0118291D0

Abstract

Rotary box tippler 10 of the type having compartments A-D to receive and hold full produce boxes 32 and to move them between receiving positions at A, produce emptying positions B and C and empty box removing positions D, is characterised in that the orientation of the empty boxes is changed as the boxes are gripped by arms 52 and passed from compartment D to removal station R. Preferably, the boxes are changed from upside down to right way up. Preferably, guide means 60 are provided to guide produce during removal to hopper 16. The guide means comprise side plates 61 and a continuous belt 63 entrained around rollers 64, 65. The produce can be eg. potatoes or carrots.

Description

Title: Box Tippler Description of Invention This invention relates to box tipplers, and particularly but not exclusively to box tipplers for emptying boxes containing root produce such as potatoes or carrots.

Root produce are commonly handled and stored in open topped boxes, conventionally capable of holding one ton of produce. When it is desired to empty such boxes, for example onto a process line for handling the produce, conventionally a fork lift truck or similar apparatus is used to load a box onto a mechanical tipper which empties the produce from the box onto the process line. When the tipping operation is completed, the fork lift truck removes the empty box and returns it to, for example, a box store, and then picks up a further box to be emptied. This process of fetching and emptying individual boxes leads to discontinuities in the supply of produce to the process line, potentially leading to the process line being stopped when no produce is available. Conventionally, a number of fork lift trucks are used to attempt to overcome such discontinuities in supply.

GB-A-2,344, 097 discloses such a box tippler, hereinafter referred to as being of the kind specified, comprising a body, having a plurality of receiving means, each receiving means being for a box, and the body being rotatable about an axis preferably uni-directionally through at least one complete turn, between a first position to receive a box in a receiving means, a second position to empty the box, and a third position in which the empty box is released from the body and means for removing the box from the body.

An aim of the invention is to produce a new or improved box tippler.

According to the present invention we provide a box tippler of the kind specified characterised in that the means for removing a box comprises a means to engage the box at the third position of the body and means to transfer the box from the position occupied when the body is in the third position to a removal position and to change the orientation of the box from that occupied at the third position to a different orientation occupied at the removal position.

Each box receiving means may comprise a part of the body, such as a quadrant, adapted to receive a box.

The means to engage the box may be arranged for rotation about an horizontal secondary axis arranged parallel or substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of me body.

The means to engage the box may be adapted to be rotated through 90 from the position in which it is engaged with the box when the body is at the third position to a position wherein the box is at the removal position.

The means to engage the box may comprise a clamp comprising a pair of arms adapted to be moved towards each other into clamping engagement with the sides of the body.

The clamp may be operated by air, hydraulics or may be driven by other suitable means into clamping engagement with the sides of the box.

The secondary axis may be disposed at or substantially at the same horizontal height as the axis of rotation of the body.

The means to engage the box may be rotated about the secondary axis for 900 in a direction to move the box downwardly and away from the axis of rotation of the body.

The pair of arms may be pivotally mounted for rotation about the secondary axis.

The arms may also be pivotable about a third axis which lies parallel to two opposed side surfaces of the box for clamping engagement with the pair of side surfaces.

Alternatively, the arms may be carried on the support for rectilinear movement into clamping engagement with the pair of side surfaces.

Hydraulic ram or other means may be rotated to rotate the support about the secondary axis.

Further support means may be provided to engage a box when the box is in the removal position whereby the box can be supported by the further support and the means to engage the box moved out of engagement with the box thereby permitting rotation thereof about the secondary axis back into position for engagement with a further box moved to the release position.

The further support may comprise a pair of support elements movable between an operative position for engagement with the box and an inoperative position outwardly of the path of movement of the box and movable about a fourth axis which is generally horizontal and which lies in a plane normal to the secondary axis.

The secondary support elements may be movable about the fourth axis by fluid operated means such as a hydraulic ram.

Retaining means may be provided for each receiving means, each retaining means being movable between a first position to retain a box in the receiving means and a second position to permit release of the box from the receiving means.

The retaining means may be spring urged into the first position and movable to the second position mechanically.

The removing means may be provided with an element which is adapted to engage the retaining means to move the retaining means from the first position to the second position.

The retaining means may comprise a pair of spaced links each of which is pivoted to the body at positions disposed outwardly of the space for receiving

a box and the arms being interconnected, intermediate their ends, by a retaining 0 element adapted to engage a top of the box when in the first position to retain

the box in the receiving means and the arms being provided with means for engagement by the element movable with the removing means for movement of the retaining means from the first position to the second position.

The box tippler may be provided with a guide means to guide, to an exit means, produce which leaves a box as the box is moved from the first to the second position.

According to a second aspect of the present invention we provide a box tippler having the above mentioned features disclosed in GB-A-2,344, 097 characterised in that the box tippler is provided with a guide means to guide to an exit means, produce which leaves the box as the box is moved from the first to the second position.

In either the first aspect of the invention or the second aspect of the invention the guide means may be disposed along a path which extends from a first position which lies on a first radius of the main axis to a second position which lies on a second radius of the main axis which is angularly spaced from the first radius.

The path may be part circular.

The guide means may be adapted to move along the path.

The guide means may comprise an endless belt entrained around guides at the ends of the path.

The guides at the end of the path may comprise rotatable elements.

The rotatable elements may be undriven.

A secondary guide means may be provided between the runs of the belts. The secondary guide means may comprise a plurality of rotatable elements.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein

Figure 1 is a side view of a box tippler according to the present z : l invention ;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 ; and Figure 3 is an end view of the box tippler as shown in Figure 1, looking in the direction of arrow A.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, a box tippler, generally shown at 10, comprises a frame 11 mounted on ground engaging means 12. The frame comprises two sets of diagonal struts Ila, I lb interconnected by a horizontal strut 1 Id. The struts 1 lob each have an extension 1 lac. The frame also has two upright struts 1 lie. The struts of each set are connected by cross struts I If A holding means comprising a wheel shaped body 13 is rotatably mounted on the frame 11, and is driven by an electric motor 14 to rotate about an axis dz The body 13 is mounted on a shaft 13b such that the body 13 is able to rotate relative with the shaft 13b. The shaft 13Q is received in bearings 13d mounted on the trunnions 13e carried by the struts lla and lib. The electric motor 14 drives a drive shaft 15 mounted on which are sprockets 15a which engage and drive the body 13. In the present example each sprocket

engages a chain 13f disposed around the circumference of the body 13. If desired any other suitable driving means may be provided.

The box tippler further comprises a produce hopper, generally shown at 16 comprising a frame 17 and generally rectangular and parallel side walls 18 to guide the produce. The produce hopper 16 comprises a belt carrier 19 carried on rollers 20,21 driven by suitable driving means, preferably an electric motor, not shown.

The body 13 comprises box receiving means in the form of four quadrants indicated as A, B, C and D. The quadrants A, B, C, D are defined and separated by radial dividing walls 30. The body 13 itself comprises a pair of spaced circular side walls 31 interconnected by the dividing walls 30. Each quadrant A, B, C, D is identical and is adapted to receive a box 32 as shown in chain-dashed line. A chain 13f as described above is disposed around the circumference of each side wall 31.

Each quadrant A, B, C, D is provided with a retaining means generally shown at 33. Each retaining means 33 comprises a pair of generally L-shaped arms 34 located inwardly of and adjacent to side walls 31 of the body 13. The arms 34 are interconnected part way along their longer part by a clamping cross member 35 which at its ends is received in arcuate slots 35a provided in the side walls 31 such that the retaining means 33 is able to rotate about a pivot 36 provided between one end of the arms 34 and the side walls 31. At the other end of each arm 34 is an operating part 38. The slots 35a thus constrain the angle through which the retaining means 33 is able to rotate about the pivot 36.

The uprights 1 Ie of the frame pivotally cany a support 50 which is thereby mounted for rotation about a horizontal secondary axis 51 which is parallel to the axis of rotation 13a of the body. The support 50 includes a pair of spaced arms 52 which are mounted for rotation about a third axis which, in Figure 1, is disposed horizontally and lies parallel to the plane of the paper whereby pivotal movement of the arms 52 about the axis causes the arms to clamp against side walls of a box 32 as illustrated in Figure 1. This pivotal movement of the arms 52 is achieved by a hydraulic ram 55 carried on an inclined part 56 of each arm whereby extension of the ram 55 causes pivotal movement of the arms 52 relative to the support 50 and thereby causes the arms to clamp against the side walls of a box 32.

Rotation of the support 50 is by any suitable means such as a pair of hydraulic cylinders, one disposed at each side of the main frame and connected between the frame and the arms. Extension and contraction of the rams thereby causes rotation of the support 50 about the axis 51. The support 50 and the arms 52 and the associated apparatus for causing rotation of the support 50 about the axis 51 and clamping movement of the arms 52 together comprise a box removing means.

If desired the arms 52 may be mounted in any other suitable manner, for example, may be mounted for rectilinear sliding movement by an hydraulic ram into and out of clamping engagement with the side walls of a box 32.

The removing means also comprises in the present example a further upright strut 1 If and a pair of horizontal struts I Ig by which the strut 1 If is connected to the upright strut 1 le. Carried on the lower of the struts I Ig is a further support means to engage a bottom of the box when the box is in the removal position shown in Figure 1 at R. The further support is best shown in Figure 3 and comprises a pair of support elements 53 pivotally movable between an operative position 53a for engagement with the bottom of the box and an inoperative position 53b disposed outwardly of the path of movement of the box and end movable about a fourth axis 54 which is generally horizontal and which lies in a plane normal to the secondary axis 51 and thus parallel to the plane of the paper in Figure 3. Each support element 53 is carried on its associated axis 54 which has a link 57, fixed relative thereto. Operation of a hydraulic ram 58 causes movement of the arm 57 between the position shown at 57a and 57b and thus causes movement of the supports 53 from their inoperative positions 53b to their operative positions 53a, on extension of the ram 58. If desired the further support may engage the box at any other suitable position, in any suitable way and may be moved between the operative and inoperative positions in any suitable way.

The box tippler is also provided with guide means 60 comprising a pair of spaced apart side plates 61 carried by the extensions 11f and a further strut 1 Ih and a continuous belt part 63 which is entrained around rollers 64 at its upper and its lower ends and which is constrained to follow a part circular path by a plurality of further roller elements 65. The rollers 64 and 65 are carried by the plates 61 so as to extend therebetween. The rollers 64,65 are undriven but the belt 63 may rotate around the end roller 64 under the frictional

influence of product falling from the base as it moves from the position indicated at A in Figure 1 to the position indicated at C.

If desired any other suitable guide means may be provided to guide product falling from the box as it moves from the position shown at B to the position shown in Figure C downwardly into the produce hopper 16.

In operation, assuming the body 13 is in the position shown in Figure 1, a full box 32 is introduced using a fork lift truck or similar into the quadrant A in the direction of the arrow X. In this orientation, the retaining means 33 of quadrant A is in the position shown, so that the retaining means is in its

inoperative position and the box can be loaded into the quadrant A. The . r l""A 11 & L JL-- retaining means is maintained in this position by means of an element 65 fixed to rotate with the support 50 and which occupies the position 65a when the support 50 is in a position which extends vertically downwardly (and which position is not illustrated in Figure 1 for clarity, although the element 65 is shown in this position by virtue of reference number 65a.) Having detected the presence of the box in quadrant A, the body 13 is then rotated clockwise through 90 . As it does so, the part 38 of the retaining means 33 moves away from the element 65a and so rotation of the retaining means 33 in an anti-clockwise direction under spring bias provided between at least one of the arms 33 and the associated side part 3 1 occurs to bring the clamping bar 35 into engagement with the upper part of the box 32 and so hold the box in position.

When the body 13 has rotated through 900 the box 32 will have been rotated through 90 and occupy the position shown by quadrant B. Some produce will start to leave the top of the box as the box moves from the quadrant A position to the quadrant B position and such produce is guided by the guide means 60 into the produce hopper 16. Such produce as engages the continuous belt may cause the belt to move downwardly to relieve bruising of

the produce and to guide the produce generally downward gently into the hopper 16.

Further rotation through a further 900 moves the box from the quadrant B position of Figure 1 to the quadrant C position where it is inverted compared with the orientation shown in quadrant A and thus any remaining produce is discharged directed into the hopper 16. Further rotation of the body moves the box to the quadrant D whereat the arms 52 are moved into clamping engagement with side surfaces of the box and then the removing means is caused to rotate about the axis 51 so as to move the box from the position shown in dotted line in quadrant B to the position shown in full line and at the same time the box is rotated through 900 so that the bottom of the box is disposed downwardly. The arm, 65 are, at this stage, in the position shown at 65b.

The further support means 53 are then actuated to move to their operative position 53a so as to support the box by its further supports and the arms 52 are moved out of clamping engagement. The box shown in Figures 1 and 3 at the position R can then be engaged by the forks of a lift truck or by any other suitable means and removed to a desired location.

When the box is no longer supported by the clamping action of the arms 52, the support is rotated, anti-clockwise in Figure 1, about the secondary axis 50 so as to move the arms 52 into an horizontal position ready for engagement with a next box and this movement causes the arms 65 to move to the position shown in 65a to thus lift the arm 33 up so that a full box can be disposed in the quadrant A. Thereafter the procedure is repeated.

By use of this tippler, a single fork lift truck can maintain an effectively continuous supply of produce, bringing a full box from a holding position, loading the full box into the body 13 and returning empty boxes from the box removing mechanism 50 to a store in a single round trip. The body 13 may also be operable in response to the level of produce in the produce hopper 16 such

that a box is emptied only when the demand from the process line has reduced the level of produce in the produce hopper 16 sufficiently. By making a number of boxes available to be emptied on demand, and by using the produce hopper 16 as a"reservoir", a continuous supply of produce may be delivered to the process line, without any discontinuities of supply arising from delays in boxes being brought from a store and emptied. The box tippler permits the use of a single fork lift truck to supply the process line rather than using a number of fork lift trucks to try and avoid any discontinuity in supply.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. A box tippler of the kind specified characterised in that the means for removing a box comprises a means to engage the box at the third position of the body and means to transfer the box from the position occupied when the body is in the third position to a removal position and to change the orientation of the box from that occupied at the third position to a different orientation occupied at the removal position.

2. A box tippler according to Claim 1 wherein each box receiving means comprises a part of the body adapted to receive a box.

3. A box tippler according to Claim 2 wherein said part is a quadrant of the body.

4. A box tippler according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the means to engage the box is arranged for rotation about an horizontal secondary axis arranged parallel or substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the body.

5. A box tippler according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the means to engage the box is adapted to be rotated through 900 from the position in which it is engaged with the box when the body is at the third position to a position wherein the box is at the removal position.

6. A box tippler according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the t : l means to engage the box comprises a clamp comprising a pair of arms adapted to be moved towards each other into clamping engagement with the sides of the body.

7. A box tippler according to Claim 6 wherein the clamp is operated by air, hydraulics or driven by other suitable means into clamping engagement with the sides of the box.

8. A box tippler according to Claim 4 or any one of Claims 5 to 7 when dependent on Claim 4 wherein the secondary axis is disposed at, or substantially at, the same horizontal height as the axis of rotation of the body.

9. A box tippler according to any one of Claims 4 to 8 when dependent on

zl I Claim 4 wherein the means to engage me box is rotated about the secondary axis for 900 in a direction to move the box downwardly and away from the axis of rotation of the body.

10. A box tippler according to Claim 6 or any one of Claims 7 to 9 when dependent on Claim 6 when Claim 6 is dependent on Claim 4 or on Claim 5 when dependent on Claim 4 wherein the pair of arms are pivotally mounted for rotation about the secondary axis.

11. A box tippler according to Claim 10 wherein the arms are also pivotable about a third axis which lies parallel to two opposed side surfaces of the box for clamping engagement with the pair of side surfaces.

12. A box tippler according to Claim 10 wherein the arms are mounted for rectilinear movement into clamping engagement with the pair of side surfaces.

13. A box tippler according to any one of the preceding claims wherein further support means are provided to engage a box when the box is in the removal position whereby the box can be supported by the further support and

the means to engage the box moved out of engagement with the box thereby permitting rotation thereof about the secondary axis back into position for engagement with a further box moved to the release position.

14. A box tippler according to Claim 13 wherein the further support comprises a pair of support elements movable between an operative position for engagement with the box and an inoperative position outwardly of the path of movement of the box and movable about a fourth axis which is generally horizontal and which lies in a plane normal to the secondary axis.

15. A box tippler according to any one of the preceding claims wherein retaining means are provided for each receiving means, each retaining means being movable between a first position to retain a box in the receiving means and a second position to permit release of the box from the receiving means.

16. A box tippler according to Claim 15 wherein the retaining means is spring urged into the first position and movable to the second position mechanically.

17. A box tippler according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the removing means is provided with an element which is adapted to engage the retaining means to move the retaining means from the first position to the second position.

18. A box tippler according to Claim 17 wherein the retaining means comprises a pair of spaced links each of which is pivoted to the body at positions disposed outwardly of the space for receiving a box and the arms being interconnected, intermediate their ends, by a retaining element adapted to engage a top of the box when in the first position to retain the box in the

receiving means and the arms being provided with means for engagement by the element movable with the removing means for movement of the retaining means from the first position to the second position.

19. A box tippler according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the box tippler is provided with a guide means to guide, to an exit means, produce which leaves a box as the box is moved from the first to the second position.

20. A box tippler according to Claim I substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

21. A box tippler of the kind specified characterised in that the box tippler is provided with a guide means to guide to an exit means, produce which leaves the box as the box is moved from the first to the second position.

22. A box tippler according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the guide means is disposed along a path which extends from a first position which lies on a first radius of the main axis to a second position which lies on a second radius of the main axis which is angularly spaced from the first radius.

23. A box tippler according to Claim 22 wherein the path is part circular.

24. A box tippler according to Claim 22 or 23 wherein the guide means is adapted to move along the path.

25. A box tippler according to Claim 24 wherein the guide means comprises an endless belt entrained around guides at the ends of the path.

26. A box tippler according to Claim 25 wherein the guides at the end of the path comprise rotatable elements.

27. A box tippler according to Claim 26 wherein the rotatable elements are undriven.

28. A box tippler according to any of claims 25 to 27 wherein secondary guide means is provided between the runs of the belts.

29. A box tippler according to Claim 28 wherein the secondary guide means comprises a plurality of rotatable elements.

30. A box tippler according to Claim 21 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

31. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.