Depository for accumulations of paper sheets

• US 5,022,807 A
• Filed: 04/08/1988
• Issued: 06/11/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Grapha-Holding Ag (Rudolf B Mueller)
• Original Assignee: Grapha-Holding Ag (Rudolf B Mueller)
• Inventors: Linder, Heinz
• Primary Examiner(s): Bucci, David A.
• Application Number:
  US07/179,038
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 414/277-280, 414/282, 414/286, 414/911, 242/58.6, 242/59, 242/79
• US Class Current: 414/278
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/04 mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/0232 Coils, bobbins, rolls
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 19/12 Lifting, transporting, or inserting the web roll; Removing empty core
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 19/30 Lifting, transporting, or removing the web roll; Inserting core
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/41702 management and organisation of stock and production
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/4186 by lifting or lowering device, e.g. crane
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2405/422 Trolley, cart, i.e. support movable on floor
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/1932 Signatures, folded printed matter, newspapers or parts thereof and books
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 29/006 Winding articles into rolls
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 5/28 Feeding articles stored in rolled or folded bands
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/124 Roll handlers

Abstract

Large rolls of partially overlapping paper sheets which are convoluted onto the cores of reels are stored in one or more rows of compartments in a newspaper printing or bookbinding plant. Two adjoining rows are separated from each other by a track for one or more vehicles which are used to transport empty reels to one or more compartments wherein the sheets are convoluted onto the respective cores as well as to transport loaded reels to unoccupied compartments or to compartments which are adjacent to unwinding units. Conveyors in the form of cranes and/or chain or belt conveyors are used to transfer empty and loaded reels between the compartments of the rows and pairs of similar compartments on the vehicles. A vehicle which transports a loaded reel from the convoluting station to an empty compartment is used to transport an empty reel from such compartment to the compartment at the convoluting station so that the vehicle is put to use during each stage of its movement.

Claims

1. A depository for accumulations of sheets, particularly for rolls of convoluted paper sheets, comprising at least one row of neighboring first facilities for temporary storage of discrete accumulations;

mobile carriers for accumulations in said first facilities, there being a discrete carrier in each of said facilities;

an elongated track extending along said row;

means for accumulating sheets on the carrier in at least one of said first facilities;

means for removing sheets from the accumulation on the carrier in at least one of said first facilities;

at least one vehicle arranged to move along said track and having at least two second facilities for temporary storage of discrete accumulations;

a mobile carrier for an accumulation in at least one of said second facilities so that at least one of said second facilities is occupied whenever said vehicle travels along said row, said carries being transferable between the respective first and second facilities; and

conveyor means for effecting the transport of carriers between the first facilities of said row and the second facilities of said vehicle substantially transversely of said track.

2. The depository of claim 1, wherein said row is a straight row and said track is parallel to said row.

3. The depository of claim 1, further comprising a second row of neighboring first facilities for temporary storage of discrete accumulations and carries for accumulations in the first facilities of said second row, said track being disposed between and being flanked by said rows, said conveyor means including means for effecting the transport of carriers between the first facilities of said second row and the second facilities of said vehicle.

4. The depository of claim 1, wherein said row is disposed between said track and said accumulating means.

5. The depository of claim 1, wherein said row is a disposed between said track and said removing means.

6. The depository of claim 1, wherein each of said first facilities includes a first support arranged to locate the carrier therein at a predetermined level and said vehicle is movable along said track to place its second facilities into register with selected first facilities of said row, each of said second facilities including a second support arranged to locate a carrier therein at the level of the carrier on the registering first support.

7. The depository of claim 6, wherein said conveyor means includes rollers provided for the carriers so that such carriers can be rolled from a second support onto the registering first support or vice versa.

8. The depository of claim 1, further comprising several additional rows of first facilities for temporary storage of discrete accumulations and carriers for accumulations in the first facilities of said additional rows, said track being disposed between said at least one row and said additional rows and said conveyor means including means for effecting the transport of carriers between the first facilities of said additional rows and the second facilities of said vehicle.

9. The depository of claim 1, comprising a plurality of discrete vehicles each arranged to move along said track independently of each other vehicle.

10. The depository of claim 1, wherein said conveyor means comprises an endless belt or chain conveyor for each of said facilities.

11. The depository of claim 1, wherein said conveyor means comprises an overhead crane.

12. The depository of claim 1, wherein the mutual positions of said second facilities are such that one thereof registers with a selected first facility when the other second facility registers with the first facility which is immediately adjacent to the selected first facility.

13. The depository of claim 12, wherein the dimensions of said first facilities match the dimensions of said second facilities.

14. A depository for articles, comprising at least one row of neighboring first facilities for temporary storage of respective articles;

at least one vehicle arranged to move along said row and having at least two second facilities for temporary storage of respective articles;

guide means for guiding said vehicle along said row;

mobile carriers for the articles transferable between the respective first and second facilities, said carriers including a carrier in at least one of said second facilities so that at least one of said second facilities is occupied whenever said vehicle travels along said row; and

conveyor means for effecting the transport of carriers between said first facilities and said second facilities.