Article storage carousel with automatic conveyor loading and unloading
First Claim
1. An article storage carousel with automatic conveyor loading and unloading comprising:
- conveyor means for transporting articles along a fixed path between an upstream location and downstream location;
vertical carriage means for accumulating a plurality of articles for subsequent transfer to a temporary storage location; and
storage carousel means for receiving said plurality of articles and for storing said articles temporarily subsequent to discharge of said articles to said conveyor means.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An article storage carousel is disclosed featuring automatic conveyor loading and unloading. A conveyor is provided for transporting articles along a fixed path between an upstream location and a downstream location. A vertical carriage accumulates a plurality of articles for subsequent transfer to a temporary storage location. A storage carousel receives the plurality of articles for temporary storage and subsequent retrieval and discharge to the conveyor. If required, an alignment and guide housing can be provided between the vertical carriage and storage carousel to compensate for any slight vertical misalignment between the vertical carriage and storage carousel.
116 Citations
17 Claims
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1. An article storage carousel with automatic conveyor loading and unloading comprising:
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conveyor means for transporting articles along a fixed path between an upstream location and downstream location; vertical carriage means for accumulating a plurality of articles for subsequent transfer to a temporary storage location; and storage carousel means for receiving said plurality of articles and for storing said articles temporarily subsequent to discharge of said articles to said conveyor means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An article storage carousel with automatic conveyor loading and unloading comprising:
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conveyor means for transporting articles along a fixed path between an upstream location and downstream location; vertical carriage means for accumulating a plurality of articles for subsequent transfer to a temporary storage location; storage carousel means for receiving said plurality of articles and for storing said articles temporarily subsequent to discharge of said articles to said conveyor means, said carousel means including a continuous track supporting a plurality of storage bins moveable about said continuous track, each bin moveable selectively into alignment with said carriage means; alignment and guide means for guiding said plurality of articles during transfer to said carousel means from said carriage means; stop means disposed generally transverse to said conveyor means and movable between a first position obstructing free flow of articles along said conveyor means allowing capturing and accumulation of stopped articles with said carriage means and a second position allowing free flow of articles along said conveyor means; bin loading means for simultaneously engaging a plurality of articles supported by said carriage means for transferring into an aligned storage bin for temporary storage of said articles; and bin unloading means for simultaneously engaging a plurality of articles supported by said storage bin when aligned with said carriage means for transferring said plurality of articles to said carriage means for subsequent sequential release to said conveyor means. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An article storage carousel with automatic conveyor loading and unloading comprising:
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a conveyor for transporting articles along a fixed path through a buffering station between an upstream location and a downstream location; a stop disposed at a downstream end of said buffering station and movable between a first position obstructing free flow of articles along said conveyor and a second position allowing free flow of articles along said conveyor; a vertical elevator disposed upstream of said stop straddling said conveyor, said elevator having opposing projections extending inwardly toward said conveyor forming generally horizontal, parallel shelves for engaging under a stopped article resting against said stop, said shelves for supporting each said stopped articles independent of said conveyor, said shelves movable vertically in synchronized steps to selectively capture from or release to said conveyor a plurality of articles in sequential fashion, said elevator movable vertically between a buffering position adjacent said conveyor and a transfer position spaced vertically above said conveyor; an alignment and guide housing for transferring said plurality of articles captured by said elevator from said conveyor to a temporary storage location, said housing aligned with said elevator at said transfer position and having a plurality of inwardly extending, opposing ledges forming generally horizontal, parallel chambers with rollers adjacent each end of each chamber, each roller having a cylindrical surface spaced slightly above an upper surface of the adjacent ledge such that said article tips upwardly slightly in the direction of travel as said articles engages said roller during transferring from and to said housing to compensate for any slight vertical misalignment between the housing and the elevator or the storage location; a carousel storage system having a continuous track supporting a plurality of storage bins equally spaced thereabout, each bin driven in synchronized steps about said track and individually alignable with said housing, each bin having a plurality of inwardly extending, opposing surfaces forming generally horizontal, parallel nests for temporarily storing said articles, each bin having an open vertical area through each nest communicating with an aperture formed in a rear wall of each bin; a first pusher for simultaneously engaging a plurality of articles supported by said elevator at said transfer position for passage through said housing into an aligned storage bin for temporary storage of said articles; and a second pusher engageable through said aperture for simultaneously engaging a plurality of articles supported by said storage bin when aligned with said housing for passage through said housing onto said elevator when in said transfer position for subsequent sequential release to said conveyor.
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Specification