Apparatus for centralized mechanical and systems control in a material handling system

• US 5,632,589 A
• Filed: 01/03/1994
• Issued: 05/27/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Symorex Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Symorex Incorporated
• Inventors: Bray, Thomas J., Cailey, Ron, Burkhalter, Kenneth E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Valenza, Joseph E.
• Application Number:
  US08/176,383
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: 198/365, 198/802, 198/349, 198/341, 198/349.5, 198/349.6, 198/350, 198/370.04, 414/339, 414/349, 414/222
• US Class Current: 414/339
• CPC Class Codes: B61B 13/04 Monorail systems
• CPC Class Codes: B61C 11/04 tractive effort applied to racks
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/962 tilting about an axis substantially parallel to the conveying direction

Abstract

A material handling and transport system for transporting goods between a number of discharge/induction stations and selectively receiving and discharging goods at the stations. A moving transport unit, for example a train-type string or cars or trolleys with tilting trays for receiving, transporting and discharging goods between induction and discharge stations positioned along a track, incorporates a number of self-contained, locally controlled sensing, signal and actuation devices which allow the trolleys to selectively interact with passive stations around the track. The centralization of systems control on the trolleys themselves, as opposed to on the track-side stations, results in greater system flexibility, reduced cost, and allows the train to operate in essentially autonomous mode without the need for external control and monitoring. In one embodiment each tray-supporting trolley includes a self-actuating tipper arm mechanism activated by local computer to engage discharge station as the trolley passes to discharge the load carried by the trolley. Each trolley also includes a sender/receiver device capable of reading passive status indicators associated with stations around the track, and signaling various switching devices to activate track-side structure for interaction with the trolley as it passes.

Claims

1. A material handling and transport system for transporting goods between a number of discharge/induction stations and selectively receiving and discharging goods at the stations, comprising:

moving transport means traveling on a defined path between induction and discharge stations;

platform means carried by the moving transport means for receiving goods from induction stations, carrying goods between stations, and discharging goods at discharge stations;

discharge control means on the moving transport means for selectively activating the platform means to discharge goods;

passive discharge actuating means along the path of the moving transport means associated with each discharge station, positioned to be engaged by the discharge control means when the discharge control means are selectively activated;

discharge sensing means on the moving transport means to sense the availability of a discharge station as the transport means approaches; and

local control means on the moving transport means for communicating with the discharge sensing means and the discharge control means and for selectively activating the discharge control means when the transport means approaches a discharge station;

the moving transport means comprising a tug or locomotive unit carrying the local control means and pulling at least one trolley unit, the trolley unit carrying the platform means, the discharge control means, and the discharge sensing means, the path of the transport unit comprising a track with the induction and discharge stations located at spaced locations along the track;

wherein the discharge control means includes at least one tipper arm means, and the passive discharge actuating means comprises tipping ramp means located on the track near a discharge station, the tipper arm means selectively movable between a non-enabled state in which it cannot engage the tipping ramp means, and an enabled state where it engages the tipping ramp means as the train passes.

2. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein the discharge control means includes a first tipper arm means which causes the platform means to discharge goods to a first side of the track, and a second tipper arm means which causes the platform means to discharge to a second side of the track when it engages the same tipping ramp means.

3. A system as defined in claim 2, wherein the discharge sensing means include independent discharge sensing means for each tipper arm.

4. A system as defined in claim 2, wherein the discharge control means include mechanical interlock means associated with the first and second tipper arms, the interlock means responsive to movement of one tipper arm to the enabled state to prevent movement of the other tipper arm to the enabled state.

5. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein the tipping ramp means comprises an essentially S-shaped, curved ramp means for producing a sinusoidal motion in the platform means during discharge.

6. A system as defined in claim 5, wherein the tipping ramp means has a height approximating the height of the track.

7. A self-actuating, self-contained signalling and command system for controlling support functions in a material-handling system in which a moving transport receives, transports and discharges goods between induction and discharge stations as it moves along a defined path, the system comprising:

a self-contained sensing means on the transport for selectively sensing the status of a track-side station or device positioned along the path of the transport unit as the transport passes thereby;

signal means on the transport selectively actuated to activate a device stationed along the path of the transport as the transport unit passes; and

local computer control means on the transport connected to the sensing and signal means to selectively activate devices along the path of the transport to interact with the transport unit as it passes, and to sense the status of devices along the path of the transport to selectively enable the transport to interact with the devices;

wherein,

the transport comprises a tug or locomotive carrying the local computer control means and pulling at least one trolley, each trolley carries platform means, discharge control means, the signal means, and the sensing means, the path of the train comprises a track and the induction and discharge stations are located at spaced locations along the track, and the discharge control means includes at least one tipper arm means, and further including passive discharge actuating means comprising tipping ramp means located on the track near a discharge station, the tipper arm means selectively movable between a non-enabled state in which it cannot engage the tipping ramp means, and an enabled state where it engages the tipping ramp means as the train passes.

8. A system as defined in claim 7, wherein the discharge control means includes a first tipper arm means which causes the platform means to discharge goods to a first side of the track, and a second tipper arm means which causes the platform means to discharge to a second side of the track when it engages the same tipping ramp.

9. A system as defined in claim 8, further including platform sensing means on the transport unit to sense the mode of the platform means.

10. A system as defined in claim 8, wherein the discharge sensing means includes independent discharge sensing means for each tipper arm.

11. A system as defined in claim 8, wherein the discharge control means includes mechanical interlock means associated with the first and second tipper arms, the interlock means responsive to movement of one tipper arm to the enabled state to prevent movement of the other tipper arm to the enabled state.

12. A system as defined in claim 7, wherein the tipping ramp comprises an essentially S-shaped, curved ramp means.

13. A system as defined in claim 12, wherein the tipping ramp means has a height approximating the height of the track.