Container destacking and transfer apparatus

• US 6,234,745 B1
• Filed: 03/06/2000
• Issued: 05/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: First of America Bank-North Central Illinois, NA (First of America Bank-Illinois NA)
• Original Assignee: Ergonomic Design Specialties, Inc.
• Inventors: Pugh, Ronnie C., Lewelling, Lyn E., McBride, Brownie S., Pierce, Charles D.
• Primary Examiner(s): KRIZEK, JANICE LEE
• Application Number:
  US09/515,034
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• Field of Search: 414/794.5, 414/796.9
• US Class Current: 414/796.9
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 59/02 De-stacking from the top of the stack
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 61/00 Use of pick-up or transfer devices or of manipulators for stacking or de-stacking articles not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A conveyor and transfer apparatus for transferring containers seriatim from a substantially vertical stack of containers includes an endless belt conveyor pivotally mounted on a frame for movement between elevated and declined positions by opposed hydraulic actuators. The conveyor includes a frame for supporting a carriage thereon for movement along guide tracks forming part of the carriage support frame between a position wherein opposed container gripping arms may be actuated to grip a container and a position for depositing the container on a conveyor belt. A hydraulic linear actuator moves the carriage between its working positions and opposed gripper arms are actuated by respective cylinder and piston type actuators to move between container gripping and release positions. A programmable logic controller is adapted to control operation of the apparatus through a hydraulic control circuit in response to actuation of limit switches by the carriage, by the carriage engaging a container and by elevation or declination of the conveyor, together with appropriate time delays in a working cycle of the apparatus.

Claims

1. An apparatus for unstacking and transferring a container from a stack of said containers comprising:

an apparatus frame;

a conveyor mounted on said apparatus frame for conveying containers seriatim from said stack;

a carriage including a carriage frame and a container gripper mounted thereon, said carriage being mounted for movement relative to said conveyor between a first position for gripping and removing a container from said stack and a second position for depositing said container on said conveyor;

said conveyor includes a conveyor frame for supporting said carriage for movement between said first position for engaging and gripping a container and said second position for depositing said container on said conveyor; and

said gripper comprises an elongated gripper shaft mounted on said carriage frame for limited movement relative to said carriage frame in response to engagement of said container by said gripper, said gripper shaft supporting spaced apart arms which support container gripping fingers thereon, and said gripping fingers being movable between a first position for releasing said container and a second position for gripping said container.

2. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said apparatus includes a control system including spaced apart sensors mounted on said apparatus and responsive to movement of said gripper shaft to provide a control signal to effect movement of said gripping fingers into gripping engagement with said container.

3. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said gripper shaft is mounted in opposed bearings spaced apart on and supported by said carriage frame, said opposed bearings being configured to allow limited lateral movement of said gripper shaft with respect to said opposed bearings, respectively.

4. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said carriage frame includes roller means supported on spaced parallel tracks on said conveyor frame for supporting said carriage on said conveyor.

5. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 including:

pressure fluid actuator means on said carriage for moving said gripping fingers between said positions.

6. The apparatus set forth in claim 5 wherein:

said gripping fingers are mounted on opposed rotatable support shafts supported on said opposed arms of said gripper, spaced apart from each other, and said pressure fluid actuator means on said carriage is operable to rotate said support shafts to move said gripping fingers between said first and second positions.

7. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 including:

an actuator for moving said carriage between said first and second positions of said carriage.

8. The apparatus set forth in claim 7 wherein:

said actuator for moving said carriage comprises an elongated cylinder and piston type linear actuator.

9. An apparatus for unstacking and transferring a container from a stack of said containers comprising:

an apparatus frame;

a conveyor mounted on said apparatus frame for conveying containers seriatim from said stack;

a carriage including a container gripper mounted thereon, said carriage being mounted on said conveyor for movement relative to said conveyor between a first position for gripping and removing a container from said stack and a second position for depositing said container on said conveyor; and

said conveyor is mounted on said apparatus frame for movement between an elevated position and a declined position with respect to said apparatus frame to enable said container gripper to engage successive ones of containers disposed in said stack.

10. The apparatus set forth in claim 9 including:

a control system for controlling movement of said carriage between said first and second positions and for controlling movement of said conveyor between elevated and declined positions with respect to said stack including;

a first actuator for moving said carriage between said first and second positions;

a second actuator for elevating and declining said conveyor;

a motor for driving said conveyor;

a control circuit for controlling said motor and said actuators, respectively, and

a controller operably connected to said control circuit to effect traversal of said carriage between said first and second positions, elevation and decline of said conveyor and traversal of said conveyor to move containers therealong.

11. The apparatus set forth in claim 10 including:

third actuator means for gripping and releasing a container and said control circuit is operable for controlling said third actuator means in response to signals from said controller.

12. The apparatus set forth in claim 9 wherein:

said apparatus includes actuator means for moving said conveyor between elevated and declined positions.

13. The apparatus set forth in claim 12 including:

bearings supported on said apparatus frame for supporting said conveyor for pivotal movement with respect to said apparatus frame about an axis of a shaft, said shaft supporting roller means engaged with endless belt means on said conveyor.

14. The apparatus set forth in claim 13 including:

drive motor means drivingly coupled to said shaft for driving said endless belt means.

15. The apparatus set forth in claim 9 wherein:

said conveyor includes endless belt means supported on a conveyor frame and a shaft supporting said conveyor on said apparatus frame.

16. The apparatus set forth in claim 15 wherein:

said shaft is mounted in opposed bearings mounted on said apparatus frame for rotation about a longitudinal axis of said shaft and said conveyor frame includes spaced apart bearings engageable with said shaft for supporting said conveyor on said shaft.

17. The apparatus set forth in claim 15 wherein:

said shaft comprises a drive shaft of said conveyor, said drive shaft being drivably engageable with a roller for driving said endless belt means.

18. The apparatus set forth in claim 17 including:

a drive motor drivingly connected to said drive shaft whereby said drive shaft is rotatable in bearings supporting said drive shaft on said apparatus frame and said conveyor is supported by said drive shaft for pivotal movement about a central longitudinal axis of said drive shaft.

19. An apparatus for unstacking and transferring a plurality of containers from a stack of said containers comprising:

an apparatus frame;

a shaft mounted on said apparatus frame;

an endless belt conveyor including a conveyor frame mounted on said shaft, substantially at one end of said conveyor for pivotal movement relative to said apparatus frame;

a first actuator for moving said conveyor with respect to said apparatus frame between elevated and declined positions;

a carriage mounted for linear movement on and along said conveyor between a first position for engaging a container and a second position for releasing said container;

a second actuator for moving said carriage between said positions of said carriage, respectively;

a gripper mounted on said carriage and operable to engage a container and grip said container for moving said container from said stack to said conveyor; and

at least a third actuator for actuating said gripper to grip and release said container, respectively.

20. The apparatus set forth in claim 19 wherein:

said shaft is mounted in opposed bearings mounted on said apparatus frame for rotation about a longitudinal axis of said shaft and said conveyor frame includes spaced apart bearings engageable with said shaft for supporting said conveyor on said shaft.

21. The apparatus set forth in claim 20 wherein:

said shaft comprises a drive shaft of said conveyor, said drive shaft being drivably engageable with a roller for driving endless belt means of said conveyor.

22. The apparatus set forth in claim 19 wherein:

said shaft supporting said conveyor comprises a drive shaft connected to a roller for driving an endless belt of said conveyor.

23. The apparatus set forth in claim 22 including:

a drive motor drivingly engaged with said drive shaft.

24. The apparatus set forth in claim 23 wherein:

said actuators are pressure fluid operated and said apparatus includes a control circuit including respective control valves for controlling flow of pressure fluid to said actuators, respectively, and a controller operably connected to said control circuit to effect operation of said actuators and of said drive motor to provide traversal of said carriage between said positions, elevation and decline of said conveyor, gripping and releasing a container, and traversal of said conveyor to move containers therealong.

25. The apparatus set forth in claim 19 wherein:

said carriage includes a carriage frame including roller means supported on tracks on said conveyor frame for supporting said carriage on said conveyor.

26. The apparatus set forth in claim 25 wherein:

said gripper includes opposed arms spaced apart and supported on said carriage frame, said arms supporting container gripping fingers mounted thereon and movable between a first position for releasing said container and a second position for gripping said container for moving said container from said stack to said conveyor.

27. The apparatus set forth in claim 26 wherein:

said gripper comprises an elongated gripper shaft supporting said opposed arms and mounted on said carriage frame for limited movement relative to said carriage frame in response to engagement of a container by said gripper.

28. An apparatus for unstacking and transferring a container from a stack of said containers comprising:

an apparatus frame;

a conveyor mounted on said apparatus frame for conveying containers from said stack;

a carriage including a carriage frame and a container gripper mounted thereon, said carriage being mounted for movement relative to said conveyor between a first position for engaging and gripping a container and removing a container from said stack and a second position for depositing said container on said conveyor;

said conveyor including a conveyor frame for supporting said carriage for movement between said first position for engaging and gripping a container and said second position for depositing said container on said conveyor;

said gripper comprises an elongated gripper shaft mounted on said carriage frame for limited pivotal movement relative to said carriage frame in response to engagement of said container by said gripper, said gripper shaft supporting spaced apart arms supporting container gripping fingers thereon, said gripping fingers being movable between a first position for releasing said container and a second position for gripping said container for moving said container from said stack to said conveyor.