Unit for sorting and transferring sheets of glass

• US 6,382,897 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2001
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bottero S.p.A. (Bottero Finanziaria SpA)
• Original Assignee: Bottero S.p.A. (Bottero Finanziaria SpA)
• Inventors: Aimar, Giacomo, Bisotto, Sebastiano, Mattio, Roberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Bratlie, Steven A.
• Application Number:
  US09/778,866
• Publication Number:
  US 20010022927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 453 Days
• Field of Search: 414/331.03, 414/331.1, 414/331.08, 414/331.06, 414/400
• US Class Current: 414/331.1
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2249/02 Controlled or contamination-free environments or clean space conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 49/067 Sheet handling, means, e.g. manipulators, devices for turning or tilting sheet glass suction cups B65G49/061; combined with vertical conveyors C03B33/00 - C03B33/10; stacking and destacking B65G49/068
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 49/068 Stacking or destacking devices; Means for preventing damage to stacked sheets, e.g. spaces stacking in general B65G57/00; destacking in general B65G59/00; spacer sheets in general B65H

Abstract

A unit for sorting and transferring sheets of glass has a number of carriages, each having a number of compartments for receiving respective sheets of glass; and a sorting device for supporting the sheets and feeding each of the sheets into a respective compartment; the sorting device having a support for supporting a sheet and rotating about an axis of rotation; and the carriages being arranged in a ring about the rotary support.

Claims

1. A unit (1) for sorting and transferring sheets (2) of glass;

the unit (1) comprising a number of carriages (29), each having a number of compartments (33), each for receiving at least one respective sheet (2) of glass; and

sorting means (6, 16) for supporting the sheets (2) and feeding each of the sheets (2) into a respective compartment (33);

characterized in that said sorting means (6, 16) comprise rotary supporting means (7, 16) rotating about an axis (10) of rotation; and

in that said carriages (29) are arranged in a ring about said rotary supporting means (7, 16).

2. A unit as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said rotary supporting means (7, 16) comprise a single slide track (15) for the sheets (2);

and said sorting means (6, 16) also comprise conveying means (16, 20) for moving one sheet (2) at a time along said slide track (15).

3. A unit as claimed in claim 2, characterized by also comprising first actuating means (11) for rotating said rotary supporting means (7, 16) in opposite directions about said axis (10) of rotation, and for aligning said slide track (15) with each said compartment (33).

4. A unit as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said conveying means (16, 20) comprise gripping means (16);

and second actuating means (20) for moving said gripping means (16) in opposite directions parallel to said slide track (15).

5. A unit as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that said second actuating means comprise an electric motor (21), and a mechanical transmission (22) activated by said electric motor (21).

6. A unit as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said supporting means (7, 16) comprise a circular platform (7) coaxial with said axis (10) of rotation.

7. A unit as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that said compartments (33) extend radially about said circular platform (7).

8. A unit as claimed in claim 1, characterized by also comprising a fixed structure (24) fixed with respect to said axis (10) of rotation;

said fixed structure (24) defining a number of seats (26), each housing a relative said carriage (29); and

releasable retaining means (31) being provided to retain each said carriage (29) in a fixed position inside the relative seat (26).

9. A unit as claimed in claim 1, characterized by also comprising unloading means (16, 37, 39) for unloading said carriages (29) when withdrawn from said sorting means (6, 16);

said unloading means (16, 37, 39) comprising further rotary supporting means (16, 37) rotating about a further axis (38) of rotation.

10. A unit as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that said axes (10)(38) of rotation are separate.

11. A unit as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that said axes (10)(38) of rotation are parallel.

12. A unit as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that said further rotary supporting means (16, 37) comprise a single further slide track (15), and further gripping means (16) for moving one sheet (2) at a time along said further slide track (15).

13. A unit as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that said unloading means (16, 37, 39) comprise a further fixed structure (39) fixed with respect to said further axis (38) of rotation and identical with the fixed structure (24) of said sorting means (6, 16).

14. A unit as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that said unloading means (16, 37, 39) also comprise further actuating means (11) for rotating said further rotary supporting means (16, 37) in opposite directions about said further axis (38), and for aligning said further slide track (15) with each compartment (33) on the carriages (29) retained by said further fixed structure (39).