Laser cutting plate conveyor

• US 6,835,040 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2002
• Issued: 12/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Neil Quiring
• Original Assignee: Neil Quiring
• Inventors: Quiring, Neil
• Primary Examiner(s): HESS, DOUGLAS A
• Application Number:
  US10/290,894
• Publication Number:
  US 20030091423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 414/281, 414/279, 414/627, 414/660, 414/749.1, 414/752.1, 414/222.02, 414/222.12, 414/225.01, 901/14, 901/16, 901/40, 198/468.6
• US Class Current: 414/281
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/18 Sheet panels
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0838 by using an endless conveyor belt
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0407 using stacker cranes constructional features of stacker cranes B66F9/06

Abstract

An overhead conveyor system transports a selectable workpiece from vertically extending storage racks having a plurality of horizontally extending shelves with stationary stacks of workpieces to be processed on each shelf. Each shelf includes horizontally spaced shelf support members defining openings complementary to horizontally extending support members of a carriage. The horizontally extending members of the carriage are insertable between adjacent horizontally spaced shelf members to engage the upper most workpiece supported by the shelf located below the horizontally extending support members of the carriage. Workpiece engaging members operably associate or engage the upper-most workpiece with the carriage for movement vertically and horizontally along the path of travel to a workstation for processing.

Claims

1. An apparatus for conveying a plate to be laser cut comprising:

an overhead frame extending between a plate-storage location and a laser-cutting table location;

a shuttle supported by the overhead frame for movement along a path of travel between the plate-storage location and the laser-cutting table location, the shuttle including at least one vertically extending support member;

drive means operably connected between the frame and the shuttle for moving the shuttle along the path of travel;

a carriage supported on the vertically extending support member for movement between a raised position and a lowered position, the carriage including at least one plate-engaging member for releasibly supporting a plate to be transported along the path of travel;

lift means operably connected between the vertically extending support and the carriage for transporting the carriage vertically;

control means operably connected to the drive means for controlling movement of the shuttle along the path of travel; and

a plurality of signal generators operably connected to the control means and positioned along the path of travel for indicating locations of the shuttle as the shuttle moves along the path of travel.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

control means operably connected to the lift means for controlling movement of the carriage vertically along the vertically extending support.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drive means further comprises:

a reversible electric motor for driving the shuttle along the path of travel.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lift means further comprises:

a reversible electric motor;

a storage spool connected to the motor for reversible rotation therewith; and

at least one belt operably connected extending between the shuttle and the carriage, and extendable and retractable with respect to the storage spool in response to rotation of the reversible electric motor for raising and lowering the carriage along the vertically extending support.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a storage rack located at the plate-storage location for storing a plurality of plates to be laser cut.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the storage rack supports a portion of the overhead frame.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the storage rack includes a plurality of vertically spaced shelves.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein each shelf is defined by a plurality of horizontally spaced shelf members defining openings between one another at ends facing an approach by the carriage.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the carriage further comprises:

a plurality of horizontally extending support members, the support members engagable between and into the openings defined between the plurality of horizontally spaced shelf members of the storage rack.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the at least one plate-engaging member further comprises a plurality of plate-engaging members supported from the horizontally extending support members of the carriage permitting direct engagement with an upper-most plate in a stack supported by an underlying shelf of the storage rack.

11. An apparatus for conveying a plate to be laser cut comprising:

an overhead frame extending between a plate-storage location and a laser-cutting table location;

a shuttle supported by the overhead frame for movement along a path of travel between the plate-storage location and the laser-cutting table location, the shuttle including at least one vertically extending support member;

drive means operably connected between the frame and the shuttle for moving the shuttle along the path of travel;

a carriage supported on the vertically extending support member for movement between a raised position and a lowered position, the carriage including at least one plate-engaging member for releasibly supporting a plate to be transported along the path of travel;

lift means operably connected between the vertically extending support and the carriage for transporting the carriage vertically;

control means operably connected to the lift means for controlling movement of the carriage vertically along the vertically extending support; and

at least one signal generator operably connected to the lift means and positioned along the vertically extending support for indicating at least one location of the carriage as the carriage moves along the support.

12. An apparatus for conveying a plate to be laser cut comprising:

an overhead frame extending between a plate-storage location and a laser-cutting table location;

a shuttle supported by the overhead frame for movement along a path of travel between the plate-storage location and the laser-cutting table location, the shuttle including at least one vertically extending support member;

drive means operably connected between the frame and the shuttle for moving the shuttle along the path of travel;

a carriage supported on the vertically extending support member for movement between a raised position and a lowered position, the carriage including at least one plate-engaging member for releasibly supporting a plate to be transported along the path of travel;

lift means operably connected between the vertically extending support and the carriage for transporting the carriage vertically;

control means operably connected to the drive means and the lift means for controlling horizontal and vertical components of movement of the shuttle along the path of travel; and

a plurality of signal generators operably connected to the control means and positioned along the path of travel for indicating locations of the shuttle as the shuttle moves along the path of travel, and positioned along the vertically extending support for indicating at least one location of the carriage as the carriage moves along the support.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the drive means further comprises:

a reversible electric motor for driving the shuttle along the path of travel.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the lift means further comprises:

a reversible electric motor;

a storage spool connected to the motor for reversible rotation therewith; and

at least one belt operably connected extending between the shuttle and the carriage, and extendable and retractable with respect to the storage spool in response to rotation of the reversible electric motor for raising and lowering the carriage along the vertically extending support.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

a storage rack located at the plate-storage location for storing a plurality of plates to be laser cut.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the storage rack supports a portion of the overhead frame.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the storage rack includes a plurality of vertically spaced shelves.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein each shelf is defined by a plurality of horizontally spaced shelf members defining openings between one another at ends facing an approach by the carriage.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the carriage further comprises:

a plurality of horizontally extending support members, the support members engagable between and into the openings defined between the plurality of horizontally spaced shelf members of the storage rack.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the at least one plate-engaging member further comprises a plurality of plate-engaging members supported from the horizontally extending support members of the carriage permitting direct engagement with an upper-most plate in a stack supported by an underlying shelf of the storage rack.