Suspended storage apparatus

• US 5,713,455 A
• Filed: 02/09/1996
• Issued: 02/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SIG Pack Sapal SA
• Original Assignee: Sapal Societe Anonyme Des Plieuses Automatiques
• Inventors: Hofmann, Armin, Walser, Hans Heiri, Aliesch, Hans Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Valenza, Joseph E.
• Application Number:
  US08/571,912
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 198/465.1, 198/465.4, 198/687.1, 198/803.01
• US Class Current: 198/465.1
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 7/00 Other apparatus or process specially adapted for the chocolate or confectionery industry
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 7/0037 Apparatus for orientating and reorienting objects, e.g. chocolate, confectionery, trays, moulds, except sticks
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/5122 by displacement of the conveyor-guiding means, e.g. of the loose pulley-type B65G47/5127 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus for the suspended storage of foodstuffs, particularly slabs of chocolate or the like, arranged on shelves (15) lying flat on trays (14) capable of accommodating a number of such shelves. The shelves (15) are releasable and arranged parallel to one another at a constant spacing, and each shelf forms a plate receiving at least one row of similar foodstuffs. The shelves comprise a closed profile member (80) and two end portions (82) that can be fitted onto the longitudinal ends of the member and are therefore reversible so that they can be reinserted in any position into the trays without using an indexing system.

Claims

1. Pendulant storage device for temporarily storing products, in particular food products and more particularly bars of chocolate or the like, these products being placed on shelves arranged horizontally on pendulant product carriers horizontally suspended on two chains moving parallel to each other in a closed circuit, this installation comprising a feed section going from a station for loading products on the shelves, to a product receiving station, arranged for unloading the shelves, and a return section in which the empty shelves are brought back from the receiving station to the loading station, in which the pendulant product carriers (14) are provided with means for receiving several removable horizontal shelves (15) arranged parallel to each other at a constant spacing, each of these shelves constituting a tray arranged for receiving at least one row of similar products, characterised in that the removable shelves comprise a closed profile (80) and two end fitting pieces (82) arranged for fitting onto this closed profile, at its longitudinal ends.

2. Installation according to claim 1, characterised in that said end fitting pieces (82) comprise means for assuring the fixing of the shelves on the pendulant product carriers.

3. Installation according to claim 2, characterised in that said means comprise a central groove (83) arranged in said end fitting pieces (82) and nipples (84, 85) which are attached to lateral supports (62) of the pendulant product carriers (14) and which are arranged for engaging in said central groove.

4. Installation according to claim 3, characterised in that one (85) of said nipples is longer than the other (84).

5. Installation according to claim 4, characterised in that said long nipple (85) having a greater length than that of the other short nipple (84) is arranged for cooperating with a shoulder (86) of said end fitting piece to define an end of travel stop position of the shelf in relation to the pendulant product carrier.

6. Installation according to claim 5, characterised in that said end fitting pieces (82) comprise at least one recess arranged for receiving said long nipple (85), this recess having an opening whose cross-section is slightly smaller than that of said nipple, the walls of this opening having sufficient elasticity to enable the nipple to snap fit into the recess.

7. Installation according to claim 5, characterised in that the shelves have a symmetrical shape, each end fitting piece comprising two recesses arranged at the ends of the central groove and arranged for receiving a long nipple (85).

8. Installation according to claim 1, characterised in that the thickness of the end fitting pieces (82) is greater than the thickness of the closed profile (80).

9. Installation according to claim 1, characterised in that the end fitting pieces assure a sealing of the closed profile (80) at its longitudinal ends.

10. Installation according to claim 1, characterised in that said closed profile (80) is formed by a rigid connection of two U-shaped profiles (80a and 80b), these profiles being joined along their edges so as to form a hollow profile.

11. Installation according to claim 10, characterised in that said connection is achieved by laser welding.

12. Installation according to claim 10, characterised in that the two faces of the shelf (15) have a dip along a central line parallel to their edges.