Article handling apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for loading articles in a substantially continuous single-file stream onto a selected one of a set of elongated, vertically stacked racks adapted to receive such articles at an infeed set of their ends comprising an elongated infeed conveyor disposed below and extending generally transversely of and adjacent the infeed ends of the racks for moving articles substantially horizontally and in succession toward said infeed ends of the racks, an elevator adjacent the infeed ends of the racks and said conveyor operable to remove articles in succession directly from said conveyor and raise them to positions substantially in axial alignment with a selected one of the racks, a vertically movable shifter mounted adjacent said elevator, adjustable selectively to at least two different vertically spaced positions, each generally in axial alignment with a different one of said racks, said shifter being operable, when in a position aligned with a selected rack and with an article on said elevator in alignment axially with said selected rack, to shift the article laterally from the elevator onto the adjacent infeed end of the rack, an power-operated adjustment means connected to said shifter for moving the shifter between said two positions.

Claim 3

Apparatus for loading articles in a substantially continuous single-file stream onto a selected one of a set of elongated, vertically stacked racks adapted to receive such articles at an infeed set of their ends comprising an elongated infeed conveyor disposed below and extending generally transversely of and adjacent the infeed ends of the racks for moving articles substantially horizontally and in succession toward said infeed ends of the racks, an elevator adjacent the infeed ends of the racks and said conveyor operable to remove articles in succession directly from said conveyor and raise them to positions substantially in axial alignment with a selected one of the racks, a vertically movable shifter mounted adjacent said elevator, adjustable selectively to at least two different vertically spaced positions, each generally in axial alignment with a different one of said racks, said shifter being operable, when in a position aligned with a selected rack and with an article on said elevator in alignment axially with said selected rack, to shift the article laterally from the elevator onto the adjacent infeed end of the rack, an power-operated adjustment means connected to said shifter for moving the shifter between said two positions.

Claim 4

Apparatus for loading articles in a substantially continuous single-file stream onto a selected one of a set of elongated, vertically stacked racks adapted to receive such articles at an infeed set of their ends comprising an elongated infeed conveyor disposed below and extending generally transversely of and adjacent the infeed ends of the racks for moving articles substantially horizontally and in succession toward said infeed ends of the racks, an elevator adjacent the infeed ends of the racks and said conveyor operable to remove articles in succession directly from said conveyor and raise them to positions substantially in axial alignment with a selected one of the racks, a vertically movable shifter mounted adjacent said elevator, adjustable selectively to at least two different vertically spaced positions, each generally in axial alignment with a different one of said racks, said shifter being operable, when in a position aligned with a selected rack and with an article on said elevator in alignment axially with said selected rack, to shift the article laterally from the elevator onto the adjacent infeed end of the rack, an power-operated adjustment means connected to said shifter for moving the shifter between said two positions.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1, which further comprises means for sensing the number of articles shifted by the shifter onto a rack with the shifter in one of its said positions, and means operatively connected to said sensing means operable, after a preselected number of articles have been shifted onto the rack, to adjust the position of said shifter vertically to its other position.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 1, which further comprises a counter for counting the number of articles shifted by said shifter in one of its said positions, and power-operated means responsive to the count of said counter operatively connected to said shifter, operable to move the shifter to its other position after the counter has counted the successive shiftings by said shifter in its said one position of a preselected number of articles.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein there is another set of elongated, vertically stacked racks disposed laterally adjacent said first-mentioned set, with each rack in said other set at substantially the same elevation as a rack in the first-mentioned set, said shifter and elevator are mounted for movement laterally of the ends of such racks, and which further comprises power-operated means operatively connected to said shifter and elevator operable to move the same laterally of said ends of the racks from positions adjacent the ends of the racks in one set to positions adjacent the ends of the racks in the other set.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said shifter is adjustable to a different position adjacent each rack in a set for shifting articles onto the rack whereby a preselected number of articles may be loaded onto different racks in a set, and which further comprises means operatively connected to said shifter and to said power-operated means for sensing when said shifter has loaded said preselected number onto racks in a set and, upon sensing this, for actuating said power-operated means thus to move the shifter and elevator into positions adjacent the infeed set of ends of the other set of racks.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said sensing means comprises a counter circuit actuated by each shifting action of said shifter.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said adjustment means comprises a reversible motor, which is operable to raise the shifter to different positions to load successively higher racks when adjacent one set of racks, and upon the shifter and elevator being moved into a position adjacent the other set of racks, is operable to lower the shifter to different positions to load successively lower racks in said other set.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said racks have an outfeed set of ends from which articles may be discharged, and which further comprises an outfeed conveyor spaced vertically from said racks operable to move articles substantially horizontally and in succession away from said outfeed ends, and transfer means disposed intermediate said outfeed ends and the outfeed conveyor, said transfer means including means operable to receive articles discharged from the racks and to shift them vertically onto said outfeed conveyor.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said transfer means comprises a vertically movable article receiver mounted for selective adjustment to different vertically spaced positions, each generally in alignment with the outfeed end of a different one of said racks, motor means connected to said receiver for moving the same between said different positions, and control means interconnecting said adjustment means for said shifter and the motor means for said receiver operable to produce adjustment of said receiver, whereby it is maintained adjacent the outfeed end of the same rack with which the shifter is aligned.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein there is another set of elongated, vertically stacked racks disposed adjacent and laterally of said first-mentioned set, with each rack in said other set at substantially the same elevation as a rack in the first-mentioned set, said shifter and elevator are mounted for movement laterally of the infeed ends of such racks, said receiver is mounted for movement laterally of the outfeed ends of such racks, and which further comprises power-operated means operatively connected to the shifter and elevator for moving the same laterally of said racks from positions adjacent one set of racks to a position adjacent the other set, power-operated means operatively connected to said receiver for moving the same laterally of said racks from a position adjacent one set of racks to a position adjacent the other set, and control means interconnecting the power-operated means for moving said shifter and elevator and the power-operated means for moving the receiver, which control means is operable to produce corresponding actuation of both of said power-operated means, whereby the shifter and receiver are positioned at the infeed and outfeed ends, respectively, of the same set of racks.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said infeed conveyor comprises a plurality of horizontally spaced supports for supporting the underside of an article moved therealong, and said elevator comprises arms movable upwardly between said supports, operable to engage the underside of an article and lift it directly from said supports.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said elevator further comprises chain means having a substantially upright vertically movable reach spaced from the infeed ends of the racks, motor means operatively connected to said chain means operable to produce vertical movement of said reach, and said arms are mounted on said reach for movement vertically therewith, the arms projecting substantially horizontally outwardly from said reach in the direction of the infeed ends of the racks.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said arms are spaced apart vertically on said reach a distance slightly greater than the height of an article to be lifted by the elevator.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said elevator further comprises a pair of chains having substantially parallel, laterally spaced, upright reAches spaced from the infeed ends of the racks, said arms being mounted on said reaches with the arms spaced apart vertically on said reaches and projecting substantially horizontally outwardly therefrom in the direction of the infeed ends of the racks, and motor means connected to said chains for producing synchronized vertical movement of said reaches, whereby an arm on said reach of one chain moves substantially parallel and is maintained substantially in a common horizontal plane with an arm on said reach of the other chain.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the shifter comprises an extensible-contractible ram disposed with its longitudinal axis extending substantially parallel to the racks, said arms of the elevator extend between said ram and the infeed ends of said racks, and the ram is operable, on being extended to shove an article off said arms and onto a rack.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein there is another set of elongated vertically stacked racks disposed adjacent and laterally of said first-mentioned set, and which further comprises a substantially upright traveling frame mounted for movement laterally of the infeed ends of the racks in said sets, and said shifter is mounted on a vertically shiftable carriage carried on said traveling frame.

Claim 20

Apparatus for loading articles in a substantially continuous single-file stream onto a selected one of a set of elongated, vertically stacked racks adapted to receive such articles at an infeed set of their ends comprising an elongated infeed conveyor disposed below and extending generally transversely of and adjacent the infeed ends of the racks for moving articles substantially horizontally and in succession toward said infeed ends of the racks, said infeed conveyor including a plurality of horizontally spaced supports adapted to support the underside of an article moved therealong, an elevator adjacent the infeed ends of the racks including chain means having a substantially upright vertically movable reach, motor means operatively connected to said chain means for driving it whereby said reach moves upwardly, and vertically spaced, elongated arms mounted on said reach and projecting substantially horizontally therefrom in the direction of said racks, said arms being operable, on upward movement of said reach to engage the underside of an article supported on said supports, lift such article directly from the supports, and raise it to a position substantially in axial alignment with one of said racks, and a vertically movable shifter mounted adjacent said elevator, adjustable selectively to at least two different vertically spaced positions, each generally in axial alignment with a different one of said racks, said shifter being operable, when in a position aligned with a selected rack and with an article on said elevator in alignment axially with said selected rack, to shift the article laterally from the elevator and onto the adjacent infeed end of the rack.

Claim 21

Apparatus for loading articles in a substantially continuous single-file stream onto a selected one of a set of elongated, vertically stacked racks adapted to receive such articles at an infeed set of their ends comprising an elongated infeed conveyor disposed below and extending generally transversely of and adjacent the infeed ends of the racks for moving articles substantially horizontally and in succession toward said infeed ends of the racks, said infeed conveyor including a plurality of horizontally spaced supports adapted to support the underside of an article moved therealong, an elevator adjacent the infeed ends of the racks including chain means having a substantially upright vertically movable reach, motor means operatively connected to said chain means for driving it whereby said reach moves upwardly, and vertically spaced, elongated arms mounted on said reach and projecting substantially horizontally therefrom in the direction of said racks, said arms being operable, on upward movement of said reach to engage the underside of an article supported on said supports, lift such article directly from the supports, and raise it to a position substantially in axial alignment with one of said racks, and a vertically movable shifter mounted adjacent said elevator, adjustable selectively to at least two different vertically spaced positions, each generally in axial alignment with a different one of said racks, said shifter being operable, when in a position aligned with a selected rack and with an article on said elevator in alignment axially with said selected rack, to shift the article laterally from the elevator and onto the adjacent infeed end of the rack.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein there is another set of elongated, vertically stacked racks disposed adjacent and laterally of said first-mentioned set, and which further comprises a substantially upright traveling frame mounted for movement laterally of the infeed ends of the rack in said sets, and said shifter and elevator are mounted on said traveling frame for movement therewith.

Claim 23

Apparatus for loading articles in a substantially continuous single-file stream onto the infeed end of a rack comprising an elongated infeed conveyor disposed below and extending generally transversely of and adjacent the infeed end of the rack for moving articles substantially horizontally and in succession toward said infeed end of the rack, said conveyor including a plurality of horizontally spaced supports adapted to support the underside of an article moved therealong, an elevator adjacent the infeed end of the rack and the conveyor including an elongated, substantially horizontal, vertically movable arm and power-operated means operatively connected to said arm operable to raise the arm from a lowered position below the level of said supports upwardly between an adjacent pair of said supports, and to a position substantially in axial alignment with the end of the rack, for picking an article up from said conveyor and raising it into axial alignment with the rack, and a shifter mounted adjacent and substantially in axial alignment with the rack, said shifter being operable, with an article on said elevator in alignment with the rack, to shift the article laterally from the elevator and onto the infeed end of the rack.

Claim 24

Apparatus for loading articles in a substantially continuous single-file stream onto the infeed end of a rack comprising an elongated infeed conveyor disposed below and extending generally transversely of and adjacent the infeed end of the rack for moving articles substantially horizontally and in succession toward said infeed end of the rack, said conveyor including a plurality of horizontally spaced supports adapted to support the underside of an article moved therealong, an elevator adjacent the infeed end of the rack and the conveyor including an elongated, substantially horizontal, vertically movable arm and power-operated means operatively connected to said arm operable to raise the arm from a lowered position below the level of said supports upwardly between an adjacent pair of said supports, and to a position substantially in axial alignment with the end of the rack, for picking an article up from said conveyor and raising it into axial alignment with the rack, and a shifter mounted adjacent and substantially in axial alignment with the rack, said shifter being operable, with an article on said elevator in alignment with the rack, to shift the article laterally from the elevator and onto the infeed end of the rack.