US3738514A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for handling and stacking articles
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-06-16
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Granted: 1973-06-12
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Expires: 1991-06-16
Abstract
Abstract Articles such as bricks are loaded on one end of a horizontal endless loading conveyer in predetermined groups governed by trays fixed on the endless member of the conveyer. When the groups of articles reach a discharge station along the conveyer, they are sequentially discharged transversely of the conveyer onto a horizontal temporary support plate by paddle plates moved by an endless conveyer transversely overlying the first conveyer such that the articles are pushed by the paddle plates onto the temporary support plate. The temporary support plate overlies a vertical elevator and is retractable from below the discharged articles resting thereon to deposit the same on preceding articles stacked on the elevator. The elevator is then lowered a predetermined amount to make space for the next group of articles to be discharged after which the temporary support plate is moved back to its position overlying the elevator to receive the next group of articles to be discharged. When the elevator reaches its lower-most position, having received a full stack of articles, a push-off mechanism including a vertical pusher plate pushes the stacked articles from the elevator to an adjacent shuttle car which then is moved adjacent a further handling station such as a strapping station where a second push-off mechanism is actuated to push the stacked articles from the shuttle car into a strapping mechanism. The shuttle car then returns adjacent the elevator which then may be raised to a level below the temporary support plate for starting the next stacking operation. The entire system is hydraulically operated under the control of limit switches and timers. An interlocking arrangement of switches and timers ensures that the operation proceeds only when the various components of the system are in proper position. Where the articles are bricks for example and it is desired to form the stack of articles with voids therein for receiving the tines of a fork lift truck, certain trays on the loading conveyer are provided with fixed blocks signifying the position of the voids to the loader. Certain trays may be used for receiving articles which are defective and are discharged at the end of the loading conveyer separately from the normal discharge.
Inventors
- 👤 R Jones
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 08:50
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G57/00; B65G57/02; B65G57/03; B65G57/06; B65G57/035; B65G57/11; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S414/00; Y10S414/10; Y10S414/102; Y10S414/103; Y10S414/11
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
193 words
A method of handling and stacking bricks comprising the steps of: loading a group of bricks in discrete trays longitudinally spaced on a horizontally moving conveyor at a loading station with each group including a plurality of layers of bricks, each layer including a plurality of rows with each row including a number of bricks in end-to-end relationship with the long dimension of the bricks extending transversely of the direction of movement of the conveyor, moving the conveyor to transport the group of bricks to a discharge station spaced from the loading station, moving a pusher member transversely through the tray at the discharge station to engage the group of bricks and push the same as a unit laterally off the conveyor and onto a temporary support plate situated to one side of the conveyor at the discharge station generally in the same horizontal plane as the surface of the conveyor, and moving the plate in a horizontal plane out from under the group of bricks to deposit the group of bricks by gravity on a stack of bricks previously discharged from the conveyor through means of the pusher member and the plate.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
193 words
A method of handling and stacking bricks comprising the steps of: loading a group of bricks in discrete trays longitudinally spaced on a horizontally moving conveyor at a loading station with each group including a plurality of layers of bricks, each layer including a plurality of rows with each row including a number of bricks in end-to-end relationship with the long dimension of the bricks extending transversely of the direction of movement of the conveyor, moving the conveyor to transport the group of bricks to a discharge station spaced from the loading station, moving a pusher member transversely through the tray at the discharge station to engage the group of bricks and push the same as a unit laterally off the conveyor and onto a temporary support plate situated to one side of the conveyor at the discharge station generally in the same horizontal plane as the surface of the conveyor, and moving the plate in a horizontal plane out from under the group of bricks to deposit the group of bricks by gravity on a stack of bricks previously discharged from the conveyor through means of the pusher member and the plate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
75 words
The method defined in claim 1 further including the step of lowering the stack of bricks, moving the plate in a horizontal plane back to its initially defined position adjacent the discharge station for receiving a subsequent group of bricks from the conveyor, and then raising the stack of bricks towards the plate to a position closely adjacent the underside of the plate to receive the next group of bricks upon retraction of the plate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
63 words
THe method defined in claim 2 further including the step of controlling discharge of the group of bricks from the conveyor to the plate through means of said trays so that when the trays reach the discharge station, the pusher member will be actuated to move through the tray at the discharge station to discharge the group of bricks therein onto said plate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method defined in claim 3 further including the step of controlling movement of the plate through the lowering of the stack of bricks so that when the stack of bricks is lowered a predetermined amount, the plate will move to the position adjacent the discharge station for receiving a group of bricks from the conveyor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method defined in claim 4 further including the step of controlling discharge of the group of bricks from the tray to the plate so that said discharge will occur only when the tray is at said discharge station and said plate is in proper position adjacent the discharge station to receive the group of bricks.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method defined in claim 1 further including the step of forming voids in certain rows of bricks in one of the layers while on the conveyor prior to discharging the group of bricks at the discharge station onto said plate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method defined in claim 1 including the step of moving said plate at right angles to said conveyor for depositing the group of bricks onto the stack.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
74 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein the bricks are stacked on an elevator movable vertically below said plate and wherein the stacked bricks are pushed from the elevator to a shuttle car positioned laterally outwardly from the elevator and wherein the plate moves at right angles to the conveyor path from adjacent the discharge station to an area overlying the shuttle car for depositing the group of bricks onto the stack of bricks.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method defined in claim 1 including the steps of successively loading successive trays with bricks in said groups, and employing a plurality of pusher members fixed on an endless drive member to move through successive trays at said discharge station to successively push groups of bricks from said trays at said discharge station.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
165 words
A method of handling and stacking bricks comprising: the steps of loading the bricks on discrete trays on a conveyor at a loading station, the conveyor being movable along a horizontal path to successively move the trays from the loading station to a discharge station spaced therefrom, and the bricks being loaded on the tray in a discrete predetermined group; advancing the conveyor along said horizontal path to position the tray with the group of bricks therein at said discharge station, moving a pusher member transversely through the tray at said discharge station to push the entire group of bricks as a unit transversely off the conveyor onto a temporary support plate positioned in a horizontal plane adjacent said discharge station, and moving said temporary support plate in a horizontal plane out from under said group of bricks thereon to deposit said group of bricks by gravity onto a stack of bricks previously discharged from the conveyor through means of the pusher member and plate.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
165 words
A method of handling and stacking bricks comprising: the steps of loading the bricks on discrete trays on a conveyor at a loading station, the conveyor being movable along a horizontal path to successively move the trays from the loading station to a discharge station spaced therefrom, and the bricks being loaded on the tray in a discrete predetermined group; advancing the conveyor along said horizontal path to position the tray with the group of bricks therein at said discharge station, moving a pusher member transversely through the tray at said discharge station to push the entire group of bricks as a unit transversely off the conveyor onto a temporary support plate positioned in a horizontal plane adjacent said discharge station, and moving said temporary support plate in a horizontal plane out from under said group of bricks thereon to deposit said group of bricks by gravity onto a stack of bricks previously discharged from the conveyor through means of the pusher member and plate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
78 words
The method defined in claim 10 further including the step of lowering the stack of bricks, moving the plate in a horizontal plane back to the position overlying the stack of bricks adjacent said discharge station, and raising the stack of bricks to a predetermined position closely adjacent the underside of said plate for receiving a next group of bricks to be discharged from said conveyor onto said plate and ultimately deposited by said plate on said stack.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method of handling and stacking bricks defined in claim 10 further including the steps of loading the bricks in the tray in a number of rows, and forming voids in certain rows of bricks while on the conveyor at a station intermediate the loading and discharge stations, and discharging said rows of bricks containing the voids at said discharge station in the manner aforesaiD.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-06-11 | 1976-12-11 | 1977-06-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-06-11 | 1980-12-11 | 1981-06-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-06-11 | 1984-12-11 | 1985-06-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |