Abstract Palletizing apparatus includes a pallet loading chamber with a pallet lift or elevator having a trunnion mounted ball nut assembly which receives a drive screw driven by an electric motor. The pallet lift and ball nut are confined against rotational motion by spaced opposed guide tracks which engage guide rollers on the lift. The drive screw motor is controlled by a digital pulse counter which is coupled to a sensor which senses screw revolutions. The pulse counter can be programmed to move the lift upward or downward a pre-selected distance such as the height of the layer of cartons. The apparatus also includes a retractable apron which is movable between an advanced position over the pallet loading chamber and a retracted position free of the loading bin by a motor driven screw and a ball nut assembly on the apron. A pallet magazine for supplying pallets to the pallet loading chamber has cam operated elevating fingers for separating the lower pallet from a vertical pallet stack and a sweep bar for moving the lower pallet into the loading chamber. The apparatus also includes a conveyor assembly with a pivoted conveyor extension and a cross conveyor at the end of the extension to afford positioning of two loaded pallets for access by fork lift trucks.
The sub-combination of a pallet magazine comprising a magazine frame with upstanding side walls and a floor for supporting a stack of pallets, means for separating the stack of pallets from a lower pallet, said means including openings in said side walls, fingers on opposite sides of said side walls and projecting through said openings in said side walls, cam surfaces on said fingers and cam followers on said frame cooperating with said cam surfaces to provide initial finger movement from a retracted position in a generally horizontal plane to an advanced position in an upwardly inclined direction to raise the pallet stack, means for moving said fingers between the retracted position and an advanced position, and a pusher bar for moving the lower pallet from said pallet magazine into said pallet loading chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
134 words
The sub-combination of a pallet magazine comprising a magazine frame with upstanding side walls and a floor for supporting a stack of pallets, means for separating the stack of pallets from a lower pallet, said means including openings in said side walls, fingers on opposite sides of said side walls and projecting through said openings in said side walls, cam surfaces on said fingers and cam followers on said frame cooperating with said cam surfaces to provide initial finger movement from a retracted position in a generally horizontal plane to an advanced position in an upwardly inclined direction to raise the pallet stack, means for moving said fingers between the retracted position and an advanced position, and a pusher bar for moving the lower pallet from said pallet magazine into said pallet loading chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
76 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said means for moving said fingers between the retracted position and the advanced position comprises a motor, a rock shaft having a drive crank, a drive link reciprocated by said motor and connected to said drive crank on said rock shaft, output cranks connected to said rock shaft, arms pivotally connected to said fingers and to said magazine frame, and links connected to said output cranks and to said arms.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said links connecting said arms to said output cranks are yieldable.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
57 words
The device of claim 3 including lift bars and means for guiding the lift bars for generally vertical movement, cam surfaces on said links and said lift bars having upper ends engaging said fingers and cam followers on the other ends of said lift bars engaging said cam surfaces to afford upward movement of said lift bars.