Discrete article palletizing and depalletizing apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for selective operation at times for palletizing and depalletizing a plurality of articles of varying characteristics movable selectively between the apparatus and tributary conveyor means for each character of article, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of tributary conveyors, one for each character of article; a primary conveyor connected to each of said tributary conveyors and having one end through which the articles pass one at a time for palletizing and depalletizing operation; a table on which articles are selectively formed up into layers from said primary conveyor and dispersed onto said primary conveyor; a trackway supported above said table to provide a first station aligned with said table, said trackway having a portion extending to one side of said first station and providing a second station; a suction head operatively carried by said trackway to move between said first and second stations; and carriage means movable in a horizontal plane at a level below said elevated table, said carriage means providing a plurality of supports for pallets, with said pallet supports being aligned individually and selectively below said second station upon movement of said carriage, said operative connection of said suction head to said trackway permitting said suction head movement vertically in said second station and progressively layer by layer to match the article layering on a pallet in said second station.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said carriage movement is reversible to alternate pallets in registered position with said first station, and means driving said carriage in reverse directions.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said carriage has rotary axis about which it moves to bring any one of said carriage supported pallets into registry with the second station.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said conveyor means is connected into said table with an inclined portion, and said carriage is movable in a linear direction to pass beneath said table in locating a pallet in said second station.

Claim 6

Apparatus for selective operation at times to palletize and to depalletize a layer at a time a variety of groups of articles having different characteristics, said apparatus comprising: a horizontally directed elevated trackway providing first and second stations in spaced relation; an article supporting table spaced below said first station and of a size to support layers of articles; a movable carriage spaced below said second station; said carriage having a plurality of pallet supporting areas thereon; article carrying pallets on said pallet supporting areas in position to move with said carriage for selective alignment with said second station; suction head means operable on said trackway to move between said first and second stations, said suction head meaNs also being movable vertically to and from said table and to and from a pallet on said carriage for transporting a layer at a time of articles therebetween where the articles in such layer being so transported between said table and a pallet at any one time are all of a common character; primary conveyor means operatively connected to said table to convey articles of any one group at a time and in quantities making a layer thereof selectively to and from said table; and a plurality of tributary conveyors each operatively connected to said primary conveyor to deliver to and receive from said primary conveyor articles all of a predetermined common character such that each tributary conveyor handles articles in groups having common characteristics different from groups of articles handled by other tributary conveyors.

Claim 7

Apparatus for selective operation at times to palletize and to depalletize a layer at a time a variety of groups of articles having different characteristics, said apparatus comprising: a horizontally directed elevated trackway providing first and second stations in spaced relation; an article supporting table spaced below said first station and of a size to support layers of articles; a movable carriage spaced below said second station; said carriage having a plurality of pallet supporting areas thereon; article carrying pallets on said pallet supporting areas in position to move with said carriage for selective alignment with said second station; suction head means operable on said trackway to move between said first and second stations, said suction head meaNs also being movable vertically to and from said table and to and from a pallet on said carriage for transporting a layer at a time of articles therebetween where the articles in such layer being so transported between said table and a pallet at any one time are all of a common character; primary conveyor means operatively connected to said table to convey articles of any one group at a time and in quantities making a layer thereof selectively to and from said table; and a plurality of tributary conveyors each operatively connected to said primary conveyor to deliver to and receive from said primary conveyor articles all of a predetermined common character such that each tributary conveyor handles articles in groups having common characteristics different from groups of articles handled by other tributary conveyors.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said carriage is reversibly movable through said second station selectively to position any one pallet in alignment with the vertical movement of said suction head means and to alternate any of said plurality of pallets into alignment with said suction head such that the loading and unloading of said pallets may be mixed.