Depalletizing and pallet stacking apparatus

Claim 2

Article shuttle apparatus for moving one article or a row of articles bodily from one point to another, said one article of a row of articles to be moved thereby occupying a variable longitudinal extent due either to a varying number or size of the article or articles involved, said article shuttle apparatus including at least one pair of horizontally spaced clamping members, said horizontally spaced clamping members being respectively attached for bodily movement with a cylinder and a piston rod connected to a piston movable longitudinally within said cylinder, the cylinder being mounted on a horizontally movable frame so it and the clamping member attached thereto are supported for movement as a unit toward and away from the other clamping member, said pair of clamping members having initial relatively widely spaced apart positions located beyond the ends of the longest row of articles to be moved thereby and much closer spaced positions as close together as possible up to a minimum spacing point where less than the maximum number of articles can be clamped therebetween, and operating means for effecting movement of said frame and movement of the piston within said cylinder between an initial position in the cylinder where said clamping members have their maximum spacing and a second position in the cylinder where further movement is limited by the clamping engagement thereof with the article or articles involved.

Claim 3

The article shuttle apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cylinder is mounted for limited pivoting movement on said movable frame about a lateral horizontal axis.

Claim 4

The article shuttle apparatus of claim 1 wherein the article clamping members of each of said article gripping units are mounted for article hunting movement so each clamping member moves against the end of the nearest article removed to said position the minimum spacing.

Claim 5

Article shuttle apparatus for moving one article or a row of articles bodily from one point to another, said one article of a row of articles to be moved thereby occupying a variable longitudinal extent due either to a varying number or size of the article or articles involved, said article shuttle apparatus including a pair of horizontally spaced clamping members, each clamping member being supported for movement toward and away from the other clamping member, said pair of clamping members in a first condition of operation of the apparatus having initial relatively widely spaced apart positions located beyond the ends of the longest row of articles to be moved thereby and in a second condition of operation of the apparatus having positions as close together as possible up to a minimum spacing point where less than the maximum number of articles can be clamped therebetween, said clamping members being associated with other elements so that one of the clamping members and its associated elements are substantially heavier than the other clamping member and its associated elements, spring loaded push-off means associated with the heavier clamping member and associated elements, said push-off means being under spring tension when said clamping members are in their maximum spaced apart positions located beyond the ends of the longest row of articles and imparting a force to the latter clamping member to move the same toward the other clamping member when released for movement toward the same, and means for operating said article shuttle apparatus from said first to said second condition of operation and, after the articles involved are clamped therebetween, to carry the clamped article to a discharge point.

Claim 6

Article shuttle apparatus for moving one article or a row of articles bodily from one point to another, said one article of a row of articles to be moved thereby occupying a variable longitudinal extent due either to a varying number or size of the article or articles involved, said article shuttle apparatus including a pair of horizontally spaced clamping members, each clamping member being supported for movement toward and away from the other clamping member, said pair of clamping members in a first condition of operation of the apparatus having initial relatively widely spaced apart positions located beyond the ends of the longest row of articles to be moved thereby and in a second condition of operation of the apparatus having positions as close together as possible up to a minimum spacing point where less than the maximum number of articles can be clamped therebetween, said clamping members being associated with other elements so that one of the clamping members and its associated elements are substantially heavier than the other clamping member and its associated elements, spring loaded push-off means associated with the heavier clamping member and associated elements, said push-off means being under spring tension when said clamping members are in their maximum spaced apart positions located beyond the ends of the longest row of articles and imparting a force to the latter clamping member to move the same toward the other clamping member when released for movement toward the same, and means for operating said article shuttle apparatus from said first to said second condition of operation and, after the articles involved are clamped therebetween, to carry the clamped article to a discharge point.

Claim 7

Article shuttle apparatus for bodily moving from one point to another a plurality of rectangular articles arranged in contiguous rows, where each row of articles can include one or more articles occupying a variable longitudinal extent due to a varying number or size of the articles, said shuttle apparatus including shuttle carriage means supporting therein laterally spaced article gripping units each including a pair of horizontally spaced article clamping members each of which is movable independently of all of the other clamping members between a position where it is spaced a maximum degree from the associated clamping member so the pair thereof have a maximum separation where they are located beyond the ends of the longest associated row of articles to be engaged thereby and a position of minimum separation where each clamping member is moved horizontally to the fullest extent possible toward the other clamping member of each pair thereof up to a minimum spacing point where less than a maximum number of articles can be clamped thereby, clamping member moving means having a first condition for driving both clamping members of each gripping unit at a controllable moment from said first position of maximum spacing toward a position of minimum spacing to the extent permitted by the articles to be clamped thereby and having a second condition for returning the same to said position of maximum spacing at a controllable moment, means for moving said shuttle carriage means from a pick-up point to a discharge station, and control means for operating said clamping member moving means from said second condition to said first condition when the articles are in position to be grasped by said clamping members at said pick-up point and for operating said clamping member moving means from said first condition to said second condition when said carriage is at said discharge station.

Claim 8

Article shuttle apparatus for bodily moving from one point to another a plurality of rectangular articles arranged in contiguous rows, where each row of articles can include one or more articles occupying a variable longitudinal extent due to a varying number or size of the articles, said shuttle apparatus including shuttle carriage means supporting therein laterally spaced article gripping units each including a pair of horizontally spaced article clamping members each of which is movable independently of all of the other clamping members between a position where it is spaced a maximum degree from the associated clamping member so the pair thereof have a maximum separation where they are located beyond the ends of the longest associated row of articles to be engaged thereby and a position of minimum separation where each clamping member is moved horizontally to the fullest extent possible toward the other clamping member of each pair thereof up to a minimum spacing point where less than a maximum number of articles can be clamped thereby, clamping member moving means having a first condition for driving both clamping members of each gripping unit at a controllable moment from said first position of maximum spacing toward a position of minimum spacing to the extent permitted by the articles to be clamped thereby and having a second condition for returning the same to said position of maximum spacing at a controllable moment, means for moving said shuttle carriage means from a pick-up point to a discharge station, and control means for operating said clamping member moving means from said second condition to said first condition when the articles are in position to be grasped by said clamping members at said pick-up point and for operating said clamping member moving means from said first condition to said second condition when said carriage is at said discharge station.

Claim 9

Article shuttle apparatus for bodily moving from one point to another a plurality of rectangular articles arranged in contiguous rows, where each row of articles can include one or more articles occupying a variable longitudinal extent due to a varying number of size of the articles, said shuttle apparatus including shuttle carriage means supporting therein laterally spaced article gripping units each including a pair of horizontally spaced article clamping members, each of the clamping members being supported on a carriage frame guided for horizontal longitudinal movement within tracks formed in the shuttle carriage means framework so each of the clamping members is movable independently of all of the other clamping members between a position where it is spaced a maximum degree from the associated clamping member so the pair thereof are located beyond the ends of the longest associated row of articles to be engaged thereby and a position of minimum separation where each clamping member is moved horizontally to the fullest extent possible toward the other clamping member of each pair thereof up to a minimum spacing point where less than a maximum number of articles can be clamped thereby, clamping member operating means for moving said clamping members of each gripping unit from said position of maximum spacing toward a position of minimum spacing to the extent permitted by the articles to be clamped thereby and for returning the same to said position of maximum spacing, and means for moving said shuttle carriage means from a pick-up point to a discharge station while said article clamping members remain in said position of minimum spacing, the articles being released by said clamping members when the main carriage reaches said discharge station.

Claim 10

Article shuttle apparatus for bodily moving from one point to another a plurality of rectangular articles arranged in contiguous rows, where each row of articles can include one or more articles occupying a variable longitudinal extent due to a varying number of size of the articles, said shuttle apparatus including shuttle carriage means supporting therein laterally spaced article gripping units each including a pair of horizontally spaced article clamping members, each of the clamping members being supported on a carriage frame guided for horizontal longitudinal movement within tracks formed in the shuttle carriage means framework so each of the clamping members is movable independently of all of the other clamping members between a position where it is spaced a maximum degree from the associated clamping member so the pair thereof are located beyond the ends of the longest associated row of articles to be engaged thereby and a position of minimum separation where each clamping member is moved horizontally to the fullest extent possible toward the other clamping member of each pair thereof up to a minimum spacing point where less than a maximum number of articles can be clamped thereby, clamping member operating means for moving said clamping members of each gripping unit from said position of maximum spacing toward a position of minimum spacing to the extent permitted by the articles to be clamped thereby and for returning the same to said position of maximum spacing, and means for moving said shuttle carriage means from a pick-up point to a discharge station while said article clamping members remain in said position of minimum spacing, the articles being released by said clamping members when the main carriage reaches said discharge station.

Claim 11

The article shuttle apparatus of claim 6 wherein each pair of horizontally spaced clamping members are respectively attached to a cylinder and a piston rod connected to a piston longitudinally movable within said cylinder, said piston rod and cylinder being respectively secured to the track guided carriage frames associated with said clamping members.

Claim 12

The article shuttle apparatus of claim 7 wherein each of said cylinders is connected to the associated track guided carriage frame through a connection permitting limited pivotal movement about a lateral horizontal axis.

Claim 13

The article shuttle apparatus of claim 6 wherein each of said horizontally spaced pair of clamping members are respectively attached to a hydraulic cylinder and a piston rod connected to a piston moveable longitudinally within said cylinder; said clamping member operating means including means for feeding hydraulic fluid into each of said cylinders on one side or the other of said piston where the piston rod can be moved to an extended or retracted position; said shuttle carriage means having longitudinally spaced abutment shoulder-forming means; each pair of clamping members and the associated piston rod and cylinder being respectively connected to separate carriage frames guided for movement in tracks formed in the shuttle carriage means, whereby the piston rod clamping member carried thereby and the associated carriage frame moves horizontally together as a unit; and the other clamping member, said hydraulic cylinder and the associated carriage frame move together as a unit; means respectively associated with each associated pair of track guided carriage frames which engage said abutment shoulder-forming means when said clamping members are at or in the vicinity of said position of maximum spacing; conduit means interconnecting the corresponding ends of said hydraulic cylinders together so that they can be respectively fed from a common source of hydraulic fluid under pressure; a common hydraulic input line, valve means selectively interconnecting said common input line to one end or the other of said hydraulic cylinder; the carriage frames associated with said hydraulic cylinders each carrying spring loaded pusher means which engage one of said shoulder-forming abutment means where they are compressed thereagainst when the pressure in said common hydraulic input line raises to a given value indicating that all of said spring loaded pusher means are simultaneously engaging said shoulder-forming abutment means; and said means for moving said clamping members from said position in the path of movement of said articles on said conveyor to said other position thereof being operable when all of said spring loaded pusher means are compressed simultaneously by the presence of said given pressure.

Claim 14

Article shuttle apparatus for bodily moving from one point to another a plurality of rectangular articles arranged in contiguous rows, where each row of articles can include one or more articles occupying a variable longitudinal extent due to a varying number or size of the articles, said shuttle apparatus including shuttle carriage means supporting therein laterally spaced article gripping units each including a pair of horizontally spaced article clamping members each of which is movable between a position where it is spaced a maximum degree from the associated clamping member so the pair thereof are located beyond the ends of the longest associated row of articles to be engaged thereby and a position of minimum separation where each clamping member is moved horizontally to the fullest extent possible toward the other clamping member of each pair thereof up to a minimum spacing point where less than a maximum number of articles can be clamped thereby, clamping member operating means for moving said clamping member of each gripping unit from said first position of maximum spacing toward a position of minimum spacing to the extent permitted by the articles to be clamped thereby and for returning the same to said position of maximum spacing, means for moving said shuttle carriage means from a pick-up point to a discharge station while said article clamping members remain in said position of minimum spacing, the articles being released by said clamping members when the main carriage reaches said discharge station, and there is provided beneath said discharge station a conveyor for receiving the articles discharged thereat and impelling the same horizontally in a given direction, each pair of horizontally spaced article clamping members when moved by the shuttle carriage means to said discharge station being spaced apart in a direction parallel to said given direction, the clamping member of each pair of clamping members which is spaced from the associated clamping member at said discharge station in the direction in which the articles are moved on said conveyor being movable after further separation from the associated clamping member from a position where it is in the path of movement of the articles dropped on said conveyor to a position where it is out of the path of movement thereof, and said clamping member operating means being operable to separate each of said pairs of clamping members at said discharge point at a speed less than the speed at which said conveyor moves said articles thereon, so the articles are moved against the forwardmost associated clamping members, and there is provided means responsive to the movement of the latter forwardmost clamping members at said discharge station to corresponding positions along a line transverse to the direction of movement of the articles on said conveyor by moving said latter clamping members from said position in the path of movement of said articles on said conveyor to said position out of the path of movement thereof where the then laterally aligned articles thereagainst are free to be moved at the speed of the conveyor.

Claim 15

Article shuttle apparatus for bodily moving from one point to another a plurality of rectangular articles arranged in contiguous rows, where each row of articles can include one or more articles occupying a variable longitudinal extent due to a varying number or size of the articles, said shuttle apparatus including shuttle carriage means supporting therein laterally spaced article gripping units each including a pair of horizontally spaced article clamping members each of which is movable between a position where it is spaced a maximum degree from the associated clamping member so the pair thereof are located beyond the ends of the longest associated row of articles to be engaged thereby and a position of minimum separation where each clamping member is moved horizontally to the fullest extent possible toward the other clamping member of each pair thereof up to a minimum spacing point where less than a maximum number of articles can be clamped thereby, clamping member operating means for moving said clamping member of each gripping unit from said first position of maximum spacing toward a position of minimum spacing to the extent permitted by the articles to be clamped thereby and for returning the same to said position of maximum spacing, means for moving said shuttle carriage means from a pick-up point to a discharge station while said article clamping members remain in said position of minimum spacing, the articles being released by said clamping members when the main carriage reaches said discharge station, and there is provided beneath said discharge station a conveyor for receiving the articles discharged thereat and impelling the same horizontally in a given direction, each pair of horizontally spaced article clamping members when moved by the shuttle carriage means to said discharge station being spaced apart in a direction parallel to said given direction, the clamping member of each pair of clamping members which is spaced from the associated clamping member at said discharge station in the direction in which the articles are moved on said conveyor being movable after further separation from the associated clamping member from a position where it is in the path of movement of the articles dropped on said conveyor to a position where it is out of the path of movement thereof, and said clamping member operating means being operable to separate each of said pairs of clamping members at said discharge point at a speed less than the speed at which said conveyor moves said articles thereon, so the articles are moved against the forwardmost associated clamping members, and there is provided means responsive to the movement of the latter forwardmost clamping members at said discharge station to corresponding positions along a line transverse to the direction of movement of the articles on said conveyor by moving said latter clamping members from said position in the path of movement of said articles on said conveyor to said position out of the path of movement thereof where the then laterally aligned articles thereagainst are free to be moved at the speed of the conveyor.

Claim 16

Article shuttle apparatus for bodily moving from one point to another in a given direction a plurality of rectangular articles arranged in contiguous rows, where each row of articles can include one or more articles occupying a variable longitudinal extent in said given direction due to a varying number or size of the articles, said shuttle apparatus including shuttle carriage means supporting therein laterally spaced article gripping units each including a pair of horizontally spaced article clamping members each of which is movable independently of all of the other clamping members between an initial position where it is spaced a maximum degree from the associated clamping member in said given direction so the pair thereof are located beyond the ends of the longest associated row of articles to be engaged thereby and a position of minimum separation where each clamping members is moved horizontally to the fullest extent possible toward the other clamping member of each pair thereof up to a minimum spacing point where less than a maximum number of articles can be clamped thereby, clamping member moving means having a first condition for driving both of said clamping members of each gripping unit at a controllable moment from said first position of maximum spacing toward a position of minimum spacing to the extent permitted by the articles to be clamped thereby and having a second condition for returning the same to said position of maximum spacing at a controllable moment, and means for moving said shuttle carriage means from a pick-up point to a discharge station while said article clamping members remain in said position of minimum spacing, and control means for operating said clamping member moving means from said second condition to said first condition when the articles are in position to be grasped by said clamping member at said pick-up point and for operating said clamping member moving means from said first condition to said second condition when said carriage is at said discharge station.

Claim 17

Article shuttle apparatus for bodily moving from one point to another in a given direction a plurality of rectangular articles arranged in contiguous rows, where each row of articles can include one or more articles occupying a variable longitudinal extent in said given direction due to a varying number or size of the articles, said shuttle apparatus including shuttle carriage means supporting therein laterally spaced article gripping units each including a pair of horizontally spaced article clamping members each of which is movable independently of all of the other clamping members between an initial position where it is spaced a maximum degree from the associated clamping member in said given direction so the pair thereof are located beyond the ends of the longest associated row of articles to be engaged thereby and a position of minimum separation where each clamping members is moved horizontally to the fullest extent possible toward the other clamping member of each pair thereof up to a minimum spacing point where less than a maximum number of articles can be clamped thereby, clamping member moving means having a first condition for driving both of said clamping members of each gripping unit at a controllable moment from said first position of maximum spacing toward a position of minimum spacing to the extent permitted by the articles to be clamped thereby and having a second condition for returning the same to said position of maximum spacing at a controllable moment, and means for moving said shuttle carriage means from a pick-up point to a discharge station while said article clamping members remain in said position of minimum spacing, and control means for operating said clamping member moving means from said second condition to said first condition when the articles are in position to be grasped by said clamping member at said pick-up point and for operating said clamping member moving means from said first condition to said second condition when said carriage is at said discharge station.

Claim 18

The article shuttle apparatus of claim 11 wherein there is provided means for aligning at least one of the corresponding clamping members of each of said article gripping units along a line transverse to said longitudinal rows before the articles are completely released from the article clamping members, wherein the articles are aligned for removal from said discharge station.

Claim 19

The article shuttle apparatus of claim 12 wherein there is provided at said discharge station a conveyor for moving the articles in a direction transverse to said direction of lateral alignment of the articles thereat, a conveyor delivering the articles delivered at the discharge station to an article separator station, and means of said article separator station for separating contiguous lateral rows of said articles from one another and the articles in each lateral row of articles from one another.