US4362452A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process and apparatus for loading and emptying a store for press supports
Assignee: Carl Schenck AG
•
Filing: 1980-11-06
•
Granted: 1982-12-07
•
Expires: 2000-11-06
Abstract
Abstract Temporary storage for flexible underlayments or press supports being transported in the manufacture of chipboard is provided by dragging the underlayments over a storage pit into which their rear ends are allowed to drop. Protruding ends of head leaders by which the supports are dragged by longitudinally moving catches, are inserted in a rack having stacked ledges disposed on both sides of the path of travel of the press supports. The rack is indexed downwardly one step at a time as each head leader is inserted into the rack to stack the press supports one above the other in the pit. Press supports are retrieved from storage by raising the rack to realign the head leader with the path of travel of the transporting catches. The rack may be a rigid vertical stack of ledges, or it may constitute a paternoster-type elevator. The catches may include a disengageable mechanism or may be mounted or successive conveyors between which they transfer or drop the press supports in accordance with the vertical deployment of the rack.
Inventors
- 👤 Werner Sparr
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 23:28
CPC Classifications
B; B27; B27N; B27N3/00; B27N3/08; B27N3/20; B27N3/22; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S414/00; Y10S414/10; Y10S414/112
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
134 words
A process for loading and emptying a temporary store for press supports installed in a conveyor line, comprising the steps of catching and dragging the press supports by their front ends over a storage pit into which the trailing portion of the press support is dropped, the front ends of the press supports being inserted in a storage rack disposed on both sides of the conveyor line, the vertical position of the storage rack being controlled to determine whether the press support is immediately transferred forward along the conveyor line or dropped below its path of movement to temporarily store the press support in the pit, stored press supports being removed from storage by raising the rack to catch the front end of the press support and resume its transport along the conveyor line.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
134 words
A process for loading and emptying a temporary store for press supports installed in a conveyor line, comprising the steps of catching and dragging the press supports by their front ends over a storage pit into which the trailing portion of the press support is dropped, the front ends of the press supports being inserted in a storage rack disposed on both sides of the conveyor line, the vertical position of the storage rack being controlled to determine whether the press support is immediately transferred forward along the conveyor line or dropped below its path of movement to temporarily store the press support in the pit, stored press supports being removed from storage by raising the rack to catch the front end of the press support and resume its transport along the conveyor line.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process as set forth in claim 1, wherein the front ends of the press supports are inserted into the racks at an increased rate of speed over that of the conveyor line.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A process as set forth in claim 1, wherein the front ends of the press supports are inserted into the racks and removed therefrom at about the same rate of movement as the conveyor line.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
190 words
An apparatus for the temporary storage of press supports moved along a conveyor line in a manufacturing process comprising a storage pit disposed below a portion of the conveyor line, edge support means connected to the front ends of the press supports, catch means on the portion of the conveyor line disposed above the storage pit for dragging the press supports by their front ends over the storage pit with rear ends dragging within the storage pit, a storage rack for receiving the edge supports disposed on both sides of the conveyor line past the storage pit in the direction of movement of the press supports, the storage racks having stacks of ledges for receiving the edge supports of press supports one on each ledge, vertical indexing means connected to the rack for controlling the vertical position of each of the ledges to provide storage of the press supports within the pit when the ledges are disposed below the path of movement of the catch means and retrieval from the pit and transport along the conveyor line when disposed in alignment with the path of movement of the catch means.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
190 words
An apparatus for the temporary storage of press supports moved along a conveyor line in a manufacturing process comprising a storage pit disposed below a portion of the conveyor line, edge support means connected to the front ends of the press supports, catch means on the portion of the conveyor line disposed above the storage pit for dragging the press supports by their front ends over the storage pit with rear ends dragging within the storage pit, a storage rack for receiving the edge supports disposed on both sides of the conveyor line past the storage pit in the direction of movement of the press supports, the storage racks having stacks of ledges for receiving the edge supports of press supports one on each ledge, vertical indexing means connected to the rack for controlling the vertical position of each of the ledges to provide storage of the press supports within the pit when the ledges are disposed below the path of movement of the catch means and retrieval from the pit and transport along the conveyor line when disposed in alignment with the path of movement of the catch means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein auxiliary pusher means are disposed ahead of the rack in the path of movement of the catch means, and the pusher means operating at a rate of speed greater than that of the conveyor line whereby the edge supports are inserted into the rack, and disengaged from the catch means.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
27 words
An apparatus as set forth in any one of claims 4 or 5, wherein a depositing plate for receiving the press supports is disposed in the pit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the depositing plate has a central elevation to facilitate the transport of press supports through the pit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
72 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein a vertical stop wall is provided past the rack in the direction of movement of the conveyor line for arresting the inserted edge supports in the rack, and removing means is connected to the stop wall for moving it out of the path of movement of an edge support while it is being retrieved from the pit and transported in the conveyor line.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the press supports are flexible, a leader being connected to the front of each press support to provide the edge supports, and a catch conveyor being disposed on each side of the conveyor line disposed over the pit for dragging the press supports over the pit.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein guide rails are provided under the path of travel of press supports, and the guide rails terminating ahead of the pit in the direction of transport of the press supports.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein a further conveyor is disposed past the rack in the direction of transport of the press supports on the conveyor line whereby further transport of supports retrieved from the pit is accomplished.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
61 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the rack comprises a rigidly connected stack of ledges, and vertical indexing means is connected to the stack for moving it downwardly to temporarily store a press support and upwardly into the level of the catch means for retrieving a press support from storage pit and inserting it into the conveyor line.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the rack comprises a paternoster-type vertical conveyor including guide wheels which are rotated to accomplished vertical movement of the rack.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
55 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the catches include release means for disengaging the catches from the press supports, and the release means includes cam means is disposed on the sides of the conveyor line in the zone of the rack for permitting the edge supports to be inserted into the rack.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
60 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the catch means comprises longitudinally moving blocks attached to a belt conveyor and sandwiched under a second belt conveyor for moving the edge supports over the pit, and a further conveyor including further catches overlapping the path of movement of the blocks for further transporting the edge supports and press supports.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1985-12-06 | 1986-06-07 | 1986-12-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-12-06 | 1990-06-07 | 1990-12-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-12-06 | 1994-06-07 | 1994-12-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |