Conveyor line loader for multi-tiered rolling carts

Claim 1

A cart loader for assembling objects advancing along an infeed conveyor line into at least one column of objects, and transferring these objects to individual shelves of a multi-tiered rolling cart, comprising: A. a frame enclosing (1) a vertically elongated front elevator zone, and (2) a central staging zone rearwardly behind the elevator zone aligned to receive objects delivered by the infeed conveyor, as at least one lateral column across the staging zone, B. a multi-deck elevator movably mounted for reciprocating vertical movement within the elevator zone and having at least two decks spaced apart vertically by a distance corresponding to the vertical distance between shelves on the multi-tiered cart, C. cart latching means mounted on the front of the frame and defining the rear portion of a cart loading zone in which the multi-tiered cart is disengageably latched to the frame with its individual shelves presented to the elevator zone for loading, D. a plurality of horizontally forward deployable and rearward retractable pushers corresponding to the number of shelves of the multi-tiered cart, each pusher being aligned with one said shelf when the cart is latched to the frame, and positioned for delivery of objects from the elevator zone to the cart-loading zone, with one vertically central pusher being aligned with the infeed conveyor and having at least two forward stop positions, a proximal stop position in which objects propelled by the central pusher are delivered from the infeed conveyor to the aligned elevator deck and a remote stop position in which objects propelled by the central pusher have been swept from the elevator deck and delivered forward to the aligned cart shelf, E. elevator hoisting-lowering means connected to move the elevator between a top position with its uppermost deck substantially aligned with the top shelf of the cart, and a bottom position with its lowermost deck substantially aligned with the bottom shelf of the cart, F. and elevator stop means connected to stop the elevator at successive levels with each of its decks in turn aligned with the infeed conveyor and with one of said pushers.

Claim 18

A method for loading at a loading station a multi-tiered cart having 2N+1 shelves with objects delivered on an infeed conveyor positioned at the level of the middle cart tier, utilizing an elevator positioned between the infeed conveyor and the cart and having N+1 decks, wherein N is an integer greater than zero, comprising the steps of A. moving the elevator to a first end of its stroke, with a proximal elevator deck aligned with the infeed conveyor and the level of the middle cart tier, and a distal elevator deck aligned with a last cart tier, B. pushing objects from the infeed conveyor to the proximal elevator deck until said deck is filled, C. moving the elevator toward the opposite end of its stroke to align its next deck with the infeed conveyor, D. pushing objects from the infeed conveyor to said next elevator deck until said next deck is filled, E. repeating steps C and D until the elevator has reached said opposite end of its stroke and all elevator decks are filled, F. simultaneously pushing all objects loaded on all elevator decks onto aligned cart tiers, G. pushing objects from the infeed conveyor to load the distal elevator deck, H. moving the elevator toward said first end of its stroke until the next elevator deck is aligned with the infeed conveyor, I. pushing objects from the infeed conveyor to said next elevator deck until said next deck is filled, J. repeating steps H and I until said elevator is at said first end of its stroke and all elevator decks except said proximal deck are filled, K. simultaneously pushing all objects from all said elevator decks except said proximal deck onto aligned cart tiers, thereby completing the loading of all tiers of said cart, L. repeating steps B, C and D while removing the loaded cart and substituting an empty cart into loading position at the loading station, M. repeating steps E, F, G, H, I, J and K, whereby a continuous series of empty carts are loaded in turn.

Claim 19

A method for loading at a loading station a multi-tiered cart having 2N+1 shelves with objects delivered on an infeed conveyor positioned at the level of the middle cart tier, utilizing an elevator positioned between the infeed conveyor and the cart and having N+1 decks, wherein N is an integer greater than zero, comprising the steps of A. moving the elevator to a first end of its stroke, with a proximal elevator deck aligned with the infeed conveyor and the level of the middle cart tier, and a distal elevator deck aligned with a last cart tier, B. pushing objects from the infeed conveyor to the proximal elevator deck until said deck is filled, C. moving the elevator toward the opposite end of its stroke to align its next deck with the infeed conveyor, D. pushing objects from the infeed conveyor to said next elevator deck until said next deck is filled, E. repeating steps C and D until the elevator has reached said opposite end of its stroke and all elevator decks are filled, F. simultaneously pushing all objects loaded on all elevator decks onto aligned cart tiers, G. pushing objects from the infeed conveyor to load the distal elevator deck, H. moving the elevator toward said first end of its stroke until the next elevator deck is aligned with the infeed conveyor, I. pushing objects from the infeed conveyor to said next elevator deck until said next deck is filled, J. repeating steps H and I until said elevator is at said first end of its stroke and all elevator decks except said proximal deck are filled, K. simultaneously pushing all objects from all said elevator decks except said proximal deck onto aligned cart tiers, thereby completing the loading of all tiers of said cart, L. repeating steps B, C and D while removing the loaded cart and substituting an empty cart into loading position at the loading station, M. repeating steps E, F, G, H, I, J and K, whereby a continuous series of empty carts are loaded in turn.