Device for gripping and transferring load supports or containers using synchronous endless chains with drive fingers, mounted to transversely adjustable modules

Claim 1

In a device for gripping load supports or load containers of different dimension each having a front and rear and a load drive axis substantially perpendicular to said front and rear for transferring same by means of a mobile handling platform providing an allowed clearance comprising at least one flexible endless element actuated horizontally by several pinions and driven by a motor, said flexible element being provided with at least two fingers intended to cooperate with housings provided on front and/or rear of the load support or container, one of the fingers acting by pulling and the other by pushing , said flexible element having an advancing movement such that the pulling finger, after being engaged in the front housing of the load support and moving this latter to a first positon on the platform, has a portion of movement generally lateral to the load drive axis, such that said pulling finger stops driving the load support for a time sufficient to allow the pushing finger to be engaged inside a rear housing, and so that driving of the load support continues until the load support is centered on the platform, through the simultaneous action of the pulling finger and of the pushing finger, there are disposed on the mobile handling platform two independent modules one at least of which is movable transversely with respect to the other, the two modules being able to occupy all positions between a position in which they are disposed side by side for gripping a load support of minimum width and a position in which they are spaced apart to the maximum of the clearance allowed by the platform for gripping a load support of maximum width, each module comprising a flexible endless element having at least two drive fingers, there being two flexible elements, each one mounted on a corresponding one of said two modules symmetrically with respect to the load drive axis and having an operation synchronized from a symmetrical position of their drive fingers.