Apparatus for unloading individual reels from a carrier member

Claim 1

An apparatus for unloading individual reels from a carrier member on which a plurality of reels having a longitudinal direction are stacked next to one another in several rows, and one on top of the other in several layers; said apparatus comprising: a frame, the height of which relative to said carrier member and relative to the longitudinal direction of the reels is adjustable; an unloading mechanism that is supported on said frame in such a way as to be movable relative thereto for gripping of the reels; linear drive means for moving said unloading mechanism, in a plane, in two directions that extend at an angle of 90° relative to one another; sensor means for control of movement of said unloading mechanism including first light-barrier sensors disposed on said frame for protecting the reels in a given layer, and for controlling the height adjustment of said frame; and at least one pair of second and third sensor means disposed on said unloading mechanism for alignment of the latter relative to a reel that is to be unloaded, said unloading mechanism being in the form of a holding mandrel having a cylindrical body that conforms to an inner diameter of said reels, and that is provided with holding elements that are adjustable in the radial direction; said first sensors being in the form of light barriers that are respectively associated with given ones of said rows of reels; said at least one pair of second and third sensor means being disposed on a mounting means; in each pair of said second and third sensor means, said second sensor means being disposed on the mounting means to operate contactless at a distance from the central axis of said cylindrical body that is greater than the radius of a reel that is to be unloaded, and said third sensor means being disposed at a distance from the central axis of said body that is less than the radius of said reel that is to be unloaded.

Claim 2

An apparatus for unloading individual reels from a carrier member on which a plurality of reels having a longitudinal direction are stacked next to one another in several rows, and one on top of the other in several layers; said apparatus comprising: a frame, the height of which relative to said carrier member and relative to the longitudinal direction of the reels is adjustable; an unloading mechanism that is supported on said frame in such a way as to be movable relative thereto for gripping of the reels; linear drive means for moving said unloading mechanism, in a plane, in two directions that extend at an angle of 90° relative to one another; sensor means for control of movement of said unloading mechanism including first light-barrier sensors disposed on said frame for protecting the reels in a given layer, and for controlling the height adjustment of said frame; and at least one pair of second and third sensor means disposed on said unloading mechanism for alignment of the latter relative to a reel that is to be unloaded, said unloading mechanism being in the form of a holding mandrel having a cylindrical body that conforms to an inner diameter of said reels, and that is provided with holding elements that are adjustable in the radial direction; said first sensors being in the form of light barriers that are respectively associated with given ones of said rows of reels; said at least one pair of second and third sensor means being disposed on a mounting means; in each pair of said second and third sensor means, said second sensor means being disposed on the mounting means to operate contactless at a distance from the central axis of said cylindrical body that is greater than the radius of a reel that is to be unloaded, and said third sensor means being disposed at a distance from the central axis of said body that is less than the radius of said reel that is to be unloaded.

Claim 6

An apparatus for unloading individual reels from a carrier member on which a plurality of reels having a longitudinal direction are stacked next to one another in several rows, and one on top of the other in several layers; said apparatus comprising: a frame, the height of which relative to said carrier member and relative to the longitudinal direction of the reels is adjustable; an unloading mechanism that is supported on said frame in such a way as to be movable relative thereto for gripping of the reels; linear drive means for moving said unloading mechanism, in a plane, in two directions that extend at an angle of 90° relative to one another; first light-barrier sensors disposed on said frame for detecting the reels in a given layer, and for controlling the height adjustment of said frame; one pair of second and third sensor means disposed on said unloading mechanism for alignment of the latter relative to a reel that is to be unloaded, said unloading mechanism being in the form of a holding mandrel having a cylindrical body that conforms to an inner diameter of said reels, and that is provided with holding elements that are adjustable in the radial direction; said first sensors being in the form of light barriers that are respectively associated with given ones of said rows of reels; said one pair of second and third sensor means being disposed on a mounting means; in said pair of said second and third sensor means, said second sensor means being disposed on the mounting means to operate contactless at a distance from the central axis that is greater than the radius of a reel that is to be unloaded, and said third sensor means being disposed at a distance from the central axis of said body that is less than the radius of said reel that is to be unloaded; and a single pair of second and third sensor means disposed on a supporting arm that is rotatable about the central axis of said cylindrical body.

Claim 7

An apparatus for unloading individual reels from a carrier member on which a plurality of reels having a longitudinal direction are stacked next to one another in several rows, and one on top of the other in several layers; said apparatus comprising: a frame, the height of which relative to said carrier member and relative to the longitudinal direction of the reels is adjustable; an unloading mechanism that is supported on said frame in such a way as to be movable relative thereto for gripping of the reels; linear drive means for moving said unloading mechanism, in a plane, in two directions that extend at an angle of 90° relative to one another; first light-barrier sensors disposed on said frame for detecting the reels in a given layer, and for controlling the height adjustment of said frame; one pair of second and third sensor means disposed on said unloading mechanism for alignment of the latter relative to a reel that is to be unloaded, said unloading mechanism being in the form of a holding mandrel having a cylindrical body that conforms to an inner diameter of said reels, and that is provided with holding elements that are adjustable in the radial direction; said first sensors being in the form of light barriers that are respectively associated with given ones of said rows of reels; said one pair of second and third sensor means being disposed on a mounting means; in said pair of said second and third sensor means, said second sensor means being disposed on the mounting means to operate contactless at a distance from the central axis that is greater than the radius of a reel that is to be unloaded, and said third sensor means being disposed at a distance from the central axis of said body that is less than the radius of said reel that is to be unloaded; and a single pair of second and third sensor means disposed on a supporting arm that is rotatable about the central axis of said cylindrical body.

Claim 9

An apparatus for unloading individual reels from a carrier member on which a plurality of reels having a longitudinal direction are stacked next to one another in several rows, and one on top of the other in several layers; said apparatus comprising: a frame, the height of which relative to said carrier member and relative to the longitudinal direction of the reels is adjustable; an unloading mechanism that is supported on said frame in such a way as to be movable relative thereto for gripping of the reels; linear drive means for moving said unloading mechanism, in a plane, in two directions that extend at an angle of 90° relative to one another; first light-barrier sensors disposed on said frame for detecting the reels in a given layer, and for controlling the height adjustment of said frame; at least one pair of second and third sensor means disposed on said unloading mechanism for alignment of the latter relative to a reel that is to be unloaded, said unloading mechanism being in the form of a holding mandrel having a cylindrical body that conforms to an inner diameter of said reels, and that is provided with holding elements that are adjustable in the radial direction; said first sensors being in the form of light barriers that are respectively associated with given ones of said rows of reels; at least one pair of second and third sensor means being disposed on a mounting plate secured to said body; in each pair of said second and third sensor means, said second sensor means being disposed to operate contactless at a distance from the central axis of said cylindrical body that is greater than the radius of a reel that is to be unloaded, and said third sensor means being disposed at a distance from the central axis of said body that is less than the radius of said reel that is to be unloaded; and the position of said second and third sensor means being adjustable relative to the central axis of said cylindrical body in conformity with the outer diameter of a reel that is to be unloaded; said body of said holding mandrel being provided with a conical extension having supplementary sensors provided therewith that cooperate with the inner diameter of a given reel for fine correction of said holding mandrel.

Claim 10

An apparatus for unloading individual reels from a carrier member on which a plurality of reels having a longitudinal direction are stacked next to one another in several rows, and one on top of the other in several layers; said apparatus comprising: a frame, the height of which relative to said carrier member and relative to the longitudinal direction of the reels is adjustable; an unloading mechanism that is supported on said frame in such a way as to be movable relative thereto for gripping of the reels; linear drive means for moving said unloading mechanism, in a plane, in two directions that extend at an angle of 90° relative to one another; first light-barrier sensors disposed on said frame for detecting the reels in a given layer, and for controlling the height adjustment of said frame; at least one pair of second and third sensor means disposed on said unloading mechanism for alignment of the latter relative to a reel that is to be unloaded, said unloading mechanism being in the form of a holding mandrel having a cylindrical body that conforms to an inner diameter of said reels, and that is provided with holding elements that are adjustable in the radial direction; said first sensors being in the form of light barriers that are respectively associated with given ones of said rows of reels; at least one pair of second and third sensor means being disposed on a mounting plate secured to said body; in each pair of said second and third sensor means, said second sensor means being disposed to operate contactless at a distance from the central axis of said cylindrical body that is greater than the radius of a reel that is to be unloaded, and said third sensor means being disposed at a distance from the central axis of said body that is less than the radius of said reel that is to be unloaded; and the position of said second and third sensor means being adjustable relative to the central axis of said cylindrical body in conformity with the outer diameter of a reel that is to be unloaded; said body of said holding mandrel being provided with a conical extension having supplementary sensors provided therewith that cooperate with the inner diameter of a given reel for fine correction of said holding mandrel.