"MACHINE POR AUTOMATICALLY LOADING PALLETS" Present state of the art

A great many more or less automated machines are on the market for transferring various pieces and objects from production or feed lines to structures for collecting, using or storing them or else from such structures to said lines.

Equally well known are the loading structures or plat- forms generally called pallets.

Even ^" better known are the so-called computers , e special, ly the personal computers.

If operated by card-type or "quota by quota" self-learn ing processors , the above automated machines require long periods of preparation and adjustment carried out by experts using special equipment .

The above invention eliminates these drawbacks at the same time offering considerable advantages as will be described below.

Description of the invention

Subject of the invention is a machine for automatically moving objects, especially packaged books or other ma¬ terial, from the arrival point of a production line, or position, to receiving structures generally, especially onto pallets, placing such packages in the best or pre¬ ferred position on said structures, or in the reverse direction from said structures to operative lines or po sitions or for their use. ^" The machine comprises a grab for picking up or putting down the objects, able to take up any position in space in relation to the objects and to the loading structures.

All movements made by the grab are controlled by electric motors, by hydraulic cylinders fitted with solenoidvalves or other devices operated by an electronic panel served by a computer.

This computer processes data put into it about the size and position of the objects, of the loading structure, and of the best or preferred positions for the objects in relation to said structure.

The grab moves translating parallel to itself in accord_ ance with the Cartesian axes and can rotate around a vertical axis. In other typeg be grab moves making anthropromorphic movements, in other words with movements similar to those made by human limbs.

The most suitable type of computer for the purpose is that known as the personal computer. The user types the required data into the computer. in another kind of execution suitable sensors placed in the trajectories made by the objects and loading struc-

tures or where they are positioned, provide the computer with all details about the sizes and positions of the ob jects and the structures, from one moment to the next.

It is thus sufficient to type into the computer, at the moment when the grab must work, the data needed to state the best or preferred positions of the objects in rela¬ tion to the structures, or the reverse. The grab is fitted with horizontal blades which slide b low the object to pick it up, and which slide in the op- posite direction to release it.

A pressing device, hydraulically or electro-mechanically operated, is moved downwards into contact with the upper surface of the object to stabilize it and can inform the computer of said object's height. In one kind of execution the grab's horizontal blades lie in a horizontal slit,passing from one side to the other, in a supporting piece placed at the lower extremity of a vertical arm, which allows them to translate axially in both directions across the slit: in one direction for picking up the object, the blades then moving out on the front side of the arm towards the area destined for pick-up and returning on the back side and, in the opposite direction, for releasing the object with return of the blades on the front side and emergence on the back side'.

Around these blades, lengthwise, there is a ring-shaped sheath of cloth, rubber, plastic and the like, whose ends are applied, above the slit, respectively on the front and back sides of the arm supporting the grab. The lower part of said sheath is therefore disposed be¬ low the blades and below their support.

Therefore, when the blades return from the front side of the arm and project from the back side to allow the ob¬ ject to be put down, they slide along inside the sheath and consequently below that part of the sheath between the blade and the object.

Thus freed from the blades the object is placed on the un loading surface without any friction between the object and the blades and sheath and therefore without any risk of its being scratched or damaged during unloading. By means of a vertical arm the grab is suspended from an undercarriage translating on a horizontal arm projecting from a lift trolley that slides on the vertical guides of a column. Said column is in turn fixed to a third trol¬ ley translating on the horizontal guids of a bed-plate. In one kind of execution the grab is sized and shaped to allow transfer of two or more objects if required, espe¬ cially packages of books and the like, simultaneously.

In a preferred type of execution the machine subject of this present invention comprises a feed line of packages of books and the like and a place for situating pallets and the like.

According to the data typed into the computer or else received from sensors placed along the trajectory of the packages and at the pallet station, the computer,through the electronic control panel, works the grab as required by the sizes of the packages and of the pallets and as preferred by the operator.

As the packages arrive the grab picks them up and puts them down on the pallets arranging them in the best way, or else the contrary, lifting the packages off the pal¬ lets placing them as needed for sorting, shipment and so

on.

The characteristics and purposes of the invention will be made still clearer by the following examples of its execution illustrated by drawings. Examples of execution

Pig. 1 Side view of the machine Pig. 2 The machine seen rom above Pig. 3 A different version of the grab Pig. 4 Layout of electronic equipment The machine (10) comprises an arm (13) which can trans¬ late vertically on the guides (14) of the column (11). Said column is fixed to the trolley (15) translatable along the guide (16) of the bed-plate (12). The grab (17) is supported by an undercarriage (18) tra slatable longitudinally along guides '(19) mounted on the arm (13).

With such varying possibilities of translation the grab can take up any position within the space of its field of action especially in relation both to the pallet (20) set on the pallet loading surface (21) and to the packa¬ ges, such as (22), arriving on the feed surface (23). The grab (17) comprises a plate (24) which, in relation to the trolley (18) can rotate around the axis of the bushing (25), and a vertical arm (26) which has a bracket (27) fixed at its end.

Said bracket in turn supports the blades (28) and (29)for picking up the packages (22), said blades having fixed to them a rack (30) which engages the pinion gear (31) of the electric motor (32) fixed to the bracket (27). Therefore, by working the electric motor, in one direction or the other, the blades can be made to project as needed in relation to the vertical plate (26') fixed to the arm (26).

In Pig. 2, (28') and (29*) indicate the positions of the blades when the grab has made a turn of 90°. With the piston (34) sliding in the cylinder (35) byade¬ quate fluidic means, the presser (33) can be brought down 5 to the top of the package picked up by the blades (28)and

(29).

All movements made by the machine, and especially

- horizontal translation of the column (11),

- vertical translation of the arm (13),

10. - horizontal translation of the grab (17) on the arm(l3),

- translation of the blades (28) and (29),

- rotation of the grab (17) in relation to its undercar¬ riage (18),

- movement of the presser (33),

15 are controlled by electric motors or.by hydraulic or pneu matic cylinders served by solenoid valves, that is by electric organs connected to electronic circuits opera¬ ted by a computer which, for simplicity, is not shown.

The computer, acting on instructions typed into it by 20 the user, and in accordance with the sizes and position of the pallet and of the packages, picks said packages up on arrival and lays them on the pallet so as to occu¬ py its space in the best,or preferred, manner. Por example, the packages are placed side by side in a 25 longitudinal or. transversal direction in relation to the pallet's surface until one layer is completed, continuing until more layers are added up to a suitable height. The main data typed into the computer are: Sizes of the pallet and of the package, number of packages per layer, 30 number of layers, disposition of packages on the pallet for each layer, and so on.

Some or all of these data may be required by the compu¬ ter. It is therefore sufficient for the user to type in what is needed on the keyboard.

'That has been described as a package can of course be any kind of object, such as a part of a machine, while what has been described as a pallet can be any means for collecting or containing objects.

Similarly, the operations may be the reverse of those described, namely objects may be taken off a pallet or from any kind of bench, and such objects, or packages, be placed on a station for processing, sorting, despatch or some kind of utilization. Pig. 3 shows a different kind of grab. The revolving vertical arm (38) is applied by means of support (37) to the trolley (36) which can translate in relation to the arm (13) of the machine. The support (39) is applied to the lower extremity of said arm and,in relation to said support,the blades (4C)', fixed to a common back (41) perpendicular to themselves, can translate horizontally.

Lengthwise round the blades a flexible sheath (63) is placed in the form of a ring and is fixed at its two ends (42) and (43) by bolts (44) and (45) at the lower extre¬ mity of the arm above the support (39). The common back (41) to the blades is connected by means of pin (47) to the extremity (49) of the L-shaped lever (48) joined in the pin (50) of the bracket (51) fixed to the arm (38). By means of pin (53), the piston (54) of the hydraulic cylinder (55) is articulated to the other extremity (52) of the lever, and is supported by the bracket (56)fixed to the arm (38) by means of a joint (57).

A third bracket (58) of the arm (38) supports the hydrau lie cylinder (60) with piston (61) to the extremity of which is fixed the presser (59) which comes in contact with the package (62). 5 The packages can therefore be raised by the blades (40) and held by prasser.(59) during loading on the pallets. These maneuvres are facilitated by rotation of the grab around the axis of the arm (38). During unloading it is sufficient to create pressure in

10 the cylinder (55) to cause the extremity (49) of the le¬ ver (48) to rotate as shown by the arrows and consequent ly the blades (40) to translate towardβ the back side of the grab. Said translation takes place between the sheath (63) and

15 the package (62) which, after translation, is deposited on the pallet, or bench generally, without any friction by the blades on the package which, even if fragile, is in no way damaged or scratched, something of great importsnee for some classes of objects.

20 Pig. 4 shows a block layout of the main electronic cir¬ cuits which enable the machine to be controlled by the computer.

When electronic operation is switched on (94), the com¬ puter proceeds itself to check that all parts of the au-

25 tomated system 095) are functioning perfectly, request¬ ing by means of circuit (96) mechanical tests carried out by circuit (97), If test results are satisfactory, the computer sets the machine in its correct starting posi¬ tion by means of circuit (98) and then, through circuit

30 (99) ,requests the data of sizes and positions of the pal¬ let, benches in general, and of the package. The. da a(lOp)put in by the keyboard, are checked by circuit

(101) which sets the sequence in motion by analysis(102) of the presence of the package or other object. Having done this the circuit (103) puts the grab in position and causes it to pick up the piece (104). Having worked out the coordinates of the object in rela¬ tion to the pallet,or structure of any other kind (105), the grab (106) is operated to transfer the object onto the pallet in the best previously established position and then to release it. By means of circuit (107), the sequence is. thus closed. Data on the completed sequence are stored in circuit (109) and put into statistics by circuit (108) for transmission to a central computer. Advantages The machine can be operated even by inexperienced staff as only a few pieces of simple data,, requested by the computer itself, have to be typed in.

The computer can operate lifting of innumerable kinds of products with the grab described or a similar one. The non-scratching grab device can be used even for very delicate materials without risk of damaging them.

As soon as the machine has received the data it is ready for work, requiring no further time for mechanical or other ^• ad stments. Essential data such as sizes and position of packages or objects and of ^he pallets or other structures, when the machine is started up it begins, almost in real time, to load one package after another onto the pallets or, the contrary, to unload them one by one from the pallets and setting them down quickly and carefully where they are needed.

The same machine can be used for many other purposes such as, for example, feeding pieces into a machine or taking

them out from the same machine.

As the applications of the invention have been described as examples only, not limited to these, it is understood that any equivalent application of the inventive concepts explained and any product executed and/or in operation in accordance with the characteristics of the invention will be covered by its field of protection.