U.S. patent application number 10/631945 was filed with the patent office on 2005-04-07 for conveyor system load transfer devices.
Invention is credited to Lawless, Robert Joseph, Stoyanov, Roumen V..
Application Number | 20050072657 10/631945 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34278201 |
Filed Date | 2005-04-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050072657 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lawless, Robert Joseph ; et
al. |
April 7, 2005 |
CONVEYOR SYSTEM LOAD TRANSFER DEVICES
Abstract
Conveyor systems for storage and movement of goods on pallets
and slip sheets. The transfer structures enable slip sheet mounted
loads to be transferred to a roller conveyor by providing
structures that cooperate with wide platen forks of a lift truck.
The structures provide roller contact between a portion of the
underside of the slip sheet at all times. In other areas there is
alternatively contact between a lift truck platen or additional
rollers that cooperate in a manner making it possible to move the
slip sheet mounted load from the lift truck to an adjacent conveyor
system.
Inventors: |
Lawless, Robert Joseph;
(Acworth, GA) ; Stoyanov, Roumen V.; (Acworth,
GA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JOHN S. PRATT, ESQ
KILPATRICK STOCKTON, LLP
1100 PEACHTREE STREET
ATLANTA
GA
30309
US
|
Family ID: |
34278201 |
Appl. No.: |
10/631945 |
Filed: |
July 31, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60400632 |
Aug 1, 2002 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
198/782 ;
193/35R; 193/35SS; 193/37 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65G 13/12 20130101;
B65G 47/8823 20130101; B65G 39/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
198/782 ;
193/035.00R; 193/037; 193/035.0SS |
International
Class: |
B65G 013/02 |
Claims
1. A conveyor transfer structure for use with loads resting on a
slipsheet, the transfer structure comprising: (a) fixed-position
rollers for contact with the slip sheet and (b) movable position
rollers movable between first positions supporting portions of the
slipsheet and second positions permitting lift truck platen contact
with the portions of the slipsheet.
2. The conveyor transfer structure of claim 1, wherein the movable
position rollers remain in contact with the slipsheet in the second
positions.
3. The conveyor transfer structure of claim 1, wherein the movable
position rollers move out of contact with the slipsheet in the
second positions.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to conveyor systems for storage and
movement of goods on pallets and slip sheets and, in particular, to
the use of slip sheets with roller conveyor systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Goods are stored and shipped throughout the world in
relatively uniform size loads that rest on either pallets or thin
plates of pasteboard or other fiber material known as slip sheets.
Slip sheets provide cost, weight, size and other advantages as
compared to pallets but are not as stiff as pallets and must
therefore be supported with contact over a larger portion of their
undersides than pallets. Accordingly, while pallets can be lifted
and transported by contact between relatively narrow regions of the
pallet understructure and forks, such as conventional lift truck
forks, much wider structures must be used to support slip sheets
bearing loads. Transfer of loads resting on slip sheets therefore
conventionally occurs by sliding the slip sheet and load between
two locations by either pushing the slip sheet and load or pulling
the slip sheet by grasping an edge of the slip sheet. There are
numerous drawbacks associated with these activities.
[0003] As a result, it is desirable to provide improved structures
and means for transferring loads carried on slip sheets on to and
off of roller conveyor systems.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate a first embodiment of the
transfer mechanism of this invention using pivoting rollers that
pivot out of the way to make room for lift truck platens or
forks.
[0005] FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate a second embodiment of the
transfer mechanism of this invention using pivoting rollers and
racks of rollers that pivot down and back to make room for lift
truck platens or forks.
[0006] FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 illustrate a third embodiment of the
transfer mechanism of this invention using racks of rollers that
move down and back on tracks to make room for lift truck platens or
forks.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The transfer structures of this invention enable slip sheet
mounted loads to be transferred, for instance, from a lift truck to
a roller conveyor by providing structures that cooperate with wide
platen forks of a lift truck. The structures provide roller contact
between at least a portion of the underside of the slip sheet at
all times. In other areas there is alternatively contact between a
lift truck platen or additional rollers that cooperate in a manner
making it possible to move the slip sheet mounted load from the
lift truck to an adjacent conveyor system.
FIRST EMBODIMENT
[0008] In the first embodiment of the transfer structure of this
invention, illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the transfer structure
comprises a generally rectangular structure approximating the size
of a conventional slip sheet. The transfer structure, as may be
seen in FIG. 1, includes: (1) fixed rollers positioned in the same
plane as adjacent roller conveyor structure and (2) movable rollers
that move, in response to the presence of lift truck platen, from a
first position with the rollers in the same plane as the fixed
rollers, to a second position that may or may not place the movable
rollers in the same plane but that provides room for the lift truck
platens.
[0009] FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 illustrate a first embodiment of this
invention where the transfer structure 10 is mounted adjacent to
conventional roller conveyor structure 12. As shown in FIG. 1,
fixed rollers 14 and 18 are located at the side edges and middle of
transfer structure 10. The tops of roller 14, 16, and 18 are in the
same plane as, and their rotational axes are parallel with, rollers
12 of the conventional conveyor structure. Pivotable rollers 20 are
located on either side of rollers 16 and on the inner sides of
rollers 14 and 18. Each pivotable roller 20 is mounted on a housing
22. As may be seen by reference to the fragmentary details shown in
FIG. 2, the housing 22 is attached to a bracket 24 that pivots on a
hinge bolt 26 that also passes through a mounting bracket 28 that
is fastened to a roller support channel 30.
[0010] Operation of the transfer structure embodiment shown in
FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 can be appreciated by comparison of FIGS. 1 and
3. A load mounted on a slip sheet resting on platens 32 is moved
onto transfer structure 10 by advancement of platens 32 from the
position shown in FIG. 1 outside of the transfer structure 10 to
the position shown in FIG. 3 where platens 32 are positioned
between the central fixed roller 16 and one or the other of rollers
14 and 18. As platens 32 move into that position, their ends
contact the housings 22 of pivotable rollers 20 and cause the
housings to pivot from the positions shown in FIG. 1 with the
rollers 20 parallel to rollers 12 to the positions shown in FIG. 3,
in which rollers 20 are generally perpendicular to rollers 12.
After platens 32 and the load and slip sheet (not shown) move into
the transfer structure as shown in FIG. 3, platens 32 are lowered
until the slip sheet rests solely on rollers 14, 16, 18, and 20,
and platens 32 are withdrawn, allowing pivotable rollers 20 to
pivot (under force from springs or other suitable structures not
shown) to the position shown in FIG. 1 in which the rotational axes
of all rollers are parallel.
[0011] After the slip sheet and load are thus resting solely on the
rollers of transfer structure 10, the load can be pushed in the
direction of conveyor rollers 12 and can move along the conveyor
system in the conventional manner.
[0012] As will be appreciated by one skilled in the conveyor art,
the transfer structures of this invention can also be used for
removal of a load resting on a slip sheet by movement of the load
onto the transfer structure and use of the lift truck platens in
steps that are reverse in order from the above description.
SECOND EMBODIMENT
[0013] FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 illustrate a second embodiment 50 of the
transfer structure of this invention. In embodiment 50, hinged
rollers 20 (structured in the same manner as hinged rollers 20 in
embodiment 10 described above) are utilized. Fixed wheels 52 are
located as illustrated in the center of embodiment 50 and,
optionally, other fixed wheels or rollers (not shown) may be used,
depending on the nature of the loads to be handled and their
dimensions.
[0014] Embodiment 50 also utilizes two sections of rollers 54 and
56 mounted in a manner so that they are biased by a spring,
pneumatic cylinder, or other suitable structure normally to be in
the position shown in FIG. 4. However, sections of rollers 54 and
56 but may be caused to pivot downwards by platens 32 (not show in
FIGS. 4, 5 and 6) so that platens 32 may lie on top of the sections
of rollers 54 and 56.
[0015] In operation of this embodiment 50, the ends of platens 32
contact stop 58 as the platens move to the right in FIG. 4. Stop 58
is coupled to support structure 60 and 62 for rollers 54 and 56,
respectively, causing support structures 60 and 62 to pivot to the
right and downward in FIG. 4 to positions out of the way of platens
32, so that a load resting on a slip sheet in turn resting on
platens 32 may be placed on or moved from transfer structure
50.
[0016] As described above relative to the first embodiment (20) of
this invention, the pivotable rollers 20 pivot. When the load is
lifted off of transfer structure 50 or platens 32 are moved out
from under the load and slip sheet, the pivotable rollers 20 pivot
forward to the position shown in FIG. 4, and the sections of
rollers 54 and 56 move back and up to the position shown in FIG. 4,
providing additional support for the slip sheet that remains on the
transfer structure 50 or that is moved from the conveyor rollers 12
onto transfer structure 50.
THIRD EMBODIMENT
[0017] FIGS. 7, 8, and 9 illustrate a third embodiment 90 of the
transfer structure of this invention together with a load mounted
on a slip sheet schematically illustrated as a load 92. Transfer
structure 90 utilizes relatively short fixed rollers 94, 96, and
98, mounted parallel to rollers 12 of a conventional conveyor
structure. Sliding rollers 100 and 102 also mounted parallel to
conventional rollers 12 are fixed in rack frames 104 and 106. Each
of frames 104 and 106 is mounted, as may be best appreciated by
reference to FIG. 8, to travel down and under rollers 12 to provide
room for platens 32 (not shown) during transfer of a slip sheet
mounted load. Roller racks 104 and 106 may, for instance, rest on
wheels 108 that travel in tracks 110. Roller racks 104 and 106 are
biased by springs, pneumatic cylinders, or other appropriate
devices, to return to the positions illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8
after platens 32 have moved away from the transfer structure
90.
[0018] As will be appreciated by reference to the Figures. and
description of this invention above, it can be practiced in several
alternative configurations including configurations not shown in
the drawings.
[0019] In general, all such configurations can provide a transfer
mechanism with multiple rollers for supporting a load mounted on a
slip sheet so that the load can advance on rollers in the transfer
mechanism to a conventional roller conveyor structure or can
advance from a conventional roller conveyor structure to the
rollers of the transfer mechanism. Some of the rollers or wheels of
the transfer mechanism remain fixed in a plane that is
substantially the same plane as the tops of adjacent rollers of the
conventional roller conveyor. Other rollers, wheels, or other
support structures are positioned and mounted to move from: (1) a
first position where their support surfaces are in the same plane
with the support surfaces of the fixed rollers, wheels or other
support structures to (2) a second position permitting the platens
of a lift truck to be positioned with their support surfaces in the
same plane as the support surfaces of the fixed wheels or rollers.
Other load bearing surfaces substitutable for rollers and wheels
can be used in appropriate circumstances, including, for instance,
low friction surfaces and conveyor belts among other
alternatives.
* * * * *