EP0417066A1

EP0417066A1 - Apparatus for handling edam cheeses

Info

Publication number: EP0417066A1
Application number: EP19870906609
Authority: EP
Inventors: Antoon Brens
Original assignee: P & F Hubert Industries Cv
Current assignee: P & F Hubert Industries Cv
Priority date: 1986-09-29
Filing date: 1987-09-29
Publication date: 1991-03-20
Also published as: WO1988002214A1

Abstract

Un appareil de manutention de fromage Edam comprend un certain nombre de boîtes de transport soutenant chacune au moins une rangée verticale de planches pourvues de supports de fromages en position horizontale, un dispositif élévateur (57), qui comprend un certain nombre de plaques-supports de planches (62) reliées à un mécanisme de levage (61, 64), et un chariot (56) comprenant un cadre mobile (68) pourvu d'un certain nombre de bras (73) servant à retirer les planches et destinés à déplacer le chariot en direction d'une boîte (24), à saisir la rangée de planches (76) et à la déposer sur les bras servant à retirer les planches, à déplacer le chariot en direction du dispositif élévateur et à transférer les planches depuis les bras servant à retirer les planches sur les plaques supports de planches. Un organe de commande peut en outre commander le mécanisme de levage, de sorte qu'il transporte successivement les planches prélevées à la hauteur d'un dispositif de retrait à mouvement alternatif (74) qui fait partie de l'appareil et qui fait avancer les planches en une rangée successive sur un transporteur d'avancement (75) conduisant à un poste de manutention.An Edam cheese handling device comprises a number of transport boxes each supporting at least one vertical row of boards provided with cheese supports in horizontal position, a lifting device (57), which comprises a number of support plates boards (62) connected to a lifting mechanism (61, 64), and a carriage (56) comprising a movable frame (68) provided with a number of arms (73) used to remove the boards and intended to move the trolley towards a box (24), grab the row of boards (76) and place it on the arms used to remove the boards, move the cart towards the lifting device and transfer the boards from the arms used to remove the boards from the board support plates. A control member can also control the lifting mechanism, so that it successively transports the planks removed at the height of a reciprocating withdrawal device (74) which is part of the apparatus and which advances the boards in a successive row on a forward conveyor (75) leading to a handling station.

Description

Apparatus for handling Edam cheeses

The invention relates to an apparatus for handling Edam cheeses, comprising a number of transport boxes which each carry at least one vertical row of planks provided with cheese holders in horizontal position. Known planks comprise for example two rows of twelve cheese holders. Normal trans¬ port boxes can each accommodate for example two sets of nine planks, that is, located on one side of the transport box are nine planks and on the other side another nine. After Edam cheeses are placed in the cheese holders of the planks, the transport boxes are arranged in a warehouse using a fork-lift truck. If the cheeses have to be handled in the meantime the transport boxes are again removed from the warehouse.

Known handlings that have to be performed on Edam cheeses are plastifying and turning. Up until now these pro- cesses have been performed manually.

The invention has for its object to provide an apparatus of the type described in the preamble with which handling of the Edam cheese, including the manipulations of the planks carrying the Edams that is necessary for this pur- pose, can to a large extent be performed automatically.

This is achieved with an apparatus according to the invention by a lift comprising a number of plank carriers con¬ nected to a lifting mechanism, a carriage comprising a mobile frame which has a number of plank removing arms for moving the carriage towards an arranged box, taking up of the row of planks on the plank removing arms, moving of the carriage towards the lift and for transferring the planks - from the plank removing arms onto the plank carriers, whereby the control means can further control the lifting mechanism such that it successively carries the taken up planks to the height of a reciprocating removing device of the apparatus, which moves the planks in a successive row onto a feed conveyor leading to a handling station.

As a result the cheese planks accommodated group- wise in vertical rows in the transport boxes can be moved in one continuous uninterrupted row on the feed conveyor to the handling station, so that the cheeses are easily continuously accessible in the handling station.

A further development of the apparatus according to the invention is distinguished by a second similar lift and a second similar carriage which function in opposing manner to move planks from a conveyor coming from the handling station into a box. With the apparatus only the transport boxes still need to be manipulated. The transport boxes with the cheese for handling are supplied for example with the said fork-lift truck to the apparatus, and boxes with processed cheese are carried away again with this same fork-lift truck.

A box with cheese for handling can hereby be ar¬ ranged in front of the first lift using the fork-lift truck and after the planks have been taken out of it by the carriage with the removing arms the empty box can be positioned by the second lift, where planks with processed cheeses can be put into the box once again. The thus filled box can then be returned to the warehouse and a followi^'ng box picked up.

In accordance with^" a. favourable preferred embodiment of the invention there is also provision for a positioning and conveyor device for the boxes, comprising a supply point where a box with Edam cheeses for handling can be placed, a discharge point for placing of a box with processed cheeses to be removed and whereby the first lift defines an input lift position and the second lift an output lift position, whereby arranged in each point are fixed supports for supporting a box and the positioning and conveyor device further comprises a carriage which can travel between the different points and which is provided with a lifting device. This enables a con- siderably more efficient handling of the boxes. A furthe favourable embodiment of the positioning and conveyor device is characterized in claim 4.

In the case where boxes are used with two vertical rows of planks, the step as according to claim 5 is preferably applied. After removal of one vertical row of planks the box is turned on its vertical axis through 180 , following which the second row of boxes can be taken out.

In the positioning and conveyor device there is the possibility of stockpiling a certain quantity of boxes with cheeses for handling, empty boxes and boxes with processed cheese if the step from claim 6 is applied. The supply and discharge of boxes can as a result be carried out intermit¬ tently to some extent, while the apparatus according to the invention can carry on operating continuously. The handling station of the apparatus according to the invention preferably comprises the steps as stated in claim 7. The cheeses and the planks can as a result be handled separately and combined again afterward. The handling of the planks preferably com- prises a washing treatment, whereby the step as in claim 8 can be applied in a favourable manner.

The invention will be further elucidated in the following description of an embodiment thereof.

Figure 1 shows a schematic overview of the whole apparatus according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows a partly schematic perspective view in the direction of arrow II in figure 1.

Figure 3 shows on a larger scale a perspective part view of the box handling system from figure 2, as according to arrow III in figure 1.

Figure 4 shows a partly perspective view along arrow IV in figure 1.

Figure 5 shows a section along the line V-V in figure 1 of the transport carriage of the apparatus. Figure 6 shows a side view along line VI-VI from figure 5. Figure 7 shows a partly sectional top view along VII-VII from figure 6.

Figure 8 is a side view along arrow VIII from figure 1 of the input lift and the carriage co-operating therewith. Figure 9 shows a view corresponding to figure 8 along arrow IX in figure 1 of the output lift.

Figure 10 shows a partly broken away perspective view along arrow X from figure 1 of the turning device of the handling station. Figure 11 is a partly broken away side view along arrow XI from figure 1 of the washing line.

Figures 12, 13 and 14 show sections along the res¬ pective lines XII-XII, XIII-XIII and IV-IV from figure 11 of the washing line. Figure 15 shows a partly perspective view of the 90° turner of the handling station, along arrow V from figure 1.

Figure 16 is a perspective view along arrow VI from figure 1 of the plank buffer of the handling station.

The embodiment as shown in figure 1 consists of two main parts. The first part, designated with 13, is the part where the boxes are fed in, the planks are taken out of the boxes, planks with processed Edams are re-located in empty boxes and where the thus refilled boxes are carried away. In the second part the Edams are separated from the planks, the cheeses are processed and the planks washed. The Edams are subsequently replaced on the planks and carried back to the first part of the apparatus. Also performed in the second part are the initial supply of the fresh cheeses from the brining bath and the discharge of cheeses for delivery. The box handling part 13 of the apparatus comprises a number of positions 1-10 in which boxes in different stages of handling are positioned. As is shown particularly, in fig¬ ures 2 and 3, C-shaped supports are located in these posi¬ tions, with the exception of the input lift position 7 and the output lift position 9, onto which supports a box can be placed. Figure 4 also shows these supports 14 clearly. Posi¬ tion 3 forms the supply position where a filled box can be fed in using a fork-lift truck 140. Position 2 is the discharge position from which a box with processed Edams can be carried away. After a box has been placed in supply position 3 it is further handled auto¬ matically by the apparatus.

The positions 4, 5 and 6 are parking positions in which full supplied boxes can be temporarily set down.

Position 8 is a parking position for an empty box. Positions 1 and 10 are parking positions in which boxes ready for discharge can be placed temporarily.

Moving of boxes between the respective positions is performed using a carriage, generally designated with 11, which is shown in detail in the figures 5-7.

The carriage 11 can move as seen in figure 1 from left to right over rails 15. Arranged next to rails 15, as the figures show, are gear racks 16 into which can grip tooth- ed wheels 18 of carriage 11. These toothed wheels 18 are driven by the motor 20, so that as a result the carriage can be displaced over the rails 15. The manner of fitting of rails 15 and gear rack 16 will be apparent from figures 4 and 6. Figure 6, which shows the side view of carriage 11, shows the wheels 22 resting on the rails 15 and the toothed wheels 18 gripping onto the gear racks 16. Toothed wheels 18 are coupled to shafts 21 which are driven by a driving 19 comprising the motor 20. The frame of carriage 11 carries two transverse rails 17 which are shown in figure 5 in front view. As is apparent from figure 6 and more especially from figures 2 and 3 the transverse rails 17 extend into the C-shaped supports 14. Wheels 23 of a transverse carriage 12 travel on transverse rails 17. As shown in figure 5, a rack 26 is mounted in the top of the rails 17. Gripping into them on either side are toothed wheels 25 which are rigidly mounted on a shaft 27 which can be rotated by a driving 28 using a motor 29. Trans- verse carriage 12 can therefore move as seen in figure 1 downward from the top along the rails as a result of this driving. The wheels 23 are arranged two by two on a shaft 31, which is mounted using a bearing 32 on the frame 30 of car¬ riage 12. The upper portion 33 of the transverse carriage 12 is connected by means of vertical guidings 34 to the remaining portion of the carriage frame 30. This portion 33 can as a result move vertically upward and downward. The vertical guiding 34 comprises four U-profile supports arranged close to the corners, these supports having openings located in a vertical line, into which can slide pins connected rigidly to por ion 33.

Using the lifting device 37 the upper frame portion 33 can be moved upward and downward relative to frame 30. Lifting device 37 comprises a reduction gearing 38 to the input shaft of which is coupled a motor 39. The output shaft 40 is provided with a crank arms 41. Connected to these arms are rods 44 which in turn grip onto crank arms 42 of shafts 43 on either side of the carriage. These shafts 43 are each mounted on the frame 30 with bearings 48. Each shaft 43 is in turn provided at each end with a crank arm 45 which bears a roller 46. By starting up the motor 39 the shafts 43 are set into reduced rotation and move the cam-follower roll¬ ers 46 upward. The cam-follower rollers 46 also co-operate with a guide surface 47. The upper frame portion 33 is thus moved upward relative to frame 30.

Mounted for rotation on a vertical axis on frame portion 33 by means of a rotary crown 50 is a rotary table 49. Formed on the periphery of the rotary crown are teeth 51 onto which grips a pinion 52. This pinion 52 can be driven by motor 54 via transmission 53. It will be apparent from the foregoing descripti that the transverse carriage with its rotary table 49 c move under each box placed on supports 14. By setting t lifting device into operation the rotary table can grip t box on its bottom and lift it from the support. Once picke up the box can subsequently be moved to another position and by setting the rotary table into operation, also be turne around.

A box 24 with planks 76 loaded with Edam cheeses an placed using a fork-lift truck 140 in the supply position 3 o supports 14 present there can thus be picked up by the car riage 12 and moved into the input lift position 7.

Situated behind the input lift position 7 is th input lift 55 which is shown in figure 8. Figure 9 shows the output lift 98 and blade carriag

97, which have virtually the same construction as lift 55 an carriage 56. The input lift 55 comprises two columns 57 whic each consist of two uprights 58. Mounted between and at th bottom of each of two uprights 58 of a column 57 is a shaf 59 which bears two chain wheels 60 arranged at an interva from each other. Located at the top of the column 57 is like wise a shaft 65 with two chain wheels 63. The shafts 65 o each column 57 are driven synchronously using a driving 64 Driving 64 is such that, when the motor revolves, the chai wheels 63 rotate in opposing directions at either side.

Tensioned around each pair of chain wheels 63 an 60 of a column 57 are two chains 61. These chains 61 suppor plank carriers 62 at regular intermediate intervals which ar formed by pieces of angle iron. The plank carriers are ar ranged such that they lie at corresponding heights on eithe side of the columns. When the motor 66 is switched on, th plank carriers 62 facing each other on either side move syn chronously up or downward. The columns 57 are of course fur ther positioned at an interval such that two plank carriers lying opposite each other can in each case properly support one plank at its ends. The planks are taken from the box supported in the input lift position by the carriage and placed into the input lift 55 using the blade carriage 56.

Blade carriage 56 can be displaced along rails 66 which run transversely of the rails 15. The location of these rails 66 is shown clearly in figure 2. Mounted on frame 68 are four wheels 67 which grip into the rails 66. Mounted once again on the rails 66 are gear racks 69, onto which grip toothed wheels 70 fitted on a shaft mounted in the frame 68. These toothed wheels 70 can be set into rotation using a driving 71 comprising the motor 72 and in this way displace the carriage 56 along the rails 66. As figures 8 and 9 show, nine pairs of arms 73 protrude in each case from the frame 68. These arms 73 are arranged on the chains of the input lifting device at the same intermediate interval as the plank carriers. This interval corresponds furthermore to the inter¬ mediate interval at which the planks are accommodated in boxes 24.

As is apparent from the figures, the blade carriage 56 can move from a position behind the input lift 55, thro¬ ugh the input lift 55, to the input lift position 7.

Transferral of planks carrying Edams in a box which is supported in the input lift position 7 using the carriage 11, to the plank carriers of the lift 55 takes place as fol- lows.

The box 24 having the planks with Edams therein is supported in the input lift position 7 on the carriage 11. The box is moved upward over a small distance using the lift¬ ing device. The blade carriage 56 then travels from its posi- tion behind the input lift, drawn with dashed lines, through the lift to the input lift position 7. The arms 73 thereby protrude exactly beneath the planks in the box 24. The lifting device of the carriage 11 is then actuated such that the box is moved downward. As a result the planks come to rest on the arms 73. The blade carriage 56 subsequently moves rearward with the planks into the lift. The plank carriers 62 are car¬ ried as a result of correct actuation of the driving device 64 to a level in each case just below the level of the planks supported by the blade carriage. The blade carriage thus slides the planks into the path of the plank carriers. By now actuating the driving device 64 such that the plank carriers 62 move slightly upward, the plank carriers come into gripping contact with the edges of the planks and lift them from the arms 73 of the blade carriage. The blade carriage then moves further rearward outside the reach of the lift.

The planks thus accommoda ed in the lift 55 are then moved successively by an appropriate actuation of the driving 64 up to the level of a removing device. As shown in figure 3, the removing device 74 is located in the embodiment under consideration at an upper level. The remover may however be situated at any random height. Remover 74 comprises a pair of sliding arms, not shown in any further detail, which slide out under a plank into the lift, carrying the plank with it when it slides back and placing it on a connecting conveyor belt 75. The lift is subsequently displaced one plank inter¬ val further and the following plank can be removed from the lift in the same way.

In the meantime the transverse carriage 12 carrying the box in which another row of planks is situated has travel¬ led back to the central position, that is, between the posi¬ tions 7 and 4. In this position the rotating device of car- riage 12 is set into operation and the box 24 moved through 180°. Carriage 12 then moves the box 24 back again into the input lift position 7. As soon as the lift 55 has lifted the lowest plank to above the level of blade carriage 56, the latter can come into operation again and remove the second series of planks out of the box 24. Carriage 11 then either places the empty box 24 in the parking position 8 or directly into the output lift position 9 to be once more filled with planks with processed Edams.

In the above described box handling part 13 of the apparatus according to the invention the planks with Edam cheeses are thus taken wholly au omatically out of the boxes 24 placed with a fork-lift truck 140 into supply position 3 and placed in a successive row on the conveyor belt 75. In the second part of the apparatus, for which the conveyor belt 75 may be considered as the input, the required treatments of the planks and the cheeses can be carried out. These treat- ments will now be described further with reference to the figures 1, 2 and 10.

The supplied planks 76 are shifted into the frame 144 of a 180° urning device 77, said frame being provided with guide slots. As a result of appropriate driving the frame 144 with the plank 76 is turned over, at which point the Edams drop onto the conveyor 80 underneath. Cheeses that may stick on are knocked off during the passage of the over¬ turned plank by a rigidly arranged bar immediately below the level of the plank. Plank 76 is pushed through into the 90° turning device 142. The plank is taken up onto supports 146 of a folding frame 145 whereby the plank is positioned on its side, supported in the rear by a fixed support 147 and under¬ neath by guide members 150. Using a cylinder 149 a retaining support 148 is pivoted downward which retains the plank in the correct position.

The plank 76 placed on its side is moved sideways out of the 90° turning device into the washing line 78 to be described later. In washing line 78 the planks are washed and dried on their side and then turned over again in the 90° turner 130 and stored in a plank buffer 79.

The 90 turner 130 is shown in figure 15. The washed and dried plank 76 is fed in from the right as seen in this figure by the conveyor 101. The turner or tip-over device 130 comprises a pivoting folding frame 151 on either side of which is mounted a shaft 153 with a number of clamping arms 143. Arranged on each shaft is an actuating arm 154 onto which a cylinder 155 grips. The plank is carried between clamps 143 after which the driving 152 is actuated and the folding frame with the plank Is pivoted in the direction of the arrow. The clamps 143 are subsequently released and the folding frame pivoted back. The plank is carried away on the roller conveyor and the clamps 143 close again for accommo- dation of a following plank.

The planks 76 are fed into the plank buffer 79 sho in figure 16 from the left-hand side. The buffer lift co prises two chains 82 arranged opposite each other which ea bear a number of plank carriers 161. Chains 82 are driven a driving 158. A pivot frame mounted for pivoting at the t end and driven by the cylinder 157 pushes the supplied pla into the bottom of the lift, which then moves upward. Wh planks have to be moved out of the buffer onto the convey 95 the sliding device 162 is activated and grips onto t back of a plank with catches 160 and moves them via belt 1 onto conveyor 95.

The Edams that have come off the planks 76 fall on the conveyor belt 80 for further processing. The conveyor be 80 connects onto a tipping grate 83 which can be moved into upward raised position or a folded down position for conne tion onto conveyor belt 80. In the folded down position th cheeses move over grating 83 onto the conveyor belt 84 an then onto the delivery conveyor 85 which lead to a deliver station at a lower level. Accommodated in delivery conveyo 85 is a weighing and counting device 93.

If the tipping grate 83 is in its upward raise position, The Edams go from conveyor belt 80 onto the trans verse conveyor 94 which moves the cheeses in transverse direc tion onto conveyor 87. Connecting onto the other side o conveyor 94 is a conveyor 88 which can feed freshly brine Edam cheeses into the system. It will be apparent that, whe fresh cheeses have to be fed in and located in boxes, boxe with empty planks are placed in the supply position 3 of th box handling part 13. These empty planks are removed from th boxes in the way described and stored via the washing lin

78, where they are either washed or not, in the plank buffe

79. The fresh cheeses supplied via the conveyor 88 or th cheeses brought on the planks 76 arrive in any case on th conveyor, so that the further handling for these cheeses i identical.

The conveyor 87 leads via a weighing device to tw plastifying drums 89. The round Edam cheeses revolve around in these plastifying drums 89. When plastifying must In fact take place plastifying agent is fed into the drums. As a result of the revolving movement of the cheeses in the drum the plastifying agent is distributed evenly over the periphery of the cheeses. After passing through the drum 89 the Edams move onto the chute 90 along which they roll to the collecting table 91. The latter runs out at a storage position 92.

One plank at a time is moved out of the plank buffer 79 onto conveyor 95. With the conveyor 95 the plank is carried to the storage position 92, where the Edams from the collect¬ ing table 91 are laid on the relevant plank. The planks 76, in this way filled once again, are taken by conveyor 95 to the output conveyor 96. This conveyor 96 is provided with a push-in device (not further shown) which pushes planks 76 one by one into the output lift 98. When the output lift 98 has taken up nine planks, these are removed from the lift with the blade carriage 97 and shifted into a box supported by the transporting carriage 11 in the output lift position 9. The relevant box is subsequently turned in the known manner, after which a following series of nine planks can be moved Into the box on the other side. An entirely filled box is placed, using the carriage 11 and either with or without intermediate storage in one of the parking ^" positions I or 10, in the dis- charge position 2, where the fork-lift truck can carry away the box with processed Edams to the warehouse.

As already noted the output lift 98 and the blade carriage 97 are virtually identical to the Input lift 55 and the input blade carriage 56. The most important difference is that the output lift 98 carries vertical guide rolls 163 on the two front uprights 58. When the planks 76 are moved out of the lift 98 into the box 24 placed for that purpose, the side edges of planks 76 are set in line by the guide rolls 163, so that planks 76 can be shifted without problem into box 24. The operation of the output devices is in an evident manner the reverse of that of the input devices. In the case that the cheeses are discharged fr the system via the delivery conveyor 85, only washed chees planks are pushed into the boxes and the boxes with empt planks stored in the warehouse. The thus described apparatus can also be used fo delivery of large disc-shaped cheeses, such as Gouda cheeses A separate delivery conveyor 99 is fitted for this purpos which also leads to the delivery station. Boxes of plank filled with Gouda cheeses are placed in the same way as wit the Edam cheeses in the supply position 3. The separate planks are carried onto the conveyor 75 and into the turnin device 77, where the cheeses drop via the conveyor 80, th folded down grating 83 and the conveyor 84 onto the firs portion of the conveyor 85. As shown in figure 1 in the top left-hand corner the separate conveyor 99, which is adapted for the differin form of the cheeses, connects onto this first portion. Con veyor 99 leads to the delivery station, from where the deli vered cheeses can for instance be loaded into a heavy good vehicle .

Gouda cheeses can also be taken via the conveyo 100 also shown in figure 1 from another warehouse to th delivery station.

The washing line 78 will be further described wit reference to the figures 11-14. The planks come out of th turning device on their side on the right as seen in figur

11 and are picked up by the conveyor 101. This consists of hollow track and carriers gripping the planks at the top.

The planks for washing are guided by the conveyo 101 to the high pressure washing machine 102. Washing mach ine 102 comprises a high pressure pump 105 which can suppl water with a cleaning agent therein via the feed line 10 under high pressure to spray nozzles 108. The cleaning agent is sprayed with great force through spray nozzles 108 onto the plank 76, which results in undesired adhered material, such as plastifying agent, being removed. Since the plank 76 for Edams is provided of necessity with recessed portions 106, such a plank is normally very difficult to clean. Proper cleaning can however be achieved by using high pressure jets with cleaning agent. The sprayed cleaning agent is collected under the washing machine in a collecting tank 109. Located following on from the high pressure washing machine 102 in the washing line 78 is a brush washing mach¬ ine 103. This is used for cleaning of ordinary flat planks which are used for example for carrying Gouda cheeses. The brush washing machine 103 comprises a revolving brush 101 which can brush clean a surface of a plank carried through with the conveyor 101. Cleaning agent is supplied using a pump 111.

Further on in the washing^" line 78- in the transpor¬ ting direction of conveyor 101 a drying device 104 is accommo- dated. This can blow washed planks dry. The drying device 104 comprises an air pump 112 which supplies air to blow nozzles 113 which blow out close to a plank 76 carried by conveyor 101 through the device_* Again located below the device is a col¬ lecting tank 114 for collecting moisture blown off the plank 76 and moisture which may drip from it earlier.

Shown In figure 4 is another positioning device employed in a number of places in the box handling part 13. This positioning device is simple in construction, but essen¬ tial for good operation. Arranged In each of the positions 1- 10 is such a positioning device. In the positions 7 and 9 such a positioning device Is located on the lift frame. These are designated in the figures 8 and 9 with reference numeral 126. In the other positions such a positioning device is disposed on the supports 14. These devices are of importance because in each case they place a box accurately in a deter¬ mined position.

The positioning device 115 comprises a support 116 on which the bottom end of a cylinder 117 is mounted for pivoting. The piston rod 118 of cylinder 117 is connected by way of a hinge 125 to an arm 119 which is rigidly connected to a shaft 120. The shaft 120 is mounted for rotation in a support 121. Arranged on the other end of shaft 120 is a second arm 122 which bears a roll 123. By extending the rod

118 of cylinder 117 the aggregate of arm 119, shaft 120, arm

122 and roll 123 is turned clockwise as seen in figure 4, whereby the roll 123 is moved from an upward raised position to the position drawn. During this movement the roll 123 comes into contact with a particular part of a box, thus pushing it onto a determined place. As a result variations occurring during the different phases of handling are elimin- ated each time so that a reliable operation of the whole apparatus is achieved. Arranged adjacent to roll 123 is a guard 124 for prevention of damage to the assembly.

The entire operation of the apparatus as described above is controlled with a control device, which receives signals at its input from sensors placed in the apparatus. These sensors are for example presence detectors for boxes in the different positions 1-10, detectors for the positions of the lifts 55 and 98 for the purpose of determining how many planks are situated in which positions in the lifts, and so on. Another important detector is the detection loop 129 indicated diagrammatically in figure 1 which is arranged in the ground in front of the discharge and supply position 3.

Whenever a fork-lift truck 140 is situated in front of the discharge and supply position this is detected by the control device and this ensures that the carriage 11 does not grip the boxes present at that moment in the positions 2 and

3. It is of course possible to arrange two detection loops, one for each position, instead of one detection loop for both positions . The control device employed in accordance with the invention forms an integral part of the whole apparatus. The controlling, the detecting thereby used and therefore the necessary detectors and sensors will become apparent from the following description of the operation of the apparatus given here by way of example. Description of the plank transport through the system.

When the lift 55 and the blade carriage 56 of the unloading lift are empty and there are no boxes on the parking positions (positions 4, 5 and 6) the box 24 will be taken to the lift 55. If the lift 55 on blade carriage 56 is not empty then the carriage 11 will park the box 24, beginning at posi¬ tion 4. If this position is already occupied then the box will go to position 5 and if this is also already occupied then to position 6. If all positions are occupied the carriage 11 will not fetch any more boxes.

When the lift 55 is virtually or entirely empty and there Is a box lying on a parking^s position, then it will be collected in the order in which it was parked and taken to the lift 55. When the carriage 11 is standing in front of the lift 55 the box 24 is clamped 126 and when it is clamped the blade carriage 56 comes to remove the first nine planks from the lift. The first nine planks now go directly into the lift, after which the blade carriage 56 moves further to the rear while the box clamps 126 open. When the clamps are open the carriage 11, 12 goes to the central position, turns and goes back to the lift. At the same time the lift carries the planks 76 to slide-over level in front of the conveyor belt

75. When the lift is ready and the box again clamped, the

^"blade carriage 56 comes to remove the second nine planks out of the box. It carries these nine planks into its rearmost position and they are only placed in the lift when the first nine planks have been shifted over.

When the blade carriage 56 with the second nine planks is in the rearmost position, the conveyor belt 75 then begins to unload, if the installation is set for automatic operation. Should the conveyor belt not begin carrying in the planks then a check has to be made as to whether the weighers 141 have been started.

When the conveyor belt 75 has shifted a plank 76 into the turning device 77 it must first be turned before the conveyor belt may move again. The turner 77 may only turn when the conveyor 80 has rotated for three seconds beneath turner 77 (does not apply for brining without delivery) and the plank clamps for the conveyor 101 in the washing machine 85 are open. When a plank has been turned the conveyor bel 75 for the turner 77 then slides the plank into the turne and a following plank out of it. During this sliding in th cheeses are "brushed" off the plank onto the conveyor 80 unde the turner.

The shifted plank now passes into the 90° turne which sets the plank vertically in order for it to be move through the washing machine 85. When the plank is upright i is clamped and then pushed into the washing machine. Th conveyor belt in the washing machine may only move when ther is no longer a plank in the tip-over device 130 at the rear o the washing machine, the plank is in an upright position an its clamps 143 are closed. When the plank has been moved i far enough the 90°turner 142 moves back and the plank clamp open.

When the conveyor belt 101 has pushed the plan through the washing machine, the tip-over device 130 will, i there is no longer a plank lying on the roller conveyor be neath the tip-over device, lay the plank on the roller con veyor, open its clamps 143 and return to its starting posi tion, where it again closes the clamps. The roller conveyo between tip-over device and buffer lift 79 is stopped when plank arrives in front of the buffer lift and after a deter mined time cannot or may not be moved over. If the buffer lift 79 is not full or there is n plank lying on the roller conveyor 95 behind the buffer lift or under the buffer lift, the plank is lifted up and the pushed under the buffer lift. If a plank is already lyin under the buffer lift the latter then stores this plank (pro- vided it is not full).

If there is no longer a plank either under or in front of the buffer lift, the latter will then discharge a plank (provided it is not empty). If there is no plank lying behind the buffer lift but one underneath, this plank will then be pushed through one position. If no plank is lying on the lifting device behind the buffer lift and if the lift is in elevated position, a plank will if present be pushed thro¬ ugh by the conveyor belt under the buffer lift. When the plank previously pushed over is far enough the lifting device 82 will descend and in this way lay the plank on the conveyor.

This conveyor can be stopped or started by the lower toadstool knob next to the control cabinet at the storing position 92. The plank is carried further by the roller con- veyor 95 past storing station 92 as far as the input conveyor belt 96 of the loading lift 98. As long as there is no plank lying on the end of this conveyor belt, the latter may slide in these planks irrespective of the position or operation of loading lift 98. If however there is a plank lying on the end of conveyor belt 96 the loading lift determines whether or not sliding in may take place. If a plank 76 lies in front of the conveyor belt 96 and it cannot be pushed in, the roller con¬ veyor 95 is then stopped.

If the lift 98 is empty then the lift will first allow four planks to be inserted, after which it takes eight steps downward prior to accepting the other five planks. When all nine planks are moved into the lift 98, the lift will then descend and transfers these planks to the blade carriage 97. The loaded blade carriage will then return to the rear. Thereafter the lift repeats the loading of nine planks and when all or virtually all of these have been placed in the lift the carriage 11 is requested to appear with an empty box 24 in. front of the lift 98 (position 9). When it is in front of the lift and the box clamped the blade carriage 97 then places the first nine planks in the box 24. The blade carriage then moves to the rear, the clamps 115 are released and the carriage travels to the centre. When the blade car¬ riage is at the rear the lift brings the following nine planks in front of the blade carriage. When the carriage 12 is in the central position, it turns and moves back to the lift 98.

When the lift 98 is in position in front of the blade carriage 97 the latter moves to the centre position, after which the lift lays the planks on the blades. The blade carriage 97 now waits until the carriage 12 Is again In posi- tion with a clamped box 24 in front of the lift.

If this is the case it then places the second nine planks in the box. When the blade carriage 97 has travelled far enough through the lift 98, the lift starts once again to receive planks 76. When the second nine planks have been placed in the box 24 the blade carriage then returns to t rearmost position and when the clamps are open the carria 11, 12 with a filled box returns to the centre.

In the centre is now ascertained whether the for lift truck position 2 is empty and if there are no boxes the parking positions 1 or 10. If the fork-lift truck positi is empty and no more boxes are present, the box 24 is th carried to the fork-lift truck position 2.

If the fork-lift truck position 2 is not empty or box is lying on a parking position, the box is first park on position 1. If this is already occupied then the box go to position 10. Should both positions be occupied however, more boxes are taken to the unloading lift until the fir parked, filled box is moved to fork-lift truck position 2.

Description of Edam routing in the case of re-plastifying.

When the Edams are "off-loaded" by turning device they fall onto the wide conveyor 80 beneath the turner. Th carries the cheeses to the collecting conveyor 94. Should f any reason this conveyor 94 become full the wide conveyor under the turner 77 then stops which in turn will forbid t turner 77 to turn.

Situated in front of and behind the weighing devi 87 are blocking members the purpose' of which is to separa the batches of cheeses arid to give the weigher 87 the oppo tunity to weigh.

Assuming that the weigher is empty and in automati operation the first blocking member is down and the secon up. If an Edam cheese now rolls against the second blockin member the first blocking member will also go up, the weighin belt 87 stops and a weighing is requested. After the signa weighing completed, the second blocking member goes down, th weighing belt 87 starts up and after a time the first blockin member also goes down. As a result space is created between the batches for weighing. When the last weighed Edam is move off the weighing belt the second blocking member goes up agai in order to collect the second batch.

After a determined number of weighings, which can b set on the weighing device, a "zero adjustment" is requeste by the weighing device. No fresh batch of Edams will now be allowed onto the weighing belt 87, which will be emptied. When the belt is empty and both blocking members are up the belt then stops and "zero adjustment" is carried out. After the signal weighing completed another batch is once again moved onto the weighing belt.

In the case of malfunctioning of the weigher or if weighing is not required, the weigher can be set to transport. Both blocking members then go down and the weighing belt 87 then acts as a normal conveyor belt.

The Edams fall from the weighing device into a chute.. This chute distributes the cheeses (evenly) over the two loading belts for the mucops (plastifying drums) 89. When the Edams fall from the loading belts into the mucops they pass photocells which ensure that after every 10 cheeses a shot of plastic is injected into the mucop. The duration of this shot can be extended or shortened using the + and- knobs on the control cabinet at the storing position.

The cheeses fall from the mucops 89 onto the collec- tion plate 91 in front of the storing position. Two people are required here to place the Edams back on the planks.

Description of Edam routing in the case of brining.

The cheeses are placed by the removing conveyor onto the roller conveyor which in turn carries them via a bend 88 to the collecting conveyor 94 before the weighing device. Should this collecting conveyor become for any reason over¬ full, then the roller conveyor and removing conveyor belt are stopped. Should the collecting plate 91 in front of storing position 92 become overfull the roller conveyor and removing conveyor can be stopped by means of the upper toadstool knob next to the control cabinet at the storing position.

The photocells for the mucops 89 previously refer¬ red to in the case of re-plastifying transmit a count signal to the weigher for each cheese during the brining programme. The operation of the weigher 87, blocking members, loading belts and mucops is the same as already described for re-plastifying. Two people are also required here to place the Edams on the planks.

Claims

1. Apparatus for handling Edam cheeses, comprisin a number of transport boxes which each carry at least on vertical row of planks provided with cheese holders in hori zontal position, characterized by a lift (57) comprising number of plank carriers (62) connected to a lifting mechanis (61, 64), a carriage (56) comprising a mobile frame (68 which has a number of plank removing arms (73) for moving th carriage towards an arranged box (24), taking up of the ro of planks (76) onto the plank removing arms, moving of sai carriage towards said lift and for transferring the plank from said plank removing arms onto said plank carriers, where by the control means can further control said lifting mechan ism such that it successively carries the taken up planks t the height of a reciprocating removing device (74) of the ap paratus, which moves the planks in a successive row onto feed conveyor (75) leading to a handling station.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized by a second similar lift (98) and a second similar carriage (97) which function in opposing manner to move planks (76) from a conveyor (96) coming from the handling station into a box.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, charac¬ terized by a positioning and conveyor device (11) for the boxes, comprising a supply point (3) where a box with Edam cheeses for handling can be placed, a discharge point (2) for placing of a box with processed cheeses to be disposed of and whereby the first lift (55) defines an input lift position (7) and the second lift (98) an output lift position (9), whereby arranged in each point are fixed supports' (14) for supporting a box and said positioning and conveyor device further comprises a carriage which can travel between said various points and which is provided with a lifting device.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, characterize in that the input lift position (7) and the output positio (9) are placed on one side along the length of a pair o rails (15) and the supply point (3) and the discharge poin (2) on the opposite side along said rails (15), that th supports (14) are self-supporting supports facing toward said rails, whereby the carriage 11 can travel over sai rails and comprises transverse rails (17) extending on bot sides beneath said self-supporting supports, and the liftin device (37) is mounted on a transverse carriage (12) whic can travel along said transverse rails (17).

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, characterize in that the part of the lifting device (37) gripping a box i a rotary table (49). 6. Apparatus as claimed in either of the claims or 5, characterized by a number of parking positions (1, 4 5,

6, 8, 10) placed next to the rails (15), each provided wit self-supporting supports (14) for supporting a box (24).

7. Apparatus as claimed in any of the previou claims, characterized in that the handling station comprise a turning device (77) connecting onto the supply conveyo (75), which device turns over the supplied planks with chees es, a conveyor belt (80) disposed beneath said turning devic (77) for further transporting of the cheeses and a plan conveyor (101) placed to the side of said turning device.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, characterize in that the plank conveyor (101) forms part of a washin line (78) for washing the planks with a high pressure spra device (102) and a drying device (104) for drying thereof.