US2919821A - Case stacker - Google Patents

Description

K. P. YOUNG Jan. 5, 1960 CASE STACKER v Filed Aug. e. 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 /f/g. i.

K. P. YOUNG CASE `S'IACKER Jan. 5, 1960 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 6 1956 INVENToR Ken/7 ,D Voy/7? Arrow/EK K. P. YOUNG CASE STACKER Jan. 5, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 6. 1956 United States Patent CASE STACKER Application August 6, 1956, Serial No. 602,217

Claims. (Cl. 214-6) This invention relates to automatic equipment for arranging individual articles into stacks and conveying the stacks so formed to a point of storage, shipment or other use, and more particularly relates to a stacker for cases such as conventional open-top box-like receptacles normally employed for containing bottles, cans and the like, and having hand receiving openings in the ends thereof which are advantageously used in the stacker about to be described.v

It is the most important object of the instant invention to provide a case stacker used in combination with a conveyor and operable to receive the cases in continuous succession from the conveyor, elevate the same into stacks and thereupon transfer the stacks to the same conveyor for removing the same from the stacker.

Another important object of the present invention is the provision of a case stacker that requires no manual operation or operator attention from the time the cases are placed upon the aforementioned `conveyor until the stacks are removed therefrom.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a stacker that includes an elevator associated with the conveyor thereabove and provided with an ascending flight having flight elements thereon that automatically move into engagement with the cases while the same are supported by the conveyor and as the latter feed the cases successively to a position between a pair of spaced endless members forming a part of the elevator.

Another object of the instant invention is the provision of a case stacker employing novel hook-like elements that engage the cases within the handle openings thereof, and which elements are swingable in two directions whereby the same may be moved into position receiving the cases, maintain the latter in proper upright position and deposit the cases in a stack by virtue of free swinging of the elements out of the handle openings when the cases come to rest in a stack upon a support forming a part of the stacker.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a case stacker wherein the aforementioned support is itself movable to a position lowering the stack onto the conveyor through automatic control means that comes into operation when the stack contains a predetermined number of cases.

A still further object of the instant invention is to provide a case stacker having a safety factor rendering the entire elevator component inoperable in the event the stack fails to be carried away from the elevator by the conveyor.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevational view of a case stacker made pursuant to my present invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detailed, perspective view illustrating one of the flight elements and the manner of mounting the same on one of the endless elevator members.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, detailed elevational view simice ilar to Fig. 1 showing the manner of operation of the stack support, parts being broken away and in section for clearness.

Fig. 5 is a schematic view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating diagrammatically the electrical components of the control for the stack support; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the electrical components of the safety feature of the stacker.

The primary components of the stacker for cases 10 about to be described include a conveyor broadly designated by the numeral 12, an elevator 14, suitable supporting framework 16 for the elevator 14, a support 18 for stack of cases 10, control means 22 (Fig. 5) for support 18 and automatic deenergizing assembly 24 (Fig. 6) for prime mover 26 in the nature of an electric motor for operating the elevator 14.

The conveyor 12 may consist of a pair of endless chains or the like 28, having a lowermost and an uppermost horizontal stretch, the latter of which is shown in part in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 and broadly designated by the numeral 30.

The frame 16 includes a plurality of interconnected, elongated standards 32 embracing the conveyor 12.

Elevator 14 consists of a pair of spaced, endless members such as chains 34 and 36 trained over uppermost sprocket wheels 3S and lowermost sprocket wheels 40. The two lowermost sprocket wheels 40 are secured to a common driven shaft 42 horizontally disposed and rotatably supported by the standards 32. The prime mover 26 is operably coupled with the shaft 42 through a speed reducer 44.

The uppermost sprocket wheels 38 are secured to stub shafts 46, the bearings whereof are shiftable vertically by virtue of suitable take-up means 48 for varying the tension of the chains 34 and 36. l

In the embodiment of the invention chosen for illustration, the elevator 14 is provided with five pairs of flight elements 50 mounted on the chains 34 and 36 in the manner best seen in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Elements 50 are substantially J-shaped and provided with hooks 52 at the lowermost ends thereof. Elements 50 are swingably mounted on the chains 34 and 36 through use of one of the pins 54 that interconnect the links of the chains 34 and 36 and which pin 54 is extended for such purpose. A collar 56 journaled on the pin 54 has a sleeve 58 fixed thereon in transverse relationship thereto and which sleeve 58 is embraced by the bifurcated uppermost end of the element 50. A hinge pin 60 swingably mounts the element 50 on the sleeve 58.

A lateral projection `62. on each element l50 intermediate the ends thereof is employed to automatically swing the elements 50 inwardly into engagement with the cases 10 in the manner illustrated by Fig. 2. To this end there is provided a pair of opposed, arcuate deectors 64 that are swingably mounted on brackets y66 carried by arpair of the standards '32. Brackets 66 are provided with adjusting screws 68 attached to deilectors 64- for swinging the same about pivot pins 70 to thereby Vary the distance between the dellectors 64.

Support 13 consists of a pair of L-shaped arms 72 embracing the stretch 30 of conveyor 12 and swingably carried by the framework 16. The uppermost edges of the horizontal legs of arms 72 are normally disposed above the uppermost plane of the conveyor stretch 30 in supporting relationship to the stack 20 as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, and arms I2 are releasably held in such position by a lock arrangement that includes toggle linkage 74 pivotally interconnecting the outermost ends of the arms '72 and mounting means 76 for the arms '72, which mounting means 76 is in turn secured to the framework 16. The mounting means 76 in turn carries an upstanding bracket 78 that supports a solenoid `30 whose horizontally reciprocable core engages the linkage 74 to shift the latter from the position shown in Fig. l to the released position illustrated by Fig. 4 when solenoid 80 is energized.

A spring 32 interconnecting linkage 74 and the bracket 78 yieldably biases the linkage 74 toward the position shown in Fig. l. The extent of movement of the linkage 74 under inliuence of spring 82 may be varied by an adjustable stop screw 84 mounted on the bracket 73.

The extent of movement of the cases 1i) by the conveyor 12 toward the shaft 42 in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig. l, is limited by one or more stops S5 adjustably mounted on L-shaped horizontal guides 88 coextensive with the stretch 3G and in embracing relationship thereto as seen in Fig. 2.

Solenoid 30 is coupled in series with power supply lines 9i? (see Fig. 5) and with a pair of normally open switches 92 and 94 forming a part of the control 2,2. Switch 92 is disposed within the path of travel of cases 1f? being elevated by ascending flight 96 of elevator 14, and switch 9d is disposed within the path of travel of cases 1i) being lowered along descending flight 98 of elevator 14. The only time both switches 92 and 94- are held closed so as to energize solenoid t is when a predetermined number of cases 10 are in the stack Bti, as shown in Fig. 5, and after another case 16a has risen to a predetermined position along the liight 96.

In the event stack 2i) and therefore, uppermost case 10b thereof, fails to move away from the switch 94 after switches @Z and 94 are both closed, the prime mover 2,6 for elevator 14 is automatically deenergized by operation of the safety components 24 shown in Fig. 6. A normally closed switch lil@ within the path of travel of descending cases 1@ along flight 98 is held open by the case 10b when the latter is disposed in the stack 2O on support 18. Another normally closed switch 102 is disposed within the path of travel of the cases lil as the same pass from flight and, therefore, both switches 190 and 102 are opened simultaneously to deenergize motor 26 whenever a case 10c moves into engagement with switch 1632 while switch lil@ is being held open by case 10b.

ln operation, conveyor 12 operates continuously to feed cases 10 to the flight 96 of elevator 14 in continuous succession, the guides 88 tending to prevent misalignment of the cases 10 on the stretch 30 as they approach a position for receiving hooks 52 within hand openings lh/i thereof. Cases 10 come to rest against the stops 86 and if desired, the chains 28 may be lubricated so that the same slide freely beneath the cases 10 while the same are held against advancement by stops S6.

Elevator 14 also operates continuously by virtue of energization of prime mover 26 and as the elements Sil move upwardly along the deflectors 64 with the projections 62 engaging the latter, the said deflectors 6d will swing the elements Sil inwardly toward each other about the pivot pin il to move the hooks 52 into the openings 104 of the case 1i) next adjacent stops 86 as shown in Fig. 2. Elevator 14 will thereupon immediately lift such case lltl off the conveyor 12 and as soon as the ascending case 1t) clears the next succeeding case 1U on conveyor 12, such next succeeding case will be fed to a position between the deliectors fi-l and therefore, between the chains 34 and 36 for receiving the next pair of flight elements `5t).

By virtue of the swinging movement of the elements 50 with respect to the chains 34 and 3e about the pin 54, the cases 1li will remain in an upright position throughout their paths of travel along the flight 96, over the uppermost sprockets 38 and thence downwardly along the flight 98.

The first case 10d will come to rest upon the support 1S which serves to hold the case 10d out of engagement with the conveyor 12 as long as solenoid 80 remains deenergized. When further downward movement of case 16a is prevented by support 13, elements 50 will automatically swing away from each other to positions hanging vertically from the pivot pin 60 by virtue of proper arrangement of the center of gravity thereof, thereby withdrawing the hooks 52 from Within the openings 1M.

ln this connection it should be noted that the hooks 52 are relatively shallow so that the same will quickly swing out of the openings 104 when relieved of the weight of case 10d. Still further, the lowermost faces 52a of hooks 52 are arcuate so that they will be deflected out of the openings 104i in the event such faces 52a come into engagement with the case 10d at the lowermost edges of the openings 194 at the time case 10d cornes to rest on support 1S.

lt is apparent that succeeding cases 10 will be stacked on the case 10d during continuous operation of the elevator 14 and conveyor 12 until the stack 26* contains a predetermined number of the cases 1i).

Although the switches 92 and 94 are intermittently closed during such operation, switch 94 will not be held closed for any great length of time until the case 10b cornes to rest on the stack 2i). The case 10c will have passed the switch 92 before case 10b closes switch 94. However, as soon as case 10a moves into engagement with switch to close the latter, solenoid S0 will be enrgized by virtue of both switches 92 and M being closed. Solenoid remains energized throughout the time that case 113:1 holds the switch 92 closed, and such energization of solenoid Sil breaks the toggle linkage 7d to permit stack 21? to descend upon the conveyor 12.

lt is seen in Fig, l that stop screw 84 is preferably adjusted so that toggle linkage 74 is past center in one direction when solenoid 3) is deenergized thereby assuring the normal holding of support 18 in a position where it will in turn maintain the case lild of stack 20 out of engagement with the stretch Btl of conveyor 12. When however, the solenoid Si? is energized to project its reciprocable core, the toggle linkage 74 is shifted past center in the opposite direction, thereby lowering the uppermost edge of the support 18 below the level of stretch 3G.

As soon as the stack Ztl cornes to rest on the conveyor 12 it is removed from the elevator 14- and conveyed away from the flight 98, as well as the switch 94, whereupon the latter automatically opens to deenergize solenoid 80.

As soon as the stack 2G clears the support 18, the spring 82 acting on toggle linkage 74, will automatically return the support 1S to its stack-supporting position shown in Fig. l ready for receiving case 10c which will constitute the lowermost case of the next succeeding stack.

in the event however, that stack 2li fails to move away from switch 94 as just above contemplated, prime mover 26 will be deenergized as soon as case 10c opens the switch 102. Switches and 162 are in parallel, but each is in series with the prime mover 26 and, therefore, deenergization of the latter occurs during simultaneous opening of switches will and 1132 by cases 10b and 10c respectively. Here again, while switches lili) and 102 are intermittently opened during normal operation of the elevator 14, the only time the same are held open simultaneously is when case 10c arrives at the position shown in Fig. 6 while the stack 20 is still in a position where case 1ilb holds switch 94 closed and switch 100 open.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An article stacker comprising an elevator having an ascending flight and a descending ight; conveyor means including a continuous stretch extending through said elevator for initially feeding articles to be stacked to said ascending flight in continuous succession and for subsequently removing a stack of said articles from the elevator, said elevator being provided with a plurality of flight elements engageable with said articles as the elements ascend for raising the articles along the ascending flight and lowering the same along the descending Hight; movable meansv within the path of travel of the descending articles, said movabley means embracing said stretch of the conveyor and normally in a position above the plane vthereof for supporting the descending articles above said conveyor means until a predetermined number of articles are deposited thereon to present said stack;

feeding articles to be stacked to said ascending Hight in continuous succession and for subsequently removing a stack of said articles from the elevator, said elevator being provided with a plurality of Hight elements engage- ,able with said articles as the elements ascend for raising ,the articles along the ascending flight and lowering the same along the descending Hight; movable means within v the path of travel of the descending articles, said movable means embracing said stretch of the conveyor and normally in a position above the plane thereof for supporting the descending articles above said conveyor means until a predetermined number of articles are deposited thereon in a stack, said conveyor means being disposed to remove the stack from Within the path of travel of the descending articles; and means for moving said supporting means after said predetermined number of articles have been deposited thereon to lower the stack from the supporting means onto said stretch of the conveyor means.

' 3. An article stacker comprising an elevator having an ascending Hight and a descending Hight; continuously operating conveyor means including a continuous stretch ,extending through said elevator for initially feeding articles t'o be stacked to said ascending Hight in continuous succession and for subsequently removing a stack vof said articles from the elevator, said elevator being provided with'a plurality of hook-like Hight elements engageable 'with said articles as the elements ascend for raising the articles along the ascending Hight, and lowering the same along the descending Hight; movable means within the path of travel of the descending articles, said movable means embracing said stretch of the conveyor and normally in a position above the plane thereof for supporting the descending articles above said conveyor means until a predetermined number of articles are deposited thereon inl a stack, said conveyor means being disposed to remove the stack from within the path of travel of the descending articles; releasable lock means normally holding said supporting means against movement; and means for releasing said lock means after said predetermined number of articles have been deposited on the supporting means to lower the stack from the supporting means onto said stretch of the conveyor means.

v 4. A stacker for cases having opposed ends each provided with an opening, said 'stacker comprising an elevator having an ascending Hight and a descending Hight and including a pair of endless members spaced to receive the cases therebetween, each member having a plurality of spaced hook-like Hight elements movable thereon and engageable with the cases in said openings; a horizontal conveyor including a continuous stretch extending through said elevator for initially feeding the cases to said ascending Hight between the members in continuous succession and for subsequently removing a stack of said articles from the elevator; means engageable with said elements for hooking the same into the openings of the cases as the latter are fed to the ascending Hight whereby the cases are raised from the conveyor as the elements ascend and are thereupon lowered as the elements descend; a vertically movable support Within the path of travel of the descending cases, said support embracing said stretch of the conveyor and normally in a position above the plane thereof, said elements having arcuate surfaces engageable with the edges of the cases forming said openingsas descent ofthe latter is prevented by the support for deHecting the elements out of the openings whereby the cases are deposited on the support in a stack; and means for lowering the support to thereby lower the stack onto said stretch of the conveyor after a predetermined number of cases have been deposited in the stack.

5. A stacker for cases having opposed ends each provided with an opening, said stacker comprising an endless conveyor having an uppermost, horizontal stretch; an elevator above the conveyor intermediate the ends of said stretch having an ascending Hight and a descending Hight, said stretch traveling continuously in a direction to feed the cases singly and in uninterrupted succession to the ascending Hight and to move the cases away from the descending Hight after each arrangement of a predetermined number of the cases in a single stack, said elevator including a pair of endless members spaced to receive the cases therebetween and a plurality of pairs of hooklike Hight elements engageable in hooked relationship to the cases within said openings, each member having one element of each pair thereof swingably mounted thereon; means engageable with said elements for swinging the same into the openings of the cases as the latter are fed to the ascending Hight whereby the cases are raised from the conveyor as the elements ascend and are thereupon lowered as the elements descend; a vertically movable support within the path of travel of the descending cases, said support embracing said stretch of the conveyor and normally in a position above the plane thereof, said elements having arcuate surfaces engageable with the edges of the cases forming said openings as descent of the latter is prevented by the support for deflecting the elements out of the openings whereby the cases are deposited on the support in a stack; and means for lowering the support to thereby lower the stack onto said stretch of the conveyor after a predetermined member of cases have been deposited in the stack.

6. A stacker as set forth in claim 5 wherein each o'f said hook-like elements is provided with means pivotally mounting the same on the members'whereby the hook portions of the elements always face upwardly.

7. A stacker for cases having opposed ends each provided with an opening, said stacker comprising an endless conveyo'r haiving an uppermost, horizontal stretch; an elevator above the conveyor intermediate the ends of said stretch having an ascending Hight and a descending Hight, said stretch traveling continuously in a direction to feed the cases singly and in uninterrupted succession to the ascending Hight and to move the cases away from the descending Hight after each arrangement of a predetermined number of the cases in a single stack, said elevator including a pair of endless members spaced to' receive the cases therebetween and a plurality of pairs of hook-like Hight elements engageable in hooked relationship to the cases within said openings, each member having one element of each pair thereof swingably mounted thereon; means engageable with said elements for swinging the same into the openings of the cases as the latter are fed to the ascending Hight whereby the cases are raised from the conveyor as the elements ascend and are thereupon lowered as the elements descend; a vertically movable support within the path of travel of the descending case, said elements normally hanging vertically from the members and having arcuate surfaces engageable with the edges of the cases forming said openings whereby they are deHected out o'f the openings automatically as descent of the cases is prevented by the support, to thereby deposit the cases on the support in a stack; and means for lowering the support to thereby lower the stack onto the conveyor after a predetermined number of cases have been deposited inthe stack.

8. A stacker for cases having opposed ends each provided with an opening, said stacker comprising an endless conveyor having an uppermost, horizontal stretch; an elevator above the conveyor intermediate the ends of said stretch having an ascending iiight and a descending flight, said stretch traveling continuously in a direction to feed the cases singly and in uninterrupted succession to the ascending flight and to' move the cases away from the descending liight after each arrangement of a predetermined number of the cases in a single stack, said elevator including a pair of endless members spaced to receive the cases therebetween and a plurality of pairs of hook-like iiight elements engageable with the cases in said openings, each member having one element of each pair thereof swingably mounted thereon; means engageable with said elements for swinging the same into the openings o'f the cases to hook the elements onto the cases as the latter are fed to the ascending liight whereby the cases are raised from the conveyor as the elements ascend and are thereupon lowered as the elements descend; a vertically movable support within the path of travel of the descending cases, said elements normally hanging vertically from the members and having arcuate surfaces engageable with the edges of the cases forming said openings whereby they are deliected out of the openings auto'- matically as descent of the cases is prevented by the support, to thereby deposit the cases on the support in a stack; power means for lowering the support to thereby lower the stack onto the conveyor after a predetermined number o'f cases have been deposited in the stack; and control means for said power means including a first device disposed for engagement by the uppermost case of l the stack and a second device disposed for engagement by a case being raised along the ascending flight while said uppermost case engages the first device.

9. A stacker for cases having opposed ends each provided with an opening, said stacker comprising an endless conveyor having an uppermost, horizontal stretch; an elevator above the conveyor intermediate the ends of said stretch having an ascending ight and a descending ight, said stretch traveling continuously in a direction to feed the cases singly and in uninterrupted succession to the ascending flight and to move the cases away from the descending iiight after each arrangement of a predetermined number of the cases in a single stack, said elevator including a pair of endless members spaced to receive the cases therebetween and a plurality o'f pairs of hook-like flight elements engageable with the cases in said openings, each member having one element of each pair thereof swingably mounted thereon; means engageable with said elements for swinging the same into the openings of the cases to hook the elements onto the cases as the latter are fed to the ascending flight whereby the cases are raised from the conveyor as the elements ascend and are thereupo'n lowered as the elements descend; a vertically swingi able support embracing said stretch of the conveyor and normally in a position extending above the plane thereof within the path of travel of the descending cases; releasable means normally holding the support in said position, said elements normally hanging vertically from the members and having arcuate surfaces engageable with the edges of the cases forming said openings whereby they are deflected out of the openings automatically as descent of the cases is prevented by the. support, to thereby deposit the cases on the support in a stack; and means for actuating said releasable means after a predetermined number of cases have been deposited in the stack whereby the support swings downwardly to lower the stack o'nto the conveyor.

10. A stacker for cases having opposed ends each provided with an opening, said stacker comprising an endless conveyor having an uppermost, horizontal stretch; an elevator above the conveyor intermediate the ends of said stretch having an ascending flight and a descending flight, said stretch traveling continuously in a direction to feed the cases singly and in uninterrupted succession to the ascending liight and to move the cases away from the descending flight after each arrangement of a predetermined number of the cases in a single stack, said elevator including a pair of endless members spaced to receive the cases therebetween and a plurality of pairs of hook-like flight elements engageable with the cases in said openings, each member having one element of each pair thereof swingably mounted thereon; means engageable with said elements for swinging the same into the openings of the cases to hook the elements onto the cases as the latter are fed to the ascending flight whereby the cases are raised from the conveyo'r as the elements ascend ,s

and are thereupon lowered as the elements descend; a vertically swingable support embracing said stretch of the conveyor and normally in a position extending above the plane thereof within the path of travel of the descending cases; releasable means normally holding the supportf in said position, said elements normally hanging vertically from the members, being spaced a distance greater than the distance between said ends and having arcuate surfaces engageable with the edges of the cases forming said openings whereby they are deflected out of the openings automatically as descent of the cases is prevented by the support, to thereby deposit the cases on the support in a stack; electrical means for actuating said releasable means after a predetermined number of cases have been deposited in the stack whereby the support swings downwardly to lower the stack onto the conveyor; and a control circuit coupled with said electrical means and including a first normally open switch disposed for engagement by the uppermost case of the stack to close the rst switch, and a second normally open switch disposed for engagement by a case being raised along the ascending iiight while said uppermost case engages the rst switch whereby to' close the second switch.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,193,264 Bashore Mar. 12, 1940 2,266,170 Currie Dec. 16, 1941 2,407,782 Hardy Sept. 17, 1946 2,491,298 Carter Dec. 13, 1949 2,703,182 Broberg et al Mar. 1, 1955

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