초록 ▼

Apparatus is provided for arranging a row of bundles, preferably tied or untied bundles of folded or unfolded corrugated boxes or blanks, into stacks which include a plurality of layers of one or more bundles. The apparatus includes a feeding conveyor for feeding a row of bundles to a loading convey

Apparatus is provided for arranging a row of bundles, preferably tied or untied bundles of folded or unfolded corrugated boxes or blanks, into stacks which include a plurality of layers of one or more bundles. The apparatus includes a feeding conveyor for feeding a row of bundles to a loading conveyor. A worker is stationed at the loading conveyor and functions to arrange the bundles into a layer on the loading conveyor. The loading conveyor then operates to transfer the layer of bundles to a transfer station on a vertical conveyor. Alternatively, the worker can arrange the bundles directly at the transfer station. The vertical conveyor includes a plurality of carrier plates which each operate to lift a layer of bundles from the transfer station and transfer it to a delivery station on the other side of the vertical conveyor. Each carrier plate includes a plurality of pushers so that the next carrier plate operates to push the layer of bundles from the delivery station onto a stripping conveyor which pushes the layer against a striker plate located above a downstacker. A stripping conveyor surrounds the downstacker and includes at least one opening therein through which the layer of bundles is deposited onto a movable platform of the downstacker or is deposited onto a layer of bundles which was previously deposited on the movable platform. The platform is incrementally actuated downwardly each time another layer of bundles is deposited thereon to form a stack of the desired height. The movable platform is then actuated downwardly to its discharge position, and the formed stack is then discharged from the downstacker, and straps are applied thereto. Actuating means are also provided for supplying control signals to the loading conveyor and the vertical conveyor to stop their operation while the platform is being lowered toward its discharge position and being returned to its uppermost position to receive the next layer of bundles.

대표청구항 ▼

Apparatus for organizing and arranging layers of one or more bundles into stacks, comprising: means responsive to a first control signal for supplying a layer of bundles to a transfer station at a loading elevation; means for elevating and transferring said layer of bundles from said transfer statio

Apparatus for organizing and arranging layers of one or more bundles into stacks, comprising: means responsive to a first control signal for supplying a layer of bundles to a transfer station at a loading elevation; means for elevating and transferring said layer of bundles from said transfer station to a delivery station at a transferring elevation which is greater than the maximum elevation of the stack to be formed, said elevating and transferring means maintaining said layer substantially horizontally disposed during said elevating and transferring operation, said elevating and transferring means being operable to supply said first control signal to said supplying means to supply said layer of bundles to said transfer station; stack-forming means adjacent said transferring means including a movable platform for sequentially receiving said layers from said delivery station to form a stack of layers on said movable platform, said platform being responsive to a second control signal to move between a receiving position and a discharge position; first actuating means for supplying said second control signal to said platform to move said formed stack to said discharge position so that said formed stack may be discharged; and said first actuating means also operating to supply a third control signal to said supplying means and a fourth control signal to said transferring means to interrupt the operation of said supplying means and said transferring means until said platform returns to said receiving position and is ready to receive the next layer of bundles from said delivery station.