Simplimatic Engineering Company

Robert E Bowser

The operations of the palletizer are automatically controlled by a prerecorded control program. The palletizer includes a vertical shaft, a retractable draw plate located above the shaft and a drive mechanism for moving a hoist along the shaft. After a tier of cartons is formed on the unretracted draw plate, a tier sheet inserter extracts a single tier sheet from a stack and places the sheet on top of the tier. The draw plate is then retracted, placing the tier on the hoist and the hoist is lowered until the tier is aligned with the banding mechanism, which is located within the shaft. The banding mechanism places a strap around the tier, tensions the strap and fastens same. The hoist is then repositioned to accept the next tier as same is deposited thereon by the draw plate.

Palletizer with tier sheet inserter and banding means

Conveyor apparatus comprises a series of spaced rollers defining thereover a travel path for articles and an article stop located adjacent and downstream with respect to one of the rollers and movable between an extended position and a retracted position. In its extended position, the article stop extends into the travel path to obstruct passage of articles from the roller, and in its retracted position the article stop is spaced from the travel path to permit passage of articles from the roller. A roller stop is secured to the article stop and movable therewith, the roller stop being operatively disengaged from the roller when the article stop is in the retracted position and operatively engaged with the roller when the article stop is in the extended position. Operative engagement of the roller stop with the roller inhibits rotation of the roller and thus reduces the momentum with which an article engages the article stop.

Stop apparatus for palletizers and the like

In a palletizer, various load patterns are achieved through the arrangement of tiers or layers of rows of cartons, each constituent row therein having a given width. Conveying means are provided with a first side at which rows of cartons are received at spaced intervals and a second side. The conveying means, when actuated, is effective to transport the rows of cartons thereon towards the second side thereof. Means, responsive to the number of rows of cartons present on the conveying means, is effective, subsequent to the entry of each of the incoming rows of cartons at the first side of the conveying means, to actuate the conveying means to transport the rows presently thereon a distance substantially equal to the width of the incoming row, when less than R rows are present on the conveying means, and a selected distance sufficient to move the leading row of cartons on the conveying means to the second side thereof, when R rows are present thereon. This method of row formation prevents skewing of the cartons as is common with conventional tier forming methods and, in addition, gaps between cartons in adjacent rows can be preserved without the necessity for stop means. Actuatable stop means are provided at various positions along the conveying means. The rows of cartons can, where not being formed by the above method, be advanced to an actuated stop means or, alternatively, to an end stop at the second side of the conveyor means in order to provide additional versatility in tier formation.

Method and apparatus for tier forming on a row by row basis

The apparatus includes a frame and means for moving a container relative to the frame. A series of force exerting rollers are adjustably mounted on the frame and engagable with the container such that they are effective to exert a force on the crease line of the flap as the container is moved relative to the frame. In this manner, the crease is manipulated or worked such that the flap will remain in the closed position. Rollers are also provided for preventing deformation of the container surface adjacent the crease line as the force exerting rollers act thereon. Some of the force exerting rollers have a surface oriented at 45.degree. from the top of the container and thus act directly on the crease line. The deformation preventing rollers have a surface parallel to the surface of the container adjacent thereto. A force exerting roller may be combined with a deformation preventing roller to form a single roller having a flanged portion and a cylindrical portion. In addition, the rollers may be positioned along the path of movement of the container successively closer to the surface upon which the container is moved such that each exerts a progressively greater force on the container as it is moved.

Flap setter

Apparatus is provided for sensing the position of the top of a carton situated on an upwardly moving hoist beneath the draw plate of a palletizer. The carton top has a flap thereon which, in some instances, is partially opened and which will require a given force to close it such that it does not interfere with the sensing of the position of the top of the carton. The apparatus terminates the upward movement of the hoist when the top of the carton is in the desired position and then withdraws to permit the draw plate to deposit the next tier of cartons on the hoist. The apparatus comprises a support situated below the draw plate and a movable carriage mounted on the support. An element extending from the carriage, which normally intersects the path of movement of the carton, is mounted on the carriage for limited pivotal movement with respect thereto in response to a movement of the top of the carton, between an initial pivotal position along the path prior to the desired position of the carton top and a final pivotal position corresponding to the desired position of the carton top. Means are provided for urging the element towards the initial position by exerting a force on the element greater than the force required to close the flap, if same is opened. Control means are operatively connected to the element for actuation when the element is in the final pivotal position to terminate the movement of the hoist and to actuate means for moving the carriage to a position where the element is withdrawn from the path of carton movement so that the area above the carton is unobstructed. Means are provided for preventing the element from abruptly 'snapping back' due to the urging thereof towards its initial pivotal position, as the carriage is withdrawn.

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Lynchburg, VA, United States of America

Robert E Bowser