GB1246921A - Improvements in palletisers - Google Patents

Abstract

1,246,921. Pallet loaders. BRITISH MATHEWS Ltd. 26 March, 1970 [31 March, 1969], No. 16633/69. Heading B8C. Pallets are withdrawn from a magazine 4 and, while supported on a vertically movable support 8, are loaded with layers of articles fed alternately from layer assembly platforms 14 and 16. Rows of articles for making up the layers are assembled on platforms 80 and are transferred by drag bars 86 on driven bands 84 to the rollers 18 which make up the layer assembly platforms. Continuous belts 70 engage and drive the rollers 18, and the leading rollers 15 are raised by arms 17 to prevent premature discharge of layers on to a stripper plate 12. Pivoted beams 30 and 32 push the layers from the assembly platforms on to the stripper plate and are mounted at the ends of a carriage 20 which is reciprocated in tracks 22 by a gear 38. When the carriage moves to withdraw a beam to the outer end of an assembly platform, the beam is raised to clear the layer on the platform by the action of a cam track 42 or 52 on a beam roller 40 or 50. After the beam is freed from the rear end of the track, reverse movement of the carriage causes the beam to advance the layer of articles on to the stripper plate 12 which is then withdrawn from the shaft 6 so that the layer is transferred to the pallet in the shaft. A loaded pallet is withdrawn from the stack by chains 10 which also draw the next pallet from the magazine. Operation of the apparatus is so synchronized that as a layer is completed on one assembly platform, half a layer has been assembled on the other platform. Means may be present for adjusting the orientation of articles presented to the platforms 80 so that a bonding pattern may be provided between layers on the pallet.