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US 2004/0105736 A1Published application
Method and an apparatus for removing pieces of cloth from a pile
OwnerSteen Nielseninventor
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OwnerSteen Nielseninventor
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The invention relates to an apparatus for picking out laundry articles from a pile of laundry articles that are arranged in a transportable container that is upwardly open and has a downwardly configured bottom, from where lateral ledges extend upwards to the container opening, which apparatus comprises a frame on which a pull gripper is configured, and means for conveying the pull gripper down into the container opening to a lower position with a view to seizing one or more laundry articles, and subsequently to convey the pull gripper upwards above the container opening with a view to letting go of the seized laundry articles, and wherein the apparatus further comprises means for moving the pile of laundry articles located in the container in a direction towards the lower position of the pull gripper. The invention is characterised in that the means for moving the pile of laundry articles comprise means for positioning the container in relation to the lower position of the pull gripper, and means for lifting the one side of the container in such a manner that the container bottom and at least one of the lateral ledges of the container form a pair of side faces that inclined relative to the horizontal and converge to meet essentially vertically underneath the lower position of the pull gripper and thereby allow laundry articles in the container to successively slide underneath the pull gripper in pace with the pull gripper picking out laundry articles from the pile of laundry articles.
An apparatus for picking out laundry articles from a pile of laundry articles that are located in a transportable container that is upwardly open and has a downwardly configured bottom, from where lateral ledges extend upwards to the container opening, said apparatus comprising a frame, on which a pull gripper is configured, and means for conveying the pull gripper down into the opening of the container to a lower position with a view to seizing one or more laundry articles, and subsequently conveying the pull gripper upwards above the opening of the container with a view to letting go of the seized laundry articles, and wherein the apparatus further comprises means for moving the pile of laundry articles located in the container in a direction towards the lower position of the pull gripper, characterised in that the means for moving the pile of laundry articles comprises means for positioning the container relative to the lower position of the pull gripper, and means for lifting the one side of the container in such a manner that the container bottom and at least one of the lateral ledges of the container form a pair of slide faces that are inclined relative to the horizontal, that converge to meet essentially vertically underneath the. lower position of the pull gripper and thereby allow laundry articles to successively slide down underneath the pull gripper in pace with the pull gripper picking out laundry articles from the pile.
An apparatus according to claim 3, characterised in that the ramp is, at its first end, provided with a gable that prevents the container from rolling off this end of the ramp;
An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the apparatus is configured for lifting the bottom of the container upwards to an angle relative to the horizontal plane, which angle is between 30 and 60°.
An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that means are configured with a view to shaking or vibrating the container in the position in which the one end of the container is lifted.
An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it further comprises a lower conveyor located in such a manner that the one end of the conveyor extends underneath the lateral ledge that forms a slide face for the laundry articles when the one side of the container is lifted, and that the upper position of the pull gripper is located above the lower conveyor;
A method for picking out, in an automated manner, laundry articles from a pile of laundry articles in a transportable container which is upwardly open and has a downwardly configured bottom, from where lateral ledges extend upwards to the container opening, and wherein the method comprises use of a pull gripper, said pull gripper being conveyed down into the container via the opening therein to a lower position, in which one or more laundry articles are seized by the pull gripper, and wherein the pull gripper is subsequently moved upwards to an upper position above the opening of the container, wherein the seized laundry articles are let go and drop onto a conveyor configured therefor that moves the laundry articles away from the container, and wherein the pile of laundry articles located in the container is successively moved in a direction towards the lower position of the pull gripper in pace, with laundry articles being picked out of the laundry pile in the container, characterised in that the laundry pile is moved by securing the container relative to the lower position of the pull gripper, and lifting the one side of the container in such a manner that the bottom of the container and at least one of the lateral ledges of the container form a pair of inclined lateral faces relative to the horizontal that converge to meet essentially vertically underneath the lower position of the pull gripper and thereby allow laundry articles from the container to successively slide underneath the pull gripper in pace with the pull gripper picking out laundry articles from the pile of laundry articles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.