# US 2014/0151192 A1 · Accumulator For Paper Rolls Or Other Elongated Products And Related Method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0151192 A1 - Document ID: US20140151192A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/983,471 - Filed: 2012-01-26 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-02-03 - Assignees: Fabio Perini S.p.A. - Inventors: Giancarlo Cicalini; Romano Maddaleni - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151192A1 ## CPC - B65G 17/126: {Bucket elevators} - B65G 17/42: Attaching load carriers to traction elements - B65G 47/5122: {by displacement of the conveyor-guiding means, e.g. of the loose pulley-type (B65G47/5127 takes precedence)} - B65H 19/30: Lifting, transporting, or removing the web roll; Inserting core - B65H 2301/41447: discharging roll by, e.g. rolling it down a slope - B65H 2301/41726: by conveyor - B65H 2701/1924: Napkins or tissues, e.g. dressings, toweling, serviettes, kitchen paper and compresses - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES ## Abstract The accumulator includes at least one pair of chains substantially parallel to each other to which cradles are connected for receiving products to be stored, the cradles being mutually spaced along the pair of chains. Each cradle is connected to the pair of chains through constraining members. On each chain at least one intermediate constraining member is arranged between two adjacent cradles connected to the chains. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-21. (canceled) ### Claim 22 An accumulator for elongated products, comprising: at least one pair of chains substantially parallel to each other, to which cradles are pivotally connected for receiving products to be stored, the cradles being mutually spaced along said pair of chains, wherein each cradle is connected to said pair of chains by constraining members; a product inlet; a product outlet; wherein said chains are driven around wheels with movable axes supported by a movable support and wheels with fixed axes, said wheels subdividing the two chains into storing branches in which the products are stored and empty branches, a lifting and lowering movement of said movable support modifying length of the storing branches and the empty branches to modify quantity of products storable in the accumulator; and wherein on each chain is arranged at least one constraining member intermediate between two consecutive cradles connected to said chains. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The accumulator according to claim 22, wherein said chains form a loading branch, along which products are loaded on said cradles, and an unloading branch, along which products are unloaded from said cradles. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The accumulator as claimed in claim 22, wherein reciprocal distance between adjacent cradles connected to said chains is adjustable according to a dimension of said products. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The accumulator as claimed in claim 22, wherein each of said chains comprises a plurality of groups of chain links, each group of chain links comprising at least one constraining member. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The accumulator as claimed in claim 25, wherein each group of chain links comprises a same number of chain links. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The accumulator as claimed in claim 25, wherein each chain link comprises a respective constraining member. ### Claim 28 (depends on 22) The accumulator as claimed in claim 22, wherein said constraining members are arranged in correspondence of respective axes of reciprocal articulation of chain links. ### Claim 29 (depends on 22) The accumulator as claimed in claim 22, wherein each of said chains is subdivided into chain modules, each of which comprises a number of chain links corresponding to a lowest common multiple of a plurality of pitches at which said cradles can be arranged along said chains, each pitch being expressed as chain links interposed between one cradle and a subsequent cradle. ### Claim 30 (depends on 22) The accumulator as claimed in claim 22, wherein each cradle is provided with devices for reversible coupling to the chains. ### Claim 31 (depends on 22) The accumulator as claimed in claim 22, wherein each cradle is provided with devices for fast coupling to said chains. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) The accumulator as claimed in claim 30, wherein said devices for reversible coupling comprise resilient fastening elements for fastening to pins fixed to said chains. ### Claim 33 (depends on 22) The accumulator as claimed claim 22, further comprising a storage device for storing cradles that are not constrained to said chains. ### Claim 34 (depends on 22) The accumulator as claimed in claim 22, further comprising a positioning system for positioning the cradles along said chains. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The accumulator as claimed in claim 34, wherein said positioning system is automatically controlled by an electronic control unit. ### Claim 36 (depends on 34) The accumulator as claimed in claim 34, further comprising a storage device for storing cradles that are not constrained to said chains and wherein said positioning system comprises members for transferring the cradles from the chains to the storage device and vice versa. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The accumulator as claimed in claim 36, wherein said positioning system comprises releasing and coupling devices for releasing the cradles from, and coupling them to, the chains. ### Claim 38 (depends on 22) The accumulator as claimed in claim 22, further comprising at least one motorization to move said chains forward and a control unit for controlling said motorization, that can be programmed so as to move said chains forward in a stepped manner, the forward pitch being selectable by a user among at least two different forward pitches. ### Claim 39 (depends on 22) The accumulator as claimed in claim 22, further comprising, for at least one of said chains, a pair of indexes connected to a support structure to which guide wheels of said chains are associated, and wherein said indexes are spaced from each other along a path of said at least one chain; and wherein reciprocal distance of said indexes is adjustable. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The accumulator as claimed in claim 39, wherein one of said indexes is fixed and one of said indexes is movable to adjust the reciprocal distance of said two indexes. ### Claim 41 A method for configuring an accumulator for elongated products, comprising at least one pair of chains substantially parallel to each other, to which cradles are connected for receiving products to be stored along a loading branch of said pair of chains and unloading said products along an unloading branch of said pair of chains, the cradles being mutually spaced along said pair of chains, each cradle being suspended to said pair of chains through constraining members; said method comprising: determining reciprocal distance at which consecutive cradles must be arranged according to a dimension of said elongated products; connecting said cradles to said chains at said reciprocal distance. ### Claim 42 (depends on 41) The method according to claim 41, further comprising: storing unused cradles in a storage device, when the number of total cradles exceeds a number of cradles connected to said chains; or removing cradles from a storage device when the number of cradles to be connected to said chains exceeds a number of cradles already connected to said chains.