# US 2017/0283192 A1 · Item movement apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0283192 A1 - Document ID: US20170283192A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/088,730 - Filed: 2016-04-01 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-04-01 - Assignees: Positive Automation Ltd. - Applicants: Positive Automation Ltd. - Inventors: Colin Powell - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170283192A1 ## CPC - B65G 65/00: Loading or unloading (of vehicles B65G67/00) - 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) ## Abstract The invention relates to apparatus and a method for the loading of trolley shelves with containers and particularly, although not exclusively, to the loading of trolleys which are known as cage trolleys and which can carry containers which are provided to be removed directly therefrom and purchased, such as containers of milk. The apparatus and method allows loading of groups of containers onto the respective trolley shelves to be performed whilst the trolleys are retained at a fixed location with respect to the loading apparatus. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Apparatus for the loading of a plurality of containers into a trolley comprising: a base, side walls, a rear wall and a front access opening and a plurality of vertically spaced shelves onto which the containers are placed, wherein said apparatus includes a collating means at which a group of said containers required to be moved onto a specific shelf of the trolley are located, and movement means for moving the said group of containers from the collating means to the height of the said specific shelf and then onto the said shelf with the trolley remaining in a fixed position with respect to the movement means during the loading of the containers onto the said shelves. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the movement means include a robotic arm for the movement of the group of containers and a surface on which the group of containers are located, to bring the height of the said surface to the height of the shelf of the trolley onto which that group of containers are to be moved. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein expanding elements are provided to engage with one of the shelves and/or side walls of the trolley in order to increase the size of at least the opening through which the said group of containers are moved. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the expanding elements contact with the trolley in advance of the movement of the articles onto the shelf. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the expanding elements contact with the shelf which is positioned above the shelf onto which the articles are to be loaded and act to raise the height of the shelf which is contacted. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the expanding elements contact the side walls of the trolley to move the same outwardly to increase the size of the opening. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the group of containers are moved through a former or shoe prior to passing into the opening into the trolley. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the former or shoe defines an aperture which is of substantially the same dimensions as the opening in the trolley through which the containers are to be subsequently moved to be located on the shelf. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus includes locating means fixtures to locate and maintain the trolley in position with respect to the movement means during the loading of the trolley. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the loading of the trolley commences from the lowest shelf and the shelves of the trolley are then sequentially loaded upwardly. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the surface on which the containers are collated is movable in a vertical plane with respect to the trolley, to bring the articles to the required height for the shelf which is to be loaded. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the containers include a handle portion and the containers are positioned at the collating means such that the handle portion of the respective containers are positioned to face the opening into the trolley once loaded onto the respective shelves. ### Claim 13 Apparatus for the loading of a plurality of containers into a trolley comprising: a base, side walls, a rear wall and a front access opening and a plurality of vertically spaced shelves onto which the containers are placed, said apparatus includes a collating means at which a plurality of said containers required for filling a shelf are located on a surface, movement means for moving the said group of containers onto the shelf and wherein a former or shoe is provided intermediate the collating means and the trolley and through which the group of containers for a particular shelf is moved prior to entering the trolley. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the apparatus includes expanding elements which contact with the trolley to temporarily increase the size of the opening whilst a group of containers is being placed therethrough. ### Claim 15 A method of loading a trolley with a plurality of containers, said containers located on shelves of the trolley, said method comprising the steps of: moving the trolley to be loaded to a loading position, moving a number of the containers to a collating means to form a group of containers to be loaded onto a specific shelf, wherein the trolley is maintained in a fixed position, and moving the group of containers to the height of the said specific shelf and moving the group of containers onto the shelf. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A method according to claim 15 wherein the containers in the group are respectively oriented. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) A method according to claim 15 wherein the group of containers are moved through a former or shoe prior to movement onto a shelf of the trolley. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) A method according to claim 15 wherein expanding elements are engaged with the side walls and/or at least one of the shelves of the trolley so as to temporarily increase the dimension of the opening into the trolley whilst the containers are passed through the opening and onto the specific shelf. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A method according to claim 18 wherein the increase in the dimensions of the opening is maintained for the duration of the movement of the containers onto the shelf.