US 4,063,656 AGranted

System and apparatus for moving and unloading articles

AssigneeRexnord Inc.

InventorGerald G. Lambert

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Abstract

A system for moving and unloading articles includes a movable carriage having a container which is pivotably mounted upon the carriage and adapted to carry a plurality of loose articles. As the carriage moves toward an unloading station, the container pivots about its axis. During approximately the same time interval, a door which is pivotably mounted to the container is unlatched and pivots toward its open position. Preferably, the time sequence is such that the door is fully opened prior to the container reaching its maximum pivot angle. The pivot angle of the container is greater than the angle of repose on the articles, thereby causing the articles to slide out of the container across the open door and onto a conveyor which forms part of an unloading station. After the articles are unloaded, the carriage moves away, the door is closed, and the container tilts back to its normal position.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A system for the handling of articles including an apparatus for moving and unloading articles, a guide means for constraining movement of the apparatus along a predetermined path, and an unloading station adjacent the path and adapted to receive articles unloaded from the apparatus comprising:

a. said apparatus having
1. at least one moveable carriage,
2. a container adapted to carry a plurality of the articles and pivotably mounted to said carriage along an axis lying substantially in the direction of movement of said carriage,
3. a plurality of doors even pivotably mounted along its bottom edge to said container about an axis substantially parallel to the pivot axis of said container,
4. door securing means associated with each of said doors for releasably securing said door to said container,
b. door release means for causing the door securing means to unlatch said doors from said container at a predetermined point along the path;
c. door impeding means for impeding the rapid opening of the doors and for sequentially allowing each door to fully open after being unlatched when each of said doors reaches a first predetermined position adjacent the unloading station;
and
d. door closing means for sequentially closing each door as each of said doors moves past a second predetermined position.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.