Barrel storage and handling apparatus

A system for storing and orienting barrels in store-racks, with their plugs positioned at the tops of said barrels, respectively, comprising:

• a position-presetting station;
• a stand-by station adjacent to said position-presetting station;
• a storage station adjacent to said stand-by station, said storage station including a plurality of store-racks and a movable stacker crane interposed between said racks and said stand-by station for transporting barrels therebetween;
• said position-presetting station including a pair of spaced rails for receiving rolling barrels thereon one after another;
• a pair of stoppers spaced apart in the direction of rolling of said barrels on said rails, each of which are pivotally movable within a generally vertical plane between raised and lowered positions and which are adapted to hold a barrel therebetween when in their raised positions;
• a pair of spaced-apart position-adjusting guides positioned externally of said rails, the spacing of said guides being narrower towards a barrel-circumference measuring position;
• barrel turning means selectively movable into and out of engagement with said barrels for selectively rotating said barrels;
• a plug-position-detecting means pivotally mounted above said barrels and positioned above said barrel turning means for detecting a plug on a barrel;
• measuring rollers pivotally mounted above said barrels and above said barrel turning means, said measuring rollers being adapted to measure a maximum circumference of a respective barrel and a circumference of said respective barrel at the points where said respective barrel contacts said rails on which said barrel rolls from said position-presetting station to its desired final position in said racks;
• and a barrel position-calculating control circuit electrically connected to said measuring rollers and electrically connected to said plug-position-detecting means, for stopping the operation of said barrel turning means when said plug is oriented at a predetermined position whereby when said barrels are transported to their respective desired final position in said store-racks by said stacker crane, said plugs will be positioned at the uppermost position of said barrels.