US 4,765,487 A · Automatic article stacking system

Abstract

An automatic article stacking system wherein a plurality of articles to be stacked are arranged in layers prior to being stacked. The layers are advantageously arranged horizontally orthogonal to one another so as to enhance the stability of the stack. A measurement system is provided for determining whether any of the articles exceeds a predetermined size limit. In one embodiment which is arranged for stacking egg cartons, a determination that the egg carton exceeds the predetermined size limit signifies that the egg carton is open and, therefore, not in a form suitable for stacking. The open egg carton is conveyed under an elevator which accumulates the articles to be stacked, and to a discharge area. Thus, closed egg cartons are accumulated in layers and stacked. Successive layers of articles are stacked under prior stacked layers.

Claims35

Dependent claims

A system for stacking a plurality of articles in a predetermined arrangement, the system being of the type which is provided with a conveyor which moves the articles along a predetermined conveyor path, the system being characterized in that there are further provided:

measurement means for producing a measurement information signal having a first signal state when an article to be stacked has a length in the direction of the predetermined conveyor path which is less than a predetermined threshold length value, and a second signal state when said article has a length which is greater than said predetermined threshold length value;
elevator means having first and second elevator positions responsive to said measurement information signal, said elevator means being in said first elevator position for accumulating therein a predetermined number of the articles, and in said second elevator position for permitting the articles to be conveyed past said elevator means;
and
rotative stacking means for receiving said predetermined number of the articles accumulated in said elevator means,
said predetermined number of accumulated articles forming a layer of articles to be stacked, said layer of articles being deposited in a stacking zone in a selectable rotative orientation.

2 more elements

A system for stacking a plurality of egg cartons in a predetermined arrangement, the system comprising:

conveyor means for receiving and transporting the egg cartons through the system along a predetermined conveyance path;
accumulator means having released and unreleased states for restraining the egg cartons from being transported along the predetermined conveyance path and accumulating on said conveyance means a predetermined number of the egg cartons in side-by-side relationship during said unreleased state;
measurement means for producing a plurality of measurement signals, each measurement signal being responsive to a predetermined characteristic of a respective one of the egg cartons;
and
bypass means for temporarily removing from said conveyor means accumulated ones of the egg cartons in response to a deviant one of said measurement signals and thereby allowing a deviant egg carton associated with said deviant measurement signal to be transported by said conveyor means past said bypass and said accumulator means.

2 more elements

A method for stacking articles, the method comprising the steps of:

loading the articles onto a conveyor system which will transport the articles along a predetermined path;
measuring a predetermined parameter of each of the articles and producing a measurement signal responsive to said measured parameter for each article, said measurement signal being within a first value range for acceptable articles and within a second value range for unacceptable articles;
accumulating acceptable ones of the articles, in response to said measurement signal being within said first value range, at a bypass station;
removing said accumulated articles from said conveyor system prior to accumulation of an unacceptable article, in response to said associated measurement signal being within said second value range, by operating said bypass station;
transporting said unacceptable article via said conveyor system to a discharge area;
replacing said accumulated articles on said conveyor system after said unacceptable article has been transported beyond said bypass station, at least a further one of the acceptable articles being accumulated at said bypass station until a predetermined number of articles are accumulated;
and
transporting the predetermined number of accumulated acceptable articles to a stacking mechanism which is at a first level corresponding to the level of said conveyor system.

5 more elements

A system for stacking a plurality of articles in a predetermined configuration, comprising:

conveyor means for moving the articles along a predetermined conveyor path;
turntable means in said predetermined conveyor path for receiving articles to be stacked from said conveyor means, said turntable means having a major plane arranged substantially parallel to the predetermined conveyor path;
rotator means operatively connected to said turntable means for rotating same in said major plane through a predetermined angle, whereby adjacent layers of articles received from said conveyor means may be oriented at an angle with respect to one another, said rotator means including rotator shaft means fixed to said turntable means, said rotator shaft means having a longitudinal central axis orthogonal to said major plane and coincidental with an axis of rotation of said turntable means, said rotator means further including lever arm means mechanically coupled to said rotator shaft means and arranged substantially orthogonal to said longitudinal central axis and rotative actuation means mechanically coupled to said lever arm means for rotatively moving said lever arm means by said predetermined angular segment;
and
lift means operatively linked to said turntable means for lifting same in a direction substantially orthogonal to said major plane, said lift means including a lift table separate from and in slidable engagement with said turntable means, said lift means further including lift actuation means, said lift means and said lift actuation means being separate from said rotator means for moving said lift table in a direction substantially perpendicular to said major plane.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Automatic article stacking system

Life of this patent

Automatic article stacking system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims35