Object array lifting and transferring apparatus

摘要

A glass bottle array lifting and transferring apparatus is operable to vertically lift a two-dimensional arrayed layer of bottles, and in particular glass bottles, and transfer the lifted arrayed layer of bottles horizontally from a stack of bottles. More specifically, the present invention pertains to an apparatus having pluralities of pairs of rails that are operable to lift a top, two-dimensional arrayed layer of glass bottles from the top of a stack of bottles on a pallet, then transfer the lifted bottles horizontally to a position over an accumulator table and then lower the bottles onto the surface of the accumulator table.

主权项

1. An apparatus that is operable to move a layer of bottles from a first area to a second area, the apparatus comprising:
a carrier that is moveable vertically and horizontally relative to the bottles; a plurality of bottle gripping assemblies on the carrier, each bottle gripping assembly comprising a first rail and a second rail supported by the carrier for vertical movement of the first rail and the second rail with vertical movement of the carrier and for horizontal movement of the first rail and the second rail with horizontal movement of the carrier; at least one actuator connected to the first rail and the second rail, the at least one actuator being operable to move the first rail and the second rail to first operative positions where there is a first distance between the first rail and the second rail and to move the first rail and the second rail to second operative positions where there is a second distance between the first rail and the second rail, the second distance being smaller than the first distance, the at least one actuator being operable to move the first rail and the second rail to the first operative positions, the carrier being operable to move horizontally to position the first rail and the second rail above a row of bottles in the layer of bottles, the carrier then being operable to move vertically to position the first rail and the second rail on opposite sides of the row of bottles, the at least one actuator then being operable to move the first rail and the second rail to the second operative positions where the first rail and the second rail engage against and grip opposite sides of the row of bottles; the carrier then being operable to move vertically to lift the row of bottles, the carrier then being operable to move horizontally to transfer the row of bottles from the first area to the second area; pivot pins at opposite ends of the first rail; pivot blocks at opposite ends of the first rail, the pivot blocks at the opposite ends of the first rail mount the pivot pins at the opposite ends of the first rail on the carrier for pivoting movement of the first rail relative to the carrier, the pivot blocks float on the carrier and are free to move vertically relative to the carrier; pivot pins at opposite ends of the second rail; pivot blocks at opposite ends of the second rail, the pivot blocks at the opposite ends of the second rail mount the pivot pins at the opposite ends of the second rail on the carrier for pivoting movement of the second rail relative to the carrier, the pivot blocks at the opposite ends of the second rail float on the carrier and are free to move vertically relative to the carrier; photoelectric switches on the carrier, the photoelectric switches being positioned on opposite sides of the plurality of bottle gripping assemblies, the photoelectric switches send light beams horizontally across the pivot pins and the pivot blocks of each of the bottle gripping assemblies and are operable to detect any upward vertical movement of the pivot pins and pivot blocks that indicates one of the bottle gripping assemblies has contacted a top of a bottle as the carrier is moved vertically to position the first rail and the second rail on opposite sides of the row of bottles and cause downward movement of the carrier to stop in response to the detected upward vertical movement of a pivot pin and pivot block.