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 bottles from a first area to a second area, the apparatus comprising:
a frame that is moveable vertically and horizontally relative to the bottles; a first rail and a second rail supported by the frame for vertical movement of the first rail and the second rail with vertical movement of the frame and for horizontal movement of the first rail and the second rail with horizontal movement of the frame; 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 frame being operable to move horizontally to position the first rail and the second rail above a row of bottles, the frame 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; and, the frame then being operable to move vertically to lift the row of bottles, the frame then being operable to move horizontally to transfer the row of bottles from the first area to the second area.