Supports: racks – Shelf type – Knockdown
Patent
1998-10-08
2000-05-02
Gibson, Jr., Robert W.
Supports: racks
Shelf type
Knockdown
211 157, 414280, 414268, A47F 500
Patent
active
060561343
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a safety device for a storage device in the form of a mechanical cupboard with a plurality of stored goods carriers, which can be moved by a drive selectively to a stocking/un-stocking opening, wherein an upper and/or a lower edge of the stocking/un-stocking opening is protected by a protective device, especially a light barrier or a switch rail stopping the drive on intervention.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Such a safety device is know from FR-A 2 210 271. A mechanical cupboard is described therein, in which a plurality of cassette-like stored goods carriers can be slid in and out in two side racks. In between these two right and left stacked columns a feed platform can be driven in the height direction, so that individual stored goods carriers can be removed from the racks and be fed to an opening for taking out of stock (un-stocking). The withdrawal of the individual cassette-like stored goods carriers is effected by a magnet, which can be coupled to the front side of the stored goods carrier. Since however this withdrawing magnet has a certain structural length, by which the lateral width extent of the feed platform has to be extended, compact chain drives are finding increasing use for such devices for stocking and un-stocking load carriers in a rack or from a rack, as are described in DE 4 233 690 or DE 3 830 218 for example. Two chains parallel to one another are provided as drive lines, which run round diverting rollers and engage each selected stored goods carriers at the sides by means of pin-formed entraining elements.
In the first-mentioned state of the art the stocking/un-stocking opening is protected by a plurality of light barriers, in order to prevent intervention in the space of movement of the feed platform movable in height or on intervention to stop the drive straight away, in order to avoid injury to the operator. In the region of the circulating cupboard (paternoster cupboard) contact or switch rails are also known at the upper and/or lower edge of the stocking/un-stocking opening, which immediately stop the drive on forceful contact therewith.
Although both kinds of protective device have basically proved themselves as safety devices, it is disadvantage, particularly with the light barriers, that many operators do not wait for the feed platform to stop when store goods are arriving, but reach into the stocking/un-stocking opening, so that far too many "emergency stops" occur. This applies also to a removal or stocking table preceding the mechanical cupboard.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly the invention is based on the object of providing a safety device with which an optimum standard of safety is obtained while unnecessary responses are largely avoided.
This object is met by a safety device for use in a storage apparatus having a plurality of carriers for stored goods, an opening for stocking or unstocking goods on the carriers and a drive having drive elements for selectively moving the carriers to the opening. The opening has an upper edge and a lower edge. The lower edge is in the proximity of a plane in which the goods are stocked or unstocked. A protective device is associated with at least one of the upper and lower edges of the opening, and configured to stop the drive upon intervention, so that the opening is protected in a vertical direction. The plane has side regions where covers are arranged and configured to cover the drive elements. The covers are movable together with the movement of the carriers and coupled to safety switches for stopping the drive.
By means of the covers for the drive elements, such as chain drives, additionally arranged at the side regions of the stocking/un-stocking opening, the intervention space otherwise exposed at the sides is completely covered, so that contact of an operator with drive elements if ruled out, especially getting squashed on circulating chains or diverting wheels or on the feed platform during its vertical movement. Since in addition the movement of the covers in ques
REFERENCES:
patent: 4609096 (1986-09-01), Doty
patent: 4650264 (1987-03-01), Dahnert
patent: 5211296 (1993-05-01), D'Heygere
patent: 5544996 (1996-08-01), Castaldi et al.
patent: 5687858 (1997-11-01), Bouche
Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 016, No. 376 (M-1294), Aug. 12, 1992 & JP 04 121303 A (DAIFUKU), Apr. 22, 1992.
Gibson , Jr. Robert W.
Megamat GmbH Buro+Lagertechnik
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