Material or article handling – Apparatus for moving intersupporting articles into – within,... – Unstacking apparatus
Patent
1995-05-10
1997-10-14
Merritt, Karen B.
Material or article handling
Apparatus for moving intersupporting articles into, within,...
Unstacking apparatus
4147921, 414900, B65G 5902
Patent
active
056765185
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an unstacking feeder designed for sequentially or selectively supplying a plurality of sheet stacks on a pallet to a press.
BACKGROUND ART
Conventionally, when a sheet material is supplied to a press, an unstacking feeder is arranged at the upstream side of the press. Each individual sheet material separated in one by one basis is transported to a position where a transfer feeder provided at a press side may grip the sheet material, by an unstacking feeder.
In case of the conventional unstacking feeder, when a plurality of kinds of sheet materials are automatically supplied to an unstacking position, a method for directly infeeding the sheet materials to the unstacking position by means of an automatically guided vehicle (AGV) has been employed.
Also, for the unstacking feeder, a magnetic floater for separating each individual sheet material is provided. The magnetic floater has to be adjusted to the position of a floater member adapting to a configuration of the sheet material when the configuration of the sheet material to be supplied to the press is varied. Such adjusted magnetic floater is set adjacent to the unstacking feeder.
However, in the conventional unstacking feeder, when one sheet stack is loaded on a pallet, upon completion of supplying of the sheet stack, it becomes necessary to exchange the empty pallet with a pallet mounted with the sheet stack to be supplied next. Thus, it takes time for exchanging the pallet, thereby making productivity low.
On the other hand, in the conventional unstacking feeder as set forth above, an AGV as to be provided for each kind of the sheet material to make the facility cost high.
Furthermore, in the conventional unstacking feeder, substantial time is required for exchanging the magnetic floater, thereby lowering work efficiency. Also, since supply of the sheet material is interrupted during exchanging of the magnetic floater, lowering of productivity can be caused.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an unstacking feeder which can automatically feed a pallet mounted with a sheet stack to an unstacking position by circulating the pallets to lower facility cost.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an unstacking feeder which can sequentially or selectively supply a plurality of sheet stacks mounted on a pallet to reduce frequency of exchanging of the pallet and thus improve productivity.
A further object of the present invention to provide an automatic floater exchanging device of an unstacking feeder which can exchange the floater in a short period.
In order to accomplish the above-mentioned objects, an unstacking feeder, in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, comprises:
a pallet transporting device for sequentially infeeding a plurality of pallets, each mounted with a plurality of stacks of sheet stacks to the unstacking position and outfeeding the pallet which completed feeding of the sheet stack from the unstacking position;
a floater exchanging device positioned above the unstacking position and reciprocating between a floater rack storing a plurality of floaters for deformed materials and the unstacking position for transporting the floater for deformed material taken out from the floater rack to the unstacking position, and storing the used floater for the deformed material to the floater rack; and
a vacuum lifter provided at the unstacking position and attracting a sheet material separated from the sheet stack by the floater to transport to a magnetic conveyer.
By the foregoing first aspect of the invention, since the sheet stack can be automatically supplied by the pallet to the unstacking position, even when a plurality of kinds of sheet stacks are to be supplied to a press, it becomes unnecessary to provide an AGV for each respective kind and thus is economical.
According to the second aspect of the invention, an unstacking feeder comprises:
a pallet transporting device infeeding a plurality of pallets, ea
REFERENCES:
patent: 4024963 (1977-05-01), Hautau
patent: 4815916 (1989-03-01), Beck
patent: 4946341 (1990-08-01), Parsley et al.
Noda Shigekazu
Okubo Yasunori
Kabushiki Kaisha Komatsu Seisakusho
Kananen Ronald P.
Merritt Karen B.
Morse Gregory A.
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