Facility for the manoeuvreing of pallets in gantry cranes

Abstract

 The facility consists of a storage platform (4) provided in the rear part on the structure of the gantry crane (1), which allows complementary trays to be placed, allowing the palletization of pallets (2) for their later transfer in groups or individually, and a multidirectional conveyor (5) formed by two bridge girders (11) suspended from a troley (12) capable of moving in two directions in a horizontal plane, the beams (11) having a tilting fork (6) with vertical travel responsible for unloading the pallets from the platform (4) and from the platform to trucks.

Description

[0001] This descriptive report refers to a facility for the manoeuvreing of pallets in gantry cranes that includes a multidirectional conveyor for the handling of sets of pallets, the evident aim of which is that of constituting a manoeuvreing or conveying apparatus, which is located in the area behind the gantry crane and by means of which the unloading of pallets contained in the hold of a ship is carried out, transporting them to a platform also located in the gantry crane but situated in front of the manoeuvreing apparatus, this platform being specially designed for use as a base for depositing the pallets, which remain on standby until the manoeuvreing apparatus transfers them from the platform to a truck, trailer or railway wagon, the transfer of the pallets being carried out in groups or by moving a set of pallets located on the platform where, prior to loading the pallets, a tray or support has been included on which the pallets are placed, the whole unit being transferred by the conveyor apparatus to the platform of the vehicle that is going to transport it.

[0002] This invention has application in the manufacturing industry for lifting apparatus.

[0003] In general, the unloading of pallets from the hold of a ship is currently carried out by using a gantry crane or similar apparatus, which unloads the pallets by using a cage or similar element in which they are grouped and transferred to the surface of the ground.

[0004] After depositing the pallets on the ground a team of operators with lifting machines carry out the transport of these pallets one at a time to the platform of the lorry, trailer or railway vehicle that is going to transport them to their destination point or to a store, cold chamber or similar.

[0005] These unloading operations unavoidably require the use of the general unloading element, naturally worked by someone who specializes in its operation, later requiring the employment of an unknown number of fork lift trucks and conveyors in order to allow the pallets to be placed on the platform or a transport vehicle, or for carrying out their transportation to a store where they will be deposited awaiting their later transfer. The pallets are placed inside the store in order to protect them while on standby.

[0006] It can be clearly seen that these unloading operations, besides being hindered due to the essential need existing to date of having self-propelled trucks for the transport and subsequent location, stacking or storage of the pallets, require the employment of a substantial amount of labour.

[0007] The obvious solution to the problem currently existing in this matter would that of being able to have an auxiliary device, machine or element that could be included in the gantry crane itself and which would have the purpose of facilitating the operations of loading the pallets directly on the transport platforms installed on the different kinds of vehicles, whether for transportation to the destination point or, by means of using a tractor, for taking the pallets to the store or chamber where they are protected while awaiting the appropriate transfer.

[0008] Nevertheless, a device having the characteristics pointed out as being suitable is so far not known to exist.

[0009] The facility that is the subject of the invention includes a multidirectional conveyor for manoeuvreing sets of pallets, which on its own constitutes a clear solution to the currently existing problem in this matter as it allows the loading of the grouped pallets onto a complementary platform to be carried out in two stages, the pallets then being transferred to the transport vehicle by means of which the products contained on the pallet are distributed or taken to a place of storage.

[0010] More specifically, the facility for handling sets of pallets that is the subject of the invention is designed on the basis of the structure of the rear part of a virtually conventional gantry crane and has a standby platform in which the pallets are going to accumulate or be grouped for their later transfer to the transport vehicle that is going to take them to the distribution or storage points, the pallets being grouped into sets of twelve or a similar number.

[0011] In order to remove the pallets from the cage, then place them on the standby platform and finally load them on the transport vehicle, the gantry cane has been fitted with a manoeuvreing machine, capable of being operated by robotics, and which has the possibility of sliding along a structure suspended from the actual gantry.

[0012] This conveyor machine is designed on the basis of two bridge girders suspended from a troley running along two track girders forming part of the actual structure of the gantry crane.

[0013] Suspended from their bridge girders incorporated into the structure of the gantry crane as mentioned above is a fork capable of carrying out a vertical travel and, as a result of this travel, allows a pallet to be picked up from the unloading point of the troley and position it at any point of the standby platform, or on the platform of a transport vehicle located on the ground.

[0014] Naturally, the positioning of the loading vehicle must be carried out simultaneously with the initial operations of the unloading-loading cycle, the equipment being provided with motors to allow traversing and to achieve a transverse and longitudinal travel of the apparatus, with the inclusion of a hydraulic unit for obtaining the movements of approach, lifting and descent of the double fork for each pallet.

[0015] The whole manoeuvreing by the machine is controlled by P.L.C. in such a way that it is capable of repeating the sequences with the employment and assistance of a minimum number of personnel, though of course with the vehicle to be loaded having been previously positioned at a specific point.

[0016] Naturally, the multidirectional conveyor is capable of being operated manually and following the whole set of operations to be carried out step by step, or manually carrying out the functioning of part of these operations.

[0017] It must be pointed out that the conveyor facilitates the carrying out of the loading-unloading sequences from the ship to the transport vehicle, or from the transport vehicle to the ship, in other words that it can carry out the operations in reverse.

[0018] In order to complement the description that is being made and with the aim of aiding a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, this descriptive report is accompanied by four sheets of plans forming an integral part of this report and in which, by way of illustration only and without being restrictive, the following are represented:

[0019] Figure 1 shows a side elevation view of a conventional gantry crane, in which the multidirectional conveyor forming the subject of this invention has been incorporated for manoeuvreing sets of pallets.

[0020] Figure 2 shows an elevation view from the forward part of the gantry crane, in which the multidirectional conveyor, represented by figure 1, has been incorporated.

[0021] Figures 3 and 4 respectively show similar views to those of figures 1 and 2 of a facility according to the invention applied to another gantry crane, lacking protection against the weather.

[0022] Looking at these figures, it can be seen how the multidirectional conveyor for manoeuvreing sets of pallets and forming the subject of the invention is designed on the basis of using a gantry crane (1), the rear part of which has been provided with a platform (4) intended to allow storage of the pallets (2), which are withdrawn from the hold of the ship by means of using a conventional transport system (3), such as a cage or an element specially designed for this purpose, this operation being carried out once the pallet or pallets have been hoisted by means of the gantry onto the platform (4).

[0023] The pallets (2), transported by conventional transportation (3), can also be brought close to the area of the platform (4), in both cases a manoeuvreing mechanism (5) being operated. The manoeuvreing mechanism (5) consists of two vertical track girders (11) suspended from a troley (12) capable of moving both ways in two horizontal directions. This capability of movement can be achieved, for example, as can be seen in figure 3, by mounting the troley (12) on a pair of tracks (13) that allow it to move in the transverse direction, these tracks being able to be displaced longitudinally on guides (14) of the structure thanks to a troley (15). Mounted on the vertical track girders (11) is a fork (6) that can tilt forward and backward and is able to collect the pallets (2) from their transport element (3) and withdraw towards its support structure (5), the pallets being transported on the fork (6) in a descending movement until they are located facing the platform of the vehicle (7), it then being possible as an option to extend the fork (6) and leave the pallets located on the platform of the vehicle (7).

[0024] Once the pallets (2') have been left on the platform of the transport vehicle, the fork (6) will be withdrawn (if this fork has a telescopic configuration), then starting to rise up in an ascending movement until it faces the surface of the platform or the conveyor of the pallets, carrying out the operation again.

[0025] If the pallets are stored on the platform, the fork (6), supported on the structure (5), will carry out its operation in an equally suitable manner.

[0026] The placing on the platform (4) of one or two supports or trays with larger dimensions can also be done in an operation prior to the location of the pallets from the hold of the ship as far as the platform, with groups of pallets being placed on these trays or supports, the fork (6) then being lifted via the support girders (5) and displaced towards the forward area, supporting the tray, withdrawing it towards the rear part and the whole unit, i.e., tray and pallets included on its surface, descending down to the level of the truck's platform, on which in a forward movement the pallets are left deposited on the platform with the support structure included, the coupling being carried out in a single operation of traversing, retraction, descent and again traversing forwards, leaving the load deposited on the transport vehicle (7).

[0027] The multidirectional conveyor has a control cabin (9) to allow all or part of the operations to be carried out manually for the proper functioning of the lifter, the cabin including an operation console necessary for the functioning of the unit.

[0028] The different machines making up the operating mechanism are located inside a booth (10) situated halfway up the gantry crane.

[0029] Finally, it must be pointed out that the motors and other drive elements are included in the area referenced with (8).

[0030] It is not considered necessary to go further into this description for any expert in the matter to be able to understand the scope of the invention and the advantages deriving from it.

[0031] The materials, design, size and arrangement of the elements will be liable to variation, provided this does not imply any alteration in the essential nature of the invention.

[0032] The terms in which this report has been described must always be taken in their broad rather than restrictive sense.

Claims

1.- Facility for the manoeuvreing of pallets in gantry cranes, characterized by being designed on the basis of a standby platform (4) located in the structure of the gantry crane (1), having a manoeuvreing machine (5) that slides along a suspended structure formed from two bridge girders (11) suspended from a troley (12) that runs along two track girders (13), these girders (11) including a tilting fork (6) with vertical travel.

2.- Facility according to patent claim 1, characterized by the fact that the tilting fork (6) with vertical travel is capable of displacing its sustaining pieces in a horizontal travel.

3.- Facility according to patent claim 1, characterized by the fact that on the platform (4) provided on the structure, at least one support piece can be incorporated on which the pallets are deposited and, once grouped on it, the set can be transferred by the lifter (5) by using its fork (6) until it is deposited on the loading platform located on a transport vehicle.

4.- Facility according to patent claim 1, characterized by the fact that it has a manoeuvreing cabin (9) in which are located the operating controls, a sealed cabin for the introduction of the different automatic operating mechanisms by means of which the functioning of the conveyor (5) is carried out in a fully or partially automatic manner, the conveyor also being able to be worked manually.

5.- Facility according to the above patent claims, characterized by the fact that the fork can be provided with telescopic action.

Drawing