Automatic article handling methods and apparatus.

0001This invention relates to a method of assembling a stack of articles such as boxes, cases, cartons, crates or the like, and also to apparatus specifically adapted to perform such methods.

0002At the end of a manufacturing process, it is common to pack the manufactured items in boxes, cases, cartons, crates or like containers (all of which will hereinafter for convenience collectively be referred to as 'boxes') and then to assemble a stack of such boxes on a pallet for subsequent storage or transport for distribution purposes. Typically, each box is of such a size and weight, when packed with items, that it may easily be carried and moved about by hand. As a result, it is quite common for the assembly of a stack of boxes packed with the manufactured items to be performed by hand at the end of a manufacturing line, even though the entire manufacturing process and the packing of the items into the boxes may wholly be performed automatically by suitable machinery. However, in an attempt to reduce labour costs and to ensure continuous reliable operation over long periods of time, recently there have been developed various designs of automatic stack assembling apparatus, adaptable to suit a wide variety of box sizes, packed weights, and pallet stacking requirements.

0003It will be appreciated that when a stack of boxes is being assembled for instance on a pallet, each layer of the stack requires the individual boxes to be positioned closely side-by-side, with minimal gaps therebetween. The consequence of this is that automatic stack assembling apparatus such as has been referred to above must be capable of lifting each individual box by the top thereof, and for this purpose various types of vacuum lifting arrangements have been designed. Unfortunately however certain types of box do not lend themselves to lifting in this way and so the stacking thereof still has to be performed manually. For example, if a container is covered with a relatively thin-gauge shrink-wrapped plastics material, that material may be so porous that vacuum lifting techniques cannot reliably be used. Also, certain grades of cardboard used for box manufacture may be so porous or have such an uneven surface that vacuum lifting again cannot be employed.

0004It is consequently a principal object of this invention both to provide a method of assembling a stack of boxes (as defined herein) using automatically controlled apparatus and also to provide apparatus suitable for automatic control and able to assemble such a stack, both of which method and apparatus overcome the disadvantages discussed above for known types of stacking apparatus using vacuum lifting arrangements.

0005According to this invention a method of assembling a stack of boxes (as defined hereinbefore) using automatically-controlled apparatus including a lifting grab having two independently movable grippers between which the sides of a box may be clamped, is characterised by the steps of: <ul id="ul0001" list-style="none"><li>(a) moving the grippers to cause the relative separation thereof and then lowering the grab over a box located at a loading station;</li><li>(b) moving one of the grippers towards the other gripper until said one gripper reaches a datum position and then moving the other gripper towards said one gripper until the box is clamped therebetween with a force sufficient to permit the lifting thereof by the grab;</li><li>(c) raising the grab together with the clamped box and then moving the grab to a stack assembly station whereat the position of the grab is adjusted so as accurately to position the box held thereby for correct placement in a stack under assembly and with said one gripper alongside a previously-stacked box;</li><li>(d) releasing the box by moving said other gripper away from said one gripper; and</li><li>(e) then raising the grab clear of the container without disturbing the placement thereof.</li></ul>

0006It will be appreciated that in the method of this invention, a box is picked up by the grab of the automatic box handling apparatus by being clamped between two grippers which are urged together with an appropriate force having regard to the construction of the box and its contents. Despite the presence of the grippers on the sides of the box, a stack of closely positioned boxes may still be assembled, by virtue of the independent operation of the grippers, coupled with the sequence of operation thereof. It is consequently advantageous for each gripper to be as thin as possible, for the minimum spacing of the boxes in each layer of an assembled stack will be equal to the thickness of a gripper.

0007In view of the foregoing, it is most preferred for each gripper of the grab employed in the method of this invention to be in the form of a substantially flat plate, mounted on the grab for linear sliding movement towards and away from the other gripper. Though various means to effect such sliding movement could be provided, the most preferred arrangement is to have at least one pneumatic ram assembly associated with each gripper and suitably disposed to cause the sliding movement thereof.

0008It is most advantageous for the automatically-­controlled apparatus including the lifting grab to be computer-controlled, so as to cause the grab to be moved in accordance with certain directions contained in a program executed by the computer. Thus, the apparatus may readily be re-programmed so as to permit the assembly of a stack of differently sized boxes, or with a different number of layers, a different stacking sequence, or the like. For such an arrangement, the apparatus should be capable of controlling the grab for movement in three mutually perpendicular directions lying in horizontal and vertical planes, as well as for rotation about a vertical axis, whereby the grab may be positioned anywhere within a predefined volume, and with any orientation in that volume. Such control thus readily permits the positioning of the grab over a box prior to the lifting thereof, and the depositing of a box in the required position as the stack assembly progresses.

0009Preferably, the positioning of a lifted box prior to release thereof at the correct position in a stack follows the sequence of: <ul id="ul0002" list-style="none"><li>(a) positioning the lifted box vertically above the required final position, with the grab being rotated as necessary to have the lifted box correctly aligned with respect to already-stacked boxes, but with the lifted box displaced laterally by a relatively small extent from previously-stacked boxes against which the lifted box is to lie closely adjacent;</li><li>(b) lowering the lifted box until it is spaced by a relatively small extent from the surface on which that box is to rest;</li><li>(c) moving the lifted box laterally until said one gripper is in the desired final position and so with said one gripper substantially in the desired vertical plane for the side of the box being stacked the grab also being lowered until that box substantially contacts the surface; and</li><li>(d) releasing the box by moving said other gripper before raising the grab clear of that box.</li></ul>

0010From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the box may be lowered substantially to its final position without any risk of that box colliding with a previously-stacked box in the same layer. Then, the box is moved laterally to its final position, which may be alongside a previously-stacked box for the case where the box being stacked is not the first box of a layer. For such a box, it will be appreciated that since said one gripper is used as a datum reference for the positioning of the grab, said one gripper should substantially touch such a previously-stacked box.

0011When performing the method of this invention, it will be realised that certain operations may be compounded to be performed simultaneously or may be quite separately be performed. For instance, said one gripper may be moved away from its datum position whilst the grab is stationary, whilst the grab is being lowered on to the next box to be stacked, or whilst the grab is being raised after releasing a box - but in the latter case said one gripper must not be moved until clear of the deposited box. Equally when picking up a box, both grippers may move simultaneously so long as movement of said one gripper to its datum position is assured.

0012The invention extends to apparatus specifically adapted for performing the method of this invention as described above.

0013Accordingly, in a second aspect of this invention, computer-controlled apparatus for automatically assembling a stack of boxes is characterised by the combination of a loading station, a stacking station, a grab including two grippers mounted for independent movement towards and away from each other, first movement means to effect independent movement of said grippers, at least one of said grippers being movable towards and away from a datum position, second movement means to effect movement of the grab in three mutually perpendicular directions and about a vertical axis within an envelope which includes said loading station and said stacking station, and a computer processing a pre-determined program of control for said first and second movement means, to enable boxes supplied to said loading station to be picked up one-at-a-time and moved to said stacking station, whereat a stack of the boxes is assembled by controlling the positioning of the grab and then releasing a held box by maintaining one of said grippers at its said datum position but moving the other said gripper away from said one gripper.

0014Such apparatus is preferably computer-controlled, to permit ready amendment of the precise operating parameters to suit any given set of circumstances, for example regarding box sizes and stacking requirements.

0015The apparatus preferably includes a sensor for a box top, to inhibit descent of the grab on picking up a box, and also to ensure a box truly is located between the grippers at the loading station on each operating cycle. The apparatus may have more than one pair of grippers dependent upon the box size and packed weight as well as the maximum permissible lateral crushing force which may be applied to the sides of the box, and for some applications it may be desirable to enhance the lifting effect of the grippers by means of vacuum lifting pads arranged to act on the top of a box being lifted.

0016By way of illustration only, one specific example of a method of this invention will now be described in detail, and an embodiment of lifting grab suitable for use in performing the method also will be described, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:- <ul id="ul0003" list-style="none"><li>Figures 1 to 8 inclusive show eight successive steps in performing the example of the method of this invention;</li><li>Figure 9 is a partial side view of a grab suitable for use in performing a method of this invention;</li><li>Figure 10 is an end view on the grab of Figure 9; and Figure 11 is an underplan view of the grab of Figures 9 and 10.</li></ul>

0017Referring initially to Figures 1 to 8, there is illustrated diagramatically a grab 15 comprising a main body 16, and two substantially flat gripper plates 17 and 18, supported on rods 19 and 20 for linear sliding movement. The grab 15 is arranged so that either gripper plate 17 or 18 may be moved towards the other gripper plate independently of each other, for example by means of independent pneumatic ram arrangements (not shown).

0018The grab 15 is itself supported by a suitable mechanical handling assembly (not shown) so that the grab 15 may be positioned anywhere within a predefined volume. For example, such an assembly may include a horizontally traversable vertical column having a slide movable vertically thereon, an arm projecting laterally from the slide at right angles to the line of movement of the column, and a carriage movable horizontally along the arm. For such an arrangement, the grab 15 should be suspended from the carriage by means of a swivel assembly, permitting the grab to be rotated through 360° about a vertical axis. The grab 15 may therefore be positioned with any required orientation within a volume defined by the limits of travel of the vertical column, the vertical slide and the horizontally-movable carriage.

0019Figure 1 shows the first step in a sequence of operation according to this invention. Here, the grab 15 is shown above a box 21 to be loaded into a stack, with the gripper plates 17 and 18 separated to an extent greater than the width of the box 21. As shown in Figure 1, the grab is lowered until the gripper plates 17 and 18 lie one to each side of the side faces of the box 21.

0020Gripper plate 17 is then moved towards gripper plate 18 until gripper plate 17 reaches a datum position - which conveniently is when the actuating mechanism for that gripper plate reaches an end stop for its travel. The box 21 is then clamped by moving gripper plate 18 towards gripper plate 17 with a force sufficient to ensure that the box 21 is adequately clamped between the gripper plates to permit the lifting thereof, but not so great as to move gripper plate 17 away from its datum position.

0021Next, as illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 4, the grab 15 is raised, so picking up the box 21, and is moved as required in three dimensions and also rotated about a vertical axis, until the box 21 approximately overlies its required final position, but is displaced laterally by a small extent away from any previously deposited boxes in the same layer of the stack being assembled. Figure 5 shows the lowering of the box 21 until that box is just clear of the surface 22 on which the box is to be deposited - this surface being comprised either by a suitable support such as a pallet, or by the upper surface of an already-deposited layer of boxes in the stack. Also shown in Figure 5 is a previously-deposited box 23, with box 21 displaced laterally to the right (in the Figure) of that box 23. In view of this lateral displacement of box 21 from its required final position, during the lowering of box 21 there is no risk of collision between box 21 and any previously-laid box (such as box 23) in the same layer.

0022The position of the grab 15 is then finely adjusted until box 21 has its required final position, whereat gripper plate 17 substantially touches a side face of the previously-laid box 23 in the same layer; gripper plate 18 is then moved away from gripper plate 17 so as to release box 21.

0023To complete the sequence of operation, grab 15 is then raised from box 21 whereafter gripper plate 17 may be moved away from gripper plate 18, so that on positioning the grab 15 over a further box to be loaded into the stack, the grab may be lowered over that next box, to repeat the cycle of Figures 1 to 8.

0024Most conveniently, the above sequence of operations is fully computer-controlled, including the positioning of each box in each layer of the stack, so that the method may be performed fully automatically without the need for any operator supervision or intervention. Consequently, use of this operating method may lead to considerable economies, reliability and convenience.

0025Turning now to Figures 9 to 11, there is shown in some greater detail an example of a grab suitable for use in the method as just described above. The main body 16 of the grab comprises a mounting plate 25 to which are bolted two support brackets 26, both extending vertically downwardly from the plate 25. Each support bracket carries a pair of horizontally-opposed double-­acting pneumatic rams 27, the cylinders 28 of the rams being bolted to the bracket 26 and each piston rod 29 being secured at its free end to a respective gripper plate 17 and 18. Each gripper plate 17 and 18 has a pair of bushings 30 secured thereto, a pair of rods 31 being carried by each support bracket 26 and extending through the bushings 30 of each gripper plate 17 and 18, whereby the gripper plates 17 and 18 may be relatively separated or moved closer either independently or in unison, upon expansion or contraction of the associated pneumatic rams 27.

0026Mounting plate 25 is suitably apertured so as to permit its attachment to a motorised swivel assembly, which latter is secured to the horizontally movable carriage of the overall mechanised handling arrangement.

0027The grab 15 illustrated in Figures 9 to 11 includes two pairs of gripper plates 17 and 18, one pair mounted on each bracket 26 and each of essentially the same construction. The arrangement is however that the two gripper plates 17 on one side of the grab operate in unison, as do the two gripper plates 18 on the other side of the grab, by appropriate interconnection of the rams.

0028Also illustrated in Figures 9 to 11 is a touch-­sensitive switch 32 including an operating arm 33, the output of this switch being used to inhibit descent of the grab 15 when the operating arm detects the top surface of a box to be lifted. Operation of the cycle is also inhibited if the grab is lowered (Figures 1 and 2) and yet no switch output obtained, because no box was present for picking-up.

0029Illustrated on the grab of Figures 9 to 11 is a plurality of suction lifting pads 34 suitable for use with certain types of box or other container not having a porous or irregular upper surface. For such boxes or other containers, there may be no need then to use the gripper plates and so equally no need to perform the operating steps of this invention: for such a case, the gripper plates 17 and 18 would be removed from the grab 15 so as not to interfere with the operation of the apparatus. However, where a particularly heavy box has to be lifted, it may in some circumstances be advantageous to use both the gripper plates and the suction lifting pads in association with each other, the gripper plates 17 and 18 then being caused to follow the operating steps of this invention.