BLOCK STACKING ARRANGEMENT

Abstract

A block stacking arrangement having multiple container stacking slots and a loading space arranged below the container stacking slots in a direction of gravity, a pass-through opening being arranged between each container stacking slot and the loading space, via which a container can be moved out of the loading space into the container stacking slot or from the container stacking slot into the loading space and which has a holding device. Good flexibility of the block stacking arrangement is achieved at least because at least two pass-through openings have different sizes.

Claims

1. A block stacking arrangement comprising: multiple container stacking slots; a loading space arranged below the container stacking slots in a direction of gravity; a pass-through opening arranged between each container stacking slot and the loading space, via which a container is configured to be moved out of the loading space into the container stacking slot or from the container stacking slot into the loading space and which has a holder; and wherein at least two pass-through openings have different sizes.

2. The block stacking arrangement according to claim 1, wherein: the pass-through opening of each container stacking slot is matched to a base area of the container stacking slot.

3. The block stacking arrangement according to claim 1, wherein: the holder has at least two holding pawls diametrically opposed to each other.

4. The block stacking arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising: a loading vehicle configured to be moved in the loading space; the loading vehicle having a lifter by means of which a container from the loading space is configured to be placed in a container stacking slot or can be removed from the container stacking slot; and the lifting device is fastened on one side to a chassis of the loading vehicle.

5. The block stacking arrangement according to claim 4, wherein: the loading vehicle is a first loading vehicle and a second loading vehicle configured to be moved in the loading space in a synchronously with the first loading vehicle; the lifter of the first loading vehicle is opposite the lifter of the second loading vehicle.

6. The block stacking arrangement according to claim 4, wherein; the first and second loading vehicles have a common controller.

7. The block stacking arrangement according to claim 6, wherein: the controller is configured as a master/slave controller.

8. A method for operating a block stacking arrangement having multiple container stacking slots and a loading space arranged below the container stacking slots in a direction of gravity, a pass-through opening being arranged between each container stacking slot and the loading space, said pass-through opening having a holding device, wherein at least two pass-through openings are of different sizes, said method comprising: selecting a container stacking slot depending on the size of the container; storing at least one container in the container stacking slot starting from the loading space; removing the at least one container from the container stacking slot into the loading space.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein: the storing and removing of the method are carried out by at least one loading vehicle with a lifter; and wherein the lifter is arranged on one side of a chassis of the loading vehicle.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein: the loading vehicles are moved synchronously at least at times.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein: the at least one loading vehicle actuates the holding device.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein: the loading vehicles are controlled by a common controller.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein: the controller operates on the basis of the master/slave principle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The invention is described below with reference to preferred exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the drawing. In the figures:

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a loading vehicle,

[0029] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of two loading vehicles that are transporting a large container,

[0030] FIG. 3 shows a schematic plan view of a block stacking arrangement; and

[0031] FIG. 4 shows a schematic side view of the block stacking arrangement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a loading vehicle 1 with a chassis 2 on which a lifting device 3 is arranged on one side. Furthermore, the loading vehicle 1 has a release device 4, or releaser, by means of which a holding device 12 (FIG. 3) of a block stacking arrangement 8 can be actuated. The lifting device 3 has a container holder 5, by which a container (not shown in FIG. 1) can be accommodated.

[0033] FIG. 2 shows two loading vehicles 1, which together accommodate a container 6. The container 6 has two receiving regions 7 in each case on two opposite end regions of the container 6, wherein the receiving regions 7 can interact with the container holder 5 of the loading vehicle 1.

[0034] The loading vehicles 1 and the container 6 are used in the block stacking arrangement 8. The block stacking arrangement 8 has multiple container stacking slots 9 and a loading space 10 arranged below the container stacking slots 9 in the direction of gravity. Here a pass-through opening 11a, 11b is arranged between each container stacking slot 9 and the loading space 10, through which a container can be transferred from the loading space 10 into the container stacking slot 9 or from the container stacking slot 9 into the loading space 10. In this case, the pass-through opening 11a, 11b has a holding device 12 which can be actuated by the release mechanism 4 of the loading vehicle 1. By means of the release mechanism 4, the holding pawls 13 of the holding device 12 can be transferred from a release position into a holding position and vice versa. In the holding position, the holding device 12 holds the containers located in the container stacking slot 9, wherein multiple containers form a container stack. In the release position, on the other hand, a container can be transferred into the container stacking slot 9 and can also be removed again from this container stacking slot 9. For this purpose, the holding device 12 has two or more holding pawls 13, which, for example, lie diametrically opposite one another. The release mechanism 4 is designed in accordance with the arrangement of the holding pawls 13.

[0035] As mentioned, a pass-through opening 11a, 11b is arranged between the container stacking slot 9 and the loading space. A base area of the container stacking slot 9 is matched to this pass-through opening 11a, 11b. At least two of the pass-through openings 11a, 11b are of different sizes so that containers of different sizes can be placed in and removed from suitable container stacking slots 9 via corresponding pass-through openings 11a, 11b.

[0036] First containers can thus be stored and removed via first pass-through openings 11a and second containers 6 via second pass-through openings 11b. This process is carried out with the aid of one or more loading vehicles 1. First containers are transported by one loading vehicle 1 and second containers 6 by two loading vehicles 1, that is to say stored, retrieved, and relocated. The second containers 6 are, for example, larger than the first containers.

[0037] For example, multiple first containers can be transported by one of the loading vehicles 1 in each case, wherein the same loading vehicles 1 subsequently transport second containers 6 in a composite or tandem. Correspondingly, loading vehicles 1 can also transport second containers 6 first and then first containers.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 2, two loading vehicles 1 can receive a large container 6. Here the two loading vehicles 1 are arranged accordingly so that the container holders 5 of the respective loading vehicles 1 can interact with receiving regions 7 of the container 6. The loading vehicles 1 are arranged in such a way that the lifting devices 3 of the loading vehicles 1 point outwards, while the container holders 5 of the loading vehicles face one another. As soon as the two loading vehicles 1 have received a container 6, they move synchronously. This means that the container 6 is raised, lowered, or moved synchronously. The two loading vehicles are controlled by a common controller. As a result of the common control, the two loading vehicles 1 act as a unit, so that a simple control can be realized. Furthermore, the controller can be designed as a master/slave controller, for example. In the master/slave control, one of the two loading vehicles 1 is selected as master and the other is selected as slave. The slave loading vehicle 1 is oriented by the master loading vehicle 1.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0039] 1 Loading vehicle [0040] 2 Chassis [0041] 3 Lifting device [0042] 4 Release device [0043] 5 Container holder [0044] 6 Container [0045] 7 Receiving region [0046] 8 Block stacking arrangement [0047] 9 Container storage slot [0048] 10 Loading space [0049] 11 Pass-through opening [0050] 12 Holding device [0051] 13 Holding pawl