Flexible manual storage system

Abstract

The invention relates to a flexible manual storage system comprising: a rolling track (3); piece-holding chains (1, 1, 1) formed by a variable number of crossbars (1a, 1b, 1c) provided with through-holes (12) form which pieces can be suspended; shock absorbing end parts (4) and carns (6) for connecting consecutive piece-holding chains (1, 1, 1); and rolling assemblies (2) provided with a casing (25) having a U-shaped cross-section and equipped with at least one pair of rollers (26) bearing on a guide (31) of a rolling track (3) and with a vertical shaft (21) for supporting the crossbars of a piece-holding chains. The rolling track (3) comprises at least one first segment (3a) and one second segment (3b) that can be coupled to one another and a station (8) at which successive piece-holding chains can be stopped and disconnected from one another.

Claims

1. A flexible manual storage system comprising: a rolling track configured to suspend plural movable workpiece chains; said plural movable workpiece chains comprising a variable number of metal tube crossbars comprising plural transverse openings from which parts can hang; one of said plural metal tube crossbars having a first end and a second end; the first end having arranged thereon: a linking cam; and a shock absorbing end part; the second end comprising: a support and stiffening tab arranged thereon; and a hinged metal part having an opening defined by a vertical axis and being fixed to the second end; plural rolling assemblies; one of said plural rolling assemblies comprising: a U-shaped section; at least one pair of support rollers configured to engage with a guide of the rolling track; and a vertical support shaft extending into the opening and connecting adjacent workpiece chains.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first end of one said plural metal tube crossbars is arranged opposite the first end of an adjacent other of said plural metal tube crossbars, wherein the vertical support shaft connects the second ends and functions as a hinge connecting together the hinged metal parts thereof.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said plural metal tube crossbars comprise middle metal tube crossbars arranged between outer metal tube crossbars.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plural metal tube crossbars comprises a shock absorbing end part arranged on each opposite end.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the vertical shaft engages with: a pin; and a support bushing.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a bolt arranged on the first end and functioning as a movement stop.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the rolling track comprises: a first section; and a second section that can move relative to the first section, wherein the first and second sections are linkable and disengagable from one another.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a stopping and unlinking station configured to disengage adjacent sections of the rolling track, wherein the stopping and unlinking station comprises: a support fixed to one of the adjacent sections of rolling track; a pivotally mounted end stop that can pivot between an operative position and an inoperative position; a pivotally mounted unlinking stop having an appendage; a detent; and a fixed stop mounted on another of the adjacent sections of rolling track.

9. A flexible manual storage system comprising: a rolling track configured to suspend plural metal tube crossbars having plural transverse openings from which parts can hang; said plural metal tube crossbars forming a workpiece chain; each of said plural metal tube crossbars having a first end and a second end; the first end having arranged thereon: a linking cam; and a shock absorbing end part; the second end comprising: a support and stiffening tab arranged thereon; and a hinged metal part having an opening defined by a vertical axis and being fixed to the second end; plural rolling assemblies suspending the first and second ends of the metal tube crossbars to the rolling track; and each of said plural rolling assemblies comprising: a U-shaped section; at least one pair of support rollers configured to engage with a guide of the rolling track; and a vertical support shaft extending into the opening.

10. A flexible manual storage system comprising: a rolling track comprising linkable and disengagable sections; plural metal tube crossbars that each comprise plural transverse openings from which parts can hang; each of said plural metal tube crossbars having a first end and a second end; the first end having arranged thereon: a linking cam; and a shock absorbing end part; the second end comprising: a support and stiffening tab arranged thereon; and a hinged metal part having an opening defined by a vertical axis and being fixed to the second end; plural rolling assemblies suspending the first and second ends of the plural metal tube crossbars on the rolling track; each of said plural rolling assemblies comprising: a U-shaped section; at least one pair of support rollers configured to engage with a guide of the rolling track; and a vertical support shaft extending into the opening.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) In order to supplement the description being made and for the purpose of helping to provide better comprehension of the invention's characteristics, as an integral part of said description a set of drawings is attached as non-restrictive illustrative examples, in which the following are shown:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a raised view of an example of an embodiment of the flexible manual storage system according to the invention in which a workpiece chain formed by two end crossbars can be seen.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a profile view of the system of FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 3 shows a view in perspective of the workpiece chain from the above Figures.

(5) FIG. 4 shows an exploded view in perspective of the workpiece chain of FIG. 3 in which two different elements conforming thereto may be seen.

(6) FIGS. 5 and 6 each show enlarged details of FIG. 3 in which a rolling assembly mounted on the free end of a crossbar and the rolling assembly mounted on the hinged area of the two crossbar ends may respectively be seen.

(7) FIG. 7 shows a diagrammatic view as seen from above of the two ends of two consecutive chains in which the respective rolling assemblies have been removed to enable observation of the respective shock absorbing end parts and linking cams.

(8) FIG. 8 shows a raised view of a variant of the embodiment of a workpiece chain provided with two crossbar ends and two middle crossbars, with the rolling assembly mounted in the hinged area of said middle crossbars released from the two consecutive sections of the rolling track having been represented.

(9) FIG. 9 shows a view in perspective of the metal tube corresponding to one of the middle crossbars of the workpiece chain of the above Figure.

(10) FIG. 10 shows a view in perspective of an example of an embodiment of the chain provided with a single crossbar suspended from two rolling assemblies.

(11) FIG. 11 shows a raised view of an example of an embodiment of a rolling track provided with a first movable section and a second fixed section of a stopping and unlinking station of the chains in circulation on said track.

(12) FIGS. 12 to 18 show successive views of the rolling track and the chain stopping and unlinking station in different operational positions that take place when a first chain and a second chain linked by the respective linking cams access said station.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

(13) In the example of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 a workpiece chain (1) is shown constituted by two crossbar ends (1a) and that is mounted by means of a few rolling assemblies (2) on a guide (31) of a rolling track (3), the crossbar ends (1a) are made of a metal tube (11) having transverse openings (12) upon which to hang the parts to be transported.

(14) The metal tube (11) of the crossbar ends (1a) incorporates an end part (4) on a first end (13) to absorb possible impacts between successive piece-holding chains; is defined at the second end of the metal tube (11) a tab (15) for support and stiffening in the vertical direction of a metal hinged part (5) which is attached to the second end (14) of the metal tube (11) of the corresponding end cross member (1a).

(15) The hinged metal parts (5) and the respective tabs (15) of the metal tube (1) have vertical openings (51, 16) respectively for through-hole mounting of a vertical shaft (21) of one of the rolling assemblies (2) that, as can be seen in FIG. 4, has a transverse opening (22) on its lower end for mounting by means of a support bushing (24) pin (23) for the chain.

(16) This vertical shaft (21) enables the relative rotation of the crossbar ends (1a) so that the chain may move over the curved sections of the rolling track.

(17) As can be seen in FIG. 4, the metal tube (11) of the crossbar ends (1a) has a vertical opening (17) in an area close to its first end (13), for mounting of a respective rolling assembly similar to that described above.

(18) On the vertical shaft (21) of the rolling assemblies (2) that support the opposite ends of the chain are mounted a few linking cams (6) facilitated by unreferenced torsion springs and that enable the linking and unlinking of the consecutive workpiece chains (1).

(19) The opposite ends of the workpiece chain (1) have a few bolts (7) which are laterally fixed by riveting on the crossbar ends, said bolts conform stops for the movement of the chains in different areas or sections of the rolling track (3).

(20) The rolling assemblies comprise a U-shaped housing (25) integral with the vertical shaft (21) and superiorly it has two pairs of support rollers (26) on the guide (31) of the rolling track (3) as shown for example in FIGS. 1 and 2.

(21) In the example shown in FIG. 4, the hinged metal parts (5) have at their posterior end an appendage (52) for coupling it to the second end (14) of the corresponding metal tube (11).

(22) This appendage (52) is provided with some recesses (53) to accommodate a retaining flange (18) defined for that purpose on the metal tube (11).

(23) In FIGS. 5 and 6 it is possible to see some enlargements of the details of an end area and a middle area of the chain (1) of FIG. 3, in which the respective rolling assemblies (2) supporting the chain may be seen.

(24) FIG. 7 diagrammatically shows the ends facing the two workpiece chains (1), eliminating the ends of the rolling assemblies (2) to enable observation of the end parts (4) and linking cams (6) in facing and mutually decoupled positions.

(25) In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, a workpiece chain (1) may be seen that in addition to two crossbar ends (1a) similar to those mentioned above comprise a few middle crossbars (1b) to create a workpiece chain having a greater length.

(26) The aforementioned middle crossbars are created equally by means of a metal tube (11) similar to that used in the crossbar ends but that has at each of the two opposite ends support and stiffening tabs (15) in a vertical direction to the corresponding hinged metal parts (5).

(27) In this case the chain (1) also features, in the hinged areas of the middle crossbars (1b), the respective rolling assemblies (2).

(28) As shown in FIG. 8, in the case that one portion of the workpiece chain (1) is released from the rolling track (3), for example between two transition areas, the vertical shafts of the rolling assemblies (2) and the hinged metal parts (5), together with the reinforcement provided by the support and stiffening tabs ensure that the chain is able to support the weight of the parts (P) suspended therefrom, without breakage and that it will maintain its integrity.

(29) In the example of the embodiment in FIG. 10, a chain (1) may be seen made up of a single crossbar (1c) conformed by a metal tube (11) that in each opposing end has shock absorbing end parts (4) and linking cams (6) mounted on the shaft of each of the rolling assemblies (2).

(30) This chain (1) also features, like those mentioned above, a few lateral riveted bolts (7), that create stops for the movement along the rolling track (3).

(31) In FIG. 11 an example of an embodiment is shown of a rolling track (3) that comprises a first movable section (3a) and a second fixed section (3b), enabled for relative movement between an uncoupled position shown for example in FIG. 12, and a coupled position in axial direction shown for example in FIG. 13.

(32) In the aforementioned FIG. 11, one may see that the rolling track (3) comprises a stopping and unlinking station (8) of the successive chains that access it joined together by their respective linking cams (6), before said chains access, separate and in individual form, the second section (3b) of the rolling track.

(33) As may be seen in said FIG. 11, the stopping and unlinking station (8) comprises a support (81) fixed to the first section (3a) of the rolling track and a fixed stop (88) mounted on the second section (3b) of the rolling track.

(34) The support (81) comprises an end stop (82) enabled for toggling with respect to a shaft (83) and an pivotable unlinking stop (84) with respect to a shaft (85).

(35) This unlinking stop (84) defines an appendage (86) responsible for acting upon the linking cam (6) of the chains that access thereto, causing the separation of the chain immediately following, and a recess (87) that is responsible for preventing a second chain from separating from a first chain from being moved jointly therewith towards the second section (3b) of the circulation path.

(36) The fixed stop (88) mounted on the second section (3b) of the rolling track is responsible for abutting the end stop (82) to an inoperative position when the first section (3a) of the rolling track engages with the second section (3b) of the rolling track, as shown for example in FIGS. 13 and 14.

(37) As can be seen in FIG. 12 when two or more chains are accessed from one or more crossbars (1a, 1b, 1c) coupled by the linking cams (6) to the end of the first section (3a) of a rolling track, said first section (3a) being separated from the second section (3b), the end stop (82) is found in an operative position, pivoting from the lower area, preventing the passage beyond the bolt (7) and, therefore, that the chains may leave the first section (3a) of the rolling track.

(38) In FIG. 13, the first section (3a) of the rolling track is coupled with the second section (3b), which causes the end stop (82) to ascend by the fixed stop (88) to an inoperative position in which the bolt (7) releases from the first chain in circulation, allowing the advancement of the chains still connected by the rolling track.

(39) As can be seen in FIG. 14 during the advancement of the still-linked rosaries (1), the linking cam (6) of the first chain, located to the right in the Figure, strikes the appendage (86), causing the abutment of the unlinking stop (84) to a stop position, shown in FIG. 15, in which said unlinking stop (84) causes the cam (6) of the first rosary (1) to be released and consequently the release of the second chain.

(40) As can be seen in FIG. 15, once the two chains are disengaged, the second chain continues advancing due to inertia until its bolt (7) contacts the recess (87) of the unlinking stop (84) producing the second chain to be retained and stopped.

(41) In FIG. 16 it can be seen how the first chain advances, once disengaged from the second chain, towards the second section (3b) of the rolling track.

(42) As seen in FIG. 17, in the event that the second chain (1), located to the left of the image, tends to advance by inertia, the bolt (7) thereof contacts the appendage (86) causing rotation of the linking stop (84) to a stop position, wherein said linking stop prevents the advance from said bolt (7) of the second chain.

(43) As can be seen in FIG. 18, when the first section (3a) of the rolling track moves away from the second section (3b), the end stop (82) returns to the operative position, preventing the advance of the bolt (7) of the second chain (1).

(44) Having sufficiently described the nature of the invention, as well as an example of a preferred embodiment, it is hereby noted for the appropriate effects that the materials, shape, size and arrangement of the described elements may be modified, provided that this does not entail an alteration of the essential characteristics of the invention which are claimed below.