US4913618A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for loading and palletizing boxes and cartons, from an agricultural field
Assignee: Grey Tech Inc
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Filing: 1988-10-26
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Granted: 1990-04-03
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Expires: 2008-10-26
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for field loading a plurality of containers onto a transport vehicle, comprises a platform disposed on a transport vehicle; a palletizer operably associated with the platform for progressively stacking a plurality of containers into a preselected stacked configuration from one end to the other end of the platform; and a conveyor for transporting each of the containers from the field onto the palletizer. The palletizer includes a false floor for forming thereon at least a row of the containers. The palletizer includes an elevator operably associated with the false floor for vertically transporting to the false floor each of the containers from the discharge end of the conveyor. The palletizer includes a transfer head for transferring each of the containers from the elevator to the false floor for forming at least a row of containers. The false floor is vertically and horizontally movable for positioning the false floor above at least a tier of previously stacked containers on the platform. The false floor is retractable from underneath the row of containers when the false floor is positioned over the tier of previously stacked containers, to thereby deposit the row of containers over the tier of previously stacked containers.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald M. Grey
- 👤 Lee D. Butler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 18:30
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G57/00; B65G57/02; B65G57/16; B65G57/20; B65G57/22; B65G57/24; A; A01; A01D; A01D90/00; A01D90/02; A01D90/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 47
Claim 1
Independent Claim
332 words
An apparatus for field loading and stacking a plurality of containers onto a transport vehicle, comprising: (a) a platform, having first and second ends, disposed on a transport vehicle; (b) a palletizer means operably associated with said platform for progressively stacking a plurality of containers into a preselected stacked configuration from said first end to said second end of said platform; (c) conveyor means, having a pick up end and a discharge end, for transporting each of said containers from the field onto said palletizer means; (d) said pick up end including a pick up means for engaging and lifting each of said containers from the field onto said conveyor means; (e) said discharge end being associated with said palletizer means; (f) said palletizer means including a false floor means for forming thereon at least one row of said containers; (g) said palletizer means including an elevator means operably associated with said false floor means for vertically transporting to said false floor means each of said containers from said discharge end of said conveyor means; (h) said palletizer means including means for transferring each of said containers from said elevator means to said false floor means for forming said at least one row of containers; (i) said palletizer means including means for vertically and horizontally positioning said false floor means above at least one tier of previously stacked containers on said platform; (j) said palletizer means including means for retracting said false floor means from underneath said at least one row of containers when said false floor means is positioned over said at least one tier of previously stacked containers, to thereby deposit said at least one row of containers over said at least one tier of previously stacked containers; (k) said platform including at least first and second stacking areas; and (l) means for moving said palletizer means from said first stacking area to said second stacking area after stacking a certain number of said containers in said first stacking area.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
332 words
An apparatus for field loading and stacking a plurality of containers onto a transport vehicle, comprising: (a) a platform, having first and second ends, disposed on a transport vehicle; (b) a palletizer means operably associated with said platform for progressively stacking a plurality of containers into a preselected stacked configuration from said first end to said second end of said platform; (c) conveyor means, having a pick up end and a discharge end, for transporting each of said containers from the field onto said palletizer means; (d) said pick up end including a pick up means for engaging and lifting each of said containers from the field onto said conveyor means; (e) said discharge end being associated with said palletizer means; (f) said palletizer means including a false floor means for forming thereon at least one row of said containers; (g) said palletizer means including an elevator means operably associated with said false floor means for vertically transporting to said false floor means each of said containers from said discharge end of said conveyor means; (h) said palletizer means including means for transferring each of said containers from said elevator means to said false floor means for forming said at least one row of containers; (i) said palletizer means including means for vertically and horizontally positioning said false floor means above at least one tier of previously stacked containers on said platform; (j) said palletizer means including means for retracting said false floor means from underneath said at least one row of containers when said false floor means is positioned over said at least one tier of previously stacked containers, to thereby deposit said at least one row of containers over said at least one tier of previously stacked containers; (k) said platform including at least first and second stacking areas; and (l) means for moving said palletizer means from said first stacking area to said second stacking area after stacking a certain number of said containers in said first stacking area.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus, as in claim 1, wherein: (a) said at least first and second stacking areas include at least first and second adjacent pallets, respectively.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus, as in claim 1, wherein: (a) said palletizer means includes means for determining the number of containers transferred from said elevator means to said false floor means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus, as in claim 1, wherein: (a) said palletizer means includes means for determining the number of containers transferred from said false floor means to a stacking area.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus, as in claim 1, wherein: (a) said platform includes a series of roller means rotatably fitted thereto for aiding in off-loading from said platform said containers after being stacked.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus, as in claim 5, wherein: (a) said first end of said platform includes a tailgate for providing a stop for the stacking of said containers when said tailgate is closed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus, as in claim 1, wherein: (a) said palletizer means includes a tamping bar means for moving said at least one row of containers from said false floor means to one stacking area on said platform.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus, as in claim 1, and: (a) further including a carriage means for moving said palletizer means in the horizontal and vertical directions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus, as in claim 1, wherein: (a) said false floor means includes a plurality of roller means for allowing each of said containers to move freely away from said means for transferring.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus, as in claim 9, wherein: (a) said false floor means includes stop means for preventing each of said containers deposited by said means for transferring onto said false floor from returning towards said elevator means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus, as in claim 1, and: (a) further including means for determining when each of said containers is adjacent said elevator means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus, as in claim 1, wherein: (a) said means for transferring includes means for selectively changing the orientation of each of said containers relative to its orientation in said elevator means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus, as in claim 12, wherein: (a) said transfer means includes a transfer head having means for engaging each of said containers in said elevator means prior to being transferred to said false floor means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus, as in claim 13, wherein: (a) said transfer means includes means for reciprocating said transfer head between said elevator means and said false floor means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
59 words
An apparatus, as in claim 14, wherein: (a) said orientation changing means includes means for rotating said transfer head about a vertical axis after said transfer head engages a container in said elevator means, thereby changing the orientation of said container relative to its position in said elevator means when said container is transferred to said false floor means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
61 words
An apparatus, as in claim 15, wherein: (a) said rotation means includes first and second linkage bars pivotally connected to said transfer head at first and second pivot points, respectively, and operably associated with said reciprocating means; (b) said rotation means includes means for changing the length of one of said first and second linkage bars, thereby rotating said transfer head.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
93 words
An apparatus, as in claim 16, wherein: (a) said first linkage bar includes a roller; (b) said transfer means includes a first track for engaging said roller when said transfer head reciprocates without rotation between said elevator means and said false floor means; and (c) said transfer means includes a second track, disposed substantially parallel to said first track, for engaging said roller when said transfer head reciprocates between said elevator means and said false floor means, thereby effectively changing the length of said first linkage bar to thereby rotate said transfer head.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus, as in claim 17, wherein: (a) said first track includes a gate means for directing said roller onto said second track.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus, as in claim 18, wherein: (a) said gate means includes a solenoid means for remotely operating said gate means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus, as in claim 1, and: (a) further including means for stopping said elevator means when a preselected number of containers have been transferred onto said false floor means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus, as in claim 1, wherein: (a) said conveyor means includes first and second sections.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus, as in claim 21, wherein: (a) said first section is pivotally mounted to said second section.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus, as in claim 22, wherein: (a) said first section is operably associated with said pick up means; and (b) said second section is operably associated with said palletizer means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus, as in claim 23, wherein: (a) said first section is inclined with respect to the ground; and (b) said second section is substantially horizontal.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus, as in claim 21, wherein: (a) said first section is an endless belt.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus, as in claim 21, wherein: (a) said second section is a chain conveyor.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus, as in claim 1, wherein: (a) said palletizer means includes a microprocessor for controlling the operation thereof.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus, as in claim 27, wherein: (a) said microprocessor includes means for controlling the operation of said elevator means.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus, as in claim 27, wherein: (a) said microprocessor includes means for controlling the operation of said transfer means.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus, as in claim 27, wherein: (a) said palletizer means is horizontally and vertically movable with respect to said platform; and (b) said microprocessor includes means for controlling the position of said palletizer means relative to said platform.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus, as in claim 27, wherein: (a) said microprocessor includes means for monitoring the position of said elevator means relative to said false floor means.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus, as in claim 27, wherein: (a) said microprocessor includes means for controlling the operation of said false floor means between retracted and non-retracted positions.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus, as in claim 27, wherein: (a) said means for transferring includes means for rotating each of said containers; and (b) said microprocessor includes means for controlling said rotating means of said transfer means.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
56 words
An apparatus, as in claim 33, wherein: (a) said microprocessor includes means for determining the number of containers transferred onto said false floor by said transfer means from said elevator means; and (b) said microprocessor includes means for operating said rotation means after a preselected number of containers have been transferred onto said false floor means.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
73 words
An apparatus, as in claim 27, wherein: (a) said palletizer means includes an extendable tamping bar means for moving said at least one row of containers from said false floor means to a stacking area on said platform; and (b) said microprocessor includes means for extending said tamping bar while said floor means is retracted, thereby depositing said at least one row of containers on said false floor means to a stacking area.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus, as in claim 27, and: (a) further including means for displacing said palletizer means vertically; and (b) said microprocessor includes means for controlling said vertical displacing means.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus, as in claim 27, wherein: (a) said palletizer means includes means for displacing said palletizer means horizontally relative to said platform; and (b) said microprocessor includes means for controlling said horizontal displacing means.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus, as in claim 27, wherein: (a) said palletizer means includes means for overriding the operation of said microprocessor, thereby permitting manual operation of said palletizer means.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus, as in claim 1, wherein: (a) said false floor means includes at least first and second sections pivotally connected to each other.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus, as in claim 39, wherein: (a) said first section includes a plurality of roller means, disposed transversely to the direction of transfer of said containers from said elevator means, for aiding in the transfer of said containers.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus, as in claim 40, wherein: (a) said false floor means includes a floor track on each side of said false floor means for moving said false floor means between non-retracted and retracted positions.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
45 words
An apparatus, as in claim 41, wherein: (a) said track includes a straight section and a curvilinear section; and (b) said straight section is associated with said non-retracted position of said false floor means; and (c) said curvilinear section is associated with said retracted position.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus, as in claim 1, wherein: (a) said false floor means includes an area sufficient for forming first and second adjacent rows of said containers.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus, as in claim 43, wherein: (a) each of said containers in one of said first and second rows is oriented transversely to the containers in the other of said first and second rows.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus, as in claim 1, wherein: (a) said platform includes means for transferring the stacked containers from said platform to another transport vehicle.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus, as in claim 45, wherein: (a) said palletizer means includes means for pushing the stacked containers toward the other transport vehicle.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-04-02 | 1993-10-02 | 1994-04-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-04-02 | 1997-10-02 | 1998-04-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-04-02 | 2001-10-02 | 2002-04-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |