Palletizer Puller Bar

Abstract

In an item-handling device, a layer head includes an item layer building platform defining an item receiving plane, the layer building platform being vertically positionable. A puller bar mounts to the layer head and moves in relation thereto within a plane above the item-receiving plane. The puller bar is positionable between a retracted position above the layer building platform and an extended position offset from the layer building platform.

1 . A palletizer for arranging items on a pallet in plural rows, said palletizer including a frame and a delivery conveyer at a fixed height relative to the frame and configured for delivering items to the palletizer, comprising:
 an accumulator vertically movable relative to the frame between a first accumulator position in which the accumulator is positioned to receive items from the delivery conveyer, and a second accumulator position that is vertically spaced from the first accumulator position;   a layer head defined by a platform having a receiving edge, said layer head movable only vertically relative the frame independently from the accumulator between a first layer head position in which the receiving edge of the layer head is positioned adjacent a facing side edge of said accumulator to receive a row of items from the accumulator, and a second layer head position;   a puller bar vertically movable with the layer head and configured to transfer items from the accumulator to the layer head, said puller bar horizontally extendable away from the receiving edge of the layer head between a first puller bar position in which the puller bar extends beyond the receiving edge of the layer head over the accumulator such that said items on the accumulator are between the puller bar and the layer head, and a second puller bar position in which the puller bar is within the receiving edge of the layer head, said items being transferred from said accumulator to said layer head by being pulled from the accumulator onto the layer head by horizontal movement of the puller bar moving from the second to the first puller bar position and without horizontal movement of said layer head;   wherein the layer head is reciprocally vertically movable past the accumulator and the accumulator is reciprocally vertically movable past the layer head when the puller bar is in the second puller bar position, and such that when the layer head moves vertically past the accumulator the receiving edge of the layer head passes the facing side edge of the accumulator.   
     
     
         2 . The palletizer according to  claim 1  wherein the accumulator is defined by a conveyer comprising plural rollers. 
     
     
         3 . The palletizer according to  claim 1  wherein the puller bar is mounted to the layer head and is defined by two arms having distal ends interconnected with a cross bar. 
     
     
         4 . The palletizer according to  claim 3  wherein the facing side edge of the accumulator defines a delivery edge that is coincident with the receiving edge of the layer head when the accumulator is in the second accumulator position. 
     
     
         5 . The palletizer according to  claim 4  wherein items are first assembled on the accumulator in a pre-assembled row when the accumulator in the first accumulator position, and thereafter the accumulator is moved vertically to the second accumulator position. 
     
     
         6 . The palletizer according to  claim 5  wherein a pre-assembled row of items is transferred from the accumulator to the layer head by movement of the puller bar from the second puller bar position to the first puller bar position when the accumulator is in the second accumulator position. 
     
     
         7 . The palletizer according to  6  wherein the puller bar is horizontally movable to a third puller bar position wherein plural pre-assembled rows of items on said layer head are clamped between the cross bar and a stop on the layer head opposite the receiving edge of the layer head. 
     
     
         8 . The palletizer according to  claim 7  wherein the layer head further comprises opposed side clamps that clamp plural pre-assembled rows of items on said layer head in a clamping direction that is transverse to the movement of the puller bar between the first and second puller bar positions. 
     
     
         9 . The palletizer according to  claim 2  in which the frame defines a perimeter and the delivery conveyor is located outside of the perimeter. 
     
     
         10 . The palletizer according to  claim 9  in which items are delivered to the delivery conveyer delivers and accumulated thereon and are subsequently transferred from the delivery conveyer to the accumulator when the accumulator is in the first accumulator position. 
     
     
         11 . The palletizer according to  claim 10  wherein items are delivered to and accumulated on the delivery conveyer at the same time the accumulator is moving vertically from the first to the second accumulator positions. 
     
     
         12 . A palletizer for arranging items on a pallet in plural rows, said palletizer including a frame and a delivery conveyer at a fixed height relative to the frame and configured for delivering items to the palletizer, comprising:
 a row pre-assembly platform that is movable only vertically relative to the frame between a first position in which the row pre-assembly platform is positioned to receive items from the delivery conveyer, and a second row pre-assembly platform position that is vertically above the first row pre-assembly platform position;   a layer head defining a platform for receiving items from the row pre-assembly platform, the layer head having a receiving edge that in a first layer head position is aligned with said row pre-assembly platform so that items on the row pre-assembly platform may be transferred onto the layer head platform, wherein said layer head is movable only vertically relative the frame independently from the row pre-assembly platform between the first layer head position and a second layer head position;   a puller bar vertically movable with the layer head and configured to transfer items from the row pre-assembly platform to the layer head, said puller bar horizontally between a first puller bar position in which the puller bar is over receiving edge of the layer head over the row pre-assembly platform such that said items on the row pre-assembly platform are located between the puller bar and the layer head, and a second puller bar position in which the puller bar is within the receiving edge of the layer head, said items being transferred from said row pre-assembly platform to said layer head by being pulled from the row pre-assembly platform onto the layer head by horizontal movement of the puller bar moving from the second to the first puller bar position and without horizontal movement of said layer head;   wherein the layer head is reciprocally vertically movable past the row pre-assembly platform and the row pre-assembly platform is reciprocally vertically movable past the layer head when the puller bar is in the second puller bar position, and such that when the layer head moves vertically past the row pre-assembly platform the receiving edge of the layer head passes the row pre-assembly platform.   
     
     
         13 . The palletizer according to  claim 12  wherein the row pre-assembly platform is further defined by plural driven rollers. 
     
     
         14 . The palletizer according to  claim 12  wherein items are serially accumulated on the delivery conveyer and transferred from the delivery conveyer to the row pre-assembly platform when the row pre-assembly platform is in the first row pre-assembly platform position. 
     
     
         15 . The palletizer according to  claim 14  wherein items are delivered to and accumulated on the delivery conveyer simultaneously while the row pre-assembly platform moves vertically between the first to the second row pre-assembly platform positions. 
     
     
         16 . The palletizer according to  claim 15  wherein the layer head moves vertically simultaneously as items are transferred from the delivery conveyer to the row pre-assembly platform. 
     
     
         17 . The palletizer according to  claim 16  wherein the puller bar is mounted to the layer head and is defined by two arms having first ends mounted to the layer head and second ends interconnected with a cross bar, wherein when the row pre-assembly platform is in the first position the puller bar is in the first puller bar position such that the cross bar is extended vertically over the row pre-assembly platform and when the row pre-assembly platform is in the second position the items on the row pre-assembly platform are between the cross bar and the layer head, and the puller bar is movable to a third puller bar position wherein plural pre-assembled rows of items on said layer head are clamped between the cross bar and a stop on the layer head opposite the receiving edge of the layer head. 
     
     
         18 . A palletizer for arranging items on a pallet in plural rows, said palletizer including a frame and a delivery conveyer at a fixed height relative to the frame and configured for delivering items to the palletizer, comprising:
 an accumulator that is movable only vertically relative to the frame between a first position in which the accumulator is positioned to receive items from the delivery conveyer, and a second accumulator position that is vertically above the first accumulator position;   a layer head defining a platform for receiving items from the accumulator when the accumulator is in the second accumulator position, the layer head having a receiving edge that in a first layer head position is coplanar with the accumulator so that items on the accumulator may be transferred onto the layer head platform, wherein said layer head is movable only vertically relative the frame independently from the accumulator between the first layer head position and a second layer head position;   a puller bar having a cross bar adapted to transfer items from the accumulator to the layer head, said puller bar horizontally movable from a first position in which the cross bar is over the accumulator such that items on the accumulator when the accumulator is in the second accumulator position are located between the cross bar and the layer head, and a second puller bar position in which the cross bar is within the receiving edge of the layer head, said items being transferred from said accumulator to said layer head by horizontal movement of the puller bar moving from the second to the first puller bar position;   wherein the layer head is reciprocally vertically movable past the accumulator and the accumulator is reciprocally vertically movable past the layer head when the puller bar is in the second puller bar position, and such that when the layer head moves vertically past the accumulator the receiving edge of the layer head passes the accumulator.   
     
     
         19 . The palletizer according to  claim 18  wherein items are delivered to and accumulated on the delivery conveyer simultaneously while the accumulator moves between the first to the second accumulator positions, the layer head moves vertically simultaneously as items are being transferred from the delivery conveyer to the accumulator, and the layer head moves vertically simultaneously while the accumulator moves vertically between the first to the second accumulator positions. 
     
     
         20 . The palletizer according to  claim 19  wherein the accumulator further defines plural driven rollers.